This couple deserves 5 hearts specially since they are friends – Help @moraymaosborn win

My Real Wedding from The Knot and The Nest.

Go to this link and vote : http://www.theknot.com/my-real-wedding/Photo/150219/morayma-amp-matt-our-classic-caribean-wedding?sms_ss=twitter

Les Dames' Seventh Salute to Women in Gastronomy : Feb 27th at Universities of Shady Grove Rockville

Thanks Chef Vinod of Bombay Bistro /Indique Heights for tipping me off to this event.

Seventh Salute to Women in Gastronomy

Celebrating FOOD! Cooking * Careers * Communications
Les Dames' Seventh Salute to Women in Gastronony
Saturday,February 27, 2010
9:00 am to 5:45 pm
The Universities at Shady Grove
Rockville, MD
$95
Register Here

http://www.lesdamesdc.org/

Featured Keynote Speakers:
Carla Hall, Bravo-TV “Top Chef” finalist, and
Nongkran Daks, winner, “Throwdown! with Bobby Flay,” TV Food Network
More than 40 Speakers in 16 sessions!
Hands-on Cooking Classes!
Fabulous Culinary EXPO! with new products,
samples, cookbooks and experts!
Continental Breakfast and Lunch Included
Festival of Desserts
Rosé Wine and Chocolate Reception
Much more...

A Taste of the Sessions:
Tricks of the Trade, Culinary Blogging, Ethnic Ingredients, Selecting Seafood, Food Writing, Rice Varieties, Farm to Table, Restaurant Reviewing, Local Wines, Kitchen Designing, Signature Cocktails, Uncommon Spices.
Hands-on Cooking Classes in Pastry, Pickling, Flatbreads and Sushi.

Session that Chef Vinod is part of

Cooking with Uncommon Herbs and Spices:A Smelling,Tasting,and Learning Session.
Includes fennel pollen, asafetida, mastic, nigella seeds, grains of paradise, Australian
wattleseed, black cumin, and more. Dame Aliza Green (Philadelphia), Author of nine
cookbooks; and K.N. Vinod, Chef/Co-owner of Indique Heights, Indique, and
Bombay Bistro. Chair: Dame Gail Forman, Consultant, Smithsonian Associates.

Social Media Baltimore Tweetup Feb 23rd

Just announced by Joel Mark Witt @joelmarkwitt on Google Buzz
RSVP HERE: http://twtvite.com/8me6vt

What: Social Media Baltimore Tweetup
When: Tuesday - Feb 23 - 6:30

Where: Austin Grill in Canton
The Can Company
2400 Boston St.
Baltimore, MD 21224
410.534.0606

Already coming:
@1stmarinerbank @justinkownacki @nichole_kelly @ericalpin @jameslombardi @Will_Burns @Mario Armstrong @prattlibrary @thefrontrowe

An informal exercise in meeting and talking with people you may or may not know in the Baltimore communications field.
If you are in the communications field (marketing, PR, journalism, writing, blogging, Twittering, video, podcasting etc) then you’ll fit right in.
Official Hashtag: #baltimoresocialmedia

RSVP HERE: http://twtvite.com/8me6vt
This is tongue in cheek and I can say it because I know Joel Mark Witt very well. In case you get bored Austin Grill has a Open Mic Night every Tuesday night ;)

Big Bowl Reston Town Center

Lunch, originally uploaded by ShashiBellamkonda.

11915 Democracy Dr
Reston, VA 20190
(703) 787-8559
www.bigbowl.com

The make your own stir-fry options could be new. I ordered chicken with peanuts and basil and would have loved some thai basil taste , it was not too hot which is good but was not the way I remembered it last time. I would call this peanut chicken with chilly and lime. Loved the taste

Facebook feed from your friends may not be your choice

Hat tip to Connie CrosbyPLEASE READ THIS ONE! "I just found this out. Facebook is blocking all of your friends' news feeds except the 250 they randomly choose. To Undo, From HOME page, select MOST RECENT then scroll to bottom of page, click "Edit Options" (bottom right side). Type 5000 instead of 250 for FB's maximum friend limit & your feed will work again."

What is America eating at the kick off -166 million pounds of snacks

Image via Wikipedia

Super Bowl viewers across the country stock their at-home parties with snacks, nearly 166 million pounds of snacks, especially salty snacks. Potato chips reign, with more than 44 million pounds of
snacks sold while tortilla chips and pretzels also rank high for Super Bowl sales. The Super Bowl snack with the greatest growth? Popped popcorn.

Source Nielsen

Superbowl and beer drinking

It was indeed a surprise to learn that the Superbowl is not the most popular beer holiday. Nielsen survey results show that Super Bowl is at the bottom of the beer sales table.

“Staying in is the new ‘night out’ for SuperBowl

NIELSEN: NINE OUT OF TEN U.S. CONSUMERS TO WATCH SUPER BOWL AT HOME INSTEAD OF FROM A BAR OR RESTAURANT

Typically its a slow night for restaurants as folks gather with family and friends to watch the Superbowl. Nielsen has results of a study that validates this. Here is more from Nielsen.

Most Consumers to Spend Same Amount or Less on Super Bowl Food and Beverages

The great majority of U.S. households -- 9 out of 10 – say they will be watching Super Bowl XLIV at home or at a friend’s or relative’s house instead of watching it from a restaurant or bar, according to a new survey by The Nielsen Company.

And for their home viewing, only five percent of households expect to spend more on food and beverages for the Super Bowl this year.

“Staying in is the new ‘night out’ and we see this trend continue to play out with the Super Bowl,” said Nick Lake, vice president, group client director, Beverage Alcohol at Nielsen. “Consumers continue to rein in spending and while this ‘new normal’ provides challenges for restaurant and bar owners, it presents opportunities for consumer packaged goods (CPG) retailers and manufacturers.”

Nielsen’s survey of more than 28,000 U.S. households also shows that 86 percent of Super Bowl viewers plan to spend the same amount or less on food and beverages for the Super Bowl this year, while only five percent plan to spend more.

Dreamed of running your own restaurant? Food Network looking for stars for a new competition series !

OPEN CASTING CALL

Food Network and the producers of The Next Food Network Star are looking for two person teams for a new competition series!

Have you always  Does your wife, husband, brother, sister, mother, partner or friend share that dream?

Do you make restaurant quality meals at home and want to show that you can take it to the next level? Are you a pro in the kitchen while your teammate is a star in the front of the house? Are you ready to prove that you have what it takes to run a restaurant? If so, we want to meet you!

PHILADELPHIA

Date: Friday, February 5, 2010

Time: 10am – 3pm

Location: Loews Hotel

1200 Market St., Philadelphia, PA 19107

BOSTON

Date:Monday, February 8, 2010

Time: 10am – 3pm

Location: The Lenox Hotel

61 Exeter St., Boston, MA 02116

NEW YORK

Date: Friday, February 12, 2010

Time: 10am – 3pm

Location: Professor Thoms

219 2^nd Avenue, New York, NY 10003

DC

Date: Monday, February 22, 2010

Time: 10am – 3pm

Location: Zentan Restaurant/ Donovan House Hotel

1155 14^th Street NW, Washington, DC 200

*Please go to www.24hourrestaurantbattle.com to download two applications (one for you, one for your partner). Please bring completed applications along with recent photos to the casting call.*

WHO SHOULD APPLY:

Two person teams with pre-existing relationships: Husband & wife, ex-husband & wife, father & daughter, mother & son, newlyweds, brothers, sisters, twins, cousins, best friends, etc.

The Skills to Run a Restaurant: Applicants may have no restaurant experience, a ton of experience, or some combination of the two. One member of the team will be the chef and run the kitchen, and the other will run the “front of the house,” so all we ask is that you have the skills to, as a team, actually run a restaurant.

Personality that Pops: Are you and your teammate charismatic and outgoing? We’re looking for lots of energy and charm!

*Please don’t apply if you already own your own restaurant or have previously owned a restaurant.

· If you have any questions, please contact us at casting24Battle@gmail.com

· Applicants must (a) be a US citizen or permanent legal resident with the unrestricted ability to work in the U.S. and (b) be at least 18 years of age.

About the Author

Shashi Bellamkonda is Director – Social Media & Social Media Swami of   Network Solutions a company that works together to help small business succeed online with web hosting, do-it-yourself website builder software, online marketing tools and domain names. Visit Shashi Bellamkonda's blog. Shashi is a regular contributor to the DC Examiner and Tech Cocktail. This article contains the opinions and observations of the author and may not necessarily reflect those of Network Solutions or its clients or partners.

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