happy birthday LIBRA all-stars!

Everything really is beautiful!

september 23 - october 22
ruled by: venus
status: I balance

quickfire:
Libra's proverbial passionate soul makes them the ultimate foodie. You require lots of texture in your foods, friends, and environments. Your need to constantly engage your senses motivates you to experience many cultural and exotic foods and just as many variations of people.

You love to orchestrate events and create experiences, engaging your vast networks. We all appreciate these skills, but please... learn to reign in your inner-control freakieness and the world will truly see through your rose-colored glasses and enjoy the social ride.

Libra StarChefs:
Emeril Lagassi, Robert Irvine, and Thomas Keller

(excerpt from Stars In Your Stomach)
Mangia!

The great news is that our Libras are a extraordinary hosts!  They are passionate caretakers with vast social skills bringing together compelling groups of people in interesting surroundings. Libra’s need to consistently engage their senses motivates them to experience many cultural and exotic foods and just as many variations of people.  The bad news is that they typically want to initiate the event and make all the plans. If they don’t get to, they may be cranky and sulk through the forced socialization they had no control over.

Whenever possible say “Yes!” to hanging out with a Libra.  They are beautiful people, inside and out, and are architects of attraction.  They don’t like to be alone, so chances are you will get frequent opportunities to go out if you are on their network list.  If they must dine alone, their strong desire to be out amongst the world will drive them to eat out solo, but they won’t remain that way for very long.  Libra will genuinely befriend the staff of the restaurant by the time the salad arrives… and lucky you, some of these interesting people will probably appear at the next gathering that you’re invited to!  If you’re in need of a companion, don’t hesitate to call them – if they’re not free, they will usually include you in their plans.

The Libran eating environment can vary greatly.  The necessary components are a variety of food textures, interesting companionship, an attractive atmosphere, and good music.  They are creatures of beauty and romance.  Romance defined in the sense of romantic love, but also in the spirit or feeling of adventure.  They love being with a group of people dining family style, still preferably out in a restaurant.  If this type of eating requires the restaurant be foreign… Greek or Italian, all the better!  Libra is also completely in their element in a candlelit, white-linen hideaway booth with their lover or on a first date.  They are not shy about eating and will indulge whatever whim is present in the moment.  In either situation, they will happily ensure that whoever else is present is well cared for.  Although Libra’s social life may be a constant whirlwind of activity, they like to eat slowly… keep pace and they will love to share meals with you… finish early and watch them eat and they will take even longer!

Copyright 2011, all rights reserved.

Libra, what would we do without you?

Mangia!

The great news is that our Libras are a extraordinary hosts!  They are passionate caretakers with vast social skills bringing together compelling groups of people in interesting surroundings. Libra’s need to consistently engage their senses motivates them to experience many cultural and exotic foods and just as many variations of people.  The bad news is that they typically want to initiate the event and make all the plans. If they don’t get to, they may be cranky and sulk through the forced socialization they had no control over.

Whenever possible say “Yes!” to hanging out with a Libra.  They are beautiful people, inside and out, and are architects of attraction.  They don’t like to be alone, so chances are you will get frequent opportunities to go out if you are on their network list.  If they must dine alone, their strong desire to be out amongst the world will drive them to eat out solo, but they won’t remain that way for very long.  Libra will genuinely befriend the staff of the restaurant by the time the salad arrives… and lucky you, some of these interesting people will probably appear at the next gathering that you’re invited to!  If you’re in need of a companion, don’t hesitate to call them – if they’re not free, they will usually include you in their plans.

The Libran eating environment can vary greatly.  The necessary components are a variety of food textures, interesting companionship, an attractive atmosphere, and good music.  They are creatures of beauty and romance.  Romance defined in the sense of romantic love, but also in the spirit or feeling of adventure.  They love being with a group of people dining family style, still preferably out in a restaurant.  If this type of eating requires the restaurant be foreign… Greek or Italian, all the better!  Libra is also completely in their element in a candlelit, white-linen hideaway booth with their lover or on a first date.  They are not shy about eating and will indulge whatever whim is present in the moment.  In either situation, they will happily ensure that whoever else is present is well cared for.  Although Libra’s social life may be a constant whirlwind of activity, they like to eat slowly… keep pace and they will love to share meals with you… finish early and watch them eat and they will take even longer!

What? Your Libra says they don’t want to go out for coffee and a pastry?  Impossible on two fronts… first; of course they want to go out!  And second, they will deny liking sweets, but this may just be a ruse to ignite a needed argument to stir up the passions and awake them from a temporary hiatus.  Libra is a master at a good argument.  They may dress it up as a constructive debate, but it is still an argument… and they like to win.  Refuse to participate and you won’t be around long.  When you learn that this process doesn’t have to be angry or negative, you’ll have discovered a healthier outlet to dispute resolution and a competent sparing partner who is always weighing and balancing reason and emotion.  Librans are strong negotiators and diplomats.  In the end, you will have your coffee and pastry in a favorite café with a lovely person who knows how to fully enjoy the experience!

 Excerpt from Stars in Your Stomach, Chef Cosmo's Planetary Cucina, copyright, all rights reserved.

Must have diner food!

This weekend we ventured out early for an appointment that turned out not to be an appointment because the place had closed on Saturdays for economic cutbacks and oops, we didn't know! So, early and hungry and Saturday = diner breakfast! There's a new place in town that has gotten mixed reviews so we decided to get a first-fork look, smell, and taste.

Our waitlist entertainment was an adorable 16-month old girl who was petite, shy and cautious, wobbling around with wonder in her big blue eyes... always close to her mother's knee. Her Mom told us she was a twin when we remarked at how sweet and little she was... and said her sister was "huge!". Genetics is an interesting thing, especially when coupled with astrology... a few minutes can greatly contribute to our already predisposed uniqueness.

We're seated at our favorite people watching position... how did our waitress know! Corner booth with the whole room in view. Our neighbors at the first open 4-top to the left were two girlfriends obviously enjoying some comfort (hangover) food after a Friday-night-out adventure. One was organizing the real estate of her plate... nut & grain pancakes to the right, butter off the plate waiting for its verdict, eggs scrambled with fresh veggies. Her dimple-smiling friend had an array of small plates fanned out in front of her. Bacon, toast, hashbrowns side by side with roasted reds for comparison, and a center plate of chorizo and egg scramble. I'd never seen breakfast appetizers before! But, then Eva pointed out that nut & grain was a Virgo and breakfast apps was a Libra! Ohhhhh, of course!

With a loud "look out!" our attention was turned to a 50-something inventor cleaning up after his creative iteration of the classic science class volcano project with his huge biscuit and country gravy. Hahahaha, that was hilarious and all of his friends thought so too... Aquarius.

Oh, and back to the twins... the sister boldly walked up to our table with a ceremoniously presented gift of wadded napkin and a flirty glint in her eye. She looked like she was 3, not 16-months and was night and day to her twin that we had met earlier... they will make great partners in life!

Breakfast is the first meal of the day. The word is a portmanteau of "break" and "fast," referring to the conclusion of fasting since the previous day's last meal. It is widely referred to as the most important meal of the day. Breakfast usually consists of foods that are high in energy content. Typical breakfasts by world region...

New word for the day... portmanteau!