Dimwit Twit: My Visit Down Home w/ the Neely's

Hey! So remember when I went down to SoBe for the Wine and Food Festival? Well, I got to spend a bit more time with the Neely's there and we just really hit it off. They have such great chemistry and have plenty of fun at work, which is how I like to keep it. Light and easy, no stress. They invited me to join them on their show and I thought I'd bring you along for my second Dimwit Twit, or tweet, you know the deal ...I expect to go over on the 140 character limit ... this is totally not Twitter :-).

Thursday March 26, 2:30PM: Like the Rachael Ray visit and any other television show visit, there is the pre-interview. We had to figure out if I was coming on the show, just what would my part be? So, on the line was just myself and one of the producers. She began by telling me how the show worked and which one they wanted me to guest on. The episode theme is "High on the Hog". That's a term we used plenty growing up when eating a fancy meal, because the more expensive parts of the pig are the one's furthest from the ground. So, I was familiar with the phrase and the funny thing is immediately in my head I thought of two desserts, but kept my mouth shut to hear the rest of the show's menu description. When the producer finished talking to me about the current menu, she suggested my part of the show would be to come up with a dessert! Well, great thing is, I was thinking a spiked tiramisu. Tiramisu because it is classy and kinda fit the High on the Hog theme, plus as pretty and fancy as it is, it really is the easiest to prepare. Then a split second later my brain came up with the word "highball". I knew that was a type of drink, I also knew I wanted to spike the tiramisu ... so it was set, my dessert recipe on Down Home with the Neely's would be called "Highball Tiramisu". All I had to do now was take what was in my head and mentally on my tongue, then transfer it into a recipe. I got off the phone with a bit of work to do, but I was happy I came up with something so quick. Again, I get nervous my brain won't work during moments like this, then boom! Highball Tiramisu! lol ... I have work to do ....

Friday March 27, 8:00AM: I just finished writing the recipe and can't seem to find one place in my local hood that sells ladyfingers! Quite alright, I can taste the recipe in my head and it's fine, so I email it to the producer for approval. The real issue is now that I've thought about and written the recipe, I want to taste it so I head to a major grocery store and abandon my local grocers for a lady finger hunt. There I find several varieties and decide I'd like to try them all with my recipe so I can make a brand or type recommendation in the ingredient listing. This sometimes helps people make the recipe just like they see it on the show. I head home and make 3 different batches, throw them in the fridge and wait for the 2 hours of chill time to pass. I give a taste and instantly know my preference and make edits to my recipe. I also know which one is best because my dude empties the glass with lots of clinking noises. I made some more ... this time in a tray, here's his damage so far ...

It isn't picture perfect because quite like I think a mom of 5 kids may feel, my dude hovered over me for this, so I slapped it together after making 3 previous batches and knew that no matter what he'd kill it ... I don't even think he waited for it to chill teeheehee. (curious? that's some gravy/sauce I'm developing on the left with the 1/4" fat layer and on the right, a familiar brand of ground chicken.)

I forgot to mention another thing about the title; it's twofold, it's a Highball Tiramisu because of the alcohol content, but also because I plan to layer it in high ball glasses like a parfait. I get into cute titles and stuff like that, when it works. So now I'm comfy with the recipe and all I have to do is wait for the trip!

WEEKS ELAPSE >>>>>>>

Sunday May 3, 9:40AM: I'm 10 minutes late getting into the car service heading to the airport. So nice of the Neely's to send a car :-).  Halfway to the airport I realize I forgot something and have my dude race to the airport with it, what a mess I am lol. I hate flying and get anxious beforehand, so stuff like forgetting to pack items also adds to the anxiety. I don't know how people do it when they just fly and don't stress, I stress. 

Sunday May 3, 10:25AM: Arrive at the airport. I sat in the front area waiting on my dude to pull up with my suitcase's missing items and take this time to calm my flying nerves with a bit of music ... last week, I joined civilization and bought an iPod lol, I know I'm late.

Sunday May 3, 10:50AM: My dude arrives and before the cop could even tell him go, he was gone. Remember the days when you could sit and actually wait at the airport? Now it's like slow the car down and roll out the door, do not stop, do not pass go ... etc. I head through security, buy two travel magazines and a coffee then head to board the plane.

Sunday May 3, 1:47: Yaaaaay! I'm in Memphis! What a flight, it was a small plane! I'm met at the airport by a production assistant I'll call K-solo. The first thing he asked was the first thing I needed, a stop at a store. I needed all things that come in sizes larger than what is it ... 4 ounces? I really hate that flying rule, but I enjoy my safety so I'll deal with it. Each brand should come up with a travel size, because the travel sizes offered are never the brands I like, feel me? I get my goods and snag a bag of Cheetos Flamin' Hot, cuz they are hard to find in NYC and hop back into the car with K-solo. We get to the hotel I'm staying in and I realize there's no nail salon within miles. Did I tell you I don't drive? I mean I used to, but I don't anymore and now my license is expired, so I couldn't rent a car. That means I gotta walk ... and I don't mind it, but it was raining! Did I pack an umbrella? Nope. Did the hotel have a loaner umbrella? Nope. So ...

Sunday May 3, 3:30PM - I run in the rain across the parking lot to a shopper's oasis ... TJ MAXX! (love the new commercials btw if you haven't seen them they are hilarious. I need to have a buying intervention with a friend of mine lol) As soon as I walked in dripping wet, there were jillions of umbrellas to choose from right at the entrance. I got one, then headed to Sally's Beauty Supply down the strip mall for some nail stuff, mainly a buffer. I like a shiny nail with no polish, easy to keep clean and looks decent on tv. I got back to my room and settled in, dinner was in a few hours with the production team.

is this boring??? see ... I think twitter would be boring too ... i digress ...

Sunday May 3, 6:30PM -Dinner with two of the Down Home with the Neely's producers. Can I confess? I was so hungry after the flight that when I got back to the hotel from my rainy errand run, I promptly walked across the street and got a bite for take out at Joe's Crab Shack. There were memories there because I spent my 31st birthday at a Joe's in California, I was alone then and sad. What a difference a few years make :-). Very wack crackin crab legs solo on your bday lol. It was nice to change the memory of that place to a spot that gave me much needed nutrition after long morning followed by a run through the rain. Anyway, I didn't eat much at dinner with the producers, but the conversation was great and I knew that the following day of taping would be fun based on what we discussed.

Sunday May 3, 10:15PM - We all returned to the hotel and turned in for the night. I stayed up a bit to clean and buff my nails just in case they got a close up the next day and then I tried to sleep, but it didn't work. A combination of being what I call "too tired" and some music coming from I think the gym next door kept me up a bit, but somewhere between 1 and 2AM, I got to sleep.

Monday May 4, 11:00AM - I get picked up at the hotel by K-solo and he takes me to Horton's where I load up on donuts and coffee, have you seen these donuts??? HUGE, take a look at the top row ...

Then we head out for the drive to the Neely's home, not set. Yep, they tape at home and the kitchen you see on the show is theirs. They began the series taping in a rental home, but then decided it would be easier and make so much more sense for them to build a kitchen for television at home.

11:30ish - We get there and there's plenty of activity. There's an attachment to the house that is a make-shift prep kitchen for the culinary staff and cars are parked everywhere. Looking further into the back yard area I see camera and stuff set up and hear a familiar voice. It's Gina, she's taping the interview portion of the show. I really like this part of the show, it gives up a bit more background on the recipes and the people in their family. Very neat. She stops to say hi real quick, but I have to head inside the house to get my hair and make up done and she still has questions to answer during the interview. We part and I go inside to get settled. 

From here ... gotta be honest, I lose track of time. We are in a taping bubble where time slows and flies alternately. Here are some pics ...

This is Gina's Glam Squad, Kim, Kris and Greg ... fab hair, fab face and fab clothes, respectively. :-). We all had too much fun talking and laughing, it felt like old friends or family. Very cool vibe and I love what they did with the scrap I gave em ... here I am halfway through the process ...

See, all smiles! Then when I was done getting all made up, I headed back into the kitchen area to re-introduce myself to the crew ... that's how drastic a change it was with the before and after lol. Everyone had a good laugh and then I told Pat to smile for the cam ...

That's Mark, one of his producers on the way out of a smile or on the way into a smile, either way he is caught mid-emotion, but he's a smiler. :-) By this time it was lunchtime and everyone ordered out, I got SONIC! I saw it on the drive over and made a mental note. I would turn down a Michelin star meal for those onion rings! Later during the shoot we had to move outside for the grilling segment and we all kept talking about how it was about to rain and ruin the shoot. Here's Pat about to shoot his scene ...

Then, Gina arrives and I've cleverly cropped out a really neat grill she has because it hasn't been revealed on the show yet, but you must see this grill ladies (hint)! MUST SEE! Here they are both prepping together, but separately. It's such a dance and they do it gracefully, really not much coaching on the personality and interaction. Only "Action!" and "Cut!"

8PM-ish - It's a Wrap! We beat the rain, sure it came down for about 5 minutes, but the crew scrambled and got everything out of the rain and back into it, just in time for our final shot. We ended eating the meal at the table, then dessert on some patio benches. No sooner did we finish eating was there a surprise celebration for one of the producers ... she'd just gotten engaged! So, on the tail of Highball Tiramisu, we all had cake and champagne! What a way to end the day and really it wasn't over. 

Monday May, 4 9ish - I then headed out to dinner with Gordon Elliot and the entire production team. Gordon is cool and that's all I can say really, just cool. I could talk to him about everything for hours, he's lived such a life and he has a radio career under his belt like me, so plenty to chat about. We all dined on sushi (my tummy was like, really? ... donuts, coffee, bbq, Sonic Drive-in onion rings, foot long coney and cherry limeade, Highball Tiramisu, champagne, and now sushi??? lol)

Tuesday May, 5 - Fly home! My flight was delayed, but I didn't mind. I had an iPod and plenty of work to do online. Hope you like the show when it airs, I'll post the air date as soon as I know. 

The Dimwit Twit ... or tweet, whatevs (My Rachael Ray Return)

Hey there! So, as mentioned in my last post I got a second invitation to be on Rachael Ray's show last week! Do you know what goes into being on a show like hers? I'll give you the run-down ... aka my Dimwit Twit ... or tweet, whatevs

1) Weds 4/9/09 - On my birthday, my assistant (she's really my bff that asked if she could help de-stress all my scheduling and stuff when it got crazy last year. I really should talk about her more ... she has a full-time career wrangling a-list recording artists and more and she just slid me right into her program, very nice and effective.) Anyway, she gets an email from the p.r. department at Food Network asking me first if I'm available (yes) and then telling me the planned theme of the show (secret). Because I was busy that day (celebrating my 34th!), my girl, knowing my schedule and of course that I would never say no to Rachael Ray, confirmed me ... but I didn't know yet. No biggie, she knows when I need to know stuff. 

2) Sun 4/12/09 - I get the email forward from my girl letting me know she got the request last week and knew that I would say yes, so she confirmed. Now, reading the email I begin to stress out! It's what I do ... I stress out. Lol. The theme of the show was commonplace and I knew I could speak to it, but the stress is getting my thoughts together for the audition ... what kind of audition you say? Well, it's called a pre-interview, but to me it feels like an audition. Like if I don't say the right thing or have the clever ideas, I won't make the cut or something or I won't get a return visit. I gotta tell ya, this is pretty honest. I always just want to do my best and I get scared that I won't. Ick. Things usually turn out ok, but you can't tell me that beforehand and the funny thing is I know this and still can't chillax. Ok, so the pre-interview was set for that Friday. In a pre-interview, the segment producers talk to you about the flow of the show and ask pretty much the questions that Rachael could ask to see what your response would be. Now, to add to that, I've learned of the other guests on the panel and they are all chefs ... argh ... I'm not. So, will my responses be good enough? Sound crazy? Who knows? I was also told in the email that each host will demo a recipe and mine was a certain course. All week all I could do was day dream about that course in the meal and what I would do for that in the circumstances given for the theme of the show. Follow? Alright, so if you are in a creative field, you know what it is to have to be creative on a timer ... scary. Will my brain get in gear? Can I say the right things? Anyway, I was a bit stressed hoping I'd have it together by Friday. Good thing is I've been gardening lately and it gives me plenty of thinking time. 

3) Thurs 4/16/09 - I get an email with the conference call information for the pre-interview set for the next day! Surprise! Looks like the show theme has changed a bit, but I still need to be prepared with recipe suggestions and answers to questions I don't even know yet. Exciting and a teeny but stressful because I still am not sure my ideas are original and will stand up to the chef's answers. I start thumbing through my old recipe journals for more ideas and then I just do some quiet time. That helps me, just sitting and thinking and letting the brain relax ... If I were new-agey, I'd say I meditated. I went to sleep a bit nervous, but again, excited to get on the conference call.

4) Fri 4/17/09 - I call into the conference call number on time and greet a party that has already started. There are two producers from Rachael's show and my p.r. rep from Food Network. After the hellos, we got to work and the producer's begin by asking me general questions that I wasn't expecting ... I had to think on my toes and was very happy with what my brain spit out. Then we got to the questions I was expecting and those went well too. Really, this all felt like a conversation among friends. Rachael has a cool staff, really. We were laughing and I was doing my best to stay on topic because I can ramble, but before we knew it 40 minutes elapsed and we were at the end of the questions! They told my p.r. rep that they would get back to her after discussing my answers and let her know what my part in the show would be and what recipe they would use for the show. So now, the waiting and the second layer of stress ... did I give them something they can use? All I know is the show tapes in 5 days and I have to get ready.

5) Mon 4/20/09 - I find out from the p.r. department about which recipe they want to use. Turns out after stressing for a week about a particular course, my answer about another course was so good, they decided to use me for that! Yaaaay! So, now all I have to do is develop the recipe. All that entails is writing it and getting it perfect. Then naming it, which is tough, that too I feel is creative and hard to do on a clock. I immediately sat down after getting the email and began to work. Luckily, one part of my recipe was a part of another one if that makes any sense? So, all I had to do was the other half and bring to life the description I'd given over the phone of the recipe in my head. I had a deadline of getting it in by the next morning and I went to sleep that night feeling good because the work was done.

6) Tues 4/21/09 - I got my toes done ... a super-pedi ... and a mani. This show airs in the summer and has a similar theme so I was told to come looking summery. I thought, I think I'll wear some sandals or something, so just incase I wake up in the morning wanting to, lemme get my feet in gear. I forget about them in the winter months, lazy yes ... also cheap as well :-). I'm still nervous because this is the day they see my recipe and they have the right to kick it back and make changes. So when I can't take it any more I ask for progress and find out everything is ok, they loved the recipe and want no changes to it! Yaaaay! I go to sleep wondering what exactly I will wear and hoping everyone likes my new hair cut.

7) Weds 4/22/09 - Today is the day! I got up at 6:30, threw on my outfit and headed to my girl Hadiiya Barbel's studio to get my hair done at 8:30. Then at 9:40 I hop in a car to the studios. I get there and go right into make up to get my face hooked up. It was nice seeing the same staff as last time and catching up a bit. Then after I headed to the green room to chill and wait for the other guests arrive, I realize why I saw Ken Paves and Benny Medina in the hallway ... J.Lo is in tha building!! She's so cute and I sit watching her live stream in the green room. Minutes later our segment producers come visit and go over the pace of the show we are about to tape. We find out where we will sit at the table ... I'm Joy Behar, if ya dig. Then we are reminded of what we said to them on the conference call and that we have to pretty much say the same thing on the show so no one overlaps information. Very choreographed, but they produce the show so well it looks very natural. The rest you'll have to see on television, but I left the building at 3 something and headed back home. I don't have an airdate yet, but here are some flicks ...

Duh, food first :-). Like before, the green room food was delicious. I took a flick before we all dug in. It didn't last long. I mean only on Racheal Ray's show do you get pizza with quail eggs. I haven't been on many shows, but due to my radio background I've been privvy to many green rooms and the fare served there. Rachael's staff has everyone beat. Everyone. Everything was so good. Just like I'd mentioned before, it's a panel discussion again and on the panel this time ...

Ooops ... too close up, lemme see if someone else will take the pic ... maybe one of his several p.r. reps from his publisher!? That's smarter ... 

Now you can see it's Throwdown king Bobby Flay! He's in the Whoopi seat on the panel. He's just still one of the nicest dudes and hilarious. I told him I'd make a tough face, and he did too for a sec until someone told him to smile. Btw, he is eligible for dad of the year because he told such a cute story of getting his daughter face time with the Jonas Brothers for her birthday. Pretty hip daddy if you ask me. Then another panel member is ...

That's Rocco Dispirito (aka Elisabeth Hasslebeck on the seating chart)leaving the green room area in search of some more food, really ... he said he was going back for seconds of something we ate on the show ... it was Rachael's recipe and in her words, I must co-sign and say it was yum-o. So, I have to say kudos to the man that departs light conversation in search of seconds.

Then, I met this dude for the first time ...

This is Chef Adam Perry Lang, today's Sherri Shepherd in the seating chart teeheehee. (Of course Rachael is Babs). Ok, lemme tell ya ... the book I'm holdin' ... AMAZING!!! It's in stores soon and on first look the recipes are amazing and the pictures to accompany are equally beautiful. I've done plenty of time in the South on some good ole BBQ and his book brings it all together. We talked backstage at length about different types of BBQ and I told him how proud I am that I have an upcoming episode of Cooking for Real that deals with North Carolina BBQ, which doesn't really get much play. People always debate over rub or sauce, but no one ever talks about vinegar based BBQ. I mean, we just chatted away ... cool family dude and he cooks!!! If you are a meat eater, this is a must-have cookbook ... really. Aside from meeting him, if I were in the store thumbing through books for purchase, I'd buy it. You can pre-order it here on Amazon and it's in stores May 5th. Good Father's Day or birthday gift for the protein lover in your life. Ick sounds like a commercial, but really ... there's a full chapter on lamb, several recipes for roasting a full-hog, I dunno, it just lit up the southerner in me. I'd totally buy it and feel wack now I didn't ask for two so I could give one away. Luckily ... I took this one from him and in return he invited me to his restaurant, Daisy May's BBQ. 

Now, if I had a Twitter account, I could've told you all of this in real-time, but I gotta tell ya ... I don't think I am going to begin twittering or tweeting or whatever the proper terminology is. I'm afraid it's the next generation Myspace, then Facebook ... eventually something will eclipse Twitter. I dunno, still on the fence, but I also know there is something to be said for a little privacy. I don't think anyone cares about my day to day and I know how much work I put into just blogging and replying to everyone here ... I ain't leaving this anytime soon, which means I can't take on new stuff. I can't follow the flock on this one ... thoughts?