Did you catch The View!?

Hey there! Well, it's not even been a week and I am still really happy about going on The View! Take a look if you missed it!!!

Did you want to watch the full episode? Click here ... The View - Victoria Beckham, Sunny and Bedbugs! :-)

All the ladies were so nice and as I explained to you in the post below, I was worried if Whoopi would make one of her cameo appearances during the segment. Imagine how crazy it felt to watch the show on Friday and see not only that, but Barbara Walters munchin' on one of my PB&J Pancakes! I didn't notice it during the taping because I was caught up in the moment on stage and I remember briefly seeing a monitor with Whoopi on it, but I find when things are live you are hyper-focused and often lose the details for the big picture right after it's over. Kind of hard to explain, it's like saying plenty of stuff consciously and knowingly, then two seconds later when the event is over, you are left wondering if you said all of what you think you said or if you thought to say some of it and didn't get a chance to. Better? I'm just trying to let you know how it feels for me. I'm hyper aware and there's a part of me so hyper aware that it is ready to speak and fill in the blanks at any moment, coupled with movements and other things your body needs to do, I have to say I don't know how to make it work, it just does. I say that because some people ask me when I meet them how I manage to cook, instruct, tell a story and look at the camera. The answer is, I have no idea, it just happens. Anyway, totally off topic, but to bring it back around, I had no memory of Barbara Walters noshin' on my goods, but I was so pleasantly surprised with it all. The video is below, I think my favorite part is when Sherri needed me to slow down on the pancake ingredients. She is hilarious! The yelling at Jeffrey, the beating the eggs joke, I can't believe how much fun it was in just a few minutes.

So, I didn't tell you but I went on a little vacation the day after I taped The View and ended up watching it air Friday with my guy and one of my best friends, just steps from the beach. I just got back today and although I've always made it a practice to go on vacation at least once a year, I've never had the occasion of doing that and watching myself on The View. It was truly a neat moment and I cried like a baby. I am so happy and I think it would be phony to act like all of this is totally normal or expected. This gives me another chance to urge you to chase the dream. Whatever it is, it can bring you some unexpected moments of happiness. I just enjoy cooking and sharing and talking about pretty much everything to anyone, it's what made radio so enjoyable for me. So, to do this job is truly rewarding. It's why I really mean it when I meet you and tell you thank you for watching and even here on the blog, thanks for reading. You are supporting a dreamer willing to do the work and I can't thank you enough.

Ok, stick around these parts because I still have cool information for anyone that has asked in the past about the bowls I use on Cooking for Real, details about them are one of the most asked questions and I have answers! Plus, more behind the scenes stuff from the most recent taping of Cooking for Real. I wrapped just a few weeks back and it looks like the first new episodes from that season begin airing in November. I ate and cooked comforting winter food all summer to prepare and write down my recipes for this new season, can't wait for you to see all the food!

P.S. "radiodugger" over at fnf - thanks, means plenty coming from someone in radio land :-).

Essence Music Festival Wrap up

As I stated yesterday, I came home a bit sick and even my play-brother that was down there in New Orleans and returned home a little under the weather. So, if you were there and returned a bit sick ... like Michael Jackson, You Are Not Alone. :-)

Here are some flicks to round up my experience ...

Sooooo remember how I was telling you about how one of my commenters mentioned they were tracking Sherri Shepherd's tweets during the Essence Music Festival??? The very next day after I wrote that blog, I ran into her backstage at the show! I got my nerve up and introduced myself to her and told her what a coincidence it was to meet her just after blogging about her being at the same event. She was soooo nice, I mean super nice. And can I say it? Skinny. Yes, truly a thing where television distorts, not that I thought she was big, but I thought she was like me, full figured. She is way smaller than me. Cute and tiny. Anyway, the funny thing is the people with her were people she mentioned in her tweets and I naturally looked at their profiles when I looked at hers on twitter, so they looked familiar and they were just as nice as she was. They watch Cooking for Real too! I watch The View everyday and sometimes conference with my best girlfriend about the show when it's over! So, it was what I call a mutual lovefest lol. Here are Sherri and I before she did an interview with TV One.

Then I ran into the man himself ...
I just had to get a picture, I don't think I met Ronald McDonald when I was young and I always liked Grimace because of his shape and color lol, but I truly turned into a kid for a few minutes when I saw him.

Ok, now for two pictures of something ... I just don't know what they are and based on the last time, I'm willing to bet they are nuthin', but look at what I cracked into TWICE this past weekend when I ordered fried oysters.
Can you see it? The little white pearl ball? Got that one at the hotel when I ordered fried oysters. It's definitely smaller than the first one. Then I went back to Mother's to get seconds because someone in the comments mentioned a po'boy and after reading the comment I couldn't help myself. So I added time to the treadmill and crossed the street for one.
See that pearl ball? Tiny right? These are both way smaller than the first 'pearl' so I'm not to excited, but I'll have them looked at by a jeweler just to satisfy the curiosity. Check back for details. As I'm typing this I'm thinking, boy did I really forget the Essence Music Festival, was about music and went straight for the food!

While I was in the Food Network kitchens a couple of weeks ago, I met a restaurant owner that was on a tour of the network and it was my luck his place was in New Orleans! I told him how I'd be down his way soon and would come by for a bite. Boy was it gooood! His place is called Huevos and it's a breakfast only place that shuts down at 3PM. Take a look at my Huevos Rancheros ... sunnyside up, not because it's my name, but because I like it runny and sunny. Over easy is cool, but I need a clean over easy, not a dirty over easy if that makes sense? You can never tell which you are going to get, so I go with sunny side up.
Pretty huh? I absolutely love avocado on the side!!! In that bottle on the left is their homemade chile oil. Very good, so good my buddy is shipping some to me. They also sent out some tamales on the house and I devoured them before I could take a picture. Just know if you ever go, it's a must order. The sauce was smoky and sweet, very good. Take a look at the inside of the spot ...
I used to have a chalkboard in my old kitchen and I loved it ... this made me miss it so much. There's even patio seating and the construction next door is a soon-to-be extension of the restaurant.
I also took in El Gato Negro and although the picture isn't the best, boy were my chicken enchiladas yummy.
I was already two bites in when I took the flick, the drinks were good too. My best male-friend lives down there and he took me and insisted I ignore my health-kick and made me have a margarita ... it was SOOOOOOO GOOOOOD! I don't know if that's because prior to that all I'd had was water and the occasional light beer, but it was good. Again, great sidewalk seating to watch the day go by ...
That's it ... I got back Tuesday and woke up Wednesday with a 100 degree temperature! For the first time I know what it means when people say they have a cloudy head, I was really a mess. My neck hurt, everything. Not that big a deal if you have nothing to do, but today I had to work! I got up early to tape The Wendy Williams Show!!! As soon as I know the airdate, I'll post flicks and a rundown. Until then, I have a date with Tylenol PM.