Halloween Thoughts

Adults are the #1 freak-show for spending for Halloween. (Kids still rack up on the candy, though.) Halloween is gaining on Christmas for the highest spending holiday category. The National Retail Federation expects consumers to spend about $4.96 billion on Halloween cards, candy, costumes, and decorations. That translates to about $60 per average consumer. And that number is up 51% over last year. It’s the 2nd or 3rd biggest party (depending on who’s counting) behind the Super Bowl and New Year’s Eve. So, what’s the scare scoop?

There really is a Great Pumpkin, apparently. Or folks are jumping on the Linus Bandwagon. There is a surge in Great Pumpkin Parties across the nation, complete with “Boo Gifts” from the large round fellow (who in my imagination looks remarkably like Coach Phil Fulmer, but I digress). It seems to me that if this is going to be a trend, there are folks who could burn up some of their spare time volunteering at a soup kitchen – serving, of course, pumpkin or squash soup!

Did you know that Hallmark is producing over 300 different Halloween cards this year?! That boggles my mind.

The largest age group going over-the-top for Halloween consists of folks 18-24. 85% of them are throwing some kind of Halloween-Bash. And please note that Halloween parties aren’t limited to one week anymore – it’s a month-long celebration. Pumpkin, get partying!!!! FAST!

I am starting to wonder when people are REALLY going to get smart and COMBINE Halloween and Oktoberfest. Back to the topic....

After taking the goblins trick-or-treating, it's adult Toddy Time! Here's what I'm whipping up in my cauldron .... Caramel Apple Pie Tini
1-3/4 oz Bailey's with a hint of Caramel
1/3 oz. Smirnoff's Twist Green Apple Vodka (slurp!)
1/3 oz applesauce
Dash of caramel syrup

Pour applesauce in the bottom of a martini glass. Dash your caramel syrup on top of that. Shake remaining ingredients in your dazzling cocktail shaker with ice. Strain and pour yourself into bed. Gotta' rest those tootsies that I crammed into witch boots all day (it's amazing what a girl will do to entertain small children)! Might as well enjoy a cocktail while lounging!

RED SOX SWEEP!! SWEET!!

Off to celebrate. Back soon. XOXOXO

Donde est La Diva?

I know, I know. No postings in 5 days. Bad Main Dish. It's the busy time of year with my PR biz, so of course, I scheduled 2 babies during this time of year (several years ago) just to make things more interesting - hence, I'm on the Kiddie Birthday Party Merry Go Round. New parents are so naive! Little did I know then, it's also relentless soccer season and fall ball for tykes (however, I really do love it all). Not to mention football and World Series.

Which brings me to the confession: I have been watching MUCH more TV than normal just to follow my beloved Boston College whip up in the last 2 minutes on VA Tech (who otherwise was handing it to us on a big platter) and the Bo Sox in the World Series - yea! I about withered last night due to it being a travel day, so the Main Squeeze and I planned a Christmas party that will happen about 2 weeks after I return from my Carnegie Hall debut.

Last weekend, the Main Squeeze and I visited Camp Mac and the McBride family - la-la-love them a lot. Allen took the photo of us in the Talladega National Forest (also pictured are Shot Gun and Jake- above and left).

Sorry for the delay. Here's your Diva Lifestyle Reminder for the week: Sometimes, especially when things are beyond hectic, get out of your routine and do something unexpected and get a breath of fresh air. A horseback ride followed by a hike to a gorgeous vista does just the trick!

For Boston, For Boston!!!

(The title is the first line of the Boston College Song. Click here to hear the melodious refrain http://graphics.fansonly.com/schools/bc/multimedia/bc-for-boston.mp3)

I'm beyond ecstatic over my Red Sox winning the Pennant AND GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES as well as BC RANKED #2 in both BCS and AP polls (they didn't play this week and moved up a notch - LOVE THAT!).

Being a baseball and football fan, though I remain eagerly yet cautiously optimistic as both teams have a reputation for heartbreak - and curses. Of course, the Bo Sox broke The Curse when they spanked the Yankees in the World Series a few years ago (still happy about that). I am wondering if Ohio hasn't broken the apparent curse this season for impending doom-like upsets for #1 and #2 ranked teams. Here's hoping!!!

All of a sudden I'm less concerned about the weird kicking strategy Auburn employed Saturday evening and the totally incredible LSU coaching decision what with the Boston sports situation. Now, I'm really considering going to the BC-Clemson game in a few weeks - being the most geographically convenient, but my schedule is a disaster. What do you think, Poodle?

More later.

Diva Doins

Alerting you to the latest cool Diva thing to do TODAY:

Young Birmingham Diva, Jennifer Adams will be at Jonathan Benton Booksellers (Mtn. Brook) from 4:00-6:00 p.m. signing her new book, Mixing New Orleans, two topics near and dear to my heart: Mixed drinks in New Orleans. Now, this is research I HAVE to know about!! Jennifer took a leave of absence from her "real" job, moved to New Orleans, and literally drank her way through it!!! With intentions to benefit the good of the group. WOW! Impressive.

Can't make it today? No worries. Call Jonathan Benton Bookseller at (205) 870.8840 to reserve your copy and have it signed while she's there and pick it up as you're able. This book makes a great gift for the holidays for the special Diva or Dude in your life!

The drink on the book cover photo is a Pimm's Cup. "I discuss the Pimm's cup and the city's most famous location for drinking them (The Napoleon House) in the book. The Napoleon House is widely considered the best place in New Orleans for a Pimm's Cup and they go through hundreds of them a day," she told me. Jennifer's recipe is:
1 3/4 ounces Pimm's No. 1
7 up
Cucumber Slice
Fill tall Collins glass with ice cubes. Add Pimm's and fill remaining with 7 up. Stir and garnish with a cucumber slice.

Jennifer told me that her favorite drink lately is a mojito. "The Mojito in the shot that I am holding is Fresh Berry Mojito from the Marigny Brasserie on Frenchman Street in New Orleans. The place is not in the book because, well, it's not old. But, it is a great off-the-beaten-path place to grab a drink and their mojitos are legendary." Just special tips for you, my fabulous readers! By the way, doesn't Jenny look like a toddy expert you want to hang out with?!

When I told Jenny that the mojito in her hand here didn't look like any mojito I've had the pleasure of encountering, she responded, "The recipe for the one I am holding I don't have, but it is basically fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries and blackberries) macerated and soaked in Champagne overnight. Then those are added to a glass with mint and a little sugar. They are then muddled in the bottom of the glass and ice and light rum are added and some soda water. It is garnished with a slice of strawberry."

'Scuse me while I run out for ingredients, this great toddy book (supporting a LOCAL bookstore), and to make reservations on Express Jet to The Big Easy. Cheers!

Vampires and Homicidal Maids

Do you ever get the feeling that there's something sinister in the air??? People conspiring against you??? Is it getting close to Halloween and folks taking it a wee bit too seriously? I offer the following true, scary story ...

The professional cleaning service who "cleans" my house is trying to kill yours truly -- a good, paying customer for many years. ME!!! I work out of my house. Been doing so for the last 15 years. Anyway, yesterday morning during the routine cleaning unbeknownst to moi, the cleaning team put a toxic concoction in all of the toilets. I did hear a sizzling sound throughout the day, but assumed it was due to the fantastic purple and silver scarf wrap I was wearing over my all-black outfit. It did look good. My shoes ... Oh, sorry. Right. Posting. I'm back. So, I was here working ALL DAY breathing POISON. If I didn’t before, I have some kind of breathing problem now – I can barely catch my breath and the stuff dripping in my throat is like slime from New Jersey. The headache I had last night was beyond horrendous. Imagine my surprise when my doorbell rang this morning. The cleaning service showed up unannounced at 9 a.m. after I complained. I'm starting to think that they were checking to see if they'd done me in yet or if they needed to try again.

I was home when the homicidal cleaners showed up BECAUSE my 4 year old BIT my 6 year old approximately 5 seconds before we HAD to walk out the door. I'm talking punctured and bruised skin kind of bite. LORD! Anyway, I had to punish the biter and the bitee had to be at school. Yeah. Fun morning.

Whaddya think, Kitten? Can I blame the biting behavior on the sinister toxic fumes pulsating through my home's ventilation system? Should I terminate the cleaning service before they terminate me? I'm leaning towards yes.

SHRIEK!!!

Boston College is ranked #3 in the BCS and AP!!! I just fainted!

Better go to http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/rankingsindex for the whole list, Pumpkin. I'm off for a celebratory toddy!