VIOLETS AND LEMONS - Experience The Tart Sweetness Of Life

ENHANCE YOUR LIFE WITH MANTRAS

2009-05-17T12:21:00.000-07:00

5/15/09

Hindu Goddess (Maha) Lakshmi

I began playing/listening/chanting (in my head) the KLEEM and SHREEM mantras today, one after the other. First SHREEM and then KLEEM for 108 times plus.

I read about these mantras on the Internet as taught by Guru Datta Dattreya Siva Baba (‘Datta’ or 'Babaji’ for short) who is the guru to author Dr. Wayne Dyer, author of The Shift, Manifesting Your Destiny and more.

These two mantras represent and honor the sweet Hindu Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of Light, Purity and Abundance. Activating Her sweet spirit through mantra will embody spiritual wisdom, luck, prosperity and fertility in one’s life

SHREEM Mantra is a powerful bija (seed) mantra. By chanting this bija 108 times a day (takes about 7 minutes), you will have success with finances, abundance, spirituality and material goods.

KLEEM Mantra is also a powerful bija mantra which activates the spiritual Law of Attraction. It’s the love mantra and attracts good friends, strong and positive relationships and love into one’s life. Babaji says it is a very important mantra for attracting people as well as material wealth.

These two bija mantras can also be combined and chanted 108 times a day as ‘Om Kleem Shreem Lakshmi’.

I estimate I did each mantra about 300 to 400 times today; at home, as I go went through my day and on the bus. As a personal discipline, I also listened to mantra on my MP3 player BEFORE listening to my favorite songs. So, this is how I will be doing my mantra work from here on out.

Babaji writes it takes 30-60 days to see the effect of daily mantra chanting. I realize I am supposed to do only 108 reps a day of each mantra but let’s face it:

- My mind is strongly trained though years of meditation to ‘stay the course’ and be
singularly focused, so doing this mantra work is easy,

- I need all the help I can get with finances, relationships and health,

- It’s soothing to have the Gods and Goddesses of the Hindu traditions as spiritual
support as well as my own spirit guides and angels,

- I want to be a better and more compassionate person in the world,

- Babaji teaches us to always keep our mind busy with positive life-affirming thoughts
instead of useless or damaging idle thoughts, and,

- It’s a sweet blessing to utilize another spiritual tool (the mantras) to assist me with
my journey through this life path.

I imagine the mantras are surrounding me with protective light energy, swirling through and about my aura and body as I go throughout my day and rest in the night.

Today was my first day with this mantra work and something interesting did happen. I was in a bathroom stall at a retail establishment and on the floor were two pennies. I thought, “Hmmm, I wonder if this is a sign of abundance beginning in my life because of the chanting. If so, it would be rather rude to ignore it.”

So, I picked the pennies off the floor, washed them (and my hands!) in soap and hot water, gave them a spritz of Lysol spray at home and they now reside on my meditation altar! My Kuan Yin, Mother Mary and Buddah are thrilled with their new friends!

In the past, my personal experience with this type of spirit work has been interesting. It is said the prose of the Jesus Prayer has special spiritual qualities. Although I do not consider myself or others as ‘sinners’, I decided to begin practicing the presence of God/Goddess by repeating the Jesus Prayer constantly for one week. After a while, it was if the Prayer repeated itself in my mind with almost no effort on my part. I would even hear it in my head as I woke up in the morning and as I had conversations during the day. By the end of the week, I suddenly realized I could perceive auric light around everything! It was very interesting. That ability has never gone away, even through four eye surgeries. Now, whenever I feel nervous or afraid, I chant this Prayer in my mind.

I’ll keep you posted as I continue along this path of using mantras to enhance my life.

Om Lakshmi!
Om Lakshmi!
Om Lakshmi!

LEARN MORE WITH THESE RESOURCES:

Guru Datta Dattreya Siva Baba
http://www.SivaBaba.org
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=Datta+Dattatreya+Siva+Baba&aq=f

Dr. Wayne Dyer
http://www.drwaynedyer.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3bM8I7GzYM&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=dr%2C+wayne+dyer&aq=f

Jesus Prayer Project - www.jesusprayer.org

Power Words & Free Mantra Chant Tutorial by Dattatreya Siva Baba - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7prV0YY4SGU&feature=channel

Mantras: Meaning and How to Use It - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vS2uf0iEkr4&feature=channel

Goddess Lakshmi
http://hinduism.about.com/od/hindugoddesses/p/lakshmi.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lakshmi
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&um=1&ei=u1UQSv3WDKCWtgOnxYGDAw&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=GODDESS+LAKSHMI&spell=1

Mantras
http://www.sanskritmantra.com/healing.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mantra
http://www.khandro.net/practice_mantra.htm
http://www.sanatansociety.org/indian_music_and_mantras/sounds_of_tantra_mantras.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lps1hzr0x80

THE LATE, GREAT NINA SIMONE WITH TYPOGRAPHY

2009-04-05T00:57:00.000-07:00

Here's the wonderful, evocative, very special and strong sista Nina Simone in video format melded with typography. Simply breathtaking! Enjoy!

Feeling Good, Nina Simone

Via: Daily Motion and Black Eiffel

For more information on the talented and glorious Nina Simone and her music, visit here, here, and here.

THE SCENT OF COBALT BLUE!

2008-11-20T13:11:00.000-08:00

I am a subscriber to the parfumer Lucky Scent's email newsletter and today, I received the most interesting information from them about a new scent from Boudicca. The newsletter was as follows:

"Wode, the revolutionary Art Fragrance from BOUDICCA explores further the myth around Queen Boudicea. Legend has it she and her tribe wore cobalt blue war 'paint' on their skin that gave them a ferocious and mythical look when advancing into battle. When finally defeated by the Romans, Queen Boadicea killed herself by swallowing hemlock, an extract of which is included in Wode.

When Wode is sprayed, a vibrant cobalt blue mist appears and settles on the skin or clothing. Whether touched or not, the 'Wode Paint' begins to fade within seconds-- or minutes-- and disappears completely, leaving simply the scent behind.

Wode opens with spices and green - coriander, cardamom, clary sage and juniper berries. There is clean earth and a hint of flowers and ocean and it all seems quite brisk and pleasant, until the black hemlock kicks in, bitter and unsettling and hopelessly attractive. A dark and ethereal swirl of resins and animalic notes dances around a heart of leather and musk and there is an intriguing undercurrent of something raw and untamed, softened by a soft whisper of sweetly narcotic tuberose.

The overall impression is not heavy - but airy and elemental, like the landscape after a fierce and cleansing storm.

Created by iconoclast perfumer Geza Schoen (of Escentric Molecules fame). The inspiration is ancient, but the scent itself is very modern-unusual, intriguing, and subtle enough to make it easy to wear, for both men and women.

Wode is packaged in a classic spray paint can and available in both PAINT and SCENT (without blue paint) versions."

Isn't that interesting? I am jazzed over the mythic history of it all and I want to be Cobalt Blue (at least temporarily)!!

Southern California residents (and tourists) can visit the Hollywood store of Lucky Scent or visit this website: Luckyscent.com

A HARROWING ACCOUNT OF LIFE IN THE NEW ORLEANS CONVENTION CENTER AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA

2005-09-13T22:50:00.000-07:00

This is a first-person account of life in the New Orleans Convention Center after Hurricane Katrina by a Denise Moore. I received this via email....read it and weep.

"Denise said she thought she was in hell. they were at the convention center for 2 days, with no water, no food. no shelter. Denise, her mother (63 years old), her niece (21 years old), and 2-year-old grandniece. When they arrived, there were already thousands of people there.

They were told that buses were coming. Police drove by, windows rolled up, thumbs up signs.

National Guard trucks rolled by, completely empty, soldiers with guns cocked and aimed at them.

Nobody stopped to drop off water.

A helicopter dropped a load of water, but all the bottles exploded on impact due to the height of the helicopter.

The first day (Wednesday) 4 people died next to her. the second day (Thursday) 6 people died next to her.

Denise told me the people around her

all thought they had been sent there to die.

Again, nobody stopped.

The only buses that came were full; they dropped off more and more people, but nobody was being picked up and taken away. they found out that those being dropped off had been rescued from rooftops and attics; they got off the buses delirious from lack of water and food. completely dehydrated.

The crowd tried to keep them all in one area; Denise said the new arrivals had mostly lost their minds. they had gone crazy.

Inside the Convention Center, the place was one huge bathroom.

In order to shit, you had to stand in other people’s shit.

The floors were black and slick with shit.

Most people stayed outside because the smell was so bad. but outside wasn’t much better: between the heat, the humidity, the lack of water, the old and very young dying from dehydration… and there was no place to lay down, not even room on the sidewalk. They slept outside Wednesday night, under an overpass.

Denise said yes, there were young men with guns there.but they organized the crowd. They went to Canal Street and “looted,” and brought back food and water for the old people and the babies, because nobody had eaten in days.

When the police rolled down windows and yelled out “the buses are coming,” the young men with guns organized the crowd in order: old people in front, women and children next, men in the back. just so that when the buses came, there would be priorities of who got out first.

Denise said the fights she saw between the young men with guns were fist fights. she saw them put their guns down and fight rather than shoot up the crowd. but she said that there were a handful of people shot in the convention center; their bodies were left inside, along with other dead babies and old people.

Cops passing by, speeding off.

National Guard rolling by with guns aimed at them. and yes, a few men shot at the police, because at a certain point all the people thought the cops were coming to hurt them, to kill them all.

She saw a young man who had stolen a car speed past, cops in pursuit; he crashed the car, got out and ran, and the cops shot him in the back in front of the whole crowd.

She saw many groups of people decide that they were going to walk across the bridge to the west bank, and those same groups would return, saying that they were met at the top of the bridge by armed police ordering them to turn around, that they weren’t allowed to leave.

So they all believed they were sent there to die.

Denise’s niece found a pay phone, and kept trying to call her mother’s boyfriend in Baton Rouge, and finally got through and told him where they were. The boyfriend, and Denise’s brother, drove down from Baton Rouge and came and got them.

They had to bribe a few cops, and talk a few into letting them into the city (”come on, man, my 2-year-old niece is at the Convention Center!”), then they took back roads to get to them.

After arriving at my other cousin’s apartment in Baton Rouge, they saw the images on TV, and couldn’t believe how the media was portraying the people of New Orleans. She kept repeating to me on the phone last night:

"Make sure you tell everybody that they left us there to die.

Nobody came."

Those young men with guns were protecting us. If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t have had the little water and food they had found."

That’s Denise Moore’s story."

BUSH IS ASKED SOME SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ROLE HE AND HIS GOVERNMENT FAILED TO PLAY IN THE WAKE OF HURRICANE KATRINA

These questions were given to the President by Senator Minority Leader Harry Reid (D)NV...

Administration inaction to warnings of catastrophic flooding in New Orleans.
President Bush, Secretary Chertoff, and other top Administration officials have repeatedly stated that no one "anticipated the breach of the levees." Yet, public studies and analyses made available to the Administration have long warned that a major storm was inevitable and would lead to the breaching of New Orleans' levees with catastrophic results. Why, then, was the Administration so unprepared to deal with the breaching of the levees?

Administration insistence on harmful budget cuts.
In the face of these warnings about the risks involved of a catastrophic hurricane, why did the Administration reject urgent and repeated requests from local and state officials and the Army Corps of Engineers for programs that could have budget cuts for programs such as levee repairs/maintenance, emergency planning grants, wetlands restoration, and other related items have on the damage caused by Katrina?

Slow Administration response to Hurricane Katrina warnings.
Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center, has stated that both DHS Secretary Chertoff and FEMA Director Brown listened to NHC briefings days before Katrina's landfall that discussed the strength of the storm and its potential impact. Given these warnings, why did FEMA and DHS fail to adequately prepare for the consequences? Who else received these briefings? Did Secretary Chertoff or Director Brown communicate these warnings to President Bush, Secretary Rumsfeld, Leavitt, Mineta or other key Cabinet officials? If so, what specific actions did each cabinet official take?

FEMA rejection of assistance.
Is it true that FEMA turned away offers of assistance from states, nonprofit agencies, and the private sector - including offers for generators, water, fuel, food aid, transportation, and fire control? If so, why?

Absence from Washington of the President and key officials.
How much time did the President spend dealing with this emerging crisis while he was on vacation? Did the fact that he was outside of Washington, D.C. have any effect on the federal government's response? When it became apparent a major hurricane was days away from striking the Gulf Coast, why didn't President Bush immediately return to Washington from his vacation and why didn’t he recall key officials and staff members back from their vacations? Would the presence of key officials in Washington have improved the response?

Failure to implement National Response Plan.
The Bush Administration published a National Response Plan for responding to catastrophic incidents, including natural disasters, in December 2004. The plan explicitly states that the federal government can override notification and request for assistance regulations in order to expedite assistance, and that "the coordination process must not delay or impede the rapid deployment and use of critical resources." Why did the Bush Administration fail to act according to the National Response Plan?

Failure to cut through red tape.
Numerous reports indicate that bureaucratic red tape impeded the rapid delivery of assistance for critical needs, such as shelter, transportation, and food. Did Administration officials have the authority to cut through this red tape and, if so, why didn't they exercise this authority?

Failure to send sufficient number of troops immediately.
Why did it take several days for National Guard and active military units to reach positions in New Orleans and around the Gulf Coast? Why did the Secretary of Defense wait until Saturday - five days after the hurricane struck - to deploy soldiers from the nearest Army base, Fort Polk, LA? What effect have extended overseas deployments of National Guard and Reserve forces had on these forces’ abilities to respond to emergencies on U.S. soil?

Lack of interoperable communications.
The Wall Street Journal reports that the response effort has been plagued by "a total breakdown of communications systems, an echo of the problems that faced New York officials dealing with the 2001 terrorist attacks and a system the government has been trying to fix for four years," specifically citing "incompatible radio systems." Why has the Administration failed to solve this problem? Would the adoption of congressional amendments to increase funds for this equipment helped to mitigate this problem?

Failure to respond to state and local officials.
State and local officials indicate that they were asking for immediate and massive federal assistance from the outset, but that the federal government failed to mobilize for several days, dragging its feet and failing to appreciate the impact of the storm. Did this Administration work as closely in this case with state and local officials as did previous Administrations or during previous disasters?

Administration efforts to shift blame from its own failures.
Shortly after it became apparent that the government’s response was grossly inadequate, comments attributed to unidentified Administration officials suggested that the primary blame for the chaotic response rested with state and local officials. Is there any evidence that Administration officials decided to intentionally mislead the public?

Effects of organizational changes at FEMA.
It appears that FEMA suffered from serious systemic failures in virtually every aspect of its' response to Katrina. Did these failures stem directly from the decision to strip FEMA of its cabinet level status and include it in a department where countering terrorist attacks is the primary focus? There have also been reports that many of FEMA's most experienced and capable personnel have left the agency recently. It is essential that your committee speak with current and former FEMA officials, especially those who have worked at the agency before and since the transition.

Preparation for future disasters.
What do experts predict about the frequency and intensity of hurricanes and other natural disasters striking the U.S. in the immediate future? What actions should the Administration and Congress take immediately to address the lessons you draw from the U.S. government's response to Hurricane Katrina so that we will be better able to respond to future emergencies including major terrorist attacks?

It is now time to begin the 'Blame Game' (whether the Republicans like it or not) and get to the bottom of who is responsible for this travesty against citizens of the United States (and President Bush's so-called investigatory commission is a joke- it's like letting the inmates hold their own kangaroo court in prison).

When will we get honest answers to these questions? We WANT answers.

CHRISTOPHER WALKEN FOR PRESIDENT IN 2008

2005-08-16T21:36:00.000-07:00

Is Christopher Walken really running for President in 2008?

On August 9, 2005, Mr. Walken held a press conference:

New York - Early today, actor Christopher Walken, 62, held a private conference at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York in which he announced his intentions to run for the Presidency of the United States in the 2008 Election.

I will vote for him. I will vote for him.
I will vote for him. I will vote for him.

He can dance. He can dance. He can dance!

He's a big fan of the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.

He's eccentric and erudite.

He can hang.

He talks like he dances; with rhythm.

He is bright and intelligent.

He is a living King of Pop Culture.

He is beloved by all children.

He wears the most unique hairstyle in America (not counting Donald Trump, of course).

He has the gap-toothed smile of a wicked elf.

He refuses to speak in a normal speech pattern.

He's an amazing chef.

He's a photographer's dream.

He doesn't suffer fools easily.

He possesses a classy sense of style.

He glides when he walks.

The American Public is fascinated with him.

His speech pattern doesn't include periods at the end of his sentences.

He never takes himself too seriously.

He is the thinking man's actor.

He's extremely well read.

He'd make a competent and wise Commander In Chief.

He shops for gourmet ingredients at the Bristol Farms in West Hollywood.

He'll make Graceland the new Camp David.

Every woman in the world wants to dance with him.

He is a living and breathing Urban Legend.

He tells the most outrageous stories.

He's an amazing actor and playwright...

and most of all....

He has the ability to scare the bejesus out of our enemies!

"I don't need to be made to look evil I can do that on my own."

I WILL vote for him. I WILL vote for him. I WILL vote for him. I WILL vote for him. I WILL vote for him.

I WILL VOTE FOR HIM!

YOUR CELLPHONE AND EMERGENCIES

2005-07-22T14:11:00.000-07:00

'Leaving Waimanalo' by Moira Hahn

MOIRA HAHN, ARTIST

Moira Hahn is an artist who creates paintings which are intensely personal; often self-portraits and intellectually feminine in a most unique style.

She's obviously a big fan of circa 1950's-1960's Japanese monster movies as Hahn often utilizes the imagery of Godzilla, et. al. in her work in a humorous but interesting way.

Hahn's work is all-encompassing and full of curiousity. You can see examples of her wonderful paintings here.

PARAMEDICS' CELLPHONE TIP

BlogCritics.org posted the following cellphone tip for emergencies as follows:

This comes from a contact of mine at GE Healthcare who learned it from one of their safety officers. I had assumed cell phones would be a link to identity in emergencies and did label some numbers for this purpose, but this appears to be one additional step we can take.

"Paramedics will turn to a victim's cell phone for clues to that person's identity. You can make their job much easier with a simple idea that they are trying to get everyone to adopt: ICE.

ICE stands for In Case of Emergency

If you add an entry in the contacts list in your cell phone under ICE, with the name and phone no. of the person that the emergency services should call on your behalf, you can save them a lot of time and have your loved ones contacted quickly. It only takes a few moments of your time to do."

Good idea, isn't it?

JACKIE ROBINSON FINALLY GETS THE GOLD! CONGRATULATIONS!!

2005-03-02T18:44:00.000-08:00

It just does my heart good to see that the late Jackie Robinson, a shining star in the firmanent of baseball finally received the golden Congressional Medal this month from Congress, in a ceremony attended by his wife Rachel Robinson, President and Mrs. Bush and other Robinson family members.

Since the American Revolution, the U.S. Congress has commissioned gold medals as its highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions.

This country has always been fairly generous when it comes to sports, because the art of the game is a reflection of the American ideal of freedom, challenge, independence...and coming out on top.

Back in the day, it didn't take long for the sports race barrier to crumble under our nationalistic desire to compete and win, and Jackie Robinson, a veteran of the U.S. Army, was the man with the plan...AND the talent. A veritable genius when it came to the game of baseball, Robinson possessed a grand slam that wouldn't quit and was amazing to witness in person.

"Robinson could hit and bunt and steal and run. He had intimidation skills, and he burned with a dark fire. He wanted passionately to win. He bore the burden of a pioneer and the weight made him stronger. If one can be certain of anything in baseball, it is that we shall not look upon his like again." ---- Roger Kahn in The Boys of Summer.

After a season with the Negro League in 1947, UCLA graduate Robinson tore up the turf (in 1941, Jackie Robinson became the first athlete in the history of UCLA to letter in four sports; track, basketball, baseball, and football) and became the first black player to play for the big leagues. He not only changed the face of sports, but of society as well. When Jackie finally played for the Brooklyn Dodgers, we black folks KNEW that times, they WAS a changin'!

He had a natural reserve and grace about him, and family members said it was often hard for him to bite his tongue when confronted with racial slurs on the ball field.

Robinson not only did his folks proud, he did everyone ELSE proud too, by approaching the game with an attitude of fair play and honesty while, at the same time, fighting against racial discrimination throughout his lifetime.

"Jackie's is an amazing story, this kind of recognition
outside of baseball is long overdue."
--- Bud Selig, Baseball Commissioner

The Robinson Congressional Medal, co-sponsored by Arizona Sen. John McCain and Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry and the highest citizen award in America, was long in coming and well-deserved.

In remembering Jackie Robinson and his contributions; there's a video tribute to Jackie Robinson at this link, and an audio tribute here.

ROSA PARKS, ANOTHER NATIONALTREASURE

Consider Rosa Parks, our contemporary Harriet Tubman who single-handledly forced this country to look closely at its poor treatment of blacks.

As a child in Tuskegee, Alabama, Parks spent many nights listening to the activities of the local Ku Klux Klan, while they ran down, beat and lynched black citizens.

As an adult, she refused to give up her seat and move to the back of a Montgomery, Alabama bus, while, at the same time, withstanding the threats, insults and abuse from her fellow passengers, Parks took up the banner long held by Jackie Robinson, and refused to further tolerate discrimination and Jim Crow, as a private citizen and individual. She was absolutely fearless in her actions on that day, December 1, 1955. Parks was immediately arrested and by December 5th, the Montgomery Bus Boycott began, with Dr. Martin Luther King as its leader.

"Sparking the modern civil rights movement in the United States by refusing to give up her bus seat to a white passenger. Rosa Parks's arrest for breaking Montgomery segregation laws started a boycott of the city bus line that lasted 381 days. This eventually led to the 1956 Supreme Court ruling declaring segregation illegal on public buses."

Parks is still with us today, residing in the state of Michigan and facilitating the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self-Development, which was created to foster positive achievement for youth.

For youthful readers, she wrote the book, Rosa Parks: How I Fought For Civil Rights and also a autobiography entitled Quiet Strength.

"The only thing that bothered me,
was that we waited so long to make
this protest." --- Rosa Parks

Rosa Parks IS a National Treasure and deserves to be honored as such. In 1996, President Clinton awarded Rosa Parks with the Medal of Freedom Award. In my opinion, for her bravery and foresight, she deserves the Congressional Medal as well.

Known as the Mother of the Modern Day Civil Rights Movement, Parks' strength and sheer determination to fight for the rights of black Americans was righteous and fierce, then and now.

WRITE FOR WHAT IS RIGHT
Write or email your Senator and request a Medal for our National Treasure Rosa Parks before it's too late. You can research your state representatives at this link.

RESOURCES FOR YOU TO CHECK OUT:

NEGRO LEAGUE BASEBALL MUSEUM

JACKIE ROBINSON FOUNDATION

NATIONAL BASEBALL HALL OF FAME: JACKIE ROBINSON

ACADEMY OF ACHIEVEMENT: ROSA PARKS

JIM CROW MUSEUM OF RACIST MEMORABILIA

CORRESPONDENCE FOR MRS. PARKS:
Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self-Development
65 Cadillac Square, Suite 2200 Detroit, MI 48226

SPAGO'S SIBERIA - A Personal Experience

2005-02-15T11:59:00.000-08:00

Essex House Restaurant Drops The Ball

We all have horror stories about dining out....Stephan Pollard writes about his experience dining at Chef Alain Ducasse's Essex House Restaurant....evidently it was an $890.00 disaster.

My Own Personal Experience At Spago's West Hollywood

Ah, yes, Stephen Pollard's experience reminds me of my birthday dinner at the now defunct Spago Restaurant run under the tutelege of Chef Wolfgang Puck in West Hollywood, California.

At the time, Spago, which was situated above Sunset Boulevard was THE restaurant to dine in. My sister's friend wanted to treat us to a special birthday dinner and had made reservations for a window table THREE months in advance. When we arrived, we were seated in the plastic tent at the rear of the restaurant, i.e. Spago's Siberia..despite our reservations.

To this day, I wonder if it was because we were all African-Americans? Normally, I would have thrown a major hissy-fit at the reservations desk, but as my twin and I were being given a birthday treat, I behaved myself and kept my temper down.

Perhaps I had missed the point of Spago...I must ask restaurant designer Barbara Lazaroff what on EARTH she was thinking. I certainly hope it was supposed to be the hoi polloi's way of 'slumming' with its California-style of pizzas because this dining experience at a trendoid restaurant became more and more ludicrous. The place had a marked lack of class, in my view. As a matter of fact, I didn't HAVE a view because we were seated in Spago's Siberia!

The wait staff was cold and imperious and treated us as if we were plantation servants given a night off from the fields to eat at Spago's.

For instance, in Spago's Siberia, prior to our meal, we were served French Bread...with no bread plates. The wait staff simply just tossed the bread basket on the table and left us to eat our bread with crumbs falling all over the table. Well, damn! Spago is supposed to be a popular foodateria, not a juke joint. The bread crumbs on the table began to really annoy me so I gestured to a waiter.

"Yes?"

"Excuse me, but may we have bread plates?"

The waiter sniffed at me, raised his nose higher in the air and retorted in a phony Continental accent, "We do not HAVE bread plates."

I almost fell out laughing that guy, who, at those prices, expected us to eat with French bread crumbs falling all over the place. I pointed to a Spago Siberian couple seated near us, enjoying a dessert at the end of their meal in the tent.

"See those dessert plates they are eating off off?"

"Sniff. Yes."

"I want one for each person at my table."

The waiter stormed off and returned with the plates for our bread. Then I politely told him to clean the bread crumbs off the table and he did. Quickly. I mean, really!

In Spago's Siberia, diners had a self-conscious way of eating their meal...as if they were ashamed to be seen dining in the plastic tent. It was a kind of shoulder hunching and furtive peering around that gave their feelings away.

Again, my companions and I began to find the phony pretensions of the staff and the restaurant funny. After a while, there was a lot of laughing at OUR table.

In Spago's Siberia, the floor was covered in sawdust. Strike 1. I HATE sawdust on a floor unless I'm eating at a BBQ or biker joint. It gets in your shoes and carries fleas. At Spago's prices and attitude, it wouldn't have hurt them to install and maintain a clean floor.

In Spago's Siberia, I noticed that diners who had ordered wine had their wine buckets filled with ice and placed directly on the sawdust covered floor. When I pointed that out to my fellow diners, we fell out laughing at the sheer ridiculousness of it all. We could just imagine sawdust and God knows what else falling into the bucket as the wait staff walked by. Nasty.

Luckily, I am a non-drinker (except for the occasional Cosmopolitian), because if MY wine bucket had been on that floor, I would have raised holy hell and told that staff to GET me a wine stand PRONTO. And if they didn't have any, SOMEBODY would have been sprinting down Sunset and LaCienega Boulevards to Williams and Sonoma at the Beverly Center to BUY one.

And the food? We found the pizzas to be unique and delicious (this was before the era of the popular California Pizza Company chain whch has branches all over the place doing Puck's California-style of pizza).

Even though we did enjoy our meal, it was the attitude, the ambience, the arrogance and the cheesy pretentions that we certainly could have done without.

I never did go back to Spago. Even though the West Hollywood branch above Sunset Boulevard is now closed (I wonder where all those fleas in the sawdust went), Puck has opened other branches of Spago in Beverly Hills and elsewhere (Las Vegas, Disney World...feeding the tourist hordes). I often wonder if the Beverly Hills branch has a Siberia?

However, I did eat at a Puck offshoot restaurant called the Wolfgang Puck Cafe at the Universal City Walk for lunch a couple of years ago (it wasn't MY idea, it was a working lunch sponsored by Warner Bros Studios, so I HAD to go). I ordered a pasta with a marinara sauce and was absolutely embarrassed for Wolfgang Puck.

The pasta was stale and barely warm with a thin flavorless sauce and the whole thing had obviously been sitting for some time and reheated in a microwave prior to serving. I would have done better heating up a can of Chef Boy-Ar-Dee ravioli and eating that instead.

However, Wolfie's been busy...Gayot's Restaurant Review writes about his restaurants at Downtown Disney and the Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida,

"In Puck’s burgeoning empire, Disney World is the place he chose for his dazzling Grand Café---a unique, four-in-one restaurant where hordes of tourists have four options: the Wolfgang Puck Café, Wolfgang Puck Express, B’s Sushi & Raw Bar and The Dining Room. The Express is for folks in a hurry to get to a nearby nightclub or to the movies across the street---or for those who don’t want to put up with the wait and higher prices in the café or upstairs dining room. The wood-fired pizzas, sandwiches, salads and soups are always reliable."

Well, there's a lot of profit in feeding the tourist appetite. As for myself, I avoid Wolfgang Puck restaurants completely. I've got my sights set on Govind Armstrong's Table 8 instead. You can read more about Table 8 and Armstrong in this blog's very first post.

Another Siberian Experience

I found this anonymous quote from a visitor who ate at Danny Ng's Restaurant in New York City. It made me laugh because the writer mentions being seated in Siberia as well.

"Often an ethnic restaurant preferred by the local people is a sign of quality, authentic cuisine. Not here. Our first clue was our seating in the restaurant Siberia, next to the waiter service center. Several empty tables in good locations were "reserved" but no one sat there while we were served. The waiters and manager proved curt and brusquely answered our questions, annoyed with our curiosity and interest. Our group appreciates Chinese cuisine and we have eaten at Chinese restaurants world-wide, including all the major Chinese cities. Our questions regarding menu claims were treated as an annoyance. For example, people who have eaten pepper steak in Szechuan expect heat from the dish, not the waiter serving this improperly bland dish. Also, this is the first place anyone has ever eaten where white rice is an a la carte item."

Reinforce Your Restaurant Expectations with Research

I like to visit certain websites which display personal restaurant reviews from visitors to a certain city. I often find the differing restaurant experiences entertaining to read and informative.

Virtual Tourist.com and We8There features personal reviews from the U.S. and all over the world. Read what was written about Spago at Virtual Tourist.com. here.

One Last Thought

Everyone's entitled to their opinion and experience and when eating out, one never knows what to expect when visiting a new restaurant. go ahead and get styled up, hold tightly to your credit card, do your research and you'll be guaranteed to have a wonderful meal! After all, isn't that part of what the Tart Sweetness of Life is all about?

FRESH THINKING ABOUT THE TSUNAMI TRAGEDY

2005-01-01T03:19:00.000-08:00

The sadness that has permeated the world due to the horrifying and unexpected Tsunami Disaster in the Indian Ocean (and U.S. President Bush's Iraqi War, but that's another post) has uncovered a very interesting fact; not one animal was found dead amongst the hundreds of thousands of human beings who were killed in the disaster. Do animals have extrasensory abilities? Ed Stoddart writes about it for Reuters.

There's a dark side to the survival of animals in this catastrophe...if you have the stomach for this, visit Yahoo and read this news story.

How Can I Help?
The death toll of the tsunami's victims at the time of this posting has now climbed above 100,000, and some pundits predict the final tally to be over 400,000 lost. Unfortunately, it hits close to home; a physician co-worker of mine was almost killed and lost his wife and daughter in the disaster and we on the job are praying for him on a daily basis.

“What else can we do besides pray? How can we reach out and send donations? What is needed? What can I DO?”

Answers to your questions can be found on the Internet (of course!). MSNBC's interactive website has a comprehensive listing of organizations who are accepting donations, and also includes contact information for those readers searching for missing U.S. Citizens in the area at the time of the disaster.

Robert over at Boiled Hot Dogs has also posted a wonderfully detailed listing of international relief organizations. More of the same can be found at USAID's website.

Amazon.com features an Honor System which allows you to donate to your favorite charities via the Web, such as the American Red Cross Disaster Relief. You can reach them thru Amazon.com or call 1‑800 HELP NOW or e-mail info@usa.redcross.org.

There's an interesting post at Blogueurs Sans Frontières. The article entitled Tsunami Outreach by Jonas M. Luster describes specific skill sets which are lacking in the Indian Ocean areas hardest hit by the tsunami to date. This blog is also running an ambitious donation program; check it out here.

Joe Shirley, Jr., President of the Navajo Nation, wrote a statement about the disaster at Indian Country Today. As a representative of his people, he writes in part,

"...We're told this is one of the worst underwater earthquakes in more than 40 years that led to this tsunami. It's being called the worst natural disaster in recent history. But we understand this is how nature has shaped our world since its beginning and is part of how things come into being.

When the forces of nature act, it impacts everything on the earth and in the earth, from the finned beings, the winged beings, the crawling beings to the five-fingered ones.

We can reshape the land and build on the earth but we remain no more than a part of it - small, humble and needing of protection and blessings from the Holy People...."...the rest can be read here.

I think its important that we take in Navajo Wisdom at a time like this and become grounded in what the present and the future holds for the planet and its inhabitants.

Lost Remote points us towards a great interview at TVNewser about the media coverage of this disaster by CNNI Managing Director Chris Cramer. He says, ”Television can't begin to comprehend the suffering. The screen is not big enough." Read the balance of this insightful interview here.

For a unique, up-close viewpoint about the Tsunami Tragedy, pop over to Extra, Extra and take a look at Fred Robarts' posts from Jaffra, Sri Lanka. His writing is clear and true and his photos show Sri Lanka's present reality at its most jarring.

Last but most importantly, if you reside in the O.C. or the Southern California area, interested adults are encouraged to respectfully visit The Goddess Temple of Orange County for a Special Prayer Vigil and Ceremony for the Souls of South Asia. This event will take place on New Year's Eve, December 31st from 6 to 7:30pm. For more information, please call 949/ 651-0564.

Oh! What a way to begin the New Year...there is so much suffering at this time, with souls being wounded and losing their lives all around the world. I find it extremely painful to dwell on a HappyNew Year at the moment...all I can do is light a votive and be grateful for the safety of my co-workers, friends, loved ones and YOU!

The Beat Metaphysical

2004-12-16T19:39:00.000-08:00

"I was smelling flowers in the yard, and when I stood up I took a deep breath and the blood all rushed to my brain and I woke up dead on my back in the grass. I had apparently fainted, or died, for about sixty seconds.

My neighbor saw me but he thought I had just suddenly thrown myself on the grass to enjoy the sun.

During that timeless moment of unconsciousness I saw the golden eternity. I saw heaven.

In it nothing had ever happened, the events of a million years ago were just as phantom and ungraspable as the events of now, or the events of the next ten minutes.

It was perfect, the Golden Solitude, the Golden Emptiness, Something, Or, Other...something surely Humble.

There was a rapturous ring of silence abiding perfectly.

There was no question of being alive or not being alive, of likes and dislikes, of near or far, no question of giving or gratitude, no question of mercy or judgment, or of suffering or its opposite or anything.

It was the womb itself, aloneness, alaya vijnana the universal store, the Great Free Treasure, the Great Victory, infinite completion, the joyful mysterious essence of Arrangement. It seemed like one smiling smile, one adorable adoration, one gracious and adorable charity, everlasting safety, refreshing afternoon, roses, infinite brilliant immaterial gold ash, the Golden Age.

The "golden" came from the sun in my eyelids, and the "eternity" from my sudden instant realization as I woke up that I had just been where it all came from and where it was all returning, the everlasting So, and so never coming or going; therefore I call it the Golden Eternity but you can call it anything you want.

As I regained consciousness I felt so sorry I had a body and a mind suddenly realizing I didn't even have a body and a mind and nothing had ever happened and everything is alright forever and forever and forever, O Thank You, Thank You, Thank You." ---- Jack Kerouac, The Scripture of The Golden Eternity

THE LADY WITH THE GOLDEN PINSTRIPES -A Personal Experience

2004-12-02T20:26:00.000-08:00

Mother Mary's Light
My Statue of the Mother
Mary which exudes
mystical golden light in
photographs.

The woman walked into the lecture hall with a light but determined step. Attired in a clean, white sari, her snowy skin was made even paler by the application of rice powder and eyes smudged with black kohl. A rich streak of cerise lipstick coated her mouth and her hair was worn straight to her shoulders and enhanced by jet black dye.

I had come to the Philosophical Research Institute in L.A.'s Los Feliz District to hear this Anglo woman, who previously had enjoyed some notoriety for establishing an important feeding program for the poor in India, lecture about spirituality and its value in our day to day lives.

Evidently, she was looking to establish a spiritual teaching and acquire disciples; and I, being rather pragmatic, decided to attempt to see her auric energy...just to satisfy my inherent curiosity about this dramatically made-up woman in the white sari.

After about ten minutes of relaxing and watching while the woman addressed the audience in a quiet voice, I suddenly began to see pinstripes made of golden light emanating from her body and lining the circumference of the room with bright horizontal bands.

I rubbed my eyes, looked away for a minute and blinked several times. Then I looked at the woman again. The golden stripes were still there and the walls of the room were made glorious by their glow. It was a gorgeous sight.

And her face! While I watched, a golden mask would cover the upper half of her face, leaving only her bright red lips visible and then fade away and reappear again; repeatedly. At the same time, her whole body emanated even stronger golden light and pinstripes, which after a few minutes also covered the ceiling as well as the lecture hall walls. It was just amazing!

This phenomena lasted until the woman ended her speech and then, she was instantly surrounded by an eager group of people. I tentatively approached her husband who was alone on the sidelines and told him what I had witnessed emanating from his wife. He simply smiled at me knowingly without saying a word.

To this day, I have no recall of her name, or what specifics she covered in her lecture, because my mind and vision was just focused on all her golden energy suffused around the room!

I have never encountered anyone with that kind of aura since that day. She certainly possesses the Light of the Mother and I hope to see her again someday.

THE PURE PRACTICE OF GRATITUDE

2004-11-16T11:13:00.000-08:00

Gratitude is the best attitude. ~Author Unknown

We all have busy lives and sometimes, it seems as if we are almost “juggling balls in the air” in order to just get through the day successfully. At times, things just seem to go wrong in our day to day lives and it is as if there’s the “Sword of Damocles” hanging over our heads. We ask ourselves, “What could go wrong next?” I think it’s fair to say that we could use some assistance from the Universe and/or a Higher Power to smooth our daily pathways and bring peace and abundance into our world and the lives of others.

Many Sensei and Teachers of the Spirit speak of the practice of Gratitude; in which one acknowledges a grateful attitude for the positive things in their daily life, and as a result, the Universe will reward that person with days filled with contentment, love and happiness. “Wow! Is it really that simple to possess happiness?” you may ask. Yes, it is!

CULTIVATING GRATITUDE
How does one show or cultivate Gratitude? We all have something to be grateful about; be it our families, a good friend, a satisfying job, our favorite pet’s affection...even if it’s a simple as a hot meal or a good hair day or getting to work on time. Our Teachers of the Spirit ask us to determine what we are grateful about and then to follow one or two simple processes to practice Gratitude and show appreciation for the good in our lives. Here’s some suggestions which will result in a more powerful and positive life for everyone:

Journaling
Just writing in a journal on a daily basis and listing what you are grateful for in your life is a practice encouraged by many practitioners, such as television interviewer and humanitarian Oprah Winfrey and author Sarah Ban Breathnach. In 1995, Ms. Breathnach wrote Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy and followed with a companion book entitled, Simple Abundance Journal of Gratitude. Books such as these are an excellent way to begin the good habit of noticing the beautiful things, events and people in our lives and acknowledging them in a beneficial and healing manner.

Gratitude Affirmations
You can write and or chant affirmations about Gratitude as part or all of your practice. Visit the Quotes on Gratitude website or the Quotes Garden for great affirmations to use or for ideas for creating your own gratitude affirmations!

Be Grateful Towards Others
We all can point to a time when the actions of others brought about a positive change in our life. A good way to practice Gratitude is to focus on those persons who have taken the time to support us personally or globally in a constructive and beneficial way. Try using these methods in this blog for others as well as yourself!

Also, visit a local site in your town or city which honors the sacrifices of others in your city or town. For instance, last April, four of the last 23 surviving British veterans of the First World War visited London’s Centopath to honor the 90th Anniversary of that conflict’s outbreak. These brave men, who were all over 100 years of age, attended a special honorary service and laid a wreath to show appreciation towards those who lost their lives in that War. This is showing Gratitude on a very deep and precious level.

Or, keep it effortless and give a simple gift to a friend, such as a single flower or lovely card when they least expect it.

You can also send an anonymous donation to a favorite charity or friend who could use some assistance.

It’s amazing how a sincere "Thank You" can do wonders for the recipient and you!

Gratitude Prayers
A daily Prayer spoke orally or silently is a miraculous way to practice Gratitude. A holy book or prayer book is a great resource for finding a intimate prayer, or visit the website Soulful Living for a beautiful list of Gratitude Prayers. You’ll also find a comprehensive collection of Gratitude Articles there as well.

Gratitude Spirit Journey
Visit a local Labyrinth and do a Spirit Journey while chanting a Gratitude prayer or affirmation. Or, simply do your Gratitude Walk during your daily exercise program, hike, or run. Learn more about the power of the mystical Labyrinth by clicking this link.

OTHER UNIQUE WAYS TO PRACTICE GRATITUDE

Cafe′ Gratitude
In San Francisco, there is a great restaurant called Cafe′ Gratitude which supports local farmers and nourishes its customers with the practice of Gratitude.

The mission statement of Cafe′ Gratitude is (abbrv.):

Our food and people are a celebration of our aliveness....
Our food is prepared with love.
We invite you to step inside
and enjoy being someone who chooses;
loving your life, adoring yourself,
accepting the world, being generous and grateful everyday,
and experiencing being provided for.
Have fun and enjoy nourishing yourself.

The charming menu lists healthy dishes with names such as, ‘I Am Big-Hearted, I Am Flourishing, I Am Peaceful, I Am Giving, I Am Present’, etc. You can visit Cafe′ Gratitude at 2400 Harrison Street, San Francisco, CA (415) 824-4652.

Angel Of The Hours
ABC of Gratefulness-A Network for Grateful Living features an interactive metholodogy for slowing down and cultivating Gratefulness and Gratitude. Called the Angel of the Hours, you choose your particular time of day and then relax and listen to beautiful music and contemplate the applicable specific angel and its' spirit message. This is a wonderful way to breathe deeply, rest in the present moment and reflect upon the positive moments of your day or evening.

Carolyn Myss, a popular medical intuitive and author, has written an incredible new book entitled Invisible Acts of Power and uses true stories to teach the reader how to access Divine Grace and to find “their seven stages of generosity and compassion to transform our lives, gain a great sense of spirituality, and create miracles.”

On March 5, 2005, Ms. Myss and her publisher Hay House, Inc. will be hosting an Invisible Acts of Power Lecture at the Los Angeles Convention Center. For more information and other locations outside of California, visit this link or Carolyn Myss online.

A Thirty Day Practice of Gratitude
Dana Reynolds, spiritual midwife and author has posted a wonderful article called Cultivating Gratitude: Heart-Hugs and Prayer Leaves. In this wide-ranging article, Ms. Reynolds outlines a practice of Gratitude to take place over a thirty-day period, which includes waking up to Gratitude and spreading the Message of Gratitude Awareness.

Also, What Is Gratitude recommends using quotes and journaling as a way to bring out positive life changes in thirty days. Participants are encouraged to contact them after the thirty-day gratitude journaling period and share how their world has been enhanced by the practice.

Gratitude and Numerology
Numerologist Rob Ragozzine, has posted the commentary, The Role of Numerology in Gratitude and Giving which demonstrates the balance of karma with personal numbers could cause struggle and how the practice of Gratitude can keep one more focused on the more positive aspects of karma and that we are the true architects of our lives.

GRATITUDE RESOURCES

Sacred Journey Magazine is devoted to “the Many Paths and Practices of Love, Compassion and Wisdom”., featured an amazing article by David Steindl-Rast, O.S.B. entitled Practicing Gratitude, in which he discusses Gratitude as is applies to the monastic practice of The Hours. This article is a fascinating read. A reprint is posted at Brother Steindl-Rast’s afore-mentioned website, ABC of Gratefulness-A Network for Grateful Living. You’ll also find other wonderful articles posted there as well.

Writer M.J. Ryan’s book, Attitudes of Gratitude; How To Give and Receive Joy Everyday of Your Life guides the reader in various methods for creating and living with an open heart full of appreciation towards others and oneself.

ABC of Gratefulness-A Network for Grateful Living is a comprehensive website created by David Steindl-Rast, O.S.B.’s website which features subjects such as Living Gratefully, Practices for Grateful Living, questions about Gratefulness and much, much more. Brother Steindl-Rast’s encourages everyone to visit, light a candle and peruse the great information on Gratitude posted there.

Highlights From The Research Project on Gratitude and Thankfulness
Read about a psycho-scientific research project directed by Robert A. Emmons, University of California, Davis and Michael E. McCullough, University of Miami which is currently in the process of determining the benefits of keeping a daily Gratitude journal or lists. So far, the results have been extremely encouraging; indicating that those people who show the most gratitude are the more happy and contented in their lives as compared to those persons who do not. Follow this link to read more about this project via the Miami-Herald Newspaper.

Part of the article states, “...people can learn to be grateful, McCullough said. One Gratitude study he worked on asked respondents to make daily notes on four or five things for which they were thankful -- even if it was just a sunny day. The results: ''In just two to three weeks they reported being happier,'' he said. "People close to them could see the difference too.''

How to Create A Gratitude Journal is an excellent article posted at Hertopia by the author Cynthia Sue Larson. In the article, Ms. Larson recommends one choose a specific time to write three daily pages in a special notebook and asserts that keeping a Gratitude Journal will “make your dreams come true.”

Wishing you Peace and Prosperity! SweetKali

Experience The Tart Sweetness Of Life

2004-10-07T11:05:00.000-07:00

The words within reflect the tart sweetness of life, expressed as opinion, photography, artistry, quotes, spirituality, interesting blogs, current events, the obscure and offbeat, profiles and more. And, the information imparted herein will be concise and to the point. I plan on giving your mind and heart something positive and unique to chew on, and I'll be keeping it real. Here we go... ©2004 – 2006

SCREAM SCENE
To begin, I just read a fascinating account of an 'unknown' chef who nurtures a blog entitled 'THE ANGRY CHEF'. He runs his own restaurant and as Executive Chef is caught up in the day to day drama, back breaking work and emotion that happens on a daily basis. All this is reflected in his passionate writings, and the one post that stands out for me is 'THE SOUND OF SILENCE' in which he examines the value of silence over emotional screaming on the job.

How many of us have been victimized by so-called superiors who used YOU as an emotional punching bag because they didn't get laid the night before or...whatEVER?

At any rate, in his blog, Angry Chef writes:

"Let me preface this with I used to be a screamer. I was one of the bad ones. I would scream at cooks, dishwashers, general managers (my favorites) and waitpeople like they were totally worthless. I rarely scream anymore. I lose my shit sometimes, but all in all I generally go about shit in a concentrating state of controlled frustration. Part of the growing process as a chef is realizing screaming does nothing to make people learn. All it does is make you look like an out of control asshole."

Tell it brother! Thanks for growing the hell up. Dearest reader, I recommend you pop on over to Angry Chef at http://theflamingtoque.blogspot.com/ and read the rest! Then print out a copy and post it at the water cooler at work.

ROCCO, BOBBY AND EMERIL, EAT YOUR HEART OUT! GOVIND'S ALL THE RAGE!
Speaking of Chefs, one of the hottest chefs in America is Govind Armstrong, a major contender at the helm of the celeb-popular Table 8 in West Hollywood, California. And he doesn't even have a television show (yet), which is hard to believe due to his tall, dark good looks (love those dreads) and his unique and creative flair with fresh and natural ingredients. Perhaps this will change as Chef Armstrong's been named one of People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People.

After a haute-haute-haute-cuisine training stint in Europe at luminaries such as Hotel de l’Europe's Excelsior and The American Hotel in Amsterdam, and Restaurant Akeláre in Sam Sebastian, this Los Angeles native returned homeward to hone his talent at Jackson's, Spago, Pinot Hollywood and Campanile; finally becoming a Chef and Co-Owner of Chadwick's with Ben Ford before opening Table 8 in trendy West Hollywood, CA.

Today, with his golden toque firmly in place at Mediterranean-flavored Table 8, Chef Armstrong's signature dish is the American Kurobuta pork chop with delicata squash, chestnuts and sour cherries. Foodies, take note: Table 8's located at 7661 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046 Call (323) 782-8258 for reservations.

For those of us not lucky enough to live in Table 8's 'hood, below I've included a healthy recipe incorporating the lovely delicata squash. Sour cherries and chestnuts, anyone??? Enjoy!

BAKED DELICATA SQUASH

Ingredients:
3 delicata squashes
1-2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar or mirin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
Cut the squashes in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Place in a vegetable steamer over boiling water and steam until tender, about 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Remove the squash from the steamer and pour off the extra liquid, then place in an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with seasoned rice vinegar or mirin and freshly ground black pepper. Bake for 10 mins.