dianafilms

Rethink Breast cancer, ad that really works!

 

This is a great reminder, very sexy PSA and totally works as a viral on so many levels.  Great work and so good to see things like this.  Know your audience and give them what they need in ways they would not expect. 

L'Shana Tovah

May your work, art, life and love all converge in harmony with your authentic self.

building peace

we can either be a bridge to peace and understanding or a block to conflict, one flows, the other merely slows

right speech

Before speaking about something you feel needs correcting (aka criticism), engaging in gossip, you might want to question your motives and intended outcome.  The art of being a good human, a good leader, and a good colleague etc... is learning when to listen, when to observe and when to act/speak.

"Is it true? Is it beneficial? Is this the right time and place to say it? Am I the right person to say this? If you can honestly answer Yes to all four questions, go ahead with your comments. Even then, though, you have to look at their results. If you see that they weren’t actually beneficial or timely, learn from your mistake. That’s how your discernment grows." —Thanissaro Bhikkhu

my addendum to this has been: Is it loving?  Is it Kind?  Is it needed?  Is it useful and to whom?  Will it bring peace, clarity and closure in the long term?  Is it respectfully phrased?  Is your ego attached to the outcome in any way? i.e. do you need to be right about something?  Are you saying this because you need to say it, or because someone needs to hear it?  Would silence preferable? 

LOVE

Keep the focus on the story, enjoy the work, respect the audience and most of all, find joy in the doing. Kvell because of the community y/our project created, think of all the careers you're supporting and the jobs you're creating.  You're very fortunate!

If you can, allow yourself to fall in love with it (the process), just a little.  That bounce in your step and that joy is contagious, that top down happy thing has its own momentum and inteligence.  It makes good projects great and difficulties bearable.

 

excerpt from: Notes to New Producers
© Francesca Prada All Rights Reserved 2010

the tao

To be whole, let yourself break.
To be straight, let yourself bend.
To be full, let yourself be empty.
To be new, let yourself wear out.
To have everything, give everything up.

Knowing others is a kind of knowledge;
knowing yourself is wisdom.
Conquering others requires strength;
conquering yourself is true power.
To realize that you have enough is true wealth.
Pushing ahead may succeed,
but staying put brings endurance.
Die without perishing, and find the eternal.

To know that you do not know is strength.
Not knowing that you do not know is a sickness.
The cure begins with the recognition of the sickness.

Knowing what is permanent: enlightenment.
Not knowing what is permanent: disaster.
Knowing what is permanent opens the mind.
Open mind, open heart.
Open heart, magnanimity.

LaoTsu

Original Announcement for Sexy Food the Lit Series

Hey there,
Started this tribe for the scribes, foodies and supporters.
Please join and feel free contribute your words, recipes etc. or just your comments.
Our first event in SF is in October, the call for writing is below. This event should be lots of fun!
Francesca


Get Lit @ CAV
Presents
SexyFood®
An evening of genrebending fun for cunning linguists©

Are you a cunning linguist?
Of course you are, well at least we think so.
Does your writing elicit the occasional moan and peel of delight?
How would you like to read it to an appreciative audience, lovers of food and lovers of love and the love artists who love them?

When is this? Sunday October 15th. What will happen at the reading?
5 or 6 writers will have 5 to 8 minutes each to read any of the following:
short story, poem, recipe, essay, neo-benshi, ditty (acapella or acoustic), short-short or flash fiction or an excerpt from your novel, play or screenplay. Requirements: if you are a food writer/culinary expert/chef/sommelier please submit erotica. If you write erotica please submit something that has culinary leanings. Keep your voice, switch genres for a night or two…

What about my chapbook? My novel? My zine? My anthology? My art?
If you’re one of the performers then please bring your wares, we’ll set up a table in the back for the sale of such good works; also, rumor has it you’ll get a drink ticket to sample some of CAV’s fine wines and beverages. Performers should bring their mailing list as well, so your people can see more of you.

Well, its settled then, please send us your writing published, pending or new
DEADLINE: by early deadline 9/7/06 or 9/15/06 as the absolute deadline.
Pdf’s and Mp3’s can be sent to Email Address: sexyfood@gmail.com, and you can join our tribe: http://tribes.tribe.net/sexyfood Questions, brainstorms and logistics: Francesca  ###-###-####
                       
SexyFood® is a digital and paperless operation. We are only accepting digital submissions at this time, if you need help just call us, we’ll be only too happy to help.

About the series founders: Francesca Prada is an award winning filmmaker and theater director, her films have screened at over 70 film festivals and have aired on PBS, Sundance, IFC and HBO. When not making films or directing she works as a script & story consultant.
Francesca’s blog: http://tribes.tribe.net/sexyfood

Joan Gelfand is the Vice President of the Women’s National Book Association and “Seeking Center,” her book of poems is published by Two Bridges Press. Her 2nd book of poems and a collection of short stories are due out next year. Read Joan’s blog: jg.typepad.com/ciel

Teddy's Citrus Granita

Citrus Granita
Juice: Should equal about 2 cups
2 grapefruits
2 blood oranges
2 regular but slightly ripe oranges
1 lime
2 lemons

Pulp: Should equal about 2 cups (to taste)
peel skin (outer and inner) from
3 clementines
1 pink grapefruit
2 blood oranges
2 navel oranges
2 lemons

Mix Juice & pulp, add:
1 tsp vanilla extract (to taste)
1/2 cup agave nectar (Ditto)
1/4 cup xylitol (Ditto)
2 tbsp mint leaves

options:
1/2 tbsp culinary rose petals (to taste)
Nutmeg (to taste)
1 tsp tarragon (to taste)
1 cup of bubbly wine (could really throw the sugar balance off so adjust your sweeteners accordingly)
1 teeny weeny pinch of himalayan pink salt

Freeze mix and stir/whisk it every few hours to make a slushy consistency. Or put it into your handy ice cream maker.

I prefer to keep this pretty tart so that the flavors can stick out and so that the cooling and soothing effects of the mint can take root.

This recipe came about one year when my Grandmother's box of citrus gifts arrived in January and I was overwhelmed with the fruit. As a tribute to Teddy, I came up with a healthy dessert that she'd really enjoy.

Great Grandma Sarah's chicken soup (slightly updated by Francesca)

Great Grandma Sarah's thermonuclear chicken soup (slightly updated by Francesca):
In a stockpot
Clean water- filtered about 1/2 to 3/4 full keep adding water as needed
chicken stock (organic-free range)
chicken bones & chicken (same)
1 oz vinegar-helps pulls the minerals from the bone
Bring to a boil, cook at med heat until meat has separated from bone.

take out bones and meat and cool the stock skimming off most of the fat once its cool. In the old days, they would keep the chicken fat in a jar and use it to cook with. Now with all the weird stuff going on, its better not to, just toss it. Most toxins get stored in fat.

Now you can add the bones and chicken back, bring the pot to a simmer for 30 to 45 mins or so and add:
7-12 whole cloves of garlic-just score them, no need to slice
hand full of red peppercorns
star anise-gives it a nice bracing cooling undertone
2 bay leaves-take them out after 1.5 hours
2 whole red dried chilies-gives it a kick and helps detox
1 tbsp paprika-earthy feel
Some powdered Sage to taste-goes with chicken but optional
4 chopped and sliced onions-tangy and zaps colds
8 stalks of celery medium sliced-full of minerals
1 fennel thickly sliced-ditto
5 med sized carrots, sliced- beta carotene
1 celery root peeled and cubed-minerals and helps ground the soup
1/2 cup chopped up parsley the dark green chewy kind-loads of vitamin B
Italian parsley to taste as a garnish-loads of vitamin B

Optional:
Other root vegetables-helps ground the soup
Fresh sage leaves-yummy

feel weller, love,
Nurse Franhead

Love Potion

Summer Love Potion
Squeeze 6 organic lemons,
2 organic limes, zest one of the lemons and put in about 1 teaspoon of the zest,
mince a bit of fresh organic mint,
sprinkle in a tiny bit of hibiscus (dry) 1/3 teaspoon ought to do it.
Add honey or xylitol to taste (use as little as possible)
Add filtered water to taste.
Sometimes I also add a few culinary rose petals into the mix.

another version
involves sliced cucumber, tarragon, mint with just a touch of lemon juice.

Too much time in California? maybe. Still tastes good though and serves as a fine tonic.