Matzah 'n' Mangoes (and a Giveaway!)

Lotsa news 'round here!

1) If you've got some spare time and you'd like to read my review of The New York Times Passover Cookbook, then go to page 24 of this month's issue of The Washtenaw Jewish News.  Find out why I like to schmear grape jelly on my matzah, and where I learned to do it.

And 2) I'm hosting a giveaway ... yay!

A charming woman named Susan, who works in Marketing and Community Relations for Whole Foods Market, sent me an email the other day with a fabulous offer: a case of 16 Ataulfo mangoes [ah-tah-UHL-foh] to play with and a case for one of my astoundingly wonderful readers (those in the U.S., that is ... sorry to others!).

Entry is easy: all you have to do is leave a comment below saying that you'd like to win, tell me what you might make with the mangoes (or just that you intend to eat them "as is" with no fuss), and make sure I can reach you by email to let you know if you've won.  It would be great if you could "like" Whole Foods on Facebook, too, 'cause they've been nice to us.  Oh, and only one entry per person even if you leave more than one comment; the first one will be the one that counts. It's easier and more fair that way.

This one is going to be fast and furious: the deadline is Wednesday, April 11 at 9 a.m. EDT, and I'll use Random.org to pick the winner.  If I notify you of winning, you'll have 'til 3 p.m. EDT to acknowledge it; if you ignore me, I'll move on down the road to the next in line.

This timing probably seems a bit odd ... here's the scoop.  The mangoes are only being featured for a short while.  Observant Jews won't be using the computer from sundown on Thursday the 12th through sundown on Saturday the 14th because of the end of Passover (Jewish law ... it's complicated), so finding an email announcement or responding to it wouldn't be possible.  And procrastinators have to worry about their taxes ... oy!  It seemed easier to just do it quickly, before the weekend.

If you're the winner and you live near a Whole Foods, Susan can arrange for you to pick up the goodies at the closest store; if you don't live near a Whole Foods, she'll have them shipped to you.

That's it!

Chag Pesach Sameach! [HAHG PAY-sahk sah-MAY-ahk] = Happy Passover!

Every Day is Hallowe'en

Well, despite the fact that Christmas decorations are starting to appear in stores -- though I haven't seen any Chanukkah tchotchkes yet, despite its starting on the evening of December 1 -- we all know that Hallowe'en is coming on Sunday.

I've got my black t-shirt with the little orange sequined pumpkin all ready, and will pair it with dangly spiderweb earrings as I dispense candy to adorable little ones (my favorites are the ones who have no clue what's going on!) and kids who are too old to be begging but who will not be turned away. As I type this, I still haven't roasted any pumpkin seeds. Progress, my friends, not perfection! Remember that ....

This week, every day will be Hallowe'en at Food Floozie. Even though Jeremy is 19 and gave up trick-or-treating years ago, there are still some traditions that can't evaporate. I make pizza and cheeseburgers with jack-o-lantern faces on them. I make an idiot-proof snack mix that involves only opening bags and dumping junk food (caramel corn, M&Ms -- stuff that's utterly lacking in nutritional redemption!) into a bowl before stirring it all together. And I use festive sprinkles for decorating cookies or candies or whatever I have the time and the inclination to make.

So check in each day for a new festive idea! And don't bother playing the Monster Mash on Hallowe'en -- it's overdone. Try this oldie but goodie instead ....

"So Take These Words ...."

Yom Kippur, the holiest and most solemn day on the Jewish calendar, was Saturday. In English it's the "Day of Atonement," at the end of which the Book of Life is sealed; those who have taken care to make amends -- to the universe, to other individuals, to God and even, I think, to themselves -- are said to have their names inscribed for another year.

Jews are noted for their symbolic foods and for generally over-feeding people ... of course I was drawn to this group! But Yom Kippur is a fast day, with no food or water permitted (except for reasons of health or age) for 25 hours from sundown to sundown. Secular girl that I am, though, I didn't fast; I think it's medically unsound, especially the lack of hydration. But I did eat simply and refrained from snacks and sweets ... the best I can do.

So, since I didn't fast on Saturday, let me sorta do so here today and write a post without any references to food or restaurants or recipes. I've been told that my more personal posts are meaningful to readers, so I'm offering extra helpings of that today: some readings from the Tashlich [tahsh-LEEK] service -- a symbolic casting off of sins by tossing bread crumbs into the river to be washed away -- and from the Conservative Movement's beautiful new High Holiday prayer book, Machzor Lev Shalem [MAHK-sore layv shah-LEM].

These spoke proverbial volumes to me, reaching into my heart and my soul and nearly bringing me to tears as I assessed my character, my accomplishments, my failings and my blessings over the course of the past year ....

No one sees, no one knows,
how often I take the easy way,
I let myself off the hook,
give myself the benefit of
the doubt --
every day, every day.

On this day, this one day, I stand before You naked,
without disguise, without
embellishment, naked,
shivering, ridiculous.

I implore You --
let me try again.

by Merle Field
Machzor Lev Shalem - page 204

Let us cast away the sin of deception,
so that we will mislead no one in word or deed, nor pretend to be what we are not.

Let us cast away the sin of vain ambition
which prompts us to strive for goals which bring neither true fulfillment nor genuine contentment.

Let us cast away the sin of stubbornness,
so that we will neither persist in foolish habits nor fail to acknowledge our will to change.

Let us cast away the sin of envy,
so that we will neither be consumed by desire for what we lack nor grow unmindful of the blessings which are already ours.

Let us cast away the sin of selfishness,
which keeps us from enriching our lives through wider concerns, and greater sharing, and from reaching out in love to other human beings.

Let us cast away the sin of indifference,
so that we may be sensitive to the sufferings of others and responsive to the needs of our people everywhere.

Let us cast away the sin of pride and arrogance,
so that we can worship God and serve God's purposes in humility and truth.

from the Tashlich service

We abuse, we betray, we are cruel, we destroy, we embitter, we falsify, we gossip, we hate, we insult, we jeer, we kill, we lie, we mock, we neglect, we oppress, we pervert, we quarrel, we rebel, we steal, we transgress, we are unkind, we are violent, we are wicked, we are extremists, we yearn to do evil, we are zealous for bad causes.

Ashamnu, The Shorter Confession
Machzor Lev Shalem - page 404

And, because it's Music Monday, I'll also toss a song into the mix. This was played at the Selichot [slee-KOTE] service 2 weeks ago, at the beginning of the High Holiday season. Penitential prayers are recited at this time, as individuals begin preparing for Yom Kippur and atoning for any transgressions they may have committed in the past year.

I'm not a huge fan of the Goo Goo Dolls, but the lyrics to this song (once you get past the drivel someone added at the beginning) have great significance at this time ....



Now, of course, the challenge for this frail, fragile and fallible human is to remember these lessons and to act upon them daily. As the angel said, to try ....

Music Monday: The Disco Biscuits

Well, it's Music Monday. I haven't participated in this one for awhile, so that's as good a reason as any to do it again ... variety, ye olde spice of life. Okay, that's one tangential food reference; the title of this post -- The Disco Biscuits, which is the name of the group being featured here today -- is another. I think that's about it. It's not much, but it's all I've got!

I've been working extra hours of late, during our busiest season at work; I also went in yesterday, in addition to the standard M-F 9-5, and will work each of the following Sundays for the next few weeks. "Summer vacation" is an illusion, something that other people get to experience.

So I need diversion that isn't particularly taxing to my already increasingly-feeble brain. I need the kind of song that doesn't challenge me too much, but which is just kinda fun for the drive home. Eh, voila! Here it is.

This video isn't family fare, though it isn't exactly sleazy ... well, the tattooed chickie is! The visuals are actually kinda boring. It's the song, though, that keeps dancing (pun intended) in my brain ... this one and, inexplicably, Adam Lambert's "If I Had You." Don't ask -- I have no answers.

I am rather noted for my odd and eclectic musical tastes: techno, New Wave, gospel, French chansons, cheesey songs from the 70s (a particular favorite, and another food reference!), Italian opera, ethereal/New Age, Broadway tunes, old standards ... if it's new and interesting, I'm there; and if it's old and classic I'm there. But of late, the more mindless and purely entertaining a song is, the more likely it is that I'm listening to it.

So, because the group's name involves food and because the song is my current earworm, here is my Monday morning offering: "On Time" by The Disco Biscuits.




And while you're listening to the song, why not bake up a batch of my Spiced Pumpkin Biscuits??? These were a finalist in the "Best Bread in Michigan" contest sponsored by Zehnder's of Frankenmuth, Michigan Living Magazine and the Michigan Sugar Company in 2006. They're easy to make, nutritious, and a gorgeous orange color. What more can I say? Great to accompany a summer salad, perfect for any occasion during Fall, ideal for Thanksgiving ... enjoy!

Spiced Pumpkin Biscuits

3 C whole wheat pastry flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 T candied ginger, finely minced
12 T Earth Balance butter substitute
1 container (6 oz.) vanilla soy yogurt
2/3 C pumpkin, solid packed
1/4 C brown sugar

1 T vanilla soy milk

Preheat oven to 425F. Grease a cookie sheet; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. Add Earth Balance and mix flour with your fingers until mixture is well combined and looks mealy. Stir in pumpkin and yogurt, and turn dough onto a well floured countertop. Knead dough a few times, just to combine and to keep it from being sticky.

Roll out to 1/2 inch thick, use a 2-inch biscuit cutter to cut out 15 biscuits (re-roll if necessary). Place biscuits onto cookie sheet in three rows, touching each other. Brush tops of biscuits with soy milk, and sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden on top and set.

Yield - 15 biscuits.

"This Is Always"

It's the second week of Music Monday being hosted by Kuppy Kakes by Kristin, and her theme today is "Romantically Nostalgic." How perfect, considering that I was proud to be the date of the extraordinarily handsome man pictured to the left, Tom, at his niece's wedding on Saturday ... :)

The ceremony was just lovely! The bride was gorgeous in the most beautiful vintage-style ivory lace dress with cap sleeves ... the groom was clearly genuinely in love with his new wife ... the bridesmaids were so pretty in navy dresses which were each very slightly different from each other, and they carried white roses that were perfect in their simplicity ... the groomsmen looked so sharp in their tuxes ... and the bride's mother, Tom's sister Sandy, was radiant in a mauve gown ... sigh.

Of course, this being a blog about edibles, I must tell you that the food -- provided by local institution Angel Food Catering of Ypsilanti -- was sophisticated and wonderful. We were welcomed to the reception with hors d'oeuvres: a cheese-topped Spinach-Artichoke Dip served with pita triangles, a variety of fruits, and a vegetable assortment served with onion dip. The dinner featured a beautiful salad with almonds and dried cranberries, served with either Ranch dressing or a raspberry vinaigrette; Chicken Cordon Bleu with a rich wine sauce; fork-tender Sliced Beef Tenderloin; roasted potatoes; mixed vegetables; and flaky dinner rolls served with either a luscious Spiced Honey Butter or a Garlic-Dill Butter.

Now, I'm sure everyone is wondering why I'm not offering pictures of the food for drooling purposes. Well, I didn't take any pictures for two reasons: 1) it really wouldn't have been appropriate at a formal gathering, and 2) I was meeting Tom's sister Anne and brother Jim for the first time, so I hardly wanted to embarrass myself (or Tom!) as the flaky chick who takes pictures of her food. That is, in fact, who I am -- there's no denying it! But they don't need to know that just yet ....

There was also the mandatory wedding cake (CAKE!!!), which I did take a picture of; it was on display, so my camera and I weren't too disruptive ... and c'mon -- it's just adorable, demonstrating the bride's and groom's mutual sense of humor and whimsy! (All the guests got to take home rubber duckies, too, which had been floating in glass bowls as table centerpieces. Mine are proudly joining the other two I already had, such that I may need to repaint and redecorate my bathroom to properly showcase them now that I'm apparently becoming a collector.)

Anyway, the cake -- baked by The Milan Bakery -- was a perfectly tender white cake with raspberry filling (one of my personal favorites) and a rich frosting ... sigh. (FYI, for non-Michiganders: the little town outside of Ann Arbor is pronounced MY-len, not mill-AHN like the city in Italy.) And although I did wonder aloud if there were seconds, I didn't go greedily in search of more. I was good ... :)

After indulging in the cake, it was time for the happy couple's first dance, then the introduction of the bridal party, the bride dancing with her proud father and the groom dancing with his charming mother. Then all the cute young women in their 20s took over the floor as a hip-hop song I didn't recognize (there's a shock!) played LOUDLY, and they did some sort of line dance that they all knew the steps to ... they had a ball, while I simply felt old. It was time to leave while my ego was still intact.

So Tom and I went home and danced to a song of our own choosing, since we didn't hear any slow ones at the reception. It's not our song, but it's now on the list of our songs -- there is one particularly special one, and then there are several secondary choices. It's the perfect selection for Kristin's Music Monday, as it is romantic and nostalgic and simply beautiful ... and wedding vows should, of course, be for always ....

A quick note: My son, Jeremy, has started a blog of his own! Much as this former non-smokers' rights worker is loathe to promote anything tobacco-related, she is very proud of her son's initiative and of his passion to educate himself and to become a connoisseur-in-training. So it would be much appreciated if you could go to his site and become a follower, and show him a little bit of love ... :) Johnny's Cigar Escapades

Music Monday: Music for Much-Needed Relaxation

I've done "Music Monday" posts before; but I'm participating in a new one today with my fellow food blogger Kristin of ::Kuppy Kakes by Kristin::. How can ya not love a girl who makes cupcakes??? That's a party you've gotta crash!

I was working on this post on Sunday morning as I sat in my jammies, getting my little blurb ready for a scheduled posting. Of course, I was attempting to be efficient and pro-active, having seen Kristin's blurb about the new meme on Facebook the day before; I decided to leap right in.

Now, in my usual convoluted fashion I started with one song, meandered through a few others, and then landed on"The Great Defector" by Bell X1. It's not really about food, other than the mention of a waitress on roller skates and chocolate at the end of a cornetto ... okay, maybe it's more about food than I thought!

After finding a video of Bell X1 on David Letterman's show, it occurred to me that Monday would still be a holiday -- for me, too, how 'bout that??? (I kinda keep forgetting -- my week has been so chaotic that I lose track of the days of late, with a loved one recently home from the hospital and having had a surgical procedure on Tuesday.) And what will most people be doing on this day off, just as they've been doing all weekend? Heatin' up ye olde grill for a barbecue.

So then the flow chart that is my brain went down a different tangent, and started to look for songs about barbecue. And there are plenty of 'em ... but they're so old and so obscure that there aren't any videos, which are infinitely more entertaining than just music against a blank screen. "I Love Bar-B-Q" by The Guy Brothers and "Barbecued Ribs" by The 3 Riffs are just two of the many, many options I could have chosen; YouTube has no clue that these priceless treasures exist.

And then I hit on it -- the perfect song! Why focus on the main course when there are side dishes to choose from??? So here is the next song I selected, one I chose with great glee:



But, as sometimes happens when I leap into things impulsively, I found out on Sunday afternoon that I was lacking some critical information. Kristin had picked a theme for her "Music Monday": "your favorite relaxing song!"

Okay, clearly neither of my previous choices qualifies ... but this is easily remedied, as there is one group in particular that I listen to when I need calming: Sigur Ros. If Jeremy hasn't felt well in the past, I've asked him if he wanted to listen to his "lullaby," 'cause he likes the group but always says their music puts him to sleep.

And so, here -- finally! -- after this circuitous tale and meandering post, is my song for Kristin's "Music Monday" ... whew! Grab some iced tea, put your feet up, and relax ... :)



After seeing my post, Natasha at 5 Minutes Just for Me invited me to join in her "Sunday Song" meme as well -- thanks for the invite! I always love to find new music and new artists ... :)

"It's Been a Long, Long Time"

I'm a city girl -- a prissy city girl who doesn't do camping or tents or hikes or any of that other outdoorsy stuff. I was born and raised in New York City ... Honey, I want things to do and people to watch and street food and all the other fabulous things that the big ol' metropolis offers!

I truly love Ann Arbor, and have lived here for most of the past ... ahem (God, it makes me sound old!) ... 29 years since I first came here as a freshman at the University of Michigan. While it offers the warmth and familiarity of a small town, it also offers many of the cultural and intellectual amenities of a large city. But every so often, I still need a fix of skyscrapers and bustling and novelty and everything else a huge city has to offer.

So Jeremy and I have scheduled a trip in honor of his graduation and because I deserve a vacation, as Jeremy puts it, "more than anyone else I know." Can I get an "Amen"???

We're going to take the train to Chicago, to eat ourselves silly and then walk off the calories as we schlep up and down Michigan Avenue and peruse the Art Institute and The Bean and all sorts of other amusements and entertainments. The weather is supposed to be cruddy, but whaddya gonna do??? I went to Chicago just for a day with my exceptionally good friend Wendy last year, but Jeremy and I haven't been there (or anywhere) on a vacation trip in several years ... a long, long time.

Of course, there will also be the mandatory trip to Intelligentsia Coffee for my morning fix and for goodies to bring home! Life is not complete without coffee, and this is some of the best stuff there is ... :)

So on this Music Monday, I offer the following song. It's not the same one I'd originally planned, which was Barry Manilow's "New York City Rhythm" along with a notation to change the lyrics to "Windy City Rhythm." I had picked that one at first because it begins with the line "When my heart is torn apart by love I wish I had, then I spend my nights in the city's lights and things don't seem so bad."

But then, there was the weekend ... and a loooong talk ... and lunch yesterday, followed by an afternoon in the park, followed by iced tea (vs. the hot tea we drank at Sweetwater's on our first date) ... and most unexpectedly, completely out of the blue, my heart has been happified ... :)

"I'm Runnin' Free, But I Don't Want to Be ...."

I know this makes me seem utterly ridiculous -- not to mention OLD! -- but my most prized possession when I was in 3rd Grade was my Partridge Family lunchbox.

"The Partridge Family" was an insipid little show about a musical family, with a heart-throb for an oldest brother, a wisecracking child in the middle, and some sweet kids complementing those two. Single mom, widowed. Hoaky storylines, drivel-filled songs ... and I loved it!

Of course, anyone who's ever been a child or raised one knows that a lunchbox is a key ingredient for social acceptance and "cool" quotient. And I wanted a Partridge Family lunchbox ... oh, I wanted it desperately! I don't remember what I was carrying my daily pb&j in when this vision of perfection entered my consciousness, but it was certainly deficient once I'd seen what was possible.

A line from the great Irish poet William Butler Yeats sums up my past: "I remember little of childhood but its pain." My sister had significant emotional and psychiatric issues, and was violent and abusive. My father travelled a lot and was exasperated by the misery of his family. My mother suffered from depression and a martyr complex. I grew up afraid in my own home, shamed that other people didn't live as we did (little did I know ... as an adult, I know that everyone has a story!), essentially raising myself because my sister sucked up all the oxygen and joy in the house.

I can't tell you how many times I was told that if I were only more patient, more understanding, more tolerant, less snippy, none of the attacks and tantrums and other violations would occur ... if I were perfect, in other words, my sister wouldn't be provoked. The weight of the world -- and my family's happiness -- rested upon me. And I couldn't live up to that, no matter how much of a perfectionist I might try to be.

Now, I've likely shared FAR more than anyone cares to read about! "Hie thee to a therapist," I'm sure you're saying! But that's painful work, and I don't do pain. I bake. I cook. Those are therapeutic for me.

But, as always, I digress! There is a reason I shared this sordid little story with you. I wore hand-me-downs, because my sister was always 3" taller than I was. So much money was spent on her special ed and medical expenses that little was left over for anything else, and my parents are the least fun and frivolous people on Earth anyway. I did go to private school myself (the same all-girl Catholic school that Lady Gaga, did, by the way!), had ballet and music lessons ... I wasn't deprived in some ways, but in critical areas like feeling loved and having self-esteem and feeling as though I warranted any attention, I was sorely lacking.

Until one day, which I can still remember vividly, when my mother came into my room as I was getting ready for school. And in her hand -- you guessed it! -- she was carrying something special just for me ... a Partridge Family lunchbox!!! I'm getting teary just thinking about it, which probably says a lot of things (and none of 'em particularly noble!) about me.

It was brand new ... there were no dents ... it was perfect. It had a picture of the Mondrian-influenced bus, and also pictures of each family member; and it included a thermos. I was so thrilled, so giddy! This was one shining moment in a life of stress and sullenness ....

And so today -- it being Music Monday, after all -- I'm sent on this little detour down Memory Lane because there's a song that's been playing in my head for a bit now, after being asked to take "a break" from my boyfriend as he regroups after some admittedly very difficult circumstances, and being left with feelings of confusion and sorrow and unworthiness and everything else imaginable as a result.

This song led to thoughts of the lunchbox, which of course carries sandwiches and such. Somehow, some way, however tangentially, I always find my way to food!



I'm adding this to the Bunny Hop (oh, the bunny's so cute!) sponsored by Erin at Dropped Stitches, to the Meet & Greet Monday sponsored by Marlessa at Southern Reflections, and to Monday Madness hosted by Micael and Meghan. Click on the links and join in!!!

"Now the Party's Over, I'm So Tired ...."

Well, I'm exhausted and wish I'd had enough sense to take today off from work to recover, but Jeremy's graduation party was TOO MUCH FUN!!!

Unfortunately, due to it also being First Communion and wedding and whatnot season -- not to mention the monsoon and flooding and tornado that hit Southeast Michigan on Saturday night (contributing an unwelcome 1" of water to my basement clutter, which will now have to be pitched by Jeremy and his buddies in exchange for pizza and sodas) -- not everyone we'd invited could attend. But we were thrilled to share our celebration with those who could, and hope they not only enjoyed themselves as much as we did but that they've recovered from their diabetic comas after indulging in our extensive (24 offerings, all homemade!) Dessert Buffet.

There was also a reunion concert of 90 Miles From Vegas -- Jeremy's band with friends Andrew (drums) and Jordan (bass), and a jam session with another friend, Doug, and his dad Fred. It was LOUD! But it was fabulous!!!



Anyway, I'll offer more details and recipes throughout the week, once I recover. But since today is Music Monday, I thought I'd also share a song from my very favorite group (other than Jeremy's band, of course!): Roxy Music. The title song from their last album together -- the original of which is still in my cluttered basement somewhere scratched but priceless, and hopefully not soggy -- starts with the line that I used for the title of today's post. Enjoy!!!

Music Monday

In doing some surfing through blogs I follow, I meandered over to a new post from Tami of Hearts Make Families. And there I found a fun and frivolous diversion: Music Monday, c/o Hair Bows & Guitar Picks.

Now, what does this have to do with cooking, baking, eating, or food in general??? Well, there is some potential for a connection -- a man with suspected Mafia connections, whom I knew of tangentially, always said that one should listen to opera when cooking Italian food; good thing for my kneecaps that I already considered that to be de rigueur! I have to listen to music when I'm in the kitchen; frankly, I listen to music while I'm at work, while I'm driving, virtually any chance I get. Silence gives me too much time in my own head, which can be a dangerous thing. And every life needs a soundtrack!

I tend to have -- shall we say? -- not exactly middle-of-the road tastes. Sure, I do some Top 40 and even some sappy songs ... who doesn't? (C'mon -- admit it!) But I love Sigur Ros, an Icelandic band. Despite being a self-proclaimed Secular Jew, I really enjoy traditional gospel music. The old Cole Porter, Gershwin, Irving Berlin, etc., classics are among my favorite songs ever. And then French chansons, ethereal melodies, Latin dance music, Punk, New Wave, and especially cheesy 70s/80s songs ("The Loco-Motion," "Vienna Calling," "Love is Like Oxygen," "Disco Duck" ...) may strike my fancy at any time.

My voicemail used to have a greeting featuring a portion of Laurie Anderson's "O, Superman," until I got frustrated with all the complaints because people thought they had a bad connection because of the electronic "breathing" in the background. The line was perfect: "Hi! I'm not home right now. But if you'll just leave a message at the sound of the tone ...." Oh, well. Whaddya gonna do with the pedestrian lowest common denominator???

But, as per usual, I digress. Today is Music Monday, and so I am selecting a video du jour. Jeremy and his buddy Andrew are practicing for a weekend gig -- Jeremy's graduation party!!! I'm baking and cooking like a madwoman, since I'm offering a dessert buffet and everything but the fruit tray (since I have no orchards in my backyard) will be homemade. If you watch this video, you'll feel as though you're hanging out with me in the kitchen as the guys play their Nirvana, Pixies, Dubliners and other cover songs (plus a few of Jeremy's own tunes) in the basement. Turn up the volume -- REALLY LOUD. Otherwise, you won't be able to fully share in the experience of having the band play at my house ....