Top 5 Songs of The Week (Open That Bottle Night Edition)

It's been quite some time since we posted our Top Five Songs of the Week, and it's a shame because we've been listening to some absurdly good tracks lately. As the snow continues to fall and while Jose's perpetually stuck working long hours in the office, I am listening to the tranquil playlist below and planning a deliciously comforting dinner. Upon Jose's return home, I'm going to open a nice bottle of wine (it is Open That Bottle Night, after all) and have a couple recipes à la Barefoot Contessa cooking. . .he deserves it :)

For now, I hope you all enjoy the songs and stay warm this evening*

5. {Mp3} Dan Black - Symphonies A dynamic balance of smooth and bold beats, the synth chords and choir echoes work exceptionally well. You may or may not have heard the Kid Cudi remix, it's quite good but I prefer the original.

4. {Mp3} Beach House - 10 Mile Stereo The heart pumping drum beats rhythmically playing throughout are simply mesmerizing, the first time I heard this beyond gorgeous track I grew quiet and let myself soak in the intricately woven melodies. [Note: Catch Beach House at The Beachland Ballroom on June 17th!]

3. {Mp3} El Perro Del Mar - Shelter (xx cover) A match made in heaven, not only are El Perro Del Mar and the xx currently on tour together, but covering each other's songs. Pure amazingness.

2. {Mp3} The Bird and the Bee - She's Gone (Hall & Oates cover) Another match made in heaven, yet a very unlikely one. I cannot begin explaining how excited I was when The Bird and the Bee's soon-to-be released album, Interpreting the Masters, Vol. 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall & John Oates, was announced. Having the opportunity to listen to all the tracks (over and over and over. . .), all I can say is that you are all in for a treat.

1. {Mp3} jj - Let Go Alluring and delicate, calming and provocative. I just adore everything about this song, the video was just posted on youtube and perfectly reflects the music's emotions.

Tie.

1. {Mp3} Lali Puna - Remember If you need a pick me up, like I have been needing lately, this is the song for you. Complex layers of glitch and bass are highlighted by gentle vocals, which will undoubtedly lure you back for return listens. Lali Puna is one of my all-time favorite bands, and I'm happy to say they're finally coming out with a new album, Our Inventions, in late April.

[Cool lego photo above is compliments of the creative udronotto]

Our Foodie Venture in South Beach

Have you been tempted by or privy to South Beach's thriving food scene? Either way, we're going give you some reasons to be intrigued.

For those that do not know, the Food Network South Beach Food & Wine Festival is taking place this very week down in Miami's oh so vibrant South Beach neighborhood.

It just so happens that we found ourselves in the equally gorgeous and delicious South Beach last month while everyone else in Cleveland were getting dumped on by epic amounts of snow ;) This was our first visit to the crazy euro and foodie savvy area - needless to say, we totally wish that we were heading back down this week for the festivities and the culinary wonders that Miami has to offer.

We thought that this would be the perfect opportunity to recap some of our favorite eats since we had not yet done so:

Our first stop was at the incredible Michael's Genuine Food & Drink where their Crispy Pig Ears were one of the best "snacks" we've ever had - Kelly (as you might know) is not a big meat eater and she was loving and devouring every last morsel. Thankfully, this moment was documented.

The crispy rice cake was awesome, complimented artfully by Florida rock shrimp, chorizo, manchego and a fried organic egg.

For dessert we had the ooh soo yummy Tangerine Creamsicle Pots De Creme with cara cara orange confit and petite hot donuts - perfection.

The next afternoon we decided (upon the much appreciated recommendation by a kindred hipster spirit at Michael's) to hit up The Abbey Brewing Company, the only brewery in South Beach.

This place was an awesome little whole in the wall bar, with some serious beer, where people can bring their own food and the owner is super friendly.

After several beers we craving some comfort food. . .and, that is when we hit up a South Beach institution known as Pizza Rustica. After those beers this pizza was amazing. Those pieces of pizza in front of Jose that cover more than whole table are considered one freaking slice. We would kill someone to have this in Cleveland (well, Jose would at least).

After stuffing our faces at Pizza Rustica, we did not have nearly enough room in our stomachs for the beyond divine food that would be coming our way at SRA Martinez. The drinks here are top notch, it is no VTR but when a place has it's own separate drink menu and it's leather bound, you know they don't mess around when it comes to the art of cocktail.

You can create your own cheese spread, which won us over, and oh my gosh were those white sardines sooo delicious

These eggplant chips were lightly fried and drizzled with a rich, savory molasses. So simplistic and something we have been wanting to replicate ever since sampling.

Although Miami might seem like more bikini ready than foodie friendly, we definitely found ourselves enjoying the the restaurant and bar scene more-so than the beaches :) We'll undoubtedly be back soon*

What's On Tap Today: Bazaar Bizarre, Bruell, and Believeland!

With Valentine's day being tomorrow and happening to fall on a Sunday, we decided why not observe this "holiday" a day early, today. You may wonder why we wanted to move V-day up a day, well it's simply because there is LOTS of chill shiz going down today worth celebrating :) Before we start getting all mushy on you guys, we'll just leave it at that, for we certainly don't want to be accused of any EDA (aka Electronic Displays of Affection) or anything!

First off, this afternoon we are going to hit up the Valentine's Day Edition of Bazaar Bizaare, which will be held in the the space formerly occupied by the Bang and Clatter Theatre on Euclid Ave. We have had the pleasure of attending the Holiday Edition of Bazaar Bizaare a few times, but this is a 1st for V-day - we are definitely looking fwd to seeing what DIY goodies they are hawking.

After perusing Bazaar Bizarre, we couldn't have plan our location any better than to easily walk on over to Chinato for dinner. We both have been looking forward, in great anticipation to our first opportunity to dine at Zach Bruell's latest, located down on east 4th Street. We will admit that we initially wanted to make reservation at Chinato on V-day, but since they are not open tomorrow we decided to go today instead.

Once dinner we are finished with dinner, and perhaps a tasty cocktail while we're in the neighborhood at The Greenhouse Tavern, then it will be time to swing by our friend Steph's housewarming party in the Detrioit-Shoreway.

Our next highlight of this evening of firsts, is to check out local upstarts Cloud Nothings at Cleveland's newest venue, Believeland. This band, which is lead by 18 year old Dylan Baldi, have been creating quite a stir over the last few months in the world of music blogs everywhere (including a mention from none other than Stereogum). This is their last show in the area for a little bit as they will be bringing the music to the people of our nation and even down to this year's SXSW. You do not want to miss any of the hooks of this fuzz filled lo-fi pop driven band's songs - they are downright ridiculous.

(mp3) The Cloud Nothings - Can't Stay Awake

Hope to cross paths with some of you today - enjoy the weekend*

For The Super Bowl this year....

We decided to once again make Michael Symon's awesome lump crap salsa. If you have read our blog in the past you may recall that for the Super Bowl two years ago we first mastered this delicious recipe. It just so happens that this year for Food & Wine's Super Bowl promotion they decided to included the same recipes from Michael Symon's Super Bowl Party feature. Within that feature they had the recipe for the now infamous sriracha wings (just like the ones @Bspot) from Chef Symon. These were expertly executed by Erin (Kelly's sister) and Todd (brother in law/favorite home brewer).

While perusing the Food & Wine site Kelly and Erin determined that we should also drink Bloody Mary's and that is where they found the recipe that is pictured below (which also has sriracha in it). You may also notice Band Hero. Kelly picked up that at Target before the game. The ladies had a great time singing along to No Doubt, Taylor Swift, Corine Bailey Rae, Culture Club, Santogold and many others. Kelly says this game is a must have for any pop music fan.

We just couldn't get enough Michael Symon on Monday, tonight for dinner
we (along with Jose's Mom) made his recipe for Risotto with Bay Scallops from his latest
book as seen in the picture.

Today's Soup Du Jour Is....

With the approaching storm about to the pass thru the mid-west tonight on it's way to hammer the east coast tomorrow. We decided to stay in cook, catch up on the latest & greatest in indie rock and the most recent episode of project runway. This start to our new year has already been so hectic as result, we have not had many chances to stay home and cook some nice comfort food. Tonight Kelly chose a great soup for us to concoct from one of our favorite celebrity Chefs Jamie Oliver. The recipe was: Past e Ceci aka Pasta with Chickpeas from his cookbook Jamie's Italy.

1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 stick of celery, trimmed and finely chopped

1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped

Extra virgin olive oil

A sprig of fresh rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped

2 14-oz. cans of chickpeas

2 1/4 cups of chicken stock

3 1/2 oz. ditalini or other small Italian "soup" pasta

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Optional: a small handful of fresh basil or parsley, leaves picked and torn

Put the finely chopped onion, celery, and garlic into a saucepan with a little extra virgin olive oil and the rosemary and cook as gently as possible, with the lid on, for about 15-20 minutes, until all the vegetables are soft, without any color.

Drain your chickpeas well and rinse them in cold water, then add them to the pan and cover with the stock. Cook gently for half an hour and then, using a slotted spoon, remove half the chickpeas and put them to one side in a bowl.

Puree the soup in the pan using a handheld immersion blender. If you don't have one, you can whiz it up in a food processor instead, then pour it back into the pan. Add the reserved whole chickpeas and the pasta, season the soup with salt and pepper, and simmer gently until the chickpeas are tender and the pasta is cooked.

At this point, if the soup is a little thick, pour in some boiling water from the kettle to thin it down, and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve drizzled with good-quality extra virgin olive oil. Lovely sprinkled with some freshly torn basil or parsley. A real treat.

Buon appetito!

P.S.

With the thoughts of warmer weather keeping our spirits up, we want to share with you this highly infectious track from:

(mp3) Sleigh Bells - Ring Ring (coming to town April 30th @ The Grog Shop in support of their head ling tour-mates Yeasayer, should be a great show, hopefully *fingers crossed the snow will be gone by then*)

Easy. Delicious. Beer Cheese Dip.

Saturday evening, we attended our latest Dinner/Beer Club gathering at the home of our favorite nano-brewers :) Our task at hand was to start the evening off right with a pub favorite: salty, soft barley pretzels complimented by none other than a beer infused cheese dipping sauce. Which was washed down with a nice dopplebock (aka double bock), Ayinger Celebrator.

1/4 cup of Stout or Porter (we used Great Lakes Brew Co's Edmund Fitzgerald)
1/4 cup of Dijon Mustard (Grey Poupon, but of course)
2 tablespoons of Unsalted Butter
1/8 teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper (next time we'll definitely put 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon, we like it spicy, like the Neely's)
A bag of shredded Sharp Cheddar (Heinen's brand)

Directions: Combine the beer, mustard, butter, and cayenne pepper in a saucepan on medium heat until well mixed. Gradually add the cheese, whisking until the texture is smooth.

Voila!

fyi - Those delicious looking pretzels pictured above are from Zoss The Swiss Baker and are making us long for some more. . .

Ready! Set! GO. . .to these Shows!

Finally having some time to catch our breath! Looks like there are some really good shows coming to town over the next few months - here is a little mix to highlight what is to come:

(mp3) Ladytron - He Took Her to a Movie Check out Ladytron's DJ Set (featuring Mira Aroyo) on February 14th @ B-Side Liquor Lounge - we've gone to a couple Ladytron DJ Sets at B-Side and it is definitely a good time.

(mp3) Cold Cave - The Tree Grew and Emotions Dies You probably recall Life Magazine from our mix back in July and from our post about radioshack going indie [February 23rd @ The Grog Shop]

(mp3) Free Energy - Free Energy Formerly known as Hockey Night, these 5 guys from Philly are bringing The Rock! Coming to the Beachland on March 8th along with Foreign Born.

(mp3) We Were Promised Jetpacks -Quiet Little Voices Jose is beyond excited these guys are coming, quite simply Indie Rock + (authentic) Scottish Accents = FTW
[March 12th @ The Grog Shop]

(mp3) Tender Trap - Sweet Disposition These guys are from Australia, you probably know them best from the U2-ish sounding track in (500) Days of Summer
[March 27 @ The HOB in The Cambridge Room]

(mp3) The Big Pink - Dominos These British Lads are poised for an even bigger 2010 filled with their ultra catchy electro fuzz filled compositions that get lodged in your skull.
[March 23rd @ The Grog Shop]

(mp3) Mayer Hawthorne - Just Ain't Gonna Work Out (Astronote El Camino Remix) We have been singing the praises of this guy for a little bit now and are beyond excited to see him bring his while boy soul to c-town.
[Opening for Passion Pit on March 30th @ HOB]

(mp3) Passion Pit - The Reeling (Calvin Harris Remix) They came and we never saw them multiple times last year - come on, you know these guys are just killing it, don't miss out like we have and see them do so live.
[Headlining @ HOB March 30th]

(mp3) Japandroids - Young Hearts Spark Fire They recently played in town at Now That's Class, but these distortion fueled Canadians are coming back to bring their melodies straight out of your favorite post hardcore daydream for all of us to enjoy.
[April 6th @ Grog Shop]

(mp3) Yeaysayer - Ambling Alp We love this song, as it's been in heavy rotation throughout the past couple months, sounding very 80's. They came to town a couple times last year, but not when they had yet released one of the most anticipated albums of year, Odd Blood.
[April 30th @ Grog Shop]

Note: Photo compliments of view-askew, taken prior to an Antony & the Johnson's show in (none other than) Brooklyn.

Shakira + Danzig = pure genius

A few months ago we came across the fabulous youtube video of Danzig singing with Shakira. It is hilarious and well done. We especially enjoy the incorporation of words that supposedly Spanish being sung by Danzig. If only the would really get together and cut a track ? That would be a truly amazing duet and in this age where Billy Corgan and Jessica Simpson are together it does not seem to far fetched. It is only a matter of time before one of their collaborations hits the net.

Sorry for the lack of posting. We had the holidays and then last week we were in Florida. We are going to be a doing a post about our 1st time in Miami soon. Until then enjoy

Goodbye Turner's Mill, Hello Rosewood Grill

When Turner's Mill closed a couple years ago, my family was not only shocked but saddened. This swanky yet inviting Hudson establishment had been one of our absolute favorites - whether it was to enjoy a drink while listening to live jazz music or to celebrate with an equally exquisite and comforting meal during a visit home from college.

It has seemed like a loong two years since Turner's Mill closed its doors, but *finally* a new restaurant has opened in its (almost non-recognizable) place: Rosewood Grill

Last week, it was quite obvious that I wasn't the only one anticipating Rosewood Grill's debut - after all, I happened to go on its very SECOND day of existence, and was welcomed to a packed house and over an hour wait. However, this was not necessarilly a bad thing because I was with close friends and this gave us the opportunity to soak in the classy and warm atmosphere of the bar. A completely new addition and absolutely beautiful - although crowded, it was somehow still comfortable, and the martini/wine/beer lists are impressive.

Upon being seated, we quickly ordered hors d'oeuvres - which proved to be a tough decision because everything sounded insanely delicious. We compromised on the calamari and flatbread w/ brie & caramelized onions. Both were surprisingly generous portions, each tasting superb - the calamari was especially a hit.

A downfall I cannot neglect to mention was the excessive delay to receive our entrees - however, we all reminded each other that the Rosewood Grill had only been open for two days (although by the way they were on top of nearly everything else, one would never have guessed!) and understandably were working out the timing of their kitchen and service. A definite bonus was, again, the atmosphere - the exposed brick of the dining area exuded coziness while the table settings and lighting were simply sophisticated.

My friends ordered the roasted chicken and lobster rolls (made with yogurt instead of mayo was the selling point) while I ordered an Asian chicken salad - all dishes were undeniably fantastic. Although, next time I'll be a lot more adventurous with my selection. . .

Overall - the Rosewood Grill is a restaurant I would highly recommend to those planning a night out with their friends as well as those craving a romantic date spot. This is also a place one could suggest to even the pickiest of diners (ie - my parents) - I have complete confidence that it will get even better with time*

Love This Shot of Downtown Cleveland

Today in our inbox we got this beautiful shot of downtown Cleveland during this holiday shared with us from the great organization known as the Downtown Cleveland Alliance. With the holiday season current in full swing we thought we would use this as opportunity to share some more one of our favorite holiday tunes.

(mp3) U2- Angel of Harlem

We were just watching U2 Rattle and Hum the other night, what an awesome film. They regularly played this song on that tour with B.B. King's Band. It is beyond awesome that during the film they had in studio session were they recorded this song at the legendary Sun Studios in Memphis Tennessee.

Top 5 Songs of The Week (Christmas In Our Inbox Edition)

photo courtesy of Cleveland Public Art

Being a music blogger this time of year is always interesting because bands are always doing Christmas covers and originals. It is great pleasure in listening to people's interpretations or even their own idea of what a Christmas/Holiday song means to them. This year is no exception recently we found in our inbox these goodies to share with you

5. (mp3) Middle Distance Runner - "Holiday (Be Good To Me)" These guys from D.C. bring us a happy pop tune about all the things they do not want to see go wrong during this holiday season.

4. (mp3) MoneyPenny - "Christmas Time Is Here" (Charlie Brown Cover) Duo of ladies hailing from The Windy City who make some choice dance electro tunes they will make you bounce. Check out their cover of this Charlie Brown classic.

3. (mp3) The Hush Now "Wishing You A Happy Christmas" straight out of Boston this party of five, make some of the catchiest indie nerd rock this side of Fountains of Wayne and Weezer. Here is some Christmas distortion for you!

2. (mp3) Jessie Baylin - "Mrs. Christmas"
Ms. Baylin is based out of Nashville, TN, she plays some pretty folk music and she recently got married to Nate Followill the drummer from The Kings of Leon.

1. (mp3) Harper Blynn - "Christmas Aint' No Good Without You" New york quartet they make music that is simply just... addictive. soul bearing classic rock styled compositions.

Fanfarlo is in the Giving Kind of Mood

Over the past 6 months we have been become big fans of the UK band, Fanfarlo. If you have been following our blog, you know we first posted about them in July, featuring their track "I'm a Pilot" in a mix before heading off to Taste of Tremont and then following up a few weeks later posting their beautiful cover of Smashing Pumpkins, "We Only Come out at Night".

Recently, we mentioned that Jose has been contributing to Ohio Authority and this month he chose none other than to write a review of Fanfarlo's most recent release, Reservoir.

Speaking of Fanfarlo, during this holiday season, the band has decided to get in the spirit of giving as they have a virtual advent calendar being showcased now through December 24th. Each day the band will be offering free mp3's, merchandise, and other goodies*

I Wish It Was Christmas Today

Watching Saturday Night Live and per usual it is just not that great. However there is some hope to see quality SNL in the future with their annual Holiday Special to be broadcast on this coming Thursday December 17th. There are many skits that we want to see on this special like "Schweddy Balls", "Mr. Robinson's Neighborhood", "The Night Hanukkah Harry Saved Christmas" and "I Wish It Was Christmas Today" . The last one being one of our favorite Christmas songs from this past decade. If you are not familiar with what we are talking about it you can watch it and refresh your memory.


via videosift.com

During this current holiday season it has to come to our attention that none other than Julian Casablancas lead singer of The Strokes has covered this song.With his version he has extended the length of the song and a some strokeish touches to it. Take a listen for yourself

(mp3) Julian Casablancas - I Wish It Was Christmas Today (SNL Cover)

Advanced Warning: The Hood Internet

Last week we were absolutely psyched to catch wind of the The Hood Internet show coming to town on January 21st - for what promises to be a great night at B-Side. Whether or not you happen to be in the know, do take note because this show is something you will undoubtedly want to mark your calendars for.

The Hood Internet are a duo from Chicago who have taken mash-ups to a level of some real ill art, just as Girl Talk does when it comes to his song creations. Yes, there are a lot of people doing mash-ups these days, but very few actually do this style justice. This is the kind of act that we will go enjoy and most likely stay out until 3am on school (well, work) night because we know that this is going to be a GOOD TIME.

To familiarize yourself, be sure to check out their recently released mixtape, The Hood Internet Mix Tape Vol 4, which you can download via their website for free. Experience their indescribable genius and simply listen for yourself.

Jose's Pick:
(mp3) The Hood Internet - Cult Logic Forever (Drake ft. Kanye West & Lil Wayne vs Miike Snow) Beyond catchy!

Kelly's Pick:
(mp3) The Hood Internet - Number One (R. Kelly vs. Sally Shapiro, ft. Keri Hilson) Because it's nearly Christmas and SS is Kelly's biatch. A celebratory song with an almost Disney quality that somehow works "magic."

Two Trends Combined: Sriracha + Brussels Sprouts

Is it just us, or have Brussels Sprouts and Sriracha somehow become almost en vogue these days?

We cannot seem to escape either one - well, perhaps it's because we watch The Food Network a little too much, but still. . .Between being tempted by B Spot's sriracha wings or indulging in Lolita's infamous fried brussels sprouts, one cannot help but to start viewing each ingredient as very unlikely subjects of style and chic-dom.

Case and point - while Jose was flipping through his GQ magazine earlier this week, an article titled Brussels Sprouts with Bite caught his eye. And, lo and behold, this recipe just so happened to combine both brussels sprouts and sriracha:

Chang-Style Brussels Sprouts

Serves 4

1 pound fresh Brussels sprouts
1/4 pound thick-cut bacon
Butter (optional)
Sriracha hot sauce
Lime
Salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. With a knife, trim the hard, woody ends of the sprouts, then slice in half lengthwise through the core.

3. Cut the bacon into small chunks and cook in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat till crispy, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate.

4. Drain most of the fat from the pan and add the sprouts, cut-side down. Raise the heat to medium high and sear until the sprouts begin to sizzle. Put the skillet in the oven and roast until the sprouts are deeply browned, 8 minutes or so, then shake the pan to redistribute them and ?ip them over. Pull the pan from the oven when the sprouts are bright green and fairly tender (taste one to check), about 10 minutes more, depending on how large they are.

5. Return the pan to the stovetop over medium heat. Stir in the bacon and, if you want, a pat or two of butter. Swirl till incorporated.

6. Place in a bowl. Add a few squirts of sriracha hot sauce, depending on how hot you like it, and a squeeze or two of fresh lime juice. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Serve with anything.

* For Holiday gatherings, toss a pound of sliced sprouts in a large bowl with 3 to 4 tablespoons of olive oil and a bit of salt. Place them cut-side down on baking trays and roast them in a 400-degree oven for about 15 minutes or until tender. Remove, and return them to the bowl. Toss with fresh lemon juice and toasted slivered almonds, or season as you would in the main recipe. Serve hot.

[Click to read full article]

***
Not only is this recipe super simple to create but incredibly flavorful and delicious. There is no doubt in our minds that you will LOVE it.

Just Because: Some songs to get you into the holiday spirit that we were listening to while cooking and writing this post.

[Mp3] The Raveonettes - Christmas in Cleveland
[Mp3] The Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping
[Mp3] Frank Sinatra - J-I-N-G-L-E Bells

RadioShack Goes Indie Rock For The Holidays!

This Holiday season while watching commercials you have maybe have heard and seen that "The Shack" aka RadioShack of all places is placing some great indie rock songs in their commercials. You may be like us and when you hear a song in a commercial or movie you instantly try and figure it out it. And even if you are not, here are some of the choices tunes we have been enjoying in commercials from "The Shack" during this holiday season.


In this commercial you hear the jam "Life Magazine" from The Philadelphia based band Cold Cave. We actually put this song of theirs on a mix that we posted back in July of this year.

(mp3) Cold Cave - Life Magazine



In this commercial you hear an awesome cover of "The Christmas Song" done by The Raveonettes. This is one of our favorite indie rock Christmas covers ever.

(mp3) The Raveonettes - The Christmas Song (cover)



In this one you hear the soothing cooing of Los Angeles based "Let's Go Sailing" with their song "Icicles" you may recall this song from making the rounds in indie circles back in 2007.

(mp3) Let's Go Sailing - Icicles

Long Time, No Recipe!

This time of year finds us all very busy for a number of reasons - between the holidays, work, family, various obligations, more work, parties, etc. etc.

We found ourselves this past week in addition to the actual day of Thanksgiving, in a position where we were contributing to both a pre and post Thanksgiving parties. Fortunately, both parties we were asked to bring an appetizer.

Even better, the appetizer was so deliciously simple for the pre-Thanksgiving party and such a hit that we decided to make it again later in the week for the post party. Now, of course there are plenty of appetizers you can make it - but we have one we would like to share with you because it is EASY to make, does not take much TIME to complete, it is CHEAP and is sure to be a HIT!

This is what you need:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup thawed frozen chopped spinach (We used fresh Spinach)
  
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (We put in more pepper flakes Kelly luvs RPF)
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon finely diced red bell pepper for garnish
  
• Does not call for garlic but WE LOVE GARLIC, so we diced a few cloves!
• Note: We doubled the above recipe, sans the cream cheese (just one package kept the dip perfectly creamy)
  

Directions

1. Bring the cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat and add the 1 cup of diced red pepper and the chopped spinach. Bring the water back to a boil, turn the heat down to medium and simmer until the pepper is very soft, about 10 minutes. Drain the spinach and red pepper in a colander, pressing out as much liquid as possible.
2. Combine the cream cheese and milk in the saucepan and cook over medium heat until hot and softened. Stir in the cooked spinach and red peppers, Parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and ground black pepper. Continue to stir until well combined and heated through.
3. Spoon hot dip into a serving dish and serve with the tablespoon of finely diced red bell pepper sprinkled on top for garnish.

ps - The recipe suggests you serve it with a warm or toasted bread and vegetables. We used some cut up orange and yellow bell peppers cut into thin strips as well as some Stacy's Asiago Cheese Pita Chips.

Top 5 Songs of The Week (It's Been A Loong Time Edition)

You may or may not have noticed that it has been A WHILE, since we last posted a Top Five Songs of the Week - it is not that we have not wanted to, it's simply that we've just been crazy busy.

Also, we wanted to add that one of the many reasons we have not been blogging nearly as much is that Jose was been asked to do freelance writing, submitting a couple of articles per month for the very awesome, Ohio Authority. If you are not yet familiar with Ohio Authority, we highly suggest that you check it out. It is an online magazine started by two editors of the now defunct Northern Ohio Live - it is the best place to go for the freshest info regarding the arts, food + drink, home + style, health education, and so much more.


Now onto the music :) Hope everyone enjoys their weekend and our Top Five Songs of the Week*

5. (mp3) Erik Gundel - Playing Lake on My Roof Erik Gundel plays guitar and pedal steel in the band Motel, Motel who we have posted about it before. This song comes from his solo effort a self titled ep that is now out. This song has has so much going on it, it is hard to classify, from the banging of the timpani drums to hand claps to orchestral chants to then echos and strings + horns plus throw in some catchy guitar riffs it is a true "coalescence of sounds." This is some real experimental pop, very avant garde.

4. (mp3) Hawksley Workman - Maniacs First off, going to give you fair warning you might be put off initially by the excessive yodeling on this track. Once you get past this you have a fairly stripped down piece basically just accompanied by just a drum kit and some synth noises. It is almost like taking the melodies from the Dirty Projectors and then having those backed up by the more chamber pop arrangements of Grizzly Bear. On a side note this track comes from his album, For Him and The Girls, which just came out in the U.S. - the original release of this album was actually back in '99. Jose played this album on the radio back in college and he could not describe it then either.

3. (mp3) Will Stratton - Who Will This is an exceptionally talented 22 year old singer/songwriter from Northern California/New Jersey now based out of Brooklyn. His second album just came out November 3rd titlted No Wonder. He has been compared to the likes of Nick Drake, Elliot Smith and John Darnielle. His music is truly the beautiful sound of lament backed by orchestral movements, indie pop and slide guitar. Perfect music for an overcast fall day like today.

2. (mp3) Finn Riggins - Wake (Keep This Town Alive) This trio are currently on tour with Built to Spill through the North West. They are from Boise, Idaho just like Built to Spill. The chorus of this track goes "Wah oh oh oh", instantly pulling you in and leaving you tapping your feet and bobbing your head along with each drum fill and guitar riff. The melodies that come from from lead singer Lisa Simpson work well this band's amalgamation of styles ranging from indie rock, post punk to an almost country fried funk.

1. (mp3) Surfer Blood - Swim (To Reach The End) When you think of music coming out of West Palm Beach, Florida you don't expect a band to sound like this. These guys just swung through town this week to play @ Now That's Class. We missed their show and we bet you guys did too. Once you listen to this track, you will see why these guys are currently creating a buzz everywhere they go. They are playing some of the best pixies-esque anthemic driven indie rock we've heard in quite some time. They make a beautiful mess of distortion and pop that you will want to put on repeat. They are currently touring with Japandroids - do not make the same mistake we did and miss them if they come to your town!!

TOMORROW: I Will Stay If. . . [Cleveland Edition]

Are you happy living in Cleveland??

Whether the answer is "yes" or "no", we're nearly positive you have something to say about what you want to be done so you continue to live and grow in our fair city.

Do not miss out on this opportunity to let your voice be heard tomorrow at SPEAKEASY (below Bier Markt) and make a compelling case with a memorable picture.

Who: You!

When: Tomorrow - Wednesday, November 18th [5:30 - 8:30pm]

Why: To spread your love and constructive criticism in support of shaping Cleveland's dynamic and prosperous future

Bonus:

• With a donation of only $5, guests receive drink discounts, ($3 Stella, Coors and Blue Moon) and a coupon for $5 Bianco pizza, raffle entry and participation in IWSI Photo Campaign.

SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS FROM:

• Councilman for Ward 17, Home to the NEW Gordon Square Arts District - MATT ZONE
• Policy Bridge Board Chairman and Co-Author of 'Rebuilding Blocks: Efforts to Revive Cleveland Must Start by Treating What Ails Neighborhoods' - RANDELL McSHEPARD
• Program Director for Architecture, Urban Design and Sustainable Development at the Cleveland Foundation - LILLIAN KURI

See you there*

For additional information or to RSVP, please visit http://iwsicleveland.blogspot.com

Another Reason to Visit The Maltz Museum (if you needed one)

In life, with all that is going on, one cannot help but get caught up in the day-to-day where we later realize that the things we once thought were important are retrospectively rather trivial.

Today was one of those days that caused me to sit back, reflect, and say WOW.

The reason for this time of self reflection is that that I had the distinct privilege of getting to hear a testimonial first hand from Betty Gold <--(check out this recent piece about her from The Plain Dealer) at The Maltz Museum, a survivor of The Holocaust, who lives right here in Cleveland. Ms. Gold told me and my fellow LeadDiversity classmates the compelling story of how her town of Trochenbrod, Poland was destroyed by the Nazis during WWII, which drove her and her family into hiding in the woods for more than two years in a constant battle to survive. Ms. Gold informed us that recently she was interviewed by CNN on a piece regarding the high incidence of cancer in holocaust survivors. She also is currently working with a crew to tell the story of Trochenbrod in a documentary.

If you are like us and feel like Trochenbrod sounds somewhat familiar - this may very well be a result of either reading the book Everything is Illuminated or seeing the film. In this story, the main character sets out to Treochenbrod after his grandmother had just died, who was from there. He goes back to try and find that town and in turn learns a lot about himself and the human spirit. It is a beautiful book, written by Jonathan Safran, and a great film, directed by Liev Schreiber while starring Elijah Wood. Having seen the film and read the book, it made Ms. Gold's story all that more compelling for me.

This was the second time that I have been to The Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage in the last week and my 3rd visit overall. There is such a wealth of information inside this museum you cannot possibly digest it all in one visit. If you have never been there, I strongly urge to to learn about the strong impact the Jewish Community has had on shaping the great history of Cleveland.

Bonus: View the Trailer of Everything is Illuminated