Happy Birthday Lady Day – Billie Holiday

April 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Billie Holiday, born Eleanora Fagan,(April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed “Lady Day” by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly inspired by jazz instrumentalists, pioneered a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo.

Here’s one of her well-known songs, The Very Thought of You.

 

Billie’s story can be found in Lady Sings the Blues. Happy Birthday Lady Day, your music lives on.

photo from samkling, flickr creative commons license

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American Chocolate Week March 14-20

March 15, 2011 By Leave a Comment

It’s American Chocolate Week and I can’t think of a better food to recognize. In honor of American Chocolate Week, here’s a few tasty tidbits about chocolate for you:

History of Chocolate? Cocoa, from which chocolate is created, is said to have originated in the Amazon at least 4,000 years ago.

How is Chocolate Made? Chocolate is made from cocoa beans, which are roasted and then ground into a powder. The cocoa powder is then mixed with variations of sugar, milk and cream to make different types of chocolate.

Chocolate as a health food? Absolutely! Chocolate contains the following:

  • Flavonoids that act as antioxidants
  • Anandamine: can extend your feelings of happiness and make you laugh more often.
  • Phenylethylamine: raises blood pressure and blood sugar levels just enough to make you more alert, and gives you that “love” feeling.
  • Theobromine: similar to caffeine. It causes relaxation, but also acts as a stimulant by increasing your brain activity.

Milk has been shown to decrease the health benefits of chocolate, so avoid milk. Also, dark chocolate has a greater amount of the healthy ingredients, so choose dark chocolate. And of course, keep your chocolate consumption in moderation as it can still be fattening if overconsumed.

To celebrate, learn to make some amazing chocolate delights:

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Harriet Tubman Day – March 10th

March 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Harriet Tubman Day – March 10th

In 1990 President George H. W. Bush declared March 10 to be Harriet Tubman Day in honor of Harriet Tubman, the best known conductor on the Underground Railroad.

Harriet Tubman, who was born in March 1822 and died of pneumonia on March 10, 1913, was an abolitionist and spy during the Civil War. She was born a slave in Maryland but was able to escape to freedom, after which she helped 300 others  also escape slavery.

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”
- Harriet Tubman

 

 

 

Learn more about Harriet Tubman:

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