Catching up from the two days off. Here are three Rosh Hashana Songs. I am working on the translation of the Hebrew one.
Enjoy!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOTOdBzSpYc]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZLq_JB8H44]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwKROOPXUS8]
Found this meme on my friend Wrekehavok’s page. I had a lot fun going through the list and deciding what I would and would not eat. Some of it was easy, as I only eat kosher food and a bunch of things here don’t qualify. Some are hard to get kosher, but would be possible. Although I eat only kosher food now, I did eat non kosher food in my youth, so I can bold some things on the list that are not kosher.
There were also those things that I had never heard of, but looking them up was fun too!
the rules:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.
The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:
9. Borsch
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari – NOT KOSHER
12. Pho – This can be kosher, just never found it. Would absolutely eat it!
13. PB&J sandwich – Aw, come on. How many people said they never ate this!
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses – I assume this is the cheese from France.
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns – NOT KOSHER (although I have had steamed vegetable buns)
20. Pistachio ice cream – YUM!!!
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras – YUCK!
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese – Totally gross!
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper – Don’t think I am daring enough!
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters – NOT KOSHER
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda – Sounds good
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
– I’ve eaten Clam chowder and soup in sourdough bowls, don’t know if together.
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float – Double YUMM!!
36. Cognac with a fat cigar – Don’t smoke, never will!
37. Clotted cream tea – Clotted cream is fine, but not in tea!
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects – No Thanks (although many are Kosher!)
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more – Definite YES!
46. Fugu – NOT KOSHER
47. Chicken tikka masala – Hard to make kosher due to yogurt, but possible!
48. Eel – NOT KOSHER
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut – Triple YUMM!
50. Sea urchin – NOT KOSHER
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone – NOT KOSHER
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal – Don’t think they had the “meals” when I ate non kosher!
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores – Quadruple YUMM!
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin – Clay????
64. Currywurst – NOT KOSHER
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs – A field trip with French class years ago. They do taste like chicken!
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake – Quintuple YUMM!
68. Haggis – NOT KOSHER (thank God)
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette – NOT KOSHER
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill – That’s just disgusting!
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie – Still one of the few mass produced snack items that is not kosher due to Lard in the ingredients.
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong – A real tea, finally! Smoked black Chinese tea. In NYC I get an Earl Grey that is smoked in this manner!
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum – If made Kosher.
82. Eggs Benedict – NOT KOSHER (although I make something similar, poached egg on toasted English muffin topped with cheese)
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant. – Would love to if it could be kosher!
85. Kobe beef – Cannot get this kosher, although you can get Wagyu Beef, which is the American version of Kobe beef.
86. Hare – NOT KOSHER
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse – NOT KOSHER and should not be legal!
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam – NOT KOSHER
92. Soft shell crab – NOT KOSHER
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish – NOT KOSHER
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox – What do you think!
97. Lobster Thermidor – NOT KOSHER
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee – I HATE COFFEE
100. Snake – NOT KOSHER
Continuing a look at some beautiful Hebrew songs, I am including a beautiful song called Livkot Lekha, or To Cry for You. As I said many of the beautiful poetry songs of modern Israel come from the fact that Israel is a nation always at war with its neighbors and the poets write about their loss and their hopes. This particular song, however, while steeped in this style of songwriting, was written by Aviv Geffen in memory of his Nir Shpiener who was killed in a car accident in 1992 at the age of 18. Later the song was taken to be a sort of anthem for soldiers who were taken before their time. It is interesting to note that more people die from automobile accidents in Israel than anything else. The country has a fairly low rate of death by automobile accident when compared to countries like the US, but Israel has a very low death rate from accident to begin with.
Here are the English words:
I am going to cry for you, be strong up there
My longings are like doors opened at night.
Forever, my brother, I will always remember you
And at the end we will meet, you know,
I have other friends but they all fade away
Against your unbelievable light.
When we are sad we go to the sea,
that’s why the sea is salty
And it is very sad you can return equipment
But you can not return the longings.
Forever, my brother….
And like the waves we are getting smashed
Against the pier, against life.
So I am going to cry for you, be strong up there.
Forever, my brother, I will always remember you
So I’m going to cry for you,
be strong up there
I could not find a youtube with this song, so I am creating one myself with audio only.
Enjoy!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eISKLFKa7hM]
Is it possible to have a blog post about both?
Happy Holidays!
Enjoy!
[youtube= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJhSKW9n13s]
I missed the song of the day yesterday and I am sorry about that. This week I am gearing up for Rosh Hashana, so my posts may have that as a theme. In terms of my song choices I am going to put in some wonderful Hebrew music this week. If you don’t understand the words I will give a translation.
The most well known popular Israeli music deals with themes that are not too often seen here in America. Often songs talk about loved ones lost to wars and the continued difficulties that the country endures. These songs are some of the most beautiful poetry you will ever read. I want to start with a song that is a little more uplifting.
The song Shir Lashalom, Song for Peace, was written in 1969 for an entertainment troupe of the IDF (Isarel Defense Forces). The song was not well received in the military establishment due to its anti-war message. The song became sort of an anthem for the peace movement in Israel. After the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin in 1995 the song became forever associated with the assassination and its effects on Israeli culture. The song was to be sung at the rally where he was speaking when he was killed. A copy of the songs lyrics was found on Rabin’s body, soaked in his blood.
Here are the English words:
|
Let the sun rise He whose candle was snuffed out Nobody will bring us back So just sing a song for peace |
Allow the sun to penetrate Lift your eyes with hope Don’t say the day will come |
This video is from the national celebration of Israel’s 60’s birthday.
Enjoy!
[youtube= http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loEjCbSPNjw]
It’s time once again for favorite lyric Friday. Today’s song was actually mentioned during covers week. One of my favorite songs (certainly in the top 10) is American Pie by Don McLean. This song is perhaps the most iconic of all American popular music. It has been interpreted, reinterpreted and re-re-interpreted. McLean himself is very hush hush about the meaning. He felt that he has something to say and he said it. It is not worth rehashing what has been done already. I am not going to enter into a discourse about the meaning of the song. I will say though that it is clear that the “day the music died” is a reference to the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and the Big Bopper. That much McLean has said himself. The song seems to be a nostalgic look by an unnamed narrator back at the previous decade (the 1960s). Bye Bye Miss America Pie is probably the narrators way of saying farewell to the simpler times that preceded the 60s.
To pick favorite lyrics from this song is almost impossible. You can find the lyrics here.
Enjoy!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6uEjifqTaI]
On September 18, 1970 Jimi Hendrix, one of music’s greatest musicians died in London from a possible overdose of sleeping pills. The world lost perhaps the greatest guitar player of that generation. Hendrix was a major influence for later guitarists and musicians, such as Ernie Isley or the Isley Brothers and most recognizable Prince. He is credited with paving the way for hard rock and heavy metal. Hendrix was listed number 3 on VH1’s 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock and also number 3 on their 100 Best Pop Artists of all time.
His best known works are perhaps Purple Haze and Dylan’s
All Along the Watchtower. Both are below in youtube videos. For me, I will always remember the scene of Hendrix playing the Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock.
Enjoy!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4-dQpKmH7Q]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCwCBh0z3Hs]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFLy8eGtSYo]
Welcome back to one hit wonder Wednesday. There are hundreds and hundreds of one hit wonders out there and sometimes I just browse through lists of them to find one for this blog. When I browse these lists I try to find a song where I can say, I cannot believe that this is his or her only hit song. Today I came across the fact that the amazing Bobby McFerrin has only had one hit song.
Bobby McFerrin is clearly not your typical singer. He sings mostly a cappella, and uses his voice to create the sounds of instruments and accompaniments. He has won 10 Grammy awards in his career, which is quite a feat, and makes the fact that he has only had one hit even odder. I guess it may be because his singing style is just not for everyone, but he is extremely talented and I am choosing him today for my entry. He also has been guest conductor for many Symphony Orchestras.
Of course the song in question is 1988’s Don’t Worry Be Happy. This song got quite a lot of play on the radio that year, and this is probably because it is more pop than most of what he had don’t to that point. It is the first a cappella song to reach number 1 on the Billboard charts.
Here are two youtube videos. One is the music video for Don’t Worry be Happy and the other is a concert video of Bobby singing Lennon and McCartney’s Blackbird.
Enjoy!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjnvSQuv-H4]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUnI9GcON-s]
After yet another long time away from blogging it’s time for a little family update.
I’ll start with Shayna. Shayna is now in a new school. She is in the 3 year old room at the Y at Parker at Stonegate. Don’t ask about the name, but suffice it to say she is very happy and she is in a group of kids her own age rather than being the oldest kid in the daycare where she was. The director of her old school would not promote her because she is not fully potty trained, and Shayna is being very difficult about that. So we moved her. The new school is in a wonderful state of the art facility and so far everyone is happy.
Noam is in his third week of 1st grade at Solomon Schechter Day School of Raritan Valley. He is also enjoying his time there, especially since his best friend is in his class too! Mkm will be going to back to school night there on Wed, so I am sure I will have more to report after that.
Avi has been at Nu Vue Academy all summer with mostly positive results. They were closed for two weeks in the end of August, and they reopened in their new facility which is also brand new and state of the art. He definitely likes the new building. Our main concern with the school is that it may not be challenging enough for Avi. Back to school night there is on Thursday so hopefully we will find out more.
In terms of Avi’s ADHD, there is really nothing new to report. He continues to take Abilify which is a medication for bipolar disorder, and it is possible that Avi is bipolar. No one seems to want to label him and we are fine with that. He also wears a Daytrona patch every day which is a transdermal method of taking ritilin.
So that’s it on one foot. Mkm will be preparing a holiday update about our family and I will post that here when it is finished.
Oh, yeah. I am getting very hooked on Facebook! Come find me there!
