Showing posts with label Gloria. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gloria. Show all posts

BON APPETIST - HOW TO ENJOY EATING AND NEVER SAY DIET AGAIN



            I was reading a book of essays the other day by Lynne Tillman and I came upon this definition. 'Appetist, a well-adjusted employer of food. A person with a healthy desire to eat; a person who does not worry excessively about food intake; a person who does not diet constantly; someone who enjoys food thoroughly and in moderation.' That is me I thought, that describes me. I was so happy that finally in this vegan, gluten obsessed land of the perpetual diet culture there was a description of another way to live. I felt validated. 

            Many years ago I worked on a cruise ship and I traveled around the world. An enormous part of the appeal of joining the ship for me was the opportunity to feast on gourmet meals all over the globe. I feel that most Americans have an ambivalent relationship to food; except for special occasions, food is just something they grab and eat on the run. To say that you love to eat, that sounds almost blasphemous. People assume that if you love food, you are somewhat wanton. Other than meeting my husband Ray (an unexpected surprise), the food had definitely been one of the best parts of ship life. I couldn’t always recall all the people I dined with or what we talked about, but I did remember all the great meals. I have a simple philosophy governing my food consumption. Eat what you want but you really have to want it - and stop when you feel full. Throw in a healthy amount of exercise and you should  never be fat.

            A short while ago we rented a van and meandered around Italy stopping to sight-see and eat. Italy is the land of Slow Food an international movement founded by Carlo Petrini in 1986. Promoted as an alternative to fast food, it strives to preserve traditional and regional cuisine and encourages farming of plants, seeds and livestock characteristic of the local ecosystem. The movement has since expanded globally to over 100,000 members in 150 countries. Its goals of sustainable foods and promotion of local small businesses are paralleled by a political agenda directed against globalization of agricultural products.

            There is nowhere in the world that is a better example of the movement than Parma, Italy. A charming town a few hours from the French border, Parma has it all. It is big enough to have a vibrant town center, but small enough to be navigable by foot. The surrounding countryside boasts over twenty castles and spas have existed here since Roman times. But the best part in case you haven’t guessed it already is that it is the home of Prosciutto de Parma and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. In the town center you enter shop after shop with hams hanging from the rafters and cases filled with local cheeses. A pungent odor fills the air and tempts the appetite. We enjoyed a glass of wine at one of the many cafes as we watched the stylish citizenry strut their stuff.

            A rainstorm forced us into a covered alleyway as we waited for Trattoria de Tribunale to open up. The meal was everything I had traveled to Italy for, chewy homemade pasta, sauces that had been whipped up in the kitchen not poured from a jar. Meat that had been cured in the area not shipped there from thousands of miles away and Crusty fresh bread from the baker down the street. Food that was meant to be savored not rushed, washed down by a local Chianti. Now just to show you that you can enjoy all of this without being fat, click the link below to watch my video of the people of Parma. I want you to see for yourself, a people with a low diabetes rate that still have a zest for life. The biking and the walking don't hurt the cause.  The only heavy person in the video is my husband and since our trip he has become an appetist and lost the belly.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW: PARMA THE HOME OF CASUAL STYLE
            Savor every bite you eat, search out the freshest ingredients. Become an Appetist and say NO to dieting. I will leave you with this thought from Paul Prudhomme, “You don’t need a silver fork to eat good food.”

                            BON APPETIST


Cara Bertoia is the author of the critically acclaimed Casino Queen, a new suspense novel published by The Wild Rose Press. She has drawn from her years in the casino industry to create a fascinating thriller. It is all true although the names have been changed to protect the guilty. It had been featured at The Big Thrill and Women Writers Women's Books and at many other sites. Read the blurb here.

Caroline Popov, alone, heartbroken, and deeply in debt ends up in glamorous Palm Springs, California where Native casinos have just opened, offering employment to thousands. She lands a job at the Palm Oasis Casino and is mentored by the charismatic tribal chairman, John Tovar.

Embraced by casino culture, Caroline works her way up to casino manager of the Night Hawk, in the High Desert town of Joshua Tree. There, she is responsible for managing multicultural team members, satisfying the demands of challenging guests, growing revenue while rooting out corruption.

In the process of rediscovering her inner strength, she learns, you have to gamble like your life depends on it. With her life on the line can she pull out a win?

                         To check out my interview in The Big Thrill, click the link below.

Casino Queen by Cara Bertoia | THE BIG THRILL

About the author:
Cara Bertoia is the author of Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships. Her novel is really a travelogue, a narrative, a romance, a self-help manual for gambling and cruising, and a real-life story all rolled into one funny, obsessive, and entertaining story of two people whose separate life journeys meet at a crossroads. Kindle Fire Dept. says, "This novel is a gem that is nothing short of a vacation in a book!"She would be happy to Skype with any book club reading Cruise Quarters. Contact her at ray92262@yahoo.com.or read more blog posts at carabertoia.blogspot.com

Below is the links to Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships
Click the link to find at Amazon.com
Click the link to find at Amazon Australia
Click here to find at Amazon Canada
Click the link to find at Amazon United Kingdom
Click the link to find at Amazon Germany
Click the link to find at Amazon France
Click the link to find at Amazon Italy
Click the link to find at Amazon Spain 
Click the link to find at Amazon Brazil
Click to find at Barnes and Noble.


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PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2014


Sandra Bullock pretty as a picture

I live in Palm Springs and like most people I harbor the belief that my hometown is one of the best places in the world. One of the reasons for my love of Palm Springs is because once a year I take a week off work to attend the Palm Springs International Film Festival and view my little city through the eyes of the world. The first thing you notice about Palm Springs is that the sun always shines and by the early afternoon the town almost glows. Palm Springs is filled with mid-century architecture, characterized by walls of glass and outdoor patios surrounding the swimming pools so ubiquitous in Southern California. Although we live in the desert the gardens are filled with colorful blooms watered by an ancient underground aquifer. And if that weren’t enough the entire city is encircled by mountains that look as if they were made from pieces of chocolate bark that have been pressed against the sky.

For me the week begins with the Gala held at the Convention Center. Now I could do the adult thing and go to the actual Gala dinner and listen to all the speeches, but for the last few years my husband, cousin Bob and I have joined the crowd that waits to greet the stars before they enter the Gala. It is a regular red carpet affair and before you say it, I know it is cheesy and touristy but is also a whole lot of fun. Now to see the stars you have to have a strategy, this year I took my chair down there around noon, brought my book and settled in. But I wasn’t the first, not even close. There were people who had arrived the night before, I call those the pros, their hobby is autographs and they come prepared with pictures and paraphernalia for the stars to sign.

The crowd was in a party mood and everyone chit chatted and introduced themselves. Later my husband and cousin arrived, egg rolls in hand to distribute to those around us because by this time we were famished. My cousin is a great photographer and every year he manages to get better and better shots of the stars. Everyone was fed and content by five thirty when the first star arrives, it was Lupita Nyong’o from Twelve Years a Slave and she is gorgeous.

Lupita Nyong’o a flawless beauty
 In fact all the stars look even better in person. Matthew McConaughey superthin from his role in The Dallas Buyers Club, dressed in a shiny suit oozed star quality.
                                                                       
Mathew McConaughey shines!

Meryl Streep looked like a perfectly natural woman, with the emphasis on no plastic surgery.
Meryl Streep acts naturally.

 But my favorite is Sandra Bullock she has always epitomized beauty and class and besides she attended East Carolina as I did, and you always have to root for the home team! By this time the exuberant crowd chanted, “Sandy we love you,” while she signed autographs. 


But the highlight of the night was when Bono kissed the hand of the woman standing beside me. This U2 fan was so excited she kept repeating long after he was gone, “He kissed my hand.”
Bono pre-kiss
 
The best thing about the festival is that it is low key and personal. The next day we had brunch at a gorgeous terrace restaurant. Melissa McCarthy from Mike and Molly sat to the north of us and Jonah Hill was to the east and Marisa Tomei was tucked away in the corner.

Later that evening we went to the world premiere of Everything We Loved from New Zealand an intense film about love and loss. After the movie was over the director and writer Max Currie and producer Tom Hern  invited the audience to Melvyn’s (a desert haunt with a star studded pedigree) to discuss the movie. I don’t know about you but no director has ever wanted to know my opinion of their movie. We couldn’t resist the invitation and we had a blast.

Since this is an international film festival featuring more than 200 films from 70 countries, the directors jump at the chance to come to Palm Springs. This year the directors showed up for every screening we attended and they all stayed for questions and answers with the audience. One particularly interesting talk was from Sebastian Lelio the director of Gloria. He told the story of how a young man came to make a movie about a 58 year old divorce. He said that back in Chile his mother had gone to a dance club for ‘silver hairs’ and how that had sparked his interest. I found the movie to be an honest look into middle age; it was such a departure from Hollywood that it actually showed the middle aged body in all its glory. And that is why I am always seeking new movies, no formulas, and a trip to foreign lands. I am happy to say that my home town delivers it all so I will be back in 2015, maybe I’ll see you there.

About the author:
Cara Bertoia is the author of Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships. Her novel is really a travelogue, a narrative, a romance, a self-help manual for gambling and cruising, and a real-life story all rolled into one funny, obsessive, and entertaining story of two people whose separate life journeys meet at a crossroads. Kindle Fire Dept. says, "This novel is a gem that is nothing short of a vacation in a book!"She would be happy to Skype with any book club reading Cruise Quarters. Contact her at ray92262@yahoo.com.or read more blog posts at carabertoia.blogspot.com

Below is the links to Cruise Quarters - A Novel About Casinos and Cruise Ships
Click the link to find at Amazon.com
Click the link to find at Amazon Australia
Click here to find at Amazon Canada
Click the link to find at Amazon United Kingdom
Click the link to find at Amazon Germany
Click the link to find at Amazon France
Click the link to find at Amazon Italy
Click the link to find at Amazon Spain 
Click the link to find at Amazon Brazil
Click to find at Barnes and Noble
Ray and Cara have also produced the number one guide on walking the Camino de Santiago in Spain.
The Desert Woman calls it inspiring. 
Click the link to find the DVD Camino de Santiago a Walkers Guide at Amazon


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