After having a chatty lunch with two fellow bloggers, Twitter enthusiasts, and Northwest Indiana residents, Natalie and Jennifer, we realized that there are a lot of great bloggers and Twitterers in our area, but we’ve yet to hear of a region tweet-up.

So, I’m proposing one in the near future. Preferably an establishment with a good drink special. Someplace in Merrillville? Don Pablos? Hooters? I’m taking suggestions on time and place. I’ll make sure the restaurant knows we plan on taking over and bring the nametags.

All bloggers and Twitter users are welcome. You’ll have more fun if you’re of legal drinking age. Are you up for it?

Spread the word and RT:

Are you ready for an NWI tweet-up? Suggest dates and times! http://tinyurl.com/dl7azy

It was a big week and this is a great Four Foods on Friday! First, it was St. Patrick’s Day, then it was my birthday, and green is my favorite color!

1. What’s your favorite green food?

Definitely, peas.

2. Do you eat anything special on St Patrick’s Day?

Corned beef and cabbage!

3. Do you drink any Irish beverages – tea, coffee, ale, beer, etc?

Do shamrock shakes count? I haven’t had one in years but I remember them being quite tasty.

4. Share a recipe for corned beef.

My mom is in charge of the corned beef preparation. Vienna has the beef packaged with all the spices, ready to simmer.

I suppose that is the kind of statement you’d expect to hear from someone who is celibate…

Before touching down for his first visit to Africa, Pope Benedict XVI took the opportunity to pontificate on the AIDS pandemic, saying that condoms are not the answer to the fight against AIDS.

I think we can all agree that condoms aren’t the solution to the AIDS pandemic, but they certainly are an effective preventative measure. Especially in a country with limited medical care and widespread occurrences of rape.

While the Pope views condom distribution as giving those with AIDS the green-light to have sex, I believe the intention is to protect those that do not have the disease from contracting the disease. Will some view the condoms as the green-light? Absolutely. But why are we comprising the protection of many based on the rash actions of a few?

Several of the comments on the article are very well stated, especially those that expand on AIDS and STDs being a public health issue and not necessarily a moral one.

I miss PJP.

I’m not a fan of sci-fi or fantasy books or movies and I don’t particularly care for vampires or mystical creatures, but I get the hype behind Twilight. What I don’t get is the hype behind Robert Pattinson. He always looks dirty, his nose is crazy crooked, and I’m assuming his performance in Twilight wasn’t Oscar-worthy.

IMDB says his trademark is messy hair, which doesn’t really bode well for his acting abilities.

Fanatic Robert Pattinson fans, I know you’re out there…please weigh in.

Oh, my sweet, wonderful, beautiful blog! How I’ve missed you! I’ve barely been able to spout off at all during the past week and I’ve missed blogging terribly, so I’m excited to jump back in with this week’s Four Foods on Friday.

1. Olive oil. What kind do you prefer to use?

I buy Bertolli Extra Light Olive Oil. It’s not light in calories, just a lighter olive oil flavor. It also has a higher spoke point, so it’s great for sautéing.

2. Meatballs. Do you make them from scratch, buy premade cooked or buy premade frozen?

I’ve been making them from scratch with spinach, feta cheese, and an egg to bind.

3. Do you use napkins at home? Paper or cloth?

I don’t like the texture of paper napkins, unless it’s the expensive kind, so we use paper towels. Generic Target brand, of course.

4. Share a recipe for a white sauce.

I don’t have a recipe for white sauce, but I have a recipe to make your favorite white sauce extra fancy!

Champagne Sauce

To every 2 cups of your favorite cream sauce, add approximately 2 tablespoons of reduced chicken stock. Simmer and whisk sauce for approximately 20 minutes. Prior to serving, add 1/2 cup of champagne, stir and serve.