Mike would normally describe me as partly cloudy with a chance of severe thunderstorms, high winds, and hail. I changed my medications from Lexapro to a combination of Effexor and Xanax (as needed – I love when doctors prescribe things as needed) a few weeks ago and didn’t tell him, just to see if he would see a change in my moods, and yesterday he described me as 70 and sunny!

Yes, I think that describes me perfectly.

In other news, I really enjoy following @jerrytaft on Twitter, hence the meteorlogical references.

In the past week, two of our clients and their cookbooks were featured on the local news in Chicago and St. Louis. They both have outstanding cookbooks and did an fantastic job using completely different approaches to their screen time; Naam Pruitt giving a cooking demonstration and Nielsen-Massey * show casing their product line.

EDIT: Video removed because it autoplays. Ick. Watch Naam Pruitt’s cooking segment.

I don’t work directly with these clients very often, but my company did provide all of the photography for the cookbooks and some recipe development, so it’s awesome to see our** work on television!

*Channel 7 doesn’t allow embedding, so click for video.

** Okay, so both cookbooks were completed before I was hired, but it doesn’t make it any less exciting!

I am all for maintenance Botox treatments. My mom and sister have both had Botox, and I think it’s time for me to investigate a little for my brow and cupids bow.

Wouldn’t it be great if one of us took botox training courses? Or we could have Mike learn the ins and outs of Botox, since he’s the one with the medical experienced! Dr. Dolores Kent’s video, The Complete Guide to Botox Injections, gives detailed instruction on how to handle, store, and administer Botox in the face and neck.

It’s easy to order The Complete Guide to Botox Injections from Dr. Kent’s website, now I just have to find out where to buy vials of Botox!

Botox Injection Video

Botox Training | Botox Injections

There’s so much to learn from No Reservations! This week, Anthony Bourdain is in the Azores, a small cluster of Portuguese islands in the middle of the Atlantic that I didn’t even know existed! Now that I do, I’m convinced it’s paradise. Look at the scenery, and how delicious the food looks, and how nice the people are…

You can see the full episode tonight, January 26th, at 10 EST on the Travel Channel, and as always, visit Tony’s blog for more on the Azores!

My sister bought me Kitchen Confidential for Christmas, which I read in approximately 48 hours and which rekindled my love for Anthony Bourdain. The Nasty Bits and Bone in The Throat both arrived in the mail today to complete my current reading list.

To round out my Anthony Bourdain experience, I’ve been watching No Reservations on Netflix and have requested that my mom Tivo the current episodes (cutbacks – cable had to go).

This week, Tony is on the east coast, visiting DC and the famous Ben’s Chili Bowl. If you’re keeping up with the news, President Elect Obama just visited and from the clip below, it looks like Tony is equally as impressed with the tasty chili dogs.

The culinary experience doesn’t stop there. Tony is all over the DC area, indulging in the regional cuisine, including Chesapeake Bay Blue Crabs, which makes my mouth water.

Be sure to tune in to the Travel Channel, Monday, January 19th at 10pm to the latest episode of No Reservations, and read Anthony Bourdain’s blog for the leftovers. And don’t leave any spoilers in the comments. I’ll have to wait till next weekend to watch the full episode.

Oh, and if someone wants to buy me previous seasons on DVD for my birthday, that’s a welcome addition to my foodie (and Bourdain) collection.