A Pearl Of Wisdom From Alice Walker

“Anyone can observe the Sabbath,

 but making it holy surely takes the rest of the week.”

- Alice Walker

The Girls Get Ready For Easter

Hey #Uppers ~ Chris Hayes Is Headed To Primetime!

Nigella Lawson's Ginger Glazed Ham #Recipe

Why bother writing a recipe when it's possible to post the youtube file?

This Ginger Glazed Ham has very little hands-on time so it is the perfect holiday food for those of us with more ambition than time. While the ham is featured in a Nigella Express episode for Christmas food, I cannot imagine why this cannot become a focal point at Easter or even served cold for an alfresco summer lunch.

If the video won't play here, click here to watch Nigella Lawson's Ginger Glazed Ham on YouTube

Herbes De Provence No Knead Bread #Recipe

 

Herbes de Provence Rustic No Knead Bread

This bread is almost effortless to make because it requires no kneading. Instead, the dough is allowed to slowly rise over a long period of time. Then it is baked in a preheated covered cast-iron pot, which helps produce a crispy, bakery-style crust on the finished loaf.

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. active dry yeast

1 3/4 tsp. salt

1 Tbls  Herbes de Provence
1 1/2 Cups plus 2 Tbl water

Cornmeal as needed

Method:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt, Herbes de Provence. Add 1 5/8 cups water and stir until blended; the dough will be shaggy and very sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at warm room temperature (about 70°F) until the surface is dotted with bubbles, 12 to 18 hours.
Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle the dough with a little flour and fold the dough over onto itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.

Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface or your fingers, gently and quickly shape the dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel, preferably a flour sack towel (not terry cloth), with cornmeal. Put the dough, seam side down, on the towel and dust with more flour or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise until the dough is more than double in size and does not readily spring back when poked with a finger, about 2 hours.

At least 30 minutes before the dough is ready, put a 2 3/4-quart cast-iron pot in the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F.

Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over, seam side up, into the pot; it may look like a mess, but that is OK. Shake the pan once or twice if the dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the loaf is browned, 15 to 30 minutes more.

Transfer the pot to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Using oven mitts, turn the pot on its side and gently turn the bread; it will release easily. Makes one 1 1/2-lb. loaf.


// This is the bread I made for the Breads and Spreads Class at Williams Sonoma Montclair in October 2010. That bread was based on a recipe for a Walnut Rustic Bread attributed to the "Cooking In Cast Iron" book. A little googling and I found very similar recipes that were adapted from Sullivan Street Bakery (NYC) and Mark Bittman, "The Secret of Great Bread: Let Time Do the Work," The New York Times, Nov. 8, 2006. So just in case the legal types get their knickers in a twist, I think have all the bases covered! //

Martin Niemöller's Words Echo Loudly Today

"First they came for the Jews

and I did not speak out because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for the Communists

and I did not speak out because I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists

and I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for me

and there was no one left to speak out for me."

-Pastor Martin Niemöller(1892–1984)

 

Gather together a group of middle aged suburbanites who recall fondly days gone by when each morning was filled with hope and each week brought new opportunities for prosperity, then ask them if their dreams came true. And when they start to realize that many have not, start to point to finger at the other for stealing those dreams away.

Whenever something isn't exactly as we like, instead of accepting the situatoin, or taking responsibility for our own place we blame someone else, usually someone who is different, usually someone a little removed from our daily routine, often with a lesser position in society, an other. Its exactly what the Third Reich did in German in the 1930's and it is exactly what is happening in America today.

This year we learned that the names may change, and the color of the characters may change, but the hatred and fear of someone who is an other has become an accepted and integral part of America.

 Blaming the other has led to mocking the other; humiliating the other; and denying them basic protections of our society. With just a handful of people pulling the puppet string in this country now is the time for us to realize that we are all being played.

Godspeed To The People Of These United States Who Speak Out Their Neighbor

Relay For Life Montclair ~ This May At MKA

Can I count on your support? Click the link to make a donation today. $10 would be great.

Relay For Life Montclair

Meatless Monday at Uncle Moustache in Montclair via @DevilGourmet

Meatless Monday at Uncle Moustache in Montclair | NJ (via Devil Gourmet)

A vegan in need of food can always count on Middle-Eastern restaurants for a meal of falafel, hummus and pita bread. Because of this, I’ve probably tried just about every falafel in Northern New Jersey, so I think I have the authority to say that Uncle Moustache in Montclair has the best falafels…

Micki's Simple Bownies (made with Olive Oil) Recipe

For most of our lives Olive Oil has been limited to use as a salad dressing ingredient. In recent years the idea of dipping bread in Extra Virgin Olive Oil instead of using butter has broken some of the limitations placed on this liquid gold, but did you know that Olive Oil is a great ingredient in baking?

Micki Sannar created several unique recipes and adapted several others using heart friendly Olive Oil in place of other oils or even butter in both savory and sweet recipes. Her work is published in "Olive Oil Desserts." A favourite recipe of mine is her Simple Brownies.

The result here is a brownie that is somewhere between the cake-like brownies that result from using "vegetable oil" and the fudgy brownies from traditional butter recipes.

Ingredients :

4oz unsweetened chocolate

1/3 cup pure olive oil

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

¾ cup flour

½ tsp salt

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 Fahrenheit. Coat the bottom of an 8x8” pan with olive oil cooking spray.

Place chocolate and olive oil in a small glass mixing bowl. Heat in microwave for 1 minute. Stir until melted and smooth. Set aside.

In a mixer bowl, add eggs, sugar and vanilla. Mix on medium/high speed for 5 minutes. Add in the chocolate mixture and blend until smooth and creamy. Fold in flour and salt. Mix until just moist. Do not overmix.

Bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from over, cool slightly. Serve and enjoy.

Walnut Pecan Rustic No Knead Bread Recipe

This is a variation of the bread  I made for the Breads and Spreads Class at Williams Sonoma Montclair in October. In October I made an all Walnut Bread, today I used both Walnuts and Pecans. That bread was based on a recipe for a Walnut Rustic Bread attributed to the "Cooking In Cast Iron" book. A little googling and I found very similar recipes that were adapted from Sullivan Street Bakery (NYC) and Mark Bittman, "The Secret of Great Bread: Let Time Do the Work," The New York Times, Nov. 8, 2006. So just in case the legal types get their knickers in a twist, I think have all the bases covered!

Walnut ~ Pecan Rustic No Knead Bread

This bread is almost effortless to make because it requires no kneading. Instead, the dough is allowed to slowly rise over a long period of time. Then it is baked in a preheated covered cast-iron pot, which helps produce a crispy, bakery-style crust on the finished loaf.

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. active dry yeast

1 3/4 tsp. salt

1 Cup Chopped Walnut and Pecans *
1 1/2 cup Plus 2 Tablespoons Water

Cornmeal as needed

Method:

In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, salt, and nuts. Add the water and stir until blended; the dough will be shaggy and very sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at warm room temperature (about 70°F) until the surface is dotted with bubbles, 12 to 18 hours. (my house is usually in the 67-68°F range in the winter months so it took the full 18 hours)

Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface. Sprinkle the dough with a little flour and fold the dough over onto itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes.

Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface or your fingers, gently and quickly shape the dough into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel, preferably a flour sack towel (not terry cloth), with cornmeal. Put the dough, seam side down, on the towel and dust with more flour or cornmeal. Cover with another cotton towel and let rise until the dough is more than double in size and does not readily spring back when poked with a finger, about 2 hours.

At least 30 minutes before the dough is ready, put a 2 3/4-quart cast-iron pot in the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F.**

Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over, seam side up, into the pot; it may look like a mess, but that is OK. Shake the pan once or twice if the dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes. Cover with the lid and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the loaf is browned, 15 to 30 minutes more.

Transfer the pot to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Using oven mitts, turn the pot on its side and gently turn the bread; it will release easily. Makes one 1 1/2-lb. loaf.

*Store bought chopped nuts work well, but I find choppingthe  nuts myself produces better results since there is all those fine nut crumbs (nut dust?) that add so much flavor to the dough. Hole and half shelled nuts are expensive. My favourite source is Trader Joe's  where I can buy bagged nut 'bits and pieces' at a really great price.

**The 30 minute pre-heat of the cast iron pot is critical. I often try "what if" scenarios for the things I do in classes and found that any sooner produces something akin to concrete that even the squirrels ignored when I tossed it into the garden. To have good results heat the cast iron pot at least 30 minutes.

In the class I used a 5 Quart Cast Iron Pot, if you're pot is that large just double the recipe. That day I actually made two varieties (herbes de provence and rustic walnut, both balls of dough were plopped into the hot pot at the same time and baked perfectly. The breads came apart easily at the point in which the two varieties met.

Food Bloggers Were Here : J & K Steakhouse Montclair NJ

J & K Steakhouse  opened this week on South Park Street in Montclair. I had the pleasure of being the first party not only to dine at the restauant but the first foodie team to report of this great addition to the Montclair dining scene. Truth be told Melody Kettle wrote about the experience and I did the food photography.

Usually I am really good at making sure there aren't bits and pieces in the background of my photos. All those iPhones, soiled napkins, crumbs, and keys to a leased Audi just ruin the photos found on most food sites. When I found this photo I just had to share it! That stupid pen!

Forget stating that "for an opening night" things were great, had I not not known this was opening night I could not have been able to perceive that it was. The food was perfect, the service was the best in Montclair, and did I mention the food was perfect? Read the story about J & K Steakhouse   on Devil Gourmet

Some Really Cool Things About Daffodils

The thing I like about daffodils is that there are just so many things to like about them.

Daffodils are great flowers in which to engage children. The bulbs are planted in autumn and bloom in spring - there are some really great lessons in that growth cycle about patience and trust (since they are underground and you just have to trust that they'll be there in spring)

I like them because they are brilliant harbingers of spring. Even after a crazy winter like this one where it seemed to snow all the time, the daffodils that started to emerge earliest made it through those last days of snow that surprised us all.

On days like today, when most everything else is still dormant, many of the daffodils are blooming, with some of the later blooming varieties still waiting to emerge. For me anyway, this makes working in the garden enjoyable because, while what I am doing now really doesn't affect much right away, seeing another cluster of daffodils bloom is a visual reminder that things really are happening in the garden. (anyone who knows me understands that if I leave a situation without a sense of accomplishment I get a very strong sense of failure).

Daffodils are hardy. Last season I moved a large number of daffodils before the appropriate time (because I needed that garden space for other plants) and viola - the cluster that I moved right after blooming is the one pictured above. They survived the move and are putting on a great show in an otherwise mediocre front garden.

And while I'm on the subject of the front garden, having daffodils there is making the house stand out in a seas of suburban mediocrity. Its the only one with blooms - every other house still has that winter feel about it. (I've seriously thought about asking the people across the street if I can plant their front gardens so I have something interesting to see. I'm not sure if that will go over well.)

Did I mention they are easy to grow? Seriously, there really isn't much to them. And since they come in a variety of colours with a variety of centers, they do give the garden the appearance of being maintained by a botanist (at least that's what the neophytes think anyway). So hell yeah, I'm already figuring how how some of the clusters of this years daffodils will be divided and what color combinations will be invited to join the show for next season!

Just 10 Days Until I Vist The Doctor

Tandoori Chicken at Chatni Montclair ~ #foodporn

The Tandoori Chicken is the superstar on the menu ~ tender chunks of white meat dancing in a spice perfume where notes of cardamom offer a refreshing brightness. So good you’ll want to place an additional order to take home for the “doggie.” Don’t miss the Avacado Lassi.

 

 Discover Chatni on Devil Gourmet

It's Meatless Monday at Mesob Montclair via @DevilGourmet

Meatless Monday | Vegan Dining at Mesob | Montclair | NJ (via Devil Gourmet)

First things first: the term “vegan” does not refer to people from the planet Vega! Instead, vegans are people who eschew all meat (beef, pork, chicken, turkey, fish), eggs and dairy (cheese, milk, yogurt, ice cream), and most vegans also skip honey. The reasons people choose this dietary lifestyle…

Happy St Patrick's Day

Save The Date : 9 August : Disney Planes Only In Theatres

. ..
if video doesn't play, click here to see Disney Planes  

   

Discovering South Africa's Jackass Penguins At Turtle Back Zoo West Orange NJ

Often called a "Jackass Penguin" because of the braying sound they make, Spheniscus demersus is the scientific name for the black footed penguin species native to South Western Africa.

African Penguins are the only species of Penguin on the African Continent. Considered a vulnerable species (meaning they are at risk of being endangered) most of the penguin colonies are found on the islands that extend from Port Elizabeth South Africa to Namibia. A few colonies can be found on the mainland but they have been known to be attacked by leopards, making them extremely vulnerable.

New Jersey is a long way from Africa, but this African Penguin at Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange makes its home in a rocky setting that is similar to Boulder's Beach near Cape Town.

To discover more about African Penguins, and all the other animals at the zoo check out TurtleBackZoo.com

Olive That and More in Montclair ~ giving us a lesson in EVOO

Thanks to Rachel Ray we’ve all come to know EVOO, but few of us know what that means. Olive oil, in all of its forms, is heart healthy, especially when compared to other fats in the diet. Flavor profiles change significantly when olive oil is processed. Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or even First Press EVOO is just that, olive oil that has been pressed from olives. It’s green and yellow, and if you get the unfiltered variety it has those little floating bits of fruit that are packed with flavor. Once pressed, the olives still hold a lot of oil in their fruit, so heat is applied to release more of the oil. Heat diminishes flavor making this sort of oil a poor choice for dipping, but a great choice for cooking since all of the healthy properties are still there. The remaining fruit is then chemically treated to extract even more oil given us the generically labeled “olive oil” and grocery items that “contain real olive oil.”

 

The flavor profiles of olive oils vary by regions and country of origin. My favorite was, big surprise here, Tunisian Olive Oil. Like Moroccan olive oils, this North African oil has a very smooth flavor and texture profile, with grassy notes that connote spring and new growth. All of the olive wood spoons and serving pieces in the store also come from Tunisia. Steve and Jennifer deal directly with the olive wood producers in Africa. Greenpeace Africa recently released a report that stated solar power plants in North Africa (Tunisia) could conceivably power the entire EU. I have a strong suspicion that well all be hearing a great deal more about this Mediterranean nation but for now let’s just enjoy the olive oil.

 

to learn more about Olive Oil and Olive That and More read the full story Olive That! And More : A World Of Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar  on Devil Gourmet

East Meets West In The Hundred Acre Wood

I'm reading "The Tao Of Pooh."
Winnie the Pooh is very much in tune with his inner self – Eyeore always has a problem to face, rabbit is always calculating, but Pooh is just content, living in the moment. Pooh enjoys simple pleasures : honey and tossing twigs in the stream with Christopher Robin.
The author cleverly contrasts Pooh to the other characters. The result is not only an understanding of Taoism, but also a deeper understanding of my childhood friend.

I'm Doing Relay For Life In Montclair NJ ~ Will You Support Me?

Why I Participate in a Relay Event Because I know I will make a difference in the fight to end cancer. I know that by raising funds and walking in the American Cancer Society Relay For Life event, I will help save lives from cancer.

It's amazing to think that millions of people will be diagnosed with cancer this year. Somebody close to me may be one of them.

A Relay For Life event is not only a way to join my community to fight back against cancer, but it is also a way to inspire hope by raising funds and awareness to help those facing the disease.


Who I’m Participating For
My reason for participating in my Relay For Life event is personal. We all participate in Relay events because we’ve been affected by cancer in some way and because a Relay For Life event gives us the power to make a difference and fight back. This is my opportunity to honor cancer survivors, remember people we have lost, and help raise funds for groundbreaking research, information and services for people fighting cancer.


Why I Support the American Cancer Society
Every day, the American Cancer Society helps people take steps to reduce their risk of cancer or find it early when it is easiest to treat. They provide free information and services when and where people need it throughout their journey to get well. They are investing in groundbreaking research to find, prevent, treat, and cure cancer, and are working with lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and rally communities worldwide to join the fight.

I have signed up to walk and fundraise in my local Relay For Life event. I hope you will consider joining my team and/or making a donation in support of my efforts.

Together, we have the power to help create a world where cancer can no longer claim another year of anyone’s life.

 

Donate today to the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life Montclair

Paterson's Negro League Hincliffe Stadium Now A National Historic Landmark

Near Paterson's Great Falls stands a large battleship grey concrete wall that, at first glance appears to be the remains of some industrial building that has fallen into a state of decay.

Step a little closer, peer through the iron gates and it comes clear that this structure was at one time a stadium.

It's huge, and despite the school busses parked on the infield, and rubble strewn about, the imagination cannot help but wonder how many people used to fill this place for sport and recreation.

 Hincliffe Stadium in Paterson is one of the many forgotten gems of the Silk City that has been waiting to be rediscovered and repurposed. Today, US Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar named Hinchliffe Stadium a National Historic Landmark. Woo hoo!

Built in the depths of the Great Depression with Government Funds, construction of the stadium gave hundreds of laid off mill workers a job at a time when there were none to be had in the private sector. Like the stimulus of the past few years, the government funds spent on Hinchliffe Stadium benefitted the region during the immediate period of construction, and continued to do so for decades to come as it became a great community resource.

During World War II, Hincliffe hosted war bond rallies featuring popular celebrities of the time including Bud Abbott and Paterson Native Lou Costello. Imagine the experience, at a time when our nation was in such turmoil to come together with friends, neighbors, and strangers in support of something so worthy in an environment of light heartedness. It must have been magical.

During the Jim Crow Era, Hinchliffe was a major stadium for Negro League Baseball. The Negro League team affiliated with the Yankees played here. Sadly most of the old Negro League stadiums in the US have been torn down. Hinchiffe is special because much of the Art Deco structure is solid so any restoration and renovation would not diminish those parts of the original structure.

I'm a strong believer in the idea of buildings having souls, think of it as a variation of "if these walls could talk." With so much of that period architecture intact any future use of the stadium will not only echo with the cheers of those fans, but I am 100% confident that if one listens closely enough they'll hear ever so quietly the last echoes of the last cheers of the last Negro League Baseball game played at Hinchliffe.

 

In 1971 the stadium hosted one of Duke Ellington's last major concerts. In the years that followed high school teams from both Paterson and Clifton used the field. With today's announcement there's no telling what new history will be made in the Silk City.

 

If the slideshow of Hinchliffe Stadium doesn't work here,

 click here to see Hinchliffe Stadium on flickr

 

Estelle And Some New Friends

Death Seat Burger Platter at Nutley's Old Canal Inn

Nutley NJ's Old Canal Inn is home to the famous Death Seat, made famous in "Weird New Jersey" but known to locals since the middle of the last century.

 Sometime in the 1960's a patron of the Old Canal Inn died while seated in a particular barstool. Not long afterward another patron met the same fate while seated in the same place!

A recent addition to the Old Canal Inn's menu is the Death Seat Burger Platter. A grilled burger is layered with Nacho Cheese, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Jalapeno, and Tomatoes. The entire burger, bun and all, is beer battered and deep friend. It's then served on a large platter that includes homemade slaw, homemade pasta salad, fries, lettuce and pickles.

The Death Seat Burger Platter is served only on Mondays at the Old Canal Inn.

Presbyterian Church On The Green ~ Bloomfield NJ

Hunger Construction #foodtruck at Montclair Farmers Market Today

So you think that just because schools in session, the weather is on the nippy side, and the humidity is less than 1000% it's not farmers' market season? WRONG!

Many of the die-hard merchants who we've all come to love at the Monclair Farmers' Market in the summer months also make the trek to Walnut Street Train Station year round to bring some of the freshest produce and fish to the area.

 A special treat is the Hunger Construction Stuffed Potato Truck.

The market is much smaller in the winter months, but you shouldn't be eating that much anyway, right? So check it out!

A Quick Daylight Savings Time Check List

This weekend marks the start of Daylight Savings Time in the United States so before going to bed Saturday night don't forget to set your clock ahead one hour.

Traditionally this is the weekend in which Americans replace the batteries in their smoke detectors, and given the danger that fire presents for all of us that is the most important thing to do.

Renters should check their smoke detector batteries as well. In most parts of the US, landlords are required to provide smoke detectors but the law doesn't require all of them to provide batteries. It's a good idea for renters to take charge of their own safety and change the batteries this weekend.

Depending on the expert giving the advise, smoke detectors should be changed every 3 or 5 years. Let's face it, its a relatively inexpensive machine and it will eventually wear out. This week might be the perfect time to replace the entire Smoke Detector. And while you're at it, pick up a few Carbon Monoxide detectors.

Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can kill. It is produced by burning natural gas as well as oil. Changing those batteries this weekend is well worth the effort too.

Other timely tasks for this weekend :

Check the tire pressure on your car. The shift in temperature can result in a pressure change. Over or underinflated tires reduce fuel economy and in extreme cases can result in a blow out.

Check your washer fluid in your car as well as anti-freeze levels.

Change filters in your heating and cooling systems. Sure, the heating season is over for most people but shutting down the furnace with clean filters means less work next fall. Clean filters also help the unit run more efficiently.

Change your vaccuum bags. Seriously - when was the last time you changed them.

WWI Memorial At Edgemont Park ~ Upper Montclair NJ

Created by Charles Keck in 1924 the War Memorial in Edgemont Park Montclair NJ features the names of those who gave their lives in World War I carved into the sides of the central obelisk.

Snow On The Adirondacks

Green Apple Balsamic Vinegar ~ Now At Olive That And More

Made by marrying tart Granny Smith apples with aged balsamic.

Tangy, tart green apple flavor with a smooth balsamic undertone
.
Use as a dressing for green or fruit salad. Great drizzled over grilled chicken or pork.

Discover it today at Olive That And More   on Bellevue Ave in Upper Montclair NJ

George And Friend At Olive That And More In Upper Montclair NJ

Today I Helped @GreenpeacAfric Save A Rainforest In Cameroon, And You Can Too

A shocking stat -- but one we can actually do something about, starting right now.

By sending an email you can help stop a US corporation from going ahead with it's planned palm oil plantation in Cameroon, a project that would tear down an area of forest the size of about 100,000 soccer fields: http://bit.ly/Wl3MFw

Already done that? Then share this post on your timeline, on your blog, in an email to your friends, to spread word and increase the number of we send.
 

Thank you.

Discover More About What You Can Do At Greenpeace Africa

#musicmonday ~ Miriam Makeba ~ Pata Pata (Happy Birthday Mama Africa)

Today would have been Miriam Makeba's 81st Birthday. Google marked the day with a unique doodle honoring the singer known to her fans as Mother Africa so it makes perfect sense that her best known song "Pata Pata" would be today's choice for Music Monday.

Church Of The Immaculate Conception Montclair NJ

Photos of some of the most interesting house of worship architecture is back! Every Sunday!

Sunday Morning at Montclair Bread Company

Save The Date : Mr Selfridge On Masterpiece Classic on PBS 31 March 2013

At the unfashionable end of Oxford Street in 1909 London, an American retail tycoon arrives to jettison fusty British tradition and open the biggest and finest department store the world has ever seen: Selfridges. Three-time Emmy® winner Jeremy Piven (in his first television appearance since his iconic role as Hollywood agent Ari Gold in Entourage) stars as Harry Gordon Selfridge, the flamboyant entrepreneur and showman seeking to provide London's shoppers with the ultimate merchandise and the ultimate thrill.

Emmy® Award-winning writer Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice, Bleak House) conjures the opulence and excitement of Selfridges and the story of its founder, a man of exuberant, outsized, and potentially dangerous, appetite. Behind Selfridges' lavish shop windows, gleaming counters, and majestic doors, appetite intersects with ambition and desire not just for Harry, but for his staff, his family, and the various women drawn to the store and the man. Zoe Tapper (Stage Beauty) is showgirl and temptress Ellen Love; Frances O’Connor (Madame Bovary) as is Harry's loyal wife, Rose; Grégory Fitoussi (Spiral) is the mercurial window designer extraordinaire, Henri LeClair; and Aisling Loftus (Case Histories) is the spunky shop girl Agnes Towler. Mr. Selfridge airs Sundays, March 31 through May 19, 2013 at 9pm ET (check local listings) on PBS' MASTERPIECE CLASSIC.

Preview Mr Selfridge video clip   For more information visit Masterpiece Classic on PBS

Victory at Edgemont Park Montclair ~ or Why I Love My Telephoto Lens

Created by Charles Keck in 1924 the War Memorial in Edgemont Park Montclair NJ features the names of those who gave their lives in World War I carved into the sides of the central obelisk.

To photograph the monument without an upward view one would have to stop along Valley Road for the proper angle but then the monument would appear small as it does here. (that photo was taken last fall)

Fast forward to the day I picked up my telephoto lens. I stopped in this exact spot to make Victory, atop the monument, my first photo through that lens. The second photo was the soldiers at the bottom. Depicted are a classical figure, a Revolutionary War soldier, and a World War I Doughboy.

In grateful tribute to the men of Montclair who in the world war past the last full measure of devotion in defence of the American Principles of Liberty and Justice for All this monument has been erected by voluntary offerings of the people of Montclair MCMXXV