The Chronicles of a VBG (Voluptuous Brown Gurl)

As evidence of my lifelong wanderlust, at the end of the last and the beginning of this millenium, I desperately wanted (and tried unsuccessfully) to find employment in Scandinavia.  I even attempted to learn to speak Norwegian - the language kit sits atop the desk in my home office even now to remind me that I still gotta go. During that time I first heard of Marcus Samuelsson - then head Chef of Aquavit , NYC's premier Scandinavian restaurant. What truly interested me was his background - born and orphaned in Ethiopia, adopted and raised in Sweden, introduced to the joys of cooking by his Swedish mormor (grandmother), created a big buzz in the US and world cooking scene. I've continued to be impressed with his ascent if for no other reason than he was the only person of color getting that kind of recognition . I couldn't help but wish him well. Over the last few years Marcus has become far more popular to the world at large with his numerous appearances on cooking seg...

  This post is gonna be short and sweet because well, I am in the throws of my hot and heavy Quadrennial love affair …with the Olympics.  I gotta get back to them because that 4 year absence does indeed make my heart grow fonder.  For the last 9 days I have immersed myself during my precious little free time in little else but the beauty and spectacle that is the Olympic games. And man, oh man, does it feel good to take a break from all the news, insanity, political tomfoolery that we are inundated with 24/7. I love both the winter and summer games and my television has offered me (and hopefully you also) a warm and cozy ring side seat to the joys and heartbreaks of the 2012 games.  I spent the first day of televised competition glued to archery and fencing. I loved every minute of it.  I love how the Italian team consisted mostly of 3 slightly pudgy dudes who kicked butt with their bows.  It was refreshing to see that a physique r...