Friday, December 4, 2009

Happy Days Healthy Living or Blend Me Shake Me

Happy Days Healthy Living

Author: Cathy Silvers

Both a celebrity autobiography and the tale of a journey to healthful and a living-foods lifestyle, Happy Days Healthy Living chronicles the Hollywood childhood and acting career of Cathy Silvers, daughter of iconic comedian Phil Silvers. The first half of the book's title references Cathy's years as a cast member of the popular TV series Happy Days, on which she played the character of Jenny Piccolo. The story of her auditions and capture of the coveted role provides a fascinating backstage glimpse inside the television industry and one of the most popular series of all time.

The second part of this story is Cathy's adult journey from "fast-food mom" to spokesperson for healthy living on a new "web vision" network, The Healthy Living Network. In addition to her own experience learning about juicing, vegetarianism, organic food, non-toxic products, and other elements of a healthy diet and life, the author brings in voices from the world of health, nutrition, and alternative medicine to lend their expertise—these include leaders in the living-foods movement such as Dr. Gabriel Cousens, David Wolfe, and Victoria Boutenko, along with professionals well-versed in alternative medicinal approaches. Cathy Silvers successfully healed a breast condition with Chinese medicine when her doctor wanted to perform a double mastectomy. This and other experiences with alternative medicine led her to include healing along with diet in her discussion of healthy choices. One of the more moving themes of the book is the author's touching relationship with her famous and largely absent father, the late Phil Silvers, who inspired her as an actress andentrepreneur but also left her to grapple with the issue of who he really was. Short passages by Erin Moran, Marion Ross, and Henry Winkler of Happy Days highlight the book, along with a preface by the show's producer, Garry Marshall, and an introduction by its star, Ron Howard. A good read with plenty of salient information about Hollywood and healthy living.



Interesting textbook: Children of Global Migration or Dred Scott and the Politics of Slavery

Blend Me, Shake Me: 101 Hip New Cocktails

Author: Alex Kammerling

A stylish guide to 101 new cocktails (and a few classics).

Glamorous and delicious, cocktails have rarely been more popular, and this trendy guide is brimming with hip new concoctions. Celebrate with a Rosso Royale or a Persian Prince; cool off with Two Inches of Cucumber or a Bourbon Beach Iced Tea; warm up with a Scottish Sweetheart; or just enjoy the pleasures of a booze-free beverage, like the Party Pooper. All the drinks are easy to make, most ingredients are available in the supermarket, and you won't need exotic liqueurs or professional equipment to make them. Apart from a few classics, all the drinks are newly invented--some created to sip at parties or holidays, others to bottle up and take camping. There are drinks to take the chill off, drinks to chill you out, and if you're the designated driver, there's an entire chapter just for you.



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