WE LOVE WISCONSIN FOODIE!

The Killer Bees now have readers all over the world, and I'm sure that people who live in other places have a certain connotation about the diets of Wisconsinites. Yeah I know, cheese and beer. However. A culinary revolution has been brewing here for some time now. These days Milwaukee and Madison are simply flush with outstanding restaurants, nationally celebrated chefs, and cutting-edge food artisans. If you're a local foodie, then chances are you're already watching Wisconsin Foodie. However this terrifically entertaining show which airs on local CBS Station 58, isn't just for the locals!

If you're a "foodie" too, I invite you to check out their excellent website by following the link below. Once you're there you can watch clips from the show featuring the likes of Jacques Pepin, and peruse truly amazing recipes from Wisconsin chefs. Season 3 launches on October 13th, but remember that no matter where you are, you can enjoy this delightful show from it's companion website. Check it out!

www.wisconsinfoodie.com

White OUT!

If all of your friends were jumping out of windows, would you?

Okay, so maybe that's an extreme analogy. But I am curious. Are you're ceilings white?

Why are they white? Because you're parents ceilings were white? Your neighbors? Because you saw the row of "Ceiling White" paint cans at the hardware store, and you thought you were supposed to? Have I got news for you...

Lets get one thing clear right from the start. One of the chief keys to successful design is repetition of color, of pattern or motif. I'm not talking about cutesy themes or Garanimals. But if you've got a room with a white ceiling and nothing else in the room is white, then its arbitrary. It relates to nothing. But Michael, why do they even make Ceiling White, you ask?

Because years ago our homes were not properly lit, and a white ceiling would refract light. Its 2009, and trust me this is no longer an issue. Ceiling White is only available because we're conditioned to painting our ceilings white, therefore there's still a demand for it. End of story.

While you may not be inclined to paint ANY ceiling in your home the vibrant turquoise pictured below, I will encourage you to take that wall color you have and just wrap it right over. Think of how easy it will be to cut in! If you're concerned that the wall color may be too saturated to use on the ceiling, consider 2 things.

• Is it a really warm color? Warm colors advance psychologically, so a little volume in the space helps.

• If its a really deep, saturated color be cautious of how much light the space gets. Dark colors absorb light, so you may need to add some back in with accent lighting.

Many years ago in an article that was written about me, the author stated that "One gets the feeling that if McKinley could strip every can of Celing White from store shelves, he would."
She was right, and my stance on the matter hasn't budged.

When are white ceilings appropriate? When the walls are white. When your mouldings are white, or when white is dominate in the color palette. Otherwise get out the roller, screw on a broom handle, and start painting!

INDIAN SUMMER

If you live in Milwaukee or Chicago, don't forget about this coming weekend's INDIAN SUMMER FESTIVAL down at the Summerfest grounds. Its one of the coolest!

While we're on the subject, I thought I'd share this recipe from Simply Recipes for one of my absolute favorite deserts, Indian Pudding. Just follow the link below the picture...

www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/indian_pudding/

FIGURE IT OUT!

It took me forever to learn how to tie my shoes. I remember being told by a an aide at the daycare I was in that I'd soon be in kindergarten, and she wouldn't be there to tie my shoes anymore when they came undone. So I asked my Mother to teach me again. Hand-eye coordination has never been one of Michael's strengths, patience was definitely not one of hers. After awhile, she told me to find "my own way" if I couldn't learn it her way.


Early into our 25 year friendship, I remember frantically asking Stacey what I should do about some "pressing quandary". Who knows what the situation was anymore, but I remember desperately pleading with him to help me make a decision. Frustrated by my whining on the matter, he simply told me to "figure it out". Wow. You mean I gotta be a big boy now?

Several years later when I had just moved to Wisconsin, I was forced to learn to drive out of necessity. I hadn't been scared of much in life, but learning how to drive scared the bejezzus out of me. Get this. I'd even purchased a CAR which was sitting parked in my garage. I was about to start my new job and there was no reasonable public transportation to get me there. I called Stacey in California. "What am I going to do?" He said to me very calmly, " You bought a car, right? Okay then. Get in it, turn it on, and FIGURE IT OUT!"

The next morning I drove myself to work. Naturally we got 7 inches of snow while I working, and on the way home I slid on some ice and took out a mailbox. But I figured it out.


There have been many things for me to "figure out" lately. There are definitely days when I wonder if my path will ever be clear of obstacles. Don't get me wrong. I loves me some good obstacle course. You usually come out on the other end feeling victorious and in better shape. However lately it seems that just about everyone I know is struggling financially, myself included. You know what though? My ability to plot, dream, and scheme has aided me in "figuring out" things my whole life. And I know I'll figure this out too.

Are you on an obstacle course?
Well put on your thinking cap and dig for that determination that lives deep inside of you! There's more than one way to skin a cat, ice a cake, or get from point A to point B. You wouldn't know it by looking down at my feet, but I never did learn how to tie my shoes the way most other people do. Instead I taught myself a knot that works for me, and my shoes stay tied, never coming undone...

MUSICAL TREAT OF THE WEEK

PEARLS

I've been thinking allot lately about gifts my parents gave me.

Not Tonka trucks, or rock polishing machines, or the record albums I pined for, but pearls.

40 hours work, for 40 hours pay.

2 wrongs NEVER make a right.

If you never lie, you'll never have to remember what you said.

If you really love what you do, and you work hard, you'll be successful.

When in doubt, do nothing.

A skunk smells his own hole first.

Why should they buy the cow if they can get the milk for free?

Anything worth doing, is worth doing right.

Growing up, these are some of the things I remember my parents saying to me. Over, and over, and over. And trust me, that's the short list. Not to mention "Do as I say, not as I do." There were both good for that one. I can very clearly remember my Dad saying that he wished children came with instruction manuals...

As I am not perfect, neither were my parents. Yet the older I grow, the more I realize what a great job they did. Considering many things, not the least of which, there was NO manual. Making sure that their children grew up with strong moral fiber was priority #1, and probably one of the few things they agreed on completely. When I was 15 years old, it was more than likely that I would have rolled my eyes behind their backs at any one of the sayings on that list...

What sorts of things did your parents say? I'll bet if you thought about it for just a hot minute you could come up with a list of your own. I'll also bet money that like most grown folk, the older you get, the truer they ring!

My parents didn't always say the right thing. In fact they occasionally said things I wish I could forget...but as I maneuver through a world that is often difficult to navigate, I am constantly reminded of the "tools" I was given by them. Tools other kids didn't get, but we did because our parents knew they were more important than Tonka trucks, or rock polishing machines, or record albums we pined for. They made us find jobs so we could buy those things for ourselves!

So thanks for the pearls Mom and Dad.

I cherish them, and wear them close to my heart.

Cassandra's NEW Youtube Channel!

Big news readers! Cassandra's video shorts are now on her very own Youtube Channel!

We'll be filming and posting these inspirational gems on both her blog AND her Youtube Channel on a regular basis. I believe an Internet sensation is about to occur...

http://www.youtube.com/user/cassandramcshepard#play/uploads/11/tKAezjOXx4w

MUSICAL TREAT OF THE WEEK

SLEEPING BEAUTY

I have a theory. if you go to bed each night in a bed that looks like a million bucks, you wake up feeling like a million bucks! No one is more thrilled than Michael McKinley that as a design trend, the revival of Hollywood Regency Style is still raging on, full-tilt-boogie...as evidenced in this months House Beautiful.

These sleeping beauties are a sampling of 15 featured in an online article about upholstered headboards that you can read here:
http://www.housebeautiful.com/shopping/upholstered-headboard
Prices range from $399.-$5,800. As I often say, you needn't spend allot of money for it to look like you've spent allot of money.

If the glamorous leanings of the Hollywood Regency Style are a little too "Liberace" for your taste, I'll still recommend an upholstered bed of some kind. There's just something about them that says comfort and luxury, no matter the style...

READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP?

If you think looking at yourself in the mirror can be hard, try watching yourself on playback! There's only 2 scheduled days of filming for the electronic press kit left on the calendar [mostly for exterior footage]. Soon Cherrie and I will start sifting through what we've got, and begin the editing process. I've been super impressed with every ones dedication and hard work. However I, the self-proclaimed ring-leader of this whole undertaking, am not at all sure if I "delivered" or not...maybe I shouldn't have been so preoccupied with what we were having for dinner?!

MUSICAL TREAT OF THE WEEK

MAN IN THE MIRROR

"Become the man you want to meet."
I'm no longer sure whether I heard this, or read it somewhere, but it's been clinging to my consciousness like a wet t-shirt. I guess like anything worth pondering, I'm just glad it stuck, and it's reminding me of some places in my life where I might be stuck...

First let me broaden the parameters here, because this is a universal concept for any person who is "singular". While I contend that I'm perfectly good on my own, I'd be perpetrating a great big lie if I told you I'm happier this way. See, I'm a "plural" kind of guy. I'm good in relationships. I enjoy the dynamics of them, and tend to thrive. But if I want to get down and dirty honest with you, with myself right now, I'm not sure I'd date me. I've been looking in the mirror.

No, this isn't about the encroaching crows feet, or my nagging follicular challenges. That's all on the surface, and it goes deeper than that. If the universe is truly reflective[and I believe that it is], and I'm putting out the mandate that I want to meet a man who shares the same ideals as me, then WHY AREN'T I MEETING HIM? Perhaps I haven't been looking at myself truthfully.
Let me give you a couple of examples...

Do I want to meet a man who finds my inner beauty more intoxicating than the circumference of my biceps? Well of course I do. But know this about me. I size-up just about every man I meet based on an attractiveness ratio, objectifying them before I even know them. Hey, I'm just keeping it real. As human beings I think that the primal-ness of physical attraction is not only innate, but necessary. However I have to wonder. If I look at each man I encounter as a potential sexual object FIRST, then how can I ever expect the kind of respect and acceptance for my own appearance and body, that I desire from someone else? Hmmm.

Smart is good, in fact cerebral is sexy as hell. However more than anything I'd like to meet someone who takes care of themselves physically, and spiritually as well. Physically because I want him to be healthy, NOT because I expect him to look like a gym bunny. And yet I haven't been to the gym myself in a year and a half! Spiritually, because the journey of discovery I'm on happens to be one of the most beautiful and exciting things in my life right now. How could I not want to be with someone who understands that journey, and embraces it with me? And yet where have I been looking for this healthy and spiritual man? On a barstool. For the last 20 years. I seriously doubt I'm going to find him there, especially if I'm sitting on one too.

The reflection I've been looking at since I met the phrase "Become the man you want to meet" is still that of a person I happen to like and love. I'm being a little tougher on him lately, but I think ultimately he'll appreciate me more for it. And who knows? Maybe the one I've been looking for is working on himself too, so that we'll both be ready when he meets me. In the meantime, I intend to get know this character in the mirror a little better, and hopefully in the process I'll figure out a little bit more about the both of us. And improve.

BEE OUR GUEST #7: CHRIS HARPER

You never know what you'll find on the beach...

The first thing you notice when you approach Chris Harper's mid-century Miller Beach ranch home is her garden. Not at all tidy, or structured, but rather an organum of lush ferns, tall grasses, and wild flowers left to be wild. Pushing their way up through the mayhem like proud and colorful spires are Chris's latest creations. These "totems" crafted from vintage glass objects and dishes are a delight to the eye, making you want to know more about the woman who lives beyond the garden.... but before you pass through the front door, you see a sign, hand painted on 2 pieces of driftwood that says "Lucky To Live By The Beach". It seems that these days Chris Harper's LIFE is more than ever being reflected in her ART.

Once inside, you're quickly charmed by a home that's "Quintessentially Chris". The quirky-cool decor is peppered with things like 100 year old glass bottles, funky 60's crocheted blankets, painted furniture, and a collection of stones and beach glass that just happened to wash ashore naturally heart-shaped. As a designer I strongly believe that ones home should be a reflection of who they are, their personality...and her home brilliantly states: I AM CHRIS HARPER.


I remember the first time I went out to visit Chris in Miller Beach, just after she'd moved in. We had a a couple glasses of wine, then strolled down the beach in our bare feet with her new puppy Pete in tow, carrying a piece of driftwood clenched between his tiny teeth. She turned to me and said "I love it here, I just love it. So does Pete." 2 years later she's all settled in, and Pete has a little sister named Violet. On this trip we hung out in her studio, and ate hot dogs accompanied by her mother Kitty's delicious kidney bean salad ...

MPM: You're known as "Crafty Chris" in certain circles. Have you always possessed the desire to create?

CH: Yes I've been creating something my entire life, but please let's get it straight...it's Krafty Kris! When I was growing up my Mother was very artistic, and she definitely had her own unique perspective about the way she decorated our home. I was always so proud of our house! I suppose I get the crafty/artistic gene from her.

MPM: You work with so many different forms of media. Does inspiration begin with the object? The material? Or the idea?

CH: Inspiration for me comes in many forms. I can be at the hardware store and get inspiration from a plumbing pipe to create fixturing for a shop, or a pillow design I see may give me an idea for a mixed media piece. The inspiration, well it comes from everything, everywhere. I guess I'm lucky that way!

MPM: I can't help but notice a little symbolism that's reoccurring in your work...

CH: And what would that be? HA! Simplicity, color, nature, happiness. Oh, you mean the hearts and the peace signs...they're sort of my trademarks. Couldn't the world use a little more peace and love? I'm just putting it out there. But there's more than just hearts and peace signs. I'm curious, what symbolism do you see in my work?

MPM: I've long admired your paper collage work, and now I'm all jazzed about your found-object sculptural pieces. What ideas are brewing for the "Next Chris Harper Creations"?

CH: I'm working on a large scale wall piece done in collage, but with textiles instead of paper...it should be pretty cool!

MPM: I know your community is very important to you. Tell me a little bit about living in Miller Beach, Indiana.

CH: Miller Beach is like an artist type colony, in a laid back beach town. Not at all pretentious, just artists co-existing with Gary steel mill workers, crack whores, corporate drop outs and the "modestly wealthy"....we all shop locally, and support the community as much as we can.

MPM: Next time I come out, can I play with you in the studio?

CH: YES, I WOULD LOVE IT! ...you inspire me!

[Gee, thanks Chris...] To contact Chris Harper, you can email her at: charper53@hotmail.com

EPK FILMING CONTINUES...

HOG HEAVEN

So Jonas had 5 free tickets to State Fair, and he invited The Killer Bees to join him. It had been at least a decade since I'd attended, and I really do love to go see all the beautiful animals. Especially the pigs! Since we've been filming for the electronic press kit, I've been trying to be mindful of what I eat because guess what? The camera REALLY DOES add 10 lbs.! But the temptation to indulge in a Wisconsin State Fair classic, the venerable cream puff, proved too powerful to overcome and I was completely seduced. What I'm trying to say here is that I ate an enormous cream puff for dinner tonight. The rich creamy filling so thick and dense, yet utterly airy and weightless at the same time...

In the middle of this sinful indulgence, my ecstasy was temporarily thwarted by guilt about my zillion-calorie surrender. I didn't bother to open my mouth about it to anyone because really, who wants to hear me whine about needing to loose 10lbs as I stuff my gaping maw with at least a cup of whipped heavy cream, right? But then just as quickly as the guilt had washed over me, I had a moment of clarity. I try to eat in moderation, and have a fairly healthy diet. Other than a slice of birthday cake last week, when have I recently had a proper dessert? I hadn't been to State Fair in a decade. Life is way too short, so shut up and eat the freakin' cream puff already. Geez.

In fact I may just make the "State Fair Cream Puff Supper" an annual event. Nuff said.