Orlando Bargains + a Symphony of Layers!

Dear Orlando Friends,

Please stop what you are doing and go check out this link: Buy Local Orlando. I am so disappointed I didn’t know about this while I lived in Orlando! Maybe it’s new? Regardless, you can get a Buy Local Orlando card for free, and it entitles you to many deals, steals, and bargains! Just a sample of participating stores and restaurants that I know some of you may get excited about – Plaza Cinema Cafe (50% off!), Orlando Brewing, Ethos Vegan Kitchen, Track Shack of Orlando, and so much more! I even saw something for 10% off a wedding or special event booking at a hotel! Any other Orlando brides – there were also some caterers on this list, too, and I think I saw a photographer. Go check out the link and see all the wonderful merchants for yourself. Then let me borrow your card next time I visit Orlando. I discovered this beautiful little card at 67 Days of Smiles, which you should go check out too – maybe you’ll learn more about Orlando, too!

With bargain-filled love,
Linds

*****

Ok, so that was my fun bargain discovery of the afternoon. Yet another reason Orlando is awesome. Good thing we have a visit planned mid-September.

Dinner tonight was mostly hit, with a little miss. It featured Jenna’s Best Pizza Dough (this time made with all whole wheat pastry flour instead of the all purpose/ whole wheat combo – I am out of all purpose). The dough was definitely the best hit – loved using whole wheat pastry flour for all the flour! (Note: You’ll probably be able to find WWPF at your local health food store – my current one was from Whole Foods).

As a musician, I often note the parallels between music, art, dance, culinary arts, and all other art forms. Tonight was no exception – a symphony of layers!

Our pizza dough is our conductor, the “leader” holding the symphony together, bringing it to life.

Layer one was a very thin layer of tomato paste. We’ll call you our string bass.

Layer 2 was hummus (Sabra’s new spinach and artichoke hummus) – this shall be our lower brass.

Layer 3 is our piccolos – sharp, high, tiny notes of accentuation (garlic powder and dried herbs).

Layer 4 is our cellos and violas – balsamic roasted eggplant slices.

Layer 5 is our high brass (think trumpets) – tomato sauce (and lots of it).

Layer 6 are our flutes (yay flutes!) – fresh, bright notes of green spinach and more dots of marinara.

Dress Rehearsal (with fresh mozzarella added to Ross’ side) — oh yeah, our roasted mushrooms are our violins.

Post oven (12 minutes, 425 degrees Fahrenheit) we have a Symphonic Metamorphosis (name that composer!! Anyone? No other classical musicians out there?? *Crickets*)

It was tres fantastique! Next time though, I would pre-bake the pizza dough. With all the liquids on there, that thin bottom crust never stood a chance and it never crisped up. This was definitely (and unfortunately) fork and knife pizza. (Yes unfortunate, I like to use my fingers!)

I hope you guys enjoyed that, that was fun for me.

So does anyone honestly know the composer of Symphonic Metamorphosis (without googling it)? I’ll be impressed and you’ll be my new BFF.

See you tomorrow!