A Mile Long Buffet and a Spice Girls Convention

How did the Spice Girls Convention end up in Worcester and no one told me? Last night Shrewsbury St. in Worcester, MA was covered in Spice Girl impersonators strutting their stuff down the mile long buffet that was "Taste of Shrewsbury St.".

I know you think I'm half-baked or something. Here's the deal: Shrewsbury St. in Worcester is home to over 35 restaurants and bars. A densely packed smorgasbord for the taste buds! Once a year, all of the restaurants spoil the community by offering a virtually free sampling of some of their finest foods. For $25 (if you plan your social life in advance) or for $30 (the night of), you can purchase a button that allows you access to the gourmet food offerings in some of the finest eating establishments Central Massachusetts has to offer.

Each restaurant sets up a table were you can try a variety of foods. The delectable delights ranged from mussels to gellato to sushi and shish kabobs! Mr. Daniel Yazlovitsky, my partner in crime and I agreed that our absolute favorite offering on the street was a mini-meal complete with salad, entree and dessert from the Flying Rhino Cafe. Guests were treated to a cranberry walnut lettuce salad, some indescribably delicious ravioli (rumored by Mrs. Anne-Marie Corbett to be called their "rain forest ravioli") and a moist raisin cake dessert. This is definitely a restaurant we will be frequenting in the near future!

As Dan and I have sampled only a handful of these restaurants for dinner, we took this as an opportunity to pre-date each restaurant and grade them for compatibility with our pampered palates. (As as side bar I should mention that Dan and I love to cook gourmet meals at home and sample any and every cuisine we can get our mitts on! I should also mention that Dan is a closet chef and has his way with any and every food that crosses his kitchen). Another favorite palate pleaser was the Pearl Oyster, who spoiled us with a cup full of spicy mussel soup complete with four mussels in the shell and a spicy tomato and chorizo broth. MMMMMMM

Finally, Dan and I were able to sample the slow hickory wood char-grilled meats at Pampas Churrascaria. This Brazilian restaurant served the most delicious meat on the whole mile long buffet line! Speaking of buffet lines, they have a daily buffet that offers a sampling of all of the tastiest Brazilian dishes. We will also be returning to this restaurant soon. The hickory aroma taunts us everyday on the way home from the cube farm. (We drive down this street twice daily).

What about the Spice Girls? What about them, oh my, may I just say while strutting your stuff down the boulevard on a beautiful summer evening is quite lovely and wonderful and encouraged, there were a shocking number of girls and women that resembled the Spice Girls. YazBerry readers please note, the skin color and hair color your were born with are probably the most complementary colors for you. Also, while I love makeup, especially funky eye makeup (gold dust anyone? sparkly teal? two of my staples), when you can't see the person underneath the makeup, frankly, it's scary. Not to mention the off the concert stage Spice Girl Fashions these women were sporting. (BTW may I just mention that I am a proud owner of a Sporty Spice collectible Barbie Doll?!?! given to me by Miss Jessica Raymond as a gag gift for a costume birthday party I had in High School!)

My fashion friends and readers: this announcement is for you: embrace your individuality! Don't hide under so much makeup so you look like you just walked off a stage- let you freckles and flaws show us it's you! Be sure to wear clothes you love, not clothes that everyone is wearing. www.yazberry.com is here to help you nurture your individuality, your unique you-ness. Come check us out! Everything is designed and handmade by yours truly, well except for the vintage- the vintage is carefully selected to be as close to mint condition as possible and so unique that no one else will have the same beautiful piece!

Obi-Wan Kimono or 100 pounds of fabric

*Gulp* I just hauled two 50 pound suitcases filled to the brim with fabric all the way from Minnesota to Massachusetts! I almost killed someone in the airport when the precariously stacked suitcases tipped over exiting the airport and I blocked the exit a bit and everyone just walked around me and didn't bother stopping to help me pick it up (kind folk these days hunh). Finally after being totally and completely unable to lift the suitcase I yelled at a man standing at the curb "Could you please help me!?!??!" After he helped me it occurred to me that I had been a bit rude and compensated for this by thanking him excessively, from the bottom of my travel weary heart.

Why on earth was I schlepping two 50 pound suitcases half way across the USA anyway? Simple: I went treasure hunting and discovered a fantastic source for vintage OBIS! (What are obis!?!??! I know you are asking. They are the beautiful embroidered silk or brocade belts the Japanese use with their Kimonos, in the singular, Obi). Stay tuned to www.yazberry.com/fashion.html for exquisite handbags and accessories made from re-purposed Japanese Obis. Also, I expect the Obis to sneak up as table linens and home decor items as well, so make sure you tune in to www.yazberry.com/decor.html in the coming weeks as well.

Next question: what on earth was I doing in Minnesota? First of all, Minnesota is one of my favorite places ever, and I have lived in several states and traveled to several countries. The myths about the unsupportable winters and summers filled with mosquitoes are...true...but I love the winters and I love the summers...drenched in bug repellent. Minneapolis is such a growing arts city; I dare you to check it out!

Anyway, I digress. Why did I go to Minnesota for vacation? Well I grew up there and have lots of family there (my grandparents were very productive, I have eight aunts and uncles on my father's side and they are all married and have 2.5 kids and a dog!) and I have many friends there that know how cool Minneapolis and St. Paul are and are sticking around because it rocks! My friends are very fun, some of them, Ms. Karen Wallin and Ms. Andrea Nelson, have joined a bowling league and invited Ms. Megan Pratola and myself to bowl with them and I found it quite entertaining...maybe I am a closet bowler and never knew it! I have to brag that I bowled my best game ever in the history of Virginia and bowling, 106!


I bowled and dined with a few friends who enjoyed robust steak and other savory dishes and tropical cocktails. Can I please state for the record that Leinenkugel's beer is brewed in Chippewa Falls WI, it is not an import. Anyway, I digress again. Ms. Andrea Nelson is a journalist and has interviewed me on YazBerry. I'll share the interview with you when it is published, don't you worry.

Now, let me explain to you the remaining 75 pounds of fabric. They say that the quilter that dies with the most fabric wins. My grandmother is an excellent quilter, a master of applique and French snots (her rendition of French knots). Grandma always, always, always has had shelves full of fabric. She has fabric in every color imaginable and neatly sorts it and stores it folded in color order (I think I inherited the color order trait; see my sock drawer and crayon box for reference). I thought the day would never come when Grandma allowed me free rein to thumb through her fabric collection.

Not only was I able to thumb through five floor-to-ceiling bookshelves filled with fabric, but I was requested to take home as much of this fabric as I could! I think my Grandparents wanted me to take home all of it...but even the garbage bag full I did take was nearly over my allowed weight limit for my flight home. I remind you to check back often as some fantastic vintage fabric dating as far back to the 1940's will be appearing in numerous configurations in YazBerry creations. Don't worry, when I write up the fiber content I will be sure to list it as vintage fabric from Grandma's collection, so you are aware of the legacy you are about to buy into!

While I am typically quite light hearted, bordering on humorous on this blog, I do want to take a moment to be serious. My Grandma is nearing her mid 80's, she is still mostly healthy, but the years are sneaking up on her. What does it mean when a quilter, who's goal is to die with the most fabric, begins giving away her treasured collection? I like to think she has no intention of moving on, so by downsizing she is telling the years that "I have no intention of winning the quilters competition, I will be here forever." I love my Grandma so much!