You spin me right round, baby, right round. Like a record, baby...

She Said: This record player from Target has all the bells and whistles one needs.  Tape player, cd player, radio, and record player all in one old fashioned looking but high quality concert sounding device.  Cheap records are the way to go especially when they are .50 cents at Rasputen Music.  I love the record smell and as I shoved one in G's face he replied, "Ahhh it smells like memories."  We picked out some favorites.  My purchases included:  

-Carole King, Tapestry

-Toto, Toto IV

-Nat King Cole- Love is the Thing

-The Police- Synchronicity

-Fleetwood Mac- Rumors

And together we decided on Huey Lewis and The News, Sports

Headed back with our record finds.  I carefully put Huey on the turn table and placed the needle gently in place.  The snap crackle and pop of the record player got us in the Corona drinking, 4th of July cooking spirit.  Honey Butter Cornbread and  Cheese Stuffed Dates with Prosciutto with the essence of Huey Lewis, If This Is It blasted in to them made for some great eats. 

Cheers!

G Said:  Definitely spent more time eating the date filling than actually stuffing them....50/50 marscapone/goat cheese w/finely chopped basil.  Yeah, I said marscapone.  The other piece of my scheme was the have enough left over for lunch tomorrow.  So while all the guys are arguing over Subway vs.  Punjab (a decent Indian place in Livingston) vs. Gene-o's (some of the worst pizza you'll ever encounter), I'll be locking my office door and re-living the 4th of July!  (Ed. note:  at this particular point in reading, if I had a mustache, I would be stroking it fervently).  

About to go to meet She's mom and friends for patriotic festivities--it's one of my favorite holidays (I think She described it yesterday as "Christmas in summer") and I love the backyard family-focus that it always brings.  Growing up, the 4th always meant grilling LBJ ribs on my grandparents' deck.  If we stuck around long enough, we could see the Hudson River fireworks over NYC, or we'd head back to Branchburg for the 4-H fairgrounds (I've been to a lot of municipal fireworks displays over the years--what can I say--I'm a small-town connoisseur) and those kick some serious redcoat ass.  

Give me liberty or give me death, and don't forget to kiss the chef.