YO, HERE WE GO.
ALL THE WAY FROM KEY WEST TO CANADA WITH THE TRAVELING GUMBO SHOW!
That's right. July marks our fifth return to the Ottawa Blues Fest. It's the largest Blues festival in Canada and the second largest in North America. (Can you find the Sauce Boss in the picture above?) Then we'll hit the Dinosaurs, Mutt and Jeffs, and Rhinos (Buffalo, New York).

FRESH ALMOND MILK
In keeping with our RAW theme, let me share a recipe for raw almond milk. I never realized how good this could be until I made it myself.

Use 1 cup of fresh organic almonds soaked in water for at least 2 hours. Drain the excess water from the soaking almonds and toss em in the blender with three cups of fresh water. Blend em up goood. Squeeze the whole mess through a nylon mesh bag. (You can buy the bags at a health food store) Drink some immediately. If there's any left, put it in the fridge. Drinking over a quart of freshly made almond milk is part of my daily health kick, along with eating raw leafy greens and as much healthy stuff as possible. The alkaline content neutralizes the acid in your system and it helps to reduce your food cravings. Almond milk helped me lower my LDL cholesterol 58 points in a few months. Here's the link where you can buy the nut milk bags on line. Also killer blenders (You can double the recipe with one of these large heavy duty blenders and they work better to grind up the almonds.)
Y'all Stay cool.

HERE'S AN INTERESTING SLANT ON SAVING THE WORLD. It gives new meaning to the phrase "Magic Mushrooms"

THE ARCADE
540 South Main Memphis, TN 38103
901-526-5757

I love Memphis, Tennessee. That's me above playing on Beale Street. Brian Buck caught me in the act with his jammin lens. The blues, and the food is great. Speaking of food, check out the Arcade. The Arcade has served the public since 1919 when Speros Zepatos opened it in the South Main District in Memphis. Right around the corner from the Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, It's a perfect spot to do lunch or breakfast while touristing Memphis. This family owned restaurant has weathered many storms and survived to be the oldest cafe in Memphis. The list of VIPs, movie stars, and famous Rock 'n Rollers who have sampled the Arcade's bill of fare is great. They even have a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich on the menu in honor of their most famous patron. (make mine with mayonnaise, please) The Fifties Formica boomerang designs are worn off the tabletops from millions of glasses sliding across them. There's a mish mash of decor, some dating from the 1925 renovation, and some dating from the Fifties do-over. But what about the food? Breakfast is served all day. How bout home made biscuits, sweet potato pancakes, or beignets, country ham, or blueberry pancakes with your eggs? Or for lunch try the Central Station Pizza with fresh garlic, feta, eggplant, spinach, tomatoes, and pesto? Hand dipped shakes and the Famous Arcade Cheeseburger is more than enough to get you through till dinnertime. I had to get a vegetable plate with home made corn bread muffin. Yummm.