Cool Christmas

This poster belongs to a series of ads that Black & White Scotch Whisky launched in 1965. The slogan reads: "The answer in gift scotches is as clear as "Black & White"". Blackie and Whitey dressed up in Santa suits, people in the background, for sale at the Deco Dog website, dimensions: 10" x 13", very good condition. What's cool about this ad is that the edition of that year already came on a Christmas themed box so you didn't even have to wrap it!

I don't know if you share this thought but there is something about old vintage ads that is just so fascinating. They reveal a cool, sophisticated world of a bygone era. I am pretty sure I can recreate a party just like that in one the spaces of my kingdom. Say, The Red Room. Yes! That's where I'll through my Christmas party this year! RSVP by December 23. Please don't forget to bring the turkey, the Dom Perignon, the ham bread and, if you're fortunate to enough find them, the hallacas.

The T* train

Poster courtesy of the talented Johanna Kriesel.


Interesting poster I spotted at a railway station during my flash visit to the UK.



*Terrier. Nice puppies, although I am much much cuter. Isn't that true mummy?

Egg Nog Recipe Scottish Style

This classic holiday beverage is sinfully rich, thick, and delicious. My recipe uses rum extract, but many folks prefer to spike their eggnog with the real thing. The recipe makes 2-3 servings; to serve a crowd you can multiply it, make it through the chilling stage, and then quickly finish it by adding the extract (or rum), whipped cream, and nutmeg.

2 eggs
1/4 c sugar
Dash salt
2 c milk
1 tsp rum extract
1/2 c whipping cream, beaten until stiff
Nutmeg

Beat eggs, sugar, and salt in top of double boiler or heavy pan. Add milk; mix and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture barely coats a metal spoon. Chill.

Stir in extract. Fold in stiffly beaten whipping cream. Pour immediately into glasses and add a dash of nutmeg.

You can also add a little bit of whisky to the mix but not too much. The excess may knock you out for three days.




Photo Courtesy of Black & White Scotch Whisky. Please drink responsibly. Happy Holidays.

It's Christmas time!

If you love art and also happen to love Westies then you should pay a visit to Candace Whittemore Lovely's website sometime. Candance is the talented artist whose work has been discussed on this blog before. Her paintings sell at big bucks at auctions and have, in some instances, been the object of desperate biding wars among collectors. They simply can't get enough. Well, Candace has come up with a solution for those who can not afford an original but still want to own a piece of it: Gliclée prints.

As she explains on her website, Giclée Prints are one of the most accurate methods of reproducing artwork today.

The technical part of making a Giclée print starts with a digital scan of the original art work .The digital scan is sent to the printer, where archival paper is fed into the printer and sprayed by six calibrated color streams of archival inks.

The result is a beautiful continuous tone print with the latest technology of printing hue, value, and intensity from an original work of art. After the Giclée is dry, it is then sprayed with protect coats for a life time of enjoyment.

"Christmas Westie Ornament" by Candace Whittemore Lovely. Reproduction (c.2008)

I never thought a Westie could be a theme collectors would care for...which leaves me wondering if I should start painting with the the nastiness I collected today when I rolled in the mud.

Official Statement

I would like to congratulate presidential candidate Barack Obama on his victory in these elections. It has been a very hard road and a lot of work for everyone. Unfortunately for us, Independents, the day before yesterday the American people decided the opposition candidate was better suited for the job.

I would also like to express my total and unconditional support for the new president-elect Barack Obama. I am very saddened with the result but I accept with great humility. We live in a great nation today faces a severe economic crisis affecting the whole world is that they are all united, we must support our new president ... Mr. Barack Obama.

Thanks to the thousands of volunteers and workers who gave their time to join us in the election campaign in the recent weeks. To all the American people and the readers who followed the events as they unfolded on my blog, thank you. Thank you very much and may God bless you all.

On the road with Simon

States I've visited so far during my presidential campaign:

Florida

Alabama

Georgia

Tennessee

Kentucky

Illinois

and still counting.

Simon The Westie "Because Change is Coming"...

Political Battleground

Presidential contenders Barack Obama, John McCain and Simon The Westie ignored polls showing the Democrat leading and urged voters on Sunday not to let either pessimism or complacency keep them from the polls on Nov. 4. The latest Gallup polls show Obama ahead 52 to 37 and a tiny 1 for Simon The Westie among likely voters. State surveys also suggest that Obama's path to the 270 electoral votes needed to win is closer than McCain's. But the campaigns were having none of it.

"I've been in a lot of campaigns. I know the momentum is there," McCain, the Republican candidate, told supporters at a rally in Pennsylvania.

In Colombus, Ohio, Obama, the Democrat, urged voters at his rally to go directly afterward to the polling places, which stayed open until 5 p.m. for early voting.

Less than 72 hours before Election Day, the three candidates were also shrugging off the polls, with McCain getting more agitated, Obama concerned about overconfidence and Simon The Westie claiming a late surge toward his party.

The canine candidate told ABC's This Week that he believes there is a "structural imbalance" in the polling that does not reflect what he sees as a big swing by independents toward his side.

He also said he sees close contests emerging in the key battleground states. Simon said he was in a position to win Florida, a traditionally Republican state that is critical to any presidential victory in the electoral votes.

"It's a state that I believe I can snatch from the Republicans and add to my coalition. If I win the state, it will be historic."

When asked about Election Day, the furry presidential runner preferred to leave space to any possible scenario. "I still don’t think we can say the certain what will happen until all the votes are in, but at this point I’m confident in saying that it looks likely a lot may change before Tuesday"

Available now!

Simon presidential T-shirts! Call to order yours now! And if you vote for Simon in November you get another one free*. That's right free! Come on. Hurry! They're selling like hot cakes! Call 1-800-SIMON now!**


*You MUST vote for Simon the Westie for this promotion to apply.

**T-shirts also available in Chihuahua and German Shepherd sizes.

Presidential Agenda

Simon the Westie is experienced.

Simon the Westie is knowledgeable.

Simon the Westie is your independent candidate, the guy to consider and a new alternative to the bipartisan choice.

I offer concrete solutions:

- Fix Social Security.

Under my government all pets will be able to apply for social security cards. The salary of service dogs such as K-9 officers or handicapped guides will not be taxed since they will be counted as dependants for the families they live with. This innovative measurement will bring more money into the people and motivate families who do not have pets to adopt one or more and take care of them.

- Stabilize the economy.

Pet service companies, dog food manufacturers as well as big and small supply retail stores will receive a generous tax cut. This will translate in an increase of cash flow that will generate more employment and reactivate the economy.

- Bring back family values.

Those who own pets will be able to leave office early on Fridays to go home and play with them. I have a plan to create playgrounds all over the country so every family in America will be able to take out their pets for a stroll in an environment of peace and safety. The result will be a much healthier society, much happier and more unified.

There are many more topics in my plan that will be revealed as we get closer to the elections. But for now, let's limit the discussion to the consideration of my proposals: Aren't they the brightest ideas you ever heard?

Simon for President

Dear Country Fellows,

After pondering for a long time about the current situation of our country and enormous challenges that we as Americans are facing, I have decided that I cannot be in anyway a stranger to the realities and the changes our society so desperately needs. Therefore, I have decided the best way to contribute to solving the problems is to take an active role in politics, go to Washington and rebuilt from scratch the political, economic and financial foundations of our great nation.

Yes, as you may have guessed by now, I am back and not as a common citizen, but as a presenter of solutions. It's official now: I am running for President. I signed up today at the local Petco as an independent candidate for the upcoming elections to be held in November 2008. But such an endeavor cannot be the product of one individual alone. It requires a wide consensus. Your participation will be vital and every vote will count, because conquering new spaces in the political arena is a challenge that requires the best of all of us.

I shall be presenting my plan of action in the upcoming days.

I am Simon The Westie and I approve this message.

(Petco did not have any affiliation with this political ad)

Hi, my name is paw.