http://saintsforsinners.com/saint-stephen-medal-story.html

Happy Saint Stephen's Day!

December 26, 2009 is Saint Stephen's Day, and celebrates the life of Saint Stephen the Martyr, who was stoned to death because he refused to disavow his own personal convictions.

His story can be found at www.SaintsforSinners.com, which is linked above.

The sterling silver toggle clasp bracelet, featured left, can also be purchased from SaintsforSinners, but for the time being, orders are best completed over the phone, because we are trying to coordinate and individually customize the bracelet and medals to suit your specific, individual requests.

Click on the image to enlarge the photo.

The bracelet pictured here is one of our "There's Something About Marys" designs, featuring, yes, you guessed it, a series of Blessed Virgin Mary imported Italian Saint Medallions, all hand-painted in New Orleans, Louisiana.

From left to right, the Virgins listed are: 1. Our Lady of Fatima, 2. The Immaculate Heart of Mary, 3. Our Lady of Guadalupe, 4. Our Lady of Perpetual Help and 5. The Miraculous Medal.

Contact us if you would like to help us create your very own specially made "There's Something About Marys" Sterling Silver Toggle Clasp Charm Bracelet, including all of your favorite imported Italian Saint Medallions, hand-painted in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Our sister web site www.TheresSomethingAboutMarys.com is "coming soon," to a computer near you, 1n 2010!

Our Fund Raiser for the Volunteers of America's Elderly Servives Program

This nice article by the New Orleans Times-Picayune's Fashion Writer, Susan Langenhennig, appeared in the "LIVING" section yesterday, December, 14, 2009.

You can click the image to get an enlarged view.

SaintsforSinners is proud to be working with the Volunteers of America of Greater New Orleans in an effort to raise funds for their Elderly Protective Services Departments.

Buy a hand-painted Saint Anthony or Saint Vincent de Paul medal package and all proceeds will go to the Volunteers of America, a Charity committed to "touching lives and building community."

Thanks to Susan Langenhennig, the Volunteers of America's Director of Marketing, Sheryl LeBlanc, and Egghead Designs Erica Normand for working with us on this project.

Saint Robert Meachem, A Modern Day Saint Dismas, the Good Thief

New Orleans Saint Robert Meachem (# 17) is a Modern Day "Saint Dismas," the Saint who is known as the "Good Thief."

Saint Dismas' story can be found at http://www.saintsforsinners.com/

If he were alive today, he would be New Orleans Saint Robert Meachem, a saint who recovers fumbles for touchdowns, makes interceptions, and is fantastic thieving NFL athlete! His 53 yard touchdown catch with less than 2 minutes left to play in the game against the Washington Redskins had all of the New Orleans Saints fans in the world joyous!

The image of our Saint Dismas the Good Thief medallion is featured at left, (click the image to enlarge) and includes a fleur-de-lis tattoo on his chest, all available through SaintsforSinners.

We're trying to present an image of Saint Dismas as a token image of New Orleans Saint Robert Meachem.

Robert's play today, December 6, 2009, where he stole the ball from the Washington Redskins, and scored a touchdown was one of the most excellent plays in the history of the National Football League (NFL).

Congratulations, New Orleans Saint Robert Meachem; you are, like Saint Dismas, truly a "Good Thief!"

Make that "Great Thief!" And a great Saint!

WHODAT!?

Saint Nicholas of Myra's Feast Day, December 6th

Today is the Feast Day of Saint Nicholas of Myra, the patron of merchants. Saint Nicholas' image is featured to the left, as is his story. Click the image to enlarge.

His medal depicts Saint

Nicholas holding 3 gold balls and there are also 3 boys, cooking in a barrel of oil.

Don't fret; Saint Nicholas saved the 3 boys and went on to become a beloved saint.

Happy Saint Nicholas of Myra (that's where he is from) Day from all of us at www.SaintsforSinners.com, the home of imported Italain Saint Medallions hand-painted in New Orleans!

"A Divine Gift!"

IN HONOR OF SAINT NICHOLAS: STORES SELLING HAND-PAINTED ITALIAN SAINTSFORSINNERS SAINT MEDALLIONS

Saint Nicholas of Myra, Patron Saint of Merchants is our Guest Blogger today.... Today, December 6th, is Saint Nicholas' Feast Day. His story can be found at www.SaintsforSinners.com.

Hello, my name is saint Nicholas of Myra, not to be confused with the fat guy, "Jolly Saint Nick."

I asked the folks at www.SaintsforSinners.com to let me offer a big thank you to all of our retailers, past and present.

As the patron of Merchants, I am the saint who cajoles you into ordering the hand-painted medals from SaintsforSinners.

Our very first store that carried the Original SaintsforSinners cards and medals was located in the French Quarter on Royal Street and was called:

1. The Living Room

It later became known as Pamela's Living Room and we are sorry to report that the store went out of business a few months ago, due to the slow economy. Our medals sold briskly and they were the store's best seller, but the revenue gained from the sale of our medals was not enough to sustain their boutique. We were sorry to see the store close, and we were also very disappointed to learn that:

2. Shine Spa, another French Quarter shop on Conti Street that was carrying our medals, also closed down.

Fortunately other French Quarter shops are currently and actively selling our medals. They are:

3. Feet First, located on Royal Street;

4. Yesteryears, in the heart of Bourbon Street;

5. Ragin' Daisy's, located in the lower Quarter on a corner near the lively French Market;

6. Feet First has another location, located in Uptown New Orleans on Magazine Street, and it also offers our medals.

Another great store in the French Quarter, 7. "Plum," carried our medals for many years. Plum's owner, Dannal Perry, has a good eye for unique items and her store is fun to visit.

Other Uptown Boutiques actively selling our medals are:

8. Jean Therapy on Magazine Street, near the Jefferson Street intersection.

Jean Therapy also offers our medals at their store (9.) in One Canal Place and also 0n Canal Street, 10. Jean Therapy for Kids

Jean Therapy is also located in (11.) Lakeside Mall and (12.) Baton Rouge

Another Baton Rouge Boutique offering our medals is 13. Ted & Daisy's, located in the LSU area.

The 14. Cyprus Medetarian Prayer Center in Baton Rouge also sells our saint medals. In the University area near Tulane and Loyola, 15. Sweet Pea sells SaintsforSinners medals, as does

16. SaveNola, on the first floor of JAX Brewery on Decatur Street.

Crowley's 17. Louisiana Church Interiors also sells our designs, as does the

18. Immaculate Heart Book Store in Alexandria and

19. T Fig in Lake Charles.

20. Blink in the Riverwalk in New Orleans, sells our medals too.

In New York City, the trendy 21. 22. 23. Selima Optique Boutique sells our medals in all 3 of their locations.

In Croton on the Hudson, visit 24. Sherwood Forest Designs to find our medals and if you're out in the Hamptons on Long Island, try

25. The Pharmacy in East Hampton, to see some of our medals.

Over on another continent, if you are in Tokyo, Japan,

26. The Espresso Bar briskly sells our medallions.

Back in America, and on the other side of the country,

27. The Holy Family Book Store in Pasadena, California, is selling SaintsforSinners designs,

as does 28. Zimmer's in in the Valley near Tolouca Lake.

Back on the Bayou, 29. The Jefferson House

and 30. Blue Roof Denim are selling our medals on the Northshore near Covington and Mandeville.

If you go to the beach in Asbury Park, New Jersey, check out our medals on 31. Pavillion One

Another beachy locale selling our medals is

32. Bella Beach in Destin Florida.

Up in Oklahoma, try 33. The Clover Leaf, and when in Little Rock, try

34. Liza's Skin Care and

35. Box Turtle

36. Duque & Duque Spa & Boutique offered our medals in their store in Seattle, Washington.

37. Light Years Jewelry in Memphis

38. Maggie's Pharm

39. Pursue Good STUFF, like our medals, in Kansas City sells our medals.

40. InBetweenz in Lafayette, Louisiana sold our medals but we are sorry to report that they have closed down their shop.

41. Art and Soul

42. Small Town Music

43. Little Miss Muffin in Lakeview and

44. Little Miss Muffin in Old Metairie sell lots of our medals!

We also sell on 45. The Internet at www.saintsforsinners.com

Once a month we sell our medallions at

46. The Harrison Avenue Market in Lakeview

47. The Gretna Festival invites us to sell our medals during their annual music extravaganza.

Athens Ohio's 48. Artifacts sells the medallions 49. Happy Hands in Baton Rouge 50. Eaton's Church Supply in Moussouri sells the medals and the

51. Paradise Cafe, in Metairie, near Barnes & Noble, sells our medals. The owner, Linda is a great cook and she feeds us when we visit!

Healing Saints on the SaintsforSinners Sterling Silver Bracelets

We are excited to begin offering sterling silver toggle clasp bracelets with our hand-painted Italian Saint medallions.

One of the first bracelets we designed is featured, at left, and it included a collection of the "healing saints," Padre Pio, Gabriel the Arch Angel, Raphael the Arch Angel, Agatha, Peregrine and the Virgin Mary on the Miraculous Medal. Click on the medals to see a larger image.

The basic bracelet designs were conceived by SaintsforSinners but the final and overall creation is made by the person ordering the bracelet.

We enjoyed matching all the saints featured above and the lady who envisioned the color scheme had a great vision.

We were happy to help her learn more about the saints that would fit well on the healing bracelet and we added the Arch Angel Raphael, the saint known for creating "happy meetings" as a surprise gift.

For information about pricing and turnaround times, please call SaintsforSinners at 504.482.2467.

Writing for Mike Fratello

A long, long, time ago, I can still remember how the tale began ....

It was after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when I was living in a tiny apartment on Bayou Saint John in New Orleans.

A lady named Paige and her Mom, Rosemary, had been ordering medals and we got to "know" each other through e mailing and our work at www.SaintsforSinners.com

Paige was involved in an Akron, Ohio Hospital fund raiser for kids with cancer called Denim and Diamonds.

She asked if we (SaintsforSinners) would be willing to contribute some items for the Silent Auction. Of course, we said yes, and somehow, through luck or just because my cousin Sue is a gem, we also got my dear cousin Sue to help us design beautiful one-of-a-kind SaintsforSinners necklaces.

Sue, being from eastern Long Island, is a lover of the water and the ocean and she collects beach glass. She offered to weave (Saint Anastasia, patron of weavers must have been lurking nearby) some of her beach glass into a SaintsforSinners medals and create a unique necklace.

So, that's what she did and the result was that we were able to raise a lot of money for the fund raiser, which was great!

Somewhere along the line, some people involved with the fund raiser also asked if we could do something special for the sports broadcaster and then Memphis Grizzlies coach, Mike Fratello, because Mike was helping with the fund raiser too.

Of course, being the celebrity hound he tends to be, the founder of SaintsforSinners said yes!

We decided to write a new story about Saint Sebastian, the patron of athletes, for Coach Fratello.

The Grizzlies were losing games and not doing very well in the official NBA standings.

So, we got to thinking and questioning whether winning or losing really mattered, and we concluded it did not.

What really, truly matters in athletics, and life, is how the "game" is played.

The Grizzlies were struggling but Coach Fratello was still working hard and also dedicating his free time to help raise money for a hospital dedicated to helping kids with cancer.

So, we wrote a new story about saint Sebastian, the patron of athletes, and we hid a story within the story that was a message to Mike Fratello, the man.

We reminded him that the things that were most important were playing the game with a sense of fair play and integrity, and working as team.

We managed to convey that what an athlete does off the field, like say, working to raise needed funds for hospitals, is also part of the "big equation."

And we sent our saint Sebastian medal package for Mike off to Akron, Ohio.

We did harbor a hope that we might hear from Mike Fratello and somehow get him on the SaintsforSinners "Hall of Fame-ous," and although we did hear back from Mike's friends, the Hall of Fame inclusion was not meant to be.

That was OK, though, because Sue and SaintsforSinners made a nice contribution to the Denim and Diamonds Fund Raiser and that was the most important thing.

Time passed (that's what it does, like it or not).

We moved out of our little apartment and back into a brand new home in the exact same spot where our old home had been bulldozed away after the flood.

2009 arrived and a phone call came in to SaintsforSinners. It was from a lady named Jessica and she wanted medals for a boys football team at Our Lady Mount Carmel in Indiana.

We offered a nice discount and went about preparing the medal packages for the boys.

Thanks to our work for Denim and Diamonds and Mike Fratello, our story was already written and with a few quick edits, and with some time spent carefully painting Saint Sebastian medals, we had the Saint Sebastian medal packages prepared and ready and off they went to Indiana.

Weeks went by and we did not hear from the folks in Indiana. We wrongly concluded that perhaps the medals were not up-to-par and were disappointed.

Time kept marching and December 3, 2009 arrived.

Late in the day, SaintsforSinners received an e mail from the coach of the boys football team in Indiana.

In it, he thanked us and also Jessica, for "finding" us. He said that the medals and the story were "perfect" and reinforced the integral themes about "good sportsmanship," which is the most important thing to learn when beginning to play sports of any kind.

The coach also included a nice picture of all the boys proudly wearing their saint Sebastian medals. It's included up above (click on it to see a larger image) and that photo of those boys wearing our medal designs will go up on our Hall of Fame-ous soon, right between Paula Deen and Bruce Springsteen. Bruce and Paula should be proud to be in their company.

SaintSational Bracelets from www.SaintsforSinners.com

Saints for da Saints! WHODAT!?

We have sterling silver toggle clasp bracelets with familiar old age Saints ready to cheer on the New Orleans Saints on their journey to Super Bowl XLIV!

We will be posting pictures of the bracelets soon, but for now, we are trying to send out the medals and bracelet on the same day they are ordered, and we have been successful, thus far. We also deliver locally!

Some of the SaintSationals we are offering:

1. Saint Anthony, Finding the way the Super Bowl;

2. Saint Jude, Guiding Coach Payton with Difficult Plays in Impossible Siruations....

3. Our Lady of Prompt Succor, proving Quick Help when needed;

4. Saint Dismas, the "Good Thief," helping the Saints Recover Fumbles and Make Interceptions;

5. Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Constantly Helping the New Orleans Saints;

6. Saint Joan of Arc, Crusading with the Saints on their Super Bowl run!

We have many other Imported Italian Saints Hand-Painted in New Orleans to help our team, and also welcome your Saintly instructions for clever ways to guide the New Orleans Saints to Super Bowl XLIV.

Call 504.239.3143 for Inspiration, yours, ours, or both!

WHODAT?!

The Saints are the Sinners who keep on trying. - Robert Louis Stevenson

CELESTIAL SAINTS AND ANGELS BEGIN FOLLOWING NFL FOOTBALL

Arch Angel Gabriel, the "Saint" invoked when praying for "Good News," held an Omniscience ( Known on Earth as a "Press Conference" ) in Heaven today, confirming an ongoing rumor that several Saints and Angels have formed an Ad Hoc Club, "The Celestials," a group in Heaven that follows and celebrates the National Football League's New Orleans Saints and their Perfect 2009-2010 Season.

Asked whether the Father, Son, or Holy Spirit were involved, Gabriel replied, "The Holy Spirit and Our Lady were both deciding forces in establishing the new club and are very active members."

Other members of The Celestials are, in no particular order:

* Our Lady of Perpetual Succor, who is providing "Constant Help" to the New Orleans Saints, according to the Omniscience. She said "Our Lady of Prompt Succor is another dedicated member, which was not too surprising since she is the Patroness of New Orleans.

* Saint Dismas, also affectionately known as the "Good Thief," who has been aiding "Special Teams" as they recover fumbles and make interceptions. Saint Dismas said "It's wonderful to be stealing out in the open again, without having to worry about that dang cross! The appreciation for the Saintly football thievery has been unheralded." "I can't wait to rip off Tom Brady's helmet a few times."

* Saint Jude Thaddaeus, who signed up to assist New Orleans Saints Football Coach Sean Payton with "Difficult Situations" and "Impossible Plays." Jude said he has had light duty thus far, but expects things to get busy when "Some Patriots visit the Saints in the Superdome."

* Saint Joan of Arc, who is leading a crusade in Heaven much like her battles in her home town "back-in-the-day," the country now known as "France." Joan said, "It's thrilling to get people all riled up again. I'm not saying Heaven's not fun, because it definitely is, but it's kinda cool to be out and about with the people again, too."

* Saint Christopher, the saint "banished by the Vatican in 1969," who is guiding the New Orleans Saints as they travel near and far, and from goal post to goal post. When asked about whether he is even truly a Saint, Chris replied, "I'm a Saint alright and I do go down to Purgatory to visit with the bonehead Pope who tried to kick me out of Heaven." He quickly added, "But, I'm not bitter!"

Numerous other Saints and Angels are members of The Celestials, but did not reply in time to be included in this Omniscience.

To honor and wear your favorite member of The Celestials, visit http://www.saintsforsinners.com/ and collect them all, and remember that "the saints are the sinners who keep on trying."

( The Infant of Prague and Saint Expedite contributed to this Omniscience )

WHO DAT!

Tips for Managing the In-Laws, by Saint Elizabeth of Hungary

Having Trouble Managing or dreading dealing with the "In-Laws" during the upcoming Holidays? Saint Elizabeth of Hungary feels your pain and can help you grin and bear it!

Way before Zsa Zsa Gabor was disqualified in the Miss Hungary Beauty Contest in 1936, the people of Hungary had Elizabeth of Hungary as their role model.

Elizabeth was born in the 13th Century, and, according to the http://www.saintsforsinners.com/ story about her, (featured in its entirety, at left) her parents went about arranging her future marriage when she was a mere 4 years old!

Although that plan did not work out, Elizabeth still married early, became Queen, had 3 kids and lived a happy life. That is, until her husband died while he was on a crusade. It was then that things got difficult with the in-laws.

Elizabeth's brother-in-law, Henry, kicked Elizabeth out of her castle, along with her 3 kids, one of whom was the rightful heir to the throne!

She persevered, however, and soon becme part of a Franciscan Order where she worked hard to help the poor, teaching them how to fend for themselves in difficult times. She did, after all, have first-hand knowledge of that, "thanks" to her mean old brother-in-law, Henry.

Sadly, she wound up with another loser, Conrad of Marzburg, who was violent and cruel, and beat her mercilessly..

But Elizabeth of Hungary still managed to practice what is sometimes called "mindfulness" these days, (loosely defined here as a principle, Buddhist in origin, that is sort of like repeating a mantra that says "mind over matter") and again persevered through her hardships.

Elizabeth died at the young age of 24. She went on the fast track and became a saint only four years later.

Today, November 17th, is Saint Elizabeth of Hungary's "Feast Day," a day to celebrate her life, her virtue, and her example.

Saint Elizabeth of Hungary asks all of us, who may be grousing about the Holidays and the in-laws, to just "suck it up and deal," adding, "If your in-laws may be annoying to you, you're probably annoying to them too. Call it a wash!" Saint Elizabeth reminds us to "rise above other peoples' differences that seem irksome, and celebrate differences instead!"

FAIRGROUNDS RACING ....

In just a few days, (Friday, November 6, 2009, to be exact!) the New Orleans Fairgrounds Race Course http://www.FairGroundsRaceCourse.com will begin its Annual Meet for 2009-2010.

We are excited to announce that Apprentice Jockey Dustin Dugas, whose racing helmet is featured at left, (with a Saint Joseph medal dangling on it) will be racing in New Orleans again this season.

In the very first race, Dustin will be riding "She Said What," a 2 year-old maiden bred and owned by Adele B. Dilschneider, a person who is most likely of German descent, just like the founder of SaintsforSinners, Rob Clemenz.

She Said What is trained by A. M. Stall, Jr., and this Maiden Claiming race will be a great contest to ring in the new racing season!

Because Dustin is our favorite Jockey we will be betting on She Said What in this inaugural race at the Fairgrounds.

http://www.SaintsforSinners.com has been designing special Saint George (Saint George is the patron saint of horses) medallions and hopes to have some of the other jockeys wearing them on their helmets for safety and good luck.

To be fair, we should acknowledge that it was good ole Dustin Dugas who started the habit of wearing a saint medallion on his helmet but we're going to see if we can turn it into a trend.... A jockey thing!

We can't wait to get to the New Orleans Fairgrounds Race Course this Friday, November 6, 2009, at 1:00 P.M. to get this party started. Good luck, Dustin. SaintsforSinners wishes you a safe, prosperous, spectacular season at the Fairgrounds.

Catholic Analysis: The Irony of Inertia

Catholic Analysis: The Irony of Inertia

THIS ONE'S FOR RUSTY ... A LOOK AT SAINT CECILIA

Rusty took the www.SaintsforSinners.com "Who's Your Saint Quiz" today and I thought Saint Cecilia, patron of Musicians and Music Lovers, was the perfect fit.

He asked for a photo so here she is, Rusty, featured at left. Thanks for taking the quiz and visiting www.SaintsforSinners.com

OUR MAGICAL NIGHT AT GIANTS STADIUM with BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND

Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band ended an era with their final performance at Giants Stadium on Friday, October 9th.

We were honored to be invited backstage for food and drinks and "Meet and Greets" with the band and others.

I was with attorney http://www.gjtbs.com/ Rick Duplantier (featured, at left, far right), tru TV's http://www.trutv.com/ Senior Vice-President of Operations, Rob Pumo, and Vanessa Procopio, the Senior Film Editor for Showtime Television's http://www.sho.com/ outstanding Docu-Series, "Brick City."

It was, by far, the best display of talent, I have ever had the privilege to see and hear. I'm talking about Bruce and the E Street Band, not my accomplished pals!

How we found ourselves in the thick of it all was through the kindness and generosity of my friend, Soozie Tyrell, http://www.soozietyrell.com/ the violinist and vocalist for the E Street Band.

[ ASIDE: Soozie Tyrell's wonderful album "White Lines" is available on her web site and even has a song about a saint, called "Ste. Genevieve." It is a hauntingly beautiful song about a river that floods and how the people are affected who live nearby, choosing to endure the hardship of loss rather than just walk away from the land they call "home." In other words, in 2003, Soozie Tyrell prophetically wrote an anthem of inspiration for all the people who lost their homes and livelihood in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the ensuing flood of the great city of New Orleans, Louisiana in August, 2005.]

Now, back to our story.... Thanks to Huffington Post www.HuffingtonPost.com/holly-cara-price writer Holly Cara Price's marvellously meticulous maneuvering through the maze of Giants Stadium's procedures and precautions, we were able to get our tickets and passes to enter the Stadium. My briefcase of hand-painted red and black http://www.saintsforsinners.com/ Holy Spirit medallions, however, was not so lucky: "NO BAGS ALLOWED!" That was a huge disappointment because the 3 readers of this Blog (you know, me, myself, and I) are all pretty much very "into" hand-painted saint medallions from http://www.saintsforsinners.com/ .

I had decided to pass out Holy Spirit medals because the Holy Spirit seems to me, to represent rebirth and renewal. And, although Giants Stadium will be hit by the wrecking ball soon, its Spirit will always endure, very much like a "spirit in the night (all night)." We painted them all red and black because they looked great and it was not too difficult to get dozens of them ready to be given away.

Fortunately, Holly once again made things work out and like a twinkle of the nose of "Samantha" on "Bewitched," Holly fixed everything and Holly, Roy Bittan's wife Susie, and I walked back into the stadium with my briefcase filled with medallions. As we walked, we looked at the Holy Spirit medals and also at the Backstage Passes and we all sort of stopped dead in our tracks... Both the medals I brought from New Orleans and the Backstage Passes were designed almost identically in red and black with a bird in the middle! That was like a message from the Holy Spirit Himself! It was time to soar high and have some fun!

Since Rick and I are New Orleanians, the first place we dragged Rob and Vanessa to, was, yes..., the bar! My friend Rob and Rick noted that a guy named Pat Riley was a few feet away. (This "Riley" guy is apparently involved with the sport of basketball.) E Street Guitarist Nils Lofgren was getting mobbed and patiently endured having his picture taken approximately 3 million times, it seemed. After we got our drinks, it was time to investigate our surroundings.

Across the hall was the swanky dining area for the crew and we soon found out that our triangular red and black passes with the bird in the middle allowed us entry. It was there that I had the pleasure of officially meeting E Street Keyboarder Charlie Giordano. Charlie became a member of the E Street Band after the untimely passing of musician Danny Federeci. http://www.dannyfund.org/ When I introduced myself as Rob from SaintsforSinners in New Orleans, Charlie instinctively reached into his shirt to show me he was still wearing the Saint Joseph medal he bought many months ago. Of course, it was old and tired looking to me, but it obviously still had its power since it has stayed on Charlie for a very long time. [ MEMO TO SELF: Paint a new Saint Joseph medal for Charlie! ]

While we were having a snack, Rick got kind of wispy because three feet away from him was BravoTV's www.Bravotv.com/top-chef Top Chef Tom Colicchio. That's Rick's favorite show! A short while later, Rick found his courage (it may have been Jack Daniels who found it?) and had a friendly chat with him and their photos taken together. After meeting Tom Colicchio, I fully understand the meaning of the phrase "piercing blue eyes."

Later, we met with Soozie, Susie, and Holly for photos and I gave Soozie medals for the band. Unfortunately, I goofed with the packaging and a lot of them got stuck together. So, a lesson was learned and next time I'm doing a distribution (like I do every year on Mardi Gras Day, for instance), the medals and chains will be boxed, like back-in-day when I gave the medal packages to Patti Scialfa at the 2006 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

Reviewing Bruce's last performance at Giants Stadium seems like a task I am not eloquent enough to describe. It was pure magic from start to finish. The crowd was always involved and I hope to add some fantastic streaming video of the crowd, if I can just figure out how to do that! I'll also be adding lots of photos, either to the Blog, the http://www.saintsforsinners.com/ web site, or both (probably both). It was a fantastic night and I'm grateful to Soozie, Holly, Charlie, Susie and all the others who who made it such a special and memorable time for us. Oh, what a night!

Saint Hugh of Lincoln Recommends Dawn Dishwasher Liquid

http://www.saintsforsinners.com/ representative Saint Hugh of Lincoln, has put out a plea, "Please use Dawn Dishwasher Liquid and by doing so, you will Save Ducks and other Fowl, like Ugly Ducklings that turn into Swans."

Known as the patron of Swans, and sick children, Hugh also urged parents to make sure their kids wash their hands many times a day, to help curtail germs and also, a nasty little bug called the "Swine Flu."

Saint Hugh of Lincoln first got on board as a supporter of Dawn Dish Washing Liquid, in 1989, when he learned that Dawn was very effective in saving thousands of birds, ducks, and other creatures after they were coated with oil and debris from the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, that also killed thousands of poor animals. When he learned that the makers of Dawn will donate $ 1.00 each time a person buys a bottle of Dawn and goes to http://www.dawnsaveswildlife.com/ and enters some numbers from the bottle at it, he felt that that was a good reason to support Dawn. According to Andrew Adam Newman, www.AndrewAdamNewman.com a guy who writes well and covers issues about Advertising at The New York Times, www.nytimes.com the fund raising effort has already brought in nearly $ 90,000.

Hugh says that Dawn's parent company, Proctor & Gamble, is, although "not exactly the greatest thing since sliced bread, they are definitely very generous and steadfast in their work to help ducks survive after being stricken with oil." Hugh knew that Proctor & Gamble conducted tests on animals and this put him in a dilemma where he was asking himself, "Self, should I stay or should I go with Dawn?" His answers came from near and far.

Hugh's friend at http://www.saintsforsinners.com/, Saint Francis of Assisi, is a saint who is really into animals and ecology and "Mother Earth" and "Sister Moon" lingo, so he called on him and they had a chat. Afterward, Francis sent Hugh down to observe Kathy Guillermo, who is a VP at PETA www.peta.org and works in the animal laboratory investigations wing. Hugh heard Kathy say "Anything a company does to help animals, we applaud." She added that she "may have issues with their policies in their entirety," but "in any case they're helping." So Hugh decided to get behind the fund-raising efforts and encourage people to buy Dawn Dish Washing Liquid from this day forward. Plus, he said, it's kind of fun to sing "Dawn de dawn dawn!" and that seems to happen a lot when I wash dishes from my last supper.

There's a New Kid in Town and her name is Melanie Oudin from Marietta, Georgia

The 17 year-old United States Tennis Pro Melanie Oudin has once again, proven, there's a new kid in town at the United States Open.

Melanie reached her first U S Open Quarterfinal by beating Russia's Nadia Petrova (1-6, 7-6, 6-3) today, September 7, 2009.

According to USTA tennis legend Mary Carullo, Oudin is the "most wanted" tennis player when it comes to media interviews at Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York.

The www.SaintsforSinners.com Blog you are reading now was way ahead of the popularity swirl and first posted a post about Melanie Oudin on June 27, 2009, when it let the public know that Saintly Twins Cosmos & Damien were traveling by bus to London to watch Melanie play at Wimbledon. Cosmos & Damien also noted that Melanie is a twin and her twin sister's name is Katherine. We saw Katherine watch Melanie win her match today in New York and then shed tears of joy because she was so proud of her sister. Cosmos & Damien are very fond of Katherine, as it is has been reported that Katherine has plans to be a medical Doctor like them, only not as surgeons but as an Obstetrician.

Tennis Commentator Mary Jo Fernandez says Melanie's success is a "Cinderella story continued."

All the saints at www.SaintsforSinners.com are cheering for Melanie to win the U S Open, and while its founder, Rob Clemenz, also hopes she wins her first Grand Slam, he can't help but wonder, "Have Melanie Oudin and her boyfriend Austin Smith, been reading this blog, and is Austin wearing one of our medals?

robclemenz@SaintsforSinners.com - Lifting Spirits, One Saint at a Time...: Move It On Over, Boudin, Melanie Oudin Also Declared Thoroughly Good!

robclemenz@SaintsforSinners.com - Lifting Spirits, One Saint at a Time...: Move It On Over, Boudin, Melanie Oudin Also Declared Thoroughly Good!

Very cool heavenly help for you and your pets: SaintsforSinners medallions

Very cool heavenly help for you and your pets: SaintsforSinners medallions

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A Believe-It-To-See-It Person, New York Mets Pitcher Tug McGraw

Today is "Baseball Day," The "All Star Game" plays tonight in Saint Louis. All of us at www.saintsforsinners.com predict that the American League, will win the game, again. A week from today, we will celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the day America's Apollo 11, and its Lunar Lander arrived on the Moon with Neil Armstrong, and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin and Michael Collins on board.

40 years ago, in 1969, a young Lefty Relief Pitcher for the New York Mets, Tug McGraw, was walking through an airport and stopped to look at a http://www.nytimes.com/ newspaper headline that proclaimed, "Men Walk on Moon. Astronauts Land on Plain, Collect Rocks, Plant Flag." The Mets were having a pitiful year and seemed incapable of winning. But Tug McGraw saw the headline and was inspired and said "If we can get a man on the moon, we can win the World Series."

According to the former Mets Pitcher, Tom Seaver, Tug was "very emotional about it." Yet he believed it, and eventually saw the New York Mets come from behind and win the 1969 World Series. They became known as the "Miracle Mets." Tug McGraw went on to have an illustrious pitching career with the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies. He even coined an optimistic mantra, "Ya Gotta Believe!" that later became the title of his autobiography. Obviously, Tug was a "believe-it-to-see it" person; he was a Maverick and did not kowtow to pessimism or hopelessness. After retiring as a player, Tug remained involved in baseball. In 2003, he was working with the Philadelphia Phillies spring-training program, near Tampa, Florida. He underwent surgery, paid for in large part, by his son the famous Country Singer and performer, Tim McGraw. Sadly, the cancer spread and Tug McGraw died in 2004. The Tug McGraw Foundation was created ( http://www.tugmcgraw.org/ ) with its Cancer Research Center established at Duke University and also with the dual goal of working to heighten the awareness of cancer and also help improve the quality of life of those afflicted. His son, Tim, ( http://www.timmcgraw.com/ ) serves as the Honorary Chair of the organization, and baseball analyst John Kruk, ( http://www.ballhype.com/ ) who will surely be watching the game tonight, serves on its Advisory Board. Sportswriter Alan Schwarz noted today that president Barack Obama, an admitted baseball nut, sometimes called the "Fanatic-in-Chief" will be in Saint Louis for the game and will meet with both teams. Schwarz asked some of the players selected to play in the All Star Game what sort of questions they might ask the president. Tampa Bay Rays First Baseman Carlos Pena said he would ask whether the president, "Are you a see-it-to-believe-it person or a believe-it-to-see-it person?" Ya gotta believe the president, like Tug McGraw, is a believe-it-to-see-it person, Carlos!

Extreme Changes in USA's Organ Donation Policies Urged by Saints Cosmos & Damien

"America MUST re-mix, re-make, and re-model its antiquated organ donation protocols," according to http://www.saintsforsinners.com/ representatives, Saints Cosmos & Damien ( C & D ) ."

C & D were twin Doctors who were born in the 3rd Century. The Doctor Duo are typically represented by medical emblems, which is why the insightful drawings, at right, feature sutures, staples and a scalpel, all of which can be used in organ donation operations.

Cosmos wryly stated, "those tools can be used for organ donation work but the truth is, America is still back in the 2nd Century when it comes to the amount of progress made with organ donation promotion and awareness." Damien agreed, saying "The whole American organ donation procedure is so atrociously bollixed up, galley-west, higgledy-piggledy, and, not to mention, skimble-skamble, it is downright shameful."

We asked what they meant and C & D chimed, "The 'Opt-In' to Organ Donation Procedure should be an 'Opt-Out' Procedure. That way people will have to basically say they are against organ donation, which very few will, and you will have many more organs to use, and thus, less people, dying, while waiting, to get an organ they need transplanted. This is not Rocket Science, Gee Whiz!"

Cosmos said that "the good people of Belgium, Norway, and Spain, all have switched to Opt-Out, and this has saved countless live."

SaintsforSinners contacted a few of the patron saints of lawyers, Saint Thomas More, Saint Genesius, and Saint Ives, and all 3 agreed that the procedure could be changed in one day at Capital Hill and save thousands of lives with a simple stroke of a pen."

Saint Catherine of Siena, our patroness of "Girl Power," and a saint invoked against bodily ills stopped by and said, "It truly is shameful that simple steps could be taken to bring organ donation programs to the 21st Century, but they have not been taken, apparently because many American lawmakers are too busy philandering and moralizing, all in the same heated, horrendous, hypocritical breath. It's shameful that stories about Organ Donation in America are less likely to be in the news than stories about the two-timing trysts of Senators and Governors. "

Testimonials - Saint Raphael, a Patron of Healing, Invoked for Happy News!

http://www.saintsforsinners.com/ 's Saint Raphael, a Patron of Healing, a Saint Invoked for "Happy News!"

NOTE: Totally True Story!

SaintsforSinners Saint Raphael, featured twice, left, has "The Power."

The actual Testimonial has been scanned and also appears at left, along with some beautifully elaborate decoration.

A lady in New Jersey, Michele Logan, had been ordering medals and in one of her packages, I decided to include a "FLOOD MEDAL," one of the saint medals dug up out of the muck of my home office that got flooded from floor to ceiling. For some reason I could not let the bulldozer obliterate my Saints medals, so, I spent a day digging for them and "recovered" them. There are photos of my day in the muck on the site. I am happy I dug them up and have kept them.

I grabbed a medal from the bucket of flood medals, enclosed it in a bag, and noted it was Saint Raphael, who is known as the patron of healing and the saint invoked for happy news. I wrote on the bag and sent it off to New Jeresy

I did not know that Michele was a Registered Nurse. I did not know she had come down to New Orleans to volunteer after the flood. It turned out that the rusty, ruined, saint Raphael medal, a flood medal, meant more to her than the nicely painted one she received from SaintsforSinners. She wrote to say how much she appreciated getting the medal and that she found it to be very significant, since I had so many Saint medals to choose from (thousands). Michele took it as a "sign" and that was great. Receving heart-felt notes from strangers is probably the gas that has kept SaintsforSinners running, through the many obstacles, over the years. I don't go to our Testimonials pages very often, because, to be honest, I can't seem to prevent myself from getting too emotional, but itis clear that many, many people have been helped by our hand-painted saint medallions (and, it turns out, the "flood medals" too).

Yesterday, I sent out a bunch of e mails to people who have visited the web site and who I sort of "knew," even though we have never actually met, face-to-face. The responses were nice. I got an order from a guy who I went to school with but never had the chance to get to know, and that was fun for me somehow. I guess I took it as a sign he was saying "Hello" and "I wish we had gotten to know each other" or "How are you doing?" or some other pleasantry. It is quite possible I read too much into things these days!

This morning I went to check my e mails and was pleased to see another order had come in and that some folks had responded to my e mail. One lady was from New Orleans and she had a "Rush Order" of sorts. She was going out of town on Monday and really needed, coincidentally (?), a Saint Raphael medal to take to someone. So, we made special plans to meet up early tomorrow, Saturday morning, for her to get the Saint Raphael medal package. When you run your own business, which SaintsforSinners is, after all, you work pretty much every day. To quote the performer Bruce Hornsby, "That's Just the Way It Is. Somethings Never Change." ( I'm not complaining! )

After making the plans to get Saint Raphael to the lady, I then went back to check on my e mails and found the 2nd note from Michele Logan, part of the illustration above, a note about the power of her Saint Raphael medal, along with a lovely story of her friend who is living well with cancer, and whom she has given the medal to, who wears it "right next to her Tiffany bracelet." Michele wrote about how she started to understand the SaintsforSinners concept, which was, initially, that folks would "wear the medal and then share it with someone you love." The Basic Rule being this: If someone comments that they like your medal, you ought to pass it on. All of the Saint Raphael issues coming in one-after-the-other, the cynic in me says "coincidence." Thankfully the bigger part of me says, "Not!"

It's nice to be re-affirmed every now and then. Michele's notes let me know that it is not me, Rob, running this SaintsforSinners Show, it is, and I will quote Michele, "I have to believe a higher power with a plan." Funny how another friend, named Michele, has been saying the same thing to me for a very long time.

Thank you, Michele Logan. You made my day! rob clemenz @ SaintsforSinners

Guardian Angel Weighs In On Morbidity, Mortality, Obesity on Lifetime Television Show Drop Dead Diva

The Guardian Angel, featured left, will have a starring role on the Lifetime Television Show, "Drop Dead Diva," it was reported today. The program will air at either at 8:00 or 9:00 on Sunday nights, depending on where you live.

The Guardian Angel will be in the body of a young boy named Fred, played by the actor Ben Feldman. He will be a pivotal character in the show, which will try to reinforce the age old theme about how at the end of the day, kindness, love, generosity, and virtue far outweigh good looks, lots of money, and/or a perfectly fit, gorgeous body.

Since the role of Fred is a bit of a stretch for the Guardian, two Saintly Coaches from SaintsforSinners will be guiding him in his performance, Saint Rosalie and Saint Lucy. Saint Rosalie, who is a saint invoked against vanity, was born with great grace and beauty that soon became a curse. She was able to see shallowness in horrible ways and her exquisite beauty only led her to become estranged from society (kind of like Michael Jackson was but in a different way). Rosalie opted to go and hide her pretty face from the world. She went to live in a dark cave, never to be tormented by people who only wanted to be around her because she was "da Bomb." Rosalie is able to give the Guardian keen insight.

Saint Lucy will help give the Guardian better vision. Lucy is a Saint invoked for better vision or eyesight. When she gouges her own eyes out and carries them around on a plate, the Guardian gets to learn that "beauty is only skin deep." Lucy said, "My eyes without my head are less than attractive."

At http://www.newyorktimes.com/ , the writer Alessandra Stanley, is plugging "Drop Dead Diva" as "a light-hearted romantic comedy" that is grounded in reality. Although this tale has been told before and in myriad ways, there always remain people who need a dose of "reality" every now and then.

Italian Immigrant Gisella Civale Goes Back to Roots with Family Recipe

www.DolceNonnas.com 's

Delicious Marinated Vegetables Praised by

www.SaintsforSinners.com 's

Saint Rosa of Lima and Saint Phocas the Gardener.

There may not be an official patron saint of vegetables or even vegetarians, but those of us at SaintsforSinners think that Gisella Civale's mother, Maria DiGiorgio, may one day be fit for the job. Raising 7 children with humble grit and determination, she may be considered as a patron Saint of Traditions and Family as well.

We're holding off on contacting the Papacy though, because 97 year-old Maria DiGiorgio's is among the living in Beechurst, New York, and thus not yet quite qualified for Sainthood.

We spoke with Maria's daughter, Gisella Civale, today and she told us about the delicious, delectable vegetable dishes her mother and her family has made for decades, both in New York, and abroad, in the Region of Campagna, Italy.

The recipes were so good, Gisella said she decided, at age 59, to try and prepare them and offer the healthy foods to the world.

She has succeeded with her plan. Her jars of Dolce Nonna tangy eggplant, sweet-tart peppers and tender green beans are available on the Web and in numerous stores, with more placement to undoubtedly come. They're also very prominently featured today in the http://www.nytimes.com/ "FOOD STUFF" section, written by Florence Fabricant (ASIDE: How is that for an awesome name, "Florence Fabricant"?!)

In 1958, Gisella came to America with her parents from Italy, and she says she is "carrying a tradition" and offering "thanks to her Heritage and her family, including her Mom's side, the DiGiorgio's, and her husband's the Civale's." Her daughter, Wendy Civale, is also very active in the Dolce Nonna family enterprise.

In these difficult financial times, Gisella noted that "the tough get going' and find ways to "stretch the dollar." One jar of her marinated vegetables can offer a complete, healthy, inexpensive meal for a family in many ways, and by creating a delicious salad or adding pasta.

SaintsforSinners 's Saint Rose of Lima and Saint Phocas the Gardener are "down with her plan."

Phocas said that Gisella's simple, kind-hearted way reminded him of his childhood in the 3rd Century, when he would grow extra crops to feed the people.

Sadly, Phocas wound up digging his own grave, in the end, by feeding the very soldiers sent to behead him, which they did in 303. "It was not very nice, how those soldiers treated me," Phocas said, but "Dolce Nonna's pursuit of doing good work, providing healthy sustenance in times of need, by using vegetables grown from the ground, and nurturing crops of food like I did back-in-day, only serves to remind me that, with all its sham and drudgery, it is still a beautiful world."

Miniature Pinscher Cherry Ann Hershberger Declared Worthy of First Class Seats on Flights

www.SaintsforSinners.com has learned that the Miniature Pinscher "Cherry Ann" Hershberger, will be approved for flying in First or Business Class when seats are available.

Cherry's image is, for security reasons, secreted in a shadow and located to the right.

Cherry's Human is known as Sally Hershberger, a famous Stylist, who travels throughout the world, working diligently to help folks look their best.

Her web site is found at http://www.sallyhershberger.com/ and it provides fascinating glimpses into the world of fashion. We will have to contact our friends, Jill Spitznass, and Miguel Sirgrado, the Style Editors for Portland Monthly and People EN ESPANOL, and the folks at OK!, three of the magazines who have placed our imported Italian hand-painted saint medallions on the Style Pages of their magazines, and let them know about Sally Hershberger's web site (and her wonderfully rascally dog, Cherry).

The Official Announcement came from Our Lady of Loreto, one of the well-known images of the Virgin Mary. Our Lady of Loreto is known as the patron saint of Aviators and is invoked for safe flights.

Our Lady said that she consulted with the patron saint of animals and "birders," Saint Francis of Assisi, (featured 3 times, far right) and the patron of dogs, Saint Rocco, (also featured) who is invoked against dog bites and rabies.

Both Francis and Rocco agreed that "having Cherry Ann sit in her own seat in Business or First Class, does not harm anyone."

Even Saint Gertrude of Nevilles, the patron of cats and cat lovers, approved of letting Cherry sit in her own seat, "it's purrfectly fine, as long as she pays for it," Gertrude hissed.

Some may think letting a dog like Cherry Ann have a Business Class seat upgrade is indulgent, but Joan Raymond, writing today in the New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/ and Cherry's Human noted today that "[a]pparently Cherry wanted an upgrade.

Perhaps it is time for the airlines to follow the lead of our bank, Fidelity Homestead Savings Bank, and begin offering "Milk Bones" to its patrons like Cherry Ann, and the dogs who will undoubtedly follow along in her footsteps.

Saint Martin de Porres, Our Patron of Barack, Planning Martha's Vineyard Vacation

President Barack Obama & Saint Martin de Porres (featured, hand-painted on a http://www.saintsforsinners.com/ medallion, at right) Plan Vacations in Martha's Vineyard.

http://www.nytimes.com/ and "White House Memo" writer Jeff Zeleny reported today that President Barack Obama and his family will be vacationing on Martha's Vineyard in August, 2009,

Coincidentally. or perhaps not, SaintsforSinners' Saint Martin de Porres will also be vacationing on the Vineyard this August.

Martin, the Vatican's Patron Saint of "Person's of Mixed Race," said "I hope to run into Barack to discuss the similarities in our backgrounds, and to offer my complete support, encouragement, and prayers for success during his years in the White House."

de Porres, whose one nickname is "Marty," is a famously well-known Miracle Worker, who often became radiant while praying, and who was "bilocational," (able to be in two different places at one time) and could fly, long before the Wright Brothers invented the airplane. SaintsforSinners, in obvious homage to the President, has been giving Marty another patronage, as the "Patron of Barack" and "Racial Harmony."

http://www.saintsforsinners.com/ Saint Martin de Porres medallions are not yet sold on Martha's Vineyard, but the founder of the company believes they could make "quite a splash" and "sell well" in August, should a retailer offer the hand-painted medal packages in their store, while Marty and the President are in town. Wholesale orders can be made by calling Rob Clemenz @ 504.239.3143, or by contacting him through the SaintsforSinners web site.

Saint Bernardino of Siena Practices Crisis Management

SaintsforSinners Display Boxes Face Giant Scandal on BravoTV's NYC Prep!

The www.SaintsforSinners.com Display Boxes, the trays that store the hand-painted Saint Medallions, (and featured in our careful drawing at left) are embroiled in a giant controversy, it has been reported.

The boxes are going to be appearing in a future episode of the BravoTV Show, "NYC Prep," a show that seems universally maligned by New York City Preparatory School Administrators and Prep School Kids' Parents!

Saint Bernardine of Siena, the saint who handles "damage control" and "crisis management" for SaintsforSinners, has come over from, you guessed it, Siena, Italy, to help squelch the bad publicity about the new show and the SaintsforSinners boxes.

"I'll handle the scandal," Bernie promised. "It's not the Display Boxes that are being criticized, it's the content of the show, and those are two entirely different matters."

The Patroness of Television, Saint Clare of Assisi, is also monitoring the show and said "the people who are against the airing of the show really need to chill."

Sandy Bass, an arguably ditzy editor with "The Private School Insider" was asked about the show and she quipped (like a San Fernando Valley teenager from yesteryear), "Horrified is totally the word." (Emphasis Added).

The show airs on Tuesday nights and SaintsforSinners publicist, Saint Bernardine of Siena, said "We will be standing behind the show, and our display boxes at the famous Selima Optiques in New York City, despite all the negativity presented in the recent article by Julie Bosman in the New York Times."

Saint Genesius, the patron of actors and comedians chimed in that "The Show Must Go On. Long Live BravoTV & NYC Prep. Bring it on!"

Celebrating Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton & Independence

Free to Act as One Pleases!"

Today is Independence Day! Independence means being "free to act as one pleases," according to the Oxford English Dictionary. This means the president, if he so chooses, can "bow" and be polite to another country's leader. This means that the First Lady can go to England and cosy up to the Queen, put her arm around her, and have a friendly chat.

Independence means women can vote. Independence means there shall not be schools that are segregated. Independence means a person born as a female can change their gender. Independence means a minority of people can do what they want, regardless of the opinions of people with differing views.

At http://www.saintsforsinners.com/, our First Lady of Independence is a Doctor of the Church, the late, great, Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. Things hardly ever "went right" for Elizabeth but that never slowed her down. Her husband was murdered, her babies died, she was discarded by her family, but she kept on keeping on.

Elizabeth Ann Seton's story is free and available on our web site.

Celebrate our differences today. Do as you please! Live and let live. There's no reason "why we can't all just get along." And, in conclusion, as a First Generation American, with my father, Heinz Hellmut Clemenz, born and raised in the tiny province of Sylt, Germany and with my Grandfather, Robert Byrnes, a man who defied Prohibition and ran a "Speak Easy" in the Boroughs of New York City, I say "Thank you America, for letting these men live their lives, and later, letting me be me. God Bless America!"

P.S. - The Deviled Eggs were a huge hit. I never realized how hard it is to peel an egg ("ayyyg")! Thank you, Melisa Clark and the New York Times

"Devil in Details," Saint Brigid of Ireland, Declares!

http://www.saintsforsinners.com/ 's Saint Brigid of Ireland, the patron Saint of Chicken Farmers, has one thing to say at the start of this July 4th Weekend, ""Deviled Eggs Taste Good!"

Americans from throughout the world will be celebrating the Independence of the great "Melting Pot" known as America, on Saturday, July 4th. Picnics will be held in parks, backyards, and city stoops, among other places.

If you're looking for something yummy to bring to the party (pronounced "pawty" if you're a yat from Louisiana) consider making some deviled eggs, a low cost, delectable Comfort Food.

New York Times columnist Melissa Clark has a great recipe that SaintsforSinners is copying for a 4th of July Pawty in New Orleans today. Melissa recommends starting with 12 large eggs (done), placing them in a pot of water (done), bringing them to a full boil (in progress), and then after they are cooked, allowing the "eggs to stand for at least 15 minutes." (This will be the tricky part since the eggs have not been born and can't even crawl, let alone "stand.")

Saint Lawrence, the patron of chefs, advised us that "stand," in this instance means "let alone" so we will follow his instruction since it's very easy and we are even doing it right this second! Then we go back to Melissa's recipe (featured in "A Good Appetite" in the New York Times) and use a fat (not slender or skinny) garlic glove, kosher salt (is there really a distinction between salts, Geez Louise!), mayonnaise ("Helmann's REAL Mayonnaise" the only kind, thankyouverymuch and don't get me started on that jar of white glue called "Blue Plate"), tomato paste (things that make you go hmmmm), wine vinegar (now we're talking!), freshly ground black pepper (love doing the screw thing so that's going to be fun), and "hot smoked paprika, more to taste" and "for garnish" (you gotta love the duality).

You mix all this stuff together somehow and then voila, 12 ayyygs become 24 which will "yield," according to Melissa Clark, servings for 12. Her math seems a bit fuzzy, but we will report back tomorrow about whether this recipe works, and then also offer a "High Five" to Miss Venus Williams, the 2009 Wimbledon Champion, according to our sources from above and http://www.saintsforsinners.com/.