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Most Expensive and FASHIONABLE Bicycles ...

Now that its summer, I have been thinking about finally getting a bicycle – after all riding a bike is one of the best ways to contribute to the environment, help with traffic control and most importantly get exercise - or in this case look really fashionable behind the wheel.  Not sure what I had in mind for my new bike, but here are a few of my favorites!  Hmmm, how long would these last on a NYC bike rack?

 

Let's start with the Fendi Abici Amante Donna Bicycle:

They have just released a bicycle named the Fendi Abici Amante Donna which comes in two versions.  One version comes decked out with Fendi’s Selleria leather accessories (a key and bike chain cover, leather gps navigation holder and a detachable Fendi case) which costs $5900, and a more expensive version which comes complete with everything plus removable fur saddlebags for $9,500. Both versions of the bicycle are available at Fendi’s Fifth Avenue flagship store…via WWD

Last year Karl Lagerfeld released one for Chanel too?

 

Ride in style with Chanel’s ultimate bike, a bike for all fashionistas! This fashionable bike doesn’t come in a cheap price tag, if you have $12,695 to spare def go for it! The limited edition eight-speed bike has been created as part of Chanel’s spring/summer 2008 offering to celebrate the heritage of the house, which is steeped in Coco Chanel’s love of sport. This hand-finished bike has signature quilted leather and double-C logo, if you lock this bike on the streets by the time you get back I’m pretty sure nothing would be left! The bike was released back in December, call your local Chanel boutiques! ... via Nitrolicious

 

And now for the world's most expensive bike...

Each bike is hand built, plated with 24 carat gold and hand-adorned with more than 600 Swarovski crystals. The limited to ten, the crystal and gold bike was created by a company named Aurumania, whose self-proclaimed purpose is to conceive of and design items with the extravagant use of gold, thereby turning familiar objects into collectible art. Their collection thus far consists of fifty 24 karat gold plated bikes, a gold plated bike rack and the special Swarovski crystal adorned 24 karat plated version. As one would expect for these prices, their products are hand delivered anywhere in the world, which I would hope so at $102,418.60 USD ... via Patel

So what's your top pick for the most luxurious bike? Is it worth it?

RoadTrip!

So the Husband and I are driving to Indiana for his brother's high school graduation. Yes, my husband does have a brother in high school as shocking as that sounds!  So we decided to use this time to take a family road trip and drive the 11 hours 49 minutes to Indianapolis, IN! 

 

Along the drive, I started thinking about all of the great road trips, I had taken over the years from driving for Abilene, TX to Indiana and Austin, TX to Indiana and Indiana to NYC, etc.  Indiana seems to be a common theme when I look back at the road trips I have taken over the years! 

Anyway, along the drive (yes, I have a car charger and AT&T wireless connect card - I am officially WFC - working from car), I decided to look up a few of the Best Scenic Drives and Road Trips... hopefully you and your family will take some time to experience your own Road Trip.

A great road trip movie, is Elizabethtown (2005) with Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst where she creates a road trip CD and book for him to follow as he (Orlando Bloom) drives home from his father's funeral.  I highly recommend this movie as a must see.

So here is the list from All Get Aways, your online travel guide for weekend getaways, romantic getaways, and family vacations throughout North America.

1. California North Coast: From San Francisco to Redwood National Park Scenic Drive
Driving the California coast’s Route 1 is a beautiful experience, especially if taken at a leisurely pace. Bear in mind that while ...
Mendocino, CA - Fodor's Great American Drives of the West 

 

2. Icefields Parkway: Lake Louise to Jasper, Alberta Scenic Drive The Icefields Parkway, stretching 230 kilometers (138 miles) between Lake Louise and Jasper through the heart of two world-famous ... Lake Louise, AB - Scenic Driving British Columbia 3. Great Smoky Mountains National Park Scenic Drive This park is close to major population centers, but its lush greenery and pleasantly rounded peaks create a soothing aura of tranquillity. ... Gatlinburg, TN - Great American Wilderness: Touring America's National Parks 4. Sonoma-Mendocino Coast Scenic Drive: Marin City to US 101 Scenic Drive This 209-mile-long drive borders the Pacific coast north of San Francisco. The highway passes historic sites, redwood forests, abrupt ... Gualala, CA - Scenic Driving California 5. Redwood Highway Scenic Drive: Eureka to Crescent City Scenic Drive This seventy-eight-mile section of U.S. Highway 101 parallels the rugged Pacific coast, passing redwood groves and a rugged wave-carved ... Trinidad, CA - Scenic Driving California

6. Covered Bridge Scenic Byway Scenic Drive A 44-mile highway that winds through scenic hills and past numerous covered bridges. Covered Bridge Scenic Byway winds through the ... Woodsfield, OH - National Forest Scenic Byways East & South

7. Angeles Crest Scenic Byway: La Canada to Mountain Top Junction Scenic Drive A sixty-six-mile-long highway that climbs from La Canada to the lofty, forested crest of the San Gabriel Mountains north of Los Angeles. ... La Canada, CA - Scenic Driving California

8. Connecticut Coast Scenic Drive Scenic Drive A 71-mile scenic route along southeastern Connecticut’s historic coastline. This scenic route traverses 71 miles of southeastern Connecticut’s ... Westbrook, CT - Scenic Driving New England

9. Canyons and Rivers: Medina to Garner State Park Scenic Drive A 46-mile paved drive from Medina to Garner State Park through some of the most rugged parts of the Texas Hill Country. This drive ... Medina, TX - Scenic Driving Texas

10. Los Angeles to San Diego: Quintessential Southern California Along the Pacific Coast Highway Scenic Drive This drive exemplifies classic California: you’ll pass quaint beachfront settlements, roadside cafés, and surf shops, and may find ... Los Angeles, CA - Fodor's Great American Drives of the West

11. Lancaster Valley Amish Country Tour: From Morgantown to Lancaster Scenic Drive This 73.5-mile drive traces a serpentine path through the Lancaster Amish Country, avoiding for the most part the highly promoted ... Morgantown, PA - Scenic Driving Pennsylvania

12. Antebellum Trail: Nashville to Mount Pleasant Scenic Drive Antebellum mansions, horse farms, and Civil War history combine in this 78-mile drive that epitomizes Middle Tennessee culture and ... Franklin, TN - Scenic Driving Tennessee

13. Harbor Springs to Cross Village: Tunnel of Trees Scenic Drive One of Michigan’s most spectacular drives, Michigan Highway 119 leaves the exclusive resort town of Harbor Springs, whisks you through ... Harbor Springs, MI - Scenic Driving Michigan

14. Crater Lake National Park Scenic Drive The deep blue color of Crater Lake has been the objective of many attempted descriptions, but none comes close to the impact you will ... Crater Lake, OR - Great American Wilderness: Touring America's National Parks

15. Blue Ridge Parkway: Asheville to Great Smoky Mountains National Park Scenic Drive A 75-mile paved section of one of the most famous routes in America, following the dramatic crest of the Pisgah and Great Balsam Mountains ... Asheville, NC - Scenic Driving North Carolina

16. South Jersey Shore: From Atlantic City to Cape May Scenic Drive Take a drive from Atlantic City to the southernmost tip of the state.You can see some of the best of the Jersey Shore, including sterling ... Ocean City, NJ - Fodor's Great American Drives of the East

17. Northern Oregon Coast Scenic Drive A 110-mile drive on a paved highway along the northern Oregon Coast through resorts, picturesque oceanside communities, and forests. ... Tillamook, OR - Scenic Driving Oregon

18. Big Bend National Park Scenic Drive Encompassing a vast tract of wilderness on the north side of a very big bend in the Rio Grande River bordering Mexico, the park combines ... Alpine, TX - Great American Wilderness: Touring America's National Parks

19. Skyline Drive: Shenandoah National Park Scenic Drive Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park winds for 105 miles along the highest crests of the Blue Ridge Mountains. On one side of ... Front Royal, VA - Scenic Driving Virginia

20. Sonoma-Napa Valleys Scenic Drive: Santa Rosa to Hopland Scenic Drive A 132-mile-long drive that makes an open loop through the pastoral wine country of the Sonoma and Napa valleys. This scenic drive ... Yountville, CA - Scenic Driving California So what's your favorite Road Trip or Best Scenic Drive? Happy Trails to You ...

National Women's Checkup Week

This week, May 10 - 16th is National Women's Checkup Week! Basic medical screenings can identify high risk problems for women, including heart disease and breast cancer -- early detection makes them much easier to treat. Pledge to schedule your annual checkup at www.womenshealth.gov/whw.

Are You Smiling?

The Power of a Smile!

Move over, misery. Happiness may love company even more.  Researchers from Harvard Medical School and the University of California, San Diego, found that happiness may stem more from a group effort than from one person's lifestyle and choices.  The 20 year study of 5,000 individuals shows that a person's positive emotional state is actually contagious, affecting not just her immediate social circle, but her friends' friends, and even friends' friends' friends.  The upbeat vibes ripple out to touch those she's never met, with the effects lasting up to a year.  Even better news? Sadness can't hold a candle to this kind of emotional contagion. So why not start your own cheerful chain reaction? Do something today that lifts your spirits, and you'll be sending out waves of contentment to those around you -- and beyond.

What are you smiling about today?

Source: body + soul

My Car Smells Better Than Your Car!

My Car Smells Better Than Your Car ...

Say goodbye to the little green tree that used to hang on your rear-view mirror!  The luxurious 2009 Maybach Zeppelin is said to be the first vehicle to feature its own fragrance atomizer.  The car debuted at the Geneva Moto Show in March; the first fragrant models will be delivered to customers in September. The patented, soundless scent system was develop in-house at the high-end German car company,  a division of Daimler.

 

   

It comes with two fragrances, one light and refreshing, the other a woody, rich scent based on precious agar wood; both were created by Givaudan. Car owners may also put their own fragrance in one of the three quickly changeable hand-blown glass vials that come with the system.  The vials are inserted into a luminous Plexiglass sphere that sits on the back console atop the air-conditioning vents.  With the touch of a button the scent is subtly diffused throughout the lambskin and wood interior.  The Maybach’s scent system even takes the workings of the human sense of smell into consideration. The atomizer shuts off automatically after about 10 minutes to prevent sensory overload.  The fragrance dissipates and doesn’t linger – either in the cars’ interior or on passengers’ clothing. 

 

 

As a 3,950 euro ($5,167 at current exchange) option on a vehicle, which costs more than 400,000 euros ($523,240) the atomizer is nothing to sneeze at!  -- As reported in WWD by Susan Stone!

What is the favorite aspect of your car? 

Best You: Health & Joy Begin Here

The other day, I came across a new magazine that just launched called Best You --- I am sure you can imagine my surprise that a new women’s magazine was hitting the stands given the recent closings of so many beloved Magazine titles over the past year.

So being a good Samaritan, I wanted to support this little magazine that decided to launch in what some have called the “worst of times” – so I purchased a copy and immediately fell in love with it. The content is right on and while there was a lot of repetition in terms of the types of stores I would read in Self or even Fitness, it just seemed so fresh and new. The style is light and writers do a great job of incorporating research. 

 

I actually took the magazine to the gym with me this morning and followed step by step their 20min strength training plan! I am planning to cook several of their recipes this week and have already set aside one ounce of almonds for a late day snack (a recommendation I have heard several times but just kind of skipped over).  Today for some reason this magazine gave a new excitement for being healthy and living healthy! 

Best You surveyed 100 doctors who specialize in preventive medicine and provided a checklist for adding 10 vibrant years to your life and a new feeling of health today!

Apparently about half of all adults live with one or more chronic conditions (by “chronic,” doctors mean an ongoing health issue like high blood pressure, diabetes or arthritis).  But the truth is that many of these long-term conditions are almost entirely preventable. The majority of the doctors that Best You survey said at least 60 percent of chronic-disease cases could be avoided. 

While some of these are all things we have heard, sometimes the reinforcement is all you need to really make a life change!

12 Steps to Total Health –

1.    Stop Smoking: If you smoke, nothing else you do will rival the benefits you’ll get from quitting. Within eight hours of stubbing out your last butt, levels of carbon monoxide in your bloodstream drop to normal. Within a day, your heart attack risk begins to decline.  Over your first smoke-free year, your senses of taste and smell will sharpen and you’ll have fewer respiratory problems.   After 4 years, your chance of having a heart attack falls to that of someone who’s never smoked.

 

One thing I found interesting with this one is that you actually can reverse  some of the damage that a lifetime of smoking can cause --- in so many other cases once the damage is done, it is done leaving you with that feeling of why should I try. While, I don’t smoke myself I do find this very encouraging for those trying to quit!

 

2.    Get 30 Minutes of Light Exercise most days: You could slash your risk of diabetes by 34 percent, of stroke by 20 percent – and sharpen your thinking skills, whittle your waist and put some sparkle in your mood. 

 

For me personally, I could really tell the difference in not only my body but my overall mood. I have been on a bit of a hiatus since the wedding but am fully committed to finding time to exercise.  One thing I am doing is walking to or from work at least 3 days a week!  Know of any fashionable backpacks?

 

3.    Eat at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables daily: The result? Increased cancer risk, cholesterol that’s m ore likely to adhere to artery walls, and damaged cartilage that can’t cushion joints properly.

 

Being in New York especially now that it is spring/summer, I really have no excuse to not adhere to these guidelines, with a fruit street vendor on every corner and a green market at my apartment complex I only have myself to blame.  Will do better!

 

4.    Get Recommended Screening Test:  Left to their own devices, invisible little health problems turn into big ones.  A “touch of sugar” becomes full-blown diabetes; prehypertension becomes high blood pressure; suspicious-looking cells become cancer.  Your best defense: Catch these and other silent health destroyers early, when they can most easily be reversed and even cured. 

 

In the magazine, they actually have a Prevention Plan that is definitely something to review. For me, I always thought I could wait until I was much older to start worrying about this stuff and then I had my own scare two years ago.. the time is now to get checkups and be mindful of when things just don’t feel right.

 

5.   Get at Least 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night

 

Okay, this is the one I really need to focus on and stick with.  Here’s an example of a new sleep plan. Work backwards and allow for ½ hour when you start to shut down and relax, ½ hour ”get into bed time”  so if you have to be up at 6:30am, you’ll need to start relaxing by 9:30pm, get into bed by 10:00 and turn out the lights by 10:30pm.  Good night!

 

6.   Take a daily low-dose aspirin:  Swallowing a tiny aspirin can slash your odds of having a heart attack by 23 percent and a stroke by 15 percent.  It may even cut the odds for the most common form of breast cancer by 16 percent.

 

Growing up and even now, I have very bad stomach ulcers and aspirin used to hurt my stomach, however due to it’s anti-inflammatory effects, I am actually more tolerant of it and if taken with food, allows me to enjoy aspirin’s anticancer benefits as well!

 

7.   Know your blood pressure numbers: Don’t depend on your doctor to catch rising BP early, when it’s easiest to fix.  Physicians often adopt a dangerous “wait and see” attitude when their patients pressures start creeping up.  Make sure your doctor checks your BP every visit and pays attention to the results.

 

I am guilty of not knowing my BP numbers, but with the free testers in almost all drugstores I really have no excuse either.  Going to check today.

 

8.    Have happy interactions with family and friends: Research is proving that happy relationships literally change the biochemisty of your brain for the better, while loneliness raises your risk of high blood pressure, depression, and even an early death. One study found that our brains register social isolation in the same way they register physical pain.

 

I haven’t always been to open to adding more people into my social social, but just because you have “happy interactions” doesn’t mean everyone will have to be your BFF.  New plan for me, reach out to a new person every week. 

 

9.    Cut most of the saturated fat from your diet: Steering clear of fast food drive-thrus, custard stands, and fatty meats, butter, and full-fat milk and cheeses at the supermarket could lower your LDL cholesterol by 10 percent.

 

I will make it a point to check the ingredient list for tropical oils (which are a big no no) and the product’s nutritional panel for the saturated fat content. 

 

10.  Get Treated for Depression: Depression isn’t a bad mood. It’s a common, serious illness that puts your health in danger.  It’s linked with a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease and a host of other serious health conditions. 

 

While, I haven’t personally experienced depression, I do know others that have and treatment is very important.  Some people will have to go through as many as 4 different therapies for treatment but stick with it and you will feel as good as new!  Try and try again …

 

11.  Tame Chronic Stress:  The result? Beyond the obvious – tension headaches, sleepless nights, disrupted digestion – researchers are finding links to higher blood sugar levels, greater amounts of dangerous fat deep in the belly and possible even a higher risk of certain cancers.

 

I do have problems with high levels of stress and have decided to try formal meditation and yoga! As well as keeping a list of stress triggers and ways to address them.

 

12.  Frequently pray, meditate, or focus on a higher sense of purpose: Strive to achieve something bigger than yourself.  Studies show that faith, prayer, and the support of a religious community can cut stress, boost immunity, improve your odds of recovering from illness and even reduce chronic pain. 

 

I believe that people should look for their higher spiritual fulfillment in whatever form that comes for them.   I do believe there is a higher power and with prayer and faith all things are possible.

 

I hope that you will take time to think about this list and apply it to your own life to lead a more healthy, peaceful and spiritually rewarding Best You!

 

Be sure to check out www.bestyouhealth.com for more great tips and fresh content! If you have read it, what articles did you like?

Good luck, Best You and Congratulations on your premiere issue!

 

 

 

Premium Spending

With Kitchen table conversations about what kinds of purchases can be put off, "people are [getting] tired of denying themselves," said Michael Silverstein, a senior partner at The Boston Consulting Group.  Food accounts for three of 10 favorite trade ups to premium goods as consumers with tight finances eat more meals at home.

Apparel failed to make the top 10 because so many people "acquired lost of it between 2002 and 2007," Silversten said. But he anticipates change ahead. "The big inventory of unworn clothes at home is running down, "he said.  "Innovation technically and functionally -- like wrinkle-free material, improved fit and comfort -- could spur purchases." -- Valerie Seckler (WWD)

1. Personal computers

2. Fresh fruits and vegetables

3. Bedding

4. Meat

5. Home entertainment

6. Cars

7. Sit-down restaurants

8. Kitchen appliances

9. Washers and dryers

10. Fish and seafood

What is your Trading Up and Trading Down Trend or Product?

Source: The Boston consulting group, Feb. 2009, "Trading Up and Down around the world," and online survey in 16 countries.

Top Ten Weird Recipe Names!

I am always looking for great new recipes, tonight we had traditional spaghetti with a bolognese sauce. It was great because I did a mix of pastas vs just sticking with one type, so that was fun but then I started poking around online and came across the Top Ten Weird Recipe Names on Apartment Therapy's The Kitchen!

I think you will find these names quite interesting and from some of the comments they seem to be quite good!  Like Spaghetti Squash with Ugly Sauce (eggplant, olives and peppers!)

The list was inspired by James Oliver Cury based on his work at Epicurious.

He says:

Some catch my eye because they sound so delicious. Others force a double-take thanks to the name alone. "Ugly but Good" cookies? What's the advantage of making that?

Feel free to add your own odd recipes in the comments field below. I'll report back on my adventure preparing one this weekend.

1. Shaking Beef

2. Spiny Lobster In Crazy Water 

3. "Ugly But Good" Hazelnut Cookies

4. Wacky Chocolate Cake

5. Festive Nuts

6. Super 'Shrooms

7. Spam Sushi

8. Broiled Double-Thick Lamb Rib Chops With Slicked-Up Store-Bought Mint Jelly Sauce

9. Anything Rice

10. Pink Cuts

Tagged with: James Oliver Cury, Recipes, Top 10 Lists, Wacky

Curried Scallops with Spinach

This was my first time making curried scallops and I must say it was very good. What an amazing twist on scallops and I also substituted asparagus for spinach.  This is a great low calorie dish and perfect for afterwork. 

Ingredients

2 ounces rotini pasta noodles, whole wheat, uncooked

2 teaspoons margarine, canola-based, trans-fat free

2 tablespoons green onion, chopped

1/4 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon tomato paste, canned, low sodium

1 tablespoon chicken broth, fat-free, low-sodium

2 tablespoons evaporated skim milk, canned

1/2 dry cup spinach, fresh, chopped

4 ounces scallops, fresh

1 teaspoon olive oil, extra virgin

1/2 cup canned tomatoes, diced, no added salt

Preparation

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and keep warm.

In a small skillet, melt margarine over medium-low heat.

Add the onion (washed and chopped) to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to soften, about 3 minutes.

Stir in curry powder and cook for 1 minute more.

Transfer the onion mixture to a blender or food processor and add the tomato paste, broth and evaporated milk.

Purée until smooth. Return the sauce to the skillet and bring to a simmer.

Stir in the spinach (washed and chopped) and scallops.

Simmer, covered, until the scallops are just done, 3 to 5 minutes.

Toss pasta with olive oil and drained tomatoes, and serve with scallops and spinach.

 

 

What is your favorite recipe using scallops?

Recipe Week: Sauteed Shrimp with Chardonnay-Dijon Cream Sauce

To close out my week with Wolfgang Puck, we invited friends over and decided to try a Sauteed Shrimp with Chardonnay-Dijon Cream Sauce for the main course and a Warm Spinach Salad for the appetizer!

About 8 months ago, Pleas (my husband) made this great dish with pasta, olive oil and shrimp.  Unfortunately, he doesn't cook with recipes like I do and he was never able to remember how he made it (coincidence, I think not!) So I have been trying to nail down that taste since then and finally found something that is quite similar but with a lovely sauce that adds a kick to the pasta and shrimp -- the combination of the sweet, plump, moist shrimp and the creamy mustard.

Sauteed Shrimp with Chardonnay-Dijon Cream Sauce

Wolfgang's Tip: The mustard not only gives the sauce a lot of flavor, but also contributes to its thick, smooth texture. Be careful to reduce the heat when you add the mustard so that it does not boil but only simmers, or the mustard will turn grainy and lose its delicate flavor.

1 pound medium or extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed

Kosher salt and fresh pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup chardonnay or dry sherry (I prefer the chardonnay so that I can drink the rest of the bottle with the meal)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard or whole grain mustard

Chopped fresh flat leaf parsley for garnish

Rice or Pasta for serving as a main dish (I prefer to use whole grain pasta)

1. Pat the shrimp dry, put them on a plate and sprinkle lightly with salt and white pepper to taste.  Heat a large, heavy sauce pan over medium-high heat. As soon as the pan feels hot when you hold your hand an inch or two above its surface, add the oil.  When the oil is hot enough to swirl easily in the pan, carefully add the shrimp, placing them evenly in the pan. Without disturbing them, cook the shrimp for 2 minutes on one side. With tongs, a fork, or a small spatula, flip the shrimp over and cook them until they are uniformly pink and beginning to curl, about 2 minutes more.  Transfer the shrimp from the pan to a platter and cover with aluminum foil to keep them warm.

2. Raise the heat under the pan to high. Add the wine and with a wooden spoon, stir and scrape to dissolve the pan deposits.  Let the liquid simmer until it has reduced in volume by half, 4 to 7 minutes. Reduce the heat and stir in the cream.  Reduce slightly and stir in the mustard.  Continue simmering until the sauce thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes more. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

3. Add the shrimp and parsley to the sauce and simmer briefly to heat up the shrimp.  Serve with rice or pasta, or on its own as a starter!

 

The Warm Spinach Salad was a treat because I love to order it but didn't realize just how easy it is to prepare at home.  The catch is to make sure the ingredients are warm when you serve it --  makes all the difference.

Wolfgang's Easy Tip: For an even heartier salad, add sliced mushrooms and hard-boiled eggs before spooning on the dressing.

8 Strips lean bacon, cut in 1/2 inch dice (I went to Whole Foods and bought strips of bacon from the butcher).

1 Large sweet onion

1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar (you can play around with vinegar combinations for a more pungent dressing)

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Kosher Salt and Fresh White Pepper

1/2 cup drained oil-packed sundried tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 prepacked bag ready-to-serve fresh baby spinach leaves, about 10 ounces

1 log fresh creamy goat cheese about 6 ounces, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the bacon pieces. Cook, sitting frequently, until browned and crisp, about 5 minutes.  With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the skillet and transfer to paper towels to drain.

2. Pour off most of the bacon fat, leaving a thin coat in the skillet. Add the onion slices, separating them into rings, and saute them over medium heat until they begin to turn a Carmel brown color, 5 to 10 mins.  Add the garlic and saute until it turns translucent, 1 to 2 minutes more. Stir in both the vinegars, add salt and pepper to taste, and stir and scrape with wooden spoon to deglaze the pan.

3. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and olive oil to the skillet and continue to cook, stirring continuously, just until the ingredients are heated through and blended. Turn off the heat.

4. Arrange the spinach in a bed on a serving platter or individual salad plates. Arrange the goat cheese on top of the spinach and sprinkle with the bacon pieces. With a fork, remove the onion rings from the skillet and arrange them all over the salad.  Finally spoon the warm dressing from the skillet over the salad.

Salads are a great way to start a meal especially when using the right mix of lettuce.  If you are in NYC, the farmer's market in Union Square has a great mix of fresh lettuce for any type of salad you are preparing. 

Tags: Wolfgang Puck,Shrimp, Chardonnay, Dijon Mustard, Spinach

What are your favorite shrimp and salad combination recipes?