TEDActive: Welcome to Palm Springs

I know, I know... I have a rough life. I'm spending the week as a TEDActive Amplifier in gorgeous Palm Springs. Basically, that means my job is to bring the experience of being here in person to you!

Never heard of TED? It's basically an event where amazing, smart, creative people get together and share ideas. The TEDActive version seeks to turn ideas into action.

Here's what I've learned so far:

1) All of the good conversations happen by the Riviera Hotel pool firepits. Cocktails may or may not enhance the experience. Last night, walking past one such pit, I heard, "What should we hashtag this fire pit..." and I knew, I was home.

Fire pits by the Riviera Hotel Pool at TEDActive

2) As an East Coaster, I wake up too early here. Great reason to go for a run and enjoy this gorgeous scenery. The hotel front desk can give you good running routes or you can rent a bike.

Palm Springs, CA

3. The Riviera Hotel is really cool and getting cooler by the moment... check out the signs and balloon path from the color team (more later) as you walk inside...

Lobby of the Riviera Hotel pre-TEDActive

4. While Circa 59 at the Riviera makes a nice latte, if you can walk or drive a mile down to Koffi, you'll enjoy that espresso drink with this lush patio and view.

View from Koffi Coffeehouse in Palm Springs

I've only been here 24 hours, the kickoff isn't until later today and I want to move in. Like, there should be a Melrose Place style living situation where you can surround yourself with this many bad ass people.

I'll keep updating you as the week goes on. Drop me questions or recommendations in the comments or tweet me! I'm also pinning on Pinterest and posting to Facebook and Instagram (I'm @tammygordon there), so follow along and play from home.

PS. If you're here. Join us down by the pool cabanas where we'll be building real and virtual time capsules at 4pm EST.

Atlantic Striped Bass at Graffiato

I work in Penn Quarter, which means I'm surrounded by tempting lunch options daily. One of my favorites is Chef Mike Isabella's Graffiato. The menu is seasonal and features great local ingredients. Today, I had the Atlantic Striped Bass and a side of Brussels Sprouts.

Atlantic Striped Bass at Graffiato (photo: Tammy Gordon)

The only downside of going for lunch instead of dinner is that I can't take advantage of the prosecco on draft at the bar.

Brussels Sprouts at Graffiato (photo: Tammy Gordon)

Graffiato is located at 707 6th Street NW in Washington, DC. Follow them on Facebook and Twitter - and don't forget to follow Chef Mike Isabella (Facebook, Twitter). Reserve a table upstairs on CityEats or take your chances downstairs and at the (prosecco on tap) bar.

Local Love: Sign Up for Chesapeake Bay Seafood Updates

You guys know I love good food, particularly when it's locally sourced. A few weeks ago, one of my favorite people to follow on Twitter, Steve Vilnit, asked me if I wanted to sign up for his email list serve. My first instinct was, ugh, email list serve... yawn. But, I'm absolutely addicted and just have to share it with you.

You see, Steve works for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and hosts an Chesapeake Bay Seafood Update email list serve that gives you the inside scoop on what's in season and what's headed to a restaurant near you. Basically, his job is to be the point person between Maryland fisherman and the chefs cooking your food.

Steve Vilnit (photo stolen from his Twitter avatar)

The Chesapeake Bay Seafood Update is kind of an insider deal aimed at restaurant owners and chefs, but I have become smitten with the weekly updates about what's running in the Bay and what restaurants are serving it up.

This week, I learned that the striped bass/rockfish season is seeing a near record-breaking catch this year, yellow perch (which have a very limited season) season is progressing and blue catfish is very limited right now. All that, plus Maryland crab season opens up April 1st and since we've had all of this warm weather, we could be cracking crabs early this year!

You don't think I'd sing all of these praises and then not tell you how to get in on the action, do you? Let's make a deal. I'll tell you where to go to sign up for the Chesapeake Bay Seafood Updates (link embedded)... you promise me that you'll seek local seafood on your menus. Don't be afraid to ask your chefs and servers where something comes from - most of them love eating local too!

PS. Yes, Steve, I am most definitely angling to get aboard for a fishing or crabbing expedition this spring.

Slutty Brownies for Superbowl Sunday

If you are on Pinterest, you've ogled The Londoner's Slutty Brownie recipe. What makes a brownie slutty, you ponder? Well, these are cheap, easy and a sure thing.

The Ingredients and the Inspiration for Slutty Brownies (photo: Tammy Gordon)

Basically, you layer chocolate chip cookie dough, Oreos (I went for Double Stuff) and brownie dough (I chose Ghiradelli so mine are more of call girl brownies). You can get fancy and homemade, but these are slutty people... It's ok to not be all foodie and local sourcey on this one. I topped mine with sea salt and had to bake at 350 for 40 minutes, but those were the only tweaks I made.

Slutty Brownie Assembly (photo: Tammy Gordon)

Slutty Brownie: The Finished Product (photo: Tammy Gordon)

As my friend Elizabeth said, Slutty Brownies are the turducken of desserts.