cats meow present...holiday issue 2010

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Cats Meow presents... Holiday Issue - Nov/Dec 2010 ...FEATURE ARTICLE WITH GARY STURGUS ...CREATIVE CORNER ...PAWS AND REFLECT ...HOLIDAY RECIPES FROM PROFESSIONAL ATLANTA CHEFS ... AND MUCH MORE INSIDE

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The first Holiday issue of my general interest magazine. Includes a feature article with actor Gary Sturgis (as seen in Diary of a Mad Black Woman and Daddy's Little Girls); 5 Random Questions - this month featuring professional wrestler Rocky King; Skin Art Gallery showcasing various people's tattoos; Holiday recipes from Chef Jason Ellis and a variety of other Atlanta Chefs from Just Chefs - Professional Chef Services and past winners of Culinary Fight Night; and much more...

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Cats Meow present...Holiday Issue 2010

Cats Meow presents...

Holiday Issue - Nov/Dec 2010

...FEATURE ARTICLE WITH GARY STURGUS

...CREATIVE CORNER

...PAWS AND REFLECT

...HOLIDAY RECIPES FROM PROFESSIONAL ATLANTA CHEFS

... AND MUCH MORE INSIDE

Page 2: Cats Meow present...Holiday Issue 2010

Cats Meow presents...from the publisher’s desk...

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W elcome back, and if this is your first time to see the magazine, welcome and thank you for taking the time to receive and review. I also invite you to go back and check out the debut issue. (http://issuu.com/

catsmeowpresents/docs/debut_issue)

Well, it is official. I have completed a second issue of “Cats Meow presents…”, and quite appropriately, I am finishing on Thanksgiving morning. So to kick off my first Holiday Issue, I want to take a moment to share what I am thankful for.

At the top of the list, I want to thank God for EVERYTHING. The last two years have been an amazing time filled with trials, victories and great moments of growth. Next, I am thankful for the wonderful woman that married me and continues to be the lighthouse that keeps me from getting lost during the storms that occur in life. Carrie, I love you and I’m excited about growing old with you. After that, I am thankful for my families who continue to remind me that no matter what the circumstances may be, we all are ALWAYS going to be there for one another (in spirit if nothing else). Even though there A LOT of other things that I could state my thankfulness for; I am going wrap-up with a thank you to my friends and the new friends, associates and clients that are part of my life experience.

As you flip through, you will see several familiar things including Paws & Reflect, 5 Random Questions, In The Zone and Skin Art Gallery. For this issue, I also included a section of Holiday Recipes from a number of Atlanta chefs, and I am introducing a new section entitled Creative Corner. The recipe section is a seasonal section, unless of course I find out that readers would like to see it as a staple of the magazine.

Creative Corner, however, is a chance for me to share space with other creative people. I would like to invite you to contact me if you would like to submit a short story, a poem, or photography for this section. I also want to re-extend my invitation to those with tattoos to send photos to share and have published in the Skin Art Gallery. You can send content, questions or comments directly to me at [email protected]. You can also find me on Facebook

at www.facebook.com/ecroas. Send a friend request if you are not already one, and just be sure to include a message letting me know you read Cats Meow presents… so I have an idea of where you’re coming to me from.

So last month, I promised to keep my letters short, so I am going to close out by wishing everybody a safe, blessed and happy holiday season. I will be back in the New Year, and I would like to hear what resolutions people are planning to make. In the meantime, have a great time closing out the year.

Sincerely,

Eric M. Croas

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welcome

table of contents

FROM THE PUBLISHER’S DESK5 RANDOM QUESTIONSPAWS & REFLECTIN THE ZONEGARY STURGIS FEATURE ARTICLEHOLIDAY RECIPESCREATIVE CORNERSKIN ART GALLERY

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Cats Meow presents...pRO WRESTLER ROCKY KING

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5 random questions

1) Twitter or Facebook: If you could only use one of them, which would you choose and why?

FB, because I like it better

2) If you could choose what your very last meal on Earth will be, what would it be?

Baked chicken, or something healthy

3) American Idol or America’s Got Talent?

Neither one of them

4) Name your favorite movie hero or villain?

Lucas from the movie “Lucas”

5) Pepsi or Coke? Coke

pRO WRESTLER ROCKY KING

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Cats Meow presents...

Carrie w/Zeus

WHAT EXACTLY IS PAWS AND REFLECT ABOUT?

A nimals are such a big part of my life that I wanted to incorporate a section that would allow me to pay tribute to them. I also wanted to give others an opportunity to share their own animal stories. Life is full of stressful

moments, and I am also amazed at how my animals (whether it be a dog, cat or even ferret) seem to take things in stride and often help me to relax. That is why I have named this section Paws and Reflect. So this month, I am proud to introduce you to my cat Zeus, as well as Christal D. Jordan, President of Enchanted PR and her dog/mascot Chantilly.

1) What is your cat’s name? Zeus

2) How did they come into your life?He stepped out in front of my Jeep with a limp, and officially turned my wife into a cat person.

3) Do you have nicknames for them?My wife Carrie oftens refers to him as Zeusy or Zeusy-Fruits, and I usually just call him Zeus.

4) What is one of your favorite stories involving your pet? I would have to say the way that he came into our lives is one of my favorite stories. It happened during the Christmas holiday shopping season in 2001. Carrie and I were driving behind the Wal-Mart in an effort to bypass the congested parking lot, and Zeus came wandering out in front of us slowly and with a slight limp. I stopped and got out of the car to check on him.

I was surprised when he did not not run away or hiss at me, so I picked him up. He smelled horrible because of a large hole in his right leg, and I was concerned that a dog had gotten ahold of him. When I brought back to the car, I wasn’t sure how Carrie would react, but I knew we had to at least take him to a vet clinic. Zeus must have instinctively known who he would have to win over, because as soon as we got back into the car he completely stole Carrie’s heart. Before I could even say anything, Carrie told me we should adopt him and get him to a vet. :o)

5) What is one characteristic that you or others would say that you share in common with your cat?He is loyal, loving and social. It is because of his desire for a buddy that we have taken in as many cats as we have. I call him the Godfather of the house, because he has always helped new cats and kittens to adapt and feel welcome when they get here.

6) Does your cat tend to favor one person in the house more than others?He is Carrie’s baby, there is no question about that, but he likes to surprise me with visits to my lap and the occasional Zeus huggie especially as he is getting older.

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Paws and Reflect

C hristal D. Jordan, is the President of Enchanted PR and is also an award-winning author, journalist and media trainer. Enchanted PR is one of the leading entertainment PR boutiques in the southeast specializing in music,

entertainment, and art. Christal has over 13 years experience in Public/Media Relations and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Communication with a minor in Public Relations and Literature from the University of Oklahoma. Christal is also the founder of a t-shirt line entitled Caramelized that celebrates the legacy of strength, beauty and grace in women of color. You can follow her on Twitter at twitter.com/enchantedpr and/or send a friend to her on Facebook at facebook.com/EnchantedPR.

Christal D. Jordan w/Chantilly

WHO IS CHRISTAL D. JORDAN?

1) What is your dog’s name? My bichon frise is named Chantilly.

2) How did they come into your life? Chantilly was a gift on my 30th birthday. She is a Libra as well.

3) Do you have nicknames for them?We call her Chantilly, Tilly for short or sometimes Tilly Billy.

4) What is one of your favorite stories involving your pet?Chantilly is of course the mascot for Enchanted PR. :-) She is constantly with me at home in my office and even while I am moving around. When she was a puppy I used to take her everywhere in a pink dog carrier, but I had to stop that because she suffers from car sickness. I can’t tell you how many times she threw up in my car before I realized I needed to just let her hold it down at the house. She is my side kick though and even now as I’m answering these questions is asleep on my leg. If I get up and re-locate she’ll wake up, follow me and go right back to sleep.

5) What is one characteristic that you or others would say that you share in common with your dog?

I think most people would say Tilly is just as prissy as I am. I enjoy getting dressed up, its actually one of my favorite things and she enjoys it as well! I’ve taken her to several events at Glamour Paws and dressed her up and she loves it. I just got her a new pink sweater as its getting cold and she loves wearing it. Infact if u try to take an outfit off of her, she’ll go get it and bring it back to you and try to put her head in it. She loves wearing pretty clothes...pink to be exact. She is enchanted. :-)

6) Does your dog tend to favor one person in the house more than others?Chantilly is a true Libra. Although if I’m home she’ll stick to me like glue. She even gets mad if I close her out of the bathroom. :-) However my daughter is her second choice. When I’m gone, she’ll stick to my daughter like glue and of course if there are no other options besides my son at home, she suddenly becomes his best friend. When any visitors come to our house, they have to give her some attention or she’ll bark until they do. Once they acknowledge her and pet her, she’ll go lay down beside me again.

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Cats Meow presents...UFC FIGHTS IN NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

UFC 122 (11/13/10)

HEADLINE FIGHT(S): NATE MARQUADT vs. YUSHIN OKAMI

NATE MARQUADT vs. YUSHIN OKAMI WINNER – YUSHIN OKAMI (UNANIMOUS DECISION)

CAT’S MEOW SAYS: “Watched the event and this fight a week ago and while we enjoyed it, nothing comes to mind as far offering feedback on it. For future issues, we will be more diligent in writing up our thoughts within 12 hours of the fight. Of course, we reserve the right not to comment if a fight just bores us, we miss it because of other obligations (hey it happens sometimes), or we really just do not know how to put our thoughts into words.”

UFC 123 (11/20/10)

HEADLINE FIGHT(S): QUINTON “RAMPAGE” JACKSON vs. LYOTO MACHIDA BJ vs. MATT HUGHES

QUINTON “RAMPAGE” JACKSON vs. LYOTO MACHIDA WINNER–QUINTON JACKSON (SPLIT DECISION – 28/29, 29/28, 29/28)

CAT’S MEOW SAYS: “This was a great fight for Rampage to prove that his mind and body are back in the game. After the technical and decisive way that Rashad “Suga” Evans beat Jackson in his last fight (UFC 114), it was questionable if Jackson’s focus was still in the octagon or if the call and lights of Hollywood had drawn him in a way that the glamour and glitz of Las Vegas had never distracted Rampage before. We agreed with the judges that scored the fight 29/28 for Jackson, because he clearly had control of the pace, aggression and connections in the first two rounds. We also agree that Machida definitely lit it up in the 3rd round of the fight and even created a concern that he just might finish off Rampage during the middle of the round. We wondered about the judge who gave Lyoto an extra round over Rampage. Was it because Lyoto struck first in the fight and landed some stinging front legs kicks, and Rampage was patient and methodical before bringing anything to Lyoto in the middle of round one? 8

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in the zone

Personally, we judged it as a close first round (edge to Rampage though), Rampage dominated round two, and Lyoto stole round three with a late flurry that would have had us mad as hell if he had finished off Rampage. In fact, it would have been a flashback to Silva Anderson’s last fight where Anderson was losing the fight badly, but by that twist of fate (and heel hook as it were) came back to steal the win. Our congratulations to Rampage on a great redemption fight.”

BJ vs. MATT HUGHES WINNER–BJ PENN (KO - PUNCHES)

CAT’S MEOW SAYS: “We actually missed the beginning of BJ’s blitzkrieg flurry of punches that caught Hughes and everybody else off-guard. We just looked down at our phone for a second and just as quickly looked up to see Hughes on his back, legs looking like they had seized, his arms stiffening in front of his face, and thought he been knocked out cold as the referee was jumping to push Penn away. Holy s***, did that really just happen?!? Penn knocked the … wait a minute, why is Hughes so angry and his eyes don’t look glassy at all. OK, let’s watch the replay and see exactly what we missed. Wow, Penn just flew across the ring and nailed Hughes with several punches but don’t see where Hughes actually goes out cold. Can see where he closed his eyes and threw his arms to regain his composure and protect his face. Get out of the way ref, what?!? Fight’s over?!? Man, someone call the police, because Matt Hughes just got mugged by the official. We understand there is no such thing as replay in MMA, just like there is no crying in baseball or in the octagon, but this was a BAD STOPPAGE!!! Hughes handled it classy enough, and while we were actually pulling for Penn to win this rubber match (yep, it was their third meeting and they each had a win against each other), we HATE (yes, we know this is a strong word but it appropriately covers our emotion) when any competition is won or lost based on an official’s bad judgment call. Of course, the athlete’s safety should always be a concern at the forefront of any decision, but there should be some kind of protocol that also protects the integrity of a win. In this match, even when the referee jumped in and saved Hughes from further punches before he could escape or pull Penn into his guard, they should at least just stop the clock and see if the athlete is medically fit to continue fighting. Then if a doctor clears him, start the clock back up and allow them to both stand and continue the fight.

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Cats Meow presents...Since that is not the case for now, we do hope that Dana White will give serious consideration to a re-match between these two before they both move on to different opponents.”

UFC’S THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER 12 (TEAM GSP vs TEAM KOSCHECK) FINALE (12/4/10)

HEADLINE FIGHT(S): Stephan Bonnar vs Igor Pokrajac

CAT’S MEOW SAYS: “We are not afraid to admit that while we know who Stephan Bonner is, we have not really seen him fight and we have never heard of his opponent. As fan of the show, we are definitely looking forward to the finale (of course, we do not know who the finalists are yet but hoping for both of them to be from Team GSP), and there are actually a few undercard fights we are looking forward to while reading the fight card on the UFC web site. Hoping that there will be fights from some of the guys that have already been eliminated, but do not see any listed as this piece is being written up. The two fights that we are looking forward to (in addition to the prize fight) are Kendall “The Spyder” Grove vs. Demian Maia and Rich Attonito vs. Dave Branch. Our completely unbiased (umm…sure dude) predictions for these fights are Grove wins by submission and Attonito wins by KO (punches). Of course, we do not really know much about Maia or Branch, but are familiar with Grove from his time on TUF and fights since then and liked Attonito when he was on TUF.”

UFC 124 (12/11/10)

HEADLINE FIGHT(S): Georges St. Pierre vs. Josh Koscheck (UFC Welterweight Championship fight)

CAT’S MEOW SAYS: “Again as a fan of the UFC’s show “The Ultimate Fighter,” we are looking forward to watching the season 12 coaches square off. It is just gravy on our potatoes that it is a championship fight. Going into this season of the show, did not really remember Koscheck (we did not get into the show until Season 2), but as the show progressed this season, we came to clearly understand why Koscheck is one of the UFC’s “bad boys” who likes to provoke people and make them angry. Even as we watch the press conference in the background right now, we see that he is probably a nice guy (maybe) 10

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in the zone

but he knows and embraces his role as the guy you love to hate. We have liked GSP for a long time. He is a tremendous athlete; he carries himself in such a classy manner; and it was a pleasure to watch him share that with his team on the show. As the fight gets closer, we know that the verbal jabs from Koscheck will surely increase, and while the commercials hype up the dislike that St. Pierre has for Koscheck, GSP is very likely to allow his actions to speak louder than anything that his opponent can throw out to the fans and media. We predict that GSP will take Koscheck out by submission in round 3. We also expect the noise level in the building to be insane given that they are fighting in Montreal – GSP’s home stomping grounds.”

UFC 125 (1/1/11)

HEADLINE FIGHT(S): Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard (UFC Lightweight Championship fight) Jose Aldo vs. Josh Grispi (UFC Featherweight Championship fight)

UNDERCARD FIGHTS WE LIKE: Takanori Gomi vs. Clay Guida Chris Leben vs. Brian Stann Nate Diaz vs. Dong Hyun Kim Brandon Vera vs. Thiago Silva Marcus Davis vs. Jeremy Stephens

CAT’S MEOW SAYS: “Wow, Dana White and the UFC is kicking off New Years Day with a BANG. This event will not have just one, but TWO championship fights and a solid line-up of undercard fights. While we are not familiar enough with the Featherweight division to comfortably make a prediction, we are more than confident enough to say that there will be another change of champion in the Lightweight division as Gray Maynard will knock Frankie Edgar out cold. Looking at the undercard fights, we predict the following results: Guida will submit Gomi; Leben will win by KO; Diaz will take a unanimous decision over Kim; Silva will take a unanimous decision over Vera; and to wrap it up Marcus Davis will win by ref stoppage for punches.”

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Cats Meow presents...

NFC EAST

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (7-3) NY GIANTS (6-4) WASHINGTON REDSKINS (5-5) DALLAS COWBOYS (3-7)

NFC NORTH

CHICAGO BEARS (7-3) GREEN BAY PACKERS (7-3) MINNESOTA VIKINGS (3-7) DETROIT LIONS (2-8) NFC SOUTH

ATLANTA FALCONS (8-2) NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (7-3) TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (7-3) CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-9)

NFC WEST

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (5-5) ST. LOUIS RAMS (4-6) SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (3-7) ARIZONA CARDINALS (3-7)

NFC Division Champions: St. Louis Rams | New Orleans Saints | Green Bay Packers | Philadelphia Eagles AFC Division Champions: Kansas City Chiefs | Indianapolis Colts | Baltimore Ravens | New England Patriots

NFC Wild Card Teams: Atlanta Falcons| Tampa Bay Buccaneers |Chicago Bears | NY Giants AFC Wild Card Teams: Jacksonville Jaguars | Tennessee Titans | Pittsburgh Steelers |NY Jets

~ Sam Bradford is the reason that we will see the St. Louis Rams in the playoffs this year.

~ As much as it pains us to say so, we predict that Carolina will not win another game this season and John Fox will lose his job.

~ Buffalo will not having a winning season, but they will finish better than Carolina, Dallas, Cincinnati and Denver.

~ Detroit and Cleveland are better teams than their records reflects.

~ A new collective bargaining agreement will be signed and the owners and players will be able to avoid a labor strike (PLEASE!!).

AFC EAST

NY JETS (8-2) NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (8-2) MIAMI DOLPHINS (5-5) BUFFALO BILLS (2-8)

AFC NORTH

BALTIMORE RAVENS (7-3) PITTSBURG STEELERS (7-3) CLEVELAND BROWNS (3-7) CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-8)

AFC SOUTH

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (6-4) INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (6-4) TENNESSEE TITANS (5-5) HOUSTON TEXANS (4-6)

AFC WEST

KANSAS CHIEFS (6-4) OAKLAND RAIDERS (5-5) SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (5-5) DENVER BRONCOS (3-7)

EARLY PLAYOFF TEAM PREDICTIONS & OTHER OBSERVATIONS WITH 6 GAMES LEFT IN THE REGULAR SEASON

A LOOK AT THE NFL AFTER WEEK 11

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in the zone

EASTERN CONFERENCE

ATLANTIC BOSTON (10-4) NEW YORK (8-8) TORONTO (6-9) NEW JERSEY (5-9) PHILADELPHIA (3-12)

CENTRAL CHICAGO (7-5) INDIANA (7-6) CLEVELAND (6-8) MILWAUKEE (5-9) DETROIT (5-9)

SOUTHEAST ORLANDO (9-4) MIAMI (8-6) ATLANTA (8-7) WASHINGTON (5-8) CHARLOTTE (5-10)

WESTERN CONFERENCE

NORTHWEST OKLAHOMA CITY (10-4) UTAH (10-5) PORTLAND (8-6) DENVER (8-6) MINNESOTA (4-11)

PACIFIC L.A. LAKERS (13-2) PHOENIX (7-7) GOLDEN STATE (7-7) SACRAMENTO (4-9) L.A. CLIPPERS (2-13)

SOUTHWEST SAN ANTONIO (12-1) NEW ORLEANS (11-2) DALLAS (9-4) MEMPHIS (5-9) HOUSTON (3-10)

POINTS PER GAME – KEVIN DURANT, OKC (28.0) ASSISTS PER GAME – RAJON RONDO, BOS (14.3) BLOCKS PER GAME – JaVALE McGEE, WAS (2.9) REBOUNDS PER GAME – KEVIN LOVE, MIN (14) STEALS PER GAME – JOHN WALL, WAS (3.00) TURNOVERS PER GAME – LaBRON JAMES, MIA (4.2)

STANDINGS (AS OF 11/24/10)

LEADERS BOARD

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Cats Meow presents...Gary Sturgis is often recognized as one bad motherf***er

based on the characters he has portrayed in films like Diary of a Mad Black Woman and Daddy’s Little

Girls. In fact, it’s funny to watch how children and adults alike are initially tenative to approach him for an autograph or even just say hello at an event. It is a true testimony to the high level of talent that Gary has as actor. Because in real life, the man is not only approachable and friendly, he is willing to take the time to have a conversation and go out of his way to make you feel comfortable around him. Ask anyone who has been accepted as a friend on his Facebook page, and they will surely agree with that assessment.

Acting is not the only things that keeps Gary busy. He is also a screenwriter, a producer, a musician, voiceover performer, happily married family man and an avid Fantasy Football player. This is why I was honored when Gary took time out of his extremely busy schedule to answer questions for “Cat’s Meow presents...”, and now it is my pleasure to introduce you to my friend and colleague....Gary Sturgis.

CM: How long have you actually worked in the entertainment industry?

GS: I have worked professionally since my senior year in high school, starting with local theatre. That would make it about 26 years.

CM: What inspired you to become an actor?

GS: I wanted to be a pro football player, but my mother, Sarah got my brother Abraham and I into music. That was the lead into acting. I played music in the school band which was quite popular down south. I eventually became Drum Major and my leadership skills took over. Learning to perform in front of crowds made it easy to make the move to acting. I was also inspired by the few images of African Americans on television in the late 70’s and early 80’s. I wanted to move and inspire people as they did for me in watching them.

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GARY STURGIS

CM: What lead you to doing voiceover work?

GS: One day I was asked to read two radio spots because a bigger black talent felt the direction was too “urban” and was turned off by the copy. I read both spots and booked both. California Lottery and Pacific Bell. That lead to doing voice promotions for the now defunct UPN network. I would then do animation, live announce, countless commercials, cartoons and video games. Voice acting is lucrative and fun. Love voicework.

CM: Do you have a preference between acting on stage and acting on film?

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Cats Meow presents...

GS: I love the stage as that is the forum for the true thespian, but I have a passion for screen acting. It is its own craft, and the stage approach is too big. The best actors in screen do it so well you forget they are doing it and just get caught up in the performance. In a technical sense, it is more about real emotion, reacting and being believable as the camera will tell on you. On stage you have more room to play bigger and broader for the cheap seats. However, stage is more challenging as you are in front of a live audience. I am perfecting my craft as a screen actor currently.

CM: To date, what has been your favorite role either on stage, on film or voiceover?

GS: My favorite role is a toss up. I just did a film called Joshua Tree where I play a hit man. I got to work opposite Michael Madsen, and enjoyed that performance. It would tie with the role I played in Pride. It was fun doing a period piece and we shot that in my home town of New Orleans post Katrina.

CM: Tell me more about your most recent projects.

GS: Most recently I have been quietly building my directors reel. I directed my first feature, Double Crossed, starring Miguel Nunez as well as two commercials for Fox Rent A Car. I am enjoying the process and art form of directing, and seeking more features to direct. I am an actor’s director, being an actor myself, so I have no problem getting the performances I need from my talent. I have a film out now called A Gangland Love Story, available on DVD and another dropping called Ex$pendable, both from Maverick Entertainment. (Distributor)

http://www.facebook.com/pages/JoshuaTree#!/pages/Joshua-Tree/122375381119144

PRIDE [Photo Credits: Saeed Adyani & allmoviephoto.com]

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CM: As a writer, where do you draw inspiration from?

GS: I am inspired by real events, news stories, life stories and even sometimes things I simply imagine as I really love to create. I write all sorts of genres, my favorite is action/drama, but I have a few comedies both mainstream and urban in my library.

CM: Do you have a genre that you prefer to write for?

GS: Action/Drama. I like male testosterone-driven films. I write the types of projects that will take best advantage of my talents. Raw and edgy.

CM: Who is one person, dead or alive, that you would like to collaborate on a project with?

GS: So many to list, so if I had to just pull one out of the hat, I would say F. Gary Gray. I like the direction he is going and the stuff he is directing is fire. I would love to work with him on some of my projects.

CM: If you were unable to do anything in your current industry, what career path would you pursue?

GS: Pro Football player, then a commentator.

GARY STURGIS

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Cats Meow presents...

O ne of our favorite things to experience during the holiday season is eating some great cooking and yummy baked goodies. In honor of

this, Cats Meow reached out to Atlanta's culinary community for some great recipes to share with our readers. First, we called Chef Jason

Ellis, the private celebrity chef who many will recognize from his time on the Fox hit series “Hell’s Kitchen" with Chef Gordon Ramsey. He immediately agreed

and you can enjoy it on the preceding page.

Next we reached out to Walt Henderson, Director of Operations for Culinary Fight Night and founder of Just Chefs – Professional Chef Services, and asked if any of his chefs would be interested in participating. We received a resounding yes and tons of great material.Three of the winning chefs from Culinary Fight Night, including the inaugural CFN winner Chef Jamar W. Edwards; September’s CFN winner Chef Maria Andrade and current CFN reigning champion Anthony Maschi contributed, as well as the manager of Just Chefs, Chef Clarence Ridgley. Ridgley will also be one of the competing chefs at the next Culinary Fight Night on January 30, 2011.

Not familiar with Culinary Fight Night? It's a monthly head-to-head food competition between two chefs and their teams in an effort to raise money for a different charity each month (past charities have included The Ludacris Foundation and Make A Wish Foundation). The twist comes in the form of three secret ingredients chosen by visitors/audience members who voted online in the weeks leading up to the event. The ingredients in past competitions have included Kool-Aid, Mentos candy, and even hot dog buns.

The teams then prepare a three-course meal that includes an appetizer, an entrée and a dessert. It is up to them as to what dishes they will use the secret ingredients in. The courses are presented to a panel of guest and resident judges that has included Chef Ginny McCormack, actor Tommy Ford (Martin), author and CEO of TC Publishing and Consulting Group – Tonetta Chester and radio personality (97.1 – The River) Kaedy Kiely. The judges score each round and it is their combined scores that determine the winner of that month’s winner.

Audience members also have an opportunity to experience the dishes prepared. Depending on the ticket level, tables either get to enjoy individual servings or enjoy it tapas style with a sampling plate of each course.

In the spirit of Culinary Fight Night, a few of the recipes contributed include a secret ingredient. Of course, we made sure to identify them in the recipe so that none of our readers will be

left wondering.

We send a special thank you to all of the chefs for their contributions to the magazine. We also hope that that you as the reader are able to take advantage when planning out some of your own holiday meals this season.

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Thick Pork Chops with Peroni Apple Relish

Ingredients

2 extra thick pork chops1 tsp salt1 tsp pepper1 tsp garlic powder1 tsp onion powderPaprikaCuminBrown sugar1 cup of Peroni Nastro Azzuro1 peeled & chopped green apple1 Juilian green onion1/4 stick of butter

Season pork chops with all dry ingredients (excluding brown sugar). Put one tbsp of oil in hot pan and sear pork chops on both sides until golden brown. Add 1/2 cup of Peroni Nastro Azzuro, then bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes or until well done. Sautee 1/4 stick of butter, chopped apples, salt and pepper (to taste), and brown sugar for 2 minutes, then add 1/2 cup of Peroni, cook down under medium heat until soft, and serve relish on top of pork chops.

~ Chef Jason Ellis

holiday recipes

Chef Jason Ellis19

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Cats Meow presents...Carrot CakeIngredients 6 Eggs 1 cup Canola oil 1lb 5oz Sugar 10oz All Purpose Flour 1 tsp Salt 1 tbls Cinnamon 2 ¼ tsp Ginger ¼ tsp Cloves ½ tsp Baking Powder 2 ¼ tsp Baking Soda 9oz Ground Carrots 4oz Sweet Coconut

Preparation:Mix eggs, oil, sugar, and salt with paddle. Mix all dry then add to wet. Add carrot and coconut to batter and blend well. Bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes. Insert toothpick in center, when toothpick comes out clean, cake will be done. Frost with Cream cheese frosting and serve with Coffee Gelee.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preparation: Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth.

Dark-roast coffee gelee

For gelée Ingredients 6 tablespoons finely ground (for filter) dark-roast coffee 2 1/4 cups boiling-hot water plus 1 tablespoon cold water

Chef Maria Andrade20

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holiday recipes

1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin (from one 1/4-oz envelope) 2 teaspoons vanilla For topping Ingredients 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar 1 cup chilled heavy cream Scant 1/4 teaspoon curry powder

Preparation:Make gelée: Brew ground coffee in a filter-style coffeemaker (not electric) or a sieve lined with a paper filter using 2 cups boiling-hot water. Meanwhile, bring granulated sugar and remaining 1/4 cup hot water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat.Sprinkle gelatin over 1 tablespoon cold water and let soften 1 minute.Stir together hot coffee, sugar syrup, and vanilla in a metal bowl, then add gelatin mixture, stirring until dissolved. Chill, covered, until softly set, at least 8 hours.

Make topping: Force brown sugar through a sieve into a bowl, then add cream and curry powder and beat with an electric mixer or a whisk until it just holds soft peaks.Divide gelée among 10 (2- to 4-ounce) cups (such as espresso cups) and top with dollops of whipped cream.

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Cats Meow presents...Christmas Morning Sticky BunsIngredients 1½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts 1 25oz package frozen roll dough (thawed) Butterscotch instant pudding mix 1½ cup butter or margarine melted 1½ cup firmly packed brown sugar 3¼ ground cinnamon

Preparation: Sprinkle chopped pecan in bottom of a buttered 12-cup bundt pan. Arrange dough in pan, sprinkle with dry pudding.

Mix/stir together butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Pour over rolls. Cover and let chill for 8 hours. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 min or until golden. Invert onto serving platter - Serve asap Yield 8 servings

Mile High Magic Christmas Cookie Bars Ingredients 1½ cup graham cracker crumbs ½ cup of butter , melted 3 tbsp of sugar 2 - 3½ ounce cans of shredded coconut 2 cans of sweetened condensed milk 2cups of chopped pecans 2 cup of semi sweet chocolate chip

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Preparation: In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar. Press firmly into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Spread the chopped pecans over the crumbs, followed by the chocolate chip and shredded coconut. Pour the condensed milk evenly over the top.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Cool before slicing.

Makes 18 servings

Chef Jamar W. Edwards22

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holiday recipes

Citrus Glazed Holiday Baked HamIngredients 1 fully cooked 6-8 lb bone-in ham 1 18 ounce jar of marmalade 1 cup orange juice 1½ cup of spicy brown mustard 1½ tsp ground Ginger 2/5 tsp ground cloves 2/5 tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven 350’ Preparation: Place ham, fat side up in a large baking pan with aluminum foil In a small bowl, combine the marmalade, orange juice, ground mustard, ground Ginger, ground cloves and ground nutmeg. Pour one cup of orange sauce over ham and set aside remaining sauce Place ham on lower rack and bake for 1½ hour for a 7 lb ham Baste ham with drippings once or twice while baking Allowing the ham to rest 15 min before carving While ham is resting, transfer orange sauce to a sauté pan and warm over medium low heat Serve sauce alongside Makes 12 to 14 servings when done.

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Cats Meow presents...Cranberry, Walnut Holiday Salad1 Bag of Dried Cranberries 1 Bag of Walnuts 1 Bag of Mixed Greens 1 Bag of Fresh Spinach ½ lb. of Feta Cheese (still in water)

Preparation: Combine mix greens and fresh spinach, walnuts and cranberries into a large salad bowl.

Salad Dressing½ cup of Rice Wine Vinegar ½ tablespoon of Nutmeg Pinch of Cinnamon to taste ¼ cup of Olive Oil ½ cup of Apple Cider

Preparation: Combine all ingredients except olive oil into blender at medium speed. Slowly add olive oil. Once blended, drizzle around the outer side of the salad bowl, and then in a circular motion turn bowl and mix greens with hand until all dressing is covering the salad. Place in a serving salad plate and crumble feta cheese on top.

Grandma’s Apple, Cinnamon, and Raisin Pork Tenderloin5 Granny Smith Apples 2 Small boxes of Raisins ½ Cup of Cinnamon ½ Cup of Nutmeg 2 Tablespoon of Salt 2 Cups of Dark Brown Sugar 1 Pork Tenderloin, 1 ½ lb. (substitute 4 Chicken Breast) ½ Cup of Starch 2 tablespoon of Thyme 2 tablespoon of Rosemary

Preparation: Combine cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme, rosemary, and salt into a rub. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil (vegetable oil) on the pork tenderloin, use the combination rub of cinnamon, nutmeg thyme, rosemary, and salt and massage into the Pork Tenderloin. Place Pork

Chef Clarence Ridgley24

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holiday recipesTenderloin in oven at 375 degrees for 30 minutes in baking rack. You will know when it’s done when it reaches 160 degrees in the middle by checking with a bio-therm.

Sauce: Gather the raisins, peeled granny smith apples (sliced into thin crescent shapes), one teaspoon of cinnamon, and dark brown sugar, and place in a medium sauce pan with two cups of water. While sauce is heating up, add a ½ of cup of starch to 1/3 cup of water in a separate cup. When sauce begins to simmer pour in the starch mixture, and stir until desired thickness.

Serving: Let Pork Tenderloin rest for at least 5-10 minutes before cutting then cut medallion slices, and place on serving plate, and top with the cinnamon, raisin and granny smith apple sauce.

Ponchatrain Punch1 oz. of Simple Syrup 1 bag of Candied Ginger 2 oz. of Grey Goose 1 oz. of Cranberry Juice 2 oz. of Pineapple Juice 1 lime

Preparation: Mix all wet ingredients in to a martini shaker. Shake well until mix complete, pour into martini glass. Add 3 candied gingers in glass, and a squeeze of lime. Garnish with Pineapple slice.

Cajun Andouille Sausage Dressing*Secret Ingredient - 1lb. of Andouille Sausage 2 Small Yellow Onions 1 Stalk of Celery 2 Green Bell Peppers ⅓ Cup of Vegetable Oil 4 Boxes of Jiffy Cornbread Mix 1 Tablespoon of Thyme 1 Tablespoon of Minced Garlic ½ Teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper ½ Cup of Chicken Stock

Preparation: Follow box instructions for Jiffy Cornbread. Cut

Andouille Sausage in small cubes, and place in to hot sauté pan, and let the fat render off the sausage (small bubble in sauce pan). Now place chopped onions, celery, and bell peppers into sauté pan with sausage until transparent (do not let vegetable brown). Add garlic, thyme, and cayenne pepper to mixture.

Once cornbread is done place in bowl and combine the Andouille mixture with 1/3 cup of oil, and ½ of cup of chicken stock. Mix until all ingredients are infused into the cornbread.

Pour mixture into a non-stick baking pan.

Cooking: Pour mixture into a non-stick baking pan. Place in oven at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Place on dinner table, and this Cajun Andouille Dressing will sure be the talk of the Holiday.

Creole Cajun Eggnog*Secret Ingredient - ½ Teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper 1 Gallon Eggnog 6 oz. of Dark Rum 1 Tablespoon of Nutmeg ½ Teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper ½ Tablespoon of Vanilla Extract 1 Bag of Whip of Cream 1 Bag of Mint Leaves

Preparation: Mix all ingredients in a Punch Bowl, and serve cold in stemware. Top with Whip and Mint Leaf, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. This will bring joy to your family for the Holidays.

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Cats Meow presents...Cranberry and Cherry Compote2C Cranberry Juice 1/2C Orange Juice 1/8C Gin* 2C Dried Tart Cherries 1C Sugar 2C Cranberries 1/8 teaspoon Ground Cloves 1 Stick Cinnamon

Preparation:

Bring cranberry juice, orange juice and gin to a boil in a medium sized sauce pan, remove from heat and add cherries; Let stand for ten minutes Add sugar, cranberries, clove and cinnamon. Cook over medium heat just until the cranberries start to break open, stirring occasionally Place into refrigerator until cool, approximately 3 hours (Serves 6)

Juniper Roasted Lamb Loin3 Whole Lamb Racks ½ C Gin* 1 T Juniper Berries, lightly crushed 1C Olive Oil 1 Sprig Rosemary, removed from stem and lightly bruised Salt Pepper

Preparation: Remove the loin from the bone Place the loin’s in a bowl and cover with gin, oil, juniper berries, rosemary, salt and pepper, be sure that each loin is evenly covered Cover and refrigerate for 5 hours Preheat oven to 400F Remove the loin’s from the bowl making sure to scrape away any bits of rosemary and juniper berry Preheat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Slowly sear each loin evenly to seal the meat Place them on a cookie sheet and put into the oven Allow to cook until they are at your desired doneness

(Serves 6)

*Secret Ingredients

Chef Anthony Mashci26

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holiday recipes

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

http://www.culinaryfightnight.com

http://twitter.com/TheChefATL

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Cats Meow presents...

DISCONNECTED By: Heather N. Croas of HNC Prints

SANTA PAWS By: Heather N. Croas of HNC Prints

UNTOUCHED By: Eric M. Croas of Cats Meow Communications

MOO...VE IT ALONG By: Eric M. Croas of Cats Meow Communications

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CREATIVE CORNER

RAINDROPS KEEP FALLING By: Heather N. Croas of HNC Prints ALONG THE RAINBOW

By: Heather N. Croas of HNC Prints

UNTOUCHED By: Eric M. Croas of Cats Meow Communications NATURAL MOMENT

By: Eric M. Croas of Cats Meow Communications29

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Cats Meow presents...Feathers

Crouching against the salty sea air, she shifts her position on the bench. Watching the golden orange ball slowly climb to the sk y, her clear blue eyes never blink as she watches the miracle in action. It never ceases to amaze her that she was one of few who could hear the rolling thunder like noise the sun made when it awoke for the day.

Unlike others, she was aware of her surroundings at all times. The wind did not just blow; it skimmed across her face whispering words to her undeciphered. The sea did not simply crash upon the shore, it sprinted to the sand bringing with it foam and sea life left to scatter and crawl back to the depths below. The rain may have poured to most, but to her it was released from the heavens above in fast streams-gaining speed as each droplet hit a surface with a loud crash. A newborn’s cry was more than a wail; it was an evolutionary protest as the earthly air attacked his lungs upon arrival to a new and strange world. This was how she saw the world; her eyes looked through a different lens. It was not a matter of choice, it simply was. Years upon thousands of years becoming acquainted with this interesting quality had taught her that she was unique, different, but not alone. Looking out along the shore line, she nods to others like her perched on chairs and piers waiting, ready to spring.

Humanity intrigued her. It seemed as if it was almost a robotic step by step process. Near blind men and women walked through life as if in a trance. They played as children, educated themselves as young adults, all this before settling down to find a mate and re-produce. She shuddered at the thought of being a part of that type of process and sent out a silent thank you to the boss for recognizing that she was not meant for that form of existence.

As she sits on the cold seat near the ocean front, she closes her eyes and inhales. Wind ripples through her long golden locks, tickling her face. The seagulls above echo each other’s cry as they hover over her. Standing up to up to leave, her wings expand and slowly open to a beautiful expanse of feathers. Her fellow sk y mates were calling her to join them. Although she was not a bird, she was close enough to the species to understand the need for uninhabited air. Drawing to the horizon, her feet leave the ground, headed to a new destination, waiting for the next assignment.

~ Leslie Sullivan

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CREATIVE CORNER

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EclipseCrossword.com

ACROSS2. What ocean did the pilgrims cross to get to

America?7. The annual ______ Thanksgiving Day Parade

began in the ‘20s.10. Light sparkling wine often used for toasting

@ New Year’s Eve parties.12. Rudolph The Red ________ Reindeer13. Hark The Herald ____________ Sing14. What day is Thanksgiving always celebrated

in the U.S.?

DOWN1. Frosty The ____________3. Mother Nature and Father _________4. The Greek Goddess of Corn5. Stand under the __________ and you may

receive a X-Mas kiss.6. Like sands through the __________ of time.8. Who wrote “A Christmas Carol” in 1843?9. What NFL team will play against the Detroit

Lions this Thanksgiving?11. What Dr. Seuss character stole Christmas?

holiday crossword

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Cats Meow presents...

Carnal CarmelI can be soft

I can be hard

The touch of a tongue leads to pleasure

Well-placed lips make me melt

Chocolate syrup

Strawberries and whipped cream

Are just a few things that enhance the experience

As I prepare to be devoured

I only have one question:

“Will that be one scoop or two?”

~ Eric M. Croas

My Blue BaboonMy blue baboon

Some are silver

Some are gray

But you…

Are totally blue

Resting on your haunches

Contemplating the launches

Of your cousin who is green

With envy of your blueness

Your father is violet

Your mother is rose

They both want to know

How did you become

A primary colored primate

Of the colors for you to choose

How could you refuse…

To pick a color that would confuse

~ Eric M. Croas

Why I Love My AnimalsSeeing my kitten play with his ball of string

I am reminded of youth and the simple pleasure of playing

Watching my dogs lie on the porch soaking up the sun

I am reminded how to be carefree

Hearing my cat meow and ask to be fed

I am reminded of the importance of expression

To watch my ferrets explore their room

I am reminded how to be curious

When my animals still get excited to see me after a long day

I am reminded of the true meaning of unconditional love

~ Eric M. Croas

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CREATIVE CORNER

crossword Answers1

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EclipseCrossword.com

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Cats Meow presents...

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skin art gallery

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Cats Meow Presents...© is brought to you by Cats Meow Communications ©2010Contact Us: 404-663-3839 | [email protected]

Cats Meow presents...

Thank you and see you next issue!