Carmen Goes to the Laugh In Comedy Cafe

I suppose you have been wondering where I have been.....I have been in cannoli time out for about 6 months and now I have been set free….I had been a bad cannoli and was not allowed to do anything or go anywhere. Even though I am out of time out I do have some community service to do and so my first duty was to be a chaperone. Back in my village couples do not go out without a chaperone. They are chaperoned until such time as they get married.

While I was in cannoli time out my friends Robin and Tim started dating and are now a couple. Seeing they posted this on Facebook I guess it is now official. So my job was to chaperon them when they went to the Laugh In Comedy Café. I was not the only chaperon. My friends Marie and Mary Anne also were there. From what they told me these two need 3 sets of eyes on them. I checked them out on Facebook and if you thought I was bad….these two certainly need chaperons.

We have comedy café’s back in my little village where the likes of Pat Cooper and Father Guido Sarducci have performed. They are quaint little café’s, dark and smoky that serve all sorts of village favorites. Being new to SWFL the two comedians we went to see were unknown to me. I think they were famous way before I created. The people we saw were Mark Price and Marsha Warfield. Marsha was on a TV show called Night Court. She played a character named Roz. Mark Price was on a TV show called Family Ties. He played a character named Skippy. If you were around in the 80’s I am sure you know them but of course that was waaayyyy before my time.

Marsha performed first and was really funny. She has a very sharp wit and I was rolling on the table laughing. Everybody was laughing. She kept saying she was old and calling herself granny. I guess she has not seen  a granny cannoli back in my village....What I was most curious about was why Marsha was wearing 2 different earrings. Is this a new fashion statement? I wonder how many other noticed. We were sitting close to the stage so I could not help notice it.

Mark performed second. He is nerdy. The facial expressions he makes during his act were as funny as he was. He closes his act with a dance routine with a person from the audience which was so hysterical we all were in tears. I did notice he had a brand new out of the package shirt on…we could see all the folds were still in it. It just added to his nerdy charm.

After the show of course I had to have my picture taken with them both. We all know how I love to have my picture taken with famous people. Mark…. Well he was afraid of me as he got me confused with a voodoo doll some girlfriend used on him. Voodoo dolls are just that a doll. I am not a doll….I am a real live cannoli but seeing he is not Italian he would not know that. Marsha on the other hand wanted to eat me. She said what else do you do with a cannoli. As long as she does not put me in her pocketbook I am good! I guess she never met a real live cannoli either.

The Comedy Café was nice enough but the food was not all that great. I was told the menu has not changed in 18 years but now has new owners and a new menu is coming in July. I did meet the owner and he is a very nice fellow and he was happy that I was there. He did not get all freaked out by me. Maybe he is Italian.

So overall though it was a really good experience and I was glad I got to go even though I had to chaperon. So I am hoping to be done with my community service soon. It is just so hard for a cannoli to behave sometimes….  

Let’s Get Creating With Carmen

December 5 2015

Back in my little village the arts are a cherished treasured. Many cannoli’s can be found painting in the park or strolling through cannoli art museums. Our mini cannoli’s are taught to appreciate and explore their creativity. So when I got invited to participate in a Let’s Create party…..I was really excited as it had been some time since I explored my creative side.

Veronica was our hostess and creative coach for the evening. We first had some delicious food from KJs Fresh Grill and got to chat with each other. My friend Kim was there and I met some new friends. Now we know people always have a reaction when they meet me but when Flo met me it was a whole new experience for me. It seems Flo wanted to eat me….I had to stay in my cute pink carrier just so I would be safe. Flo is a lovely lady and loads of fun but she must have been very hungry cause there were times she would look at me and I knew she just wanted to eat me. I suppose I should be flattered that I am so irresistible but I never had anybody want to eat me before. It was pretty scary at first but once Flo had her dinner it was all good.

Another new friend I met was Kela….now this girl can make some desserts. She brought some in for all of us to try. While they were not Italian desserts, she had a double chocolate brownie that was awesome, banana cheesecake and banana upside down cake…all in these cute 3o serving cups that are a perfect size for dessert…huh maybe that is why Flo stopped wanting to eat me…she had some of Kela’s desserts…. 

The painting part was so much fun. We chose a design to paint on a wine glass. Veronica announced that if we chose the palm tree we would learn how to fluck. Now you can imagine all the jokes about that word. We all chose the palm tree and yes I did learn how to fluck…..but I am not going to tell you what it is. You will have to have a Let’s Create Party to find out.

Can you picture a cannoli painting?? Well I did have some help but all in all in did flucking good! You know what is so flucking fun is Veronica shows you how easy and fun it is to explore your creative side. I know if she lived back in my little village she would be busy showing us all how to fluck! It is a great way to have fun at a ladies night out or a birthday party or even have some friends in but be sure to grab a bottle of your favorite wine to sip on while you tap into your creative side!!!

The finished glasses. 

 Carmen

  

Carmen Plays BUNKO

November 9 2015

Back in my village we play card game called Pinochle. We play it by the hours…actually it is an excuse to get together with family….eat…drink…and have fun chatting and telling each other how we should be raising our mini cannoli’s.  So when I was asked to play BUNCO, I was most curious as to what this game was. Turns out it is a dice game…and is great fun, almost addicting and is most definitely an excuse to get together with family and friends, eat, drink and chat! 

The BUNCO game I went to was a fundraiser for a church here in Lehigh called 1^st Community Congregational Church and it is literally the first church built in Lehigh. It is on Leeland Heights Blvd and is often called the pumpkin church. Now when I was told that I thought it then was shaped liked a pumpkin but that is not the case…apparently it cause of its color and that they have pumpkins patch out in the front during the fall season. 

This being a fundraiser, they also had vendors…a 50/50 and sold food for $5. Let me tell ya that was a deal…hamburger/hotdog, spaghetti with meat sauce or soup…chips…drink and chocolate cake…for $5  what a deal!!!! I met this one vendor Veronica….Let’s Create. She brings the artist out in you…she told me that she can teach me how to be creative and paint on glassware….no small task considering cannoli’s are known for not being able to paint. 

So this crazy dice game is simple…you just have to roll the number of the round…round 1 roll 1’s and score 1 point for each one…. get 3 1’s you get 21 points and you yell BUNCO...get 3 of any other number you get 5 points(mini bunco)…each round you move to another table if you lose and switch seats if you win so that you always play with somebody new….each table of 4 has 2 teams so you always have a new partner. There is a tad more to it but that is the basic idea. Now for this cannoli it was pretty hard to roll dice so I had a designated roller…considering I won 5 games and lost 7 and never got a BUNCO…I need to find a new designated roller! They give out prizes for all sorts of things including most losses and a  just so you got to win something prize…I did not win any of those but I did win the 50/50 so that is cool!!!!! 

I hear tell….that they will be doing this the first Monday of each month at this church. If you want to have a good time, make new friends and maybe win a prize….then come join me as I plan to play again, providing I can find a new designated roller!!!! Any volunteers????

Carmen

Carmen Visits Artful Gardens

October 31 2015

Hidden in eastern Lee County in an area known as Buckingham is a gem of a Park. Artful Gardens Autistic and Specials Needs Park and Playground mission is “to provide life and job skills to special needs children and adults in a safe nurturing environment. We want to help provide an enjoyable experience within the natural surroundings of the gardens. Artful Gardens wants to assist special needs children and adults in recognizing that their aspirations and goals can be achieved.”

On Oct 31 they had a Halloween Festival so I wanted to go checkout this hidden gem. No mind you it seems that Artful Gardens is out in the middle of nowhere but it really is not. Buckingham is just east of Fort Myers but before you get to Lehigh. It is a rural area where one can see lots of the natural flora and fauna of Florida. A quiet haven that is a perfect setting for this very special place. It is built on 31 acres of land. It is huge to say the least!!!! They also have many lovely gardens 6 acres worth that you can walk around on a path or sit on a bench and enjoy the serenity. There are artworks and picnic table too. They also have a large pavilion and are you ready for this….a smore making pit. Smore’s is not something we make back in my little village but I was told it is great fun for kids and adults alike.

On this day they had their Halloween event with face painting for the kids, pumpkin painting, vendors who all had candy to give to the children. The famous Calendar Girls were there too….  I made many new friends and saw some old friends too. 

Donna from Edwards Jones talked to me about planning for my retirement. Linda with Ava Anderson talked with me about non-toxic products she has. I can’t wait to try her bug spray. It seems since being in Florida your mosquito’s really like me…maybe because I am so sweet!!!! I never had that problem back in my village. I saw my friends with Hair Bows JNB. She had the best pink hats all blinged out but none in my size. I am just too small….maybe she can make me a custom one??? I also stopped by to meet the folks at Nico’s and tried one of their yummy Gyro’s….yes this cannoli does like Greek food! My friends Karyn (Karyns Events) and Kim from MEOW (Mothers Empowering Other Women) were also there!!! I could not stay too long as it was getting hot and we all know that cannoli’s melt in the heat!!!!

So when you are out Buckingham way….stop by Artful Gardens. Here is their website Artful Garden or visit them on Facebook.

Carmen