The Lettuce Beets: Lettuce Leaves

In this week's episode of The Lettuce Beets, Charlotte & Laura chat about wedding preparations, cooking adventures, and a very unfortunate finger injury. It's all about books on the entertainment side, as Charlotte shares her thoughts on a new book series she started and Laura shares which upcoming celebrity memoirs she'll be adding to her library. They also chat about family visits, Justin Timberlake's new song, and learning how to make cocktails. To close out, the girls take a quiz to find their life purpose!



The Lettuce Podcast is available on iTunes, Stitcher, Satchel, and Podcast Addict. If you like what you hear and want to be part of the conversation, feel free to leave a comment on this or any blog post. You can also help us reach a wider audience by rating and reviewing The Lettuce Podcast on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks for listening and for your support!

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Don't forget to join us next week for the next topic episode of The Lettuce Podcast. This episode will feature Tori as a guest moderator and she'll be introducing the Lettuce Heads to one of her favorite books: Phoenix and Ashes by Mercedes Lackey. Join us for a fun jaunt into this Cinderella-inspired tale!

Listen to this episode now!

A Game of Lettuce - Show Notes

Winter is coming! The Lettuce Podcast features the first book in George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series: A Game of Thrones in this week's episode! Charlotte moderates this jam-packed show about her favorite book and television series. She, Laura, and Tori sit down on the Iron Throne to discuss the Houses, character development, character relationships, and Westeros' kings in A Game of Thrones. Each host shares their experience with the Game of Thrones phenomenon. They also chat about their favorite and unfavorite characters, and compare the book to its companion T.V. series. Charlotte talks about the growth of Samwell Tarly from admitted craven to Jon Snow's knowledgeable sidekick over the course of the book. Laura explains why Cersei is terrible as a person, but amazing as a character. Tori points out certain traits of House Stark that remind her of Scandinavian culture and folklore. All three hosts share a love for Tyrion Lannister and a dislike (read: hate!) for Joffrey Baratheon. Do impulsive decisions and unfair treatment of bastard children make Catelyn Stark an unlikable character? Is Robert Baratheon's party-all-the-time personality suitable for ruling a kingdom? Is Loras Tyrell a figure skater stuck in a Medieval world? All these subjects and more are brought to the table in this week's episode of The Lettuce Podcast!

Charlotte introduces a new Predictions segment, where she challenges Laura (the host with the least familiarity with A Song of Ice and Fire) to guess certain plot outcomes/twists in the series. For the Fun & Games segment, the girls bring back an old favorite: Kill, Marry, Pity Date! Listen to find out who gets betrothed and who gets beheaded. The second game, called House Hogwarts, find our hosts fusing the GoT and Harry Potter worlds. Charlotte, Laura, and Tori each sort a favorite and unfavorite character into one of the four Hogwarts Houses. Comment on this post to tell us where your favorite GoT character fit in at Hogwarts!

For the podtail, Charlotte mixed the official drink of Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish: Jack Rose! The podsnack was lemon cake (Sansa's favorite), provided by Laura. If you would like to mix your own Jack Rose or other Game of Thrones cocktails, you can find some great recipes here: 10 Cocktails Inspired by the Men of Game of Thrones. To make your own lemon cakes, check out this recipe or the recipe from the official Game of Thrones cookbook A Feast of Ice and Fire!

The Lettuce Podcast can be found on iTunes, Podcast Addict for Android devices, or Stitcher. If you like what you hear, feel free to leave a comment on this or any blog post. You can also help us reach a wider audience by rating and reviewing The Lettuce Podcast on iTunes or Stitcher. Thanks for listening and for your support!
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On the next episode of The Lettuce Podcast, our hosts set out on another mission with James Bond. Laura, Tori, Charlotte, and special guest Dan will be discussing the latest addition to the 007 franchise: Spectre! Get your guns and gadgets, hop into your Astin Martin, and come along on this spy adventure! 

Arugalater!

 

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - Show Notes

The Triwizchard Turnipment is underway! Episode 6 of The Lettuce Podcast brings Laura, Tori, and Charlotte to the 4th book in the Harry Potter series: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire! The three girls take a Portkey to the Quidditch World Cup, practice their dance moves for the Yule Ball, and face the Dark Lord upon his return. Laura shares why this is her favorite book in the series. Tori gushes about the presence of a pre-Doctor Who David Tennent in the movie adaptation. Charlotte points out some fun foreshadowing elements that give a taste of what's to come in the future. All three hosts are excited to see real development of a shared favorite character: Neville Longbottom! Among the discussions, several questions are raised. Why is it possible to submit another person's name into the Goblet of Fire? Why aren't the consequences of breaking a magical contract explained to the reader? How is Neville better at getting a date than Harry?

Laura puts Tori and Charlotte to the test again in a homemade quiz titled "The Harry Potter Numbers Quiz". Each question in the quiz had an answer involving a number and was based on information Laura recorded while reading the book. As usual, the girls ask each other to "Kill, Marry, Pity Date" as the final game in the Fun & Games section.

The Triwizard Tournament is all about encouraging international wizard relations! To celebrate the true intention of the event, The Lettuce Podcast enjoyed several international delights as their Podsnacks and Podtail!

 Desserts from around the world: Cannoli, German chocolate brownies, and Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans!

 

 Ireland won the Quidditch World Cup! To show support for the Emerald Isle, the Podtail was Grasshoppers!

Join us on iTunes, Podcast Addict (for Andriod devices), or Stitcher to listen!

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The next episode of The Lettuce Podcast returns to the television show Glee! Tori hosts this episode about the show's 2nd Season where we meet her favorite character from the show! 

Arugulater!

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Lettuce - Show Notes

Check your Marauder's Map and make sure the coast is clear! In this episode of The Lettuce Podcast Tori, Charlotte, and Laura return to the world of Harry Potter to discuss its third book. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban presents new characters and new classes in addition to raising many questions. Tensions are high as Harry and his friends attempt to learn about and protect themselves from the famed killer Sirius Black. Join the girls as they discuss new Hogwarts professors Trelawney, Lupin, and Hagrid. They also share their views on the first fight between our three heroes Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Is Snape's prejudice against Lupin justified? What was Dumbledore's role in Sirius' trial? Does the Time Turner work while you're sleeping? 

Important questions are asked and answered as the hosts use The Art of Divination: Practices from Around the World to try their hand at seeing the future. Tori, Charlotte, and Laura then challenge each other in their favorite game: Kill, Marry, Pity Date! 

This episode's podtail and podsnack were Wolfsbane Potion (recipe here) and Golden Snitch Cakeballs. For the link and some tips on how to make them both delicious and beautiful check out Tori's blog post.

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The next episode of The Lettuce Podcast will continue the Harry Potter series. Laura hosts her favorite book from the series: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire!

Dr. Lettuce: A Mission with 007! - Show Notes

 
The Lettuce Podcast is on a trip to Jamaica to investigate the disappearance of Strangways and his girl! Laura, Tori, and Charlotte sit underneath the mango tree and discuss the first James Bond film, Dr. No, in episode 4. Join in the fun as they critically examine the film and exploit its most confusing plot points. Discussion topics include: the James Bond franchise and how it affected the movie industry, the use of music throughout the film, and the portrayal of women. The girls also investigate several questions raised by the film. Is a tarantula an effective murder weapon? How does one remove radiation from the body? What exactly is Dr. No's motivation? Oh yeah, and there's a dragon!

Laura puts Tori and Charlotte to the test as they compete to win a game called Who Said It: Donald Trump or a James Bond Villain? Then they each create their own Bond Girl name using a formula involving actress' names and fruits. You can find the formula and create your own Bond Girl name here. If you'd like to create a truly dirty Bond Girl name, try here. Leave a comment and lettuce know what you got!

This episode's podsnacks were fancy appetizers that one might receive at a high-roller casino or restaurant. Charlotte provided a selection of olives, pesto & mozzarella pastries, and herbed cheese with crackers. The podtails were martinis (shaken, not stirred by Laura) with a choice of olives or a twist for garnish. For those who don't know, Bond asks for a medium dry vodka martini with a twist. Though this is his signature martini, it is actually improper! True vodka martinis are garnished with olives. Shaking a martini, as opposed to stirring, causes "bruising" in the drink so that the drink appears cloudy instead of its classic clear. The more you know!

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The next episode of The Lettuce Podcast will be a return to the Harry Potter series. Tori will moderate with Charlotte and Laura in tow as The Lettuce Podcast explores Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban!

Arugalater!

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Lettuce - Show Notes

This week on The Lettuce Podcast is all about the second installment of the Harry Potter series! Tori, Laura, and Charlotte slide down a pipe into the depths of the Chamber of Secrets and answer many important questions. Is Dumbledore a manipulative mastermind with a sweet-tooth? Didn't any of Ginny Weasley's brothers notice her strange behavior? Why was the scene in Knockturn Alley/Borgin & Burkes altered for the movie?

After the critical deconstruction of the book and its movie companion, the hosts take a break from cleaning their pocket protectors to have some fun! A tragically silly one-word-at-a-time story game called Harry Potter Alphabet and a round of Kill, Marry, Pity Date close out the show!

This week's podcast drink and snack were Polyjuice Potion made by Laura and Pumpkin Pasties made by Tori! If you're interested in making either of these treats at home you can find recipes here:

8 Magical and Delicious Harry Potter Cocktails 
Pumpkin Pasties

The next episode of The Lettuce Podcast will focus on Season 1 of Glee. Tori has been both a genuine and hate-watching fan since the beginning, Charlotte had seen a handful of episodes pre-Lettuce, and Laura was completely unfamiliar! Amid a cast of unlikeable characters and plot-holes aplenty, can they find love in a hopeless place?

Lettuce Go Out For A Drink!

Last weekend, Tori and I had the pleasure of making a trip up to Manhattan, NY. We did a number of the classic tourist activities: wandered around Times Square/Midtown, saw a show (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder - highly recommended!), and ventured out to Brooklyn to go to a niche nerd culture bar.

If you've ever wanted to have a night out, but still enjoy the comforts of nerd culture that you can find at home The Way Station is for you! I first learned about this bar from a Buzzfeed article: 19 Bars in America You Should Drink At Before You Die. Though The Way Station caters to several nerd fandoms, it is largely a Doctor Who themed bar. The bathroom is a freaking TARDIS, y'all. A TARDIS! There is plenty of Doctor Who themed decor and even a list of Doctor Who cocktails- mostly variations on the classic screwdriver. I had the pleasure of drinking a 10th Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver and an 11th Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver while Tori enjoyed a Captain Jack in addition to her 10th Doctor. If you're a Harry Potter, The Simpsons, or Indiana Jones fan there is a cocktail for you, too!

While we had delicious drinks, Tori and I got to experience some pretty sweet music. It was Sci-Fi Night at The Way Station which I would assume it kind of always is, right? But Sci-Fi Night on April 4th meant four "far out" music acts. We only saw the first act, a one-man electronic band called Unigen. He was equipped with a laptop and an elaborate musical rig that he called The Jetpack, though he was taking suggestions for a new name. The Jetpack was attached to Unigen via a backpack with a seatbelt and it held a tray to his front that had a small two-octave keyboard and several soundboards. I'll be the first to admit that I don't know much about soundboards or other sound equipment, so it's (highly) possible that I am using this term incorrectly. All I can say is that these mystery soundboards looked like several Lights Out game boards next to each other and they created different tones, sound effects, and pitches when pressed. 

Unigen was a very enthusiastic performer and seemed like a swell dude, too. His musical stylings were akin to Daft Punk and/or The Postal Service. Both Tori and I thought the show was pretty cool and the music was catchy as hell. Unigen has a knack for a good hook. We continually confirmed to one another that we were happy to have lucked into not only a fun and nerdy bar experience, but also some cool music to boot!

Thanks for the good time, NYC! Until next time...

-Laura

The Way Station
Unigen on Facebook