All right ladies, pull out the old Kiss t-shirts and plan to rock! Well, not really. More like sit back in a chair and relax while listening to great music. It’s time to find a great music venue to relax and hear great music.
The best place to find venues like this is in your independent newspaper. Read the concert offerings to find a coffee shop that has live music on the weekend. Go and see someone that you’ve never heard of.
Amy Gerhartz will be playing at the Black Bear Tavern (Buckhead, Atlanta) next weekend.
Jana Hunter is playing tonight at the Bottle Tree Cafe (Birmingham, Alabama).
Rachel Unthank is playing at Schubas Tavern (Chicago, Illinois) tomorrow evening.
If you’re not on a budget and want a party instead of relaxation, go see Madonna! Her US dates start in October.
Personally, we love WorkPlay (non-smoking venue) and Small Stages (BYOB concerts held in someone’s home) here in Birmingham.
Menu: Save the planet and go vegetarian tonight. If you have one, eat at a great local vegetarian restaurant! If not, try this recipe for fresh tomato lasagna from Myrecipes.com:
Fresh-Tomato Lasagna
Sauce:
4 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 3)
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups chopped seeded peeled tomato (about 3 1/2 pounds)
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 (6-ounce) cans Italian-style tomato paste
Filling:
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 (15-ounce) carton fat-free ricotta cheese
1 (12.3-ounce) package reduced-fat firm tofu, drained
Remaining ingredients:
Cooking spray
12 cooked lasagna noodles
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp provolone cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Romano or Parmesan cheese
To prepare sauce, heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until hot. Add the onion and garlic; cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato and next 7 ingredients (tomato through tomato paste). Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Preheat oven to 350°.
To prepare filling, combine basil, ricotta, and tofu in a bowl; mash ricotta mixture with a potato masher.
Spread 2 cups sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 3 noodles over sauce; top with 1 cup filling, 1/2 cup provolone cheese, 2 tablespoons Romano, and 1 1/2 cups sauce. Repeat layers twice, ending with noodles. Spread remaining sauce over noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup provolone cheese and 2 tablespoons Romano. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.