 Hola!
Forty years ago today on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first men to walk on the moon and let's not forget to give kudos to fellow astronaut Michael Collins who was the command module pilot for Apollo 11.
I started thinking about our fascination with the moon and every moon-related product there is. On this occasion you can relive the moment with the many specials on TV tonight or watch a space related movie such as Apollo 13 with a moon pie in one hand and a Blue Moon Cocktail in the other.
Cheers!
Darlene
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Moon Walking through History
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It seems that mankind has always been enamored by the moon. Something so bright and clear in the sky yet untouchable. What could be more enticing?
 When I speak to kids about reaching their dreams, I use the moon as an example. Because there was a day when someone stood there, looked up at the moon and said "I'm going to go there." The person next to them most likely told them they were nuts. Regardless of whether they made the journey, or helped to pave the path for the next person or the person after that, it happened. It was that one person that believed it could be done, that led others to believe it too.
40 years ago today on July 20, 1969, man walked on the moon.
Maybe you remember being glued to the television screen with Walter Cronkite as Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first human to step foot on the surface of the Moon uttering one of the most famous quotes in history: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind."
 Somehow everything seems intertwined with Walter Cronkite "the most trusted man in America" and Michael Jackson "the King of Pop" both passing away recently and Sonia Sotomayor's confirmation hearings. You see originally my article was meant to be lighthearted fare about moon-related items such as moon pies, moon songs, full moons, blue moons, moon cocktails, moon beer and even "mooning" someone.
As I started compiling this list of trivia, I realized the common thread with many of these people was their "ganas." Ganas, which has no direct English translation, is a combination of having guts and desire.
The majority of 125 million Americans watched the televised moon walk with Walter Cronkite. Cronkite anchored the CBS Evening News from 1962 to 1981, reporting on stories from the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to racial and anti-war riots, Watergate and of course the Apollo missions. Off the air for 20 years, Cronkite with his comforting presence was asked to introduce the postponed Emmy awards show after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. He led the way for other newscasters.
 Yes, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin are famous because of their moonwalking. But when most people mention moonwalking, Michael Jackson's performance of "Billie Jean" on "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever" on March 25, 1983 comes to mind. Although the moonwalk first originated with French mime artist, Marcel Marceau, followed by James Brown, Jackson perfected the walk and it subsequently became his signature move. All innovative performers who led the way for others.
Hundreds of songs about the moon have been written from "Walking on the Moon" by The Police to Louis Armstrong's "Moon River." But it was Dean Martin singing "When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie. That's amore" and Frank Sinatra's "Fly Me to the Moon" that got me thinking about the Rat Pack.
 The Rat Pack played an important role in the desegregation of Las Vegas hotels and casinos in the early 1960s when they refused to perform or patronize any establishment that would not give full service to African American entertainers, including their friend Sammy Davis, Jr. At the time Davis although a headliner was ordered to enter through the back door and stay at another hotel. Sammy Davis, Jr. led the way.
Yes, "once in a blue moon" people come around to change things for the better, to become example to others, to lead the way and pave the path.
In 1826 when Susan B. Anthony was 6 years old, a teacher refused to teach her long division because of her gender. This did not sit well with her or her father who taught her himself. In late 1850, Anthony was taken by Lucy Stone's words which inspired her to devote her life to women's rights. Because of Anthony's and other suffragettes' "ganas" it eventually led to the 19th Amendment which gave women the right to vote on August 18, 1920. Now, 89 years later, we will get our 3rd female justice, Sonia Sotomayor on the Supreme Court, a Latina no less! Yes, I'm over the moon.
So when you look up at the moon, remember that anything is possible. It starts with just one small step.
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MTV Moonman
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When MTV launched its new network on August 1, 1981 the first logo depicted the 1969 moon landing with astronaut Neil Armstrong
and the American flag which MTV replaced with their own logo. In 1984 the MTV Video Music Awards were established to celebrate the top music videos of the year and winners receive a statue in the shape of the moonman.
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Blue Moon Cocktail
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Crème de Violette is an elusive lavender-hued liqueur, with the fleeting taste and aroma of spring violets, from which it's made or so I'm told? This liqueur is so difficult to find I have yet to taste this elixir. If you venture to make this drink let me know how it tastes.
INGREDIENTS
2 ounces gin
1/2 ounce Crème de Violette
1/4 ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice, strainedcocktails out of this little bottle.
DIRECTIONS
Shake or stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass;
Garnish with a twist of lemon.
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Aviaton Cocktail
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 Once you pick up a rare bottle of the Crème de Violette liqueur you'll want to try the Aviation Cocktail as well which become all the rage when man first started to fly at the turn of the century. INGREDIENTS2 ounces gin ½ ounce lemon juice ⅓ ounce Maraschino liqueur ⅙ ounce Crème de Violette DIRECTIONSCombine the first three ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake to chill well, then strain into a cocktail glass. Drizzle the Crème de Violette into the glass and garnish with a lemon twist. |
Moon Pie
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Any fine southerner knows that a Moon Pie is, a snack made of two round graham cracker cookies, with marshmallow filling in the center, dipped in chocolate or other flavors about the size of a hockey puck. It's mighty tasty!
Manufactured by the Chattanooga Bakery since 1917, a 55 lb Moon Pie will be served Monday in commemoration of the moonwalk at the Neil Armstrong Air and Space Museum in Wapakoneta, Ohio.
This monster will pack a whopping 45,000 calories and can feed up to 300 people.
Learn more about Moon Pies >
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