Dog Days of Summer

Posted on July 30, 2009 by Katharina

First and foremost, I’d like to thank you all for the encouragement and insight on my interest in studying abroad. As some of you may know, I am originally from Germany, so studying there would not be a problem. However, I might choose somewhere other than my motherland since I love traveling and getting to know other cultures. What’s more exciting is getting the opportunity to adapt to them! But, Neela, we can still take a train and find an awesome city to conquer together! We’ll have all the men at our feet while we shop, right?

On another note, since I haven’t been posting that often, let’s get down to business folks. Right now I’m sitting at a new coffeeshop that opened up where I live. They’re concept is really neat -

“…offers the best in delicious, organic, fair trade coffee, served up by our excellent baristas, using state-of-the-art equipment. To go with it, we’ve got a fantastic menu, packed with both sweet and savory fare and using the freshest organic ingredients. And while you’re savoring the coffee and the food, we invite you to jump on our free wireless, and to enjoy entertainment, classes and activities.“

The coffeeshop is actually an extension of a local healthfood store that really pushes the idea of supporting local farmers and making less of an imprint on our environment, while taking our health into consideration.

Let’s see… where to begin? Oh I know! The first and most important meal of the day. It also happens to be my favorite!

: Toast for breakfast!

I was always jealous of my roommates toast always smelling so good. How come mine didn’t smell so good? I think it’s because I usually have the super grainy kind of bread. The other day when I went to the store, I knew I was running really low on cereal, and I knew yogurt was on sale for $1.88 for 32 oz. Then I spotted the one. Meet my new love, cinnamon raisin swirl toast. Well, not really a new love, just a forgotten one. This morning I smeared some whipped butter on one slice and coconut oil on the other. Then I sprinkled on some extra cinnamon. This time I was the one making the roommates wonder where that heavenly smell was coming from. One of the toasts even got Hello Kitty burnt on it. In the bowl I had plain yogurt, sliced banana, homemade blueberry jam, flaxseed and a crumbled honey graham stick. Thank JB for reminding me of how yummy blueberries and banana are together!

I was also inspired, yet again, by the hilarious Jess! For real girl, keep doing your thang. You’ve got an ability to make people smile and laugh!

: A wrap that I would like to say was muy delicioso!

In the wrap was a random veggieburger, Trader Joe’s corn salsa, mayo, and carrots. On the side I steamed some cauliflower and doused it with nutritional yeast and red pepper flakes. Spicy!

: I also munched on this!

I discovered something wonderful at the bottom of this bag. Besides some of the sugar granules that managed to sprinkle off the nuts, I found raspberry jelly bits! More PB&A goodness right there.

: Mini wraps!

I was low on groceries so I checked our freezer and I found some chick’n strips that I think have been forgotten. So here’s what I decided to do… I heated up some wraps on the skillet (notice the burn marks). Then I spread some Triple-Layer hummus, topped it with spinach, chick’n strips cooked in tamarind-date chutney, and smeared some Duke’s mayonnaise all over. I didn’t exactly wrap these babies… I just folded them over and got to work eating. I know mayonnaise makes some people cringe. But there are so many varieties now: cholesterol-free, vegan, light, and even with added omega-3′s! Today I was mulling over a menu and I read “sun-dried tomato mayo”. My food processor and I will soon get to crackin’. Now if I could get my hands on some Delouis.

I found another wonderful item at the local grocery store the other day. I browsed through the bakery items and found just the thing!

: I had them slice it for me.

Once I’m at my new place and I feel more freedom to do things in the kitchen, I’m going to start baking my own bread again. When I first moved into my current place I would bake Irish soda bread weekly. However, I felt like my baking skills were being taken advantage of and I stopped baking things all together. This is why when I go home to Florida you might notice that I take full of advantage of the kitchen and my love for cooking and baking. I’m going to stop thinking of buying good quality items as a splurge. It tastes better and it just makes me feel more content about my meal. Why not make everyday special, you know?

: A big salad with baby spinach, Hanover tomatoes (THE BEST), avocado, roasted chickpeas, and a sweet honey dijon dressing.

I roasted the chickpeas in ground cinnamon, powdered onion, honey, and a bit of soy sauce. This smelled so good! Alongside my salad I had some slices of bread with the Three-Layer hummus and a baby slice with avocado!

: Something similar for lunch the next day.

However I buttered my bread and put some minced garlic on it then grilled it.

: I scooped some of the chickpeas and tomatoes on the toast and it was so yummy.

For dinner I wanted to use the chickpeas for something other than a salad.

: I wanted something a bit more filling, but still refreshing.

I steamed some rice with basil. I dumped the rest of my chickpeas in my bowl of rice and mixed in chopped raw carrots and tomatoes. While the rice was still steaming I stirred in the essential coconut oil. Can’t go a day without it! This was exactly what my tummy was hoping for!

: I also had a cup of Chinese Green Monkey Tea.

I have some exciting plans coming up next week! Besides my move-in date being tragically postponed till Monday, my friend, Liz, will be arriving on Wednesday. Get ready for some serious adventures you guys. This girl has got spunk, sass, and all that jazz. She’s a New Yorker, what can I say? She’s staying till the 9th and I’ll be heading back up with her. I haven’t decided how long I’ll be staying though. So if you guys have any recommendations of places for me to go to (not limited to foodie things) let me know. Oh! And if anyone wants to go on a date that would be nice too! I like to call them dates because it just makes it sound more exciting hehe.

: I want some Lucky Candy! Anyone want a piece?

If you haven’t checked it out yet there’s a very interesting contest going on at the Special K Treatment. Go take a look before it’s too late!

Also, Mia was kind enough to honor me with a blog award. I’ve never received one before so this is definitely something special. And thank you so much! Now I have to fulfill the duty as a lovely blogger and pass it on to other lovely ones.

Oh gosh, do I have to choose? I totally suck at this kind of thing because I love everyone’s blog that I follow, or else why would I be reading it?

Neela, Mitri, Nicole, Kelsey, JB, Cate, Gillian, Katie, Brittany, the Brookes, Jess, K, Janetha, Emily, Jenny, Monica, Lauren, Lynn, and Holly. Okay I went over 15… and I could keep going. You seriously are all so wonderful and I can imagine you guys are just as radiant, if not more, in person as you are in your blogs.

p.s. For all you chia people out there, I stumbled upon this recipe that’s perfect for the summertime.

Chia Fresca

1 glass of lemonade

1 tsp Chia Seeds

1. Combine chia seeds and lemonade. Shake or stir. Allow to sit for 10 minutes until chia seeds swell. Enjoy this delicious and healthy chia fresca.

2. Chia fresca can also be made by soaking the chia seeds for 10 minutes separately in a glass of water. Then combine the chia seed gel with any flavored water or juice for an exciting different flavor of chia fresca.

Bet you didn’t think Chia seeds could be had as a refreshing lemonade, huh?

Take care all and I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week. I’ve got to refill my iced tea and Matilda’s water bowl because it’s just one of those hot summer days!

Summertime is the Right Time

Posted on July 27, 2009 by Katharina

Hey party people (yes it’s a Monday, but that doesn’t change a thing), here’s a recap of my weekend!

Some Sweet BBQ mix crunch!

Can you believe I’m almost done with my goodie box from Kay’s Naturals? So far my favorite products are Honey Almond cereal, Sweet BBQ snack mix, both kinds of Nutty Crisps, and the Chili Nacho Cheese chips. I mixed this with carrots, TJ’s corn salsa, and some edamame. You know I had handfuls of the PB&A mix to go with this.

Friday Night

Friday night included my friend filling that huge jug with half of a handle of Sweet Tea Vodka and Limeade. Surprisingly didn’t taste bad.

I made my own concoction complete with pineapple and watermelon chunks. I think I like my drinks fruity. I didn’t want to drink a lot so I just drank water with fruit chunks in it, and I just played drinking card games with the rest of them. It was a lot of fun and we were just hanging out outside till the next day. That’s what I love about summertime – the summer nights.

Papaya, mandarin oranges, and shredded coconut over my cereal.

I started out my Saturday with a refreshing bowl of cold cereal. I was feeling like an old man yesterday from some of Friday night’s birthday festivities. I decided to stick to my usual Saturday routine which include yoga in the morning… detox yoga! I spent most of my day packing. I also got to sneak in some hang out time with my dad before I had to drop him off at the airport. After some more packing I reunited with my friend, Sway. She decided to come back for this semester, but she might go to Argentina for the spring. I might decide to study abroad as well. I didn’t know that you could pretty much choose any country. Do you know how exciting that would be if I got to do that? Technically, I can go to Europe and study as a regular uni student since I have my German citizenship. But I don’t want to switch schools, so I’m just going to follow the program that my school offers.

Sway and I went on a really long walk with Matilda around the city. We completely lost track of time, and our tummies told us it was time to head back to my place. But first we made a stop at Comfort. It’s southern food with a twist. And they serve their water in cute mason jars. Luckily, you can skip the 45 minute wait and just order your food to go and it’s done in no time. I don’t think they usually do this, but there’s no reason not to!

Matilda was eyeing her food so hard!

Since my tummy has been sensitive lately, I just whipped up something quick for myself.

One side of the toast has coconut oil with lavender and nutmeg+powdered sugar sprinkled on top. The other side is just coconut oil and cinnamon.

After sitting outside and talking about everything we could think of and getting eaten alive by mosquitos we headed inside to head out to our friends’ birthday/gallery opening party.

On the way there we saw this cool light set up!

When we got there, I think they were finishing up dinner – oops! So they didn’t hear us knock the billion times we did. Just us we were about to let out some glass shattering screams, one of them opened the door. Darn! We went with our friends to pick up some goods and presents for the birthday boy. By the time we got back, people started coming. After hanging around inside we decided to check out the balcony. Once I stepped foot out there I stayed there the whole night. Actually, I stayed on the ledge and constantly gazed out on to the skyline.

I got to see a lot of people I hadn’t seen in such a long time! Some of my friends that were touring over in Europe came back and shared some of their adventures. I met a lot of new people as well. The whole night felt like everything was just right. It was breezy and I was hanging out on a balcony downtown with one of my closest friends, sharing a bottle of wine. I think everyone thought it felt just right because people were just laidback and friendly.

They also have a mini garden!

Sway and I kept smelling basil and we had no idea why! Then we looked over and spotted the basil plants along with some other veggie plants.

Mr. Glaring Eyes must've thought I was a creeper.

Thank god she comes back on Thursday.

Then we're going to New York in August!

Luckily, some of our friends that live on my street offered us a ride back. It’s really not that long of a walk, but we didn’t want to walk around downtown so late. On the way back, there’s this horrible “bump” that they have to drive on to get into their alleyway. Well, needless to say our friend’s tire popped. Sway later told me he was okay with it and grilled everyone some marinated bell peppers stuffed with feta and what not. He also exclaimed, “tonight we eat like kings!”

I got up this morning and started packing some more and I found a sweet surprise!

Packet of Pop Rocks circa Halloween!

Do you like seafood? SEE FOOD!

My friend dropped off a book she made for me and a friend of ours (he’s also a neighbor). I don’t mind sharing with you guys:

Heyy what's that suppose to mean?

I guess it’s true. After my seafood joke it makes complete sense.

She also made little pockets for our mix CD’s.

Since Walker and I are neighbors!

She really likes work by Gustav Klimt.

Recipe!!!

Yes please!

Bahaha!

Of course Matilda wasn't forgotten.

This seriously made my day! The mix CD she made was also awesome, and I’m so glad to call her a friend. Anyway, that’s it for my weekend. I’m just going to be packing some more. Sunday started out super sunny, but it ended up raining a lot. Perfect excuse to stay inside and pamper myself and do some stretching. But next time it rains I’m going to get some frozen yogurt! My friend works at a fro-yo place and started this policy: if it’s umbrella worthy rain, you buy one fro-yo and get one free. Definitely no complaints here.

Much love to you all!

p.s. I found this really neat blog, Tribeca Yummy Mummy. It’s just very endearing and I can’t help by smile.

“In NYC, where I live with my husband and 2 children, I work part-time as a cooking teacher to lots of mini-chefs, ages 2-5 for the most part. My focus is to teach the kids how to cook seasonally, understand where their food actually comes from, and get them so involved with making their food that they forget that they “don’t like” certain things. They are always teaching me, too, and I try to share all of that on my blog, Tribeca Yummy Mummy.“

The Show Must Go On

Posted on July 26, 2009 by Katharina

I’ve been missing Florida since I drove back up to Richmond. Everytime I go there it’s like my bond grows a little stronger. I’ve had a love/hate relationship with Florida for a very long time, and I think I’m starting to finally come to terms with that crazy state. Luckily, I’ve been able to keep busy and not feel too broken-hearted. Packing has been on my priority list this past week.

: Matilda made herself comfortable among the mess.

: Look what I found!

: How do I get out of here?

I’ve been catching up with friends, and my days have also been filled with nice long walks in the city. Since my dad had been in town this past week, we would meet up in the early evening and just walk around aimlessly. I also had an unexpected event happen to me. I went to take Matilda out for a walk one morning and saw that my tire had been slashed. I also noticed that 3 other cars had their tires slashed too. AAA brought my car to a tire shop and I was told that 22 other cars had been hit in the area over the past couple of days. How can people do that? I was glad that everyone who helped me through the situation made it less stressful. I was proud that I didn’t freak out and I was able to carry on with my day. This experience made me realize that I can be thankful that the majority of people aren’t that coldhearted.

Anyway, on to happier things. Like celebrations! So far this week I’ve celebrated 3 birthdays and a few other things. I didn’t realize the end of July was a popular time to be born.

On my second night back I went to stay over at one of my closest friend’s house. Her family is like my second family and I use to live with her for most of my summers during high school. So obviously I can go through their fridge and pantry without a problem. She was in the middle of making some dinner when I got there. While she was finishing up I was looking to see what they had in store for me!

: Cauliflower over pasta with sauce and feta. Toast with almond butter, peach slices, and cinnamon.

First time I went to Trader Joe’s was with her and she picked up a jar of almond butter. She didn’t love it, so it’s just always sitting pretty in her fridge waiting for me to take spoonfuls!

After dinner we celebrated our reunion/wedding vows!

: Mudslides!

: Here’s to a happy marriage! Bahaha she said it looked like she was all up in my business in this picture.

: Look what this bear got her hands on.

Kelley told me about this kind of Jager she got that was honey flavored. I love honey, and she knows I love honey, so of course I had to try some. It seriously tasted like I was drinking straight up honey, but I could tell there was alcohol because it burned a little. What a yummy digestif though.

: Then we had pina coladas and I made her take a shot of the honey Jager.

We just caught up on each other’s lives and passed out watching something on TV.

The next day I was celebrating a friend’s 21st birthday. I didn’t realize that she was younger than everyone we had graduated with! Anyway, the dinner was at this restaurant on the water in the neighborhood I use to live in.

: I love how they preserved the nature and there are trails throughout.

: The view you get from the restaurant.

: Some of my beautiful friends.

: This is what happens when things don’t go her way. Just kidding!

: The waitress trying to tempt her to buy more drinks.

: Yummy pizza!

So the pizza I ordered had pears, gorgonzola, mozzarella, red onions, and pistachios. The sweetness with the contrast of the distinctive gorgonzola was delicious! And the addition of pistachios was definitely purposeful as well. The restaurant’s speciality is seafood, so there were very little vegetarian options. However, the choices they had were exciting and thoughtful. Obviously they didn’t leave my tastebuds hanging.

: Aw, I’ve missed her!

I met a lot of new people that night, and it was perfect outside. I headed home later, and I made a pact to see my old friends more often and build on new ones as well.

The next day I went to Trader Joe’s and I brought my list of recommendations with me. So far whatever I got that you guys passed on to me has been delicious. Everything is worth raving about!

: Blobs of goodness.

The triple-layer hummus and corn salsa on their tortilla wraps. The PB&A mixed nuts bag is almost non-existent now. Such a great idea and so addicting!

I also went to another grocery store and found Jamfrakas bars on sale for…

: Get out of town!

Later on I went to a friend’s house for a farewell get together. He’s done with school now and headed off to New York.

: Bye Berto!

Lately my stomach has been feeling funky and I’m not quite sure why. I know that sometimes when you go to a new environment it can throw things off for you. But this usually never happens when I go back and forth between Virginia and Florida. So I’ve been trying to stick to comfort foods. Like breakfast for dinner!

: 10-Grain Cereal, chocolate protein powder, coconut oil, cinnamon, and mandarin oranges + PB&A mixed nuts

I’ve also tried some more Amazing Grass products. I think I really enjoy their chocolate flavored stuff more than the others. I’m just going to dip the regular WholeFoods bar in something chocolaty because the Chocolate WholeFoods bar was good! So good! It reminded me of chocolate covered raisins.

: Nom nom nom

: Amazing Meal Pom Mango infusion + ginger ale = yummy!

Hey Holly! You like my equation?

I’ll update you guys later with my weekend antics and other eats. I was reunited with one of my closest friends and she’s leaving today, but she’ll be back on Thursday! Some of my friends celebrated the beginning of a gallery they just started, and it was one of their birthdays as well. But the most exciting news is that me and Kim move into our new place on Saturday! The kitchen in the apartment is awesome, and I can’t wait to go cray cray with the baking and cooking. I hope you all had enjoyable weekends. I for one, can’t believe it’s Sunday!

What piece of advice would’ve you given your past self?

Kind of Latin Rhythm

Posted on July 22, 2009 by Katharina

Here’s something I made during my last days of being in Florida. I’m so dramatic – making it sound like I’ll never go back!

: Teriyaki mushrooms with scallions over egg noodles + some sprinkled sesame seeds.

: You bet your bottom dollar I used my chopsticks!

Oh wow! I realized how little pictures I took of what I’ve made. I guess I didn’t think they were worthy of documentation? So ladies and gentlemen this means not everything I eat is pretty hehe. Not to say the other things tasted bad though! Remember, don’t judge a book by it’s cover. I can say that again when it comes to Indian food. Some dishes -cough- saag paneer -cough- don’t look so yummy, but once I take a bite I can’t help but make “mmm” noises while I’m eating.

My last couple of days in Florida were spent going out an about. Just being a busy girl! My mom got Friday off… err I mean she was sick! We went to the beach for awhile and then came home and got ready to go shopping in Aventura. They have lots of cool stores like Zara, BCBG, and even Lululemon. I definitely wore my new necklace! Who can wait?

: Guess where I am?!

: Williams Sonoma!

Seriously, why didn’t anyone think to take me here on my birthday? One thing I never do on birthdays or holidays is say what I want. I know people aren’t mind readers, but usually I don’t really want anything in particular. If I want something, it’s usually something I fall in love with right on the spot and I just get it myself. Prime example, the necklace hehe. Can you guys tell I really like it? But the real reason behind my, let’s call it “mysteriousness”, is because I like to see what people come up with. It gets people to think about what someone really likes, and it makes the gift so much more personal.

: PAUL bakery has a full bakery there, but there’re also these little areas scattered inside the mall as well.

But don’t worry, they’ve also got Annie’s Pretzels!

Later on we met up with my mom’s friend, Sandra, for dinner. My mom changed her outfit. I’ve got my very own diva!

: Sandra’s adorable stuffed animal, Simba!

He tilts his head like that if you pull out a camera.

: Posing in an alleyway!

I seriously think it might be a Hispanic thing, but I think they both look so young! I’m pretty sure I’m going to age like that because people think I’m way younger already. Right now I don’t really appreciate it, but I think later on I won’t be complaining about it.

: We hit up Lincoln Rd.

: The perfect people watching place.

Lincoln Road Mall is the place to watch and be seen. Everyone is so fashionable, content, and beautiful. Plus, you never know who you’re going to run into. When I took one of my roommates here we bumped into one of the Kardashians since they’re filming a show in Miami I believe? Then one restaurant over, there was this familiar woman sitting casually with her friends. At first I couldn’t but my finger on who she was, but I knew she was a very talented actress. Then it hit me! It was Glen Close!

Anyway, we were walking and searching for a place to sit down and eat. The great thing about Lincoln Rd is that every place has an outdoor eating area. Nights in Florida are perfect. It can be humid, but the temperature is just right and you get a refreshing tropical breeze every once in awhile.

: I think this picture turned out really cool! Two hotties standing still while the world just goes by.

: I adore this picture of my mom. How could you not fall in love with her?

This place enticed us with free cocktails. Then we found out that they don’t make substitutions. Isn’t that crazy? I understand if they don’t have the food item at all, but if they do… I just don’t get why not. So we left and started our search again. We took about two steps and found where we wanted to eat. Is it bad that I didn’t remember what it was called? I just looked at the menu and liked what I saw.

: Awkward hand?

Oh did I also mention that our waiter looked like a supermodel? He winked at me a couple times, and I’m sure my heart skipped a beat each time.

I chose an endive salad with pears, walnuts, roquefort and a sweet mustard dressing. I wish I knew how small the salad would be. It was not filling at all, but it was delicious! I’ve never had endives before. And you know me, I’m always up for trying something new.

After our dinner we just walked around and took lots of pictures!

: Sandra workin’ it!

: Two crazy peas in a pod. We’re containing ourselves.

Oh boy, here’s the series of pictures of me trying to explain how the camera works.

: Uhhhhh

: “You press that button.”

: Got it!

We spent hours talking and some dirty laundry was aired out. Plus they gave me some hilarious insight on relationships. These are definitely two women I can look up to.

I made sure that I wouldn’t miss the yoga class with my favorite instructor. I seriously think this is the best way to start my Saturday… weekend, really! On Saturdays the instructor makes the class more challenging. Afterwards, I usually just go down to the sauna and wind down. Yes, even after savasana. By the time we got home it was lunch time and we whipped up something quick so we could get ready to go to Ikea. I can’t believe the US had gone so long without opening one!

: Always a line.

Don’t worry I’ll include some more pictures of food later on in this entry hehe.

Afterwards we headed home and it started pouring. I’m talking lots of raindrops the size of really dangerous golf balls! Most people turned on their hazard lights when we got on the highway. You could barely see whichever car was in front of you. We made it home safely and I had too many things to do to cook dinner. So I left my mother in charge. I felt bad though because it was going to be our last meal together. I just had to do some packing, waxing, and getting ready for the club.

: Eskimo kisses with my little nugget, Matilda

: Sometimes when I walk her I have to carry her like this because she refuses to go any further.

: Hey there, little lady.

Remember how I said I would take this Florida trip as time to reflect and improve myself? One of the important things I take with me from Florida this time is that there is nothing wrong with being a confident woman! I think because I look younger than my age, and am a child at heart – I somehow got lost on the path towards womanhood. Also, I’ve found that for me being in Richmond and being in art school, I’m surrounded by a lot of young women who aren’t very… feminine. There’s nothing wrong with that. But for me, I don’t quite like downplaying the fact that I’m a lady. And I had been doing that. For awhile I really lost touch with myself. I admit, even showering became a chore because I didn’t care about myself enough. At one point I got so upset with my appearance that I would walk through the alleyways to get to my classes in order to avoid more contact with people. My life was so bland and depressing back then. I knew I had to stop those behaviors, because that just wasn’t me. Anyway, I’m much happier now and I feel like I’m finally growing into the young woman that I am.

I wish I had pictures of me and Pilar dancing our hearts out! We went to this fun club down in Miami. Oh gosh! The place we went to had free entry before midnight. Well we got there right at 12:01 and usually they’re real sticklers about those kinds of things. Well I still asked if we could get in for free. You want to know the guy’s response to me? “Of course you can, you look so sexy.” I was about to start laughing right then and there. I’m such a little kid. It’s funny what women can get away with in this world. Sometimes it gets to me, but this time it meant I didn’t have to shell out some cash because I was a minute late. Can’t leave my girl hanging so I asked if she could get in free too. So we both waltzed on in and I went to the bar to order a cocktail. I payed $11 for a Vodka Redbull. I was like… I’m fine with just one cocktail, damn! It was really strong. Then we headed to the dancefloor to do what we do best. Pilar and I make an awesome dance duo. I also met up with a really cute friend of mine. Why is it that these romantic encounters happen right before I’m about to leave wherever I am? So I’m trying to find you guys a picture of the place I went to.

: I wanted to show you guys a picture of the courtyard, and this is the best I could do. Oh! Just imagine that’s me and Pilar dancing bahaha.

This is subdued compared to a lot things you see there or just Miami in general haha! Well, Pilar saw a familiar face and I met some new people. They were all very nice. Pilar’s friend was actually the father of the baby’s birthday I was celebrating some entries ago. They invited us over to where they were hanging out and they had a nice set up going on, complete with a very tall bottle of Grey Goose. After some more dancing, Pilar and I headed back home. I knew I had to wake up early and I debated just staying awake. Well I got home and took a shower because I didn’t want to sit with that awful stench on the roadtrip. I got about an hour of sleep. I can’t imagine living the partygirl lifestyle all the time. But I do want to go out more. I’m young and that doesn’t last forever.

Sadly, the next day I made a bowl of oats that I had to pack away in a tupperware. It was way too early for me to have breakfast, so I opted to take it on the road with me. FYI, soaking pecans in your oats makes them taste a million times better. The car was packed, and me and my dad were off. My dad was very nice to drive up my car for me. I ended up sleeping most of the way because the night before led much into the following day. That means I was severely lacking sleep. Plus I was kind of feeling dizzy – mild hangover?

Hazelnut Sweet Crunch

Anyway, another product review! This is a Kay’s Naturals item. I hadn’t tried these Nutty Chips yet, but I figured what the hey! I let my dad try some and he noted that he could imagine these as a cereal. He was so right! Anyway, these are my favorite Kay’s Naturals product as of yet. I still have a crapload more to try. But for real, these were so yummy!

: We stopped by the rather lackluster Subway.

I had them load it with all the veggies they had sans olives. Olives are not my thing. I love the banana peppers at Subway though. I had them put on some jalapeños as well. Jalapeños are usually no big deal, but oh my gosh! My mouth was on fire. Anyway, you see those green things there? I brought some edamame along for the trip, and decided to put some in my sandwich. It was a nice addition and it actually kept me full for about 2 hours! I don’t get why I can still get so hungry on car trips. I just sit and sleep. Oh and I also play DJ with my iPod – I guess it’s hard work.

Note: I won’t be posting on a daily basis until I get things settled in. I’ll still be posting though – and reading of course! I will share some plans that I have coming up in August though. First, I’ll be moving to my new place! At the end of the first week of August, I’m devising a plan to get my friend, Liz, to come down from Brooklyn to visit me. Then when she goes back, I plan to go back up to New York with her! And most likely I’ll get to bring Matilda along as well. Towards the end of August my semester starts up again, and I’ll be one step closer to my degree! Who knows what will be in store for me? It’s funny how much things can change in even a moment.

p.s. You guys really make my day! When I first created my blog I thought no one would actually read it. And at first no one did ahahah! But over time I have made some new friends and you’re such nice, wonderful people. I get a strong sense of community, and before I get all mushy gushy… I wanted to ask you all:

What’s something you’ve gained from your blogging experience thus far?

Another quick question. Tonight I’m going to TRADER JOE’S with my dad and I’m wondering if you guys have any suggestions!

Say Hello to My Little Friend

Posted on July 20, 2009 by Katharina

Guess what guys? I’m now back in Richmond and typing this post out in my bed in my home away from home. And in 2 weeks I will be moving to a new home away from home. I’m so excited about this! I have been dying inside from excitement for over a month now and I can’t believe it’s really going to happen – so soon!

Before I forget. There’s a song that I insist all of you download. Here’s the link. So just listen and enjoy!

My weekend has been busy busy busy! I wanted to make the most of the time I had left down in Florida. In my last post I mentioned that I met up with my mom for a lunch date. A triple date! But first let’s start with breakfast, shall we?

I woke up not knowing what I wanted to eat. Usually I’m in the mood for something, but today I was just feeling… whatever about it. So I figured, “hey, I’ll just try out another Zoe’s granola.”

: Cranberries Currants over yogurt with a sliced banana and almond butter.

If I had more thumbs, I’d be putting them up! As far as granolas go, Zoe Foods can do no wrong!

Then it was time to get ready! I steamed the kabocha and packed some other things. Then I got dressed.

: A no-fasten belt!

: Sometimes I like accessorizing with little surprises.

: And I was out the door.

Oh gosh. I was having a total off day… or maybe it was just those couple of hours. I normally have a good sense of direction, but that day I just kept getting lost. I hate when streets just cut off then start again somewhere totally different. This happens a lot in Boca. Blah! I got really frustrated and my mom decided that I should just stay where I am and she would meet up with me.

: Mom saves the day!

Despite the crazy temperatures outside we decided to bear with it and have lunch outdoors.

: Mizner Park

Mizner has this neat ice cream parlor called Sloan’s. The bathroom is transparent until you lock it. Then the windows sort of fog up! I think it makes first timers very hesitant of using the bathroom. And the decor is funky and endearing, I love it. They’ve got a few other shops, and each one is different.

: Happy we are finally sitting down for lunch.

: I just ate the kabocha from the container. I even packed some cinnamon hehe.

I tried to pack convenient foods so I opted for crackers (Dr. Krackers cherry semolina – delish!), cheese, avocado, and the star of the hour!

: My mom likes using my camera now, so she had to snap a picture while I was serving myself.

Despite us melting from the heat, we were able to enjoy our gumby selves. The hot weather kept the kabocha warm, but I think the sun was microwaving all of us that day.

: Walking by stores = Air conditioning!

After our date my mom dropped me off back at my car. Then my sense of direction came back to me and I headed to the mall. I made a couple of purchases, but I’ll share my most adored one with you guys!

: Awesome necklace!

: Detail shot.

I love this necklace! I go through phases with things. For awhile I was going through a belt phase, then a hair accessory one, and you get the picture. The phase I’m going through now is the “statement necklace” phase. I came home a very happy girl!

For dinner I wanted to make something special – to celebrate my new necklace! Just kidding! But I did make something special.

: Vibrant peppers.

: Into the pan they go!

I cooked these peppers and onion with Key Lime Honey Ginger sauce, a bit of lime juice, and some smoke sauce.

I made wraps inspired by Jess! Hers always look so delicious. Inside mine I cooked some tofu slabs that were seasoned with a mix of cayenne, white pepper, onion, garlic, and oregano. I wanted to make a sort of blackened tofu. I also whipped up a quick guacamole to go with our meal.

: Cheese, tofu, and peppers.

This meal was very delicious, if I may so myself.

After our meal we wanted to try out a new tea I found the other day.

: This was very very good!

Did you guys know that drinking very hot beverages can increase your risk of getting esophageal cancer? So wait a couple of minutes for your drink to cool down.

Last but not least. My third use for my new friend, Mr. Kabocha. Mister or Misses?

: Make this bowl last forever!

Into this bowl of creamy oats went some steamed kabocha, frozen bananas, cinnamon, coconut oil, and almond butter. This was a satisfying breakfast for sure! Not just fullness-wise, but my tastebuds can attest to that.

During my last couple of days at my parents place, I milked my time for what it was worth. So remember how I said I was going to stay in Miami after my vacation? I decided not to because I’d rather spend my last week in Florida with my parents. Next time though when it’s not my last week, I hope to stay there. Miami is so much fun! Anyway, my next post will be a recap of my -sniff sniff- final hours. Just thinking about part of it makes me want to dance. I’m even listening to a dance tune right now! But then again, I’ve always got the urge to dance.

I hope you all had an incredible weekend. Don’t let Mondays be the rain on your parade. Take care, all!

p.s. Lauren is hosting a generous giveaway! So I encourage you all to check it out and participate. You could be the winner!

p.s.s. In case you missed my vacation recap here you go:

Part 17 (Sike!)

Part 4 and a Special Surprise

Posted on July 17, 2009 by Katharina

Alas, Part 4.

Sunday was our last day of our smooth sailing vacation.

: Breakfast fit for a princess. I was going to say queen but I remembered that is Mom’s duty.

I also had a bowl of the best bircher muesli I’ve ever had! I enjoyed every spoonful of it.

: I highly recommended the muesli to my dad!

: He also got some egg dish I can’t remember what it was called. But it looked so cute!

After dinner we just walked around, but I was so tired. Tired from what?

: I’m not sleeping, just resting my eyes hehe.

: We were practically the first ones there that day.

My mom wanted to do a photoshoot on our last day. She loves the camera! It’s so funny though because once I put the pictures on the computer she starts complaining about how she looks. I guess we are our toughest critics, no? Because to me, I think she looks beautiful in her pictures.

: I feel like I’m disrespecting my mom by putting this up. She didn’t like this picture, but I do!

: Bahaha my mom insisted I take one like this.

These were taken at the little cove I told you guys about.

Afterwards we walked back to where we set up “camp”. Oh my goodness I think our last day was the hottest of them all! Or maybe it was just the longest amount of time we spent on the beach. The little time I spent out of the water, I was just wishing I could go back in. But I have to take breaks because I wear myself out with all the seashell searching I do in the ocean.

: Covering my head with a fan. It seriously made it feel about 10 degrees cooler.

My mom didn’t want to leave, so we ended up staying later than planned. We had packed snacks, but snacks are not meals. We were all very hungry by the time we left the beach. Usually my mom gets super cranky if she’s hungry, but I think her beach time helped wind her down a lot. She wasn’t moody at all! On the way back to the hotel I decided to walk through the mangroves one last time.

: Nature is such a wonderful thing.

I hope I didn’t scare anybody with that picture of the spider! When we got back from the beach we headed to Whole Foods before our short trip back home.

Back to reality? Not quite yet.

So what surprise did I find the other day? I found the (not so) elusive kabocha. It exists! I shelled out $1.50 per lb. for this Japanese pumpkin. I came this far, there’s no way I’d go back home empty handed. In the Asian market they also had some other interesting finds some of you other bloggers might appreciate. I saw a strange colored item for you Katie!

: Agar agar! In yellow or green, which would you prefer?

: So many teas.

But plenty of time, right Mitri?

So I was just perusing around, and almost tripped…

: What the hey! Oh… nevermind it’s YOU!

Hallelujah!

So I went to the check out and inside my head my jaw dropped when I payed about $6 for the kabocha. Oh well. I’ve been dying to try it.

: So I joyfully brought the newborn back home.

I also got some rose green tea and a citrusy aloe vera drink.

Surprisingly I waited till the next day to cut the kabocha open.

: The ominous chef’s knife mwahaha!

I got to try this in three different ways. I managed to cut this in to little cubes. I cut the whole squash and saved some for later, since I had the time and it’s convenient to just have things cut up already. I’m also saving the seeds to toast them. We use to do that with our pumpkin seeds. I remember taking them to the movies and just munching away.

: In you go! I steamed the squash with cinnamon sticks.

I think I over steamed them… well not really. They were just very soft, and I could’ve probably made a mash out of them. I’ll do that next time. Have you guys ever tried mashed sweet potato – or mashed zucchini? The recipe for the mashed zucchini is so good! Epicurious.com is one of my favorite recipe sites.

So the first thing I decided to do with the squash was a simple addition of ground cinnamon. I packed it up along with some other things and brought it with me to meet up for lunch with my mom. I also packed some duck sauce, just in case. The duck sauce really didn’t do much actually. I think the flavor comes out more with crunchier things… like fried noodles!!! So good. I’ll post pictures of my little lunch meet-up with my mom, tomorrow. Anyway, the kabocha was delicious even by itself. It’s mildly sweet and I loved the soft texture from steaming it. By the way, if you steam the kabocha long enough you can eat the skin as well!

Now my creative juices started flowing when dinner time was creeping up. Hmm… what could possibly go well with kabocha, while keeping it’s Asian flair.

: Then I came up with the idea of making a colorful salad!

I cooked my ingredients beforehand so I could keep them in the fridge long enough to cool down. So here’s what I did:

Steam the kabocha. Cook edamame. Cube mango. Refrigerate!

Then quickly before serving I toasted some unsweetened coconut shreds. I also whipped up a little dressing to go over it. I don’ have any measurements but I mixed together soy sauce, sugar, lemon juice, and rice vinegar. I definitely did not do equal parts. Just think about what flavors you want to come out, and taste as you go.

Alongside, I toasted some bakery bread and slathered it with avocado and tomato. You can never go wrong with avocado. This tasted very different! But definitely in a good way. There were so many uniquely juxtaposed flavors that surprisingly went well together. I had some leftovers for breakfast the next day. I won’t be sharing that till tomorrow!

I hope everyone enjoys their Friday! And since a lot of you will be traveling, stay safe!

Part 3

Posted on July 16, 2009 by Katharina

Overnight oats with peaches, bananas, and coconut oil.

I was missing some of my usual morning eats, so I whipped a bowl of overnight oats. Yes, when I got back to the hotel room the prior night kind of tipsy I thought about this. What can I say? The first time I’ve had this in a mug too! Okay, I have a confession to make. I used the coconut oil my mom puts on her hair, but the bottle said it was edible. I didn’t get sick, but it tasted weird. Never doing that again… unless I’m desperate.

Mom and I went to the fitness center and I made use of my iPod and podcast collection I’ve accumulated. I’ve never done this before, but I followed my YogaDownloads recordings. It was cool because I kind of felt like I was guiding my own yoga time. Not to mention, I usually start my Saturdays by going to a yoga class, so I was kind of keeping up with my routine.

Afterwards, we all went downstairs to really start our day!

I met up with my parents downstairs for breakfast and asked for a cup of green tea.

Green tea with lime

I asked for a cup of green tea and they surprised with a lime rather than the usual lemon.

Then this was spotted.

I believe this was a blintz with oatmeal. Whatever it was, it was so good!

Being forced to take a picture together ugh. Kidding of course - love you Mom!

I think you guys can guess what we did next. Beach time!

My mom is going to kill me for posting this, but I think she looks adorable!

A friend and I have an insider that if we ever go bald we'll have one strand that'll survive. And that's mine!!!

A friend and I have a joke that if we ever go bald we'll have one strand of hair that'll survive. And that's mine!!!

Guess what? I tried Amazing Grass’s Whole Food Energy Bar. I really wasn’t into it. But I’m looking forward to trying the chocolate one because I tried the chocolate flavored GREENSuperFood powder and I really liked it. So I gave the rest of the bar to my parents. I think they like anything I give them because they were all like, “mmm!” To each his own.

After some hours of swimming and sunning we headed back to get ready to meet up with some friends for dinner. The only real plans we had the whole vacation! I was looking forward to this because they’re such wonderful people to be around. Actually they are the relatives of my old boyfriend who passed away. We’ve only known them for about 3 years, but they treat us like family. That means no formalities, plenty of bear hugs, and burping if you’ve got the urge.

I totally forgot they have a St. Bernard!

His name is Diesel.

He was like a big baby and the perfect pillow! I think these dogs are incredible, and they said he’s related to the dog from one of the Beethoven movies. How many are there anyway? It’s like the Land Before Time series – there are so many!

It's like an outdoor kitchen! Grilling some seafood with homemade sauces.

They have about 3+ acres, and they take so much care of it. What’s even better is that they actually get to enjoy it too!

Gigantic baby!!! Watch out for that tail.

Imagine how big his poo must be! Oi vey!

They set up stations in the kitchen and on the table. We built our own salads and grabbed the mix-ins with our hands! I didn’t take a picture of mine but I made a huge salad with the veggies, chickpeas, avocado, and I mixed in some pastina. Pastina is a pasta that’s so small it looks like cous cous. Moreover, they had marinated artichokes and peppers that were delicious. I also helped myself to some sesame semolina bread with butter. Oh man, I kept popping those cherry tomatoes in my mouth – they were extra tasty. Do you guys like the goblets for the wine? I love using out of the ordinary things, just makes it more special and silly.

The real reason I was looking forward to dinner with our friends.

Debbie had baked a blueberry sour cream cake. She also shared with us that this was her first time using cardamom. When she told us this, I was even more excited to try it! It was so good and you could taste the cardamom. I mean it smelled divine, but it tasted heavenly. After dinner, we just stayed at the table and kept talking for hours. Our families exchanged crazy stories. My mom – she’s like a movie spoiler – likes to start out this one story with, “did I ever tell you the one about the serial killer we met?” Mom! You’re not suppose to say that at the beginning. Regardless, she tells the story because, frankly, you’d be crazy not to want to hear it! It was getting late, we said our goodbyes and headed back to the hotel.

Day three of our vacation was one filled nostalgia – from the overnight oats, Saturday morning yoga, and one of the best families we know. With that in mind this young lady peacefully went to sleep.

Part 4 tomorrow! It’s taken me almost a week to recap my vacation for you guys!

p.s. I’m going to save my surprise supermarket find for tomorrow. Hmm what could it be?

Get To the Good Part Already!

Posted on July 15, 2009 by Katharina

So guys I know I said I would post Part 3 today. But I’m going to be like those evil soap operas and leave you hanging. Don’t worry though, I will do it tomorrow. Not! Just kidding. Anyway, this is what I’ve been doing in the kitchen lately.

I figured out that pepper jack cheese and apple butter taste awesome together.

Can I get a what what?

But I didn't forget about my beloved grilled mango chutney and cheddar cheese sandwich.

Eggplant, avocado, tomato sauce, topped with Katie's vegan alfredo sauce.

I used the last of Katie’s sauce I made. This is not a farewell, just… see you later! Definitely a keeper.

And now presenting a real kitchen experiment! As most of you know, Katie is hosting a pancake making bonanza! She’s encouraging all of us to get creative and dream up some delicious pancake recipes. Well, I decided to make Vegan Pound Cake Pancakes. Lots of cake, huh? Now I was looking at a ton of versions of pancake and pound cake recipes. I was trying to figure out what ingredients I could use to stick true to both recipes, as they have different consistencies. I don’t think this is really rocket science, but I wanted to get it right. I’m telling you, this was so much fun! My dad was over in the office and I was exclaiming to him everything I was doing. “Dad! It’s actually working!” Oops, I forgot to tell him what I was up to. Who knows what he was thinking. Anyway, the key ingredient in these babies was tofu! So here goes…

Pound cake pancakes on the griddle.

Pound cake pancakes à enfourner.

And what do we get?

They came out, but they were too perfect looking I thought.

I like them better like this!

So I put the oven pancakes on the griddle and they puffed up!

I cut up some fruits to go with our pancakes... FOR DINNER!

My parents did not mind one bit having breakfast for dinner. We enjoyed this possibly as much as the lovely Lauren.

My experiment being served!

Naked!!!

I'm digging the outfit!

My pancakes decided to wear a cashew cream top borrowed from Monica, accessorized with cinnamon, and a last minute decision… maple syrup!

So what made these pancakes kind of like pound cakes?

Moist on the inside. Does this count as food porn?

You better believe I licked my plate clean.

You can check my recipe page for this yummy treat! I had some pancakes leftover for breakfast today.

Voila!

This morning I was reminiscing of Germany and how I ate my pancakes there. I usually would put applesauce on mine (instead of apple slices), just how I eat my latkes. But today I cut up an apple, spread some coconut oil on the pancake, and sprinkled the whole shebang with cinnamon and powdered sugar. This was, to put it lightly, absolutely wonderful. On the other pancake I used up the rest of the cashew cream with a pit of cherry marmalade and amaretto syrup. I also had a bowl of yogurt with sliced strawberries, Zoe’s Cinnamon Raisin granola, and a small blob of cashew cream. The only complaint I have about the granola is that it should have more raisins. Fortunately, I have a huge container of raisins so my problem was resolved.

In the words of Fat Bastard, "get in muh belly!"

So fresh and so clean clean!

Now on to some other things I’ve stumbled upon in the blogging world that I tried this past week.

Banana soft serve topped with almond butter, duh!

Uh, Gena, you need to compile your own cookbook! You’ve got a real knack for recipes.

Despite having a crapload of bars to try already, I went ahead and made this purchase.

I’ve seen these Honest bars on Kath’s blog, and they always sounded so yummy. This one was small, but mighty in flavor! I smeared coconut oil on it because I apparently like putting it on everything. I love the subtle flavor it gives things. I guess what coconut oil is to me is like almond butter to others.

Last but not least…

Young coconut!

After a fun, intense dance class I had my dad help me open this coconut. My dad is so use to busting things open I was like, “no no just cut in a square at the top.” He managed to cut it open with such grace. Thanks dad! Luckily, I found my squiggly straw to suck down this delicious and thirst-quenching water. I had to replenish myself for the Harry Potter movie!!!

Stay still you guys!

I guess that's kind of better?

Waiting ever so patiently...

Must. Stay. Awake.

I was so hyper while we were outside waiting in line. Then when the movie started… I did the unimaginable and fell asleep. I always do that! Eventually I woke up and pretended that didn’t happen. I can’t say that I can give a fair review of the movie because I was asleep for part of it. But from what I did see, I think the other movies are better. Atleast I’ve always got my books!

I hope you all had a wonderful Wednesday. It’s the time of week when you can say, “almost there.” Almost!

So tomorrow’s post will include Part 3 as promised, and another special surprise. Ooo I can’t wait!

Part 2

Posted on July 14, 2009 by Katharina

Part 2 of my vacation is here! This was probably the most fun day out of all of them. I swam so much in the ocean. I love the ocean! Some people told my mom that I looked like a mermaid the way I was swimming. Maybe I was one in my past life? Anyway, I found a lot of beautiful seashells while I was in the ocean, and did plenty of floating. The water is so calm in the Gulf Coast that you can float without a care.

Mom and I woke up early and we wanted to make use of the fitness center. I got to sample one of the Luna bars that were sent to me. Which one did I decide to try? White Chocolate Macadamia! This was surprisingly good. I like white chocolate and macadamias but sometimes I find that Luna bars have this strange iron-taste to them. At the gym I got to enjoy an episode of Saved by the Bell. I haven’t watched that show in forever. If I met Screech in person I think I would’ve had a huge crush on him, and Zack too! After some muscle building we headed downstairs to have breakfast.

: The way I did up those bagels reminds me of Black and White cookies.

The banana nut muffin was very yummy too. And in that ramekin is oatmeal brulee. I wasn’t too keen on the flavor of that one, but it sounded interesting!

After breakfast we just hungout for a bit. I wanted to go to the sauna and see what was up. At first I was really confused because I didn’t know how to turn it on. Finally I figured it out, but I had to wait awhile for the room to actually heat up. Oh man, it definitely heated up! I kind of lost track of time since I was reading, then I heard my phone ring. “When are we going to the beach?” Since we had reciprocal guest privileges at this other hotel, we headed over to their beach!

: Before we started sweating pools.

: Dying in the intense heat.

I can’t imagine sunning on the beach all day without dipping into the ocean. The heat got to be unbearable, so at that point was when I got my mermaid swim on, and went looking for seashells. The water was so refreshing and we pretty much stayed in it for the rest of the time we stayed at the beach. We headed back to the hotel around 6 or 7. I can’t remember, but I know it didn’t feel like it was that late! It’s crazy how long summer days can seem.

: Mom and the crazy things she does while getting ready. Her mound of hair is being held up by curlers… I mean she just has a really big brain.

We managed to get ready before the sunset. Over on the Gulf Coast the sun sets over the water. It’s so beautiful. It was a bit cloudy that evening though, but the lighting still made everything look serene.

: We look like midgets!

: Modern version of Falkor!

: Hey Brooke! It’s a smaller version of a party bus!

: Uh oh

: Cute couple over here!

: I want to go sailing some time soon.

: Family shot.

: My kingdom mwahaha

: Stunned by Deatheaters!

: Bahaha actually I think my mom was!

: Oh my god! He’s alive!!!

: I look creepy. Watch out Mom!

: I’m a proud daughter! Look at my mama!

: Oh crap! We almost missed the tram back to the hotel.

: We walked around the pool area for a bit.

: Dipping her toes in the jacuzzi.

: Monkey child!

: There was a small cave thing by the waterslide that reminded me of the Playboy mansion grotta haha

: About to get our drink on.

: It was Veuve night.

: Little kids about to get crazy!

: Little kids that are already crazy!

: Mom can’t stay still.

: Discovered I like mojitos.

: And millionaire’s coffee too!

: But I already knew that I love desserts!

: We went back outside.

: Wouldn’t it be nice to fall asleep outside?

: Looks like someone did!

: Before we called it a night, I stopped to check my e-mail.

: And my parents patiently waited.

Oh! I almost forgot. When we got back from the beach, my mom spotted a cute guy around my age. So we were on a mission to spot him later on. Maybe he’d also be at the happy hour? We didn’t see him there but I atleast I had some other eye candy: the personal trainer at the gym. I wish I went to the tennis courts with my dad, I bet there would’ve been some cuties over there!

: Thought you guys would enjoy this little girl happily eating her avocado! (I just found this picture online)

Harry Potter comes out tonight! I have my ticket and I’m so excited. I just need to stay awake. Who am I kidding? How could I possibly fall asleep during a Harry Potter movie?

Moreover, yesterday I received a package from Kardea. All of the flavors sound incredible!!! Banana Walnut, Chai Spice, Cranberry Almond, and Lemon Ginger. I might not be able to choose just one to try at one time.

Get ready for Part 3 tomorrow!

Part 1

Posted on July 13, 2009 by Katharina

I got back from vacation yesterday afternoon. I surprised myself by actually being able to relax. So much fun was had, and we were pretty much schedule free the entire time. Over the next few days I’ll give you a recap little by little. There are so many pictures! My parents actually took charge of my camera some of the time. I’m so use to always being the one behind the camera. Does this mean there are pictures of me where I’m not the one holding the camera?! Anyway, I can feel that my stress level went down a lot during this vacation. It was nice to temporarily let go of daily responsibilities. But now that I’m back, I’m going to try to incorporate relaxation time more often in my day, even just little moments of deep breathing.

And so it begins…

We got in very late to the hotel, so were a little too tired to get a tour of the grounds. Who knew what we would awaken to? I think it’s funny how a single place can look so different from day to night.

: Mom and I got ready to have breakfast downstairs.

Where we had our breakfasts.: I love artisan bread! I’m not sure what the jam was made out of, but I put a smidge of cream cheese – I wasn’t sure if it was plain.

In the back is a bowl of bircher muesli I topped with strawberries, caramelized walnuts, and granola. This was the best muesli I’ve ever had! Of course, we both drank a cup of green tea.

After breakfast we went exploring around the hotel.

The very zen inspired Golden Door Spa.

Part of the lobby.

I took the escalators up to the ballrooms. The view from up above, hello everybody!

: The “chill-out lounge”

We also found the fitness center. The treadmills all had a view of the ocean. They also had a stretching area, which would turn out to be the perfect spot for me to get my yoga on. We also found the sauna, steam room, and eucalyptus room. I have some dried eucalyptus plants in my room in Virginia. Whenever I go out of town, since I keep my doors closed, the smell inhabits my room. I love it!

: After we got ready for the beach, I decided to walk through the mangroves to the beach.

Before sitting in the sun. Actually I don't know why I look so white (for me) in this picture haha.

Both of us rockin' the aviators. Like mother like daughter!

Breaking into Zoe's Heavenly Apple bar.

Another Zoe Foods product review! I liked this bar a lot. I tend to favor bars that have a grainy texture, and not the ones that seem like a solid block. It was very apple-y and had a good texture. This bar was also satisfying enough to get me through till lunch time.

As I was walking along the shoreline, I found this little cove.

It felt like I found a secret location.

Seafoam!

I cut up some cucumbers before our trip to ensure we'd have some fresh veggies.

Cucumbers are so refreshing and perfect for eating on hot summer days. I find that whenever I travel, simple fresh foods strive to make an appearance. I don’t know why, but fresh fruit and vegetables are really the only things I get cravings for. It drives me crazy when I get cravings, so even on road trips I make sure to pack a bag of carrots and apples.

After lunch and a nap (I actually took a nap), we headed back down to the beach.

So beautiful!

Taking my mom hostage!

We finally called it a day for the beach. Dad and I went on a Whole Foods run.

My favorite thing were the little Yuca Queso balls, and I really liked the tofu in Thai Chili sauce too. Umm... actually I liked it all!

We also brought back some yummy things for my mom.

I finally got around to taking a shower! Hey, you guys found out a secret - I wear glasses sometimes.

Enjoying the breeze and view from the balcony.

Last but not least, a cup of Sleepytime tea to end my first day in Naples.

p.s. I want to thank you all for your sentiments on my last post. They mean a lot to me. Actually, you guys all matter to me! I love reading everybody’s stories and finding out new things about each person in their posts. Keeping a blog kind of feels like having pen-pals.

p.s.s. If there are any new readers, don’t be shy, just say hi!

Stay tuned for Part 2 of my vacation. And now I’m signing off to enjoy my Monday. Hope you enjoy yours too!

Katharina's Food Adventures

Monthly Archives: July 2009

Dog Days of Summer

Summertime is the Right Time

The Show Must Go On

Kind of Latin Rhythm

Say Hello to My Little Friend

Part 4 and a Special Surprise

Part 3

Get To the Good Part Already!

Part 2

Part 1