Here’s a little recap of my time down in Florida, which was mostly spent on the Gulf coast.
- It seemed like a secret spot.
Tag Archives: beach
Cheers To Twenty-Four Years
Greetings, friends! I’m currently in Florida’s Gulf for the week to celebrate my birthday, which is today! I enjoy celebrating in some way, even if it’s small. So far I’ve spent most of the day just floating in the ocean. What’s the most special thing to me though, is all of the love that gets sent my way. It keeps me smiling all day long, and I feel so blessed.
Just thought I’d drop in and say hello with a few pictures.
- Birthday bliss
- Birthday breakfast: I made slow-cooked omelettes with a fruity surprise…
The omelettes were filled with sautéed strawberries with cinnamon, diced apple, banana, and cherries. On top I served some goat milk yogurt, chopped pecans, and carob chips. Good morning!
- Breakfast outdoors on another day.
- Having the beach all to ourselves, one more reason to jump in the ocean in my birthday suit!
- Leaning back to back with my mom…
- while watching the sun set over the ocean.
I hope you all enjoy the holiday weekend!
The Meaningful Ones
Thinking about the warm weather, and coming back to cold weather has been on my mind lately. I try not to let the weather bring me down, but sometimes it’s hard! Something I thought about the other day is that weather is humbling for me. Weather and mother nature are greater than our expectations of it. Wind can make fun of me when it pushes me forward or gets me eating my own hair. The breeze welcomes me to relax into it. When it rains sometimes I imagine that clouds are just giant sprinklers and I can run through them. Whatever it may be like outside, it’s bigger than me and I’m okay with that.
- I loved being able to have the windows open in the morning and breathing in fresh air.
Stepping outside and feeling warmth on my skin.
- Brötchen for breakfast.
My parents frequent the several German bakeries in their area and always bring home things that are nostalgic for me.
- Hopefully soon I’ll be back over in Germany walking to the bakery and bringing home some freshly baked rolls!
- Over the break I also tried some local bee pollen.
This had such a curious taste, and I can’t really explain it but I’m not complaining.
- I had to buy another bar because little Matilda ate the entire bar one night!
By some miracle she did not get sick at all! That whole bar is twice the amount that is toxic for her, and I don’t know how she managed to eat something that is almost as long as her. She’s a supa freak! [Supa freak, supa freakayyy! Ow!]
- Chilled oatmeal, incognito chopped dates, diced apple, Greek yogurt, honey, bee pollen, and…
- Toasted hemp seeds with sea salt-yum.
- We went to a place where you could browse through a long list of beers.
I am all about options, and I chose a pear cider. This was so yummy, and tasted like an “older kid’s” version of pear juice in a box.
- Followed by the one blurry picture before my camera died.
- Threw together a random lunch
Raw red Russian kale with dressing, leftover yellow split pea soup, and…
- During the week I made a batch of refried beans and coconut-sesame seed rice.
The coconut-sesame seed rice recipe is from my “Ayurvedic Cooking for Westerners” book, and I’ll give you a brief description so maybe you can give it a try! Cook some basmati rice with ghee and salt. Then when the rice is done cooking, heat up some ghee in a small pan and fry equal amounts of shredded coconut and sesame seeds till they’re lightly browned. Mix in with the cooked rice, salt to taste, and garnish with cilantro. I’ve posted about this recipe before. It’s so simple and incredibly flavorful!
- Guess who joined us halfway through the week!
Emily was staying a few hours away from us for a few days, and then she decided she was ready for girl time!
- Ohh the beach, how I love you!
- One of the days after soaking in some sun I wanted to share, in my humble opinion, one of the best ice creams.
- Mmm vanilla island coconut ice cream
This is going to sound corny, but this really is coconut bliss.
- And they all agreed!
Apparently Coconut Bliss has come out with four new flavors, and one of them is on my radar–ginger cookie caramel!
- During my break I wanted to take on a culinary challenge.
I had bookmarked Marni’s White, Red, and Green Italian Braid recipe awhile ago, and I thought this was a good time to finally make it!
- Mix it well!
- My fillings of choice: homemade pesto, tomato sauce, (all marinated) roasted red peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes, mozzarella, and goat cheese.
- No parchment paper made this step a bit tricky.
- But the challenge was completed!
- Delicious! You could make this bread on a free night and have slices throughout the week when you’re on-the-go.
- We also spent some time strolling along and people watching.
- Found charming streets
- A hideaway perhaps?
- A special dinner was in order–to celebrate my mother’s recent promotion.
She’s such an intelligent woman and is so dedicated to what she does! Hearing her stories from work and her benevolent attitude towards the people that work for her makes me proud.
- My mom had fun taking pictures of us girls goofing off, and I’m pretty sure she was being silly behind the camera too.
- Coconut curry bursting with tofu, pineapples, and vegetables.
I hadn’t gone out for Thai food in such a long time! I requested that they also add some grated ginger, and much to my delight I saw AND tasted that they actually did. I’m never afraid to make special requests. If you’re polite about it then why not? I was left feeling satisfied and with yummy leftovers.
- There was a special dinner the next night as well.
I steamed a bundle of asparagus and sprinkled on sea salt, drizzling of lemon juice, and a pat of butter. For the mushrooms I sautéed onions and garlic, then I turned down the heat and threw in the mushrooms with some salt and herbes de provence. Once the mushrooms softened I turned the heat down to low and mixed in a splash of balsamic, a few spoonfuls of goat cheese and Greek yogurt, and some cracked peppercorns. Let it simmer for a bit so the flavors blend together. Now the mashed potatoes were just a basic recipe but there was a special ingredient: black truffle salt. I served that with a pat of butter as well.
- Filled with lots of love…
- For my friends and family!
- We were sad to leave and so was Lone Duck.
- But I hope they come down with me again soon!
- I love my friends with all my heart.
Spending the week with them in paradise was wonderful. I live with Emily right now, and we just have such a great understanding and appreciation for each other. I always feel funny just calling her my roommate because she is so much more than that to me. She is someone that I can stand in flamingo stance with while talking about our thoughts on life and the world around us. Sway is also one of the coolest ladies that I’ve ever met. She lives further up north so I don’t get to see her that often, but it’s always really nice when we do. We’ll have the same thoughts or do the same things as each other and it can be really freaky sometimes, but I love it! Actually, there was a week where I was eating lots of roasted beets and grilled goat cheese sandwiches, and when I told her that she told me that she had been making them too! It’s so awesome to be so connected with someone. These ladies are so easy to be around, and I can’t think of a time where we felt like making a fuss towards each other. I bet that the people they encounter in their lives can’t help but feel touched and graced by their presence. Both of them are so special and thinking about them and that they are in my life brings me peace.
I think we all have those special people in ours lives that seem to complete us.
Sharing the Sun with My Friends
Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well. It’s been a little while since my last post, and a lot has happened in the world, hasn’t it? Before I jump into my post I just wanted to share some links with you all that help towards the relief efforts over in Japan. When the news kept unfolding during the first couple of days my mind couldn’t help but wonder how the people in Japan were handling the situation. I know that Eastern thought is very different from the western mentality. While some in the west may be frantic, I had a feeling that the people in Japan were trying to be calm and collected about the situation. I think they already have a sense that the world is much bigger than they are, and that catastrophic things in nature are a part of it. Well, that’s just my thinking. Here are some links though that you all may be interested in:
Last week I was in Florida with two close friends of mine for spring break. Oh my goodness, I wish we could all go back, but life doesn’t always work out like that. Atleast we have memories and pictures to look back on though, right?
- We were ready to leave the cold weather behind.
- A good way to use up the last of some Greek yogurt.
- Pit stop for munchies.
- Pit stop to escape a major creep that was harassing us on the highway.
We finally made it home after a lot of scary incidents. By the time we got my parents house all we wanted to do was go to sleep.
- The next morning I woke up and I knew I wanted something refreshing.
- Chilled oatmeal, diced apple, Greek yogurt, mixed nuts, and honey.
- Papaya from our tree and an arepa de choclo from the local Colombian bakery
- Then I found this gem in the cupboards.
- My parents got honey from a local beekeeper.
This was one of the best honeys I’ve ever tasted. It was thick and had such a wonderful unique flavor. Whenever I get honey I try keep it local as it also helps with allergies. Later on we strolled along Mizner Park, an outdoor place for shopping, dining, and entertainment.
- We stopped by a heavenly store.
As soon as I saw the words “Spice & Tea Exchange” I knew we had to go in. After oh-ing and ah-ing at all the wonderful blends of herbs and spices we settled on some to take home with us: almond cookie tea, blood orange smoothie tea, berry white tea, and black truffle salt. All of these things smelled deliciously potent, and my imagination started to get carried away.
- After dinner we enjoyed some treats my step-dad brought back from the German bakery: cherry quark küchen and rhubarb quark küchen.
- The next day involved the beach!
- Packed some rye bread, homemade hummus, and some other goodies.
- For dinner I made a cous cous, bean, and vegetable salad.
Add some goat cheese for the final ‘pow’.
- Dinner was followed by spooky beauty treatments.
- That was also the night before Matilda would shrink down to three times this size.
Despite it being warm, I felt like making yellow split pea soup.
You can click over here for the recipe. It’s simple and delicious.
Especially when you've got buttered rye bread for dipping.
One of my favorite parts of this trip was getting to hang out with some of my best friends.
They are the kind of people that are okay with sitting in silence, and don’t mind when I want to vent. Plus, they know how to have fun! Here’s a quote that sums up what I love about these ladies:
“Your friendships should be low maintenance. Life is stressful enough with work, relationships and family. You don’t need someone in your life that you dread contact with.“
-J. Harvey
Speaking of friends, I’d like to give a shout out to the beautiful, Jen! She used to write a food blog, and now she is back with a new blog! She’s also attending culinary school so it’ll be exciting to read about what she’s learning. Check it out here.
Oh and Matilda wanted me to show you guys her new look.
Stay tuned for the next recap!
p.s. my mother nominated me for a contest on Perricone’s site on Facebook, and I’d greatly appreciate it if you click this link and “like” my picture! But first you have to have “like” the Perricone MD page on Facebook. Thank you very much!
Remember Me?
Oh wow! I can’t believe it’s already June. It’s been awhile since my last post hasn’t it? Well, there’s a lot to catch up on. I foresee recap posts in the near future! And don’t worry I won’t disappear on you again. I have quite a bit of catching up to do myself.
Let me just rewind a couple weeks back to when I was at the beach. I mostly ate a lot of…
Sun-dried tomato hummus!
Almonds, honey, dried cranberries, and white chocolate chip granola
And platefuls of delicious pasta dishes!
Now here are pictures of some of the fun that was had!
Losing my Chat Roulette virginity!
There I go making everyone lose their balance.
Headed out to go dancing!
Texting wars were had.
Hole in the wall places.
She was happy to have a warm meal.
That's right girl!
I spy a domestic hottie!
Now I spy lots of hotties!
Being sneaky and capturing some brave guys on the beach.
Lots and lots of relaxing
Okay let's see if I can get a good one!
Wee!
Limitless
Catching the sunset while eating
On the hunt for ice cream
The beach trip was exactly what I needed. Despite being in a house full of estrogen (which can often be a recipe for disaster), it was relaxing. I’d wake up and leisurely make breakfast then hang around. I was able to do yoga outside on the deck and get the full effect of sun salutations. After lunch we’d all cross the street and we were already on the beach. Our hungry bellies would guide us back to the house and we’d just hang around till the nightfall. The witching hour meant card games, movies with heart throbs and lessons for life… just hanging out with friends. Some nights we would go out and dance, and I’m always up for that! The day I got back from the beach I had to do my laundry, pack, and organize some last minute things because my flight to New York was just a few hours away. Luckily, I finished all the tasks at hand and caught my flight. I can’t wait to share my recent trip to New York with all of you.
In latest news, Late July is giving away coupons and the chance to win an organic beach bag filled with organic goodies for your summer road trips this summer!
To enter send an email to offers@latejuly.com with your mailing address and post a comment on Facebook or at www.latejuly.com to tell them where you’d like to take your family this summer or please share a special trip experience from the past. Their trip this year was their favorite, but they’re hoping to get a few good ideas from you for next year. All submissions will get coupons, but their favorite will also WIN a Late July Beach Bag filled with at least $50 worth of Late July Organic Snacks, a $25 iTunes gift card and they’ll also carbon offset your trip!
p.s. while I was on my mini-hiatus I turned 22! The big two-two? What will this year behold for me? Who knows, but I’m looking forward to it! Stay tuned for my New York recap. I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the season!
Still Soaking Up the Sun
Where has the time gone? It’s seeming to escape me! Anyway let me get down to business. Where was I? Ah yes, recapping my spring break in Florida!
Lots of overnight oats were had, and my friend even tried it (and liked it!)
She also started putting nut butters in her oats! There’s no looking back now hehe.
I made my overnight oats with something new my parents had in their fridge.
At first when I tried the Wild Wood Soyogurt itself I didn’t really like it. But it started to grow on me, and it definitely didn’t taste funky in my overnight oats. So the oats were soaked in this yogurt with raisins, rose water, and cinnamon. Topped in the morning with coconut milk, pistachios, and a sliced banana.
Packed sandwiches, nuts, and some veggies for the beach.
It was so windy that my sandwich became a real “sand”wich! After the beach we headed to the local discount healthfood store.
I got some new things to try...
I also snagged a can of organic pumpkin puree since it’s rare to find one nowadays. I also finally got myself some of my favorite candies… Ginger People’s crystallized ginger m’mmm. I love letting these soak in my tea. I also spotted the Luna protein bar and I got the flavor that appealed to me the most (cookie dough). It was okay, but I don’t think I’m really into the texture of those kinds of bars. I’m more of a whole ingredient bar lady. All of the other goodies are new to me except for the coconut water.
I also stocked my freezer up. Can you tell I'm a college girl?
My favorite sandwich bread for PB&Js!
My friend couldn't decide which chocolate to get so I made it easy for her and exclaimed at this one! SOOO DELICIOUS!
I just had to marvel at the colors!
I had the leftover curried tofu my mom made, a sweet potato with cinnamon and coconut oil, and a salad with a homemade blueberry vinaigrette. Delicious thrown together meal.
More overnight oats + aloe vera on the side
Toppings: coconut milk, Kashi GoLean Crunch, sliced banana, pistachios, and a strawberry compote with honey
Holy yum! I loved the various textures in this breakfast and the fresh flavors. Strawberries and bananas are a fruit combination that never fail.
I made us a nice lunch before we headed out to go shopping!
This turned out to be so flavorful!
I wanted to fix the tofu so it’d be like orange chicken. I found a recipe that sounded good, then added some veggies and cooked some egg noodles. Then we were out!
I took her to Paul, a french bakery franchise.
Rainforest Cafe can get a little crazy... especially if I'm there!
Let’s just say I had a lot of fun going around the store with the hand puppets they sell. What can I say? My imagination is still going strong.
Tried on an amazing Alexander Wang dress.
We had a very successful shopping trip, and left the mall elated with the "shopper's high".
Check it out!!!
We got home and had dinner.
Mom made rotkohl (red cabbage) with apples, pan-heated parathas, avocado, and I quickly fried some tofu with a Key Lime Ginger sauce.
And while I was in Florida I enjoyed dates (organic on sale for $1!) with the cashew-macadamia butter I made for my mom.
I have to admit, that date looks inappropriate, but I’ll just leave it at that haha. Anyway, I’m still not done recapping my break down in Florida. So hold on to your seats because there’s more to come. I just hope my next post is sooner than later! Next thing you know it’s going to be April already.
New York Recap Part 4
So this is it folks. The last post of my recap, but like I said – I have a lot of exciting things to show you guys. Like different things I’ve concocted in the kitchen – and my roommate whipping some stuff up as well!
During my last couple of days, I purposely let my groceries dwindle down. What a better excuse to just go out and eat? “Uh there’s nothing in the fridge!”
I have been on a sandwich craze lately, and that started in New York. So I looked up vegetarian places around New York that have been dubbed incredible. One of the first places I hit up is this little place called Curly’s Lunch. For anyone who lives there or is visiting, I recommend going here. They have an extensive menu that will make you hungry just looking at it.
- Curly’s Vegetarian Lunch
Walls filled with art.
A lot of people feel weird going out to eat alone. But I was able to just sit, savor the food, and the people around me. It’s a perfect opportunity for people watching! Two guy friends were joking over a breakfast fit for kings! They barely had any space on the table, it was filled with delicious looking pancakes, their famous fries, and sandwiches.
- I had such a hard time deciding what to get. So I settled for the Fauxphilly Cheesesteak.
I read a lot of the reviews saying how the service was horrible, but it really wasn’t at all. They were very attentive and friendly.
After my lunch I just walked around. I went down Irving St., and Bleecker and somehow ended up in BCBG. Not that I’m complaining of course!
And I played dress up for a bit!
Then I headed over to St. Marks and went into this Indian store that was bursting with things.
So many colours!
And religious crafts.
I knew I had to be back in Brooklyn by 6, so I cut my time in Manhattan short. For dinner we were meeting up with one of Liz’s family members at her favorite Mexican restaurant, Vera Cruz.
Such a nice atmosphere for outdoor dining.
It was almost as if we were just hanging out in someones backyard.
I ordered a Veggie Burrito with the vegetables of the day stuffed inside. I remember it having cauliflower, carrots, and something else? It was delicious, and I’d never had salsa verde. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the sauce, but the burrito itself was yummy. I just wished I had remembered to ask for extra guacamole inside.
Veggie Burrito
Yummy strawberry daiquiri that gives you brain freeze right away!
After dinner we headed over to Pennylicks for some ice cream. By the way, their vegan cookie dough ice cream is so good!
Forces unite!
After hanging out with Liz’s cousin and watching her friend’s band play, we went over to this shop called Buffalo Exchange. If you’re in Brooklyn, definitely stop by this place! They have so many things, and it’s fairly priced. Which is surprising for New York because usually thrift stores are even overpriced. I guess you can find amazing and not-quite-so deals. For instance, $1 ice cream and $1 pizza?
You could get lost for hours in this place.
This had some crazy bead work!
We headed back home after walking through McCaren Park.
And Liz proceeded with her beauty routine.
Must dry!
Liz's roommate, Kelsea. She's very sweet!
Liz did some funny things when she had her mask on. Just missing the curlers and fuzzy slippers.
We stayed in that night, even though I wanted to go dancing. But I knew that we had a long day ahead of us. Our plan was to go to the Hamptons so I could meet some of Liz’s good friends – that’s basically where she grew up. Too bad we weren’t going to where Ina Garten resides.
Long Island Summe Ale
Knocked Liz's sunglasses off, my bad!
AWW!!!
Attempting to create a totem pole.
Mission accomplished!
Splash!
We buried Adam in the sand, and made him a lobster.
So we did this instead of participating in the sand castle contest. By the way, if you want to hear funny accents you should head out to Long Island!
Shaun turned into a drill sgt.
The boys reminded me of the lost boys from Peter Pan. They were bursting with energy and up for anything. It was really refreshing to be around them.
Starting a fire.
Getting super grimy!
Maybe this will work?
AH!
Success!
Then we used the sticks as flashlights and made cool light pictures.
My favorite.
With a lighter, and you can see Adam's shadow.
Liz the little magician!
It was so nice.
The beach was pitch black by the time we set out the fire and headed back. Walking barefoot seemed like a good idea, but once we got to the parking lot I wanted my shoes! However, it was so dark and cold I decided to suck it up. We went back to Adam’s place and hung out in his pool and ordered some good old late night pizza. Surprisingly, they chose peppers and onions as their toppings. Adam also had mushroom veggieburgers in his freezer that I happily accepted! Since his school is far from home, SUNY Purchase out in Cali, his parents gave him the poolhouse as his room.
It's so awesome!
There’s a ladder that goes up to… an attic? Not sure, but it’s a ton of extra space. We slept with all the French doors and windows open. What a nice last night in New York.
Shaun's wake up call!
Liz and I got ready and headed back to New York. I had a list of things I wanted to get on my last day.
First stop:
Sullivan St. Bakery
Liz got a mini rice pudding.
Steccas with different things like tomatoes and cheese.
Supposedly, Sullivan St. Bakery has some of the best bread in New York.
Off to the next stop!
Amy's Bread!
Unfortunately, they weren’t making red velvet cupcakes that day. But you know what? They had red velvet cake. So I got a slice of that. Amy’s Bread is known for their recipe! We walked around the Village for a bit. It might be one of my favorite areas – it ties with Gramercy Park. Afterwards, we headed to St. Marks because I wanted some damn good falafels. Where did we go?
Mamoun's! This was less than $3!
While I was enjoying this, a junkie came over to me and was talking about how much St. Marks had changed. I can imagine how rock-n-roll it use to be. Anyway, after a good amount of talking he decided to leave me and go take a nap. Sounded like a good idea to me… he was… definitely out of it.
After that, I wanted to make one more stop, which so happened to be near the bus that would whisk me away. Tucked away in busy Chinatown is a little…
Vegetarian Dim Sum House
Just thinking about their dumplings is making me hungry! I always wanted to try dumplings and buns, but they’re usually filled with pork or other things I don’t eat.
Spinach dumplings!
Sorry for the bluriness. This was on the bus back home.
Oh my gosh! How could I forget to tell you guys this! So when I was waiting for my bus back home there was mass confusion. I ended up overhearing that my bus was across the street. So I ran with my crapload of things and the bus started driving away. How depressing! Then I saw it was making a u-turn, so I ran back. I seriously must’ve looked really funny because I had a carry-on suitcase, a gym bag, my backpack, a Trader Joe’s paper bag, a big paper bag with my huge ass loaves of bread, and a yoga mat. Am I forgetting something? Well the bus was full so I had to wait for the next one to come. It wasn’t that big of a deal. Then I realized my phone fell out of my backpack. Oh. Shit! That’s right. Thankfully, some people let me use their phone. I’m glad I don’t give off a mischievous vibe! I shamefully called my dad and broke the news to him. I always call him when there are emergencies because he doesn’t freak out. Because in a freak out moment, who needs more of that? I patiently waited for the next bus and got on. I sat next to a really nice stranger and we talked about things, and he offered me his sweater since it was rather cold. But I had come prepared! We also made a bathroom break and I got myself some calming tea. The busride home was nice, even though I didn’t have a phone. I was so glad to get off the bus and see Kim there! I had so much to tell her. I was even more excited to see Matilda at the apartment. I missed her so much. Next time I go to New York I’m bringing her with me.
Hmm.. what could be in here?
Kim's reaction to getting a slice of her favorite cake.
I'm not a big cake person, but I can say that this was the best red velvet cake I ever had!
Kim agreed, and I’m sure she’s tried different slices of red velvet. I find that sometimes people get carried away with the sugar, and usually you just end up tasting that, rather than the flavors. But this was just right.
Crazy ass loaf of bread! Pane de Ruccia.
I also got a half loaf of their multi-grain pullman.
I can say that both of these breads were delicious! I’m still enjoying that ridiculous loaf of bread. I’m on a sandwich making craze, especially convenient now that school is back in session.
All in all, I had so much fun on my trip to New York. It was so nice to go exploring and do things at my own leisure. Just preparing myself for my future there. I plan on going there after I graduate. There are so many opportunities there, and right now I’m just working on networking and perhaps getting a few shows in before I graduate. Which reminds me – awhile back the lovely Gillian had asked for me to post some of my work. I’ll be doing more of that, now that my semester has started up again. I’m really excited, and I’m feeling inspired. Who knows what I’ll create? So far, I’ve been making mouth-watering masterpieces in the kitchen, which I can’t wait to share with you guys. Maybe you’ll feel compelled to recreate some?
I made this about a year ago in a flexible molds class I was taking.
So I’ll end on this note… this is an inspiring quote one of the instructors at Yoga to the People shared with us during savasana.
“Ring the bell that still can ring, Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in everything, That’s how the light gets in.”
-Leonard Cohen
Part 4 and a Special Surprise
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
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!
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 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?
Part 2
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!