Month: July 2020

What Are Your Plans This Weekend

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Not a week goes by where I am simply existing. There is lots to do, and plan and think about and since I do most of it over the week, the weekend, is where I want to let loose. This week is one of my favorite co-worker’s last week and that’s made me sad. Since she lives across the country,  it’s not like we can maintain a girls night out type of relationship. We spoke for an hour on the phone this morning, and promised we would Zoom with cocktails sometime in the near future. Like so many of us do, but somehow life gets in the way and then, we end up only wishing one another a happy birthday on Facebook. The other tidbit – since I live in San Francisco, in a home built on not so solid ground, I’ve seen a shift in the structure for a year or so now, and it got me reaching out to get a quote from an engineering firm or two. I discovered, it would be …

Travel: Small American Towns

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Having lived in a big city for most of my life, has me, every weekend escaping to the suburbs or the smaller towns throughout California – such as San Luis Obispo, Roseville, Napa, Sonoma, Monterey, Tahoe, Auburn and more. Mostly to drive through the farmlands, and appreciate all the hard work farmers do to bring us the freshest of produce. So with the lockdown across the U.S. – we can and should only get into our cars and explore our own neck of the woods for now and then consider venturing out to across the state to 60 alternatives. Here’s to my bucket list:    featured image – Damascus, Virginia – check out the rest of the list here Where would you go for a drive?

Puff Pastry Dessert Ideas

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I am not a fan of pie crust, or dough. I normally search for desserts and use puff pastry as the alternative base or staple. So this dessert is something I plan to try tonight. The only trouble is – I am also not a fan of frozen or otherwise strawberries. So glazed peaches or apricots are going to have to do in my household. INGREDIENTS 3 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, halved 1/4 cup honey 2 tablespoons lemon juice 3-4 chamomile tea bags (optional, see note) 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature 1/2 cup granulated sugar 3 large eggs, at room temperature 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt   {more here}  {Featured image and recipe full credit and source}

Weekend Wrap and Mood For The Week

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Welcome back everyone and I hope you had a nice weekend. I would love to hear all about it if you care to share. Otherwise, I am glad you have you back here, humoring me a bit with my this and that thoughts I share sometimes planned and other times on a whim. While I walked over 7 miles each day, I spent the time contemplating so many things – out loud to my walking partner and some inside my head. Thoughts like… What makes people so angry in life that they need to lash out one way or another? Wondering how much longer can small businesses sustain under this new lifestyle? Would you shop for work clothes, if you knew you might never be able to return to an actual office? Would you travel across the country and visit with family and friends, when the pandemic is still not contained in the U.S.? Is hate a type of mental disorder? Or hate is needed to fuel humankind to succeed? Will I ever want to …

What Are Your Plans This Weekend?

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Although weekends seem to blend into the week, I still aim to maintain workday, chore day/play day balance. Last weekend, we drove across the Golden Gate for some sun, but did not find it in Sausalito, nor Corte Madera in the early morning hours, so we kept on driving all the way to Sonoma, and walked through the wineries and some wonderful neighborhoods, soaking in the tree lined quaint town – so different from San Francisco. I felt super refreshed, and charged up and ready to tackle the week – which consists of working twelve hour days, plus taking care of my aging mum, and all other mundane details. So by Friday, I am ready to bolt out of the house and do some outdoor activities in line with our new lifestyle – masks, distances, and lots of hand washing. Considering the weather in the city is steady gray and cold, I think I will be heading back out to the wine country, and find a another amazing path to explore…I’ll keep you posted. What …

Travel: In The Know

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I don’t know about you, but I’ve been watching many films on location, mostly in Europe to get my fix. Besides that, I do wonder when this country is going to take all of this seriously and do their part to, at the very least, flat time this pandemic. For the rest of the world, or places where you’ve played safe enough to be allowed to travel, you might find these topics a good read: Have you considered travelling this summer? What form of travel have you done? Would you stay in hotels or Airbnb? {featured image source and full credit}

Decor: Much Admired Home Renovations

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In light of the fact, we are still on lockdown, more so in the states, I am often times searching for inspiration for when I renovate my mother’s house. To create the sanctuary I feel is necessary to sustain the current lifestyle which could very well turn into a permanent one: Working from home, vacationing from the couch, and creating dining experiences throughout the house, mainly of course the dining room, kitchen nook, backyard/garden/patio. Here’s what I am pinning to my architecture/design/decor wall: So are you in the mood to renovate? If so what part of your home? {featured image full credit}

Lifestyle: How to Celebrate a Centenarian Birthday

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While walking across the city – five miles or so as often as possible, my partner and I discuss longevity and our plans for when and if we are too sick to care for ourselves. Yes, this is a big concern, more so since COVID and the fight to be mindful of the elderly. I keep mentioning 80 as my number and based on the lifespan and ailments in my family, I figured the number makes sense. Weird topic to ponder over, maybe. But when our wold has become so small, and the problems have become bigger than anticipated, your mind will go there at some point or another. The other day I watch Down to Earth on Netflix, where Actor Zac Efron travels the world with Darin Olien, a wellness expert to explore healthy, sustainable ways of living. Episode 4 – was the understanding of Sardinia’s centenarian generation and their lifestyle – which implied, eat lots of pasta, walk, and keep a positive approach to life and avoid stress. (Can you see my eyes …