Author: MS

parisian wall decor for sure

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Right about now I get the urge to visit my favorite place in the world, and I start planning my annual trip for early Autumn to Paris of course!  Just last night while I surfed the net, I came across this article about wall murals you can buy and install in your home to get reminders of the amazing city.  Of course I had to order a few 🙂  See below. You can also check out the rest here.  

healthy eating a must after last week – winter salad

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While on my road trip to Nebraska, I did nothing but eat unhealthy. It was a road trip and we had no time to stop off at fancy restaurants. So we did Jack in the Box mostly and a few other quick bites from gas station stops. My the 7th day I wanted to just throw up. So now that I am back, I am going to start my week with salads, slowly working my way back to healthy eating. Here’s a recipe that stuck out, especially since I couldn’t find fresh apples anywhere on the road. Ingredients •1-2 cup(s) pomegranate seeds (about 1 pomegranate) •1 pear, cored and chopped •1 large apple, cored and chopped •1/2 cup pumpkin seeds For the vinaigrette •2 teaspoons maple syrup (I USE AGAVE SYRUP INSTEAD – not a fan of traditional maple syrup) •1 teaspoon lemon juice •1 teaspoon olive oil •1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar •1/2 teaspoon cinnamon Toss all together and enjoy {recipe and photo source, click here}

a week in a nutshell – january 2015

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Last weekend I embarked on a cross-country drive to help a friend move to Nebraska. It was a challenging drive since we there were pockets of heavy snow, some ice and rain along the way. Finally we got to her new place, and there was no internet. So I haven’t been able to online. Anyway, it was nice to see other states, or drive through them, just to get an idea of what this country is about. For the next few days I will be helping her decide where her furniture will go, and then I am on my way back to San Francisco. I miss the city, and my day to day there. Until then, here are some photos I took along the way. Not sure if you are interested.  

afternoon tea cake – oh my

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I love the idea of afternoon tea and cake, something we don’t do here in the US. What I love the most is this recipe which I cannot wait to try after my road trip. INGREDIENTS | wet 1 cup whole full fat greek yoghurt 1/3 cup of olive oil 1 cup caster sugar zest of one lime 1/4 cup lime juice 2 eggs INGREDIENTS | dry 1 3/4 cups of sifted plain flour 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt pre-heat oven to 180 c / 356 f grease a 22cm springform baking tin [olive oil spray is fine] in a large bowl mix all the wet ingredients until well combined in a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt pour the wet ingredients mixture into the flour, and using a wooden spoon, mix until just combined; being careful not to overwork the batter pour into the baking tin and cook for approx 45-50 mins; the cake is ready when it has browned on top and a skewer inserted into the centre …

healthy eating continues well into 2015

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I totally loved pushing for healthy eating in 2014, and although in the first few weeks it was difficult to cut out the carbs/sugars/fatty fats, I got used to it eventually and now when I eat out of the healthy norm my body has become adapted to, I feel sick. Which in my opinion is a good thing, like a bad hangover reminding me of the consequences of drinking too much. Anyway, here’s a twist to chicken soup. Pho to be exact, and we do a lot of it here in San Francisco. It almost seems like there is a Pho eatery opening up everywhere I turn and that’s fine. Since I can’t get enough of the chicken Pho, I decided to find a recipe online I could supplicate, and here it is: 1 ½ lbs (approximately) bone-in skin-on chicken breast 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 1/2 onion, diced 1 3×1″ piece peeled ginger 1 jalapeño, seeds removed and diced 6 cups chicken stock 2 whole, star anise 3 whole cloves 3 Tbs. fish sauce 1 Tbs. …

start to a new week

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First week of 2015, and I’ve already got a full calendar. Our company/ San Francisco office is going to be remodeled in the next three months and so we have to pack away the old and prepare for the overhaul, moving around offices and cubicles in stages until each section of the floor is updated. It’s exciting in a way to see what the plan is, which until now has been kept a secret, and although I love where I currently sit, with western views of San Francisco, I am happy to see the new spot I will be moving to.   In the middle of the work chaos, I have to take a road trip to help a friend move across the country. This bit I am looking forward to, as I get a chance to see new places travelling by automobile, and be able to capture some interesting photographs and stories to share. And finally, I am excited that book three is going through a final edit, and has lots to do with Scotland. …