I do live in San Francisco, and some days in the winter it dips below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. I know this all sounds funny for those of you struggling with worst weather conditions. But any cold or dreary weather does take its toll on anyone anywhere. So…this article caught my eye the other day and I thought why not share some of the suggestions offered -that I love – on how to survive the frigid winter season:
It’s the first of July already? I can’t believe we’ve completed the first half of the year – what I consider is the planning stages for the rest of the year. Since Jan-Jun most of us are busy getting through winter, kids in school, college prep, proms, or wedding planning for those with adult children, graduations, and vacation planning. Maybe even scheduling a major reno project for the home, a backyard makeover, or simply a move across the country. We pause for a second for the fourth of July weekend here in the US, and then take off again. Well, by taking off I mean, going on vacation, getting the kids off to college, attend a few weddings, prep for the fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving and then the potential brutal winters and the Christmas holidays. A very mundane lifestyle. Anyway, since I am still in the country, I was hoping to drive up to a lake of some sort – Lake Tahoe, Plumas Lake or anywhere I can be near the water, and enjoy a good …
If you happen to be one who is invited to a dozen cocktail parties or get-togethers among the same friends, acquaintances or co-workers, then this might be for you:
{Trending all white with pops of color decor from here} {pickled veggies not just for the holidays from here} {Thoughtful DIY cool gifts from here} {party wear from here} {a great stocking stuff from here or here or from here}
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The city is bustling with tourists and locals, getting together at bars and restaurants for a holiday gathering. It’s become difficult getting a reservation, unless of course you’ve planned ahead. But even still, here are a few more of my three bars and cafe recommend in the city by the bay: Click on the photo to be redirected
I am always looking for healthy ways to make a meal, mostly switching out the butters, fatty oils and starchy foods for the healthy alternatives. So, it’s no surprise to anyone who knows me that I came to a screeching holt on the internet when I stumbled upon these amazing recipes from my favorite blogger here and thanks to her, I plan to incorporate her suggestions into my untraditional Thanksgiving Day dinner party: {Click on the photo for recipes and credits}
There are evenings, when I come home from work, I don’t necessarily want to have dinner or even bother with making one, so I open a bottle of red wine and put together something quick to pair it up with and voila it’s dinner. (I don’t recommend this if you have small children in the house 🙂 ) Anyway, here is an easy recipe I found here and I must say it is heavenly and a wonderful pairing with a bottle of red wine on those evenings when you need to have an out of the norm experience. Grilled Fig, Hazelnut and Ricotta Crostinis Ingredients: 1 cup part skim ricotta 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon hazelnuts, lightly toasted 1/2 cup honey, divided 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 10-12 fresh figs (mission or kadota or whatever is local), cut in half lengthwise 1/2 French or sourdough baguette, sliced into ½ inch slices and lightly toasted 1. Place ricotta, hazelnuts, 1/4 cup honey, and ground cinnamon in a food processor and process …
Right about now, exactly right now, I am seeing myself in a far away place, where I could nap alongside the pool, or sit on a lounge chair on the balcony of my suite and watch the world go by and just maybe make an effort to leave the hotel just to experience the nightlife on the island of Mykonos, Greece. To make this happen, I have to include one of my favorite hotels on Mykonos – Tharroe Of Mykonos, to set the stage for one of the most relaxing holidays/vacations imaginable. BTW this would make a wonderful Mother’s Day gift:
At the beginning of this year, I decided to consider following a more regimented diet, to not only lose a few pounds, but also preserve my health. The sad thing is that I decided to give up social drinking as part of that plan. The upside is that although I feel better, I am often times tempted to order a drink when in a social setting. So, just to give me the motivation to fight the urges and stay focused, I decided to do some research about drinking while dieting. From what I read, there is a clear message that I need to stay away from most alcohol, even if they are labeled as “low-calorie” or “skinny” drinks. The true culprit to most drinks are the “carbs” which are often times overlooked. So, even if I (we) think we are consuming “diet friendly booze” that is not necessarily the case. For a more elaborate explanation, please click here and here. In the meantime, drink a small glass of wine if you must or simply a tall …
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