All posts filed under: inspirational women over 40

Travel: Top Restaurants From Around the World

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I seriously could not decide what category to place this article under – Food or Travel?  Because if you happen to be lucky enough to live where the top restaurant is located, then it’s a food topic, but if you happen to be travelling in the near future and want to know the best of restaurants to go to – then it’s a travel topic – I suppose either way, it is a win-win to have access to this list of top restaurants:   And oh, I have highlighted the restaurants in San Francisco for your convenience 🙂 and maybe we can meet up for dinner there – you know, when you get into town… 1. Mirazur (Menton, France) 2. Noma (Copenhgagen, Denmark) 3. Asador Etxebarri (Atxondo, Spain) 4. Gaggan (Bangkok, Thailand) 5. Geranium (Copenhagen, Denmark) 6. Central (Lima, Peru) 7. Mugaritz (San Sebastian, Spain) 8. Arpège (Paris, France) 9. Disfrutar (Barcelona, Spain) 10. Maido (Lima, Peru) 11. Den (Tokyo, Japan) 12. Pujol (Mexico City, Mexico) 13. White Rabbit (Moscow, Russia) 14. Azurmendi (Larrabetzu, Spain) 15. …

Travel: Cornwall, England Did Not Disappoint

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I fell in-love with Cornwall in May 2018, after carefully spending a month before planning a trip there. The thing about Cornwall is that it is best experienced driving and since I have family living in England, this option was a simple matter of getting them to take me around in a car, the incentive, an all-expense paid week long holiday. You see, I am not yet confident in driving on the other side of the road in England – being an American and all. But after the six plus hours it took us to get to a destination which normally – or on American roads – take about two hours for a 200 mile drive, in this case from near London – Cornwall did not disappoint. Sadly, the destination is a place I know I need to discover again, in great detail – because normally the first trip anywhere is just touching up on the surface of things and only staying in touristy areas. Next time it will be beaches and more breaches…where the …

Travel: Things You Might Want To Know Vol 17

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There is ample information about a destination when planning a trip – whether first time or the fifteenth, the volume of articles is extensive. However, on occasion, I prefer to focus and share on background travel details to, hopefully, help bring the world closer, and more relatable. On another note – have you seen this Hulu television series from George Clooney – based on Joseph Heller’s classic novel. Gotta admit, it start out slow, but I am hooked. 

Food: The Simplest of Pasta

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When travelling through Italy, I always order Spaghetti Carbonara no matter what other options are available at a restaurant. I enjoy tasting different recipes used throughout the country – ones that are made from scratch and those that come in a box (yes in some parts of Italy they do serve ready-made or frozen meals in restaurants to be able to meet the demand, I was once told by a waiter, when my dish arrived in 3 minutes flat and tasted equally flat.  I make the dish at home and it’s pretty good but this very simple recipe, although not Carbonara, but similar, seems to be something worth trying once I visit my favorite Italian deli in North Beach to get the finely grated Pecorino cheese suggested in the ingredients. INGREDIENTS Kosher salt 6 oz. pasta (such as egg tagliolini, bucatini, or spaghetti) 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed, divided 1 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper 3/4 cup finely grated Grana Padano or Parmesan 1/3 cup finely grated Pecorino  {more}   On another note – have …

Food: Dinner Tonight – Pineapple, BBQ Chicken, Quinoa

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I’ve switched gears, just like that, regarding eating less comfort food and more healthy meals. Yes, the weather has been unusually freezing in San Francisco, with the weirdest of storms passing over the city. But my body is in Spring-Summer mode I think and it is craving more veggies, and less starch – so the meal planning begins to satisfy my cravings. Yes folks, the family usually works around my clock – in terms of food. 😉 So, here we go – tonight’s dinner INGREDIENTS 2 pounds  boneless skinless chicken breasts 2  cups BBQ sauce, homemade or store-bought (if using store-bought, I like Primal Kitchens BBQ Sauce) 2 tablespoon pineapple juice juice from 2 limes 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks 2 jalapeños, chopped, and seeded if desired 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped kosher salt and pepper 3 cups cooked quinoa or rice  – OR in my case, I prefer cauliflower rice over quinoa 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 1/2 cup fresh basil, and or cilantro leaves, roughly chopped 5 cups shredded romaine lettuce 1 avocado, sliced 4 fresh chives, chopped fried garlic for serving (optional)  {more} On another note – what TV shows are you binge-watching right …

Food: Dinner Tonight – Basil Chicken Sandwich

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I have Banh Me – a Vietnamese take on a chicken sandwich – at least once a week from my favorite spot in San Francisco. So I figured I would try a recipe for Banh Me at home tonight – and see if I can get the family’s approval on a variation for the same old. INGREDIENTS 2 teaspoon garlic chili sauce (sambal oelek) 2 tablespoons fish sauce (or soy sauce)   *** if you are allergic to soy or fish sauce, try Worcestershire Sauce–  I found it to taste almost the same without the adverse affect.  2 tablespoons maple syrup   – I am not going to use maple syrup.  2 cloves garlic, minced or grated 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips 1 pinch black pepper 2 tablespoons sesame oil 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped 1 mango, thinly sliced 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced 1/2 cup fresh basil and cilantro leaves juice from 1 lime 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds 1 baguette, cut into 4 pieces and toasted   *** or buy special buns for the Banh Me – check your local specialty grocers.  pickled vegetables, for serving   4 fried eggs, for serving (optional)  {more} {recipe and featured image …

Discussions on How To Quit Carbs, How Effective Are Charities and Why The Fuss

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Topic of Carb: My weakness, like most anyone, is carbs and starchy foods. With each meal I make, I wonder how can I workaround carbs/starch foods without experiencing withdrawals, or feeling a void in my stomach as if I hadn’t eaten anything. Drink water most say to fill that void, and sure, I’ve done that but I still crave all the borderline bad-for-you carbs. This article is a pretty easy approach to tricking your body into consuming what feels like carbs, except it is a healthier alternative to help you wean you off all things carb… When you’re craving toast… Rice Cakes. – When you’re craving crackers… Seaweed Snacks. – When you’re craving tacos… Cabbage, Bib Lettuce & Other Greens. – When you’re craving pizza…Paleo Pizza Crust. – When you’re craving a grain bowl…Cauliflower Rice. {more} Charity or not: a decade ago I was an advocate for all things charity until I learned how the donations or funds are truly distributed – so I sort of stopped believing and turned to other ways of helping out. Like volunteer work …

Weirdest of Reflections Last Night

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I fell asleep at 8 and was up by 2, stressing over a few things coming up in our household, or things I need to plan for, or rather how best to organize the chaos, and then all of a sudden my mind wandered off to… How to Be Less Critical of Yourself …is something I have gotten better at over the years,  where I catch myself from being overly hard on myself. This doesn’t mean I don’t think about my actions, or behavior and try to better myself, but the older I get the more confident I have become about the person that I am. The only thing that hasn’t changed over the years – is my fear of public speaking where I have to give a presentation and no matter how much I prepare and rehearse and come up with answers to every scenario or question someone may ask, the second I am in front of a crowd, or on a conference call, knowing there is a crowd,  I clam up and for …