All posts filed under: inspirational women over 40

Food: Dinner Tonight – Chicken Soup With Orzo Included

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On Monday, I announced to my family that I would be making chicken soup for dinner – except, when I got home from work, I realized I did not have the chicken broth in the cupboard as I imagined I did while on the commuter train. And since then, I’ve been too lazy to go to the supermarket and get the one important ingredient to make the soup I’d been craving for four days now. Yes, I do know I can make my own chicken broth simply by using the water the chicken was boiled in, which I do. But store bought chicken brought adds just the right zing or heartiness my taste buds crave. So, to the supermarket after work it is and home to make this delicious version of chicken soup: INGREDIENTS 2 chicken breasts (about 1 pound) kosher salt and black pepper 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 8-12 large cloves of garlic, smashed (use to your taste) 6 carrots, chopped  {my go to is parsnip, I prefer the taste more}  1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves kosher salt and …

Decor: Orange Is The Old and The New

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During the winter months I crave color – orange is one I’ve come full circle  – in 2002 decorating my bedroom in burnt orange and other lighter hues perfectly extended to throughout other parts of the house, which at the time worked well with the Tuscan exterior style, track home we purchased in Sacramento. Since then, I’ve toned down my colors to more shabby chic tones – grays, stone, ivory, sage, and light blue, as I mentioned here. But while making my rounds on Saturday to here, here, and here, I realize I may need to incorporate an orange accent pillow with my colors scheme. And this one will do just fine to achieve the above bedding ensemble And in case you are equally interested in orange – but not necessarily for the bedroom – here are some great ideas to consider. {photo source}

Wednesday Topics of Interest Or At Least I Think So

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I have to admit; I am loving the downpour in the city. Especially in the early morning hours, where I am forced to wake up, thanks to my aging dog, who needs to eat at 0400 – otherwise all hell will break loose with him screaming – it feels like to a sleeping human. But I don’t mind really. I love the early hours in the day, where there isn’t a sound outside my window except for the gentle rustling of the leaves and the lulling sounds of the ocean. The house is even quieter, except for a few seconds, when the thermostat kicks in.  As usual, I feed my dog, and switch on the coffee machine and then crawl back into bed, and I lay there for a bit, obeying the quiet, until my mind wanders off to – this particular morning remembering a decade ago in Austria. Where my hubs and I, with luggage in tow, in the very late hours of the night, walked in the pouring rain, from the train station …

Food: Cauliflower in Full Bloom

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I ordered a side of cauliflower the other day while lunching with a friend at Stanford Shopping Mall. We were aiming for a quick bite since we each had other engagements to attend in the evening. So we walked into my favorite eatery and in addition to a fried chicken sandwich, which I highly recommend, I opted for steamed cauliflower, which I didn’t realize until I took a bite, it was curry flavored. I don’t know about you, but although I love curry mixed with veggies, and some form of protein, I don’t care for it on cauliflower. Since cauliflower has a unique taste and one it takes time getting used to, adding the wrong flavors tend to play tricks on your taste buds and curry with cauliflower is just not the best of combo in my opinion based on decades of enjoying my family’s Mediterranean cuisine . But that’s me. You might think otherwise and that’s perfectly fine. But since Saturday, I’ve craved cauliflower, grilled to perfection in the oven and tossed around or …

Decor: Simply Chic For Those Craving Coastal Living

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My home decor is very earthy and peaceful. I live near the coast in San Francisco so my aim was to embrace the weather in the city, foggy mornings, with a touch of sun peaking through, all blended across the skies and reflected against the changing hues of the Pacific Ocean, some greenery inserted along the avenues, and mountains to the right establish the prefect of parameters.  I don’t imagine trading my view for much of anything else. I feel boxed in when venturing inland, because the coast gives me infinite tranquility I so need to calm all the anxiety I feel on a daily basis. Coming home from a long day of whatever else, is the best feeling, especially on a clear day, where each sunset is determined by the mood of Mother Nature. When I saw this simple decor, I had to share – because, really, who needs anything more?    

Sunday Fun Topics to Ponder Over

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We were supposed to have a storm coming through San Francisco this morning, but I suppose even the storm felt a little lazy and instead decided to stay at bay for another 24 hours. Maybe the storm is taking the day off as well, from all things havoc 🙂  I understand – everyone and everything needs a break. This past week I’ve been at war with some wild creatures tearing up my front garden – which has never happened before. But down a few blocks from where I live, a boulevard a mile or so long, with the landscape being uprooted and tossed around to re-plant, I can’t even figure out what – since it really doesn’t look that great. So the poor animals who normally feed off of the plants and trees there, are scurrying through the neighborhoods to find food. I feel bad for them – but destroying my beautiful garden is NOT  cool. Don’t hate, because I do feel for the animals, but my plants are part of my family and I …

Food: Puff Pastry Treat

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I saw this recipe, which reminded me of something I’d done over a decade ago. When  I found  a packet of puff pastry nearing  its expiration date in my mother’s refrigerator and asked if I could take it home. I had a jar of Nutella (naturally) and a jar of apricot jam. So I layered the puff pastries all buttered up in a pan and baked them in the oven.  Then I cut them into squares the size of brownies, and pulled them apart in the middle to drop a spoonful of Nutella in some and apricot jam in others and served my creation to the family for breakfast.  Rich – sure, tasty – of course, worth the carbs – yes indeed. But I love what the below recipe calls for – Ingredients Ingredients for the rustici Approximately 80https://en.julskitchen.com/savoury-cakes/rustici-a-street-food-from-salento0 g of ready-made puff pastry 3 rectangular sheets 200 g of fresh mozzarella 2 peeled tomatoes 1 egg Ingredients for the béchamel 25 g of butter 25 g of flour 300 ml of whole milk 1 …

Decor: For the Detail Oriented

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There was a period in my life – a decade ago, where I would visit new home sites around California just to get a glimpse in person, the best of shabby chic with a twist to Roman or Venetian  style decor choice used for all the model mansions border lining villas. They made it easy, near seamless, putting the collection of furnishings together to create the illusion the buyers all needed to have, to sign the dotted line. I grew out of that phase  – and now prefer to create my own whimsical, with a touch of modern flare. But that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the finer decor details in this beauty of a mansion and from it take a few details to add to my lifestyle. Enjoy!

Lifestyle: Golden Globe Wrap

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The interesting thing about the Golden Globe’s nominees and winner, it often times sets the tone for how the Oscars will pan out. Although there have been many surprises over the years, with the shift from the winners at the Golden Globe and the surprise winners at the Oscars. But this year’s winner did not surprise me as I am one who appreciates a stand out performance from all the normal or expected contenders. The flip side to this concept, is that each actor nominated or not, I believe does make  a conscious effort to give their best to portray the characters they have agreed to take on. So, with these awards choosing the best of the best is difficult in the world of the arts. It may work in sports, but I feel the arts should not be compared or measured against the past. But what do I know. So here are the highlights for me: And the list of winners – Best Motion Picture – Drama – Bohemian Rhapsody – not a surprise …

Boutique Hotel Pick – The Old Hudson – New York

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Normally, my boutique hotel picks consists of a property with at the very least 10 rooms and the entire property filled with charm, or a uniqueness worth experiencing. But The Old Hudson – although two unit studio set-up, this property is ideal for the smallest of special occasions. I’ll let your imagine do the thinking.  Hint: This will be the place I add to my 30-day milestone birthday celebrations:   Learn about the Hidden gem of Hudson, New York