Halloween Sangria

Greetings all!

Look how cute this drink becomes with the addition of gummy worms – so creative!

Image and recipe from 

https://www.totalwine.com/cocktail-recipes/halloween-sangria

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle red wine (750ml)
• 3 oz. Brandy
• 1 orange, cut into wedges
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups ginger ale
• 1 dash grenadine
• 1 cup gummy worms 

Instructions:

• Pour wine into a pitcher.
• Add Brandy into the pitcher.
• Squeeze the juices from the lemon and orange into the wine, then place the lemon and orange into the pitcher.
• Add the sugar and stir until it dissolves.
• Chill overnight.
• Add club soda, grenadine and gummy worms before serving.

Bon Appetit! Let me know how you like it!

Are You Taking Better Care of Your Phone than Your Mind?

Greetings all!

“Are you taking better care of your phone than your mind?” – this was the subject of an email I received recently, and it gave me pause - because ironically, I was charging my phone while going through my inbox! 

Read on for the CALM remember-reflect-reframe tips (I always love the reframe one!) and very doable suggestions on how to recharge your mind.

Image: https://pixabay.com/photos/serenity-nature-flower-zen-calm-1851950/

“When was the last time you charged your phone? What about your mind? Most of us wouldn’t dream of draining our phone battery to zero, but when it comes to our minds, we’ll often let them run on empty.

You can choose to take care of your mental health by recharging your mind like you charge your phone — regularly and like it won’t function without it (because it won’t).

Remember: You’re not a robot. Please rest before your battery is empty.

Reflect: What’s one small thing you can do each day to keep your mental health battery topped up?

Reframe: “I’m too busy for a break” → “Taking breaks boosts my productivity and wellbeing.
 
Here are the brain-boosters you can try:

• Recharge your mind with sleep

• Unplug from stress and anxiety with meditation (my tip is to just UNPLUG!)

• Charge your mind with the breath

• Drink a glass of water (no seriously, do it)

• Get some daylight on your eyeballs

• Go for a walk. Even walking around your kitchen table is better than nothing."

Do not let your battery drain! What did you think? Drop me a line! 

Source: CALM

Around the World in 11 Desserts

Greetings all!

On Sunday, I woke up to the pleasant news that Monday, October 14, is a National Dessert Day in the United States! But why limit ourselves to one country? Here are some delicious desserts from around the world! 

Chocolate Chip Cookies, United States / Shutterstock

Gelato, Italy / Shutterstock

Baklava, Turkey / Shutterstock 

Cannoli, Sicily / Shutterstock

Crème Brûlée, France / David Carson/St. Louis Post-Dispatch/TNS/Getty Images

Dan Tats, Hong Kong / Shutterstock

Gulab Jamun, India / Shutterstock

Eszterhazy Torta, Hungary / Shutterstock

Flan, Latin America / Bob Fila/Chicago Tribune/MCT/Getty Images

Medovik, Russia / Shutterstock

Snow Ice, Xue Hua Bing, Taiwan / Shutterstock

What is your favorite dessert? Drop me a line!

Source (and more desserts!): https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/world-50-best-desserts/index.html

Selection of Funnies: Dinosaur Couch Comics

Source (and more images!): https://www.boredpanda.com/funny-relatable-comics-dinosaurcouch-part-4/

Random: “Fridgescaping” and “Airport Tray Aesthetic”

Greetings all!

As you know, I love food and I love travel, so I always enjoy learning about new trends! Here are the two that recently caught my eye, and even though these might be visually pleasing, I do not really get the appeal. But, as the saying goes, “Whatever floats your boat!” 

I am curious to hear what you think! Drop me a line!

Image: Lynzi Judish

“Fridgescaping” is decorating the inside of your fridge by using picture frames, figurines, cute vases and storages containers, porcelain busts and figurines. One trend follower claims that seeing their beautifully arranged fridge provides an instant dopamine rush. I do agree it looks pretty (although a bit crowded and probably time-consuming)!

Image: Lynzi Judish 

“Airport Tray Aesthetic” is elegantly arranging your belongings on the airport security tray for social-media-worth photos. When I read about this, my first question was – are you holding up the security line? If yes, then I am definitely not a fan. 

Image: @pipertacih/TikTok

But then I read that “content creators... go to great lengths to avoid inconveniencing others.” So if they are going through the security line, and THEN, in another area, arrange their tray to their heart’s content, I can only applaud their ingenuity in expressing themselves and finding new backgrounds to showcase their likes in books, clothing, and jewelry. 

Then is it any different from what we see in curated photos on social media? It also might be a fun and creative way to deal with travel anxiety. And, if you arrive to the airport very early, you have plenty of time to kill after you are done with security. This might not be a bad way to do so! But I would rather read a book :)      

So here you go! What did you think? Are you a fan?

Sources:

• https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/01/us/fridgescaping-fridge-decorating-tiktok-cec
• https://www.fodors.com/news/news/a-new-tiktok-trend-involves-dirty-tsa-security-trays
• https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/article/2024/sep/02/the-new-digital-flex-the-airport-tray-trend-stirring-outrage-and-delight

Thought of the week – Postpone Nothing

Image from https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1170601

“Let us prepare our minds as if we’d come to the very end of life. Let us postpone nothing. Let us balance life’s books each day. … The one who puts the finishing touches on their life each day is never short of time.”

~ Seneca 

[as read on https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/9627537-let-us-prepare-our-minds-as-if-we-d-come-to]

Easy Tomato and Spinach Pasta

Greetings all!

Do you hate wasting food? Me too, even if it is just a handful of spinach and one tomato! Google to the rescue – and that is how I found the Easy Tomato and Spinach Pasta recipe, which I very much enjoyed! 

Image and recipe from 

https://bakerbynature.com/easy-tomato-and-spinach-pasta/

Ingredients:

• 1 lb penne (or your preferred pasta variety)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 2 pints grape tomatoes (I used a regular tomato)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (I skipped)
• 1 cup white wine or chicken broth (I skipped)
• 2 cups fresh spinach
• Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional, I used goat cheese)

My lazy variation:

• Cook pasta according to instructions.
• In a skillet, heat up olive oil.
• Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, cook for 8-10 minutes on low-medium heat.
• Stir in the spinach and cook until slightly wilted, 2-3 minutes.
• Serve with cheese.

Full Instructions:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. 
• Add oil to a large, wide pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add in the crushed red pepper flakes, tomatoes, salt, and pepper, and cook until the tomatoes begin to burst and give off their juices, about 9 to 10 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to gently press the tomatoes if they're not bursting on their own. 
• Add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Stir in the wine and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Finally, stir in the spinach and cook until slightly wilted. 
• In the meantime, add the penne into the boiling water and cook for 9 to 10 minutes, or until al dente.
• Drain the pasta, reserving a 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
• Toss the pasta immediately into the pot with the sauce and stir well to combine. Add in some of the reserved cooking water, if needed. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed. 
• Remove from heat and divide among serving bowls. Top with cheese and serve at once! 

Bon Appetit! Let me know how you like it!