Nurturing my inner... sparkle

When I tell you I'm not much of a soda drinker, you'll probably ask me why I'm writing about soda.  Well, heck, there are exceptions.

San Pellegrino Limonata is not just a soda.  In fact, it's not a soda at all.  It's is what happens when you take a lemon and add pure, Italian, age old, underground, natural sparkle.  (A little legend doesn't hurt it either.)

On my desk at work from
lunch. Saved for later.

This is what I have to say about it - I LOVE IT!  (And not just because it's from the Lombardy region of Italy.  That is coincidental and not how my last name is spelled anyway.)  The top of the can has a label over it.  To keep it clean and void of sticky yuckiness.  So if you need to just pop it open because you're dying of thirst and can't wait for a glass, you can feel confident that the fine people at San Pellegrino care about your protection from nasty germs and general traveling foulness.  (These are the people after all, who make the highest quality handbags, shoes and sports cars.  Of course they'd take a mere soda can to a new high-class level!)

I am utterly impressed by little things.
(Remember this when you're Christmas
shopping for me.)

Seeing as I saved my lunchtime soda for later, I had access to glassware.  And nice glassware at that.  I thought my lemon glass would be a great complement for my limonata soda.  (If you can ignore that the words on the glass are in French.  Eh, it's all European.  Good 'nuff.)

More special than you know.

Why do I like this sparkling beverage so much?  For starters, it's not just a common, syrupy soda.  It is a sparkling mineral water beverage.  Which means less sugar.  The taste is tart and clean.  As if you added freshly squeezed lemon juice directly to a glass of crisp, cold sparkling water.  Most refreshing.  And here's the back story on it: the type of water they use has naturally occurring carbonation.  It originates from deep below the surface and when it comes in contact with limestone and volcanic rock on the way up, key minerals are added which creates some of the bubbly reaction.  Rumor has it that in 1509, Leonardo da Vinci even went to the town of origin to sample this amazing, miraculous water.  Not sure if all that's really true, but that's a heck of a good story!

It also comes in aranciata (orange) as well.  In CT I can get it at the local grocery store.  (Thanks to all the eye-talians up there.)  So if you're interested, look there first.  Here, I haven't found it quite as readily yet.  I stumbled upon individual cans in a nearby deli and in the 6 oz bottles at Wegmans.  I'm on the hunt to find the six pack of cans still, but I have full confidence that someone sells it within a five mile radius of my condo.  I'll let you know when my treasure hunt is over.  (Or I'll just buy a bunch in CT and drive it over state lines!)

Nurturing my inner... blowing bubbles

Inside, I'm really 10.  So this next fun item ending up in my shopping basket shouldn't surprise you one bit.  Vanilla milk straws.  To flavor your boring, regular, cow-flavored milk, of course!  (My childhood is looking more and more like the dark ages as I discover all the super fun stuff the youngsters of today have.  So jealous!)

Why just have ordinary milk? The cow on the
package seems quite happy with this
invention.

I was going to originally use these with rice milk (seeing as I'm no less lactose intolerant than I was the day before I bought these) but I had leftover 2% milk from making mashed potatoes, so I decided to try it on the real thing.  (Oh, this may not go well for me, all things considered.  I'm taking one for the team!)

Now for the science portion of our program: I have to take you on an in depth look at the engineering of the straw.  What they do is take an ordinary wide straw, pack it with flavor beads (in this case vanilla, but they also come in strawberry and chocolate at Wegmans) and then melt the seam together on the top and bottom.  But there is room for air (and later milk) to get through.  (Wouldn't be much of a straw without that concept, right?)

I don't really have to be 10 to see how cool
that is. Neato bandito!

Into a cup of milk it went and up came my first mouthful of lightly sweet, vanilla-tinged moo juice.  (Though I will tell you, it takes a bit of effort.  Unlike the ease of a normal straw.  You gotta earn this.)

Lots of vanilla beads when you first start off.

And acting in typical pre-teen fashion, I felt the need to blow bubbles.  (Why hold back at this point.)  In a short while, the beads melt and slowly disappear.  (Whoa, oh oh, it's magic!)  In this case, blowing bubbles also has the practical purpose of sending milk from inside the straw that got flavored back into the glass to help flavor the rest.

Life can't be all serious grown up stuff.
Make time to play!

Of course, now you have to go out and try them for yourself.  (Yes, my writing is that effective, I'm sure of it.)  If it makes you feel better, those of you with children can even use them as an excuse while making your purchase.  (Wimps!)  Just buy enough to share because I have a feeling that as soon as anyone under three feet tall sees them, they'll be gone in an instant.

Ut oh.  I think the intolerance of the lactose may be upon us.  (Wo)Man down!

Nurturing my inner... drinking game

The Japanese are quite clever when it comes to electronics and architecture, but I would argue that their clever innovation bubbles right on over to their carbonated beverage bottling.  Shirakiku Ramune Drink.  (Uh, I don't know what any of that means.)

I'm not a big soda drinker.  (Though I can't resist a Vanilla Coke from time to time.)  The reason I bought these sodas the other day at World Market was because of the flavors.  One was lychee and the other was melon.  (I love anything lychee flavored from gummies to mini gelatin cups.  And who has ever had a melon-flavored soda?  Please.  You know I had no choice but to try it.)  However, when I took off the wrapper, I was met with something quite unexpected.

Yeah, the only words I could read were
"carbonated" and "melon." That seemed safe.
What the rest said, who knows!

I had no idea the clever contraption this soda top encapsulated.  (Who could?  I have never seen such a thing in all my bottled drink imbibing years.)

View from one side, skinny. Wonder what for.

The neck of the bottle, instead of being a straight, open cylinder, was pinched.  At the time of purchase, I just thought it was an interesting visual design.  Something artistic or pretty.  Not that it had an actual, practical function.  (Not that this concept was practical in any way.)

Must have been hard
to create this shape
at the factory.

When I removed the plastic, there was this odd little contraption inside.  The instructions said to snap the plunger out of the ring.  (Mmm, alright.)

Never saw anything like this before.

Uh, do you see the top of that bottle?  It's not actually open.  There is a marble on top, sealing it shut.  Tightly.

How wild is that!! AND, how'd they get
that in there? (Where's a youtube demo
video when you need one?)

Next step said to put the plunger on top of the marble and push it down.  (As if that sounded like something very ordinary that you do every day when opening a bottle of soda.)

Admittedly it took a little effort. Or, I'm
just a complete weakling. (Probably that.)

If you try one of these, I suggest you lean into it.  Once you give it the right amount of firm pressure, you will hear a suction noise and a *tink.*  That will be the seal being released and the marble dropping to be caught in that pinched part of the glass bottle neck.  (Ah, that's why it was designed that way!  Now I get it.  Sort of.)

And there it is: the marble stopper. With
carbonation bubbles all clinging to it.

The soda was light, sweet and fruity.  I liked the lychee and have yet to try the melon.  Sure, the whole experience was a bit bizarre.  (Really, how could it not be.  A marble in your soda?  Think about it.)  But that's half the fun of trying something new.  The peculiarity of it.  I will tell you that when you turn up the bottle to drink, the marble does tend to go back up in the opening and block it some.  So it can be a bit tricky to maneuver to get the soda out.  But it's kind of like a game. Tip up, sip quickly, tip down.  Might as well enjoy the fun!  (Still trying to figure out how to get that darn marble out of the bottle!)

Nurturing my inner... soothing insides

In the spirit of all things strange, I gave in today and tried a product I have been eyeing for some months.  It's called Alo.  With a line over the o.  (That's how hip people spell things.)  Did it seem odd to me to even consider drinking a plant that is most often associated with topically cooling down sunburned skin?  Why yes it did.  I wondered what it could possibly taste like.  Sunscreen?  Not sure if this was going to be a great idea.  But I happened upon a day I felt particularly brave.  (Or read as bored and in need of something to shake things up.)

The bottle has a really decorative wrapper
with lots of information on it.

Alo comes in several flavors, all of which have a base of aloe vera juice and pulp:

Exposed - Original Aloe Vera
Awaken - wheat grass
Enrich - pomegranate + cranberry
Appeal - pomelo + pink grapefruit + lemon
Enliven - 12 fruits + vegetables
Elated - olive leaf
Allure - mangosteen + mango

I tried the Enrich.  And I put it in a clear glass for you to see the pieces of aloe floating in it.  Very bizarre.

Usually I don't drink things with stuff floating
in it. Then again, I've had bubble tea.

It was ever so slightly viscous, just a little thicker than water.  More like a thin juice.  As it turns out, it was delicious!  Not too sweet.  I loved it!  I drank it ice cold and it was smooth and soothing, just like aloe is on hot, burned skin.  (And likely this was an anti-inflammatory for my insides as well!  Even my spleen felt cool as a cucumber!  No, I'm not serious about that.  Just the power of suggestion.)  As for the little pieces, I easily chewed them up or they went down whole and were not offensive to me in the least.  Now I want to try the other flavors and see if I like them as much.  But I know for sure I found something new I will enjoy drinking on the the super hot summer days that will be here soon enough.

Nurturing my inner... ice cube with a twist

Quick idea.  I like lime in my water.  Fresh lime.  Or fresh lemon.  So I buy a bag of them instead of just a few here and there.  It is cheaper that way.  But often, I can't make it through the entire bag before they start to take a turn for the worse.  Seeing as I like to juice and hate to waste, I figured, well, maybe that technology can be used to help me out here.  That's when I started juicing my limes and lemons before they went bad and froze them for future use.

Any citrus press will do, but I just got this Pampered Chef one and it's great.  It gets out every last drop.  And builds my biceps at the same time.

Slice a lime in half and put cut side down into the press.

Into the press he goes. It's lime time.

Squeeze directly into a pouring container.  Doesn't have to be a measuring one, I just wanted something with a spout to make it easier to pour into the trays later.

Juice goes right into the container.

When you get as much juice as you want, or have from your current produce at the time, then you're ready to pour.

Fill 'er up! I have an automatic ice maker in my
freezer and actually had to go out and buy ice
cube trays recently because I didn't own any.

Works equally well with lemons which are just a little bigger than limes.  They still fit in my press though.

Get ready to use some more muscle.

Before you know it, you'll have a full tray.  I liked these trays because they were slightly taller and skinnier than ones I normally see.  I actually got them at the grocery store.  Two for about $2.50.

Don't fill too high. The cubes will expand a little.

Pop into the freezer and I went ahead and waited until the next day, but I bet they'd be okay to use in about six hours.

Ice, ice baby.

I popped them out onto a dish so you could see what they look like when they are done.  Individual portions of frozen, real juice.  No added junk.

Amazing, right? And didn't take a lot of effort.

I tossed them all in a Ziplock bag for easier storage and put them back into the freezer.

Lemon or lime, it's a surprise to which ones
I end up with each day.

I like to have a 32 ounce container of water at my desk for work and try to drink two within a day.  I add a couple of cubes of frozen citrus to it with regular ice before I leave the house and it all starts to melt by the time I arrive at my desk.  As a big water fan, I don't have to be forced to drink plain cups of water, but I find the citrus refreshing.  Save for a cup of tea at work or a cup of coffee at home a couple times a week, or the even more rare juice, hot cocoa or something of that nature, mostly water is what I reach for.  Yet having that splash of lime or lemon to sip on, and no sugar to wreck my teeth, makes the water maybe just a bit more exciting.  Plus, I can feel good about it, because it is still a wise choice.

And if you're in a pinch, there is this great stuff called True Lime.  (Or True Lemon or True Orange.)

Can find at the grocery store next
to those very bad sugary powdered
drinks that you should ignore.

It is crystallized lime.  No sugar, no preservatives.  So it has no calories and is 100% natural. When I don't have fresh or frozen lime juice handy, I add a packet of True Lime to my water glass and get that instant tart and refreshing taste on the go.  (I still recommend the real stuff though.  Whenever possible.  There really is no true substitute for fresh anything.)

Nurturing my inner... bubble tea drinking spy in Ethiopia

My cousin came to visit me for Labor Day this year and I hadn't had a chance yet to document our day.  But we did some fun things you should definitely check out for yourself, so here is a little photo tour of some of the weird things we did.

1.) The Cereal Bowl.  My cousin saw this on television.  So we took the metro down to Cleveland Park first.  http://www.thecerealbowl.com/  (I like the crunching sound the website makes.)



Fun outside sign.


Inside, there are many bins with all your favorite childhood cereals.  And then containers of toppings like fresh fruits, dried fruits, nuts and sweets.  They have either predesigned combos you can order outright or make your own.  I was tempted to get the "Give Me S'More," but in the end, decided I had to make my own.  If I was going to pay over $3.50 for a bowl of cereal that I could really make at my own house for less than a dollar, I wanted it to be my very own personalized creation.  Everyone has to do this at least once.




Cereal on tap, so to speak.


My choices were: Cookie Crisp & Captain Crunch with Oreo Cookie and marshmallows.  This is every kid's dream.  They put it in a handy paper bowl.




Karen's Krispy Krunchy Kombo


2.) The International Spy Museum. This is a place I have been wanting to go to for some time.  Living in this area makes us locals keenly aware of super secret government stuff.  It's very real, yet we have little actual proof of what the brave people in our country who risk their lives in covert operations every day do to protect our freedoms.  I have friends in various government agencies, and I will never know what they do, but I like to joke with them by saying, "Did you save my life today?"  I have no doubt that in some way, large or small, they did.  (Though I cannot mention you, thank you my friends.  You know who you are.)

http://www.spymuseum.org/ Inside the museum they take you through decades of surveillance equipment, war tactics and notable persons.  I could hardly believe the tiny cameras and microphones that fit into buttons and post cards.  Lipstick guns.  The mini cyanide capsules in the ear parts of spectacles for captured spies to chew on and die, rather than give away their secrets.  It's serious business!  There was also an area that mentioned the spy movies we so love, like the James Bond 007 films.  They said that those films even inspired the government to copy some of their Hollywood cinematography magic and make it real.  So much for art imitating life.  Clearly, it's the other way around.

They won't allow you to take pictures inside,
just like the real government.

3.) Teaism.  (Yes, all my adventures involve, at the very least, a snack.)  Sheryl saw Rachel Ray go to Teaism in DC.  This wasn't the exact same one RR went to, but it worked for us.

In their shop next door they sell loose leaf
tea and other tea brewing paraphernalia.

There was a long list of teas that was very impressive, as well as great breakfast, dessert, sandwich and big dishes menus.  They even had Bento boxes, which I've been meaning to try... http://www.teaism.com/Restaurant/PennQuarterMenu7.html 

I needed several minutes to read
my options.

...but I had my eye on one thing that day - bubble tea!  For those unfamiliar with the fun that is bubble tea, let me introduce you.  I chose a black tea chai and they put in these large tapioca beads or pearls.  They were black in color and about the size of small marbles.  They even have to give you a large straw so you can get to them as they sink to the bottom of the cup.  Regular straws just won't do.  At first, it's odd to like, sip and then chew, but honestly, it's a lot of fun and I loved it!  I was very sad when my cup was empty.  (Sheryl had some kind of cinnamon chai ice blended thingie that disappeared just as quickly.)

You can see the "bubbles" in the
bottom of my cup. Mmm, chewy.

It was gorgeous out that day, so we decided to sit outside.  They've really spruced up the Penn Quarter in recent years and I'm darn proud of them for doing it.

Tea for two. Talking over secret spy
stuff. Sorry, I can't say what.

4.) Meskerem. I planned out the day perfectly so that it would end, as my cousin requested, with Ethiopian food.  She hadn't had it in years and I couldn't remember the last time I had.  I did remember a place I had gone a few times with a guy, when I was young and hip, so that's where we went.  In Adam's Morgan.

The decor won't knock your socks off.
Thank goodness the food will.

You have to be adventurous to go for Ethiopian.  In part, because you don't get any utensils.  Unless you count your two hands.

The vegetarian messob for two.

We went for the no meat option this time.  I've had them all in the past.  Including the seafood one.  The vegetarian one is spectacular though.  You won't miss the meat.  http://meskeremethiopianrestaurantdc.com/vegetarian.html

And how exactly do you eat it without a fork and knife?  Well I'll tell you how.  With this spongy bread that I can't begin to describe.  It comes to you in rolled up, napkin like pieces as well as under your dinner.

It really does look like a rolled up napkin.

You tear off a piece of bread and then scoop up some of the lentils or potatoes in it and you are ready with a well compartmentalized bite.



And that's how they did it in the old,
old (the really old) days.


Don't plan on being dainty when you do this,  you're there to absolutely kick back and enjoy yourself.  There is something very casually fun about eating with your hands.  Somehow, it makes me feel like the world traveler that I'm not.

Go for it, take a big bite! I sure did.

It had definitely been a weird day of strange adventures.  We tried to cram in as many peculiar things as possible.  I think we did well.  Cereals, spies, teas and dishes.  Some day you gotta make your own long list of bizarre places to visit and go for it!

Nurturing my inner... weirdo health nut

I've gone organic.  Well, as much as someone who refuses to give up Chinese takeout can.  Now I find I'm just one wheatgrass shot shy of a tree hugger in a gauzy skirt and Birkenstocks.  (I do actually own the latter, but never you mind.  I'm no hero.  Let's just leave it at that.)

It started some months back while getting a smoothie at a local popular chain.  Acai, oh powerful purple super fruit, how I love thee.  I was hooked.  Next thing I know, I found myself having them add one of their special boosting powders and I was ready to take on the world.  But why should it stop there?  What's that green stuff people are drinking in tiny cups?  Wheatgrass?  How do you juice grass anyhow?

1 ounce cup of fresh wheatgrass juice

I know you're thinking I've really lost it now.  Like, grass that grows in a box.  That you juice in a super slow extractor.  And pour into a tiny cup.  And it looks like something you skimmed off a local stagnant pond.  (Nummy nummy.)  Well, people juice spinach, kale, celery and tons of other green things.  Wheatgrass just happens to be another natural way to get vitamins from something fresh.  You should give it a shot! (For real.)

In recent months, I've read up on it some and the many detoxifying health benefits wheatgrass juice has.  There are people who swear by it daily.  Mostly I feel like it is a boost of green goodness going straight into my bloodstream, so I'm not knocking it.  And on Sundays I get a double punch on my frequent buyer card.  So a double win.  Woo hoo!

Before you put me on some vegan pedestal, you have to hear about the other side of me.  Story part B unfolds...

Late yesterday I texted a friend and we thought we'd take on a cooking project today.  It was a go since her husband was out of town leaving the entire afternoon open, our last endeavor had been a while and she's been a great partner to me in culinary adventures in the past. Though ill prepared, we set a time and figured we'd come up with a well honed idea in time to grocery shop.

After church let out, I met her in the lobby and said, "Okay, so are we doing this today?"  It wasn't but a few seconds later that tears started to well up in her eyes.  Not knowing her to be one who cries a lot, I was a little concerned and said we'd take it outside.  To which she nodded.

We sat out on the benches and she shared with me that she was just having a bad day.  I knew what had been going on recently and have learned that sometimes a few crummy things happen all at once and just knock you in the gut.  I told her I wasn't really up for cooking either and asked her what we might want to do instead.  Take out?  Rent a movie?  Have lunch out at a local restaurant?  Then the perfect idea came up - fast food!

So wait, hold up!  Before you get all judgy and finger pointery, I want to go on the record that I am NOT a proponent of eating tons of fast food.  I'm not even really a burgers and fries kind of girl.  When given the choice, I'm more likely to go for Thai or Mexican.  But it was a moment that needed comfort food and girl talk.  And that is that.

Life is about balance.  And good health is part of that, for sure.  But so is freedom and grace.  Satisfaction doesn't often go hand in hand with full time deprivation.  (In fact, I find that a quick shot recipe for impending disaster.)  Eating healthy most of the time and indulging in something occasionally that you definitely want fries with reminds you to not get too caught up in an unforgivably restrictive set of personal rules.

So if your friend needs a chat, and that involves you forgoing your bean sprouts for lunch on a bun, just make sure you're not so bound by your own regimented eating philosophy that you forget to put what matters first.  Eat some fries.  Be a good listener.  Your friend will feel great that you cared and the wheatgrass will still be there tomorrow.

Nurturing My Inner... Kenyan

It is 95 degrees out today.  100 with the heat index.  That means it's HAAAAAHHHHTTT!!  And I thought, "Hey, I think I'll go for a run."  Perhaps I should have thought, "Hey, I'll go for a Popsicle." or "Hey, I'll go for a dip in the pool." or a personal fav, "Hey, I'll go for a bowl of ice cream."  I've found over the years it's way too easy for me to make excuses to get out of exercise when I want to.  This hurts.  That hurts.  This AND that hurts.  Let's be honest, something always hurts.  And once you pass thirty... forget it.  But I have more excuses - it's too hot out, too cold out, too early, looks like it might rain, I'm tired, I worked too hard today, I don't have time, I'll go tomorrow...  When it comes to getting back on track, I have to use a heavy hand with myself and institute a no excuses policy.  Be my own personal drill Sargent.  If there is a tornado or flash flooding like last Thursday, then okay.  That's really legit and potentially dangerous.  But 97% of what I come up with isn't.  Creative perhaps, but dignified, no.

It's not like I'm a new runner.  Though, I only started running five years ago.  I get out there a few times a week, walk other days, I properly hydrated all day today and I know my own limitations.  Heck, if the Kenyans can do it, so can I.  Never mind that I weigh as much as two Kenyans and while they have years of logging dozens of practice miles a day, I have been practicing sitting on my duff in a cube for nine hours a day at a desk job.  I still remained undeterred.  I pressed on.  I donned my cutest shorts.  With motivational music on my mp3 player, a water bottle in my pack and the knowledge that I was planning on writing about this later to be read by who knows who, I set forth into the wilderness.  While the Kenyans pass by gazelles and giraffes, I saw a big buck and two does.  And as they trot by tigers and lions, I chugged by a man walking his overly fluffy dog.  I know, almost exactly the same, right?  It's eerie.

Two miles later, I'm happy to say I did it!  (And I did get one, "Yow!  Lookin' good!" and another unrepeatable primal cacophony from some male passerbyers in trucks that I will choose to believe were well intended.)  I won't be breaking any land speed records this week or robbing professionals of a gold medal, but I didn't take the easy way out.  Not this time.  And although I passed perfectly perfumed girls in sport's bras that showed off their six packs and easy-breathing agile men pushing two seater baby strollers uphill as if they were running unencumbered, I didn't get discouraged by my slower and more labored gate.  I kept my inner Kenyan eyes on the prize.  Which was two-fold:

1.) A little rest on my favorite dock by the lake close to sunset.

My faithful Brooks that I call Lewis & Clark.

2.) A glass of ice cold, low cal, fat free coconut water.

I like VitaCoco original best, but it comes in other flavors.

Now that's the AAHHHH! I was looking for.  I came from a family who taught me inadvertently to reward myself with high calorie, wonderfully tasty treats.  As a total foodie, I kind of liked that program.  But it has had its consequences.  Just ask my jeans.  I've had to change my thinking.  My reward program has been retooled and now involves stops by the lake to see what wildlife might show up, watered down cranberry juice or coconut water and as a friend of mine once suggested, downloading a song.  Why would I want to undo all my hard work by adding back in all the high calorie stuff I was trying to work off in the first place!!  Note the futility in ignoring that basic principle.

I did also happen to indulge my inner granddaughter again for a few minutes by running through someone's sprinkler on the way home like we used to do in the summer as kids.  Hey, I told you the many sides of me can show up at any time.  I'm a chick.  We're complex.

Don't give up!  Keep working at it.  You have it inside you to make today the day you stop making excuses and push ahead on the path to success.