Gucci Osteria opened in January. If only I were in Florence….
Month: February 2018
Use It or Lose It with Language Learning
Culture
After almost a year of no Spanish classes/tutors and spending most of my time in California, I’m back at it. Today I took my Spanish exam to find the right Spanish level for me. I haven’t received the results yet, but I know I bombed. Tenses are completely lost to me. I’m hoping it all comes back to me during the class. (Dedos cruzados!)
Hair Ribbons No, Scarves Yes
ClosetI”m not a huge fan of the hair ribbon trend and it feels way too young for a woman of my age. My alternative: low ponytail or bun with a scarf.
Dining in a Cave
Playa Living, TravelThe restaurant Alux is in Playa del Carmen, MX. It’s actually a 10,000 year old cave/cenote and from the outside it looks like a normal restaurant. Prices were a little high, the food was ok, but the experience was worth it.
Tummy Love-Roasted Veggie Sandwich
CravingsThis veggie sandwich makes my tummy oh so happy. Below is the recipe from thegardengrazer.com. I have both roasted my veggies and sautéed them on the skillet. I do prefer the roasted veggies, but the sautéing is pretty darn good too (and a lot quicker). I’ve also switched up my veggies to whatever I had on hand.
Vegan (with dairy cheese and vegan pesto)
Gluten-free (with gf bread)
Makes about 4 paninis (reduce if desired)
Ingredients
3 bell peppers (I use 2 red, 1 orange)
1 onion
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
Asparagus
Dairy-free shredded mozzarella
Pesto (try homemade!)
Italian bread (2 slices per sandwich)
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 425.
Cut pepper and onion into strips, and asparagus in half.
On a baking sheet, toss veggies with olive oil and kosher salt.
Roast for about 25-30 minutes.
On a skillet over medium heat, place a slice of bread. Sprinkle mozzarella.
Add a generous layer of vegetables. Spread pesto on a second slice of bread and place on top, lightly pressing down.
Heat about 5-8 minutes on each side or until warmed through and cheese is melted.
My Personal Memorial to My Dad
Sunday SolSadly, my dad passed away in January. In an effort not to be completely consumed with grief, I’ve been reflecting on some things I now know.
- When you are lucky enough to have a wonderful loving father who made sure we gave hugs/kisses on the daily, there’s no panic at the end wondering if he knew how much I loved him. It’s a sure thing.
- Who you are in life, you’re also that way until the end. My dad was always a happy fun loving man. At 81 years old and days away from death, he was still fist bumping the nurses.
- I stayed with my dad for the majority of his cancer treatment and honestly became very grumpy after a few months because I wanted to go home. Now I know I was lucky to have those days with him. They were a gift of extra time with my dad. I wish I had utilized them better.
- We spend our lives accumulating nice things to go in our pretty houses. In the end, it all ends up being “just stuff”. His bible and hat were all I wanted.
- My sisters importance in my life has never been so apparent as it was in those last weeks as we cared for him together. And now will never be forgotten.
- All through my high school years, my dad’s mantra to me before going out was, “Have fun, be good, and don’t do anything stupid”. It was good advice then and is actually good advice in general.
So dad, now that you’re on the other side, “Have fun, be good and don’t do anything stupid.” xoxo
