Blogger Night at The Ordway: "Elf the Musical"

With two tickets to see Elf at The Ordway, I spent my Friday night downtown Saint Paul. After dodging what seemed like billions of children headed to Disney on Ice at The Xcel Center, I swam up stream through the River Centre to Rice Park. The park glittered with lights, snowflakes danced their way to the ground, and searchlights welcomed all who came for opening night.

Enjoy my review, see the musical, and hopefully, if I'm lucky, I'll have more reviews in the future.

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Snow, searchlights, and sparkle lead to success for Elf the Musical

Friday, December 7, 2012
Saint Paul, MN - Opening night for Elf the Musical at The Ordway in downtown Saint Paul proved to be quite the fabulous and fancy gathering. Greeted with the first ground-clinging snowfall of the winter months, the downtown area sparkled. Searchlights picked up the glimmer of snowflakes and beamed as far as the eye could see, creating a Red Carpet atmosphere right here in our own cozy city. Not daring to pass the eager Elves without taking a picture first, our jackets were off and The Ordway awe had struck. A towering Christmas tree, compliments of Bachman’s Floral, Home & Garden Centers, climbed each level while garland elves accompanied our steps to the Mezzanine.  

Story time with Santa introduces this bright musical to the nearly sold-out audience. Capturing the audience with a gravelly yet refined Mr. Clause voice creates a childhood Santa’s lap flashback as well as that bowl full of Jell-O deep laugh which accompanies every “ho-ho-ho” we hear. Gordon Gray is outstanding, a role very well suited. Plus, who could ever dislike Santa. One of my favorite performances of the night included the song “Nobody Cares About Santa.” While bonding over Chinese food on Christmas Eve these seven dancing Santas bring added life to Act Two.  

Now to mention Buddy: he enjoys spaghetti with syrup, sings loudly for all to hear, and smiles because well, that is his favorite thing to do. Matt Kopec takes on a large role, filled by shoes of Will Ferrell in Elf the movie (2003), with enthusiasm, frolics, and a noticeable bounce in every step. The clear, concise voice of this tight-clad Elf radiate throughout the entire performance. Being an Elf is not easy in the big city of New York; finding love, making special hugs – added for the adults, eh – and causing the city to believe is a task only Kopec could concur.

Although Kopec is the lead character, do not overlook Kate Hennies. Hennies character, Jovie – a hint of Scrooge in an Elf costume with a fabulous voice, captures the female audience with her charm, hope for love, and down-to-earth attitude. Learning this is her national tour debut holds promising for this young blonde. Keep your eye on Hennies, as she is no more than one step behind a role such as Amy Adams in Enchanted.  

While movie scenes pop in and out of remembrance, the audience is swept away into a further tale of the personalities and stories the performance offers. Adding personalization, modernization – Santa owns an iPad now, folks – and comedy one truly is able to focus on the show right then and there. The warm, fuzzy feelings from Elf the Musical touch all. The holidays really are about being surrounded by friends and family, singing loudly, and those that are lucky will get that special hug. 

Elf the Musical runs now through Sunday, December 30, 2012. Visit www.theordway.org to purchase tickets online or call the box office at 651.224.4222 to purchase tickets over the phone. Tickets start at just $35 plus fees.

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If the review wasn't enough to convince you to get your own tickets (don't forget student friends - there are rush tickets available night of based on availability) here are pictures capturing the ambiance The Ordway offered.

  01 02 18

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread.

Well. Happy December! Despite what my Pinterest creations are telling me to bake this month, I am still using up my cans of pumpkin. And this morning I found the perfect recipe combining pumpkin spices with the sweetness of cream cheese. The best part of all? I did not need to buy any additional ingredients, nor did I run out of anything. I love having a kitchen full of goodies.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

Cream Cheese Topping:

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1 egg, room temperature

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract
(side note: I always use real extract, yes it's a bit more expensive, but necessary)

Pumpkin Bread:

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

2 tbsp vegetable oil (or canola oil)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ginger

1/8 cloves

(I love pumpkin spices so I used a pinch more than what's called for)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one large loaf pan (or use mini loafs and reduce baking time -

I prefer large slices of bread you can enjoy with a cup of tea)

2. Beat all ingredients of the cream cheese topping together until smooth and creamy

3. Mix brown sugar and eggs together then add remaining wet ingredients (pumpkin, oil, vanilla)

4. Whisk dry ingredients together and add gradually to wet ingredients

5. Pour pumpkin bread batter into loaf pan, level with a spatula

6. Pour cream cheese batter on top, level and smooth with a spatula

7. Bake for 35 minutes or until edges are golden brown and cream cheese topping has cracked to perfection! (Bake less if using mini loaves)

8. Enjoy the bread while warm with a cup of tea.

#perfect

01 02 18

The City by the Bay.

Here's the rest of my two day San Francisco trip. Yes, I did go whale watching, which was the highlight (and the center of attention to a previous post), but I also explored by foot, cable car, and trolley. I am already looking forward to my next trip out West.

                                                

I love this building: The Ferry Building. This giant clock tower that greets most individuals to the Bay is modeled after at 12th century bell tower in the Seville Cathedral in Spain. Pretty cool, huh?

I love even more that I was greeted by a Farmer's Market (with fruit!) right outside the Ferry Building. I stocked up on fresh grapes and nectarines for my visit. Popping grapes one by one I wandered further down the piers taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of San Francisco.

First stop: Walking Pier 1. Continuing to munch my grapes, I slowly walked the length of the Pier. I listened to the foreign language of the fishermen, offered to take a picture for a couple, and even saw my first sea lion in the bay area! I was in love with the city, relaxed as ever, and so thankful to be able to hop on a plane and discover this city again.

My whale watching adventure took place on this boat, the Kitty Kat. She was great. I have learned since being at the airlines, vessels are always 'she.' Thus, she was great. The bathroom, less than ideal. But then again who could even use the bathroom when your eyes are focused on the water looking for wildlife.

Pier 39. If I could take this enormous mural home with me I would. This gentle giant would go in my backyard just because. Although I did so much in just two days, there are still countless more places to see and discover which will keep me coming back. For those of you who have not been to San Francisco before, or Northern California in general, GO. As soon as you can. You will fall in love with this part of the States.

Folks who haven't seen many sea gulls in their lifetime. I was captivated by their surprise and excitement over a sea gull. Life is truly filled with little things. But then again, I'd watch birds all day too if I could.

The renowned sea lions.

This is the boardwalk which wraps all along the Bay toward the Golden Gate bridge as well as back toward Pier 1. I sat on the concrete steps to eat my grocery store lunch while writing postcards. I told one of my best friends that I love escaping like this. On little trips. Because I really did escape, my life did not seem 'real' at this moment and I had no cares in the world besides making sure the sea gull next to me wouldn't steal my food. And frankly, most days this holds true (not the sea gull stealing my food part). I have such a flexible schedule and great travel benefits that I am still baffled by all I am capable of experiencing, even a year after beginning this journey.

From a distance I was able to watch part of America's Cup. These boats are the fastest in the world and their sailors (or skippers as they are called) are the best in world. These boats literally fly across the water. The finals take place next year in San Francisco. Viewing areas were under construction while I was here. This only added to the great two days I had. Yes, only two days. Short and so sweet.

I already used the word 'renowned' to describe the sea lions, but the renowned cable cars deserve the word again. I did not take the cable car last time I was here (sophomore year in high school) so this time I was not leaving before catching a ride. Well worth the $8 one way ride.

San Francisco, this isn't the last time I'll be seeing you. I've got my eye on my San Francisco Groupon for this very reason.

01 02 18

Pumpkin, Dark Chocolate, Granola Muffins.

These muffins are delicious. And I like to think nutritious. (Just go with it.) The perfect cloudy, chilly day to bake brought this recipe into my hands. And now this recipe will never, ever be leaving my life. Enjoy!

This is how every kitchen should look when baking. I love setting out all my ingredients first so I don't have to open up the cupboard every five seconds. Plus, I feel like Rachel Ray when she grabs every ingredient needed and balances them all in her arms until she sets them on the counter. What a challenge. I cannot wait to have my own cute kitchen someday, with lots of canisters and ingredients galore! 

The batter in the final stages all whipped up! First whisk the dry ingredients together, followed by adding the wet ingredients (in this case brown sugar is considered a wet ingredient) then the granola and chocolate chips.

All ready to be baked! I chose to use the GIANT muffin pan I have. This way I feel like I just went to a coffee shop and indulged in a huge, yummy looking muffin instead of a tiny regular one that I would eat two of anyway! Plus, this recipe made exactly six giant muffins with lots of granola crumble for the tops!

01 02 18

WHALES.

Okay. This post has been LONG overdue. But so have many other posts that I have been meaning to write. September was a busy month, travel-wise. Work-wise, September brought the least amount of flight hours I have ever worked. Travel-wise, what I really yearn for, September was great. The Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta was checked off my to-do list on my birthday (this is the World's Largest Aquarium for those who are curious) as a very fun day trip. And then a two day, semi-spontaneous (I am not spontaneous, I need to plan, so I planned for only one day prior to leaving) trip to San Francisco happened!

I debated between Seattle and San Francisco for quite some time. The whales in Washington are mainly on the San Juan Islands, which would take a bit longer for me to journey to then the easily accessible San Francisco and Fisherman's Wharf. With this being said, I absolutely LOVE public transportation. I look for cities that I can get from the airport to whatever attraction via public transportation. So convenient, so easy, and usually quite cheap. In this case, the BART system in San Francisco was phenomenal. For $16.50 round trip, I made it from the airport right down to the Ferry Building. And from there only $2.00 per cable car ride, or $8.00 per trolley ride. Or FREE if you walk. On a perfectly sunny day, I decided to do a majority of walking all over this town. #lovelovelove

With just my little backpack packed as an overnight bag, I set out to explore this city as much as possible. I have been to San Francisco just once before, back in 10th grade. My mom and I went with the Como Zoo-Hoppers, and explored San Francisco, Oakland, Wine Country, Muir Woods, and the surrounding cities for a week. This time, traveling by myself, my priorities were a bit different. Some of the scenery was the same, some of the scenery was different, and some I did not remember at all.

The highlight and my purpose (to continue my now extended birthday month!) was WHALE WATCHING. Let me preface this by saying, I cannot believe this worked out. I booked my ticket the day prior, and the five and a half hour tour was quite worth the price. Check out the tour group I went with if you ever decide to go, they are all marine biologists, adhere to all rules and regulations about sea life/wildlife, and are super nice, plus the boat is named Kitty Kat! Currently, it is Humpback Whale migration time out at the Farallon Islands, approximately 27 miles past the San Francisco Bay out on the ocean. Yes, 27 miles. Which, by boat, is approximately two hours there and two hours back. That is quite the ride! Thank goodness my current job has gotten me quite used to turbulence and motion, because we ran into some rough water with nothing but grey clouds keeping us quite chilled, and salt water drying to a crust all over my face from random mists and sprays the entire ride. But would I change a thing? Of course not.

The whole group met at 8am at Pier 39. We embarked on our voyage at about 8:30am. The sun attempted to shine through, giving us a tease of the warmth we all wish we had the whole day! And that big cruise ship in the back? That's the Disney Cruise Ship. That thing is massive.

Victoria was our guide for the day. She is a Marine Biologist originally from Australia. She was adorable, informative, massively enthusiastic, and all in all just great.

01 02 18

The World's LARGEST Aquarium!

Birthdays mean a lot to me. I have always had themed birthday parties growing up and love to celebrate and make the day seem special. Versus just another day, or the pessimistic 'another year older' attitude. This year, I decided to go on a day trip to Atlanta (why not, with this job!) to the World's Largest Aquarium! Ever since visiting Le 'Oceanografic in Valencia I have wanted to see the World's Largest Aquarium. As that one was the Second Largest Aquarium. With simply a day trip down to Atlanta and home that night, I did just that for my birthday! I saw the aquarium I never knew if I'd ever see. (And yes, this still means I love my job!)

GEORGIA AQUARIUM

The architecture to Aquariums, Museums, and Zoos, are all so intriguing to me. The appearance of this aquarium is massive as you walk across the park across the street from here. Very sleek, very shiny, and just the right amount of futuristic qualities. Opened in 2005, I love the new feeling everything has in this space. And how cool that the co-founder of The Home Depot, Bernie Marcus, donated $250 million for this aquarium. (I LOVE learning things like this!)

01 02 18

Happy Day.

As another layer of joint compound dries in the basement, the clickity-clack of train wheels rumble past the house, and country music fades in and out, today is a good day. A great day.

After a successful Double Daze at Rainbow (yes, this really is my life I tell you) I put the groceries away one by one and continue my health kick. Preface: I have been sick for a week now. I pride myself on not getting sick. This has to be fixed and basically never happen again. Hence, the health kick.

The multi-vitamin has been bought to add to my daily flaxseed oil regime. Spinach was added to my very first green smoothie. Blended with honey, cinnamon, peanut butter, banana, and almond milk. Tell me this does not sound good. I was leery, vegetables in smoothies? Try it. Any combination you'd like. This was much more fun to consume then a whole bowl of spinach. Because I kid you not I tossed in a HUGE handful of spinach and arugula. Salad-bowl worthy.

Vitamin C in the natural form of oranges have been bought. To be had with breakfast each morning. Vitamin C helps absorb iron more efficiently. To which my most recent cereal, Nutty Nuggets from Cub, was bought solely for the iron content, not the hard, crunchy, cardboard-esque quality, although that sounds appealing, I know. Not to say I have an iron deficiency, but Web MD can sure freak a person out, or kick start one to get all their vitamins and minerals. Hence, the health kick.

Extra tea and honey has been a constant brew for this very long sickness week. Switching my usual green for black and white tea's has brought new senses to my taste buds, and the decision of which to have brings me much happiness. Choices! There are so many! Next: to buy darker honey from the Apple Orchard, which has even more antioxidants than the golden honey I have been accustomed to.

Finishing my snack of a green smoothie and sunflower seeds, I feel great. Today is a happy day. I look out the window and the leaves are rustling. Golden leaves flutter from the branches, squirrels run about the yard, and birds come and go from our feeders. Life is good. No, make that life is great. This health kick is exactly what I needed.


Delicious-ness in a pretty little glass.

01 02 18

Multi-Passionate Careerist.

I have never heard this term before. But to me, with no surprise, the description is perfect. Multi-Passionate Careerist.

Dolphin Trainer. Event Planner. First Grade Teacher. Working at a Zoo. Whale Watcher. Hotels & Hospitality. Growing for a Farmer's Market. Raising Animals. Selling on Etsy. Marketing Manager. Baker. Florist. Water Aerobics Instructor. Owning a business. Fro-Yo. Pharmacist. Cabin rentals. Sorority Leader. Staying as a Flight Attendant. Delta Corporate. International Students. Hall Director. Peace Corps. Teach Abroad. AmeriCorps.

My list could go on, and on, and the more I think about my 'list' the more ideas which come to mind. Sometimes this causes stress. Too much stress on what to do with my life. I have always had plans, lists, a schedule, and now much of that has disappeared in a sense. The following year I'd have to choose courses and be ready for school. Now, another year has gone by and what do I think the following year will hold? I have no clue.

Although the unknown is exciting, perhaps there is a bit of fear at the same time. Here's to being a Multi-Passionate Careerist and having no idea what to do.

http://blog.brazencareerist.com/2012/09/20/how-to-succeed-as-a-multi-passionate-careerist/

01 02 18

Caprese Bites.

A little bit of luxury, that's what I call these Caprese Bites. With fresh basil from the garden, fresh tomatoes from the garden, and fresh mozzarella from the gourmet cheese section at the grocery store, I was all set to make these delicious appetizers.

The picture explains the ingredients, the preparation, and the organization of the food. The only tip you may need to know is that I used a melon baller with the mozzarella. Enjoy.

01 02 18

The Perfect Evening.

I have been throwing out the word 'perfect' quite a bit lately. It's on the subtitle to my blog, I say it out loud when things go right, and quite honestly, this word feels perfect to say.

Now the word perfect to me means everything is going right, whether a recipe turned out better than expected (like this evening), a day of work was more fun than work (which happens frequently), or I have ideas and thoughts that make me happy, and thus have been perfected a bit more each day.

Tonight's perfect is a package deal: A day of work that ended by 2 p.m., an impromptu stop at the Delta Farmer's Market (which only happens on Wednesday's) and a true find of perfect eggplants (and beets for future recipes), a great connection with a Delta employee (hopefully I hear back from this lady!), a quick stop at the grocery store for more ingredients after deciding eggplant lasagna is happening, and finally, an early evening of Dolly Parton, Trader Joes's Chardonnay, cooking, baking, and chatting with friends. Perfect.

Eggplant Lasagna. I have never tried eggplant in my life. I have always, ALWAYS, been curious about this vegetable. I really want to grow this in my garden, but hesitated this year because I had no idea what this tasted like. My best description of raw eggplant is the similarity to a fresh green bean out of the garden. A bit woody, a bit barky/planty, but fresh and firm. You could use any dip, my choice lately, has been balsamic vinaigrette, which would be perfect after soaking into the flesh after a few minutes. That will have to be tomorrow's snack, as indeed I bought two eggplants.

Tonight's meal: Eggplant Lasagna. I 'googled' recipes while in the Rainbow parking lot as I have never made lasagna before. I knew I wanted to still use noodles in addition to eggplant. The solution is the following, a combination of two recipes:

Ingredients:

One medium eggplant
2 tbsp Olive Oil
9 lasagna noodles
1 - 15 oz container of Ricotta Cheese- Part Skim
2 cups shredded Mozzarella cheese
5 tbsp grated Parmesan
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 can spaghetti sauce - tomato/basil

Eggplant preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Prepare cookie sheet with parchment paper and a drizzle of olive oil over the entire sheet.
3. Wash and cut eggplant into 1/4" lengthwise strips and place on cookie sheet, flipping eggplant to cover with olive oil. Use only the insides of the eggplant (softer/fleshy) and discard outer peeling segments. In total, I had six slices, three for each layer.
4. Cook eggplant for 20 minutes, flipping at the end to make sure both sides are starting to caramelize.
5. Take out of oven and set aside until ready to place into lasagna pan.

Noodle preparation:
There are two types of lasagna to use. Noodles that you must cook before baking, and the new creation, noodles that do not need to be cooked prior. I used one layer of noodles that I cooked first (salted pot of water, about 5 minutes), and two layers of noodles that did not need to be cooked prior (I would always use this method in the future, saves time!). And I could not taste any difference in the end.
1. Cook noodles according to package IF you have the must boil first type.
2. No need to cook noodles if using the quick and easy, no cook noodles.

Cheesy Filling preparation:
1. Mix together  1 container (15 oz) of ricotta cheese, part-skim, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, 3 tbsp grated Parmesan, 1 tsp dried basil, and 1 tsp dried oregano in a bowl and sit aside until ready to start layering.

Tomato Sauce preparation:
1. I used a canned spaghetti sauce jar of tomato and basil. Some day, I hope to use home-made sauce, but for now, this turned out perfect and saved a lot of time.

Layering (Lasagna has SO many steps):

1. Put 1/4 cup of canned sauce onto bottom of a well greased (cooking spray) 9"x15" pan.
2. Set lasagna noodles on top of sauce (I used three noodles sheets) barely overlapping as they expand while cooking.
3. Spread 1/2 of cheesy filing on top of noodles (this is tricky, use spatula and be patient)
4. Add layer of eggplant slices using three eggplant slices (half the plant)
5. Add 3/4 cup of canned sauce over eggplant slices.
6. Repeat steps 2-5 once more. Making sure to end with lasagna noodles on top.
7. Spread the rest of the canned sauce on top of noodles, sprinkle with one more cup of mozzarella and 2 tbsp of Parmesan.
8. Cover with tin foil and cook for 30 minutes at 375 degrees.
9. Uncover foil after 30 minutes and allow to cook for 10 more minutes until all cheese on top is melted and starting to bubbly. This means your lasagna is done! 01 02 18

Circa July 29th Thoughts.

My new thing to do on plane rides (when I am the passenger and not the worker) is to write notes on my phone. I can type much quicker than I write, which appeals to me greatly. This note I wrote on July 29th.

"Soaring above the clouds right now on my flight from JFK to MSP I wonder what I'll be doing in one year. Where I will be living, who will I be friends with, what relationships stay or go, and I wonder who I will be as a person.

I've often had the thought of my San Francisco-yoga loving-tea drinking-self recently. How I desire to have an independent lifestyle centered on health and wellness, balance, and happiness.

I can easily commute with this job once I have a line (definition: a line is when I have a schedule for the whole month of where and when I go, instead of being on call). And that thought is so appealing. Yet, selfish. Could I go without my Minnesota weather, could I go without seeing my friends and family? What would happen and how would life be? These are the things I wonder.

So much of me is ready for a grand adventure, this job provides this is in a heartbeat if I let it. I want my own life, free to do what I want, when I want. Maybe I wanting to grow up too fast, for sometimes I look back and think, "Monica, you should have lived a little more." But so much of me says, "Everything I've done to this point has led me to where I am," and that's why I wouldn't change anything.

I've gotten so close to my family, my brother and dad especially, with them being home more often this summer, and we have a good balance. I have my huge jungle-like garden to which I say next year needs to be twice the size, yet, how do I know I'll be here next year. In Saint Paul Park, in Minnesota?
I love the life I have right now, okay, so I am more confused often than not, but who is to say I can't be happy with confusion. Confusion keeps me on my toes, keeps my thoughts fresh, and mind quick.

All this mumble jumble has been sparked from a possible huge decision. That decision: Emirates. Should I stay or should I go?

I love flying. I love, love, LOVE flying. And I want to see the world. Delta mainline is one option, as is United or any other carrier based domestically. Yet, what about adventure. What about perhaps a little crazy. I'm 23, non-committed anywhere right now, still broke, and wanting adventure and travel. If the two can go hand in hand, why not? Why not take a crazy chance. Why not do a crazy dance. Hilary Duff knew all too well what someones situation could be apparently.

Leave the life in America for the unknown? For the unfamiliar? Heck, I did that for River Falls and that was one of the greatest decisions of my life, so just maybe, maybe, this will be too."

Emirates Airlines. Open House: October 27th. Stay tuned. 01 02 18

Quick Lunch.

I made this salmon lunch quite a few weeks back, but time and time again, I go to blog and can't place what I was going to blog about or don't have time for a complete post. Well. This morning I have time.

This salmon was the first fish I have ever handled and cooked by myself. I love fish, but I don't prepare it that often nor do I care to touch anything raw. So this was a first for me. I used frozen salmon fillets - finding wild salmon versus farmed is key. Wild salmon is much better for you and the fish prior to catching. The herb butter mixture keeps the fishy taste to a minimum (and with good fish, there should be no fishy taste!) and the puff pastry provides a flaky buttery goodness that makes this dish real filling!

The recipe I went by is from Kevin McKidd, who stars in Disney/Pixar's Brave. I found this in the Sunday Parade from June 10, 2012. You never know where you will find good recipes!
Ingredients:

12 oz puff pastry sheets (thawed)
2 (6 -7oz) salmon fillets (thawed and skinless)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (I didn't have fresh parsley so I used extra fresh basil!)
3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
3 Tbsp unsalted butter (salted butter or margarine will also work)
Salt and Pepper to taste (I try to stay away from adding extra salt to recipes)
1 egg, lightly beaten

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Using a rolling pin, roll the pastry into four pieces - each large enough to fit around the salmon fillets.
3. Transfer two pieces to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Place salmon fillet in center of each of those pieces.
5. In a small bowl, combine parsley, basil, and butter. Stir until herbs are thoroughly mixed in. Season with salt and pepper. Spread butter mixture on top of salmon. (This is where more is better!)
6. Dip a pastry brush into beaten egg and let excess run off. Brush edges of pastry around salmon with egg. Cover each piece with remaining puff pastry.
7. Pinch pastry together firmly to seal, then lightly press tines of a fork along edges to close. Brush top of pastry with remaining egg.
8. With a sharp knife, cut two small slits into top of each pastry so steam can escape during baking.
9. Bake for 20 minutes or until pastry has risen and is crisp and golden.

01 02 18

Jamaican Me Crazy.

July Escape: Montego Bay, Jamaica.

Water. Sand. Sunshine. Flowers. Tropics. Cool Runnings.

For three days I enjoyed the offerings of an all-inclusive resort my friend Jacqui and I found online, The Riu - Montego Bay. Or as the locals call the area, MoBay. And as my Grandma Saladis always said, "Make sure to use the facilities." We did just that.

With an early morning flight to Atlanta then Montego Bay, we got to Jamaica passports in hand and customs form filled out with anticipation, excitement, yet anxiety for the unknown. Paying for a taxi (which turned out to be our own private bus with a driver singing "Welcome to Jamaica, Jacqui and Monica" - no joke, I really enjoyed the singing to create the atmosphere) at $20 a piece was a bit steep for my liking, but we got to our resort no problem and with a small tour along the way.

Walking into our resort, this was the entrance, I was shocked we were at such a nice place. For $99 per person a night, I wasn't sure what to expect. Neither one of us has been to an All Inclusive (AI) resort before and just two days prior we didn't know which one to go with. Our choice proved successful. A nice bell-hop gentleman took our bags and placed them in the middle of the lobby area with a ton of other people's luggage while we waited for the 3 p.m. check-in time. Later, we learned this 3 p.m. check-in wasn't a done-deal time, nor was getting to our first room and learning people were still in it. As well, next time instead of waiting a half hour for our luggage to magically appear, I'll wheel my bag with me. But, nevertheless, we were in Jamaica. Island time begins.

The resort was painted a somewhat bright lavender color. When we first pulled up we both just turned to each other and made a somewhat surprised look, a purple palace, alrightie then. No idea why they chose purple, but hey, the place was decent so why not purple?

The sand was indeed sandy white, mixed with the occasional rocks and shells, that I collected on day two. The water was refreshing with the sun shining, yet not overly warm, because once the sun went down (at an early 7 p.m.) I sure got chilled quickly. Not a fish in sight (nor shark for that matter), the only activity in the water were the Jamaican guys on their kayaks trying to sell you necklaces and shells inside the beached zone. But when the resort staff began walking their way down the beach, those kayaks were gone pretty quickly.

The room, was just that, a room. Our two double beds were pushed so close together we practically shared a king bed. We both determined that since our job has created semi-high standards for hotels, this room did not meet our expectations, but we enjoyed the outdoors, and even though our room never got that cool, our beds weren't soft, and the pillows were lumpy, we still enjoyed our time. I mean, we were in Jamaica.

I am proud to say I did not get sunburned throughout the entire three days. With the Caribbean Sea in sight at all times on the island, this was definitely an island escape. And that water behind me? That's where I went kayaking on our last day at 9 a.m. The perfect way to wake up, if I could that everyday I would. Nothing but open blue water behind you and bright blue waters beneath you.

There's something about sunsets that get me. Whether it be the time in Puerto Rico with my mom, or now this escape, watching the sunset or rise in an unfamiliar place is just amazing. And with a late night tour around the resort on the first night, there were plenty of stars to watch, all you had to do was look up while making footprints in the sand.

With Jamaica being only 600 miles south of Miami, I was taken to a whole different culture, and obviously, a whole different country. This world seems so huge so many days, but so small at the same time. Only a couple hour plane ride landed us here. To this exotic, yet beautiful country. We only had time to explore the one parish (Jamaica has 14 parishes) and were on the complete opposite side from the capital, Kingston, but I got a little taste of the island life. Where Bob Marley played continuously, and Margaritaville was just a boat ride away.

Day Two brought us our only full day in Jamaica. We filled the day with zip-lining. Jacqui wanted to go zip-lining through a forest for her birthday, so that's exactly what we did. For $90 (worth it, since the adventure lasted over three hours), we got on a bus from our hotel, enjoyed the sights our bus driver/tour guide pointed out and became Jamaicans for the day. No longer could we say 'yes' to anything, only 'yah mon' would be acceptable. After any statement he made, our bus driver would say, "You understand?" to which the entire bus blurted back, "Ya, Mon." If we ever had to say 'no' to anything, only 'ee-ee' would be acceptable. Our bus driver said, 'ee-ee' resembles the noise a dolphin makes, so of course, we all practiced, "ee-ee." The bus ride was truly, a portion of the fun this day and trip held.

We arrived at the mountains. To which, to the right of these in the picture, Johnny Cash owned a home. If you look at the highest peaked mountain in the picture, the small overlapping mountain below it is where our zip-lining adventure would begin.

Aspiring to be a chef, one of our guides (now I can't remember his name unfortunately!), graciously chatted with us after the tour. I asked him how long he has been a tour guide, to which he said a couple years. He recently moved to MoBay and has an apartment. His intentions we finally realized was to meet up with us at Margaritaville to dance that night, however, we of course "didn't know what we were doing yet." Nevertheless, a great group of staff members, full of energy, very polite, and made our experience so much fun. (Highly recommend Chukka adventures to anyone in the future!)

Our bus ride down the mountain drove us through a residential area, one of the richest neighborhoods in the area, we saw many gated, huge, island homes. The road here gave us a great view of the water, and the houses in the mountains were gorgeous. However, I'd want a beachfront property, but maybe that's just me.



Our trip ended with a first class departure back to Atlanta and we got home no problem. From the pina coladas, margaritas, and rum-punch to buffet style meals full of fresh fruit, plenty of vegetarian options (including ratatouille!), friendly people, and great weather (yes, we did sweat practically the whole time), I would go back in a heartbeat. Thanks, Jamaica for a great three days. (Oh, and my job? Why yes, I still love it.)

01 02 18

July Escape.

Jamaica. 8 days. Please come sooner. 01 02 18

Spring Cleaning Extended.

I'm ready to purge more of my 'stuff.' Yes, I have 'stuff.' At age 23, I have way too much. Parts of me were lazy after coming home from college each year with another bin of random stuff I didn't really need, other parts don't want to give up anything containing memories. But thus, I'm doing the purging process once again, and gosh the feeling afterwards of seeing empty bins and clean space is so worth the time and effort.

I confuse having emotions and memories with physical things. Yes, I know this is common, or so I think, but it's obnoxious. I can't possible keep every little thing that has sentimental value. And most memories are tied to the thoughts that go with something, not that actually object. So thus, once again the purging needs to happen.

After I've already taken a handful of trips to Saver's and Goodwill for both my stuff, my brother's, and some family stuff, I'm sure after this clean sweep, I will have yet another trunkful of goodies. One mans junk is another persons treasure - or insert here whatever that saying is.

Also, have I mentioned how much I do really enjoy uniforms? Especially for work. When I'm not in uniform I take great care in what I do wear and usually only wear clothing I really like. And this is where all those crazy outfits depart me, as I no longer need to have endless outfits. Instead, I can finally focus on quality over quantity.

Life is good. Let the cleaning continue.
01 02 18

Apple Pie for Two.

Despite today being June 25th, and summer being in full swing, my thoughts always go to September. I love Autumn SO much. Thus, apple pie needed to happen. Not to mention, the house smelled amazing.

This recipe is SUPER easy. And the best part is you don't need to make a whole pie to get dessert. You can do any number of these personal apple pies. Plus, I feel they are WAY healthier than regular pie because you use so little crust, and next time I think I might not use any crust because the warm, cinnamon apples are what I really want anyway.

The original link I found from Pinterest (how did I live before this again?), yet the recipe/blog links to the original recipe she went off of as well. Funny how we are just a continuous loop of bloggers over the same Pinterest recipes, meh. Still all delicious. (Original link)



2 Medium Apples - I used Granny Smith

1/2 tsp Cinnamon

1/8 cup sugar

1/2 tbsp brown sugar

Lemon Juice (enough to coat apples)

Egg Wash (one egg)

Pie Crust - I used Pillsbury premade because we had it in our fridge already, however, if I had the ingredients I would definitely choose homemade!

Utensils needed that you may or may not have: Melon Baller, Pizza Cuter, Pastry Brush

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Set out a bread loaf size pan (or size that will fit all your apples - could also use cupcake pan if making a lot!)
2. Wash apples. Cut off about a 1/4 inch from the top of the apple.

3. Carefully use melon baller to carve out the apple (discard very inner center core), be sure not to puncture the outside apple! Save the edible insides as this is your pie filling!

4. Toss apple pieces with lemon juice in mixing bowl.

5. Add dry ingredients to apples and toss gently.

6. Spoon apple mixture into hollowed-apples.

7. Use pizza cuter to cut pie crust into about 1/4 inch strips on your cutting board.

8. On the cutting board weave a portion of the pie crust into about a 4 x 4 square overlapping every other strip.

9. Take a spatula and lift the pie crust from the cutting board over apples!

10. Fill the bottom of baking pan with a thin layer of water (just enough to cover the bottom)

11. Cover pan with tin foil and bake for 20 minutes.

12. Take pan out of oven and remove foil. Use a pastry brush to brush on egg wash, then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon to add a bit of extra crunch and spice! Put pan back into oven (leave any extra water in the pan still) and bake for another 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown and crunchy.

13. YUM! Your apples are done! Enjoy the ENTIRE apple!



01 02 18