Summer in the Fabulous 1950's -- Just for Fun

I am a 1950's girl at heart. I love the style and romance. Here's a little tidbit of summer life.

Pictures 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9-18,19,20

Simple Summer Secrets

#1. Ice Cube Tray as Sunburn Soother

Freeze cubes of aloe vera for instant sunburn relief when you forget the SPF. Squeeze aloe gel into the tray and freeze over night. Keep them in the freezer for emergencies.

 




#2. Broken Blender? Use a Mason Jar

If you accidentally broke your blender pitcher, use a mason jar. Most large mason jars will screw into a standard size blender base. Make sure that the blade doesn’t touch the glass!  

If you have ample clearance, blend away!

#3. Citrus Peels as Bowls

Serve sorbet in a memorable way. After juicing (or eating) grapefruit, orange, lemon, or lime halves, scoop out and freeze the peels. Cut a small slice off the bottom to create a level surface (without creating a hole), then fill with ice cream.

#4. Egg slicers can slice more than just eggs!

Use your egg slicer to cut your strawberries 10x faster! Now why didn’t I think of this earlier!

#5. Bundt Pan as Corn Holder

Cut corn from the cob without the mess. Place an ear in the center of a Bundt pan. As you slide the knife down, the corn will fall right into the pan.

#6. Baby Oil as Tar Remover

Bare feet left with a bit of tar after a long day on the beach? Lift it off with a dose of baby oil. P.S. it's also good for eye make-up remover. I use it all the time.

#7. Drink Carrier as Condiment Kit

Cart condiments to a backyard barbecue. Slot flatware, ketchup and mustard in the compartments for easy transport. I've seen these at the Catalina Fish Kitchen. Cute and thrifty.

#7. Cupcake Liner as Drip Catcher

Before serving that Popsicle, slip the stick through a foil liner to catch drips and keep hands from getting sticky.

 All pictures by Real Simple found at stumbleupon

Summer Sangria

Here is the fabulous (and fabulous is an understatement) SUMMER SANGRIA recipe that I promised you! This is a boozier version of your traditional Spanish sangria. It's the best I’ve ever tasted! Watch-out a little will go a long way.

6 bottles red wine

1 can frozen lemonade

2 cups orange juice

¼ cup lemon juice

2 cups triple sec

1 cup grenadine

1 cup banana liqueur

1 small package of fresh raspberries

3 oranges (sliced)

1 lemon   (sliced)

4 frozen fruit cups (she used dole fruit cups)

1 liter ginger ale

Mix the first 10 ingredients together in a large metal vat. Let this sit over night in the refrigerator. Add the frozen fruit cups and ginger ale just before serving.

My 4th

Did you have a nice 4^th of July? I hope you had a wonderful holiday full or family, friends and fun!

Here’s what I did on this glorious 4^th.

Danny and I rode our bikes down to the beach. It was a beautiful day; 85 degrees and sunny! After a sufficient sun and surf soak, we decided to bike around and catch-up with a few friends and our neighborhood block party.  We then headed to Aunt Bonnie’s for a family BBQ and fireworks.

This boat had a live bluegrass banjo band!

 Our neighborhood block party. 

 Chicken and Ribs!

Love the old-fashioned coke bottles. Nice touch Aunt BonBon!

Aunt Diane's cute flag cake!

Almond Cake with Lemon Meringue

A few days ago I was watching one of my favorite shows; Spain on the Road Again. The mini series features Mario Batali, Gwyneth Paltrow, Claudia Bassols and Mark Bittman on a culinary road trip across Spain. What a dream! Please take me on the next one!

Any who… this particular episode followed Batali and Bassols as they explored restaurants in Mallorca, Spain. They came across this little cafe named Can Joan de S’aigo -- known for their coffee and pastries. Can Joan de S’aigo has been around since 1700! Wowza…they must have done something right with those pastries! I fell in love with their tarta de almendras (almond cake) with lemon meringue topping. So I set out to make my own.

I found a recipe for almond cake by David Lebovitz and a lemon meringue topping by the food network.

Here they are. Enjoy!

Almond Cake

1 1/3 cups (265g) sugar

8 ounces (225g) almond paste

3/4, plus 1/4 cup (140g total) flour

1 cup (8 ounces, 225g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cubed

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

6 large eggs, at room temperature

1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF (162ºC). Grease a 9- or 10-inch (23-25 cm) cake or spring form pan with butter, dust it with flour and tap out any excess. Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper.

2. In the bowl of a food processor, grind the sugar, almond paste, and 1/4 cup (35g) of flour until the almond paste is finely ground and the mixture resembles sand.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3/4 cup (105g) of flour, baking powder, and salt.

4. Once the almond paste is completely broken up, add the cubes of butter and the vanilla and almond extracts, then process until the batter is very smooth and fluffy.

5. Add the eggs one at a time, processing a bit before the next addition. (You may wish to open the machine and scrape the sides down to make sure the eggs are getting fully incorporated.)

After you add all the eggs, the mixture may look curdled. Don’t worry; it’ll come back together after the next step.

6. Add half the flour mixture and pulse the machine a few times, then add the rest, pulsing the machine until the drying ingredients are just incorporated, but do not over mix. (You can also transfer the batter to a bowl and mix the dry ingredients in, which ensures the dry ingredients get incorporated evenly and you don’t overbeat it.)

7. Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake the cake for 65 minutes, or until the top is deep brown and feels set when you press in the center.

8. Remove the cake from the oven and run a sharp or serrated knife around the perimeter, loosing the cake from the sides of the pan. Let the cake cool completely in the pan.

Once cool, tap the cake out of the pan, remove the parchment paper, and set on a cake plate until ready to serve. (Tip: Warm the bottom of the cake pan directly on the stovetop for just a few seconds, which will help the cake release.)

Lemon Meringue Topping

• 4 large egg whites
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• Pinch cream of tartar
• Pinch fine salt

For Meringue: Bring a few inches of water to a boil in a saucepan that can hold a mixer's bowl above the water. Whisk the egg whites, sugar, lemon juice and zest, cream of tarter and salt in the bowl by hand. Set the bowl above the boiling water and continue whisking until the mixture is hot to the touch and the sugar dissolves, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat at medium-high speed until meringue is cool and holds stiff peaks, about 5-7 minutes.

To decorate: Using a spoon, offset spatula or piping bag, dollop, spread or pipe meringue on top of each cupcake. Use the back of a spoon to create peaks and valleys in the cupcake as desired.

picture: 1,2

Hotels for Adventure Seekers

Wild Canopy Reserve Hotel 

This Canopy Reserve Hotel, located in south India reminds me of the Swiss Family Robinson tree house! My 8 year old self would kill for this -- monkey butler and all. I even remember writing in my voice activated diary about how I wanted to live in a tree house of my own. Funny thing is...I still would if I could.

(pictures from busyboo)

Mirror Cube

The Treehotel is a new hotel in northern Sweden consisting of multiple tree houses designed by different architects. This Mirror cube allows you to enjoy nature from a bird's eye view. The refection of the forest gives you the perfect camouflage. The interior of the cube is simple and sweet -- you even have a little look-out deck on top.

(Pictures from Gizmodo)

 Ice Hotel

Situated in village Jukkasjärvi, 200 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle in Sweden, this little gem turns a quaint arctic town into a world-renowned attraction. The whole hotel is carved out of ICE! With rates as high as $800 a night, you can stay in an artist suite complete with an  ice bed, hand carved ice sculptures and sparkling ice chandeliers. They even have their own ice Chapel and Absolute Ice Bar, offering a massive array of flavored vodka in glasses made of, yup you guessed it, ice. Guests sleep in thermal sleeping bag atop reindeer skin and are awaken in the morning with a cup of hot lingonberry juice by their bedside. How fun! Count me in!

(Pictures from Thisisliv)

Yunak Evleri

Yunak Evleri of Cappadocia has been dogeared in my travel file for a long time. This place is definitely on my list! Yunak Evleri has a combination of six cave houses with a total of 30 private cave rooms dating back to the 5th and 6th centuries and a 19th century Greek Mansion. I can see myself now...walking through a labyrinth of narrow passageways and lounging on the rooftop terrace with my mint tea in hand. YES PLEASE! 
 

(Pictures from Yunak)

The Giraffe Manor

            Knock  Knock  -- Good morning, may I come in?

 

Giraffe Manor is set in 12 acres of private land within 140 acres of indigenous forest and is only 20 kilometers from Nairobi city center. Built in the 1930's, this luxury boutique hotel has maintained all the charm of the era and is now famous for its resident herd of Rothschild Giraffe. Giraffe Manor offers you an unparalleled experience of the giraffes, with them vying for your attention at the breakfast table, the front door and even your bedroom window. I love it! I've always wanted to eat breakfast with a giraffe!

P.S. I've been to Kenya -- it's phenomenal (I will post on adventures from Kenya soon)!

(Pictures from Giraffe Manor)

Kakslauttanen

It’s hard enough to pronounce “Kakslauttanen” while sober—don’t even think about attempting it after a drink from their ice bar.  Kakslauttanen is a Finnish resort near the North Pole, popular for its glass igloos. These cute little igloos provide a one of a kind opportunity to admire the northern lights and millions of stars.  Each igloo is built from a special thermal glass so you won't freeze your toosh off.  Every igloo is equipped with a bathroom and luxury beds. Kakslauttanen has a variety of  log cabins, snow igloos, glass igloos and large log cabins to choose from. Too cute to boot! I want to cozy-up in that rocking chair with some hot cocoa and enjoy that stone fire place. Mmmm Heaven.

(Pictures from kakslauttanen)

 

Palacio de Sal

If you’re one of those people who believes you can never have too much salt, then this is the place for you. From floor to ceiling, including the walls, beds, and chairs, it’s all salt! This 16-room Salt Palace is located on Bolivia’s vast salt flats.

(Pictures from Tripadvisor)

Free Spirit Spheres, Vancouver Island, Canada

These Free Spirit Spheres are set among the tall trees of the west coast rainforest of Vancouver Island, Canada. The five-acre property is an old-growth forest with three pods (made of cedar, spruce, or fiberglass, respectively) suspended 10 to 15 feet in the air and accessed by staircases that wind around the trees. In addition to overnight stays, Free Spirits will also sell you your own premade sphere! Are you thinking what I'm thinking? Ewok village!

(Pictures from Freespiritsphere)