Beautiful Art with a Powerful Message

Travel Cheaply: My #1 Secret for Cruises

I have always been a saver...I even have a cute little coupon box that fits in my purse. Whether it's saving $ on groceries or vacations, I have a few tricks up my sleeve. Last summer I spent a month in Costa Rica on $800 INCLUDING my plain ticket (I must post about that fun trip sometime soon). I am proud to crown myself the queen of finding great deals.

A few years ago I found vacationstogo.com this is the best website for finding fabulous cruises for up to 75% off their original price! Many cruise lines have empty rooms and will lose money if they aren't filled, so they sell them at extremely low prices before they depart. My favorite is the "90-Day Ticker" --a complete listing of last-minute cruises from around the world. And if you wish to plan ahead, you can search the "Find a Bargain" tab for cruises up to a year in advance. Check it out. You will love it.

Lets all go on a vacation

Victoria's Secret Supermodel Workouts

I stumbled across an interview by Vogue with Victoria’s Secret supermodels. What do these women do to stay fit? They shared some of their favorite fitness routines.  Here are some great ways to get in shape.

Lindsay Ellingson
“I was always involved in dance teams growing up,” says Ellingson. “Maybe that’s why I can’t stand running in a straight line on a treadmill now!” Every other week, she pops and breaks at Crunch gym’s Hip Hop classes; to round out her routine with strength training (while perfecting her sun salutation), she also squeezes in twice-weekly vinyasa sessions at Yoga Works. “When it comes to exercise, I don’t like anything that’s too serious,” she says.
Crunch
404 Lafayette Street
212.614.0120
crunch.com

Yoga Works
138 Fifth Avenue
212.647.9642
yogaworks.com

Erin Heatherton “I need to pay people to make me work out or I wouldn’t do it,” says Heatherton with a laugh. Lucky, then, that trainer Lynn Duffy is up for the challenge. The pair head no farther than the gym in Heatherton’s West Village apartment building, where the 22-year-old psychs herself up, three times a week, for a high-octane half-hour workout that has her switching between five-minute intervals of sprinting and power-walking on an incline. “It’s exhausting,” she says. “But then comes my favorite part—a half hour of yoga. I love the way it tones but also loosens you up.”
Lynn Duffy
646.321.0275

Lily Aldridge
Aldridge credits best friend Miranda Kerr for keeping her in shape. “Miranda introduced me to Justin Gelband four years ago,” reveals the newlywed, who meets with the New York City–based trainer three times a week. “My favorite thing is jumping on the Reformer, but we also kickbox and do a bunch of crunches and sit-ups. That section isn’t much fun, but the results are worth it!”
Justin Gelband
310.863.6705
justingelband.com

Justin Gelband with VS Model Selita Ebanks

Candice Swanepoel
“My body’s changing as I get older,” muses the 22-year-old South African model, who lifts, crunches, and squeezes with Gelband three consecutive days a week. “So I’m doing a lot more work with weights to keep muscle tone.” Her favorite exercise? “Kickboxing! I like that, as well as keeping fit, I can protect myself.”

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OC Summer Fair

We went to the OC Fair on a "We Care Wednesday". Every Wednesday you can bring canned food, books and clothing for charity instead of paying for the cost of a ticket. What a great way to help others! 

Love the smell of funnel cakes... The fair is back!

 

Funny story…So Dan and I were looking over the schedule and we saw an All Alaskan Tractor Pull listed in the farm area. We were both super excited. Hmmmm, these tractors must be huge! I wonder what amazing things they can do!? When got there, to our surprise, little kids were pulling tiny tricycle-tractors with weights in the back. Ha-ha, what a crack-up. Too cute.

Mmmmm. Getting hungry. We had to get one of these kabobs!

Chicken, squash, bell peppers, onions and tomatoes
 

Ice cold lemonade

We stopped by my favorite stand. One of our friends happened to be managing it and insisted on giving us a free Cinnamon Roll! What a great guy! Fun fact...He said they sell about 2,000 rolls per day for about $5 each and the fair is 4 weeks long! Yikes that's a whole lotta dough!!! ha-ha.

I should have studied the art of making cinnamon rolls in college.

We ate our delicious cinnamon roll and watched the Peking acrobats on the grass field.

Knott’s Berry Farm pie eating contest. Love the little guy on the left. They gave him a head start.

One of the winning cakes in the pastry competition.

Some great art in the state-wide art contest.

This is an oil painting of one of our favorite restaurants in San Francisco. The Swan Oyster Depot. What a small world!

Looks like a picture -- nope oil paint! wowzaaa that is talent.

Dan and I had a great time.

Shanny had an extra ticket, so she invited me to see the Rodeo tonight! It was amazing! I will post some pictures when I get a chance.

and...

Tomorrow, a group of us are driving to Malibu to see our friend's band play at the INN. More pictures and fun stuff to come!

Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans

I thought I would try my hand at chocolate covered coffee beans tonight. I used Don Francisco’s Vanilla Nut Coffee Beans and Toll House semi-sweet chocolate. I melted the chocolate in a double boiler and covered each bean with a baby spoonful of melted chocolate.

Results = Very Pleased.

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Fabulous Weekend -- Laguna and Newport Beach

Danny and I had a wonderful weekend. On Saturday we moseyed around and spent the evening having dinner with our friends Monica and Evan. It was so nice to sit down, eat some great food and laugh with good people. By the way, Monica -- you are a fabulous cook! The steak, potatoes, and berries with homemade whipped cream were phen-o-men-al!  You spoil us!

On Sunday we spent our morning at 1,000 Step Beach in Laguna. It was such a wonderful day! Perfect weather for sun bathing and swimming!

1,000 Step Beach is a beautiful little cove; not easy to find with an untrained eye. You can access the beach on 9^th street. There is no specified parking lot, so find a spot along PCH or in the neighborhood close by. The entrance is a little gate at the end of the crosswalk on 9^th street on PCH. The gate opens to a long staircase that will lead you to the beach. Trees and flower bushes have grown over the stairs, creating a green tunnel or as Danny likes to call them - urban barrels, ha-ha. Down at the far end of the beach there is a cave that you can explore during low tide.

After Laguna, we drove back home to meet-up with Evan and Monica. They had invited us to join them for sailing in Newport’s harbor. Evan and our friend Taylor bought their boat for $300 at a boat auction a few weeks earlier and Dan and Ev had been working on it here and there to make sure it was sea worthy. Holy cow...a boat for $300! Sign me up! We may be planing to sail the boat to Catalina sometime this summer or fall. I think I’ll need a few more lessons before we embark on a 6 hour trip!

After our fantastic evening sail. Danny and I walked over to David's (who happens to live right next to the public dock -- how convenient). David, Dan and I got some yum scrum pizza from Pizza Peat's and watched an episode of our latest obsession, Breaking Bad. We finished our night with a stroll to the end of the Newport pier to watch the late night fishermen and the full moon.

Here are some pictures from Laguna’s 1,000 Step beach and sailing in Newport. What a glorious weekend! I’m so thankful for the wonderful people in my life.

Gate to 1,000 Step

Urban Barrel

Cool little trolley designed to carry people from the main house to the beach house

Exploring the next cove

Driving back to Newport

Here they come!

Monica and Evan <3

The ferry and Fun Zone.

Monica, Me, Evan and Eddie.

Danny, Eddie and Thomas

Evan, Danny, Eddie and Taylor

On our way to get some Pizza Peat's

Brazilian Lemonade

This is one of my favorite drinks! It is so yummy...the perfect combination of tangy citrus and sweet creamy condensed milk! My friends and family go nuts for it!

Tip: I like to rim my serving glasses with lime and dip them in sugar. Put your sugar rimmed glasses in the freezer while you make the drink or until you are ready to serve them. I also suggest making more than one batch...people love this drink and are bound to want more! If you are making this drink ahead of time, be sure to stir it before serving.

Ingredients:

- 2 limes
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 Tbsp sweetened condensed milk
- 3 cups water
- 2 cups ice

Wash limes thoroughly. Cut off the ends and slice into eight wedges. Place the limes in a blender with the sugar and sweetened condensed milk, water and ice. Blend in an electric blender, pulsing 5 times until the inside of the lime pulps are mashed. Strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove the rinds. Serve over ice.

Serves: 3

Enjoy!