World's Easiest Lunch/Snack/Side Dish

It doesn't get any easier.  You drain and rinse a can of beans (I used cannellini but garbanzos would be great too), then you add a big scoop of mixed olives & feta from the olive bar at the grocery store (in oil, probably about 1/2 cup), throw in a handful of chopped parsley and a splash of red wine vinegar.  And there it is.  Delicious and nutritious!  I'd say this is 2 lunch servings or 4 snack servings.  Enjoy!

Extravaganza! The Best Place On Earth.

Well, it's that time of year again.  A time when people from all over the country haul all of their crap to Renningers Antique Market in Mount Dora, Fl and put it out for sale.  Also known as, my favorite thing ever.  The picture doesn't really capture the size of this event.  I walked it for 4 hours and did not cover it.  This was the first of 3 Extravaganzas (or the last of 3 for the calendar year - for me it's the beginning of Extravaganza season).  There will be one in January and one in February.

As you can see, there is something for everyone.  That tower of Pyrex was my treasure chest, as I was looking for a bowl with lid to keep my sourdough starter in.  I also picked up a cute galvanized metal tray that could be used for a planter or... Who knows?

My sourdough starter is living happily in her new pyrex.  Now, what do I need when I go back in January?  The options are endless.

Review: Harmony of the Seas

Known as the world's biggest cruise ship, The Harmony of the Seas has a lot to offer for cruisers of all ages.  There are 3 water slides (The Perfect Storm), an ice skating rink, 2 rock walls, two flow riders, a 10 story dry slide (The Abyss!), 3 pools, a splash area for the little ones, a sports court, the adults-only Solarium, a zipline, broadway quality shows, live music everywhere, a HUGE spa and state-of-the-art fitness center, great shopping, fantastic specialty dining options, and...I'm sure I'm forgetting something.

The ship includes seven neighborhoods: peaceful outdoor space Central Park; bustling amusement park style Boardwalk; the Royal Promenade for shopping, dining, drinking and dancing; Entertainment Place, for comedy, jazz and production shows; Youth Place, for the kids; Vitality Sea Spa and Fitness Center, for working out and getting pampered; and Pool and Sports Zone, for playing, swimming and being active.  Sometimes you forget you're even on a ship, which can be a good or bad thing depending on one's preferences.  The neighborhood plan is designed to improve flow and reduce traffic, and it does for the most part.  With almost 6,000 othee cruises on the ship you are bound to run into a crowd here and there.  

 

The variety on this ship is astounding.  There are all kinds of activities going on all day, and tons of different food & drink options are available.  You can grab a hot dog and a beer on the boardwalk, hit the buffet in Windjammer, or sit down to a nice meal in the main dining room(s) or at a high end specialty restaurant.  Oh, and STARBUCKS!  Everything I ate on board was very good, and I am not usually a big fan of the food on Royal Caribbean.

  

Your kids won't even want to see you, with all of the fun they'll be having.  Between all of the slides, Dreamworks movie time, carousel, and all of the kids programming the HOTS offers, you will be able to enjoy your vacation as much as the kids do.

I feel I need to point out the negatives, so I'm going to get picky here.  I love that there are 2 closet spaces (one on each side of the bed) but the hangers in them tend to rock back and forth and make noise.  Since they're right next to the bed, that can be annoying.  Speaking of the bed, holy moly was mine hard as a rock.  I like a firm bed but this was extreme.  I also would like to see a better beer selection on board, and if you are going to call Sabor a tequila bar, there should be a variety of tequila.  And in the sports bar, On Air, it seems like the 14 television screens should be showing a variety of games.  I'm not a sports fan, but my travel companions were very dismayed by this.

Having mentioned those few things, I would absolutely sail on this ship again, and with excitement.  This ship is perfect for families, and especially a family reunion.  There is something for everyone.  As a couple with no children, I would likely book while school is in session and hang out in the Solarium and Central Park a lot.  

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Hibiscus Tea...and a Bonus.

I don't know about you, but this election has jacked up my blood pressure.  Word on the street is that hibiscus tea is good for your blood pressure.  I have also seen claims that it can relieve high cholesterol, reduce inflammation, improve immune function, and even speed up metabolism.  All I know is that it's pretty and tastes delicious.
Hibiscus leaves can be very inexpensive if you don't buy them at a tea shoppe (a tea shop is fine but if there is an extra "pe" on the end you are going to pay through the nose).  I have found them for 90 cents per ounce in bulk at the health food store and the carniceria/bodega in my neighborhood.  I paid $4.59 for 2 oz at the tea shoppe.  Never again.
There are a couple of ways to make the tea.  One is the typical way where you boil some water and steep the leaves for about 5 or so minutes.  My new favorite way is to use a pitcher with a tea infuser and let it cold brew over night.  I don't like this method for all teas, but it's great for this one.  I use one-ish teaspoon for every 8 oz of water.  To cold brew, just fill it with as much water as you want, put the corresponding amount of hibiscus leaves in the diffuser, and pop it in the fridge.  In the morning remove the leaves.  And that's it!  I like it unsweetened but it's great with some simple syrup or agave too.

Which brings me to the bonus... When you are done brewing your tea (either method), don't throw those beautiful red leaves away yet!  You can get a second use.  Hibiscus simple syrup.  You can use the syrup to sweeten your hibiscus tea, make homemade hibiscus soda (!!!!) with some club soda or sparkling water, or use it in a cocktail.  All you need to do is combine equal parts sugar and water (I used 1/2 cup of each) with your used hibiscus leaves in a saucepan and simmer until all of the sugar has dissolved.  Then strain it and put it in a jar.  It should last a week or two in the fridge.  I hear a hibiscus martini calling me...

Voluntourism

Impact travel.  Voluntourism.  Travel with purpose.  

I am so inspired by this concept.  I hope that it catches on so that we can all increase the fulfillment of our adventures.  The problem is that these opportunities are not often made easily available to the public.  You have to go looking for them (or have me do it).

Choosing a voluntourism trip can be intimidating.  If you're like me, you want to get out into the world and do some good but you don't want to poop in a hole in the ground.  So you have to think about what you really want.  Ask yourself questions like:

• Why do I want to do this trip?  What do I hope to get out of it?
• What are my minimum requirements for accommodations?
• What are my physical and mental capabilities?  For example, Can I handle hard labor but not seeing kids in extreme poverty?  
• What climate(s) can I tolerate?
• What dietary limitations do I have?
• Am I comfortable in places where I don't speak the language?

Make sure you are dealing with a reputable organization.  It's sad to say, but there are opportunists in the world who will do things like set up a fake orphanage to make money off of people like us, who are just trying to be helpful.  We also need to make sure we are traveling with an organization that works with the local community and is welcomed by them (not just barging in to show off and make a buck).  

Voluntourism can be a way to travel inexpensively, but you need to be very flexible about the questions I mentioned above.  Most people I know would be prefer a trip organized in by a travel company who knows how to balance comfort with service (and fun!).

One of the cushiest ways to travel with a purpose is on a cruise.  Your accommodations and meals are reliable and comfortable.  Crystal Cruises has a program called "You Care, We Care".  Instead of focusing the whole trip around service, there are opportunities through their shore excursion program so get out and help.  

Another option is a Fathom Cruise.  Fathom offers 2 options:  Impact travel in the Dominican Republic or cultural exchange travel in Cuba.  Both programs are focused on building community with like-minded travelers and the cultures you visit.

I went on the DR cruise last year and have been dying to start a group to go again, which I have finally done.  You can read about my experience here.  The prices are phenomenal through Spring 2017 so my group will be going on 4/23/17.  I can definitely help you plan another date if this one doesn't work for you, but we will be offering some special activities on this one.  You can read about it here.

If you are looking for opportunities to make your next trip more meaningful, look into voluntourism.  It's great for singles, couples, groups of friends, and families (there is usually a minimum age for children).  These experiences make us feel good inside, while making us grateful for what we have and giving us a new perspective on the world.  Who doesn't want that?

Easy Quinoa Salad

Did you ever watch the show Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee?  I never got into her recipes but I just loved HER.  She was a joy to watch and has done a lot to tackle the hunger problem in America.  

Every once in a while you just don't have the energy to cook something healthy from scratch, which can lead to some pretty bad food choices.  The good news is that there are some great products out there that can help make it easy to throw something together that you will feel good about eating.  

Costco carries organic frozen quinoa & kale that you can pop into the microwave in its own bag for three and half minutes and you are good to go.  The flavor I am using today is the citrus and pepper but sometimes they have one with herbs, olive oil, and sea salt.  My sister introduced me to the latter and she mixed in black beans, edamame, and a spoonful of pesto.  I fell in love immediately, and when I saw the citrus flavor I knew just what to do.

Of course I realized, after I was done, that I forgot to put the black beans in the picture.  Technically they are optional so... Anyhoo I just chop up some onion and mango, throw some black beans in, squeeze a lime on top and add salt & pepper to taste (a little olive oil never hurts either).  Today I was hungry so I had a big bowl and topped it with some avocado to make it a meal.

There are a million variations on this, but the point is that you can have something great in less than 10 minutes if you keep a couple of shortcuts on hand.  Do you have any tricks to share?

The Swing At The End Of The World

 Photo by Rinaldo Wurglitsch from Flickr

Have you ever had a hankering to swing over a steep slope that's 2600 meters above sea level with no safety measures whatsoever?  Well I have got the trip for you.  First, we'll need to get you to Ecuador.  Since you're here for thrills, we may as well get you over to the Galapagos Islands while we're at it.

What we are looking at here is in Baños, Ecuador at a seismic monitoring station called La Casa Del Árbol (The Treehouse).  As the name suggests it’s a small house built in a tree, at the edge of a canyon.  The view from up here alone is worth the trip, but for thrill seekers, La Casa del Árbol offers a swing hanging over the precipice with a beautiful and terrifying view of the Tungurahua Volcano.  Any takers?