NYT Serenbe Review

http://travel.nytimes.com/2009/03/01/travel/01heads.html?scp=5&sq=serenbe&st=cse

All Things Food Blog

Yum! Well designed, great ideas, fun reviews, delicious recipes and more! Thanks Pioneer Woman! http://www.seriouseats.com/
Laura, they review that Fiber One Muffin Mix ($3.99) and say that it's good!



"Serious Eats is a website focused on celebrating and sharing food enthusiasm through blogs and online community. Our unique combination of community and content brings together the distinctive voices of food bloggers, compelling original and acquired food video, and spirited, inclusive, conversations about all things food- and drink-related".

Serious Eats: Updated daily with the latest food news, entertainment, and commentary
Recipes: Gathers and curates the best recipes from cookbook writers, chefs, and the Serious Eats community
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just so you know...again

Now not only is Garden & Gun stealing my ideas, The Times is as well...But it's okay by me. Yankees can come to Serenbe and we can get along nicely. More grits and sweet tea for me.

Watercolors

How amazing are these? They are by Maia C. Larkin. If I had a billion dollars I would I have one made of each of the Punkins...and one of you...of me too! And I would frame them in simple frames and hang them all over my dining room wall.

http://verlichtstudio.blogspot.com/

Egghead Nonstick Omelet Pan

Harold Imports once again delivers a great product (they also make the honey jar I love). My sister gave me this for Christmas and I really do love it. I does truly make the perfect omelet and it is easy to clean and is small and, therefore, stores nicely.

• Create perfect omelets with the ease of a flip!
• Place the ingredients inside the pan, lock the cover, cook on one side then flip to cook on the other
• Safe for use on electric and gas stoves
• Makes a 5 inch round omelet
• Non-stick coated for easy clean-up and food release

Retail Price: $11.99

Shrimp & Grits

Here is a simple recipe for Shrimp & Grits provided by Mama Deane and http://www.eatingwell.com/.

Ingredients:
Shrimp & Cheddar Grits
1 14-ounce can reduced-sodium chicken broth OR veggie
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup quick grits (not instant) (see Shopping Tip)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
3/4 cup extra-sharp or sharp Cheddar cheese
1 pound peeled and deveined raw shrimp (16-20 per pound; see Shopping Tip)
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preparation:
Position rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler.
Bring broth and water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in grits and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Cover to keep warm.
Meanwhile, toss shrimp, scallions, oil, garlic powder, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper and salt in a medium bowl. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Broil, stirring once, until the shrimp are pink and just cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Serve the grits topped with the broiled shrimp and scallions. ( I don't do scallions)

Shopping Tips: Look for quick grits near oatmeal and other hot cereals or near cornmeal in the baking aisle. Shrimp is usually sold by the number needed to make one pound. For example, “21-25 count” means there will be 21 to 25 shrimp in a pound. Size names, such as “large” or “extra large,” are not standardized, so to be sure you’re getting the size you want, order by the count (or number) per pound. Both wild-caught and farm-raised shrimp can damage the surrounding ecosystems when not managed properly. Fortunately, it is possible to buy shrimp that have been raised or caught with sound environmental practices. Look for fresh or frozen shrimp certified by an independent agency, such as Wild American Shrimp or Marine Stewardship Council. If you can’t find certified shrimp, choose wild-caught shrimp from North America—it’s more likely to be sustainably caught.

Serves 6

Carbs: 27g

Fat: 13g

Protein: 32g

just so you know

Garden & Gun (my favorite magazine- go to "Older Posts" for entry) has yet again stolen a Favorite Thing. The last time it was GoGo's Jewelry. This time it is Bonna Bella Yacht Club, which got a little write up in this most recent publication! I have clear proof with dates that my entry came first. If they feature Thai Fisherman pants I am going to have a lawsuit pending.

Another Hair Product

Laura and I just got off the phone. She is in the grocery store and sorting coupons and was asking me what all I had tried, liked and could recommend. The subject of hair products came up with a $1.00 off coupon and I remembered that I am almost out of my Aveda Leave-On Conditioner. This is good stuff. However, as my hair guy told me, "a little goes a long way". I don't know for certain, but I think I have had this bottle since 2002. I obviously don't use it every day. I know that using a 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner is a huge faux pas, but I value time more than amazing hair so I use it sometimes. But it does require me at times to need a little extra conditioning. I am so so so so so tender headed and tangles hurt! When I was little my dad would make me lie down on the floor and spread out my hair on a towel and he would comb it out while watching TV. This memory is funny, because Dad typically did not take on any "mothering" type roles, like getting us dressed or cooking or anything like that. Dad and The Cosby Show and the blue Avon brush with black bristles are not around so that is where this stuff comes in. Just towel dry, add a small dab and combing is much more pleasant.

Hair Products

I love this line of Paul Mitchell Tea Tree hair products. I purchased the Shampoo, Conditioner and a Hair & Body Conditioner when going to Africa because it is supposed to be a natural mosquito repellent. That was back when I was a unseasoned and paranoid and now I would not even take shampoo to Africa. How silly? But I love this stuff! I especially loved the Hair & Body Conditioner. Oftentimes I barely had enough water to wet and rinse, so I would just shampoo and then put in the leave-in conditioner and use it as a lotion when needed. How handy is that? It smells amazing and makes your scalp tingle. And if you have hot water, it lathers well. It really is great stuff as far as hair products go, in and out of Africa. Below is a review I found on their hair and scalp treatment.

Made with Australian tea tree oil -- a natural antiseptic, germicide, and disinfectant hailed for its healing abilities -- this Paul Mitchell treatment is like an aromatherapy session for your hair and scalp. The minty tingle and refreshing smell will add a twist to your shampoo, condition, and hop-out-of-the-shower routine. As an added bonus, tea tree oil is a natural remedy for dandruff but isn't advertised that way, so you can cure white flakes discreetly.

Maps

I love maps. I love it that they are such pretty pastel colors. Dad had a big globe in his classroom and I loved to play with it when I was little. I love playing that game where you close your eyes and spin the globe and pretend you get to live in the place on which your finger lands. I have a map on the wall in my office. I recommend you get one too. It is a constant conversation piece and every once in awhile a random coworker will walk in my office, stand in front of the map, mumble something along the lines of , "Oh, ok. That's where that is" and walk out.

I love to put pins in the places I have been. I even suffered through a weekend business trip to Salt Lake just to be able to put a pin in Utah. Ok, not really. I went because of the nice hotel. And to make a positive contribution to national education reform, sharing the success and failures of the great State of Georgia. But I so totally put my pin in first thing Monday morning! Oh, and layovers do not count!

Flat Iron

I can't foresee stick straight hair going out of style any time soon. I have been a flat iron fan since the moment I walked out of Vidal Sassoon in 1997. I loved that feeling of swishing hair and until then, my hair never swished. I wanted to use what they used and not waste my money on a cheaper one that didn't work as well. I shopped around online and found the Chi Flat Iron that is used by most salons and it certainly deserves ranking among my favorite things. My first Chi flat iron blew up in Vietnam. Seriously. I plugged it in a 220v outlet in my hotel there and she blew up within seconds. I immediately replaced her with another, but for some reason this one does not have the dial that allows you to set the temperature. I would like the option of setting it a little cooler for days when I might not need quite so much heat. But this one works very well, has lasted a long time and I have learned my lesson on foreign electricity and hope to not suffer any more casualties.

Book Reviews

I love to read! I love to read a whole bunch of books at one time. A perfect Saturday morning would include staying in bed and reading a chapter or two or three of each. I thought I would add an occasional book review. I don't know about you, but I find myself walking the aisles of the book store, not knowing quite where to start. There is nothing worse than investing hours or days into a book that is not any good. That's why I always like to know what others are reading, their opinions and to get ideas. So here's what I am reading. You can view the book jackets along the bottom right of the site. I will rotate in new books as I read them.

Currently, I am reading God's Generals by Roberts Liardon as a book for my weekly Bethel School. I love biographies and this is a compilation of short biographies of these amazing men and women of God. I love reading about their radical encounters, mostly simple upbringing and the testimonies of how they found God, or more like God found them. I want to write biographies, so I liked reading the quick and easy to read, interesting, detailed chapters each featuring a different "General". The author also points on the mistakes these men and women made, often ego driven, humanness, that often caused tragic downfalls. We all want to learn from others' mistakes and I am sure these "Generals" would want us to continue to carry the torch. Some of their encounters are so incredibly amazing. They will blow your mind.

I am also reading The Richest Man Who Ever Lived. It was written by Steven K. Scott, a mega millionaire who is writing about how to become successful. It is subtitled King Solomon's Secrets to Success, Wealth and Happiness. I have to admit that I would never have chosen to read this book. Steve Hale, Senior Leader at Bethel Atlanta added it to our school reading list. Steve is a very successful financial planner, so I trust him. The concept of the book is brilliant. I do believe that if we were to deeply study, meditate and act upon the teachings in Proverbs, we could avoid a lot of pitfalls. I like the practicality of the book. Scott asks you to write down your dreams and goals and visions and map out your vision. I think this is very important, for us to write it all down and map it out and set goals and write down the steps to the goals. However, I am also the girl who doesn't balance her checkbook and hates simple monthly bill payment and is a big daydreamer. The planning, mapping, details of stuff drives me nuts. But I did it! And I am glad I did. It was a national bestseller, so it has something going for it. But I imagine you could google the guy and find his website and get a good enough understanding on what teachings of Proverbs he specifically outlines. It is basically being honest, speaking kind words, forgiving and all that we already know that seems to elementary, but can be so hard to do.

I am also reading A.W. Tozer's, The Pursuit of God and he is awesome. It is a short read, a small 100 page book. Reading his stuff makes me want to read everything he's ever written. I find myself highlighting sentences that totally change the way I think and I want to paste them all over the place. He is kind of like C.S. Lewis, not just because he uses his initials, but because his writings are deep and full of great revelation. I can actually comprehend him much more easily than I can Lewis who, for me, can be a little over my head. He writes, "My appeal is addressed to those who have been previously taught in secret by the wisdom of God; I speak to thirsty hearts whose longings have been wakened by the touch of God within them, and such as they need to reasoned proof. Their restless hearts furnish all the proof they need". Tozer clearly had a deep, intimate relationship with God and shares his relationship in this book because he wants you and I to get there too.

Petroleum Jelly

So my adoration may appear a bit far reaching with this one. However, I love petroleum jelly. And I love the baby fresh scented kind. Despite being alive for 31 years and wearing make-up for half of that, I never knew that you could use petroleum jelly for eye make-up removal, but you can. Thanks, Carla. It's also good for your cheeks when running outside in cold weather, before and after. Also great for chaffing if that is an issue. And it works to help lube the brass hardware on the top of your closet door that keeps sticking, if you are out of olive oil. (I don't like to go to the hardware store!)

Once upon a time, when Catherine was born, they put a little tube of the Vaseline Lip stuff in her little bassinet in the hospital. It was baby scented, although not marketed as such, it just had the light blue top instead of the custom dark blue one. I remember that she smelled like it. Her little top lip was peeling off, something newborns do I reckon and I was attentive to make sure that her teeny tiny little top lip stayed covered in the stuff. I loved getting up in her sweet baby face and smelling that scented Vaseline in combination with that new baby smell. Heaven I tell ya.

I get the Target brand of Baby Fresh Scented Petroleum Jelly in the Tube, not the jar. (It gets under my fingernails when diggin' in the jar). It's $1.27, including tax.

Sunless Tanning

We are all aware of the damaging effects of the sun. I always wear a daily SPF on my face year round and do my best to lather on the sunscreen when at the beach or by the pool to avoid sun damage. But you can still have a summer glow year round thanks to sunless tanning lotions. They have come a long way in the last few years. And now is the time to break it out as we approach Spring weather (I hope). Now most do not streak or make you turn orange. My main challenge is finding one without that smell. A lot of them smell like green beans to me?! Bizarre, I know. Laura uses Neutrogena and I like the Jergens brand. Application is a pain and works best when applied first thing in the morning before getting dressed and you need to let it dry. And you must wash your hands immediately after application! But the results of seemingly sunkissed skin is noticeable and worth it. By the way, the make a sunless tanning lotion just for faces. Don't buy it. It's a marketing ploy. And don't put it on your face anyway. Use a bronzer from your favorite make-up line instead.

Restaurant.com

From time to time http://www.restaurant.com/ discounts their already reduced $25 gift certificates for Atlanta area restaurants. Currently $25 gift certificates are $4.00, but require a $35 minimum purchase at most locations. Enter the Coupon Code "TREAT" (exp. 2/15). I highly recommend The Pecan, The Feed Store and Fina Bistro all located in College Park. Some of my Atlanta favorites included in the deal are Anis Bistro, Dailey's (for Dessert!) and American Roadhouse (in Va-Highlands).

Thai Fisherman Pants

I love these! They are the most comfortable pants in the world. They are perfect for Baobab tree climbing, pilates or yoga. Or, pair them with a tank, flip flops and jewelry for everyday casual wear.

Scarves, Shawls and Wraps

Okay, so I know this is so Oprah 2001, but I love scarves, wraps and shawls. I particularly love those that can be all 3. It all began with the Pashmina craze several years back. During that time I discovered this little shop at the airport where everything was/is $10. They had those large viscose shawls that can also serve as a scarf or wrap. They are perfect for keeping you warm in winter and are a beautiful bit of color to add to a summer sleeveless dress. The viscose ones are not my favorite because they wrinkle. But they iron or steam very easily. Also they are cheap. You should never pay more than $10.00 for one and they come in every color of the rainbow, which is just fun! I also prefer them instead a cardigan or sweater, not only because they look more elegant, but you can easily fold them into your bag when you no longer want to wear it. Also, the cheap ones can serve as a blanket, towel, skirt or cover-up at the beach. You can even use the larger ones to strap a baby to your back if need be. They are more functional than you realize.

I purchased a real authentic Pashmina shawl while in Vietnam and paid a lot of money for it. It is very soft, does not wrinkle, but is very fragile and "pulls" easily. So I don't wear it very often and prefer the cheap ones instead.

I also found these stripped ones, like the one I am wearing here, in Mozambique and love their versatility. They can be more casual than the larger bright colored viscose ones. They are smaller, more lightweight and can also serve as a head wrap. You can spread them out, add a magazine, a t-shirt, a bottle of sunscreen, a pair of flip-flops, a little snack and then just tie it up in a little bundle and you have a ready-made bag for the beach. (Or spread it before sitting on a muddy rock so you don't get dirt on the back of your white pants!)