Been dining out in American restaurants for practically all my life; and there are always two condiments you can find on any table: mustard and ketchup (or catsup). That’s what I thought, until I started traveling to various states in the United States. When I got to Texas, I noticed that, in addition to mustard […]

Who started the ugly Christmas sweater fashion trend anyway? Did a little research and it turns out that the City of Vancouver takes credit for holding the first ugly Christmas sweater party in the year 2002. Uh huh.  Indeed. My research didn’t indicate that any other city wanted to wrestle them and take away that […]

Inspiration comes from strange places. Can’t vouch for its historical accuracy as my knowledge of the history of Russia is extremely limited, however, based on a movie about Katherine the Great *, which starred British actress Julia Ormond– evidently she needed to attract her husband enough to have sexual intercourse with her to cover up […]

Do you often find yourself reflecting back on many fond childhood memories. Many children, especially little girls, can probably remember having a tea party. My big sister had a blue and white tea set and she enjoyed pretending we were having a tea party. I wasn’t allowed to play with the toy dishes by myself […]

Merlin and King Arthur ~ Continue the adventures? So glad to be in the modern age of DVDs and video streaming. Ten years ago a TV show about a wizard (warlock, sorcerer) was aired and I only saw the first episode. Even though I liked what I saw, for some reason I never got a […]

The king is dead. Two men were framed for his murder. The plan might have worked if Royce and Hadrian weren’t the ones they tried to set up. Riyria Revelations is a trilogy written by best-selling author Michael J. Sullivan. Sullivan’s Dynamic Duo team ~ Royce Melborn, a skilled thief (who is also an assassin), […]

Have you ever asked your kids to give you their wish list for Christmas? I did. One time and one time only. Why? You won’t believe my reason. Or maybe you will. If you have kids then you’re probably used to “impossible requests” that kids make. Well this is my personal story. Once upon a […]

Some say that in France, a typical meal has 5 (or 7) components or courses. Here is a variation of the courses: Apéritif, Hors d’Oeuvres, Soup, Main Dish, Salad, Cheese, Dessert. But no matter the number of courses, the meal usually begins with the apéritifs / hors d’oeuvres. Americans would call this part of the meal […]

Do you fancy BBC Masterpiece Contemporary Mystery movies or television series? The BBC political thriller is titled “Page Eight”. It is about a British intelligence analyst who refuses to compromise his integrity. What happens to him is what usually happens when civil servants will not budge on their ideals of Right versus Wrong, and their […]

”Hallow” – means ”holy” and “een” is an abbreviated form of the word “evening.” The Halloween holiday is celebrated October 31st in the United States. Additionally, in the USA, the Day of the Dead OR Dia de los Muertos begins October 31 and ends November 2. Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday but many people […]

There was once a popular song (released in 1983) performed by a new wave rock band called The Fixx called “One Thing Leads To Another”. The song lyrics are in no way related to the gift ideas recommended by way of this shopping page. The only connection is the fact that I started my perusing […]

Just read a wonderful article published in theBERRY, talking about how Halloween trees are becoming a trend or rather are becoming a recognized part of our traditional Halloween celebrations. I blame Tim Burton! My kids loved “The Nightmare Before Christmas”. In fact, one of my daughters says that Halloween is her favorite holiday! It’s all […]

Love me some nachos!! Don’t know about the 7-11 convenience stores in other parts of America but our stores in Texas have make-your-own nachos. Florida gal who is a Texas transplant. Found an article published by a fellow freelance writer at Writedge.com (WE), titled “Creative Toppings for Nachos” (Ref 1). After reading the WE article, […]

The Chinese Fortune Cookie. ~ How did it come to US? ~ By way of legend, history, tradition? ~ Is it Chinese or American? Whether the tradition is Chinese or American, the fact is we can all write our own fortunes AND we can make our own fortune cookies and enhance this wonderful tradition by […]

Satisfying my BBC comedy addiction by watching all the seasons of “Doc Martin”. It’s a “medical dramedy series” * (a delightful comedy with drama mixed in about a medical professional). It’s all about the adventures of a GP (General Practitioner), Doctor Martin Ellingham, who provides medical care to the residents of Portwenn, a pleasant fishing village, […]

Taking an opportunity to honor a notable woman in film history and a beloved Irish-American actress admired by many, especially me. ♦ Maureen O’Hara (1920 – 2015) In 2015, we lost Ms. Maureen O’Hara, famous American Irish-born actress. She departed this life 5 years short of becoming a centenarian. She was 95. Her career in […]

There is no dispute or debate about this FACT. Paul Simon was the greatest singer / songwriter of my generation. What??!! I said “my”. :) My teenage and young adult years of life had the music of the legendary Paul Simon (at that time, known as “Simon and Garfunkel”) sewn into the hemlines. But then, […]

On May 11, 1981, singer, songwriter and reggae music legend, Robert Nesta “Bob” Marley, OM (Feb 6, 1945 – May 11, 1981), died of cancer in a hospital in Miami, Florida. Per his request, Mr. Marley was buried 10 days later with his red Les Gibson guitar, a Bible, and a few other items. “OM” stands […]

Tina Turner no longer does concerts or any live performances, nor does she make records any more!! Her last concert was in Austin, Texas. (I think.) The last time I saw her on the television – she was being interviewed on “60 Minutes” by Dan Rather. That was back in 2000 and for sure it […]

I work at home; and often feel as if I live in the Dark Ages. A typical “happy day” at my house? Wake up. On my laptop from sun up to sun down. In between, break for lunch. While chowing down, I decided to make one more attempt at trying to watch the news online […]

All music is magic. Perhaps that generalization depends on one’s definition of music. :) But let’s say we all agree with that statement. If so, then it’s likely we may disagree over which musical instrument (excluding the human voice) can produce the most magical sound. Listverse.com is a fun site where people publish lists of […]

Starla Michelle Halfmann is an who artist lives on a farm. There are animals on the farm and also wildlife in the forested trails and flowers galore!! What can an artist to do with all of this inspiration? Ms. Halhmann found the perfect solution. She decided to incorporate the wonders in the natural world that […]

Health and honey. Most people know you can stay healthy with honey. Most people may or may not know that all honey is not the same. I didn’t. There’s honey. Then there’s More Manuka Honey From New Zealand Products that comes from bees that pollinate from the manuka tree. This honey has a powerful anti-oxidant […]

  “Flowers always make people better, happier and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul.” – Luther Burbank (wiseoldsayings.com) ♥ ♥ ♥ I heart flowers. I heart art. Who doesn’t? Flowers uplift your spirit and can bring you joy each and every day. I heart gardens. Sadly everything you “heart” you […]

Shoe shopping can be lots of fun; especially if you’re feeling that nostalgia vibe. Imagining Elvis in his blue suede shoes and thinking: “That’s what’s missing from my wardrobe!” So you set off on a hunt for some blue suede shoes for ladies. You find them! But you also find Bettie Page and Jessica Simpson. […]

First, let me say I ♥ Al Pacino. OK. Got that out of the way. Now. I am all for movies that end on a positive note. When the bad guy reaps exactly what he sows, I write that off as a Happy Ending! “Scarface” (1983) is a film which tells the story of Tony […]

Lots of cool stuff going on in the world of science fiction. Such as? Such as uuumm … adult coloring books. Yeah. I know everybody is into coloring books. But did you like the 1979 film “Alien” which starred Signourney Weaver? It’s been almost 40 years but guess what? Livescience.com recommends the ‘Alien’ Coloring Book. […]

(As you begin reading, you may wonder why this page is categorized under Fashion and not Books. If you have the patience to read this, you’ll understand. :) ) A talisman is an object, especially a figure carved or cut at a time regarded as astrologically favorable. It is believed to have magical protective qualities. […]

What do Maitake, Shiitake, and Reishi have in common? No. They are not Asian names for baby girls. They are mushrooms. More specifically, they are medicinal mushrooms. In fact, the reishi mushroom has been called “Ling Zhi” or the “Mushroom of Immortality” Clara Myers is a friend, fellow freelance writer / blogger and my GO […]

Living in Austin, Texas is great for those who want to practice healthy eating habits, with diligent nutrition conscious folks insisting that we must all have servings of fruits and veggies daily. Yes California also has such a reputation. But if sometimes you want so badly to enjoy your favorite snack , and not feel […]

This nugget is a follow up to my other web page titled Is a Season Your Reason to Drink Tea? (which I was happy to publish because it gave me an excuse to suggest some chocolate tea products). Are you a tea drinker? If so, you are lucky lucky lucky! Why? Because not only are […]

“All the Korean historical dramas are all so beautifully made. The sceneries, makeup and costumes. Everything.” “Yes indeed! Visually stunning! A treat for the eyes. Everything! Including the hair pins! Especially the hair pins!” :) Agree or disagree? (Quotes found on Tumblr.) If you don’t agree, it’s probably because you’re never seen a Korean historical […]