Every year it’s the same thing. The holidays! And I love it! Same old routine. Gift shopping. Preparing big happy meals. Seeing family and friends that you haven’t seen in forever! What’s not to like? Been celebrating the Christmas holiday for over 5 decades and one time gave a gingerbread house kit to a friend. […]

Have had a foodie business page on Google Plus for about 5 years. It was created with the goal of linking back and driving traffic to my primary website which has been up and running since 2011. In May 2015 (or thereabouts), G+ decided to give Pinterest some competition by creating “collections”. Similar to Pinterest […]

It’s November 2016 and we are enjoying a lovely autumn season in Austin, Texas and will be heading into something that’s called winter in another few months. It’s called “winter” even though there’s rarely any snow, it hardly ever gets really cold, and you may start your day wearing a sweater or even a light […]

So here’s the story behind the story for this page. Once upon a time, there was a friend of mine who majored in Home Economics and was also newly married. We’re at lunch one day and she is discussing her homemaking activities and things she plans to do as a wise woman. (You know? That […]

Have always enjoyed learning about Greek myths and legends. Are you familiar with the harpies? “In Greek mythology, the Harpies were monstrous bird-like creatures with a woman’s face. Believers thought they acted at the behest of the gods, carried out acts of vengeance and were snatchers of human souls.” Quote Source: Soul Snatchers Versus Soul […]

There are so many male tenors in the entertainment industry and no doubt if one is mentioned by name, somebody will readily respond with an alternative or comparable singer and say ~ Yeah, he’s alright but I just love _________. Nevertheless I am going to resort to name-calling because this guy’s voice even impressed Linda […]

The last three months of the year in the United States is often referred to as the “holiday season”; with Thanksgiving and Christmas being the main holidays that are celebrated. Even though most of the gift giving occurs at Christmas time, food gifts are gladly received at any time of the year. There is something […]

A duke is like a sovereign prince or a nobleman. What an appropriate nickname for him. Calling this man “mister” or “sir” just seems so inadequate and uncomplimentary for one of America’s most influential jazz ambassadors. Speaking with respect to Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington (1899 – 1974) – the legendary American jazz pianist, composer and […]

For years, people who lived in islands (or Florida, where I grew up) where the coconut trees decorated the landscape, the meat and milk of the coconut and its oil were considered a “cure” for almost all ailments. In The Bahamas there is a very popular song that tells the story of an islander who […]

“As of 2016, Aretha Franklin still holds the record for the most hits on the Billboard Hot 100 … she is still on the road and performing in her 74th year.” (Even though her doctors advise her to take it easy.) * * Quote source: “FUV Essentials: Aretha Franklin.” WFUV. Fordham University, 12 Sept. 2016. […]

It’s October and in America we will be celebrating Halloween at the end of the month. Horror movies are not my favorite movie genre, but on October 31st, an exception is made. Sometimes being scared out of your wits is just plain old fun! If you aren’t into movies but you don’t mind reading a […]

There are three things surely everyone knows about spices. – One: Spices make food tastes really good! – Two: Spices help you appreciate various cultures through their unique cuisines. – Three: Spices have a fascinating history. But there’s something else you might like to know about spices. According to Tilo, the Mistress of Spices: “Each […]

Cat lover? Moi? No. But do have friends who are cat lovers and so … this is for them! Several years back, started following the career of a new entertainer, a young singer / songwriter who was slowly but surely making her way up the ladder of success. As her popularity began to increase, a […]

Christmas time can be the happiest time of the year for some and a very lonely time for others. Particularly if you have a loved one that’s far away. That’s why sad Christmas songs are so extremely popular. But this quick blurb is not about sad holiday songs. Nah! Why? Well because most people probably […]

It’s the holiday season. Early shoppers start in September. Of course, the early early shoppers start the holiday shopping at the beginning of the year. No matter. Whenever you shop, if you’re like me, you have the shopping list of gifts you want to give to family and friends. You also have your own wish […]

Would you rather? Do you like to respond to “would you rather” questions? They can be fun and can reveal a lot about your likes, dislikes and personality. For example: Would you rather read a book than watch a film? Whereas most would likely answer book or film, my response would be: “Uh! (O.o) How […]

Isn’t it funny how you get fixated on certain things? For the past several months, my guilty pleasure has been absorbing myself in television series that are fictional accounts dramatizing periods in Korean history; mainly the Joseon Dynasty, 17th century. One of my nuggets right here at this site is about the first series that […]

Are you an admirer of Charles Dickens and also a loyal reader of murder mysteries? The two books mentioned below come highly recommended by many readers, book club members, and book review bloggers who love murder and suspense thrillers and fictional crime series. These particular books are categorized under a genre known as “cozy mystery” […]

Chosŏn means “The Land of the Morning Calm.” A brief article about the Joseon (or Chosŏn) Dynasty in Korea can be found at About.com. This dynasty lasted for a little over 5 centuries from 1392–1910. King Taejo, founder and first king of the Joseon Dynasty, established the capital at Hanyang. South Korea’s Jeju Island is […]

Art. Fairies. Fantasy. Love art? Love fairies? Love fantasy? You must be a fan of Molly Harrison. Her artwork can be found online at many sites. But a great place to shop for her work is at her Zazzle store. A dizzying array of close to 7000 products are showcased: art posters, calendars, gifts for […]

In the mood for an intense read? You could get engrossed in a heady romance novel or bury your face in two compelling mystery thrillers with just the right amount of suspense to make your heart race and keep you on the edge of your seat. ♦♦♦♦ ♦♦♦♦ A strong-minded intelligent beauty and a new […]

In memory of: Richard Burton, Actor (1925 – 1984) (DOT 1) Daniel Craig made cinema history by being the first blond James Bond. Have always admired Daniel Craig’s skill as an actor and love his voice. Caught a clip of a late night talk show one time and he was the guest. The talk show […]

Respected food writer, Monica Bhide has written for well-known publications such as Food and Wine and Cooking Light. In her article, “The Crackling Spices Of Indian Tempering”, she writes about a cooking method common to Indian cuisine called “tempering”. EXCERPT: ” … Tadka translates as “tempering.” It is a method widely used in Indian cuisine, […]

Mark Bittman, is one of America’s best-known, most widely respected food writers. Happy to suggest two cookbooks written by him. One for those who want to learn how to cook and the other for those who have a goal to eat healthy with an emphasis on consuming green leafy vegetables (that would be moi!). How […]

Once watched a Doctor Who episode and in this particular scene, the Doctor and his female assistant had to climb up the stairs to get where they needed to go. Dr. Who says (trying to be a gentleman, of course): “You first.” To which the young lady responded: “No you go first. I’m wearing a […]

Oxytocin is a naturally ocurring hormone which has been linked to the human bonding process. Some have referred to it as the “cuddle hormone”. Respected and authoritative publications such as WebMD Health News have reported on the positive effect of this hormone on both women and men; but adds a note of caution, quoting the […]

Do you enjoy mysteries? Do you enjoy it when history is made interesting instead of just being tested on how well you can recall dates, events and names of people and places? Think you might like reading an historical mystery series? (Written for young readers but nobody has to know you’re an adult. One of […]

The spice trails taken by the Europeans can be traced backwards from India to Arabia (formerly Asia Minor) to Africa to Egypt and all the way to the ancient Greco-Roman world. Wars were fought over precious spices and in the end … we all won! Because the end result of the wars and the global […]

When you look at those black sandal shoes below, your first impression is probably – Oh! Every woman has a pair of shoes like these. Right? However. Did you ever see the movie Malèna starring Monica Belluci? Ever been jealous and envious of another woman’s beauty? Don’t answer that. Let’s pretend we have been. Ever […]

In my lifetime, I have learned, that no matter how smart or intelligent a person is, if you give them the wrong information – they will probably screw up whatever it is they are doing. If they were writers or bloggers, wrote about it, and circulated their writings? Well! Just let your imagination run wild! […]

EXCERPT: “The country did especially well in categories measuring social equality, health issues, culture and contributions to world order. “ Hmmm …? What country are they talking about? Blimey! Begora! and all that jazz! What country do you think? Did not know there was such as thing as a “Good Country Index” but it certainly […]

We – especially we women – all know this expression: “No pain? No gain.” To borrow a song lyric from the popular and glamorous singer Beyoncé … “pretty hurts”. But the picture painted in real life is not all that bad. Want to know the answers to questions like: Q: Can I plump my lips […]