Eat a Rainbow

Two years ago I took a nutrition class for a semester at the local community college. It was a class that I never took in college but that had always interested me. One of my main goals was to actually improve my personal nutrition and learn to eat healthier. Well, it worked for a while, and I still only make sandwiches with 100% whole wheat bread, but it didn’t take long to slip into my some of my old habits (i.e. chocolate and wine as food groups). If I took anything memorable away from the class, it was the advice to “Eat a Rainbow.” What that basically means is that try to have as many colors in your meals as possible. With fresh fruit so available at Farmer’s Markets this spring summer, it will be so much easier to do. It is healthy, and the more colors you incorporate into your dishes, the more beautiful they get (and presumably the more vitamins you get). I made a mixed green salad the other night with tomatoes and green beans (and steak and blue cheese) and the colors just popped! Eating a rainbow is good for you and pretty! That said, I had this written and was ready to post it when I got the following email…… Gotta love Maxine.


Yesterday I went to the doctor for my yearly physical.
My blood pressure was high ...
My cholesterol was high .....
I'd gained some weight, and I didn't feel so hot.
My doctor said eating right doesn't have to be complicated
and it would solve my physical problems.
He said: Just think in colors.
Fill your plate with bright colors. Try some greens, oranges, reds, maybe something yellow, etc.
So I went right home and ate an entire bowl of


And sure enough, I felt better immediately.
I never knew eating right could be so easy !!!

The timing of this email couldn’t have been better. This cracked me up as this is the perfect “rainbow” food group – just add a glass of sparkling wine for a complete “meal.”

My Chuckle Buddy

Seriously…. everyone should have a chuckle buddy. This little monkey can brighten my day instantly. I first saw him in the Dallas airport and didn’t have room in my bag to buy him. I found him again at a toy store in Palm Springs. His laugh just puts me in a good mood no matter what. When I first got him, I had an injury on my face (long, clumsy story). Anyway, I had put a Band-Aid on my face (upper lip to be exact) to keep the sun off of it. I looked like a fool and was walking towards my husband’s office to show him how stupid I looked. On my way, my little chuckle buddy caught a glimpse of me from across the room and started cracking up (at the Band-Aid mustache on my face of course). It stopped me dead in my tracks and I about died laughing with him - we’re talking tears here – I was laughing that hard. He was way out of range (he has a sensor that goes off if you are within a certain distance from him) so it was totally unexpected. I went from grumpy to giddy in an instant. He reminds me not to take life too seriously and that it is okay to just laugh to lighten the mood. He has been well worth his $20 price tag in his ability to make me smile and relax. For fun, I actually just left a voicemail for my Dad at work with only the monkey laughing. He will crack up. See, I can spread joy and laughter! Watch this video and he will brighten your day too. Happy chuckles!


Update - I spoke to my Dad and the belly laugh on his voicemail when he got into work made him "laugh his a** off." Ha, ha - I love it! Also wanted to throw a disclaimer out there that the monkey video is the first video I've ever taken so hopefully my videography skills will get better.

Stand Up Straight!

So, they say it takes two weeks for a new habit to stick. Well, I REALLY need to work on my posture. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror the other day and I’m totally slumped over. Not an attractive look! So, I’m dedicating the next two weeks to standing up straight at all times (walking, driving, sitting at my computer, even lying down).

Repeat after me: “stomach in and shoulders back.” That is what will be going through my head for the next two weeks (and hopefully will continue on naturally after that). I also need to remember to hold my head back – I look like a turtle the way I hold my head forward.

All of the articles out there say that standing up straight makes you look slimmer, taller and more confident. Well, today, I just realized another perk. While walking around the lake with my new posture, my husband asked me if I had a new bra on. Ha! Apparently, standing up straight also makes your chest look larger.

Now I’m going to look taller, slimmer, and bustier! Cheers to that!

Here are some guidelines for good posture: http://www.spine-health.com/wellness/ergonomics/guidelines-improve-posture

Second Guessing

Yes, I am still dwelling on losing that essay contest. When I entered, I debated between two entries. I picked the one I submitted because I thought the sparkling wine was more of a focus of that memory. Now I'm wishing I had submitted this one....... It happened on the same trip - the next day in fact - but in reading it I thought the sailors stood out more than the sparkling wine - although they both added to the memory. Let me know what you think.

After a leisurely day strolling around Varenna, Italy my husband and I headed to a quaint restaurant for dinner. The small restaurant could probably seat 40 people (max). Our indoor table for two was seated next to a table set for 30. We were a little concerned it was going to be a noisy wedding party but thought maybe we would be done before they got there and proceeded to sit. The waiter poured us a complementary glass of Prosecco (I love that tradition in Italy). The Prosecco was light and refreshing with a good flavor to it so we decided to order a bottle. We ordered the marinated octopus salad for an appetizer just the power went out. Not missing a beat, the waiter lit all the candles and it was business as usual. It was very magical to be in a dark, cave-like restaurant lit only with candles. As we were about to toast to a great trip, the lights came back on and in walked a sailor; then 29 more! The table was set for the Italian Navy! As we tried to enjoy our romantic dinner by candlelight, with our bottle of Prosecco, we were continually distracted. My back was to the table of sailors and I kept seeing my husband smiling and laughing at the antics going on behind me.

Here are the highlights:
• Every time the power came back (it was on and off many times throughout the evening) on the navy would burst into song. Be it happy birthday, the national anthem, or twinkle, twinkle little star...
• They were doing funny things with their hats (making them into bread baskets, flipping down the brim and using their napkins as face masks (making them look like bandits about to rob the place), using them as bandanas, etc…)
• They got into a bread fight with the bread in the baskets.
• One guy behind me tapped me on the shoulder and said he liked my hair.
• Another guy apologized for ruining our romantic date (which I assured him they weren’t).
• They were giving toasts and teasing each other.
• One guy developed a crush on me and decided to shower me with gifts. The first time he walked by on the way back from the bathroom and handed me a fake flower from a bouquet in the bathroom. The next time he offered me a huge painting that he had taken off the wall (this got him in trouble with the lady of the house who scolded him). That didn’t stop him because the next thing he offered me was a fire hydrant.
• Amidst all of this liveliness going on in the dining room, I witnessed the chef come out of the kitchen, yell at the lady of the house, throw his apron on the ground and storm out. Essentially quitting with a dining room of hungry sailors (and us).

This craziness did not put a damper on our evening at all. The chef eventually came back, after I presume a shot and a cigarette. We ended up ordering another bottle of Prosecco, which paired well with our fantastic meal (I had homemade pasta with lobster and my husband had the local fish dish).

We were there for a little over three hours. We had a great time. The service was slow but it didn’t faze us at all. Our glass was always full and we and we had live entertainment that I would’ve paid money for.

As we got up to leave, the entire Italian Navy stood up and serenaded us and thanked us for putting up with their antics. We thanked them for the song and the entertainment and stumbled out into the night. I say stumbled because 2 bottle of Prosecco had us feeling a little tipsy!

FYI - if there are any women reading this – yes, these men were HOT. They were men in their mid-30s; not boys.

Some memories can be recreated but as for this one, there is no way.

If you are curious about the winners of the essay, here is the link: http://content.corkd.com/2010/03/29/corkd-icswi-announce-winners-of-the-sparkling-wine-vacaction-of-a-lifetime/

Disappointed but not Discouraged

Well, I just found out I did NOT win the Sparkling wine memory contest. I will admit that I am disappointed but it was a fun exercise nonetheless. It is always fun to reflect back on my memories and it will not be the last essay contest that I enter. Thanks for keeping your fingers crossed for me. I think I might go drink some sparkling wine to cheer me up!