Hola my friends! Happy Cinco de Mayo! If you work someplace fun, like I do (okay,…most days), you get to enjoy a fun fiesta pot-luck luncheon on May 5th. Me, I signed up for dessert and dusted off an old recipe for a “Margarita Pie”.
Even my mouth watered at the memory of this light, tasty dessert. Read the rest of this entry
For a friend’s Mexico-themed get together I thought about bringing Buñuelos like I’ve had at a local restaurant; fried cinnamon sugar flour crisps drizzled with honey or chocolate and topped with whipped cream. [I also thought about flan… truthfully, I’ve been craving that and found a recipe for a coffee flan that made my mouth water.]
Pucks… and palm trees.
Today is the first day of Fall. I woke up to a brisk 46F here in Chicagoland. (That’s just a mere 14 degrees above freezing in case you needed the math done.) So, why am I excited about it…? Because it’s just a short NINE more days until the official start of pro hockey. Chicago Blackhawks Hockey. Woohoo!
……and how do you jump from cold, icy hockey to tropical heat and palm trees, you ask? Good times with Hockey fans. That’s how.
Mexico
Like offerings at a palm alter, remnants of sea life that have washed ashore hug the base of each tree in a perfect decorative way. Salty and sandy and sun baked, they were placed there by the owner of this Cayman Island rental villa to be explored and admired just as much as they are for decoration. The color and textures really captured my interest. My macro lens begged me to look closer at the intricate details. Amazing! Take a look…. Read the rest of this entry
You must get to the Cayman Islands. We easily chose to go back for our fifth visit to this great Caribbean destination for a handful of reasons. Coming up I’ll share some of our favorite things about Cayman… the beaches, the sites, the great people and more.
For now, enjoy a few images to put you in a Cayman Island state of mind. Read the rest of this entry
Festive greetings to you on this August 16, 2013; National Rum Day! Social media and the internet are abuzz with posts, stories and blurbs about rum. …. I ran across a nice one by Joe Satran at Huffington Post Taste (@HuffPostTaste) about the right rum for mojitos within moments of launching my browser today. There are numerous rum-centric accounts and blogs that I follow where you can be inspired with recipes or learn history… or shop for rum-themed apparel. Here is a rundown of some of my favorites: Read the rest of this entry
It’s late winter. I’m surrounded by palm trees. Sweat beads are forming on my brow. …. and I’m in Chicago.
I’m not dreaming. I’ve just found my way to an urban oasis. Come see…. 
Controversy-shmontroversy.
Seriously people. Turn da frown, de udduh way aroun’.
This was my absolute favorite super-bowl ad this year.
YouTube link:
If you’re heading to Mexico, once you have decompressed from whatever stresses you left back home, enjoyed a dip in the pool, walked on the beach and enjoyed a couple of tasty margaritas, consider doing a little ancient sight seeing; See the ruins. Read the rest of this entry
One evening on our Mexican Riviera vacation, after the rain stopped, we took a walk around the Iberostar Playa Paraiso Resort. Just wandered. Here is what we saw.
The buildings of the Maya are colorful. At every turn through the courtyards there are little Mayan themed details; intricately patterned stones in the walkways, statues, fountains and gardens.
Sand On The Brain 