LEMON SODA

How was everyone’s weekend? I definitely could have gotten more work done, but it has been so relaxing to just lay around that I don’t mind rushing things a bit starting tomorrow. Mainly I’ve been obsessing over cute bows :3 I’ve been wanting to get bow tights and a bow headband, but I’m super picky about these things so it may be a while before I find the perfect ones. I think it’s Lady Gaga’s fault.

What have you guys been obsessing over lately?

At some point or other we’ve come across foods that appear to be incredibly delicious, but decide to take a pass in case we make a fool out of ourselves trying to eat them properly. Such tricky foods like to make an appearance at fancy dinners, or your first date, when it’s important to let your gracefulness shine through. Next time you have a scary dish staring you in the face, try to keep these things in mind:

When eating…

Lobster
It’s best to put away any jewelry and make sure a napkin is nearby before starting with this guy!

• Some people leave this for later, but if you are super hungry and need a little taste before all the hard work ahead, start by gently twisting the legs to remove them. Suck the meat out out as you would though a straw.

The Claws

• Twist off the two claws at the first joint. Separate the two parts of the claw and remove the meat from the smaller part with a seafood fork/your finger.
• Use the cracker provided to crack the tips of the claws. With your forefinger (or pinky finger if your fingers are a bit chubby, like mine), push the meat from the cracked tip through the larger opening.
• Dip into delicious buttery sauce.

The Tail

• To separate the tail, hold it with one hand and the body with the other, and twist.
• Remove the small “flippers” from the end, which you can also eat.
• With your fingers, push into the end of the tail where the flippers had been attached, and push out the tail meat through the larger opening.
• Peel off the top of the tail and remove the digestive organs before you eat the meat!

Dip your hands in the lemony sauce, dry with napkin and continue with your meal.

Crab

• Crabs are significantly less work than lobsters. Simply remove the legs and suck their meat, as you would with the lobster’s.
• Next, crack the shell open and remove the meat with a fork. Enjoy!

Shrimp
Usually, in a fancy dinner your shrimp may come peeled with the tail attached; in this case, hold it by the tail with your fingers and eat. In some places, like here in Spain, it is normal for you to have to do all the peeling. In my opinion it tastes better this way! In this case:

• Start by gently twisting the head off from the body. Some people like to suck this part; I’m not such a fan.
• Remove the small legs by pulling on them. This will tear the bottom part of the body, which will make it easy to peel off the shell.
• Leave the tail so that you can hold it. Dip it in the sauce and eat!

Sushi

• Wash your hands with the warm towel provided.
• Put a little bit of soy sauce in the small dish, but don’t fill it to the brim! You may add wasabi and mix it in, but sushi usually contains a little bit already so it isn’t necessary if you don’t want it to be too strong.
• When eating hand-pressed sushi (nigiri-zushi), pick up one piece with your index and middle finger and put your index finger on top. Dip the fish side into the soy sauce, NOT the rice as it will fall apart! Bite in half, and dip again into sauce before you finish it.
• For hand-rolled sushi (maki-zushi), dip into soy sauce with chopsticks and eat in one bite.
• Optional: eat pieces of ginger in between to refresh your palate and enhance the flavor!

Chicken Wings
This video explains it best!

Olives
They may not seem as scary or complicated as these others, but still there is a simple etiquette to be followed when eating olives.

• As hors d’oeuvres (or appetizers) it’s alright to eat them with your hands. Stuffed olives are usually most common, but still watch out for the “bone”!
• In a salad or part of a dish, just eat with a fork as you would everything else.
• In a cocktail, drink the contents first and then tip the glass back so the olive falls into your mouth.

Unfortunately there is no graceful way to eat burritos, tacos, ribs or large burgers.

What are your tips for eating tricky foods?

If I were a month, I’d be April.

If I were a day of the week, I’d be Sunday.

If I were a time of day, I’d be 10am.

If I were a planet, I’d be Earth.

If I were a sea animal, I’d be a starfish.

If I were a direction, I’d be North.

If I were a piece of furniture, I’d be a bookshelf.

If I were a liquid, I’d be lemon soda.

If I were a gemstone, I’d be an amethyst.

If I were a tree, I’d be a willow tree.

If I were a tool, I’d be a palette knife.

If I were a flower, I’d be an orchid.

If I were a kind of weather, I’d be rain.

If I were a musical instrument, I’d be a cello.

If I were a color, I’d be any shade of purple.

If I were an emotion, I’d be lovestruck.

If I were a fruit, I’d be a raspberry.

If I were a sound, I’d be the sound of waves.

If I were an element, I’d be air.

If I were a car, I’d be a smart car.

If I were a food, I’d be sushi.

If I were a place, I’d be a coffee shop.

If I were a material, I’d be cotton.

If I were a taste, I’d be sweet.

If I were a scent, I’d be vanilla.

If I were an object, I’d be a book.

If I were a body part, I’d be the lips.

If I were a facial expression, I’d be a grin.

If I were a song, I’d be Brown Eyed Girl.

If I were a pair of shoes, I’d be black ballerina flats.

Via Scattered Starlight. What would you be?

You create your thoughts, your thoughts create your intentions, and your intentions create your reality. — Dr. Wayne W. Dyer

I remember a friend of my mother’s, back when we were in Miami: Brazilian, loud, cooked amazingly and yelled at cars who got in her way. She was very spiritual as well, and one of the things I remember most clearly after 11 years is her Treasure Map. “This is my house in Key Biscayne, my car is parked right outside. Over there is my family who have moved from Brazil, and I’m over here running my own business.” These were magazine clippings and old photographs glued on to a cardboard, scrapbook style, and they were there as a visualization of her goals.

She taught me about the Law of Attraction, which I loved the concept of. So the next day I convinced my father to take me to a huge art supply store just off of the US 1 so that I could get some cardboard paper for my Treasure Map. Of course I was only nine at the time, so my Treasure Map consisted mainly of roller blades, a new set of paints and glitter, as well as a sticker book and a lot of stickers to trade with my friends.

Some people write things down, put them in a drawer and believe if it’s meant to be it will come to them. But I say: don’t underestimate the power of visualization. The mind associates objects and ideas with images, be they simple or complex. Visualizing a certain situation can invoke the emotions that come with it; that way, if you suffer from stage fright, imagining yourself in front of a crowd ready to give a speech might make your palms a little sweaty. So in the same way, if you visualize success, you will experience a taste of what it would feel like — it’s about taking that bit of energy and turning it into motivation to attract that which you want for yourself.

Before you create it:

• Sit down with yourself quietly and think of what you want — what you truly want! Don’t think yourself selfish, just start with a clear goal in mind. Go beyond material things; think about where you’d like to see yourself in the near future and with who!
• It can be in the form of a posterboard on your wall, maybe a corkboard inside a fancy frame, your computer desktop or even a video if you’re feeling extra creative!
• It’s best to keep it private, you know, like a treasure!
• Be in a good mood, because only positive things will go on it.

Creating your Treasure Map/Vision Board:

1. Go through magazines and We Heart It for images that represent what you love and want.
2. Draw, glue, fold cut and write. Rhinestones, glitter, feathers…Whatever works!
3. Include at least one photograph of yourself to ground the goal and bring it closer to you, preferably in the center!
4. Add positive affirmations.
5. Once you’re satisfied, put it up somewhere where you’ll see it often.

Now all you have to do is put your dreams to action; it doesn’t matter how many things are up on your map if there is no intent on your part to making it happen. We can’t leave everything up to the Universe, you know!

I am a little late with this, but needed to share with you guys in case you hadn’t seen them already! These are definitely going up on my wall. Hope everyone’s had a good start to the week!

Dalai Lama’s 18 Rules for Living:

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.
3. Follow the three Rs:
   • Respect for self
   • Respect for others
   • Responsibility for all your actions.
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.
7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
8. Spend some time alone every day.
9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
11. Live a good, honourable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.
12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.
14. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.
15. Be gentle with the earth.
16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.
17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

Via here.