It's another beautiful day in the southwest! Here is a quick weekend round-up of what I'm reading, watching, and eating!
Think Again: Power of Knowing What You Don't Know
by Adam Grant This was a recommended book from a friend and I'm devouring it. It has enough stories to offset statistics and is anything but another dry psychologist theory self-help book. Direct quote, "Intelligence is traditionally viewed as the ability to think and learn. Yet in a turbulent world, there's another set of cognitive skills that might matter more: the ability to rethink and unlearn." I'm finding it very entertaining as well as informative. You can learn more about the book here: 
What I'm Watching: Debris
Looking for something new to watch? Debris is a new American science fiction television series. It is on NBC and premiered on March 1, 2021. The premise of the series is that debris from an alien spacecraft begins to fall to earth and causes all sorts of odd occurrences and problems. Then add in world governments trying to weaponize the debris and people coming into contact with it on accident and having supernatural experiences and you get a nice mix of chaos, horror, and government intrigue. 
What I'm Cooking:
Smoothies! It's finally warming up enough for smoothies! I know it's not a revolutionary recipe but I have perfected the blueberry, banana, coconut, and almond slivers procedure! Okay, so mainly I just dump everything in the blender and call it breakfast.. but when simple works you stick with it! 
Have a great weekend!
This post contains links to buy the book on Amazon, I receive a few pennies if you purchase (the price doesn't change for you) and it helps to offset the cost of the website.
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 Hey Valentine!
Sugar is sweet. Lemons are tart. I love you more than a unicorn fart.  And so we begin the "Love Month" of February.
Are you ready?  Hello and Welcome to 2021~ I hope you are having a rocking time. Okay, before we get too deep into this staycation post let me be honest on two points:
 Work = more money for travel, after all Plus we have to wait until the pandemic is over to do much of anything, because it is still raging in the US. So we tried to make the most of life by cooking, (and eating) new dishes, saving for that BIG trip, and getting clear on where we want to live next.  Greece?  Back to Rome?  Australia? So many possibilities! I'm also working on a December food diary post - And before you ask, yes I will include the recipes. I made everything from Vegan Ch'kin and Dumplings to Apple Pie last month.  Vegan Ch'kin Dumplings in progress..... I also managed to meet my 2020 reading challenge over at Goodreads.  Setting a challenge really helped me monitor how much I was reading... OR NOT reading as the case was... Which will end up being its own post too. If you are on GoodReads as well please friend me and lets compare notes on books, k?  So overall my December Staycation ended up being a busy time! I can't wait to see how this year goes.
Catch you later~  I’ve started dreaming about travel. If you follow me on twitter then you know what I mean. I’m continuously posting iconic, as well as off the beaten path locations. I’m dreaming about sunny, tropical beaches, old growth forests and everything in between.  Every morning, I wake from a dream that I’ve been hiking in Italy or running through old castles in eastern Europe or swimming in crystal clear waters in some Pacific paradise. It’s getting really weird.  I miss being able to jump on a plane, train or boat and sail off. And I bet you miss it too. How are you holding up? We haven't really left the house in weeks. But I have appointments and a few things I can't put off anymore. I’m currently on a road trip now…doing a bit of exploring and well, mostly work. We are being overly careful and staying away from crowds. We have seen very few people out and about and most things are still closed in or at least limited in New Mexico.  It's overcast and the smoke from Colorado and Cali fires are blowing this way..  Everything is hazy and smokey and feels surreal. We are headed in the opposite direction and hopefully they will be put out soon, Are you dreaming about traveling too?
Or just hoping life would return to normal?  I normally travel for my birthday. Barcelona, France, the Yucatan, the Med, Switzerland, you get the idea. This year I stayed home and celebrated with my family and friends. We ate, laughed and had a nice week of fun. I couldn't ask for more, especially after the year we've had.  So it was a great week of fun and relaxing, but staying home was also a necessity since we are barred from traveling. :( BUT it didn’t stop me from planning 2021’s birthday adventure. The problems was where to even begin?  I love Rome, (well most of Italy for that matter), the people, the food, the sites! It's always amazing, but I wanted to knock something else off the old travel bucket list…So in doing some digging I found August is a GREAT time to go to Greece!  Honestly, as an American I know almost nothing about Greek island culture. So after doing some research I think it will be ideal for my next birthday escape. Did you know, according to Visit Greece: "Greek sovereign land includes 6,000 islands and islets scattered in the Aegean and Ionian Seas, of which only 227 islands are inhabited?!" OMG! So many islands to see!  I know we want to explore temples and spend lazy afternoons in museums…but what else is a “must see” and where should we begin?  Reading online and then bugging my European friends I learned that in most cities, bigger villages and tourist spots, English is spoken, lodging is inexpensive and it would be safe for me to travel alone or with family members. (Well, after the pandemic is over anyway.)
Greece depends on tourism and we should all do our part, lol! Most people were surprised I never visited and actually I am too. It has been on the list for a long time, but there are soooo many placed I wish to visit, somehow I skipped over it. I will keep you in the loop with the Greece trip. I'm watching airfare currently and looking at villas to rent, sourcing the best vegan food options and trying to decide on a central island to make as "home base" for exploring. I think I forgot how much I loved travel planning... (shakes fist at damn pandemic!) What's on your travel bucket list? And when do you think it will be "safe" to travel again? Speak soon~  Hi gang, Can you believe it's already Thursday? This week seems to have just flown by! Today's my birthday so it's going to be a busy one. I had company this week and we stayed up late watching the annual meteor shower, eating and laughing! I haven't posted much this month because well, we were too busy enjoying life. Here are a few highlights of Augusts adventures (so far) and some of my birthday goodies:  So much Vegan goodness! We feasted!  Crappy Iphone Moon Picture...from one late night meteor watching.  Early gift to myself! You can never has too much storage and for TWO TB this was a STEAL! Read more about it here:   Even the desert greened up nicely!  Was surprised with these lovely birthday flowers :D   Love them!  And any excuse to make vegan cookies...  And more... (These are oatmeal chocolate chip) I have about a 100 more pictures (a lot of food, lol) but it's time to go do the next "thing" - I promise to post again really soon. The External hard drive is an affiliate link, but I really wanted to share that good price with you. My Mac Book Pro is FULL and that was a life saver...
Okay I'm off to brunch, speak soon!  Happy Sunday! It's going to be a busy day around here and I'm rushing to get things done before we have to go out. The heat is miserable this week, so we plan everything for early morning or late evening. But so far I've been really great at procrastinating this morning. I've knocked out two cups of coffee and not much else...So before I buckle down and get something done today, here's a quick book review:  This novel has been on my list for years, and thanks to 2020 forcing me to slow down, I finally had time to read it! It was the first novel to win the Hugo, Nebula, and Philip K. Dick Awards, and is considered a science fiction masterpiece. Written in 1984, Mr. Gibson's Neuromancer came together at a time when the personal computer was just beginning to make its way in private homes, and many people were dismissing its staying power as a "fad". This book builds a complex, future reality that is far away from 1984 and uncomfortably close to 2020. Quick Book Review - Sunday Edition: Neuromancer by William Gibson
 Books two and three in the trilogy. While Gibson did not invent cyberpunk, but wrote several important contributions previous to this novel - including short stories “Johnny Mnemonic” and “The Gernsback Continuum.” But Neuromancer cemented cyberpunk as a damaged, dystopian society dominated by global computer networks, crime and personal enhancements.  It's a page turner!  If you are looking for a great read, go grab a copy today! This review contains affiliate links, but I never post about anything I don't love.
Have a great Sunday! Speak soon~ 
Happy Tuesday!
I hope you have some wonderful plans for today. We are in for a super hot day with temps 104'F / 40C #YIKES! I used to like warm days...they were perfect for laying by the pool or on the beach - a thrilling science fiction novel in one hand and ice cold beer in the other. #GoodTimes But sun worshipping isn't "my thing" anymore. The older I get, the more I care about my skin and more importantly the damage the sun has already done. As someone who laid out in an attempt to tan my pale nordic body I woke up one day and thought, "Maybe it's too late?!" Meaning too much damage had been done. But you know I'm not one to just roll over and accept 'fate' - So now I'm on a mission to both protect my skin from any further damage and also turn back the clock. I'm currently doing some personal research on all things skincare. There have been so many scientific advances in the field of cosmetics and skincare lately that it can be very overwhelming...Where do you even start? 
(A small sample of my current collection.) I'm also searching Amazon for other highly rated/recommended products.
These are some of the best sellers on Amazon and over the course of the next few months I will be trying vegan products out and reviewing for you.
My current (body) sunscreen is Banana Boat Dry Balance Broad Spectrum Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 50. Gone are the days of greasy, oily sunscreen! This lotion drys to a nice matte finish and leaves your skin feeling silky smooth. I apply this before gardening, hiking or driving. You will need to reapply every two hours, but it is really working so far. (I've been using since about the 3rd of May.) 
Looks and feels more like "normal" lotion, not heavy or greasy.
This post does continue affiliate links, and I may receive a small commission of any sales. I only promote the products I use/feel are good values for you. By clicking the link it doesn't change the price of the product, but it does helps to support the cost of the blog. (So thank you!)
Also thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read my posts. I have a few new book reviews that should be out this week and some new vegan recipes, so do stop in again. Speak soon!  I Hope you're having a fabulous weekend and happy 4th of July if you are in America. It's another gorgeous day here in central New Mexico. There's a lot going on this weekend, but mostly people are having small, safe get-togethers as the pandemic rages on in 'Merca. I was up early to finish a work projects (minutes before the deadline, lol) and now the long weekend is mine! I plan on cooking up some new vegan treats, going swimming and watching the fireworks from my patio tonight. Not very exciting I know but considering everything thats happening.... We also had planned on going for a hike this weekend, but temps are soaring so that will probably not happen. High heat and me don't mix well...so instead it will be drinks on the patio for the win!  Be back soon with book reviews and more recipes- |
Author Welcome to my (I'm excited to travel again) blog, my healthy Vegan lifestyle blog and my life! It's a lot, but it's my passions and I just love to write about it. Here I share tips, stories and photos from my adventures and life. This is the place where people can find daily inspiration to travel and motivation to live healthier lives and laugh a bit too! 
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