There are some things that have been with us since the beginning of time, apparently one of them is coffee. A global acceptance of this drink, albeit brewed in various ways, certainly connects us coffee drinkers.
Cup of Joe
So what is the magic of this bean, that is still hand picked, and seems to have changed little through the centuries? Generally ripened to perfection on the plant, then harvested, dried, roasted and processed for our enjoyment. My friends argued, that coffee beans were not hand picked! I could barely believe it myself, that today coffee beans are still hand picked, and we still have consumer pricing as fairly reasonable. Considering all the facts, coffee is cheap!
I judge the friendliness of a community, by how many cafes I see, yes that’s right! When I go to NYC I see lots of cafes, outdoor dining, and coffee bars; that tells me that this community loves to chat, and is a great place to make friends! Of course, loners can just hold up the New York Times wide open, while sitting, at their fav cafe also . @ZagatBuzzCafesNYC
Whether you wake up early just to talk to your Mom, over a cup of cafe au lait (like I used to do), or you make it a point to meet friends at your local coffee shop; the social aspect of coffee, has become one of its most important, yet endearing ingredient!
The simplest ideas, can at times, be the most life changing.
I remember as a child always sitting at the same place at the dining table, it was after all “my chair”! I started sitting at the same spot when I first visited the original owners, serving us kids a glass of 7up soda, when my parents were buying the house. It wasn’t until my early twenties, when I was at a training seminar, that I was introduced to the thought of “sitting at a different spot at the dining table”.
I had my own place, but I still came home for an occasional home cooked meal. I recall how different my new spot at the dining table, made every thing appear. I wondered about how our perspective affected how we saw things, and each other?
Choosing one exercise to add to your journey, I would say the concept of selecting a different sitting at your dining table could prove to be a fun exercise, especially if you have children. With kids at home regardless of their age, you could have them write their views, feelings, and even have art time (or photos).
To me the exercise of switching seats, was the mere concept of accepting new ideas, which eventually open one to the value of different ideas, and views. Since that initial session, I can say that I have made it my point to keep learning, loving new ideas, and growing.
I hope that you will learn something new everyday, and cherish every lesson in your spectacular journeys!
I decided that Papayas were for me! It was a love affair that started some time ago, in Panama, Central America. My morning breakfast always included a large slice of “strawberry” papaya, the bright orange-red flesh of the fruit, was as sweet as it looked. The soothing papaya taste, would prove to be a flavor I had to have back in the States. Glossy caviar-like seeds laden in the center, were an inviting contrast to the flesh; along with the exterior colors of yellow, or gold, once ripened.
Strawberry Papaya
There are various species of the Tropical fruit, however the flavor is very similar, except for the occasional flat tasting one. Like all fruit, the Papaya, does have it’s seasonal “bad apples” if you will. Alas, my love still endures! Now, I enjoy Papaya in a salad, and in a healthy smoothie as well. One thing about Papaya, it will absorb ingredients rapidly; therefore, if you enjoy it in a salad, add it last (after you have added your dressing).
I’m glad to say that I’m not alone in my love, you’ve probably seen Papaya smoothie stands, and themed clothing stores, of the delectable fruit.
Aside from all the romantic notions the Papaya fruit concocts, there are very real nutritional benefits derived from this beauty:
Important Nutritional Info
I guess when all is said and done, I’ve done alright. I would like to share with you a very simple and delicious smoothie recipe, which is absolutely worth puckering for:
@LifeDelicacy’s Papaya Smoothie
1 half of ripe Papaya cubed into chunks
1 cup of soy milk ( you can us evaporated milk instead)
dash of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (imitation is ok) supplement vanilla extract by using VanillaSoy milk.
Put all ingredients in blender, blend until smooth (add ice & blend on high for a frozen smoothie) also you can add sugar, or sugar substitute of your choice, to taste.
I hope you will enjoy the Papaya fruit as much as I have, and become in the very least an admirer, if not a luvr!
It was a big deal! You would never say “what” when you didn’t hear part of a conversation, you would politely say “I’m sorry”, or “excuse me” using the interrogative higher voice pitch at the end of your question.
I had the pleasure of spending most of this summer with international college students. I was always asked “what”, when someone didn’t understand my standard New York-ese. Wanting to correct the apparent lack of correctness, I none the less decided to let it go each time . My previous corrections were met with “I know”, and a sarcastic roll of eyes upward.
Open doors, leave things as you left them (not as you found them), interrupting conversations, and finger licking at meals (worst nerve-destroying habit anyone could have) all seemed perfectly normal to my summer group! Not to mention running excess water at the kitchen sink, what happen to conserving? I had to point out that water was finite, to each and every chore-doer, as they looked at me with complete astonishment.
What happened to the need to have manners, universally it seems to have disappeared, along with common courtesy. What is courtesy, as opposed to manners? I believe that courtesy (which may be equal to “politesse”) will definitely lead to good manners, which eventually leads to “good breeding” (and invites to all the right parties, including Frat parties). Of course, my summer students were mainly here to improve their English grammar, but I thought that courtesy should be added to that.
As they streamed out, to spend a few days visiting other cities prior to heading back home, I wondered if anything would really stick.
Some actually did make it a point to say “thank you”, and wave, so that was nice! While others waited to the last minute to pack, find a place to stay, and interrupt as though this should be my emergency. Their excuse: students are notorious procrastinators (no argument here). I told the housing-emergency students, “I have no idea who this guy is, but he looks nice. Besides, this is New York City, take a chance! If you die you die, if you live it’s about a NYC experience!” One student swallowed hard, and seemed to hyper-ventilate, saying yes, and shook her head as she breathed deeply. Checking my email we confirmed their stay. The guy I didn’t know turned out to be an amazingly graciously kind host, typical I thought of NYC dwellers.
Leaving for NYC
“Oh yes”, I say as they march out, “remember to buy your hosts a nice gift before you leave, and remember to have fantastic life”!
With College upon us, it’s a great time to consider turning dorms into homes, for at least a semester. An organized room is sure to be inviting for hours of study, and rest. Right?
I’ve added organizational tips, and creative ideas on: youtube.com/user/LifeDelicacy
I used to have flowering trees, in the front yard of the home where I grew up. Bumble bees lazily flew in and out of the open flowers, once in a while stopping long enough for me to close the petals, and hear their buzzing sounds. It was a ritual that I would carry out, and ultimately got my friends involved in. The bees would eventually fly away, undeterred by our child’s play, and amazement.
Now, I think hard to remember when was the last time I saw a bee; and if I did I probably made it a point to capture the moment! But, this is about what bees produce, something that has been referred to since the beginning of time! Even the scriptures referred to heaven, as the “land of milk & honey”. To know how important the golden, thick, sweet liquid that is produced by the “honey bee” is throughout history, we would have to look at trade, traditions, and rituals; however, this is not about either of those.
One brief stroke in a painter’s brush will show a bumble bee, usually in a painterly still life; accordingly, the bumble bee is symbolic of Jesus Christ. Again, we find we find a parallel between the “land of milk and honey”, and the “bumble bee”, at a level of sanctity. Flower Still Life, Ambrosius Bosschaert the Elder, 1614 So now you probably know, that I did spend lots of time in the library during college, under heaps and piles of Art History books! A slight digress, however I hope you can appreciate my point: The bumble bee, and its honey are very important.
I really want to focus on the types of honey, and if you have ever thought which type you should use, perhaps we can address that here (albeit, I won’t make any promises that you’ll be less confused).
The consistency of honey is only one aspect of this delicious nectar, the other delicious factor is decided by where the honey bee actually got its pollen; that would be a deciding factor in the color. The most popular type I remember as clover honey; all the shelves in the grocery stores, always seemed to be filled with them.
Granted, there are approximately 300 different types of honey in the US alone! With such an array of honey, including one that has a song dedicated to it:
The types of honey, will in most probability come in the following consistencies: Liquid Honey, Creamed Honey, Comb Honey, Chunk Honey. I must admit that the consistency of honey is pretty self-explanatory, with liquid honey being the preferable choice for most recipes, and drinks. Comb Honey is great for home-made remedies, or body scrubs.
Use the honey that will affect the flavor of your recipes, or drinks the least! The honey to use would then be a mildly flavored honey, yes one maybe like clover honey! However, remember you may choose to also use honey as an ingredient, in which case a flavorful type may do the trick!
I say enjoy what you can, but go for raw organic honey!
One more thing, remember as with all raw products, to always consult your family’s Pediatrician before letting baby partake!
PS- My spell check didn’t recognize the words “bumble bee”!
Special Thanks to HoneyO.Com, and J. Paul Getty Museum
The month of September traditional gets us looking to the beginning of the fall season. Usually we are blessed with Indian Summer, giving a respite to an eventual Autumn and Winter.
However, September also brings along a multitude of special days, and events. To start, on the 1st of September we have Emma M. Nutt day! Who is Miss Nutt, none other than the very first female employee and operator of the phone company, Boston Massachusetts, 1878. You didn’t know you needed to know that, but actually you did.
Miss Nutt was as an important invention, as the telephone itself; imagine how much press that got? What would the telephone have been, without those nimble hands of Miss Nutt, to transfer all those calls?
No other character comes to mind, epitomizing the archetypical Operator than “Ernestine”, created by comedienne Lily Tomlin. For those that hadn’t heard of tenacious Ernestine, here’s a quick intro:
Aside from all the preconceived notions of the Operators of yesteryear, it’s a day to remember an industry that permanently changed. The onset of Information and Technology, in a very short amount of time, changed the world from switchboard to VoIP, apps, and links.
The telephone industry employed a majority of women, that made their first mark in the work place. In all probability becoming the first industry to give a new name, and role to a segment of the population, now known as working mothers (aside from nursing).
So, thank you Miss Emma M. Nutt; for pulling that switch so many times, in your more than 30+ year career!
Cute kittens, cute puppies, cute animals, funny cats and funny dogs. A daily dose of Cute or Funny Videos that make people smile! Get your daily fix of smiles and laughs watching the cutest kittens, cutest puppies, funniest dogs, smartest cats, cute and funny videos of cats, dogs, puppies, kittens, babies, pranks and more from around the web.
LifeDelicacy's Blog 
