7/16/2013 0 Comments Run!As you are walking along the gravel at the park, gently but slightly assertively pushing the ground behind you with each step and letting it become your past, you feel a surge that screams none other than "Start running!" What do you do? Run, of course!
There is something extraordinary about getting such a message that comes only from within yourself; and, with that, something irreplaceable about the epiphany you experience that you cannot ignore the voice that is speaking. When I was walking yesterday at Greenlake Park, I was enjoying the green and blue scenery around me (it's July, thus the time of year in Seattle where we get the rare and extremely treasured sunny days!); but then suddenly, the voice in me told me to start jogging. While thinking to myself that this was the most random thing ever unless my instincts were telling me that a man was running towards me from behind with a knife, I would also be reminded that it is always good to listen to your gut. For instance, if I didn't start jogging, I would have felt less challenged as a person wanting to get in better shape; I then would have been less likely to gain the confidence I did once I had started running--because during yesterday's trip to the park, I ended up jogging nonstop for one and a half miles (which probably doesn't sound like much to those who are highly athletic, but it was quite a big step for me!). Such a pleasant surprise is a treat for me. And, many more pleasant surprises will come when you follow your instincts. ~~MC
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7/12/2011 0 Comments Exceptionally Lovely. :)Hello!
I know I just elaborated on the greatness of nature in my last post, but I must do it again because of how effective it is to put yourself in that kind of surroundings! Last weekend (and yes, on the same day that I had my memorable taste adventure at Top Pot, as featured in today's Foods for Fantasizing post!), there was a family gathering at Greenlake that I attended to. I had forgotten how beautiful Greenlake can be especially in the summertime, and that is why I urge you to take a jog, walk, or even just a quick visit to a park or lake that sits near where you are...It is definitely a sure way to relax your senses, calm your thoughts and release any tensions you may have had during the day. :) Greenlake is a place where people of all ages will meet up and hang out, and do various activities--walking/jogging side-by-side while having decorative and meaningful conversation, boating together, eating frozen yogurt, jumping in the cool sensation of the lake water, throwing little picnic parties (which was what my family and I did), and even just sitting on the grass to admire the sunset as the brilliant light reflects off of the calm-sitting water. Nature enhances whatever experience you are going through, as it brings you to an inspired state of mind and to a feeling you don't want to escape from...So especially on a clear, warm day in the Summer that already makes the day quite lovely, it's a great idea to spend some free time taking a walk in nature, or taking in a natural scenery in order to turn the day from lovely to exceptionally lovely. :) ~~MC On this lovely sunny day that surrounds us, I wish you to do one thing (besides enjoy the sunshine of course)...
And that is to indulge yourself with a warm cup of green tea. :) It probably doesn't make sense to have a warm drink in the middle of an 80 degree day (at least that's what the temperature is in Seattle right now), but a beverage that calms the mind and warms the soul is suitable no matter the weather that occurs outside your window. Yesterday, I sat on the balcony to type a blog post (in case you're curious, I was working on my latest Artistic Appetite post); it was in the late morning, so the Sun was still going about its daily greeting to the world as it was rising high up in the clear baby-blue sky. I felt that I needed some sort of fuel, something that would clear my senses in order to write my blog post in the best way I could...And so I ran back inside the house, poured in a waterfall of boiling water into a cup that was begging for some warmth, and dropped in a green tea bag (one of many that my dad brought from his last trip to Korea and Japan), letting the nature-hued green slowly fill in the entire cup. A cup of green tea is known to be healthy for the high metabolism it brings, and for stimulating the process of making your skin glow like the warm, blurry-golden hue of a candle flame on a late Summer night. But also, a cup of green tea gives a great sense of comfort to a person, like when he/she was tucked into bed every night by his/her mother during childhood, being safely enveloped in the cascading folds of the blanket and the mother's calming words, taking him/her to the world where nothing goes wrong and everything smiles. Who doesn't want to encompass this feeling? I guess this all explains why people love drinking tea in the wintertime (besides that tea is hot and so it's for escaping from the blistering cold..)--People love to snuggle up in the memories of when they felt the most safe and protected, as they take their warm sips of quiet heaven and watch the rain/snow fall in the outside world that fails to interrupt this personal, peaceful moment of theirs. And in this time of the year that is already surrounding us with warmth, there's no reason not to envelop yourself in the same comfort you felt when your mother tucked you in bed and wished you sweet dreams. :) Enjoy a cup of green tea, and the rest of your day! ~~MC Hello! So this is a sort of continuation of my last post--about the wonderfulness and splendid aura of sunshine, and about the breeziness of Summer season. :) Especially if you're a Seattleite, one's eyes will be opened to a new world when it comes to sunny places! Before I flew to California last week, I was covering every inch of myself with warm shoes and clothes as I spent 90 percent of my days at coffeeshops, cozying up to hot mugs of heaven that helped me escape from the rushing (yet calm-inducing) waterfalls happening outside the windows... ..And now all of a sudden, I'm wearing flip flops, jumping in swimming pools, and eating frozen bananas (covered in chocolate and on a stick, otherwise just a plain frozen banana wouldn't be delicious of course ;) ), in a place where clouds and rain are replaced by an overwhelming wash of baby blue and golden yellow! Plus, not only have I actually seen my toes free from the constraints of shoes and colder weather, but my eyes have also beheld seemingly endless beaches infused with the sounds of laughter and splashes, as well as with the rich smell of flowers and Summer that linger all the way into cool nights. I do love Seattle and its cozy lifestyle, as there's no other place where I'd rather live, but it is always nice to have a change of scene from time to time. :D It's exciting that way, because without that kind of change it's hard to see life as a never-ending series of adventures--which is how people mostly want to live their lives. So whether it means taking a vacation like what I'm doing, or just switching up a few decorating pieces in your home for a fresh look to wake up to the next morning, your days will become more of an eye-opening experience than a set of routines. So put on your brightest swimsuit, take in a breath of the fresh scent of something new, and jump in! ~~MC You don't realize how big of a diffference a change of weather makes, until the weather changes...That's why I'm telling you to enjoy every sunny day that comes to you! :) (both in the literal and figurative sense...)
My family and I flew for our lovely family vacation to California, to a city about an hour-long drive from Los Angeles; and since our plane landed, I have been almost overwhelmed by the joy that comes with sunny weather--Flip flops, short pants, swimsuits and swimming pools, cold and blazingly refreshing drinks; I actually needed to take a step back to believe that I had just swtiched to these wonderful things, from Seattle's almost-completely-opposite weather (not that I don't love Seattle; but it never hurts to step out of routine and into something extraordinarily different..). So throw on your flip flops, put on your most flattering pair of sunglasses, and get yourself outside to enjoy the golden rays! It will make the rest of your day positively, infinitely, undeniably more relaxing and filled with that highly-anticipated Summer vibe. ;) ~~MC Hello all!
I hope you are enjoying the first day of Summer so far--It's finally here!! :D ...And I think I was this excited as to use exclamation points already by the second sentence, as well as a giant happy face, because Seattle doesn't get purely sunny days very often during the year (as you probably have already heard), so today is definitely a day to enjoy. :) It is cloudless in the sky and the birds are gleefully chirping nonstop, and I plan to savor every minute of it until the Sun goes back to its resting place. Anyway, I want to share with you the first recipe I decided to bake from, that I read in the lovable memoir A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg (I mentioned her in a previous post on this page, called Coconut Sauce and Powdered Sugar). I baked the amazing chocolate cake last Wednesday late at night, as I stirred up the hot fusion of rich butter and delectable chocolate while watching Love Bites from the corner of my eye as it played in the living room. And once the cake was ready, I had to lie to my mom that "I used oil not butter", and "No, I didn't add any sugar," to get her to enjoy the dessert...My family is very healthy, so that was the only way I could get them not to miss out on the times one may find some of life's little pleasures in desserts. Thus, I ended up eating most of the cake until I finally scraped up the last of it this morning as part of my breakfast...yet I didn't mind that one bit. ;) I have to warn you by saying this is honestly the best chocolate cake I've ever made or tasted...I needed to warn you before you also find yourself trying not to devour all of the cake! I hope you enjoy the chocolate mountain of heaven; I sure did! (see the recipe below I copied from Molly Wizenberg's well-known and well-beloved blog Orangette.) ~~MC P.S. I personally thought the cake tasted better after it was refrigerated for awhile...That way, it tastes denser as you get a stronger taste of the rich chocolate. 7 ounces (200 grams) best-quality dark chocolate 7 ounces (200 grams) unsalted European-style butter (the high-butterfat kind, such as Lurpak or Beurre d’Isigny), cut into ½-inch cubes 1 1/3 cup (250 grams) granulated sugar 5 large eggs 1 Tbs unbleached all-purpose flour Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, and butter an 8-inch round cake pan. Line the base of the pan with parchment, and butter the parchment too. Finely chop the chocolate (a serrated bread knife does an outstanding job of this) and melt it gently with the butter in a double boiler or in the microwave, stirring regularly to combine. Add the sugar to the chocolate-butter mixture, stirring well, and set aside to cool for a few moments. Then add the eggs one by one, stirring well after each addition, and then add the flour. The batter should be smooth, dark, and utterly gorgeous. Pour batter into the buttered cake pan and bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until the center of the cake looks set and the top is shiny and a bit crackly-looking. (I usually set the timer for 20 minutes initially, and then I check the cake every two minutes thereafter until it’s done. At 20 minutes, it’s usually quite jiggly in the center. You’ll know it’s done when it jiggles only slightly, if at all.) Let the cake cool in its pan on a rack for 10 minutes; then carefully turn the cake out of the pan and revert it, so that the crackly side is facing upward. Allow to cool completely. The cake will deflate slightly as it cools. Serve in wedges at room temperature with a loose dollop of ever-so-slightly sweetened whipped cream. Note: This cake is even better on the second day, so consider making it the day before serving. 6/8/2011 0 Comments Peaceful Chaos Warms my RoomThis is the first time I am writing one of my poems on Mademoiselle Cochon. Hooray! :)
I decided to post this particular one on "Life au Cochon," because it speaks of one exciting thing to look forward to in the summer time that is fast approaching...Summer mornings. One of my favorite parts of Summer is waking up every morning to hear the birds chirping, as the Sun enters and warms my room, making me feel energized to leap out of my bed and start the day in an upbeat way! So before I go on about how much I love Summer mornings, I'll leave you this poem to speak about it for itself... The Sun rises. Quiet stability and peaceful Chaos hover through the misty, light Clouds, along the vines of the tree Branches, and beside the growing Spirits of the people who Rise. And fall To the incredible possibilities of A morning day. A day of Summer. ~~MC |
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