IDEA113: See the Best *Sights* in Costa Rica

When traveling the best sights are not the ones you find in a guide book but the insights you discover about yourself and your travel companion.    

Canyoneering Tour in Arenal, Costa Rica

Mu-Hsien may look delicate, but I saw nothing delicate about her while she fearlessly scaled down a 120 foot waterfall.  My cautious suggestion the day before that we should perhaps skip this unnecessary endangerment of our lives was met with "I'm booking it for us tomorrow morning."  

• • • 

 Baldi Hot Springs in Arenal, Costa Rica

She never likes to be the center of attention, but in Costa Rica she totally left Volcano Arenal fuming in the background as she proceeded to steal the show by acting like a lounging "Bali Princess".  

• • • 

Olga's Cafe in Tamarindo, Costa Rica

Alla is rarely calm! Except strangely enough, when in stressful situations such as finding us a hotel room in a fully booked town during Christmas...or when she's eating. Like a wild animal, she must not be disturbed. Especially during our *wow-this-must-be-what-real-fruit-tastes-like* morning ritual.  

• • • 

Guanacaste coast, Costa Rica

While on a rough ride through the Guanacaste coast Mu-Hsien took artsy snaps of beautiful flora and fauna, while Alla excitedly pointed out large private villas in the distance.

• • • 

ATV Adventure in Tamarindo, Costa Rica

At least we both agree that there are few sights that eclipse the magnificence of a radiant sunset overlooking golden rolling hills, undiscovered beaches and a friendship beyond borders.

What's the most surprising thing you've ever discovered about a travel companion? Have you ever acted out of character while traveling?

Love it? Share it! - We are dedicated to sharing stories that spark ideas and are meaningful to you. The best way to let us know is by posting a comment, like below or pin it on Pinterest! ~ For More ways Live Like You're Traveling follow us on Feedly, Bloglovin, Pinterest, or Facebook. 

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Do What You Love...Right Now.

about 11 years ago

IDEA112: Cultivate Tranquility with a Japanese Matcha Tea Ritual

Initially I was drawn to Matcha for it's astounding health benefits. Anti-aging, cancer-fighting, stress-reducing, weight-loss aid, superfood status. It blows away other green teas when comparing EGCG antioxidant levels (137 times the amount of EGCG as other infused green teas!)  

Matcha is a premium form of green teas traditionally used in Japanese Tea Ceremonies. There's extra care in it's culitvation process as it's grown in the shade. This causes a greater production of chlorophyll, also adding to its brilliant green color. 

Unique to other teas, Matcha leaves are steamed and ground immediately after picking. Instead of just consuming a portion of leaf infused phytonutrients, the ground form allows you to benefit from the nutrients of the whole leaf! And because of omitting the oxidation process, it prevents the bitter taste, leaving a smooth, vegetal flavor with a lightly sweet aftertaste.  

• • • 

Since digging in to the use of it in tea ceremonies, I am now left with a much deeper curiosity for its rich tradition. Tea ceremonies are elaborate and poetic affairs that are meant to cultivate harmony, respect, purity and tranquility.  

Every detail has symbolic meaning. From the purposely non-ornate tea houses and what's housed inside to calm the senses, to every ritualized gesture in cleaning the utensils. There is a complexity to the etiquette, showing great respect to the manner in which tea is poured and sipped. Now although I may not go as far as  studying the art of Chudo (Tea Ceremony) I AM inspired to introduce another expression of being present into my day to day. Although I already enjoy tea rituals whether in the morning or after dinner, learning about this Japanese art form intensifies my own connection during this process. It is truly yet another example of when, what you put into something is directly related to what you get out of it.

• • •

Before I share a modern adaptation for Matcha, let's take a moment to prepare our minds and channel the tranquility often found in Japanese rock gardens. I sat by this one, a view just steps from a tea house, which instantly brought a sense of calm. One can't help but notice the extreme care that must have gone into the raking. Drawing from that sensibility...now let's make some tea :)

Japanese Matcha Tea Ritual

Take your time. (Even if this only takes a few min.) Every action in making the tea can draw you deeper into the present moment.

Materials 
• Organic Matcha Powder
• Whisk & small bowl

Modern Preparation
1 - Pour a little less than a table spoon of Matcha powder into a bowl (1 tbsp per serving)
2 - Heat water til boiling (1 cup per serving). Set aside to cool for a few min. (optimum temperature for the water is ~175F/80C.
3 - Pour 1/3 cup of water into bowl with matcha and whisk quickly in a zig zag motion until a layer of foamy bubbles cover the top. Should only take 10 sec.

Serve
Pour whisked matcha into a cup and fill the rest with more hot water. Final direction is the most important :)...Take it in. Relish in the fact that you're doing something good for yourself or others!

For a fuller Japanese tea experience...
Learn more about Matcha benefits, discover what a full tea ceremony might entail, watch an insightful video demo, or explore collectible items below: Organic Matcha, Chashaku (matcha bamboo scoop), Chasen (matcha bamboo whisk), Chawan (matcha bowl).

 • • •   WHAT ABOUT YOU?   • • •

What's your favorite daily ritual?
What's your current go-to healthy drink?

Get everyday adventure ideas @LiveLikeYoureTraveling

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IDEA111 : Find Fairytales in Scotland

Europe can be so many different things depending on where you're standing at the moment. I thought about what it means to me...and that's when I was transported to an outdoor summer lounger at the family dacha back in good ol' Ukraine circa 1986.  The only way I could sustain myself during the most boring hour of the day, after lunch when all the adults and my cousins snoozed, was with a good adventure book full of pirates, sword fights, castles and elaborate princess dresses.  This is the hour I spent in the company of gentlemen such as Robert Luis Stevenson, Alexandre Dumas and Jules Verne. I dreamed to visit the world they described one day.  A bit silly of course since events in these books took place a few centuries earlier...  

Fast forward to current day.  I now live in Europe (after about 18 years in the US) and have been enthusiastically fulfilling my travel dreams connected with this continent.  I have roamed the streets of London, sat in cafes in Paris and went castle hopping in the Loire Valley...  While I found it all extremely impressive and beyond beautiful I had yet to visit the Europe I read about in my adventure books.  Alas, it must not exist, I thought. Until last summer when we went to the Scottish Highlands.  At once I was precisely in the places described by Robert Louis Stevenson in one of my favorite novels "Kidnapped". I was smelling the same salty breathe, seeing the same castle ruins as young David had a couple of hundred years ago. Scotland delivered the mystery, the stillness and the landscapes that I have imagined as a child. Somehow there were never hordes of tourists and many times we'd have the sites all to ourselves.  The nature was so abundant that you forgot that you're in the over populated Europe. The lonely old castles perched on the rocks right at the sea, the empty stretches of north sea beaches with turquoise waters and white sand, the tiny villages with stone cottages. It does exist, and I have finally found the magical, mysterious Europe of my dreams. Don't you just love happy endings? 

 

Where have you traveled that surprised you the most? Have you visited a new place and found it just as you always imagined?

Love it? Share it! - We are dedicated to sharing stories that spark ideas and are meaningful to you. The best way to let us know is by posting a comment, like below or pin it on Pinterest! ~ For More ways Live Like You're Traveling follow us on Feedly, Bloglovin, Pinterest, or Facebook. 

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IDEA110: Enjoy a 15 Min. Homemade Spaghetti Bolognese on a Weeknight

Some recipes just seem to inspire this inexplicable fear in our hearts. You know what I'm talking about, those recipes that we think will take hours to make, or might require fancy kitchen equipment or exotic never before seen ingredients. Spaghetti Bolognese used to be that kind of recipe for me. Obviously to make it one needed to spend the entire day in front of a large spattering pot of sauce, being sure to stir it regularly at strategically spaced intervals... Oh and you absolutely had be an older Italian matriarch with expansive bosoms who could make little children wet themselves just from one disapproving look you would give them.  

This fantasy I constructed around the Bolognese sauce was shattered during the time I spent in Florence.  (I studied abroad there, long, long ago.)  It was one of those carefree Saturdays spent frolicking on the beach near Sienna.  By the time a group of us finally got back to Florence and piled into Peppe's small apartment, everyone was ready for a big filling meal and pronto! Well imagine my surprise when Peppe suggested we make Spaghetti Bolognese and a quick inspection of his kitchen confirmed the lack of a big bubbling pot on the stove being supervised by an intimidating Italian matron.  Trust me, said Peppe seeing my surprise, it wouldn't take longer then 15 minutes!   

And sure enough someone ran downstairs to the shop for the ingredients while we tooled around opening bottles of wine and setting up the dinner table.  In what seemed like minutes we were all contentedly devouring our Spaghetti Bolognese accompanied by red wine, laughter and evening sun shine streaming through open veranda doors.   

Spaghetti Bolognese

Simplified Bolognese Sauce (serves 4)

• 5 medium tomatoes (I like to use roma tomatoes)
• 500g or 1 lb of ground beef 
• 1 medium onion
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• ½ glass of red wine (don't drink it all yourself!)
• ½ teaspoon of paprika
• 1 teaspoon of sugar 
• salt and pepper to taste
• pinch of black and chili peppers
• pinch of dried oregano and basil
• spaghetti or fresh pasta (using fresh pasta will save you even more time, since it cooks in 3-4 minutes.) 

Garnish
• Fresh basil leaves
• Pecorino Romano cheese  

Prep/cook – Homemade Spaghetti Bolognese
Boil a large pot of water then add the tomatoes and boil for about 3 minutes.  We're not trying to cook them, but simply shock them in heat so the skin loosens up and cracks.  Take the tomatoes out of the water (save that water for boiling spaghetti in) and run them under cold water.  This is so that they cool off enough for you not to burn your fingers when peeling the skins off.  At this point it should be easy to simply peel the skins with your fingers.  Remove the hard cores of the tomatoes and chop them up a bit. Set aside.

Chop up the onion and saute’ it in 1 tsp of butter until translucent.  Add ground beef and cook until it's not pink anymore.  Add the chopped tomatoes, the garlic, the wine and the rest of the spices.  Lower the heat and stir periodically.

Turn the fire back on under the pot with saved tomato water, add the spaghetti and a generous twist of salt.  Cook about 8 minutes as per instructions.  Don't forget the sauce!  Stir it periodically imagining yourself as an Italian mamma.

You won't even get a chance to finish that glass of wine when it's all ready!  

Serve
Pile the delicious al dente spaghetti onto plates and top them off generously with your homemade sauce.  Garnish with shavings of pecorino romano cheese and fresh basil leaves. Pour everyone a large glass of red wine.  Why not make it a Chianti? And as the Italians say, you got yourself a meal that's al bacio*!...*perfect like a kiss

--> Follow us on Pinterest, where you'll find more great ideas on our board:  Pasta! 

• • •    LESSONS LEARNED   • • •

There's more than one way to bolognese.

Love it? Share it! - We are dedicated to sharing stories that spark ideas and are meaningful to you. The best way to let us know is by posting a comment, like below or pin it on Pinterest! ~ For More ways Live Like You're Traveling follow us on Feedly, Bloglovin, Pinterest, or Facebook. 

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IDEA107: Channel the Romance of Nice with a Savory Pumpkin Soup

about 12 years ago

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IDEA117: Stock Your Global Pantry with Nudo-Italia Olive Oil and Adopt Your Own Tree

about 12 years ago

IDEA109: Create Inspiring Window Views with a DIY Tealight Plant Trio

My windowsill is on an ever-evolving rotation of plants reflecting an ebb and flow of my mood and the seasons. Much like the energy of a house that lives and breathes along with the inhabitants, I like to bring life to the kitchen through a variety of ways to pot and present plants. I look out of my kitchen window everyday so it's well worth keeping a view that's fresh!

Today's tip for creating an inspiring view...

• • • 

Create a collection using unconventional pots

This could mean for you...a whimsical mug, vintage tins, used jars, or other found objects and containers in your kitchen. I couldn't resist finding a reason to use these Roost turquoise tealight holders, paired with plants inspired by our recent trip out to San Diego. We explored the Huntington Library, a bountiful combination of 14 botanical gardens in one! Most impressive and memorable was the Desert Garden of cactus & succulents. 

A few design considerations when creating a collection.
1 - Use different heights, shapes or sizes of containers for added visual interest.  
2 - Contrast soft and hard textured plants. 
3 - Tie it together with a unifying element. 

How I put it together...
1 - Poured a layer of small red lava rock to line the bottoms for drainage. 
2 - Used succulent soil, not regular soil for cactus and succulents to ensure proper aeration. 
3 - Potted the plants and added a layer of lava rock to top off each plant (also a unifying element and makes for a more refined look!) I used a soft fluffy cactus + leafy pink hypoestes + structured hen & chick succulent + tealight holders from Sprout Home, but you can also find it at this cute online-boutique home goods shop Sugarboo & Co.

Note on light: my window is South facing which is the best for full sun plants (which is why I end up putting a lot of succulents there). For East or West facing you'll want plants that are part sun loving and south facing, most likely more shade loving plants will do better.) Of course depending on what kind of buildings or lack of obstructions you have in your view can affect how much light you receive and should be considered as well.
 

For everday adventure ideas, follow us @livelikeyouretraveling
 

• • •     LESSONS LEARNED    • • •

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IDEA108: Refresh Your Drink Selection with a Homemade Cranberry Drink

I have a bit of a confession to make. I’m kind of a control freak. 
What? It’s not cute? You’re right actually, it’s not cute at all, but at the same time wanting to have control is a pretty common affliction. The key is to not go morphing into a monster trying to control things that are outside of our sphere of influence. (I’m bad at that, that’s why I don’t allow myself to watch the news.) Anyway, today we’d like to share with you a way to establish total control in at least in one area of our lives! Sugar. No, I’m not calling you sugar, I’m suggesting to take control of your sugar intake!

One huge way to cut out unnecessary sugar is to stop drinking all kinds of sugary drinks which is exactly what we find on the shelves and in the fridge sections of our stores.  Sugar seems to be the second ingredient, after water, in most drinks. What I used to do is  simply water down all juices and drinks I bought, but that sneaky little move would also water down the taste…Well, you know the good ol’ saying “If you want something done right, do it yourself” and that’s exactly what we have for you! A super easy cranberry drink recipe. (I’m not even sure it’s legal to call it a recipe since it’s so easy).

Homemade Cranberry Drink

Ingredients
• 250 g (about half a pound) or cranberries. I used frozen this time, but fresh is best.
• 1 liter (or 1 quart) of boiled water
• Sugar or honey to taste
• Juice of 1 lemon

Prep/Cook
Boil the water and add the cranberries. Let if continue to cook over medium flame for just 3-5 minutes, long enough to hear the wonderful crackling sound of popping cranberries. Turn of the heat and put all the berries into a sieve then squeeze the berry pulp out with a table spoon through the sieve. Then add a bit of sugar or honey. I personally like a tarter taste so I only add 3 table spoons of sugar to this entire recipe.  Squeeze out a lemon for that extra kick and you’re done! After it cools, store it in the fridge.

3 Ways to Serve
Now here is the fun part, you can drink this hot like herbal tea. Or cold with a few ice cubes. You can even add it to a cocktail! We hope you will enjoy experimenting with your homemade cranberry drink!

*Follow us on Pinterest and find more great ideas on our board: First Sip!
 

• • •   LESSONS LEARNED    • • •

Some like it tart!

Love it? Share it! - We are dedicated to sharing stories that spark ideas and are meaningful to you. The best way to let us know is to post a comment, like below or pin it on Pinterest! ~ For more ways Live Like You're Traveling, follow us on Feedly, Bloglovin, Pinterest, or Facebook. 

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IDEA122: Sweeten Your Day (and Tea), Russian Style

about 12 years ago

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IDEA112: Cultivate Tranquility with a Japanese Matcha Tea Ritual

about 12 years ago

IDEA107: Channel the Romance of Nice with a Savory Pumpkin Soup

Vito and I discovered this simple yet divine dish for the first time in Nice, France, in a tiny restaurant a bit out of the old city center. This was a place of about 12 tables that served small dishes and the courses continued coming out until you said stop. There were no menus as the chef in the kitchen demanded your complete surrender. Bring it on- we said! This soup was the first dish to come out and we knew we were in for an evening of indulgence.

If you have been to Nice then you’re familiar with the delicious sunsets, the sea and the atmospheric, almost vintage glamour. I had a chance to go there a few years ago for a work. Being there in November I can’t say I had Nice all to myself, but I also didn’t have to fight my way through crowds of tourists, especially the fashionista kind who will trample you without pausing to scrape you off their stilettos. (I know how they behave, I’m one of them). This trip was exciting for a number of reasons, 1) it was my first time in Nice and I was extending my stay for the weekend to explore and 2) Vito would be joining me! This of course called for a sexy dinner a deux. You know the one you sit down to after a long day of walking around exploring the city, holding hands and taking cute pictures of each other. Then, magically, right as you get hungry you take a turn into a seemingly empty alley and voila’ you stumble upon a perfectly inviting little restaurant with delicious scents wafting through the open doors. Only to have your day culminate in such perfection takes careful planning.

When it comes to spontaneous romance in a lovely destination, I’ve got it broken down to a science! What? You thought romance just kinda happened on its own!? Oh no, no, you can’t leave important things like romantic dinners to chance!

Following a tip from a local, Vito and I strolled into the perfect little place precisely timed to relieve the aching feet and rumbling bellies.  Thankfully we had a reservation as the tiny restaurant filled up within 15 minutes or our arrival.  We sat at a tiny table for two lit with a candle next to an exposed brick wall.  Our view of the open kitchen let us peek at the busy happenings there.  Chalkboard menu stated only the sequence of the dishes to expect. It looked something like: soup, vegetable, fish, meat, vegetable, fish, meat.  If you violently opposed one of these categories, you could request a skip.  That was all the chef cared to reveal.  And so our evening began with “soup”, only the most aromatic, tastiest of soups garnished simply with crunchy toasted pumpkin seeds.

• • •

Every time I make this soup, it transports Vito and I back to that candle lit dinner in Nice. Now if only I had a chalkboard menu board and a few serious looking French men in my kitchen cooking up seven more courses…

Nicoise Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin Soup (serves 6)
• 1 small-medium pumpkin
• 6 carrots (variation: 1 sweet potato as pictured)
• 1 medium onion
• Chicken stock (about 6 cups)
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ glass of orange juice (best if fresh squeezed)
• ½ teaspoon of paprika
• ½ teaspoon of ginger
• Salt and pepper to taste
• pinch of black and chili peppers
• ½ teaspoon of cinnamon (optional)
• ½ teaspoon of allspice (optional)

Garnish
• Toasted pumpkin seeds

Pissaladière or Nicoise Pizza:
(My simple interpretation of it will go nicely with the soup)
• 6 slices of a baguette (or your favorite bread)
• 2 white onions
• 2 tomatoes
• Anchovies (optional)

Prep/cook – Pumpkin Soup
Chop up the onion and saute’ it in 2 tsps of olive oil until translucent.  Add chopped peeled chopped carrots and saute’ for another minute.

Chop pumpkin into 1 inch cubes (it’s not necessary to peel it) then immediately add 1 cup of chicken stock and a laurier leaf. Stir then cover the pot for a few minutes to let everything get all steamy – This seems to be a big bonding moment for the main ingredients.  At first they’re thinking only of themselves and their importance in the recipe, but then they realize that it’s more productive and fun to play nice together in the delicious steam and become a team.

Add all the spices and the rest of the chicken stock, cover leaving a crack and cook until pumpkin is soft when you pierce it with a fork, about 15 minutes.

When the soup is ready take out the vegetables and puree them in a food processor or with a staff mixer.  Last but not least add the orange juice and adjust spices to taste.

Prep/cook – Pissaladière (Nicoise Pizza)
Cut peeled onion in half and then into rings and saute’ them in a bit of olive oil and butter.
Add a little splash of white wine or a bit of water to make sure onions don’t burn and come out soft.  Warm up a few slices of tomato right in the pan by pushing the onions to the side. Assemble your sandwich by heaping the onions on top of your toasted bread, then topping it with a slice of tomato and if you love anchovies throw few of them right on.

Serve
Serve the soup garnished with toasted pumpkin seeds and a hot Pissaladière style mini-sandwiches. Pair it with a nice Syrah and don’t forget to french kiss your partner before and after the meal!

• • •   LESSONS LEARNED    • • •

Trust the chef, especially when you're
not allowed into the kitchen.

Love it? Share it! - We are dedicated to sharing stories that spark ideas and are meaningful to you. The best way to let us know is by posting a comment, like below or pin it on Pinterest! ~ For More ways Live Like You're Traveling follow us on Feedly, Bloglovin, Pinterest, or Facebook. 

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IDEA110: Enjoy a 15 Min. Homemade Spaghetti Bolognese on a Weeknight

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IDEA117: Stock Your Global Pantry with Nudo-Italia Olive Oil and Adopt Your Own Tree

about 12 years ago

IDEA106: Try on Brazilian Fashion & the Carioca Life

We have a real feast for the eyes for you today! Just be sure to tell your husband or boyfriend to go stick their nose into their sports magazine and stop hovering over your shoulder! (We warned you.)

In efforts to not only boost our hibernating melatonin production but send it into a wild gallop, we will visually transport ourselves smack into the middle of summer! To help us do that we introduce four gorgeous Brazilian fashion bloggers. Following their blogs is like going for a winter sun getaway to the sparkling world of Rio and Sao Paulo’s summer time!  Sizzling fashion from Brazilian designers, glamorous parties and glimpses into the life of four cariocas*.  Can you feel the heat and hear the seductive bossa nova tunes yet?

*Carioca means someone who lives in Rio, but in broader terms it’s someone who enjoys life, stays relaxed and has fun. Let’s look into the future and see what’s in store for us this summer…

• • •

(photo 1: Naty Vozza via) (photo 2: via) 

Lala’ Noleto
Blog: http://www.lalanoleto.com.br

Lala’ N. blogs for a career, having acquired a Law Degree she decided her true passion lays in beauty and fashion.

• • • 

TREND: SUPER MAXI SKIRT

The super maxi literally grazes the floor and makes you look like you’re floating.  It’s a sea of romantic pastels and florals.  To keep your tough woman edge pair it with a little jeans jacket or even a leather bomber. 

(photo 1: via) (photo 2: Gustavo Olmos via)

Lala and Maria Rudge 
Blog: http://lalarudge.com.br

Sisters Lala and Maria R. are simply divine beauties who will literally give you an eye ache if you stare for too long!  Lala recently got married and if that’s not enough of a project, she also just started her own lingerie company.  Maria is a young mom and lends a bit of a mom perspective to the current fashion trends.

• • •

TREND: THE FEMININE BLOUSE

Delicate blouses in all kinds of hews seem to be the basic staple of this Brazilian summer.  Long sleeves, sleeveless and wildly popular rolled up ones are seen above shorts, minis, super maxis, jeans and even over bikinis

(photo 1: Vitor Fernandes via) (photo 2: via)

Silvia Bussade Braz  
Blog: http://www.blogdamariasophia.com/

Silvia is a mom, and to me it’s very inspirational to see how stylish she is.  Her adorable girls sneak into her photos now and then and it’s pure pleasure seeing that being a mom does not mean you must forget about being a sexy, gorgeous woman.

• • •

TREND : ORNATE DETAILS
It’s all about rich fabric, gold elements, jewel encrusted touches and all of it dripping pearls!  This will not be the summer of minimalism but of bold exciting statements.

(Foto 1: Barbara Magela via) (Foto 2: Anna Clara Carvalho via) 

Mariah Bernardes Maia 
Blog:http://www.blogdamariah.com.br

Mariah is mesmerizing, just look at her!  I must admit I have such a girl crush!!!  I’m also completely in love with her style, she wears a lot of structured pieces, with rich details and is not afraid to really dress-up.  Like I always say, there is nothing wrong with going to the bakery in 4 inch heels and a pearl embroidered skirt!

Mariah recently announced the happy news of expecting her very first child! Being a recently new mom myself I can’t help but to cheer every time I hear someone has taken the plunge and embarked on the incredible adventure or motherhood. And with Mariah’s style I’m very much looking forward to seeing some jaw dropping, beautiful maternity ensembles.

We’ll definitely be keeping our manicured fingers on the fashion pulse of this vibrant region and hope you’re inspired by some of these glimpses of summer!

• • • 

We hope you’ve enjoyed the first installment of “Around the world in 80 blogs” series!  With this series let’s travel the world by visiting our global neighbors and letting them introduce us to their place in the sun. If you’d like your blog to be featured in “Around the world in 80 blogs” write us a bit about yourself and what you’d like to show us!

• • •    LESSONS LEARNED    • • •

Don't believe the rumors. Brazilians do wear clothes.

Love it? Share it! - We are dedicated to sharing stories that spark ideas and are meaningful to you. The best way to let us know is by posting a comment, like below or pin it on Pinterest! ~ For More ways Live Like You're Traveling follow us on Feedly, Bloglovin, Pinterest, or Facebook. 

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IDEA114: Get Luminous Skin with this Natural French Beauty Secret

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IDEA104: Origami the Prettiest Soap Gift

I’m a long time admirer of Fresh. It is an inspirational success story of two entrepreneurs finally finding their niche and their true passion. Fresh soaps are not only natural, but the packaging itself is a work of art. How gorgeous would these soaps be on top of a towel in the guest room to surprise your overnight guests? However Fresh’s price tag of $12 per 5 oz soap, at least for me, makes this soap more of an object to drool over than for utility.

• • •

Of course drooling for too long is not very attractive so we’re going to take immediate action! Inspired by Fresh’s soaps I pulled together two materials that helped achieve a wow factor soap look.

The Prettiest Soap Gift
 

Materials
• Oatmeal Lavender organic bar soap from Vermont Soap. I buy a case of 12 at a time.
• Japanese Origami paper for wrapping. (Similar.)
• Grosgrain ribbon, 1/4’’ single stitched, in turquoise and white from my favorite trim store M&J Trimming. (My favorite because, when I worked in Manhattan I once walked in there just because it looked pretty and was inadvertently introduced to a whole new world. It’s where I learned words like grosgrain, jacquard and rococo.)

Directions
1 – Wrap your naked bar of soap in a square of kitchen plastic wrap, this step will insure that the oils from the soap won’t stain your origami paper.
2 – Follow with the origami paper. Use a bit of scotch tape to fix the ends in place.
3 – Tie a pretty bow with the grosgrain ribbon.

***Bonus (Cost of Fresh Soap: $12 each. Our inspired soap: $4 each.)

These pretty soaps make great gifts for any occasion, a nice detail to make your guests feel like they’re staying at Hotel Costes, or to simply stash a few around your bathroom as eye candy. We hope you liked this little project! Make it, come back and report what you’ll use these for!  
 

• • •   LESSONS LEARNED   • • •

When in doubt, put a bow on it!

Get everyday adventure ideas @LiveLikeYoureTraveling

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IDEA102: Use this 3 Step-Approach to Get the Best Tips from a Local

Asking someone for dining advice seems like an easy way to be in the know about the best places to eat are, but in practice it’s a bit tricky. When giving advice, locals tend to tell you to eat where they think a TOURIST would enjoy eating.

Like that tacky cafe right in the main square. Or that old fashioned place that supposedly serves typical food but really is only frequented by tour bus crowds. Locals may have the best intention when giving you their advice, thinking you would not be interested in their neighborhood restaurant with a very casual vibe, packed every night and with great food and cozy atmosphere. Yes! This is exactly what we are interested in!

Fear not! we have perfected a 3-step approach to getting someone to tell you all about their favorite spots. To illustrate let’s reminisce over my first time in Nice, France.  I was there for a work conference with Vito joining me for the weekend. I knew that we’ll be packing in lots of sightseeing and after a full day of walking around you don’t want to take chances on not finding the perfect place to cozy up for dinner. Nice however, is full of restaurants, so how do you pick the right place?

I did not have much time during the conference to understand the lay of the land, so I marched over to the concierge, a charming man in his fifties, and asked him for a restaurant recommendation. I explained that I’ll be taking some clients out for dinner and if he can recommend: “Something nice, butnot too fancy.” He wrote the name of the place down for me without missing a beat. This was probably a pick from his list of restaurants to recommend to hotel patrons.  I then asked him for a second recommendation. This time I leaned in and told him that my guy was coming for the weekend and I wanted to go where you eat really well and not pay a lot. The Concierge looked up puzzled, I could see he understood that I did not want a restaurant from the “list,”  I was looking for something really special. “What is your favorite place to eat?”  I added to really drive the point home.

I’m not sure if it just seemed that way, but he gave a quick glance around the room as if making sure no one was watching him break a rule. He then looked at me and said in a lowered voice: “Well, here is a place you should try. It’s a bit out of the way, but the food is great.”  He wrote it down for me, then added:  “I go here with my girlfriend.”  The way he said it sounded like he was either asking me not to tell anyone about this restaurant, or not to tell his wife about his girlfriend.  (Though before I go spreading vicious rumors about the nice concierge, just for the record, I did glance at his hands and there was definitely no wedding band so probably he was not married after all.)

• • •

So here is the 3-part approach to getting a local to give you the best recommendation:

1 – Bait and Switch
Ask them a question, let them answer you then give them a different scenario and ask for one more recommendation.

2 – Magic combination: I want to eat GREAT FOOD and NOT PAY A LOT.
This particular one works really well in Italy, Spain, Greece…well pretty much all of Mediterranean and the Middle East, where getting a good deal for high quality is a sport.)

3 – Ask them what their favorite place is.
Now in case you’re dying to know what that secret place in Nice was, I have to confess that I don’t remember the name! This was after all five years ago and it is possible that the place may not even exist anymore. This is my point exactly, ask a local for the most up to date special location!

But we’ll hold your hand a little bit, just this once, and give you three restaurants that fit the perfect dinner location after a day of frolicking in Nice…authentic, cozy and romantic. But don’t take our word for it, ask a local yourself!

• Chat Noir Chat Blanc, 20 Rue Barillerie
• La Merenda, 4 Rue Raoul Bosio
• Le Maquis, 7 Rue de l’Abbaye

 

• • •   LESSONS LEARNED    • • •

Spontaneous romance requires meticulous planning.

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