The Adventures of Lesalina

A Semi-Charmed Life.

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Contest: “Tell the Story” with Diptic

May 10th, 2012 · Art and Artists, Competitions and Giveaways, Gadgets, photo, technology

You know how some people have an amazing talent for telling stories through their photography?

I’m not one of those people. I’m more of a take three and share them consecutively, you’ll get the point – kind of girl.

So when my friend Miranda introduced me to the Diptic app this past winter, I wanted to kiss her right on the mouth. I had recently noticed a number of really awesome images popping up online and on my favorite photo sharing sites but for the life of me couldn’t figure out how it was done – an iPhone app. DUH. I’ve been a huge fan ever since, starting that very moment with some photos of Miranda’s beautiful baby.

Cute, right?

After that, I was a Diptic-ing machine.

Here’s another one of my favorites of IndyCars at the 2012 Super Bowl.

I’ll often take my photos in an app like Camera+ and then choose from over 52 frames offered by Diptic, where I’m also able to tweak brightness, contrast and saturation, and adjust border color, width and curvature. And you don’t have to have an iPhone, Diptic works with iPads and iPods as well.

My personal favorite is probably this car wash art, I took with using nothing but the iPhone camera and used no effects on.

As you can see, it’s far easier to tell a story with multiple photos than it is with one. Which brings me to the following announcement. Diptic has launched their first official “Tell the Story” contest. Enter between Monday, May 14th and Monday, May 29th and you could win a OlloClip, the fisheye, wide-angle and macro lens for the iPhone that fits in your pocket!

To enter, post your submission on Twitter using the hashtag #DipticTellTheStory or email them contest@dipticapp.com.

What are you waiting for?! Go! Click! Diptic! Submit!

Contest Begins: Monday, May 14, 2012 at 12 a.m. PST
Contest Ends: Monday, June 4, 2012 at 12 a.m. PST 

Judging will be based on  creativity, aesthetics, and best interpretation of the theme “Tell the Story.”

 Additional details:

  • Diptics submitted should have at least 2 frames
  • Maximum of 5 entries per person, per contest
  • App stacking is okay, but it needs to be clear and obvious that Diptic was used in each entry
  • By entering, you agree that you agree to the contest Terms & Conditions.

 

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Recipe: Baked Penne with Zucchini

May 8th, 2012 · Food and Drink

Zucchini is one of my favorite vegetables to cut. I don’t know why, it just slices and dices perfectly. Probably a weird thing to share with you but I thought I would open with that fun fact.

My other favorite thing about zucchini (this one is more normal) is that it goes so well with pasta and of course, anything that goes well with pasta is delicious covered in cheese. If there’s any way on earth to combine all of these ingredients and make it somewhat acceptable to eat – it’s this baked penne (Prevention, January 2009).

Quick, hearty, and chock full of veggies – all of the key components for an ideal weeknight meal.

Baked Penne with Zucchini
Servings: 6

Ingredients:

  • 2  cups whole wheat penne (6 oz)
  • 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium zucchini (1lb total), cut into small cubes
  • 3/4 lb green beans, trimmed and cut diagonally in half
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) no-salt-added diced tomatoes
  • 1 cup tomato-basil pasta sauce (10g sugar or less per 1/2 cup)
  • 1/2 cup water (reserved pasta water)
  • 1/2 tsp salt-free Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese (2 oz)
  • 2 tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare pasta per package directions (reduce cooking time by 2-3 minutes). Drain, reserving 1/2 cup water for step number 3.
2. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and green beans. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes or until veggies are lightly browned.
3. Stir in tomatoes (with juice), pasta sauce, water, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer 4 minutes.
4. Transfer half of the pasta into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with half of the vegetable mixture. Add remaining pasta and veggies. Sprinkle with cheeses. Cover and bake 30 minutes or until bubbly.
5. Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer.

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Finding Adventure, Everyday

May 7th, 2012 · adventure

You wake up at 7am and walk the dog around the block. After eating a bowl of Cheerios, you shower and leave the house at 8:15am. You stop at Starbucks where the barista doesn’t have to take your order – “Grande dark roast with cream, no sugar,” she says with a smile. It’s the same routine everyday, Monday through Friday. On the weekend, you might sleep in an hour longer and perhaps you’ll have pancakes for breakfast.

Sound familiar?

That’s okay. I’m a creature of habit myself, I love the comfort of knowing what’s next. While there’s a sense of security that comes with having a routine, you might not realize how badly this can stifle your sense of adventure, dampen your creativity or stand in the way of opportunity. A routine creates a false sense of security, causes complacency, and worst of all – allows room for boredom in your life. The path to boredom rarely leads to a positive place.

I don’t remember the last time I was bored. How can that be you ask? I fight monotony with curiosity and adventure – you can too. Here are some ideas to get you going!

Walk the path less traveled

Literally. Try taking the dog on a new route tomorrow morning. Or walk the opposite way around the block to get to your favorite lunch spot. You never know what you might see or who you’ll run into. People often ask me how I know about new restaurants and businesses before most other people. It’s because I constantly change my path and when I see something that catches my eye, I’ll investigate. Which leads me to my next point…

Curiosity rarely kills cats

Chances are it won’t kill you either. Perhaps you’ve been wondering what’s next for the space where Italian restaurant was that recently closed. One day, there’s a sign on the window but you can’t read it from your car. Take a moment, pull over, and read the sign! There was an old machine shop down the street from my home that sat empty for years. When I saw a building permit on the door one afternoon, I made a point to walk past it regularly until one day, I found some construction workers having their lunch in front of it. I asked what they were building and was told it was to be a new furniture store. I knew about the store months before there was a write up anywhere about it because I stopped to ask questions.

Say “yes” anyway

Make “yes” your motto. When a friend asks you to try hot yoga, don’t worry about not having a mat, the right outfit, or the fact that you don’t know what a downward dog is. Say “yes” anyway. When your kid wants to go to the cat circus and you can’t think of anything weirder, say “yes” anyway. When your co-worker begs you to join her for a cocktail at her favorite bar that looks like you may need a tetanus shot before walking in to it, say “yes” anyway. There’s no way of knowing if you’ll enjoy something or not unless you say “yes”. Try it and if you don’t like it, you’ll have a new life experience to share anyway.

Child’s Play

We’re told we should try to maintain a child-like spirit but I say take it a step further and play like a child. Enjoy doodling at your desk? Try finger painting at home. Have the girls over once a month for wine and gossip? Try martinis and Twister instead. Take your family to the park and ask someone to push *you* on the swings. You and your kids will have more fun if you act like one of them rather than chasing them around with a wet wipe.

LET GO. GET MESSY. LAUGH TILL YOU PEE  A LITTLE.

Because once we forget how to do that? It’s all downhill from there.

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Finding the Light Switch

May 3rd, 2012 · health and fitness

Today I feel like me.

Why shouldn’t I? Well over the past few weeks, I’ve been told that I seem distracted, sad, ‘out of it’. All true.

But the real truth is that I’ve been slipping into depression.

We see on commercials and read in the paper that ‘depression is real’ and it can affect people just ‘like you and me’. Well, I don’t know if it affects you – if at all. And if it doesn’t, how do I explain to you why I’m not myself? Do I go into a business meeting and make the disclaimer that I’ll probably seem terribly distracted for the next hour but don’t worry it’s only because my brain feels like the dryer lint trap? Or do I tell my dad how wonderful it is that he’s paying me a visit but I’d much rather be in bed staring at the ceiling this week?

While everyone handles depression differently, there are feelings and behaviors that are common for most people. I’d outline them for you here but my friend Casey did a wonderful job in this post: you are not. I can’t speak for everyone but I can tell you what it feels like for me. Mostly, its like trying to find the light switch in a dark room. You know its there but you can’t…quite…find it.

My mind suffers.

First, I just get sad for no apparent reason. Think of something that makes you terribly sad. No remove the actual thought that’s making you sad and you’re just left with a sad feeling, right? THAT. I tune out. I get quiet. My mind feels as though it’s 1,000 miles away from my body. My body feels as though it’s transporting itself around, says words it needs to say but my brain are nowhere to be found. At least the part of it that makes me smile. care. laugh. create. I feel like a robot.

My work suffers. 

This is what kills me the most. I’d love to say its my personal relationships but the people who love me understand. It’s the working world that I struggle with. When I’m depressed, everything I write sounds dead. I don’t realize it at the time but when I come out of the ‘fog’, I’ll read something I wrote and not find a piece of myself in it. The worst part is that I can’t control the timing and a deadline is a deadline whether my mind is healthy or not. I feel a great responsibility to do the best work I can for my editors, the publications, and the readers. Knowing that when I’m down, they’re not getting the best of me, I feel like the biggest disappointment in the world.

My relationship suffers. 

When I met Beau, I didn’t mention a word about my depression until it hit. Despite having been on and off medication since my late teens, I like to pretend it’s not there…until it is. Beau didn’t come right out and say this at the time but he didn’t believe depression was real. Everyone gets sad. Everyone has bad days. Stop being such a baby and get it over it. It was a rocky adjustment period but let’s just say he has a *far* better understanding now than he did before. I know it’s not easy though. He gets shut out and shut down in every way you can imagine, which yes, makes me feel sad even when I’m out of the fog.

My body suffers. 

Exercise can be a wonderful relief for depression. The problem is that when I’m depressed, the last thing I want to do is move from the couch to the bed, let alone run, swim, or jump. My body hurts and my neck and shoulders are full of knots. Yoga is usually my best option while although I’m in a room with 20 other people, I feel alone in a dark room which is exactly where I want to be. And 90% of the time, I feel better than I did before the class. Even if it only lasts a short period of time.

Nothing lasts forever.

Maybe depression is different for you. Maybe you don’t suffer from it at all but chances are, someone you know does and in that case, we all suffer. Hopefully, you’ll never experience depression first hand but if you do? Just remember the suffering doesn’t last forever. There’s light outside darkness…and in the darkness you are not alone.

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Book Worm: Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey

April 30th, 2012 · Books and Writers, Television

I don’t know about you but I’m fiending for a Downton Abbey fix. As I mentioned last week in this post - I bought the book Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle signed by the author, The Countess of Carnarvon at the Highclere Castle gift shop.

The book tells the story behind Highclere Castle (the real-life inspiration for Downton Abbey) and the life of one of its most famous inhabitants, Lady Almina, the 5th Countess of Carnarvon and the basis of the fictional character Lady Cora Crawley.  Using materials from the archives of Highclere Castle, including diaries, letters, and photographs, the current Lady Carnarvon writes the story of life at Highclere before and after the First World War.

Lady Almina was the daughter of a wealthy industrialist, Alfred de Rothschild, who married his daughter off at a young age, her dowry serving as the crucial link in the effort to preserve the Earl of Carnarvon’s ancestral home.  As in Downton, Highclere Castle served as a hospital and recovery home to the wounded World War I, where Lady Almina found her true life passion to be nursing – although throwing a top-notch high-society party came in a close second.

The Countess does a wonderful job recreating life at Highclere with her words, you feel as if you’re right there with Lady Almina, hosting dignitaries and running the world both upstairs and down.

Whether your a fan of the Downton Abbey series or a history buff, The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle is a must-read.

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Stay: The George of Stamford, UK

April 26th, 2012 · travel

There are many amazing hotels in the world but to date, The George of Stamford is the best I’ve stayed in. Maybe not the newest, maybe not the trendiest but by far my favorite hotel yet.

Just a twenty-minute drive from my family in Eye, Stamford is a little town in the county of Lincolnshire. Known for it’s 17th and 18th century architecture, you can feel the overwhelming history of Stamford as you drive into the town.

But nothing prepared me for how lovely the hotel itself really is. The stone walls look as though they can’t possibly be real, something so old that’s the perfect balance between old and worn and yet wonderfully preserved. There’s a large parking lot in the back, wherein you pass several little shops to get to this entrance. Inside, there’s a courtyard and then an opening to the right where there is a garden dedicated to Princess Diana. The history of The George is fascinating, it’s suspected that the properly is likely about 1,000 years old.

I can only imagine, in nicer weather, how lovely it would be to sit in this courtyard sipping Pinot Grigio all night…

But due to the chilly temperature, Beau, my parents, and I sat inside by the coziest fire in the world with a black cat I call Jenny, drinking Pints of Adnams and noshing on the most delicious mussels I’ve ever had.

The rooms reminded me of a bed and breakfast in some ways, homey yet with all of the amenities  - including free wifi which is always a bonus.

But my favorite part of the room…was the bathroom. The shower was a rain water head that came from the ceiling, while the bath tub had a spray attachment that reminded me of one of those old fashioned phones. It was so elegant that – and I can’t believe I did this as it’s against all of my public bathing rules – after a careful inspection, I filled the bath with body wash and took a bubble bath.

The hotel was beautiful, the food was delicious, the history rich but me taking a bubble bath in a hotel? Well that just says everything.

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A Day at The Real Downton Abbey

April 24th, 2012 · travel

When Beau and I first discussed the planning of our most recent trip to the UK, I knew immediately what I wanted to do.

I wanted to visit the real Downton Abbey. I had no idea where it was (Newbury) or how we would get there (train) but I knew I wanted to go (we did).

We took a 10:30am train from King’s Cross to Newbury and arrived sometime around lunch. We checked into the Newbury Hilton, had some tasty little tea sandwiches and set off for Highclere Castle – the home of  Downton Abbey. Like many people, I’ve become fascinated with the British Masterpiece Theatre television show and couldn’t wait to get a glimpse of the real thing. It’s just as you’d imagine it to be.

I’ve visited a handful of castles in England over the years and they’re all impressive in their own way. But Highclere Castle has a presence that leaves you in awe. The pending rain gave the castle a very erie appearance as we walked up. Inside it was far cozier than any castle I’ve ever been in. I suppose that’s because it’s been meticulously cared for and is still lived in by the Carnarvon family.

Unfortunately, photographs weren’t allowed in the castle but the rooms are almost just as they appear on the show. You can see pretty images on their website though here. Almost all of the guest bedrooms (which were actually used as hospital rooms during the war) contained baskets full of amenities for guests like soap, hairspray and other toiletries. The modern products looked out of place against the backdrop of the rooms that don’t appear to have changed much since the early 1900s. In fact almost everything is as it appears on the show.

Beau was able to sneak one quick pic of me on the stairs, looking not suspicious at all (sorry Highclere, I had to).

The tour takes you through the hallways of the first and second level of the castle but only on one side as the family lives in the rest. Also, neither the servant quarters or anything ‘downstairs’ on the show are filmed at Highclere so there wasn’t any of that to see either.

Following the tour upstairs, we did go downstairs which currently houses an Egyptian Exhibition. The 5th Earl of Carnavron discovered the Tomb of the Egyptian Boy Pharaoh, Tutankhamun, in 1922 with his archaeological colleague, Howard Carter. Egypt will always and forever play a role in the history of Highclere Castle. The Earl died shortly after the dig which lead to the discovery of the tomb.

After that little lesson in history, we stopped in the tented tea room (to the left of the castle in the photo above) for tea, scones, jam and clotted cream. There’s an indoor tea room as well.

From there took a walk through the near grounds and gardens.

Most of which was still dead from the winter.

We did that until it hailed.

Of course, being England, it then stopped hailing and the sun came out.

So we did a little more walking – err, skipping around.

At this point we had just enough time before the castle closed to make our way to the gift shop where I bought a copy of Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey: The Lost Legacy of Highclere Castle, written and signed by The Countess of Carnarvon herself. Oh, and a fake brown egg that bounces like a ball – because honestly where else do you see that?

It was an unforgettable experience in an unforgettable place, our day at The Real Downton Abbey.

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Travel: A Few Days in London…

April 23rd, 2012 · Food and Drink, travel

Now that I’ve finally been at home for a full week, I’m getting back into my normal eating, writing, working, routine. However there’s plenty to share about our recent adventure abroad! We spent the first few days of our trip in London while Beau did his business at Harrod’s and I ate my weight’s worth in the food halls. Browsing the produce section, I came across this strange and beautiful thing:

Romanesco

It’s called a Romanesco. According to the description, These are pretty green vegetable look like a cross between broccoli and cauliflower but are more closely related to cauliflowers. They taste very much like cauliflowers. That sentence is not a typo on my end, it’s exactly what the sign read.

I also spent some time in Beau’s world, browsing the newly remodeled third floor. So shiny! And new!

I’m also pleased to report that Big Ben is still standing, looking as stately as ever.

Big Ben_LondonAs is the Eye.

I’m ashamed to admit there was a lot of room service during this portion of the trip, although we did have a lovely dinner at a restaurant in the Royal Festival Hall. Despite being a chain restaurant, Strada has really tasty food. I fell in LOVE with this Panzerotti Porcini. It’s a mushroom lover’s version of heaven. Pasta filled with porcini mushrooms, ricotta & Grana Padano in a light mushroom broth, finished with sautéed mushrooms and chives – need I say more?

The few days we spent in London were enough. I was ready for some fresh country air and a trip to Downton Abbey! Stay tuned for more…

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Running Rainbow

April 18th, 2012 · adventure, health and fitness

Remember that time I announced that I was going to run a 5k? Well, nine months later, I’m finally registered for one. Of course, it’s not just any old boring 5k, it’s The Color Run! 

Here’s how it works. For every kilometer of the run, you get ‘blitzed’ with a different color - 1k is yellow, 2k is blue, 3k is green, 4k is pink, and the 5k finish is a “Color Extravaganza.” At the end there are bands, food and other festivities, not to mention loads of people who are covered in color!

The Color Run takes place in 30 US cities this summer -- so there’s a good chance there’s one near you. Either go it alone or sign up a team of 4+ people to join you, the more the merrier. But make your decision soon, registration fills up fast.

I guess it’s time to start my couch to 5k program all over again -- I made it through 6 of the 9 weeks in my last attempt. But I’m registered now so there’s no going back. And the best part is, this isn’t a ‘serious’ run so there’s no pressure to get all fancy about it.

Want to join in on the fun? You can sign up for The Color Run here. After that, all you have to do is show up wearing white and have fun.

Now that’s my kind of run.

Don’t see your city? Be sure to vote and get it listed! 

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Back to Reality and My Kitchen

April 18th, 2012 · Food and Drink, Recipes, travel

After three weeks of non-stop travel, I’m finally at home sweet home. Chicago with my lovely lady friends was a blast, Los Angeles with Beau and the little one made me feel like a kid again, and this past week in London was a week of making memories that I will cherish forever.

But what I’m excited about right now, at this very moment, is pasta. Specifically this pasta.

While one of my favorite ‘easy’ dishes has always been pasta with butter or olive oil and lots of parmesan, I never thought to use breadcrumbs. I came across a rendition of this recipe in the September 2009 issue of Glamour magazine. Originally titled, Nora’s Spaghetti with Sand, it’s a long time favorite dish of the writer-director, Nora Ephron (of Julie & Julia). I added some sautéed shrimp for some protein and although Ephron recommends fresh bread crumbs, Id didn’t have any on hand so I just went with the pre-made kind. It was delicious, easy and only took about 15 minutes!

The best part was, I didn’t have to go to the store for any of it as the ingredients are usually things you’ll have on hand or that are easy to substitute. Don’t have spaghetti? Use Angel Hair. Not a fan of shrimp? Leave it out or use chicken instead.

~ Spaghetti with Sand ~

Serves: 6 people as a side dish, 4 people as a main course

Ingredients:

1 lb. spaghetti
4 cloves of garlic, slivered
2/3 cup olive oil (not virgin)
2 cups of pre-cooked frozen shrimp
1-2 tbs butter
1 cup course bread crumbs (fresh is best)
salt and pepper
fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1. Boil spaghetti according to package instructions.
2. Preheat oven to broil. In a small skillet, sauté 2 cloves of garlic in oil, 3 to 4 minutes, or until slightly brown. Remove garlic; discard. Place breadcrumbs in a bowl and drizzle with 2 tsp. of the garlic infused oil. Toss.
3. Spread bread crumbs onto a baking sheet; broil in oven to slightly toast, about 4-6 minutes if they’re fresh, only *seconds* if they’re not (just keep your eye on them and make sure they don’t burn!) If you have a toaster oven, you can do them in that too, just use the “top brown” setting for about 3 minutes for fresh.
4. Sautee remaining garlic in 1-2 tbs. of butter, add shrimp and sauté per packing instructions.
5. Drain pasta, then toss with remaining oil and toasted bread crumbs. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Garnish with parsley.

And there you have it. The easiest ‘homemade’ meal you’ll ever make.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some unpacking to do!

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