I have just had the great pleasure of visiting Sonoma Valley wine country in California. Although not as popular as Napa, Sonoma offers great variety in grapes, wineries, and beautiful scenery, only with fewer crowds. Sonoma is also slightly less expensive than her sister region, making it more affordable.
And now, a little taste of Sonoma…
(Photo source)
Bonjour everyone! I have just completed a huge project in the beautiful and funky San Francisco and have been celebrating my success. Please excuse my absence as I drink a few glasses of wine, paired with a martini or two!
See you all on Thursday!
Ciao!
French women collect scarves like American women collect handbags.
Mireille Guiliano, author of French Women Don’t Get Fat
It seems that when most American children are just learning to tie their own shoes, children in France are learning to tie their own scarves. This goes for girls and boys. And they don’t learn just one way to tie a scarf. By the time they are old enough to date, most French women can tie a scarf in several different ways, giving the same outfit several different looks. This, of course, is what makes a French woman so enviable, along with the tousled hair and bright red lipstick.
In the past year, I have purchased – no, invested – in a few key accessories, including jewelry, handbags, and, yes, scarves. Scarves really are the perfect accessory. What I love about scarves is how versatile they are. But I also love how they can take any plain jane sweater or top, including a t-shirt, and turn the whole outfit into something trendy and chic. It seems French women really knew what they were doing with a scarf way before we ever did.
Lucky for us, most popular scarves now can be tied many different ways, especially the longer styles. And, you don’t need to be a French woman to wear them well. Take the photo above for example. This grey and black leopard print scarf from the Gap can be tied or worn at least 4 ways, making a very simple black turtleneck look just a bit classier.
In my eyes, there really is no completely wrong way to tie or wear a scarf. But there are definitely styles that are better than others. It’s really a matter of preference. Whether you like a short scarf tied in a tight knot or a long scarf loosely covering your shoulders, just experiment until you find the right scarf and right style of knot that looks well with the specific outfit you’re wearing. Just because one scarf or knot doesn’t look well with one outfit, doesn’t mean it will show poorly with another.
If you do plan on starting or adding to a collection of scarves, similar to our French sisters, keep in mind, that scarves need not be expensive to look good. Even a French woman knows that a good knot and quality scarf care can keep even inexpensive scarves looking elegant. But shhh…that’s a secret!
(Photo source)
The Mediterranean Diet is publicized as one of the healthiest diets in the world. It has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, lower risk of cancer, lower rates of obesity, and more. What makes this diet so rich in health benefits is the plentiful use of whole and all-natural foods, including fruits, vegetables, and fish, as well as the incorporatation of the healty fats found in olives, oils, and nuts.
And speaking of nuts, one of the most important nuts in the Mediterranean diet is the walnut. Originating in central Asia in prehistoric times, the walnut became widely popular for its medicinal virtues. Detailed in Greek and Roman medical writings for thousands of years, walnuts were thought to benefit several ailments, from bad breath to constipation. And, due in part to it’s unique brain-like shape and the potential effects on the brain, the walnut was deemed a “food of the gods.”
Fast-forward a few millennia, and you will find that walnuts remain an integral part of the Mediterranean diet, and not just for people living in Italy or Greece. In the last decade, Americans also have embraced the use of walnuts, largely due to their strong association with a healthy diet. Recent research has associated the consumption of walnuts with a lower risk of heart disease. And, in 2004, walnuts became the only whole food to have a qualified health claim approved by the FDA:
Supportive but not conclusive research shows that eating 1.5 ounces of walnuts per day, as part of a low saturated fat and low cholesterol diet, and not resulting in increased caloric intake may reduce the risk of coronary artery disease.
Beyond heart disease, eating walnuts has also been shown to improve lipid levels in patients with diabetes and to be an excellent source of antioxidants.
Although walnuts may have exotic roots, over 30 varieties of walnuts are now produced in the US. California has become one of the largest producers of walnuts in the world. On a recent tour of California’s walnut country, I learned that California walnuts account for 99% of US walnuts and three-fourths of the world walnut trade, making them fresher and more accessible than ever before. And, just like the walnut’s popularity, the walnut industry itself continues to grow. The California Walnut Commission reports that in 2010, the California walnut crop is expected to produce 510,000 short tons of walnuts, which is 17% more than 2009 and more than double the crop from 2000.
Beyond the many health benefits walnuts, they are also quite versatile when it comes to cooking, making it very easy to incorporate into just about any meal. Walnuts can be found in dishes for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and anything in between.
Obviously, we can’t all live in Greece, Spain, or even California for that matter, but that doesn’t mean living a Mediterranean lifestyle is beyond our reach. Even small changes, like eating whole foods or adding more walnuts to our diet, can help us experience this healthy lifestyle no matter where we live.
Bonjour Everyone! It’s Walnut Harvest time in California and I’m a right in the thick of learning all about walnuts. Tonight, I experienced a fantastic interactive cooking demonstration where I was able to get my hands dirty by making a white walnut pesto. I have to admit, I don’t know if I will ever eat green pesto again!
I’ll be back on Monday with a full report of my adventure. Until then, be sure to congratulate the winner of the Vermont Organics Soap Giveaway…Tanya!
Tanya says: I am intrigued by the Citrus Sunshine soap. I like soap that smell fresh and fruity so I think I would like that.
Ciao!
@bistrochic
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