seems as though my start up disk is running out of space.

must get external harddrive ASAP.

this way I can still browse iTunes and buy & load up my 365's.

pssh.

Homemade Tomato Soup NOM NOM!

This is a recipe that I've been meaning to post for several weeks now...

This recipe is from I Sodi, a restaurant in NYC. The recipe is for 6 people, but you can always adjust it to your liking and however many people you're serving.

3 tbsp olive oil

3 large garlic cloves, minced

⅓ cup chopped fresh basil

2 tsp chopped fresh sage

1 ½ lb., ripe, peeled, seeded tomatoes, chopped (about 5 medium)

3 slices day-old white peasant bread, cut into cubes

3 cups water

olive oil and basil leaves for garnish

Heat olive oil in sauce pan over medium heat. Add garlic, basil and sage, and cook for about 3ish minutes or until the garlic begins to brown.

Stir in tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and summer for about 10 minutes or so, stirring consistently. Add your bread and water. Return to boil and reduce the heat. Stir, breaking up the bread a bit more with a wooden spoon (plastic spoons don't do the trick with this).

Let the soup simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Laddle into bowls, garnish, blah blah blah.

First, I used a lot more olive oil than what the recipe called for (as well as basil) and instead of sage I used rosemary from my garden. The olive oil I prefer to use while making this soup was a seasoned dipping oil from Delallo's. The extra seasoning really made the soup worthwhile. I had also used bread that was I had pulled into pieces and kept in a paper bag for about 4 days or so. Next time I come across some good seasoned bread I will give that a go.

This is a great soup for me to make this fall, because I have so many tomatoes that are JUST NOW starting to really grow and ripen.

ENJOY!

My Transatlantic BFF

My Transatlantic BFF came to visit for a few days! It served as a great holiday that really tuckered my out in the end.

Her first American meal was at Cheesecake Factory, where she was served the biggest burger she's ever seen; however, it crossed her Cardinal Rule of Food by having some sort of mayo/sauce thing on the middle bun slice. She sure did eat a lot of it though and ordered a chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake (which I heard was pretty good to eat for breakfast).

Princeton, New Jersey served as our next location for adventure. We took a two hour tour or so on our way there, my Ima wanted to make sure to show her all the historical marks that created the birth place of America. (Side note: It was pretty amusing at times to see her slightly flinch when a large truck or something was coming on the other side of the road). Once we got to Princeton we had lunch at Panera's and then scoured Princeton Record Exchange for some goodies. L-M was so loved there that they didn't even charge her for a t-shirt or tote bag!

As we ventured away from PREX we stopped in Starbucks for her to try a Pumpkin Spice Latte (WIN!) and we passed by Paper Source drooling about what we could get our hands on. J.Crew was another place we went where I drooled because I watch items on the web site like I'm betting on them via Ebay... it's kinda sad. Anyways, we hit up Paper Source after J.Crew because we didn't have our drinks and they would have been in the way anyways, considering we spent a pretty penny in that place.

A highlight of the evening was our desert/dinner at The Bent Spoon!!

There was a proper tour of Philadephia as well: a cheese steak at Pat's, a walk through the Italian Market (not an official tour, just a walk), a walk onto South Street, a walk throughout Society Hill, which then lead to theLiberty Bell & National Constitution Center.

After being productive and doing historical things, we finally hit up Sephora & Anthropology. Unfortunately, I am not allowed to give details of either events!

In between all of this we laughed, we saw people we never expected to see, and caught up with about 3 years of life. I really enjoyed having a genuine friend around because, let's face it, you don't find them all too often. I cried when leaving her at the airport, but I was also excited for her as she continued her American adventures with One Great City!!!

And I can now start counting down the days (22) till my next holiday to my stateside homeland (New Mexico) to visit my tia. Unfortunately, my mind will be all sorts of confused because I will be in French State of Mind, while I normally speak Catalan with those who share my blood, and they don't speak my kind'a Spanish there!

my eyeballs are ready to shut on their own now... hope everyone has a great week :)

-b'ahavah

Proactiv Skin Care vs. Philosophy On A Clear Day

When I was 17 my nanny had picked me up from work one weekend and said that we were going to run some errands, so I had to freshen up at home and put on 'real clothes'. Not long after she said that we were at a red light, she turned my face to hers by the chin and commented, "We need to fix your face." I didn't take it personally, because I knew she wasn't talking about make-up. I didn't have any on and I never was one to have so much on that you have a line underneath your chin... my other grandmother did that in her later years so I knew better. She meant the spots that were on my face and were probably there because I was 17 and stressed about not being able to get to PREX to buy the new Death Cab for Cutie album or something.

Family members have always commented on how clear my skin is and that I'm very fortunate- my mom's side of the family has intensely bad acne and my dad doesn't have really clear skin, but my family members on that side are hit or miss from my understanding. So, I haven't really needed to use intense products to 'fix' my face or anything else, but I have used such products because I wanted to deter from having to fix my face and getting nasty spots.

Needless to say, while living in France I started to experience what it was like to have spots on my face about five years later than usual. I became really frustrated and realized that the Proactiv kits, as purchased by my nanny via QVC, that I've been using since I was 17 was no longer working it's magic (it also wasn't working much magic when I had to leave the house in the winter mornings and my face hurt so bad... it felt like it was on fire from how dry the products made my skin). I had a nice seven year run with Proactiv, honestly. But, it did come down to a science when my skin started to feel a certain way, when the weather was going to change (even when the humidity was going up and down), and when I knew that sleeping with a face mask on was necessary. I started knowing when I needed to wash my face with the products once a day, twice a day, or whether I needed to take a couple day break. (In the mean time I use Johnson & Johnson's Baby Shampoo. I also used this to get the rest of my make-up off my face).

This past year after looking long and hard for a new face regimen, I finally found the most amazing stuff in the world: Philosophy's On A Clear Day. The foaming cleanser is so light and airy and you don't need to use a lot of it to make it work! The Oil Free All Over Acne Treatment is also light and dries quickly. The Oil Free Spot Treatment is great and really does take care of the spots and larger areas if you wanted to use it that way. The Retinal Cream is light and does the trick as the final layer on your face. I know, I know, it's a lot to put on your face in on sitting, but these are light products and they work miracles. SERIOUSLY.

I have a mixed oily/dry complexion and these products didn't make a difference with how my skin reacted. These products had also evened out my skin tone, which is great because it's nicer and clearer.

I know that Proactiv ships to international locations, so if that suits your interests you can certainly order. Philosophy can also be bought at Sephora, so you can order from either one, or just stop in to Sephora (really, who doesn't want to do that?!).

I can vouch for many other Philosophy products as well. They are delicious! I own most of their parfums too- Pure Grace is my absolute favourite and my casual smell.

I'd love to share more, but I have a guest from Scotland wanting to try out the Cheesecake Factory!

I've just about wrapped up watching the post-conversation on Senator Ted Kennedy's memorial service that took place this evening in Boston, MA USA.

I've always had interest in the Kennedy family and their legacies. I've always felt bad for them as well, due to the tragedies that they've experienced over the years. One of the main reasons, originally, was due to the Special Olympics and everything that Eunice Kennedy had strived for. Upon learning more about her, I learned more about Ted Kennedy and admired the passion he has for the American people and the belief of equality. One of my most favourite moments I read about (and was mentioned at the memorial) is about a union worker who went up to him and said, "I heard everything they said about you last night.... about you never working a day in your life. Well, you aren't missing much!"

Maria Shriver's eulogy for her mother brought so many tears to my eyes... also, my great grandmother had passed away just days before Eunice, so I was in an emotional state overall.

If you haven't read or heard the eulogy, I suggested you take the time to read it.

I've yet to figure out how to fully operate my new camera. I really need to because Lisa-Marie is showing her face in a matter of 4 days!!! I'll need to take some pictures and also need to continue with the 365 project since my hiatus is coming to a near end.

I decided that I'd like to incorporate some odds and ends in here... I happen to buy a lot of make-up/beauty products (it's kinda hereditary) and would like to review them here, as well as review some more subjects on faith and the like. My faith is an enormous part of my existence, each and every day, and would like to put more of that in here too.

well, it's been a long week and I need to sleep. I have a big weekend ahead, but I'll be stopping by tomorrow.

-b'ahavah

"We've Got Him Figured Out"

An article I read recently written by Ben Stein-

"We've Figured Him Out

Why is President Barack Obama in such a hurry to get his socialized medicine bill passed?
Because he and his cunning circle realize some basic truths:

The American people in their unimaginable kindness and trust voted for a pig in a poke in 2008. They wanted so much to believe Barack Obama was somehow better and different from other ultra-leftists that they simply took him on faith.They ignored his anti-white writings in his books. They ignored his quiet acceptance of hysterical anti-American diatribes by his minister, Jeremiah Wright.

They ignored his refusal to explain years at a time of his life as a student. They ignored his ultra-left record as a "community organizer," Illinois state legislator, and Senator.
The American people ignored his total zero of an academic record as a student and teacher, his complete lack of scholarship when he was being touted as a scholar.

Now, the American people are starting to wake up to the truth. Barack Obama is a super likeable super leftist, not a fan of this country, way, way too cozy with the terrorist leaders in the Middle East, way beyond naïveté, all the way into active destruction of our interests and our allies and our future.

The American people have already awakened to the truth that the stimulus bill -- a great idea in theory -- was really an immense bribe to Democrat interest groups, and in no way an effort to help all Americans.

Now, Americans are waking up to the truth that ObamaCare basically means that every time you are sick or injured, you will have a clerk from the Department of Motor Vehicles telling your doctor what he can and cannot do.

The American people already know that Mr. Obama's plan to lower health costs while expanding coverage and bureaucracy is a myth, a promise of something that never was and never will be -- a bureaucracy lowering costs in a free society. Either the costs go up or the free society goes away.

These are perilous times. Mrs. Hillary Clinton, our Secretary of State, has given Iran the go-ahead to have nuclear weapons, an unqualified betrayal of the nation. Now, we face a devastating loss of freedom at home in health care. It will be joined by controls on our lives to "protect us" from global warming, itself largely a fraud if believed to be caused by man.
Mr. Obama knows Americans are getting wise and will stop him if he delays at all in taking away our freedoms.

There is his urgency and our opportunity. Once freedom is lost, America is lost. Wake up, beloved America."

I'd love to hear some opinions...

(http://spectator.org/archives/2009/07/24/weve-figured-him-out)

Death.

I've been helping take care of my Great Grandmother for approximately four years now; however, the past year has been the most intense. This past week has been the most memorable. We had a scare on Sunday and needed to take her to the emergency room. Essentially, the morphine she took for four days had greatly impacted her body... a greater impact than what was intended. She has pain and we've been trying different methods to help ease the pain. Most of the time she says, "oh, I feel fine!" and just gives us this grin. Or, it'll be a bad day and she stays in bed, telling us the prayers she prays to die and wanting to go home. It breaks my heart to hear about how someone wants to die, how someone just wants to go to another place and not be amongst those they love.
That last statement has had me thinking for months now... and really, death is the most beautiful part of life. For those who believe in God, we get to be with our Maker and experience what eternel life is and be where there's no more pain, tears, emotion... just sheer existence with those you do love and the one who has loved you the most. And of course, you could be reincarnated, in Paradise, or just buried. I know that when my Great Grandmother passes, I'll be happy for her- happy she isn't in pain, happy that she's with her mother, and happy that I was able to share the moments I have with her and be able to take what I've learned.

This has also got me remembering about the deaths within my life:

I remember my paternal grandparents had passed away within a year and a half of one another... taking care of both of them and handling the family drama when I was 11-13 years old. I knew something was wrong when my grandfather decided to wear sweatpants all day. I asked him if he was okay and he replied, "why wouldn't I be?" I simply said he wasn't in uniform and then had to explain that he had a uniform. The man always wore trousers and a button up short sleeved shirt, pocket protector w/ two pens, a mechanical pencil, regular pencil, and an eraser. He mowed the lawn in uniform, trimmed the hedges in uniform, went to work in uniform, cooked/grilled in uniform, and just about every picture of him has him in uniform too. There was the occassional cardigan. Unfortunately, he was an alcoholic and his liver retired early. It was Thanksgiving Eve (in fifth grade) and we were there for his last breath.

My paternal grandmother was an Elizabeth Taylor look-a-like (if only she had the money to age like her too) and is the vainest woman I've ever met. She strung my grandfather along and they had an extremely unhappy marriage (they didn't share a bedroom and were rarely in the same room together. The one thing they talked about together was how much beer they needed to buy that week and who was making the run). My grandmother wore bright red lipstick and bright blue eyeshadow every day that I knew her and it didn't matter what color clothing she had on. Infact, when she passed there were 57 shades of lipsticks in her bathroom and countless eyeshadows (some from the 60's, unopened, with price tags still on them). She had thick (dyed) black, curly hair and black eyes. She stayed up until the early hours of the morning watching movies and drinking beer, and then slept in until the afternoon. Sleeping over was great (seriously, who pulls all nighters at the age of 5?) and I watched movies that I probably should never have watched at my age... but I believe that this is how I developed my love of movies. We watched everything.
She also took pictures of every waking moment of our lives (my mom loved this because she never had to buy a camera). Eventually, the smoking and alcohol had caught up with her too. She had lung and liver cancer when I was in the sixth grade. My mom and I took care of her too.


Unfortunately, both parents of my grandparents had watched their oldest child pass. After their passing, my relationships with my great grandparents changed dramatically. I was never close with my grandfather's parents to begin with, but my great grandmother was a woman who really influenced my life. I think of her on a very regular basis, along with my grandmother.
When my great grandparents had passed, I was much older and handed death differently. I became withdrawn, wrote, locked myself in my room listening to the Dave Matthews Band, and ran on my treadmill obssessively. When my grandparents had passed I just locked myself in my room and listened to The Beatles very loudly.


I remember when I experienced my first friend passing, it was in seventh grade. They had committed suicide and it impacted the whole community. I grew up in a small township and everyone knew everyone. It impacted me even more so because I was over their house just a few days before and we all laughed and had a genuine great time. It was the first time it ever hit me that someone at my age can die by their own hand. Before that time, I only thought adults had committed suicide.

Since then, I've had a good handful of friends pass away- mainly car accidents, one other suicide, and one from cancer. Since then, I've been able to handle death and the celebration of life. However, the passing of my great grandmother will be rough. It's just going to be so different from all the others and I believe it's because my better understanding of eternal life.


The first death that I saw my mom grieve was her grandfather and who I called great granpap. Great granpap was this extremely tall (not just becuase I was little, he was 6'6) man with a cane. He lived on this huge farm, that's still in the family, and I would hang out with chickens, run through wheat fields, and then eventually I'd slip and fall in a cow pie (ahahahhaha, SO GROSS!). He kinda scared me when I was little because he'd sit in this chair and poke me with a cane, I didn't like the poking thing, but it was mainly a poke to get some bananas. We'd sit and eat bananas together. Apparently he could eat a bunch of bananas every day and not OD on potassium... I could do that if I wanted, but I never have. I LOVE bananas and could eat five in a day (probably).


My mom believes that I picked up my love for bananas from my great granpap. I picked up my love for make-up, films, jazz music, and tacky decorations (all in fun, not in seriousness) from my grandmother. I picked up my love for the academic world from my grandfather. I picked up my love for my family history/culture, cooking, and foreign language from my great grandmother (the same person who told me 'a lady never curses or uses such language' when my grandmother would curse out my dad or one of her younger sisters... therefore, it's not really in my nature to curse and you know I must be unnaturally good and angry if I slip something in).


It's also just amazing, in general, on the things you carry with you from those who have passed and how they'll influence the rest of your days. My great grandmother had taught me how to be humble, how to trust in the unknown, and how to manage your finances.

She also taught me that it's okay to laugh about death when you are planning what to do with your ashes with the undertaker. (You would have thought we slipped her some Grey Goose instead of water).


I've been praying that she has clarity in her mind, that she's forgiven and let go of all that needst o be, and that she has peace within while she takes her last breath. And I hope that you, too, will pray that as well.