On the Menu - Oyster Heaven

Wally @ Mojo Cajun Bar & Grill's Oyster Bar

Last night we opted out of getting nosebleed seats for the Magic vs Heat game.  Instead we headed downtown to watch the game and try a new restaurant, Mojo Cajun Bar & Grill. A New Orleans style restaurant and bar, it is an energetic little joint (8,000 sq. ft.) being one block away from the new Amway Center. The entire place is draped with strings of Mardi Gras beads to create a Bourbon Street atmosphere. Okay, on to the food - my favorite part!



I prefer my oysters raw, but when we saw char-broiled oysters on the menu, I had to give them a try. I requested mine without the romano & parmesan cheese as I keep it really simple when it comes to flavoring oysters. Even when cooked, I like my oysters as fresh and light as possible.

We watched as Wally, our awesome oyster bar host and chef, put on a fiery show on the grill. He placed our oysters on the grill to heat up for a couple of minutes. Then he bathed them in this fantastic garlic & herb sauce which flamed up the grill for that char-broiled taste. Depending on how cooked you want them, Wally may or may not cover them with a pan to let them steam for a bit longer. They were to die for. Warm, smokey, juicy, savory - oyster heaven!

We must have ordered four more of these.

After having multiple servings of the char-broiled oysters - they were that good - we decided to share an entree. We had blackened catfish which was served with rice, a generous slice of moist sweet cornbread, and sauteed veggies. Yummy!

Mojo's oyster bar is tucked away in the back and up a flight of stairs. It makes you feel like you are heading to the best kept secret of the restaurant. With plasma tv's on either side of the bar to enjoy the game, Wally's company, and great food - I say it is the best part of the place.

An oyster bar in downtown Orlando is our dream come true. We've been whining about this for years, we finally have one, and we were not let down. Let's cross our forks that it's here to stay.

To top it all off, the Magic won!

P. S. Wally wouldn't tell us what's in the herb sauce. Next time we're bringing my daughter the Super Foodie (we watch the Food Network every night). With her smile, mile-long eyelashes, and super bright personality, we warned Wally that we suspect she'll get the recipe out of him. I showed him a picture of my angel and he agreed.

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Curls, Sweet Curls

Today I went back to curly. It's been warm enough in Florida and the humidity level has gone up enough to be comfortable. I was also eager to see if cutting my bangs would get rid of that section of the front of my hair that won't curl. Well, good news - it did!



Although I was glad to get rid of the damaged hair, I was not so sure how my bangs would look when I just wash and go. Well, here they are and I think I like it! I'm actually happy with the results.

I did my usual curly hair routine:

I divided my hair into four sections.

I applied a generous amount of leave-in-conditioner to each section.

I then applied coconut oil to seal in the moisture.

I used my handy dandy paddle brush for maximum curl definition.

I then coiled my bangs - just four little coils - and blow dried at the lowest setting.

Once my hair was dry enough, I gently loosened the coils, put my head upside down, and gently ran my fingers through the front of my hair.

Done!

I'm so glad I'm digging the bangs, because I was getting super bored with my hair cut. The bangs have given my curls a new dimension.

Curls, sweet curls.

♥ ☺Carmen

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Pink Shoes & Rosey Pearls

I ♥ my pink shoes.

I've been shopping lately -- in my closet, that is. I'm an aspiring minimalist and I'm on a tight budget. However, I do like to freshen up my wardrobe every now and then, and I enjoy expressing creativity and moods through what I choose to wear. So, in order to honor my budding minimalist principles and to prevent wardrobe boredom, instead of heading to the stores, I'm approaching my closet with a new set of eyes. It seems like many of us have closets full of clothes and shoes, yet we tend to wear the same pieces of clothing, no? Well, I'm going a little deeper these days. My latest thing is pairing my 'work' clothes with my casual clothes.

Pearls and lace are lovely together.

Today I wore powder blue skinny jeans and layered a pink and brown lace top with a grey knitted button up short-sleeve sweater. My favorite pair of pink shoes and a string of rose and gold pearls completed the outfit.

What a rosey day!

In an age of over consumption and over indulgence, try to find ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle - all while maintaining your fabulousness and uniqueness. What's in your armoire?

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The Plight of my Bangs

Mid-century modern furniture is a favorite.

I ♥ this fridge.

Months ago I cut some bangs just to change things up a little bit. Well, when I let my hair go curly I discovered that a section of the front of my hair will not curl. This is more than likely due to heat damage from my flat iron. Ever since then, I've been struggling with how to style the front of my hair when its curly.

It's been a few months since I cut my bangs and they were reaching the tip of my nose. So, this past Friday I was itching to cut them again for two reasons. One, to continue to get rid of the heat damaged section. Two, because I get bored. I go back and forth with bangs. I love them, but then there are times when I want the front of my hair to blend in with the rest of my longer hair. Then I go back to bangs because they frame my face really well. And it goes on and on.

As you can see in my pictures, I gave in and cut my bangs again. I also darkened my hair with this henna product which left my hair super shiny and smelling like roses.

I'm curious to see how my bangs will look when I let my hair curl again. I'm heat styling (carefully) for the winter to minimize drying my scalp too much with frequent washes and because I don't enjoy damp hair in cold weather.  See my winter hair care post.

I'm in search of curly styles with bangs or curly styles that blend the front with the rest of the hair. Any recommendations?

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With Adoration

I wrote this for my daughter one morning a couple of years ago after a testy morning. Today is Thursday. Every other Thursday is a bit sad because it's our last night together before she leaves for a week. Just came across this writing and thought I'd post it.


When I see you smile, I want to chase dreams.
When I hear you laugh, I want to give you the world.
When you hug me my heart just melts.
You tell me you love me, and I know I've never loved this way.
How hearing your sweet voice just takes my breath away.
When I look into your eyes - there's such goodness in those eyes.
So innocent. So hopeful. So bright. Such love in those eyes.
And when they fill with tears, my heart aches for you, my dear.
I dread to see you hurting, but you do need to grow strong.
You are so beautiful. Who would want to do you wrong?
It happens though, I know it. And so, you do need to be strong.
But I am fascinated by you always, because in the end you always smile.
And when I see you smile, I want to chase those dreams.

With adoration,
Mommy

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11.16.2010

click pic for source

Wondering what will become of her. Will she make it? Will she lose it? Does she want it? Does she know what it is? When she looks out into the world, is her vision her own or through the eyes of others?

What happened to the drive? Why won't she get up?

"I'm just tired," she said as she pulled the blue covers over her head.

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Twelve Blogs that Move Me

We are quite fortunate to live in the time of the web, indeed. However, with such fortune comes the burden of too many choices and many questionable pieces/sources of information. Our skills of discrimination have never been more necessary than they are today in order to decipher quality; fact from fiction; and credibility. With that said, I do love browsing the web and discovering new writers, bloggers, artists, and entrepreneurs - all having something, anything, to say - all, willing to share it.



I truly admire well thought out layouts, constructive use of color(s), pristine organization,  and intentional graphics. I appreciate content of substance. I do enjoy looking at beautiful pictures but, I find that if the site is not 'packaged,' it's simply hard for me to come back to it.  Beautiful graphics, intentional layout and navigation, and intelligent intriguing content are all important for my blog devotion. In addition, another personal criteria of mine is a blog that is both inspirational and motivational. Blogs that make me think, give me ideas, inspire beauty and creativity, and subliminally elicit me to do something, anything.

Following is my current daily dose of dynamic blogs!

Of course, my comments will not do the blogs any justice - you must visit and tell me what you think.

1. The MopTop Maven
Features beautiful imagery of gorgeous women with gorgeous hair. Provides intriguing posts including  photography, crafts, haircare, skincare, vintage shopping, recipes, etc. The MopTop's blog is really organized; true to her vision being a 'community' resource for inspiration and exchange.

2. A Beautiful Mess
Authored by a crafty designer who owns a boutique of handmade and vintage items, this blog is chock full of lovely photographs including daily outfits, crafts, and happenings in her life and business. I appreciate how she has combined her business, personal life and love of things and journal-ing into one beautiful package.

3. Zen Habits
One of my major goals in life is to do away with the clutter and live for what really matters - to me. A life where I am not bound to material things, a slave to money, nor preoccupied with the unnecessaries. Zen Habits features articles on simplicity, health & fitness, frugality, family life, happiness, goals, getting great things done, and living in the moment.

4. Spoon Graphics
Here you’ll find design tutorials for Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, as well as other creative topics. There’s also a range of design related articles, links and free giveaways to help you along with your future design projects. I find Spooner's tutorials to be comprehensive and fun! A well organized blog.

5. Veerle's Blog
My favorite part of Veerle's Blog is the Inspiration Stream. Here you will find a fantastic collection of beautiful design and photography. It's a great resource, especially if you are experiencing designer's block.

6. Daily Blog Tips
This is a recent find which I am glad to have discovered. I appreciate the focus of the blog and the content is easy enough to digest with great tips for those of us seeking to perfect our blogging skills and keep at it.

7. Inky Girl
This is a blog I take for granted. It is one of the first blogs I discovered over a year ago for writers and I haven't kept up with it as much as I should. This writer/blogger/illustrator is funny, quirky and full of great information and resources for writers. Her comics are great too.

8. Write to Done
Another blog authored by Leo Babauta of Zen Habits, this  blog is a fantastic resource for writers and bloggers alike. I really enjoy reading Leo's writing and it's great that he shares such invaluable information. Again, the layout is in a clean minimal style - well organized, easy to follow and pristine.

9. The Writerly Life
Another recent find, this blog is authored by a writer and promises to keep my attention. Here you’ll find inspirational writing exercises and photos, tips for improving your technique, advice for getting published, reviews of writing books and tools, and general thoughts about what it means to be a writer.

10. Creative Writing Contests
Information about creative writing contests, literary magazines theme issues, writing residencies, etc.I like having a single, quality source of information. It minimizes the timely fishing around for writing events.

11. The Sartorialist
On to fashion. Beautiful pictures taken across the globe of people of all ages expressing themselves through their daily wear.

12. Advanced Style
A new favorite, this site is authored by a young photographer who is collecting beautiful stories and pictures from silver-haired fashionistas on the streets of NYC. I find it quite inspiring.

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Fantastic Inspirational Illustrators ~ Part I

As I venture deeper into the world of graphic design and digital illustration I am confronted with the challenge of defining my own style. Although I am not ready to make that statement, I have compiled a list of illustrators whose work draws me in and absolutely appeals to me.

Each illustrator is quite different, but they all have a few elements in common as it relates to what inspires me - texture, intentional color schemes, geometric shapes and a hint (and sometimes more than a hint) of the abstract.

I will be dividing my list of inspiring illustrators into a number of posts. So here goes Part I of my list of fantastic inspirational illustrators.

PABLO LOBATO
Masterful use of shapes to convey facial expressions and color schemes to inspire strong emotions.





LAURA PEREZ
I appreciate her take on soft yet vibrant colors. Her style is so light and airy. I also like that she has her own "theme" with the rosy noses.


RAYMOND SAVIGNAC
I didn't know how much I like poster art until we bought a Chicago Blues Festival poster during a trip. Ever since, I have been drawn to posters and their distinctive influence. Savignac's posters are full of impact and just rich with color. I really enjoy his work.



NATHALIE DION
Soft and slightly faded textures and color. I will also add that her images make you smile.



JEAN PHILLIPE DELHOMME
I especially like Delhomme's New York Stroll series for his use of liquid shapes and saturated muted colors. Also he has a great blog Unknown Hipster



ANDY POTTS
There is a lot of energy in Potts' illustrations and the strong invigorating rainbows of colors are brave!



MIROSLAV SASEK
Sasek's illustrations are sharp, geometric and rich with color.



ANNE JULIE
Julie's illustrations provoke a whimsical melancholy feeling. From her use of colors to the expressions on her characters' faces to the solemnity of their environments - just spectacular!




VIOLET LEMAY
Violet's illustrations are nostalgic and earthy which I really enjoy. I love the use of browns in illustrations, especially for outlining.



So this concludes Part I of my list of fantastic inspiring illustrators that I look to in helping me define my style.

For you graphic designers and illustrators, which artists do you draw inspiration from?

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Meditation on Daily Progress

With all the reverence of your soul invoke God's presence, for He is the essence of everything. Ignorant or wise, we are His children. Pray to Him to make you realize that you are immortal. Follow the highway of meditative communion that leads to Him. Live each day in reverent accord with God's laws, and He who guides the destiny of the world - including your own destiny - will plan your tomorrow for you according to your acts of today. Work for the establishment of one universal law, one freedom, one brotherhood, and communion with the one God. Make each day a step upward on the ladder of your realization of His wisdom and joy.

by Paramahansa Yogananda

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On the Menu: Beautifying Breakfast

Years ago when I was spending some quality (and therapeutic) time with a dear friend at her home in New Jersey, she introduced me to her husband's favorite snack. Plain yogurt with chopped strawberries and a drizzle of honey. I loved it and since then I have adopted and adapted my friend's snack to include additional ingredients that I love and that are beneficial. In my search for a simple and super breakfast I came up with the recipe below.

Yummy Power-Packed Beautifying Breakfast
1 cup ~ plain yogurt (opt for plain Greek yogurt which contains more calcium and protein than traditional fruit yogurt)
a handful of chopped walnuts
2 tsp of flaxseed
2 tsp of wheat germ
1 cup ~ pomegranate seeds (in season) or berry(ies) of choice
a drizzle of raw honey

I'm seriously trying to eat breakfast daily. I can't pinpoint why it's a challenge for me, but it is. So in my quest to conquer breakfast I am searching for highly nutritional (and delicious) meals that I can even take with me in the car - if I have to. Side note: I'd much rather eat my breakfast while looking out on the lake as the sun is rising, but sometimes I'm just in a rush.

I don't need convincing to include any of these yummy ingredients as part of my regular diet, but knowledge is power. Below are some basic health benefits to the ingredients in the Beautifying Breakfast.

Health Benefits
Yogurt ~ In addition to being an excellent source of protein, one serving of yogurt provides a significant source of potassium, phosphorous, riboflavin, iodine, zinc, and vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid). Yogurt also contains B12, which maintains red blood cells and helps keep your nervous system functioning properly.

The potassium in yogurt, almost 600 milligrams per eight ounces, may help flush some of the excess sodium out of your body which helps prevent or reduce high blood pressure.

Walnuts ~ One of the best plant sources of protein, walnuts are rich in fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, and antioxidants such as Vitamin E. Nuts in general are also high in plant sterols and fat - but mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats (omega-3 fatty acids) that have been shown to lower LDL cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Flaxseed ~ High in omega-3 essential fatty acids, lignans (containing estrogen and antioxidant qualities) and soluble and insoluble fiber, flaxseed provides both restorative and preventive qualities to your diet from boosting immune system function to positively affecting hormone levels, to preventing certain cancers and heart disease.

Wheat Germ ~ Wheat germ is a rich source of vitamins and minerals but it is especially rich in Vitamin E. Other important vits & mins worth noting include B vitamins, such as folic acid, thiamin, vitamin B6 and minerals like magnesium, manganese, and zinc.

Honey ~ Raw honey contains small amounts of a wide array of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants. Depending on the floral variety, the vitamins found in honey may include niacin, riboflavin and pantothenic acid; minerals present include calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Just as the color and flavor of honey varies by floral source, so does the vitamin, mineral, antioxidant and amino acid content. The antioxidant and antimicrobial properties in honey aide in cell repair. Honey is a natural energy booster - a great way to start the day.

Pomegranate ~ One pomegranate has about 40 percent of the recommended daily vitamin C requirement for adults, along with folic acid, fiber, potassium, niacin and vitamins A and E.

This beautiful fruit is rich in disease-fighting antioxidants containing approximately three times the antioxidants as green tea or red wine. Antioxidants fight against free radicals - unstable molecules that can damage DNA and cell membranes. This cellular damage has been linked to all kinds of diseases including cancer.

Berries ~ The pigments that give berries their beautiful blue and red hues are also good for your health. Berries contain phytochemicals that may help to prevent some forms of cancer. Cranberries and blueberries contain a substance that may prevent bladder infections.

Eating a diet rich in blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, cranberries and strawberries may help to reduce your risk of several types of cancers. Blueberries and raspberries also contain lutein, which is important for healthy vision.

Also know that in addition to making us strong and lovely on the inside, these foods also greatly benefit our skin and hair. So let's get our glow on!

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Bouclés Belle of the Month: Elizabeth Herron

foto by Laura Straus

Stage Director and Educator, Elizabeth Herron has donned Sisterlocks for about 8 years. I am really excited to share her story because she emphasizes inner health for natural beauty and freedom for the ultimate pursuit of happiness.

Several factors went into Elizabeth's decision to go natural including pride in her culture and natural beauty, convenience, financial freedom, and as an artist who travels a lot, she is constantly looking for ways to simplify her life in a way that is self sustaining.

Elizabeth started chemically straightening her hair when she was 12
years old and decided to stop using chemicals when she was 22 due to hair breakage and hair loss. It was a right of passage.

Elizabeth's 'daily hair routine' is as simple as you can get - fluff and go. However, she washes and conditions her hair once a week (a bit more often during the summer) with moisturizing/hydrating products that are sulfate and paraban free. "I typically wash and go but sometimes I twist my hair into bantu knots while it is wet to achieve a curly/crinkly/look." When it comes to products, one of Elizabeth's criteria is being able to pronounce all of the ingredients. "I love Alaffia Hydrating shampoo/conditioner if I had to only choose one product."

The Sisterlock technique does not require the traditional pomades, gels, oils or 'grease.' Sisterlocks rely on naturally produced oils from a healthy scalp. During low-humidity seasons, when the air and in turn the hair is particularly dry, Elizabeth turns to her humidifier to balance the moisture in the air. It is also really good for her skin.

"I find that by eating lots of green leafy veggies, salmon once a week, as many berries as I can put in my smoothie, omegas and walnuts, I am able to maintain healthy/moisturized hair and skin."

When asked how often she cuts her hair, "I cut my hair every year around the time of my birthday so I keep it short (neck length). I am traveling a lot more than usual now and have not cut my hair so intentionally/unintentionally, I am letting it grow. I have never had hair past my shoulders so growth will be a new experience for me."

To learn more about Sister Locks visit this link Sister Locks Up Close

Thanks for your great story Elizabeth. I'm putting a humidifier on my shopping list! The air is unusually dry here in Central Florida this year and my skin is SCREAMING for moisture. Thanks for the reminder.

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