Hitting the Road

Cargo OverloadI’ve just wrapped up a ten-day vacation in Eastern Washington.

The great thing about a road trip, in my humble opinion, is that you can take everything you need with you – without having to deal with limits on excess baggage, or airport security.

For anyone who has Celiac Disease, or is dealing with food allergies, this makes a road trip ideal.

For the simple reason, you can bring everything along, relying on local grocery stores to stock up on fresh produce and whatever else you might need.

Of course, it also means you may not exactly be traveling light.

In fact, if you’re like me, the words “travel light” might not be in your DNA.

But that’s exactly what makes a road trip so ideal!

For our annual escape, we always stay at the same place – a comfortable time-share condo that is ours for exactly one week.

When we arrive it is always sparkling clean, and tastefully furnished – and that includes a well-stocked kitchen.

Even though the condo comes with a fully equipped kitchen, in the last couple of years, I’ve started bringing more and more of my own equipment.

Perhaps you can relate.

The big concern here, is cross-contamination.

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Life Lessons From Downton Abbey

Downtown Abbey smallDownton Abbey is back!

Are you one of the many fans who’ve waited in anticipation for the start of Season 4?

Perhaps, like me, you tune, in every Sunday night without fail, eager to be transported into the drama-filled lives of the show’s characters.

(Did you know you can actually visit Highclere Castle – the British mansion made famous on this hit series? Located just outside of London, it’s open for public tours 70 days each year – you can be sure I’ve added it to my list!)

Personally, here’s what I really enjoy about the show:

  • I love seeing history unfold in the moment & learning what life was like “back then”.
  • I love the interior décor of this mansion studded as it is with antiques and old master paintings gracing the walls.
  • And, of course, I’m immersed in the characters themselves, and their privileged, fictitious lives.

But what can the average person like you or I glean from a TV show like Downton Abbey – as it relates to our own lives?

Quite a lot, as it turns out!

 

EMBRACE YOUR KITCHEN

At Downton Abbey, the kitchen is the hub of the home.

In fact, most of the ‘downstairs’ scenes take place in the kitchen – not too surprising since Mrs. Pattmore  and Daisy are hard at work from the crack of dawn preparing meals for the entire household.

You may have a similar responsibility in your own home – with the added bonus of many modern conveniences!

Yet, how much time do you spend in your kitchen?

If you’ve just learned you suffer from food sensitivities – the kitchen is even more important – it’s truly the [Read more…]

5 Life Lessons From Downton Abbey

Did you catch the last episode of Downton Abbey?

There have been a lot of comments circulating this week, as another of our favorite characters met his demise.

(Some of us are still hoping for a miracle – an extend hospital stay, perhaps, or waking up to realize it was all a dream).

Others have dubbed the show “Downer Abbey”.

Which side are you on?

Recently, I  mentioned to my husband that it would be a great thing indeed, if Highclere Castle – the British mansion made famous on this hit television series – had public tours for viewing the premises.

So, imagine my surprise to read in our local paper, that the mansion IS in fact open for tours – for 70 days each year!

Yup – time to plan our next trip

All kidding aside, here’s what I really enjoy about the show:

  • I love seeing history unfold in the moment & learning what life was like “back then”.
  • I love the interior décor of this mansion – what this family calls home – studded as it is with antiques and old master paintings gracing the walls.
  • And, of course, I’m immersed in the characters themselves, and their privileged, fictitious lives.

 

So, what can the average person like you or I glean from a TV series like Downton Abbey – as it relates to our own lives?

Quite a lot, as it turns out!

Keep reading, as I share how you can bring a bit of Downton Abbey into your own home.

 

CELEBRATE YOUR KITCHEN

At Downton Abbey, the kitchen is the hub of the home.

In fact, most of the ‘downstairs’ scenes take place in the kitchen – not too surprising since Mrs. Pattmore  and Daisy are hard at work from the crack of dawn preparing meals for the entire household.

You may have a similar responsibility in your own home – with the added bonus of many modern conveniences!

Yet, how much time do you spend in your kitchen?

If you’ve just learned you suffer from food sensitivities – the kitchen is even more important – it’s truly the foundation for a healthy lifestyle and the key to making smart, informed decisions for designing a life you can embrace and love!

Why not make your kitchen the star of your home?

[Read more…]