Lise's Ramblings

What's not to like about these accessories? Hats can communicate ceremony, style and countless other statements. The milliners work magic choosing between vintage and avant-garde . Veiled or feathered. Wide brim or cropped. Ribbons or appliqués. Flowered or bejeweled. Formal or casual. Understated or outrageous. AWESOME! My favourites are the cloche hats of the 1920s. Yours?

Have you ever used an ironing board with a silent opening mechanism? All the ironing boards I've owned or borrowed have shrieked as though cats were being tortured by the fires of Hell. I can imagine that an ironing board with a quiet mechanism, which doesn't wake up people four houses away, would be AWESOME!

Apart from yoga masters, not too many of us understand the value of deep breaths. Most of us tend to think of breathing as nothing more than what we must do to stay in the land of the living. Yet a few deep breaths can help clear a cluttered mind, relax tense muscles and stop you from blurting out words you may regret. So practice the art of breathing from the depths of your body. Expand your lungs to full capacity. Oxygenate your blood. And if it's fresh sea air you're taking in, then that just makes it more AWESOME!

As a child, Easter wasn’t about overdosing on chocolate. Admittedly, back then I was envious of classmates who brought their cocoa hauls in their lunch boxes, but now I appreciate our family’s traditions. For us, Easter was about new skipping ropes, hot cross buns, matching handmade Sunday dresses for the sisters, Easter lilies next to the altar, and scrumptious meals with family and friends. Now, my knees protest when I jump rope and my domestic skills are sorely lacking when it comes to cooking and sewing. But I still long for our traditions, especially the sisters part. Whenever possible, I try to spend Easter with my sisters. This year I must settle for a virtual visit, provided that we can set up a three-way Skype session to span three time zones and varied schedules. Apart from the siblings bit, I’ve started my Easter weekend with hot cross buns, lilies and a stroll past a park where girls were skipping rope. And tomorrow, I will have Sunday dinner with good friends. Tr...

When I was young, certain dishes automatically made me feel grown up. For some reason, one particular group of dishes seemed rather worldly: cold soups. What is it about gazpacho, vichyssoise and cucumber soups? They just seem to add a little panache to any meal. During my recent vacation, cold soups achieved a whole new level of sophistication. Romel and Constantin served me a piña colada soup served in a cocktail glass aboard the Star Princess. Foods that make you feel grown up or a little special… AWESOME! Have any foods ever made you feel like you’re in another league? If so, please let me know by commenting below. Here's a link to a photo of another cruise passenger enjoying said piña colada soup and here's the official recipe for this rich and entirely over-the-top appetizer. Frozen Rum-Infused Piña Colada Soup from Princess Cruises yields 10 servings Ingredients: 2⅔ lbs pineapple (keep some slices for garnish) 1 cup sugar, granulated 2¾ cup plain yo...

Far be it for me to disagree with the Renaissance Man. He achieved simplicity through a great deal of planning, skill and care. Usually if something appears simple then someone has expended much effort to get it to that state. For me, simplicity comes in many forms and I appreciate them all. For example, basic explanations for hard-to-understand subjects clean lines in designs easy-to-follow, intuitive directions remote controls with minimal buttons packaging that minimizes waste and is effortless to remove meals that practically prepare themselves freedom from complexity and extraneous clutter Simplicity. Truly and simply... AWESOME!

While I am not a fan of unexpected textures in anything I eat, I quite enjoy seeing and touching weird and wonderful plant textures. Here are two examples: A friend of mine recently received two birthday bouquets and the flower shown in this picture looked and felt like it had feathers. Seriously, if you had a bunch of these flowers, you could make a boa. (Anyone know the name of this exotic flower?) How about furry buds on a tree? Pussy willows are one of my favourite signs of spring. At this time of year, you can purchase these gems at your local farmers' market or you can spot them along trails. Bizzare, fascinating and most definitely AWESOME!