A Mouse Called Bean

Meeting people for coffee/tea chats is essential to one's social life. The coffee date serves as a safe place to sip and share stories with a loved one or friend. These disposal cups were our caffeine infused conduits and we found them to be a conversation piece in their own right. A Mouse Called Bean uses the adorable little face of a mouse as the logo on their stylishly stark black cups. It's pretty unforgettable and so were our drinks. Served quickly and, thankfully, extra hot considering the chilly weather, we were able to get ample chats in all because of a little mouse called Bean.

Green Start to the Day

Starting the day with a green smoothie is one of the best boosts you can give your body. Firstly fueling it with natural fruits and vegetables via a liquid source is like being given a gold bar. I joined one of my best and healthiest friends for breakfast and this is what awaited me. The potential nutritional energy here is massive. It's time to drink up!

Serious Salsa

It was a pretty normal Taco Tuesday in our house. Tons of food, fun and friends. We go big but keep it simple by basically serving up dozens of tacos. Tonight we inhaled about three dozen in total which is not uncommon during our weekly celebration but still impressive.

To top it all off, pun intended, was this salsa. Taco Tuesday took a turn for the better when this dish seriously sidled it's way in and then immediately took over.

Deliciously blended and easy on the eyes, it became the perfect accompaniment to our beef tacos, chicken fajitas and nachos. The salsa's corn popped with the onion which accented the tomato to blend with the beans. They all came together with kitchen chemistry to create a refreshingly Mexican side dish.

A small portion was uneaten and guess which lucky hosts got to keep the leftovers?

Duty-Free Friend With Gin

In addition to our immense love of having houseguests, is their propensity to stop at the duty-free shop on their way inland. This visitors haul included the beautiful clear spirit known as Gin.
Tanqueray in that noticeably larger bottle that's seemingly akin to all liquor that passes through duty-free shops around the world. I'm sure it has something to do with embargos and imports, but nonetheless, we'll drink to that.

Add some tonic to that and at 5 o'clock, have yourself a classy little cocktail hour.

Pumpkin, please

It's that time of year. Fall. First thought? Pumpkin. On the heels of our garden obsession, we have tasted one of the most beautiful pumpkins organically grown in the garden of a friend. Purely unfiltered photo that only hints at what was in store for our palettes. Bread, soup, muffins and lasagna are just a few of what this squash can yield. Don't be intimidated by the size or segmented exterior. Slice it open and get creative. Pumpkin is one of the most versatile foods out there so embrace the season and enjoy.

Simple Soup Does The Job

It is getting cold. The chill you to the bones kind of cold. I have been finding smart ways to warm up but if your body needs a full-on jolt of heat, then soup is the easiest way to go. I enjoyed this delicious carrot and potato soup for brunch a few weeks back from The Beach Cafe. It was perfectly seasoned and portioned with just a bit of heat to wake up the palette as well as warm the soul. A smooth soup texture paired well with the crusty bread I used to dip and taste. No crumbly bits and no leftover soup either. This was absolutely the cure for my coldness.

 Soup is simple but it has to be good in order to do the job. This one did. 

Stay warm out there!