current craving! at: kelsidagger.com

DOUBLES

DOUBLES....... WHAT MORE CAN I SAY OTHER THAN DELICIOUS! If you are ever in Trinidad you must try this amazing street food! As soon as I got off the plane, they took me to a street stand to get one.... well let's just say I had TWO and I NEVER eat food from street stands...  Wikipedia gives a great definition of them...

"Doubles is a common street food in Trinidad and Tobago. It is a sandwich made with two flat fried breads, called "bara" (hence the name "doubles"), filled with curried chick peas or garbanzo beans, commonly called channa (from Hindi/Bhojpuri "chanaa"). Topped with a variety of spicy chutneys (mango, cucumber, coconut, tamarind) and extra pepper sauce (ranging from a dash "slight" to much more), this delicacy is undoubtedly the most popular fast food in Trinidad and Tobago."

byodo-in temple

..buddhist temple in oahu, hawaii.

it is a full-size replica of byodo-in temple in uji, japan.

my visit left me feeling peaceful.  the fog was a bonus.  it felt unreal but also amazing.

located at base of a mountain on the windward side of oahu.  this was in late september.

bring a light jacket if you visit.  definitely worth your time.

current craving!

this ring is so organic, like some thing you'd dig up from your backyard...

    http://maniamania.bigcartel.com/

                                                 

                                                          

Twilight mania!

the "saga" hit vietnam the same time it did here

found these stacks at a book store in saigon aka: ho chi minh city

Push It... Push It Good

Start to tone your arms, shoulders, and chest with these easy to do at home push ups!

Beginners- Start with the modified push ups on your knees, do 4 sets of 5 push ups, as you get stronger you will be able to do more push ups, when you can do 3 sets of 20 push ups with minimal rest you are ready to move on.

Intermediate- Start with 1 set of 5 regular, unmodified push ups, followed by 3 sets of 5 modified push ups. When you are able to do 4 sets of 10 unmodified push ups, you are ready to advance.

Advanced- Begin with 1 set of 20 regular, unmodified push ups. Continue to a 2nd and 3rd set of 20 unmodified push ups, by doing as many unmodified as you can followed by modified.When you can do all 60 without modification you are ready to advance to some variations of the common push up.

MODIFIED PUSH UP

REGULAR UNMODIFIED PUSH UP

a mid-summer nite's meal

salad with roasted beets and goat cheese

simple salad from farmer's market, threw some beets into the oven then peel after cooking

add cheese and a little bottled dressing.

grilled asparagus with egg salad

cooked asparagus in coconut oil on stovetop with grooved pan

egg salad made with a touch of curry powder and the usual of mayo...

farro and corn with portobello mushroom

simmered grain and shucked corn in chicken stock and season to taste

grill mushroom and garnish with parmesan reggiano 

Walk This Way

Let's face it.... almost everyone could be a little more active.... but being active doesn't mean, joining a sports team or running a marathon. It can be as simple as walking. Walking is a great activity because it is low impact but you can make it as easy or as challenging as you want it to be. This workout is even great for runners! Try adding this workout once or twice a week into your weekly routine...


Beginners: Start by walking for 4 minutes at a comfortable pace on flat terrain, followed by 1 minute at an accelerated pace, continue this pattern for 20 minutes.


Intermediate: Start by walking for 3 minutes at a comfortable pace, followed by 1:30-2 minutes at an accelerated pace for 30 minutes.

Advanced: Start by walking for 2 minutes at a comfortable pace, followed by 2-3 minutes accelerated for 30 minutes.

* Spend 2-4 weeks at each level

* Do each level 1-2 times per week

*Before moving on to the next level complete your current level on a hilly or more challenging terrain instead of just flat multiple times.

* Allow yourself a couple days of rest or you can do alternate cardio activities between walking workouts

* As you advance though the workouts, to increase the challenge of the workout you can decrease the "rest time" or the time spent at the comfortable pace, increase the total length of the workout, or increase the "intensity" or speed you are walking at during your accelerated portions.

HAPPY WALKING!

gooood morning, vietnam!

i was craving and i mean craaaving vietnamese food today.  

this joint is in a strip mall in milpitas.

30 miles away but i had to drag myself there

green papaya salad with sesame dried-beef and thai basil

refreshing for a summer day.

perfect sauce with balance of sweetness, salt and heat.

vegetarian spring rolls

freshly rolled with tofu, bean sprouts, lettuce and rice vermicelli.

an acceptable version of the roll with shrimp and pork, 

accompanying sauce was good.

yumm yumm yumm

my favorite:  jumbo prawns simmered in garlic and onion sauce.

it's between a broth and sauce really

typically 2-3 prawns per order but so satisfying.

difficult to describe but must be had.

vegetarian pan-fried noodles

crispy golden vermicelli topped with sauteed tofu and veggies

standard dish, not outstanding but still good eats.

 crisp rice-flour cupcakes with shrimp and scallions

so good

this is a very traditional vietnamese dish

served with greens of lettuce, mint, and basil

dipping sauce

rolled together and dipped in sauce

yummy!!

Lunge into great summer legs

Looking for new ways to tone and shape your legs for summer. Try these 3 types of lunges at home. Great for men and women.

Beginners: start with 2 sets of 20 lunges per leg, per exercise, twice a week ( Start with two of the exercises and gradually increase to three after a couple weeks)

Intermediates: 3 sets of 20 lunges per leg, per exercise, twice a week ( Intermediates can do all three exercises)

Advanced: 3 sets of 20 lunges per leg, per exercise, three times a week ( You may add some small hand weights 5-10lbs, to make this more challenging)

Stationary Lunge

Reverse Lunge

Forward Lunge

*Remember it is always better to start slowly and gradually work your way up, decide which level you believe you are and start one level below it for those who think they are intermediate or advanced.

* After following the guidelines for your level for two weeks, if you feel you need to increase the challenge, move up to the next level.
This workout should take 6-9 weeks to progress from beginner to advanced.

summer! time for nude...

...shoes, that is.

see yourself in my sandals.

picked these up last year and been waiting for the right moment.

the wedge heels are mirrored metallic and very comfortable for the height.

pairing these with a white dress this weekend but i can see them with almost everything.

more nudes...

these are by "charlie my love"

incredibly walk-able.  

thinking of styling these with denim cut-off shorts.

Xyclo of Flavor

We started with the Saigon Devil Wing - chicken wings in a garlic caramel glaze. Unfortunately there is no picture because they went so fast that there was no time to take one.

I would describe them as delicious, a perfect blend of sweet and spice. My one complaint would be that the portion should be slightly larger than it was. 

 

Full of flavor, very fresh green beans, satisfying to both sense of taste and smell, great portion size. It was nice that the meal wasn't overwhelmingly full of rice.

Lemongrass Basil Chicken – chicken sauteed with lemongrass, Thai basil, chili, green bean,

coconut milk, served with rice

Italian inspired, delicious, solid flavor, large portion. This wasn't a must try dish, but it could fall into the solid and stable range, there for you when you want comfort food with a twist.

Butterfly Prawns - grilled jumbo prawns, served with garlic herb noodles

Located on Piedmont Ave in Oakland, the parking is a bit of a challenge, but the atmosphere is nice. They did a good job with the decor. It is casual dress, and perfect for date night or take out.

Xyclo

4218 Piedmont Ave
Oakland, CA 94611-4714

(510) 654-2681

www.xyclorestaurant.com

holey...

...bacon maple donut.  

every once in a while i run into something i must try.  this time the result was awesome.  

this treat is by nickel diner in los angeles and covered by food network's guy fieri.  

shopping my own closet:

in a time of stilettos, i managed to find this treat:  kitten heels.

perfect for a leisure sunday brunch and stroll.

First Steps

It all starts here......THE CLEVELAND CASCADES

The great thing about stairs is you can accommodate just about any fitness level. You can walk them, run them, lunge them, hop them, etc..... The young, the old, the whole family can workout with nothing more than some athletic shoes and motivation. Next time you want to get a workout in, head to the stairs....you'll strengthen, tone, and do cardio all at the same time.

For those of you in Oakland, check out The Cleveland Cascades or the Oakland Rose Garden for great stairs. Feel free to leave other great stairs locations.

Up in the air

With my sky high clogs.......................

Shoes: Charli by Jeffrey Campbell

Got these a couple months ago. Love them. You can still get these from freepeople.com. They are the first runs made in Spain. If you see them at nordstrom.com they are made in China and style name is Charli-C. They do feel different due to factory origin. However, of you covet the Chanel clogs, you'll be happy with these as they are very similar.

Sunglasses, summer's greatest accessory

The sun has finally come out and looks like it will be here to stay. Here are some styles to inspire you if it is time to switch up summer's greatest accessory.

 Perfect for casual wear with just about anything....

These are for the fashionistas.... Who want a little more edge to the classic black sunglasses

 For the fashionably adventureous 

You can only wear these with extreme confidence

Sophisticated, flirty, and fun

For those women who are always on the run

What do you think.....Do you have a favorite color, style, or brand of sunglasses that you can't live without?