Instead of going to some chain restaurant with a long wait list, full of rowdy kids and crying babies (exactly what you are trying to escape), why not chart a course to explore the cities lesser-known ports together using a progressive dinner concept?

The night before the date, search online for a few local eateries that are a bit off the beaten path. Print out the addresses and once the kids are dropped off head to your first destination and revel in each other’s company and conversation. You’ll be surprised how much fun you can have simply trying to find your first stop.

Here’s the plan:

1. First stop – Drinks. Whether you have an ice-cold beer, glass of fine red, or just an iced tea, don’t get a menu or you might be tempted to eat. No bread, or chips and dip either, you are just there for a relaxing drink and a little chatting and people watching.

2. Second Stop – Appetizers. Once again, no bread or chips and dip. Instead, try to visit a place where you can try sushi, oysters on the half shell, or maybe stuffed jalapeños. Try something new and enjoy the experience.

3. Third Stop – Entrée. Avoid an expensive or fancy spot; instead, try something low-key like a mom and pop pizzeria, or maybe an out-of-the-way burger joint. If you can share something, that’s even better.

4. Fourth stop – Dessert. No question. It has to be ice cream. Find an independently owned parlor if you can, and split the house special sundae. Trust me.

5. Final stop – After dinner drink. This is a great way to tie a nice bow on the evening. Sit, sip, and talk about the highlights of the date. Try to avoid a chain whose name rhymes with war bucks. Find a little café, whose servers don’t have hula-hoops hanging in their earlobes, and enjoy ordering a coffee or blended mocha.

A great date night, much like life, can be about the journey together and not the destination. Listen to songs you have not heard in ten years, talk about dreams, not problems, and remind yourselves why you fell in love to begin with.

As always,
Stay hungry my friends.

photos istockphoto

Do you ever notice how kids look suspiciously at any green food you put on their plate? My kiddo makes the cutest face, crinkles up her nose, and asks, “What is that?” followed by, “Do I have to eat it?” What she doesn’t understand is even though french fries taste better, they’re not quite as good for you as, say, brussels sprouts. Isn’t this the essential battle of parenthood, trying to balance the amount of good things your kids eat, with the pleasures of a mound of grease and a side of soda pop?

The key is to find a happy medium between taste and health. Think of it this way; if your kids will only eat broccoli with cheese melted, that is still better for them than cheese fries. Active, growing children burn fat and calories like wild fire. So as long as they are eating their vegetables, don’t sweat it if they are dousing them in ketchup, cheese, or even whip cream. Think of it as a headache-saving compromise. They get the nutrients and vitamins their bodies need and you don’t have to listen to them complain.

In the recent weeks, I have been a little wordy and run out of room for a recipe. So I’m going to stop talking and do some cooking. Here is a recipe that might help you get some green vegetables into your family with a little less resistance.

These would be great with a baked chicken breast, wild rice and some glazed carrots. You can also substitute 1 lb. of brussels sprouts or asparagus for the green beans. Remember, the whole idea is to get just a few more green foods into the family diet.

However you make it, share it with your loved ones and it will taste great.

As always,
Stay hungry my friends.

photo tasteofhome.com

So, for your inspiration, here’s a sampling of beautiful rooms from pale sky and peacock blue to royal and navy blue…enjoy!

photos click on photo for credit

Now that I am a grown-up (kind of…), I still love all the perks of city life. But, I also see the drawbacks now too: higher home prices. In most areas, the closer you get to downtown, the higher cost per square foot. This translates to learning how to make the most of every square inch as well as bringing a little slice of nature into the concrete jungle.

Whether you live in the city or the country, here are some great ideas for living in cramped quarters.

Light gives the illusion of large spaces. This room has a lot of furniture in it, but you really aren’t overwhelmed by it because it is not blocking the natural light. Lucite pieces have seen a huge resurgence recently and popping up in big box stores (or online like at overstock.com) at reasonable prices. Lucite pieces are also wonderful if you have a lot of architectural detail because they don’t compete with the house.

So then, what to write about? Well, for me it broke down like this:
1. Red = Love
2. Love is Amore
3. “When the moon hits your eye, like a big-a pizza pie, that’s amore…”

Quite obviously, I had to talk about pizza. Last week, I ordered a large pizza from a national chain, and after the tip, it cost me $24.00. A pizza costs the delivery chain roughly five dollars to make, so paying nearly five times that amount is ridiculous.

With that in mind, I am starting a “stop ordering pizza” campaign. Here is a recipe for pizza sauce that can be made ahead of time and refrigerated several days. Buy a premade pizza crust, whatever veggies and meats your family likes, and turn your kitchen into a pizzeria.

Quick Tip: I usually double the recipe, and use the extra to make mini pizza-dillas, or add some chopped veggies and put it over whole-wheat pasta later in the week for a really easy meal.

Once you have made the sauce, lay out your premade pizza crust on a cookie sheet or piece of foil, and top it however you would like. Here is how I like mine:

You can make your own crust, but with so many great premade options it’s not worth the extra work. Pick out your favorite style of crust and toppings. Get the kids to help you make it, then eat it in front of a movie with your family and I promise it will be delicious.

As always,
Stay hungry my friends.

photo istockphoto.com

I’m just not really a thing person. When I was trying to think of 12 things I couldn’t live without, I asked myself, "If someone told me I had two minutes to grab what I needed to go on a vacation, what would I have to grab." One thing would be mousse, to contain this curly, frizzy mess on top of my head. Then would be mascara…and maybe some lip-gloss. I didn’t feel like that was going to make for a very exciting list. Then, I started thinking about what we could NOT live without around here, and the word that kept resounding through my ears was laughter. And that’s what I wrote about.

As spring blooms around you with longer and warmer days, it’s the perfect opportunity to plan a little vacation…in your own hometown. Sometimes all it takes is a little outside help and inspiration to make us see our same old world in a whole new way.

A great way to get a fresh perspective on your town is with walking tour. Most major cities offer tours based on a variety of topics, including location, history, special interest, and local color. When we lived in New York City, we took a tour of the filming locations of popular movies with Gotham Walking Tours. A quick search online, or even a call to your city’s tourism office or Chamber of Commerce, will provide you with many more guided tour options in your town or a major city nearby.

If you’re interested in exploring your world on your own, try a self-guided itinerary or even a podcast. Frommer’s Travel Guides offers free walking tour itineraries on their website for cities all over the world. You can also download audio tours to your mP3 player from a number of different sites. AudioSnacks offers tours of cities and sites across the globe, many of them for free. You can get a private audio tour of the Boston Public Garden or the Wyoming Pioneer Museum for free. For about $10 you could download their tours of Downtown Denver or even Downtown Disney. Don’t forget to check out the Web site of your local travel and tourism board, too. Texas Tourism, for example, offers free downloadable audio tours of the major cities around the state, including San Antonio, Corpus Christi and Fort Worth.

So while that much-needed vacation may still be months away, it’s the perfect time to recharge with a little exploration of your own backyard. Who knows? Without the hassles of planning, packing, unpacking, driving or flying, it just might be the perfect destination.

Have other tips for becoming a tourist in your own hometown? Let us know!

photos istockphoto

My favorite way to do that is to spend an afternoon just outside the city, hunting down cottage treasures!

Just heading out of town by a half hour or more could save you big bucks! Flea markets, antique sales and barn sales in the country are often filled with treasures us city dwellers see in town, but at a fraction of the price!

These are just a few of the things I regularly spot while treasure hunting in the country:

Vintage marquee letters

Skeleton keys

Galvanized metal buckets and crates

Mismatched antique flatware

Salvaged windows and doors

Old grain and flour sacks

photos countryliving.com, ohdeedoh.com, houseandgarden.com, apartmenttherapy.com, ashleyannphotography.com, washingtonspaces.com

One of the biggest adjustments that I faced as a new wife was in the area of finances. We hadn’t been married very long when we came to the startling realization that we had very different perspectives on how to spend our money. I saw shoes and jewelry as perfectly acceptable investments, while my husband enjoyed buying stock in video games. We quickly agreed that some adjustments would have to be made if we wanted to be able to pay rent and buy groceries in the same month. Writing out a budget was a true test of patience for us both, but in the end, the process revealed that this new season of life had resulted in a shift of our priorities. When it came down to it, the areas that we really valued were where we wanted to invest our money.

I wish that I could tell you that we lived happily ever after as we followed our beautiful budget, but that would a bit of a stretch from the truth. What I can say is that over the last two years, I have learned that my attitude plays a huge role in determining my level of contentment. I can follow a budget and resist an impulse purchase, but if I have a horrible attitude about it, resentment and bitterness start to blossom in my heart. However, when I choose to acknowledge that my financial decisions today impact my goals for tomorrow, it is easier to gain some balance. I might still really want to blow the budget for a new purse, but because I have placed more value on reaching a specific goal, resisting my shopper’s impulse isn’t as difficult. I can choose to be content.

Throughout the week, we have been introduced to a variety of ways to help us transform a part of our world without breaking the bank. To make a successful shift in our thinking, we have to examine our attitude towards our finances. It is possible for us to live satisfied and happy lives without extravagant spending.

photo istockphoto