Is it summer yet?

Everyone knows how much I hate the cold and the winter.  For some reason, everyone has been telling me how LUCKY I am that we had such a mild winter.  I should be SO happy that it was only frigid and gray for five months and not blistering, can't breathe freezing for six months.

That's like telling the guy who follows around circus elephants picking up poop that he should be lucky he doesn't work at the Apple factory in China.

Guess what?  The winter was STILL BAD!  It was still uncomfortable to sit outside.  I still barely saw the sun.  I still did not get to go in the ocean (with the exception of the polar bear plunge)!  So, now that it is almost mid-April, I am getting anxious for the days when I can walk to work without a sweater.  I want to sit outside in the morning and evening.  I want some heat!

I was lucky enough to sneak down to Florida for the weekend. 

My toenails in "Turquoise and Caicos"

 Mom!

 baby wave

Being in the sun makes me feel so good and makes me want to eat healthy!  I found some new crazy superfoods at a health store in Delray:

Goji Berries:  Everyone is always talking about how good these things are for you.  I finally found some!  They don't taste that great, but they're not bad!

Spirulina Super Chips:  These are the greatest things, ever!  The (100% organic) ingredients are: sprouted seeds, bananas, coconut, dates, spirulina.  That's all!  And they taste ridiculously awesome!  They are sweet and crunchy and way better than snacking on chips.  Definitely recommend these!

Golden Berries:  Never heard of a golden berry, but apparently they are super high in Vitamin A and have fiber, iron, and protein.  They look like raisins and taste like magic power!  It tastes like a whole orange condensed down into one little berry.  Pretty awesome!

I've also been making some delicious things myself:

The sauce on this pasta is made from.... AVOCADO!  Yep.  As a creamy alternative to the really-bad-for-you alfredo sauce, mixing up some avocado with herbs and lemon makes a really creamy and healthy pasta.  Google for recipes.

Chicken quesadillas.  These things can be delicious AND healthy!  Grab 100% whole wheat tortilla wraps with flax seed for some omega 3's - only 100 calories in the whole wrap!  Spray pam on a non-stick pan and just place the tortilla down - no butter or oil needed for crispy, perfectly browned quesadillas.  Add low fat cheese, veggies, beans, and chicken on the inside for something super filling - tastes better than fast food - but is only 700 calories for the whole meal!

I have been craving an acai bowl from Jamba Juice.  The problem is, apparently they only make them in Hawaii.  Mike is brilliant and was able to show me how to whip up some sorbet in the consistency of an acai bowl.  This is literally 6 frozen strawberries, a handful of variety pack frozen fruit (pineapple, cantaloupe, and honey dew) and two small packets of splenda.  It tastes like amazing!!

And... my mom painted me an awesome picture of my favorite beach!!!

Wish I had those skills!

Face Blind

Here's a common scenario:

I'm watching a movie with friends.  The protagonist woman begins kissing her white, middle-aged husband.  My friends gasp.  "What's the big deal?"  I ask.  "I can't believe she's cheating!"  A friend exclaims.  "Cheating?"  I ask, "But, she's kissing her husband."  "That's NOT her husband!  Are you kidding me?"

So there I am, embarrassed.  Why could everyone else tell that wasn't her husband?  They both have short brown hair and wear clothes like a polo shirt and khakis.

Another example while watching the morning news:

Mike: Ugh, she is annoying.
Me: (looking at the TV) Who is that?
Mike: Um, Kim Kardashian?
Me: Oh.

At the time this conversation happened a few months ago, I knew Kim Kardashian had some kind of reality TV show, that she was going to get married to some sports guy, and that she had sisters who she made famous.  I'm saying this because while I don't follow any celebrities (and often go out of my way not to follow them), I obviously pick up information about them just from generally being out in the world.  I have undoubtedly seen a picture of Kim Kardashian before.  I know I have seen many since then.  But, if you show me a picture of her now with no context, I am 99% certain I will not know who she is.

I would recognize her in this picture

I would NOT recognize her in this picture

Because I cannot seem to remember faces, I frequently dislike watching movies where the characters are all men who generally look the same.  My biggest problem seems to be with middle-aged white men - I cannot seem to remember them from one scene to the next.  I have always been a little self conscious about this.

Ever since I disclosed this issue to Mike, I have been comfortable enough to just ask every time I am not sure which character someone is.  Once I began doing this, I realized just how frequently the problem occurs.  It sometimes turns into fights: "I JUST told you who he was!!  Stop asking about the same guy over and over again!"

Then, everything changed.  60 minutes did an expose of Face Blindness.  

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57399118/face-blindness-when-everyone-is-a-stranger/?tag=contentMain;contentBody

Apparently, there are some people who have an issue so severe that they cannot recognize their colleagues, friends, or their own children!

Interesting Facts From The Report


People were shown photographs of movie stars and simply had no idea who Brad Pitt was.  Some people were shown pictures of their own children and did not recognize them.  These people used different cues about how to know who someone is.  They would base their reasoning on hair color and type, glasses, clothing etc...  But, if someone cut or colored their hair, it would be like a new person.

Strangely enough, people who had issues with faces had NO problems with pictures or scenery.  These people could recognize buildings, places, cars, anything else the way we all would - just not people.

When studying face blindness, they have found out that they way we process faces is much different from other things.  For example, if you look at words on a page upside down, most people can still read them or tell what they say.  This is similar to a picture of your house upside down.  However, when looking at faces, it becomes much more difficult.

These are some easy ones, but how long did it take to guess who they were compared with seeing the pictures right side up?  A split second more?

(For anyone like me - that is George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, and Rachael McAdams)

Coping with Face Blind

I generally pick up on features of people that do not have to do with their face.  Most frequently it is a hairstyle or color - sometimes glasses.  That is why, if I was shown the Kim Kardashian wedding photo above, I would know immediately who she was.  Even looking at the other picture, I can't be completely certain.  I must admit, even searching for a generic picture of her, I was nervous that I was pulling a picture of someone else that was mislabeled (oh, internet).

I think this is why I have more trouble with men.  Women usually have more distinguishing characteristics that are not their face.  Men's appearances are usually the same.  Why do I struggle more with white men?  In a lot of Hollywood movies, there are more white characters to differentiate between and fewer minorities.  (I obviously disagree with this being the norm, but it unfortunately is).

Super Recognizers

On the opposite side of face blind, there are people who remember every face they've ever seen!  People will remember every waiter, sales person, or encounter.  These super recognizers have issues too.  Frequently they can appear stalkerish.  "Do you remember me?  You were once walking with my friend to class seven years ago."  These people have to take cues from those around them.  If it's clear someone doesn't recognize them, they'd better not say anything at all.

The 60 minutes report showed one super recognizer who could identify EVERYONE!  She was shown pictures of people at different ages.  She was able to recognize Mike Wallace as a 6 year old!  These people say that faces don't really change over time - it's still the same face.  I'm jealous of that ability.

I obviously don't have a very severe case and I never have problems with people who I have met in real life (as opposed to actors on a screen).  Don't worry, friends.  If I didn't recognize you on the street, it's probably because I wasn't wearing my glasses.

Food and Fitness - (The hipster food blog)

After the big 3-0 celebration, I haven't completely forgotten my age and have been particularly motivated to eat well and stay fit.  I'm not in my 20's anymore so it's use it or lose it time!  Since it's cold in New York for about 8 months of the year (YES EVEN THIS YEAR!  40 DEGREES IS STILL COLD!!) I really can't see myself leaving the house to go to the gym.  (Not to mention the $150/month price tag).

We completed a few cycles of P90X this past year and some of the insanity workouts.  I like them because I can exercise in my PJs.  This week we started P90X2!  Woo hoo!  I can already tell it's going to be really different - the first month is completely focused on CORE.  Perhaps this time I will finally be able to do a legitimate pull-up.

I also can't stop reading fitness blogs... my favorite being my friend Laura's http://www.sprint2thetable.com/  (I got a lot of awesome recipes this week from her).

Speaking of which, more exciting than exercise is FOOD!

(We bought tons of fresh fruits!)

Feel free to use my week of recipes!  (Special thanks to instagram for awesome pictures!)

SATURDAY

Menu:
- Seafood Stuffed Salmon
- Tumeric Vegetable Brown Rice
- Wilted Spinach
- Asparagus


SUNDAY

Menu:
- Sausage, Bean, and Broccoli Rabe Stew
- Raw Sweet Potato Hummus
- Chia Pudding


MONDAY

Menu:
- Bibimbap!

TUESDAY

Menu:
- Burrito Bowl (Chipotle, eat your heart out)

WEDNESDAY

Menu:
- Gyro Bowl with Tzatziki
- Quinoa Tabouli
- Side Avocado


THURSDAY

- Tofu Curry

RECIPES

Shaina, how can I make some of these delicious creations?!  I'm glad you asked!  Here are some of the awesome recipes.  If you need more detail or advice on cooking some of the others just let me know!

BIBIMBAP

I improvised my bibimbap, but some of the basics make it super yummy.
Meat - I sliced flank steak and soaked it in soy sauce with tons of garlic and sriracha.  Then I just cooked it in a pan and it was sooo yummy!
Rice - Cook brown rice in a rice cooker.  Spray pam on a non-stick pan and smush the rice down covering the pan.  Let it sit on medium heat for a while and it will get all crispy crunchy yummy.  Who needs a stone bowl?
Tofu - I cut up tofu and put it right into a non-stick pan.  It crisps up with no extra fat.  Here, after it was cooked, I added Bragg amino acids, sriracha, and garlic.
Carrots - Julienne the carrots, boil them for a few minutes, then take them out and add sriracha and agave.  sweet, spicy and crunchy!
Bok Choy - Sautee in sesame oil and garlic until delicious.
Eggplant - Slice and sautee in sesame oil then add Bragg amino acids and garlic
Sugar Snap Peas - Boil then dunk in ice water.  They are so good as is!
Spinach - Boil quickly.

Layer everything pretty on the place and put one fried egg on top and cover with hot sauce and sesame seeds!

RAW SWEET POTATO HUMMUS

When I first thought about eating raw sweet potato, I was excited but also grossed out.  This recipe is really cool though.  And sweet potatoes are so good in every diet!!  (Normal, Vegan, Paleo, Gluten free, Low fat - it fits everything!)

1 medium sweet potato (raw and unpeeled)

2 T tahini

4-5 drops liquid smoke

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 Meyer lemon

1 T water

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp cumin

Blend it all together in a blender.

I stole this from Laura who got it from  this recipe from Rande @ The Vegetable Centric Kitchen

BURRITO BOWL

You already know how to make this - Chipotle does it too!  The secret to any home Mexican food is Adobo seasoning.  You don't have to know what you're doing if you just dump this on all your meat and veggies.

Cooked brown rice 

Heat up a can of black beans - they half turn into refried beans - yum

Sautee bell peppers and onions together with oil and add adobo seasoning.

Cook ground beef and add adobo seasoning.

Layer with fresh avocado, lettuce, salsa, guacamole, fresh tomatoes, lemon or lime, and cilantro (you can even add cheese)

SAUSAGE BEAN AND BROCCOLI RABE STEW

This one is so easy!!  Thanks, Lisa, for letting me know!

Buy hot Italian sausage and remove the casings.  Then make little tiny meatballs with the meat inside!  Cook it in a pan with onions.  Cut up broccoli rabe and add that to the pot.  Add chicken stock and cans of white or pink beans.  Add salt.  Boom.  Done.  Oh, and then shave Parmesan cheese on top.  Woo hoo!

QUINOA TABOULI

Good idea, right?  Instead of cous cous or bulgar, use quinoa with cucumbers, tomatoes, lemon, and parsely!

CURRY

Curry is super easy.  You can throw anything in there.  I usually like sweet potatoes, tofu, chickpeas, bok choy, eggplant, asparagus, peas, and peppers.  Anything goes.  The secret to curry is cooking the curry powder in oil and then adding coconut milk before adding it to the rest of the pot.  Sprinkling curry powder on veggies won't really give it the intense flavor.

CHIA?

What the heck is Chia?  I kind of have no idea.  But, I think it's the same seeds from ch-ch-ch-chia!  These little suckers puff up like tapioca when you put them in liquid.  They have more calcium than milk, more omega-3 than salmon, and tons of fiber.  So, they're super good for you!  I was told to use a 1:4 ratio for chia seed to liquid.  I put mine in skim milk, added vanilla, cinnamon, coconut flakes, and a scoop of peanut butter.  It looks gross but tastes super yummy!

A different type of birthday!

I'll get to letting everyone know how the big 30th birthday party went.

But, first, I wanted to wish a happy 100th birthday to my Gung Gung (that's Chinese for grandpa - because I am clearly Chinese, that is what I called him).

He passed away a couple years ago - but we always told him we would celebrate his 100th!

There we are!  He was almost exactly 70 when I was born.  

100 years is pretty incredible - he was born in 1912, the year the Titanic sailed!  While the story of the Titanic is pretty incredible, my Gung Gung had a pretty incredible life of his own.  When I was growing up, I chose to write my school report on him.  Today, I write a blog about him.

Growing Up
My Grandfather was born in Nuremberg, Germany at a time very hostile to Jews.  He came from an extremely poor family and remembers having nothing but a potato to eat in an entire week.  He was fortunate enough to come to America when he was only 9 years old.  He sailed on the Susquehanna in 1921 bound for Ellis Island.  Of course, the ship ran aground in Boston, which became his port of entry.  He remembers disembarking the ship and hearing his very first words of English.  "One Side!"  The ship workers screamed at the immigrants who were crowding the walkways.  "One Side!"  He repeated and smiled.

Meeting my Grandma
My Grandparents were both musicians throughout their entire life.  My Grandmother played the violin (at Carnegie Hall!) and was a music teacher.  My Grandpa played the french horn, harmonica, and drums (he was even in a rock band and had a stage name - Marty "White"...I guess Marty "Schneebalg" didn't have that rock star ring to it).  When my Grandmother was only 17, my Grandpa saw her sitting on a rock by a lake playing the harmonica.  He got very excited and said to his brother, "There's a girl by the lake!  She plays a terrible harmonica, but she sure is beautiful!"

New York Living
As much as I complain about New York, this is where my family started!  My Grandfather became a dress cutter.  Until the day he died, he could tie the perfect bow!  I always used to ask him to tie the bows on my dresses and I loved receiving presents wrapped with his touch.  He liked living in New York in the Lower East Side and the Bronx.  He even won the New York City 50 yard dash and was congratulated by a world famous runner.  Of course, my Grandmother's parents did not like having a poor dress cutter courting their young daughter.  They moved to Florida to get away from him.  He followed.

A Flying Career
Once in Miami, my Grandpa became a mechanic for Pan American Airlines.  He maintained the planes and painted them.  He loved planes and always wanted me to be a pilot - we even have an old wooden propeller from those days.  Working for an airline had great benefits including free stand by travel to Hawaii!  I was glad I got to see my Grandparents so often despite living far away.  Of course, I remember many times we would say goodbye to them and have a mini cry fest only to have them bumped off the plane.  Then we'd have to do our goodbyes over again the next night.  This could go on for weeks.

A Chicken Story
My favorite memory of my Grandpa was when I was about 10 years old.  My mom was away and he was home taking care of me.  On my way to Japanese class after school, a woman stopped me and asked if I liked Chickens.  Of course I said yes.  She handed me a box and walked quickly away.  In the box was a baby chicken!!  I brought it home to my Grandpa and asked if I could keep it.  He didn't know what my mom would say so he said yes.  We fed it creamed corn and it pooped all over the carpet that night.  (My chicken, "peep" turned into a really cute  rooster and would crow at 5am until my neighbors stole it and ate it).

Oh, the Irony
My Grandpa lost contact with a lot of his family that stayed in New York.  It used to be very hard to keep in touch.  But, the internet fixed that.  Once day when my uncle was googling my Grandpa, a different Martin Schneebalg popped up.  There's ANOTHER Martin Schneebalg?!  Thinking it a bizarre coincidence, we contacted him.  It took throwing out only a few names to realize he was related!!  Martin Schneebalg #2 opened up a whole world of family we had never known.  He even came down to Florida and got to meet my Grandpa right before he died.

Happy 100th birthday, Gung Gung!  I love you and miss you!

30 for 30 Countdown #1 - Surround Yourself

It's the eve before my 30th birthday, and nothing could possibly make me happier than surrounding myself with my friends and family, which is exactly what I did.

We should all surround ourselves with the ones we love as often as possible.  I am so fortunate to have everyone I love either with me tonight or with me in spirit.  Every single one of you who has read any of my 30 for 30 experiences has helped make this birthday so special to me!

A special birthday party!

Special thanks to George for the BEAUTIFUL lei from Hawaii!  You were missed!

I will post more pictures later and let everyone know about all of the fun Disney experiences!  Thanks again!  T-1.5 hours!

30 for 30 Countdown #2 - Play!

I don't care how old I get - I'm never too old to play!

One of the worst parts about being an adult is forgetting how to just play.  Kids seem to have a good time wherever they go.  They are always making up games and laughing until they can't breathe.  Adults like to just sit around and have conversations.  Sometimes we have to force ourselves to play like kids again.

So, to play like a kid today, I insisted that we go mini golfing!  In a fun kid-like situation, it's easy to act like a kid and just....play!

Taking a dive off the diving board!!

We went to the winter summerland golf course and played on the summer course.  We went over bridges and through sand castles!  We golfed over a sleeping Santa and around a melting frosty the snowman!

We played boys vs. girls...  The boys were really upset that we all beat them ;)  If only Chad wasn't a professional golfer...

 

Daddy got a hole in one!

We will always be goofy girls!

I'm the queen of the castle!!     

Not only kids can play!  Even grandmas can!

30 for 30 Countdown #3 - In Memoriam

27 days ago I took on the challenge of doing something new or fun or wacky every day for the 30 days until I reach 30.  Today, instead, I took the day to remember a great friend's dear mother who has passed.  She is very much loved and will always be in my thoughts.