What Ana Does

Last week I was all gung-ho about pushing my kitchen to be more plastic-free. I even had a plan . But here's the update: This is going to be a bigger challenge than I initially thought. I knew this change wasn't going to happen over night, but this is certainly going to take some serious doing. It's this new awareness that's surprising me most of all. I thought I had a good idea of the amount of plastic I bring into my kitchen. But once I really scrutinized what's at home and then the markets -- and what goes in my shopping cart -- I'm COMPLETELY BLOWN AWAY. It's A LOT of plastic. Let's start with coffee . When we moved to France, I got a cute little Nespresso coffee machine that makes me cute little cappuccinos each morning ... with single-use plastic capsules. Yes! No! I guess I could clean each little capsule and recycle the plastic, but that's not really the point, is it? It's all about the swaps, right? So, the swap here is to t...

I've told you about my favorite spots in Tenerife and shared the two-day itinerary of Madrid, so let's now get to the important stuff ... THE FOOD! Our first meal in Madrid: Tortilla Espanola on fresh bread with Cafe con Leche.  This Got Us Out There!   We ate lunch in Plaza Mayor ... which I KNOW is a faux pas, but we just wanted the views. And the ham. We got both. We were happy. Jamon Iberico -- Worth the Price of the Flight.  After sleeping through our hotel-provided breakfast the second day in Madrid, we hit the streets and found this little cafe near Plaza de Espana. Faborit Breakfast - a Mini Banana Muffin, Yogurt with Fruit and ... yes! Cafe Con Leche! In Tenerife, we had been walking around for a few hours and needed a bite. Glorious ham, manchego cheese and bread are almost always on the menu -- even at a tiny plaza cafe. Manchego Cheese and Jamon!  Seaside in Puerto, we dined on veggie pizza (surprisingly good), croquettas, a f...

Here's the best way to spend a weekend morning:  Fill a table with cookbooks, back-issues of magazines you haven't read yet, your grocery list, your weekly menu planner, to-do notebook, plenty of tech so you can check in with social media and listen to music, and a hot cup of coffee (with lots of milk). Don't forget to throw in a soft blanket and send the kids away on a sleepover.  Then, simply bask in the glory of Me time.  

My Totally Awesome Paris Metro Map Coffee Mug at Work  I've been on a mission to add caffeine to my life in the form of coffee. (I know, there are people who are weening off of coffee but me, I want ON the addiction bandwagon. Go figure.) Anyway, here's the thing about coffee: it gives people the jitters. And being the total novice that I am, it gives me crazy-major jitters. So I don't usually finish a whole cup. I use a LOT of milk. (Sorry to the rest of my coworkers who usually find an empty milk carafe next to the coffee.) And I try to snack on animal crackers or the kid's Bunny Grahams while sipping it, so protect my tummy. I drink a lot of water all day. Lots and lots. Which is according to my web research, the best way to combat the jitters. But, even with all this, I DO feel more focused and less sleepy for hours after my little cup of coffee. And I'm drinking way more water during the day. So, it's a double win. Right? Related posts: ...

Bottoms Up! As I've mentioned, I'm often very tired. Working full time, taking care of my family and pursuing all the projects (most chronicled in this blog), keep me running around all day. And I've also mentioned that my relationship with caffeine has been tenuous, at best. I'd get shaky, tremors and then hit a big low (nap!). But, lately, I've been introducing my system to white and black tea  -- rising my threshold for caffeine. And enjoying the extra jolt of energy I get. So, last week, I got a latte. And I loved it. I didn't stop moving for hours, and I got SO MUCH DONE. Yes, I like me on coffee. Related posts: More of my Coffee journey

I thought I was done with this caffeine test, but I was wrong. After a long night with Alice refusing to sleep, I'm trying a new form: White tea! It's got antioxidants, no milk and I can control the amount of caffeine I get by how long I steep the bag. It's a good start, at least. Wish me luck! Tea Test Related posts: More of my Coffee journey

My First Latte in Ten or So Years I've been thinking a lot lately about caffeine. Why? Because I've been avoiding all caffeine (other than chocolate, obviously) for the last 15ish years. It doesn't go well with my stomach issues -- and I'm over-sensitive to it, gives me major jitters. Also, I'm not so much a fan of being addicted to a food (except chocolate, obviously) and I've met friends who "come off of coffee" with different results. Not for me. But recently, I've been feeling a lot less productive. There's so much I want to accomplish in a day -- at work and at home -- and I'm not crossing enough off my list to feel satisfied. I lose steam. My mind wanders. My eyelids droop in 2:30 meetings. ... What was I saying? *yawn* Dave says I should be exercising more to increase my energy level -- which is an altogether different post. But I only see that solution as another ADDITION to a to-do list that is already out of control....