Living La Vida Holoka


How to Handle Adult Tantrums

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Okay.  I know what you’re thinking.  Adults don’t have tantrums.  Toddlers have tantrums.  Even though we might not throw ourselves on the floor and scream, I’m pretty damn sure there have been times when we’ve all wanted to!  Just this past Monday, I kind of felt myself wanting to throw a massive fit.  It was Labor Day.  I was not supposed to be “laboring.”  I was supposed to enjoying the last hurrah of summer.  Right?  

Wrong.

Instead, I was getting my hustle on.  My day started out great!  I knew I had to get some work done.  Even though it was a holiday, it was still a Monday.  So I sat down and wrote out a list of goals. I was accomplishing them one-by-one and then BOOM!  My game was completely thrown off!  A couple of deadlines totally snuck up on me and I immediately went into over-drive.  


Meanwhile, I had plans to do a couple things with my husband.  The workload seemed to multiply in an instant. I even canceled plans to attend a concert this weekend.  Even if I accomplished everything that I had to do, the thought of a loud social scene just seemed exhausting.  Maybe I’m just getting old.

There’s nothing worse than feeling like you have things in order and then being thrown off course.  I was completely overwhelmed and so close to tears!  It’s times like this when you need to take a step back before an adult temper tantrum happens and you’re walking around like Godzilla throwing fire.

Walk away

I knew I had to get things done, projects to make, and photos to take.  But I was reaching my breaking point.  So I stepped away.  My husband was handing outside with the dog.  I went outside to sit on the deck with them for a little while.  It helped, I got to vent a little, and it made going back to my project easier.

Sniff lavender

Calm yo self.  Lavender is soothing to the senses and has a great calming effect.  It’s my go-to scent of choice when anxiety starts creeping up on me. We have two lavender plants growing in the backyard.  I love snipping sprigs of lavender and keeping them in a small vase.  I also like to keep a bottle of lavender essential oil nearby to sniff when I need to calm down.

Write it out

One of my favorite ways to get rid of stress is to write.  Whether it’s a letter, a blog post, a journal entry, or even just a to-do list, writing it out always seems to help. This week, making a list was very helpful.  Nothing makes me feel more accomplished than seeing tasks being crossed out when completed.

Have a good cry

If all else fails, go somewhere quiet and cry.  Sometimes a good cry is all you need to feel better.  Crying doesn’t mean you’re weak.  You’re human. Tears happen.

Be grateful

No matter what, always be grateful.  Someone out there has it a lot worse than you.  I might complain about my workload and looming deadlines, but I’m grateful for what I do.  I’m grateful for my husband that works hard so I can work from home as a blogger.  I’m grateful for the house we live in, the food on our table, and so much more.

Don’t beat yourself up if you scrap everything and take a mental health day to binge watch TV.  You can always make tomorrow a better day.

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How to Throw a Seriously Sweet Brunch for Two

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I received a complimentary bottle of Valdo Prosecco in exchange to photograph and review.  All opinions are 100% my own.  No other compensation has been received for this post.


My husband gets a lot of vacation time and uses most of it over the summer.  When you’ve worked for the same company for a couple of decades, you’ve definitely earned a vacation week or two…or six. Despite having so much time off, we didn’t plan anything too exciting this summer.  My schedule’s been a bit of an unorganized mess. Most days, plans didn’t go much further than dragging my husband along to grab blog supplies or having him help me with a project.  It’s okay.  We’re not much for traveling anyway.

So maybe it wasn’t a summer at the beach, but we’ve definitely had some fun!  That’s the thing about us – even if our plans are totally low key, we still put our own spin on them to make it a good time.  Take hanging out on our deck.  It’s where we spend most of the summer.  Our backyard is our place to escape.  The deck is where we spend sunny afternoons talking.  It’s where we dine al fresco after preparing a meal on the grill.  Most recently, it became a place to for the two of us to brunch.

Brunch doesn’t have to be an extravagant event.  You can create an intimate brunch setting for just two people. All you need are a few sweet treats to eat, a little bit of bubbly, and some creativity!

Keep it simple

Since I was throwing a sweet little brunch for just the two of us, I was able to cut a few corners.  Instead of spending time in the kitchen baking up sweets and putting together platters, I cheated. Everything that I served was store bought. That meant that I spent less time in the kitchen prepping and cleaning up and more time enjoying this small spread with my husband.

Get fresh

A dozen mixed donuts and pastries is definitely a sweet way to enjoy brunch.  Especially when the donuts are as big as your head!  But don’t let your sweet tooth over-indulge on sugary bakery goods alone.  Add something fresh to your table like a small fruit plate.  Summer berries are still in season. They’re a healthier way to satisfy your craving for something sweet.  Plus, the mix of fruit and berries adds some gorgeous color to the table!

Make a small flower arrangement 

Speaking of freshness, I absolutely love fresh flowers!  But if you keep refilling your vase every week with store bought bouquets, it can start getting expensive.  Instead, head to the craft store!  I recently found some great floral bundles to use in a DIY project.  Each bundle cost less than a bouquet of fresh flowers.  They may not smell as nice, but they’ll last us a lot longer!

Add a homemade touch

Everyone loves a personal, handmade touch.  Aside from my simple floral arrangement, I also decorated our table with a teacup candle that I made. I used easy melt and pour wax and a vintage looking mug and saucer set I bought super cheap at HomeGoods.  Candles always add great ambiance to any table! Click here for more DIY candle ideas!

Break out the bubbly

No brunch is complete without something bubbly to sip on!  Valdo Prosecco is the perfect accompaniment to a light brunch.  Whether you’re serving food that’s sweet or savory, Valdo Prosecco will pair beautifully with your brunch dishes.  It’s light and crisp with notes of apple and pear.

Prosecco is sparkling wine that’s an affordable alternative to serving champagne.  It has fruitier flavor notes than champagne, so it’s a great brunch beverage!  For more information about Valdo Prosecco visit the Pasternak Wines website.


Summer is winding down, which means it’s the perfect time to start poppin’ bottles over a delicious spread. Whether you’re hosting two or 10, your next brunch will be a sweet success with these simple tips!

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How to Bring France to Your Backyard This Summer

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One of my favorite places in the world is a place that I’ve never even been to – France. I have dreams of the French countryside and vineyards, visiting Paris at night, and indulging in French wine and cheese at a quaint bistro.  Maybe someday I’ll get to live out my Parisian fantasies.  For now, I’ll try to bring a taste of France to my own backyard this summer.  

Since we do a lot of cooking and dining on the deck during the summer, my vision for a culinary visit to France wasn’t too hard to achieve.  All I needed was the right ingredients and atmosphere! If a summer vacation abroad isn’t in the cards this summer, today I’ll show you how to bring a taste of France to your own backyard.

Set the table with French-inspired decor

Our table was set with French country style placements, a sunflower print dish to serve grilled salads on, and a chic cheese plate to be filled with small bites of bread, French cheeses, and strawberries.  A ceramic statue of the Eiffel Tower was placed on the table, as well.  Throwing a nighttime party? Place a few candles on the table to create a soft glow. 

Play your favorite French music

I am a big fan of the French group, Air.  Their electronica songs are breezy and easy listening.  I recommend their album, Talkie Walkie.  It’s one of my favorites!  I also quite enjoy Vanessa Paradis (yes, Johnny Depp’s ex). She has some catchy tunes like, Be My Baby.  It’s one of her English hits with a fun beat!


Drink French wine

I must admit that I haven’t tried too many French wines.  Les Vins George DuBeouf were quickly added to my list of favorites after opening my bottle of Pouilly-Fuissé 2015.  It’s a delicious Chardonnay that’s crisp with notes of almonds, pear, and peaches.

The George DuBeouf Beaujolais-Villages 2015 is a light-bodied red wine with notes of strawberry and black currant.  You may also want to try Saget la Perrière’s Marie de Beauregard Vouvray 2015 (fresh golden wine with notes of pear, honey, lemon, and candied fruits) or  Marie de Beauregard Chinon 2015 (notes of blackberry, cassis, and some woody notes, as well).

Make a cheese plate

No party is complete without a cheese plate and especially a French-inspired soiree!  I really don’t discriminate when it comes to cheese, although I’ve never quite tried cheeses like this before. The Ile de France® brand sent me some fabulous cheeses to try.

As a huge lover of brie, the St. Andre® soft ripened triple cream cheese was, in fact, a buttery, “heavenly cheese.”  It paired beautifully with the strawberries on my cheese plate and was delicious spread on slices of baguette.

The St. Agur Blue Cheese has all of the intense flavor you typically expect from a blue cheese.  However, they make their blue cheese with cow’s milk, not goat’s milk, to give it a creamier texture.  It was perfect on top of my grilled salad.


Cook with French ingredients

Believe it or not, you most likely have a lot of French ingredients already in your home.  The French like to cook with different flavors and textures. So I made a crunchy grilled summer salad to pair with my creamy cheese plate.

It’s so important to season your food to bring out the flavor in dishes.  La Baleine sea salt is environmentally-friendly, all natural, “white gold.”  I am particularly enjoying the La Baleine Grey Sea Salt. It’s a very rare sea salt from the region of Guerande.  You only need to use a little to really make flavors pop in a dish!  It’s perfect for cooking or as a table salt.

Eat like the French

We all know that the French like their wine and cheese.  But to eat like the French, you have to cook with balance. Offset those heavy creams and cheeses with lighter, fresher flavors and have a variety of textures in your dish.  

The cheese plate I made has a nice balance of sweet and savory.  The main course of Grilled Steak & Blue Cheese Salad bursts with different flavors, a lot of crunch, and finishes with a creamy bite of blue cheese. Dressing the salad with lemon gives it a wonderful citrus pop that’s perfect for summer.



Of course, like gracious host that I am, I wouldn’t leave you empty-handed.  So I am sharing the recipe for my Grilled Steak and Blue Cheese Salad. This salad is tres magnifique!  The variety of fresh flavors and textures in this salad will delight your guests!  It paired very well with the Pouilly-Fuissé 2015 wine that I poured and mon petit cheese plate. Bon appetit! 

Grilled Steak & Blue Cheese Salad
Serves 4
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Ingredients
  1. 2 heads of Romaine lettuce, halved
  2. 1 pound flank steak, sliced
  3. 1/4 cup red onion, sliced
  4. 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  5. 2 cups baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
  6. 1 fresh rosemary sprig
  7. 1 lemon
  8. St. Agur Blue Cheese
  9. Extra virgin olive oil
  10. La Baleine Grey Fine Sea Salt, to taste
Instructions
  1. Prep all ingredients for the salad.
  2. Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat.
  3. Add sliced mushrooms and the fresh sprig of rosemary.
  4. Saute mushrooms until softened and olive oil has been completely absorbed.
  5. Remove mushrooms from heat and discard rosemary sprig.
  6. Preheat grill over a medium flame.
  7. Season slices of flank steak with La Baleine sea salt and cook on each side for a couple of minutes. Then, remove from heat.
  8. Brush grill grates, drizzle Romaine lettuce halves, and place them sliced-side-down on the grill. Place onion slices alongside the lettuce.
  9. Cook for about a minute or until char marks are achieved and onions have softened (may take longer than the lettuce).
  10. Plate lettuce halves and squeeze lemon juice on top.
  11. Top with steak slices, rosemary-infused mushrooms, onions, and sun-dried tomatoes.
  12. Crumble blue cheese on top, season with La Baleine sea salt and serve with more lemon halves.
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My Favorite Hot Weather Hiking Essentials

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This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, INC. and The Coca-Cola Company, all opinions are mine alone. #InspiredHydration #CollectiveBias


How has the weather been in your area lately?  Here in New Jersey, it’s been a little strange.  Even though we’re halfway through May, we’ve had some really cool days and a lot of rain in-between. But this week, we’re looking forward to some sunny 80 and 90 degree days.  You won’t be able to get us inside!  “Us,” being me, my husband, and our dog!  

Even if we’re just hanging out on our deck or in the garden, we love being outside!  We especially love playing ball in the park and heading into the woods on a local hiking trail.  One day last week, it was a really beautiful morning. It wasn’t too cool and the sun was shining, so I decided to pack up Hunter and head to the park.  


Before we got to the park, I ran into Target to grab a pack of smartwater®. We never know how long we’ll be walking around or playing when it’s nice out, so it’s always good to be prepared.  It’s so important to stay hydrated when you’re getting active outdoors (especially when it’s hot outside).  

We always make sure that we have a few bottles of water on us before we go for a long walk or a hike in the woods. Usually, we each take a bottle for ourselves and another one for our dog.  Since we’re heading into hotter weather, I wanted to share some of my favorite hot weather hiking essentials today. 


I have a sling backpack that I take on our walking excursions.  It’s comfortable to carry and holds all of our basic essentials.  I like to keep my backpack light – especially if we’re spending a long day in the park or hiking steep trails. Thankfully, most of the items that I bring with me are lightweight or wearable.

Here are 10 hiking essentials I always take with me on hikes/walks when it’s hot outside:
  • Backpack 
  • Breathable hiking boots
  • Sunscreen
  • Hat
  • Sunglasses
  • Dog leash
  • Pet travel bowl
  • Tennis ball for playing fetch
  • Charged cell phone (not only for emergencies, but for the map, weather, camera, and compass apps, too!)
  • Bottles of smartwater


Besides what you carry, you want to know your locations.  We usually go walking on the same trails or visit the same parks.  We’re pretty used to the terrain.  But here are a few things you should think about before you make your first trek:

  • Don’t be too ambitious if you’re just getting used to hiking.  Walk on flatter trails and then work your way up to steeper ones.  
  • Don’t go too far deep into the woods either unless you’re familiar with the territory.
  • At the park, make sure to share the path with bikers and runners, pick up after your dog, and adhere to all other park rules.  
  • And always – always – make sure you’re carrying basic essentials, like water, with you on long hikes and hot days.

Drinking smartwater is hydration you can feel, which makes it perfect for long days in the park or when you’re out on a hiking trail.  You can find 6 packs of 1 liter smartwater bottles in the beverage aisle of Target.  Also, look for a special Spring Display featuring smartwater in store.

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