You will have witnessed a sporting event unlike any other if you were fortunate enough to attend the Monaco Grand Prix. No other sporting event combines elegance and high-octane excitement like F1, which pits the best racers in the world against the world’s most gorgeous and elegant settings.

The Monaco Grand Prix is a legendary competition that ever driver hopes to win. This is Formula 1’s slowest and most difficult track and the most elite setting. In Monaco, the smallest mistake has the potential to be fatal on these streets.

But if you’re like the vast majority, you’ll watch the Monaco Grand Prix on television to feel the thrill and adrenaline of the event. You can create a Monaco GP-inspired environment in your home with a little creativity and preparation.

How to Dress for the Monaco GP? Like you mean it.

The most luxurious race in Formula 1 calls for an equally dazzling dress code. Trainers and flip-flops should be left at home if guests are attending your viewing party. The dress code today is smart casual. For Monaco, that means a shirt or polo shirt with a jacket or blazer for men and a dress, skirt, or slacks for ladies. For this event, shorts are not advised. Women should wear high heels, flats, or sandals, while men should choose closed, polished shoes.

It’s time to talk about food and beverages now that you know how to dress for the occasion. Because Monaco is a luxurious and glitzy country, so should your menu.

Food and Drink for the Monaco GP

Mini Prawn Cocktail Pappadums

Mini Prawn Pappadums are a delightful fusion of textures and flavors. These bite-sized appetizers offer an irresistible burst of freshness and a hint of spice, making them a perfect addition to your gathering.

Chargrilled Nectarine & Prosciutto Bruschetta

This delightful bruschetta appetizer sets the stage for a celebration with grilled nectarines. Adorned with creamy ricotta and savory prosciutto, this effortless starter is guaranteed to delight even the most discerning guests.

Oysters with Lemongrass & Sesame Dressing

These ocean treasures are enhanced with a tantalizing combination of fragrant lemongrass and nutty sesame. This delectable pairing creates a harmonious balance of flavors, elevating the briny succulence of the oysters to new heights. So prepare to embark on a journey that combines elegance and taste in every mouthwatering bite.

Pear & Roast Beef Rolls

Elevate your table with gourmet roast beef rolls featuring the delightful combination of sweet pears and creamy Camembert cheese. These delectable rolls offer a perfect balance of flavors and sophistication to your meal.

Basil & Feta Red-Hots

Spice up your gathering with basil and feta red hots, a vibrant twist on the classic hot dog. This creative rendition adds a burst of color and flavor.

Monaco Fraise Millefeullille (Pastry with strawberry & cream)

Indulge in the delightful Monaco fraise millefeuille, affectionately known as the “Prince Albert.” This exquisite pastry captivates with layers of luscious strawberries and creamy goodness, making it an irresistible treat.

What better way to enjoy a race in a luxury location than with cocktails? Sip and savor while placing your wages on which driver will emerge victorious.

Pole Position

Get ready for race day and rev up your cocktail game with Patrón Reposado. This cocktail features fresh grapefruit juice and sparkling water.

Formula 1

This vodka-based crowd-pleaser is made with 4 other ingredients: peach brandy, grapefruit juice, tonic water, Marie Brizard creme de fraise des bois.

Fun Thymes

Triple sec and lemon create the perfect balance for the gin and rosemary.

Also, don’t forget to place your bets! Predict the race winner, podium positions, or quickest lap time by asking your guests. Give them a location to make their predictions before the race starts. Reward individuals who correctly predict the outcome of the race with awards or little tokens at the finish line.

It’s simpler than it looks to spread your love for the Formula 1 Circuit’s most prized race. Creating the thrill and opulence of Monaco will provide you and your guests with the ideal setting to support your favorite driver during a race.

Are you ready?! Lights out in 3… 2… and

The post F1 and the Monaco Grand Prix first appeared on Dragon Horse Ad Agency.

Before we get into creating our beautiful goddess-like skin, we must first truly understand our skin. As with anything that has been created over time and contrary to the marketing, there are no quick fixes. There are however several ways to stop it from getting worse and help rejuvenate what you have and summer is the perfect time to starting making that difference.

According to statista.com, “by 2021, the global skin care market is expected to be valued at about 154 billion U.S. dollars. The United States is also the biggest market when it comes to skin care sales. The country generated sales of about 2.8 billion U.S. dollars in 2014.” A significant reason for the demand stems from the years of damage we allowed, having been conditioned to believe that tan is a healthy look since a very young age. It represented status, as only those with enough money could afford the amount of leisure time required to get and maintain a tan. Then tanning salons came along, so like a new name-brand knock-off, now everyone could have one. We are all now wishing we had listened to our mothers.

With the tens of thousands of skin care products available for every issue, type of skin, time of life, time of day, season or astrological sign, its no wonder we struggle to find what works. Even if we do find something we fall in love with, we may not be aware of what its doing to the rest of our body. Not unlike selecting food at the grocery store, we often fall victim to the extraordinary claims on the front of the package- of the fountain of youth, now bottled. Of course, it does not declare that cancer may or may not be a possibility with use.

Our skin is in the state it is, not because of what products we’ve used for the last several weeks, but because of our lifestyle over years. The quality of food we have eaten, how much sun we have been exposed to, how much water we drink, how much sleep we get, how we have cared for it over the years and- the weather.

Between the heat, extreme humidity and the sun feeling like it is only 100 feet away, our skin cannot help but show the effects during the summer. Compound the issue with so many of us truly embracing summer. The warmth, the freedom and pleasures of being in the sun, at the beach with friends, at the pool or the deep heating of laying out with our favorite magazines- we are really asking for trouble.

Unfortunately our face is the one thing that is always out there, taking in all of what the sun and air is so generously offering. As a result, your skin will quickly show the effects, almost as a self-defense warning. Our skin is the largest organ of the body and the skin on your face is by far the most delicate while also being the most abused. The sun, environmental toxins, chemicals from makeup, skincare, etc. all have cumulative detrimental effects.

Our body, including our skin, has an extraordinary capacity to heal itself from foreign matter and injury. However with all of our “advancements” in technology and science so dramatically changing everything we eat and products we use, our body isn’t fighting one or two things, it is fighting thousands, daily. (see article about the food I reference here http://naplesherald.com/2016/06/25/food-vs-medicine-id-rather-eat-strawberries/) and our bodies are breaking down under the assault.

According to the Environmental Working Group and the David Suzuki Foundation,

one in eight of the 82,000 ingredients used in personal care products are industrial chemicals,

including carcinogens, pesticides, reproductive toxins, and hormone disruptors. Many products include plasticizers (chemicals that keep concrete soft), degreasers (used to get grime off auto parts), and surfactants (they reduce surface tension in water, like in paint and inks). Imagine what that does to your skin, and to the environment.”

Nature is an extraordinary thing. If we look to nature to collaborate with our own miraculous system called the human body, we can do amazing things without poisoning ourselves in the process. Not coincidentally, most of the ingredients that are extremely good for your skin in the most universal sense, meaning its good for the rest of you too, are mostly powerhouse foods that are found in most kitchens.

Did you feel a bit disappointed with that idea- that the best thing for your skin is in the kitchen and not in a 1 oz $175 bottle at the beauty counter? I would not blame you if you did. This is a three billion dollar, extremely competitive industry. They have spent a fortune convincing you, the aggressively pursued and easily swayed potential customer, that only the newest, most scientifically advanced, dermatologist researched, chemist concocted, patented and doctor recommended yada yada is the only thing that could possibly be good enough for you because you deserve the best. At Life with Moxie, we know you deserve the best and we also believe you want the best for your body. To do that, you need to know what is in the products you put on your skin.

Question it. Even if it is your dermatologist telling you, as they are prepped by skin care companies the same way doctors are prepped by pharmaceutical companies, with portion of profits included. To be clear, I am not saying not to use what they suggest, as many are focused on toxin free options, what I am encouraging is making your health, not just your appearance, the highest priority. Research the ingredients and make an educated decision.

I believe you do deserve the best, but the best in my world doesn’t create allergies or a cancer risk, nor is it linked to neurological disorders or a breakdown of your liver. We have become so conditioned to believe in the advancement of science as the bar for effectiveness that we have completely lost sight of thousands of years of proven wildly effective ingredients used to create and maintain beautiful skin that doesn’t destroy other parts of our bodies in the meantime. So let us go back a few years to the most legendary of beauties.

Cleopatra, the women who time could not wither

Ancient Egypt, 3000BC-1070BC. Beauty and hygiene were near obsessions, with bathing happening daily for the royals. Both men and women of all levels of society were indulging in significant skincare and makeup rituals. The beauty of Egyptian skin is still the standard bearer to this day. What were these glorious products they used to obtain these extraordinary results? Were they imported from around the world taking months to arrive in tiny quantities? No. They were local, pure, clean, natural fruits, honey, nuts, herbs, oils, clay and salts. Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome used very similar products.

Egyptians made soap out of clay and olive oil, used honey for masks, bathed in milk and honey with fresh herbs, created perfumes from oils, flowers and herbs and removed hair with sugar scrubs. Coconut milk and olive oil for hair nourishment, Aloe for nearly everything from healing to moisturizing, avocado for moisturizing, rosemary, castor and almond oils for hair growth and skin moisturizing and Dead sea salt, a unique edition of sea salt, for bathing. Dead sea salt differs greatly from other sea salts in mineral content, being made up of only 8% sodium chloride with a high percentage of magnesium, sulfates, and potassium. According to SaltWorks, the world’s first day spa was set up by Cleopatra on the shores of the Dead Sea.

Judith Illes, who writes extensively about Egyptian beauty rituals detailed the ingredients for an ancient anti-wrinkle cream. It includes Frankincense, Moringa Oil, Grass and Fermented Fruit Juices, recommended to be applied daily. I’ve modestly revised so it can be replicated.

Ancient Egyptian Anti-Wrinkle Cream-updated

One Drop of Essential oil of Frankincense

One t Sweet Almond Oil

One t red wine

Dash moringa powder

Blend and apply nightly

Flash forward to today- Dr. Josh Axe, with innumerable others corroborating, still agree the best ingredients to use on your skin are Coconut Oil, Tea Tree Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar, Raw Honey, Dead sea or Himalayan Salt, Lemon essential Oil, Argan Oil, Aloe Vera, Jojoba Oil, Almond Oil, Olive Oil, Shea Butter and Castor Oil.

Lets take a closer look at a few of these ingredients so you start to understand the power they hold.

Aloe Vera Gel

Known in Ancient Egypt as the plant of immortality. The Indian Journal of Dermatology (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2763764/)

noted over 75 different active components in the aloe vera plant. Aloe vera is full of vitamins and minerals, enzymes, mono and poly-saccharides. It is antimicrobial, it provides pain relief, and provides fatty acids which are anti-inflammatory. Aloe vera offers wound healing hormones and most of the human body’s required and essential amino acids.

There is scientific documentation that aloe vera is useful for dermatitis, psoriasis, herpes simplex virus-2 and burns. There is also clinical proof that aloe vera works for wound healing, radiation burns, acne and frostbite. Note that I have not included the extensive systemic benefits of consuming aloe that are equally impressive and I suggest you look into.

In summary, Aloe treats skin disorders, wounds, sunburn and dermatitis, and with regular use, supports a clearer complexion and will smooth the skin while reducing inflammation. Buy an aloe plant, the purest form available, super easy to grow and start adding it to your skin care regimen.

Coconut Oil

According to AnnMarie Skin Care, a 2004 study published in Dermatitis, found that when they treated people who had xerosis (skin condition that produces dry, rough and scaly skin) with coconut oil, the skin showed significant improvement in hydration—but also showed an increase in the lipid levels found on the surface of the skin. That means that the oil actually helped the skin increase the number of “fats,” in the lower layers, which help it appear more hydrated, smooth, and youthful.

Rich in vitamins and antioxidants as well, this natural oil is one of the most powerful anti-aging ingredients we can find in nature. Not only is it moisturizing, it contains both disinfectant and antimicrobial properties that help kill bacteria, microbial infections, reduce breakouts, and even soothe skin from sunburn. I keep a jar in each bathroom and the kitchen and use it for everything from smoothies to night cream.

Honey (Raw and Organic!)

Honey has the longest documented history as a medical treatment of any ingredient we know. Honey has been used for healing wounds and diseases both internally and externally with it use first documented in Stone Age paintings of 8,000 years ago. According to the medical journal article Traditional and Modern Uses of Natural Honey in Human Diseases: A Review (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3758027/),

honey contains oligosaccharides, proteins, vitamins and minerals and has no adverse effects for use.

It has powerful antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-fungal, anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-leishmanial effects, rivaling the effectiveness of many serious prescription drugs. It also acts as an antioxidant, a protective agent against DNA damage. These benefits are for both topical and systemic uses, so washing your face with it as well as drizzling it over your almond milk brie will support you on the path to total health. Most fascinating of all, with all these amazing properties- it never goes bad.

In summary, Honey is naturally antibacterial, so it’s great for skin issues like acne or rosacea and prevention. It is full of antioxidants so great for slowing down aging. It is extremely moisturizing and soothing, creating a beautiful glow and it is clarifying, opening up pores making them easy to unclog. Be sure when selecting and using your honey that it must be raw and you cannot heat it (no putting it in hot tea) as heat kills all the elements that are so valuable. Also be certain that your honey is not sourced from China or India as their purity and safety has them banned or on watch lists of many countries because of contaminates such as lead or antibiotics. Buy local or look into my favorite, YS Organic Bee Farms certified organic raw honey (https://www.amazon.com/YS-Organic-CERTIFIED-Unprocessed-Unpasteurized/dp/B00014JNI0/ref=sr_1_2_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1469208100&sr=8-2&keywords=raw+organic+honey).

Inspired to try these ancient beauty methods? Summer is the perfect time since we are likely are wearing less make up and letting our skin breathe a bit more. Now lets get the secrets to our summer skin uncovered!

The skin of a Goddess is really dewy, clean and well-moisturized skin.

To get our skin optimized, we need to

exfoliate,

cleanse,

moisturize

use non-toxic mineral broad band sunscreen

eat a plant-based diet

drink water

wear a wide brim hat

sleep well.

Knowing that, I encourage you to try a weeks worth of all natural skin care as described. I find it to be the most indulgent and luxurious approach to skin care, all while offering me dewy, healthy, radiant skin.

Here’s a new regimen to consider: Try raw organic crystallized honey (the opaque, not the clear kind) for cleansing, follow with a scrub, no more than twice weekly, of coconut oil with fine Himalayan salt, baking soda, and drop or two of lemongrass essential oil, then moisturize with a blend of aloe and jojoba oil with a drop of lavender and rose essential oils. Want to do a mask? Bentonite clay with olive oil and a drop of Essential oil of Frankincense. Luxury bath in your summer repertoire? Add Almond oil, raw honey, coconut milk, essential oils of jasmine, ylang ylang and rose. If you are feeling especially indulgent, enjoy a glass of wine while you’re in there. I’m certain Cleopatra did.

If you need a hard-core jump start to the process due to more extensive skin damage, look into IPL or other laser treatments. Not only do they offer significant results, they also don’t send any toxins into your system. Just know that you will need to keep your face completely out of the sun for several days, think umbrella through the parking lots, then becoming diligent with a serious non-toxic sunscreen like MDSolarSciences Mineral Crème Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Sunscreen. Laser treatments do work effectively, I have done them and it was completely worth it. Now my aim is to keep my skin nourished and well exfoliated so I do not need it again.

As for the “badditives,” those ingredients that are known to be toxic, yet are everywhere, we have to start somewhere. So I have taken the time to manually list some of the worst offenders. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) rates every ingredient from 1 to 10, with 1-3 being least harmful and 8-10 being the most harmful. I’ve listed only the most harmful with a few exceptions of a seven here and there and one level three due to the extent of their use. There are clearly many more, with one in eight of the 82,000 ingredients used in personal care products being industrial chemicals there are several not listed. I highly encourage you to manually look up any ingredient you don’t know. Not unlike food ingredient lists, the fewer ingredients the better, and you should be able to say them.

The list below is a collection based off of the EWG’s extensive database and cross-referenced with a few others to ensure coverage. The EWG cosmetic database list (find here http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/) is the most extensive I have come across as it includes all ingredients banned in other countries (but not here, yet should be) and includes maximum limits for exposure. Take a few of your favorite products and see what they are made with. You may be shocked to find that the more expensive products are some of the worst offenders.

When you know better, you do better ~ Maya Angelou

ACRYLAMIDE

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Use restrictions, Occupational hazards, Cancer, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Ecotoxicology.

BHA

Allergies/immunotoxicity, Cancer, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Developmental/reproductive toxicity

BHT

Allergies/immunotoxicity, Cancer, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Developmental/reproductive toxicity.

BUTYLPARABEN

Allergies/immunotoxicity, Endocrine disruption, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Biochemical or cellular level changes.

CITRAL

Allergies/immunotoxicity, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs).

Coal tar dyes: p-phenylenediamine and colors listed as “CI” followed by a five digit number

Cancer, Neurotoxicity.

DEA-related ingredients (MEA/TEA)

Cancer, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

diazolidinyl urea

Slowly releases small amounts of formaldehyde, which causes cancer.

DMDM hydantoin

Slowly releases small amounts of formaldehyde, which causes cancer.

ETHYLPARABEN

Endocrine disruption, Allergies/immunotoxicity.

FRAGRANCE/PARFUME

Allergies/immunotoxicity, Miscellaneous, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Ecotoxicology. As innocuous as this one may seem it has the potential to be the most dangerous. Since they are calling it fragrance instead of what the ingredient is, you should be concerned.

GERANIOL

Use restrictions, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Ecotoxicology

imidazolidinyl urea

Slowly releases small amounts of formaldehyde, which causes cancer.

ISOBUTYLPARABEN

Allergies/immunotoxicity, Endocrine disruption, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Biochemical or cellular level changes.

MEA: Monoethanolamide

Cancer, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

they can react with other chemicals in cosmetics to form carcinogenic nitrosamines.

Methenamine

Slowly releases small amounts of formaldehyde, which causes cancer.

METHYLISOTHIAZOLINONE

Allergies/immunotoxicity, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Neurotoxicity, Ecotoxicology

METHYLPARABEN

Endocrine disruption, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Biochemical or cellular level changes.

OCTINOXATE

OCTYLMETHOXYCINNAMATE

Enhanced skin absorption, Biochemical or cellular level changes, Endocrine disruption, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Persistence and bioaccumulation, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

OXYBENZONE

BENZOPHENONE 3

Enhanced skin absorption, Biochemical or cellular level changes, Allergies/immunotoxicity, Use restrictions, Endocrine disruption, Persistence and bioaccumulation, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive).

PABA

Multiple, additive exposure sources, Biochemical or cellular level changes, Allergies/immunotoxicity.

PEG-2 STEARATE

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive), Ecotoxicology

PROPYLPARABEN

Allergies/immunotoxicity, Endocrine disruption, Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Ecotoxicology

quarternium-15

Slowly releases small amounts of formaldehyde, which causes cancer.

RETINYL ACETATE (VITAMIN A ACETATE)

Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Biochemical or cellular level changes, Cancer, Organ system toxicity.

RETINYL PALMITATE (VITAMIN A PALMITATE)

Developmental/reproductive toxicity, Biochemical or cellular level changes, Cancer, Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE

Allergies/immunotoxicity , neurotoxicity, organ system toxicity, endocrine disruption, Cancer.

TALC

Acute or chronic lung irritation, reproductive toxicity, cancer. Based on a federal court ruling in 2013, Johnson & Johnson was ordered to pay $55 million dollars to a woman who got cancer from using their talc based products. A lawyer representing the company admitted executives were aware of the association between talcum powder and ovarian cancer for years but did not deem the risk significant enough to take action and include a warning on their product.

TEA: triethanolamine

Cancer, Irritation (skin, eyes, or lungs), Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive). Can react with other chemicals in cosmetics to form carcinogenic nitrosamines.

For information specifically about sunscreens, listen here (http://www.lifewithmoxie.com/#!blank-12/hycjg ) to Life with Moxie Radio where we did a deep dive on ingredients, what we need to look for and what to go out of your way to avoid. Scroll to the bottom of the linked page for shopping links to products that were recommended.

Cover image of girl in open water, ‘Pilgrimage South’ Oil painting by Arturo Samaniego (https://www.facebook.com/Samaniego-ART-254638447880330/?pnref=about.overview)

‘Cleopatra’s Milk Bath’, contemporary mosaic by Irel.

Have ideas you’d like to add to the list? Need more suggestions? Let me know!

Julie Koester is CEO of Life with Moxie, a Lifestyle Revolution Company www.lifewithmoxie.com and Host of Life with Moxie Radio, Saturday’s at 1pm on 98.9 WGUF in Southwest Florida. You can reach her at Julie@lifewithmoxie.com

Passionate Living by Design, That’s Life with Moxie

The post Want to Look Like a Goddess? You’ve Got To Go Skin Deep first appeared on Dragon Horse Ad Agency.

Brunch, as with most culinary traditions, has a hazy history of origins. Some believe it to be from the English hunt meals of the 1800’s and other say it is from the Catholics, fasting before mass and then indulging post services.

According to Jesse Rhodes of Smithsonian.com, “What does seem certain is that the word ‘brunch’—that playful blend of ‘breakfast’ and ‘lunch’— first appeared in print in an 1895 Hunter’s Weekly article. In ‘Brunch: A Plea,’ British author Guy Beringer suggested an alternative to the heavy, post-church Sunday meals in favor of lighter fare served late in the morning. ‘’Brunch is cheerful, sociable and inciting,’ Beringer says. ‘It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.’”

So before the frenzy of the school year begins, let us take the time to reach out. Make the plan, have your friends bring their favorite dish that they have filled with love in anticipation of sharing with those closest to them. Let us get grounded, filled with love and appreciation for one another so we can charge forth with confidence into the next chapter.

If suggestions are needed of what to bring, here are a few delicious, plant-based and gorgeous editions to any well stocked family-style brunch, Mimosas included! Cheers to the last brunch of Summer! Cheers to school starting and cheers to the pending season of giving! *Clink!

MENU

Crepes with Strawberries

Tofu Breakfast Tacos

Deviled Tomatoes

Blueberry Oatmeal Waffles

Sweet Potato Tempeh Hash

Lemonade Mimosas with Blood Orange

Mexican Pomegranate Mimosas

Vegan Crepes

3/4 cup unbleached white flour

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cornmeal

2 teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer whisked into 3 tablespoon water

1 cup soymilk

1/4 cup water (or less)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon coconut oil (and more for frying)

1 pint trimmed organic strawberries

powdered sugar for dusting

Combine the flour, sugar, salt, and cornmeal in a large bowl. Stir in the whisked egg replacer, adding soymilk in 1/4 cup increments until you get a smooth batter.

Add water, coconut oil, and vanilla extract, stir well. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes. Heat a lightly oiled pan on medium-high heat. Add a ladle full of batter and turn the pan to spread it evenly. When you can’t see any moist spots anymore and the rim of the crepe is crisp, turn the crepe over (either by flipping the pan over onto a plate, using a spatula, or doing the skillful pan-flip).

It’s helpful to keep a plate in a pre-warmed oven, so that you can stack the crepes on it to keep them warm until serving. Serve with strawberries and dusted with powdered sugar.

(Recipe inspired by VegAnna on VegWeb, photo by brunet.xox on VegWeb.com)

Tofu Breakfast Tacos

1 (14-ounce) package extra-firm tofu, drained

1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

2 teaspoons onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

2 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos

8 corn tortillas, warmed

Salsa

Toppings of choice: onions, cilantro, greens, potatoes, avocado, etc.

Drain tofu and place the block on a plate. Cover with another plate and weight the top with a food can or other object of about 1 pound. Let stand 20 to 30 minutes to extract excess liquid. Pour off liquid. Crumble tofu and place it in a bowl. Sprinkle with flour, yeast, onion powder, garlic powder and turmeric and toss. Sprinkle with liquid aminos and toss again.

Heat a large cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan over medium heat until hot. Add tofu mixture and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan frequently with a spatula to prevent sticking, until tofu is browned and crisp in places. Serve with the warmed tortillas, salsa and toppings of choice and let diners assemble their own tacos.

(Recipe and photo from WholeFoods.com at http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/tofu-breakfast-tacos)

Deviled Tomatoes

15- to 16-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

⅓ cup vegan mayonnaise

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons yellow mustard, or more, to taste

1 teaspoon curry powder, or more, to taste

Pinch of ground cumin, or more, to taste

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons finely chopped chives or scallion

8 to 10 ripe plum (Roma) tomatoes or other small tomatoes

Paprika for topping

Shredded romaine lettuce or baby greens, optional

Combine the chickpeas, mayonnaise, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, mustard, curry powder, and pepper in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse on and off until the mixture is nicely melded, but don’t puree—leave a little texture.

Add the chives or scallion through the feed tube and pulse on and off a few times to whirl in.

If you don’t have a food processor, simply mash the chickpeas well in a bowl, and stir in the mayonnaise, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, mustard, curry powder, pepper, and chives.

Cut the tomatoes in half and scoop out the seedy center with a spoon. You’ll be left with a neat shell (save what you’ve scooped out for another use, such as blending into a juice or sauce).

Stuff the tomatoes generously with the chickpea mixture. Sprinkle with paprika. Arrange on a platter atop a bed of lettuce or baby greens.

(Recipe and image from Nava Atlas on VegKitchen at http://www.vegkitchen.com/recipes/vegetables-all-year-round/tomato-heaven/deviled-tomatoes/)

Blueberry Oatmeal Waffles

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 cup quick cooking oats

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk (or your fave non-dairy milk)

3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries

Sift flour, baking powder, salt and allspice into a mixing bowl. Mix in the oats. Make a well in the center and add applesauce, milk, maple syrup, oil and vanilla. Stir with just until combined.

Let batter rest for 5 minutes or so, it will thicken a bit. Fold in the blueberries.

Cook in waffle iron according to manufacturer directions. In my 8 inch waffle iron, I use a heaping 1/2 cup of batter. Remember to spray or brush the iron with oil in between each waffle.

(Recipe and image from Post Punk Kitchen http://www.theppk.com/2012/10/blueberry-oatmeal-waffles/)

Sweet Potato Tempeh Hash

2 sweet potatoes, cubed

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup julienned red bell pepper

6 ounces tempeh, cubed

1 cup vegetable broth

1 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place sweet potato in a lightly oiled or nonstick pan and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

2. In a wok over medium-high heat, sauté onion and garlic in oil for 2 to 3 minutes. Add pepper, tempeh, and a bit of broth and stir frequently for 2 minutes. (Keep broth handy and always have 1/2 to 1 centimeter of broth at the bottom of the wok.) Add sweet potatoes and paprika, and slowly add remaining broth until it has all been absorbed by the tempeh and potatoes. Then add soy sauce, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix well and serve.

(Recipe and image by Shape http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/meal-ideas/6-amazing-vegan-brunch-recipes)

Lemonade Mimosas with Blood Orange

Sugar and Charm Lemonade Recipe

1 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice

3/4 to 1 cup sugar or a sugar substitute (You can add more or less depending on how you like it!)

6 cups water

Lemonade Mimosas with Blood Orange Directions

Add 1 1/2 cups fresh blood orange juice to the lemonade.

Pour equal parts blood orange lemonade and Champagne into each glass. Garnish with a blood orange slice.

(Recipe and photo from Sugar & Charm http://sugarandcharm.com/2014/02/lemonade-mimosas-with-blood-orange.html)

Mexican Pomegranate Mimosas

1 ounce orange juice

1 ounce pomegranate juice

.5 ounce lime juice

1.5 ounce tequila blanco – 100% agave

2 ounces champagne

1/2 teaspoon agave, (optional)

Pomegranate arils, (optional)

If using the agave shake vigorously with the orange juice to combine. If using the arils place 4-5 in the bottom of the glass. Pour the orange juice into a standard 6 ounce champagne flute and top with the pomegranate juice, lime juice, tequila, and champagne.

(recipe and photo from the Wicked Spatula http://wickedspatula.com/mexican-pomegranate-mimosas/)

Here is a great summer Champagne to enjoy alone or raise the standard in your Mimosas

Champagne J. Lassalle Cachet d’Or Brut Premier Cru, $35 (https://www.kermitlynch.com/our-wines/champagne-j-lassalle/)

Now send that email to get the ball rolling. Remember, at Life with Moxie (www.lifewithmoxie.com) planning is everything!

Cover Image by One&Only Hayman Island (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-3638988/One-review-Inside-Australia-s-exclusive-island-hideaway-beloved-Oprah-Johnny-Depp-Chris-Hemsworth.html)

Have ideas you’d like to add to the list? Need more suggestions? Let me know!

Julie Koester is CEO of Life with Moxie, a Lifestyle Revolution Company www.lifewithmoxie.com and Host of Life with Moxie Radio, Saturday’s at 1pm on 98.9 WGUF in Southwest Florida. You can reach her at Julie@lifewithmoxie.com

Passionate Living by Design, That’s Life with Moxie

The post The Last Brunch… Closing Out Summer With Style first appeared on Dragon Horse Ad Agency.

Health is a term that gets thrown around with little consistency about what it means. The medical industry defines health as the state of being free from illness or injury. That, by definition, means the medical industry is in the business of illness and injury care, not health care. Not coincidentally, not being sick does not mean you are healthy. Being healthy is not being average. Health is not on a bell curve where as the majority are at risk of or have heart disease, making it average- or normal. It’s not normal, but it is tragically common, completely preventable and easily reversible, without medicine. Nor is it about a dress size or being so chiseled you can cut things. Being healthy, in the world of Life with Moxie, means you wake up feeling amazing, your skin is glowing, have purpose in your day, are excited to see your friends, have energy and interests and are looking forward to sharing them. That is what healthy feels like. If we can shift from focusing on what healthy looks like to what healthy feels like, then will we be in a position to really make a difference.

It is the “you” that you create from what you chose to put in you. What things did you put in? Thoughts (were they good or bad), food (was it good or bad), who did you spend your time with (did you feel good or bad with them). You are an investment piece! Until we begin to treat ourselves like our most valuable asset, our health won’t reflect it.

This truly healthy state, as you can imagine, is rare. It is not rare because no one can get there or because it is hard. It is rare because we have been taught our whole lives that medicine is the answer to everything that is not awesome with our bodies. Every stomachache, pimple, joint pain, disease, issue, disorder, being tired, feeling unmotivated, dull hair, you name it, there is a pill for that. There is also a list of side effects that you will be dealing with. Conveniently there are pills for those too. Of course this ignores the fact that roughly 110,000 patients die every year from these side effects, not over doses or accidents, just side-effects. Thomas Edison said “the doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but will rather cure and prevent disease with nutrition.” I dare say he never imagined it would take us so long to get here.

Fortunately, if you would rather get yourself to a place where you don’t experience these “issues” in the first place, there is an approach for that too and it doesn’t include medication. It is called lifestyle medicine, where the goal is prevention and the foundation is food. Actual, real, whole food, like strawberries. Think of it like this, every time you choose what to eat, you are either feeding a disease or fighting one and “lifestyle interventions are often more effective in reducing heart disease, hypertension, heart failure, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and deaths from all causes than almost any medical intervention” said Dr. Greger of nutritionfacts.org. Next to this list of ailments is the parallel list that reflects the most commonly prescribed medicines in the U.S. and, if you’ve noticed, all the big names now have commercials. None of this is in your best interest, because the end result isn’t health, its disease maintenance with you as the customer that still has the disease.

Hippocrates said “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”

So let’s start with what we know from a few of my favorite sources. Dr. Michael Greger of Nutritionfacts.org spends his day reviewing the clinical research that is emerging daily on the matter. He was our guest on Life with Moxie Radio back in May (you can listen here: http://www.lifewithmoxie.com/#!may-14th-show/pw9a8). Here are just a few of his findings. Eating the equivalent of 1 lb of strawberries a day for 6 months was found to reverse esophageal cancer in 80% of those studied. Considering that esophageal cancer has only a 13% survival rate, we may want to start thinking of actual food as an alternative. What about liver cancer? With “high peach concentrations, cancer cell proliferation drops about 10%, but bananas and grapefruits work about 4 times better, dropping cancer growth rates by about 40%. Red grapes, strawberries and apples do even better, cutting cancer cell growth up to half at only half the dose, but these two fruits are the winners, causing a dramatic drop in cancer proliferation at just tiny doses, lemons and cranberries.”

What about vegetables? Dr. Greger found that there is “one vegetable that completely 100% stopped cancer growth in seven out of the eight tumor lines. One of the most important findings of the year.” So which one is it? Garlic. Let me state that again, clinical research showed garlic 100% stopped cancer growth in seven out of the eight tumor lines. Shouldn’t your doctor be mentioning this? All the fruits and vegetables studied discriminately went after cancer cells leaving healthy cells to do their work. Maybe- just maybe, if we start eating better we won’t be getting cancer in the first place.

Some lighter bits of health trivia, again, all evidence-based and shared by Dr. Greger. Eating just a cup of oatmeal’s worth of fiber a day appears to extend a woman’s life as much as 4 hours of jogging a week. You also appear to get 4 hours of weekly jogging benefit eating just two handfuls of nuts a week. Have depression? Eating a plant-based diet (primarily vegetables, fruit, mushrooms, and soy) worked to dramatically improve mood in just two weeks, where as it took months for Prozac to have an affect. I highly recommend his website www.nutritionfacts.org as well as his NYT best selling book How Not To Die.

Another favorite of mine is Dr. William Li. Here, in an extraordinarily enlightening TED Talk, he discusses a laundry list of cancer-fighting foods that cut off the supply lines to tumors and beat cancer at its own game by inhibiting the growth of blood vessels that feed tumors, a process known as anti-angiogenesis.

(Watch it here https://www.ted.com/talks/william_li?language=en). The list of foods that dramatically slowed or stopped the growth of blood vessels to tumors include: Green Tea

Strawberries, Blackberries, Blueberries, Red Wine, Soy, Raspberries, Oranges, Grapefruit, Lemons, Apples, Red Grapes, Bok Choy, Kale, Ginseng, Maitake Mushroom, Licorice, Turmeric, Nutmeg, Artichokes, Lavender, Pumpkin, Parsley, Garlic, Tomato, Olive Oil, Grape Seed Oil, Dark Chocolate, Cherries, Pineapples.

I share this information because, as ground-breaking as it may be, it is in no industries benefit to promote it. Additionally, most doctors aren’t even aware of it because most doctors don’t study nutrition, ever, even in medical school. But it is in your best interest. As a life-time nutrition researcher, a doctoral student finishing my dissertation in Public Health and a vegan for 28 years, I’ve been repeatedly shocked at the level of disservice being provided to the public when the research is available. If you are interested in aiming your diet toward prevention with an evidence-based foundation, email me at Julie@lifewithmoxie.com. In the meantime, head to your local farmers market, your new “farmacy,” grab some organic strawberries and plan your next meal around the foods listed above, it will be gorgeous and your body will thank you. Happy Eating!

Have ideas you’d like to add to the list? Need more suggestions? Let me know!

Julie Koester is CEO of Life with Moxie, a Lifestyle Revolution Company www.lifewithmoxie.com and Host of Life with Moxie Radio, Saturday’s at 1pm on 98.9 WGUF in Southwest Florida. You can reach her at Julie@lifewithmoxie.com

Passionate Living by Design, That’s Life with Moxie

The post Food vs. Medicine, I’d Rather Eat Strawberries first appeared on Dragon Horse Ad Agency.

Originally published in the Naples Herald in my Life with Moxie column

Unlike travel guides, fine literature provides us with some of the most eloquent and richly detailed descriptions of locations, food, scenery and people many of us have ever experienced. You can smell the smoke in the café, feel the summer heat on your face and hear the accents of the passers by while catching the scent of their perfume. It is not unlike the difference between selecting a nice wine from a list and enjoying it with dinner and your partner, versus drinking that same bottle with the winemaker himself while hearing all of the stories that influenced that specific bottle. The generations that have fought for and cared for the land, the epic storms, the deaths in the family, the droughts, the new love, the tears, they all had direct influence on and effected what is contained in that individual bottle. You will taste the history in that moment.

We have all experienced a piece of writing that swept us away to another time and place. That is one of our main draws to reading. It is the only form of time travel that really exists and we get to hand pick where to go every time. What an extraordinary privilege that is. Hemingway is one of my favorites when I need to be submerged in another time and I can think of no more fantastical time and place than 1920’s Paris in all is glory. Join the artists, writers, expats, with all the romance, drinking and debauchery of 20th-century Paris, while being escorted through it with Hemingway’s brilliant prose. With a new found individualism and exuberance that came post-World War I, the roaring 20’s in the left banks Montparnasse area of Paris was a place like no other and that’s where we begin our journey in The Sun Also Rises.

Hemingway is a master among masters, an undisputed icon of 20th-century literature. Raised in Oak Park, Illinois, he left after high school for the Italian front to enlist as a World War I ambulance driver then was sent home in 1918 for an injury. In 1922, he married Hadley Richardson and they moved to Paris, where he worked as a foreign correspondent and fell under the influence of the modernist writers and artists of the 1920s “Lost Generation” expat community. The Sun Also Rises (buy here https://www.amazon.com/Sun-Also-Rises-Ernest-Hemingway/dp/0743297334/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1468538977&sr=1-1&keywords=the+sun+also+rises), Hemingway’s first novel, was published in 1926. It is about group of American and British expats that journey from Paris to Pamplona, Spain for the Running of the Bulls with all the drama and dynamics that people behaving badly experience.

“Everybody behaves badly… Give them the proper chance” ~ Jake Barnes.

Beginning our journey in Paris with this group of expats, the Paris hotel where Jake Barnes waited for Lady Brett while writing letters, was the storied Crillon Hotel http://www.crillon.com/en/, “They were not very good letters but I hoped their being on Crillon stationery would help them,” he wrote and Lady Brett never showed. Crillon is currently under renovation so I recommend staying at the Hôtel des Académies et des Arts http://www.hoteldesacademies.com, this charming, artsy hotel is located on the street of the Montparnasse district where many of Hemingway’s favored locations are.

Hemingway’s now famous choices for cafes in Paris include the storied Le Select http://www.leselectmontparnasse.fr/en/, with its mirrored walls and art deco lamps and a cat asleep on the bar. Le Dome http://www.restaurant-ledome.com , a fantasy of Tiffany lamps and potted palms and La Rotonde http://www.rotondemontparnasse.com, all red banquettes and tasselled lamps. With Jake notably lamenting “No matter what cafe in Montparnasse you ask a taxi-driver to bring you to from the right bank of the river, they always take you to the Rotonde.” Last but not least, the Dingo (now Italian restaurant L’Auberge de Venise). The Dingo has long been extinct, although the restaurant that currently operates in its former location retains the infamous original bar. People behaved very badly at the Dingo with patrons drinking themselves into oblivion and could be found passed out in the trees or clinging to the lamppost outside. Hemingway references the Dingo several times in The Sun Also Rises; it is also the site of the scene in which Lady Brett informs Jake that she has been having an affair with Jewish heir Robert Cohn.

Leaving Paris en route to Pamplona, Jake and friend Bill Gorton take a train to Spain, meeting up with Cohn. They all drive together to picturesque Bayonne for a day of fishing and evening of drinking. Instead of staying to fish, Cohn decides instead to travel on to Pamplona to wait for Mike, Lady Brett’s fiancé, to arrive. Bayonne, with all its medieval charm, is in the Basque Country region of southwest France, where the Nive and Adour rivers meet. Narrow medieval streets characterize the old Grand Bayonne district. Here lie the Gothic-style Bayonne Cathedral, with its 13th-century cloister, and Château Vieux castle. Across the Nive river in the Petit Bayonne district is the Musée Basque, a museum devoted to the region’s arts, crafts and traditions. While in Bayonne, consider staying at the charming Hôtel La Villa in historic Bayonne (http://la-villa-fr.book.direct), where the staff are helpful and accommodating and be certain to visit the world famous chocolate shops.

The next morning Jake and Bill are off to Burguete for more fishing. Burguete is a town located in the province of Navarre in northern Spain and “the most wickedly wild and savage territory of the Pyrenees” according to Ernest Hemingway. Burguete has incredible beauty and charm, full of Pyrenees-style houses with hipped roofs that shelter walkers on their way through the village. Two streams flank the road that crosses the village and while there you will find the traditional meeting places – the church, the town hall and the frontón (pelota court) – in the centre of the village. There is also a food fair in September that dates back to the 14th century. Ernest Hemingway lodged in Burguete in 1924 and 1925 for a fishing trip to the Irati River. In the novel Jake, stays at the Hostal for about a week with his friend, Bill before continuing on to the bullfights in Pamplona. In the book, Hemingway writes about the two dining at the Hostal Burguete: “Bill plays at the piano to keep warm. The girl brought in a big bowl of vegetable soup and the wine.” Stay where Hemingway stayed http://www.hotelburguete.com/en/ or simply stop by for a bowl of the storied soup (see recipe below) before carrying on to Pamplona, just an hour away.

After our visit to Burguete, we are off to Pamplona. Pamplona is the historical capital city of Navarre, in northern Spain, and of the former Kingdom of Navarre. The city is famous worldwide for the San Fermín festival, from July 6 to 14, in which the running of the bulls is one of the main attractions. It is a city that Hemingway had a passionate love affair with and it paired perfectly with his obsession for bullfighting. This is also where our characters have their long awaited major falling out. Go to Pamplona but I would avoid festival as Pamplona is far more beautiful when it is not overcrowded and in a perpetual frenzy.

While in Pamplona, stay at Hemingway’s preferred hotel the Hotel La Perla

http://www.granhotellaperla.com/EN/hotel.html The room of Ernest Hemingway remains the same he knew it. Centrally located in heart of the city, you will be able to easily walk, dine and drink the way the characters did.

The most popular location for the characters was in the Plaza del Castillo, the popular city square. “The square was hot,” says Jake of his first impressions. “The flags hung on their staffs, and it was good to get out of the sun and under the shade of the arcade that runs around the square.” “We had coffee at the Iruña,” Jake continues, “sitting in the comfortable wicker chairs, looking out from the cool of the arcade at the big square.”

The infamous Café Iruña http://www.cafeiruna.com This Café served as home base for the characters who would come and go throughout the day. During the days of the bullfights it took on a different energy. “There was a close, crowded hum that came every day before the bull-fight. The café did not make this same noise at any other time, no matter how crowded it was,” said Jake. After the fights, Bill returns to Paris, Mike stays in Bayonne and Jake goes to San Sebastian on the northern coast of Spain.

Jake heads by train to San Sebastian, where he plans to spend several quiet days alone, relaxing. San Sebastian is the setting for the major turning point in the novel. In Jake’s absence, Brett has left for Madrid with a bullfighter and had another affair. Jake receives word that Brett needs help and wants him to come to Madrid. San Sebastián is a beautiful resort town on the Bay of Biscay in Spain’s mountainous Basque Country. It’s known for Playa de la Concha and Playa de Ondarreta, beaches framed by a picturesque bayfront promenade, and world-renowned restaurants helmed by innovative chefs. In its cobblestoned old town (Parte Vieja), upscale shops neighbor vibrant pintxo bars pairing local wines with bite-size regional specialties. While in San Sebastian, stay at the Villa Soro, (http://www.villasoro.es/en/) a century old villa with luxury hotel standards for the most unique experience available. A villa from the late 19th century that has been renovated and declared Historical Heritage of San Sebastián.

Then off to Madrid, for Jake to retrieve Brett. Jake found Brett alone in a Madrid hotel room. She had another affair and now wants to return to her fiancé Mike. Spain’s capital Madrid is a city of elegant boulevards and expansive, manicured parks such as the Buen Retiro. It’s renowned for its rich repositories of European art, including the Prado Museum’s works by Goya, Velázquez and other Spanish masters. The heart of old Hapsburg Madrid is the portico-lined Plaza Mayor, and nearby is the baroque Royal Palace and Armory, displaying historic weaponry. While in Madrid, stop in to Restaurante Botín, the oldest restaurant in the world, dating to 1725 http://www.botin.es/en “It is one of the best restaurants in the world,” says Jake. “We had roast young suckling pig and drank rioja alta. Brett did not eat much. She never ate much. I ate a very big meal and drank three bottles of rioja alta.” Jake books tickets for them to leave Madrid. As they ride in a taxi through the Spanish capital, Brett laments that she and Jake could have had a wonderful time together. Jake responds,

“Yes, isn’t it pretty to think so?”

No time to take this literary journey in person?

Pull out your copy of The Sun Also Rises (or order here https://www.amazon.com/Sun-Also-Rises-Ernest-Hemingway/dp/0743297334/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1468538977&sr=1-1&keywords=the+sun+also+rises), start a pot of Hemingway Soup from his hotel stay in Burguete, Spain, get a cozy couch corner readied with a blanket and mood lighting, change into comfy loungewear and make yourself Hemingway’s favorite severely dry, ice cold Martini and let your journey commence!

HEMINGWAY SOUP

3 T extra virgin olive oil

1 onion finely minced

2 leeks white part only thinly sliced

4 garlic cloves chopped

1 lb cured ham – (serrano or possibly prosciutto) preferably one piece (vegan edition, simple swap out for same quantity of vegan ham, or leave out and simply add 3 black cardamom pods-not white or green! Or a few dashes of liquid smoke)

½ lb dry white beans

salt to taste

freshly-ground black pepper to taste

1 thinly-sliced green or white cabbage

5-6 fresh green beans snapped into halves

1 tbsp frozen green peas

In a medium (4- to 6- qt) soup pot over low heat, combine extra virgin olive oil, onion, leeks and garlic. Saute/fry till onion has softened, about 10 min. Add in 9 c. of water, ham, white beans and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer, covered, till beans are tender, about 2½ hours. Add in cabbage and green beans. Simmer, covered, for 20 min. Add in green peas and continue to simmer 5 min more. Remove and throw away ham. Adjust seasonings, and serve. This recipe yields 4 servings.

If you are looking for more Hemingway- the newly released Everybody Behaves Badly: The True Story Behind The Sun Also Rises may be just what you were looking for. Find it here https://www.amazon.com/Everybody-Behaves-Badly-Hemingways-Masterpiece/dp/0544276000/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1468521161&sr=8-1&keywords=everyone+behaves+badly

Have ideas you’d like to add to the list? Need more suggestions? Let me know!

Julie Koester is CEO of Life with Moxie, a Lifestyle Revolution Company www.lifewithmoxie.com and Host of Life with Moxie Radio, Saturday’s at 1pm on 98.9 WGUF in Southwest Florida. You can reach her at Julie@lifewithmoxie.com

Passionate Living by Design, That’s Life with Moxie

The post Travel Through Literature: The Sun Also Rises first appeared on Dragon Horse Ad Agency.

Fatherhood itself has had an extraordinary transition, paralleling the morphing of manhood. From once having the sole expectation of being the authoritarian breadwinner, fathers in the 20th century were being pressured to be “dads” as well, to actually parent, be involved, know their kids. This required men to be gentle, to listen, to be present and sensitive which was not the ideal model of a man at the time and they were to do this, all without abandoning the post as breadwinner. Thankfully that image of manliness has started changing in beautiful ways that benefit children and partners alike, yet the societal establishment has lagged far behind in supporting that balancing attempt.

Dads are allowed in delivery rooms for the delivery of their children now (they weren’t officially allowed in there until the 1970’s, although some forced the doctors to let them starting in the early 60’s), but the equality in parenting rights end about there. Workplace policies, post-divorce issues, etc. are still lagging. This doesn’t even factor in the challenges for the now growing single dad population, two dad families and do I need to even mention the step-dads since they seem more common than dads in nuclear families. Furthermore, many dads aren’t able to be with their kids on regular days or Father’s Day from extraneous circumstances like travel for work, deployment or the Ex moved out of town and retained custody. Yes, there have been strides, but there are so many more challenges remaining.

So what do dads want for Father’s Day? At Life with Moxie, we asked moms what they wanted for Mother’s Day and they overwhelming said they wanted a day off from being a mom, to sleep in and not deal with food or dishes, or requests for help. Presents were an unnecessary yet lovely bonus. With a clearer understanding of today’s father we can better understand why they want what they do for Father’s Day.

With modern dads often doing their fair share of the housekeeping (or all of it if they are single dads) with a baby strapped to their chest and/or sports equipment in tow, dads are wanting the dream of what being a dad looked like, before it all actually happened- and looked nothing like the dream. Dads seem to be craving the nostalgic experience (fantasy) of being a dad, more like a 50’s TV dad, with the family all around him. Let’s all just take a moment to transport ourselves to June and Ward Cleaver’s, in their lovely immaculate ranch house that smells of cookies and mums… in that pristine alternate universe of idyllic American life. That- is what we are aiming for. Even though June was only wearing pearls to cover up her scar and wore heels so she could remain taller than her boys, it was charming.

So what does like look like as a Father’s Day gift? If dad can be home with the family it looks like a weekend day with an appreciative partner looking lovely and pulled together, fixing the dads favorite dinner while managing the needs of the children. Encouraging him to head out with his friends to do what ever he’d like for the day, children neat and clean, behaving like church mice as if the Queen would be stopping by, dog resting peacefully, while dad is enjoying uninterrupted time drinking a beverage of choice while enjoying catching up on reading or programming of sorts. So other than maybe a bottle of Gentlemen’s Jack and a custom coupon book for others to stop talking or do dad’s regularly schedules chores- dads are really wanting what my dear friend refers to as a “command performance“ from their family, with everyone showing up as their best self.

For the dads that are away, technology is your best friend. So call, Skype, Facetime, Whatsapp, whatever, but get in touch. Snail mail still works too and those letters and cards can be saved and treasured by those dads who are away for extended time. Better than anything that could be found on gift guide filled with stuff that no one needs, just be your most grateful and appreciative self for all the hard work he’s put in. Do what you know he’d love you to do most and say thank you… he’s earned it.

Have ideas you’d like to add to the list? Need more suggestions? Let me know!

Julie Koester is CEO of Life with Moxie, a Lifestyle Revolution Company www.lifewithmoxie.com and Host of Life with Moxie Radio, Saturday’s at 1pm on 98.9 WGUF in Southwest Florida. You can reach her at Julie@lifewithmoxie.com

Passionate Living by Design, That’s Life with Moxie

The post Father’s Day: What Dads Really Want first appeared on Dragon Horse Ad Agency.

1. By November 7th:  Establish theme (casual, elegant, etc.). Prepare guest list and invite guests.  Decide if you need new guest hand towels, hand soap, add these to shopping list.  What table decorations are going to be needed?  Small bell jars of fresh flowers and candles or something larger and grand?  Decide and order or add to the shopping list.

2. By November 14th:  Brainstorm menu ideas, decide how much you are going to do yourself and what’s suitable to purchase/order.  Edit down what you are personally making to what’s reasonable, then create a master ingredient and kitchen equipment list.  Don’t forget things like coffee filters and bar staples.

3.  By November 17th: Make a master menu item cooking list (potatoes take x minutes to prep and x minutes to cook, so do they get started before or after the green bean casserole that takes x minutes to prep and x minutes to cook and goes directly to table). You may want to enlist the use of a neighbors oven as a warming drawer when too many things need to stay warm right before show time.

Go through the list, pulling out what you already have, pulling it to put aside so you don’t use it in the meantime. Decide what can be made ahead of time and frozen.  For those that can be made ahead, grocery shop for those ingredients. Place orders for those items you’re ordering (often ordered items are pies, specialty breads, wines, floral arrangements).

4. By November 21st: Make those items which could be made ahead and freeze (Such as pie crust, bread, stock, may need to borrow a neighbor’s freezer space). Also things like cranberry sauce can be made and refrigerated. Decide how your food items are going to be plated and pull out those pieces with the serving utensils. Reconfirm guest list and establish your seating.  Kids at separate table?  Do you need to rent chairs so they are all matching?

5. Are you hosting any of your guests overnight?  Make sure you have fresh sheets and toiletries available.  Got ahead and prep those rooms so you need not think about them again… if it will be last minute (kicking someone out of their room for a guest) then pull all items together that will be required for the last minute quick-change (sheets, towels, toiletries, magazine about local area, etc.)

6. Monday before Thanksgiving, buy all perishables required for recipes and ice for bar service.

7. Set the table completely, including all decorations, candles, chairs, silverware, etc. Place serving pieces on table so you’re clear on your spacing.  Set up separate bar area for drinks including alcohol, mixers, the buckets for ice and glassware.  Corral all after-dinner drink items such as coffee, creamer, tea and mugs.

8. Wednesday before Thanksgiving, thaw all frozen items (bread, etc. that you premade). Assemble and bake pies. Keep in mind, most all side dishes can be made a day ahead and simply reheated, such as mashed potatoes, roasted Brussels, etc. Clean and dry salad greens and store in a resealable baggie until you assemble salad.

9. Thanksgiving morning, prepare stuffing, gravy, assemble salad (no dressing yet) and chill, bring all previously cooked items to serving temperature in oven.

10.  After dinner, with all coffee and dessert items corralled already, all you have left is making the coffee and whipped cream.  Then sit back and enjoy …

The post Tuesday Top 10 first appeared on Dragon Horse Ad Agency.

Now grab your coffee, what I refer to as my cup of limitless possibility, and let’s get down to business!

The post Monday Motivational first appeared on Dragon Horse Ad Agency.

How did we get here? Back in the day, just after WWII, the manufacturing plants that had been taken over by the military to make rations, were then handed back to the companies with no funding to retrofit. So what happened? TV dinners happened. They happened with arguably the single most successful maketing campaign ever created. What did the ad for TV dinners say? Something to the effect of “Ladies, you are wasting your time in the kitchen… blah, blah, blah…” we stopped hearing the rest of the ad. “OMG, I’m wasting my time! I had no idea I was wasting my time! Well, THAT’s gotta stop!” We believed them. We believed them because we also believed they were creating goods in our best interest that would also serve our best interest and those of our family.

Surprise! They weren’t then and they aren’t now. They don’t want to ‘help’ us, they want to disable us into not being able to function without them and it’s been working brilliantly. Personally, I’m tired of watching families fall victim to the excuses and reasons that we have been fed by these companies to convince us to buy their mostly-not-actual-food food-like product. Everything from the likes of Twinkies to restaurants are pitching their message of “You deserve/have earned/you’re too busy not too/don’t you want to see your kids smile…” and we’re agreeing, even intentionally failing to schedule efficiently because this rescue-in-box, aka rations, are available. We now assertively agree that intentionally harming our or our children’s bodies is a reward… Ummm, What?

We are the only species on the planet that will intentionally and knowingly make poor choices on our own behalf and we are even making this choice on behalf of our loved ones. We have now done it to such a degree that we have pending, the first generation of children who will, on average, not live as long as their parents.

This has to stop — and it starts with us. Enough of just making it to the end of the day, we are here for so much more. I promise I have a powerful plan for us to take back our lives…. Are you ready for this journey of a lifetime?!

The post Didn’t you just eat?! (Who has time for this?!?!) first appeared on Dragon Horse Ad Agency.

Welcome to Fahrenheit Friday! Here I take time to share personal learning or experience of our tribe, the women of MOXIE. We all have hundreds of experiences a day, most are not awesome, nor are they significant. However every so often, one qualifies as a “pearl” and we are making a pearl necklace. In creating the pearl necklace of our lives, these powerful pearls get added to the necklace creating powerful shifts in understanding. As the length of the necklace grows, so does our confidence and the frequency of significate experiences. We all function at the highest level of consciousness that we are, so when we know better we do better (Thank you, Maya Angelou!). In sharing and learning from each other, we all have the opportunity grow and support one another.

In this community, we are not “taking one for the team.” We are the team, supporting and empowering one another with our valuable learning so we can create and empower ourselves to be the best of ourselves, resulting in being the best we have to offer to our friends and families. Buckle up for the journey of a lifetime and welcome… to Life with MOXIE.

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