Day to Night Dressing

This week on my blog, I'm turning this blah bag into a TADA!

I liked the size, shape and the kiss closure.
But the decorations were far too busy.

So I covered it up and added these massive beads
in a light shade of mocha.

I think it will look good with a tailored outfit
like this one I found in Banana Republic;
especially when it's time to hit happy hour!

Going Bananas

It's Friday and I'm going bananas!
I mean that both figuratively and literally:

I've got some ready for a blah to Tada! transformation.

I turned them into banana bread, baked in muffin tins.

Very easy to grab as a quick breakfast!

And yet another transformation -- my version of a banana trifle! I cubed up some banana bread, sliced some bananas and put these in a glass, topped it with ice cream and some dulce de leche (you can use caramel or chocolate syrup, too).

Tada! Instant dessert!

Have a fabulous long weekend everyone!

I Scream for Ice Cream

Happy new week everybody!

I looked through my freezer this weekend and I found some neglected ice cream. Gasp! I know, I have no excuse for ignoring this heavenly dessert, but if sweets like lemon meringue pie, strawberry shortcake and banana pudding find their way to your fridge, you would forgive me if I allowed the ice cream to "chill" for a while.

So this week on my blog, I'm serving up some icy treats that turn plain ice cream from blah to Tada!

Ice cream + cookies

Tada! Ice cream sandwich!

It's an easy snack that both adults & kids will love.
See you tomorrow for another icy cold idea!

Plane Food

When I'm on a plane, there are two things I look forward to: arriving at the destination and when the food service cart is rolled onto the aisle. Okay, so airplane food may never get a Michelin star rating but I must say I've had several memorable airplane meals. It's unfortunate that these days, many airlines have stopped serving food to cut costs. They don't even give away those little packets of peanuts anymore. Only drinks are free. They do sell food like sandwiches and snacks, but $4.00 for peanuts?!

To turn this blah situation into a Tada!, here's what I do:

I get myself a plastic container -- you know, the ones where they package take-out food.

I add these colorful liners that not only make my snack tray pretty, they make very good compartments for the nibbles I've prepared: cheese & crackers, nuts and dried fruit!

I like using these plastic containers because there's less garbage after the meal, food keeps it shape (no flat sandwiches), there's less mess and it can easily be stuffed into your carry-on luggage or handbag.

You can choose whatever you want to put in it and you're sure it's healthy! Here I've selected some banana muffins, an apple and raisins that I can eat with coffee or tea while watching an in-flight movie.

Depending on how long the flight is, you can pack smaller snacks that you can enjoy in between naps and reading. I think these containers I got at a Japanese store are ready for the job.

I've filled them with fruit (blueberries), protein (hard boiled eggs) and sweets (my favorite dark chocolate)...hey, everyone deserves a treat! You can also use these for kiddie snacks -- one for each child.

For the duration of the trip, simply rinse these containers and re-fill with more snacks.

For the flight back home, buy some snacks that you loved from your destination (ex. pain au chocolat, empanadas, cupcakes) for that one last vacation hurrah.