Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Texas Bound!

Geia sas everyone!
I've been crazy busy so i haven't had too much time to update y'all but my last day of clinicals is tomorrow; thank God! I just pray i pass because my instructor doesn't like me & she's not a pleasant woman...just my luck right! So then after clinical i'm quick signing up for my advance CNA class, finishing up my packing & catching a plane to Texas..yes Texas which i adore.

My brother is graduating from bootcamp & i'm going to see him & my family in Texas who i miss a lot.
I'm so proud of my brother & will be real happy to see him. So if you want to stay updated with me more frequently here is my twitter @sassyagapi

P.S. check out THESE gorgeous friesians!



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Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Halloween Candy


As we are coming up on Halloween it seems only appropriate that we discusses if it is okay to let your kids eat their Halloween candy?
Absolutely YES!!!
As long as the eating of the candy is done in the proper way. After we eat anything (bread, eggs, cheese, etc.) our mouth's will produce extra saliva. This saliva is secreted in an attempt to neutralize the acids that are being produced by the bacteria that live in our mouth's. These bacteria are feed off of the food that we consumed. Typically a person's salivary rate will return to normal in about 15 minutes and at that point the acids attacking your teeth are back to manageable levels. A good brushing and flossing will then get your teeth the rest of the way to being clean.

Therefore, the proper way to have your kids eat all of that candy would be to let them eat their candy for about 10 minutes or so after dinner. Once they have had their little treat send them to brush and floss for the night. Doing this will allow them to eat their candy. Allow you to look like a cool parent. And present only a very slim chance, if any, of your child getting any cavities from their Halloween haul.

The thing NOT to do would be to let them keep the bag in their room and have a piece here or there all day long. This will keep the sugar on their teeth all day and the salivary glands will never get a chance to catch up. And since they will not brush after every piece of candy they will eat the acids produced by the bacteria will have much more time to do damage to the teeth before being brushed away.


So go ahead. Let the kids have their candy. Just make sure its in short spurts and that a good brushing and flossing follows.

Monday, September 27, 2010

BREAKING NEWS: The TRUE GRIT trailer!

The new trailer for Joel and Ethan Coen's True Grit remake is exciting, but it really makes me curious to see how it'll truly part company with the John Wayne original. Already, I can see Roger Deakins' photography as being a major player, as well as Hailee Steinfeld, who already seems a thousand times better than Kim Darby (though I do have affection for Darby's original performance). As my

Sunday, September 26, 2010

NYFF Review 1: THE SOCIAL NETWORK

Like most memorable movies, David Fincher's The Social Network hooks us with its first scene, which begins, unusually, while the studio logo is still on screen. Mark Zuckerberg (a beautifully intense Jesse Eisenberg) and his date, Erica Albright (the magnificent Rooney Mara) are ramping up to rage through Aaron Sorkin's juggernaut dialogue. Though Erica is trying to be friendly, Zuckerberg is

Notes on the 2010 NYFF: THE SOCIAL NETWORK press conference

The New York Film Festival has been kind enough to provide, for those of us without cameras, full coverage of the post-screening press conference for The Social Network, with writer Aaron Sorkin, star Jesse Eisenberg, director David Fincher, and stars Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake in the hot seats. I was there in the third row, middle seat, but I couldn't get my question in (I really

Basilikos Lasagna Recipe


Geia sas!
So remember this post when i told you i'd share the recipe for Basilikos Lasagna?
Well guess what; today is that day!
Basilikos Lasagna
4 Tbs. butter
4 Tbs. flour
4 cups milk
4 cloves garlic
1 box no-boil lasagna noodles
1 large bag shredded mozzarella cheese(use as much or little as you like)
3-4 large tomatoes, sliced
1 bunch fresh basil leaves
fresh grated nutmeg(as much as you like, i use a good amount)
a pinch of cinnamon
salt & pepper


Preheat oven to 375° F.
Sauce: In large saucepan over medium heat melt the butter. Add garlic & cook till aromatic, about 1 min. Sprinkle flour over pan & cook for 1 min. Whisk milk into the pan & bring to a bubble. Add nutmeg, cinnamon, season with salt & pepper, & simmer until thickened(3-5mins.)

Lasagna: Ladle a small amount of sauce into bottom of a 9x13" pan & lay 3 lasagna noodles over sauce.

 Top noodles with about 3 tomato slices, a third of the chopped/torn basil, & a large hand-full of the cheese.


 Repeat until all ingredients are used up, top off the lasagna with a final layer of sauce & cheese.

Bake for 30mins. on bottom oven rack, then move to top rack & cook for additional 15mins. until cheese is slightly browned & sauce is bubbly. When ready to serve top with a few basil leaves.
Note: There will be a little extra sauce because there never seems to be enough! So add it all.

This is a family favorite & will stay in my family forever i'm sure. I hope you'll try it!

Kali Orexi!
καλή όρεξη
(bon appetite)

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Saturday, September 25, 2010

Louie Says Goodnight!

Geia sas,
Louie says Kalinixta/Καληνύχτα (goodnight)!

<3

& just in case you want to hear a beautiful voice before bed click HERE.




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Choose the right concealer!

If you read my last post then you are probably thinking. "That all sounds great but what can I do to hide my under eye imperfections until all this stuff starts working!" Let's face it. It takes at least two weeks of continued use to see results from most eye creams and about the same amount of time to see results from any lifestyles changes you may have made to improve the area. So here are some

Choose the right concealer!

If you read my last post then you are probably thinking. "That all sounds great but what can I do to hide my under eye imperfections until all this stuff starts working!" Let's face it. It takes at least two weeks of continued use to see results from most eye creams and about the same amount of time to see results from any lifestyles changes you may have made to improve the area. So here are some

Eliminate dark circles and bags under your eyes for good!

This is an issue that hits very close to home for me. Even though I'm only in my twenties I have been dealing with under eye puffiness and circles for years now. Working as a makeup artist, I noticed many of my clients have the same issues. You can definitely use concealer to hide puffiness or dark area under your eyes, but here are a few of the tips I picked up from some pretty credible sources

Eliminate dark circles and bags under your eyes for good!

This is an issue that hits very close to home for me. Even though I'm only in my twenties I have been dealing with under eye puffiness and circles for years now. Working as a makeup artist, I noticed many of my clients have the same issues. You can definitely use concealer to hide puffiness or dark area under your eyes, but here are a few of the tips I picked up from some pretty credible sources

Friday, September 24, 2010

Olive Oil Bar

Geia sas everyone!
Last week my mom & i went to the olive oil bar & wow did we love it!
We bought Garlic Infused Olive Oil which is fabulous & their Greek Olive Oil grown in the Peloponnese where my family is from, this is has an incredible flavor; note they only sell extra virgin(the best).
They are set up like in the picture below that i took from their website. You can taste all the oil before you buy it.

They place a tag with the name of what you bought on each bottle, you can re-use the bottles & save a dollar next time you come in also.

They also have a few other oils such as nuts like hazelnut, almond, & they have avocado oil. Plus the best balsamic vinegar you will ever have in your lifetime; the 25yr Aged Balsamic Vinegar..its to die for good & a little pricey at $19 a bottle. The others oils average prices were $14.50ish, again not cheap in my opinion but they are amazingly good.
We'll buy the balsamic next time we come in for sure, they also have gift cards that would make a great gift for the right person.
Ah liquid gold.

Mmmm-mm-mmm with fresh bread; Heavenly!




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Notes on the 2010 New York Film Festival: 1

A couple months ago, I'd have slapped you and called you a loon if you'd have told me that, today, I'd be in the third row of the Walter Reade Theater, seeing the first public NYC screening of the Movie of the Now, David Fincher's The Social Network, with its writer (Aaron Sorkin), director, and three leads (Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield and Justin Timberlake) in attendance. But, indeed, this

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Do I need a Root Canal?


There are several reasons why people may need root canals.
One reason would be trauma. Hitting a tooth hard enough can cause the tooth to die and need a root canal. Fracturing a tooth by biting into something hard can expose the nerve and also lead to a root canal. The final reason for a root canal is illustrated in the picture below. If a cavity is left untreated and it gets down into the nerve of the tooth then that tooth will need to have a root canal. The need for a root canal may be indicated if a person has moderate to sever pain in the area of the problem tooth. Another indication would be a s
mall pimple or lump forming in the are of the tooth.


After One Week...

Thurs., Sept. 23
Day 10: Students went to the Université d’Albi for their French lesson.  Me: a morning walk with JZ and Brun (pictured below) to the river.  Je crois que les chiens sont bilingues parce que quand je leur parle en français (« allons y ») ils viennent immediatement !  Peut-être ils parlent français seulement ?!  p.s. Day is not finished... wine tasting tonight!


Wed., Sept. 22
Day 9:  spent in Toulouse!  What a cool, hip city!  There is so many cultural activities and events going on – the performing arts – dance, theatre, etc.; music & clubs;  museums – free; galleries, openings!  I grabbed half a dozen event brochures… there is so much to choose from.  The city has a very Spanish feel to me… similar architecture, store fronts, the liveliness of the streets… I would love to live in Toulouse for a few years – I hear the archives are rich!  A postdoc would be nice!  


Our day:  we left the priory promptly at 8:30am, and began our tour of the city with a visit to the Museum of Antiquities – there, an interesting collection of Roman busts and sculptures dating from the late Roman empire (apparently, the area was a center of production… ).  This was followed by a visit to the old Dominican monastery (diminutive now and uninteresting from the outside, but it must have seemed larger in the Middle Ages).  The building was the initial residence for the newly created order of the Dominicans (“Friars Preachers”) of Toulouse.  The tribunals of the papal inquisition also took place within its walls… Toulouse was a hotbed of Cathar heresy… the space that once held the tribunal is now a lecture hall.  On the ceiling, above, are a series of paneled pictures depicting the life of St. Dominic (dated 17th century):

After this, we had lunch break.  I led Dr. Mark Lynch and his wife, Debbie, to a nice little café where we ordered the “plat du jour” (basically, the special of the day… on the other side of the Pyrenees known as the “menu del dia”).  We had roasted chicken, pasta au gratin, salad, and (of course) du vin!  The plat du jour is always the best deal for lunch – ours was just over 8 Euros.    

View of the vaulted ceiling of the Dominican church in Toulouse.  Ed Biemer and myself pictured here.  (Photos courtesy of Ed Biemer).

                    View of the Canal in Toulouse. (Built in 17th c 
             during reign of Louis XIV).

Tues., Sept. 21
Day 8, breakfast, strong coffee, then French class from 9am-noon here at the priory.  The students and professors attended!  We learned basic introductions (Je m’appelle Lori.  Et toi? … Je suis Canadienne. J’habite en Pennsylvanie.  etc.)  This was not hard for me – I have the advantage of having taken several years of French class while a student in junior and senior highschool.  But for our students… well, let’s just say they rose to the challenge!  ;-) I am finding that there are expressions in Quebeçois that are not directly transferable in France… for instance, a relative of mine usually says “Je suis plein” (I am full) after eating a big meal… I said this to the waitress, after our “plat du jour” the other day, and she promptly corrected me:  she said the expression means that I am pregnant (!!)… that it has animalistic connotations… that I am an animal who is grossly fat or about to give birth (?)… well, well…okay, so my expression was wrong. You learn something every day.  Apparently, the correct expression is “Je suis rempli”.


Mon., Sept. 20
Day 7, spent at the Priory.  I am teaching three courses here:  “Inquisition & Society”, “Mediterranean World (Muslims, Christians, Jews in Medit. Society)”, and the “History of Medicine.” We decided that at the end of the term we will  have a mock-Inquistion.  One student has already eagerly volunteered to be the Inquisitor of Heretical Depravity… ! Hmm…. And another, the Torturer!  Hmm hmm.  I think that I am supposed to be the heretic…

Sun. Sept. 19
Day 6, spent in Ambialet.  As it was the occasion of  the « Journée de Patrimoine », we met in the small village church of St. Gilles (which I think dates back to the 10th or 11th century), and joined a tour guide (a local from the village) on the history of Ambialet (given in French, but Tim Perkins translated).  Very interesting.  Apparently, about 7 “castlets” (castlettes? = small castles) were constructed on the hilltops surrounding the village, one of which has been dated back to the 4th century.  The powerful “Trencavel” family were based here, and ruled Albi too (the region, essentially)… doing their own thing and paying only loose homage to the Count of Toulouse.  Some of the remains of these small castles can still be seen (e.g. the cisterns which catch rain water were pointed out, and layers of buildings laid on top of each other).  
  

Sat., Sept. 18
Day 5, spent in Ambialet. Slept in till 10, sipped a strong coffee and told ghost stories to scare the students (well, it seems that someone was walking the halls in the early morning hours and the dogs were barking… oddly… but everyone claims that they were in bed! Hmmm…), hiked up a cliff to get wonderful viewpoint ("paradise" as local described it – see picture below), celebrated John Roche’s 22nd Birthday (he seems older that this!), tried some very tasty liqueurs from Auvergne, brought by Angeline, from the Université d’Albi… her uncle makes this himself. Delicious!  Meant to be poured in a small quantity over ice cream, but one person (who shall remain nameless) poured a glass full of it (eyebrows raised across the table! Ce n’est pas la coutume!), sharing more ghost stories...students are scared out of their wits now!  



Fri., Sept. 17

Day 4, spent at the priory and in the village of Ambialet. Began with STRONG coffee at 8am, followed by a lesson in how to bake “Mousse au Chocolat” from 9-10am (see below, Monsieur Roche teaching me how to… crack an egg?! Hey, come on, I know how to do that!), then Art class from 10-noon with Dr. Honigsblum, lunch, a leisurely bike ride down to Ambialet with two students, Ed & Lauren, and huffing and puffing back up the mountain (ugh… I’m out of shape!), rest for an hour, dinner, and a sampling of local/regional cheeses (my favourite, “Choix de Moine”).  We were joined after dinner by two very bubbly and sweet students, Angeline & Laura, from the Université d’Albi.  All in all, our day was really scrumptious!


Thurs., Sept. 16

Day 3, spent in Albi (20 kms away). It began with French class at 9am, (see picture below) followed by a tour of the campus of the Université d'Albi by some French students (Angeline was our guide), lunch in the school cafeteria, a French exam (I’m too old for this!),  an historical tour of Albi given by Dr. Honisgblum, then a meeting with the Deputy Mayor of Albi and presentation of gifts (well, he presented us with gifts but we were empty handed – oops), a fun scenic drive (we got lost!) to a mall (store called “Géant”, like a big Walmart but higher quality goods –ah  good chocolate finally!) and then back to the priory for dinner at 8pm. Highlights: La cathédrale Sainte-Cécile (a veritable fortress, and no doubt meant to be a political statement to heretics); tunnel driving (yikes!); and of course, meeting the deputy mayor.  I enjoyed the historical overview he gave of the town government.  Like many other European towns, the consul of Albi was established in the 12th centuy, during a period of dramatic commercial development & expansion. Ambialet’s consul was also established at the same time.  The people of the South, even those who lived in the tiniest of rural villages, were “urban in their thinking”… in this way they were quite different from their neighbours to the north.


Wed., Sept. 15
Day 2. Orientation.  A tour around the priory, its grounds, etc.  Fabulous day – bright, sunny skies, warm (!), fresh air, gardens and green foliage all around!  So picturesque!

Tues., Sept. 14
Arrival!  Day 1.  Made it to Ambialet – no mishaps or lost luggage! – and am now sitting in my large bedroom, with view of Tarn River below.  What a gorgeous setting!  The WIFI is better here than in Loretto – just tried it out!  Am a bit exhausted from the long journey, but must stay up for (?) more hours to beat the jetleg... Dinner is at 7pm. (How wonderful that I do not have to cook for 3 months!  My body and tastebuds will be spared!)  Pictured below: we have just left the Toulouse airport and are heading toward the priory in Ambialet.  Prof. Gerry Honigsblum, the academic coordinator of the SFU France program, sits opposite me.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Twitter*tweet tweet*

   
Geia sas!!
I just made my Twitter account so
Follow me on Twitter y'all!




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Saturday, September 18, 2010

The Ghost & Mr. Chicken, Chocolate Muffins, + Deigo!

Geia sas!
I totally love Don Knotts movies so when
The Ghost & Mr. Chicken DVD
came in the mail today from Amazon.com i was super pumped!
For those of you who have never seen it (or worse yet never heard of Don Knotts!) its a hilarious movie made in 1966. Here is the description:
"Luther Heggs is a mild mannered typesetter just waiting to break out and show the world that he can be a reporter. When the nervous, shy, and loveable bug-eyed reporter wanna be is dared to spend the night in the old haunted Simmons mansion, he feels this is his chance. There are a lot of strange things that happen in this old house. People recount of hearing creepy organ music wondering if the unsolved murder victim is haunting the old house. The newspaper editor thinks it is a wonderful idea, and decides to give Luther the chance he has been dreaming about since the anniversary of the murder/suicide is approaching. When Luther spends the fated night, he barely makes it past midnight tearing from the house spouting tales of a ghost playing the organ, shears embedded in a portrait, and secret passage ways. When Luther tries to prove the events he experienced in the house, he ends up looking like a fool when they cannot be recreated. As he solves the mystery, he takes the whole audience along for the ride."

It's one i remember watching growing up & i introduced my best friend to his movies when we were teenagers & she fell in love with this movie too, so its an instant classic with us & my family.



Tonight i made yummy Dark Chocolate Pumkin muffins
click HERE for the recipe. Since we finally got pumpkin back in our stores & my step brother kindly brought some free from his work; yay!

&& I just can't get enough of this song by Diego Boneta called Siempre Tu!(always you)
Here is the Spanish version but there is an English-Spanish version as well.

Enjoy!


                                                       
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Friday, September 17, 2010

Greek Gods Yogurt Review

Geia sas filoi/φίλοι!
                           (friends)
                       So the Greek Gods company sent me coupons to try their yogurt & i'm excited since i'd seen it before but never tried it.
*For a litte background, the company was founded in Seattle, WA in 2003 by 3 Greek men.

The bummer is that most grocery stores near me don't carry their products, on the Sentry does & they have a very limited section. They carry 3 flavors only in the tubs plain, vanilla, & honey. So i was disappointed with my local stores for sure but i bought the honey yogurt never the less.

And all i have to say is WOW, talk about amazing!! The flavor & texture was incredible, now i know why it's a pricey item, this would only be an occasional buy for me because as i said the price is a little high.
The only other thing i don't like about this product is how much fat is in it, 14g!!! Aeeyyeehyy my heart skipped a beat when i read the label. But the flavor & quality is undeniable!
I will probably buy it again if they have it in single portions at my store.

Now if i thought that was amazing i can't imagine what i would think of this; pagoto ice krema...in Baklava!!!!!!!!!!....& Chocolate Fig!!!!! ...& Honey Pomegrante!!
Oh dear Lord i have gone to Heaven...i need to somehow get my hands on this..!!!

'
You might have noticed each item has it's own Greek God or Goddess on it, though the pictures are less than authentic the concept it really cute.

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