photo by Kimberly Graydon |
December in Review 2018
Thursday, December 27, 2018
Favorite Cookbooks of 2018
Sunday, December 23, 2018
I love to cook, and every Friday I search through my pinterest board of what recipes I will make next week so I can create my grocery list. I'll never order my groceries online for delivery because I really enjoy going to grocery store, usually 3 of them each week. lol
Chloe Flavor: Saucy, Crispy, Spicy, Vegan
by Chloe Coscarelli
My favorite vegan chef is Chloe with her infection smile. Her previous cookbook I've written about here. She opened a new restaurant in Miami as she no longer has ownership of the restaurant in NYC that bares her name, due to a legal battle and drama last year. She bounced back and I loved this cookbook, there was so many delicious recipes in here! I'm mostly a fan of her Asian inspired dishes. Every recipe has a story to it which I enjoyed reading. She even makes goldfish crackers from scratch.
Giada's Italy: My Recipes for La Dolce Vita
by Giada De Laurentiis
Giada, now divorced and a single mom, with a restaurant in Las Vegas, moved to Italy to shoot two seasons of her cooking show. I saw her in person at a traveling cooking show when she came to town a few years ago. This book was inspired by her time in Italy gives these Italian dishes a lighter and healthier touch. She was born in Italy but grew up in the US, and said that going back home helped her to reconnect with her Italian roots. I loved reading the intro to the book that explained her love of Italian foods. While most of this book is meat based, I found a handful of pasta dishes that I enjoyed making. She also uses exotic pasta shapes like Creste Di Gallo and long fusilli that I had to buy! She has one dish that cooks the pasta in an entire bottle of Chianti which I tried. She also includes recipes for an aperol spritz slushee and chianti gelato. Her signature recipe is Lemon Spaghetti. With all the rich dishes in her book I was curious how she stays in shape and read that she gets up at 5:30am, eats lots of small plates during the day of fresh, unprocessed food, does yoga and takes 20 different pills from her acupuncturist. She has 9 cookbooks and some children's books. Her daughter is named Jade, Giada is Italian for Jade. You can catch her on the Today show often.
Related Posts:
Spiralized Vegetables
Must have cookbooks for 2016
New Vegetarian Cookbooks for 2015
Chloe Flavor: Saucy, Crispy, Spicy, Vegan
by Chloe Coscarelli
My favorite vegan chef is Chloe with her infection smile. Her previous cookbook I've written about here. She opened a new restaurant in Miami as she no longer has ownership of the restaurant in NYC that bares her name, due to a legal battle and drama last year. She bounced back and I loved this cookbook, there was so many delicious recipes in here! I'm mostly a fan of her Asian inspired dishes. Every recipe has a story to it which I enjoyed reading. She even makes goldfish crackers from scratch.
Giada's Italy: My Recipes for La Dolce Vita
by Giada De Laurentiis
Giada, now divorced and a single mom, with a restaurant in Las Vegas, moved to Italy to shoot two seasons of her cooking show. I saw her in person at a traveling cooking show when she came to town a few years ago. This book was inspired by her time in Italy gives these Italian dishes a lighter and healthier touch. She was born in Italy but grew up in the US, and said that going back home helped her to reconnect with her Italian roots. I loved reading the intro to the book that explained her love of Italian foods. While most of this book is meat based, I found a handful of pasta dishes that I enjoyed making. She also uses exotic pasta shapes like Creste Di Gallo and long fusilli that I had to buy! She has one dish that cooks the pasta in an entire bottle of Chianti which I tried. She also includes recipes for an aperol spritz slushee and chianti gelato. Her signature recipe is Lemon Spaghetti. With all the rich dishes in her book I was curious how she stays in shape and read that she gets up at 5:30am, eats lots of small plates during the day of fresh, unprocessed food, does yoga and takes 20 different pills from her acupuncturist. She has 9 cookbooks and some children's books. Her daughter is named Jade, Giada is Italian for Jade. You can catch her on the Today show often.
Related Posts:
Spiralized Vegetables
Must have cookbooks for 2016
New Vegetarian Cookbooks for 2015
Most Popular Posts of 2018
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
This year I've been in a creative rut as I only posted 40 blog posts as opposed to over 100 in previous years. Sometimes writing comes really easily and other times it doesn't. This year I've focused more on Instagram, posting daily and increasing my photo quality. When I started this blog in 2013 I used it as a place to share things I loved and cool ideas, now it's become my online digital diary that I refer back to all the time to find recipes. This year my travel posts were the most popular and I always smile every time I get an email from pinterest saying someone has saved one of my posts. Here's a roundup of my top 10 posts this year by view count. If you enjoy reading my blog make sure you follow me (and all your other favorite blogs) on bloglovin where you get a daily email in your inbox with a round up of new posts.
Best Black Friday Deals!
Thursday, November 22, 2018
Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the best shopping deals of the year and some stores even started their sales early this week. Also check out hotel websites, hotels offer deals for the whole year! I made the mistake of booking travel for Friday so I will be doing all my shopping on my phone. Here's some deals from my favorite stores.
Sephora 20% off starts today!
Friday, November 9, 2018
For VIB members, from Nov 9 through the 12th the whole store for 20% off, use code VIBBONUS. You can go into Sephora and ask for a sample of anything to take home to try before you buy. Last month my sephora account was hacked, I happened to see an email just as it came in from Sephora telling me that my email on my account was changed. I immediately called them and found out someone placed an order with all my points! Thankfully I caught that in time and they cancelled the order. Anyway I find I don't buy much makeup these days, I'm more of a skincare junkie and here are the items I have on my wish list.
5 Fall Fashion Trends
Monday, November 5, 2018
Today I'm sharing 5 Fall Fashion trends you need to add to your wardrobe. All of these are in neutral colors so they can be mixed and matched. If you're trying to create a more fashionable look this fall, make sure you get everything on this list.
Celeb Halloween Costumes
Friday, November 2, 2018
This year I went to a three Day of the Dead celebrations with friends. It's been on my bucket list for awhile to travel to Mexico for this celebration. Every year I post fun celebrity Halloween costumes on my blog, and also here are some my previous costumes and also here.
Fall Palette
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
It's officially pumpkin patch season so I'm embracing my basic, fall obsessed vibes and checking off fall bucket list items. On Saturday I went to a pumpkin patch and had so much fun sippin' apple cider, exploring the pumpkin patch and eating apple cider donuts. I found the cutest pumpkin in the patch that matched my sweater! Afterwards we went to a winery and did a wine tasting. I had the perfect fall day doing one of my favorite fall activities. When I got home I knew it was time to cook everything with pumpkin!
No Bake Protein Energy Balls
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
I’ve been making a batch of these energy balls every week for months now. It’s a great healthy snack to keep on hand to tie you over between meals or after meals when you want something sweet. These balls are loaded with healthy fats from the walnuts and coconut and naturally sweet from the dates and honey. I’m addicted to these delicious energy balls!
The Best Instagram Spots in Philly
Thursday, October 4, 2018
There’s more to see in Philadelphia than the Liberty Bell and the Rocky Steps. This historic city has many other photographic sites to see that I want to share with you. I took Megabus to Philly up just for the day and used uber to get around which proved a little tricky since PA doesn’t require cars to have front license plates. I went to Philly once in elementary school on a school trip but don’t remember any of it so it felt like exploring an all new city. The City of Brotherly love has a pretty incredible art scene from street murals to museums. My goal for this trip was to get off the beaten track a little bit and get those insta worth shots!
Fall Bucket List
Monday, September 24, 2018
Happy 1st Day of Fall! After a hot and humid summer, then the non-stop hurricane rain in September, I'm so glad that's over and am ready for fall. Over the weekend I started switching my closet around pulling out a donate pile, and moving the summer clothes to the back of the closet. I know a lot of you are waiting for your first Pumpkin Spice Lattes from Starbucks! Since I'm not a coffee drinker I will be joining the pumpkin party by making some pumpkin flavored foods. Also looking forward to my fall line of shows: Manifest, FBI, Seal Team, Will & Grace, Modern Family and new Dateline episodes.
Here's my fall bucketlist:
Pale Pink for Nails
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
I love pale pink nail polish in the summertime, it's my all time favorite as I think it looks so pretty with my tan skin. If I only had to wear one color for the rest of my life it would be pale pink. But it's so hard to find the right shade that is also opaque. I couple years ago I posted my favorite summer nail colors, but I'm over those colors and threw the bottles away as they were almost empty. So I tried out some new colors to see what could be my new holy grail pink.
Surprise Sephora Sale!
Monday, August 27, 2018
I thought I had to wait until November for their next sale but Sephora surprised us by having a sale now! I already had my wishlist ready and since the sale is upon us now I'm ecstatic to get everything so soon! Here are some new products I want to try and some classics.
Kombucha
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Have you heard of Kombucha? It's fermented beverage made from black tea and sugar that becomes a probiotic. It’s been consumed in China for over 2000 years. It supports a healthy gut even if you don’t have stomach issues. It boosts your immune system with antioxidants and gives you energy.
It tastes fizzy, sour and sweet, it’s like a healthy soda. The beneficial bacteria help with nutrient absorption, digestion, and aids the detox process. Kombucha helps with energy production, cell regeneration, stabilizes blood sugar, and replenishes good bacteria in your stomach.
Camouflage Workout Clothes
Monday, August 20, 2018
blue camo leggings | zumba leggings | Athleta leggings | camo tank | Lulu grey camo leggings | pink camo | white camo tank
I updated the look of my blog, let me know what you think!
Camo print is always on trend and I'm sharing clothes from four stores that have it. Seeing this darker color in stores also means that the fall line is out, so summer will be over soon. I think these olive green pants pair great with a pink tank! I had my eye on the zumba leggings which are from their new collection but sold out so quick, so I linked to a similar pair. Thus, I ended up getting the Athleta leggings which I love! They're mid-rise and suck everything in for you! They're perfect for running.
6 Off the beaten path places to visit in Portugal
Thursday, August 16, 2018
Portugal has some of the most beautiful towns as it has hundreds of years of history with influences from the Moors. Expect to see cobblestone streets in every town, tons of castles and forts across the country, colorful tiles on building facades and scenic coastlines and rock formations. The people are very friendly and many people speak English. The cuisine is seafood based, but I enjoyed the wonderful pastries and Portuguese wine. The wine there was very cheap, $2 for a bottle in a grocery store and $2 for a glass in restaurants. Portugal is famous for its Port wine but also has several other varieties such as Vinho Verde which you can find here in Trader Joe’s.
Why You Should Visit Coimbra, Portugal
Monday, August 13, 2018
The 6th largest city in Portugal, half way between Lisbon and Porto has one of the world’s oldest universities, a UNESCO World Heritage University, established in 1290. It’s a colorful, hilly, riverside city that was the first capital of Portugal.
The Renwick’s ‘Burning Man’ Exhibit
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
Since the Renwick Gallery reopened in 2015, it has made itself the museum to see for instagrammable pictures and by doing so with such amazing exhibits their visitor numbers have skyrocketed! Don’t expect any paintings on the wall, this place has very interesting art exhibits that attract people who otherwise aren’t interested in art. The museum is always crowded! I love visiting to see their impressive art exhibits.
Tropical Mango Smoothie
Monday, August 6, 2018
This refreshing tropical smoothie has been on frequent
rotation for me this summer. It’s sweet, delicious and refreshing! This is the type of
drink you’d have poolside as it's a perfect pick you up on a hot day. I make it in the
morning and take with me to work to have later as a snack.
Summer Skincare Routine
Friday, August 3, 2018
I wanted to share my current skincare routine with you since it’s been awhile since I’ve done so. I’m outside a lot as I take a lunchtime walk every day in the heat and the humid weather has been wrecking havoc on my skin. When the temperature rises, you should adjust your skin care routine a bit. I did a re-evaluation of everything I’m using to get the best results. I see skincare as a major investment, as your face is the first thing people see. But one of my goals has also been to try using more products that are less expensive so you'll see a mix of things here.
What I've Read Lately
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
I wanted to share some books that I've read lately that I think you might enjoy as well. The photo above is from the coolest bookstore in Lisbon - Ler Devagar. I'm an avid Dateline watcher and in the same token I also enjoy murder mystery books.
The Benefits of Face Oils
Monday, July 30, 2018
36 Hours in New York City
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
I went to college in New York City so it’s my second home. I love doing weekend trips there once a year or so. Here’s how to get the most out of a quick trip to New York.
Porto City Guide
Sunday, July 22, 2018
Porto is a beautiful city with old world charm. While Lisbon is the capital of Portugal, the second biggest city is Porto in the north located along the Douro River. For size comparison Portugal is about the same size as Pennsylvania. Porto is half the size in area and population as Lisbon. Both cities have their similarities as both have close access to beaches and both are very hilly cities like San Francisco. I flew into Porto first and I’m glad I did as it made me appreciate Porto first, saving the biggest city for last. I didn’t feel Porto was overrun with tourists, while in Lisbon there were Americans everywhere due to the cruise ship port. Porto is a UNESCO world heritage city for its iconic azulejos (tiled) buildings, windy cobblestoned streets, historic churches, and terracotta rooftops. I visited at the very end of May and it was only 60 degrees and rainy so my pace was a bit slower than usual. But everywhere I looked people still hung their laundry outside their windows.
Top 10 Things to do in Lisbon
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Lisbon is considered the San Francisco of Europe because it’s a city of seven hills, trolleys and its 25 de Abril Bridge which resembles the Golden Gate bridge. In Lisbon you’ll find gorgeous tiled buildings in colorful neighborhoods, delicious food, and some of the nicest people I’ve met on my travels. Did you know Madonna lives there now? Portugal is one of the more affordable countries in Europe, English is widely spoken, and you can get free WiFi in restaurants. There’s a lot of things to love about this city, and many things I never got to, but I’ll show you some of my top picks for visiting Lisbon. This was my second time visiting Lisbon and I can’t wait to go back! The best time to visit is in June as they have so many festivals that month including St. Anthony on June 12-13th where everyone parties in the street until the sun comes up.
Pink Activewear
Saturday, June 23, 2018
I've been obsessed with finding light pink workout clothes for years and only now are stores really starting to carry it so I couldn't be more excited! It's been especially it's been hard to find sneakers in light pink. Here's some pieces to deck you out from head to toe in pink.
Travel Accessories
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
I just got back from two weeks in Portugal and I wanted to share some of my must have travel accessories.
Packing Cubes They help compress your clothing so you can fit more in your suitcase and keep you organized so you can find everything. It keeps your shoes separate so the dirty bottoms aren't touching everything else. The TSA can feel the outside that only soft clothing is inside so they may not pick everything apart. I really like these fabric grey ones because they look stylish.
Money belt The best way to keep your money and passport secure when you travel.
Jewelry organizer This 9x5 zipper pouch has various compartments for stud earring and a ring bar to keep your jewelry separate during travel.
Slim packing cube This small cube is only 2.5 x 14 x 5 inches and is perfect to keep my undergarments separate and easy to find.
Travel scarf A great alternative to the money belt to keep your iphone on you when you fly so you don't have to keep a purse on your seat.
Portable iphone charger This charges my phone really fast and can charge it 2-3 times before you need to charge the charger. I had another one in the past but it wasn't as powerful as this one.
Steamer This steamer is my holy grail and I am on my second one. I use it both at home to steam clothes and when I travel. It's so quick and easy to use! I can't remember the last time I ironed something.
Luggage tag On my last trip the luggage tag came off my bag in transit so I had to get a new and got this cute tag to match my pink suitcase.
What I want to buy next is an anti-theft purse but can't decide on a model. Everyone keeps recommending a Travelon bag which are made with all these security features to protect against pick pockets. I just can't decide on a model but obviously it will be purple. I'm leaning towards the small phone pouch one which is only 5 x 2 x 6.75, I just need to find out if it will fit my iphone 8 plus.
Packing Cubes They help compress your clothing so you can fit more in your suitcase and keep you organized so you can find everything. It keeps your shoes separate so the dirty bottoms aren't touching everything else. The TSA can feel the outside that only soft clothing is inside so they may not pick everything apart. I really like these fabric grey ones because they look stylish.
Money belt The best way to keep your money and passport secure when you travel.
Jewelry organizer This 9x5 zipper pouch has various compartments for stud earring and a ring bar to keep your jewelry separate during travel.
Slim packing cube This small cube is only 2.5 x 14 x 5 inches and is perfect to keep my undergarments separate and easy to find.
Travel scarf A great alternative to the money belt to keep your iphone on you when you fly so you don't have to keep a purse on your seat.
Portable iphone charger This charges my phone really fast and can charge it 2-3 times before you need to charge the charger. I had another one in the past but it wasn't as powerful as this one.
Cord organizer If you're like me you travel with multiple charging cords that are hard to keep track of. This pouch has 5 inner compartments which make it easy to keep everything in one place.
Steamer This steamer is my holy grail and I am on my second one. I use it both at home to steam clothes and when I travel. It's so quick and easy to use! I can't remember the last time I ironed something.
Luggage tag On my last trip the luggage tag came off my bag in transit so I had to get a new and got this cute tag to match my pink suitcase.
What I want to buy next is an anti-theft purse but can't decide on a model. Everyone keeps recommending a Travelon bag which are made with all these security features to protect against pick pockets. I just can't decide on a model but obviously it will be purple. I'm leaning towards the small phone pouch one which is only 5 x 2 x 6.75, I just need to find out if it will fit my iphone 8 plus.
5 Activities to do in the Algarve
Friday, June 15, 2018
Trader Joe's Beauty Products
Sunday, April 22, 2018
I know everyone is shopping the Sephora sale this weekend and I got my order in too, but I'm starting to be over paying $90 for a 1 oz product. Trader Joe's has started selling some amazing affordable beauty products. Here's what you can find on their shelves lately.
5 TV Shows to Binge Watch
Monday, April 2, 2018
Orphan Black
I'm hooked on this series! There's 5 seasons that aired from 2013-2017. When Sarah witnesses the suicide of a woman who looks just like her, she assumes the deceased's identity, her boyfriend and her bank account. Soon, she finds herself caught in the middle of a deadly conspiracy. It's filmed in Toronto. Every season is a completely new story line and plot twist.
Homeland - Season 7 is airing right now on Sundays on Showtime, but I'm a season behind since I have to watch it on Netflix. It's a fantastic gripping drama, so much so that Claire Danes has won both Golden Globes and Emmys twice for her performance on the show which is highly deserved! Every episode is full of twists and surprises that it keeps me on the edge of my seat in suspense. I can't recommend it enough, you'll love it!
Here's the synopsis:
Carrie Mathison (played by Claire Danes) is a CIA operations officer on probation after carrying out an unauthorized operation in Iraq. As a result, she has been reassigned to the Counter terrorism center. While in Iraq, she was warned that an American prisoner had been turned by Al-Qaeda. When Nicholas Brody, a U.S. Marine Sergeant, is rescued after being held hostage since 2003, she suspects that he is the turned American prisoner. Brody is received home as a war hero, so Carrie goes to any lengths possible, ignoring protocol, to catch him out. And that's just season 1, each season is in a new location with new cast members added and subtracted.
Big Little Lies
Based on a book set in Australia, the book follows the stories of 5 moms whose kids all attend kindergarten together. I read the book first and kept the characters apart by remembering who played them in the HBO miniseries: Nicole Kidman, Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, and Zoë Kravitz. The book begins by alluding to a murder that takes place at the end of the book, but you have to finish the book to find out who! The book has humor, mom rivalry, and vivid characters. The TV show takes place in tiny Monterey, CA and doesn't have as much detail as the book so I recommend reading the book first. Despite originally being billed as a miniseries, HBO renewed the series for a second season which will air next year.
Will & Grace
Will & Grace has returned to the air after a 11 year hiatus! Best friends Will and Grace are roommates while both looking for Mr. Right. They have the most entertaining sidekicks - cocktail swirling Karen and her flamboyant boy toy Jack. This Emmy winning show is one of the funniest sitcoms on TV. You can catch it Thursdays at 9pm on NBC or you can watch it for free online. It had eight seasons in the past, now on it's new run it's just been renewed for a third season! So you might want to catch up on all the old seasons for a good laugh.
Sons of Anarchy
Sons of Anarchy, aka SAMCRO, is a motorcycle club that operates both illegal and legal businesses in the small town of Charming, CA. They combine gun-running and a garage, plus involvement in porn films. Clay, the president, likes it old school and violent; while Jax, his stepson and the club's VP, has thoughts about changing the way things are, based on his dead father's journal. Their conflict has effects on both the club and their personal relationships. Starring Charlie Hunnam and Kathy Sagal, you have 7 seasons to watch! It's one of the best shows I've seen in a long time.
What's New on Netflix 2018
Sunday, March 25, 2018
After watching the Golden Globes and Oscars you probably have a long list of movies you need to see. Here's a round up of 28 new films that you can find on netflix now. Did you know netflix is celebrating it's 20th anniversary this year?
Spring Cleaning Your Closet
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Even though the weather is still really cold, spring is on the way as evident by the blooming magnolia and cherry blossom trees. Spring is the perfect time to really clean out your closet. This has been something I've been wanting to do for a long time but absolutely dreading it. But I have so many clothes I need to toss that I don't wear anymore. One of my new years resolutions was to have a tranquil home. My goal for my home is to be light and airy and not overflowing. I want to be able to find what I'm looking for and have my home always be company ready. I think this will help me live a calmer life. I'm relying on the lessons I learned in Marie Kondo's books on decluttering.
Rule #1 for Kondo is to not waste money on organizational solutions. The most important principle of the book is that you must purge before your organize. She frowns on the idea of buying organizing bins because that only encourages you to store more unnecessary things. So I pulled out the storage bags I had under my bed and emptied out the clothes that I have been storing but haven't worn in years and have no plans to wear again!
Then I attacked my bathroom cabinet and dumped out the storage bins that have a tons of makeup samples and half used products that I will never use again. I filled a whole grocery bag with that stuff! Next up I emptied the junk drawer in my kitchen, that was such an easy, doable task. And then I tackled my entryway with my collection of free tote bags. You know they all seem so useful, but I don't need 50, right? Then I cleared off the kitchen counters of paper clutter. With the easy stuff out of the way, I felt a bit accomplished and ready to do the hard work in the closet.
Reduce the Amount of Clothes You Own
Kondo says to not keep something just because it might become useful and to be confident in your decision to throw things out. Kondo recommends you do a "joy check" on your clothes, put them on and ask yourself will you really wear them again. If no, thank the clothes for the wonderful memories they gave you. My next steps was to discard old coats, my high school prom dress, and college sorority gowns. I got rid of all of my birthday dresses because those were one time occasion dresses no matter how sentimental. I got rid of most of my cheap necklaces. Then I took every shirt out, tried it on, and decided what to toss.
I've had some luck selling clothes on Tradesy but decided it was just easier to bag everything to donate. I requested a donation bag from Thredup which is an online consignment store. They send you a huge plastic bag that you can fill with clothes. It has a pre-paid printed FedEx label on it.
They will either sell it on their site, taking the photos for you or donate it to the charity of your choice. It's super easy and simple!
My activewear collection has gotten a little out of control and spilling out of my drawer. I seem to tire of things quickly and always buying more yet never getting rid of anything. That's one of the most popular things ThredUp sells so I threw a bunch in my donation bag.
Previously I tossed all my old electronics. What I haven't tossed yet: old purses, books, cds, free t-shirts, "painting clothes", and old costumes. I'll save that for my next clean out session. I found how easy it can be to tackle one small task in the name of a better home. As everything I accomplished here I did on a Sunday afternoon. I've set up a system to help me not end up with an overflowing closet again. I've cut back on my clothes spending and set a policy of tossing one article of clothing for every new one I buy. I still use the stylebook app religiously to see what is in my closet. It tracks what dates I've worn what clothing so I know what hasn't been worn in awhile.
At the end of the day you have to realize that you don’t need all of this stuff. It won’t make you happier. And your home should not make you feel overwhelmed or stressed.
Visit to the Portrait Gallery
Monday, March 12, 2018
With all the rainy weekends we had last month I found a lot of indoor activities to keep me busy. You might have seen on the news that the Obama's official portraits were unveiled and now on display at the Portrait Gallery. On the second floor of the museum is the "America's Presidents" exhibition which just reopened last fall with portrait paintings of all the Presidents. The line was so long to see Obama's portrait they had to move his portrait to the third floor. The line is to have your picture taken with his portrait, but if you don't want that, you can do a quick walk by picture like I did. The guards don't allow you to stop! lol There's a separate line for Michelle's portrait on the first level.
2018 Winter Olympics
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
The United States won 23 medals, only Norway, Canada, and Germany came in ahead of us. I always watch every Olympics, but figure skating is my favorite sport. This year a couple friends of mine threw Olympic themed parties, I don't know why I never thought to do that when I love themed parties! They asked people to come dressed up and bring food from a foreign country. Even though the last Winter Olympics were in Sochi, this year Russia was not allowed to officially compete because of the vast state-sponsored doping scheme during the last winter Olympics. But they allowed a few Russian athletes to compete under the Olympic flag and still two of them were tested positive for banned substances.
Fun Facts: Did you know Puerto Rico has its own Olympics team? And that all the announcements at the Olympics are done in 3 languages, the host country's language, English and French (before English even in the London Olympics). It's because the International Olympic Committee is based in the French part of Switzerland and because the number of eligible countries determines the order of language spoken. North and South Korea participated as one team. They did the entry parade together than the women’s hockey team was composed of women from both sides and they competed as "Korea".
The U.S. women's ice hockey team beat Canada for gold for the first time in 20 years! The camera caught Canadian hockey player Jocelyne Larocque ripping off her silver medal a second after it was placed around her neck, she later had to apologize. A year ago the US women's ice hockey team threatened to sit out the Olympics if they didn't get equal pay to the men's team. The men got to bring guests along to tournaments free of charge; the women were not, and had to share rooms. The men got a per diem of $50 while the women got $15.The contract dispute lasted 15 months but they finally won a salary of $70K a year vs the $6000 a year they were getting.
Skier Lindsey Vonn said this was her last Olympics after having waiting 8 years to compete this time around since she was injured during the last Olympics. She said she wanted to honor her grandfather who was a Korean war vet. I recommend reading her book about her life, career and living a healthy lifestyle.
pic from Lindsey's instagram |
Figure skater Ashley Wagner unfortunately didn't make the cut to be on the Olympic team this year, but she went to Korea anyway and had the most interesting Instastories everyday. Adam Rippon was the breakout star on the ice at these games. Just follow him on twitter and see his wit, and know that according to him his eyebrows are sharpest of all. lol
The Pyeongchang Winter Olympics is the first Olympic Games that allowed figure skaters to perform to music with lyrics. For the short program the International Skating Union chose Latin music as the theme and skaters had to show latin dance moves in their skating. It was fun to listen to all the great songs choices they picked! All three of the American female figure skaters fell during their programs and didn't win a medal.
Unfortunately for French figure skater Gabriella Papadakis, her costume came unhooked at the beginning of her program and she was distracted during the whole skate trying to hold it up, it eventually fell down and she flashed the cameras. Since they don't show the Olympics live, I don't know why they showed this on tv?
Former Olympic skater Johnny Weir was one of the commentators and his outfits and hair were a show of their own! Here is one of his fabulous looks. Check out the hair brooch:
Hakeem Abdul-Saboor, a competitive body builder who competed in the USA bobsled team. But it was Germany and Canada that tied for the gold medal. When the Jamaican bobsled coach was fired she kept the team's sled! Luckily Red Stripe beer got them a new sled just in time. Nigeria had it's first ever bobsled team, although all the women were American born and raised.
The shirtless Tonga flag barrier was back this year covered in oil in 30F degree weather.
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