Now that you understand the logic of my thinking and that I enjoy using my brain. I’ve been thinking that I would like preserve my ability to think logically for a long time considering I may have another 50 years to live in this world. My New Year’s Eating Resolution is to eat more:

• Spinach
• Carrots
• Fish
• Walnuts
• Berries
• Drink more coffee

Supporting sources:

• 6 Foods to Boost Your Brain
• Top 10 Brain Foods
• 6 Foods That Are Good for Your Brain

5 Behaviors to Help You in 2012

1. Make a roadmap ~ have a strategy
2. Take [the right] action – implement the strategy
3. Keep going – endurance is a good measurement
4. Failure is feedback ~ keep learning
5. Be resilient and flexible

Modified from Effortless Abundance

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I have good feeling about 2012! Despite reports of doom/gloom. I think 2012 is going to set the steps for our future. Let’s kick this off by celebrating what we learned from the past by something new and exciting to clang our glasses too.

These deliciously looking cocktails are created and inspired by Julien Pieras [The Twinkle] at Le Caprice and master mixologist Isaac Elbhar [Silver Fireworks] at Bryant Park Hotel Cellar Bar.

Try them out:
The Twinkle

1 Part Kanon Organic Vodka
1/2 Part Elderflower Liquor
Champagne

Add vodka and liquor to a champagne flute, top with champagne.
Created by Julien Pieras at Le Caprice.

Silver Fireworks

2 oz of Absolut Vanilla
1 oz of Midori
1 oz of Pineapple
1 fresh squeeze of Lemon
Sambucca Dash

Shake all ingredients except Sambucca, then strain into martini glass. Flame the Sambucca into a dfferent glass and pour it over the concoction and garnish with silver flake.

These special holiday cupcakes make a perfect gift that can be delivered to homes and residences located in the greater Los Angeles area. Be the life of the office party with these cupcakes! Fourteen cupcakes come packaged in a beautiful holiday-themed box, about $60 per box. What an impressively beautiful, dessert option for Californians to “wow” their guests this holiday.

It’s not just the environment that is minimalistic its the food – only using 70 ingredients are used through out the entire menu. I brought my good friend, Kit Seeborg, to try out some of the menu. Kit and I are not shy at all about trying new eats. We dug in!

• My first time ever I had a glass of wine on tap – yes that’s right wine on tap! I am a wine snub but this wine on tap was delicious. I tried the Jack Rabbit Hill “Dill Farm” Riesling from Colorado. It’s a lovely summer wine that went very well with every thing I ordered.
• The Kale Chips are very different – lightly salted with olive oil – crisp and enjoyable – I like kale chips so much better than grilled Brussels sprouts which could be bitter with a funny after taste..
• Spiced Chickpeas and Humus with sweet onion is served with bread – for those that are glutton free – so sorry about that – the bread is delicious with humus. I love a good chickpea salad – this on is refreshing.
• Quinoa salad with beets, arugula, beans, carrots – this truly a surprise to my senses – a mixture of “sweet and lemony flavors which take your tongue to the edge of brilliance” – to quote Kit.
• We couldn’t stop ourselves we also tried The Kitchen’s Slow Roast Pork with salsa verde – truly simple the pork cooked to perfection BUT it’s the salsa verde a mixture of pesto and mint that enrich the flavors.
• The big finish came as an Ice Cream Sandwich – a real chocolate chip cookie with creamy vanilla ice cream. AND a Chocolate Mousse that is simplely perfect to the taste. I can never have enough chocolate mousse.

The Kitchen [Next Door] draws a local crowd – those who are all to familiar with Owner/Chef Hugo Matheson; who is all about sustainability and utilization of local farms. I admit I am a big fan of Hugo! He has a way of coaxing the flavors out of his dishes – though the American palate may need to show patience – our tongues are so over salted, sweetened, and spiced we truly need a new road-map to divine consumption – this is place will allow for new sophistication.

As pointed out the sparsely decorated interior was created by Jen Lewin, also owner of The Kitchen [Next Door]. Though sparse; there are incredible details that provide an eating experience that takes me back to Europe and UK – I love a common sharing table because it provides an opportunity to be social. The private sitting area in the front is exposed seats 8 people or you can use this are for a small private cocktail event. Perhaps I’ll be using it soon as I embark on my next adventure…

Kimbal Musk you truly out did yourself and gave the people of Boulder and those who share similar aesthetic for less is more; something special to enjoy.

The Kitchen [Next Door] opened on Tuesday, June 14, 2011. Pre-opening launch that raised $15,000 for charity – this is what I love about Boulder entrepreneurs always finding a way to give back to the community!

Last night I made organic mango and peach chutney to pour over grilled chicken, sweet onions, and yellow peppers. I’ve never made chutney before I didn’t follow a recipe but this is what I did:

• Removed the skin from 2 peaches and a half of mango.  Diced into edible squares.
• Added one clove of garlic
• 2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon of safflower oil

I put the safflower oil into a small sauce pan and heated. Added all the ingredients from above brought to a slow boil and cooking it partly down.

Added as shown to grilled chicken, onions, peppers. It was delicious!

Next up Peach Pancakes. I got up early this morning to get the best of the best from the Boulder Farmers Market. The sun beat me this morning so I’ll have to try for 8 rather than 9 so that I can stay longer. I got my peaches!!

I hurried home so that I could make buckwheat peach pancakes.

I use Organic Arrowhead Mills Buckwheat Pancake mix and follow the instructions with some changes:

Instead of milk I use Rice Dream

Instead of honey I use Madhava Pure Organic Agave Nectar

All the other ingredients remain the same except I’m only making pancakes for one.

Sweet organic sliced peaches for the pancakes! So delicious!

I learned a lesson peaches don’t add well to grilling pancakes. The remaining peach slices I used to garnish the top of the pancake.

Next time I make peach pancakes I’ll be sure to try dicing the peaches and adding to the batter.

Despite lessons learned, my peach pancakes were delicious. Get to the Boulder Farmer’s Market for your peaches! Eat them as is,or cook, bake,  ice, or can them but try the peaches!

What do you know history repeats itself but not in terms of coffee. I replaced dozen of cups of coffee with tea. Too much tea with tannins causes an issue with my stomach. My favorite place for tea.

Of course there is Celestial Seasonings, which is a 20 year favorite of mine. I went to visit this famous tea brand. Celestial Seasonings has a great tour that’s not to be missed.

My favorite tea bar is Atlas Purveyors – a very popular place to hang out especially with the Boulder tech community.

The Dushanbe Tea House which I mentioned once before, offers a variety of teas, serves lunch and dinner. They actually bring a tea menu. I love the lady earl grey.

At all there places you can get your tea with milk, soy, rice and in some cases almond milk.

This very easy to make summer salad is very refreshing.

The NY Times seemed to think it was great though: http://tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/07/a-hamburger-in-paris/

This place is being touted as part of the New Brooklyn in Paris, the “Best Burgers in Paris, ” “Vrai NY in Paris.” I beg to differ!