6.6 Milan: The Diamond of My Dreams

I am used to living a quieter life; enjoying simple things. Now, I’m here thinking about my dream vacation, and I’m completely overwhelmed. I have never thought about what I would do, or where I would go if nothing held me back.  
 
Maybe I’m wrong here, but I think we women tend to neglect thinking about ourselves. We’re naturally inclined to care for and put others above ourselves. We forget that our hopes and dreams are just as important. The opportunity to plan my dream vacation, as simple as an exercise as it may seem, reminded me that dreams don’t have to stay tucked away as diamonds locked in my imagination.  
 
When I think about the things that bring out the diamonds of my dreams, three things ignite my curiosities and excitement the most: food, fashion, and theater. Tokyo was among one of my top three choices for its culture, food, and street fashion. Milan, Italy eventually won me over. While Milan is most-known for its fashion, Milan is also home to extraordinarily beautiful theaters, quaint shops, and opera houses. I could list my must-see Milan destinations for days, but I won’t. However, here are three of the most talked-about go tos for anyone who finds themselves in Milan:
 

1.    La Scala Opera House Walking Tour: 

This walking tour is perfect for anyone who has an affinity for classical music and architecture. This walking tour takes visitors through the La Scala Opera House and highlights the favorite destinations of famous opera composer, Giuseppe Verdi.
 

Photo Credit: La Scala Opera House. Photo courtesy of Charles Pat via Flickr.

2.    Corso Como District:  

 

Travelers describe this area of Milan as “posh and fabulous.” It’s full of quaint cafes and restaurants where guests can savor local Italian pasta and wines. It’s also a perfect place for taking in Milan’s nightlife or finding some new Milan fashions to add to your closet back home.  

Photo credit: Corso Como District. Photo courtesy of Roberto via Flickr.

3.    La Casa Maledetta: 

TripAdvisor rated this experience as #1 among several options for theatrical escapades in Milan. This Live Action Role Play experience takes guests through the haunted “Casa Maledetta” where they find themselves immersed in a horror story. It’s a different take on the escape room activities we typically hear about.   
 
I may not get to Milan soon. It’ll take me quite some time to update my wardrobe and save those pennies. ;-) But, this big ol’ diamond tucked away in my dreams will shine brightly one day. And ladies, the diamonds of your dreams will too shine brightly in time. Just do me a favor, don’t be like me and forget about yourself or your dreams—no matter how far fetched they seem to be. Remember the words of the motivational author, Kamil Thomas: “Your mind is a powerful thing. When you fill it with positive thoughts, your life will start to change.”
 
 

WfW 4.6 How to Make Delicious Egg Rolls in 30 Minutes or Less!

 I’ll be honest with you; I am a bear in the kitchen. The kitchen is my domain. When I’m in it, I like things done a particular way. My poor husband, Luke, sometimes gets a little skittish when I ask him for help for fear that he’ll end up getting his head snapped off. Cooking with me is not always pleasant. I admit it, but there’s one thing that Luke and I make together that leads us to marital bliss: egg rolls. Luke helps me roll the egg rolls and fry them, and I take care of seasoning and cooking the filling.  

I love egg rolls so much they make up one entire tier of my food pyramid. For the longest time, I avoided making them because I’d watch an employee effortlessly crafting one in an Asian restaurant, and the process seemed entirely too artistic and daunting for me. One day, the urge came over me to give it a shot. I’m glad I did. I’ll let you in on a little secret—it’s not hard! The entire process takes maybe 30 minutes. In the end, you have crispy, golden, egg roll perfection. Just follow these simple steps, and you’ll never spend money on store-bought egg rolls again. Plus, the homemade ones taste better.  

Here’s what you’ll need: 

•    A partner (cooking is more fun with two)
•    Deep fryer or deep skillet
•    Tongs for handling your egg rolls
•    Frying pan for browning the meat; cooking the filling
•    Basting brush
•    Small Bowl
•    Cookie sheet lined with wax paper
•    Vegetable or Canola Oil (at least half a bottle’s worth)
•    Ground pork or chicken (1/2 lb. or 1 lb.)
•    Bag of coleslaw mix (it’s quicker than shredding your own veggies)
•    Salt and pepper to taste
•    Ground Curry powder (optional)
•    Freshly grated ginger (1 tsp. optional)
•    1 Egg beaten with 3 TBS of water
•    Egg roll wraps (found in the refrigerated, natural foods/dressings section of Festival Foods. You can also find them in the Asian-international aisle of Woodman’s).  

Getting Started: 

1.    You will want to get your oil heating up while you prep the egg rolls. Your oil should reach a temperature of 350 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, make sure your oil shows little bubbles before placing your egg rolls in it for frying. If you’re not using a deep fryer, don’t let the oil come to a rolling boil in your deep skillet. You don’t want the oil to splash you while placing your egg rolls in it. Ouch!
2.    While your oil is heating, get your filling ready. Brown your meat on medium-high heat. Be sure to season your meat with salt and pepper.  
3.    After the meat is browned, add the coleslaw mix (about ¼ of the bag—depending on how much filling you want.)
4.    Add another small bit of salt and pepper; sprinkle with curry powder if desired. You can add a tsp. of fresh ginger for a warm, sweet, spicy touch.  
5.    Cook the filling until the coleslaw mix is soft but not mushy. You should be able to stir it without the veggies falling out of the pan, and the green cabbage in the slaw should be somewhat translucent.  
6.    You can prep your egg mix for the egg roll wrappers in your small bowl while the filling is warming. Beat together one egg with 3 TBS of water.  
7.    Pull out your package of egg roll wrappers and read the instructions printed on the back. It’s essentially like rolling up a mini-burrito, but the instructions will provide more clarity.  
8.    Get a cookie sheet ready and line it with wax paper. This comes in handy for placing your egg rolls before frying.  
9.    Once your filling is heated through, you’re ready to fill and roll your egg rolls. Again, follow the instructions on your egg roll wrapper package carefully. 

Frying Your Egg Rolls:  

1.    When your egg rolls are wrapped, you are ready to fry them! Carefully and delicately place your egg rolls into the hot oil. Fry each side for about 3 minutes or until the exterior is a nice, golden brown. If you’re not using a deep fryer, you will have to rotate the rolls with a pair of tongs throughout the frying process to ensure even browning. It typically takes no longer than 10 minutes for this process to complete.  
2.    Don’t overfill the pan or fryer with your egg rolls. You may have to fry them in 2 batches.  
3.    When the egg rolls are browned and delicious, line a plate with paper towel and set your egg rolls on it to cool. Let stand for about 10 minutes before eating. 

If you’re like me, you eat egg rolls as a meal or snack on their own. I also like to pair them with a yummy chicken or beef stir fry, or fried rice dish. You can learn more about those in my next blogs. For now, revel in your success; knowing that you can craft a delectable egg roll that rivals any takeout place!

3.6 You're the Only One I Want to Freak Out With

“This can’t be happening on our wedding day!” I closed my eyes until I saw flashes of light. Maybe; if I close my eyes tight enough and open them again—I thought—I’ll see different words on the screen of my iPhone from my husband-to-be.  
 
To all the lovers who’ve held onto fantasies of perfection for the day you say “I do,” you understand. If you saw words of dismay scrolling across your phone on the day you were to wed the love of your life, I know you’d find yourself in a flurry of emotions from love to letdown. I certainly did. I thought for sure a loveless text message would scar memories of the most important day in my life forever.  
 
I’d been dreaming of my wedding day since I was able to scribble my name on paper. I’d always imagined my Prince Charming gushing with love for me on this special day. Now, it was here—October 28, 2016—and I found myself fighting back tears and frustration because I made the utterly stupid decision to break my rule of no cell phones. I couldn’t help myself. I had to see if my prince, Lukas, was thinking of me and sent me words of love just hours before we were to become husband and wife. What I found was beyond disappointing.  
 
There were no words of love; no outpouring of joy and gratefulness. Nope. Instead, what I found were short-bursts of panic messages because a story broke that would surely impact Hillary Clinton’s chances of winning the Presidential election. It was our wedding day, and my dear Lukas wasn’t thinking of me. He was thinking of the other love in his life...politics! This wasn’t the way I saw us starting our life together.  
 
Sitting in my Grecian-inspired wedding dress and freshly airbrushed makeup, I blinked back a stream of tears. “Sweetie, don’t worry about it,” said my sister and Matron of Honor, Sonia. “Men are just stupid. Of course, he’s thinking of you today. Men just don’t show their feelings very well.” She sweetly brushed my hand and reassured me that this day would indeed be special and reminded me not to let petty things take over the joy in life.  
 
Memories of that day flicker in my mind—like rays of sunlight dancing through the trees. I don’t remember every vivid detail of that day, but I do remember how full of love it truly was. I remember the gift of music my Mother-in-Law gave me. The song she composed for Lukas and I was an absolute treasure. I remember the outpouring of love my family had for the both of us and how hard my Uncle Richard and my mom worked to provide a hearty buffet of food worthy of kings and queens. Most of all, I remember how smitten Lukas was when he read his vows to me. He was shaking with emotion and choking back tears. We cried together and embraced each other in our arms (with the approval of the officiant, of course). He was my best friend. I couldn’t imagine spending my life with any other man.  

 

 

My husband and I celebrate two hours of marital bliss. Lukas doesn't seem so concerned with politics now.

 

After our reception and our farewell to the family came to a close, Luke and I were alone at last. I delicately scolded him for starting our day off with such a thing as politics. I asked him what enticed him to text me such news on this day. He was quiet for a moment. Then he turned to me and—with love in his voice—he said, “You’re my best friend. You’re the only one I want to freak out with.”  
 
With those words; my heart unfolded, releasing peace and love. My sister was right. This day was indeed full of love—a love that overshadows all the petty frustrations of life.  
 

3.4 You're the Only One I Want to Freak Out With

 “This can’t be happening on our wedding day!” I closed my eyes until I saw flashes of light. Maybe; if I close my eyes tight enough and open them again—I thought—I’ll see different words written across the screen of my phone from my husband-to-be.  
 
I’d been dreaming of my wedding day since I was able to scribble my name on paper. I’d always imagined my Prince Charming gushing with love for me on this special day. Now, it was here—October 28, 2016—and I found myself fighting back tears and frustration because I made the utterly stupid decision to break my rule of no cell phones. I couldn’t help myself. I had to see if my prince, Lukas, was thinking of me and sent me words of love just hours before we were to become husband and wife. What I found was beyond disappointing.  
 
There were no words of love; no outpouring of joy and gratefulness. Nope. Instead, what I found were short-bursts of panic messages because a story broke that would surely impact Hillary Clinton’s chances of winning the Presidential election. It was our wedding day, and my dear Lukas wasn’t thinking of me. He was thinking of politics! This wasn’t the way I saw us starting our life together.  
 
Sitting in my Grecian-inspired wedding dress and freshly airbrushed makeup, I blinked back a stream of tears. “Sweetie, don’t worry about it,” said my sister and Matron of Honor, Sonia. “Men are just stupid. Of course he’s thinking of you today. Men just don’t show their feelings very well.” She sweetly brushed my hand and reassured me that this day would indeed be special and reminded me not to let petty things take over the joy in life.  
 
Truth be told, memories of that day flicker in my mind like rays of sunlight dancing through the trees. I don’t remember every vivid detail of that day, but I do remember how full of love it truly was. I remember the gift of song my Mother-in-Law gave me. The song she composed for Lukas and I was an absolute treasure. I remember the outpouring of love my family had for the both of us and how hard my Uncle Richard and my mom worked to provide a hearty buffet of food worthy of kings and queens. Most of all, I remember how smitten Lukas was when he read his vows to me. He was shaking with emotion and choking back tears. We cried together and held each other in our arms (with the approval of the officiant, of course). He was my best friend. I couldn’t imagine spending my life with any other man.  

 

Luke and I celebrating two hours of marital bliss. He doesn't seem to be freaking out about politics now.

After the reception and family farewells came to a close, Luke and I were alone at last. I delicately scolded him for starting our day off with such a thing as politics. I asked him what enticed him to text me such news on this day. He was quiet for a moment. Then, he turned to me and—with love in his voice—he said, “You’re my best friend. You’re the only one I want to freak out with.”  
 
With those words; my heart unfolded, releasing peace and love. My sister was right. This day was indeed full of love—a love that surpasses all the petty frustrations of life.