US Open 2012 - Andy Murray...could this be his year?

Greetings All or to Tennis Fans at least,

First things first, my response to the title - YES, 2012 IS HIS YEAR!!!

This year's US Open has been exciting to say the least.  My favorite, Andy Murray has made it to the last match of the tournament; he will be playing in tomorrow's men's final at 4pm EST...yes, it's on a Monday (once again), thanks to the heavy rains on Saturday evening, which prevented the other Semi Final match (Djokovic/Ferrer) from completing. 

Murray's opponent has now been finalized (Sunday, around 1:30pm) - it's none other than Djokovic....yikes.  Am I worried?  Yes.  But Andy Murray has been looking in tip-top form this year (let's not forget that Gold Medal he won during last month's Olympic Games in London, defeating Federer).  His dedication to practice has not gone un-noticed.  Here he is on Court 17 on Arthur Ashe Kids Day (Aug 25, 2012).

I can't wait to see the press conference if Murray is able to pull off a victory, and win his first Grand Slam.  I believe Sir Sean Connery will make another guest appearance, and perhaps once more declare to the world that wine is a Scottish creation.  What fun that would be.

 

French Lentil Salad

Wow! Has it really been 4+ months since I last posted to my blog? Hmm, I guess it's time to get back in touch.

I have decided to start of with a focus on home-made cooking...and by that I mean healthy cooking, if possible.

So, I decided what better way to kick-off than with a Lentil Salad. Here's my recipe:

- Boil about a half a cup of French lentils (~20 minutes).

- Mix 2 tablespoons of white distilled vinegar + 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (I know, I know, it's got fat...but at least it's good fat that the heart appreciates, and it smells quite pleasant too) in a bowl.

- Chop up a small sweet orange pepper into tiny pieces and toss them in the bowl.

- Cut small pieces of a plum tomato, and chopped five twigs of parsley.

- When the lentils were boiled at the appropriate level of firmness, toss them into the bowl, and mix it all together.

- Once the above is completed, the bowl should be placed in the refrigerator to chill for about 1 hour.

- And Voila, you're now ready to enjoy. The salad can be eaten as a stand-alone or with a couple of boiled white potatoes + 0% fat plain Greek yogurt (e.g., Chobani + sprinkle a little bit of salt & pepper). Bon Apetit.

NB = I'll probably have some left-overs of the salad for tomorrow, which I may toss in with fried rice (e.g., onions, parsley, carrots).

NB 2 = Please feel free to add a tablespoon or two of chopped onions into the mix. I didn't have a tiny onion, which is why I had to pass on it, but perhaps next time :)

"Dear Me A Letter to My Sixteen-Year-Old Self"

Just finished reading through "Dear Me A Letter to My Sixteen-Year-Old Self" edited by Joseph Galliano. It's a compilation of letters from celebrities of all walks in life, including Alan Rickman, Jenna Elfman, Garth Brooks, etc. There is a suggestion at the end of the book to write such a letter to yourself....so here goes, to my 16-year old self:

Dear Sonie,

This is your older self in the year 2011, and in case time travel works, you will get this letter back in time. Just wanted to let you know to hang in there, because life will improve in later life...it won't be great...there will be ups and downs, and you will miss some of your childhood friends, but that's life, and you will survive. Don't let people put you down. Keep getting up and doing what you're doing. Now for some little tid-bits on what you can expect in the future and a couple of recommendations:

i) A website will come into existence, called YouTube....here, people will post videos (yes, it will be possible for the average Joe to do this)...and some of your favorite songs* that you found only taped on an old cassette many, many years earlier* (of very poor sound quality) will be found here in the best quality possible and in video format....all you have to do is search for it. It's free to watch online (i.e., online means something you can find on the Internet - on the PC). *Hint, hint = "Save Your Kisses for Me"

ii) Your obsession with Celine Dion's music will fade away, but you will always hold that song "My Heart Will Go On" dear to your heart. That's fine. In the meantime, feel free to listen to that song over and over again (I know you will, regardless because it will give you lots of happiness).

iii) You will be stubborn and determined to go see "Titanic" which stars Leonardo DiCaprio. You will see this movie on one of the rainiest days of the year....your mother will be mighty against going, but eventually you will prevail...after much begging and throwing a very loud crying hissy fit :). Also, your fondness for Leo won't fade after all these years. I must warn you, that he will pick more intellectual roles, rather than the traditional male hero. But this won't bother you....it will introduce you to stories that otherwise you would never watch.

PS = in the year 2011, Leonardo is still unmarried and much coveted, so keep dreaming.

iv) Consider minoring in English....it will be an asset, and develop your writing skills....of course, if you still don't do it...don't worry about it....you will start writing on your own.

v) Be kind, patient and helpful to others. Don't keep grudges; it's not worth it, and wastes a lot of energy. Think positive thoughts, and listen to a lot of music. May I recommend some pop from the '80s? I think you'll enjoy Depeche Mode, Tears for Fears, and Duran Duran. By the way, enjoy those "Pop Up Videos" on VH1 as much as possible.....this will stop showing soon, because reality TV will take over.

vi) When you get to travel to far-away places to visit family, please give many, many hugs to "A...", as it will be many, many, years before you get to see "A..." again.

vii) After many, many years, you will have a reunion with "S........". Please don't forget to bring your camera, and take a picture of the two of you together. Just to remember this friendship. Also, to let you know, I had my camera with me, but for some reason, it skipped my mind. That's life.

Lots of love,
Sonie (in the year 2011).

Duran Duran - Come Undone / Wild Boys

Duran Duran....what can I say about this group? Their music is fantastic, both past and present. Their latest album "All You Need Is Now" has some really good tunes....one of my favorites from that album is "Leave A Light On."

But nothing beats their song "Come Undone." Below is a recent clip performing this song in a live performance. Simon Le Bon really hits those notes. Love it. Also, below is another favorite - "Wild Boys." Oh, and here's a pre-shout-out to him, as tomorrow is his birthday.

Chocolate yearnings

I am very fond of chocolate....it's in the top 10 comfort food categories....unfortunately, the fat content is quite high...for half a bar of dark chocolate, it's approximately 20 grams of fat...yikes...and yet, that is exactly what I consumed today. I guess my mind says that the antioxidant content has a greater impact than the fat content....let's hope that is indeed true.

Charlotte Bronte's Diary

A few days ago,
An exhibition at the Morgan Museum I indeed did visit,
Before I would accidentally miss it,
To get a glimpse of the private lives,
Of famous writers,
And in some instances,
Even their wives.

There was also one of Charlotte Bronte,
A writer back in the 1800s day,
Yes,
The one who wrote about "Jane Eyre,"
About a little orphan,
For whom no one seemed to care.

But remarkably,
Jane managed to grow up
Independent and free,
While still managing
Mr. Rochester to snag,
While in the attic there was an old hag,
Ah, the drama does unfold,
Read it,
To see the moves of Jane
So bold.

I shall give away the ending,
She ends up with this dark and handsome fellow,
Even if only by chance,
Turning this book
Into a truly gothic romance.

Back to Bronte's diary,
There is an excerpt when at a boarding school she was at,
And how much she missed her father, her brother,
her sisters,
And quite possibly even her cat*.

Another excerpt is her writing a short story,
On a cold and stormy night,
Only to be interrupted by a governess or maiden,
Oh, what a fright.

The End.

*if she had one

Cooking (1): Veggie Fritters + Stir Fry

Greetings! After a bit of an absence from my blog (2 mts, 2 days), I am back :) So, first things first, a very Happy New Year for the start of a new decade....2011 :)

One of my New Year's Resolutions is to spend more time in the kitchen. This means not heating a frozen dish or choosing one of the take out menus. No, this means actually cooking. So, I will be keeping a tally of how many times I actually cooked something that takes more than 20-30 minutes.

Today, I made some vegetable fritters. These were made from chickpea flour, sliced potatoes, chopped onions and coriander leaves. I added some water to the mix to make a thick batter; I then fried the batter in sunflower oil. The nice thing about vegetable fritters is that they can be eaten alone, or in a sauce or between a sandwich.

I decided to use some of the fritters to make a stir fry. The stir fry was comprised of the following: a quarter of an onion, one tomato, two tangerines (seeds removed beforehand), and about a table spoon of soya sauce. Last, I added chopped spinach, and then added the fritters (used four of them). Before turning off the stove, I took a small slice of lime and squeezed it on the fritters. Now I plan on eating it with some pasta (the swirly ones....called Rotini).

Below are some pictures for your enjoyment.

-> Here's the 1st batch of fritters or what's left of it.

-> Here's the 2nd batch of fritters, ready to be taken off the stove.

-> The Stir fry (the veggie fritters have been added; can you see them?).