The Joy Of Enjoying

Christmas (and Panettone) Lover

I don't want to sound too repetitive, but I am one of those people who's favorite holiday is also Christmas. I don't care about crowded places or congested roads... I love Christmas season, I like singing the songs, I smile when I hear the first Christmas song on the radio (which hasn't happened yet), I adore Santa, I love how colorful everything becomes, etc. But there is one particular thing I am completely obsessed with...

PANETTONE !!!!!

It surprises me when people don't know what this is; I guess it's because here in the US it is not too much of a tradition. The other day I was desperately looking for one. The guy at CVS looked at me a little confused, until I said "a bread... a sweet bread they make for Christmas." Luckily Walgreens had some :) And hey, they have Panettone in several other stores... so I am sure many of you know what I'm talking about. Here is a Wikipedia definition for those of you who right now are thinking "what on earth is that?": Panettone is a typical bread of Milan, usually prepared and enjoyed for Christmas and New Year around Italy, and one of the symbols of the city.

Anyway, continuing with the post... let me introduce you to the most delicious Panettone in the world: Panetón Donofrio

Guys, I am not exaggerating, please believe me. Also, I swear it has nothing to do with the fact that Donofrio is from Peru :D Seriously... it's the best panettone. Even the box is amazing. I just found out that they sell it at a store here in Austin and I have decided that, since life has given us that opportunity, we need to buy at least 5 before the end of the year :)

Look at that delicious thing...

The other day, a friend wrote me a text message while I was driving. It was an invitation for hot chocolate and Panetón Donofrio. I had no other choice than saying: yes!!!!!!! Do you know what it feels like to have a piece of Donofrio after more than a year? (maybe even two; last Christmas we had another brand I think). It's... ahhhh... wonderful. Anyway, just after a few minutes the Panetón looked like this:

(the head is gone)

There is a reason why my friend gave me the nickname "panettone's nightmare." If you have an international market near home, I recommend you go buy that this Christmas :)

image 1

What if... Wednesdays: Mythical Creatures

You know those amazing stories when you were little, full of magical places

and mythical characters? What if they were real? What if you were

by yourself one day and saw a mermaid, or a fairy, or a dragon.

I always wonder how the people who wrote about these creatures got

the inspiration for them... were did they all come from?

The mythical world is wonderful; there are times when I wish

some of those characters could exist; I mean nature is incredibly magical too,

but how awesome would it be if you could say "today I am going to go

walking in the woods, I hope I see a fairy." People would hope to come

across one of those magical creatures all their lives,

and only the lucky ones would see them!

Any one you particularly like? I think I'd love it if there were unicorns.

I like horses! so imagine an angelic one with wings and a horn.

Maybe just the horn... but how beautiful they would be, right?

And what if mermaids existed? They could take you to

the most secret and beautiful places under the sea :)

Fairies... or a fairy godmother like Cinderella!

At least butterflies look a little like them :)

*sigh* imagination is so wonderful

images 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Dear Pretty Readers, Meet My Canon 30D

Happy Little People,

Yesterday I could not show you the weekly selection of pictures because I did not have the ones I wanted with me at my desk. Today!, however, I do. I want to show you the pictures I've taken during the past few days with my newest toy, the Canon 30D. I am very pleased with it; I knew I would be... I just needed a good-but-not-too-pricey SLR to continue my Photography Journey. So, for now, this camera is great great great. Let me show you some pictures...

During lunch at Whole Foods, I couldn't resist taking a few pics, among which was this one of chairs:

My cockatiels are my camera-victims many times. This is Paulie:

I also went outdoors on Saturday and took pictures of a small wind chime:

... tiny flowers (these grow because I blow my birds' seeds outside in order to leave them the fresh ones)

... more flowers from my front porch ( sometimes I pass by without admiring their beauty):

... a wooden bench we have. The wood has been affected by weather, but I think it makes it more beautiful:

Back inside! This is Harriet, my other cockatiel:

Despite being less mischievous and charismatic than Paulie, he actually posed nicely for this picture:

Thank you for stopping by today; I'll be back later :)

Rainbows & Smiles,

Marcela

Happy Monday

Hellooo. It's a sunny Monday here in Austin and so far it's been a good day! Last week I said there was something special about a first blog award. Well, there is something special about a second one as well, it must mean you're doing something good!

Today I am going to write 7 things about myself, because guess what! I received another blog award from lovely Cristina at because I amuse myself. Also, I am not going to write just any 7 things... I am going to write 7 funny things. So here they are:

1) At 23 years old, I still consider myself a kid in many ways. I could watch Sailor Moon for hours; I like anything related to Disney, even singing the soundtracks out loud. I smile when I think of sweets, I like key chains from Claire's, and I think I would rather be wearing pajamas and socks rather than fancy clothes and heels.

2) I still prefer CDs over Ipods... who knows why. I don't mind having to pick one or two before driving somewhere. I give my mix- CDs album names, usually based on the songs inside. For instance, there is one that has the Bittersweet Symphony song, so the CD title is "I am a bittersweet symphony, but you can call me RANDOM." It really is random.

3) I have a major (and quite silly) trauma in life: throwing up. I am not sure what triggered it, but the good thing is that it hasn’t happened in years! I don't look forward to the day it will happen again. I plan on using special cleaning equipment with goggles and mask included for when I have a kids…unless I get over my trauma before that. Recently I read about another brilliant idea: using cat litter.

4) I love eating! Restraints on food like “only vegetables,” or “only organic” are not for me. I love meat, dairy products, sweets, pasta, Chinese food, salads, desserts (creamy desserts especially), carbohydrates, etc. I will suffer greatly the day I need to diet.

5) I can be very patient with most things. For instance, I enjoy travelling since the moment I step into the airport...I don't mind baggage claim, hour changes, or delayed flights. A few things, however, can drive me crazy veeery quickly: slow computers, traffic, more than 2 consecutive red lights, and people that try to steal your money with tricked phone calls, letters or any method. What do they get? --> jammed fax machine due to Marcela’s angry messages [written in big letters with black marker so they can notice I'm mad]. This doesn't happen very often.

6) I always wonder weird things...like how much trash humans generate each day and how unnoticeable it can be... or if Hummer owners are all somewhat superficial, or how are we supposed to see each other in Heaven, with what age? my mom like my mom or my mom like a young person? same with my grandparents, etc.

7) I don't like pulling up directly beside a car when I stop because I just feel weird when they turn around and stare at you; and I don't like being in a public restroom with someone else in the room. It kind of halts the process... mainly numero dos. In college I once spent like 15-20 mins waiting for everyone to leave.

These are 7 blogs that are I either consider creative for the different types of posts they write or for the main theme their blog has:

1000 awesome things what things do you love in life?

awful first dates these are funny!

children of the 90s always makes you say "I did that too!"

color me Katie I mentioned her blog before, impossible not to put it here

the memory of rain pictures with lovely titles
moose tea party isn't that the cutest blog name? she seems like a sweet person
and for spanish speakers: Carlos Dulanto's blog un excelente escritor!

The rules:
1. Share 7 things that your readers don't already know about you.

2. Name 7 other blogs to receive this award.
3. Leave a comment on each of the blogs you nominate.
4. Thank the person who gave you the award.

Have a lovely evening everyone!

images 1, 2, 3

Fabulous Fridays: Wonder + Wonderful Week

Thought: Hi guys! I hope you all had a good week. Mine was wonderful, with three highlights included :)

1) My friend finally gave me the Canon 30D to take home with me on Monday. I'm looking forward to the hundreds of pictures I will take. 2) Do any of you remember when I wrote about my favorite Queen songs saying that I had a chance of winning something? Well I did! A CD and a DVD. I was close to winning the vinyl albums and the shirt, but that was the grand prize; I'm still happy I won something :) 3) I opened an Etsy shop where I will be putting many pictures and eventually art. I will improve more and more, it's a promise.

And now to the main point: this week's Fabulous Friday is special; it's about the word ' wonder.' For some reason I like it a lot; It such a special word that refers to the power of our minds, to astonishing things... it works as an adjective, it sounds good in songs. I also use it as an excuse to put one of my all-time favorite songs: Lemon Tree. The song reminds me of my teen years, but I also think it goes well in situations in which the outcome of something is not as grand as you expected (or if a guy promised you sunshine and he gave you hmmm rain). The other song I included today is just another one of my oldies favorites. I know... I put quite a lot of oldies sometimes :)

Song(s): Lemon Tree by Fool's Garden

{... I wonder how wonder why
Yesterday you told me 'bout the blue blue sky
And all that I can see is just a yellow lemon-tree
I'm turning my head up and down
I'm turning turning turning turning turning around
And all that I can see is just another lemon-tree...}

Runaway by Del Shannon
{...I'm a-walkin' in the rain,
Tears are fallin' and I feel the pain,
Wishin' you were here by me,
To end this misery
And I wonder--
I wah-wah-wah-wah-wonder, Why,

Why, why, why, why, why she ran away,
Yes, and I wonder,
A-where she will stay-ay,

My little runaway...}

Quote(s): “From wonder into wonder existence opens.” - Lao Tzu Tao

“Wonder rather than doubt is the root of knowledge” - Abraham Joshua Heschel

“Philosophy begins in wonder. And, at the end, when philosophic thought
has done its best, the wonder remains.” - Alfred North Whitehead quotes

“Wonder is music heard in the heart, is voiceless” -Rosemary Dobson quotes

Enjoy your weekend!!

images 1, 2, 3

Theater!

Today I want to write a short post about one of my favorite arts. Guys, if you haven't been to a Broadway play, you have to!! They are indescribable experiences; I can't use enough words to describe all the magical feelings that theater awakens in me.

I used to perform when I was in high school in Peru. I actually miss it a lot; I've always thought that those who perform (in theater) for a living have one of the most amazing occupations. Every time I get out of a play-- and this always happens-- I feel 99% joyful, 1% melancholic. My mind spaces out for a few minutes and tries to imagine what being an actress would have been like.

These are the plays that I've seen so far:

- Phantom of the Opera (absolutely amazing)I knew I had to see this play after I heard the main song for the first time.

- Jesus Christ Super Star

- Monty Python's Spamalot (very funny!)

- Mamma Mia

- Wicked (incredible!)

And these are the plays I cannot wait to see (my priorities)

- Beauty & the Beast

- Bye Bye Birdie

- Grease

- Miss Saigon

- Le Misérables

Do you have any favorites? Any that you would recommend? Out of the ones I've seen, I recommend that you watch Phantom of the Opera & Wicked first. The stories are amazing... and the stage effects? out of this world.

Before I finish, I want to tell you about my mom and I's last Saturday adventure. We went to see Lea Salonga. Do you know who she is? Well, she is known for her outstanding musical role of Kim in Miss Saigon, for having received numerous awards, and for being the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in Aladdin. Her voice is truly amazing... I've never been to a concert of that type before, but I really enjoyed it; and when she sang "A Whole New World," she asked any guy from the audience to join her (for the Aladdin part), and it was just like listening to princess Jasmine. I know... duh, it's her voice, but hearing it live was incredible. Tell me about any favorite theatrical experiences you've had... I'd love to hear some.