Darphynia's Diary

I was flipping through YouTube videos, and came across a Jamie Oliver beverage channel.  I don't really know how, since I wasn't searching for anything related to him.  Anyway, this guy was making cold brew chocolate water.  And why not?  We add fruit & veggies to amp up the flavor of water, so it seems fitting that someone would simply add cacao nibs.  One of my favorite flavored water companies, metromint , makes a cocoa-mint water that is really good and refreshing, so this is sort of a play on that I suppose.  I decided to give it a try, and must say that I'm quite pleased.  The taste is a light cocoa (depending on your water-to-cacao nib ratio) with a slightly bitter finish.  I'm not a huge fan of bitter, so I added a little cinnamon & sugar to my drink.  Tossed it in the microwave for a couple of minutes, and done! A relatively guilt-free hot chocolate.  You can add virtually anything to it, and it to anything.  It's...

How was your holiday?  Mine was nice.  A good dinner with family is always welcome.  While I have my own opinions on this holiday, it is a time for reflection.  There are many things I am thankful for, which I tend to think about more and more as time goes on.   Anyway, I've been working on the rest of a gift-giving series, which will be completed next week.  Hopefully they help you and your holiday shopping needs.  I have also been experimenting with some recipes, so I will try to post those as well.   These days, I'm trying to organize every aspect of my life, starting with cleaning out my closet.  Literally.  Everything that I can donate will be given to Out of the Closet, since 96 cents of every dollar goes to AIDS research.  You can learn more about the non-profit here:  http://outofthecloset.org I guess that's all for now.  We are staring to deck our halls, so I better get busy.   Stay beautiful!

Some people live to eat, and others eat to live.  Me?  I love food, which is no surprise to people.  I also love trying new recipes, restaurants, etc.  Thus far I have been very lucky to have also experienced the world and the various foods that other cultures provide.  There is so much to learn about an area just from what the locals eat.  Anything can be inspiring.  Sometimes, I will go out to a place, have a meal, and figure out how to make it, and what I would do to tailor it more to my taste.  Everyone is different, so when trying out a recipe (with rare exception) I use the main ingredients, but change the quantities.  One of my favorite places to eat in Las Vegas is Ri-Ra, which is an Irish pub.  There isn't anything I've had that I didn't like.  They make these amazing honey-Jameson wings, and easily the best pork chop I have ever had.  I have since re-created those wings the best I could, and they are pretty amazing....

I have only been into an Aveda store/salon twice.  The first time was to get dolled up for an event about 10 years ago, and the other was when my friend was visiting a couple of months ago.  Initially I didn't go back because the smell from the products they used didn't go away for about a week.  All I kept thinking was, "Why won't this smell go away?!"  And I was washing my hair daily. Fast-forward a decade, and my friend & I stopped in because she loves their products.  I received a couple of single-use samples (Rosemary + Mint Shampoo and Scalp Benefits Conditioner).  While the samples were not large enough for me to say whether or not they worked, the scents were not as obnoxious as I had remembered.  Since I am on a dry shampoo kick, I waited until theirs debuted before I purchased anything.    I bought the "Gift of Lasting Style for the Road" set ($56.50), which is quite pricey.  It contains a full-sized Shampure Dr...

I should start by saying that this post should have been up long ago... about four months ago.  So, I extend my apologies to Sun Bum.  I can't believe that (1) it's November, and (2) it still feels like summer.  Since it is, I've been spending some extra time at the beach.   Before getting into my beach day with Sun Bum, there are some [awesome] things you need to know about their company.  All of the information came from their website ( trustthebum.com ), so all credit goes to them: Sun Bum (est. 2010) has created a top-of-the-line suncare, made for those who love (and live) in the sun.  In order to minimize the risk of skin cancer, Sun Bum has a wide array of sprays, solids, and liquids to protect every inch of your body (including your hair!).  You can even get awesome gear. All suncare products are, "... tested, approved, and recommended by The Skin Cancer Foundation ," ( trustthebum.com ). Products courtesy of Sun Bum. Sun Bum at t...

Hair Mini Haul I just received a package from Sephora, and it only took a couple of days to receive, which was nice.  Since I was running out of dry shampoo, I decided to purchase a set since it was actually worth the money.  I also purchased a set by VERB, a company based in Austin (all products are made in the USA). 1.  Sephora Favorites:  Extend Your Style , $32.00 Image courtesy of sephora.com If you like to try different types of dry shampoo collection, or are looking for one you will love, this set is perfect.  Currently, I'm really into trying different hair products.  I don't know about you, but I go through these phases of wanting to use hair products, then not.  Anyway, on with the set.  This favorites set comes with the following (list courtesy of sephora.com ): - 1.25 oz Alterna Bamboo Style Translucent Dry Shampoo - 0.75 oz Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo - 0.5 oz Bumble and Bumble Pret-a-Powder - 1.4 oz Drybar Detox D...

Sometimes you just need a token gift or something small to fill the stocking.  Listed below are a few things for everyone in varying price ranges.  For those who are on a tighter budget, I highly recommend a trip to Daiso, if you have one near you, or the Dollar Store, because you never know what you'll find. 1.  On-the-Go Gamepad , $8.99  Image courtesy of worldmarket.com  Do you know anyone who is going away on holiday?  This gamepad comes with 5 games to choose from, so  your traveling recipients will never be bored.  Great for long flights and rest-stops during road trips, the gamepad takes up hardly any space, and will keep everyone entertained. 2.  Clear Glass Fox Salt & Pepper Shakers , $12.99/set Image courtesy of worldmarket.com A fun, cute, and sophisticated stocking stuffer/housewarming gift is this fox salt/pepper shaker set.  They don't come filled (yes, I realize that should be a given, but you never kno...