Crochet love

I learned to crochet from my mom when I was 13(ish). I remember making a lot of random things for my family. I love the rythmic action of this beautiful craft. It actually relaxes me and makes me forget about everything that is going around me. Since last few years though, I've been seriously thinking about doing something with it. My fia (dad's sister) used to knit. She is no longer with us but my fondest memories of her are of her knitting. Every time I crochet I think about her and miss her. I wish she was around to teach me how to knit. I want to carry on her tradition and make something for all the kids in the family. Of course I can't knit her like, I mean the woman made excellent sweaters. This yellow blanket is for a very special girl named Savi. Everyone who knows her describes her as someone with sunny and cheery personality. When I was at Michaels, I saw this bright yellow yarn and my heart screamed SAVI!! Next thing I know i'm spending hour everyday making something special for this special girl. I hope she loves it as much as i do, I hope she remembers that her fufu made this specially for her because her fufu loves her more than she'll ever know.

Not so lazy Saturday

Sometimes a lazy Saturday is exactly what you need after long rainy week. I'm in love with this pin on Pinterest, and since the sun decided to come out today I thought let's give it a try.

...turns out my lazy Saturday was not so lazy after all! :)

Fresh Mango Cake

To me summer means mangoes and mangoes mean grandma's house. My love for mango is as deep my love for wine. This fruit is so versatile that you can eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert! I've been making lots of smoothies lately and I thought cake!

Fresh Mango Cake

Ingredient

• about 1 cup of fresh mangoes (chopped and mashed, don't mash it completely)
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar (if the mangoes are super sweet, you can add less)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tbs rose water ( you can use vanilla extract too)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cup of flour
• 1 cup white chocolate chips (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
2. With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed mangoes in a large mixing bowl. 
3. Mix in the sugar, egg, and rose water 
4. Add the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. 
5. Add the flour, mix until it is just incorporated. 
6. Fold in the white chocolate chips 
7. Pour mixture into a prepared baking pan. Bake for 30-45 minutes. Check for with a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it's done. Cool on a rack. 
8. Drizzle some honey (optional) and enjoy!! 

 

12 hours in Charleston

We recently spent few days in Myrtle Beach, SC. We decided to take a day trip to Charleston. Charleston is very very beautiful. The words do no do justice to how cute this city is. People there are some of the friendliest people that I've ever met. Despite few rain showers, we had fantastic time. The city known for its rich history and spectacular architecture. We spent the day taking in the scenery and dreaming about what it would be like to live in one of the gorgeous french style homes. We also had amazing food. Only thing we regret is not spending more time there!

Charleston City Market is a must stop if you are in the city. When you enter the market it looks small and then you realize the market actually spans 4 city blocks! If you're looking for souvenirs, this is the place to go. You'll meet friendly people and eat good food too! If you're looking for something unique then I recommend Gullah sweetgrass baskets. We were lucky enough to chat with the talented artists and learn more about the history.  

 The weather for perfect for a walk in the waterfront park. 

After all the walking we decided to eat at Magnolias. Our server was so friendly. Since I'm vegetarian, we asked our server for some suggestions. He told us he'll be right back. Next thing we know the chef is making me off the menu dish!! Who does that during busy time?? Food was out of this world. I still don't how we walked out of there. I highly recommend Magnolia. Try their sweet tea and please save room for dessert because trust me you don't want to miss that.

Before heading back to Myrtle Beach, we decided to stop by the Angel Oak Tree on John's Island. Due to rain storms through out the day, the road to this park was muddy which made us bit uneasy driving. But, we managed to get there and boy were we glad. Sadly the park closed at 5pm so we were not allowed to go in but what we saw from outside was simply breath taking. This tree is over 500 years old! And it was simply beautiful.

 I was bit sad to leave this charming city. I know we'll be back here for sure!