C.C. Solomon's Blog, page 15

Back to Puerto Rico

As you know I loves to travel and I a winter getaway is a must for me as I despise the cold and all it stands for. This year, a bunch of friends and I did San Juan, Puerto Rico, which I’ve gone to a couple of times but decided to finally do a post. Here we go.

Hotel:

We stayed at the El San Juan Resort and Casino. Very nice and lively hotel (on the weekends it gets packed due to the live salsa bands). It has three pool areas and two Jacuzzis. On the weekends its a big party with a DJ. The hotel which is on the beach, is in Isla Verde which apparently has the nicer beach than the other beach areas in San Juan, although not as big in the night life (more to come on that, Condado has more of the nightlife but the beach isn’t as nice). They have a few fancy restaurants on site as well as a gym and spa. The casino is no Vegas site but it’s there. They also have one of the only clubs in Isla Verde. All in all, I’d stay there again for sure.

Nightlife:

The first night we stayed in the hotel and did the salsa in the lobby and the bars (there are three in the lobby as well as a dance floor and stage for the bands). Then we headed over to Club Brava, also in the hotel, which is more top 40 dance club and has two floors.

The next night we ventured out to the La Placita area which is a bunch of casual bars and cafes to listen to top 40 and Latin. Much cheaper than other areas so that was good but it wasn’t really my vibe. Perhaps if I were in my twenties I’d like it more. We also checked out our hotels rooftop bar which was just okay but the view was nice.

The final night we were in Old San Juan and we swung past the popular Nuyorican Café (which is kind of hard to find). It’s a very popular salsa club. I’m not a huge salsa dancer but wanted to go. It was a Sunday night and they started the band very late in my opinion (maybe 11pm?). The place is pretty small, divvy, and the bathroom was unusable. If you just want to dance in a casual atmosphere and have used the potty already, I think it’d be a fun place.

Food

The first night we went to Casita Miramar which was my best food visit there. I had a grilled chicken and mixed salad which I sadly did not take a picture of. It was very tasty. We also had a Nutella flavored flan which I still dream about. It’s a small spot that gets packed. Seems very family friendly.

The next night we went to Ropa Vieja in Condado where I had shrimp mofongo (mashed plantain) in garlic sauce. Deliciousness. Larger than the other locations we went to. Again, not super fancy but nice fun atmosphere.

The final night we went to Mojito at the suggestion of a friendly local. Much more affordable than the other spots. I had chicken filled mofongo in a tomato sauce. Delish as well. Located in Old San Juan and nothing fancy, just good food. Family friendly.

Other Stuff:

We also went sailing on this trip which was fun. In past trips I visited El Yunque which is a rain forest and a fun visit. I’ve also gone snorkeling and done the Bacardi Tour, also a good trip. Next time I’m hoping to check out the bioluminescent bay.  This trip we pretty much chilled at the beach and pool all day which was just fine by me. Ready to go back!

 

Jambalaya

Here’s another quick post on a crockpot dish I made. This time I went for jambalaya.

Here’s what I used:

1lb boneless/skinless chicken which I chopped up

1 or 2 hot sausage links

1 cup shrimp

1 stalk chopped celery

1 can diced tomatoes

1 medium onion chopped

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

1 red bell pepper chopped

2 tsps oregano

2 tsps bay leaves

2 tsps Cajun seasoning

2 tsps red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp thyme

Throw it all in the crock pot. Set it at high for about 3 to 4 hours. Throw in some cooked rice after and your done. Boom.

My Online Go-Tos

As a blogger, I spend more time than I care to admit online. Don’t worry, I venture out of my house. However there are times when I just don’t want to deal with the hassle of a brick and motor store and just order something quickly. I am also a person that likes to get answers quickly so I have sites I like to visit to get answers. So here are my favorite websites for the various areas of my life:

image from http://www.feminiya.com

 

Low cost hair, makeup and costume jewelry- www.samsbeauty.com
Books, clothes and beauty products- www.amazon.com
Make up- for drug store and department brands- www.ulta.com, department brands- www.sephora.com
Clothes- affordable- www.asos.com, vintage vibe-www.modcloth.com
Drug store hair products- (yes, I’ve been so lazy that I order from a drugstore some times) www.walgreens.com and www.walmart.com
Recipes- www.yummly.com
Reviews on places- www.yelp.com
Reviews on books- www.goodreads.com
Reviews on movies and TV shows (and explanations on complex plots)- www.imdb.com
Workouts- www.dailyburn.com (not free, low cost, kind of like an exercise Netflix)

Jamaican Curry Chicken

Hey folks, another quick cook post. As I’ve said before, I’m trying to cook more as I enter my weight loss journey and so far so good. As always, I don’t like cooking anything that’s going to take me forever and a year so whatever I can make that expends the least energy is my friend. Here’s a dish I did well with:

Ingridents:

chicken (boneless/skinless and cut up in bite sizes)

6 tbps. curry powder

1 1/2 tps kosher salt

2 tps garlic powder

2 oz cooking oil

2 1/2 tbps vinegar

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

1 potato (cut up in bite sizes- I used red potatoes this time)

1 onion cut up

1 green bell pepper cut up

1 1/2 tsp black pepper

2 sprigs thyme

1 cup coconut milk

Dump all of the above in your slow cooker (you can do it over a stove as well for about 30 minutes, cook chicken first) and heat in crock pot on high for about 4 hours. Make some rice according to the way that works best for you (I did an instant rice pack) and power the curry on top. Done

 

 

 

Contouring for the Everyday Gal

I love make up. I do not love putting it on. There’s the expectation I have and the reality. Truth is, going around looking like I’m in a confessional on the Housewives of (fill in the blank) isn’t really practical. However, I do love a good glam look every now and then. I’ve posted about getting dramatic lashes so what about the rest of your look for a real-life glam look?

There are YouTube videos and magazine articles out there that will tell you all about highlighting, contouring, luminizing, concealing, setting, baking (yes, I’m still talking about applying make up). Sure the after effect is super gorgeous but I don’t have anywhere to go that fancy. So here are my simpler steps for nighttime glam for a girl just going out for some cocktails with her pals.

Use a primer which is a good base for putting on your make up.
Don’t forget the SPF  if your foundation or primer doesn’t have any.
Put on concealer for any under eye circles and pimples
Put on foundation
Now get a lighter shade of makeup (a solid is best over liquid or powder) and do a filled in up side down triangle under the eyes going the length of the eye with the tip at cheeks.
Do a triangle on the forehead in between the eyes.
Put some down the bridge of your nose.
Use a darker shade and put on the hollow of your cheeks, right below the cheek bone.
If you are ambitious, you can put some around your hairline on your forehead and on your jaw line and the sides of your nose. I don’t
You can then put a bit of highlighter on the tops of your cheekbones and in the corners of your eyes.
Throw some blush on the apples of the cheeks.
Some people “bake” here and let all this sit for about 5 minutes before blending it all and finishing off with a setting powder or spray.
Now put on your lipstick. Bold matte lips are very in right now, especially dark reds and plums.

Done.

Sexy Songs You Haven’t Heard

I’m not much of a mushy person but I figure for Valentine’s day I’d do a post related to love. I’m a big music fan, especially music that is not on the top 40 list. So here’s a quick and not so dirty post of some of my  favorite sexy songs to listen to with your O-So- Special someone (some of these are a little dusty but they still might be new to you).

shutterstock image

 

Two Weeks- FKA twigs – the video is giving me Alliyah in her Lestat movie but the song is still sexy

Latch (Acoustic) – Sam Smith – everyone knows the remix version but the simple acoustic version is sweeter

Firestone – Kygo, Conrad Sewell – another sexy yet cluby song

Fool for You- Alice Smith – Ceelo did a version of this as well that I like but I like Alice’s style a bit more

Don’t Wait (Benny Blanco Remix)- Mapei – quirky video but kinda what I imagined when I heard the song

Down Here in Hell (With You)- Van Hunt – this is from the early 2000s. Love this artist, very underrated

 

 

Quick Cook: Turkey Chili

So in an earlier post I mentioned how I am trying to cook more. One weakness of mine is that I don’t like being in the kitchen all day. I like to make a quick meal. My other focus is making food tasty enough for me to want to eat over, say, getting some pizza. For an impatient girl like me that is a real challenge. But one I am willing to take one. So here is a quick and easy dinner option. Chili! I make mine with turkey but you can use beef, pork or ground chicken instead (or skip meat altogether).

Use:

A pound of meat of your choice  (I used ground turkey and hot Italian sausage (skin removed))

Chili seasoning packet (or do your own seasoning but, I likes a quick cook)

corn (drained)

jalapenos

can of diced tomatoes (undrained)

2 cans of dark kidney beans (undrained)

First cook the meat in a pan. Then transfer to a slowcooker (or for faster results a pot). In the slowcooker pour the meat, then the chili sauce, add the beans some sliced jalapenos, diced tomatoes and corn. Set the slowcooker on high for about 3 to 4 hours. I like my chili super spicy and I add shredded cheese on top. Good to go.  Little hassle.

Big Eyes: How to Get the False Lash Look with Just Mascara

I have searched for hundreds of years (k so not that long) for a quick and non annoying way to get those false lash looks without the stress of putting on fake lashes. Sure, on a full moon I can successfully put on some lashes but most of the time I just look like Janis from the Muppets with my results.

I’ve tried thousands(k, maybe like ten) of mascaras in an attempt to replicate the divaness of false lashes and honestly, nothing works. Sure, the ads will tell you their mascaras are just like falsies but don’t believe the hype. But all is not lost. So you can’t have lashes like Kim K without some false action.

Doesn’t mean you can’t still have bombshell, diva lashes. Here are my top mascara’s that give you diva life without the hassle of lash application.

Loreal Manga – $7.99

Maybelline Pushup – $9.49  (I also want to try  Sensational with this company)

Diorshow Iconic  -$28.50

Benefit They’re Real! – $24

Ok, so you have the mascara. Now to give it the extra ooomph to make ’em pop.

When applying the first coat (yep, gonna go for more than one), wiggle the wand from side to side as you go up the lash.

Repeat a second time and more until you get the pop you like.

Don’t forget to put a coat on the bottom lashes.

Now, if you want doll like lashes like Kim K above, after the mascara has dried a little, vertically (like a windshield wiper) go over the lashes.

I’m telling ya, it works every time. Might get a little messy but nothing a tissue or Q-tip can’t fix. Now you got red carpet eyes without the application headache, so go somewhere fancy!

Traveling to Baltimore

As you may or may not have known, I moved back to Baltimore for the time being. I’ve done posts on Baltimore before but it’s different now that I’m a resident again. And I’m always eager to give readers another view of Baltimore other than what is shown on TV. If you should ever find yourself in DC I would suggest making a side day trip to Baltimore. It’s a small town feel in a city. Very accessible. Sure, it has its mixture of grungy but there are many quaint little areas to take a dine and shop and sight see. And Baltimore is listed in Zagat’s as the second top Foodie city of 2015 (behind Pittsburg but above NYC and DC). For this alone it’s worth a look and I’ve been eating all around town (sadly for my diet). It’s also a town of beer and awesome craft cocktails. And let’s not forget the museums and creative arts scene (live music, theaters, eclectic museums) which is super strong here.  Here are just a few spots I’ve grabbed at bite at since being back that I really enjoyed (more to come):

Myths and Moonshine– I was intrigued by the premise alone so I came to this Canton spot for happy hour with some friends. I never had moonshine so it seemed kind of like a cool idea. The array of moonshine available is intimidating. Who knew there was more than one kind? They can mix it with preset cocktails after you pick your moonshine (I think I had the fizzy daddy). They also serve food  (hush puppies and sliders are yummy) and I believe have music from time to time. A very chill but fun environment.

Azumi – Came to this Harbor East location on a date and I have to say this spot is great for date night. Especially in the warm weather. It over looks the harbor and is dark and sophisticated.  The environment is so nice at night (grown and sexy) so I would come back here even just for cocktails. And apparently there is a DJ here on the weekends.

The Food Market– I came to this Hampden spot for my birthday for dinner (and the scallops) and another time for brunch. The food is farm to table and great both times. If you are a fan of fresh food then this is a great spot to check out. It’s a restaurant and bar and has a wide open and bright atmosphere.

Homeslyce– Came to this Mt. Vernon spot (they are also located in Federal Hill, Canton and Columbia)  for pizza and salad. It’s  a simple pizza bar. The food is good, the atmosphere is relaxed and apparently they have bocce and skee ball in the basement (if that means anything). All in all a good place to grab a slice or more.

Pen and Quill– Located next to the Charles Theater, I came here for happy hour with friends. This place has a nice vibe, very smart, white collar yet relaxed, if that makes sense. I had a sparkling negroni for $5 (delish) and a fried chicken sandwich which was worth the calories. My friends were pretty happy with their dishes too so I can’t imagine you could go wrong.

My Thai –  In the Little Italy area, I’ve come here a couple of times for happy hour (that have an extended happy hour on Friday nights as well as a DJ during that time). The drinks are tasty and the so is the food (I shared the fried green beans- just about anything is tasty fried, shrimp dumplings and donuts). Definitely a spot I wouldn’t mind frequenting.

These are just a few on my list. More post to come on fun places to visit on my travels and in Baltimore.

 

A Cosmo Gal’s Guide to Surviving the Winter

I hate the winter. Or rather, I hate the cold. I could do winter year round if it didn’t dip below 75 degrees and was sunny all the time and the days remained long. Winter has no redeeming value to me so I tend to venture towards hibernation and peak out when spring starts. But I admit that can make the winter months quite boring. So in an effort to put more Cosmo in my type A life during the winter, I thought up some activities to keep me busy and warm.

Get in to the arts. Those cold, early dark evenings are the perfect time to go see a play or check out a museum.
Get to cooking. Now is the time I am going to focus more on honing my cooking skills now that I don’t have rooftop or sidewalk dining to lore me away.
Join a workout or dance class. If you are a sociable outdoor lover but not a cold lover, taking a workout class is a good option to staying active and making new friends all while keeping warm.
Try online dating. Apparently winter is the best time of the year to meet a new love online.


Throw a potluck or game night. A good way to be sociable while staying in.

Check out snazzy bars with fireplaces. If you need to venture out, now’s the time to check out a sexy fireplace with an old fashioned drink in a tight off the shoulder sweater.
Take up a hobby. Start a blog/vlog, write that book, paint that masterpiece, sew that dress…
Travel! A lot of people save traveling for the summer, but want to know the best time to really appreciate Jamaica? In the cold! (check your almanac to see when the big snow is supposed to come so you aren’t scheduling something that will be cancelled due to weather, it’s not always exact but better than nothing)
Binge watch if you must. I don’t like to promote couch potato activities but the winter is a good time to check the hype of some shows. Maybe do that while cooking or taking up a hobby…
Read all about it. And to balance out the binge watching, cozy up to a good book, or audio book or listen and learn a new language while you do one of the  other suggestions (type A girl can multitask).

Hope this helps in the fight against cold and boredom during the winter months. Morale of the story, take this time to stay in and get to know and improve you!