Riserva di Zingaro

To go or not to go? Yes! Go! 

We took a 4 hour tour of the Zingaro by boat. It is refreshing to go by boat and see all the different coastal spots of this reserve.    

You will see rock formations, old caves, secluded white beaches… and Bella Mare!  At this particular excursion they let us swim in two spots, we saw many fish and jellyfish. No, that did not stop us from swimming.  

Take a big excursion boat. We took a small one, it was ok but they were not well equipped, no fins, no food, no snorkel gear… It was too bare bones. If we could do it over we would go with a bigger boat.   

Go and enjoy the natural beauty of Sicilian coast!! Buona Giornata!! 🇮🇹

Spa Salus PerAquam – our respite in Lecce, Italy

Our long time followers know about our Spa addiction. We have been in Spa’s around the world.  See our past blog entries for Maldives, Seattle, Kohler, Thailand, etc…

In Lecce, we have been walking everywhere. When you walk all day long and have fun it’s important to rest and treat your body well. It will pay you back!

Our hotel Risorgimento Resort luckily for us has a lovely spa. It is perfect for after a long day of site seeing and travelling.  We recommend that you book at least a day ahead. 

Our favorite spa expert is Monica Valiani – ask for her by name.  She speaks Italian, English, French, and German.  We had spa services with her for two days and it was simply excellent. 

 

Turkish Bath (Bagno Turco) after a good salt scrub on the entire body transforms your senses and starts the relaxation process. The emotional shower (rain, breeze) with special light therapy completes the whole treatment. We left clean, relaxed, and energized for our dinner party.

 
Next day we returned for facial and the special Cinque Sensi massage created by Monica. She designed this massage based on chackras. We loved it and our faces were radiating after the facial.  If you want a couples massage ask Monica for her signature massage designed for couples. 

The prices are middle range. For a great 50 min massage we paid €80. The Bagno Turco was €20. They have manicures, waxing, and many other facial and body treatments. You can also request something more tailored for your needs. 

The spa is small but tranquil and you can reserve it for privacy. You will be surrounded by unobtrusive service and positive energy.

  

Monica – thank you for awakening our cinque sensi and make our journey even more special! Grazie mille!! 🇮🇹

 

Red Door Spa – Phoenix, AZ

This is my first time in Arizona and the first time at a Red Door Spa. It is the spa by the iconic Elizabeth Arden. While I don’t use EA products, this trip was an opportunity to check out the spa.

Beautiful 90 degree weather… spa building. The decor and art is a nod towards the southwest sensibilities. Has a calming relaxant effect as if time is standing still.

The red door!!

The services are really quality and aestheticians and massage experts are amazing. Friendly without being overbearing…

There is beautiful art sprinkled everywhere.

If you find yourself in Phoenix Arizona, I recommend you spend a day at the Red Door. Your only regret will be leaving 😉

Just Move

Please right now get-up and move for even few minutes Yes, just move it is good for you!

Every day at least 30 min. what do you think? laziness?

Well we have 24 hours a day 8 hours sleeping 8 hours work and how about another 8 hours? What are you doing just sitting and watching TV, reading or in front of computer etc.. Okay you can do all of this as well but please for healthier you make sure you keep 1 hour a day moving for lower blood pressure, improve metabolism and levels of cholesterol and triglycerides you can even reduce diabetes risk and risk of certain cancers as well. 30 min. to 1 hour a day can help you to with healthy weight, which can boost all of this benefits even more.

D you know how many hours a day you are spending while sitting?

I think the most of the answers are too much sitting during the rest of the day even some days no exercise.

Our body’s aren’t really structured to be sitting for long periods of time but when we do that our body is just kind of goes into shutdown. So then how about every hour even few minutes of movement and maybe instead of sitting on a chair sitting on an exercise ball that helps strengthen the core while improving balance and flexibility. You can simply stand up, dance, wiggle around, take few steps back and forth, march in place even for 2-3 min. to 5-10 min. will help you a lot to lower blood sugar, triglycerides, cholesterol and waist size even could help with back ache and straighten your posture because when muscles getting stronger they keeps you more supported and straight even looking taller when sitting or standing straight.

Basically it helps to improve your health and your look together in one simple thing just moving! Miraculous but I believe as everything in life if you will not work for it it’s very hard or impossible to get it so if you will move enough you sure will be much much healthier than you are now and don’t be lazy or think about it too much just move where ever you are.

So are you still sitting?? Come on just move, feel & look better !!

Honey bee Quince

My mother told me a lot about how they were happy when they had a chance to get a quince from the tree; they were putting it in their wardrobes between their clothes to give nice smell to their clothes at that times when they did not have perfumes. I can imagine quince scented wardrobes it was very nice, safe and healthy way to smell good…. and she adds those time the quinces and all fruits were smelling really good but now days unfortunately and sadly they didn’t…  and after it begins to getting ripe in the wardrobe they took it and made it into a dessert like this — during those days nothing was to throw but to use it use it reuse it! When she prepare this dessert always as I use to ask her what were they doing that times it’s always nice to hear old quality stories especially during long winter nights.

Favorite winter dessert!

I’m always getting very exited when doing this veryyy simple but amazing dessert. The smell, the taste, the look Oh my GOD it’s terrific!

This is why honey bees like it :)))

First you need fire if you have fire place or stove like me you are very lucky you just have to wait until the log is turn to a nice fire it’s relaxing to sit in front and watch for a while.

Come on get up it’s time to take one nice smelled organic quince wash it well.

I wish I had a tree.

Wrap it with aluminium foil like this

Put it on top of the fire-coals. I remember my mom was covering it with fire-coals as well you can do the same or turn it every 10 min. to cook every part of it.

I check it out. It wasn’t cooked yet it wasn’t soft and the skin should be burned. Cover the foil again put on fire-coals to wait more.

It should be burned more than the picture more than half of it should be burned. This takes 40 min. with me because I didn’t have enough coals and the quince was big.  If you have enough coal and to cover it with them maybe this will take 15 or 20 min. I think.

Remove it from foil cut it in half first.

Peel the burned skin. Remove the seeds from the pits. It smells amazing.

Put 1 tsp of honey in each half of quince cut nice slices. If you like more honey drizzle over more honey or you can serve it with scoop of ice cream.

This is for 2 person but I ate all of it veryyummmmyyyy.

The end…. happily!

Nothing left behind sorry.