Any Lucky Penny

How would you like your eggs?

Any Lucky Penny — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 05:30:27 +0000

Saturday brunch is always a family treat. Cooked breakfast … not instant noodles or cereals or toasts or microwaved oats as we normally do on weekday mornings when everyone is busy preparing for work or school. I got all egg-cited this particular Saturday and whipped up really hearty breakfast feast for the family. And the easy part? All cooked in the microwave. Well, I did the bacon in the oven but you can do it in microwave too if you want. It’s very interesting how easy it is to cook eggs in the …

London and Cambridge Adventures

Any Lucky Penny — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:33:38 +0000

As I get ready to watch the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, I started going through my pictures of my last visit to London

This is the Hotel we stayed at! It was a perfect location because we were only two blocks from Trafalgar Square. I also want to add that their morning breakfast was delicious!! I woke up excited every day because I knew I was going to have their breakfast Once you head out, if you kept walking strait you reach Buckingham Palace! You could even see the Palace from a distance.

My friends made me the tour leader because I was more familiar with the city. I told my friends that walking in London is always fun because you enjoy the scenery and don’t even realize you are walking long distances. You see all these cute little shops and walk in and end up staying for a while. All the small coffee shops and bakeries are just so tempting

Here is the address: 372 Strand, London WC2R 0JJ, United Kingdom

I highly recommend this Hotel! It has great service, a great location, and amazing food! Here is their website: Strand Hotel

This was the bride that they filmed in Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix when it is falling down. We just had to take a picture and remember this Harry Potter moment!

After an hour and a half of walking, we arrived to St. James Park! This park is right next to Buckigham Palace. A smaller version of Central Park

Walking to Buckingham Palace. If you get the chance, I suggest you should take the tour inside the Palace! You get to see so many royal rooms, halls, the ballroom, the queen’s dresses, and the throne room! You also get to see the stables and Queen Elizabeth’s carriage. You also get to see the carriage that took Princess Diana to St. Paul’s Cathedra for her wedding

We got so happy because the sun started to come out! London looks really beautiful with the sun Most of the times that I have gone, it was cloudy. This was one of the first times that I saw the sun.

What is London without trying their famous Fish and Chips! They have them all over the city so you can’t miss them.

And off we went to visit Cambridge University!

We went on a boat ride to have a tour of the University! It was such a relaxing ride we had a tour guide who was telling us all about the school.

After a couple of hours of explporing this enchanting place, it was time for some lunch! We had lunch at this restaurant called La Raza. It was authentic Spanish..in England! If you ever visit Cambridge, I highly recommend this place. The table is set for big groups so you can all be sharing and having a great time. Their Spanish bread was absolutely delicious! You will leave wanting more!! Here is their website in case you want to read more about it: http://www.laraza.co.uk/

After a fun filled day at Cambride, it was time to head back home. We didn’t want to leave. I wish I could of gone to this University. Well then again, it’s never to late to go back for my Masters hmm..

Kermits-The Meditating Frogs

Any Lucky Penny — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 01:22:34 +0000

One of the first things that I do when I go to stores is go straight to their outdoor department to see what type of small animal statues they have. I like decorating my garden with all types of cute decorative things. I have rabbits, lady bugs, squirrels, and frogs! I couldn’t resist when I saw these two cute little frogs. Everyone who comes in thru my front door always compliment my little frogs. I already had the relaxing frog and I thought he could use a friend

Happy Valentines Mom :)

Any Lucky Penny — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 01:22:03 +0000

My mom’s flowers are blooming! They look so nice in her office She was so surprised! Time to plan next years Valentines, maybe bigger flowers

Use Feng Shui to Create Peace in Your Life

Any Lucky Penny — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:26:00 +0000

Being content and at peace within your own soul brings harmony to your entire existence. It makes the hard times easier to bear and enhances every personal issues in your life.

1) Rule number one of Feng Shui is something we should all be doing anyway. It involves creating a clean, clutter free environment. Positive energies can’t flow through your home and life with all kinds of stuff in its way. This doesn’t mean a quick straightening up. De-cluttering involves getting into every closet, drawer, and shelf in your home. You want to eliminate anything you no longer need or use, and get rid of any item that is broken or in ill repair. Don’t forget about the garage or basement either. You will be surprised at how much more at peace you feel with a clean home and environment. It sounds like a major hassle, but it’s worth it to use Feng Shui for creating peace in your life.

2) Another way to discourage the presence of negative chi in your home is with the use of incense. This is an important step in using Feng Shui to create inner peace. Using incense in ceremonial rites is something almost every religion in the world is familiar with. It is a great idea to focus on electrical outlets and appliances. In order to more fully take advantage of this practice, use incense when things go wrong or you just feel as if events and situations in your life are out of sync.

3) Fresh sea salt is an amazingly effective way to restore balance and harmony. Without those, peace can’t be achieved. Use a measure of sea salt in your water and soap combination while cleaning the floors. It is also helpful to clean the home in this manner after a death, negative experience, or angry encounter with a loved one. You can also place bowls of sea salt in areas that aren’t necessarily cleaned on a daily basis. Under the beds, on top of shelves or dressers, and in inaccessible spaces are places to look out for. Change the salt as often as possible for the best results.

4) There are few things more pleasant than water. This element can be instrumental in encouraging peace with Feng Shui. There are a couple places that water doesn’t belong under any circumstances. Don’t have water pictures or fixtures in your bedroom or behind the bed or your office chair. Beyond those places, the use of water is a huge benefit. It represents flowing energy and also is useful for washing away negative feelings and thoughts. A small water fountain in the family room is a good option. Of course it is perfectly acceptable to use symbols or paintings of water related items as well.

5) Like water, the presence of plants is great for creating peace in your life with Feng Shui. The color green, an actual growing thing, and the beauty of plants are perfect for inspiring inner peace and tranquility. If you choose to use plants in your décor, you have to be sure to keep them healthy and well taken care of. Living plants are always better, but if you don’t have the time to take care of them, use artificial plants instead. You will have to be sure you keep them clean and dust free.

Creating more peace in your life with Feng Shui is an easy undertaking that results in tremendous benefits. Take the time to organize your home in the Feng Shui tradition and enjoy the feeling of comfort and relaxation that results

Destination Of The Week: Montmartre

Any Lucky Penny — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:43:15 +0000

A hill that reaches a height of about 130 meters (427 feet) you can get a spectacular view of Paris and even see the Eiffel Tower from the distance.

Montmartre’s most recognizable landmark is the Basilica du Sacre- Coeur, constructed from 1876 to 1912. The white dome of this Roman Catholic basilica sits at the highest point in the city, at the summit of the “butte Montmartre” and the church is visited by millions of tourists each year. It is a good example of French Romanesque architecture. The Basilica is open 6AM until 11PM (free entry), the dome and the crypt 9AM- 5.30PM in the summer. There is a €6 charge for entry to the dome and crypt. On a clear day, climb to the tower to admire the view of Paris!

Walk around in Montmartre and you will discover gardens, steep streets and splendid Paris views. The area is known for its nightlife with destinations such as the Moulin Rouge giving it worldwide fame. In the day, explore the little shops and as I would like to call them, their very own farmers markets. They sell all kinds of delicious French foods. They also have many souvernier shops to choose from. Montmartre is very crowded during weekends. Go there early on weekdays. Book your hotel right in Montmartre and you will best appreciate Montmartre. To get to the top of Montmartre, guests can hop aboard the funicular railroad that ascends the hill. Just walking around the district is a treat, but if you want to do some sight seeing or cultural visits, head to the Musée de Montmartre, where artist Maurice Utrillo once lived and painted, as well as the mansion behind it, which was once occupied by Renoir. You may also want to take in dinner and a show at Moulin Rouge or one of the many other nightclubs in the neighborhood. You can walk down the street Lepic (rue Lepic), with plenty of shops. You can also visit a small pub restaurant (Brasserie), which was the workplace in the movie “Amelie.”

Place du Tertre is located just a few blocks from the basilica. It is here that today’s artists set up their easels and tempt passers by with their works of art. Paintings at the Place du TertreMany will ask if they can paint your portrait, which of course would be a lovely souvenir of Paris! Monmarte was one of my favorite spots in Paris! Having visited it three times, I can honestly say that it is a very friendly fun enviroment, the people here are very nice to tourists, and the experience is amazing! Try some of their French ham it’s one of the best

Bubbles The Chimpanzee Loves Her Valentine’s Day Gift From Zoo Miami Staff

Any Lucky Penny — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 01:50:56 +0000

Life is like a box of chocolates or fruits and peanut butter, you never know what you are going to get. On Valentine’s Day, Bubbles a 45 year old female chimpanzee received a pink box and she was clearly enjoying the delicious, square gift from staff she received at the Zoo’s Amphitheater. The boxes were painted with hearts and stuffed with fruits and vegetables and peanut butter all part of a zoo program to stimulate animals natural behavior. Love comes in many different surprises. Happy Valentines Day! Don’t forget to smile like Bubbles

Traveling to Capri, Italy?

Any Lucky Penny — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 19:48:57 +0000

This hidden gem is a surreal experience! A beautiful old building at the top of the Anacapri cliffs with stunning views and excellent service. The restaurant’s food and wine selection make it so that you never need to leave the hotel. The infinity pool is unbelievable as it looks over the entire Gulf of Naples! Not in the mood to swim? Lounge pool-side with a good book, and make sure you order one of their many salads with a nice cold glass of wine. This hotel is perfect it’s private, off the beaten path, quiet, and truly an authentic Italian experience!

Hotel Caesar Augustus is a luxury hotel nestled on the cliffs of Capri and has definitely one of the most breathtaking views in the world. From almost every room and place in this spectacularly designed hotel, guests can enjoy views of the Bay of Naples. This hotel is perfect for weddings, honeymoon, family reunions and vacations. The suites and rooms of Caesar Augustus are extremely luxurious and elegant, skillfully designed to provide comfort and satisfaction to each guest. A stay in this luxurious cliffside hotel in Capri, Italy would definitely be one exceptional travel experience one traveler can have in this lifetime!

Address: Hotel Caesar Augustus, Via Giuseppe Orlandi, 4, 80071 Anacapri Naples, Italy

Whitney Houston, A Voice Unlike Any Other

Any Lucky Penny — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 02:11:52 +0000

She passed away so young her voice was so powerful and beautiful. A talented and wonderful woman who shared with the world her wonderful voice. This is still shocking to me, and just one day before the Grammy’s. This is my favorite song from her and it’s probably one of her most famous. May she rest in peace and sing with the angels now..

New York, New York

Any Lucky Penny — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:04:35 +0000

I will never forget the year when I went to New York for the very first time for my 20th birthday with my family a few years back. I was so excited because I would always talk about the city and see New York in movies and now that I knew that I was going I was so thrilled! We went in November so I was very excited to wear my cute coats, scarfs, boots, and hats. I saved some room on my suitcase just in case we did a little shopping in 5th Av.

As we were boarding our plane to New York at 12:01 a.m. we see none other than Keanu Reeves sitting in first class!!!! My sister saw him first and she told me that he was on board. I didn’t beleive her at first, but then I saw him get up to put his bag on the top and that’s when I knew my birthday could not get better than this! My sister and approached him once everyone was sitting on their seat and asked if we could take a picture with him He was very sweet and said we could each take an individual picture with him! The moment I stepped out of our taxi I was SO EXCITED to explore the city! There is so much to do and see in New York, so many places to eat, so many attractions to visit, I could stay there for days.

We went inside the Macy’s ten story department store and guess what we saw? They had the New Year’s Ball on display. They were getting ready to take it to Time Square! This trip was full of unexpected surprises!

My bread addicting was out of control! There are so many bakeries everywhere

Our first night in New York we went to the Empire State Building to see the city shine at night, and boy was I blown away! You can see everything from up there; Central Park, The Chrysler Building, Battery Park, the list goes on. Here are some of my favorite shots that I captured I love New York <3 I hope I can live there one day!