ZZZZZZZ Smoothie

Having trouble sleeping?  In Suzi's World, unfortunately, sleep doesn't come easy.

Let's see if this helps... 

ZZZZZZZ Smoothie

Find more smoothie recipes along with information and advice on all sorts of health and fitness topics at Suzi's Smoothie's.  

What helps you sleep?

Une Journée Français avec Teresa

(A French Day with Teresa)

Scott and I had been living in the Keys for about a year when I received a phone call from Cousin Teresa saying she was coming to Miami and wanted to get together.  Teresa had been living overseas for several years, Germany and France.  I know she ended up living in Japan as well, but I’m not sure of the time line.  I’m pretty sure she was living in France at the time she visited us.

She was traveling with friends of hers; a French couple who had asked (hired?) her to travel with them and act as interpreter since they spoke no English.  Teresa was a language major.  A funny side story… when Teresa was very small, she had a serious speech impediment.  Her older brother, Tony, was the only one who could understand her and he would act as her interpreter.  I was always proud of her for not only overcoming her “handicap” but totally making it her bitch!  It’s a little bit ironic as well.

When she arrived in Miami, Teresa called me and we decided on a day to get together.  We lived 2+ hours from Miami, but they wanted to come down and see the Keys.  They came to our house and then we went to lunch at Hawk’s Cay, a resort nearby, on the ocean, with dolphins.  As mentioned, the couple she was traveling with spoke no English.  When introductions were made, we picked up the man’s name as Remi, but for the life of us, neither of us ever understood the woman’s name.  So, they have become forever dubbed Remi and Remi’s Wife in our memories. 

CONTINUE READING

Happy Thanksgiving!

Here are some past Thanksgiving posts you might have missed.

Thanksgiving 2014 - A very special day of thanks 

"It was quite a day of giving thanks!  Just being in the company of both Scott and Jeffrey for their first holiday since kicking cancer’s ass was such an incredibly positive and uplifting feeling. But when you added Al into the mix, one of the people directly involved in saving both of their lives, it was kind of magical."
CONTINUE READING



Thanksgiving 2008 - The year we lost Grandmother

"Another Thanksgiving holiday has come and gone, and now we begin the countdown to yet another Christmas and another new year. I have been thinking a lot about my family...thinking about the distances that separate us and the inevitability of change. ...  And, it seems that finally, with the passing of the matriarch, so also came the passing of the family tradition.  This year, the family did not gather. A tradition has ended."
CONTINUE READING

Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving holiday!

What are you thankful for this year?

Pairing Wine With Pie

As you’re choosing wines for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner and other holiday events over the next few weeks, this guide may come in handy.

CONTINUE READING

Rewire Your Brain For Happiness

Sometimes it seems like we are surrounded by negativity.  It’s all around us.  We turn on the TV and hear politicians insulting each other; open up social media and see hateful posts and comments; drive down the road and deal with hostile drivers; it seems even magazine covers are designed to upset and inflame us more than entertain.  The world can seemingly be a more and more negative place, and every day we are affected by that negativity whether we realize it or not.  The power of negative thought can influence our mood, our relationships and our health.  Negative thoughts like fear and worry, guilt and regret, jealousy, and sadness cause stress and stress can wreak havoc on both our physical and mental health.

But this trend can be reversed.  The only thing more powerful than the power of negative thought is the power of positivity, the power of happiness.  

Studies show that people who are generally happier and more optimistic tend to be healthier and more successful.  

Based on many psychological tests, happy people seem to have a special quality that enables them to live a better life than the average.  Can you guess what it is?  It is the quality of optimism and positive thinking!  The best news about optimism is that it is a learnable quality. You can learn to be a more confident and optimistic person and have a more positive attitude by thinking the way optimists do. 

By the law of cause and effect, if you do and say what other healthy, happy people do and say, you will soon feel the same way, get the same results, and enjoy the same positive attitude and experiences that they do.

Think about what you want

Can you guess what the most successful and happy people think about all day long? The answer is simple.  Healthy, happy people think about what they want, and how to get it, most of the time. The power of positive thinking and developing a positive attitude are two of the most important qualities a person can have to change their life.

When you think and talk about what you want and how to get it, you feel happier and in greater control of your life.  When you are thinking about something that makes you happy, your brain actually releases endorphins, which give you a generalized feeling of well-being.  As a result, you develop a positive attitude.  

Be kind

Happy and positive people are kind to others. Kindness to others is good for your health. Studies show that even "micro-moments" of connection with others, like sharing a smile or expressing concern, improve emotional resilience, boost the immune system, and reduce susceptibility to depression and anxiety.  Moments of uplifting positive emotions function like nutrients for creativity, growth and health.

Stop the negativity

We all talk to ourselves without realizing it. There’s a little voice inside our head which runs an ongoing commentary on everything we’re doing. It becomes the backing tape to our lives. But, if you’re constantly saying negative things to yourself, guess what? You’ll feel bad.

So change the tape to something more helpful. Be your own best friend, inner coach and guru by saying the kind of positive encouraging things you would say to a very good friend. This will help you think positive, feel positive and act positive.

Be grateful

Begin each day by making a list of three things that you are thankful for, or three specific good things that happened the day before and reflect on what caused them to happen. The good things could be anything — bumping into an old friend, a positive remark from someone at work, a pretty sunset.  Celebrating small wins also has a proven effect of powering motivation and igniting joy. As you record your good things daily, you will begin to feel happier and more positive every day.

In the end, it seems it’s all about perception. Like life, it depends on how you choose to view it. If you start making positive changes to your daily habit and personal ‘system’ for living well, you will soon notice a definite upturn in your happiness and wellbeing. Repetition is the key to success, forming new neural pathways and patterns of response in the brain.

It’s good to know science now seems to confirm, you can quite literally ‘rewire your brain for optimum happiness.’

I am making this a personal challenge.  

For the month of November, I will start each day by listing three things I am thankful for.  

Won't you join me?  

We have the power to change our minds and change the world.

Fat Flush Soup

It's time for me to get back "on the program" and I'm starting with this wonderfully nutritious fat burning soup.

The superfoods in this soup are packed with antioxidants and fiber and aid with flushing toxins and, subsequently, fat from the body.

GO TO SUZI'S SMOOTHIES TO READ MORE AND GET THE RECIPE
(click here)

Featured TV Series: Outlander

I read the "Outlander" series of books by Diana Gabaldon over a decade ago.  They are some of my favorite books and characters.  Long before the story was televised, I would find myself thinking about the characters sometimes - out of the blue I would just think, "Wonder what Claire and Jamie are doing?"

In the books, the romance was epic, the hero bigger than life... and the show does not disappoint.  I was skeptical that any living man could live up to my image of Jamie Fraser.  With a little stretching of my ideal imagination, I have accepted Sam Heughan.  

He really does a great job portraying the character of Jamie.  

And Caitriona Balfe is Claire.  The casting there was superb, right down to her hair.  And the villian, Black Jack Randall, is played masterfully by Tobias Menzies.  

The story follows Claire Randall, a combat nurse in 1945 recently returned from the battlefields of World War 2.  On holiday with her husband in Scotland, she is mysteriously transported through time to 1743. She immediately becomes involved with a group of highlanders, ends up married to one of them and embroiled in the Jacobite rebellion.  Life is hard, dangerous and primitive, her life is constantly in danger, but she must learn to adapt.  In the beginning she is focused on finding a way to get back to her own time and her husband, but soon realizes she has fallen in love with her strapping Scottish husband, Jamie Fraser.  The love and romance between the two of them grows deeper and her heart is torn.

I am thrilled with this show!  Having loved the books so much, I'm so happy they are doing them justice. The genius of the books was in the fact that they were such a unique combination of romance, adventure and historical fact.  Starz has brought all that to life so well.  Not only is the romance and sex believable, so is the darkness, rape and torture.  

Do yourself a favor and watch "Outlander" on Starz.

Featured Restaurant/Bar/Resort: Florida Keys Brewing Company

Living The Island Life...Drinking The Local Beer

Florida Keys Brewing Company in Islamorada is the only brewing company in the Florida Keys.  

If you walk down Morada Way on most days, you can smell the hops and other wonderful aromatic odors coming out of a true brewing operation.

And the beer is really good!

Craig and Cheryl McBay own and run FKBC.  

They founded the brewing company on these principles:

Brewing as an art,

enjoying great beer,

and living the island life.

Located at 200 Morada Way in Islamorada, Craig and Cheryl started the company with the hopes of bringing great beer to our chain of islands and meeting the thirsty needs of its inhabitants. They have succeeded.

All of the island themed beers are brewed with top quality ingredients to make the best beer possible, including:

Hogfish Amber, Run Aground Brown, Man O War Wheat, and Sunsessional IPA (my favorite!)

Their tasting room is a beautiful work of art...the inside walls are tiled with bottle caps, and local artists like Pasta Pantaleo and Wyland have left their mark on the walls inside and out.

And their colorful Key-sey logo is art as well.

Stop by the Florida Keys Brewing Company, check out the brewing process, and then relax in the tasting room and enjoy these locally brewed craft beers.  

They even have flights available if you want to try them all!  And, be sure and buy your very own growler so you can take home some of your favorite.

PHONE: 305-916-5206

200 Morada Way, Islamorada

Mile Marker 81.6  Oceanside  

(300 Yards From US 1)

http://www.floridakeysbrewingco.com

info@floridakeysbrewingco.com

Open 1pm - 9pm DAILY

Live Music on Tuesday Nights!

Suzi's Music: Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem

I saw this interview with one of my favorite bands on No Depression this week and thought I would share.
It's an interesting read.

Playful and profound: Rani Arbo and Daisy Mayhem

http://nodepression.com/interview/playful-and-profound-rani-arbo-and-daisy-mayhem

Playful and profound are perfect words to describe Rani Arbo & Daisy Mayhem.

I was first introduced to them right at 5 years ago.  I remember listening to them one evening and then being haunted by them for days afterwards.  If memory serves, I immediately downloaded 2 of their cd's and played them over and over.

Some songs are playful to the point of silly...my favorite being their version of "Singing in the Bathtub."

CONTINUE READING

On This Day In Music History

On this day in 1962, two Jazz greats went into Rudy Van Gelder's Hackensack studio to record their album, simply titled "Duke Ellington & John Coltrane".

The 63-year-old Ellington was a legend, and Coltrane, at a mere 36, was becoming one of the biggest and brightest young stars in the Jazz world.

In the LP's notes, Coltrane wrote that he was honored to have the opportunity to work with Duke, musing that Ellington "has set standards I haven’t caught up with yet."

Here's a video clip of the two performing "In A Sentimental Mood".

Click here for more of Suzi's music.

What are you listening to today?

What's Playin'?

I've been on the road a lot (again) this last week or so.  Here are some of the songs that came up on my driving music playlist today.

Music is the only that makes driving long distance bearable.  

Turn it up loud and sing!

What's playing on Suzi's ipod today?

1. "The Devil Is My Running Mate" - Jason Isbell
2. "Bastards Of The Highway" - John Moreland & The Black Gold Band
3. "Hey Rider" - Band Of Heathens
4. "Call Me The Breeze" - Eric Clapton 
5. "Can't Help But Wonder Where I'm Bound" - Nanci Griffith
6. "My Baby Drives" - Justin Townes Earle
7. "Run Off To LA" - Kid Rock & Sheryl Crow
8. "A Good Country Mile" - Kevin Kinney & The Golden Palominos
9. "On The Way Back Home" - Lucero
10. "Straight To Hell" - Hard Working Americans





When this came on up today, I was driving in torrential rain.  I turned it up even louder (to hear it over the rain) and sang...then I hit repeat and did it again!
If I couldn't sing, I couldn't drive.
...straight to Hell...yeah probably...


Check out Suzi's Music for more playlists and other music stuff.

What are you listening to today?

Humans Of The Keys

Do you follow Humans of the Keys?

www.humansofthekeys.com

The Florida Keys attract all kinds of people.  And everyone has a story to tell.  We tell the stories and take the pictures of the fabulous humans of the fabulous Florida Keys.

Read the stories, leave comments and let us know what you think.

Are you a Human of the Keys?

Do you have a story to tell, or know someone who does?  We are always looking for stories!

Contact us!

Want to write for Humans of the Keys?  

We are always looking for writers!

Contact us for more information!

Email at: humansofthekeys@gmail.com

Find Humans on Facebook:

Humans of the Keys

________________________________________

What is your favorite thing about Humans of the Keys?

Happy Labor Day

History of Labor Day: 

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union.  In 1987, President Grover Cleveland established it as a national holiday, to be honored each year on the first Monday in September.

The form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day should take was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday — a street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations" of the community, followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of the workers and their families. This became the pattern for the celebrations of Labor Day.

The Holiday Today:

Labor Day has become synonymous with grilling and spending time outside with family and friends.

The holiday marks the end of the traditional summer (although it doesn't officially end until later in the month) with students normally returning to school the following week.  High society fashion rules say it is the last day of the season to fashionably wear white (although we happily thumb our noses at that tradition here in the Florida Keys!)

Labor Day has also become known as a shopping day.  Taking advantage of the fact that much of the labor force are off work for the day, retailers historically run big sales to lure shoppers on their day off.  

Happy Labor Day!  

However you celebrate this break in labor, enjoy and be safe!

How do you celebrate Labor Day?

In The Spotlight: Grace Potter

This month we find the lovely and talented Grace Potter in the spotlight.

With her combination of good looks and talent, Grace has made her mark on the pop and Americana music scene.  She's even known in the country music circles thanks to her collaborations with Kenny Chesney.  She plays keyboards and guitar, writes and sings, and brings an enormous amount of energy to everything she does.

CONTINUE READING - IN THE SPOTLIGHT: GRACE POTTER

Who would you like to see in the spotlight?

Live Music Calendar Updated For September

It's a new month!  I have updated the live music calendar for September.  Once again, musicians and bands, please check your dates.  Let me know of any changes or corrections.  If you're not on the calendar and want to be, just send me a note with your schedule and I'll get you added.

Just click the image to view the calendar.  You can always find the calendar by scrolling down the right side-bar and clicking the image there.  

Thanks for visiting Suzi's World and for supporting live music in our community!

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR

Hope Is Where The Heart Is

It's that time again.  We leave tomorrow for another trip to Boston.  It's funny the mixed feelings I have towards that city!  On the one hand, every time I have headed that direction, there has been a sense of anxiety and dread.  On the other hand, they saved my husband's life there, so the city of Boston will forever have a special place in my heart.

It was one year ago that they removed the tumor and Scott became "cancer free."  Aren't those beautiful words?  Six months ago, we heard those same words, and we'll hear them again on Monday. 

Being sure we'll hear good news doesn't lessen the anxiety...or scanxiety.  It's a strange mixture of feelings itself.  On the one hand, I have absolutely no doubt that the results of the scans will be good, Cancer Free!  But, on the other hand, I am still terrified.  Scanxiety, indeed.

But, we have Love!  

Love makes us strong, love is strength.  

We have Faith!  

Faith and belief that the best is yet to come

And we have Hope!  

Hope is Strong!  

Hope Is Where The Heart Is!

Hope, Love and Faith all together are unstoppable! 

READ MORE FROM "HOPE IS WHERE THE HEART IS" at Suzi's Scribbles.

Get Yourself In A Good Mood

Studies show that people with a positive outlook tend to be healthier and live longer, while negative emotions are proven to harm the body.  Serious, sustained stress or fear can alter biological systems in a way that, over time, adds up to “wear and tear” and, eventually, illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Chronic anger and anxiety can disrupt cardiac function by changing the heart’s electrical stability, hastening atherosclerosis, and increasing systemic inflammation.

Choose to be happy, make a decision to have a positive attitude and be in a good mood.  

CONTINUE READING

TURN OFF ANGER, TURN ON LOVE

New Scribbles

Check out Suzi's Scribbles for poems, songs and stories.

Newest scribble:

We Scattered the Ashes Down the Mountainside

We scattered the ashes down the mountainside

Watched as they spread over the wildflowers

And thought about all the love that had died

Watched as the ashes turned into powder

And thought about all the love there was still to come

We scattered the ashes down the mountainside

Watched as they blew away with the wind

And thought about things best left in the past

Watched as ash and mountain began to blend

And thought about how earth, not ash, is meant to last

We scattered the ashes down the mountainside

Watched them catch the sunlight beams

And thought about the shadows that they cast

Watched them like they were fragments of our dreams

And thought about how life, not dreams, is meant to last

We scattered the ashes down the mountainside

Watched as they spread over the wildflowers

And thought about all the love that had died

Watched as the ashes turned into powder

And thought about all the love there was still to come

Featured TV Series: Wet Hot American Summer:First Day Of Camp

Yes, Campers, they are back!

Fans of the 2001 movie, "Wet Hot American Summer," will be sure to enjoy this newest Netflix series.

The movie was a bit of a box office disappointment, but has since gained a cult following.  The popularity of the movie has prompted Netflix to produce this prequel.

Where the movie takes place on the last day of summer camp at Camp Firewood, the first season of the series all happens during the course of the first day of camp, summer 1981.

Nearly every one of the adult cast of the movie have returned to reprise their roles in the series, along with some new faces.  Remember, these were adult actors portraying teenagers 15 years ago, and now they are playing those same teen characters again.  Some pull it off better than others!

Starring (just to name a few):
Paul Rudd
Bradley Cooper
Elizabeth Banks
Amy Poehler
Molly Shannon
Janeane Garofalo
David Hyde Pierce
Christopher Meloni
Marguerite Moreau
H. Jon Benjamin
Kristen Wiig
Jason Schwartzman
Jon Hamm
Chris Pine

If you read the Featured Movie: Wet Hot Summer review, you know that I called the movie a hoot.
Well, the show is all that and more!  While fans of the original movie are sure to enjoy it, it might not have the same appeal for those not in the know.  There is something of the ridiculous about it, and yet I couldn't seem to stop watching.

Being a prequel, you get answers to questions like: Why does the can of vegetables talk?
(Once again, voiced by the hilarious H. Jon Benjamin, the can of veggies may be my favorite character!)

The big adventure in the movie was a piece of Skylab falling to earth, on a beeline for the camp rec center.  In the new series, the counselors find that the government has been dumping toxic waste in the woods just outside of camp.  When the "powers that be" realize they have been found out, the white house orders an assassin, The Falcon, to destroy the camp and kill the counselors.  All the while, rehearsals for the big talent show continue...

We binged watched the entire series in one evening.
The episodes are short and the whole thing takes place in one day, so it flows well for binge watching.
A fun and entertaining ride!

What did you think of "First Day Of Camp?"

Featured Movie: Wet Hot American Summer

The Featured Movie today is a bit of an oldie...let's go retro this time.
Released in 2001, but set in 1981, it's a throwback, throwback kind of day.

This movie is a hoot!  It's so silly and campy, if you'll excuse the pun, but it's an all-star cast of some really funny folks.  Starring (just to name a few):

Paul Rudd (I seem to be on a Paul Rudd kick!)
Bradley Cooper
Elizabeth Banks
Amy Poehler
Molly Shannon
Janeane Garofalo
David Hyde Pierce
Marguerite Moreau
H. Jon Benjamin

It's the last day of summer camp at Camp Firewood, and the counselors have one final day to leave their mark, and make the romantic connections they have failed to make all summer.

The movie is primarily a spoof of teen romantic comedies of that time.  But, it's quirky and silly, and endearing all at the same time.  In addition to ridiculous teenage romantic and sexual antics, there is also a piece of NASA's Skylab falling straight toward Camp Firewood.

As the camp director and a scientist, along with a group of nerdy kids, try to save the camp from the falling piece of Skylab; the camp cook, a disturbed Vietnam Vet, with the help of a talking can of vegetables (voiced by the hilarious H. Jon Benjamin,) are playing matchmaker with the teen counselors; and Susie and Ben (Amy Poehler & Bradley Cooper) attempt to produce the biggest choreographed talent show the camp has ever seen.  It's funny to watch the adult actors portraying teenagers.  Once again, Paul Rudd stole my heart... as the "bad boy" teen, he has mastered the art of rolling his eyes with his whole body!

I would definitely recommend this movie for a chuckle.

What did you think of "Wet Hot Summer?"

Decadent Drinks: Decadence Is What You Make It

Decadent drinks start with premium booze.  That's pretty simple.  But, that isn't the extent of it.  The art of decadent mixology is about creating decadence, or better yet, not even considering anything less than decadence in every drink.  Decadence is what you make it.

Scott and I recently returned from a vacation to Fraser, Colorado.  It was a three week trip all told, but ten glorious days in the Rocky Mountains.  While we did enjoy drinks and meals at a few local establishments, and we did  avail ourselves of the local cuisine (yes, much to my surprise, Rocky Mountains Oysters are real...I always thought it was a joke,) most nights we cooked in and made drinks from our own mobile bar.

CONTINUE READING

Rocky Mountain Martini 
(Blueberry Martini)

GET RECIPE HERE

Music Calendar for August

Well, better late than never!  My apologies for being so tardy updating the live music calendar for August. It's finally done, but there seem to be a lot of blanks.  

(Click here or on the image above to view.)

This year has been a strange year for the upper Keys music scene.  We've lost several of our regular local great singers and players to tragedy, a few have relocated, and some of our "kids" are on their way back to school.  But, while folks like Debbie Hawkins and Jimmy McGuirl (may they both rest in peace) have joined the all-star band of Keys players who were waiting for them on the other side... I'm betting that some of the others like Micah and Jess will be back because nobody can stay away from the fabulous Florida Keys for very long if they can help it... and while we wish the best for our wonderfully talented young'uns like Leah, Jackie, Nyan and more, we all know they will be back because this is home and we know their parents!

But, I know there are still plenty of entertainers playing and singing every night in the Keys.  

Who's playing on Wednesday nights?  I got nothin'!

So, please do me a favor.  Take a look at the calendar and help me fill in the holes.  

• If you are a musician and want to be added, please send me your schedule.
• If you are a bar or music venue owner/manager and want to add your line-up, please send me your schedule.
• If you are a music lover and want to see an act or venue added, please let me know... and help me get their schedules, if possible.

This is a working project, and I appreciate all the help I can get to keep it current and accurate.

Thanks in advance for your help!