Appetite for Seduction

Here we are… the beginning of the day, the beginning of the month, the beginningish of spring and we just moved the clocks forward!  Unlike the first of the year, right now is when it really feels like the beginning of things.  So it is also the commencement of my bikini diet!  Let me know if I am alone with this ambitious proposal…”I declare that from this day forward I will get into shape, eat healthy food, and ease off on the booze so that I will be beach photo shoot ready by Memorial Day”.  Just as my decree escapes my mouth- all hell breaks loose! There is no irony that it is the first of April- a fool’s Day.  Or maybe it’s that damn Murphy?!  I’m sure that one of them is to blame for the free cheesecake tasting this morning at Starbucks, they must have also been responsible for my phone ringing with texts and messages inviting me to barbeques, weddings, opening parties, chef tastings, s’more themed bonfires, open bar anniversary parties, French toast brunches, potato chip samplings and the latest street vendor to hit my neighborhood- La Senora Magnifica de los churros!  Come on! To make matters worse, like many women, I am currently experiencing a major craving for chocolate!  With all this temptation and my hormones totally out of whack, I am truly vulnerable.  Like the bold woman I am, I keep telling myself that I am stronger than this.  Now that I know that doesn’t work, I thought to try another strategy, I plan to fool myself.   I’m letting go of the goal, forget about the future, time to be in the here and now.  I asked myself what is it that I want.  I think of the super extravagant, luscious, decadent things that I am drawn to then- I pull the ol “switcheroo”.  This morning, I asked myself what do I want.  Something sweet, creamy, crunchy, ok- Strawberries dipped in sugar and mascarpone topped with pecan-loaded granola oh baby!  As I stirred the Spenda into my nonfat plain Greek yogurt I dipped in my pinky, sucked the rich mixture off of my finger and grinned.  Once I added sliced strawberries and chopped toasted edamame- grabbed a spoon and dug in- I was smiling from ear to ear. I fooled myself once today, but not sure how a prankster can stand up to a woman with a chocolate deficiency.  It’s now much later in the day, my body is warm, I am admiring my glowing bronzed skin, I can still detect the light scent of coconut from my tanning oil, I feel beautiful, but unsatisfied.  I ask myself what I want.  Right away I know I want CHOCOLATE!  I want that euphoria I feel after biting into a dark, intense bar.  I want that endorphin rush that lasts for 20 minutes.  That would make me content.  I know a thing or two and I realized I could have the same sensation and burn some calories!  But I was home alone, so I that wasn’t an option.  Instead of the bedroom, I headed into the kitchen.  Now on a mission, I grabbed an ice tray full of coffee ice cubes, tossed them into the blender with 2 packs of Splenda, a huge spoonful of dark cocoa powder, a sprinkle of cinnamon and a ¼ cup of skim milk.  Within seconds I had a fabulous coffee drink good enough to compete with a Grande Mocha Frappuccino from Starbucks.  As I slowly took pleasure in my sensational beverage, a feeling of satisfaction washed over me. My nerves were calmed and although I hadn’t actually burned any calories, I made out with consuming a mere 59 calories compared to the original’s 278 calories. So I made it through the day of fools and I’m sticking with my game plan and I’ll share these recipes with you.   My advice is to take life one day at a time.  Think about what you want- figure out how to have the same experience without all the calories and then go and get it!  As the month moves on and farther away from April Fool’s Day take each day to become a tiny bit wiser.  Adore yourself more and more, eat amazing pure foods, make intelligent substitutions and engage in one sensual activity each day.  By the end of the month, your clothes will be looser around your hips, your confidence will be raised and you just might be burning off an average of 100 calories daily in the bedroom- or twice as many outside of it!  

Feeling Alive

For the first time in years I am celebrating Valentine’s Day with an actual, real life, Valentine. Many people have come to believe that it is a day exploding with commercialism and a poor excuse for celebrating one’s love for another. I do admit, I am the first to promote romance any given day and a big fan of Vday, but this year I feel different. I’m not against it, not by any means, but I am celebrating (with my love) through a new color of lenses.

This Valentine’s Day I’m honoring the life I’m living. What I’ve learned in the past few years is that the person one must love the most, each and every day is himself or herself. So, on this Valentine’s Day, I’m partaking in everything that I love! I want to experience the things that make me feel alive! I hope that you take one day to do the same for yourself.

The day begins by opening the shades, breathing in the fresh air and blasting Chicago’s “25 or 6 to 4″ (it’s an oldie, but check it out on youtube!) immediately followed by Sergio Mendez “Mas que Nada”. My blood is pumping and I’m ready for breakfast. A key to my pleasure and the one thing that makes me feel SO alive is the smell and taste of a rich, full-bodied cup of coffee. OOH, things are looking good and I can hear Tom Jones in the background swooning “It’s Not Unusual”. Since it’s Vday, I want to travel in my mind to the birthplace of sexy lingerie and Moulin Rouge in “Gay” Paris. The perfect compliment to my huge cup of coffee is a darkly toasted baguette with cold sweet butter and organic peach preserves. As my love awakes, breakfast is served to the tunes of Barry White’s “Just the Way You Are”.

Thanks to the music, sun and caffeine, there seems to be true signs of life. Our next step is sun and water. After an exhilarating romp in the ocean, only a lunch guaranteed to keep my engine revved up will do. I would like to introduce to you “Tortas Ahogadas”. This is a hard and crispy salted roll filled with carnitas (savory tender pork), a very healthy dose of super spicy arbol chili salsa all drowning (ahogada) in a thin, room temperature, tomato sauce. This sandwich (torta) is so spicy that it turns on every switch in your body like a 100-volt electrical shock. I am now alive and screaming! Thank goodness for Corona! When one experiences extreme situations (as trust me this is) our reaction will be either to panic or laugh. If you yourself don’t laugh, the person with you will. In addition, the pain the chili causes releases so many pain fighting endorphins that you get the added fun experience of feeling light headed, dizzy and the sensation of flying.

My day of feeling alive has so far been filled with music, strong coffee, sun, swimming, travel, spicy food, cold beer, laughter and French kissing. (that is a secret story).

What is missing? A gourmet, multi course dinner with an hour of cocktails, bottles of wine and a bunch of friends to share in the fun. Dessert is some kind of decadent, dark chocolate extravaganza! (Such a fun word!) The cherry on top of this lively day is initiated with a shot of tequila preceded by a heartfelt toast, followed by DANCING!

Ladies and Gentlemen, now I am truly alive! The bass is pulsating through my veins and the percussion is tickling the bottoms of my feet, my hips sway as if they are absorbing and releasing the energy the DJ is cultivating. I’m smiling like I just won the lottery. My love grabs my hand and pulls me towards him. As our bodies take our first steps together, his smile is full of sparkling teeth and he whispers into my ear “let’s show them what it’s like to be alive!”