Green Tea Frappuccino

So I know some of you are thinking…uh didn’t you say you were going to resume reviewing Rational Creatures?

You are all 100% right. However, this weekend I left the hot three digit heat to visit my friend in cool, comfortable degree weather-San Jose.

I was hoping to have the next installment of Rational Creatures ready but it’s isn’t and I don’t want to post a lackluster review for a book that I have been enjoying. So instead I thought I would pause and share a yummy tea recipe that will help you beat this summer (it’s not fall in California until October) heat.

This recipe comes from my sister blog, MysteriousEats, and is a way to make a homemade Green Tea Frappuccino which stars one of my favorite teas:

So I mentioned in Matcha, Matcha, Matcha that my niece and I would go on these faux-around the world trips. One day she wanted to go to Japan so I planned a trip around town and then we ended the day with the tea ceremony. As I had leftover Matcha and I love the Starbucks Green Tea Frappuccino-it was a no brainer to use my sister blog’s recipe and make my own.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup of Ice Cubes (Less than 10)
• 1 Scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream
• 1 Cup of Milk
• 1 Tablespoon + 1 Teaspoon of Sugar
• 2 Teaspoons of Matcha Green Tea Powder
• 1/8 Teaspoon of Vanilla or Vanilla Extract
• Xanthan Gum (Optional)
• Whipped Cream (Optional)

Directions:

1. Add all the ingredients in a blender.
2. Pulse and blend on high until thorough.
3. Add whipped cream if you want.

It’s absolutely delicious!

For more tea posts, go to I Won the Regency Marketplace Giveaway

For more Mysterious Eats recipes, go to Cheese Round

For more recipes, go to Matcha, Matcha, Matcha

For more Jane Austen quotes, go to Rational Creatures: Elizabeth & Charlotte

Hot Humid Days are Reading Days

I don’t know about you all, but it is HOT here.

It has been in the 100s, so not pleasant at all. This being the first day of summer means it will only get worse.

In fact I don’t want to do anything, and I most certainly do not want to do anything outside.

I mean it feels like you are stepping out into an oven. Immediately sweat pours out of every pore.

So what is a girl to do?

Iced Tea

Yep, it is the perfect weather to sit indoors enjoying your air conditioning, iced tea, and a good book.

For more on hot weather, go to Summertime

For more book filled posts, go to Book Club Picks: The Undoing of Saint Silvanus

For more Jane Austen Quotes, go to The Darcy Monologues: Part I, The Regency

 

Summertime

Well Happy First Day of Summer! I’m sure for many of you out there you are very happy about “seeing the sun again”.

However, we’ve had the sun and over 100 degree weather already.

So even though we’ve already been “celebrating”:

I thought what better way to mark today than with a song?

Summertime by My Chemical Romance

So this song doesn’t really have anything to do with the Summer, but I just couldn’t help posting it today as the symmetry was so nice.

So this song comes off the Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys album. Like every album that MCR makes this one follows a story rather than being a collection of songs. In this one, the year is 2019, a post-apocalyptic California based on/referencing a lot of films (like Blade Runner, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Mad Max, The Karate Kid, Dredd/Judge Dredd, Star Wars etc.)

Each band member has an alter-ego Gerard Way being Party Poison”, Ray Toro is Jet Star, Frank Iero is Fun Ghoul, and Mikey Way is Kobra Kid. All of which look really hot in their rebel wear/masks. There is just something to be said for vigilantes who wear masks. 🙂

Anyways, this song is a love song.

Or at least this is how I interpret the song. To me the song is about these people growing up and living in this horrible world; doing their best to get by but scared that the next day they will give in and give up the fight; or even worse turn into the people they are fighting: “terrified of what I’d be
as a kid from what I’ve seen”.

But then they meet their match, and even though the world may be crumbling, love makes everything better. With them they can be happy, even in a world that is bleaker than bleak: “turn my headphones up real loud I don’t think I need them now ’cause you stopped the noise.”

I really enjoyed the sweetness of the melody and the lyrics. To me it is how even when we are at our darkest moments, we can be lifted out by just one thing. One more fantastic number by MCR.

When the lights go out
Will you take me with you
And carry all this broken bone
Through six years down in crowded rooms
And highways I call home?
Something I can’t know ’til now.
‘Til you pick me off the ground
With a brick in hand, your lip-gloss smile,
Your scraped-up knees.

And if you stay I would even wait all night
Or until my heart explodes.
How long?
‘Til we find our way in the dark and out of harm
You can run away with me anytime you want

Terrified of what I’d be
As a kid from what I’ve seen
Every single day when people try
And put the pieces back together
Just to smash them down
Turn my headphones up real loud
I don’t think I need them now
‘Cause you stopped the noise.

And if you stay I would even wait all night
Or until my heart explodes.
How long?
‘Til we find our way in the dark and out of harm
You can run away with me anytime you want

Well, anytime you want
Well, anytime you want

Don’t walk away [3x]

‘Cause if you stay I would even wait all night
Or until my heart explodes.
How long?
Until we find our way in the dark and out of harm.
You can run away with me
You can write it on your arm
You can run away with me anytime you want

For more from the Danger Days album, go to Na-Na-Na (Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na Na)

For more My Chemical Romance, go to I’m So FANcy!

For more of my favorite songs, go to Crocodile Rock

For more on Tiffanie Debartolo, go to Fanning All Over the Place

For more holiday posts, go to Dinner at Dad’s

The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You)

Today we are doing something different. Since I didn’t finish today’s post, I am doing a Christmas Carol instead.

Today’s Christmas Carol has two different names, but most people don’t recognize them by it. It is known as The Christmas Song (Merry Christmas to You) or The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire). This song was written in 1945 by Bob Wells and Mel Tomé as they were trying to stay cool on a hot summer day.

It is one of the best Christmas Carols, my absolute favorite singer being Bing Crosby.

For more Bing Crosby, go to Winter Wonderland

For more on The Christmas Song, go to On the 6th, 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd & 1st Days ‘Til Christmas: The Music of Christmas

For more Christmas Carols, go to Santa Clause is Comin’ to Town

The After Party

Every young girl knows that a dance is split up into three parts. 1) Prep: Getting ready with hair + makeup. 2) The Dance itself. And 3) The After Party. Now I’m not talking about an “after party, after party”, but when its over you hang with your girlfriends and hash over the whole events.

It was just as true 203 years ago as it is today. Yep in Pride and Prejudice after the ball, the girls do what every young girl after a dance does, DISCUSS IT!

So everyone finds the ball a complete success.

Finally something GOOD!

Jane danced with Mr. Bingley twice! Not once but TWICE!!!

If you remember from my earlier post, First Impressions, I discussed how dancing showed you were open to getting married. The women you danced with, showed your interest in them. By dancing with Jane, Mr. Bingley declared to the world that he was most def interested in pursuing Jane. Kind of the equivalent of:

Mary was called one of the most accomplished ladies from the neighborhood.

Now if you remember from my post Parental Favoritism and Just Can’t Get a Break Mary always gets the short end of the stick.

So finally, she is able to get a good word and be appreciated for talents. This is steering her away from having a breakdown and trying to destroy her village. Not everyone is that lucky to be complimented on their talents.

Exhibit A: The Phantom of the Opera

Exhibit B: Queen of Outer Space

Now Kitty never was without a partner. And what 15-year old isn’t pleased with that. Heck, who doesn’t love knowing that they are hot and in demand.

The same goes for Lydia. No wallflower here. Although with Lydia she doesn’t just think she is hot, she thinks she is the best of the best.

And that leaves us with Elizabeth.

Yep poor, poor, Lizzie.

Yeah she didn’t have the best of the night. Yeah Darcy did a real number on her pride. But Lizzie like all great sisters, puts aside her feelings and is all about being happy for Jane.

Besides, Elizabeth knows like any other girl who has had a bad time at a dance. There will be plenty more.

And you may meet a special someone:

Or just have an amazing time with your friends:

Yep, nothing to stress over. Just have fun!

For more on Pride and Prejudice, go to Oh NO YOU DIDN’T!

For more on Elizabeth Bennet, go to First Impressions

For more on Jane Bennet, go to Parental Favoritism

For more on Mary Bennet, go to Just Can’t Get a Break

For more on Kitty Bennet, go to Flu Season

For more on Lydia Bennet, go to Food, Food, Food!

For more of my favorite songs, go to The Animal I Have Become

In other news this marks my 400th post! That’s quite a lot. I can’t believe I’ve been able to accomplish that many. Yay Me! And Yay all of you who read this blog!

 

For post 300, go to That’s What You Get