• My Latest Blog
  • Who Am I?

Original Cyn

A Journey Through Life

Join Me on My Journey

Join me as I explore all that life has to offer from food to adventures to my personal stories.
  • Be True To You!
  • Adventures
  • Culinary
  • Bucket List
  • Loving How You Look
  • A Little of This

Some Favorite Summer Salads

June 21, 2017 by originalcyn Leave a Comment

Over the years I have been looking for healthier recipes to enjoy as either a side or entree. Here are a few recipes that I have enjoyed, especially during the summer months.

 

Deconstructed Guacamole Salad

I found this recipe when I was looking for something to make with ripe avocados. I didn’t want to do my usual quick-prep of cutting them up and adding to my basic salad. I love guacamole so when I found this recipe I was thrilled and gave it a try.

I loved how refreshing and satisfying it was by itself. I baked some pita chips and used them for some crunch with the salad.

For an alternative recipe I would add some red onion to kick it up a bit.

Click here for the original recipe.

 

 

Strawberry, Almond and Spinach Salad

I found this fabulous recipe on the Taste of Home website. Since strawberries aren’t always in season, I used dried strawberries and pre-sliced almonds over my spinach. I used the oil and vinegar but I didn’t add any of the sugar. I thought the strawberries were sweet enough.

Click here for the original recipe.

 

 

Balela Salad

I found this recipe as I was looking for vegetarian options to decrease my meat consumption. I figured the chickpeas and black beans would be a great substitute. The first time that I tired this I fell in love with it. It is so great that I have never needed to change or alter it. I felt very satisfied after eating it.

Click here for the original recipe.

 

 

Filed Under: Adventures, Culinary Tagged With: adventure, choices, Culinary, Green, Health, healthy, journey, Love Yourself, Loving You, salad

2016 – A Year That Didn’t Go As Planned

December 24, 2016 by originalcyn Leave a Comment

coveregxhww_59hvIn the beginning of 2016 I was hopeful. I was working at UPS temporarily as a pre-loader but 2016 was going to be the year I found my dream job and got married.

At the end of January I had caught a cold that was making its way around the hub. That last week I struggled to keep up with loading the trucks properly. Those weeks taught me to appreciate UPS workers and how they bust their butts. The first week of February is when I fainted on Dave and my world turned upside down. All my plans for the year went out the window. It was severely anemic from uterine blood loss.

I no longer could dance, run around the neighborhood or hit the gym (which I joined to stay fit for the wedding…lol). I discovered that I had fibroids in my uterine wall and it had to be removed. Since our wedding date was set for April, it was discussed and determined by my fabulous Doctor that we would have to wait until after the wedding for surgery. There simply wasn’t enough time between to get me on the schedule and have enough time to recover.

Not wanting to push the wedding off yet again, Dave and I agreed with the plan. I quietly waited at home while my body fought me every step of the way. I can’t tell you how many times Doc had to change my medication just to get it to stop bleeding.

Dave and Cyn Wedding 2016On April 24th surrounded by a small group of family and friends, Dave and I finally got married. As planned, we kept it simple and it was a beautiful day.

Our wedding bliss was short lived when I fainted yet again a few days later. That is when Doc’s team and Dave’s HR manager worked overtime to get me on Dave’s insurance. The effort it took to push the paperwork thru and then schedule my operation was amazing. I am forever grateful for everyone who helped out.

June 7th I entered the Newton Medical Center for my hysterectomy. The procedure went smooth and I spent three days in the maternity ward. What a fabulous group of women. I was blessed to have the team that I had to help me while I was there. I was given a lot of pointers and a Giggle Pillow to help with minimizing the pain.

By the end of August I was back up and running. A little slow but I was moving again. I was back to dancing and hiking. I wasn’t winded just walking into the grocery store. It was amazing.

Now you may be wondering about the dream job? I did join a fabulous team (North Porch – Women and Infants’ Centers) as their Program Director.

I have reflected on this past year and what I learned. First, all the best plans in life can change in a moment so enjoy everything whether it’s planned or not.

Second, to be gentle with myself. Over the past year I wondered if I had done this, would I have caught this sooner and not have to hit the critical stage I hit. I also gained weight as I went from active to sitting all the time. I am looking to loose some of it but have to realize that my body changed in a big way and things I did in the past might not work as well.

Third, 26485ac5f799e2c2a38c87965d4c600akind of goes with number two, eat better. Since I wasn’t feeling good I relied on crackers and bread for many meals. I need to cut back all of that so I can become a healthier me. I won’t give up everything but I will be looking to eat cleaner, less processed foods. I have a lot I want to do next year and I want to run circles around 2017.

Here’s to the next adventures in life!

 

Filed Under: A Little of This, Adventures, Be True To You! Tagged With: 2016, 2017, adventure, choices, Determination, dream, dreams, Emergency, employment, Goals, grateful, Health, healthy, Husband, Job, Jobs, journey, Love, Love Yourself, Loving You, Medical, Planned, Sidelined, Unhealthy, Unplanned, Wife, Woman, Women

The Joys and Lessons of Hiking

October 5, 2016 by originalcyn Leave a Comment

11133889_10206242782445757_7237563242224725161_oWhen I was 12 years old, I joined a Girl Scout Backpack Interest Group. I was an awkward child with little self confidence. Naturally I was unsure how I was going to fit all that I needed for a weekend on my back as well as fit in with the other girls. Under the guidance of several leaders, Barbara, Dave and my Mom, I learned how to properly pack a backpack for a two day trip. I figured out what was necessity verses a nice to have. As for fitting in with the girls, I had no problem making friends since we were there for the love of the outdoors.

I quickly learned to leave the fashionable attire at home and take the comfy cloths and boots. It may have had something to do with all the toenails lost to the “pretty grey boots” I wore that first year or the cold head and hands because I was too cool to wear a proper winter hat and mittens. I gained the knowledge of layering cloths for the seasons as well as bringing extra socks to change into if my feet got wet.My Second Year in the Backpack Interest Group

After the first few years, I began planning menus and making requests for when Mom went to the grocery store. Instant soups, my favorite was creamy chicken, and sandwiches became my go-to lunches. For dinner Mom and I would share a freeze dried dinner we had purchased from Campmor. Peanut M&Ms became my main staple in my group until they introduced Peanut Butter M&Ms. I would add honey roasted peanuts or Raisinets but I usually munched on just M&Ms while hiking.

As a group we hiked mainly around northern NJ or  NY and I loved almost every minute of it. I hated when my path crossed with snakes. It’s the reason I fell in love with cold weather hiking. I knew during the winter months the little suckers wouldn’t be slithering about.

When I first started hiking I would hurry up to get to the end of point. I rarely wanted to stop for lunch or look around to see the beautiful sights that trail offered. I thought the point was to get to the campsite or the end of the trail as quickly as possible.

It took a mMe Under Tripod Rockany years but I started listening to Barbara’s educational stories about the plants and wildlife in the area. I learned to appreciate and explore old quarry mines and building ruins. I sat with my friends underneath Tripod Rock and scaled the great Bear Rock. I would have never had these experiences if I just kept walking or rushed thru lunch. I finally learned to slow down and take in the beauty that was all around me. The View at the Top

I sometimes have to remind myself to cherish all the various views in the world and the journey it took to get there. I love finding the beauty in a babbling brook or seeing sunshine falling peacefully thru the trees. No matter what, I will always love the view from the top.

Filed Under: A Little of This, Adventures Tagged With: adventure, backpacking, food, Girl, Girl Scouts, Girls, Gorp, hiking, journey, Outdoors, Woman, Women

Forgotten Boardwalk – Craft Brewery

January 3, 2016 by originalcyn Leave a Comment

One Posing with the Forgotten Boardwalk Tap Room Signevening in 2015 Dave came home with a new craft beer called Funnel Cake by Forgotten Boardwalk. Its’ style is a cream ale. It was smooth and creamy with a hint of vanilla. I liked the light, sweet beer because it was so different from what I was drinking. It was the first cream ale I had tasted in a long time.

During a trip to South Jersey, Dave and I stopped by the tap room with another beer connoisseur friend. It was delightfully decorated with nuances from the Jersey Shore Boardwalk including a skeet ball game and distortion mirrors. After taking a tour of the facilities, we stepped up to the bar and took a sampling of several different beers. My samples included:

My List of Beers I tried at Forgotten Boardwalk Tap Room

My List of Beers I tried at Forgotten Boardwalk Tap Room

  • Funnel Cake
  • What the Butler Saw
  • Round Trip
  • #19

Since I had already tried Funnel Cake I knew that I would love it as it had become one of my favorite go-to-beers. The tap room had two versions, CO2 and Nitro. There is only a subtle difference between the two. Cans come in CO2 version and kegs come in both CO2 and Nitro. The Nitro is a bit creamier and blends the flavors together, however, I still love Funnel Cake in a can. (Click here to learn more about the difference.)

What the Butler Saw was equally enjoyable. It is classified as an undressed wit brewed with spices. As a wit lover, I was thrilled to find another one great option.

Round Trip is a hoppy saison. If you like a hoppier beer, this is definitely a good choice. Along my craft beer journey I have started to appreciate beers along this line but I realized during the tasting how far I still have to go.

#19 is saison farm ale that I can’t remember that much about except it was very hoppy. I am not sure if it was a one off beer or if they have released by another name. All I know was it was way to hoppy for me to get through the sample.

UPDATE: Since our adventure to the tap room, Dave and I have discovered Morro Castle. It a great smokey porter which successfully balanced out the various flavors in the beer. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good porter.

I am also thrilled that I have been able to find my favorites distributed on a more regular basis as it was difficult to find them in Northern NJ in the summer of 2015.

 

 

Filed Under: Adventures, Culinary Tagged With: adventure, Beer, Bucket List, Craft Beer, Forgotten Boardwalk, NJ Beer, Woman, Women

My First Car – A 1977 Pontiac Bonneville

January 9, 2015 by originalcyn Leave a Comment

My First Car

I have always been into cars and trucks so when I was approaching my 17th birthday, I couldn't wait to get my first car. My first choice was to get a pick up truck but the one I wanted was sold before I could buy it.

As I started looking for an affordable vehicle, a friend told me about a 1977 Pontiac Bonneville that was for sale by an older woman who just moved to New Jersey from Florida. She was the original owner and was only looking to sell it because of the snow and ice covered roads in NJ winter. Her son wantd her to switch to a four-wheel drive vehicle. She only wanted $400 so how could I not check it out.

A few days later my friend, who was a mechanic, and I went to see and test drive the car. From the moment I saw it, I was in love. With two doors, it was light blue with a white top and white interior with bench seats. The best part was hidden under the hood. It was a 400/4 barrel. I didn't really understand what that meant at the time but I knew that the car would fly.

The car handled like a dream. Only downfall was it still had the 8-track stereo systems in it. As a gag gift, my brother brought me a 8-track cassette converter so I could play my tapes in the car until we could install a better system.

I had the car for about a year. It was totoaled in an accident on a wintery and icy road.

To the left is the only photo that I have of the Blue Boat.

Filed Under: A Little of This, Adventures, Uncategorized, Various Tagged With: Car, Cars, My First Car

Start of a New Year – 2015

January 1, 2015 by originalcyn Leave a Comment

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.

~ Oprah Winfrey

It is the start of 2015. 2015 Happy New YearSo what is in store for this year?

Walking in the woods, belly dancing at various events, improving my health and wellness, visit histroical locations and the list goes on. I'll be sharing my 2015 adventures with you.

I'll record stories of my adventures and childhood memeries. I'll share my favorite artists, photos and inspirational quotes. I'll write about hisorical locations and people of interest. 

I wish everyone a Happy and Healthy 2015. Let the Adventures Begin!

 

Filed Under: A Little of This, Adventures, Be True To You!, Bucket List, Culinary, Drinks, Food, Historical, Leisure, People, Places, Travel, Uncategorized, Various Tagged With: adventure, Bucket List, dream, historic, journey, places

Sons of Liberty Micro-Distillery

May 30, 2013 by originalcyn Leave a Comment

Visiting the micro-distillery in Rhode Island – Sons of Liberty

CIMG6187Over the last few decades I have had the opportunity to visit several different micro-breweries all over the country. It wasn't until this past March that I was able to visit a micro-distillery. On a trip to Rhode Island, I stopped at Sons of Liberty (SOL) which started creating a single malt whiskey.

It was an amazing experience where I was able to tour the distillery and taste a sample of the products. Their philosophy from the beginning was the whiskey is only as good as its core ingredient, beer. They created their own beer so that the whiskey would embrace its core flavor.

During the tour, Bryan was great. He took the time to explain the whole process from start to finish. Since I had already been beer brewing, I knew some of the steps involved in the process. The best part of the tour was getting to see the distillery. I had never seen one up close before and Bryan took the time to really explain how this one worked.  CIMG6191

The first creation of SOL was Uprising. It started with a stout created by the team at SOL and goes through the distillation process. It was then placed in Stainless steel containers with oak boards in it so that it would give the whiskey the right flavor. Upon trying it, I immediately loved it. It had great flavor with a bit of a bite at the end that didn't linger too long.

Our second tasting was a new creation that they were working on. They hadn't named it yet, but it was going to be offered as a summer seasonal. The taste was very different from anything I had tried before. They started with a hoppier beer and finished off the distillation process with some dry hops to enhance the flavor. I am not a huge fan of the hops flavor, however, if you are into the hoppy beers, you will definitely enjoy this whiskey.

CIMG6189The third tasting was their line of Loyal 9 Vodka which included a plain vodka, mint & cucumber vodka and dark chocolate & vanilla bean vodka. All three had great flavors and were very smooth. I have to admit, the last one was my favorite just because it had chocolate in it. Add the smell from the vanilla with the hint of chocolate and I could swear the creation was straight from a bakery. I also thought it would add another dimension to some of my favorite mixed drinks to enjoy during the summer months hanging out on the back deck.

The tour, tasting, and souvenir glass was reasonable for $10 a person. What made the experience was the guys giving the tour and tasting were the ones making the whiskey and vodka. I saw their pride and enthusiasm for what they are creating.

 

Sons of Liberty Spirits Co.

1425 Kingstown Road
South Kingstown, RI 02879

http://www.solspirits.com/home

 

 

Filed Under: Adventures, Culinary Tagged With: Culinary, Distillery, Whiskey

Challenged to Run My First 13.1 Miles

May 14, 2013 by originalcyn Leave a Comment

il_fullxfull.316791627If you knew me as a child or young adult, you knew that I was never much of a runner. I loved to hike, walk and be outdoors but I was never into running. In June 2010 a friend met me with a challenge to complete a half marathon in October 2010 (Divas Run in Long Island).

A half marathon is 13.1 miles, a distance I knew I could walk easily. The key to get the sparkly medal of completion is I had to finish wtih a time under three and a half hours. After all, wasn't it the medal the whole reason I entered the race to begin with or was it the pride of finishing the race?

Over the next few months, I trained by walking and running around my neighborhood. I ran at least four times a week during the months leading up to the race. I even splurged and purchased my first pair of "running" shoes from Road Runner along with the proper running clothes. I wanted to look like I was a runner, not just someone out for a walk. I was also told that a key factor to succeeding was to have shoes that were comfortable and supportive for the distance of the race.

The months flew by and race day came. I made the several hour trek from NJ to Long Island with my friends. I had done everything I could to prepare for this day. What I wasn't ready for was how many people were going to be there. Over a thousand men and women came to run. It was a mix of seasoned runners and beginners (just like me!).

47014_1667122957338_8325906_nI walked to the back of the pack to find my pacer and grew even more excited with anticipation of running this event. It wasn't long after I arrived that I heard  the horn blast, signaling the commencement of the race. I anxiously waited until the sea of runners before me set off onto the course. It seemed like it took a long time for the pack to move, allowing the 14-minute mile pacer to start towards the starting line. Upon crossing that line, I started running my first marathon.

I started getting nervous because although I knew the time limit was a critical part of the race although, I wasn't prepared for the short yellow bus following close behind the last runners just waiting to pick up those who couldn't make it. I started really pushing myself to distance myself from the bus so I wouldn't become one of those who had to climb on board.

Within the first two miles I lost my my original racing buddy in the crowd, but I slowly learned that racers make fast friends during the race. I found a group of women who were walking/running at my pace and we decided to run the marathon together. Strangers became friends as we spent the next three hours encouraging each other through the course. Around mile nine, I started to struggle wondering if I had anything left to get me the next few miles to the finish line. Not only had my new found friends cheered me on, but I heard cheering coming from the sidelines. The words rang loud and true for me. "You are over halfway there. Don't give up now!" These people didn't know me but they knew that a kind word could boost a person's spirit and help them get to the finish line.

At mile twelve, I was met by spirited volunteers passing out tiaras and boas. Mainly high school kids, they chanted that there was just over a mile to go. "Don't give up now, you have come too far," one said to me as she handed me my tiara and boa. The excitement from the kids helped to recharge me and I was ready to take on the last bit of the marathon.

The final stretch of the race meandered thru a park walking path lined with total strangers cheering you on. I got emotional during the last tenth of a mile, I  looked to the sidelines to see fellow racers who had already finished cheering for me to finish. They cheered the loudest because they knew what it had taken for me to get to this moment in time.

I crossed the finish line and was greeted by local firemen who presented me with the sparkly medal I had just earned. I finished my first race in three hours and twenty-two minutes.

Since then, I have finished a total of four half marathons, and I plan to finish a lot more, but my first will always be my most memorable.

Filed Under: Adventures, Bucket List, Various Tagged With: Bucket List, challenge, dream, half marathon, running
RSSTwitterFacebookLinkedinGooglePlus

Recent Posts

  • Some Favorite Summer Salads
  • For the Love of My Hands
  • From Grief to Peace
  • 2016 – A Year That Didn’t Go As Planned
  • The Joys and Lessons of Hiking

Tags

adventure Bathing Suits Bikini Body Shaming Bucket List Car Cars challenge choices Christmas Church Cleaner Culinary Distillery dream dreams Family food Friends Girl Girls Green half marathon Health healthy historic Holiday Memories Holidays journey Juice Juicing Love Yourself Loving You My First Car Pageant places running salad Silent Night snack spiced tea Traditions Whiskey Woman Women

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Return to top of page

Copyright © 2023 on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in