I'll Still Call Them New Year's Resolutions

Or, as I read somewhere, New Year's "intentions." I do like the old-school resolutions though. Here are some random ones I've come up with in the past month:

1. Drink more wine.
2. Go to Trader Joe's more often.
3. Do my hair and makeup at home.
4. Go to Sephora more.
5. Be more mindful.
6. Be more decisive.
7. Be on social media more.
8. Carry less stuff.
9. Enjoy lunch.
10. Blog more!

It's the "more" list! :)

Happy New Year!

Not Your Ordinary Hot Cocoa

It'll instantly feel like Christmas, I promise :) Heat 3/4 cup of almond milk with three pieces of Dove Dark Chocolate in the microwave or—even better—on the stovetop. The resulting hot cocoa tastes like authentic Filipino tsokolate de batirol.

I recently got into making my own almond milk; it's unbelievably easy and so much fun to do. Here's the Instagram pic from earlier this month:

Homemade almond milk stores perfectly in glass bottles. This is from one of Organic Avenue's green juices.

The following two recipes are actually better suited for All My Sugar, but I'd like to close 2013 on a sweet note over here at Ny Minute Now. (I know, I know—I've been MIA on the blogosphere for a while now…oh well.)

Almond Milk

• 1 cup raw almonds
• 2 cups cold filtered water
• Strainer + cheesecloth (optional)
• Glass bottle or jar

Soak almonds in tap water for at least two hours. They'll get squishy enough to peel easily. Drain and rinse peeled almonds and blend with the filtered water until mixture turns into a frothy white "shake." Strain into a large liquid measuring cup and transfer into bottle or jar. If using cheesecloth, place it above the strainer and squeeze the almond pulp with hands, as you would traditionally with coconut milk. Otherwise, press liquid through the strainer using the back of a spoon. Refrigerate almond milk for up to three days.

Gushing yet again: You'll end up staring delightfully at the resulting liquid as it's unbelievably creamy and, well, milk-like. The general almond-to-milk ratio is 1:2, but feel free to play around with the proportion.

Option to add vanilla or dates for flavor and sweetness.

Hot Cocoa

• 3/4 cup almond milk
• 3 pieces Dove Dark Chocolate

Combine the two ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer over low heat. Serve hot. This I guarantee, it tastes like hot chocolate from back home—thick, chocolatey, the perfect nightcap.

Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2014 to us all!

Random Realization

As much as I find the idea of working from home quaint, novel, and highly desirable, I now realize that I need a physical office away from home in order to keep my beauty copywriting career at its full and optimal potential. The only things that I find that I'm able to do sufficiently well at home are the following:

- Cook
- Eat
- Write about what I cooked and ate
- Browse the internet (because believe it or not, I rarely leisurely browse when I'm at work)
- Plan a yoga class
- Do yoga
- Write about life and yoga
- Nap and sleep

So, unless I take steps to make some of the above become my full-time occupation—food blogging, yoga teaching, and yoga/life blogging—I shall continue to be part of the daily hustle and bustle of working in New York City, being a copywriter in the fabulous world of beauty.

Now, getting to the office is one thing. I do love and enjoy having an office and being among coworkers (surprisingly, what with my social awkwardness). My ultimate goal/dream/wish as a professional is to be shuttled back and forth via car service. I want to work as hard as Bloomberg, but not have to be in a jam-packed train during rush hour. But then again, the mayor himself takes the subway—and so do CEOs, Julia Stiles, Scarlett Johansson, Jay Z*, et.al.—so touché!

(*Maybe Hova doesn't count, probably had a full security detail in tow, hah!)

Now here's another one...

...on my wish list for the home:

Adorable kubyertos from the Paola Navone Collection at Crate & Barrel :)

Ikea + Marimekko

I'm a fan of high-and-low pairings—in fashion, beauty...and the home!

Case in point, I want these Marimekko bowls:

Marimekko Small Siirtolapuutarha Bowl, $24.

Marimekko Large Siirtolapuutarha Bowl, $52.

And these Ikea plates and bowls:

Ikea Promenad Series bowls and plates, $3.99–4.99 each.

Scandinavian treats for the home, satisfied, in one fell swoop! :)

(Screenshots from: http://usstore.marimekko.com/home-decor/kitchen-and-dining.asp and http://onlinecatalog.ikea-usa.com/us/en/ikea_catalog)