Category: Beautiful Things

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Anything Cute Beautiful Deeds Beautiful Things Healthy Living

“Straw Wars”

All those plastic straws invariably end up in landfills and ocean waters … harming our whales and sea turtles among many many more – sadly polluting the marine ecosystem. So doing a little part by using fewer straws and plastics – been drinking without straws but THESE are perfect!

Nice gift item from a very conscious Silicon Valley company. No they are not chopsticks in Ohashi bag – nor a flute … 2 sizes of straws and bristle brush cleaner even … so one can carry them around and reuse these straws over and over – for those warm weather tapioca boba drinks and smoothies:)

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Anything Cute Beautiful People Beautiful Places Beautiful Things Healthy Activities Healthy Food Healthy Living

Matcha & Chai Blend

Matcha Almond Milk Latte with Chai spices – very hipster barista offered with such pride.  A departure from the Matcha idea in Japan – after all – we are in USA A stop over returning to the Bay Area – so much driving looms ahead – definitely need to yoga tonight.  Will be seeking that healing from  – Stiff shoulders and neck; achy lower back; tired eyes; tight sore hips; sore cranky legs … a remedy to sleep better.  Yoga works.

Grapefruit Thyme:)  Lovely scent.

Moon Valley also has a MUSCLE RUB that is organic and natural vs. some of the other brands I used to use. It’s not as strong as others that smell like Ben-Gay-ish products (that may have stuff like Triethanolamine (a skin, immune system, and respiratory toxin), DMDM Hydantoin (a formaldehyde releaser), and dyes like Blue 1 (CI 42090) and artificial colors )  –  but feel I rather go for gentle but good stuff for long term use, that can be trusted for it’s purity.  Per their label –

PURE INGREDIENTS ! Organic Safflower Oil, Organic Beeswax, Organic Safflower Herb, Orange Essential oil, Organic Cayenne, Organic Ginger, Organic Lobelia, Organic Arnica, Organic Tapioca Starch, Organic Habanero, Organic Clove oil, and Natural vitamin E made from sunflowers. That’s it.

Yes, it’s USA here – a snowboarders, skiers and locals getting their Java – Stars & Stripes – so bright in this dim lit hole in the wall.

 

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Beautiful People Beautiful Places Beautiful Rituals Beautiful Things

Matcha Tea; Buddha & Warriors …

Why are they related ?

You can find out at Asian Art Museum !

So many treasures spanning over thousand of years into antiquity – it’s all mesmerizing.  Just some parts, I can play a pretend-docent about so just ask me about some of the works I consider “masterpiece” or “great works” but other areas, I will have to study up more myself …there are more than 18,000 objects in their collection !

Matcha Tea Latte made with Oat Milk … Feel the LOVE:)

It took nearly 1000 years for Buddhism, originating in the Indus Valley (India &) to finally land in the island country of Japan …probably much earlier but, officially, Year 552.   It was not religion but philosophy that journeyed to Japan where it was well received among the Warrior – Samurai class and took root in the soil of Shinto-ism, Japan’s own spirituality.  Today there are over 2000 temples and shrines in the ancient city of Kyoto alone  (today, thriving City – it’s not a ruin, please) …  BTW, temples are Buddhist; shrines are Shinto … FYI in case you are visiting:)