Where There is Love

I have decided to start a separate blog for things like causes and documentaries, important issues (etc), and just focus on things like romantic living on this blog. So if you would like to visit my new blog Where There is Love, just follow the link. I will be continuing my "documentary of the week" posts on that blog if you are interested. :)

~ Hannah ♥

Documentary of the Week: Half the Sky

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I recently watched a two part documentary series titled Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. This documentary is based on a bestselling book of the same name, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. I have not yet read the book, although it is now on my list of books to read, but I thought that the movie was amazing. Half the Sky discusses the oppressive circumstances that a huge number of women face worldwide, and shows ways in which some of these women are overcoming them. A-list celebrities, including Meg Ryan and America Ferrera, travel with Nicholas Kristof to countries where some of these oppressive conditions, such as forced prostitution, gender-based violence, and sex trafficking, are most prevalent. Watching this documentary, for me, was both heartbreaking and inspirational, and it really opened my eyes to some of the issues that women and girls face throughout the world, that aren't always as publicized, and seem oftentimes to be hidden, or hushed up. I am truly inspired by how these strong women are able to overcome such terrible experiences and use them to grow stronger and to help others. If you are interested in watching Half the Sky (which I would highly recommend), you can stream it on Netflix, as well as buying it on iTunes. For more information on the Half the Sky Movement, you can follow the link here.

~Hannah ♥

Favorite Things: Flowers and Victoria Mag



I have decided that in order to motivate me to post regularly on this blog, since I am so terrible about updating it, I am going to start writing series of posts that I add to once a week, or whenever something comes up that fits into that specific category. So here is my first "Favorite Things" post. Sometimes it will be just a picture, and sometimes I'll have a small description to go along with it.

Enjoy!

~ Hannah ♥

Something to Consider

Friendship

 

There are certain people who you meet throughout your life, who you can't imagine never knowing. For me, these include a couple of my closest friends. They've been there for me through all the ups and downs, celebrations and heart breaks, and everything in between. They are my kind of crazy and completely accept the goofy, sometimes slightly stupid, things I do, oftentimes joining in.

 

My best friend and I can spend hours laughing together over the tiniest, most random topics, and have a never ending stream of inside jokes that never fail to crack us up. We have conversations made up entirely of movie quotes, endless laughing fits in the wee hours of the morning over something as simple as a funny face, and don't judge the amount of food each other gets on our late night food runs, pretending it's a perfectly normal amount for a 21 year old woman to eat. It's not uncommon for us to cuddle during movies, and probably make friends and family question our sexuality.

 

My closest friends are like family to me and I feel blessed to have them in my lives, and I don't think I would be the person I am today without their friendship.

 

~ Hannah ♥

Frogs legs

 

Maybe not the best picture, but I finally tried frog legs and I can check that off of my bucket list now. I went to a restaurant in Portland called Le Bistro Montage, last night with some friends, and their Cajun inspired menu allowed me the opportunity to try these. Of course, it did take me a few minutes, going back and forth, deciding if I really wanted to order them, because you have that picture in your head of slimy green frogs, but I eventually decided to, and I am glad that I did. The legs tasted amazing, with a crisp breaded layer on the outside and a meaty chicken/fishy taste on the inside. I will definitely be ordering these again, and I can't wait to visit this restaurant again.

Afterwards, we of course had to make a trip to Voodoo Doughnuts for a dozen of their amazing doughnuts, including a Bacon Maple Bar for me.

 

 

I have to say, I love how unique Portland is, and I am definitely looking forward to my next trip up there.

 

Until next time.

 

~Hannah ♥

Italian Baking Secrets

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If anyone is looking for a great recipe book for Italian breads and desserts, I highly recommend Italian Baking Secrets by Father Giuseppe Orsini! The recipes are easy to follow and every recipe I've tried so far from there have turned out fantastic! I am definitely looking forward to trying more recipes from this book, but here are a few of the ones I'v tried so far...




Raspberry 'Crostata di Frutta'

 

 



'Biscotti con Mandorle' and 'Pane Pugliese'

 

Does anyone else have a favorite recipe book that you'd like to share? Post a comment if you'd like.

 

Enjoy your baking!

 

~Hannah ♥