Community Blog

Ocala may be famous for its thoroughbreds, but there’s more to do here than just horse around. Market Street is a great place to start. This 528,000-square-foot center is steadily evolving into a shopper’s dream. There’s still much to come at Market Street, but you can already find Dillard’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Barnes and Noble, DSW Shoes and more. Maybe if you’ve always dreamt of opening your own store, Market Street is the place to do it.

With the Oscars AKA: The Academy Awards coming up this weekend you have to wonder why the golden statue given to the winners is referred to as an Oscar. There are actually 7 other awards offered by the academy but the Oscar seems to be the most popular one. The naming of this little gold man has been contested but according to Wikipedia:

One biography of Bette Davis claims that she named the Oscar after her first husband, band leader Harmon Oscar Nelson; one of the earliest mentions in print of the term Oscar dates back to a Time magazine article about the 1934 6th Academy Awards and to Bette Davis’s receipt of the award in 1936. Walt Disney is also quoted as thanking the Academy for his Oscar as early as 1932. Another claimed origin is that of the Academy’s Executive Secretary, Margaret Herrick, who first saw the award in 1931 and made reference to the statuette reminding her of her “Uncle Oscar” (a nickname for her cousin Oscar Pierce). Columnist Qiang Skolsky was present during Herrick’s naming and seized the name in his byline, “Employees have affectionately dubbed their famous statuette ‘Oscar’” (Levy 2003). The trophy was officially dubbed the “Oscar” in 1939 by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. Another legend reports that Norwegian-American, Eleanor Lilleberg, executive secretary to Louis B. Mayer, saw the first statuette and exclaimed, “It looks like King Oscar!”. At the end of the day she asked, “What should we do with Oscar, put him in the vault?” and the name stuck.

So there are several claims. Which do you believe? All I know is I look forward to watching the Oscars this weekend in the comforts’ of my own apartment. I think homemade brownies will complement my red carpet watching experience.

When it comes to food preparation there is always one knife in particular that I reach for. No matter the task I use my Shun knife. This knife puts everything else to shame. Not to mention it’s pretty to look at. They are rather pricy so I just own one but It’s worth every penny. I just have a warning: They are Very Very Sharp and will stay Sharp for a Long Long Time. Check out the video!

I suffer from severely dry skin in the winter. No matter how many lotions I try nothing seems to work so I came up with a homemade sea salt scrub that hydrated and exfoliated my skin. After falling in love with this recipe I realized it makes a great gift too.

I filled a 8oz mason jar almost to the top with a 50/50 mixture of sea salt and Epsom salt. I found that my local Asian Food market had bags of sea salt for much cheaper than the average grocery store. I found the Epsom salt at a pharmacy. Epsom Salt is often used for bath salts.

In a glass measuring cup with a pour spout I combined:
1/2 cup of Grape seed oil (you can use olive oil if you’d like)
1/4 cup of Jojoba Oil
1/4 cup of Almond Oil
And a few drops of lavender essential oils for a nice scent

Once the oils are mixed slowly pour them into the Mason jar that is filled with the salt. Fill the jar with oil till it is just above the salt level. Use in the shower or bath, but be careful because it can make the tub slippery.

I recently purchased a rosemary plant for my apartment. I love cooking with rosemary and saw no reason why I couldn’t get it fresh from my own plant. I’ve had this little guy for about 3 weeks and it has already doubled in size. I was letting it get established in it’s new home but I think it’s time to start using it and trim it back. Here are some cool facts about this tasty herb.

Rosemary is one of the oldest cultivated herbs in the world. It is particularly associated with the Mediterranean area of Europe. Through the centuries rosemary has been used for a variety of culinary and medicinal uses – this essential oil has been used in all manner of ways.
Source http://www.rosemary.com/

Do you ever just feel like you need a positive change or a pick-me-up? Here are some helpful tips on proven ways to be Happy.

1. Learn to quickly rejuvenate
In the rush of everyday life, you’ll often find yourself racing from one event to the other, with almost no time in between. What can you do to refresh and rejuvenate in just 20 minutes? This quick routine can help you hit the reset button on body, mind, and spirit. Lay on the ground and prop you feet up on a wall. Close your eyes and RELAX. The blood return to your core and give you an extra boost! Yes this is a picture of my firends and I practicing this at a wedding
2. Practice mindfulness
The practice of mindfulness (referred to as smrti in Buddhism) leads to concentration (samadhi), which in turn leads to insight (prajna). The insight you gain from meditation can liberate you from fear, anxiety, and anger — allowing you to be truly happy.
3. Add chickpeas to your diet
Chickpeas contain folate (folic acid), which helps make dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure. Other folate-friendly foods include lentils, black-eyed peas, and soybeans. These ingredients are often found in Indian food. Check out Armit Palace Indian Restaurant 2635 Southwest College Road, Ocala, FL

Read all the ways to improve your mood at Martha Stewart’s Whole Living.

Next Page »