Jambu™ Book Review: "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo"

Recently, I found some time to read for pleasure. I honestly forgot how great it is to slow down for a few days and read a great book. When I went to Borders to pick up a book, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (the first of a trilogy), by Stieg Larsson, was one of the first I saw. When I read the back cover, I was already interested.

What it's about:

Harriet Vanger disappeared decades ago when she was only 16, and since then, her uncle Henrik Vanger has been on a search to find who he believes is her murderer. Henrik is now a retired industrialist, and decides to hire Mikael Blomkvist, a financial journalist, to investigate the crime further. Mikael was recently sentenced to prison after losing a libel case, involving damaging allegations about the Swedish billionaire Hans-Erik Wennerström. He takes the freelance job offered by Vanger after Vanger promises him sources that will bring an end to Wennerström. Blomkvist teams up with "the girl with the dragon tattoo" aka Lisbeth Salander. The 24 year old computer hacker and background investigator, sports tattoos and piercings, but don't let the image fool you...

Why You'll Love it:

I, for one, couldn't put the book down! A true page-turner that will keep you at the edge of your seat, this suspenseful thriller has everything in it! Is is well written, and so much more than just another murder mystery. It digs deep into the past of the Vanger family, while developing the stories of the other characters. Lisbeth and Mikael make an interesting team that will make you want to read more. Overall, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a great quick read that will leave you asking for more!

Interesting facts about the author:

• Stieg Larsson died shortly after bringing the manuscripts of the trilogy to the publisher.
• He witnessed the gang rape of a young girl when he was only 15. The author never forgave himself for failing to help the girl, whose name was Lisbeth - like the young heroine of his books, herself a rape victim, which inspired the theme of sexual violence against women in his books.

Lights on windows-the sonata played by dust

The beginning of Wordless Wednesdays...

Dust on windows can sometimes be the perfect media to capture beautiful light. Below is series of 4 pictures taken from morning till night, the dust makes the light feel tangible, like you can reach out and touch it.

Be your OWN Professional Photographer

There is nothing better than taking amazing pictures for your family photo album or your Facebook albums. Sometimes you just want to capture the most amazing moments, but no need to take a class to learn how to shoot like a pro. Below are some tips on how to get great shots of your kids, or you can translate some of these ideas into shooting anyone, or pets even.

Tips for taking your kids’ pictures

1. Try different angle, especially getting down on kids level.

2. Don't only take smiling pictures... try taking pictures when they are serious, sad, crying, angry or surprised, or whatever expression they do best.

3. Don't pose most of your pictures. Try to take more pictures when they are in action. It works better when they do not know your camera is pointed at them. You want to get more natural shots of their raw emotions- you don't want every smile of your kids to come by telling them to say “cheese”.

4. Take pictures from the top, make them look up the camera, or lie down taking their picture when they look down into the lens. Get playful

5. Bring more of their little friends or pets together so you can get them playing in action.

6. Another idea is to dress them in more grow-up style outfits, kids are so cute when they try to imitate adults.

7. Take more than one shot. The more pictures you take the more likely you'll be to get the shot look more natural and vivid. It is amazing the difference just one second can make. So take as many as your memory card can hold!

8. You know your kids better than anyone- its better to take pictures when your children are not hungry, sleepy or have to go potty.

9. Sometimes pictures featuring in their body parts like their little hands or feet, eyes or behind make for cute pictures.

10. Remember to maintain and store those pictures. If they are digital files, back up them frequently in DVDs incase your hard-drive lost memory by accident. If they are film pictures, develop the pictures and store the film in appropriate cases in a dry, cool, clean environment.
    

11. Have fun and take as many photos as you can!

Please feel free to share some of your pictures with us!

*All of the photos above have been taken by our new intern, Ken, just to show that you do not have to be a professional... all you need is a little TLC. :)

The best unbrownie you've ever ate!

This past weekend was the perfect weekend to picnic, the weather was great and everyone is always happy to have a 3 day weekend. One of the Jambu team member's baked the best brownie treat for her picnic- it was so delicious we had to share.

This melt in your mouth brownie was poured into cupcake tins and looked a little like a muffin at first, but after the first bite you're in heaven. The marbled brownie mix was perfectly balanced, and not one, but two tiny Reese's cups were stuffed into the center of the brownie! Delicious!

Using marbled brownie mix- prepare the mixes as directed on the box. After preparing mixes pour it into individual cupcake tins 1/2 full. You can probably create a better looking swirl for your "marbled" brownies on top using a knife or fork (um, don't tell her I said that haha). Once you get the batter in, push one or two mini Reese's peanut butter cups in to the center.

There you have the best "unbrownie" you have ever ate!

A Simple Breakfast Smoothie

It's been pretty chilly around here these past few days, but tomorrow the weather is supposed to warm up! While it's still hot, I thought I'd share my favorite breakfast smoothie recipe. It's quick and easy... and healthy too! It will load you up with the vitamins and fiber you need throughout your day, and it's just so good you can't resist! :)

What you need:

• 1 Banana
• 1 and 1/4 cup OJ
• 1 and 1/4 cup frozen berries of your choice. Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries - They're all delicious this time of year! (you can mix them, too!)
• 1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
• 1 tbs sugar, splenda, or honey (optional)
• A blender

Throw it all in the blender and blend until creamy. Serve immediately.

How do you like to make your smoothies? Do share! :)

Jambu™ Himalaya's at the SS Red Oak Victory Ship by Kate McVaugh

Not planning a trip to Nepal, I still figured that my beautifully funky Jambu Himalaya’s would be just the ticket for exploring the SS Red Oak Victory docked in the WWII Historical Region of Richmond, California.

Built by Kaiser Shipyards in Richmond, and commissioned by the US Navy in 1944, the Red Oak Victory ship was converted to a floating museum in 1996. I wanted to test the walkability of my Jambu’s over the decks and through the tight passageways of this WWII ammunition carrier.

The first challenge is to ascend the bouncy gangway to board the ship. The Jambu’s had no problem gripping the less than stable metal walkway that leads to the deck. And although the Red Oak is securely tied down, it was a typical cold and windy summer day and I was grateful that I had shoes that were up to the task of keeping me from blowing overboard.

Outside decks of a ship are no problem for most types of footwear, but those narrow, steep stairways are a different story. The real test was descending on a metal ladder at nearly a 45° angle into the bowels of the ship. True, I was gripping onto the railings for my dear life, but my feet tread confidently and without catching on the uneven surface. I really could have been scaling narrow mountain trails in the Himalayas.

There are lots of places to stub ones toes on a naval vessel, particularly going through those doorways which have a raised portion at the bottom. I was cautious enough to avoid that hazard but even if I had slipped up, I knew the sturdy construction of my Jambu’s would have come to my rescue.

Meandering in and out of narrow crew quarters, the communications office, mess hall, and a labyrinth of steel corridors, my feet felt cozy and happy. It seemed fitting to be wearing shoes made partially of recycled materials on a ship that was built at a time when nothing was tossed out and everything was reused. I didn’t even notice my feet, which allowed me to reflect on all the men and women who had built this ship and of those who had served on it. And that is what shoes should be; a complete afterthought.

A walk through history was absolutely the best way to try out my new Jambu’s.

Thank you Kate McVaugh for the great review on our Jambu™ Himalayas! Check out Kate's travel blog at http://katerambles.blogspot.com/

Think Outside the [Lunch] Box ;)

When Mothers think of a quick lunch to send their kids off to school with, they oftentimes think of one thing - PB&J. Choosy Moms choose Jif.. right?? Your regular peanut butter and jelly sandwich makes a great lunch...sometimes, but the truth is it's easier than you think to come up with creative, and healthy lunches for the school cafeteria. Here are some ideas to get the ball rolling :)

1. Strawberry and Cream Cheese Sandwich - Use reduced fat cream cheese (it really tastes just as good!) on whole wheat bread. Spread around the cream cheese and add slices of strawberries on top. If your kids complain about the bread getting soggy, pack up the berries in a small container and let them do it themselves.
2. Sesame Noodles - Asian sesame noodles can often be your kid's favorite meal. They're good hot and cold, so pack them up in a container and send your child off with this tasty lunch (easily made the night before without them having a clue :)
3. BBQ Chicken Sandwich - Any leftover chicken in the fridge? Shred and mix it up with some BBQ sauce and grated carrots. Add a leaf of romaine and put it onto a whole wheat bun for a quick and healthy sandwich.
4. Hummus Wrap - Slab on some Hummus and add grilled or fresh vegetables to a large wrap. It's a great healthy choice, and your kids will be coming back for more!
5. Peanut Tofu Pita - Bake some tofu and toss it with your favorite store bought Thai Peanut Sauce (a little goes a long way). Stuff it into a fresh pita and add some vegetable. They won't even notice the veggies, once they take a bite of this delicious tofu.

Don't forget to pack some healthy snacks with your kid's lunch. Such as: granola bars, sliced veggies with ranch dressing, popcorn, fruit kebabs, or chips. Throw in some cookies and a juice box, and your favorite student is good to go :)

What's your favorite lunch to pack for school? We'd love to hear from you!