DIY - Silver Cleaning

A few years ago, I was in some desperate need of cleaning some of my Sterling Silver jewelry.  I had run out of silver cleaning polish and really didn't feel like buying more, as it was kind of pricey.  So I went out looking for a way to do it myself, with stuff from home.  I cam across this great trick to clean my silver, with things I already have in my house  Here ya go, Deanne.  Put away the smelly Rhubarb!!  :-)

Silver Cleaning

What You'll Need:

Bowl/Baking Dish
Aluminum Foil
Salt
Liquid Dish Soap
Warm Water

This is all about magnetizing the tarnish away.  Just line the bottom of a bowl baking dish with a sheet of aluminum foil and fill the bowl with warm water.  Add a generous amount of salt (if using a bowl, add about 3-4 Tablespoons) and a little squirt of liquid dish soap.  Place the tarnished flatware/*jewelry or other silver in bowl/dish and watch the tarnish begin to disappear.  The natural chemical reaction actually magnetizes the tarnish right off, and you won't have to do any buffing!  Remove your silver items and wipe clean with a soft rag and there you go!
* This is only for Flatware, Sterling Silver and Silver Plated items.

Recipe - Greek Frappe

Ora Gia Kafe!!  (Time for Coffee!!)

Greek Nescafe Frappe

When visiting Greece, there were no Starbucks on the Island of Santorini, to my dismay.  I was a little unsure if I was even going to survive the trip, without my daily Non-Fat White Mocha, but I discovered something amazing.  Nescafe' Frappes or Greek Frappes.  Turns out, these little iced wonders are so popular in Greece, that many homes have their own soda fountain type of drink mixers in order to make their lives easier.  I fell in love immediately with this frothy version of an iced coffee.  It wasn't until a while ago, did I figure out the secret of making the perfect Frappe.  Here's how it's done:

Greek Frappe

Nescafe' Instant Coffee (Classico in the US)
Ice Water
Evaporated Milk (or your regular milk, but may be omitted entirely)
Sugar (Optional)
Ice
Cocktail Shaker or some sort of drink shaker/mixer
Drinking Straw

Take your cocktail shaker and put in 2 Tablespoons of Nescafe Instant Coffee (the best is Nescafe Frappe, but it's not readily available here in the U.S, except thru Amazon or parthenonfoods.com).  Next add 4 tablespoons of ice cold water, and 2 teaspoons of sugar (depending on how you like your coffee, more for sweet or you can omit this entirely).  Now, put the lid on the shaker (don't forget this step or you're going to have a BIG mess!!) and shake the shaker for 30 seconds.  This will create a thick foam inside.  Now, take your glass and put 4 or 5 ice cubes in it.  Pour contents of shaker over ice, slowly add small amount of milk (if desired) and fill the rest with ice water.  (It's important to add a straw, because this drink requires stirring, as you drink.)  You should now have a tall, frothy glass of Greek Frappe.  Play around with the recipe, until you find your correct Frappe goodness.  It takes time and practice to make the perfect Frappe.  OPA!!

My Favorite Place on Earth - Part 1

Oia (Island of Santorini, Greece)

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the Holiday we took to Greece, in May of 2009.  It was a once-in-a-lifetime trip and the memories are never far from my mind.  Words cannot describe the serene and  majestic beauty that enveloped us, the moment we stepped off the plane in Thira, located the southern Aegean Sea.  The Island of Santorini is about a 50 minute plane ride from Athens and is one of the most picturesque places in the world.  The island itself, sits atop a volcano, which last erupted in 1950.  It is approx. 80 square kilometers around and has a population of approx 11,000.  Unique Villages fill the island with tourists from May thru October.  During the winter months, most locals relocate back to Athens, leaving the island virtually closed.
We were so lucky to have had the opportunity to visit this incredible place for 2 weeks.  We stayed in the Village of Oia, in a traditional cave house.  I wish I had the words to describe the feeling of tranquility that washed over me, when we arrived at our little apartment, that we would call home.  I think the first thing out of my mouth was "Wow!  It's so peaceful here!"  These were our views from our patio:

Looking out over Oia Village, Greece

A view of the Capitol City of Thira (Fira)

Chris and I enjoying pure bliss!

Our traditional cave house - The Aegeas Houses

We had the only red house in the Village of Oia, so it was easy to pick out in the distance, when we were out sight seeing.
While I would love to share every minute of our journey thru Santorini, it would be a very long post and people would probably leave my blog in droves.  I'll share a few more pictures and maybe you'll be able to capture a little bit of the beauty that is Oia and the Island of Santorini.

Dusk in Oia and the famous blue domed Churches

Iconic image of the Greek Islands

Stairs are everywhere here.  You cannot use a car on the streets
of Oia.  Walking up and down is your only choice here.

It's almost 300 steps down to the water's edge.  It's not about
going down....it's all about coming back up.

Windows that were so inviting

Doors that lead to beautiful sanctuaries

Grape Vines grow close to the ground here, allowing the grapes
to get much needed water.

Stray Cats and Dogs were everywhere

One of the biggest draws to Oia, was the nightly
sunsets.  Tourists from all over the island would arrive
around 4pm and wait for the sun to set.

Shopping on the main streets of Oia

Baklava and cakes, oh my!!!  

Fresh Fish in Thira (Fira)

Capitol City of Thira (Fira)

For some reason, this planter intrigues me.

Inside of the dome of a Greek Orthodox Church

Just one of the many places to stay in Oia

So many hidden gems to photography.  Such beauty to behold.

That's it for now.....I'll post more photos another day/time.  For now....Kalinihta (Good Night)