chocolate and champagne

Hello friends. I've been thinking about you a lot lately. In this comfortable couch I sat and thought about what I should write to you. I thought about the years we've spent together, in this forum, and how I could express my love and gratitude for you all who are following my ramblings.
I'm lying. I sat in that couch at the Four Seasons hotel because it was my thirty second birthday the other week and I thought I deserved some champagne. The older you get, the more champagne should you drink. Not saying I haven't been thinking about you cause I have, at least once a day.
There has been moments this long, cold, miserable winter when I've played with the thought of surrendering and giving it all up for booze. Throw away yoga, healthy food and green juices and jump onto a more destructive path in life. You know the kind of stuff one thinks about doing when forced to endure suffering: get drunk, get high, revel in cheap GMO foods, spend money on things i don't need and eat way too much candy and sugar. 
But then reality shakes reason into me and I remember I am now 32 and not 22 any longer and if I do not take care of what goes into my body, my outside will have to suffer more than necessary. Winter weather doesn't do anyone much good in terms of physical maintenance and as much as I'd love to stay natural, I can easily say I wouldn't mind getting some botox, laser treatments, spray tan and teeth whitening at this point. Or maybe clean food and a one way ticket to the sun could be enough. Summer, can you please arrive already?
Forever thankful to the mirror in the apartment where we stay occasionally, it makes reality look so much better than what it is. But it's all an illusion, of course.
And add a bit of photoshop colour adjustment to that. See how easy my face begins to glow. My puffy eyes seem more awake and I look much less tired than what I really am. Also my skin looks more even with only a little assistance by the contrast and curves tools. I hope you never ever believe that what you see in magazines are true. It's all an illusion, as much elsewhere in life. This is a subject that has spin around my head quite a lot this winter. Illusions, image, commercialism, facades, marketing, fakeness/reality, civilization, humanity. But more about all that another time. The headline of this post doesn't call for a deeper conversation.
Something that is genuinely good to believe in though, is real food. Many people wish to eat healthier but blame the high cost for not doing so more often. Earlier it might have been easier to get yourself a lunch or dinner at one of the fast food chains for half the price of any healthy substitute. But good, nutritious food is now more accessible than ever as people are more aware and make better choices for themselves. This rich, organic lentil soup with a couple slices of wholewheat bread cost me $6.70 and I'd choose it over any burger any day, baby.
It was purchased and devoured here. At Equal Exchange on Causeway St. Lovely little place that offers organic, home made food and fair-traded coffee, chocolate etc.
Speaking of chocolate. Burdick has the most amazing pralines one can get hands on. They buy their cocoa from Grenada, by the way. Remember our lovely time in the Spice Isle? Feels like a lifetime ago unfortunately.
Just another stupid bathroom selfie. Non edited this time, I should maybe add. I wish I had the time and patience to edit that toilet door shut though.
First time in five six-months that I got my nails done. Oh man has this winter made me a careless bum. It's been all about survival, for real.
So where were we? Champagne. Just a little more champagne. And dark chocolate. Cause you only turn thirty two once. Best combined with a hot bath, naturally.
Went to a wonderful sushi restaurant in Cambridge for lunch. We got served great jazz music and delightful miso soup.
Haven't had sushi in ages. Last time was in Panama City, I think. Wasn't that a lovely place by the way. Check out some easy breezy photos from there here. I miss that tan!!
An epic mango and sticky rice concoction. Rice cooked with coconut milk and sugar, served with sweet mango and sesame seeds. Simple but oh so wonderful.
Only problem with that sushi restaurant was when people entered through the curtain before they'd shut the entrance door. Which obviously brought siberian cold winds right into the facility.
Sunshine and blue skies, one could almost fool oneself to believe that spring has arrived.
Soon though. I haven't lost hope. Completely. Yet.
We have thoroughly enjoyed Cambridge. Such a neat little part of Boston.
Colourful facades.
A warming cup of tea at a meat free restaurant on Cambridge St.
Another cup a little further down the road. And that's where I'm writing this all to you today.. Jasmine tea in the cup by the way, going to lay low with the champagne for some time now.