Greetings Divas and Gents! And Happy Halloween! No Halloween is complete without a viewing of Michael Jackson's infamous Thriller video. This is one of my favorite videos of all time, as it single-handedly transformed the way in which music videos have been approached over the years. Thriller is an unequivocal and undisputed classic, and I have yet to see any other music video come close to its displayed genius...that's just one Diva's opinion though! Please enjoy Thriller below, and be safe tonight. Happy Halloween!
I’m exhausted! Seriously! Over the past 2 months, I have found myself traveling quite a bit. Since September, I have travelled to Dallas (twice!), Detroit, Houston, San Antonio, and Atlanta, and tomorrow I will be heading to D.C.….so exhausted! When you travel this much, your body doesn’t have a chance to fully recover. Eventually it catches up with you…and it is catching up with me! But I won’t complain. I am blessed with good health, a great job, and a wonderful family. And so I will continue to press on.
In the spirit of pressing, I am ready and able to bring you all a fabulous new martini recipe. Please acquaint yourself with the Peartini. This is one of my favorites! It has that fruity/sweet taste that I love in my martinis, and I am confident that it is one of the Chronicles’ best recipes. Try the Peartini, and let me know if you agree!
Ingredients
2 oz Pear-Flavored Vodka (Like Absolut Pears)
2 oz Peach Schnapps
1 oz White Grape Juice
Fresh Pear Slices for Garnish
Ice
Recipe
1. In a shaker, combine Vodka, Peach Schnapps, Whit Grape Juice, and Ice. Shake!
2. Place pear slices in a chilled martini glass.
3. Strain mixture into prepared martini glass.
I’m sure you guys will absolutely enjoy the Peartini….in fact, I know you will! I am so ready to hit the sack. Enjoy the Peartini and have a great weekend. And Drink Responsibly!
I really LOVE my iPad! No, really I do. My hubby, the Stud, gifted me my iPad last November for my 30th birthday, and it has completely changed my world! Maybe that's a little extreme, but my iPad is useful and functional, and allows me to do all the things I love to do. I can read my favorite books and magazines, watch Netflix, and play plenty of games. I have a ton of apps that allow me to check my bank accounts, set my Fantasy Football lineup, store my favorite recipes, and manage the television shows recorded on my DVR, just to name a few. And don’t even get me started on HBO GO...yes I love my iPad!
Now that I have adequately touted the wonderfulness that is my iPad, I must note that there is one thing that I have generally been unable to effectively accomplish with my iPad: blogging. Yes, blogging on my iPad has proven to be difficult...along with typing in general. There’s something very unnatural about typing utilizing the iPad touch screen. The truth is that typing anything other than a few words at a time is impractical and a complete pain in the neck. After lamenting over my frustration with not being able to blog on the device that I love so much, a colleague recommended that I get an external keyboard. I declined, mainly because I did not want to be burdened with carrying around a separate device…which would essentially eliminate the convenience of toting around a single device. I gave up…until this weekend…
This weekend, I noticed that a friend of mine had purchased a new case for her iPad. Upon further inspection, I realized that there was a keyboard attached to the case. I was intrigued. When I inquired about this contraption, she gave me the scoop on Brookstone’s Bluetooth Keyboard for the iPad. What’s that you ask?
Brookstone’s Bluetooth Keyboard for the iPad is the perfect accessory for your iPad. It is a portfolio case with a built-in, wireless keyboard attached. It essentially turns your iPad into a laptop, and allows you to type as you would on a laptop. You can effortlessly blog, crank out emails, and take quicker notes in business meetings. The portfolio style also has a fold-up design that provides the perfect viewing angle for reading or watching movies. Further, the portfolio case is sleek and stylish, and it protects your iPad from the elements. In a word, this Bluetooth Keyboard is AMAZING! It is perfect for Professional Divas on the go, and it comes in a variety of pretty colors.
I highly recommend the Bluetooth Keyboard to any Diva who appreciates the convenience of the iPad, but who craves a keyboard to make her iPad fully functional.
Interested?
Learn more about it at Brookstone.com. Or, do a quick internet search for other brands...there are several! You can thank me later!
Disclaimer: Brookstone did not pay me to rave about this product. I totally wish they would've, but they didn't, so be assured that these are my opinions free from any commercial or financial influence....seriously!
Greetings Divas and Gents! And welcome to another edition of Martini Thursday! This week’s recipe also comes with a little revelation about myself. A few weeks ago, one of my readers asked if I would post a recipe for a Banana Cream Martini. I paused for a second, primarily because I loathe anything banana-flavored. But I love bananas…weird right?
The truth is that I do like the fruit that is the banana…I just hate anything that has the flavor of a banana…including the Banana Cream Martini. Now, I am never one to let my distaste for a particular martini keep my readers from indulging. In keeping with the fabulousness that is the Professional Diva, I came up with a way to bring you the Banana Cream Martini without having to sample it myself. Check me out!
I researched the ingredients, and came up with 3 possible combinations for a recipe. I then forwarded all three recipes and preparation instructions to the requesting reader, and asked her to try all three and tell me which one to post. She chose option #3! Thanks to Kathy and her assistance, I am proudly able to present to you the Banana Cream Martini!
Ingredients
2 oz Your Favorite Vodka
1 oz Banana-flavored Schnapps (Try 99 Bananas)
1 oz Bailey's Irish Cream
Graham Cracker Crumbs (For Garnish)
Ice
Recipe
1. In a shaker, combine Vodka, Schnapps, Rum, and Ice. Shake!
2. Rim a chilled martini glass with graham cracker crumbs.
3. Strain mixture into prepared martini glass.
Again, special thanks to Kathy for her assistance. If anyone of you have an idea for a martini and would like to assist me, please shoot me an email at TheProDiva@gmail.com. Enjoy and Drink Responsibly!
Someone shared this with me today, and it made me laugh for about an hour! But honestly, isn't this a great mantra? I hope to to make a lasting impression every day that I am blessed to see, and I hope to live my life in such a manner that is displeasing to the devil. Think about it for a second...I'll wait....!
As usual I probably read too much into this, but I liked it...so I'm sharing it!
Greetings Divas and Gents! And welcome to the beginning of what I anticipate will be a productive and fruitful week. The beginning of the work week is often a challenge for many, especially after having two days off. Over the past couple of weeks, I have been trying something new that I originally hoped would lift my spirits each morning. In addition to reading my daily scripture and saying a long audible prayer while driving to work, I have created a playlist on my iPod with tracks that make me happy. Okay, let me explain…
As a self-proclaimed Professional Diva, I tend to stress a lot. My life is extremely busy, and I often stress about not having enough time in the day to do all the things I need to do. How many of you have felt this way? It is definitely not a great feeling. As I mentioned a few months back in Stress and the Professional Woman, stress can have negative effects on your mental, physical, and emotional health. I personally have been greatly cognizant of my stress levels, and I have actively worked to reduce them when I feel a mental breakdown coming on. In comes my iPod!
One thing you all should know about me is that I am motivated by music. A couple of weeks ago, I decided to use my love of music to help me combat stress. As such, I created a Happy Playlist where I added songs that make me feel happy when I hear them…no explanation needed. If it makes me happy, it made the playlist. Once I completed my playlist, I made it a point to listen to a few of these tracks during my drive to work…after my long audible prayer of course!
The results: I feel more relaxed and happier once I arrive to work. And I am calmer, which is huge! That being said, I challenge each of my fellow Professional Divas to create a Happy Playlist to start your morning off right. Simply select those songs that make you feel happy when you hear them, add them to a playlist, and crank them up before you start working. It is a great way to mellow out…sought of like the calm before the storm. I like to think that this type of calm allows me to get through the storm more gracefully than I would have…whatever works!
Check out a sample of some of the song on my Happy Playlist below!
1. Could You Be Loved - Bob Marley (Classic, smooth, reggae!)
2. Ladies Night (Treat Her Like Heaven) – R. Kelly (Great to step to!)
3. Run the World – Jennifer Lopez (Love the lyrics!)
4. Get Up – Mary Mary (Inspirational!)
5. D.J. Got Us Falling In Love - Usher (I do the Cabbage Patch to this one!)
6. Doctor Love – First Choice (8 minutes long...totally worth it!)
7. Rocketeer – Far East Movement (Convertible top down beat!)
8. You Be Killin’ ‘Em - Fabolous (I hear this in my head while I'm walking!)
9. Because of You – Ne-Yo (It's Ne-Yo...he's great!)
10. What’s My Name? – Rihanna (Don't judge me!)
What songs make you feel happy when you hear them? Would you consider making a Happy Playlist?
Greetings Divas and Gents! Here we are enjoying yet another Friday, and attempting to conquer what I affectionately call the Friday Slump. What in the world is the Friday Slump you ask? The Friday Slump is a feeling that overcomes many professionals at the end of the week. We push ourselves so hard at the beginning og the week, and by Friday we’re coasting on fumes.
This is a common occurrence for me, and I hate the feeling. As such, a few weeks back I issued myself a challenge. I came up with 6 challenges that could possibly help me to get through Friday (See Here!) Over the past few weeks, I committed myself to these actions, and I promised you guys that I would share the results with you…here are the results!
Challenge #1 - Mentally Prepare for Friday – Over the past few Thursdays, I looked at my weekly To Do List, and selected the remaining tasks that I intended to complete by Friday. The goal was to complete these tasks by any means necessary!
The Results: Surprisingly, this worked out really well! I was able to zero in on the majority of the remaining tasks and complete them by close of business Friday. I felt extremely productive, and drilling in on these tasks made the day go by quicker! Diva 1…Friday 0
Challenge #2 - Go to Bed Early on Thursday – I challenged myself to hit the sack at a decent hour on Thursday nights, and by decent hour I meant before 11 PM. This challenge was important because Challenge #3 required me to go into the office early on Friday.
The Results: Fail! I suffer from chronic insomnia, so regardless of how early I actually got in the bed, I was still awake well past midnight. But I tried…I really did! Diva 1…Friday 1
Challenge #3 - Go in the Office Early – Instead of capitalizing on my typical 9-12 window of productivity, my goal was to capitalize on an 8-12 window. If done properly, leaving the office at 5 would not be an issue. This was all contingent on my success on Challenge #2.
The Results: Epic Fail! Went to sleep late…woke up late…got to the office at 9…as usual! Diva 1…Friday 2 (WTH!)
Challenge #4 - Leave the Office at 5 – This was my attempt to convince myself to go in the office earlier on Friday. My thought was that if I subconsciously knew that I will not be staying later than 5, I will diligently work to get through those items on my list.
The Results: Even though I failed miserably on Challenges #3 and #4, I still managed to work diligently throughout the day and get out of the office around 5ish. Somehow I knew I would complete this challenge! Diva 2…Friday 2 (I’m gaining on you sucka!)
Challenge #5 - Schedule Meetings for Friday Afternoon – Assuming I was as productive as I wanted to be on Friday morning, my goal was to schedule several meetings during Friday afternoon to break up my day. This way, my afternoon would fly by!
The Results: Winning! I successfully filled my Friday afternoons with meetings, many of which were already on my weekly To-Do List. As a result, Friday was a breeze! Diva 3…Friday 2
Challenge #6 - Plan Something Fun for Friday Night – My goal was to plan something fun on Friday night to look forward to throughout the day.
The Results: Can I be honest for a second? In my experience, Friday is typically an exhausting day. This is primarily due to the fact that I usually have a hectic an busy work week. By the time Friday rolls around, my idea of a good time is sitting on my couch and catching up on the week’s worth of Wendy Williams Show episodes I have stored on my DVR. I know this sounds lame as all hell, but it’s what I like to do! And the truth is that I actually look forward to it. As such, I am claiming success for this challenge. Diva 4…Friday 2
And there you have it! I have successfully managed to conquer Friday and I am once again a certified rock star! There are definitely a few things that I need to work on, like this whole insomnia thing, but I am working on it. I swear!
How about you guys? Have you successfully conquered Friday? Please share your stories and some tips in the comment section below. And Happy Friday!!!
P.S. Here's a little something to get your blood flowing this Friday!
Greetings Divas and Gents! How goes it? I pray that your week has been as productive as mine, and that you are gearing up for a great weekend. As always, I am excited to bring you another tasty martini recipe to usher in the weekend.
Today, I present the Pumpkin Martini. The pumpkin is the ultimate mascot for the Fall, and every year I revel in the delicacies commonly attributed to the pumpkin. Pumpkin pie…pumpkin cheesecake…pumpkin lattes…all pumpkin everything! It only seems appropriate to add the Pumpkin Martini to this list of Fall vices. I know...it's not your traditional martini, but neither are many of the recipes posted on the Martini Chronicles! In any event, I really think you all will love it! Without further adieu, I present to you the Pumpkin Martini!
Ingredients
2 oz Vanilla Vodka
1 oz Bailey’s Irish Cream
1 oz Pumpkin Pie Spice Liqueur
Cinnamon Sugar for Garnish
Cinnamon Stick for Garnish
Ice
Recipe
1. In a shaker, combine Vodka, Irish Cream, Pumpkin Liqueur, and Ice. Shake!
2. Moisten the rim of a chilled martini glass and dip in cinnamon sugar.
3. Strain mixture into prepared martini glass.
4. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.
There it is! The Pumpkin Martini is almost as beautiful as the Fall. Enjoy it and have a great weekend. And Drink Responsibly!
