This month continued with March's TOP 5 theme of finding the slow periods in between the hustle and bustle of work. We are doubling down on visiting local places that don't feel like typical Miami, bringing excitement or albeit romanticizing everyday tasks at home and per usual connecting to nature. Happy belated Earth Day, by the way...let's get to it.
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1| GREEN ORACLE CARDS |Â On instagram, I like to pull a couple cards at the top of the week for my insta community and each season I'll choose a new deck. Although I have a quite a few decks, this one pulls at my heartstrings, with it's herb descriptions and folk tales. It's also part of a whole series of books by Arin Murphy-Hiscock, you can find my favorites here. She has a variety of bewitching books that cater to you home as a whole, the kitchen, or garden. All illustrated beautifully and the magical and over all push for the importance of the love and peace from your home! BUY HERE
2| BUTTERFLY PEA INFUSED ELIXERS |with the ease of my dehydrator, BUY HERE ,I've been harvesting daily my butterfly pea flowers to enjoy an enriched water straight from my garden! According to Healthline.com it says:
Butterfly pea flower (Clitoria ternatea) contains antioxidants and other nutrients that may have many health benefits, including:
Anti-inflammatory: The flower's flavonoid pigments may help reduce inflammation.
Anti-pyretic: The flower may reduce fever by dilating blood vessels near the skin's surface, which allows air to cool it more easily.
Anti-diabetic: The flower may help inhibit glucose intake from food.
Skin and hair health: The flower may increase skin hydration by 70% within an hour of topical application.
Weight loss: The flower may slow the formation of fat cells.
Blood sugar levels: The flower may increase antioxidant levels and reduce blood sugar and insulin levels.
Respiratory health: The flower's anti-inflammatory properties may help reduce lung irritation and drain excess fluid, which may help treat asthma and respiratory allergies.
Brain health: The flower may have nootropic effects, or "brain food".
Anxiety: The flower may have anxiolytic effects, meaning it may reduce anxiety.Â
What's great is it doesn't take much to create the deep rich blue infused water. You can either steep fresh or dried. I like to add mint and peppermint for additional benefits and subtle flavor. I don't actually notice a taste with the flowers on it's own, but I can clearly see it release it's soul into the water. For a fun touch I add lemon juice and magic will happen before your eyes, as acid causes the blue liquid to turn purple! I originally bought my plant from Little River Coop. and it quickly flowered. It's not a plant that requires much maintenance, but do know that if you want to grow it, give it something to climb or cover! You'll be harvesting your first flower in a couple weeks from seed or less than a week if you already bought it as a starter. If you wish to buy it already dried, visit your local health stores or tea shops. It's a very common flower. You can also get a good sized bag from AMAZON HERE.
3|FRESH MARKETS YEAR ROUND and closing on CSA | Our CSA box is coming to a close, from December to mid May, we have been receiving local organic produce from Paradise Farms. I have to say, I now am feeling spoiled and wish to buy most of my goods from our local farms. So naturally, being an avid farmers market goer, I'm going to share with you my list of year round markets worth going to, but before I share that list, note that if you wish to join a CSA subscription box, the signups begin in August! So mark you calendars and set your alarms! You can read more about what CSA's are on this reel post here.
YEAR ROUND FARMERS MARKETS:
Pinecrest Gardens Farmers Market - SUNDAYS 8AM-2PM
Legions Park Farmers Market - SATURDAYS 9am-2pm
Coconut Grove Farmers Market -SATURDAYS 10AM-6PM
Key Biscayne Farmers Market - SATURDAYS 9AM-2PM
All locations provide a bunch of local farmers with an amazing source of produce, eggs, baked goods, dairy product and sometimes even meat! Any excuse to be outside while Miami provides "cool-ish" weather in the mornings! The plus sides to Pinecrest and Key Biscayne location are the playgrounds for the kids. At Pinecrest, you have the option of a free playground or spending a few dollars inside the gardens area and enjoying their new and improved playground!
4|NOT SO MIAMI -MIAMI LOCAL SPOTS | If you follow us on the gram, then you may have noticed my husband and I frequent the Redlands. We probably go a few times a month, because it's such a disconnect for us, however, we understand that not everyone can make the time to be in a place that is surrounded by nature. So Here are two places that I suggest you check out.
Aguacate Sanctuary of Love- Located: 12100 SW 43 St. 33175
A tropical bohemian oasis for eating freshly grown dishes, smoothies & juices, live entertainment, animal feeding, yoga and the list goes on in this one location open daily. I ate their Flower Child Juice and had their burger, chefs kiss! My son enjoyed it too!
Cauley Square Historic Village- Located 22400 Old Dixie Hwy 33170
This whimsical little community has a little bit of something for everyone. " A glimpse into Old South Florida", it definitely reminds me of some of the small towns I've traveled passed during my road trips of the South East. I've been coming here since I was in middle school, and as the years have past, they have continued to preserve this land and one of my favorites, The Tea Room. If you visit, please try the Spiced Tea, hot or cold- it's the absolute best! You can get the classic petite fours, request high tea in advance, or enjoy just about every dish they have to offer! It feels like you stepped into someone's grandmother's house and they just freshly cooked and baked for you. Also, random but worth knowing, they have the best soups!!! So if it's a rainy day out, order that with one of their warm apps.
My favorite bookstore also exists there, Sweet Havens Bookshop. They carry new, second hand and an array of vintage books any booklover would love to have in their library. They also hosts open mic night, story time for the kids and coffee and sweets served on the daily. It's the closest thing you'll get to feeling as if you were on set for "You've Got Mail".
If you enjoy crystals, incense, magical readings and all new age concepts, check out Tree of Life. It's a wonderful spot to stock up on healing energies. If you want to continue your healing, then you need some Salt Cave action over at, Esmeralda's Salty Air Retreat. This place offers guided meditation sessions, reiki or if you wish to pop in the room on a solo date or with a friend or two, you can. There are so many benefits to Himalayan Salt, you just have to try it.
5|QUOTE OF THE MONTH | "God's timing is designed to teach you how to trust", I don't know your religious beliefs, but whomever you call as your deity, the one you pray to, wish to, ask why to...trust. Remember last " Top 5" post, I mentioned to you about the random appendectomy I had? Well four weeks later I went for my follow up and they shared some interesting news. Apparently this sick and inflamed appendix had a 2mm tumor in it. Although it was small, had I not had my appendix randomly decide to act up, the discovery of this tumor later in life could have lead do more serious problems.
I truly believe God works in mysterious ways and it was never about getting the appendix out, it was about getting the tumor out. Given my family history (paternal grandmother) of colon cancer, we're taking extra precaution with a colonoscopy. The margins of my pathology showed clear and there were no other findings, but to close this chapter, we're going hard. I'm 35 and although that's considered young for my age, they are actually lowering the colonoscopy recommendation from 45 to 40, due to the unfortunate rise of colon cancer these days. Early detection is everything, and God forbid I have something to battle, but learning about what they found truly took my breath away. You often wonder WHY for such disruption in your day to day, but if you're patient, everything eventually reveals itself!
I hope this month's TOP 5 has given you something to add to your calendars, garden and lifestyle choices. I'll see y'all at the farmers markets!
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