6 in the Morning

 Good morning, and welcome! It’s never too early to start thinking about dessert, am I right? At the start of the meal… before the meal is even cooked… even bright and early this morning. (It’s why my favorite breakfast food will forever be chocolate chip waffles with strawberries—and whipped cream when I can get my hands on some.)  Besides, this post about vintage and retro desserts has been coming on for a while. There are so many delicious foods out there, and so little time to give them all a fair chance. So, this round of the holiday season, why not branch out a little? This list of 6 desserts includes foods you may not have even heard of before now, yet they all have their roots in fascinating histories and centuries of satisfied bakers.  Grab a fork, close your eyes, and let’s dig in…. ****** Baked Alaska (Photo "Baked Alaska at the Oceannaire in San Diego, California" by vxla is licensed under CC BY 2.0 ) There’s quite a lot to this complex, yet impressive, dess...

 Good morning, and happy Halloween! In honor of this upcoming spooky season, I thought I’d research some “haunted houses”... but after reading about the Winchester Mystery House, it became obvious that this entire post would be dedicated to the house’s spine-chilling history and fascinating features. In fact, it was such a perfect topic for this time of year that I couldn’t resist departing from my usual posting schedule in favor of making Halloween this article’s release date. I hope you enjoy learning about this quirky maze of rooms and oddities as much as I did! ****** Sarah Winchester (Photo "Winchester Mystery House" by Doug Letterman is licensed under CC BY 2.0 ) The woman behind the fantastical house was Sarah Winchester, an intelligent and educated woman born in 1840. In her youth, she married William Wirt Winchester of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. Winchester rifles, known as “the gun that won the West”, were used by historical figures such as Theodore Roo...

 Good morning, and welcome! How many times have we said that when it comes to fixing everyday problems around the house? Oh no, the dryer’s making funny noises—better hire somebody. Piano’s out of tune—go hire somebody. This IKEA furniture is so confusing to put together… can we hire somebody for that, too?!  Admittedly, I also know several people on the other side of the spectrum, who do their best to solve the problem themselves in favor of saving the money. However, all the mini-crises that have been occurring around the house as of late have got me wondering… how far can we take this idea of rolling up your sleeves and getting the job done with a how-to manual and the Internet? Is there truly nothing we can’t do without hiring somebody?  ****** How to Dye a Stained Carpet  (Photo "Carpets" by ToniVC is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 ) I was expecting this to be an impossible task, but it turns out dyeing a carpet is actually (sort of) possible! To begin, you’ll...

Good morning, and welcome! Random facts time! Did you know that anatidaephobia is the fictional fear of being watched by a duck? Or that worms have five hearts? Or that avocados are actually a fruit, and watermelons a vegetable?! I could go on and on and on! This morning, I present to you six of the most unbelievable facts I could find, ideas that made me scoff at first seeing them. However, it turns out that all of these facts are true. Don’t believe me? See for yourself…. ****** The Easter Island head statues have bodies buried underground. (Photo "Easter Island Statues" by TheTerraMarProject is licensed under CC BY 2.0 ) When I first read about this, I was sure it was a prank of some sort, but there’s a lot of archeological evidence out there that actually supports this theory! There is a lot of mystery surrounding the origins of these statues, called moai, and the people who built them. Their civilization is known as the Rapa Nui, which is also the name...

Good morning, and welcome! Architecture? Mildly interesting. Fairy tales? Yes, please! Enter castles: intricately built and blurring the lines between history and legend, these incredible structures are so much more than buildings. They’re art. They’re the backdrop to the heritage of whole countries. And as if that’s not enough, they’re also remarkable architectural feats planned weaponized with practical defensive advantages. Humans have been drawn to big houses since the day we discovered the advantages of shelter, and castles put this passion on full, dazzling display. Between literature, art, and movies, these things are everywhere. And it’s no wonder: castles are the stuff stories are made of, with their imposing walls, luxurious interiors, and occasional dark, treacherous dungeons. Interesting things happen in interesting places. However, castles may be perfect for a tall tale or two, but they are also very real. Here are six of my favorites, complete with wild stories, ent...