Author: msmonaka

Every 6 months I switch out my baking soda.  By doing this every six months I know I always have fresh baking soda for cooking plus my fridge, freezer and drains keep smelling good.  Win, win, win!

I keep baking soda in my fridge and freezer to keep it smelling fresh.  This is a trick I learned from my Grandmother.  I read that it started in the 1970s and before that people would use charcoal!  

Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) in the fridge does work, to an extent.  I keep my fridge really clean so with the added baking soda it always smells fresh and clean.  If your fridge is really smelly then you need to pull everything out and scrub the fridge and everything you put back, like condiment jars, with vinegar.  Make sure you are covering and tightly sealing food you put in the fridge.  Also ALWAYS wipe down condiment containers before you put them back.  Don’t leave open containers in your fridge, ever!  Bad oders come from decomposing food.  Yuck! 

Collect two used glass jam jars with metal lids.  Wash them thoroughly and then puncture holes in the top with an ice pick.  You will use one jar in your fridge and one in your freezer.  You can wash and reuse these over and over.  Go Green!

Buy a new fresh box of baking soda.  I only have two bath rooms so the 1 lb box works for me but you may need a bigger box.  

Collect your old baking soda from your pantry, fridge and freezer in to any container.  I use my large measuring cup because it’s easy to use.  Evenly distribute all the old baking soda in to all your household drains.  Kitchen, bathroom sinks, bathtub/shower drains.  Let it sit for 15 minutes.

Take a container of vinegar and poor down each drain – no water!  You will hear it sizzling and doing it’s job.  Let it sit for 15 minutes.  

Take boiling water and pour down each drain until all the soda and water are washed down.  You’re done!  This will keep your drains smelling fresh and clean.

Now I take my NEW Baking Soda and fill my reusable cooking spice jar, my fridge and freezer jam jars.  

That’s it! Once you’re all set up with your jars the whole process only takes a few minutes and I’m good for 6 more months.

I went to the Sandpiper’s Diane von Furstenberg fashion show last year and while in their boutique area I met Dena Lyons.  Amoung other things she makes beautiful scarves and scarf magnets.  I bought one and I love it!  It’s definitely my “favorite things”.  I use it to hold sweaters together that don’t have buttons or pull together a top that’s showing a bit too much cleavage.  I gave one to all my girlfriends for Christmas last year.  It makes a great gift!

Scarf Magnets and more!

Açaí Bites are my favorite treat!  I stumbled across these at Costco next to the Açaí frozen packs I put in my smoothies.  Now I keep them in my freezer for a treat when I feel like something sweet.  If you’re going to have a treat this is so much better for you than ice cream and I think it gives that same satisfaction 🍧 YUM!

My girlfriend recently sent me this frightening article about a dishonest dentist.  I don’t like to dwell on the unpleasant but I had something similar happen to me so I felt I should share it.

Growing up I always had my 6 month cleanings.  So when I moved to L.A. in my early 20s I went looking for a dentist.  A friend recommended her dentist in Marina del Rey.  It was a nice, clean, busy office and looked very reputable.  When I had my appointment and X-rays the dentist told me I needed several fillings and a root canal.  I was shocked!  I had had a couple fillings in my life but all in all I thought my teeth were really healthy.  They wanted to do it right away but it was very expensive and honestly something just didn’t feel right.  So me, being me, I wrote down exactly what I was told I needed.  Each exact tooth and the cost to take care of each thing.  If memory serves there were 6 fillings and a root canal!  I decided I felt great and I was just going to wait a bit.  After that, for the first time in my life, I didn’t get my next 6 month cleaning.  I think I just didn’t want to face having all that work done.  But after putting it off for over a year I was feeling really guilty about not having a cleaning.  I decided I really needed to get back in and face this mess inside my mouth!  I went back to the same office but they couldn’t find my file.  They said they looked and looked but it was gone.  They took a new set of X-rays and the dentist proceeded to tell me all the things I needed done.  I, again, was told I had several cavities and needed a root canal… but all in DIFFERENT teeth!!  Thank God I wrote it all down the first time.  I made a few calls to notify someone that they were scamming people but there really wasn’t anyone to listen.  I found a new dentist and poof!  No cavities.  I am 50 now and I still have never had a root canal.  Shame, shame, shame on these butchers who do such horrible things.  My heart goes out to everyone who put their trust and health in their hands.  As a grown woman I only wish my 20 year old self could have found a way to expose them.  

My husband and I found this great life hack when he took me to see Van Morrison at The Wiltern last week (yes, the show was awesome!!).  The restaurant we normally go to, right next door, was packed and we were out of luck to have dinner before the show began.  But when a door closes…  We got an insider tip and walked two blocks down to 3832 Wilshire Boulevard to M grill.  It’s a wonderful Brazilian Steakhouse.  It’s upstairs in a strange little mall, Suite 202.  But as soon as you find it you’ll be glad you did!  You can go early and have the whole Brazilian Steakhouse experience or do what we did and just sit at the bar.  Although the menu is limited, the items we had on the bar menu were excellent.  I would recommend the lamb and the pineapple.  I would also recommend their lychee martini 🍸!!  To top it all off we learned when you have dinner there you can leave your car in valet until midnight…another score!  So check out the M Grill and enjoy the show!!