Community Blog

Eating healthy can be as yummy as drinking a shake. Mirasol here is a recipe full of phytochemicals, fiber, and whole grains to get you healthier and fight the odds of cancer!

Try Diana’s Phytochemical Super Shake and tally up your quota on the food pyramid everyday. Each glass equals one serving of veggies, two servings of fruit, and one third of your daily fiber that your body needs to be the heavy weight champion of cancer fighting.

Blend all the following ingredients until smooth and fluffy, typically 1-3 minutes. Recipe makes 3 cups of yummy shake.

•    1/3 cup soft tofu
•    6 baby carrots
•    3/4 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened fruit
•    1 Tbsp wheat bran
•    1 Tbsp wheat germ
•    1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
•    3/4 cup calcium-fortified soy milk
•    3/4 cup calcium-fortified orange juice

Per shake: 313 cal, 18 g pro, 49 g carb, 9 g fat, 9 g fiber, 565 mg calcium, 89 mg sodium

Image via Wikipedia

A weekend getaway is minutes from your Mirasol community. This Labor Day explore the tropical hideaway of Discovery Cove, where you can choose between adventure and relaxation all in one day, all at one place.

Whether you are looking for a romantic trip or a family getaway, this park is a place beyond words. A place where tropical reefs are vibrant and dolphins befriend you to take a swim in a tranquil lagoon. Relax on the sandy beaches or snorkel with sting rays. It’s all here at this lush park waiting for you to come and explore.

Not only will you feel worlds away on this one-of-a kind retreat but the fun doesn’t have to stop when you leave this 30-acre land of tropical bliss. Let it continue with the inclusive package deal of unlimited admission to your choice of Sea World Orlando, Aquatica, or Busch Gardens Tampa. And don’t forget to ask how you can help the Nature Conservancy by adopting a coral reef.

Image via Wikipedia

Jay Stylz will be teaching FREE Salsa lessons Friday, August 27th at the Ballroom on Church Street in downtown Orlando. This will be the kick off to the All White Salsa and Fashion show happening right after featuring the fresh rebellious styles of RidiKulus Kouture.

The party starts tonight at 8pm. Learn a few spins and then stay and enjoy the rhythm of the night with music ranging from classic salsa to hip-hop and reggaeton by the 407 DJs and Dj Chino. They will be spinning the best mixes in in three different dance halls while special guest Magna Gopal graces the Orlando scene with her beauty and sexy salsa steps. Also to perform a jaw dropping experience are couple Sandra de Lara and Roberto Lay.

All WHITE Attire is required. Don’t miss a chance to have fun this weekend just a short ride from your Mirasol community.

The Hispanic/Latino community in the United States is one of the fastest growing ethnic groups the U.S. has known. The Latino culture, family values, and principles for hard work have been the foundation that kept the battle to survive in a new country, a success story.

The book Americanos: Latino Life in the United States is a book that documents the life of Latinos, from all across the country and from all the different sub-cultures within the title Latino, through their story to being an American.

Edward James Olmos is the editor of this collaborative work of art that was originally released in 1999. Although it has spent years being sold at bookstores, I believe it is important to remind communities that this book exists and that it is a must have for students, young and old, as well as artists and cultural photographers. It is a true treasure that will open the door to the world as a Latino-Americano sees it.

Mirasol at Celebration, you too can follow the tour through pages and pages of poetry, short stories, beautiful photography, and other art work that have become the symbols of the Latino culture in this American country that once couldn’t understand a word Spanish.

How many ways can you say Thank You? All cultures express gratitude. It is the polite thing to do. I challenge the Mirasol residents to reach out of the norm and learn something new today. Ask a bilingual friend how to say Thank you in their native language. They would be your best teachers because you will have the opportunity to hear the correct pronunciation.

For those of you who don’t have international friends, I have done some research for you. Below is a list of 17 different ways you can say Thank you in languages from around the world. Try Googling to listen to the correct pronunciations and read on to begin practicing your new words. Remember this is just a little fun so don’t be hard on yourself.

1. Chinese- “Xièxie”
2. Arabic- “Chokrane”
3. French-“Merci”
4. German- “Danke”
   
5. Greek- “Efharisto”
6. Hawiian- “Mahalo”
7. Indonesian- “Terima Kasih”
8. Italian- “Grazie”
9. Japanese- “Arigatô”
10. Korean- “Kam Sah Hamnida”
11. Mongolian- “Bayarlalaa”
12. Portuguese- “Obrigado”
13. Russian- “Spacibo“
14. Spanish- “Gracias”/ “Muchas Gracias”
15. Swahili- “Asante”/ “Asante Sana”
16. Swedish- “tack”
17. Thai women- “Kop Khun Kha” Thai men- “Kop Khun Krap”
    

Junk food is so much easier to find than a good healthy meal. A lot of our foods that are greasy, fried, and full of preservatives have been linked to many health disorders such as obesity, diabetes, and even some cancers. That is why a healthy meal full of vegetables and whole grains should not be compromised. Here are some tips to making a quick healthy meal in your Mirasol kitchen that much easier.

• Preparation is key! Don’t just put the groceries away whole. Wash, cut them, and then store them away. It will save time when you come home hungry.
• Use your vegetables shortly after buying them. The longer you refrigerate, the longer they take to cook.
• Always add salt after the vegetables caramelize. The salt will slow the cooking process if you add before.
• Cut your vegetables into bite size pieces so that they will cook faster.
• Use your microwave or stove to thaw out your meat.
• Buy stock or broths to help save time making your famous homemade soups.
• Leftovers are always great! You can make a whole new meal or eat the same one again.
• Last, cook what you know. You will cook that much faster without needing a recipe.

Image via Wikipedia

Mirasol at Celebration always has fresh flowers. Nobody likes to see dry wilting flowers. And you always want your flowers to look as fresh as the day you received them. Below are simple, everyday, house hold items that can make your flowers look fresh longer. It’s not a trick! All the items have been tested and proven to work. Follow our simple remedies and change the vase water every few days.

1) Aspirin is good for your blood pressure, your head-ache, and now your flowers as well. Crush one aspirin and simply add to the vase water.

2) Bleach sounds like it might kill your flowers instead of making them last longer, but bleach actually kills off the bacteria in the water. This makes your water clearer and your plants last. Add ¼ tsp per liter of water.

3) Vinegar can also be added to your vase water to help keep the bacteria growth to a minimum.

4) Sugar can be combined with vinegar to keep your flowers look freshly blossomed longer. Add 2 tablespoons to your flowers water.

5) A Copper Penny will do the trick. Drop a penny into your vase water and reap the benefits of beautiful eye candy.

6) Hairspray can keep your petals from wilting the same way it keeps your hair from moving. Spray from a foot away upward toward the petal and watch how it will keep the freshness locked into your flowers.

7) Soda Pop has sugar that will keep your flower’s petals perky and the water clear. Add ¼ cup of clear soda, such as Sprite, to a full vase of water.

8 ) Vodka is a drink your flowers would like too. Only a few drops of vodka wards off bacteria growth. Add sugar for a flower cocktail that will give your plants the longevity that you desire.

Celebration Elementary School will be hosting a first annual Council Area Health & Fitness Expo for the community on August 21^st from 11a.m.-4p.m.

This event is driven to unite the community and local health and wellness businesses in the town of Celebration. Its purpose is to educate the Celebration Community of preventative healthcare as well as offer pre-school year health assistance.

The target for this event is the community of Celebration as a whole, but there will be school uniforms, supplies, and Kid IDs available for back-to-school children to be prepared for the upcoming school year. There will also be a blood drive, health sampling, and various safety demonstrations including a Karate demonstration. All lectures and demonstrations will be held next to the elementary school at the Celebration Town Hall. Learn about the health benefits of smoothies, healing honey, and candles and there will be many goodies to take home compliments of your local businesses. A perfect day to socialize with friends and neighbors just minutes from your front door.

Image compliments of Jane Dresler

I’m sure you’ve heard of Cirque du Soleil, who hasn’t? They’ve been captivating the world over since 1984 performing 20 different shows to keep their audience interested. As if they really need to keep creating; I can watch Alegria everyday for the rest of my life and not get bored of it. Let alone La Nouba.

La Nouba is the first of Cirque’s shows to have it’s own freestanding theater with occupancy for close to 2,000 people! La Nouba literally translates to “spree,” but the French have termed it as “live it up.” This show is about dreams and reality crossing and intermixing to create a world of “beautiful nonsense.” There are beautiful acrobatics and live music as the characters use one another to make a fairy tale-like world for the audience to be swallowed whole in!

La Nouba is always playing at Walt Disney World Resort, so everyone at Mirasol at Celebration should get together as a group and see this visually stunning show. Just pick a date (Tuesday through Saturday) and take that short drive to Disney World!

The Celebration Town Tavern is a town staple. You want good food. Head to 721 Front Street. You want a good time. Head to 721 front Street. You want to watch the “big” game. Head to 721 Front Street. It’s as if the town almost revolves around the Tavern. And there’s nothing wrong with that, every town should have a gathering spot. A watering hole, if you will.

Walk in and it’s like you’re in New England! It’s like you should see a Bob Evans or a Modell’s as soon as you step  out of the restaurant, but you won’t. It’s somehow a great fit in the heart of south Florida. Is it because there is such a large amount of northerners that have relocated in Celebration or is it because of the hospitality and homeliness shown in the Town Tavern? I’d say it’s a bit of both!

The food is delightful! The menu is filled with treats you really can’t get anywhere else, like the Maine Lobster Roll and the Meatloaf Stacker.  I had not even heard of those two menu items until I ate at the Tavern for the first time. It’s like a treat every time you step into the restaurant because this place is one of a kind!

Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall. Literally. They took the song and really ran with it if I say so myself. Celebration Town Tavern serves 99 variety of beers that you should try. And if you do, you will be rewarded kindly. Join the 99 Beer Club and drink 99 bottles of beer and you get a glass mug with whatever you would like  engraved into it. Next time you come in, grab your mug and get $1 off all draft beers. Not bad, huh?

Give Celebration Town Tavern a chance if you haven’t. It will change your life and your palette, plus it’s only 2 minutes away from Mirasol at Celebration!

Photo courtesy of virtualern

Next Page »