Experiences You Should Have Podcast Show Notes

Smith Rock is a deep canyon with a river running through it, with huge rock towers on one side on what is mostly a flat landscape. It's a world-renowned place for rock climbing. It's nestled in the heart of Central Oregon in the town of Terrebonne (40 minutes north of Bend) and is a destination you need to add to your bucket list, especially if you're a rock climber.

Smith Rock State Park in Terrebonne, Oregon

Interview with Cliff Agocs, Owner and Guide at Smith Rock Climbing School

Listen to the above podcast interview with Cliff Agocs. In his early days of climbing, Cliff and his friend quit their jobs and came to Smith Rock to learn Anchoring. It involves clipping attachments to the rock and pulling up on them; taking a nylon ladder and clipping it to an anchor in the rock. They wanted to learn that skill set and learning and practicing that at Smith Rock is one of the best places to do that. Read below to learn more (or listen above) about rock climbing at Smith Rock.

What Put Smith Rock on the Map as a Rock Climbing Destination?

In the 1980s, climbers at Smith Rock realized that there were features that could be clipped onto what appeared to be a fairly smooth-faced rock. Previously climbers had just used crack systems in rocks to climb. They repelled down from the top and began putting in bolts. Nowhere else in the United States had this been done and revolutionized climbing.

What if you've never rock climbed before, can you rock climb at Smith Rock?

Smith Rock has climbs for every ability of climber, but you still need to have a solid understanding of anchoring and rope-work. How complex that understanding needs to be, depends on the type of rock climbing you want to do, in addition to the difficulty.

You need to have good body movement; know how your body works with the rock to learn how to move efficiently. Know the technical skills: how to use a harness, belay systems and how to share a climbing partnership, constructing anchors. You can learn these things outside with a guide or in a climbing gym.

Rock Climbers at Smith Rock

What Type of Gear Do You Need to Climb at Smith Rock?

* Rock climbing shoes* Harness* Helmet* Bring a stick-clip if you are leading your own climbs. (Smith Rock the first bolts are notoriously high and stick clips are pretty standard. * Ropes and Anchoring Gear*

*Make sure you have the knowledge on how to use ropes and anchoring gear correctly. This is where a rock climbing guide can come in handy.

Once you get into building anchors, you'll have an assortment of carabiners, camming devices, and nylon webbing and cord in addition to a rope that is manufactured specifically for rock climbing.  

What Should You Bring with you (other than gear)?

* A variety of layers for the day. It can be everything from cold to hot to rainy all in the same day and you'll still be completely tired long before the sun goes down. * Plenty of water and sunscreen. * Sunglasses* Food* Face Mask (during COVID times)

Rock Climber at Smith Rock State Park

Is There Adaptive Rock Climbing at Smith Rock for Those with Limited Mobility?

For those with limited mobility, there's a great organization called the Oregon Adaptive Sports. There are different ways to adaptive climb, depending on mobility.

Experiences You Should Have Podcast Show Notes

Wild Atlantic Spotted Dolphins off of Bimini

Listen to the above podcast episode on how and where to swim with wild dolphins with Allison Stillman. Allison is an author, transformational leader, coach and an acclaimed aromatic alchemist. She is also a dolphin enthusiast and has spent years with wild dolphins and even has her own special way of communicating with them.

Allison leads a swimming in love retreat, spiritual retreat, where guests swim with dolphins and are immersed in love, healing, and heart expanded bliss with days filled with yoga and dolphins. Check out the schedule on Wildquest for upcoming trips.

Allison Stillman Interviews on Experiences You Should Have Podcast

Interesting Facts About Dolphins

* Wen dolphins sleep, part of their brain stays awake, and part of it goes to sleep. The brain takes turns keeping the dolphin safe. * Some species of dolphin understand when their genetics are at risk and may start reproducing with other families of dolphins. This has been seen in Bimini as the Atlantic Spotted dolphins have started reproducing with the Bottlenose dolphins.* Dolphins are very intelligent and even give each other names as they have individual whistles and recognize their and other's names.

Why Swim with Dolphins in the Wild at Bimini

The dolphins around Bimini are a mix of Atlantic Spotted dolphins and Bottlenose dolphins. The Atlantic Spotted dolphins are known to be a friendly species of dolphin and are very social with humans and each other. The waters off of Bimini are the most amazing color of water, a perfect aqua color that will delight your eyes. In some states in the US, like Hawai'i, you can't swim within 200 feet of a dolphin (intentionally), however, Bimini does not have the same restrictions. Note, that when looking for an outfitter to take you out, you want to do it in the most conscious way possible. You want to go with a boat that doesn't crowd the dolphins and where people are very respectful of the dolphins, such as Wildquest.

If you search swim with dolphins, you may see images of people swimming with dolphins in theme parks. These dolphins don't have the necessary space and live about 12 years in captivity, whereas the average lifespan in the wild is 50 years.

Atlantic Spotted Dolphins in the Wild

Best Time to Swim with Dolphins in Bimini

In Bimini, there are two people who have licenses to swim with dolphins and whales. WildQuest is one of the tour groups to use; a normal season runs from April until October. The age limit is about 6 or 7 years old to do these dive trips with WildQuest. They have life vests, boards, noodles; you'll always be taken care of.

How Much Does it Cost to Go on a Multi-Day Trip to Swim with Wild Dolphins

The average cost of one of these trips is $2,000 per person, not including airfare. The recommended tip on this trip would be $200-$300 cash per person. Check out a video of crew that went on the Dolphin Dream to swim with wild dolphins by Bimini.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GDhR7PXYvU

Gear Needed

* Mask* Snorkel* Fins

Note that you can rent gear, but it's a safe bet to bring your own mask and snorkel that is fit to your face.

Accessibility

As the host and producer of Experiences You Should Have podcast, I love showcasing unique experiences around the world. When thinking back on my own experiences, skydiving off a hot air balloon is one that sticks out in my memory (as well as skydiving at night, but that's another episode). I went with a good friend, Denis Neal, on that early Florida morning and it was an experience I will never forget.

Denis, who filmed my first hot air balloon skydive, has made the most hot air balloon skydives out of all of my skydiving friends. He has jumped out of a hot air balloon 47 times! The shortest skydive Denis ever made was at about 1,400 feet, when the balloon pilot had a new hot air balloon that hadn't been calibrated with the correct temperature. He announced they needed to lose weight, so Denis turned his camera on and jumped out over Wallaby Ranch in Florida and he lived to see another day. Listen to the podcast episode above on Gail and Denis's adventures of skydiving off hot air balloons.

Video of Denis and Gail's Hot Air Balloon Skydive

https://youtu.be/V-uDSUw5sDg

Why Jump off a Hot Air Balloon?

Skydiving off a hot air balloon will change your life. Riding in a hot air balloon is extremely peaceful as you hear the blow of the fire and seeing the world float on by below you. But deciding to jump out of a hot air balloon is not a natural response, unless you are a skydiver and love experiencing jumping off of new things. Most skydives happen via plane that is traveling at 80 knots, so on a typical skydive you don't feel your stomach drop.

A hot air balloon is not traveling at airplane speeds. It's typically traveling 4-6 mph, so when you take that the first leap off of a hot air balloon you feel that quintessential stomach drop that you would feel on a roller coaster... except this is not an amusement park ride. With a skydiving rig on your back (containing 2 parachutes), it's now up to you to pull your parachute and find a safe place to land.

Ultimate Experience: Skydive off a Hot Air Balloon

Requirements to Skydive from Hot Air Balloon

For those of you making your first skydive, it will not be from a hot air balloon. You need to be a licensed skydiver with:

* Parachute flying proficiency skills.* Accurate skydive landing skills.* Comfortable with jumping from lower altitudes, usually around 3,000 feet (but could be lower in some emergency situations).* Have at least a skydiving C License (minimum of 200 skydives).* Access to a hot air balloon and a commercial pilot that will let you jump off of it. * At least $100 to cover the cost of the ride/jump.

Why is Canopy Flying Accuracy and Landing Important?

The beauty of a hot air balloon is that it goes with the flow, wherever the wind may take it. There's no telling where you might end up when it's time to jump out. While hot air balloon skydiving, Denis has landed in the middle of the interstate, in someone's backyard, on a golf course, and on top of a school.

Listen to the full episode above to get the full experience.

Related Episodes You Should Listen To

First Time Skydiving

Skydiving at Night

If you are looking for the ultimate experience, then skydiving at night, is an experience you should have. Listen to the episode above on Gail Menasco's (host and producer of Experiences You Should Have Podcast) experience of her first night skydive.

The First Night Skydive

Gail was 21 when she went on her first night skydive. She had about 60 skydives to her name and had just received her B Skydiving license (which is required to do go on a night skydive). She went to Skydive City also known as z-hills for her first night jump. It was a solo night skydive because she had never jumped at night before and it's best to wait on night formations with friends after you've experienced a night jump before.

The ride to altitude (13,500 feet) felt long and this particular ride was quiet. The mood and energy was different, maybe due to the stillness of the night, fear, excitement or a combination of the three.

When the twin otter reached altitude, Gail climbed out of the plane and jumped to the dark world above. In the first 10 seconds, she fell 1,000 feet then when she hit terminal velocity at 120 mph, she fell 1,000 feet every 5.5 seconds. The world was dark but lit with lights from homes and cars below. It was alive and peaceful at the same time. At around 4,000 feet, a minute into freefall, she pulled her parachute. She could see her parachute in the moonlight and saw that it had the 3 S's, square, stable and steerable, so she kept her parachute and flew it towards the ground.

Skydive Landing at Night

She knew which way to land because a car was parked in the field with the lights shining towards the direction to land (in the wind). Flaring (converting forward speed to lift) is a bit hard in the dark if you're not landing near the parked car, as it's hard to know when it's 10-15 feet above the ground. Gail's landing was a bit bumpy as she hit the ground before she could flare, but she learned for next time to land closer to the lights. She still lived to see another day and continued to do night jumps and it became a tradition to do a night jump on New Years Eve at Skydive Sebastian (another Florida dropzone).

Gail Menasco (in pink) skydiving at night with her friends on New Years Eve Photo by Chuck Bryan

How to Get a B-License in Skydiving

* You first need to learn how to skydive and get an A-license that allows you to solo skydive* For a B-License, you need at least 50 jumps* Water Training (and proof you took a water landing course)* Pass a written test* Exhibit skills and accuracy skills to obtain a B license

Once you have a B license, you can go for a night skydive.

What Constitutes as a Night Skydive

A night skydive is a skydive that happens during the time of an hour after sunset or an hour before sunrise.

Photo of Chuck Bryan

Can You Go Night Skydiving on a Tandem Skydive?

Absolutely not. Skydiving at night is an additional risk and one that is not allowed for tandem skydivers.

Related Episode: First Time Skydiving

Experience the World of Ice Fishing

I had the pleasure of interviewing Kevin Uncapher for Experiences You Should Have Podcast. He hails from Burrell, PA but now lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. He's an avid outdoorsman and loves finding obsessions to immerse himself in. He climbs, hunts, is a tri-athlete, loves whitewater, and he loves ice fishing. Sit back and listen to the podcast episode above on Ice Fishing or read through so you can start planning your own ice fishing trip.

Where to Go Ice Fishing?

If you are looking to go on an epic ice fishing trip, you need to find a place that's good for ice fishing. Anywhere with lakes, reservoirs and ponds that freeze over. In Utah, there are many different reservoirs that are great for ice fishing including:

* East Canyon* Echo* Prineview* Scofield* Utah Lake* Strawberry Reservoir* Flaming Gorge

When is the Best Time of Year to Go Ice Fishing?

The best time of year is ideally when the reservoir has at least 4 inches of clear black ice (is what they recommend). Individual anglers do go out on early season ice which could be 2-3 inches (though not recommended). If you are knowledgeable and have proper safety equipment, falling through the ice really could be quite a normal thing for early ice hard water anglers.

It all will just depend on how cold it gets where you live. Broadly speaking, late December to early March are great times to go ice fishing. The best time to go ice fishing is targeted around the pre and post-spawn, which can also be a great time to plan your ice fishing trip.

Best Time of Day to Go Ice Fishing

The early morning before the sun comes up is the best time to go ice fishing right up until 10-11am. Sunset is also a great time for ice fishing. It may be wise to check the barometric pressure as a high barometric pressure tends to slow the bite down. You could probably still catch a fish, but the fish are less active on high pressure days.

What Do You Need to Go Ice Fishing?

* Waterproof and Windproof warm clothes* Thermals and Layers* Fishing Permit for the state you are fishing in* Ice Fishing Rods with a clear or braided line (depending on what fish you're going after)* Bait* 5 Gallon Bucket* Axe* Auger (drill bit or hand crank)* Ice Fishing Shelter

How Can You Stay Warm Ice Fishing?

If you get an ice shelter it helps keep your feet warm and insulated. If you really want to keep the heat in, Kevin recommends getting foam puzzle piece gym mats on the ice. Also, a heater for the inside of the tent is nice to have.

Eskimo ice fishing tent

Accessible Ice Fishing

If you are looking for accessible ice fishing, scout out lakes with a boat ramp that you can drive right up to. There's a great wheelchair accessible ice fishing house in Wisconsin that is worth checking out.

Tip for Catching Fish

If you fish all year round, you can use a fish finder to track hot spots of fish to use in the winter. Utilize Google Maps on your phone  to help you find a spot to fish as well.

Related Episode: Crabbing in the Chesapeake Bay

Galapagos Scuba Diving Liveaboard Trip - The Ultimate Adventure

Diving the Galapagos is a bucket list experience for many divers. In one dive trip you can dive with schooling hammerheads, whale sharks, dolphins, silky sharks, mola molas, penguins, marine iguanas, sea lions and more. This is the ultimate diving experience and one that needed to be included on Experiences You Should Have Podcast.

Schooling Hammerheads while Diving Darwin in the Galapagos

Interview with Galapagos Dive Instructor, Natalia Cifuentes

Listen to the podcast episode above on the Diving the Galapagos with Natalia Cifuentes from Galapagos Master Liveaboards. Natalia is also known as Naty is an underwater guide at the Galapagos National Park and she has been guiding for Master Liveaboards for the past 4 years. She is a PADI IDC Staff Instructor and she is obsessed with marine life. She has an adventurous personality and she tells all on diving the Galapagos with the host Gail Menasco.

Natalia "Naty" Cifuentes

Why This Episode of Diving the Galapagos is So Special

The host of Experiences You Should Have Podcast, Gail Menasco, came up with the idea for the podcast back in 2017. Conveniently, she was about to live her dream of diving with schooling hammerheads in the Galapagos. She knew that the people on that boat were her type of people... people who value experiences.

Gail bought microphones, created a logo, and headed to San Cristobal Island with the intention of interviewing guests on the boat about unique experiences you should have (that can be replicated). The podcast was then born while on a bucket list diving trip. Watch a summary of her trip below on the Galapagos Master Liveaboard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34HKp87hou0

COVID-19 Restrictions for Diving the Galapagos

Bear in mind you need to check up on Galapagos and Ecuador's COVID-19 guidelines for going on this trip. Currently as of early 2021, you need to show a negative PCR COVID test taken within 3 days of travel before entering Ecuador.

Galapagos Scuba Diving Itinerary

For the full itinerary for a Scuba Diving liveaboard trip to the Galapagos, check out Master Liveaboard's site. Here is a breakdown of the dive sites and islands you'll be visiting when you dive the Galapagos.

Starts in San Cristobal Island

The Galapagos is part of Ecudor and lies 600 miles west of mainland Ecuador. To get to San Cristobal Island, you must take a flight from Quito or Guayaquil. The guides will meet you at the airport on San Cristobal and will take you to get on a dingy to the amazing Galapagos Master V, where you will do a checkout dive to prepare your weights and get acclimated. Plan on seeing some fun and playful sea lions right off the island while doing your checkout dive in the chilly water.

Sea Lion at San Cristobal Island Photo by Gail Menasco

Journey to North Seymour & Baltra

While this is a dive trip, you do get to mini-land tour of North Seymour where your eyes can gaze upon sea birds, sea lions, and land iguanas. This is where you can see the infamous Blue Footed Booby. After a little time on land, it will be time to get wet and dive North Seymour so you have a chance to test your eq...

Post Pandemic

As I write this, it's January of 2021 and the last 10 months have been very strange, to say the least. The last time I was on a plane was in February of 2020 when I got to meet Peter Greenberg at the Travel Expo in LA. We've been staying home, making Italian pizza, cross country skiing locally, and creating a hygge atmosphere. That said, with the upcoming vaccine rollout, I am hopeful to make future travel plans. Now is the time to be thinking about those bucket list experiences and saving for that big trip. Here's my list of the top bucket list trips to take after the pandemic.

Ready to Add Adventures to Your Bucketlist? Look No Further than Experiences You Should Have Podcast

It's no secret that I love water, adventure, and diving. If the open ocean or land adventures is enticing to you, then check out this amazing list of bucket list adventures you should start saving for.

Dive with Tiger Sharks Without a Cage at Tiger Beach

I went to Tiger Beach in the Bahamas about a decade ago, and it was by far the best trip I've gone on ever. I spent a week at sea with no sight of land and spent every morning, afternoon, and evening diving Tiger Beach and it was jaw-droppingly amazing. I went on that trip without knowing a soul on the boat, but I quickly made friends. In 2020, I interviewed Tom Poff on his Experience of diving at Tiger Beach to give you a more relevant insight into this experience.

Photo by Tom Poff

Listen to Tiger Beach Episode

Multi-Day Hiking Trip to Havasupai Falls

This is on my list to do and I had the pleasure of interviewing Rizzo on hiking to Havasupai Falls (also known as Havasu Falls). While this destination has been closed during the pandemic, it's still a good idea to try to get a permit for the future. You must reserve camping reservations on February 1st (and create an account online before then) on Havasupaireservations.com.

@miss_rizzo at Havasupai Falls

Learn About Hiking to Havasupai Falls

Go Black Water Diving in Kona

If you love the idea of going diving at night and dangling from a tether in the middle of the ocean to witness the diurnal vertical migration, the largest migration of biomass in the world, then this is the experience for you. I interviewed world renowned Black Water Dive Instructor and Author, Jeff Milisen on this incredible experience. Jeff also came out with a Black Water photo book that is now my favorite book in the house.

Buy Jeff's Book on Black Water Diving on Amazon

Experiences You Should Have Podcast Show Notes

Listen to the above episode on Cross Country Skiing Virginia Meissner in Bend, Oregon

Interview with Alyce Pearce on Cross Country Skiing

Alyce Pearce lives in Bend, Oregon and she is a cross country skiing enthusiast. Her passion for skiing was borne from the gnarled foothills of the Adirondacks in the early 1970s, and continues today. From her start just down the road at her one-rope-tow community area, Indian Hill, to mom-and-pop ski areas all the way to the Rockies, nordic, alpine and telemark skiing have been the thread that tied her life experiences together. A writer, teacher and entrepreneur, she now revels in the sweet reward of getting to chase her own two teen boys on the trails. Alyce joined the podcast to tell all on cross country skiing in Bend, Oregon at Virginia Meissner Sno-park.

Alyce Pearce and her boys in front of the Meissner Lodge

Where is Meissner Sno Park?

Virginia Meissner Sno Park is 13 miles SW of Bend on the right side of Century Drive. If you are headed to Mt. Bachelor from Bend, it's on your right before you get to Bachelor. You need a sno-park pass to park there which is available through the Oregon DMV and various outdoor stores around Bend. Virginia Meissner sno park is one of the best places to go cross country skiing in Central Oregon because of its vastness of groomed trails and you don't need an expensive ski resort pass to go there. That said, it's recommended to donate to the sno park as they depend on donations for grooming.

If the parking is full at Virginia Meissner, you can also access Meissner cross country trails at Swampy Lakes Sno Park. They are encouraging people to park responsibly and to use both parking areas.

Map of Virginia Meissner Cross Country Ski Trails (Near Bend)

There are some really wonderful loops you can tie together from the Meissner Shelter that don’t require too much commitment if you’re a newer skier, and offer some tranquil, gentle skiing...Mushroom Trails and Mistletoe for beginners.

If you're an expert skier, head out to the Shooting Star shelter. It's not for the faint of heart as there is a significant climb and descent.

A Favorite Memory of Alyce Pearce Cross Country Skiing at Meissner

It’s another brisk morning Alyce managed to get out nordic skiing alone. Rhythms of her breath meeting the cadence of her strides as she glided over soft, silky smooth snow. She always made sure to look around in these moments of snowy solitude. The ponderosa limbs and needles sagging under the weight of new snow. Glints of sunlight as it refracts through the branches. Alyce turned off onto her favorite outer loop, savoring the gentle descent that comes before the long hill climb that she loves to hate.

When she came around a curve, Alyce caught a glimpse of a petite fox whose fur radiated with shades of amber. The fox glanced back at her as he rounded the corner further ahead. Alyce considered herself lucky, then she rounded the next curve, and there he was trotting along the trail, still glancing back, seemingly not concerned, nor disappearing as she expected. For the next half mile, they silently shared the forest and solitude. It became a game. Will he be around the next corner, she wondered? Finally, at the bottom of the hill, he cast one last look her way before weightlessly drifting over the snowbank and out of sight.

Experiences You Should Have Podcast Show Notes

Interview with Fabio Errante, Italian Pizza Chef

I had the esteemed pleasure of interviewing Fabio Errante an Italian pizza chef (now living in London), from Fabioulous Pizza. A decade ago, he left the corporate world to follow his passion and enter the pizzeria. Fabio grew up making pizza at home with his family on Saturday nights, but something clicked when he learned from Chef Mario while living in Bologna, and the rest is history.

Fabio Errante of Fabioulous Pizza

He founded Fabioulous Pizza and started teaching people how to bake their own happiness. He created pizza experiences, bringing people together for parties, corporate events to help people connect with one another and share happiness through pizza. When Covid-19 hit, his in-person pizza experiences went by the wayside, and he started to help people make Italian pizza at home by helping them virtually. He's written a book, has an incredible YouTube channel showing How-Tos for making Italian pizza crust, how to spread the dough, toppings, and more. Definitely follow Fabio on Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube as his infectious energy will give you a lift and a dose of happiness, plus his how-to pizza tips are invaluable. Also, check out his book on Amazon.

Buy it on Amazon

What Do You Need to Make Italian Pizza at Home?

It is easy to make pizza at home. There is a high chance you have everything in your pantry right now. You'll need the following:

* Flour (higher the protein the better)* Yeast* Salt* Water* Can of Tomatoes* Preferred Toppings

In order for flour to be good for pizza making, the protein content is what will make it good. Next time you're in the grocery store, compare flour brands and look for a brand with higher protein content on the nutrition label. Fabio recommends finding a bread flour, as it usually has higher protein content.

You don't need professional products or equipment. Use your hands or use your spoon! Anybody can do it at home.

How to Make Italian Pizza Dough

Use Fabio's dough calculator to figure out how much of each ingredient you need. If making one pizza, you will need:

* 100g water* 160g flour* 1 t salt* 1/2 t yeast

The yeast noted above is much less than most pizza dough recipes. The less yeast you use, the longer the rise should be. The longer you let the dough rise, the more it will ferment and the acid will provide a more complex taste. Ideally your rise time would be 24 hours.

* Pour the water into a bowl and dissolve the yeast. * Add half of the flour and mix well using a fork or spoon until it's smooth. * Now add the salt and keep on mixing.* Add the rest of the flour in 2-3 pours and mix, using your momentum to continue mixing* Use your hand to start kneading the dough and resist the temptation to add more flour. The dough ball will be ready when you can push gently your fingertip in it,

In a time where we are spending more time at home, hygge has been on my mind. Listen to the podcast episode above on hygge at home or read on in the show notes to learn the meaning of hygge. Find out how to bring hygge elements into your home and how to lead a cozy life.

I interviewed Pia Edberg, Author of The Cozy Life: Rediscover the Joy of the Simple Things Through the Danish Concept of Hygge, for the podcast. Listen or read on.

What is Hygge and How Do You Prounounce It

Hygge is pronounced as hoo-ga. It's a Danish word that doesn't have an equivalent word in English. Meik Wiking explained Hygge has a rustic coziness, but it's more than that. It's feeling physically and emotionally safe, all about the art of creating warmth, comfort, and wellbeing through connection, treasuring the moment and surrounding yourself with things you love. What may be hygge for one person may be completely different for another.

hygge and cozy home concept - book, cup of coffee or hot cchocolate and candles with garland on window sill

Pia Edberg's Experience of Hygge

Pia Edberg joined as a guest for Experiences You Should Have Podcast. She was born in Denmark (the happiest country in the world) and grew up with the concept of Hygge. Every time fall and winter came around, her family would make sure to have wood burning in the fireplace. They cooked traditional Danish comfort foods like Aebleskiver and Danish Pancakes. Candles would be lit, they would sing around the Christmas tree and people would show up for tea and cookies. Dressing warm and cozy and spending time in nature was a natural part of her day.

Aebleskiver (Danish Pancake) Recipe

Ebleskiver (Æbleskiver)

This is one of Pia's favorite treats. Ebleskiver are similar to donut holes made out of delicious, fluffy pancake batter with a lemony, spicy twist. You can eat them for breakfast or for a snack.

* 3.5 c. flour* 2 T baking powder* 2 c. milk* 2 c. buttermilk* 4 eggs (separated)* 1.4 t. cardamom* 1 lemon (grated, zest)* 2 T sugar* 1 t. salt* 1/2 c. butter (melted)* Few T powdered sugar (for dusting)

* Mix Flour and baking powder. Gradually add milk and buttermilk, beating constantly. Add egg yolks while beating. * Add caramom, grated lmeon zest, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites until stiff peaks form, then fold into the batter.* Brush ebleskiver pan with a little butter (or oil) and heat pan on the stove. Add about 2 T of batter to each cup (until almost full). * When the aebleskivers begin to bubble around the edges, use a skewer or chopstick to flipit. * When golden brown, transfer to a serving plate and dust with powdered sugar.

Tips for Bringing Hygge Into Your Life and Home

There are a few things that make a home more cozy aesthetically, but ultimately it's about creating a feeling of comfort, safety, warmth and connection. You can think about:

* Textures - you want blankets/chairs/pillows to feel soft against your skin, choose textiles that make you want to curl up in them. * Lighting - low/dim lighting that is warm/yellow is cozy. Light some candles or hang fairy lights. Check out these organic wooden wick candles on Etsy. * Bringing the outdoors in - We naturally feel calm when we are surrounded by nature, so bring in lots of plants to help you relax, and some crystals, wood, or stone elements.* Expressing yourself - you want your space to feel like you.