Have you ever had an Orange Julius? I seem to recall it being pretty popular in the 70's. Founded in Los Angeles, the juice bar chain (now part of Dairy Queen) makes a frothy kind of orange blender drink that is very refreshing, especially if you are running around town.
The first Orange Julius opened over 80 years ago and it was the official drink of the 1964 World's Fair in New York. The name comes from how people ordered the drink from the owner, Julius. "Gimme an orange, Julius!" The recipe was and still is secret but there are plenty of copycat recipes online. Some use milk, others include egg white. All of them generally have some combination of orange juice, ice and sugar.
Orange Julius makes a "Mango Julius" and while I've never tried it, I did come up with my own version. Mangoes have vitamin A, B and C and are an amazing feel-good fruit. Is it the color? The flavor? The nutritional benefits? I don't know. But I can't get enough of them! If you like orange juice first thing in the morning, try a mango orange smoothie it's delicious and invigorating. Personally I like a smoothie in the afternoon when I start slowing down a bit.
Comfort food – the words alone bring comfort. It may be macaroni and cheese, chicken and dumplings, meat and three or simply lovin’ from the oven. Whatever your comfort food is, there is something about the wintertime that makes us long for, yearn for and crave it! Maybe we’re inside too much away from the sun’s warmth or need to sooth winter blues or even just feel like nesting in our own abodes that make this time of year the time for comfort food. These foods feed our souls as well as bellies and help us make it through another long winter.
I always take inspiration from the restaurants where I dine. It's
fascinating to see what chefs create especially when it comes to
dessert. Last summer I had the opportunity of visiting a number of D.C.
Restaurants thanks to 
Despite the fact that it has been been between 80 to 100+ degrees
every day for the past few weeks, I have been craving risotto like a mad
woman. Nevermind the fact that it requires about an hour (maybe a
little less) over a hot stove in a house that doesn’t have central air
conditioning. I know it’s not just for the excuse to open a bottle of
wine (or beer, in this case), and I certainly don’t enjoy sweating any
more than necessary. Risotto is fun to experiment with; it’s an
enjoyable way to pass the time and end up with a dish that feels like I
put a little work into it, even though all it really requires is
stirring and sipping a cool beverage. 