The Red Educational Shoe Award

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It was such a treat to wake up the other morning and log-on to my computer and find I have been recognised by a blogger I greatly admire.  I discovered Cecilia from The Kitchen’s Garden had been awarded a Red Shoe and had passed the award on to me!

Cecilia started her blog on the 4th of July last year.  In that time she has become very successful and extremely committed, blogging almost daily and keeping us up to date with all she is doing and all that is happening on her sustainable farm in the mid-west of the USA.


Cecilia hasn’t always lived in the United States.  She grew up on a beach in New Zealand so her blog also has stories from her childhood in the ‘Land of the Long White Cloud’.  She then moved to London where she worked in the film industry and somehow met and married an American and that is how she came to live on the prairies.

Cecilia believes in living a self-sustainable lifestyle.  They grow their own food and meat, use solar power, practise organic farming methods and despite the fluctuations in temperature, they don’t indulge in air-conditioning or central heating.

The Kitchen’s Garden is a delightful and fascinating blog that gives you a glimpse into an enviable lifestyle.  Cecilia’s blog posts are intriguing and told with good humour.  It’s always a delight to read a new post from The Kitchen’s Garden and if you haven’t visited before, you really should.

From one Kiwi to another, thank you Cecilia for the award and your kind words – they mean a lot to me.   And it’s wonderful getting to know you through this virtual medium!

And now it is my duty to pass on the award to five more bloggers.  But to all the Bloke-Bloggers, I’m sorry but I’ve disqualified you because I didn’t think you would know what to do with a red shoe and if you get back to me telling me that you do, I won’t be relieved, I’ll be suspicious!

  1. The Intolerant Chef because she is such a great cook, shares interesting and varied recipes, and has a great sense of humour – her comments on my blog have me in stitches.
  2. Cindy-Ann from The Only Cin because she writes beautifully, blogs about all kinds of things,  and says most of her shoes are red.
  3. Eva at Kitchen Inspirations  because her blog is so interesting and full of great stories about her life and her cooking and her travels.
  4. Lorraine from Not Quite Nigella because she is very witty, is a great writer, has an amazing blog and I think she would suit red shoes.
  5. Celia from Fig Jam and Lime Cordial because I just love the name of the blog and Celia cooks wonderful, inspiring recipes that she styles brilliantly.  She tries to live a sustainable lifestyle in urban Australia and her recipes reflect this challenge.

To all my recipients, please enjoy your red shoe!

And I’m not sharing a recipe today so instead I’ll share a photo of me taken in Tahiti while on my second honeymoon with my first husband.  Tahiti is definitely one of those ‘must-see’ places except for the prices.  A glass of wine cost $25.00 so we had quite a sobering time.  However, if you preferred a G&T, that was only $15.00.  Tahiti has the best climate.  So lovely and hot all the time.  This photo was taken at about 8pm just after the sun had set.  It was so balmy just lying around the pool I could barely be bothered to head back to my room to dress for dinner.  A rather perfect few days.  I’d go back in a flash – as long as I could BYO!

'Tahiti Looks Nice'

I guess that ‘Tahiti Looks Nice’ comment will only make sense if you grew up with the Cusson’s Imperial Leather TV commercial.  I certainly did and it is ingrained in my memory.

Is going to Tahiti on your list of ‘must see’ places?

And I’d love to know you better so please join me on facebook.

Comments

  1. Thank you, Charlie darling. When I saw this post come up on my email reader, my first thought was, “Oooh, Charlie Louie deserves this one, because I always come away from reading her blog a little enlightened..”. Congratulations! 🙂

  2. There you are darllng, and as sexy as i had expected.. What a tremendous photo. A treat. Thank you so much for the kind words. Only one correction, though I use solar power to dry my washing that is hung on the line,(laughter) I am still in the planning stages of an outdoor solar powered bathroom( as in a room with a BATH and shower. ).. which is an exciting project because I am dying to bathe in hot water under the stars!! Oh the luxury of it!! Thank you for all your kind words. Ka kite! c

    • hotlyspiced says:

      Thanks so much Cecilia. Yes, I’m very sexy from a distance! I love the sound of the outdoor bathroom. That would be magic during your summer months. xx

  3. Congrats on the award!

  4. Congrats to you – well deserved!! What a view and what a nice honeymoon that must have been! I’d put that on my list of places to visit for sure!!

  5. Congrats on the award!

  6. How nice to get introduced to some new blogs–I have long been a huge fan of NQN though. Congrats on the Red Shoe Award. Very cool.

  7. What a fabulous picture! Congratulations on the award.

  8. Congrats and thanks for sharing some great blogs to your readers and honoring them!

  9. Why thankyou kindly Charlie Louie! What a lovely thought! Although I have long admired the red heels worn in Chocolat, I only have a pair of flat MaryJanes myself…. Maybe its time to glam up a bit now I have a reputation to uphold 🙂
    While I graciously accept my award however, I do not accept the challenge of posting a photo of myself in a swimming costume- after all, a girl has to keep some mystery alive!

    • hotlyspiced says:

      You are very welcome. Well yes, the photo of me in a swimsuit is taken from a distance – so much more flattering than a close-up!

  10. Congratulations on your award Charlie Louie! I’m looking forward to checking out some of your nominees that I’m not familiar with.

  11. Oh, damn – Cusson’s Imperial Leather – do they still sell that stuff? It was the “soap of choice” for my mother when I was growing up. Personally I much preferred Wright’s Coal Tar 🙂

    Can’t say I’d know what to do with a red shoe myself… Fill it with suet and nuts and hang it off the balcony as a bird feeder? 😀

  12. Well done on the award!!! Every girl should own a pair of red shoes once…or just many many shoes.

  13. Congrats on this latest, and so well-deserved, award! I can’t wait to see the rest of the outfit you’ve chosen to go with these shoes!

    • hotlyspiced says:

      I wish it came with an outfit. Unfortunately I’m going to have to go on-line and find an appropriate outfit. Maybe there’s something suitable on pinterest!

  14. Congrats on your red shoe award Charlie. And nice to discover somenew blogs. I have been to Tahiti for a brief visit. I would go back just for the smell – a mix of coffee, vanilla and frangipanie.

    I have a pair of flat red ballet style shoes and have a shoe photo taken withJules from Stonesoup wearing her killer red heels.

  15. Congratulations on your award Charlie and thank you darlin! I’m so flattered and honoured! And indeed I LOVE red shoes (and dresses etc).

  16. Congrats on receiving this amazing award. I love visiting this blog, just I love visiting Ms Cecilia’s blog as well :). You definitely deserve this award :). Also Congrats to all the recipients of this award as well.

  17. Congratulations on receiving such a cool award. I’ve been perusing your site and have now put it on my favourite blogs list =)

  18. What a lovely surprise for you. I must say I do enjoy your blog and Lorraines blog very much. It is lovely to have a laugh in the morning when you turn on the computer. Always great to have a shortcut to other interesting blogs to read as well, thanks. I have never been to Tahiti, but if I had, distance or no, I would n’t look that good in a photo

    • hotlyspiced says:

      Thanks Tania. I love your blog too. I’m sure when you find yourself in Tahiti, you’ll look just as good poolside – the key is to have the photographer stand at a distance!

  19. Congratulations, Charlie! I am dreaming of a trip to Japan and until I do it, I never even think about other distant countries.

  20. Fabulous! The award, your blog, and the photos!

  21. I am so flattered that you bestowed The Red Educational Shoe Award to me, Charlie, what wonderful company to be in, thank you kindly. I adore shoes, so this award is particularly special to me (I actually have 4 pairs of red shoes, and two pairs of red boots!). I shall enjoy handing the award to 5 others.
    That photo of you in Tahiti is absolutely amazing.

  22. Congratulations! I see you as a red shoe person too. First colour that comes to mind with hotly spiced!

  23. Well done!

    And I have a pair of red shoes. Well boots. Well Doc Martens. And they’re more a mottled maroon than red.

    Oh! Oh wait! i have some red Converse sneakers. That’ll do.

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