​Does the above picture evoke any type of emotion in you? Maybe you find yourself suddenly thinking about a comforting, gooey, and sugary baked pastry that is as fluffy as your happiness. Or maybe it reminds you of a spicy and savory dish that has subtle notes of warmth. Both of these imaginary dishes can be traced back to the versatile spice of cinnamon, which is known pretty much all around the world.  

While it may be well-known all around the world, cinnamon takes different forms depending on where you're from. For people in the Western side of the world, you may know the spice as a holiday necessity and see it utilized as an ingredient meant to sweeten your palate. Typical examples would be the previously mentioned cinnamon rolls, but also less obvious dishes such as apple pie or raisin bread (pictured above to the right). These western cinnamon foods take advantage of the warmth of cinnamon. The spice is actually created from the bark of 20-60 foot tall cinnamon trees; peeled pieces of the tree bark dry and shrivel up, resulting in  a curled "quill" as it is formally known. Western folks find that the warmth of the spice is cozy, and compliments sweet dishes well. The warmth and earthiness of the spice eventually evolved into a home-y ingredient that reminds Westerners of being cuddled up near a fire during the cold wintertime. 

It is impossible to resist a sunny and crisp autumn day, when you feel the cool winds on your shoulder but are warmed by the soft touch of the sun. Standing outside today, I saw beautiful yellow leaves descending wistfully towards the ground after being shaken by the harsh blowing winds of fall. They held on for dear life, but were eventually forced to let go of their guardian branches.

The science behind falling leaves is that the fluids that flow through leaves are thin and can easily become frozen. The leaves are therefore doomed by the cold temperatures of Winter, and trees would be better off saving energy by getting rid of them. The leaves lose their green color because the chlorophyll breaks down, and they are then shed by the tree. 

Something very poetic struck me about this. Some kind of elegance and art in the natural beauty of the world and our seasons. Here, I hope to convey that artistic wonder in the form of a poem.

Dirty Dancing is an all around great movie. It's one of my favorites, and it has earned a spot in my heart. Here are four reasons why I love Dirty Dancing. If you haven't watched it yet, stop and do that right this second!

THE MUSIC: They have a plethora of amazing sixties tunes to fill the summer days at Kellerman's, but the melodies that outshine the others are "I've Had the Time of my Life" and to me, "She's like the Wind." The former one provides a happy, finale song that simultaneously wraps up Johnny and Baby's story and also springs into the happy beginning of their relationship. The finality of the song works well as the background music when they spotlight Johnny and Baby's infamous "The Lift" move. ​

First of all, Happy Halloween! Doesn't it feel like the holiday season has officially started? We've got Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years' just ahead of us. Get excited!

​Okay, now that that's out of the way, welcome to this week's post! I thought I'd talk about something that I have some mild expertise in, only because I love it so much. This is, obviously, ice cream! Yes, that comforting, sweet, bitter, smooth, cool, creamy dessert with sprinkles of little toppings here and there- that is the subject of today's post. Personally, my favorite ice cream shop/brand is definitely Cold Stone Creamery. Specifically, a flavor called "Founder's Favorite" appeals to my tongue in a way that no other ice cream can rival. Apparently, I am not the only one. Judging by it's name, even the founders of this beloved company were keen on the flavor. Here is a picture of the beauty: