Simone Jonker

Ma po tofu is a classic Chinese dish of Sichuan cuisine that has grown in popularity and seems to be leaving a flaming path in all Cantonese and Hong Kong restaurants, as well as those...

Intense blue has always been an important color in traditional artwork as a means of symbolizing heavenly beauty, majesty, and perfection. One blue pigment is often considered to be the most expensive ever created, costing...

Solé (pronounced so-lay) is a traditional health drink dating back to Roman times. Legend has it that this drink was named after the sun when the Roman sun goddess blessed the source of this nourishing...

The world of gemstones is vibrant and dynamic, with precious stones have long having been considered to have great aesthetic, spiritual, and practical significance. Topaz, in its dazzling variety of colors, is one of the...

The  American journalist Alexander Chase once said, "memory is the thing we forget with," and yet memories may also be interwoven with the processes of recalling, reminiscing, reflecting, and memorializing. Most people would agree that...

Have you ever gone on a holiday at the seaside and found that your skin felt fresh and healthy without a lot of washing? As a society, we value cleanliness beyond everything else. While soap...

Will Rogers was one of the most well-known and highest-paid Hollywood actors of his time, but he was much more than a movie star; he was a folk hero, a philosopher, a humorist, a cultural...

Do you wake up some mornings and your head feels like cobwebs, “foggy,“ or  “cloudy?"  You may be suffering from "brain fog," which causes one to feel tired, distracted, moody, and just generally "off." The...

Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) is a bulbous perennial plant that belongs to the Liliaceae (Lily) family. Commonly called Fairy flowers, English Bluebells, Wood bells, and Wild hyacinth, bluebells are one of the most easy-to-recognize protected woodland...

Azurite (Lapis Linguis) is an ancient stone with a rich history. It is a rare mineral that is characterized by its stunning twilight blue hue.  Azurite typically occurs as tiny prismatic, tabular, or equidimensional crystals...

Insects are the world's largest animal group. It is believed that there are 10 quintillion of them on Earth. Scientists have revealed startling evidence over recent years that the number of insects is declining. Many...

Children react to stress in different ways according to their age, their individual character and their coping abilities. A small child may not be able to fully articulate his or her concerns, while older children...