You, travel, and your furry friend

Many modern women (and men) spend time traveling. It's a fact that our generation is more global than any other generation before us, and our jobs require us to to travel from time to time and our friends span the globe. So when travel calls or its time for a reunion with some college friends, finding a kennel for your furry friend, whether a dog or cat, can be a process.

Over the years, the trend in pet care has been not a kennel concept, but a "pet resort." More and more kennels are offering detailed "menus" of options for your pet's activities while in the kennel's care. These can include supervised play-time for your pet, long walks, specific treats at bed time, or even (and this may be extreme for some pet owners) a bed-time story and a tuck-in every night. So how do you decide where to go?

You must first start with a thororugh knowledge of your pet. Does your pet play well with others? If so, then maybe a kennel that offers supervised play groups is the one for you. If not, then you may want to look at a kennel that offers individual care without interaction with other animals. Does your pet need plenty of excercise? If you answered yes, then you will need to ensure that your dog is signed up for some long walks and some playtime.

The most important point here is to ask the right questions and actually VISIT the kennel before you drop off your pet. Perhaps, even show up unannounced. That way you get a chance to check out the kennel in its "natural habitat." Ask these questions: "How often will my pet get exercise? What exercise options are available? Will it cost extra? Do I need to bring my pet's food? (If they offer food - make sure that your pet doesn't have a sensitive stomach - if you don't know this answer - bring your pet's food!) Do I need to outline my pet's feeding schedule and rations? Do I need to bring bedding for my pet? Where will my pet sleep? (Ask if you can see the place where your pet will stay,  If you can't - then I would not be as keen to stay at that kennel - any good kennel will give you a tour).

These are just some of the basic questions, but any good kennel will walk you through the steps if it's your first time. Regardless, there are many options in most areas, so take the time to check them all out. For me, when my puppy needed to stay in a kennel for the first time (in her four years of life), I called three different kennels in the area and canceled on a few places until I found the place I liked the best. Now she can't wait to hop out the car when she gets there. I drive 25 minutes, granted, to get there. But it's all worth it to go to a place where I know my pet will be well taken care of and that gives me the piece of mind when I'm away.

Simply Cooking with Wine

Red and White. Sometimes that is as deep as some people go into deciphering the difference between wines. Some might even throw in what some call a rose' (the pink wine people).

For me wine is much more complex. In fact, wine is an art. The complex flavors and smells are tantalizing. I love the smell of oak barrels and I dream of living on a winery. Those who know me, know this, and for that reason one of my Christmas gifts this year was a wine package (decanter, wine stoppers, and a "Wine Lover" glass) - catchy idea for those who have a hard time deciding on gifts.

However, as we know, here on MMW - we like to keep it simple. So we'll delve into the basic reasons why you would choose between red or white for cooking, as I most recently discovered by trial and error. Many recipes call for wine in their ingredients, but many may not realize why one recipe may call for white and some red. Some of you may, admittedly, not be very familiar with wine but it's a MUST to have in your kitchen. It adds some complex flavors that you will be sure to enjoy (and if you are anti-alcohol, don't worry it burns off in the cooking process).

In choosing meats (no fish today), you have the white meats and the red meats. Pork, chicken and turkey (not the dark meat) fall into your white meats. Steak (any cut), lamb and duck fall into your dark/red meats. Fun side note: Any poultry that sticks to the ground and doesn't fly will have white meat except in the legs. Poultry that flies (geese and ducks) are dark throughout.

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I don't hate you Martha...

Morning is always the best time for me to get things done. I wake up and clean the house, get some personal work done on my computer before heading to work, and I usually try to watch a few minutes of the Today show. Who doesn't need their fix of Matt Lauer in the morning?

This morning there was a New Year's theme, which usually includes some food. There she was. Martha. Cooking up four minute meals with some decently priced items. I had to like her for that moment. She was efficient, quick, and she can cook good food. What could Matt, Meredith, Ann and Al do but eat it and say how good it was? They were sitting ducks. I think Martha even picked out foods that she knew they would like (Al got a steak meal).

Now you may be staying, "Miss Millennial Modern Woman, you profess to be a "non-Martha Stewart blog." And there I must agree with you. I'm not. I don't have time for the pretty frills (all the time) or the money to pay for some super fantastic food items. BUT Martha has some good tips every now and then, which includes these recipes she had on national tv, and for that I have to say, "I don't hate you Martha." I just know that some things need to be simplified for the day to day - and that's what the Millennial Modern Woman is all about.