This 'n That Thursdays: Picks of the Year 2016 (Part 1)

From Love This Pic

I am always fascinated by the annual selections of various favorites, from colors to garden plants and beyond.  This week I thought I would list some non-plant picks for 2016.  Next week I will feature only the plants, as they are numerous.

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From Fashion Trendsetter

Starting off the list is Pantone's Color of the Year, which is actually two colors for 2016 (I think this is the first time more than one color has been chosen).  The colors are called Rose Quartz, a pastel pink, and Serenity, a pastel blue.  Both colors seem to have a touch of grey to keep them from looking too babyish.  I am not fond of pastels, and I find grey to be a depressing hue, so I don't think I will be rushing out to look for items in either of these colors right away, but I do think a lot of people will prefer these selections to the liver-colored Marsala of 2015!  Below is Pantone's rather odd but artistic video depicting their 2016 color choices:

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From Firmenich

Next up is an annual selection that is new to me, and that is the Flavor of the Year from Firmenich, a Swiss company which produces fragrances and flavorings.  Their flavor selections, which began for the year 2013, have been lime (2013), blackberry (2014) and honey (2015).  The choice for 2016 is coconut, obviously a very popular food trend right now and one which even I can appreciate.  In fact, I would happily raise a glass (or even a coconut shell) full of coco loco to salute their choice right now!

From Punta Cana Adventure!

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From Front Door Freak

The Chinese Lunar New Year begins on February 8th this year, and according to one site, the 2016 feng shui lucky color of the year is blue.  Since Pantone and feng shui experts are advocating shades of blue for 2016, it might not be a bad idea to add a little more of that color to your life this year!

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From Red Knot Exports

Last but not least, the United Nations has declared 2016 to be the International Year of Pulses (for those who don't know, pulses are all of the dried legumes, such as peas, beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc.). Everyone is encouraged to include more of these protein-rich seeds in their diet, for both nutritional and environmental benefits.  I think this is a great idea, and there are a lot of legume recipes on the internet to try.  How about one for Chickpea and Lentil Coconut Curry, which has the added bonus of coconut, the flavor of the year?

Yum!

So are you ready to add more blue, pink, coconut, and legumes to your life?  I say let's give it a try -- it can't hurt, and it just may make life in the year 2016 a bit more fun!