February 9, 2010 · 1 Comment
I feel like I'm living an episode of Life After People!
This Haikuesday was done completely from my BlackBerry, macaroons. I am buried under 3 feet of snow without electricity, heat or hot water. All our perishable foods are outside buried in snow for refrigeration. Thankfully my apartment is equipped with a gas fireplace & gas ranges so warmth & food are available. We might have power back by Thursday, I hope.
All night long power
lines fall under ice clinging
against howling wind.
Muldoon on a walk
disappears in 3 foot drifts:
snowdog submarine.
Milk & meats packed in
ice survive. Ironically,
ice cream melts in snow.
Yup. That's my breakfast. In the snow.
Like animals, we
dig steaks out of the snow.
Thank God for gas stoves.
There are only so
many games of Scrabble I
can play in the dark.
Camping around a fire
is much less romantic when
it’s for survival.
How are you bracing for the next storm, macaroons? Are you lucky enough to be somewhere warm?
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Categories: Haikuesday · Poetry
Tagged: Blizzard of 2010, Colonial Living, Haiku, Haikuesday, Lots of Snow, poems, White Out
February 8, 2010 · 1 Comment
Someday I will live in a Spanish villa & wear dresses every day...
Monday: Give your makeup kit a makeover! Did you know most cosmetics should be replaced every 6 months or so? Eyeliners & mascaras especially shouldn’t be used much longer as the build up of eye gunk can cause infection. Get rid of anything you haven’t used in recent memory & replace mascaras and eyeliner pencils (liquid liners especially! They should be tossed after only 3 months!) Take the opportunity to try some bright new colors. SugarPill Cosmetics just launched some amazing colors!
Tuesday: Undo the damage of Disney’s unrealistic Happily Ever Afters. Take a look at what really happened to your favorite princess & rejoice in the freedom of knowing your story is open ended!
Wednesday: Be a secret sex bomb! Wear your sexiest, laciest date night lingerie under your work clothes. It’ll boost your confidence & make you feel like a glam goddess all day.
Thursday: If you’re lucky enough to be in New York City, warm up at The City Bakery’s 18th Annual Hot Chocolate Festival! Every day features a new, interesting flavour! Today’s taste is, appropriately, tropical hot chocolate!
Friday: Call someone you haven’t talked to enough lately- a family member, an old roommate, anyone. Reconnect. Sometimes it’s so nice to hear a voice you’ve missed.
Weekend Homework: Engage in some guerrilla poetry! Write haiku on coffee sleeves. Compose ballads on public bathroom mirrors with bright red lipstick. Scrawl sonnets on receipts & leave them on the subway. Cover a stack of post-it notes in prose & ambush the city with guerrilla poemfare!
When will the last snow leave?
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Categories: Magic Monday
Tagged: Fallen Princesses, Guerrilla Poetry, Hot Chocolate Festival, Magic Monday, Sugar Pill Cosmetics, Weekly Inspiration
February 5, 2010 · 1 Comment
Victoria Beckham on Glamour, March 2010
Honestly, macaroons, I don’t get this cover. It just doesn’t seem very Glamour to me. Family Circle, sure. People? Absolutely. However, putting a fashionista like Victoria Beckham in a t-shirt & draping a puppy over her shoulders? What the fuck, Glamour? Granted, that Wildfox Couture tee she’s wearing costs about $80, I admire Becks because she doesn’t look like me on a snowed in Saturday- wearing an ex boyfriend’s ratty tee with a pair of jeans.
However, it’s a comfy, basic style & you can imitate it cheaply! I’ll skip the pants, assuming we all have a pair of dark jeans (& if you don’t, you can get a pair at AE for $40 or less!).
Click for more info!
Here are my suggested comfy tees & because I’m sure Mrs. Beckham is wearing some ridiculously posh heels in that shoot, some ideas for crazy heels!
Clockwise from top left:
1) NFL San Francisco 49ers Women’s Vintage Helmet T-Shirt- $25 This isn’t a bad shirt to have in your chosen team colors (ahemGiantsahem). It’s a great way to glam up for gameday!
2) Pink Heart Skull Drips Jr. Jersey T-Shirt- $30I think this shirt best emulates the Wildfox Couture style.
3) Womens aerie slouchy v-neck- $18A great basic tee you can layer, dress up with a scarf or lounge around in. This is the kind of shirt you need in every color, macaroons!
4) Airtight by Kurt Geiger- $95
5) Kalei by Promiscuous in fuschia suede- $89
6) Hazer by Aldo- $45
How do you feel about the March 2010 cover, macaroons? If you worked in the fashion closet at Glamour, what would you have dressed Victoria Beckham in for the cover shoot?
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Categories: Fashion
Tagged: boyfriend style, Fashion Friday, Feminine Tom Boy, Glamour Magazine, Glamour March 2010, Steal Glamour's Cover Look, Victoria Beckham, Wildfox Couture
Now helping yourself. Paging number you!
It gets overwhelming when you’re unhappy with almost every aspect of your life, macaroons. Sometimes life sticks you in the waiting room & all you can do is thumb through a magazine while the frustration mounts. Unfortunately, this economy has put many of us in less than awesome situations whether you’ve had to take a job you’re highly overqualified for or you’re unable to find a job altogether with your shiny new degree. What are you doing when all you can do is wait?
Remove all things negative from your life! If you have a friend who does nothing but create drama & stress, it’s time to cut her loose. Why drag out any unhealthy relationship? Don’t justify staying in a relationship that’s anything less than happy & fulfilling. Waiting for things to change or a better situation only adds weight to your current situation- the one you’re trying to get out of, remember?
Work on the one thing you can always change: Yourself! Start here & the rest will come. Build your confidence & you will shine on job interviews or during a big presentation. Start cooking meals at home. You will save money. Cooking makes it easier to eat healthier & if you start an exercise program (Comcast offers some workout options OnDemand or everything I use at Boot Camp (resistance bands, Bosu balls, medicine balls & free weights) can be found at FiveBelow! Improve your body image & your whole outlook can change.
Smooth seas don't come easy
Isolate one problem & work on finding solutions. From unemployment to living with your parents to crappy jobs that work you like an animal for pennies or poor relationships…you’ll get buried if you try to tackle them all at once. Pick one, outline possible solutions & put a plan into action.
Never stop looking forward. If you’re slicing your way through the job hunt jungle, apply for everything remotely relevant. You never know! Tailor your resume to every job opening. A great method is to make a basic resume on jobspice.com & save it. Then add or remove skills, references, publications, etc as relevant. A lot of job sites mess up the formatting of your resume.doc, but jobspice lets you download a pdf version that holds its formatting & looks alive & professional!
Move one day at a time, macaroons. Don’t forget how far you’ve come & how much you’ve achieved. There’s still a long way to go & much more to gain. Keep plugging away. As Conan O’Brien said, “work hard & be kind; amazing things will happen.”
Believe it.
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Categories: Inspiration · lifestyle
Tagged: Body Image, Confidence, Getting out of a rut, How to Be Happy, Inspiration, Life is a waiting room, lifestyle, Unemployment
February 2, 2010 · 1 Comment
Who was the first person to pair marshmallows with hot chocolate? You are a hero.
It’s February, macaroons! I love February because it’s really too short to count as a month, but it still feels like such an accomplishment to push through it. Then Spring starts showing her warm flowery face & bunnies start delivering candy. Yes, please!
Unexpected snow
makes a perfect habitat
for hot chocolate.
Month two of Boot Camp
complete! Hello 26
inch waistline! Woohoo!
Once I floated on
the lightness of our love. Now,
that weight crushes me.
This is what his space in my heart looks like.
I know he’ll always
simmer softly on the back
burner of my heart.
Friday night venting
with my stellar colleagues brings
us close, lets us laugh.
A whole week without
baking! My thighs are singing
health conscious praises!
Just a short baking hiatus. I want to make THESE cupcakes!
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Categories: Haikuesday
Tagged: Boot Camp, February, Haiku, Haikuesday, Hot Chocolate, Love
Flip the record & change your tune, macaroons!
Monday: Take a self portrait photo first thing in the morning. No makeup, no washing your face first, don’t even brush your teeth! Focus on your best features in this not so photogenic moment. Admire what a gorgeous mythological creature you are!
Tuesday: Paint your nails a crazy color. It will make you feel oh so glamorous!
Wednesday: Sort through all your best memories. Put your absolute favorite in a moment jar. (Mine is July 2, 2005 if you’re looking for it!)
Thursday: Celebrate the life of J.D. Salinger. If you haven’t read The Catcher in the Rye, do so. It’s an excellent classic & it’s not very long. If you have read it, try Nine Stories or Franny & Zooey.
Don't hold back. Fly solo!
Friday: Take yourself to a movie. Going to a movie alone takes a lot of courage, macaroons, but it’s such a gratifying & empowering experience. Living in New York City, sometimes a spontaneous idea to see a movie means friends living in boroughs or across town can’t meet you. Why miss out? Get dressed up for a date with yourself!
Weekend Homework: Stock up on lollipops. Seriously. Whenever you’re tempted by your sweet tooth or just want to eat out of boredom, pop a lollie! I recommend Linda’s Lollies because they have an incredible flavor selection, last an hour & are 100 calories or less. Not a bad way to slim down a bit, eh macaroons?
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Categories: Magic Monday
Tagged: Catcher in the Rye, Franny and Zooey, Insipration, J.D. Salinger, Linda's Lollies, Magic Monday, Moment Jars, Nine Stories, Self Image
Invoke your retro spirit!
I have boring nails, macaroons. Even when I have nails to speak of, they’re either unpainted or French tips. Yawn. It’s a year of candy colors & taking chances, so here are my ideas for retro-inspired nails that step outside their cuticle comfort zone!
When I think “retro,” my mind immediately conjures images of old kitchen appliances, particularly avocado or mustard colored refrigerators. Why not channel your inner 1960’s housewife with these brave shades, macaroons?
Avocado & Pineapple by L.A. Girl USA
A friend of mine STILL has thick, lush shag carpeting. It’s amazing to visit & walk barefoot across his floors. It’s like walking on a giant, furry mythological creature who is exactly this color!
Nectar by L.A. Girl USA
Dress your nails up in old Cadillac hues & take your steady to the drive-in. He’ll surely fall in love with your rebellious nail color. Maybe he’ll even let you wear his Varsity jacket!
Blue Lagoon, Orgasm & Purple Rain by NARS
If you didn’t stuff yourself with popcorn & Milk Duds at the movies, maybe you’ll want to head to the diner. Your legs will stick to the glittered vinyl booth, your waitress will wear a supernatural shade of blue & your beau will order a slice of late night key lime pie with two forks.
Mad As A Hatter, Get In Lime & Absolutely Alice by O.P.I.
I particularly love this 1950’s bathroom tile inspired color. It also reminds me of old hair dryer chairs at gossipy salons. Gather up your girlfriends & gab away while tiling painting each other’s nails. Don’t forget to set rollers in your hair & slather on bright red lipstick for effect!
Minty by RGB Cosmetics
What color are your nails right now, macaroons? I dare you to try an outlandish color you’d never dream of wearing!
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Categories: Beauty · Fashion
Tagged: L.A. Girl Cosmetics, Nail Polish, NARS, O.P.I. Nail Polish, Retro Nail Colors, Retro Nail Polish, RGB Cosmetics
Superalzy's teaming up with POM superjuice to defeat dinner!
The kind people over at POM Wonderful sent me a free case of POM 100% Pomegranate juice because I am a superhero & POM juices have antioxidant superpowers. I’d seen POM in the supermarket before & always wanted to try it because of the health benefits. Also, it looks yummy & the bottles are adorable.
The juice is sort of similar to cranberry juice only sweeter. It’s also got that tart bite I so love. I wanted to theme an evening after the flavor so I came up with a drink, dish & dessert worthy of a dinner party!
Cocktails
Canton ginger liquor not shown
Try 1.5 oz (a shot) raspberry vodka, 1.5 oz Domaine de Canton (it’s a ginger liquor if you can find it. I subbed in a shot of ginger brandy for tasting purposes) & 3 oz POM 100% Pomegranate Juice. Shake with ice & strain into martini glasses or stir & serve in a brandy glass. I call this an Edward Cullen because it looks like blood & tastes sparkly (also because you’ll either love it or hate it & it’s emotionally abusive har har).
Dinner
Juicy, tender & tangy- three words all dinners should be!
I’m pretty domestically challenged, macaroons, but even I could make this with an 8am-5pm job & boot camp until 6:30. I did pork tenderloin with a POM citrus glaze over long grained wild rice and a side of roasted peppers & asparagus.
If you’re worried about your cooking skills, but want to make something delicious, make this.
Sides:
Cook rice.
Roast veggies on a cookie sheet at 350° for 10 minutes; flip them over & give them another 10 minutes. Sides done.
Pork Tenderloin with POM citrus glaze:
For the glaze you need 1 cup of POM 100% pomegranate juice, 1 cup orange juice & ½ cup brown sugar. Bring them to a boil in a saucepan & then let it simmer for about 25 minutes or until the mixture is reduced by half.
For about 1.5 lbs of pork tenderloin you’ll want to cook it at 450° for 20 minutes. Take it out & baste it with your glaze then put it back in for another 8 minutes or so. Check the temperature (use a meat thermometer. You’re looking for the center to be 155°). Give it another 6-8 minutes at needed, basting with glaze each time you take it out.
Cut into medallions & serve over your rice with colorful veggies on the side!
Dessert
While brainstorming dessert ideas, I snacked on a healthy handful of almonds & a square of dark chocolate. I quenched my thirst with a sip of pomegranate juice. That’s when the lightbulb exploded: “Wow! All of these things taste amazing together!” And so Vanilla Almond Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Buttercream were born!
My piping skills are definitely improving!
I used Giada De Laurentiis’ recipe for almond cake, which was easy enough & yielded 12 deliciously rich cupcakes. The buttercream necessitated some experimenting & ended with a blend of two dark chocolates that finish behind the sweet, tart pomegranate flavor.
For Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Buttercream:
½ cup butter
½ cup shortening
splash of vanilla (1 tsp)
3 ½ cups confectioners sugar
6 oz POM 100% pomegranate juice
2 tbsp blend of 100%/ 60% chocolate blend, melted
Cream sugar & shortening until smooth. Mix in a splash of vanilla then add ½ of the pomegranate juice (3 oz). Mix on high until blended. Add sugar 1 cup at a time (save the last ½ cup for a few steps). Mix in dark chocolate blend and then add the remainder of the juice and the last ½ cup of sugar.
Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes & garnish with almonds.
Mmmm. Cupcakes for grown-ups!
There are tons more recipe ideas worthy of trying at POM Wonderful. Have you tried POM, macaroons? What flavors would you pair with the juice?
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Categories: Food · Recipes
Tagged: Cupcakes, Edward Cullen Cocktail, POM Citrus Glaze, POM cocktails, POM Pomegranate Juice, POM Wonderful, Pork Tenderloin recipe, Recipe
January 26, 2010 · 1 Comment
Shake it off!
How are you holding up, macaroons? Just a few more weeks in the dark before signs of spring will start shooting up. Hang in there.
Combating winter
blahs in the vineyard with wines
& stinky cheeses.
The grapevines sleep now,
but jazzy blues keep us warm
& rouse tired souls.
A special package
from POM puts me back in the
kitchen with flavor!
Almond, vanilla,
pomegranate & some dark
chocolate… stay tuned!
Friday night dinner
with friends sends spirits soaring
above rain & wind.
From a single drop
springs a skyscraping rainbow.
My luck’s changing too.
I'm ready!
40.701960
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Categories: Haikuesday
Tagged: Haiku, Haikuesday, Natali Vineyard, POM Wonderful
Add a little sparkle to your week!
Monday: Sarah Von of Yes & Yes wrote a brilliant post about prescriptions for happiness. Write yourself a Rx for the things that make you happy & fill your prescription as self-directed! Mine would look like this:
Tuesday: Invent a recipe. Put together a few things you’ve been craving & see what happens. It’s an experiment. It doesn’t have to come out delicious or perfect! I once had a craving for egg fried rice & banana…so I made rice, fried an egg & mixed them together with some sesame oil. Then I found some leftover pancake batter in the fridge. I cut up a banana, dipped the bits in batter & cooked them up before throwing them into the rice. Weird? Definitely. Delicious? Surprisingly!
Wednesday: Visit your local animal shelter & give some attention to the animals who have been there a while. It’s not always possible to have a pet, but your time & attention means so much to them.
Thursday: Watch Little Ashes and/or Il Postino. The first is about the lives of Federico Garcia Lorca & Salvador Dali. In the second, Pablo Neruda helps a postman court the woman he loves through poetry. Beautiful stories!
Friday: Shop for one outfit that makes you feel both stylish & confident. Bonus points if you can mix & match it with other pieces to create multiple looks, both casual & work appropriate.
Weekend Homework: Download & print a template for a pinhole camera. Spend your weekend shooting everyone & everything. Enlist your friends to build cameras & have a pinhole photo scavenger hunt. For examples of pinhole photos, try here, here & here!
Gorgeous example of pinhole photography
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Categories: Inspiration · Magic Monday
Tagged: Magic Monday, Weekly Inspiration
