Friday, December 3, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Cheap thrills in the beauty aisle!
Hi Guys,
Check out my current favorite nail color - Rimmel London Lasting Finish Pro in Steel Grey.
I bought it on a whim at CVS last week, when I ran out of time before Thanksgiving to go get a mani. I loved the color and had been looking for one like this. I'd never tried Rimmel polishes before -- so much to my surprise this bargain polish - I paid under $4.00 -- lasted a full week before chipping at all!
For me, that's a miracle considering my nails seem to chip within 4 days -- no matter what! I thought the small flat brush made this easy to apply, and the consistency went on really smoothly. The color was just what I expected so I will definitely be trying more shades of this line.
I highly recommend this one-- it's a great color for the season, and a total bonus that this line is huge bang for your buck!
Check out my current favorite nail color - Rimmel London Lasting Finish Pro in Steel Grey.
I bought it on a whim at CVS last week, when I ran out of time before Thanksgiving to go get a mani. I loved the color and had been looking for one like this. I'd never tried Rimmel polishes before -- so much to my surprise this bargain polish - I paid under $4.00 -- lasted a full week before chipping at all!For me, that's a miracle considering my nails seem to chip within 4 days -- no matter what! I thought the small flat brush made this easy to apply, and the consistency went on really smoothly. The color was just what I expected so I will definitely be trying more shades of this line.
I highly recommend this one-- it's a great color for the season, and a total bonus that this line is huge bang for your buck!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
It's not enough...
Friday, November 26, 2010
Holiday looks to celebrate!
A Sparkling Cocktail by alh01010 featuring drop earrings
A Look to Celebrate by alh01010 featuring silver plated jewelry
GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI DESIGN I00171 CIPRIA/BEIGE SUEDE/STRASS 3137001
684 GBP - farfetch.com
Beige sandals »
684 GBP - farfetch.com
Beige sandals »
Erickson Beamon Aphrodite Swarovski crystal drop earrings
$430 - net-a-porter.com
Erickson Beamon earrings »
$430 - net-a-porter.com
Erickson Beamon earrings »
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Turkey Meatballs & Homemade Tomato Sauce ~ Delicious, Healthy & Easy!
A delicious recipe to try - not only perfectly hearty for the cold weather right now, but also a super easy and healthy twist on classic pasta and meatballs.
To do this I substituted ground turkey (85% lean) for ground beef, I used whole wheat pasta instead of regular, and I made a simple homemade fresh tomato sauce, rather than pre-packaged.
Feel free to put your own spin on this meal and experiment with your ingredients and the amount you choose to use. I almost never make it the same way twice, and it's fun to be creative and improvise. My fave advice is to follow your nose while cooking, & always taste it! :)
Here's the plan:
Mix the turkey meat together in a large mixing bowl with finely chopped garlic, red or white onion, finely chopped fresh or dried basil, salt, pepper, oregano, onion powder, crushed red pepper (if you like a little kick), one egg, & italian seasoned breadcrumbs (use enough to 'cover' the meat and make them stick together).
Most important for the meatballs is to make them uniform in size, so they cook together evenly.
I prefer mine to be the size of two big bites.
Generously coat the pan with a couple turns of olive oil (as you do not want them to stick).
Cook them covered on med/low for about 6 mins, then carefully flip them over to cook the other side for another 6 mins or so.
While the meatballs cook, chop your tomatoes into quarters (buy whichever type look and smell the best - vine or roma are both great), plus some chopped garlic, fresh basil & onion. Be sure to generously season with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, onion powder, oregano, an optional tsp of brown sugar (or subst white).
Set aside cooked meatballs to a plate and add a bit more olive oil to your pan and cook down the tomato, onion, basil, covered on medium heat. Stir occasionally.
While this is happening, cook your pasta with a little salt added to the water. When you're ready to drain it, keep about a 1/4 cup of the pasta water and now add it to your tomato sauce. (this starchy water helps the tomato sauce thicken and stick to your pasta).
In about 8 mins you have this. Taste and see what it needs, add more seasonings as you taste fit.
In about 2 mins, stir and taste again. Once the flavor is perfect, add your meatballs back to the sauce. Let simmer on low together for about 5 mins, and serve.
ENJOY!
To do this I substituted ground turkey (85% lean) for ground beef, I used whole wheat pasta instead of regular, and I made a simple homemade fresh tomato sauce, rather than pre-packaged.
Feel free to put your own spin on this meal and experiment with your ingredients and the amount you choose to use. I almost never make it the same way twice, and it's fun to be creative and improvise. My fave advice is to follow your nose while cooking, & always taste it! :)
Here's the plan:
Mix the turkey meat together in a large mixing bowl with finely chopped garlic, red or white onion, finely chopped fresh or dried basil, salt, pepper, oregano, onion powder, crushed red pepper (if you like a little kick), one egg, & italian seasoned breadcrumbs (use enough to 'cover' the meat and make them stick together).
Most important for the meatballs is to make them uniform in size, so they cook together evenly.I prefer mine to be the size of two big bites.
Generously coat the pan with a couple turns of olive oil (as you do not want them to stick).
Cook them covered on med/low for about 6 mins, then carefully flip them over to cook the other side for another 6 mins or so.
While the meatballs cook, chop your tomatoes into quarters (buy whichever type look and smell the best - vine or roma are both great), plus some chopped garlic, fresh basil & onion. Be sure to generously season with salt, pepper, crushed red pepper, onion powder, oregano, an optional tsp of brown sugar (or subst white).
Set aside cooked meatballs to a plate and add a bit more olive oil to your pan and cook down the tomato, onion, basil, covered on medium heat. Stir occasionally.While this is happening, cook your pasta with a little salt added to the water. When you're ready to drain it, keep about a 1/4 cup of the pasta water and now add it to your tomato sauce. (this starchy water helps the tomato sauce thicken and stick to your pasta).
In about 8 mins you have this. Taste and see what it needs, add more seasonings as you taste fit.
In about 2 mins, stir and taste again. Once the flavor is perfect, add your meatballs back to the sauce. Let simmer on low together for about 5 mins, and serve.
ENJOY!Thursday, November 11, 2010
Look fab + be thrifty = feel amazing -- Home hair color is my new obsession!
Those of you who know me, know that I love an amazing bargain, and to make / do things myself whenever possible - however there is one MAJOR caveat; I refuse to compromise on quality.
Therefore I'm so excited that I discovered coloring my hair at home... I am seriously thrilled about saving the trip to the salon every 8 weeks (upwards of $100 for a single process -- that's over $600 a year!).
For those who color their hair primarily to cover grays, you understand it can get super expensive for just basic maintenance. Always on the look out for a new way to budget, without skimping on results -- I decided I'd attempt at home color. I admit I was totally hesitant, so I asked my long time pro hairstylist, Lori Johnson if it was too risky. She said no, not at all, IF you get a good quality dye (she likes Clairol Natural Instincts) & you simply want to maintain your natural color, not make a big change. (Big changes are best left to the experts).
She told me that a smart thing to do is ask the next time you see your stylist, just ask her to write down the details of the color used on you. Brilliant!
After my first time trying Clairol Natural Instincts, I loved the product and the way it made my hair super shiny / healthy, but I learned it's easy to go too dark for an ashy brunette like myself. Always start lighter if in doubt, to avoid unnatural or inky looking dark tones.
So the next time I went to purchase hair color, I found Clairol Natural Instincts Brass Free Brunettes -- a new spinoff, and I am a total convert! I tried Medium Brown 5C, and it left my hair exactly the color of my natural hair! I love this one for the fact that it counteracts unwanted red/orange tones that can sometimes result, leaving my hair looking like it's gray free and never been colored!
Just when you didn't think it was possible, one more tip I love to make your money go even further:
When doing your color at home, try mixing the colorant and activating cream together in a separate bowl (one to one ratio, and be sure to screw the lids back on their bottles tightly to store).
Then just use 1/3 of the amount in each of the bottles, if you have a lot of fine hair like I do. (Use 1/2 the bottle amount if your hair is pretty coarse or thick).
This should be more than enough color to cover your hair, and score -- you get 2 more uses to touch up your roots, out of a single box purchased.
I prefer using the gloves provided to get small amounts of color and apply it close to the roots and down the hair shaft. I begin by combing my hair like a comb-over all to one side, then working the color through, as I comb over row by row, all the way to the other side. Then I leave the color on for about 10-15 mins and rinse thoroughly, until water runs clear. I do not shampoo right after color, but I do apply the color treat conditioner included. (It smells delicious and makes my hair really silky).
This color on Katie Holmes is a good reference of what mine looks like: Medium Brown 5C.
Now go forth and attempt your own color -- it's so worth it. Then drop me a line to let me know how much you love it and what you're going to do with the dough you saved. :)
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Yummy Fall Meal - Homemade Chicken Pot Pie!
Super quick and yummy recipe we made tonight! A really simple way to have a comforting home cooked meal that is delicious for fall, so I wanted to share it with you -- Here you go...Classic Homemade Chicken Pot Pie
Ingredients:
2 lb chicken chopped into bite sized pieces
1 cup chopped white onion (cut thick)
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1.5 cups green peas
1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 cup milk
2 cans of Pillsbury or Generic Crescent Rolls
use salt / pepper / onion powder / a sprinkle of thyme or rosemary to season and cook chicken until it's 75% done, then add the onions and finish cooking. add the can of cream of chicken soup and stir.
while the chicken cooks, in a separate pan steam all the veggies until they are 75% cooked.
add mixed veggies to chicken mixture + the milk and stir well.
grease a big casserole dish with shortening or a little olive oil and lay out and mold together pieces of crescent rolls to form your pot pie crust, lining the dish.
fill the pie crust with your chicken / veggie / soup mix.
create a crust to cover the top with the rest of your crescent roll pieces.
bake in oven on 350 degrees for about 15 mins or until golden brown.
Enjoy!
Thursday, November 4, 2010
I woke up from a scary dream, & something dawned on me
So yesterday was kind of a tough day, though it didn't occur to me at the time as to why -- until I woke up from a bad dream I'd had last night...
I dreamed I was in the middle of a huge lake doing the back float, and then I realized I had to get to shore. Panicked and alone -- with no one around to rescue me, I started making my way. But I was so freaked out by the darkness, the deep gross mud and the unknown beneath the murky surface. I really didn't want to do this, but I knew I had to, so I kept going forward -- little by little. Getting stuck numerous times along the way, and cursing my fate, but continuing. Not giving up.
And I made it to shore. A little shaken and worse for wear, but still in tact. And hey, I made it, didn't I? That's something.
Lying awake this morning I thought about the dream's meaning. It dawned on me; I was being too hard on myself this week, while dealing with a challenge. That's what was going on. Instead of being patient and sympathetic, I'd been hard on myself and totally rude.
The dream allowed me to watch me going through --literally-- "shit" on my own, and making it to shore. Maybe not liking it along the whole uncertain and scary way, but doing it, and succeeding, at that.
I realize that many times, when I'm dealing with challenges in my life, my default is to be way too hard on myself while doing it. Having unneeded expectations and pressure, and not being patient and trusting enough of myself.
My dream gave me a little much needed clue - watching myself as if it wasn't me. Would I ever be that tough on someone else? No way. If I saw someone being judged so harshly, I'd certainly step in. I thought about what I'd say...
"Hey -- Why are you being so tough on such a well meaning person? What did she ever do to you anyway? At least she's trying - her ass off! And often succeeding, I might add, so give her a frickin' break why don't ya? She may not have every step of the way figured out just yet, but who does?
I'm going to attempt to remind myself of this when being too tough on myself. We all do it sometimes. Remind myself just who I'm picking on...think about the authenticity of me-- who I am as a human being. And I won't be afraid to step in, like I would to any bully, and defend myself. I deserve a break. We all do. :)
I dreamed I was in the middle of a huge lake doing the back float, and then I realized I had to get to shore. Panicked and alone -- with no one around to rescue me, I started making my way. But I was so freaked out by the darkness, the deep gross mud and the unknown beneath the murky surface. I really didn't want to do this, but I knew I had to, so I kept going forward -- little by little. Getting stuck numerous times along the way, and cursing my fate, but continuing. Not giving up.
And I made it to shore. A little shaken and worse for wear, but still in tact. And hey, I made it, didn't I? That's something.
Lying awake this morning I thought about the dream's meaning. It dawned on me; I was being too hard on myself this week, while dealing with a challenge. That's what was going on. Instead of being patient and sympathetic, I'd been hard on myself and totally rude.
The dream allowed me to watch me going through --literally-- "shit" on my own, and making it to shore. Maybe not liking it along the whole uncertain and scary way, but doing it, and succeeding, at that.
I realize that many times, when I'm dealing with challenges in my life, my default is to be way too hard on myself while doing it. Having unneeded expectations and pressure, and not being patient and trusting enough of myself.
My dream gave me a little much needed clue - watching myself as if it wasn't me. Would I ever be that tough on someone else? No way. If I saw someone being judged so harshly, I'd certainly step in. I thought about what I'd say...
"Hey -- Why are you being so tough on such a well meaning person? What did she ever do to you anyway? At least she's trying - her ass off! And often succeeding, I might add, so give her a frickin' break why don't ya? She may not have every step of the way figured out just yet, but who does?
I'm going to attempt to remind myself of this when being too tough on myself. We all do it sometimes. Remind myself just who I'm picking on...think about the authenticity of me-- who I am as a human being. And I won't be afraid to step in, like I would to any bully, and defend myself. I deserve a break. We all do. :)
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Falling leaves... Finding awareness
I shot these pictures Thursday, in the Cloisters, NY. It was a perfect fall day, with the sun warm and shining, the temp around 72 degrees and the leaves bright and falling through the air.
Reminded of me of this article I recently read, titled "Learning to Exhale," by Catherine Price, in Oprah Magazine. It was about this woman's exploration of meditation, in her quest to live a more aware life. After practicing daily meditation, she discovered each day is dense with experiences, that can often go unnoticed--the breeze against her skin, the play of light on the grass, the sound of her husband's laugh--and she said if she wants to stretch out time, all she needs to do is notice them.
Her goal is to avoid cruising through life as if on autopilot, too consumed by daily routine to notice the world. To be aware and mindful of her experiences and simple pleasures that life brings daily.
At the end of the article is a saying from meditation expert, Dr. Kabat-Zinn that sums up the significance of awareness:
"Mindfulness is about living your life as if it really mattered. Both figuratively and literally, we only have moments to live."
Beautiful, isn't it?
Friday, October 15, 2010
Wabi Sabi...
I came across the most interesting article about the principle of Wabi Sabi, in Whole Living magazine... the subject line said --
Simple strategies for embracing imperfection.
The article describes the Japanese philosophy as a way of celebrating beauty in what is natural -- flaws and all.
Wabi Sabi is the Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience... sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete"... which is a concept derived from the Buddhist assertion of the 3 marks of existence.
The article explains that Wabi is literally translated as simplicity, and Sabi is the beauty of age and wear. It's about embracing and really appreciating the beauty of what is natural... Freedom to accept the imperfect world.
Reading that lots of images immediately come to mind. Perfectly well-worn old jeans... rustic wood floors... hand-me-down mismatched dishes with delicate floral borders... faded hand written letters and postcards... 
a lovingly salvaged kitchen table spray painted bright yellow by my dad in the barn...
Simple strategies for embracing imperfection.
The article describes the Japanese philosophy as a way of celebrating beauty in what is natural -- flaws and all.
Wabi Sabi is the Japanese world view or aesthetic centered on the acceptance of transience... sometimes described as one of beauty that is "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete"... which is a concept derived from the Buddhist assertion of the 3 marks of existence.
The article explains that Wabi is literally translated as simplicity, and Sabi is the beauty of age and wear. It's about embracing and really appreciating the beauty of what is natural... Freedom to accept the imperfect world.
Reading that lots of images immediately come to mind. Perfectly well-worn old jeans... rustic wood floors... hand-me-down mismatched dishes with delicate floral borders... faded hand written letters and postcards... 
a lovingly salvaged kitchen table spray painted bright yellow by my dad in the barn...
Authenticity is a main theme of this principle...uncovering what is distinctive about you and highlighting that. Wabi sabi encourages thought and purpose behind each object. In order to truly appreciate what we have, we should find it beautiful and useful. Thus creating an environment of tranquility & harmony... then allowing that to flow into all areas of your life.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Tell a story...
Found this picture I took of these funky looking flowers in upstate New York this summer. Don't you just love them? They might even be weeds, but who cares -- they are beautiful and unique and the color is totally perfect. Interior designer, Nate Berkus was talking about his approach to decor -- saying that he always repeats "A style should feel assembled & collected over time." I love that thought... well said.
Style can tell a story about you, and create a feeling. Whether it is a room or your clothing...one that no one else can tell and that speaks about you and what you love.
Very simple and cool idea.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Au Revoir Paris, you will be missed...
Random adorable streets -- each one better than the last -- on yesterday's stroll through Paris.I recently fell in love with the French word flaneur -- which means one who strolls contentedly, heading nowhere in particular.
Hey, that's just the word to describe me this past month.
Chilling at a cafe yesterday, (Philip reading. Me people watching).
Opposites attract.
Spotted this woman and I loved her laid back effortless look.
This cool dude chilling.
Behind us is Cafe Philippe. :)
Came across a open air food market -- very common here. Yum.
An adorable notebook in Paris Office Depot. Omg -- even office supplies are cool here.
And then dinner at Santa Carne, another great Argentinian restaurant! To celebrate our 7 year anniversary, if you can believe it. A delicious dinner to end a perfect Parisian vacation.I had this grilled salmon, and the sauces to dip in were amazing.
Philip had the steak. He said even better than Unico's, which means it's now the best steak he's ever had.
And this Argentinian wine -- which funny enough seemed super strong and dare we say even too bold, now that we've been only drinking French wine for an entire month. It's crazy how perspective can shift.
And now, us saying goodbye for now to our very favorite city in the world. Very sad to leave, Paris, but we promise -- A bientot.
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