chow down?

Ugh. I'm disgusted.

And this feeling comes in waves every time I dig in and try to learn more about greener practices and healthier food. I've always joked that I'd really just like to believe that hamburger magically shows up on the shelf in the grocery on a nice styrofoam plate, wrapped in plastic. Because if I knew more, I'd be the quickest vegetarian convert in town! And then it sinks in, and the whole concept embarrasses me. I'm not kidding, my face is red and warm as I type this paragraph. I read a quote last night in a great green book called Gorgeously Green about how in Nazi Germany "the road to hell was paved with indifference." Well, yeah.

The author was using the quote to draw a parallel to how so many of us choose not to get involved with issues of organics, sustainability, global warming, what have you. We all have our reasons for doing what we do, and that's fine. Sophie (the author, you know, like we're friends now) is quick to lay out the theory of her own greening: no judgment, no guilt for the past, no being anything less than gorgeous (which is more of a life concept and less of an appearance thing).

The companion book in my current green education is called To Buy or Not To Buy Organic and I've actually been picking my way through this one for about a year or so now. And I thought I'd give you a little relevant bite of it here, but then I got side tracked into reading about how conventional meat moves through the consumer lifecycle before it ends up on our plates. And I'm back to being horribly embarrassed about my own apathy. Sigh. I have theories about hormones in our foods contributing to larger baby weights and earlier menstruation in our children. Yep, that's an entirely different blog subject that someone much more educated than I should write.

The truth is, food is one of my passions in life. And honestly, women's health issues has become a really big one for me growing up and becoming one myself. You walk 180 miles for Breast Cancer, you start thinking seriously about your role. And yet, between those two things, I can't help but feeling more than just a tiny bit guilty about the decisions I often make about what goes in and on my own body. To Sophie's point, I will just acknowledge that I can do better and line up my values and my actions. That's the whole point of this blog anyway, right? Moving forward?

So for today, I'll focus my attention on dreaming about the coming months' bounty of fruits and vegetables, and on how we can afford all of this luxurious food. Because, let's face it, eating green takes more greenbacks. And today, that requires choices, people. Choices.

In To Buy or Not To Buy, here are the 12 foods that author Cindy Burke calls the "dirty dozen" - meaning, if you eat them, make the effort to buy organic:

• strawberries
• red/green bell peppers
• spinach
• cherries
• peaches
• nectarines
• celery
• apples
• pears
• grapes
• raspberries
• potatoes

And the "clean fifteen" - you can go ahead and buy conventional here:

• asparagus
• avocado
• bananas
• blueberries
• broccoli
• cabbage
• garlic
• kiwi
• mango
• onion
• papaya
• pineapple
• shelling peas
• sweet corn
• domestically grown watermelon

I read a quick piece yesterday about how 3 families cut costs during this economic downturn, and one of them was committed to organic foods. Honestly, I didn't find it all that helpful. The big organic-related revelations: if you can't give up your pricey supermarket, commit to going half the time; if it has a peel, you don't need to buy organic; use your slow cooker. Hmm. Now, I adore my slow cooker but I think we already know that the peel concept doesn't hold. Potatoes anyone? The list above helps me pick and choose better than these lame directives.

So, I'm going to continue to study this and figure out how to make some impactful decisions. I'll let you know what I find out. Right now, I'm going to stick with juicing from my little neighborhood "crash & smash" produce store and visit them often to see what's come in. And I'm going to stick with organic, hormone-free milk or almond milk. And I guess I'm going to figure out where that cow came from.

Here are a couple of interesting things I found poking around the internet today. First is the blog of my favorite cookbook author of all time. He also has a new book out about more conscientious eating called Food Matters; I haven't checked it out yet, but it's on the list. He's a total idol of mine. The other links I just found worth the read. Enjoy!


Mark Bittman: Bitten Blog
5 Ways to Buy Organic on a Budget
Top 10 Reasons to Support Organic in the 21st Century

how oxo saved my kitchen

I've been in a bit of a declutter/organize/sort/purge mode this week. As I'm putting the final touches on my business, I'm also trying to make sure my office is moving in the direction of a room that inspires me. We have a ways to go. But I have made progress and found additional inspiration from the recent Oprah episode about the "Clean Up Your Messy House Tour" and the cute clutterbuggies. So I'm trying to use some of their tips (not that these are revelatory or anything, but sometimes practicality escapes our best intentions) and set aside a small amount of time each day to deal with a little project in there. It's going well! But more on that later.

For now, I'm reminded of the one room that works pretty darned well in my home: my kitchen. I love cooking and I love kitchen gear. (I may have a little obsession with Penzey's spices too.) And it's not perfect but by all accounts, I know where to find things and I feel like everything has a place.

Last fall, I started investing (and I do not use that term lightly) in some better storage for the things in my pantry. I fell in love with these OXO Pop Storage Containers and picked up a few to try them out. Then a few more. Then even a few more after that. Before you knew it, I had thrown out a bunch of old staples and sorted the rest into the proper sized containers. Like Oprah's guy recommended, I got the similar items stored together - not 4 kinds of rice spread between 2 cabinets. DUH! My cabinets looked beautiful AND I'd managed to "find" a bunch of available space while I was at it.

Now my 4 kinds of sugar have a home (bakers sugar, powdered sugar, coarse sprinkling sugar and this nifty powdery stuff that I brought back from Switzerland...my kind of souvenir!); the flour doesn't go all over the place when I open it up; crystallized ginger doesn't turn into little ginger rocks; the extra spice bags all cram in one tall container waiting to refill their glass jar friends. Pretty frickin' slick.

But I'll warn you: the price point isn't for the faint of heart. I watched diligently for sales and the lowest prices. Crate and Barrel seems to have the best everyday prices, Cooks of Crocus Hill and Sur La Table both put them on sale for 20% off, and although limited, Williams-Sonoma carries them as well making for an overall great assortment and selection. I'm considering more. I'm also considering a second mortgage to help pay for them. Sigh.

The containers themselves are cool - the top fits snugly so you don't have stale cereal or rock hard brown sugar. When they're sealed, they are stackable to the moon. And the majority of the container is dishwasher safe, just a twist to get the top apart and away you go. So simple all around.

Loft living means being creative with your square footage, a lesson I'm learning and relearning on a daily basis. Trying to be more green, I like to buy things in bulk when I can. Worthwhile storage solutions are key. I must say that stumbling on these nifty containers really has helped make my life a little easier to manage. And who can't use a little of that in their world?

Now back to my office...

getting unstuck

I frequently return to this book when I have those days of unmotivated, indecisive, lethargic blah. And somehow it always seems to make me feel like I can get a grip again. To me, If the Buddha Got Stuck is sort of a digestible and practical take on some basic Buddhist concepts. It's not rife with God or religion or anything that feels heavy or overwhelming, or to the point, something that will make me feel MORE stuck. It's bite-sized chapters that you can just poke through and pick what moves you for the day. There are some journal-y exercises to do, as well. I'm thinking of throwing it on my Kindle just so I don't have to be without it; it's that valuable of a tool for me during this process of transitioning my life. Talk about potentially overwhelming.

Best of all? It has siblings: If the Buddha Dated, which I could definitely use at this point in my life, and If the Buddha Married, which I clearly should have made friends with already. But part of this whole process is learning and not being too hard on one's self, right? Mostly I think this wonderful author, Charlotte Kasl, is joining my list of idols along with Martha Beck.

Today I'm enjoying chapter 50 titled: Seventeen Strategies for Staying on Track. Which could actually be the name of the manual for my life these days. I'll give you the list and just a few of the concepts that are working for me today:

(the bolded portions are directly from If the Buddha Got Stuck by Charlotte Kasl)

1. Do not demand perfection.
2. Have realistic expectations, be flexible, and start with small goals.
3. Develop strategies to make life easier. This is key to success with so many things and she mentions here about eating healthier; buy healthy prepackaged foods like washed salad greens to make the whole good food thing easier on yourself. After my time with WeightWatchers, I absolutely know this to be true. And while you're at it, portion those suckers right when you get home. Nothing like a little bag of potato chips to satisfy a salt/crunch need vs. half a bag to fuel your guilt.
4. Start with whatever is easiest.
5. Get help from a friend or be near other people.
6. Change the setting.
7. Hire someone. This is a wonderful lesson that applies to all facets of life: don't stress about something you need to repair or create or whatever if that something doesn't really fit your passions or your available time. Find someone else to do it. Focus your unique skills and energies on what does move you and let the other experts do their thing. So sensible. And with a new business and a crappy economy out there, this is also giving way to another of my favorite concepts, bartering. Get creative while you move forward!
8. Give yourself rewards.
9. Readjust your goals.
10. Do something for a given period every day. I'm taking this one to heart this week; I've been craving schedule and structure so I figured out how much of my time should be dedicated to writing/researching, networking, finding new clients, taking care of myself, etc and then I'm starting to give them some borders in my calendar. I'm excited about this one.
11. Stay focused on the big picture.
12. Make appointments on your calendar. Whoa. See #10. Fantastic alignment, no?
13. Hang out with your resistance.
14. Give yourself a whack. Kasl describes this as tantamount to "just say no" or giving yourself a little lecture about not going there anymore...wherever there is that keeps you stuck.
15. Take one extra step. This is so critical to finding your way forward, because we all come with these notions of who we are and what we're comfortable doing. Who came up with these ideas anyway? In the end, we're setting (or accepting) our own boundaries, sometimes unintentionally. So, if they're in our control anyway, why not just push through them and set new ones?
16. Do it anyhow - anxiety and all.
17. Lighten up. I'm going to hope Kasl forgives me but I think this is a really important one to leave you with:

"Remember, in the big picture it all matters - but it's not serious. Whether you keep moving down the track, sit by the roadside, or even have your feet stuck in the mud, it is just where you are at this moment - nothing is better or worse - it's all part of the big cosmic dance, the One Energy. We take the steps to lower stress and bring ease to our lives so we can have more clarity of mind and peacefulness of body. Make your best effort, and watch the unfolding drama.

Imagine flying up in the sky and looking down at homes, hospitals, prisons, office buildings, bars, and movie theaters and watch the unfolding dramas of so many lives, very similar to yours. Not on the surface, perhaps, but at the heart everyone wants to be free of suffering, be cared for, know happiness, and find some form of peace. Above all, be kind and merciful with yourself."

moleskine madness

I inherited my mother's obsession with paper. Stationery, notebooks, journals, what have you. To this day, we both have bizarre - and extensive - collections of paper products. You'd think that neither of us would need to venture into a stationery store again for as long as both shall live. But, as I said, it's an obsession. Regardless of my love for technology, I nurture a life-long affair with things paper. I love the feel of all sort of paper - heavy weight card stock, filmy vellum, textured writing papers. I adore the tactile sense I get from just the right weight and finish of the paper in a really beautifully bound notebook. I even love the smell of paper. I can't get enough of the Paper Source, Paper Depot and even places like Anchor Paper. And I really can't have too many journals.

Journals or plain notebooks are the epitome of the unwritten story. A pure and pristine place to start. I know, more than anything else, that this is the concept that appeals to me so viscerally. It is the reason I keep buying more notebooks even when there are pages left to be written on in another tome. I feel like I need to stretch my creative muscles and try again. I need to begin anew.

I get this notion that I will use this notebook or that journal for THIS PARTICULAR PURPOSE. One will be for my consulting work. That one over there will be strictly for party planning. This one, I keep on the coffee table to jot down recipes I want to try from the Food Network. And then there's the one that I put my my bed to capture dreams, thoughts that occur to me. Lastly, there's the one I kept for many years - a Tiffany blue leather bound number with a snap closure that I called "the oracle." The concept of the oracle was simple: just write everything in one place. To heck with the idea of having different journals that are never in the right place at the right time. This also lessened the impact of the million and a half Post-It notes that were always strewn around my workspace...but that is another story for another entry. More than anything, that oracle became part of me, part of my own personal brand, if you will. It was faithfully at my side and ready to receive. I switched to a more conservative, more Washington-appropriate version in black but it doesn't really move me the same way. It feels too much like work.

In the end, I simply can't hold the obsessive nature of my notebook lust at bay. And good thing too. Otherwise I'd miss some pretty amazing products out there. Last few years, I've been spending a lot of time in Moleskine journals. Plain kraft paper ones, stiff backed black ones, and now pretty pink, lime green and more. I just bought this lovely red one from Barnes & Noble as a place to capture my blogging ideas.

I go for the simple ruled notebooks but there are also blank pages, pages with grids, and even sketch-weight pages. A little something for everyone; there's just something accessible and lovely about them. Made in Italy - where they know paper - these notebooks are classic. They were first made in France and used by the likes of Hemingway, Van Gogh. After a brief hiatus, a Milanese publisher revived the brand and the gorgeous product. Thank goodness.

I give them away as gifts for others to capture all of their creative thoughts and ideas. Especially the people that have heads so full of thoughts that they can't see a way forward. I feel like maybe, just maybe, the perfect journal will pull those ideas out in a way that can be carefully shaped and gently coaxed into that person's next big thing.

If only to make room to start again new the next time.

party: girls dinner

One of the coolest things I get to do is get together with an amazing assortment of women that I am blessed to call friends. Eight or so years ago, long before book clubs and cooking clubs were all the rage, a handful of us who worked together decided to start a “girls dinner” night once each month. And although we took some time off during the past year or so, we have been regularly meeting each and every month since then. It’s truly become part of the fabric of my life.

Our original group was made up of cooks and non-cooks alike, as is the new incarnation of this girls dinner group. We’ve broadened the focus a bit and opened up the guest list. And as we’ve grown up, our group has too. We focus less on bitching about men and our jobs and more on meeting new friends and genuinely connecting as women in this crazy world. Good food, good drink, and just being together – some of the truly elemental and basic parts of life. Our group exists to honor those ideals.

Oh but do we have fun, too. Those that cook, get in the kitchen and wow. Those that don’t aren’t pressured to perform. A theme helps us tie everything together and rotating venues makes the commitment easier to manage. This month’s theme is Mexican and we’ve come up with a great menu – fajita/taco/tostada bar, margaritas and a batch of my world famous (or just in my head) sangria. I’m also attempting to whip up a dessert on the fly: Mexican chocolate cake (spiked with coffee and cinnamon) with ice cream, caramel and a Kahlua chocolate sauce.

Practical lesson learned today: when sleepy Saturday baking, measure carefully. Adding 2x the vegetable oil will bring a whole new meaning to the term “molten lava cake.” And this, folks, is where marketing comes in. I picked this up by watching the Food Network show “Chopped” – sell it. As long as it tastes good, no one will ever know what you MEANT to make. All anyone will remember is the fun, the conversation and feeling like part of the group. Oh and the sangria.


Make:

• Vanilla scented sangria: dry red wine, vanilla vodka, Grand Marnier, mango juice, raspberries and a vanilla bean. Let base ingredients mingle for a few hours. Strain out berries and replace with fresh when ready to serve; leave vanilla bean in for pretty factor. Mix 2 parts base with 1 part sparkling water.
• Chicken & steak fajitas: we followed Tyler Florence’s Ultimate Fajitas recipe
• Mole chicken: roast chicken breasts (or nab a rotisserie bird) and shred meat. In a small sauce pan, thin Dona Maria mole sauce with chicken broth until soupy. Mix with chicken shred until it’s all coated with sauce.
• Mexican chocolate cake: adapt any good chocolate cake recipe by adding 1 tsp good cinnamon. I used Ina Garten’s Beatty’s Chocolate Cake recipe and amped up the coffee flavor by dissolving another 1 tsp espresso powder in the coffee. Then added the cinnamon. Serve with store-bought caramel sauce, cinnamon/coffee/dulce de leche ice creams and the chocolate sauce.
• Chocolate sauce: melt ½ package bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips (depends on your preference) with ½ tsp espresso powder and 1T Kahlua.

Gather:

• Tostada shells, flour tortillas, hard shells for tacos
• Avocados, tomatoes, lettuce, black olives, green onions
• Mexican crema and/or sour cream
• Queso fresco, Monterey jack, sharp cheddar
• Tortilla chips
• Salsa
• Guacamole (or if someone has a good recipe, make this by hand)
• Good margarita mix, tequila and Cointreau

Green tip: Although it takes a storage commitment, stockpiling appetizer-sized plates, basic tumbler glasses and cloth napkins keep the bulk of the post-party refuse to a minimum. I make liberal use of thrift stores for juice-sized glasses that can be used for vino, cocktails, margaritas, water, etc. Over the years, I've picked up a ton of old china plates. I try to stay with a simple color palette - cream with gold trim - so that I can combine a number of different patterns, eras, styles together on the table.

series: personal branding

When going through the process of establishing oneself as a consultant, much attention is paid to the concepts of "who are you" and "what do you offer the world." Now that may seem rather esoteric and floofy, but ironically it's the concept of finding my own personal brand that has really helped me cement my thinking about my life.

Through the years, everyone encounters moments of redefinition. Sometimes triggered by a life event, sometimes instigated by the natural rhythms of growing and maturing as a person. But I think many of us have sort of put our heads down and moved through life without a lot of this kind of introspection. It feels more natural to tie our identities to a learned goal - a job, a degree, what our parents wanted for us - instead of integrating our identities and our aspirations. For example, we may strive for corporate successes such as promotion and recognition - but we don't always take a good hard look at how that aligns with our personal passions and values. I keenly remember days in my former corporate life when I sat back and thought to myself, "What on earth am I doing? Do I really care if another [insert product here] makes it to the store? Will this actually impact someone's life and make a real difference?" The irony here, of course, is that I am the consummate consumer and I love the idea of bringing products and services to market! And at the time, I didn't give myself the room to sit back and think about what I'd prefer to do, and how I'd prefer to do it. I just chased the next paygrade and put 110% of myself into jobs that probably didn't register 20% passion.

And the not-so-surprising thing? A LOT of people are talking about this kind of stuff today. The economy has a hangover. The markets are tired. The heartbeat of American consumerism is thready. While we're all looking intently at our pocketbooks and retirement accounts, we're also looking deep within ourselves. Maybe that mortgage or credit card balance isn't really aligned with how we want to live our lives. Perhaps the investment we've made into the career isn't showing the long-term payoff that we thought it might. As companies are faced with "evolve or die" in their business practices, offerings, ways to reach customers, etc., so too are we thinking about our own evolution. We need to figure out how to live right again. Live rich.

I'm starting a couple of series in this blog, the first one about personal branding. What on earth is it? What does it mean? How do we work it into our lives? My expertise comes from a lot of study and reading on the subject (which is far from new), and my own personal journey. I am witnessing a lot of my friends working with this subject matter. So the point is to share what I've learned and how it's become part of my more-authentic life these days. Stay tuned for more.

iHad no idea iWanted an iPhone

Let's be clear, I'm a gadget junkie. I love having great technology that's intuitive, easy to use and actually adds value to my life. I was an iPod lover from early on and am actually on my 3rd upgrade (which I justified to myself by saying something like, "Well, if I just buy the 160GB now, I'll never need another iPod again, so long as we both shall live.") This was partially true and also partially covered up for the fact that my local Best Buy store didn't have the 80GB instock and I had bonus money burning a hole in my pocket RIGHT THEN. But that's another story altogether: Instant Gratification and Low Instocks Conspire! News at 11.

I have been very faithful in maintaining a 4+ year love affair with my BlackBerry. With the exception of the most recent model last year, I have purchased each and every one of them myself. I just loved the technology, and having everything at my fingertips was key for me. I'm too forgetful and scatterbrained to exist otherwise. I really came to depend on it. I used it overseas and domestically while traveling for work and fun. Staying in touch mattered. Recently, I've come to love the GPS capabilities and that thing has gotten me unlost more times than I care to admit. I simply love having everything all in one easy to carry package that is 100% backed up at all times. Nifty! After all, this is my one and only method of outside communication other than the internet. I gave up my land line years ago.

So when the iPhones started making news, I played shy. I mean, what did I need one for? I already had the mother of all iPods which took care of me everywhere I went. I had a camera (no, not a camera phone...somehow I missed the BlackBerry revs where they realized that incorporating those might be a good idea). I had a phone. Nevermind its gorgeous industrial design - it's in the Apple DNA. I swear they feed those people something special out there in Cupertino. Spike the water. Something. I was intrigued, but I decided to admire from afar.

Well, fast forward a few years and now the iPhones are everywhere. You can't swing a laid-off banking executive without hitting one. So I started paying a little more attention. My neighbor entertained a small group of us one night while in the sushi bar's little private tatami room with her iPhone on speaker; a little music made the evening's ambience that much better. A colleague sold me on the neat messaging interface. So much more intuitive than my BlackBerry. And let's face it, the thing is cute as pie.

So, despite our agreement of "no gifts," my guy presented me with an iPhone 3G for Valentine's Day. This guy really knows how to knock one out of the park! I was shocked; first, at the generosity (although I'm not sure why, this is his trademark), and next by the thought that I'd be forced to give up my Berry. My constant companion for the past 4 1/2 years. My lifeline. Was I really ready for this?

My excitement for the latest and greatest won out. A scant 14 hours later, I held in my hand my precious new 16GB iPhone 3G...in white, claro. I've had it for just a day now. I'm still getting used to it, figuring out how to protect and love it, and finding out all of its secrets. So far, I absolutely love it.

The oddest thing I've found so far? This piece of technology has really grafted to me in a way that I wasn't expecting. Did my boyfriend have a plan other than - I suspect - a rather unsubtle hope that I'd learn how to use my new iPhone so I could teach him how to use his? Was he seeing me making changes in my life and subconsiously helping me down the path? I have to type slower, so I am slowing down overall. I simply can't text in the car anymore so I talk to people more...what a concept. (Oh and I won't get that nasty ticket either.) And because it's not that same old Berry, I feel like this isn't ho-hum work anymore; it's play. Even when it is work. This is my new work philosophy come home to roost. The iPhone and its timing fit my own transition. I'm sure there are things I'll find that I don't love and I'll work through them.

But for now, it seems like this pretty piece of technology is going to make life easier to live, make me happier and more productive, and make my transition to "whatever this is I'm doing" more fulfilling. What a gift, indeed.

itchy scratchy

Full disclosure: I have very tempermental skin. And right now, it's had enough of winter, thank you very much. Another disclosure: I am a complete bath fanatic. And these two counterparts of my physical happiness do not always get along like kindred spirits. In fact, conspiring against me happens to be their favorite activity.

This starts every year around November and doesn't let up until I can open the windows in my home on a fairly regular basis. This building was constructed like a vault and is possibly hermetically sealed against any and all moisture getting inside. The good news is that it's very efficient, and the bad news? Well, you can do the math.

Humidifiers help. As does drinking about a freaking gallon of water a day. But I've also found a magical recipe to making bath time a happy event versus one which I want to peel my skin off afterwards.

First, the tools of the trade:

• SIGG water bottle - this has become my new favorite thing in the past year. I originally bought it to use at my former office but now lug it all over my house. The designs are absolutely beautiful and make me feel like a very stylish eco-citizen indeed.
• Arm & Hammer baking soda - what doesn't this stuff do? Besides taking that funky smell out of laundry that I've left a day too long in the washer, making my favorite cookies go poof, and inexplicably, giving me something to gently scrub my face with (mix equal parts with Cetaphil cleanser)...baking soda also makes an awesome bath. Add about 2-3 cups. Don't be shy.
• Epsom salts - doesn't matter what kind but Walgreens seems to make a nice private label one that is quite economically sensible. Again, a couple of cups.
• Japanese bath salts - I'm not sure how to tell you how or where to buy this other than to say that I found a grip of different kinds at the Japanese market outside of Chicago. The colors are insane and the scents an assortment of florals, earthy scents and just simple minerals. I've found that when I mix the baking soda, Epsom salts and bath salts together I get the perfect blend of pretty soft color and scent and massive skin softening power.
• Something lovely on my iPod. Today it's Lisa Shaw: Cherry. Swanky and lovely.
• Oh and sometimes I add a cocktail. Or a glass of wine. Or a cup of tea. I still can't understand why Jacuzzi didn't make a ledge big enough on my tub to hold one of these within proper arm's reach, but oh well.
• And don't forget a very serious application of lotion when you get out. I've recently been into both Eucerin's Calming Itch Relief formula and Kiehl's Superbly Restorative Body Lotion (plus, sheesh, what a nice website they have).

Because I'll be damned if I'm staying out of the tub.

pucker up

In honor of the holiday and, again, because of my feverish quest for all things springy, I had to mention the luscious lipgloss I scooped up recently.

To set the background on this, a few years ago I set out to put together a little retail shop featuring primarily organic and natural beauty, bath and similar girliesque products. And I road tested a LOT of stuff. One of my favorite finds at the time was a beautiful little pot of lipgloss from Lucy B. Cosmetics. Lucy B. specializes in using yummy botanicals and essential oils in the creation of a very well-edited line.

My first experience was Nudie, a most perfect pinky-brown gloss that smells like a sugary confection. I was in love. Then, just a week or so ago I snagged a little Lucy B. threesome with a fresh pot of Nudie, the clear and lovely Stung Lips Lemon Myrtle Lemonade Balm, and finally - the answer to my cabin fever - Pink Bikini. This is a very cheeky chicky pink balm, sheer but with just enough pink color to make me feel like I should be on a beach sipping something with an umbrella in it. So delicious. With a generous dose of my M.A.C. Mineralize Skinfinish (mine's called Petticoat; think shimmery pearly bronzer), I almost feel like I've had that sunny mid-winter break that I so desperately need. Shhhh...don't ruin my daydream.

Happy Valentine's Day. Mwwwwaaah!

live rich

Downshifting. Right sizing. Lifestyle change. Living an authentic life. Call it what you will, it's been on our minds. The economy is sporting a big black eye and everyone is feeling the headache. I have found it interesting these past months to read what's being written in the media these about how people and businesses are being impacted by the recession, layoffs, foreclosures, etc. And how many are taking this as an opportunity to look more deeply at their lives and their work. In some cases, tough economic times are bringing about very positive changes. To me (and because I'm experiencing this very phenomenon first hand), it's starts with gratitude. And looking around you and seeing what's really important. And then acting from a place of strength, not fear.

I personally made some headway into a pretty big lifestyle change 3 years ago when I bought an 1100 square foot loft and moved downtown. After visiting Europe a few times, I really embraced the way that they lived: a much smaller footprint and making smart use of every single inch; striving for green habits at home, in hotels, even in large factories; valuing a slower pace and social time, particularly around meals; walking and making use of public transportation. Those Europeans just seemed so damned smart to me. Sophisticated in their simplicity. Much cooler and healthier than we Americans in our bloated, oversized lives. It felt to me, in Europe, there was much less excess. That felt good.

I haven’t perfected the smaller lifestyle yet, but I’m learning. Those were my first steps, and I’m looking forward to taking a few more. I’m thinking a lot about what my next life phase will look like. I’m thinking of cleaning out my office. I’m thinking about organic food and juicers and walking more. I'm thinking about those I love and who feed my soul. I’m thinking about my true passions. And I'm petrified about what the next few months will bring, but I'm so ready. And I'm so excited for the possibilities!

Even if you’re not contemplating a major lifestyle shift, there are some wonderful lessons to be learned here. This isn’t rocket science and clearly I’m not the first person to mention them. But all the reading that I’ve done lately about charting your own course has led me to think pretty intently about a few things. Everyone does this their own way but here’s my short list:

• Be grateful every single day – regardless of your situation, there are always things to be grateful for. Finding even the small things can help bring about that elusive perspective. I’m a big fan of those “gratitude lists” – every day, 10 things you are grateful for. Or a big list of 100 things.
• Dig deep and learn your truth – your own truth. Not your parents’ or your partner’s or even that “truth” you’ve been carrying around about being an employee or a spouse or a parent. What’s your authentic self telling you about what’s important to you now?
• Figure out what you really want your life to look like, now and in the future – I mean, sit down and envision how a day will go. How are you going to work today to make that happen? Steering away from your truth will not help you get there.
• Focus your resources on moving the ball. It can be overwhelming, to say the least, to contemplate big life changes. So, like any good project manager would advise, just break them down a little bit. Cross a few things off your list. But keep moving forward.
• Live rich. I read an article the other day about couples who run restaurants together. One couple talked about their success and said “We’re not rich, but we have a rich life.” I can’t think of a better way to life.

Some of my life and business inspirations come from reading these fabulous authors: Martha Beck, Dr. Andrew Weil, Oprah, Michael Gerber.

queen of vintage

Adding to my disdain for the late winter drag, signs of spring are starting to pop up everywhere. Granted, not the signs we really love: tree buds, fresh grass, the first tulips fighting their way through the thin remnants of snow. Instead, we're bombarded by spring clothing hitting the racks, fresh colors in every retail store in the mall, and even the Food Network is featuring citrusy deliciousness. It's a conspiricy! For my mom and I, the first hints of spring arrive in the form of...you guessed it...SALES! Garage sales, estate sales, and before long, yard sales.

Because, you see, mom & I have a little vintage resale business that we feed. And maybe a little bit of a "sale-ing" itch that demands to be scratched. Chicken, egg, what have you.

About 8 years ago, while laid off and between jobs, I started going to sales with my mom during the spring and summer months. Shabby Chic was getting hot in California then and I kept saying things like, "All it needs is a coat of white paint! So easy! People would buy this!" And the next thing you knew, her garage was full of furniture and accessories, she filed the relevant paperwork, I got out my paint gun and we were in business. Over the years, she's been running this sweet little operation and getting some help from me, despite the fact that I periodically had to return to gainfully employed status. Such a bother.

We started out having a sale or two ourselves, borrowing garages in hot neighborhoods and eventually partnering up with a couple of ladies who were having occasional sales in their cute little barn in Oakdale. We created some hype and did pretty well. We started selling to local retailers. Then mom decided to take the full retail plunge and signed on the dotted line for a spot at a local antiques/vintage shop. Bringing us to today and we are just getting her set up in a second shop! It's been a wild ride.

I'll be posting some pictures here as the blog develops and show off some of the nifty mid-century vintage goods that she's now specializing in...the fact is, the design of these lovelies is über-fresh and modern looking. Just right for so many of today's homes. Since moving into my somewhat modern and industrial-tinged loft 3 years ago, I have loved having some of her amazing finds as part of my ever-revolving décor.

Tomorrow we're kicking off our spring sale-ing. Personally I'm hoping for some fun kitchen items in a disgustingly beautiful shade of yellow. Bring me that sun.


Green Tip: At the end of the day, buying vintage is one of the greeniest things you can do. Stylish recycling! Not to mention the very fashionable prices.

Come visit Pretty Things, located in:

The Mall of St. Paul

1817 Selby Ave.

(corner of Selby and Fairview)

Sophie Joe's Emporium

453 W. 7th Street

(same side of the street as Cossettas, heading west from the Xcel Center)

We've also been known to sell on eBay (id: prettythingsshop) and will be back on there again soon. If you want to see something mildly entertaining, check out the eBay Guide I wrote a couple of years back about packaging things for shipment. I rocked the packaging.

well, why shouldn't wine come in a box?

Listen, don't be judgemental ok? I know that many of my friends (at least the ones that maybe don't know me well enough to know that I cry at Biggest Loser) think I'm some sort of perfection-driven, Martha Stewart-esque gourmand. (Shut up already. I am NOT!) But I do love to throw a good party and I am all about making things 1) beautiful, and 2) easy on myself. This, after suffering through the Worst Party Known To Mankind, aka, my wedding reception, which I thought I could simply manage on my own and with, yes, Martha Stewart's Hors d'Oeuvres book. I've gotten much smarter since then. Frankly, so has Martha.

So while you're all sitting there wondering if I have an overpriced sense of wine or something, let me assure you: I have spent the past 10 minutes disemboweling a box of wine. You know, when you get to the bottom and it requires a lot of massaging and/or cutting open of the bag? We've all been there. Right?

But let me say without question, the box wine at Target/SuperTarget is by far the best value on the market. (Yes, I've tried. Ok?) The "Wine Cube" that is distributed uniquely for Target is a compact, simple design which holds either a) 4 bottles (~$17), 2 bottles (~$10), or 4 adult juiceboxes (also ~ $10). They are truly cubes, which leads to efficient storage and, well, prettily designed perfect squares. So cute! My experience tells me that the cab/shiraz blend is infinitely drinkable, the sauvignon blanc makes me crave summer, and the pinot grigio juiceboxes are going to be my answer to "the public park doesn't allow alcohol." Oh, and the "dammit, I dropped another glass in the bathtub. Why can't Jacuzzi just make a properly sized ledge, already? WHY?"

The big bummer is that we don't sell wine at Target here so for the Twin Citians reading, do what I do. Make that 17 mile journey to Wisconsin. For the rest of you, acknowledge and appreciate your "wine with grocery" benefits. While 17 miles isn't all that far, it can be a long road when you're just wanting a sippable, inexpensive pour that won't go bad in 24 hours after opening. You know, like when you have wine left in the bottle?

Green Tip: Boxed wines are still transported a long way from their source, but the boxes are actually quite efficient. Less packaging per liter, you can recycle the outer box, and the remaining bag is flat as a pancake.

Breville Juice Fountain Elite: juicy fresh happiness

One of the coolest new toys in my loft is my juicer. Just purchased from Williams-Sonoma last week, I have been experimenting like a woman possessed.

This all started a month or so ago when I was detoxing myself. Entire month of January without wheat, dairy, sugar, alcohol, caffeine, red meat. Spending time on Oprah.com, as I love to do, I saw her "green drink" assumably concocted by Dr. Oz. Now, there is a lot of discussion going on in her boards about what the ingredients really are (I'm going with the above link) and whether or not they meant juicer instead of blender (they did). Either way, I just thought the thing looked so damned delicious I wanted to try it.

Then inspiration struck again when I visited Chicago a few weeks ago. In a great little breakfast joint, I had their apple/carrot/celery juice. I credit it solely with curing my first post-detox hangover.

Thusly inspired, I did a ton of online comparison shopping and then finally bought the beast. Then I started researching a little bit more on organic fruits and veggies - which were the most important to buy vs. which I could get away with being conventionally grown. (Here's a great resource for that information.) And I also have a little ace up my sleeve: across the street from our building sits a St. Paul institution. Which usually frightens me. See, Eisenberg's Market has been selling groceries and produce downtown for decades. But today, they tend towards "scratch and dent" or stuff that's nearing its expiration, all of which is trucked in daily from SuperTarget and other local grocery stores. Trust me, I hear those bloody refrigerated trucks unloading their goods in the wee hours of the morning. But one store's almost-expired organic produce is a girl's juicing goldmine.

I'm careful to wash everything with plain water and scrub things like carrots and celery with a stiff brush. This week I've tried:

• 2 apples + 2 celery stalks + 4 skinny carrots + 3/4" ginger (2 servings)
• 1 ruby red grapefruit + 1 thick pineapple spear + 1 t. Penzey's vanilla sugar
• 2 apples + 2 skinny carrots + 1 celery stalk (1 serving)

I also picked up a pretty book called "The Top 100 Juices" and can't wait to try out a couple of those recipes as well. But next, Oprah's drink is on my list. And let's not kid ourselves, I have a watermelon margarita on my mind too. Because detox is over, people.

Green Tip: The resulting pulp goes right into a ziploc in my fridge (with all my other organic matter) and added to my mom's compost pile. Which then becomes happy fertilizer in her garden. Which will grow beautiful tomatoes (and other items) which then I will steal in the middle of the night in July. Shhhh.

kick it

And thus launches my illustrious blogging career!

Don't you find it interesting that life sometimes tempts and twists you, showing you things you never really saw before...right when you're ready to acknowledge and understand it? You know, like Oprah does? Well, that's what happened to me. After 15+ years gutting it out for a wide variety of corporations, I have been pointed in the direction of...well...me. I've always known that I possess the spirit of an entrepreneur. It is, after all, why I've been successful in my career. I get in there and start businesses, launch new products, kick things off! The process isn't always pretty but the fact is, it's what I do.

Along the way, I have met and worked with some of the most interesting, diabolical, smart (sometimes diabolically smart), fantastic, self-assured, insightful, horrible people on the face of the earth. Or at least here in the Midwest. I have put in the hours expected of slaves, earned the wages of kings and paupers alike, and generally gotten a heck of a lot in return. But the most valuable lessons I've learned and the most magical work I've performed hasn't really gotten me anywhere. Well, you know what I mean. Great experiences, promotions, some bucks in the bank, laid off, a taste for working from wherever I am, and a network that I am truly proud of. Alas, I haven't achieved true career enlightenment.

So, while spinning out of my last "real job" I decided it was time to really get serious about my life, and since work is really such a critical part of who I am, I dug in hard. I spent innumerable hours with the group I ended up calling my "transition team" - a couple of career coaches, some experienced consultants, a really great therapist, two chiropractors, some passionate entrepreneurs and my mom. And I decided to strike out on my own.

First and foremost, I'm a consultant. I have a company which helps other organizations assess and launch new business lines, products and services. But underneath (or maybe overarching), I fancy myself a guide. There's a lot of life out there and it's coming at us fast. It's difficult and overwhelming at times, gratifying and thrilling at others. But - and this is my theory - it's all life. There really is no "work/life balance." There is just integration. Authentic, skin peeling, heartrending integration of who we are, who we love, what we do, how we earn our living. That's what I hope to talk to you about here.

This blog is a culmination of who I am: foodie and gourmet cook, intrepid traveler, idol worshipper, learner, lipgloss addict, eco-newbie, yogi, techy gadget freak. And not least of all, writer. I've been penning my personal blog for about 3 years now (don't search, you won't find it) and practicing to be sorta engaging. Considering my fan base is primarily made up of my dearest friends, there's some question as to my success. But I know I love writing and if nothing else, it's another forum to practice.

Welcome to my journey. I hope I can bring something to yours, as well.