series: personal branding - dreaming it up

When was the last time you took an hour or two to just dream a little bit?

I know so many people that, like me, are approaching the middle of their lives wondering how they've gotten from their childhood dreams and aspirations to...well, here. Part of this has to do with the concepts of personal branding, about which I've written in this blog and there are umpteen resources on webwide. The way *I'm* approaching personal branding is: Figuring out who you REALLY are, who you are REALLY meant to be and getting back on that path. But what I'm thinking about right here and now also has to do with acknowledging our child-like minds and letting them have some time in the sun.

As I consider my work in helping both businesses and individuals (frequently, entrepreneurs) find their way forward, I've been pondering ideation. Not in our all too familiar stuffy corporate-speak, but pure and simple dreaming. Laying on your back in a sunny patch of park and letting reality, encumbrances, the economy, swine flu, the last thing that showed up on your review as a "challenge", the number in your 401k - all of it - just float away with the passing clouds. Getting all of those boundaries - both positive and negative - out of the way long enough to let the mind play a bit. Wonder what could be. Ruminate on who might be there and what it might look like.

I love a book called The E-Myth, now in it's ba-jillionth reprinting I believe, authored by Michael E. Gerber. I don't just appreciate this book because of his lessons and the way he brings you through them (although these are really quite good indeed), but because of the way he approaches the creation of the business. Or reinvention, if that's what's applicable to you at the moment. I'm purposely glossing over the bulk of his message but not because it's not important to entrepreneurs and small business owners. Of more broad-based appeal, however, is his first step in putting together that business development plan...or as I'm thinking of it, a kind-of personal development plan. Your Primary Aim. He asks:

• What do I wish my life to look like?
• How do I wish my life to be on a day-to-day basis?
• What would I like to be able to say I truly know in my life, about my life?
• How would I like to be with other people in my life - my family, my friends, my business associates, my customers, my employees, my community?
• How would I like people to think about me?
• What would I like to be doing two years from now? Ten years from now? Twenty years from now? When my life comes to a close?
• What specifically would I like to learn during my life - spiritually, physically, financially, technically, intellectually? About relationships?
• How much money will I need to do the things I wish to do? By when will I need it?

Whew. What great questions! And not just for entrepreneurs and business owners, right? What if we started our personal branding and development journey by sitting back and conceiving of the life that we most want, now? Answering a few of these types of questions? Does this mean we wave a magic wand and every thing we dream of is possible for us? Well, probably not. Unless that wand lands you a winning Powerball ticket, but not guaranteed even then. I think if we take the time to think positively about our dreams (none of this "oh I wish I would have", "I couldn't possibly" business) and commit to acting in small ways towards reaching a couple of goals, I believe the resulting boost in our self-esteem, self-appreciation, perspective, and attitude would be immeasurable. Think of how great you feel after spending time with positive, energized people. It's a heady flush of possibility! I know I feel lighter and more nimble. My inquisitive nature is piqued. I start seeing connections and alignment between ideas, people, dreams. And the more I move toward understanding those ideas and people and dreams, determining if there is a role for me between the, well I naturally move toward action.

Sometimes it's just dreaming. But sometimes it's the start of a whole new adventure.

(Note: items in bold, italics above are directly quoted from Michael E. Gerber's The E-Myth Revisited.)

putting the "personal" back into personal branding

Personal branding...whoa, did I open a can of worms there or what?! When I started "studying" the concept of the personal brand after stumbling upon my first fateful tome on the subject circa 2001, I had no idea what an impact it would eventually have in our new, emerging world. Slowly, we've seen great brands built around people (and what a no-no that used to be) succeed like Oprah, stumble but eventually persevere like Martha. Economies have faltered and jobs have been eliminated. We've had to take a frankly objective look at ourselves to regain our income-earning, title-having, respect-commanding status. We've put together resumes and cover letters and attended networking meetings, putting our very best foot forward. We've turned into master sellers of our most important product: us. And, believe me, as an independent I totally understand this process because otherwise I couldn't support my rather deadly lipgloss habit.

But isn't this also about separating ourselves from our jobs, in a way? I don't mean that bull about work/life balance (but that's an entirely different post for another day), but about NOT identifying ourselves in that pre-conditioned, Americanized, job-first way. About identifying ourselves with what's really, truly, deeply important to us?? Think about our culture: what's the first question strangers ask you after being introduced? Is is "Tell me about your family?" or "What's your life's quest?" No, I'm pretty sure that the standard opener is "So, what do you do?" And they don't mean, where do you derive your energy...

I've really seen it play out in my own personal world, as well. Not having a firm grip on my own mission, vision, values, image and so forth has slowed me. Looking back now - after having had many years of wild and wonderful, uncomfortable and unreasonable, well-intentioned and downright stupid life experiences - I think I intuitively realized that I had a path, but I frequently wandered off of it in search of something I THOUGHT I needed. I have done this with jobs, many of which I have loved and learned a lot from but haven't served my vision well. I've done this with personal relationships, again learning and growing, but straying from my journey time and again. Yes, part of this could simply be chalked up to growing older, growing up. Living and learning. But don't you get the feeling sometimes that there are people out there that "got it" so much earlier in life than you? What makes them so damned smart? Why can't I seem to get it?? Whether or not you believe in such things as reincarnation, there is a this-life equivalent that's widely understood: you will learn the same lessons - a.k.a., make the same mistakes - over and over again (date the same guy, hang around the same people, take the same ill-fitting job, lose the same 10 lbs) until you decide to stop. Until you realize where your path is taking you and what you need to do (and...ahem...stop doing, for pete's sake) to get yourself back on the journey.

I've been reading some incredible books and blogs and stories lately about personal branding. I even put together a couple of posts myself and threw them on Twitter only to see my own following grow and grow in response. This is a hot-button topic out there, people! But, I wondered, did I call it the right thing? Am I REALLY talking about Personal Branding the way these insightful people are? Because I felt like the incredible breadth of knowledge out there didn't really capture the finer essence of what I meant to say. No, I don't mean to say that I've struck on something new. But I do feel like I'm trying to highlight something important, something slightly different.

I mean here today to start putting some separation between Personal Branding: The Key to Success and Personal Branding: the Finding Your Way Forward version. Because if you take a strictly business view of branding and what it brings to a company, it's obvious to most why this is important. You see why branding yourself appropriately can lead to that businessy/career-type success. You may not know how to do it (and if that's the case, there are many fabulous experts I'd be happy to direct you to) but you know it's getting to be one of those no-brainer things to do. However, if you take it back to a PERSON inside of all of this, there are many ways that personal branding becomes just as applicable in your holistic life. Have you thought about:

• why people struggle meeting their mate? keeping a marriage healthy?
• why you keep fighting the weight loss battle?
• why you're even keeping that ongoing family feud going?
• why there are fears (named and unnamed) lurking around in your head?

There are MANY subjects such as these. I think we've all either been there, are there now or are watching a good friend struggle though something like this, right? And I guess this is where things start to get a little therapy-self-helpy but in my mind, getting a grip on who you are and what you stand for is the first step toward finding not only career or outward success. But toward finding internal contentment as well. In my circle of friends, we sometimes talk about acceptance. Not that you have to accept that your life is your life and that's all you're going to get, so buck up. But moreso that once you quiet down, acknowledge yourself and accept that you are really quite good right here and now, then doors can start opening for you. You will have a better perspective on your personal goals and assessing whether or not they're serving your real life's mission. You will start to see how you're sabotaging yourself from your REAL goals by letting false ideas suck up your time and mess up decisions. You can see why hanging so much of your pre-bottled expectation on a simple first date can send you spinning. You will figure out why panic and fear don't make good job search coaches. You will take responsibility for the role you played in some of your past not-so-stellar-moments. And so forth.

And, my theory? You'll start to see how to fix 'em.

happy green day!

It's Earth Day! This year, more than any that I can remember in the past, there has been a lot of attention and focus on Earth Day in the mainstream - retail, media, internet chatter. I can personally say that I understand many non-Americans when they wonder why every day isn't Earth Day here in the United States. I often wonder that too. Just looking at Japanese and European lifestyles, I'm still surprised where we are today. We're slow to the party. But I feel like we're warming up quickly.

For me personally, I have always been a recycler. My mom has always had a productive garden. But moving into my loft three and a half years ago, I started taking other greenie causes more seriously. I don't know what it was about living here - perhaps the smaller foot print, the attention paid to green building, the lack of storage space leading to creative lifestyle changes, me and my social circle simply paying more attention to our surroundings, I'm not sure. But I know that I have taken many new (to me) principles to heart. And I know I have a long way to go.

This year, I'm making several Earth Day commitments to myself, my community and our planet. Are they revelatory? Perhaps not. But if this blog ever has a message it is that you can start anywhere, anytime and feel good about it. There's no measurement for your success as an individual, eco-freak, or what have you, other than the satisfaction you take from taking baby steps and moving forward at your own pace. No one's looking for a radical lifestyle change off the bat. But, as I've learned, once you start paying attention and learning the basics, it's awfully tough to turn away.

So Earth Day, for me, is about celebrating my own steps forward, assessing where I am in my journey, and putting some actionable goals out there in front of me for the coming year. This isn't just a day; it's a commitment. Mine happen to be:

1. continuing my education about food - I've been shifting focus to sustainable, local, organic and intend to keep moving in that direction
2. figuring out how to bring composting to my neighborhood (all condo and apartment dwellers...so this is a challenge)
3. making my own non-toxic cleaning products wherever possible
4. getting smart (and then reducing)my own carbon footprint - figure out all of these PCs, appliances, and the car...and use them in a cost- and energy-efficient manner
5. paying attention to the ingredients list on my skin care products and cosmetics
6. supporting local farmers, retailers, service providers through things like the farmers' market and the 3/50 project (a fun blog - new to me - that is written my a local fella and former colleague: http://www.simplegoodandtasty.com/)

Happy Earth Day everyone. Won't you give some thought to what you might do?

the soul of a restaurant...a cautionary tale

I spend far too much time watching Food Network. I can't help it. If there's one thing you could accuse me of it's being waaaay too into food. Mostly, I'm a food experience junkie. I have become a student in what makes the enjoyment of food...well...enjoyable, and it's a job I take quite seriously.

For me, this all started in the mid-90's with the maven that is Martha Stewart becoming more mainstream. I poured over her original Hors d' Oeuvres cookbook imagining the first "big" party I would soon throw. And in the intervening years, I've continued my study of cooking, plating & presentation, serving pieces, thematic events, and generally bringing a heightened level of attention to the finer details of food experience. In the end, these details shouldn't stand out but instead become a backdrop to wonderful food, interesting conversation and the feeling of contentment that a well-enjoyed meal brings.

My travels to Europe have been more about sitting in restaurants than visiting museums. I was fascinated to see how people dined there - the type of glass used, the way the menu was organized, how the service was conducted, the length of time people lingered at the table. It was a very different world than ours and I must say it changed the way I enjoy restaurants. I became more intrigued by the process (the process of enjoyment, I guess) than the destination (a satiated tummy). I started warning servers when we sat down, "We're going to be one of those long, lingering tables" and started not ordering my entree until appetizers, wine and salad were handled. I wanted a slower service and the connection with my dining companions, the server or sommelier, and the restaurant. If the restaurant and I connected, I'd be a fast friend returning time and again. Something all business owners strive for - because it's almost always cheaper to keep a customer than get a new one.

After I started seeing more and more of a little Canadian show called "Restaurant Makeover" on the Food Network, I started paying attention to what the chefs and interior/restaurant designers were dealing with. Sure, they picked at the menu, the ingredients, the lighting, the tables & chairs, the chefs. But they also railed on about quality ingredients and the chefs' capital-P passion for the food. So much of this was couched in or formed around the one element that tends to go missing in restaurants: soul.

Cooking and feeding people - according to those who love to do it - is about love. Putting your own personality, love, and attention to detail into an expression of your appreciation of those that you're feeding may indeed be the highest form of compliment. When you decide to package that love and open up a restaurant, I think, restaurateurs may neglect the point. Yes, you have to pay strict attention to critical elements such as food costs and labor issues, and fine tune atmospheric elements such as wine glasses and the comfort of the bathrooms, but if you lose sight of your goal of sharing your love of this food with your customers it's easy to mislay the soul of your business.

I recently had a terrible dining experience at a restaurant on the lovely Grand Ave in St. Paul. They have been known for their southern-style cuisine and I remember several great meals there. And I love spending local! This is a restaurant that's held on through the years, has recently freshened up its interior and beautiful new patio, but managed to deliver a mediocre - at the very best - brunch. I was just sad through the whole thing. First, I generally hate buffets because they're difficult to execute in a way that lets the food shine. Second, they didn't give you the option of ordering off the menu in addition to the buffet so our hands quickly became tied. Third, the quality of the food and the ingredients was lackluster. Scrambled eggs looked like Styrofoam and the roast that was sliced for us was like leather - overcooked, overworked and sitting for far too long. Fourth, I sort of wasn't getting the interior design. It just felt weird in there. Many elements were beautiful and well done but many were disconnected. As a southern-style restaurant, they had many directions they could go - Floridian, Creole, Tara, New Orleans, French, etc - and seemed to take a page from each one. And what of the large screen TVs and the toy train circling above the bar? Nothing shone through. But worst of all, for me, was the fact that they had many great opportunities to let the food stand above all the riff raff, and they missed the mark wildly.

(Ok, I don't know why I'm being so secretive about the restaurant name. If you are from the Twin Cities, you probably know the place by now. I don't want to offend anyone but at the same time, as a customer and food lover, I WANT THEM TO FIX THIS PLACE SO I CAN ENJOY IT AGAIN! So fine, it's Dixie's. Sorry.)

Previously, their food generally was quite good and they were known for some specialities - pulled pork, BBQ ribs, fried okra, their signature beef jerky, gorgeous biscuits, etc. But was ANY of this on the buffet? No. And I get it, it's brunch. But do you have to give up your identity to deliver it? The jambalaya had no seasoning and no kick. The red beans and rice were underwhelming, and I love me some red beans and rice! What do unaccented scrambled eggs, greasy bacon, chunks of pineapple, A CHOCOLATE FOUNTAIN for god's sake, and chocolate pudding have to do with Southern cuisine?! It was all too much. Yes, there was a lot of food but I could have been at Old Country Buffet for all I could tell. The bottomless mimosas were the only thing that kept us from feeling completely ripped off from the $19.95 per head that we paid. So we had 3 apiece. And started plotting.

Do I have some ideas for this place? Oh yes I do. I watch too much Food TV and believe I can spit harebrained ideas faster than the next person; I'm shameless that way. At my re-imagined Southern-style restaurant on Grand Avenue I'd be asking the proprietors to pick: is this a family restaurant for everyone, a special cuisine destination stop, a local bar that happens to sell food, what? I'd be wondering: is this Southern food with a Creole influence? (Because I think it should be...unique, loaded with food opportunities, thematic style options, etc) I'd be thinking: how will we get the word out? What will people say about us? What do we want them to say and are we managing that goal into everything we do?

Because I would want to rave about the perfectly seasoned jambalaya with delicate fresh shrimp. I would want to point out that they gave a little riff on the mimosa by adding some unique twist (a hurricane mimosa, perhaps?!). I would want a signature omelet menu instead of a list of basic ingredients I can get across the street at the Embassy Suite's free breakfast. I would like to see brisket and roasted chickens on the carving station, pulled pork and buns in the chafers. I would like to try the Key Lime Pie instead of it running out at 1pm. How about biscuits and gravy? A gumbo? Something that makes me feel the restaurant, experience what it's offering me. See into its soul.

And then work the execution. I understand the benefits of buffet brunches. But pick your shots. Have the right dishes on the buffet, don't fill the chafers full and let them sit too long. Make a few more "to order" dishes in the kitchen. Turn your carving guy into a carver and waffle maker, and don't serve those toppings looking like an afterthought. Use the best ingredients you can manage and charge accordingly. I'd gladly pay $25.95 or so for a really outstanding brunch. If I want cheap buffet food, I have lots of options. If you can't do buffet well, skip it. Do a beautiful, but more limited, brunch menu so I can order what I want. But be who you are and don't apologize for it.

Define your brand. Identify your message. Describe your soul. And then let the people eat.

get it gone

Ok this might end up sounding like more of a rant than anything helpful but I have acquired a fresh perspective in the past 24 hours. My beau asked me to help him sell a few things on craigslist.com, and of course I agreed. I have done a lot of eBay, etc in the past and am more comfortable than he is on the PC, internet, basically most technology. He's better in the kitchen. It's a fair trade. In the end, shopping through craigslist - like eBay, thrift stores, my mom's shops (see below for another gratuitous plug) - is the ultimate in recycling. Nothing goes to waste, nothing ends up in the landfill and if you play your cards right, you get a hefty commission for selling off someone else's stuff...oh wait...maybe that's just me? Anyway, it's a good, green (and green$) thing to do.

I'd never used craigslist before but, because of our little vintage resale business I have lots of eBay experience and more than my fair share of garage and estate sales under by belt. So I'm laughing a bit because he definitely thought I was nuts when we got started documenting things for the sale. But I knew a couple of things:

1. people will buy freaking anything
2. it's nearly impossible to sell stuff without decent pictures
3. lots of details help

I know it sounds duh-intuitive but just take a gander at craigslist and see how many BAD listings there are and you'll get my meaning. So there I was, staging a photo shoot for practically every item, taking 6-10 pics of each even though you can only list 4, measuring everything to within an inch of its life. I was a online selling madwoman. He was sitting there thinking "no one is going to buy that" and I went into overdrive as everyone and their uncle started emailing me with interest. This morning I listed the last 4 items but already I have commitments for $1150 and another $650 in sales pending. So I'm feeling pretty keen on this whole craigslist thing!

I also realize that my experience here matters so I'm going to share with you just a couple things that I think made my online selling go smoothly.

• get the description line right - There's plenty of room there so include relevant details like the diameter of the table or the height of the cabinet or - gasp - brands and model numbers! You'd be pained to see how many listings start "wood table" and make you click into the listing to get more. Not super enticing. Oh and if it works, say so. I guess people sell stuff that doesn't.
• clean it - For the love of god, do not try to photograph or sell a microwave with baked on food in it. Dust off the stuff that's been in the basement, give everything a good polishing up. You'll drive good prices if it looks nice.
• take key pictures - Yes, one of the whole item. But also close up shots of details like the back or seat of a chair, the inputs on the back of the TV, the manufacturer label (as long as it's legible of course), the intricate carving work on a statue. You get the idea.
• measure! - adding exterior (and in the case of our chest freezers, interior) measurements can help a lot. I saved myself some quality patio lounging time NOT having to meet someone who wanted to make sure his home brew keg could fit inside the freezer. Between my measurements and his link to the keg specs, we determined that it wouldn't fly and I could quickly move on to the next interested party.
• be nice, respond to everyone and keep good track - The uplifting high of "someone wants to buy our junk!" throws you in a frenzy, particularly if you have multiple listings. You'll get a lot of karmic credit just for nicely replying to someone and letting them know if there's an interested party ahead of them in line, apologizing if they weren't quick enough to get the item, getting back to them when you say you will. No, there's no rating system on craigslist but take the brownie points and be grateful when you need to go back to an interested party because your "I'll take it" guy flaked out.
• and before you list, ask your people - I sold a ton of stuff to qualified, trustworthy and honest buyers: my friends. I uploaded all the pics to flickr.com, sent an email with the details and link to the pics and voila. Instant venue for selling, no listing and dorking around with strangers showing up.

There you have it.

Now if you want to see some really cool stuff that's had the hand of my mother, Queen of Clean, touch it, pop over to one of her stores and look for the booth that says "Pretty Things" at the top. It will be the one with the bright vintage household goods, old school Hawaiian shirts, fancy ladies scarves, and more.

Mall of St. Paul - Selby & Fairview
Sophie Joe's - West 7th, just outside of downtown St. Paul

growth spurt

Yesterday I spent even more time thinking about and tinkering with my brand, both my personal brand and my Segnavia brand. Since I've recently undergone a redesign of my logo (making an appearance soon) and know I need to properly register the rest of my domain names, I thought it was time to take a good hard look at what I'm trying to present. How it should look, how it should act. Sigh, yes, my web presence and I are both growing up.

What this also looks like is that, due to the availability and flexibility of WordPress vs. Blogger, I may find myself transitioning over there. We'll see but for right now, it's looking like those who do a good job with the overall look, feel, organization and presentation of a more robust website and blog tend towards WordPress. I think I feel a headache coming on...

series: personal branding - claiming you

I'm having one of those existential crisis moments where I'm feeling a little off track, waylaid, discombobulated. I know these feelings are real and important to my journey, so I'm trying not to stick my head in the sand and ignore them. I'm trying to sit with them a bit and figure out what they're here to teach me.

That said, it's in my nature to act. In every sense of the word, I'm all about motion. So even just trying to sit, for me, becomes an act of deliberate, paced, thoughtful movement. But in and of itself, this all goes back to the theory of knowing oneself well enough to start over, to find your way forward once again.

So I went back to my study of personal branding for some clarity. As you know, I've been reading (rather ADD-like) several books dealing with some pretty intense introspection and self-study. One of them has led me down the path of analyzing my own personal brand. I've written a little bit about why I think this is so important for each of us, and the timing couldn't be better. We have countries, policies, economies, lifestyles, workstyles all metamorphosing around us each day, and it's becoming all the more relevant to sit back and figure out where we want to play in what will become our new world. The essence of who we are and what drives us as individuals informs what we will do, what we will contribute in our lives from here out. It's an exciting opportunity to be very deliberate in our exploration and our launch forward.

We begin by figuring out what motivates us and gets us out of bed each day. One book takes you through the process of writing down (and all that goes along with that) what your personal values and passions are. It's one of many steps in crafting your own personal brand. I loved this exercise because it really encouraged me to think about ME: who I have become, who I still dream of being. But capturing it in specific words and descriptions.

Here's what I've come up with so far (and believe me, this may be a work in progress for some time to come). Following Robin Fisher Roffer's descriptions in Make a Name for Yourself, I'm calling values the "metronome for my personal behavior- what I stand for, what I want to live up to, what I consider most important to my inner life and well-being." I started by revisiting some old journals and work I did with my therapist and career coach. Then I crafted a laundry list of what I thought my personal values to be: authenticity, success, experiencing & learning, connectedness, creativity, acceptance, having fun, risk taking, kindness, love, integrity. These each speak to me in individual as well as comprehensive ways. But Roffer challenges you to boil it down to its essence and come up with three or four core values, and then figure out what each means to you. (Because as her examples demonstrate, integrity might mean something slightly different when gazed at through your lens than it is through mine.) So this wasn't a quick exercise as you might guess. It has taken place over years and months and days, in fits and starts. But I think I'm getting close.

My core values are:

• authenticity - which for me means honoring and protecting my own truth, acting from a place of strength and gratitude (not fear), not being defined by anything "other"
• empowerment - giving myself room to learn and grow, practicing well-being, inspiring others to thoughtful action, working for the well-being of others
• connectedness - nurturing my inner social butterfly, being part of a community, helping others succeed though my efforts, respecting the resources of the earth, exploring and understanding the bigger world, listening
• creativity - allowing myself time and space to let my passions out to play, finding new ways to do necessary things (in life, in business, whatever)

Gulp. While sounding quite accurate, it also helps put a lot of stuff in perspective for me. And I see plainly how big I really am, despite the days when I feel small. These beautiful things are the central core of who I am and how I interact with the world. If I work against these values, I gum up mentally, slow down emotionally, start to fail physically. When I honor these values, I simply soar. I have more fun, I am better to myself and others and I feel as if I'm in my own "right place." Now why on earth is it so hard to remember these things and keep them on our mental front burner? I vow that I will take this hard work and make sure to not let fear creep in and somehow diminish the importance of these as I move forward.

Next are passions. You know, what gets you all jazzed up and want to bounce off the walls? Roffer describes passions as more "of the world" than values, which have more "inner significance." These were slightly easier to put my finger on, as those of you who know me well will see below. It's the stuff that just makes me hum with anticipation, busy-ness, excitement, motion, storytelling and gong-sounding. My passions are:

• food - cooking it, eating it, selling it, buying it (growing it too, although not necessarily in a dirt-under-the-nails sort of way)
• travel - experiencing places and people (and food, while I'm on a roll)
• learning - reading, studying, getting out of my comfort zone
• networking - bringing the people I love and support together, using social media, spinning the web that we women spin so well
• green issues - specifically related to what goes in and on our bodies
• putting products and services in the hands of the people who need them
• technology for good, not for evil (as in, useful, relevant, helpful technology; not just because Apple/Dell/Best Buy said so)

Many steps to go, but these were really great for me today. It's easy to forget ourselves for a minute (or a month, sometimes) and feel disconnected, irrelevant, useless. It's uplifting to be the wind beneath my own wings just by reminding myself of how far I've traveled on this path and where my road is headed. I'm claiming myself - becoming me - more and more every day and for that, I'm truly grateful. What about you?

the 3/50 project

Man, am I jazzed about this. Last week mom was telling me about this project after having seen a news piece about it. It's smart primarily because it's simple; they've made it very easy for the average joe to understand and get behind. A total nobrainer. As you know, I'm a big supporter of the local economies and bringing together those who produce products, those who sell products and those who buy products in a very cost-effective, planet friendly and sustainable manner. I think the more people understand and appreciate what the local economies bring to their lives, they'll likewise vote with their dollars. I'm proud to know that I have impact in my local area and proud to spread the word. And I'm even further proud that this phenomenon started right here in the Twin Cities. Aren't we smart? Cheers Cinda!

And for me, this means I'll choose from a wonderful assortment of retailers (and restaurants too; while this program focuses on retailers, let's not forget our favorite neighborhood spots to chow down) in Saint Paul such as:

• the Saint Paul Farmer's Market (not exactly a retailer but clearly needs support; I predict a banner year for our market)
• Mississippi Market - was a college staple for me and I've been meaning to be more supportive; now's a great time to get on board
• Bibelot Shops - tons of seasonal cuteness, picked up some...well, bibelots for my mom for Easter
• Corazon (ok, across the Marshall bridge from St. Paul but close enough and SO CUTE)...festive, arty and irreverant selection
• Elva Pottery (Grand & Dale) - am in love with their bowls
• Ecotique/Nature of Beauty - so good, so green. All natural beauty products, to boot. Terri pulls together a smart and cool vibe. Loved my green makeover!
• Phresh - both for services and for products; see Megan for best facials and wax services
• StormSister Spatique - new find in St. Paul, love that they carry new Intelligent Nutrients line...and fun blog too!
• Paper Patisserie - love the wrap and ribbons
• Karma - great clothes and accessories, love the new location
• The Yarnery - my knitting obsession increased proportionately to the incredible amounts of beautiful yarns stocked here. To wit, my new Misti Alpaca in sushi. Lots of free patterns and helpful assistance.
• Cooks of Crocus Hill - classes, Oxo storage containers, All-Clad pans and so much more; what's not to love?
• Ten Thousand Villages - fair trade and unique; I always find great gifts here
• Garden of Eden - has my favorite bath salts, Dresdener Essenz
• Haskell's - I loved finding their Naples location when I was on vacation on year, talk about bringing home along for the ride!
• Thomas Liquors - will always love this tiny Grand Ave shop

hip hop yum

Easter is upon us! This is one of those holidays I love not because I have a strong religious affiliation (I don't) but because, to me, Easter is the perfect embodiment of spring. Spring, glorious spring! The weather is finally warming here (50-55F) and the past weeks of me pretending that spring is here seem to be behind me. My blossoming quince branches are in full bloom, my spring cleaning is nearly finished (tomorrow is the day), I have developed an almost unhealthy fascination with eggs lately, and I have been getting out to walk nearly every day. It's really feeling like spring!

One of my favorite rituals this time of year is setting the menu for Easter brunch. As I mentioned, we're not celebrating Easter the way that many others are but we do gather family (genetic and chosen) and spend time in the kitchen, on the deck, playing games and generally hanging out and enjoying each other. This year I think we'll have 5 or 6 people here, which is a lovely size for this hostess. Not too crazy, not too fussy but still allows me to bust out the pretty napkins and entertain. Perfect!

I'm still nailing down the menu but I think this is how it's going to go:

• pork tenderloin (will either be: spice rubbed, herb marinated or smoky chipotle marinated)
• my mac & cheese
• perhaps something to do with salmon?
• roasted asparagus
• some sort of salad, thinking
• lemon-tinged angelfood cake with raspberry sauce & mango sorbet
• chickpea dip (also with lemon)
• perhaps the chef's snow peas with sesame/miso sauce

There will also be early/late appetizers (I bought stuff to make the absolutely FANTASTIC pâté from Bon Appétit...again...we're all addicted to it) and plenty of vino to go around. Cheers to spring, friends, family, food and enjoying each other!

trixie's infamous mac & cheese

Thought I'd start bringing over some of the Trixie recipes to share with new friends. Enjoy and have wine with this to counteract the hardening of your arteries...

8oz small elbow macaroni (a nod to Ina, I'm trying cavatappi for Easter)
¼ c white wine (or chicken stock)
2c (packed) grated Gruyere & sharp white cheddar cheeses (I did roughly ½ and ½ - about ½ lb total...note, lean toward a younger sharp ched as the more aged ones are drier and can tend toward oiliness when baked)
1c whipping cream
1c whole milk
3oz thinly sliced prosciutto, coarsely chopped
¼ t grated nutmeg
½ t white pepper
½ t salt
3T grated parmesan
¼ c bread crumbs
5T butter
4T flour
2-3 roma tomatoes; seeded & coarsely chopped

Separate ¼c of the grated cheeses; combine with breadcrumbs and parmesan & toss. Set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain & set aside.

Preheat oven to 350.
Melt 1T butter (I used the same pan that I cooked the pasta in) & sauté prosciutto for a few minutes until lightly browned. Remove from pan & set aside. Keeping heat about med-high, add wine & deglaze pan. Boil until almost completely evaporated.

Add remaining 4T butter and melt. When melted, begin whisking in 4T flour, slowly. Should make a rather thick paste, but add the flour slowly and stop before you get glue! Add cream & milk & continue whisking. Cook for 4-5 minutes, whisking pretty much constantly, until slightly thickened & mostly smooth.

Add nutmeg, salt & pepper. When mixture is quite hot, turn off heat, add grated cheeses & prosciutto. Stir until cheese until melted. Stir in cooked pasta.

Pour into glass or ceramic baking dish. (I also read somewhere that you can make this up to this point, cover & refrig; then just let it come to room temp before adding the topping & baking).

Top with tomatoes and breadcrumb mixture. Bake 40 minutes-ish or until cheese is bubbling and topping is golden brown.

sunny d

I got a newsletter in my inbox today from Oprah and Dr. Oz wondering if I'm getting enough Vitamin D. So kind of them to inquire.

Dr. Oz (one of my all-time health idols along with Dr. Weil) and his YOU book compadre have developed some content on Oprah.com and one segment explains how somewhere between 40-85% of Americans are Vitamin D deficient. And it doesn't take much to make you deficient! If you, like me, are religious about sunscreen for instance, you are leaving much of the sun-generated D on the table. Such a conundrum! Check out this article for more information on how much we need and how to get more.

With that in mind, I'm headed out to soak up a little lower-risk, early day, northern latitude sunny sunshine. I've already added Vitamin D to my supplements, and I eat lots of delicious fatty fish. And, although a major inconvenience, I'll be taking apéro on my deck as much as possible.

green eats

This weekend I had the very unique experience of catering a dinner at the home of a prominent - indeed famous - businessman who has probably done more for the organic, natural, green, and even standard beauty industry than anyone. I've mentioned the name in passing but I'll refrain from either doing that or providing any private details here out of sheer respect. My point in telling the story is that my beau's restaurant was contacted to create the menu and provide the dinner, with the twist that it be as organic as possible. Twisty twisty indeed!

Now, let's also mention here that the restaurant in question is a fabulous Japanese restaurant (obvious bias intended) with a quite loyal following. But it's certainly not professing itself to be green. The food of Japan may have its green tendencies, but preparing and selling it in the Midwest isn't always as ecologically sound as one might hope.

In my time together with the chef, I have learned a lot about Japanese cuisine. Lest we think me an expert, however, know that this particular well runs deep. It will probably take me years to figure it all out. The culture and food of this amazing country is thousands of years rich, but recently we've all become more aware of the health benefits inherent within. My limited study of books such as The Blue Zones and Japanese Women Don't Get Old or Fat: Secrets of My Mother's Tokyo Kitchen has highlighted the benefits of eating this way. My personal experience with Japanese food has revealed a very nice alignment with my own beliefs about food: quality, fresh ingredients; simplicity in preparation; beautiful presentation; plant-focused with fresh fish and so forth.

The trick here - as with so many other facets of our lives - is reconciling our values and intentions with the availability of ingredients. Or in the case of running a restaurant, stepping up and stomaching the transition and ongoing costs of being greener. The nature of a Japanese restaurant doesn't lend itself well to using local food suppliers, as we're not catching bluefin in the Mississippi these days (uh, yuck). But there are small steps restaurants can make. And it all starts with awareness. Sound familiar?

A few little examples of how we started: Two of our event chefs shopped at a local organic co-op for produce and other standard ingredients. A third chef availed herself of organic sweet potatoes from Whole Foods. I went about finding sustainable - and beautiful - bamboo chopsticks that would hold their own in this amazing gallery home. We brought a load of our own towels to eliminate the need for paper towels. We checked to be sure the fish was sustainably farmed or caught. It was a start. But we had to ship in top-of-the-line traditional Japanese ingredients (think kombu, bonito, nori) that can't be found here. Thankfully they are dried and light as a feather, so not as carbon-footprint-impacting to ship. Yet, the fish came from afar.

But the real revelations happened later. My chef gleefully admitted that even though the price was considerably higher, the organic goods simply tasted better. And this man has a palate for food, wine, sake, etc that I can't even contemplate. So I knew that he really meant it. We both laughed as we packed up the food and supplies that we were about to alight in this man's very green home with all this plastic packaging and wrap and perhaps they'd just take the food and chuck us back out past the security gate. We were more than just a little aware at that moment. I think you'd call it ashamed.

In his beautiful commercial kitchen we found only green cleaning products, his own line of hand cleansers, and under counter bins for recyclables and compost. There were paper towels and napkins, but primarily there were lots of washable linens. Organic aromas were sprayed throughout the house. The whole place just felt green. I felt a little greener for just having showed up.

I think we all walked away from the experience with some questions in our heads. Could we do better? Could the restaurant? There's lots to learn and again, I'm intrigued enough to go further. I can't wait to learn more. And I'll see if I can get him in a bamboo chefs jacket soon...


Found a couple of great articles by way of the Green Restaurant Association:
A Tall Order of Green
Going Out to Eat, but Staying Green


(Disclosure: am I a caterer? No, I'm really not. I was mostly doing this to help my boyfriend. Can you say cheap labor?! But I did work for a catering company during college and have more experience in every facet of that business than I'd care to admit or even clearly remember. I also have done my fair share of event planning throughout my marketing career. And let's face it, I'm a picky biatch. I can plan the details to the nth degree and crank out a beautiful table. I simply love entertaining. With these wonderful chefs around me all the time, I get very tempted to go back that way again.)

in the zone

I suspect we're about to be faced with a phenomenon. I've been enjoying my library copy of The Blue Zone for a week or so now, and wondering: why have I only learned about this recently?! The hardcover version of the book was published in January of 2008, and despite the fact that I have an interest in this type of living/learning/eating genre and that the author Dan Buettner lives here in my very own Twin Cities, there wasn't a lot of splash for this book locally. To be fair, maybe I missed it. I spent the better part of the months between traveling, working exessively, being absent. So, there are a number of things that I've missed, without doubt, not the least of which was my very own life. This book is wonderful though. It just makes so much sense to your emotional, intellectual, food-loving, life-living sides. It's a holistic approach to understanding why life and longevity are quite positive in certain areas of the world...and what we mere mortals can learn from these studies.

To cement his ubiquitousness, Buettner appeared today with Dr. Oz on Oprah. And oohhhh, the Oprah effect! (PS, the softcover version of the book is coming out in just under 2 weeks)

Buettner and his team identified 4 places in the world that have more centenarians than any other. And it sounds as if they're getting ready to announce a 5th Blue Zone. Interesting, indeed. His book is lush with scientific facts and personal stories telling why and how life is just that good in these places. They looked first at the stats - where the most people live to be 100. Then they sent in a bunch of smart people who could analyze the conditions in the area, the behaviors of the people, the lifestyle. And so now tons of information supports the nine lessons that we can incorporate into our own if we want to live longer, healthier, more enriching lives. Here's a quick synopsis from the book, but I have to tell you, reading the book is much more informative and helpful than just a quick run down...I've simply paraphrased.

• Lesson 1: Move Naturally - the idea here is that you can just make physical motion part of your day. No earth-shattering suggestions here but if you have fun, eschew modern conveniences (cars, elevators, blenders?), be social in your motion, plant a garden, do a little yoga, you add some beneficial movement into your normal routine.
• Lesson 2: Hara Hachi Bu - as I've been getting more and more interested in Japanese cuisine and have already bought into the social aspects of French and Italian eating, this makes so much sense to me. In theory, the idea is to stop eating when you're 80% full. As you have undoubtedly experienced the PAINFUL fullness after a big meal, you can relate to this concept. Realizing that your brain and your stomach need time to confer, the longer dining rituals - eating more slowly, with mindfulness and respect for the food, and being present with others at the table - lend themselves well to this idea of stopping before Tums become a necessity. In addition, serve yourself away from the table, use smaller plates, buy realistic packages (although this may seem counter to some of the greener initiatives), weigh yourself regularly (read: not obsessively), and for the love of Pete, SIT DOWN!
• Lesson 3: Plant Slant - this is easy. As Michael Pollan advised: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Eating 4-6 servings of fruit and veg each day is a no brainer theoretically, but less simple to enact. It's a real decision to make each and every day - eat 2 servings per meal, use meat as a side/accent, love legumes.
• Lesson 4: Grapes of Life - a daily drink provides benefit, but the key here is consistency and moderation, says Buettner. A daily glass or two of wine, sake or whatever helps to keep heart disease - the biggest killer of men and women in America - low. But too much puts one at higher risk for other diseases. So have one or two a day, not 14 on Saturday night. Sigh. Days of yore coming back to haunt... But the bigger issue with the daily cocktail isn't just the alcohol itself, but the ritual of sharing that "happy hour" (or apéro) with friends and family.
• Lesson 5: Purpose Now - "why I wake up in the morning" is a key and crucial element of contendedness, healthfulness and happiness in those studied. The first recommendation is to craft a personal mission statement, and as you know how I'm such a proponent of understanding your own personal branding, this concept speaks to me loudly. Next is to find a partner you can share your purpose with, whether this comes in the form of a spouse, family member or friend. And finally, keep learning...because this keeps you sharp!
• Lesson 6: Downshift - this is as much to do with being social as it is about being alone. Finding your personal happy place where there is little congestion of tv, emails, and other blah blah clutter. As Buettner says, "Most electronic entertainment just feeds mind chatter and works counter to the notion of slowing down." Well said. He also underlines reducing stresses that you can control like being on time. And making room - phyiscally and otherwise - for meditation.
• Lesson 7: Belong - faith, community, tradition, ritual. Not much explanation needed there, I feel.
• Lesson 8: Loved Ones First - coming from a divorced girl with no kids and a small immediate family, it may sound weird. But I understand the notion of putting family first, maybe because it hasn't always been a strong suit of mine. But this lesson also talks about living in smaller, more connected homes and respecting our ancestors, which I absolutely love. My favorite part of this lesson, and one that I have fought hard to create in my own life, is that of creating rituals. In my family, we didn't always fuss about with holidays or celebrations. If Thanksgiving happened on another day, so be it. As an adult, I've practically arm wrestled my mom into pulling people together for Easter (we're not really Catholic), Thanksgiving (despite the fact that a turkey is a hell of a lot of work) and all manner of other events, mostly because I just love bringing everyone to a single place, enjoying each others' company and indulging in our food and wine habits together. Thankfully my boyfriend also shares this intention and we've tried to establish a regular "sashimi and sake night" ritual that we can always go back to. Lovely.
• Lesson 9: Right Tribe - this is simple. Surround yourself with the people who know, understand and exhibit your own personal values. Be positive, attract likewise. And be diligent about allowing time with this "inner circle" of people.

Simple. Straightforward. Sensible. Get the book and read it. Better yet, live it!

to market, to market

I went through an almost euphoric moment of enlightenment when I realized that it's already April! And that means the Farmer's Market is officially opening! But then I thought, wait a tick. It's supposed to snow this weekend and that's just wrong, wrong, wrong. Then I remembered: Farmer's Market doesn't officially kick off their summer season until the first weekend in May. Sigh.

In the meantime, my market is open shorter hours each Saturday morning so it's not as if I'm totally left out in the cold (and snow). I haven't been visiting yet this season - please don't ask me why - but I think I'm going to run down there tomorrow. I'm excited to see what kinds of dairy, cheese (because I'm almost back on the cheese wagon - yay!), chicken, etc they have on hand. I got my April issue of Cooking Light magazine yesterday and was overly jazzed that their content is based in local, seasonal and artisanal wonders. I can't wait to try some of the recipes in the issue, particularly the ones that complimented the feature on a fabulous creamery in Alabana called Belle Chèvre...because this creamery produces my favorite cheese on the planet: goat cheese. I'm in heaven and going for these:

Berry Salad with Goat Cheese Dressing
Grilled Turkey Burgers with Goat Cheese Spread in fact, I'm sort of considering bathing in this herby, yogurt-based, goat cheesey goodness. What? Is that wrong?

My food frenzy is hitting a new high these days, which is in turn fueling the continuing work that I've been doing on my career. I haven't found quite the perfect niche to attack, but I'm beginning to think it's time to take my heartfelt love for food on the road. What does that look like? Well, of course it probably looks a lot like my own skills and experiences, only with a new twist. I'm also feeling a bit of puffy chestedness when I realize that some of the PR that's being done in this town (for restaurants that I know well, ahem) is weak. I may not yet have the network or the contacts, but I have a lot of passion for this area of the market and believe that the time is right for us Midwesterners to pay more attention to what's going onto our plates and into our mouths. It's a trend, as you all know, that's blossoming nationwide. Just ask the people at Cooking Light, Bon Appétit, Gourmet and other foodie magazines if you don't believe. Combined with this current green evolution, food is well-positioned to be the poster child for good living in the US.

As much or more than that, I also realize how the absence or availability of nutritious food affects many living creatures in our country, not the least of which are families. There are so many wonderful people out there doing so many incredible things to help put food in the hands of school children, hungry families and even rescued pets. That abundance sharing and pitching in to help others resonates with me to the core. And focusing on food is something that I can incredibly excited about. I want to see how I can help.

So right now I'm thinking about:

• dinner clubs
• farm-to-table food raves
• bake sales
• herbs, herbs and more herbs
• natural and organic dog food
• bringing restauranteurs together
• Cooking Light also has a REALLY COOL thing going on where people are signing up on their bulletin boards to do a bag swap. Essentially, you pick up a resuable shopping tote from a local store and swap with someone in another part of the country with whom you've been paired. Everyone gets a neat new bag and a great story to tell. How fun is that? How many other social food connectedness ideas are out there?

We'll see where this all goes.