Remarkable Read

Gretchin Rubin is a author who is tracing her one year quest to conquer happiness in a blog called The Happiness Project.  I check in everyonce in a while to see what tidbits she has for the day.  Her look at Happiness is very academic.  She really tries to explore the past, to build upon the findings of past thinkers, philosophers, and experts.  Today's article is about the Desiderata; a book, written in 1927 by Max Ehrmann.  Essentially, it is the 18 Commandments for happiness.  They are all insightful, but I found #13 to be the most relevant for me today..."Beyond a wholesome discipline be gentle with yourself."  Thanks Gretchin.

Remarkable Read

Yeah!  I love Kurt Vonnegut.  That probably says a lot about who I am.  I don't always agree with him, he does an excellent job of explaining what it means to be a human being, in extreme circumstances.  I read his books over and over, and have since I was a tween.  He has comforted me through tough times, and always made me laugh.  He breaks life down to small beauties within the indifferent ether of space-time.  He makes us remember that we are lucky there are roses among the thorns.  Here is a link to a previously unpublished short story by Kurt Vonnegut that is being offered on Amazon as an enticement to buy his posthumously published collection of short stories.  Bon appetit.

Insane Fun

Here is a link to an insanely funny site I found.  Insanewiches.com
In honor of my being a scientist, I chose to reproduce the photo below.  The site is dedicated to crazy sandwiches, as the name would indicate.  I had hours of fun rolling through old posts.

Remarkable Read

Here is a link to a new site I found, Style Rookie.  It is hosted by a tween fashionista who actually gets to go to fashion shows.  She has been profiled on MSN, in the New York Times and other media outlets.  It reminds me of when I was that age...I would wear anything.  I got all my clothes at thrift stores, so there weren't any Christian Siriano skirts in my closet (like Tavi is wearing in the picture to the left).  But, my favorite outfit was a brown polyester dress with a checkered peter pan collar.  The dress had 6 inch cowboys all over it, actually, I think they were cowgirls and they had lassos that went all over the dress.  I would pair it with black and white striped tights and wooden ski boots.  Now that I am nearly 30, I tend more towards the outfits on another one of my favorite reads, Fell4Fashion. 

National Punctuation Day

I have no idea whether or not it really is National Punctuation Day, but the Huffingtonpost has a great punctuation quiz (click here to try it) in honor of the day, be it real or not.  I got TWO right, what an embarassment.  At least I wasn't an English major, and I haven't really studied punctuation since, maybe, 11th grade.  Now, as I type, I pause over every comma.  The quiz is especially difficult, I thought, because it is about current events, so that names are real and the sentences are complex.  Is it just me?  Try it out and tell me how you did.  Does anyone know the right answers?  That is the only thing that is missing from the quiz.

Oops, I noticed in the comments below the quiz this amusing exchange. 

Darn, I was counting on my being a scientist as exactly that, an excuse.  Is this quiz really possible?  Did anyone get a good score?

Emmy Night

On Emmy Night I chose Mila Kunis, Chloe Sevigny and Rose Byrne as the best dressed.  E Online chose Mila and Chloe, too.

What do you think?  Did we get it right?

 Drew Barrymore's dress is getting a lot of attention too, but it is, of course, Monique L'huillier.  She also designed Mila's dress.  They are both stunning, but I chose Mila's dress over Drew's because of the color, and the interesting shoulder straps of the red dress.

Remarkable Read

Here is a link to one of my favorite recipe sites.  Canadian Family Magazine puts together a great site with tips on planning menus, school lunches, and nutritious, family friendly food.  I have made the Hoisin Salmon, Vegetarian Risotto, and some of the others.  I am in love with the Bento article, they are adorable, fun lunch ideas. 

I love that they put together slide shows with lots of ideas on one theme: like this article about 10 Weeknight Grab-N-Go Dinners.

Has this sight given you any ideas? 

Multi-Grain Pie

This Multi-Grain Pie recipe comes from Portion Savy by Carrie Latt Wiatt.  It is very good for you, filling, fiber rich, and all the good stuff.

Makes 9 pieces

3/8c steel-cut oats

3/8c raw brown rice

3/8c raw pearl barley

3/8c raw bulgur wheat

3/8c diced dried apricots

3/8c diced pitted dates

1/2c plus 2T brown sugar, divided

1/2t salt

4c water

2t cinnamon

Nutritional Facts per 1 serving: 156 calories, 0.9g fat, 3.6g protein, 35.0g carb, 0g cholesterol, 125mg sodium

But, I don't know how to measure 3/8's of a cup, and I don't like dates, so this is how I make it...

1/2c steel-cut oats

1/2c raw brown rice

1/2c raw pearl barley

1/2c raw bulgur wheat

1/2 c brown sugar

1/2-1 c any dried or fresh fruit: apples, blueberries, and cranberries are some of my favorites

4c water

2T cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a 9x9 inch baking dish (or loaf pan) with cooking spray.  Combine everything in the dish, or combine in another bowl and transfer.  Cover with foil and bake for about 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes, until the grains are tender and the water is absorbed. 

This is a great dish to make on the weekend to eat all week.  I top it with milk and microwave it for about 1 minute.

Today's Quote

"It's dangerous, I know, and it can hurt a lot. That doesn't necessarily mean it's serious, too." --Kilgore Trout, talking about life in Kurt Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions

Beautiful Notion

It seems today that the common culture is defined by a sense of These Times; these unstable, plunging, depressing, shocking, bursting times.  Every where you turn there is a commercial about working together through the current economic hardship.  Corporate America is letting us know they hear us, they feel us, they are just like us. 

I live in Southern California, where These Times are not only evident, but prevalent.  There are stories every where of people being unemployed for months on end, no health insurance, and a massive mortgage breathing down their necks every month.  The main stream media has latched onto the metaphor of swimming: above water, under water, sinking, treading, on and on.

My husband and I have made a valiant effort in the last couple of years to reduce our debt and get to a comfortable place, an umbrella under which we could stay out of the rain.  And, for the most part it has worked.  Throughout These Times, we have made amazing progress towards all of our finanial goals, we have a budget, we work together, we conserve.  It has paid off.

Now, I have lost my job.  Just typing that makes my heart do a little twirl.  In These Times, I have lost my job.

Then I remembered.  I was watching TV when something the host said made me realize that it has been 10 years since 1999.  10 years.  In 1999 I has the absolute knock down, drag out, no holds barred, worst year of my life.  I was under water.  Right about this time in 1999, I was in such an emotional state that I dropped out of college, and took a job as a grocery checker.  Soon, I made it back to college, and finished.  I hit the job market.  I grew.

Today, I sit in my house, the home I love, with my devoted husband, adorible dog, and a family that is always on my side, and I take a long, deep breath.  Since 1999, I have realized that I am one of the strongest beings on this earth, we all are, when we need to be.  Since 1999, I have learned to value myself, respect my body, and cherish my mind.  I have learned to accept some flaws, and work to change others.  All of the things I have learned since 1999, have given me the confidence to know that all I need to do to survive These Times is remain calm and breath.  Today, I have so much more than I did then.  Today, I know so much more than I did then.  Today, I love so much more than I did then.  How beatiful a notion. 

3 Awesome Prepared Foods

Here are my favorite foods to get already made at the gorcery store.  They can be used for so many different meals, they are worth the price.

1) Thomas BetterStart English Muffins: these come in a variety of flavors and/or additives, but I like that they are only 100 calories and full of fiber.
USES:
Breakfast: toast and top with cream cheese and 1-2oz of nitrate free lunch meat (this satisfies me until lunch)
Lunch: Use as the bun for a veggie burger
Dinner: Use as the bun for a BBQ meat sandwich

2) Cascade Fresh Fat Free Plain Yogurt
USES:
Breakfast: serve and top with berries and honey
Lunch: tacos or quesadilla with this yogurt as a substitute for sour cream, add salsa for more nutrition and flavor
Dinner: Steak with Cucumber Riata
1 medium english cucumber, shredded
2 cups plain, fat-free yogurt, drained, (click here for a how-to video.  I use coffee filters, not towels like she does in this video)
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, dill or mint leaves, minced
cayenne or paprika to garnish
This Riata goes best with a spicy steak, as it counters the heat nicely.

3) Mrs. Dash Original Blend
Since this is salt-free you can use it liberally in almost any savory dish. 
USES:Breakfast: Add to eggs for a savory omlet
Lunch: Add to olive oil and vinegar for salad dressing
Dinner: Add to lean ground meat for flavorful patties of turkey, beef or pork
Use to flavor any vegetable that has been tossed in olive oil.  Roast in a hot oven on a foil lined baking sheet until the veggies are tender, or go further and toast until they begin to carmelize.

Chimichurri Sauce

Chimichurri sauce is a green sauce from Argentina that is now popular all over Central and South America.  If you follow the link, or Google Chimichurri you will get a lot of different recipes.  Here is one that I made recently that came out to be delightful.
1/2 c. cilantro (use parsley if you don't like cilantro)
6T balsamic vinegar
2T olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1T chipotle steak spice mix (the link isn't the exact one I used)
1t dried oregano
1t McCormick Montreal Steak Spice

NOTE: it is not necessary to buy both types of steak spice listed above.  Use 1T of whatever spice mix you already have, it should be peppery.  Add salt if the mix does not have salt. 

Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender, except olive oil.  Slowly add the olive oil while the processor is running after all other ingredients have been combined.  Store for use later, or use it right away to marinate steak, chicken, pork or shrimp.
I used the sauce to marinate chicken tenders for approximtely 6 hours, reserving 1/2 of the sauce for use later.  I cooked the chicken in the oven, 350 degrees.  Along with the chicken, I roasted zucchini, onions and carrots that had been tossed in olive oil and chipotle steak spice mix.  I also prepared ouzo pasta and tossed it with about 3T of the chimichurri sauce. 
For presentation, I put the ouzo on the plate and stacked the veggies and chicken on top, then spooned a few tablespoons of chimichurri sauce on top.  It was scrumptuous and balanced.

Today's Quote

"Common looking people are the best in the world: that is the reason the Lord makes so many of them." --Abraham Lincoln

Remarkable Read

Here is a link to a new blog I found, IowaGirlEats.
It is full of recipes, running tips and stories, and travel.   I especially like the recipe and am going to try the sweet potato fries recipe.  That is how I make a lot of my vegetables.  Chop them, put them in a sealing bag or large plastic container.  Pour olive oil over them, add your favorite dry seasonings and spices.  Roast at 400 degrees on a foil lined baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.  Toss them once while cooking to get both sides roasty.  My favorite vegetable to do this way is green beans, they come out nutty.  Delish.  

Emmy Night

2009 Emmys
I have to admit, I couldn't care less about the awards...but I love the dresses.  I grabbed some screen snips from MSN's Wonderwall of the best dressed.
First Place:
Mila Kunis

I love the dress and the styling.  Stunning. 
The dress is by Monique Lhuillier.














Second Place:
Chloe Sevigny

I can't find who made her dress, but I love the casual fabric paired with evening sophistication.













Third Place:
Rose Byrne

I can't find who made her dress either.  Do you know who made her dress?











What do you think of my picks for best dressed? 


For fun, I want to recognize Jessica Lowndes with an honorable mention...well executed, adorable, very polished, but not as creative as the others.

Again, I can't find who made her dress.  But I like the total effect, the clutch perfectly compliments her bracellet.















I have to throw in the worst dressed, but I'm sure she's kidding...

Picnic Update

Everyone on Yelp said that Alex's Red Barn is one of the best in the valley.  Well, I think that wine is good if you like it, if not, it's not so good. 

Here is the run down of the 6 tasters for $10.  I tried Viognier, a light white varietal that I have never heard of.  It was very pallatable, but it didn't excite me.  After, came the Old-vine Sauvignon Blanc, a fuller bodied white.  It was also good.  I don't drink white wine much, so they were both fine, but nothing I would buy a whole bottle of.  Next came the Grenache.  It was very interesting.  It is a red, but a really wimpy one.  I think this was my second favorite of the day.  It is wimpy in a good way, very drinkable, summery, not sweet necessarily, but mellow.  Robust enough to go with a lighter beef preparation, maybe a beef salad.  This was followed by a Old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon which was my least favorite of the red wines.  It was very dry, but doesn't burn the mouth at all.  Next up, was their Syrah.  This is a pretty bold red, peppery, full of flavor, and delightful.  The set was finished with a Solera style Sherry, aka cream Sherry.  This tastes somewhat like cream soda mixed with Brandy.  It is mild and drinkable, but only in little sips.  It might be nice with some fancy vanilla bean ice cream, or that might be overkill.  Maybe it would be nice with orange slices, or broiled grapefruit...a play on the old Creamsicles.

After assembling the group we moved to a different winery, one that had put in a garden and picnic area that attracts customers and locals alike.  We had a southwest chicken salad with apples and corn.  A variety of tea sandwiches.  Fruit kabobs with mint.  Fresh gingersnaps with lemon sorbet.  Crudite with two dips.  Sparkling lemonade with, or without, Lemoncello.  Wine: Wilson Creek Sauvignon Blanc.

I decided to wear an ankle length skirt, a white T-shirt and bright coral colored sash instead of the oxblood tunic so that I wouldn't get too much sun.  We coastal dwellers commiserated over the hear, while the locals thought it was a lovely day.

Weekend Picnic

Today is my dear friends birthday.  She has coordinated a picnic at one of her favorite spots; Alex's Red Barn in Temecula wine country.  We will start with tasting.  This vineyard has a fixed tasting menu: $10 for 6 types of wine.  The website says we will have:
Old-vine Sauvignon Blanc

Old-vine Cabernet Sauvignon
OId-vine Johannisberg Riesling
Solera style Sherry
Viognier
Syrah
Grenache 
 
I will let you know what they tasts like in a later post.  After tasting we will picnic by the creek at the edge of the vineyard.  For those of you who are unfamiliar with Temecula, it is hot.
Here is today's weather snippet off of iGoogle: 

Oh good, it will only be 92.  I'm going to wear a roman style sun dress that is oxblood jersey, empire waist, knee length.  I hope there will be shade.  Maybe I will wear my Del Mar hat.  Every year, for opening day of the Del Mar horse races, is hat day.  All the ladies wear their finest hats, sundresses, and killer shoes, men wear suits.  So, I have an opening day hat, a big orange floppy straw number.  I might wear that.  I don't know that I care for hats.  They seem to make my head very hot, although they provide personal shade...I can't decide if they are good or bad.  They're fun once in a while.  But I usually lean towards deeming them more effort than they're worth, they ruin my hairstyle and make my forehead sweaty.  Maybe the hat will stay home.

Dear Prudence

Here is a link to today's Dear Prudence on Slate.com.  It is a fun read, as always.  Dear Prudence analyzes
less learing old men and more binge drinking and feminism this week.

And another fun one from a Slate relative: doubleX

Remarkable Read

I love Dahlia Lithwick.  Don't know her?  She's NPR's legal correspondent, she covers all things legal for Slate and she writes a very funny fiction blog.  When covering the proceedings of the Supreme Court she has made me laugh out loud.  Belly laughs, from the Supreme Court.  Catch her on Day-to-day on NPR, or on Slate.com.

Lunch Idea

pasta salad
(if preparing for children, have some fun with the pasta: bowties can be called butterflies, rotini can be slides, springs, or swirls, penne can be tunnels or tubes.  Or, buy fun shapes, like leaves, rabbits, or hearts.  This link has fun facts about all shapes http://www.ilovepasta.org/shapes.html)

makes 4 servings
8oz. whole wheat pasta, cooked according to package directions, drained and cooled
4 cups of vegetables such as:
-corn
-red, yellow and green bell pepper
-artichoke hearts
-olives, sliced
-zucchini and yellow crook neck squash, diced
-grape tomatoes, cut in half or sun-dried tomatoes
-carrots
-spinach, julienned
-basil, julienned
6 oz of protein such as:
-edamame
-kidney beans
-chicken, suggest grilled tenders
-hot dogs or sausage
-tuna, from a can or pouch
-cheese cubes
-garbanzo beans
-shrimp, cooked
italian salad dressing

this dish is best if it is allowed to marinate for a while before serving
combine desired pasta, vegetables and protein with dressing to taste
store in the refrigerator overnight,or longer

basic italian salad dressing
4 T olive oil
2 T balsamic vinegar
2 T chopped fresh parsley
1 T fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 t dried basil, crumbled
1/4 t dried crushed red pepper
pinch of dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
combine all ingredients in a blender or tightly sealed container for a vigorous shake

Today's Quote (2455089)

"Any emotion, if it is sincere, is involuntary." --Mark Twain

Alyssum

I am trying to germinate some Alyssum seeds that I bought from an online specialty store.  They are jeweltoned Alyssum.  Most Alyssum is white or purple; rarely it is yellow.  This Alyssum is supposed to be Wine, Red, Salmon, Lemon, Apricot...

"2946 Aphrodite Mix ( Alyssum )  A mix of the Aphrodite colors. The Aphrodite Series of Alyssum is an exciting new line of colors for Alyssum. Grows only 8 inches tall, and flowers in only 9 weeks. Annual. Excellent basket and container plant.  25 Seeds Per Pack $1.95"
However, whatever I am doing to germinate the seeds is not working.  I have them in a jiffy tray, with soil.  I keep it covered and constantly moist.  I have tried two batches; one in full sun and one under shade cloth and I have not gotten a single plant to germinate.  Any suggestions?

Today's Quote (2455085)

There is no reason good can't triumph over evil, if only angels will get organized along the lines of the mafia. --Kurt Vonnegut, A Man Without A Country

Outfit Poll

Have I mentioned that I am a scientist?  I have a Bachelor's degree and work in a lab.  In the lab, we must wear lab coats, and occassionally we have to wear safety glasses.  It is recommended that we wear our hair back and accessories are discouraged.  When I first start at a company they usually start with a day or two of orientation to read the Employee Handbook, sign forms, and come to speed on policies and procedures.  Here you learn that "it is preferred that you wear long pansts and long sleeves, although that is a suggestion for your own safety, and not a mandate."

I thought some of you out there might be in a similar position.  But, we're still required to look office appropriate.  Here are some outfit ideas that I put together using one common item of clothing for three weekday looks.  Each outfit should contain close-toes shoes, good coverage, and office-ability, while maintaining its usefullness in the lab setting.  A place where the clothes might encounter bleach, acids, biohazards, or flames.  You have to image it, as I am not going to model.  These are my real clothes and shoes, and no, I didn't iron them.  Please vote in the poll to the right.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

BCBG Shirt
Levi's Wide Leg Pants
Mudd Bronze Heals
Steve Madden Purse
Merona Sash

BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

BCBG Shirt
Merone Skirt
Tahari Heals
Banana Republic Purse
Black footless tights






















CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

BCBG Shirt
BCBG Sweater
Mossimo Pants
Tribeca by Kenneth Cole Heals
Nine West Purse

Beautiful Notion

The recent presidential inauguration had me thinking a lot about my grandma. From what I can remember, she was born in 1919. I always marveled at her resilience and determination. She lived through both World Wars, the Depression and the silicon revolution. She was the kind of woman who kept gold coins underneath the false bottom of the broom closet. She was a vegetarian. She was a political activist. She had a wood burning oven and a hot plate and she washed all her clothes by hand in the kitchen sink. By choice. She was a member of her local community garden. The members all shared the harvest, and then donated any left-overs to the local soup kitchen. How beautiful a notion.

I'm not really much of a gardener. Most of the plants I own, or have owned, have experienced the slow march towards mulch as their leaves turn brown and desiccated. And yet, my favorite class, ever, was 7th grade horticulture. We all got a triangle of land, seeds and tools. We got to take home everything we grew. I was 12 years old, sitting on the bus with a grocery bag full of kale, beaming with pride, because no one else had a bag of vegetables that they had grown. We made cheese, butter, and ice cream from fresh cows milk. We made sun-dried apple chips.

My forebearers have all kept gardens. But they all lived in the country. I live in sunny Southern California, where red tile roofs and peach stucco houses are found in neat rows along every visible ridge line. A place where I recently watched, while I sat in my SUV on the freeway, an estuary being filled in with dirt to make room for a new neighborhood.