Beauty Heals And Gives Us Wings
By the time you all read this, I will be on a plane to my next destination. Can you guess where I’m going? I’ll give a prize away to whoever can correctly guess my destination (country and city) first. Here are three hints to help you:
If I know you in my offline life, you can’t compete in the contest LOL! Talk to you all soon, and may the best guesser win!
Hi friends! I’m doing this post because I love my Trader Joe’s (TJ) finds, and I wanted to quickly share some of my favorites with you!
Here are my top ten TJ items!
TJ’s Mushroom Medley
Sauteed by themselves or added to a meat or veggie medley: these enhance the flavor of any dish. Try them with beef or beefless tips, add some red wine and well-cooked onions, and you have something very similar to a beef bourguignon (not exactly the same, but you get my drift).
TJ’s Vegetable Panang Curry
A delicious microwaveable meal with great flavor. Bonus points: it has plenty of veggies, so no need to add a side dish!
TJ’s Paneer Tikka Masala
Another quick, microwaveable dish that is flavorful. I especially like that the paneer isn’t too chewy nor does it get overcooked easily.
TJ’s Roasted Seaweed Snacks (wasabi-flavored)
I’ll eat the salted version, but the wasabi is my favorite. So much yum, and a great value at $1 a pack (the packs are generously sized!)
TJ’s Crab Cakes
I’m a Mid-Atlantic girl, so I don’t play with my crab cakes; fortunately, neither does TJ’s. The crab cakes are meaty, with very little breader, and the price is excellent.
TJ’s Tempura Shrimp
Much like the crab cakes, the price of the tempura shrimp is great and they taste delicious. I pop them in my toaster oven and within 30 minutes I have crispy bits of heaven.
TJ’s Pecan Pralines
So yummy on baked sweet potatoes, and sinfully delicious on their own. I grab a few of these when I’m craving a healthier alternative to candy (at least they have protein, right?)
TJ’s Everything but the Bagel Sesame Seasoning Blend
As a huge fan of the Everything bagel, I realize I can’t always have a bagel when I want it (nor do I always need so many calories). However, this is delightful on buttered slices of toast or any potato incarnation. Just sprinkle and enjoy!
TJ’s 21-Seasoning Salute
Don’t know what to add to give your meats or veggies flavor? Just grab the 21 Seasoning Salute and you’re guaranteed a delicious outcome!
TJ’s Cookie Butter
Eat it by the spoonful. No explanation needed: this already has a cult-like following, and for good reason. It’s shortbread cookies in spread form – so much yum.
What is your favorite TJ product? Let me know in the comments!
Happy Monday, boos! I hope you’ve had a satisfying weekend and are ready to embrace this new week with ARMS WIDE OPEN! (I’m in an extra good mood, and you’ll find out why in the weeks to come)
I’ve searched high and low on the internet for a guide that gives a fresh spin on some the “staple” wardrobe pieces that women are advised to add to their collection. Women have been given such generic advice on items to add to their wardrobe for the sake of fashion: it’s about time that someone provided some different options. I enjoyed reading Stitch Fix’s clothing recommendations, but here are a few of my own ideas for reimagining some classic wardrobe staples. I’m doing this review in two parts because, why not? It’s easier to write and research pieces if I don’t put them all into one post (which I’m inclined to do, ordinarily LOL!)
Instead of the Crisp White Tee – Try a Navy Tee
It can be challenging to keep white clothing bright and fresh-looking. The opposite shade – black- is nice but it can be a bit “heavy” when worn near the face. On the other hand, navy is softer and still looks chic. Navy compliments a lot of different colors and looks excellent with those colors that people traditionally avoiding combining with black (such as yellow and green).
A simple tee by Hanes looks great and is a solid alternative to a white tee
Instead of the Little Black Dress – Try the Little White Dress
Everyone loves and wears black when they want to look pulled together and polished. But, women with darker complexions look heavenly in white, cream and eggshell. In a sea of black sameness, wearing a little white dress (LWD) stands out and flatters deeper skin tones. Something about the color contrast is especially enchanting. And since this isn’t the kind of dress you’d wear every day, keeping it crisp looking is a lot easier.
One of my favorite brands, Black Halo, makes impeccably tailored dresses
The Calvin Klein dress has a beautiful shape in a pristine white hue
Instead of Dark Wash Skinny Jeans – Try Pale Gray Skinny Jeans
Skinny jeans in dark finishes are always stylish, but for those bored with that look, why not try pale gray skinnies? These pair well with a lot of different colors and are surprisingly well-suited for year-round wear.
The super-tapered hem on these Calvin Klein skinny jeans make this an edgy but polished option. The back pockets are also smaller and placed a bit higher than many other jeans, so they give a “perky” effect.
Instead of Basic Black Pumps – Try Nude (Skintone) Pumps
Black court shoes are an easy classic and compliment most ensembles. But my favorite pump is the nude pump. Something about the illusion of everlasting legs is so classy and flattering. Not to mention, nude pumps truly can be worn with any color.
Here are some pumps by Riverberry: the company offers several pumps in varying skintone shades at very affordable prices (click on the shoe closest to your shade to see it for yourself)
Instead of a Button-Up Shirt – Try a Boatneck Shirt
I chose the boatneck for one trait that it shares with button-up shirts: neither design is particularly kind to buxom women. For women that have smaller busts, the boatneck is a fabulous option for a classy, wear-with-everything top. The advantage of boatnecks over button-ups is that the boatneck top usually doesn’t need much ironing to look fresh and stylish. Audrey Hepburn favored a boatneck top: need I say more?
Audrey wearing the style that has become synonymous with her style legacy (photo from Pinterest)
This Yala top is highly rated and reasonably priced
Merona’s boatneck top is available on both Amazon and in Target stores
That’s all for this post! Look out for the second half of Re-imagining the Classics within the next week. Have a great Monday!
On Tuesday, February 6th, the National Gallery of Art (NGA) is hosting acclaimed artist Carrie Mae Weems. This event is a lecture that will discuss Weems’s Kitchen Table Series, a set of photographs capturing (as NGA describes it), “[…] the story of a woman’s life as seen through the intimate space of the kitchen—the traditional sphere of women and a site of sanctuary, creation, shared experiences, and emotional honesty”.
(Photo of Weems, courtesy of the MacArthur Foundation)
Weems has won numerous awards during her career, including the prestigious MacArthur Fellowship. It’s going to be a treat to listen to her discuss her work during her lecture at NGA. You won’t want to miss this event!
With my January book review coming in a few days, it only seemed appropriate that I did a little more research on the author, Tim Ferriss. Somehow, I’d completely forgotten that Tim has had a podcast for YEARS, giving practical advice on how to implement the strategies he outlined in the Four Hour Work Week book.
The Tim Ferriss Show is one of the most popular podcasts out there, with hundreds of millions (yes, you read that correctly) downloads. He has interviewed many famous and influential people, and his various time/creativity/productivity hacks give solid strategies for getting things done more efficiently and effectively.
It’s hard to tell you exactly where to start: I find great information in each podcast. These podcasts are a bit longer (more than 30 minutes in length) so they are great for listening during a long commute or while completing chores. Among the most popular posts is “How to Build a Million-Dollar, One-Person Business – Case Studies From The 4-Hour Work Week” from December 2017. That’s pretty impressive, considering that (at the time of this post) this episode is less than two months old.
I’ll be listening to Tim over the next few weeks as I work on some other projects: I think I’ll find some more great tips throughout the episodes. If you’ve never listened to Tim before, check out the podcast! I think you’ll enjoy it.
While browsing the lots for Christie’s upcoming Rockefeller auction, I came across a partial set of dishes owned by Napoleon I, the legendary emperor of France. The set was beautiful on its own, but I stopped cold when I saw the detail on these dessert plates:
This is the ‘Marly Rouge’ Service, a porcelain dessert set made sometime around 1807 – 1809. This set is in outstanding condition, with the colors and gilding just as vibrant as when it was first presented to Emperor Napoleon. The write-up for this offering can be seen under the “Highlights” section of the Christie’s page featuring the Peggy and David Rockefeller Collection.
Aside from the flawless condition, I marveled at the detailing. Are you all seeing the gorgeous butterfly variety on these dishes? Of course the Bronze Butterfly noticed it and swooned. I need these dishes, now!
The sale occurs in May 2018. I doubt that I’ll have a spare $150,000+ to invest in this set (I remain hopeful!) but I plan to look for a set of similar design and high quality. If I find them (and, since I’m good at locating things, I’m sure that I will), I’ll post to this blog and give you all details. Until then, you’re free to drool over the Marly Rouge with me.
As part of this (informal) series, I want to explore some of the difficulties I see within the art world. These things aren’t obstacles, per se, but they can be challenging for people that are on the outside “looking in”. As I learn more and find myself exploring the business, historical, and aesthetic side of art, I can see the individual factors that make art collecting and the entire business of art frustrating and intimidating to the average person.
One of the biggest obstacles to pursuing either a career in or a collection of art is affordability. Prestigious disciplines and hobbies have always been cost prohibitive, and rightly so: this maintains the integrity, prestige and lucrative nature. But in these increasingly egalitarian times, the question remains: how can affordability be part of the art world while maintaining esteem?
Le Jockey by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (uploaded by the Brooklyn Museum)
The best recommendation I can pose is this: start where you are. That applies no matter where you want to fit into within the art world. Instead of aiming to have a personal art collection on the level of the Louvre, new collectors that have less capital to invest should start where they are and purchase what they enjoy and can afford. People aspiring to be curators and consultants should start by educating themselves as affordably as possible: attend free or low-cost art courses (some of which can be done online), volunteer at a museum or gallery, or even purchase used art textbooks and read the material.
The key to avoiding overwhelm is to take it one step at a time.
There are some entities that are striving to make art more affordable. Educators like ALISON, Coursera and Saylor (especially the Saylor Legacy Courses) make art education affordable. Taking classes at local museums, galleries, art organizations, and community colleges is also another another way to obtain art knowledge at a low cost.
Entering the art collecting world need not be expensive. New collectors should seek out local artists that are talented but not yet famous. Being an “early adopter” often means securing wonderful artwork at an affordable price. Also, it’s important to support smaller artists that may one day become one of the big names in the art world.
Tahitian Woman by Paul Gauguin (uploaded by the Brooklyn Museum)
There are also companies that will finance the purchase of high dollar art. One of these is ArtMoney, a company that offers financing options for people that want to buy art. ArtMoney is currently affiliated with 500 galleries nationwide to help art appreciators acquire works of art that would normally be out of their budgets. Also, there are innovative artists that offer lease and lease-to-own option for interested parties. This allows collectors to enjoy the art of their choice on the terms that best suit them.
So there are always ways to navigate around issues of affordability. Many times, this means setting aside preconceived limitations and approaching a solution with a fresh perspective. By exploring unorthodox and less popular strategies, it’s possible to make any part of the art world affordable.
Happy Tuesday, friends! This is a post that I meant to do before the beginning of the new year, but life got in the way . . . And I forgot about it. But better late than never, right? And let’s look on the bright side – it *did* arrive before the end of January. That’s a good thing, no?
Look, staying organized is HARD. It’s hard to stay on top of everything that we have to do daily, to accurately project how much time we’ll have for upcoming obligations, and to remain cool and calm while we knock out everything that needs to be done. It’s a lot for one person, much less those that have to manage the calendar of others (administrative staff, parents, and event coordinators come to mind).
(image courtesy of MariaFresa.net)
Organization tools have been so important for me, because managing my life isn’t easy. Here are some of my favorite tools for staying organized and efficient:
A desk calendar/blotter : I love being able to see my entire month at a glance. Regardless of how much I have going on, being able to see my plans in large, clearly defined squares helps me visually comprehend whether I need to lighten my load or decline additional activities/plans. I’m a fan of colorful calendars, so this one by Amazon perfectly suits me.
A personal planner : I rely on these heavily, especially since I don’t put every little task on my calendar. Personal planners hold my daily to-do lists and reminders for things to be done on future dates. The prettier the planner, the better I like it, with one stipulation: it must be small enough to fit into my purse, but large enough to capture my thoughts. I always have it with me, so portability is a big thing. My current planner is by Eccolo, and I’m including a link to one of their beautiful options below:
A refillable day planner : So it seems that a desk calendar and a personal planner would be enough, right? Well, not for me LOL! Some days require even more time management, and I’m a huge fan of fillable day planners to help me get through everything that needs to be done. These allow you to measure your time in 30 minute increments and has space for jotting down the most important items to handle through the day. Since these are undated, you only use pages as you need them (allowing you to have this planner for much longer than a year or two). The planner is also refillable, so you can add more pages as needed. I prefer this one by Blueline:
My phone apps : Who doesn’t love a cell phone? These are the best way for me to keep up with my repeated to-dos, especially since I can set how frequent I would like my reminders to be. I love my phone apps for those reminders that are time-sensitive (for example, having my alarm go off 5 minutes before I’m able to reserve tickets for an in-demand event). I’m #TeamiPhone, but every brand of smart phone has apps that can help you manage your time.
As National Hot Tea Month draws to a close, I’m a little sad. I’ve shared all of my hot tea pics with you all on Instagram, I’ve made a post about tea on this blog, and now I need to find some new content for February! However, given the big trip I’m taking in a couple of weeks (more about that coming soon!), I’m sure that I’ll have plenty of writing fodder.
My tea and coffee-inspired painting that I did when I went to a Creativity Workshop at Blue Bee Cider a couple of weeks ago
To close out the month, I want to share some of my tea drinking tips with you all. These are just a few of my observations, but I’d love for you all to weigh in with any tea tips that you may have!
– Have a dedicated tea cup. There’s something so soothing about the ceremony of using a dedicated tea cup (or, in my case, a tea mug) to drink your beverage. If you associate tea drinking with relaxation, then the very sight of your tea cup will put you at ease. Since I drink lots of tea, I have three cups that I use. I enjoy each of them.
– Know that there is a tea for everyone. Even if you aren’t a fan of black tea, there are so many varieties, with so many flavors, that it’s pretty impossible to conclude that there is NO tea that you enjoy. Keep trying, and don’t be afraid to reach out to tea professionals to learn more about the available tea options.
– Carefully follow the instructions on your tea packaging. This is especially crucial for expensive teas. If the instructions say to steep for 3 – 5 minutes, don’t cut that time short (you’ll end up with a weak tea) nor exceed it (you’ll have an overpowering and likely bitter beverage at the end). Certain teas are best enjoyed when using very hot water, as opposed to boiling water. So pay attention to the instructions and follow them!
– Feel free to dress up your teas. Honey, lemon, cream, sugar: add whatever you like. However, NEVER mix cream and lemon – the combination will curdle in your cup (yuck!)
– Listen to your body and only drink teas that make you feel good. I used to like a tea that was designed as a detox (more about that in the next tip). However, it’d leave me feeling faint when I drank it. I had to cut it out, even though I enjoyed it. Likewise, some of my favorite teas can only be enjoyed before 12 PM, because I’m very caffeine-sensitive and drinking caffeinated tea at a later hour will keep me awake all night. Listening to my body and adjusting accordingly was a wise move for me, and I advise that you all do it, too.
– Drop any notion that a tea will help you lose fat or “detox” your body. I know celebrities are constantly selling tea and other beverages designed to help people shed weight quickly. Don’t fall for the hype. You may temporarily lose water weight or even speed up your metabolism a bit, but the best way to lose weight or detox is a healthy diet full of high quality, well-prepared foods and exercise that both safely increases your heart rate and effectively strengthens the muscles.
– Visit a tea room. This is on my to-do list for the year. Every friend of mine that has done it highly recommends it. The owners of these tea rooms are genteel, knowledgeable and friendly. They are a great resource for learning about tea and how to pair tea with foods. A visit to a tea room is also a great reason to get dressed up and spend time with friends!
That’s it for me, beloveds! I look forward to chatting with you all soon!
Sotheby’s London is starting 2018 off with a bang! Their first wine sale of the year will feature nearly 400 bottles of rare and fine wines. The auction house has titled this sale, “A Great Collection From a Secret Grotto from a Northern European Connoisseur“. With a title like that, who wouldn’t want to participate?
Serena Sutcliffe, MW, describes this enchanting collection as follows (you can read more of her thoughts in the catalogue for this incredible sale):
“In the dark days of winter, it takes a treasure trove of truly joyous wines
to bring a smile to the face – and this is just looking at them rather than
drinking them. Contemplation of mouth-wateringly beautiful bottles brings
immediate memories, as well as hopes of meeting these wines again, which
is more than possible for you, the wine-loving client. You literally can smell
them and taste them when you see them in the cellar, or on the written page
– they come to life in all their dimension and diversity. This is a collection
that displays some of the greatest wine-making talent of our days which,
on reflection, might well be on unrivalled top form in the last few decades.
These years have shown a glittering balance of technical know-how with
enormous human skill, driven to its peak by pride in the profession and
critical competition. It is the consumer who has benefited.
Above all, this collection puts the greatest vinous gems of France under
the spotlight. It is clear that the wines were chosen by someone with
remarkable gastronomic and wine knowledge.”
The wines range from the luxurious but affordable to the truly exquisite. On the lower end of the estimate spectrum, a Chateau Lafite 1994 is expected to fetch anywhere between $400 and $500 USD; for the most serious collectors, a Petrus 1995 is expected to soar anywhere between $21,000 and $30,000 USD.
This sale is going to be spectacular! Too bad I won’t be anywhere near London at the end of the month: otherwise, I’d definitely attend. The sale occurs on January 24, 2018, at 10:30 GMT in London. If you can attend, I highly encourage you to do so!
(all photos courtesy of Sotheby’s)
Bronze Butterfly 