making stuff and doing things

Lent

2011-03-08T16:55:00.000-05:00

Hello reader(s),

I'm giving up social media for Lent. See you soon!

~ACH

do: the movies!

2011-03-02T10:19:00.003-05:00

Have I mentioned that I love a good deal?

Today's deal by Living Social is from Fandango. They are offering 2 movie tickets for $9! The voucher is good wherever Fandango is accepted (so, pretty much everywhere).

Full disclosure: if three people purchase the deal through my link, I get my deal for free! It that's so, I promise to do a giveaway or something to make it up to you guys :). But also, come on, two tickets for $9? That's a great deal!

see: Long Live the Queen

2011-02-28T02:29:00.000-05:00

My FSFIL (future-step-father-in-law) sent me an email with these pictures today.

Long live the Queen!

taste: YoS

2011-02-27T18:13:00.002-05:00

(from the past two weeks, because I forgot to post last week!)

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I concocted a great (IMHO) recipe for garlicky kale this week, so (as you can see), I ate a lot of kale. Which is good, because that was one of my resolutions. I also made a point to eat spinach, although it isn't usually one of my go-to greens. Let's see if I can keep it up!

taste: Mount Gay & Tonic

2011-02-26T14:39:00.004-05:00

Mount Gay Rum (from Barbados, where I used to vacation as a child) + White Rock Tonic (no corn syrup, real quinine)

+ freshly sliced lime

= the perfect beach cocktail (regardless of the temperature outside).

grateful: the beach

2011-02-25T17:17:00.003-05:00

So grateful for quick getaways and naps on the beach!

taste: Whole Foods Garlicky Kale

2011-02-24T14:35:00.007-05:00

My Year of Salad resolution for this week was to eat more raw non-lettuce greens, which has finally gotten me motivated to try and recreate my favorite Whole Foods Salad Bar food of all time, Garlicky Kate.

First I started with the ingredient list off the salad bar:
Kale, Garlic, Tahini, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Liquid Aminos, Nutritional Yeast, Apple Cider Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Water.

Then I played around a little bit with proportions, until I got to this:
1 bunch Kale
3 cloves of garlic, pressed (or chopped really small)
4 T Tahini
2 T EVOO
1 T Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1 T Nutritional Yeast
1 T Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Lemon (juiced)
Water (to adjust for consistency)

Last summer, my friend's partner let me in on little secret to eating raw kale: you have to massage the kale. No, seriously. So, after mixing together all the other ingredients, and having T wash and de-stem the delicious locally grown kale, I pushed up my sleeves and set to work massaging some leafy greens.

Then I massaged in the dressing:

Then I (washed my hands) and enjoyed the best garlicky kale to be had in Kitty Hawk, NC.

Note: we really like garlic and lemon and tahini and kale and, well, all of these ingredients. If you have plans for a hot date later on, you could decrease the garlic a little bit. This stuff isn't called Garlicky Kale for nothing.

do.

2011-02-23T07:02:00.002-05:00

My plan for the day:

Just finished four 13-hour shifts in a row...I deserve a little PLL-massage-pilates-beach, right?

grateful: Valentine's Day Recap

2011-02-16T05:00:00.000-05:00

I was extremely blessed this year.

Rainforest Alliance Certified flowers from T (plus flowers from my Daddy delivered to my work!)...

...an antique book of poems...

...pewter candlesticks from the Shirley Pewter Shop for romantic dinners for years to come!

...complete with hand-dipped candles similar to these!

T also gave me chocolates, some books on tape for my ride to work, and a new "bride and groom" charm for my charm bracelet. How blessed I am to have T (and Daddy!) in my life!

How was your Valentine's day?

wear: Kayce Hughes

2011-02-15T22:52:00.002-05:00

The lovely College Prepster is doing a Kayce Hughes giveaway! Check it out here.

listen: Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T01:11:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day, friends!

Etta James: At Last

taste: YoS

2011-02-13T21:01:00.000-05:00

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As you can see, I did a little overtime at work this week (thus all the black Styrofoam bowls!). That sort of limits my veggie selection to what they have on the cafeteria salad bowl, but inspired by Jenny's random thoughts on salad, I've been bringing in my own salad dressing to replace the high fructose corn syrup stuff they have at work. It certainly added a little variety into my week!

On days I wasn't working, I fought the cold my assembling a salad...and then sauteing it and tossing it with some brown rice. Add a little curry sauce...yum!

listen: Valentine's Day

2011-02-13T01:05:00.000-05:00

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros: Home

I adore the original, but as a life-long "Daddy's Girl," this one really pulls at my heart-strings...

cover by Jorge & Alexa Narvaez

listen: Valentine's Day

2011-02-12T01:05:00.000-05:00

Ella Fitzgerald: I love you (For Sentimental Reasons)

listen: Valentine's Day

2011-02-11T01:00:00.000-05:00

Barry White: The First, My Last, My Everything

listen: Valentine's Day

2011-02-10T10:52:00.003-05:00

In honor of Valentine's Day, I decided to a little mini-series of my favorite love songs.

Bright Eyes: First Day of My Life

They made this video by recording people listening to the song. I cannot make it through without tearing up!

(wedding!)

2011-02-09T05:41:00.001-05:00

Last week, I went up to visit my parents in DC to go wedding dress shopping, and I caught sight of a little bridal (and not just at the boutiques!).

Something old:

from my parents' wedding!

Something new:

I love the clasp on my mother's new D&B

Something borrowed:

it's fun to play with Mommy's makeup at any age

Something blue:

I can't wait until the day I've collected as many cable knits as my mother has amassed!

It's good to be home!

Shameless plug: for more wedding goodness, go here!

taste: YoS

2011-02-06T18:26:00.000-05:00

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Wear: Red!

2011-02-03T18:55:00.005-05:00

As a cardiac RN, I see the challenges faced by women with heart disease every day. So, just in case your calender wasn't already marked...

Go Red for Women on Friday, February 4^th

and get CAUGHT during National Wear Red Day!

Mark your calendars!

Everyone can support the fight against heart disease in women by wearing red on Friday, February 4^th.

In 2004, the American Heart Association (AHA) faced a challenge. Cardiovascular disease claimed the lives of nearly 500,000 American women each year, yet women were not paying attention. In fact, many even dismissed it as an “older man’s disease.” To dispel the myths and raise awareness of heart disease as the number one killer of women, the AHA created Go Red For Women – a passionate, emotional, social initiative designed to empower women to take charge of their heart health.

So come on, go ahead...and wear red on Friday show your support of Go Red for Women on National Wear Red Day 2011!

wear: From War to Peace

2011-02-01T02:03:00.000-05:00

Above: my new "peace bronze" necklace from From War to Peace. From War to Peace is an awesome company that recycles disarmed nuclear missile systems into beautiful jewelry which proclaims their message of peace (in many different shapes and styles). From the website:

We recycle copper from disarmed nuclear missile systems to create Peace Bronze, the most precious metal in our world. We use it to make glorious art and jewelry for those who share our commitment to a world without war.

From War to Peace is a green company. We recycle everything, making the old newly useful. Our silver- and gold-plated pieces are created entirely from recycled metals. Our printed paper is all recycled. All plastics we use are biodegradable. Our Peace Bronze itself is recycled from missile system cabling. Even the server hosting our website uses solar technology to power its computers.

From War to Peace is a uniquely American company. The copper we use was originally mined in Montana, then used in the Midwest as wiring in nuclear missile systems before being disarmed. After recovering the copper, the Peace Bronze is made for us at a California foundry. We use casting foundries in New Mexico & CA for our casting. Local artisans turn it into jewelry and art objects here in the U.S.A.

From War to Peace is a giving company. We donate 20 percent of all FWTP profit to deserving peace and social justice organizations in the U.S.A. and around the world.

My sister and I exchanged peace bronze necklaces for Christmas this year, and I wear mine to work every day. I love supporting such an innovative and socially conscious company (plus the craftsmanship is truly superb). How often does what we wear align with or support our values?

P.S. I first found out about From War to Peace from Katie Armour last November!

taste: YoS

2011-01-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

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make: New Mexico at home (almost)

2011-01-30T01:07:00.000-05:00

One of the little luxuries I miss the most from my Santa Fe days are my favorite lunchtime treat of green chile-hummus sandwiches from the co-op. The green chile from Tr*der Joe's doesn't come close to the stuff we ate in Santa Fe, but, in a pinch, on top of homemade hummus and and thick-sliced bread, it'll do the trick. Plus, at 79¢, it's a whole lot more affordable than a plane ticket to get the real thing.

wear: Honey, I shrunk your shoe!

2011-01-29T01:03:00.000-05:00

"What did you do to my shoe?!"

Don't worry, T, it doesn't work like that. That's my shoe! Gotta love unisex style...

make: tea

2011-01-28T04:54:00.000-05:00

Thirteen hour shifts take some getting used to, and I'm sure there's more coffee than blood running through many of my co-workers' veins! I try to stay away from the stuff, drinking tea instead. I just grab a few teabags on my way out the door in the morning, and keep a glass jar (with a lid to keep out hospital germs!) with me all day. Yesterday I ran out of my organic fair trade green tea, so I had to scavenge in the galley. When I saw this little yellow packet, I immediately thought of EAS (of course). I don't think it's the same Maryland Club, but still. It certainly made me smile!

What gets you through your work day?

do: VMFA

2011-01-27T00:25:00.001-05:00

Last week, some friends from DC came down to meet T & me in Richmond for a trip to the Virginia Museum of Fine Art. I have fond memories of visiting the VMFA as a teenager, but it had been a while since I'd been back.

(pbs.org)
Our friend, Sara, is studying photography at the Corcoran College of Art + Design. She re-introduced me to the work of Virginia artist Sally Mann.

We also checked out the free exhibit "Fleeting Glimpse" (open until April 3), which featured work of many well-known contemporary photographers like Diane Arbus.

Of course, we had to stop by and check out the Fabergé collection. I bet you can guess why I liked this piece so much!

A beautiful window by Jacques Grüber.

Sara & T outside the amazing Art Deco collection.

We definitely could have spent all day at the museum, but somebody (ahem) kept mentioning Indian food, so we had to make a quick stop in Carytown before parting ways.

What exhibits have you seen recently?