tips: thriving in winter

 It snowed again last night....

Are you sick of winter and ready for all those spring catalogs to start popping up in your mailbox?

Normally, I would be right there with you ... but I'm trying to be present, soaking in each day (and not jumping ahead to what's next).  I suppose this includes the seasons too.  I don't want to simply survive this winter, I want to thrive.  To enjoy.  As Nichole said so much better than I could, "Don't write off the season, waiting for the next."

Let me be honest with you.  It is all a mind game.  I'm focused on being immersed in the wonder of winter -- without becoming cynical about the weather, or melancholy from the darkness, or sick of staying indoors. Want to see how I've managed it so far?

step #1 - change up the colors in our living room pillows (see the ousted color here)

step #2 - my parents generously updated our 1930s fireplace for Christmas.....genius!  I turn it on every day.

step #3 - invest in cute winter accessories since you'll wear them every. single. day. for months

step #4 - read.  minimize overdosing on TV and crack open a book on dark winter nights.

Surprisingly, these small steps have made a big difference in our attitude.  Any other tips for reveling in the moment (especially a wintry one)?

p.s.  I might need to do another post like this for February and March.  We have a ways to go until spring in Indiana. :)

a perfect match

Today, I'll be reading this brand-spanking new magazine.  Unlike other online magazines matchbook is more style driven and filled with simple classics.

After a quick peruse, my favorite articles are:

"50 classics for your closet" including American Eagle jeans, a gorgeous coral All Saints scarf, a straw fedora, and Frye boots

          "a perfect match" about Anna and Nathan Bond's marriage and company

"an American in Paris" chock full of advice on Paris style, sites, and attitude

caesar salad, from scratch

 

I love caesar salad.  Both my families can attest that I order it every. single. time. we eat out. 

It may sound boring, but let me just say, there is a wide range of caesar salads.  Some are mediocre, some are downright terrible (too much dressing, anyone?), and a select few are divine.  The hunt for a great one keeps me ordering it over and over again.  My all-time favorite was made from scratch table-side at a restaurant in Bermuda.  I think the server used about 25 different ingredients, including hot sauce (more on that later).  And so, I despaired at ever making a great caesar salad of my own.

Then I found this recipe randomly while working out - and decided to give it a go.  Welcome to my new favorite:

Caesar Salad

adapted from Christina Ferrare, via O Magazine
serves 6

For croutons:
1 clove garlic, peeled and mashed
3 T. olive oil
3 c. roughly chopped bread cubes (from sourdough or baguette)

For dressing:
2 T. fresh lemon juice

1 t. Dijon mustard

1 t. Worcestershire sauce

1/4 t. kosher salt
1 clove garlic , minced
4 anchovy fillets , chopped and mashed into a paste
1/4 c. olive oil
2 T. canola oil
2-3 drops hot sauce - my twist

To assemble:
2 heads romaine lettuce (about 1 pound)

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/3 cup and 2 Tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 ounce)

To make croutons: Combine smashed garlic clove and olive oil; infuse for 20 minutes.  Remove garlic from oil (it can be reserved and used to make the dressing). In a large bowl, toss oil and bread cubes together.  Heat a small saute pan over medium-high heat and add the bread cubes, stirring occasionally.  Cook until golden and crunchy, 10-12 minutes.  Remove and cool.  Croutons can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week.

To make dressing: In a medium bowl, combine lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, garlic,  anchovies, and hot sauce; whisk until smooth.  In another bowl, briefly whisk together olive and canola oils. Whisking lemon juice mixture constantly, add oil in a slow, steady stream. Use dressing immediately, or store in refrigerator for 1 day; shake well before using.

To make salad: Wash, dry, and tear lettuce into pieces. In a large bowl, toss together lettuce, salt, 1/3 cup Parmesan, most of the croutons, and 1/2 of the dressing (reserve rest for another use). Toss salad together, making sure everything is thoroughly mixed. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, a handful of croutons, and a sprinkle of fresh black pepper.
My Notes: Using anchovies for the first time was surprisingly easy and not as gross as I was expecting.  Also, hot sauce contains just the right amount of spice and kick to this dressing.  Be careful not to overdo the salt - between the dressing and parmesan there is plenty of it.  Finally - the homemade croutons were awesome!

creating my closet - part 3

Once I cultivated a closet of items that work for me - sometimes a little inspiration is needed to avoid falling into a rut of boredom.  I have not been good about having a vision of my style, so this is my first attempt at building a digital style-board of outfits I'd love to recreate with pieces I already own. 

Instead of constantly feeding the desire to shop, I want to focus on contentment and simplicity - while still having a daily style that makes me feel good.  New items aren't necessary for that, but perhaps new combinations are the ticket to a creative closet.

1.  I absolutely adore reading Joslyn's outfit deconstructed posts.  Her bold jewelry, dresses, and wedges are my favorite. 

 

2. Reese Witherspoon's style is right up my alley - casual, classic, girly and approachable.  Her casual sweaters, flats, sunglasses, and cross-body bags are standards in my wardrobe (ok - not the sunglasses, but everything else).

plus, I think her hot pink necklace could be fun to recreate on the cheap...

 

3. Emersonmade's clothes are fabulous, but I love the simple styling with perfectly tailored pieces in neutral colors.

4. A few images from Liz's style inspiration posts. 

Now that I've compiled looks that I truly love, I'm seeing the trends in my style:

loads of neutrals // long, layered hair // cardigans // flat boots or ballet flats // all shades of blue //  little pops of pink or yellow or green //  dresses that hit slightly above the knee // menswear-inspired


part 1 - building my closet
part 2 - shopping for my closet

creating my closet - part 2

After organizing my clothes, I shopped.  The trick was to buy for my own closet.  I've gained a better idea of the clothes I wear often and love on my body for school, church, & cozy weekend dates.  This quote helped me focus:

"Buy clothes that you’ll wear on a Tuesday afternoon, not a Saturday night— few people lead Saturday-night lives." 

                    --Lucky Magazine, December 2010

So using some Christmas gift money I stocked up on winter essentials from J.Crew.  With their sale items an additional 40% off, it could have been easy to get distracted by cheap thrills (dainty blouses, outerwear, or dresses).  But I'd done my assessment once my clothes were all in one place.  I needed a few more long sleeve tees and cardigans for the three winter months that loom ahead. 


To mix things up and add some youthful edge, I also experimented with some new pieces from Madewell, J.Crew's younger sister store.  Here are the items I picked:

 

perfect fit tee

this rich blue color is my favorite



matchstick cords

warm, durable, and fabulous colors



  

sequin + stripes boatneck tee



 

shimmer sweatshirt tee

drapey fabric and a cute, modern cut

 

 

twilight cardigan

cozy wool cardigan with a retro, grandpa style





If you need to add some essentials for your closet - 

 the 40% off sale is on again this weekend at J.Crew and

30% off sale at Madewell!

creating my closet - part 1

Old houses have very limited closet space.  Homeowners get creative with maximizing space, like the gentleman who previously owned our home.  He had partially finished the attic space by the master bedroom (read: still open to the outdoors with swinging temperatures and bugs space) to hold his surprising amount of clothes.  Check out the sleeveless turtleneck sweater - totally awesome...

Before shot #1 - the attic space

Once we moved into our house and realized I wouldn't have a closet, we contemplated finishing this attic space and turning it into a true closet.  During these seven or eight months, my clothes lived here:

Before shot #2 - hanging rack in our bedroom

Before shot #3 - guest bedroom closet

Last weekend though, we made the plunge and headed to ikea's winter sale to pick up a hemnes wardrobe that was drastically discounted.  This post and this video by Michael Penney gave me the confidence that an ikea piece could stand the test of time, be multipurpose, and be painted to look a lot better.  We bought the piece in those huge ikea boxes, trekked home, and built it - all in one day.  No small task.

Then I spent the next few days reading through Kendi's working closet posts, and organizing my clothes to make my new closet work for me. 

1. First I purged a few items to be donated to Goodwill.  Mainly I rid my closet of stuffy button downs, painful high heels, and any other items that I don't wear anymore.
2. I separated my clothes by leaving anything I would wear in the dead of winter in my bedroom and putting everything else back into the guest bedroom closet.  Pretty easy!
3. Finally I started filling the empty wardrobe with clothes...

 So, what do you think of her?  I am a bit smitten.
 Stay tuned for closet assessment and shopping in part 2 tomorrow, friends...

shapiro's deli

I recently stumbled across some photos of my brother-in-law's visit to see us in the fall.  Somehow they got lost once I uploaded them.  We ate at a great Jewish deli downtown and then went rock climbing (what?).  We went on an afternoon following one of the Indy marathons, and it was packed with runners! 

Any type of deli or cafeteria line makes me extra nervous.  I feel so much pressure to pick things up since there is no going back!  Thankfully - the guys always put more than enough food on their trays for me too.  For me, the best things in the line aren't always the deli sandwiches.  I get sucked in with the cakes, pies, mac-and-cheese, mashed potatoes, fresh rye bread, and Saturday's fried chicken special.  It is a dangerous place, my friends!

recipe: pecan squares

flaky, caramel & pecan goodness for our family Christmas party

Pecan Squares

adapted from Barefoot Contessa's recipe - by cutting the recipe in half
fills one baking sheet

crust:
⅔ lb. butter, room temperature
⅓ c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
⅓ t. vanilla extract
2¼ c. all-purpose flour
¼ t. baking powder
⅛ t. salt

topping:
½ lb. butter
½ c. good honey
1½ c. light brown sugar, packed
1 t. grated lemon zest
2 T. heavy cream
1 lb. pecans, coarsely chopped

For the crust, beat the butter and granulated sugar in a mixer until light, approximately 3 minutes. Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the batter with the mixer on low speed until just combined. Press the dough evenly into an ungreased baking sheet, making an edge around the outside. It will be very sticky; sprinkle the dough and your hands lightly with flour. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, until the crust is set but not browned. Allow to cool.

For the topping, combine the butter, honey, brown sugar, and zests in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat until the butter is melted, using a wooden spoon to stir. Raise the heat and boil for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the heavy cream and pecans. Pour over the crust, trying not to get the filling between the crust and the pan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold. Cut into bars and serve.

icicles + play

 I can claim three good reasons for posting these pictures: 

a. the icicles are so pretty forming outside our bedroom window

b. the light feels warm and I'm craving sunlight these days

c. best of all, husband came to find me armed to the hilt and we had a sword-fight with the icicles - which makes me giggle just thinking about it.

plus, there's a whole new batch growing outside now....

honest & random

an honest picture - sans makeup

Sweet emilylime tagged me to create a list of 7 random things about myself.  Have you checked out her blog - she is so cute and funny!  In an effort to keep with my new resolution, I've done a little introspection of my quirkier side and asked husband to help me when I got stuck - funny how he could just spout off things....


Here's my odd, honest rundown:

1. Background music or noise doesn't fade into the background for me.  Somehow my brain concentrates on the noise and drives me a little insane if I'm trying to have a conversation.  
2. I'm pretty talented at making dinosaur noises, especially a Pterodactyl.  Did I really just put that on here? 
3. Three students have fainted during my class, and I caught them.  I know the warning signs (white face, cold sweat, eyes roll) because I am a fainter - first day of college, first day joining a gym, and when I get the flu. 
4. I love pizza.  Most nights I say, "What should we have for dinner? Pizza?" and then we actually decide what to eat (this is my favorite recipe, too)
5. Husband and I have loads of nicknames for each other, and rarely call each other by our first names - see my new blog title for proof.
6. Sometimes I feel really out of place in my chosen profession - especially the time when I went to see Ben Stein's movie, Expelled, on opening night and the whole theater was full of middle-aged guys with pocket protectors and short-sleeved collared shirts (read, Dwight Schrute).  Great movie, by the way.
7. I like cooking and baking because it reminds me of my chemistry labs in college - only you get to eat the end result.

p.s. If you're reading, consider yourself tagged.  Play along and leave a little list or link to your own post in the comments.  I'd love to read some of your quirky tidbits, too!

one resolution for 2011

Chicago lights and snow

In the wake of the holidays, a deep calm has taken over our house.  Traditionally we schedule very few commitments in January, we don't travel much, and the weather keeps us tucked in our snug house most nights.  Even taking down our Christmas decorations was liberating - the house became more simple.  We both breathed a sigh of relief with the much-needed space. 

During wintry nights, I've been reading my favorite bloggers' posts and a line from Joslyn's post leapt out at me: 

"I want to dive into a few things and get really good at them, I want to 'specialize' a little more and 'generalize' a little less." 

...along with this bit from a "genius" little article: 

"I frittered away my brainpower on everyday problems because they felt safe, solvable, and significant -- those bills do have to be paid, after all. I had no space left for things that really matter to me, the ideas that need time and wonder to come to fruition."

  
...and all of a sudden, I have my first resolution ever:

Be Focused.

Somehow in the last five years, I've been lost between finishing school, finding a job, moving cities, getting married, and moving to three different homes.  2011 is a year of adventure for us, and I don't want it to slip by unnoticed.  Speeding through life - doing everything, but succeeding at nothing - is not the life I choose.  Instead, here are my "specialties" this year:

• Cooking - While owning the fact that I am not a craft queen or talented artist, I am making this year about creating in my kitchen.  My mantra? Try new recipes; plan grocery lists; don't let those dirty dishes discourage!  
•  Reading - I never feel more like myself than when I'm reading (if you're wondering, I was definitely the nerdy, skinny girl in huge glasses with her nose stuck in a book).  So I'm limiting my blog reading, tv-watching, and keeping my library stockpiled.
•  Introspection - Although I've always been an introvert, that doesn't necessarily translate into self-growth and reflection.  I know the role I play as a teacher, but so many other areas of my life haven't had the same attention.  I want to spend time with a journal discovering who I am as a woman, wife, and daughter of the King.  Also - lose the "teacher hat" when I'm not at work - loosen up, laugh more, be merciful and more spontaneous.  Focus on celebrating each adventure.  (Oh boy, I saved the hardest one for last....!)

excuse the dust...and little blog has a new name!

p.s.  today husband is buying tickets for a trip to this city!

Please don't mind me....just making a few changes around here!  (Look for a new post tomorrow, too.)

psst...What do you think of the new name?  Nothing like starting the new year fresh :)