Clean & Green

I was cleaning the bathtub the other day with some sort of industrial strength muck and found myself in a chemical haze.  Headache. Scratchy throat.  Nasty taste in my mouth.  It all led me to jump online and do a little research.  I found the following appalling factoid:

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the air inside the typical home is on average 2-5 times more polluted than the air just outside—and in extreme cases 100 times more contaminated—largely because of household cleaners and pesticides.

What??  Think about this - the cleaners that you use to de-germ your house are likely more harmful than the germs themselves.  They include strong, artificial ingredients and harsh chemicals like bleach, ammonia, and alcohol.  We are hurting ourselves, our children, our pets, the environment, etc. etc. etc.  I find this incredibly disqusting, not to mention a cause of some serious anxiety.  I went under my kitchen sink, threw out every single toxic cleaner I owned (which luckily wasn't many!), and made a pledge to buy & make safe, non-toxic, environmentally friendly cleaners.  I found a couple recipes to get me started and it seems pretty easy.  

Basic ingredients: 

Vegetable oil based soap (like Dr. Bronners), water, baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice, borax, essential oils, tea tree oil. 

Recipes. 

This is fun - it's like cooking, but you can't eat it!  Insead, the reward is knowing you will have a clean house without giving yourself cancer.  Sounds harsh, but this is serious business!    

All purpose cleaners - for countertops, floors, walls, carpet & upholstery.  Combine in a spray bottle:

1. Dissolve 4 tablespoons baking soda in 1 quart warm water.
2. Add 1/2 cup vinegar to between 1 cup and 1 quart of warm water.
3. Combine 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil based liquid soap and 3/4 cup warm water.  Shake to blend. 

Abrasive cleaner: Use baking soda or non-chlorinated scouring powder (like Bon Ami).

Grease cleaner - use a mix of vinegar and salt. 

Disinfectant - for kitchen cutting boards and the bathroom: use a spray of distilled white vinegar followed by a 3 % peroxide spray.  Wipe clean. 

Glass cleaner - mix 1 quart warm water with 1/4 cup white vinegar.  Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice for a citrus scented version or add a couple drops of your favorite essential oil. 

Furniture polish - 1/2 teaspoon oil (like olive or jojoba), 1/4 cup vinegar or lemon juice (fresh works best of course!).  Mix in a glass jar and use a soft rag to dab and wipe onto wood. 

Two of my personal favorite safe & environmentally friendly brands to buy are Seventh Generation (expensive, but you can find coupons here) and Trader Joes Cleanliness is Next to Godliness (for the more frugal cleaner)!

Happy, healthy & green!

Sources: http://www.worldwatch.org/, http://www.eartheasy.commost/, www.oregonmetro.gov, www.care2.com.  

Feeling nostalgic

I think I must be in need of a vacation, because I can't stop thinking about traveling.  Enough with this two weeks off a year business - it's completely for the birds!  My husband is from England and as you most probably know, like most civilized countries they get a minimum of like 30 days off a year.  I need to live in a country that values quality of life over corporate greed - this is just plain annoying!  :) 

While I was dreaming up a scheme for life abroad (still in progress), I was looking at pictures of my last trip to Spain.  We always go back to the same village in the southern part because my husband's family has a place there - so lovely! I need to go back. Soon.  

Such a simple and enjoyable way of life! 

P.S. If anyone has some good ideas about living/working abroad I would love to hear them!! 

Much needed inspiration

"I'd rather regret the things I have done

than the things that I haven't ."

Lucille Ball

Sometimes when I feel frustrated with the monotony of life (& the daily grind), I remind myself of quotes like this one.  They inspire me to try new things and live a life filled with adventure and happiness. 

Happy Tuesday.

Wishing the weekend wouldn't end

The weekends always fly by too fast, don't they?  This one was particularly busy, but so much fun!  I didn't want it to end! 

Friday Night.

Had a lovely dinner out with a new friend! 

If you are in the Portland area - 3 Doors Down cafe was delish!  On the menu: Duck confit, Garganelli Egg Pasta With Classic Pork & Beef Cavatelli Bolognese Sauce, & an americano & the bocca negra chocolate torte for dessert (see below)!

~via~

Saturday morning. 

Made a tea cozy (below) without a pattern - it's a little large, but totally does the trick.  On Sunday it kept our tea warm for 3 hours!! 

Saturday day.

Snowshoeing on Mount Hood with my girlfriends Courtney & Jessie.  Possible pics to follow once Jessie downloads them, but here is the view we had from the trail on Mirror Lake!  It was my first time out and was so much fun!  Great workout, too! 

Saturday night. 

Marmalade making.  This was my first go at Marmalade - I used the Barefoot Contessa's recipe - it's delicious, but not as jelly-ish in texture as I am used to. 

Sunday morning. 

I made Kate's amazing little Baked Apple Donuts.  They were delicious - probably because you dip them in butter and them roll them in cinnamon & sugar - that always helps!  I made them to bring over to my friend Darshana's house.  I got to visit with her and her adorable little girl Mira, and drink Darsh's tasty Cha tea.  I am not sure if it is different than Chai (I'll have to check on that), but it is completely soul warming - lots of spices, fresh ginger, milk and a little bit of sugar!  Thanks Darsh! 

Sunday Day.

Headed out with the husband and grabbed a beer over at Prost!  Again, for those in the Portland area this was such a fun place - obviously German.  They have a great beer selection - and the waitstaff was seriously the most friendly and fun that I have met in a long, long time!  The three people next to us were drinking the "boot" - 2 liters of any tasty malty beverage they have on draft.  I guess there is some rule that once the bartender pours it, the boot can't touch the bartop until it is completely empty.  They offered to share with us, but it was a little early for me to start downing liter after liter!  It was somewhere around 1:30 and they had already been "tasting" tequila!  

Sunday evening. 

Home to make some pickled eggs.  I have only had pickled eggs once and wasn't the biggest fan in the world - they are super rubbery.  But my husband loves them (he's English - that's his excuse!), so we decided to try to make a spicy version at home.  They'll be ready in 4 weeks.  Sounds gross, but I'm an adventurous eater so I'll let you know how they taste! 

Monday morning.

Back to work.  Hope you guys had a great weekend!

Friday Flavor: Dulce de Leche

I love ice cream and when I say love, I mean LOVE!  I could eat it all day, and for every meal.  Seriously.  Now you see why I need my big workout regimen, right!  Kate's new Friday Flavor, Dulce de Leche, is the perfect accoutrement for my homemade vanilla bean gelato (recipe found here)!!  It would also be the perfect homemade treat for your favorite Valentine's! 

~via~

So, from the mouth and mind of

one of my very best friends ever......

I am slightly obsessed with homemade gifts.  This year, I have made pickles, BBQ sauce, infused bourbon... I've done it all.  Around Christmas, the theme for my family's annual Yankee swap was the letter "A" (don't ask- every family has weird traditions, right?) So, in a major stretch, I decided to give gifts from Argentina- one of which is my attempt at homemade Dulce de Leche. After a lot of recipe and blog reading, I felt like this was something I could take on... It's pretty simple ingredients-wise and seemed like something I could do in a night. So, I got to work and had so much fun in the kitchen doing it and ended up with a really tasty sauce that that made the most awesome gift! I hope you give this one a try!

Here's what you need:

a big pot. Bigger than you think you'll need. I will explain why later.
4 c whole milk
2 c sugar
1 vanilla bean (you sub 1 teaspoon of extract, but I really like the look of the flecks of seeds you get with the actual bean)
1 teaspoon baking soda

Split the vanilla bean down the middle. Heat milk, sugar and vanilla bean over medium heat and whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved (about 20 minutes). Lower the heat and add the baking soda. Here is where the big pot comes into play. You need a lot of space in the pot because this shit is going to GROW. I mean bubble and foam like your 8th grade volcano science project. I kind of wish I didn't tell you this part and let you have the experience that I had in my kitchen. I just stood there in a daze staring at this ever-expanding mass of foam overflow onto my stove top. I ended up with a pretty big mess on my hands, but the final result was well worth it!

At this point, it's pretty simple. The foam will go down eventually. Don't try to whisk it back into the liquid, just let it do its thing and give it an occasional gentle stir, about every 5 minutes. It will bubble away for about 2 hours, slowly getting darker and thicker. Once you get to the consistency you like (remember it will thicken as it cools), kill the heat. I put mine through a strainer just to get out any clumps- not necessary, I was just going for a super pro look since it was going to be a gift. Pour into jars. Let cool a bit before putting on the lid to avoid condensation. Will last in the fridge for a few months. If you have a pressure canning system, you can preserve it, but don't use a hot water bath. The temp doesn't get high enough to kill everything, so you are better off keeping it in the fridge.

**Please note, the pictures here reflect a DOUBLED recipe.**

 I hope you try it out! It is really fun to do and the sauce is AMAZING on ice cream, drizzled over chocolate cake, nestled between two shortbread cookies...YUM!


I can't wait to make this!  Just slap a red bow on and you are set for the 14th! 

One other thing - have you guys checked ou the "Can Jam" hosted by Tigress in a Jam?  I originally read about it on Design Sponge and thought it was such a great idea to can a different seasong veg/fruit each month.  Such a fun challenge! 

Reusable shopping bag

How's this for going green?  The Cartier Marcello de Cartier Shopping Bag!  I am usually not a handbag kind of girl - I pretty much just carry a wallet around - but, I LOVE this bag.  So classic!   It's listed on the Cartier site at $2,200, but I found it at Sacs en Ligne on clearance for $500!!  Tempting, isn't it! 

Hydration nation

I don't have time to write up a whole post today, but had to put up my latest & greatest hydration find.  I know water is pretty much life blood and I do drink it, but it is always so much tastier (and vitamin & electrolite packed) when I unload a little packet of Emergen-C into it.  Last night, I stopped at Whole Foods after work and discovered the newest flavor.  Blue.  As in Blue-berry.  I am in hydration heaven.  Blueberries are my absolute favorite (I eat flats and flats of them in the summer!) and this new Emergen-C tastes just like Blueberry juice.  If you ever had the Knudsen Family "Just Blueberry" juice, you will know exactly what I am talking about!  I know - delicious!  Can't wait to drink my eight glasses today! 

Resolution follow up

I consider myself a pretty active girl.  I run a few times a week, go to yoga classes, walk with friends.  But year after year on January 1st, I vow to be more fit.  I know - not a new concept.  Ever since I hit the big 3-0 I feel like it's harder to keep my muscles toned, so this resolution comes in more handy as the years go by.  I don't know if that's in my head or not, but as a way to get my arms tank top ready and to build strength, I decided to do
 

~program here~

Goal:

Not Goal:

I love Madge, but her veins scare me.

My husband and I are in the middle of week 2 and I am already up to 16 push ups.  Can you believe it! I'm not going to lie - it doesn't feel good while you are doing it, but it takes no time at all!  Seriously, it is only like a 1/2 hour a week and is totally worth it!   

Also, I just saw the greatest motivational tip over at over at Mucho Mucho Bueno Beuno!  Put your swimsuit on once a month in winter months to keep yourself "inspired".  Scary, but great idea!

~via~

I'll be sure to keep you posted on the progress, and let me know if you have any good toning tips!!

Chandeliers make me drool, part 2

Light fixture eye candy!  I have a serious obsession with these things!  I think they provide such great inspiration for a romantic, classic and beautiful space.  I might have to buy a house for the pure fact that these glorious light fixtures will look good in it!

I love how the iron actually looks like ribbon.  It is so pretty!

~via Plush Palate~

This one kind of steals the show from the model!

~via Coco+Kelley~

Love the way the black classic shape contrasts the modern kitchen.

~via Decorpad~

~via Dustjacket Attic~

multicolored!

~via from the right bank~

My version of the rant.

I was recently reading a blog where the author was ranting about how 80% of the blogs she reads are "fluff".  I felt frustrated and disheartened by the post, and I found myself feeling guilty for my own personal pieces of "fluff".  It led me to think, "what exactly is a quality post?"  

blog (noun): short for weblog;

a Web site that contains an online personal journal with reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer;

I thought I would start with the definition via Merriam Webster.  In reading this, I was reminded of the fact that a blog is a personal journal.  Personal journal - repeat that to yourself.  In all reality, you should be able to write about whatever thoughts, interests, feelings, likes, dislikes, etc.  You would do it in a personal handwritten version, right?  Why is it so important to not have "fluff" if "fluff" is what you feel like posting in your personal journal that day?    

This is my version of the rant.  I say "Here's to posting whatever you would like to say without the guilt!"  And this totally includes blogging about the lack of quality reading out there in the blogosphere (thanks for the food for thought, btw!).  Read and write your blogs as you wish - learn something new, post new ideas, connect with people, laugh, discover a new fashion trend, look at beautfiul pictures, and of course, "fluff" to your heart's content.  

Happy Monday!