Good morning on this hump day! Do people still call Wednesday hump day anyway? Well, I'll ponder that while you click below for the links of the day...
My favourite new web site launched just the other day - white hot truth with Danielle LaPorte. It's a must-see, must-read, must-take-away-and-think-about kind of a site. Basically, she rocks.
Did you resolve to be more organized in 2009? Yoyomama found a great tool for a busy household, called Springpad!
eDiets has a health checklist for 2009, with sections for women in their 20s, 30s, 40s and beyond.
An interesting article, from Intent, about why it's so difficult to break a habit if your heart isn't in it.
Via Apartment Therapy, I have just discovered Scandinavian design heaven, at emmas designblogg.
Click here to read rest of story...
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
ModernGear Food: Vail Pasta
Today's recipe comes to you from Mister ModernGearTV - my hubby! It is a pasta dish that his friend made for him and three other guys on their recent ski trip to Vail. He has made it a few times since, and every time it gets better. I followed him around with the camera to catch the action, so I'll try to put together a recipe from what I saw - measurements are approximate. What I can tell you is this made enough for us for dinner, with leftovers for both of us the next day.
INGREDIENTS
spaghetti for two - any pasta would work
three large shallots
three cloves garlic
two hot red peppers
2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes
approx. 10 mushrooms
one package hot Italian sausage - approx. 5 links (the recipe would work with any type of sausage)
one glass red wine
one jar tomato sauce (any kind will do, even plain and then add in your own spices)
parmesan for the top
olive oil
salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS
Remember, the most important part of cooking is having good help...or if nothing else, moral support.
1. Chop garlic and shallots, hot pepper and sun-dried tomatoes, and mushrooms. Leave each in their own little piles - garlic and shallots together, red stuff together, mushrooms on their own.
2. Next, get the meat out of the sausage casings (hubby says they are called "hanks"). You can either squeeze and squeeze until the meat oozes out of one end (kind of not-so-appetizing looking but good fun, I can assure you), 
or slit the length of the sausage and slide the hank off.
3. Heat olive oil in the pan, and when ready slide the shallots and garlic off the board into the warmed oil. Saute until translucent, and smelling delish.
4. Slide the reds off the board - your little pile of sundried tomatoes and hot peppers, that is. Into the frying pan they go.
Saute til they soften a bit, then get ready to...
5. Add the sausage meat. Mr. MGTV (speaking of hunks) says to spoon off small hunks of the sausage into the pan, to form little tiny Italian sausage meatballs, if you will. Season with pepper.
Stir as it is cooking, til the sausage meat is browned nicely on all sides.
6. Add your glass of red wine, if you can bear to part with it. Don't worry about us - there's more where that came from. (Around about now you can put your water for the pasta on to boil.)
7. Invite the mushrooms to join in on the party in the pan.
Cook until the mushrooms start to get soft, then transfer the whole lot to a pot. I don't know why. He said so.
8. Add the tomato sauce (could be from a jar or can and pre-spiced, or homemade).
Stir it up real nice, and let simmer on a medium-low flame.
9. Throw your pasta into the boiling water. We have a little problem in our household with measuring pasta - how much to make? I am going to get Mr. MGTV one of these great products:
Danesco Spaghetti Measure
$7.00
Pasta Measure
, $.50
Kitrics Pasta Measure
$9.10
Spaghetti Measure
$6.99
But, for now we're going with a healthy, manly handful!
10. Rest and have some fun while the sauce simmers and the pasta boils. Take a silly picture in a pot:
and hug your helper:
11. After the requisite pasta cooking time, test to see if it's done. Some people throw a strand of spaghetti at the wall to see if it sticks. Mr. MGTV has another technique.
Yep, it's done!
Drain pasta, add a splash of olive oil and plate 'er up. Sprinkle liberally with parmesan and maybe wait a wee bit til it melts. Sooooo good.
Bon Appétit!
Click here to read rest of story...
INGREDIENTS
spaghetti for two - any pasta would work
three large shallots
three cloves garlic
two hot red peppers
2 tbsp sun-dried tomatoes
approx. 10 mushrooms
one package hot Italian sausage - approx. 5 links (the recipe would work with any type of sausage)
one glass red wine
one jar tomato sauce (any kind will do, even plain and then add in your own spices)
parmesan for the top
olive oil
salt and pepper
DIRECTIONS
Remember, the most important part of cooking is having good help...or if nothing else, moral support.
1. Chop garlic and shallots, hot pepper and sun-dried tomatoes, and mushrooms. Leave each in their own little piles - garlic and shallots together, red stuff together, mushrooms on their own.
2. Next, get the meat out of the sausage casings (hubby says they are called "hanks"). You can either squeeze and squeeze until the meat oozes out of one end (kind of not-so-appetizing looking but good fun, I can assure you), 
or slit the length of the sausage and slide the hank off.
3. Heat olive oil in the pan, and when ready slide the shallots and garlic off the board into the warmed oil. Saute until translucent, and smelling delish.
4. Slide the reds off the board - your little pile of sundried tomatoes and hot peppers, that is. Into the frying pan they go.
Saute til they soften a bit, then get ready to...5. Add the sausage meat. Mr. MGTV (speaking of hunks) says to spoon off small hunks of the sausage into the pan, to form little tiny Italian sausage meatballs, if you will. Season with pepper.
Stir as it is cooking, til the sausage meat is browned nicely on all sides.6. Add your glass of red wine, if you can bear to part with it. Don't worry about us - there's more where that came from. (Around about now you can put your water for the pasta on to boil.)
7. Invite the mushrooms to join in on the party in the pan.
Cook until the mushrooms start to get soft, then transfer the whole lot to a pot. I don't know why. He said so.8. Add the tomato sauce (could be from a jar or can and pre-spiced, or homemade).
Stir it up real nice, and let simmer on a medium-low flame.
9. Throw your pasta into the boiling water. We have a little problem in our household with measuring pasta - how much to make? I am going to get Mr. MGTV one of these great products:Danesco Spaghetti Measure
$7.00
Pasta Measure, $.50
Kitrics Pasta Measure $9.10
Spaghetti Measure $6.99
But, for now we're going with a healthy, manly handful!
10. Rest and have some fun while the sauce simmers and the pasta boils. Take a silly picture in a pot:
and hug your helper:
11. After the requisite pasta cooking time, test to see if it's done. Some people throw a strand of spaghetti at the wall to see if it sticks. Mr. MGTV has another technique.
Yep, it's done!Drain pasta, add a splash of olive oil and plate 'er up. Sprinkle liberally with parmesan and maybe wait a wee bit til it melts. Sooooo good.
Bon Appétit!
Click here to read rest of story...
The Great e-Roundup January 6, 2009
Good morning! Big changes in my life as I just got a promotion at the magazine and am now Editor-In-Chief. I also seem to be stricken with some sort of mania in terms of new ideas for articles for other publications, and have been writing pitches like crazy. It has been an interesting year already! Here are some links to what I like this morning.
If you're in Vancouver and are looking for a nice rocker for your nursery, ModernKid has a great sale on the Nurseryworks Sleepytime Rocker. I'll add this to the coupon code and sale section.
I'd love the long pillow at the end of Freshly Blended's post.
Remodelista has examples of large clocks as kitchen decor.
What does a vampire smell like? Twilight perfume, at Beauty in Real Life.
Capitol Hill Barbie gets incentivized...when she works for a little free Kiehl's.
UK Vogue remembers the creator of the Hawaiian shirt, Alfred Shaheen.
I'll be off to Mexico in late March/early April for a friend's wedding, so I am eagerly looking at this collection of resort shoes from Running With Heels. Not that I could run in ANY of those!
Click here to read rest of story...
If you're in Vancouver and are looking for a nice rocker for your nursery, ModernKid has a great sale on the Nurseryworks Sleepytime Rocker. I'll add this to the coupon code and sale section.
I'd love the long pillow at the end of Freshly Blended's post.
Remodelista has examples of large clocks as kitchen decor.
What does a vampire smell like? Twilight perfume, at Beauty in Real Life.
Capitol Hill Barbie gets incentivized...when she works for a little free Kiehl's.
UK Vogue remembers the creator of the Hawaiian shirt, Alfred Shaheen.
I'll be off to Mexico in late March/early April for a friend's wedding, so I am eagerly looking at this collection of resort shoes from Running With Heels. Not that I could run in ANY of those!
Click here to read rest of story...
Monday, January 5, 2009
Success with saving on style!
I unfortunately don't have a new recipe for you today, until maybe later in the day or even tomorrow. I can't get the images from the camera, so I'll post it when I can get them. You're in for a real treat though, as ModernGearTV Husband is our guest cook! He made Vail Pasta last night.
Remember my splurge on ParkVogel final sale items? I got everything last week (it arrived much quicker than I thought it would - one check for PV). And it arrived FABULOUS!
First, the Ruffle top ($21.50 from $86). I got this in a natural colour, which is sort of a cross between cream and taupe. The flax gives it an interesting texture - I thought it might be itchy but the more...nubbly, I guess, feel is on the outside of the fabric. It is swingy and lightweight, and will be perfect over jeans and boots.
Next, the Sleeveless pleat top ($18.75 from $75).
I got this one in black, and I have already worn it a few times. It has a sort of keyhole enclosure, as there's a button and loop at the top of the collar. I have worn it with a black cami underneath as it is a lower V than I thought. SO soft and breezy, same flax fabric as the top above.
Next up, the Cropped cardi in white ($25.25 from $101). I am just amazed and so pleased at the quality of this clothing, because this isn't a $25 cardi!
It is very sweet, and in addition to the button at the top, there are hook-and-eye enclosures that run the length of the opening, so it can be worn like it is in the picture, or completely closed. I will have to be on stain alert when I wear it, but I just love it.
The Lace tank ($19.75 from $79) is so feminine that I just can't wait to wear it, but I'll choose my occasion carefully (like our second wedding anniversary, under a cardi). It rarely happens that something fits me like it was made just for me, but this tank is just perfect.
And the Twist strap mini ($26.50 from $106). Oh, I have saved the best for last. It also fits like it was made for me. It is of the most soft and delicate combed cotten tencel mix, is so flattering that I wish it was summer. The top is doubled so it could definitely be worn without a bra, but the skirt is so sheer that I'll either wear a strapless slip underneath or, more likely, wear it over jeans.
Absolutely GORGE! Gorge, gorge, gorge.
Having ordered, gotten the package quickly and been thrilled with its contents, I can wholeheartedly recommend ParkVogel to my readers. As a matter of fact, I might try to sneak in one or two more final sale items before they're gone, and save my pennies for a sweet treat from this line once in a while.
After Christmas is said and done, do you still need a winter coat or are you coveting some cost-effective cashmere?
You can save with Garnet Hill's sale, on until Jan 13.
Garnet Hill sale and clearance is updated daily, with new items added every day.
I have coveted the Cashmere Kimono Robe for a long time, but I am afraid after Operation Wardrobe Rebuild, I just can't do it. Now would be the time, though. It was $348 and is now $199.
If I did have a little cash left over from the holidays I might indulge in the cashmere pants or shorts, too. You really can't blame me!
The pants were $218 and are now $118
and the shorts were $98 and are now $58. So comfy!
There's also the Roots Winter Sale - up to 50% off, and Online take an extra 30% off. This cranberry handbag catches my fancy.
Roots handbags are the shiz-nit. (Are the cool kids still saying that?) I have had a cross-over-the-chest bag like this one, but in black (and without the front zipper) for a few years now. My husband bought it for me in Banff for my birthday (he IS a good husband!) and it has been my go-to bag ever since.
There are other beginning of the year sales on, too. Mrs. Meyers Clean Day has a sale on discontinued pet items, for instance.
Happy saving!
Click here to read rest of story...
Remember my splurge on ParkVogel final sale items? I got everything last week (it arrived much quicker than I thought it would - one check for PV). And it arrived FABULOUS!
First, the Ruffle top ($21.50 from $86). I got this in a natural colour, which is sort of a cross between cream and taupe. The flax gives it an interesting texture - I thought it might be itchy but the more...nubbly, I guess, feel is on the outside of the fabric. It is swingy and lightweight, and will be perfect over jeans and boots.
Next, the Sleeveless pleat top ($18.75 from $75).I got this one in black, and I have already worn it a few times. It has a sort of keyhole enclosure, as there's a button and loop at the top of the collar. I have worn it with a black cami underneath as it is a lower V than I thought. SO soft and breezy, same flax fabric as the top above.
Next up, the Cropped cardi in white ($25.25 from $101). I am just amazed and so pleased at the quality of this clothing, because this isn't a $25 cardi!It is very sweet, and in addition to the button at the top, there are hook-and-eye enclosures that run the length of the opening, so it can be worn like it is in the picture, or completely closed. I will have to be on stain alert when I wear it, but I just love it.
The Lace tank ($19.75 from $79) is so feminine that I just can't wait to wear it, but I'll choose my occasion carefully (like our second wedding anniversary, under a cardi). It rarely happens that something fits me like it was made just for me, but this tank is just perfect.
And the Twist strap mini ($26.50 from $106). Oh, I have saved the best for last. It also fits like it was made for me. It is of the most soft and delicate combed cotten tencel mix, is so flattering that I wish it was summer. The top is doubled so it could definitely be worn without a bra, but the skirt is so sheer that I'll either wear a strapless slip underneath or, more likely, wear it over jeans.Absolutely GORGE! Gorge, gorge, gorge.
Having ordered, gotten the package quickly and been thrilled with its contents, I can wholeheartedly recommend ParkVogel to my readers. As a matter of fact, I might try to sneak in one or two more final sale items before they're gone, and save my pennies for a sweet treat from this line once in a while.
After Christmas is said and done, do you still need a winter coat or are you coveting some cost-effective cashmere?
You can save with Garnet Hill's sale, on until Jan 13.
Garnet Hill sale and clearance is updated daily, with new items added every day.
I have coveted the Cashmere Kimono Robe for a long time, but I am afraid after Operation Wardrobe Rebuild, I just can't do it. Now would be the time, though. It was $348 and is now $199.
If I did have a little cash left over from the holidays I might indulge in the cashmere pants or shorts, too. You really can't blame me!The pants were $218 and are now $118
and the shorts were $98 and are now $58. So comfy!
There's also the Roots Winter Sale - up to 50% off, and Online take an extra 30% off. This cranberry handbag catches my fancy.
Roots handbags are the shiz-nit. (Are the cool kids still saying that?) I have had a cross-over-the-chest bag like this one, but in black (and without the front zipper) for a few years now. My husband bought it for me in Banff for my birthday (he IS a good husband!) and it has been my go-to bag ever since.
There are other beginning of the year sales on, too. Mrs. Meyers Clean Day has a sale on discontinued pet items, for instance.Happy saving!
Click here to read rest of story...
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