Month: January 2011

Christmas dinner part II: food

Published by

Since this holiday event is over a month old, I’ll keep this post sweet + short. . . . . . «This $5 sticker chalkboard helps us prepare our menu, and gives guests a chance to drool before anything hits the table. . . . . «We got this rotisserie appliance from Dan’s grandparents. With a bit of salt and pepper, and lemon slices placed just under the skin, the taste is unbelievable. This is a nice device for parties during cold winters, to add a bit of warmth to the kitchen, and a focal point for your guests. . . . . . «We found this CuisineArt slow cooker for $20 at The Youth Ranch downtown a week before Christmas, an $80+ savings from the original MSRP. Inside, is a slow cooked lamb shank. Mmmmm…. . . . . . . . . «The food was great, and Dan did most of the cooking. Thanks Dan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . …

Christmas dinner part I: decor

Published by

This week: food. And decor that goes with food. Because I have been eating quite a lot of quite delicious food lately and have been feeling only slightly guilty about it because after all it is Christmas and my birthday and Tuesday and I’m only 20 pounds over my goal weight and mmm…cheese (burp). So…I’ll start with Christmas dinner, focusing first on decor. Dan and I hosted for our families because (a) we adore hosting dinner parties and things, though I’m sure Dan would use a manlier word. He likes to man host because the planning and preparation of the food is a challenging puzzle and he loves puzzles. I love it because I think like a hostess. Especially when I decorate. I like to think about how someone would feel walking into and mingling around my rooms. I call this step in decor and fashion the “walk into it” test. Turn around, imagine you’re a stranger (a momentary disassociation), walk out and walk back into the room (or into the mirror). See what your eye …

Outfit of the Day: Jan 02 10

Published by

My fashion interpretation of a quirky and optimistic Sunday. Bright, hip and comfortable–with glasses. Outfit Breakdown: JohnPaulRichard shirt: $10 (MSRP $38 from Macy’s) [Blank] stretch jeans: $5 (from LUX) Outfit Total: $15 Accessories Breakdown: Gold bird necklace: $22.50 (from Antique World Mall) Steel earrings: $3.25 (from downtown Idaho Youth Ranch) Vintage costume bracelet: $1 (from Antique World Mall) Gold/copper/silver bracelet: permanently borrowed from sister Merrell fleece-lined boots: $15 (MSRP $80, from REI garage sale) Accessories Total: $41.75 Total: $56.75 In a life lived well, time is of the essence. The Cheep life might seem like it takes an inordinate amount of time. But it doesn’t have to. Part of being successful in Cheep is planning ahead and preparing. So keep tabs on your closet weak points and know your Cheep hot spots. Examples: The “50-75% off the lowest marked sale price” racks at Macy’s, or the half off rack outside of LUX downtown. When you have an errand to run, park strategically so that you can pass by the Cheep hot spots. Then do a quick skim for the screamingest …