Eat Left Overs!

If there is one thing I can't stand (okay...there are probably a million things I can't stand, but this particular complaint is pretty high on the list), it's when people waste food. I don't know if this was beat into me as a child or now that I'm on a budget the idea of throwing away any form of sustenance seems like throwing money down the drain, but either way, I just refuse to let food go bad. Most recipes are meant for a couple of portion sizes, so when I am cooking for myself, I am bound to have plenty of food left in the pan. I actually do this on purpose: now I have lunch for work for the rest of the week! If I didn't eat left overs, I'd be making PB&J for myself every morning before heading to the office, which would be pretty sad. And frequently I eat only half of my meal at restaurants so that I purposefully will have leftovers for the next day (one, cutting all meals in half is actually a good idea to maintain your weight, but two, this is a very easy way to enjoy a gourmet meal TWICE!). And of course there's the old saying, "There are children in Africa who are starving!" Of course you eating your meal will not magically feed those poor kids, but the idea is a good one: appreciate all the food that you have, enjoy it, and don't let it go to waste!

Banana Desserts

I apologize that this post is coming late (though I'm pretty proud of myself that thus far yesterday is the only day I haven't written a blog post). I just wasn't inspired until late last night!

I had dinner at Newton's Table in Bethesda. They have a rather gourmet menu (which is a little pricey), but I was most interested in their desserts. The one that caught my eye was the banana caramel roll. Banana+Caramel=Heaven. So I had to try it. While it was small (it was a 4" roll that had been cut into 4 tiny pieces), it tasted amazing. It was one of those desserts that you can't help but make yummy noises while you eat it. Then of course it was drizzled with caramel, and once the roll was gone I made sure every speck of caramel was gone from that plate. I probably liked this treat so much because banana foster is one of my favorite desserts of all time. You just can't go wrong with banana goodness!

Cereal

I eat cereal for breakfast almost every day. That's what I ate growing up, and you know how I love a routine. But, even someone as fond of cereal as I am can get bored of eating the same thing over and over again. I could change the type of cereal I buy, but the basic cereals are cheaper, and usually healthier (sorry, Lucky Charms). What I like to do is spice up my morning meal with some tasty additions. I usually add in banana slices, along with a handful of walnuts and some Craisins (SO much better than raisins). If I have fresh berries on hand, I'll add those, too. Suddenly my dull cereal is exciting! Ok, maybe I'm the only person who gets excited about cereal. But when it looks like this, how can I not be psyched to start my day?

<-- This morning I uses some leftover blueberries I bought from Trader Joe's. The majority of the berries went into blueberry muffins, but the rest either go in my cereal or in smoothies. Getting my antioxidants for the day!

Leading Lady

"You're supposed to be the leading lady of your own life, for God's sake!" -Kate Winslet in The Holiday

I love this movie, and I love this quote. I can't stand when women let life just happen to them, like they are passive actors in their own lives. Make your own destiny! Don't stand idly by waiting for the right job to come along or the right man to ask you out: make it happen! And don't take the easy route, either. Sure, I could have taken the first job offer I was given: I would have been canvassing door to door for Environment America making $25K a year (slave wages in this day and age). But instead I spent six months living with family and sent over 100 cover letters until I landed my dream job with The Nature Conservancy. Networking didn't get me the job, and I didn't take the job because I had friends there. I worked hard for what I really wanted, and I didn't just follow the pack. I make decisions for MY life for ME and no one else.

Free Cupcakes

I know there are a million baking blogs, and I'm sure half of them are dedicated to cupcakes. I do not claim to be a cupcake aficionado, but I do have a sweet-tooth, and it's hard for me to turn down baked goods. This is especially true of FREE desserts. I unfortunately (or fortunately, depending how you look at it) live very close to a Georgetown Cupcake, where they offer free cupcakes EVERY DAY. All you have to do is look at their profile on Facebook or Twitter and find a post about the daily secret flavor. Now I'm not that much of a pig to go every day: one, my work isn't close enough to do so (since they don't open until 10), but two, while I love most desserts, I do prefer some over others, and I will forgo those of less-superior flavors. Yesterday's flavor was Lemon Coconut, and today's was Strawberry Lava Fudge, both excellent choices. I highly recommend trying these cupcakes: since they're free, what have you got to lose?

Moving and Roommates

Today I got a new roommate! Now, this situation was easy for me since I was not the one moving. My previous roommate made a very swift transition: she found a new place about a month ago, packed up her stuff just a day or two before moving out, and she was gone by noon today. Quick and painless! So, if you ever are the one moving out, follow her steps by planning ahead and having a friend (or in her case, boyfriend) with a car to help you move everything out in just one or two trips. Around 4 today my new roommate arrived. She had spent the day packing up her things and going to IKEA to pick up her new furniture, and she showed up with a U-Haul filled to the brim. She too brought along a big strong man to help her out. I pitched in (always a nice gesture when you're moving in with someone new) and carried what my little arms could handle. But having 3 sets of hands made things move a lot faster!

Now our living room looks like this. But, I'm one to talk. Every year moving into a new room in college, my father would say, "Why do you have ALL this stuff?!" My main question is how she's going to fit all of this into her bedroom, but IKEA dressers and bed risers can do wonders. I have faith that she will be able to use some magic and "make it work" in the words of Tim Gunn. Plus, I'm sure she'll find things she doesn't really need and will downsize a bit.

I'm excited for this adventure! A new roomie (and hopefully a new good friend)!

Bandeus

Since I just bought another one of these recently, I thought I should celebrate the bandeau. This "strip of cloth" (definition on Wikipedia) is much more than just that. A bandeau is yet another fashion piece that every woman should have on hand. They are perfect for wearing under thin shirts (from featherweight cotton tees to actual see-through shirts); nude-colored ones even give the illusion of bare skin without actually giving anything away. Bandeaus also can turn any top or dress with a deep V neckline into a demure outfit appropriate for work (Cleavage at work is NOT okay. Well, unless your occupation has to do with your appearance like a model, an exotic dancer, etc.). And if you have a cute bikini but don't want tan lines from the straps, a bandeau eliminates that problem. There are many varieties, and like my mother would say, "If you like something, buy one of every color!" So I have a simple navy blue one, as well as a lacy black one. And I can almost promise that I will at some point get another one. When many bandeaus cost less than $20, they're hard to resist!




<-- Daytime look: bandeau, briefcase, no make-up, glasses, hair pulled back
(modest, proper, conservative)

Night look: no bandeau, clutch, full make-up, --> hair down (sexy as hell)