Amber's New Year's Resolutions

1. Exercise everyday for at least 30 minutes, even if it is just a brisk walk. My last year of college I was so good about going to the gym almost everyday for a hour, but moving to London and losing my gym membership, coupled with the weather, made it less than appealing to traipse outside. No longer will I use my new surroundings to make excuses for bad health. In addition, Carrie and I are planning on running the SF Marathon this summer and I need to start my marathon training again!

2. Get back into yoga, even if its just a couple of sessions a month... I always go through yoga phases; it makes me feel so much better and yet I get so lazy about it. I find it both calming and energizing.

3. Participate in Project 365... I'm proud of my progress as an amateur photographer, but I know I have a long way to go.

4. Be a better listener... I am the first to admit that I talk to much. It is a social crutch to avoid awkward silences or maybe that is just an excuse for my motormouth. I've realized that if I stay cognizant of how much I am talking and when, I can better control the urge to chatter away and I get way more out of conversations when I actually listen.

5. Have my blogs updated everyday

6. Be proud of the work I have done and keep reminding myself that everything happens for a reason. Constantly comparing myself to others only frustrates me and makes me frustrated with the relationships I have. I need to move past this immature way of self-awareness.

7. Write more creatively. I am great at journaling everyday, but have lost my desire to write the short stories that I used to. I'm changing this NOW.

8. Stop making excuses - I recently told a friend that during the times that I felt my best, as a daughter, friend, student, etc., I said "yes" to things more often and followed through with these commitments. I have found myself getting a little lazier about doing this, esp. with my move to London. Sometimes it seems to take too much energy to schedule things and do things and meet people. And this is a poor excuse. I need to better take advantage of London and its opportunities by saying "yes" more often.

What are your NYRs?

photo source

[Friday Link Round-Up] DIY Winter Face Masks, NYE Looks, Adorbz Necklaces, Nicki Minaj

1. MAKE a DIY winter-themed, vegan face mask. Love this entire vegan beauty blog.

via Lady Obama

2. WEAR these amazing looks for NYE. Or just drool over them. From the intermix lookbook.

3. OBSESS over these adorable hand-made necklaces, rings, earrings, and more. Sora Designs is my etsy shop obsession of the moment. They had their stuff at the SF Bazaar Bizarre a few weeks ago, and it was just as cute in person as online.

Jardin de l'amour necklace

4. LISTEN to Nicki Minaj. She's so hot right now.

[Green Thursdays] Project ReStyle

Project ReStyle is genius project of Elsie of A Beautiful Mess and Rachel of Smile & Wave and I would love to do it if I weren't holed up in my London apartment with only four shirts and a pair of jeans ( I live a sad, minimal life in grad school.) However, my closet in California is full of unworn clothes that would be perfect for this project... maybe I'll try it when I move back in July... anywho, this is a great opportunity to get into the vintage-lover, green blogosphere world. And if you don't read A Beautiful Mess, you should start now - Elsie is like the cutest person ever and I love her - and Rachel's blog is full information and photos on the joys of vintage shopping... Really, they both inspired me to start blogging in the first place!

Project Restyle is a just-for-fun creative group focused on ReStyling damaged, unwanted or unusable goods into fresh, beautiful pieces. Project ReStyle is Rachel's and my New Years Resolution! We are going to create weekly projects to give life to used items. We'll make fashion pieces as well as home decor projects! Anyone can join in the fun....

Project ReStyle Guidelines

1. You must use unwanted, damaged or unusable vintage or used items to ReStyle. One of the big purposes of the group is that it encourages green living and is budget friendly. You can use items from your own closet/attic that you no longer love, thrifted finds or hand-me-downs.

2. Take a Before & After photo of your ReStyled project. It's that simple!

3. Share your creative work on your blogs and in our Flickr Group. If you don't have a Flickr account, it's free to join. We'll be choosing favorites each week to share on our blogs, so you'll want to be sure to join the fun.

4. You can create fashion, home decor or gift items. There are no limits on what types of items you can ReStyle! Be creative and make items you know you can really use!

We want you to join us this year! If you'd like to be a part of Project ReStyle, Here's how! Leave your name here in the comments to 'pledge' to be a part of the challenge, join our Flickr group to share your creations and post on your blog each time you make a new project. FUN.

[Food + Drink Wednesdays] Pear Fritters with Lemon and Ginger

It's time to celebrate the wonder of pears! I'm pretty sure they're my absolute favorite winter fruit, but then there are also oranges out there, and those are freaking delicious too.

This week, I'm trying a new recipe that I found in Fine Cooking last week. It's a bit complicated but worth the effort.






Ingredients:

• 2 Bartlett pears, cored, peeled, and diced
• 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger (or 2 tbsp ground ginger)
• 1/2 tsp grated lemon zest
• 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar, plus 1 tbsp
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon, plus 1/8 tsp.
• 3 large egg whites
• 1 cup milk (it calls for whole milk, but 2% is probably okay too, just not as decadent)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (get the good stuff)
• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• about 2 cups of canola oil, for frying

Directions: 

1. Combine pears, lemon zest, ginger, 1 tbsp. sugar, and 1/8 tsp. of cinnamon in a small bowl. Allow to sit and soak up the flavors for about 15 minutes at room temperature. 
2. In a medium bowl, whisk egg whites into soft peaks.
3. In another bowl, whisk the milk, 1/2 cup sugar, and the vanilla until the sugar dissolves and everything looks a bit frothy. Then whisk in the flour until JUST combined. Fold in the egg whites with a rubber spatula. Then fold in the pear mixture. 
4. In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1 cup of sugar with the 2 tsp. cinnamon.
5. Pour 1/2 inch of oil into a 10-inch cast-iron skillet for frying. Keep a candy thermometer on the side of the skillet, and heat the oil until it reaches 350F. Drop batter into the oil 2 tbsp at a time. Add a few more (4-5), but do not crowd them together. You want them to cook evenly. Fry until golden brown, which should take about 2 minutes. Then turn them over with a slotted spoon and allow to cook on the other side (about 2 more minutes). 
6. When they're done, place them on a paper-towel lined plate and let them drain. Toss them into the cinnamon-sugar mix and voila! you're done. 
7. Serve these babies warm and delicious. 

BAM!

[Get Involved Tuesdays] Half the Sky

I received "Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide" and read it in an afternoon. Not only easy to read and comprehend, it gives a compelling overview of global oppression of women with an equal balance of individual case studies and academic reports. The topics range from sex trafficking, coerced abortions, female genital cutting, rape as a war weapon, women's education, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and the list goes on. The book is inspiring without being overly optimistic, pointing to larger structural policies in place and their benefits and faults. My three courses last term at LSE were Gender & Modern Theories, Foundations of Health Policy and Gender & Social Policy. It seemed that 10 weeks of intense reading were broadly summed up in this short book - I loved it. For anyone who is new to worldwide feminist issues, especially those in developing countries, this is a must-read. And for those who need to brush up, this work is equally fascinating. In addition, the compilation of women's organizations will prove invaluable when I begin looking for jobs in a couple of years. Read "Half the Sky" and look into the different options both large and small that you can get involved in. I'm browsing Kiva.org now for possible opportunities!

[Scissors + Glue] Etsy Planners for a New Year

A new year is creeping up on you and you better start planning for it!

I am obsessed with planners. I like mine plain and simple for the most part, with lots of room to doodle and write random notes and recipes. I use an ecosystem life notebook, and I swear by them over Moleskine any day. They come in more colors, cost less, still have the nifty pocket, and are made entirely of recyclable materials (Moleskine notebooks are manufactured in China and they had to recall a lot of their notebooks last year because their dyes did not meet environmental standards).

Even though ecosystem's planners are great, I think buying from crafters near and far is an equally sustainable option because they keep creative people working and are not mass-produced. Either way, the planners are being shipped all over the world, so you might as well buy direct from the source instead of from China.

Without further ado, here are some of my favorite 2011 planners on etsy!

Shine On planner from Phiziwizard.
$25

Lots of room to write, comes in tons of colors, and is super simple.

Handbound leather journal from MyHandboundBooks.
$30

Clean, beautiful, small, and even has a little pocket in the back!

Rodney the Raccoon Desktop Calendar from NOTESbyredletter.
$14

So it's not technically a planner, but it's ridiculously adorable and perfect for work. Each month has a themed raccoon. And at $14, this is a steal.

Clothesline weekly planner from Nicopapergoods.
$23

This shit's adorable. No questions asked.

[Music Mondays] New Year's Faves

These are all over the radio, but fo sho going to be blasting these before going out on NYE. alsdjflajfdlsjadf so excited!

Christmas Break

Sorry, we've been peacing out for the Christmas holidays. We'll be back to normal next week!

Photo via DPS. It's not one of us!

[Green Thursdays] Smug, Green E-Mail Signatures

"Do you really need to print this email? :)"

Someone emailed me with this signature line the other day at work. My answer, “No, but would you mind your own business? kthx, dbag.”

As for myself, I’ve been thinking a while about whether or not to adopt an “environmental email signature.” During my first week at work, I had a lot of free time, so I kept trying to refine my “Please consider the environment before printing this email” signature. Every other email, I would delete it and then bring it back again in a schizophrenic panic (you don’t want to be the person with the smug, tree-hugging signature on your third day at the office!). But I finally decided to nix the signature because of that specific signature line above. How dare you ask me a smug rhetorical question like that? The question just goes ahead and assumes I’m a selfish dumbass who prints every single confirmation email I get from IT when my computer goes haywire. How rude.

I guess I don’t want these signatures to go away altogether. A few times, I have actually considered printing an email, saw one of these signature lines, and BAM! My guilt complex activated. I forwarded the email instead of printing it. But don’t be a jerk about it. Maybe try: 

“Yo, girl, please don’t print me. That would be like cutting down .00000545 of a tree.” 

Or, my personal favorite because of its directness:

“Don’t print this shit.” 

Maybe not business-friendly, but it gets right to the point.

Or, just be nice and assume that most of us aren’t printing out every single email we get anymore. I think we're all pretty mature here. Kthxbye.

[Food + Drink Wednesdays] Our Favorite Food Blogs

1. Smitten Kitchen: Lots of veggie recipes, glorious cookies and drinks. One of the most popular food blogs around.

spicy squash salad with lentils and goat cheese. yum yum.

2. Shutterbean: Gorgeous photography and elegant recipes.


pumpkin cream pie. drool.

3. The Pioneer Woman: Family friendly recipes, hilarious stories and a sense of humor. Gotta love it and the glorious photos of Charlie, the family's basset hound.

[Food + Drink Wednesdays] Mulled Wine

I just made mulled wine and decided it is my favorite part of the holiday season. Sugar? Good. Cinnamon? Good. Oranges? Goooood. Wine? Perfect. 

Here's the recipe I used. It tastes most yummy just before it hits room temperature. 

Throw together in a pot: 

• 1 bottle of red wine (try Merlot, Cabernet Sav, or Zinfandel)
• 1/3 cup white sugar (I don't like it super sweet, but you can add up to 2/3 cup)
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 1 orange (sliced and zested)
• 8-10 cloves
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 cup brandy

Then cook all of it on low heat for 20-25 minutes. Don't let it boil, whatever you do. You don't want to reduce the wine at all. 

Drink up!

Photo from cafebabel

[Get Involved Tuesdays] San Francisco Food Bank

Camilo, one of the kids at the food bank

This year, I feel so lucky to be with my family in the Bay Area for the holidays. Last year, I spent Christmas on a deserted island in Tonga. And even though a guy in a red cowboy hat roasted a pig underground for our feast, there's just nothing like being with your totally dysfunctional family during these times (that, and some Mormons were trying to actively convert me to their religion while I ate dinner on said island).

This year, it's been my mission to give back during the holidays.

A great organization that constantly requires volunteers is the San Francisco Food Bank. This isn't a kitchen. It's a distribution network for kitchens, non-profits, and homeless shelters, so your efforts would go towards packaging and distributing food instead of preparing it. And, thankfully, there are lots of good people in SF who have taken all the volunteering spots in December.

Think of this as something to put on your list of New Year's resolutions. And if you have any extra food after the holidays or want to organize a post-holiday food drive, look into dropping off food at their warehouse. You can do it any day of the year.

[News] How Women Are Faring in the Workplace

Found on the Ms. Magazine blog:


Bottom line: Some progress, but certainly not enough.

{Fashion} New Bohemian Fashions

My time in London has inspired a warm hippie fashion phase - lace and creams, long hair and faux fur. Me likes.






via Coco + Kelley

[Girl Crush] Jhumpa Lahiri

1. Her writing is beautiful and vivid. Her characters are always well-developed. And her stories always make me tear up or get angry. Yeah, I admit it! I'm an emotional reader! My favorite book of hers right now is the short story collection Unaccustomed Earth because it's so varied, but The Namesake is a beautiful novel about love and growing older as a second-generation Indian-American. 

2. Her short story collection Interpreter of Maladies won the Pulitzer in 1999. You go, girl.

3. She struggled with her cultural identity and then came to own it. 

"I always felt so embarrassed by my name.... You feel like you're causing someone pain just by being who you are."

4. She's beautiful and talented? What a gold mine.

Photo from robertarood.wordpress.com

[Things We Adore Sunday] Camera Gadgets, Wedding Dress, Palin and Mulled Wine

SHOP the Photojojo Store has everything camera lover could possibly want. I have my eyes on the pinhole body cap, the Tokyo Dreamer Strap and the adorable SLR sloop camera bag.

WATCH this Sarah Palin interview I found on Perez Hilton with my favorite idiot, Bill O'Reilly. Gotta love the mama bears/want to gouge your own eyes out. This interview reminds me why Sarah Palin is a dangerous, crazy woman. My favorite bit is the statement that feminists don't teach their children self-reliance. WTF. WTF. WTF.

WANT this handmade wedding dress from the Ouma store on Etsy. Gorgeous! I wouldn't mind wearing a pink wedding dress.


DRINK mulled wine - here's a Jamie Oliver recipe that I use

[Travel Saturdays] West Coast Wine Tasting in Winter

Last week, I took a short day trip up the Northern California coastline to visit the Russian River wine region. Most people save their wine tasting trips for the summer, when the days are long and tastings stretch on for hours and lead to picnic lunches and hangovers that start somewhere around 9PM. In the winter, you have to be much more strategic about where you go because you have fewer hours of daylight. 

My friends and I chose three wineries to visit because of price, hours, and the breadth of their selections. That way, everyone got a little of everything they wanted. 

1. Korbel: Free tasting, free tour of the champagne cellars, and a wonderful cafe to eat lunch. 

Photo of the brandy tower from Sunset

I got a bottle of the sec, which is perfect for super-sweet mojitos because it is dry and not syrupy sweet like the Brut. I also picked up some of their cream sherry, which the tour guide said is good for curing coughs. I'll probably just drink it because it tastes so damn good. You can't get this stuff anywhere but at the winery or online. Their wine sucks though, so don't bother with that. 

2. Martinelli: This is a much cozier establishment with super-friendly staff. You do have to pay $5 for the tasting, but they also gave us about 10 coupons for free tastings at other wineries in the Napa and Sonoma areas. My only complaint was that they definitely focus too much on Syrah (that's a personal preference thing though) and there were fruit flies buzzing around who were trying to get into my wine glass. 

Foggy day at the vineyards

3. Kendall-Jackson: I know it's not exactly the most original, but it is quite fancy. And the staff tailored our tasting to each one of our preferences. They had a really tasty, sweet Riesling that I loved (and bought with my 10% discount that Martinelli threw my way) and a nice Moscato. The ambience was also worth the visit. Got me thinking about my wedding to ______ (who will it be!?).

Inside the wine tasting room

I definitely recommend the wine country in winter. It's much quieter and more intimate and, really, there's no excuse not to enjoy wine in every season on every day of the year. 

[Friday Link Round-Up]

1. MAKE a collage on canvas with these instructions from KaleidoSoul. This is a wonderful gift for someone special this holiday season. Include keepsakes and old photos to really seal the deal.

2. LISTEN to the Beck remix of Lykke Li's "Get Some". If you like that, also listen to Mike D of the Beastie Boys' version. Both are awesomely awesome.

3. LEARN about how to secure your passwords against fraud on Slate.

4. READ this interesting take on the WikiLeaks debacle here. The idea that people are standing up for Assange and forgetting about women's rights is appalling to me. I feel like we're moving back 50 years to say "Yeah, he molested and/or raped these women, but these women are just being ridiculous. He's a great man, and these women must have been asking asking for it." It's gross, and it should be dealt with separately from the freedom of speech allegations brought against him. He sounds like a total creeper to me, but what do I know. Also, in old news, Michael Moore is a dick. It make sense, who would want to be with that fatty? And this is coming from a totally "liberal" girl.

Suuuurious Creeper

[Green Thursdays] Eco-Friendly Nail Salons

The smell of nail salons usually makes me feel like I'm going in to either a really dirty doctor's office or like I'm going to leave with a manicure and a high off of nail polish fumes. 

But now there's a push for more and better "Green Nail Salons." So I can get a pedicure and not have to worry about killing pandas. 

Check out this article on ecosalon and try looking at the database at greenyour.

[Green Thursdays] Technology in the Workplace

We all try to be more green at home. We recycle our goods, we buy sustainable products, the list goes on. However, at work, we rarely engage in the same practices. We don't use reusable mugs when we go to Starbucks, we waste so much paper on memos, faxes and reports. And all of these practices can also drain our wallet.

However, I was recently reading about SIP trunking, which is a pretty interesting change in communication. Using a third-person party, like Nextiva, individuals and businesses can streamline communication and reduce their carbon footprint.

SIP trunking layers multiple applications and connects different devices seamlessly. Using one “number,” all messages can be routed to the preferred device – your personal computer, home phone, mobile, etc. Calls can be routed, recorded, and prioritized. In addition, voice calls and messages can be translated into text automatically, and so can the reverse. SIP trunking integrates communication so that you and your business can receive simultaneous messages without blinking an eye.

SIP trunking is changing the way businesses communicate internally and between each other. It enhances productivity, enhances communication, and integrates all types of communication, including voice, video chatting, instant messaging, voice calls, texting and email. And it reduces the business' carbon footprint and help the environment – sounds pretty legit to me.

In other news, this is the corporate workspace of Urban Outfitters in Philadelphia - how much would you love to work here?

[Food + Drink Wednesdays] Holiday Recipes

that I want to try this week. (I call these holiday recipes because I don't want it to seem like I would indulge in these everyday... but I would if I could and I'm glad I don't cook as often as I should.) I also just bought a fondue pot, so I'll be letting you know how that goes later this week!

Apple Brie Walnut Tart via Darjeeling Dreams

S'More Pie from The Noshery via The Pioneer Woman

French Onion Soup Stuffed Mushrooms via The Pioneer Woman

[Music] Greyson Chance

I'm open with my love for Justin Bieber. However, I think he has been overtaken by Greyson Chance, who gained fame with his cover of Lady Gaga's Paparazzi.

So adorbz. I'm dying.

We're Sorry...

We took a break today. The world is kicking our butts. But we'll be back to kicking the world's butt tomorrow!

Much love,
Carrie

[Music Monday] Zooey Deschanel + M. Ward + Conan O Brien!

She & Him got together with Conan O'Brien to spread the Christmas cheer. It's worth some uncontrollable clapping and excitement.

Check it out here.

[Things We Adore Sunday] Boot Socks, Handmade Jewelry, Sonoma, Christmas Cheer

1. Boot Socks from Knitting Pretty in DC
2. Lovers Ring from Suga Jewelry (local SF artist)
3. Sonoma Valley in the Winter. Free wine tastings galore.
4. Sustainable, space-saving Christmas "tree" by Jane Schouten.

[Girl Crush] Jacqueline Novogratz

1. She founded an amazing non-profit to help solve world poverty - the Acumen Fund. The fund manages over $30 million worth of investments all over the world; they focus on delivering affordable healthcare, water, housing and energy to the poor.


2. She wrote a book about her legit experiences in the Peace Corps and after, which inspired me to go into non-profit work - The Blue Sweater.


3. She is inspiring:
When I founded the Acumen Fund I heard discouragement from everyone. I would go to the financial institutions, and the guys there would say, "It sounds fuzzy; it sounds messy." In the aid and foundation industries, people would say, "You're going to make money off the poor." The real lesson is that if a lot of people aren't telling you you're crazy, you're not on the right path.

source

4. She is the woman I want to be in a few years - see the reasons above.