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That's Right, Get Excited...

We have some exciting things to come in the next few weeks, and I thought I'd share the excitement with everyone else. Spread the love a bit, if you will. Share the good vibes, if you want. Or just feign excitement. I'm cool with that too.

1. I'm putting together a comprehensive list of San Francisco food blogs to share with you. If you live in SF, it will help you eat healthier, source your food locally, and introduce you to the lovely community of food bloggers right in your own 7x7 homebase.

2. We'll dust off our cameras and give you more perspective into the beauty that's around us, plus inside looks at our respective cities, SF and London. This will help us engage more with our communites, and we hope it inspires you to do the same. It also means more pretty pictures taken by yours truly and Amber Lee.

3. More news! We like to think it's our most compelling aspect of the blog, and we'll bring you more up-to-the-day information on women's equality, sustainability, human rights, film, music, and publishing.

4. A new layout. Our layout is a constant work in progress. Next goal: Tabbed browsing, complete with photos instead of all this cluttered text. No one likes to read! Boooo!

Much Love,
Carrie Melissa

[Get Involved Tuesdays] 6 Simple Ways to Aid Relief to Japan

As we all know, Japan is facing devastation and a death toll in the thousands after last week's earthquake. We're across the ocean from Japan, and that distance often makes us feel helpless or, worse, apathetic. Just know there is plenty you can do to help.

1. Support the Children's Emergency Fund's aid efforts. The money will go to children and families who have been affected by the earthquake and tsunami.
2. Donate directly to the GlobalGiving Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund.
3. Donate clothes to the Salvation Army, who are currently sending aid to Japan. They will send a team of relief workers to Sendai.
4. Encourage your company to donate supplies to Operation USA. You can also donate your unused Frequent Flier Miles to the organization through United Charity Miles.
5. Play Zynga games. No, really. According to a press release, they donate:

100% of the proceeds from the purchase of sweet potatoes in CityVille, radishes in FarmVille or kobe cows inFrontierVille... towards Save the Children’s efforts to provide relief in the Pacific. The world’s largest social gaming company is shooting to raise $2 million for relief efforts.

6.  Transfer some money via Paypal to a non-profit. All of the proceeds for money transfers will be donated to aid relief efforts in Japan. That means you get to donate as much as you want and Paypal will top it off.

There are even more ways to get involved and use your resources to help those in need. If the last week has taught me anything, it's that we all need to be thankful for what we have, even if we feel it isn't much. Share something.

[Music Monday] Fleet Foxes Robin Pecknold

Fleet Foxes lead Robin Pecknold has released some legit solo pieces - folky, haunting, beautiful. Sort of Bon Iver-ish. Loving it.

Robin Pecknold - Three Songs by MixtapeMuse

[Things We Adore Sunday] Daylight Savings, Japan Relief, Sears Fashion, Cute Chairs, Bikes

1. Even though it's raining here in California, I am loving that spring is just around the corner! And daylight savings time has just begun. That means nights full of debauchery. Or maybe just falling asleep with the sun still out.

Photo via thehairpin

2. People rallying to help out those who have lost their homes and family members in Japan. To join the relief efforts, look into donating to the Red Cross or other similar relief organizations.

Photo via hotncurrent

3. The FCUK line now sold through Sears. Who knew Sears was secretly planning ways to be cool again? I also love their Apostrophe line. I've stocked up on all their basic T-Shirts (so comfy and they really move with your body).

This dress: $45. Oh yeah.

4. Lovely cozy chairs that you can fit in small corners of your bedroom. I'm in the market for something like this right now (from Nathan Furniture in the UK-- I don't even want to know how much it would cost), and I'm battling between my urge to have new and pretty things and my propensity toward the eco-friendly reupholstering an old crappy chair option. Oh, decisions, decisions. 

Chair via Nathan Furniture

5. Weddings that incorporate bikes. I've always wanted to do something like this. Now if only I could find a boyfriend who would put up with all my neuroses! Then we could ride into the sunshine together on our vintage bicycles. 

Photo via bettybroccoli

[Travel Saturdays] Knoxville, TN

Howdy, y'all. In case you didn't know, my family is from East Tennessee, and I happen to adore the south. Of course, the south and I have had our differences throughout the years, but that's what has always felt like home to me despite my many years out here in sunny California. Last week, I went back for a bit of an emergency trip, but I ended up appreciating it much more than I thought possible. Here are some of the hidden gems of a place you're likely never to have heard of.

Ate the best meal of my life here

That's what I call COMFORT FOOD

Church signs everywhere

My grandma's old house. You can see a tiny Confederate flag over the carport.

The Best Sign I've Ever Seen-- at USA Pawn

[Friday Link Round-Up] Spring Fashion, Jane Eyre, Cinnamon Bread, Urban Farming

1. WEAR. Be inspired by the carefree spring fashions cropping up over at Cupcakes and Cashmere.

2. WATCH the new Jane Eyre movie. It's out tonight!

3. BAKE cinnamon pull-apart bread with a recipe by Joy the Baker (one of my absolute faves). I've never seen anything like this before! Saturday calls for sleeping in and spending time baking - then EATING - this. 

4. READ this new book from Spring Warren, called The Quarter-Acre Farm about urban sustainability and farming. 

[Green Thursdays] Getting Rid of Your Junk Mail

Photo via Green Baby Guide

I just heard about this awesome free service called Catalog Choice that allows you to put an end to your paper junk mail. You just put in the company name, the directory finds that company, and then you opt-out of receiving paper marketing materials from them. Every time you get something from a new company, just repeat.

Why is this green? Because paper waste is a huge problem, and you can put an end to it, at least in your household. According to GreenBiz, junk mail costs about $10 per household to collect and dispose of annually, and, as they say, "It may not sound like much, but it can add up when you consider that Chicago has more than 1 million households."

I do have an affinity towards flipping through grocery store special catalogs, but I suppose these things are all available online. I should probably get over it.

[Food + Drink Wednesdays] Dessert to Die For

Source: spain-in-a-cupcake.blogspot.com via Amber on Pinterest

Sangria Cupcakes from Spain in a Cupcake
Ingredients (for 6 cupcakes):
100 gr flour
100 gr sugar
100 gr glazed fruits (orange and lemon)
100 gr butter
1/2 tsp baking powder
100 ml red wine
1 egg
Mix all the ingredients as you’d do in any cupcake recipe. Add the red wine and the glazed fruits at the end.

You’ll notice that the mix is brownish, not red. If you’d like to recreate the red wine colour also in the batter, use red food colouring. I don’t like the idea of deep red cupcakes, so I decided to keep the natural colour, as I knew I would have to use red food colouring for the icing.
Oh! The alcohol disappears whilst the batter is in the oven, so even kids can eat this.
These are the results after 20 mins in the oven (180ºC):

For the Buttercream I used 75gr vegetable shortening, 40gr butter, 175gr icing sugar and 2 tbsp of red wine. (DON’T ADD WINE to the Buttercream if any children are going to eat these cupcakes). Then I added red food colouring, as the result without it was pink.

Then, I used a piping bag with a Wilton Sakura Tip (L) to decorate them, and added a couple more glazed fruits.

Source: tamiskitchentabletalk.blogspot.com via Amber on Pinterest

Cheesecake Filled Chocolate Covered Strawberries from Tami's Kitchen Table Talk

What You Need:
Whole Strawberries
Philadelphia Ready-To-Eat Cheesecake filling
Good Quality Dipping Chocolate

What You Do:
Carefully wash strawberries and pat dry with paper towels. Remove the stems from the berries.

Using a small paring knife, core the center of each berry being careful to leave the bottom in tact.Fill a plastic baggie with the cheesecake filling. Fill each berry with cheesecake continuing on top of berry with a pretty design.

Line a small baking sheet with wax paper.

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt dipping chocolate at 30-second intervals until chocolate is smooth and creamy. Dip each strawberry into chocolate, covering 3/4 of the berry. Lay on baking sheet. Fill a second plastic baggie with chocolate and drizzle over the berries in a pretty design. Chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Store in a sealed plastic container in the refrigerator.

[Get Involved Tuesdays] International Women's Day

Today is the hundredth anniversary of International Women's Day.

The theme for International Women's Day 2011 is:

Equal access to education, training and science and technology: Pathway to decent work for women

Check out the International Women's Day website for more information, how to get involved and events all over the world.

This link provides ways to get involved in the day on the virtual level and here is a link for the events today.