31 January 2014

Have a fun Super Bowl Weekend!


New York is buzzing with Super Bowl festivities! Budweiser is slated to deliver adorable puppies and New Jersey just wants some credit. We'll be rooting for my Seahawks!

A round-up of links from around the web:

To my fellow New Yorkers, if you're brave enough to emerge yourself in the (escalated) madness of Times Square, the Super Bowl Boulevard is packed with vendors, freebies and sledding!

Estonia: The Little Country that Cloud (psst...check out the beautiful city of Tallin at my Flickr).

A hilarious take on Instagram.

Maddie always makes me smile.

A clever gift for a creative little one's birthday.

The Marie Antoinette diet? Let them eat cake for breakfast.

Design your own Weekender.

This museum will be stunning.

A modern apartment in Paris.

My mouth is watering.


Cheers!


Image: hdpaperwall.

L'Oreal Extraordinaire Gel Lacquer


Do you prefer gel or classic manicures? I generally reserve gel applications for longer vacations as they are terrible for the health of your nails. L'Oreal has introduced a gel meets classic lacquer collection which features a base, color and top coat system. Dubbed Extraordinaire Gel-Lacque 1-2-3, the system offers the promise of longer-lasting, chip resistant and high gloss shine finish, sans UV lamp. 

The collection features 21 shades, of which I chose In With the Nude for my color: a pitch-perfect grey with a creamy skin undertone.  The lacquers apply with ease (kudos to the brush) in a gorgeous even texture. It's clear that they are not your average lacquer. I allowed them to dry for (20) minutes to be on the safe side. I was able to prepare a meal and go about my evening business as usual. The next morning, my right index finger nail took a blow when opening a blush compact. A massive chip flung from my finger and it was all down hill from there. The above image is after four days of wear.

On the plus side: the lacquer is easily removed with nail polish remover and I feel better quality that the average drugstore brand. The coat on my toes was still going strong after ten days, which is commendable, as I wear pumps regularly. 

29 January 2014

Bethenny's Comfort Meatloaf

Comfort food tends to  make me feel sluggish and hankering for a nap. Who needs that? I generally prefer small portions throughout the day (handful of chickpeas, kale chips or a small onion soup) and a late dinner with good piece of lean protein and veggies or salad. This is all fine and dandy for me, but I'm cooking for a husband that prefers a massive decadent steak (I generally make one and have a few bites of his) or chicken parm.

We started a great tradition after upgrading from a studio to a one bedroom: Sunday Dinners. The nights are reserved for just us, an elaborate home-cooked meal and wine in our nice crystal. I've been successful in getting him hooked on salmon, branzino and whole roasted chicken, but have been looking for recipes to expand our rotation.

I hopped on Bethenny dot com and found a slightly intimidating recipe for turkey meatloaf (so many ingredients!). Meatloaf in general grosses me out. The name alone. I put my prejudices aside and rolled up my sleeves.


Verbatim from Bethenny dot com:


Comfort Turkey Meatloaf

2 T olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 tsp. minced garlic plus 1 tsp
1 tsp of each, chopped: thyme, rosemary
1/3 cup chopped parsley
2 egg whites
1.5 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup ketchup
2 T Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup soy milk or low fat milk
2/3 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
2 lb. ground turkey meat
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup canned tomatoes, crushed or chopped
Chopped parsley for garnish

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat oil and add onions, celery and bell pepper and cook until softened or caramelized (about 5 minutes).
Add 2 teaspoons garlic and the herbs and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
Cool the vegetable mixture and add the eggs, mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and milk. Mix until combined. Add breadcrumbs, ground meat, salt and pepper, and mix only until incorporated.
Transfer to loaf pan and form. Pour tomato mixture over the top and bake for 45 minutes to an hour.
Season with salt and pepper, garnish with fresh parsley.
***
I followed the recipe with the two exceptions: I used the entire red pepper and substituted almond milk for soy milk. The entire prep and baking process absorbed about two hours and yielded a tremendous amount of meatloaf. I considered knocking on a few neighbors doors to see if they were hungry. The finished product is truly amazing. Moist, with a perfect marriage of flavorful herbs, veggies and protein, Bethenny's recipe is packed with complex flavors to satisfy picky palettes. 


Psst...so excited that I'll be in the studio audience of the Bethenny show tomorrow!

Biella tassel loafers


Have you been day dreaming of warmer weather as we absorb the chill of this Polar Vortex? I'm focusing on the sweet reward of Puerto Rico in late March. Wouldn't these gorgeous Italian-made loafers be perfect for, well, loafing around the resort? Details at J.Crew. #wishlisted!

27 January 2014

Yolkfish

Tel Aviv-based Peleg Design designed a little fish which seamlessly separates your yolks from your whites. Genius! Check out the details here.

24 January 2014

Nursing Home Calendar




A nursing home in Essen, Germany crafted a sweet calendar featuring their residents costumed in famous movie scenes.  From top: Dirty Dancing, Mary Poppins, Rocky & Breakfast at Tiffany's.  The models ranged from 75 to 98 years! View the full set of images at Independent UK.

23 January 2014

Gold Crosshatch Decanter

A well dressed home bar is a necessity in my world. I love to entertain well. This gorgeous gold crosshatch decanter from DwellStudio would make a fantastic piece to a modern or classic bar. Crafted from glass in Poland, the detailing is 14k gold. Now grab the scotch.




Image: Outblush.

22 January 2014

Tatcha Indigo

The more I experience from Tatcha, the stronger my dedication becomes. Rooted in the traditions of the Geisha, the San Francisco-based skin care company recently launched the Indigo collection for body care. Indigo features a hand cream, body butter and renewal cream crafted from the stems, petals and leaves of the Indigo plants. The inspiration for Indigo draws from the Edo Period of Japan when noble samurais would layer Indigo-dyed cotton between their skin and clothes to aid in healing injuries. The color Indigo if often donned "Samurai Blue."

While I don't have any skin ailments to address, I am serious about preventive care in the form of keeping my skin hydrated from head to the tips of my toes. I ordered the Body Cream and Hand Cream to team up with me against the dry winter air. The scent for both is classic Tatcha: light, mildly floral with a drop of musk. If you wear perfume, these creams will not interfere. The delivery of moisture from both formulas is lasting and absorbs clear on my pale Northern European skin. If you're a loyal moisturizing yourself, I would absolutely recommend investing in Indigo for body- the quality of the ingredients ensure the longevity of each container.

In addition to my Indigo purchases, I restocked on my favorite Aburatorigami blotting papers and three free samples (I love their samples! So perfect to pack for weekend trips!) As always, Tatcha includes a handwritten thank you on your invoice! In this particular order, they treated me to a free Luminous deep hydrating mask ($28 value) to show appreciation for my continued patronage.

21 January 2014

Laino Argile Rose Masque

Please excuse my used package image, but I was so thrilled with Laino Argile Rose facial mask that I plucked it out of the refuse bin to snap a pic and look for it online! Back Story: During my annual pilgrimages to Paris, I love to pop into a few pharmacies to check out the creams, oils and other goodies that might find a home in my vanity. I tossed this single-use pink clay mask in my basket (I believe it was around 2 Euros) and left it on my shelf for a number of months before peeling it open.

The formula delivers a gorgeous rose scent and the velvety thick clay applies smoothly. I allowed the mask to dry for about 15 minutes, then washed away with warm water. My skin felt incredibly soft, moisturized and refreshed. I feel that regular use (1-2x/week) would yield great age-defying results based on this one treatment's impact on my complexion.


Radius

Hello! It's bit a little while and I'm happy to be getting in the swing of things post-holiday season! Before shipping out for Christmas, a colleague brought me a handful of dental products that her family designed. I've been excited to give them a try and decided to bring them on my trip home for Orthodox Christmas. My dentist had previously advised me to use a spin brush, as I was brushing too hard. I love the clean feeling that it delivers and find that when I travel, I miss it (Relax, I pack a small travel brush).

The lowdown...

Radius Scuba Brush $7.49
Wowza! With an ergonomic handle and ultra soft (they claim to be the softest on the market) bristles on a wide head, this is one impressive little cleaning machine. My teeth and gums felt fantastic after each use. I'm actually considering ditching my spin brush! To boot, Radius advises that the brush lasts an impressive 9 months, which absorbs the extra cost compared to your typical 3-month tooth brush.

Radius DOC Holder $4.99
You'll need a cute little docking station for that extra wide handle and Radius has your back. The DOC holder comes in a variety of colors and keeps your bristles out of harms way by securing the brush upright on your bathroom counter.

Radius Natural Floss in Cranberry $2.99
I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I'm completely negligent about flossing. It creeps me out! It's even more awkward when the hygienist performs the task during 6 month cleanings! I'm also not a huge fan of minty things, which is the very reason I put aside my floss fears to try the Natural Floss in Cranberry. It's a hit! With the less aggressive flavor and soft texture, I feel as though I can make a more meaningful effort to be a floss star.

Is it weird that I want to give these to everyone I know as gifts? They have great gift box bundles available! I did give my folks a rain shower head for Christmas, which was well received!







03 January 2014

Have a Warm Weekend!


We're headed to Pittsburgh  for Orthodox Christmas! I can't wait to catch-up with my brother and a few books!


A few things to check out...


Something looks fishy about this chocolate.

Let it snow!

A perfect winter tote.

Love is sharing a dish.

Have you seen American Hustle? Tremendously amusing!

Survival of the fittest.

Cameron Diaz wrote a book and the reviews look good.

A Parisian secret to beautiful skin.

Hillary Clinton's haircut.

A gilded update on a classic.


Keep up with my Steel Country adventures via twitter! @keisharose10038


Image: Wikipedia.

02 January 2014

Growing Ring

It's alive! Bring a little nature into your city life with a Growing Ring. From Icelandic designer HAF by Hafsteinn Juliusson, you can find yours at Generate. Don't forget to nourish with water!


Image: Generate.