Author: Stef McDonald

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Recipe: Arugula Salad with Strawberries and Parmesan

I saw a Martha Stewart recipe for arugula salad with strawberries and thought there was parmesan in it, but I had that wrong. I like shaved parmesan in a salad, so I improvised and added it to my version of the salad anyway. I love the peppery arugula with the sweet strawberries.

Arugula Salad with Strawberries and Shaved Parmesan Cheese
Baby arugula
Sliced strawberries, quartered
Shaved parmesan cheese

For the vinaigrette, whisk together two parts olive oil to one part balsamic vinegar, with a squeeze of honey, a dash of sea salt, and cracked pepper.

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My Big Green Resolution

closet_photoAt the start of 2010, I made a resolution that felt big for me. It started with my desire to make a stronger commitment to green living—making more choices that were better for the environment. But I am a collector. I have a lot of stuff. And I really like my stuff. I have a closet filled with clothing and accessories I love (yes, love) and my house is full of treasured possessions. Still, I felt the need to simplify. I felt overwhelmed by the drive to acquire. Stuff! More stuff! So I decided to give up shopping for new stuff for the year.

I would refrain from buying new things I wanted. For things I needed, such as food and toilet paper and soap, I would stick to my resolve of buying the eco-friendly choices. New jeans, a new handbag, or new silverware? No. For any non-necessities, I would buy only pre-owned items—after carefully considering whether the purchase was necessary. I would shop at thrift stores, consignment and vintage shops, yard sales, on eBay and Etsy. I would be spending money on items already produced and in circulation (and withdrawing my consumer support for new products), which would help to reduce my carbon footprint.

I expected this to be a challenge and ended up being surprised with how easy it was. (And fun—thrift shopping is like treasure-hunting.) I thought I would write about my temptations and possible slips, but exceptions I made were few and far between (new underwear, practical running shoes…) and felt permissible. Then there was the upside: saving money. When the year ended, I decided to keep going and it’s become my new normal. Just like that. And while I’m shy about suggesting how others should live their lives, I like to share my example and offer it as a challenge to anyone who might like to try. For today or a week or a month or a year….

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Hankie Friendship Bracelets

Are you ever too old for friendship bracelets? I say no. These upcycled bracelets are made from an old handkerchief; I simply braided strips of the fabric and secured the end with a few stitches. I like the slight messiness of the stray threads and ties. I also like making something new from an item that was collecting dust in a drawer or closet. I used a lavender and floral-printed hankie for this trio—for me and two friends going to see a Prince concert. (Accessorizing in purple seems necessary for the Artist Once Again Known As Prince.)

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Family Style Flashback: Mom’s Polka Dots

I love this photo of my mother (holding me), looking stylish in a polka-dotted bikini and with her hair up. I asked her to tell me about what she was wearing in the photo and she replied: “The handbag wasn’t mine (looks like it belonged to the woman on the blanket). It was a headband in my hair (marble brown and heavy duty plastic) and the clip matched the headband. The bathing suit was a Catalina (got it in A&S and loved it).” She thinks we were either at Cape Cod or Gilgo Beach.

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Recipe: Vegetable Stock

I recently started making my own vegetable stock and cannot believe I went all these years without using the vegetable castoffs that usually get tossed in the garbage. This couldn’t be easier and more satisfying to make. Simply take all the ends, peels, skins, and other vegetable parts you would ordinarily throw out and save them in a securely covered bowl in the fridge. When you have at least a few cups of vegetable remains, put them in a large pot, cover with filtered water, and add a handful of peppercorns, a teaspoon of sea salt, and a bay leaf or two. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool and drain, storing the vegetable stock in glass jars.

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Vintage Find: Polka-Dotted Skirt

I found this cute black-and-white, polka-dotted silk Ungaro skirt on the bargain rack at a vintage shop in my neighborhood, Venice Vintage Paradise. I was wearing jeans and the shop owner taught me a new trick to find out if a skirt might fit. She told me to check to see if I could wrap the skirt’s waistband around my neck—if I could, the skirt would fit. She was right.

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Better Beauty: Glowing, Golden and Good

It’s the time of year when you see magazine articles and blog posts on how to achieve glowing and golden skin, featuring products made with toxic chemicals I wouldn’t want on my face and absorbed in my body. There are so many better-for-you (and the environment) products available out there and I always consult the Skin Deep website for their ratings of products when looking to buy something new. My favorites right now:

For a subtle glow, I like Jane Iredale’s 24-Karat Gold Dust in Rose Gold. This mineral shimmer comes in powder form, but I blend it with shea butter to apply it across my cheekbones, down the bridge of my nose, and on my eyelids. I carry some of this mixture in my bag in a contact lens case. (Pictured above; the cute blue scarf it’s sitting on was a thrift store gift from my mom).

For a golden faux tan, I like RMS Beauty’s Lip 2 Cheek in Promise. It’s a creamy mineral stain in a pot and the smallest amount is needed to give cheekbones a hint of bronze. (To apply more liberally to my face, neck, and chest, I’ll blend some with shea butter or coconut oil.)

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Recipe: Paella on the Grill

Mr. MVP and I have made a seafood paella before and now we’ve got a great version with chicken and chorizo. Biggest way this differs from most recipes is that we use tomatoes instead of peppers.

1 pound of chicken thighs and legs

2 links of chorizo sausage

6 cups chicken stock (or vegetable stock, or combination of chicken and vegetable stock)

1/4 cup olive oil

1 onion, chopped

10 garlic cloves,  5 of them chopped, 5 left whole

3 cups cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes (or both)

1 chili pepper, chopped without the seeds

3 cups Spanish rice

1 tsp. saffron threads

1 tsp. sweet paprika powder

1 tsp. smoked paprika powder

1 tsp. salt

3 lemons, cut into wedges

Parsley

Seafood: optional (we like a dozen clams and mussels)

Salt chicken and cut chorizo into 1-inch pieces, then set aside meat before lighting the wood-fired grill. Heat the olive oil in the paella pan over the grill and brown the chicken and chorizo. Remove meat from the pan and set aside. Add the onion, chili pepper, and garlic to the pan and stir gently, letting them soften and lightly brown. Add the rice and stir it in the pan as the color changes slightly, cooking for 4-7 minutes. (Note: no more stirring from this point on.) Add the stock and spices and let it simmer until it looks like more than half the stock has been absorbed. Add the tomatoes and half the lemon wedges and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the meat and cook for another 5 minutes with the top down, to pick up smoke flavor from the grill. (If you’re adding clams and/or mussels, add them now and let them steam open.) Serve with the remaining lemon wedges and parsley sprinkled on top.

paella_pic

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Better Than Before: Upcycled Bracelets

My favorite DIY projects are ones that involve taking something you have and making it better—more functional or simply more fun and stylish—using materials I already have. Before I added some embellishments to these two bracelets, they didn’t come out of my jewelry box very often. The one with the subway tokens now has the addition of glass beads from a broken chandelier I found years ago at a yard sale, along with some freshwater pearls from a broken bracelet. The silver Tiffany ID bracelet now has tulle ties from a leftover roll of tulle I got when I made a hair accessory for a family wedding.

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Adventures in Thrifting: Strange Animals

Encountered on a thrift shopping mission for my Etsy shop: animal tops that puzzled me. First I spotted a sweater that looks like maybe a cobra is jumping over a tiger (or are they both jumping over a rope?)… or maybe they’re getting it on? Then, the T-shirt with a giraffe and dinosaur sharing a red and white striped scarf. Hmmmmm.

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Sipping in Style: Vintage Glasses

I like to drink wine (or juice or water) in vintage glasses. I share this fondness for vintage glassware with friends—Annie owns the blue and gold ones, Kristine the etched, dotted ones. The daisy one is mine (I’m crazy for daisies).