Welcome to Googletown

I read this great article in the New York Times today.  It's about the constant back and forth debate over how the Bay Area is gentrified with all its industry, including the tech boom.  But the article focuses mostly on the town of Mountain View, which has always been a lovely bedroom community since the government put Moffett Field on it, and then NASA arrived a few decades later.  My dad used to work there.

Then, industry arrived, including tech and pharma.  Years ago, I worked near Shoreline Ampitheatre.  It was glorious because you could overhear concerts and I had a great spot to view the annual fireworks.  It was also hilarious because our building was the only one on our street not owned by Google, and this meant watching "Googlites" not know how to cross the street, wear pajamas to work, and have "meetings" on a bicycle contraption where 8 people pedal at once while facing each other.  That situation changed in short order, and a year after arriving, we were booted out and Google took over our building.  In the ensuing seven years, housing prices in the area have skyrocketed, to say the least.  The same goes for most of the rest of the Bay Area.  And, we see the same in Facebook's town (Menlo Park), and Apple's town (Cupertino). 

Is this a good thing?  The comments in the article from people in places like Nebraska and Pennsylvania say "gee, you IDIOT.  I WISH I had your town's problem!  Bring the industry to us."  Well, be careful what you wish for.  I don't think that such industries as tech would go elsewhere.  There is TOO MUCH money to be had in the Bay Area, and money attracts more money.  Nevermind the gorgeous weather.  Oh, and the many, many world class universities, such as Cal and Stanford at the top of the heap.  Tech is not going to be picking up and moving elsewhere anytime soon.  It may all bust at some point (as booms are wont to do), but I don't think Zuckerberg is thinking "gee, I'm tired of California.  I should move to Pennsylvania..."

Is this a good thing?  Well, why are WE here to begin with?  And isn't change good?  Well, I am here because I was born here.  My parents were, too.  In fact, both sides of my family have been in California for nearly 100 years.  So, I guess you could say I feel comfortable here.  Also, the job opportunities are excellent.  Look at a job site and put your search in the Bay Area.  Then move the search to Phoenix, Portland, Denver, etc.  Sure, people live there, and live there happily.  But the amount of industry in the Bay cannot be beat (even, I would argue, in the New York Metro).

So it follows that if you want a shack in Palo Alto, you'd better be prepared to pay at least a million smackers, and at that price, and in this market, have a huge down payment (or all cash).  Because of the housing boom (a whole other post I could devote to this), people cannot afford to live in certain places, and they are being priced out.  So they move to a place like Fremont, and price out Fremontonians (one of whom I am), and Fremontonians move to Union City or Hayward and price out the original residents of those cities.  It's life, it's capitalism, it's economics, and it happens.

The bigger question is, is this a good thing?  Why are we still here?  It must be.  But every day it takes me nearly an hour to travel a few miles, since I have one of the worst commutes in the country going from the East Bay to the Silicon Valley.  One of the commenters complained that he is having trouble surviving on 70K.  Many commenters from back east snapped at him for that one.  What they don't understand is since housing is many times the price of what it is back east, salaries have to be as well.  Teachers who earn 50-60K per year cannot afford to even rent apartments in some areas.  These are professional people with post-graduate degrees.  And this, my friends, disgusts me.  I "get" that it's capitalism and it's the "price we pay" for living in the Bay.  But it wasn't always so, and it won't always be that way.

In the mean time, in the land of plenty, we scrimp and save so that maybe in a few years we can afford to compete with cash offers for a 900 SF shack.  Life could be worse, and I'll just go to the beach in February to lick my wounds.  Dem's da breaks.

And when the next crash happens (I've been through several real estate booms and crashes in my lifetime), and all the interlopers move back to their respective hometowns, I'll be there to buy their house with the money I saved.

West Coast = Best Coast

Just a friendly post to let you know that California, and the entire West Coast actually (including Oregon and Washington--heck, let's even include British Columbia in that!), is the best thing in the world.  I am so lucky that my happy place is one of the most beautiful drives in the world, a draw the world over, and only 30-45 minutes from my house.  How can it get any better?  Sure, I could move to the Happy Place and then it would only be a one-minute drive...  But then the drive to my work would be longer.  Ah, decisions.

Buzzfeed, my favorite (who doesn't like Buzzfeed?  Definitely better journalism than The New York Times), posted this article to remind us why West is Best.  How can you argue with that?

Tubular!

Joan's Way of Life

Joan being dressed by the legendary Golden Age costumer, Adrian.

 

Recently I had the pleasure of reading Joan Crawford's book, My Way of Life.  It's another of those obscure, out of print books that I believe is a treasure.  I first heard about it, and got it via Link+, several years ago.  However, I ran out of time to finish it, and forgot about it for a few years.  I decided to try for it again, seeing as a purchased copy goes for about $100.  It's not really a memoir per se, although there are some tidbits (none very juicy) about her Hollywood life, very little about her childhood and pre-Hollywood times, and a few more anecdotes about her various husbands and "friends," her life married to the CEO of Pepsi, and her family life.  Of course, when you read about her times with her daughters, it is hard not to envision Mommy Dearest.  For more juicy stuff, click here.

 

Her style tips are very intriguing.

 The tips in the book read like a "Happy Homemaker" guidebook, albeit one written by a slightly deranged and very rich lady who came of age during the Silent Film era of Hollywood.  All of us can have double-decker closets (i.e., two stories tall), right?  You know, for our out-of-season items.

The pencil marginalia was already on the book.  NO WIRE HANGERS!!!

Some of the book made me a bit sad, as she definitely seemed like someone who had an undiagnosed case of OCD.  I'm not sure how good it is for your shoes to be rubber-banded together and put in plastic bags.  You really have to feel for her "help."


Diet tips are somewhat sensible, surprisingly.

 For an interesting party, invite a variety of guests.  You know, maybe a CEO of a large corporation, a poet, an artist, etc...  Oh yeah, just the usual bunch.  And if you want to be a good hostess, get help (as in, hire a maid) so you can enjoy your own party.  If you aren't too well off, just one will do, but two maids and a butler is better.

I'm sure she was a lovely woman.

 This book is really a good read if you like movie history, actresses of the Golden Age, or retro homemaker guides.  Some of Joan's advice is actually pretty sensible, while other bits are just a little on the loopy side.  Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I do get a feeling of her loneliness, sadness, and struggles in life, even though she works hard to gloss over everything and make everything sound picture perfect.  I'd like to think that if I met her, she would be a woman who just needed a friend and was a bit misunderstood for the route she took in life.

At the Ridge

California poppies appearing on rocks!

Last weekend, we wanted to do as much as we could to take advantage of the gorgeous weather, even if it was completely weird for the season, and even if it means these gorgeous green hills will turn a sad brown in a couple months, and even if it means we will be rationing water again this summer, more than likely.

 

My favorite local place to hike is Pleasanton Ridge.  Long live the East Bay!  I like Don Edwards/Coyote Hills too, but for a strenuous (for me at least) hike, I like P-town.  You can keep your Mission Peak nonsense, with its weird curfews and angry rich neighborhood residents (look, rich folk--sorry you didn't buy in a gated community.  But for now, even though City of Fremont would love to kowtow to your needs and make the park accessible to only you...  For now, the park is EAST BAY, YO!  I OWN IT, along with my fellow residents, because we pay taxes, FOOL!).  Sorry.  I could go on in my rant against rich people limiting access to public lands!

 



This is one of the trails off the main fire road--that is darn steep, but beautiful.

Pleasanton Ridge is typical East Bay hills, with cows everywhere, and oaks, too.  After the rains in December, we were treated to many, many NEWTS trying to cross the road (and I almost stepped on several--wait, I wonder how many I didn't realize I stepped on??).  When it was very dry in November and we went for a night hike, I kept on feeling like I was being watched, turning around, and seeing little frogs everywhere!  Owls, hawks, ground squirrels, and more can be seen.  Don't you love wildlife?

This is a tiny tiny flower, but pretty, no?  That grass is thin grass; flower is about half an inch wide.

Our walk on this particularly sunny day was refreshing with a spring breeze, and easier than usual because of my new, now-broken-in hiking boots.  However, going up the "shortcut" offshoot from the main fire road was steep, and for part of it I sort of wished I had brought my walking stick.  We went past the "saddle" or main gate, and did the long loop since we had time.  Five miles total.  Since there are a few offshoots from the main trail, even on a crowded day some peace and quiet can be found.

And, all that hiking means I can have a beer afterward!  Woohoo!

Another tiny wildflower.  Isn't Mother Nature awesome?

Cheap Chic Forever

1974...  or 2015?

Cheap Chic is my fashion bible.  Forget Vogue.  Well, maybe don't forget it, but it's not my bible.  I'm not alone.  Peruse Amazon and see that my fellow fans wished they printed more copies of this, are willing to pay hundreds of dollars for the rare, out-of-print book, and are stoked that it will be reprinted this September!  I just got on the list.  Woohoo!

 

The above picture could have been taken this past summer, or perhaps summer 2015.  Did you know that jelly shoes are a classic French maritime sandal?  Can you picture all these macho fishermen wearing these super cute shoes?  A style classic, I tell you.  Her chic beach coverup, glasses, and large bag can all translate well 40 years into the future.  You see, for even though this book was published forty years ago, and was of the moment then, about 90% of it still translates to current days because it is modern and classic.  Classic is modern.

 

The picture I wanted to share with you that would not rotate properly for whatever reason was a fashion photo from 1978, from the Cheap Chic "Update."  It looked like it could have been for Fall 2015, the current fashion season being shown at NYFW.  Oh, and let's talk for a moment about NYFW 2015.  Just do a google search and see that basically every trend from the 70's, from bell bottoms to feathered hair, is back.  (And let me remind you that various aspects of 70's style were actually stolen from the 40's golden age of style...)

 

Cheap Chic has different chapters for various aspects of style--classic, sporty, work wear (including surplus), vintage/antique (which at the time could also mean gorgeous slips from the 30's!), ethnic (breaking down amongst countries and continents).  It guides you on how to incorporate whatever aspect of this you'd like into your own wardrobe.  You can do it on the cheap.  Or, you can get a lovely pair of boots for $$$ but they will last you forever, which is probably a better thing than buying a cheap pair that will fall apart in a season. 

 

The tone of the book is like going shopping with a friend.  A fun, cool friend who wears really cool clothes!  And, dispersed throughout the book are short interviews with fashion stalwarts like Betsey Johnson, Yves St. Laurent, and in the Update version, even a fun interview with the legendary Gilda Radner.

 

This style guide really is the best.  With all the talk of capsule wardrobes, responsible fashion, American made classics, thrifting, etc., that we see in 2015, this book is so ahead of its time and still relevant.  For an even better writeup of this gem, click here.  The blogger at into-mind has also included more photos of the book, so you can see just how much coolness oozes out of every page!

 

Hope you have a chic weekend.  :-)

Sunny February Weekend

Our Happy Place:  Pescadero State Beach

While the rest of the country is buried under feet of snow, here out west we got some unseasonably warm--or actually HOT--weather.  As the coast remained clear as a bell and temperatures climbed close to 80*F, and seeing as it was also Valentine's Day, President's Day Weekend, etc...  Seemed like it would be a good day to drive out to the coast.  Valentine's Day, we were in good company--half of the rest of the Bay Area seemed to have found out our secret of the San Mateo Coast (I thought I didn't have too many blog readers?).  Could you blame them?  It was a perfect day for a beautiful drive, sunny beaches, relaxing waves, and cute little roadside attractions.  Not to mention, all National Parks were insane not only because of the long weekend, but also free admission.  So, we tried to steer clear of other usual haunts like Yosemite.

We went out via Hwy 84, and turned our usual route toward Alpine and Pescadero Rd.  The super cute farm road that takes you in the back entrance to the hamlet of Pescadero was void of cars, even on a crowded day like this.  All the telephone poles in town were affixed with little hearts bearing positive messages, such as "I Love Geeks" and "You're Home Now!"  It was super cute.  I love this little town and area.

Having said that, since the place was so crowded  due to the nice weather, we skipped Pescadero in its entirety and just hung out at Pescadero Beach (along with everyone else).

Since I took a long weekend and was off on Tuesday, why not head back out to the coast?  Most people were back at work or school, and the weather had cooled off and was closer to being its "old" self--foggy, overcast, dreary, yet very romantic and much more Nor-Cal coast.

NO ONE was in Pescadero, the beach, or anywhere along the coast that we drove on Tuesday.  However, this meant that Arcangeli Grocer and Highway 1 Brewing Company (two places we frequent when out at the coast) were both closed.  Heck, I don't blame them.  I'd be closed the middle of the week, too.

Because of that, we drove up to Half Moon Bay and ate at the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company, across from our usual Barbara's Fish Trap.  We usually head to Barbara's because it's "our" restaurant and has nice memories attached.  Oh, and it's also fantastically delicious.  Combine that with the fact that even on a crowded day, you can order from the "to-go" counter outside, get some fish-n-chips and some of Barbara's famous dairy-free clam chowder, and enjoy harbor views--what a cheap thrill.  Having said that, both Barbara's and HMB Brewing have similar price-points, especially for sit-down.  Usually we don't go to HMB because it is so crowded, but on this particular Tuesday, it was sparse, so we thought we'd try.  Verdict:  Both places are good, but we prefer Barbara's atmosphere and vibe a bit better, and would not wait at either for a seat because we just don't roll that way.  We had beer, Dan had tacos, and I had clam chowder.  It was fine.

Hope you enjoy these pics of our two visits.

Dan being pensive in the tide pools.  Looking for hermit crabs.  :-D

 

Sandals in February?  Only in California, I guess.  I'll take it!

I didn't make this but it made me laugh.  Happy Valentine's!

Slightly cooler on Tuesday meant wool coat and shoes.  Super-calm beach was making neat "flow" patterns with the tide.

Lifestyle Inflation: Darnright American, or Downright Idiotic?

I never did get how he could dive through what must amount to solid metal.

"You've traded stability and security for stuff and status."

Pretty no-nonsense advice from a blog article I found here. 

It's the modern American way to live beyond your means, to carry as much debt as you think you can (the estimate is never right), and to have the newest and best items you can "afford" (put on charge).  How else will people know you're a success?  I'm not sure, but I think matching furniture will help.

I feel that this way of life is phasing out as more people realize that going into debt to get flashy stuff is not the business.

Maybe people thought there was something secure in having stuff?  I don't know.  But most people who are up to their eyeballs in debt can tell you that they don't exactly feel secure.

This bit of similar wisdom can be found in one of my favorite SNL skits.  Just don't buy stuff.  Don't buy stuff you have to go into debt for.  Don't buy stuff you can't afford!

I ran into this when I planned my wedding.  I did not want to go into debt for one day's party.  Cash was king, and we were saving for a house down payment (still saving...).  To us, a house was more important than being princess for a day.  Now, if you have zillions of dollars and won't go into debt if you have a fancy wedding, have at it.  It's not really my thing, but if you have the money, who am I to stop you?  It's a free country.

Going into debt for it, though, or for a couch, or for anything...  No bueno.

Our wedding turned out pretty neat, actually.  We paid for the little ceremony at the county registrar in San Jose, which got us ten minutes in the chapel that had COLUMNS (yes!).  The officiant wore a purple robe with shorts and tennies on underneath.  It was awesome.  We then went to a nice lunch (along with our parents and siblings, who also attended the ceremony) at our favorite restaurant, The Vine.  A few weeks later, we had a house party with cupcakes and food from our other favorite local restaurants, and invited around 40 people.  People get really weird about weddings, and we did have to explain many times that we were keeping it small.  I am not so sure any Bridezilla has to explain why she needs to have seat covers that match the aisle runner.

It's just the way our culture works.  Big white weddings are expected of us.  They're TRADITION.  Even though big weddings, and going into debt for them, is only a recent development in the scheme of things.  In fact, look at vintage wedding pictures to see that the wedding dress wasn't even really a "thing" like it is now.  But, a whole industry has built up around weddings, just like with anything, and they will gladly facilitate you parting with your money, even if you have to put it on credit.

Down the line, will you be grateful that you put that $20,000 (or more) toward the one party that one weekend, even as you continue to rent and be further from your dream of homeownership?  The same goes for anything else you put on credit.

Obviously sometimes in life, we need to put stuff on credit, or finance things.  Just make sure it's not something that's going to decrease dramatically in value.  Don't be that guy, foreclosing on his house, and bragging that he spent $10,000 on that antique couch.  Having a bunch of expensive stuff doesn't guarantee you won't go bankrupt...  Sometimes it just expedites the process.

Besides, don't we all want to figure out if you can really dive into a bunch of coins?  I'm thinking not, but it would be fun to have the opportunity to find out.

What Are You Doing on Valentine's Day?

NO...  Just...  NO.

So...  What's everyone's plan for Valentine's?  No plans?  That's cool, too.  But you can have a "Galentine's" if you aren't attached, or you can just enjoy a damn fine piece of grilled red meat with some alcohol.  Just make it a fun day and no pressure.  I was single for many years before meeting my husband.  The only tip that I would give, single or not, is to AVOID RESTAURANTS AT ALL COSTS.  I don't even care if you can't cook.  Have cereal at home.  But to me, there is nothing more forced, and less romantic, than eating at a "romantic" restaurant on Valentine's Day.  And heck, even if you can't cook, why not try one of my stupid easy recipes?

I'm more into some clever, witty repartee on V-day.  Not schmaltz, unless it's done with a wink.  But that's just my style.  If you like the Notebook, you might want to look elsewhere for advice on what to do with yourself on V-day.  So, let's get started.

To me, the day is all about either funny admiration for buddies, or your significant other, or sex.  Let's be honest, the heart that we all know and love was modeled after a you-know-what, back in Greek times, I believe.  To me, a good Valentine's Day has some rich, indulgent food, and maybe a quirky fun movie to cuddle up on the couch with.  This is not the day for health food.  Oh, and chocolate and alcohol should be in there somewhere, too.  What you do after the movie is your business.  If you're into teddy bears with handcuffs, far be it for me to tell you EW GROSS.  But I just said it anyway.

So, without further ado...

Let's start by selecting some movies.  Why not a classic screwball comedy from the 30's or 40's?  Even if your sweetie doesn't like black and white movies, or old movies, or how people talked back then, believe me--they will enjoy these fun and funny films.  Here is a good list of the ones you can't miss.

Okay, moving on...  How about some chocolates to nibble on?  Classic truffles are always great, or you can go the vegan route with these.  It's all good.  At any rate, you'll wonder why you were paying $2 a pop for the fancy ones before.

Now, how about some snacky-snacks while your steak is cooking (you did get a steak...  didn't you?).  Maybe some surf-n-turf is in order?  Like, crab cakes?  Or maybe some nice slurpy mussels to sluuuuuurp on...  Like these or these?  Maybe some cheese and grapes or something, too.  And, sipping in a cocktail wouldn't hurt.  Maybe some Scotchy-Scotch or a French 75?

Then, about that steak.  Now, if you are not a steak eater, you can do a luscious roast chicken using Thomas Keller's classic easy method.  Just stick the super dry and salted bird in the oven for an hour (plenty of time to make out!) and when it emerges, it will be sticky, crispy, and juicy.  Yum.  If you are a vegetarian, I would say go for Indian or Thai takeout.  The spice is sexy, right?  And it's all about being sexy.

Now is not the time for Brussels sprouts or cauliflower.  :-/  Or beans, really...

Okay, back to that steak!

Here is a good recipe that pairs a nice bloody steak with a simple chocolate mousse dessert.  Red meat and dark chocolate, yum!  Otherwise, I don't really think you need a recipe for steak.  Just make sure you have a good cut of meat, let it hang out outside the fridge for a few minutes while you prep the grill or cast iron, and then sear that sucker on both sides.  Then rest.  Then enjoy.  YUM.  Oh, and pair it with your favorite full-bodied red wine, of course.

Need a side?  How about potatoes?  They're earthy, and sexy, right?  I mean, yeah?  Here are some good potato ideas.  Pasta can be slurpy too, and romantic in a Lady-and-the-Tramp sort of way, but if you're doing steak, I would go with potatoes.  Any of these will work fine.

If you need even more chocolate, maybe try this almost-flourless chocolate cake, with some yummy vanilla ice cream on the side.

And if all goes well for your Valentine's Day, how about some ideas for a bacon-centric morning after?

And if all else fails, buy a card with a train on it that says "I CHOO-CHOO-CHOOOOOOSE YOU."  Works every time!

Garden Update: Growing Avocados from Avocados

A portrait before I gave him a haircut and cut him down by half.

I think everyone has memories of some sort, of mom sticking toothpicks into an avocado pit and putting it in a cup of water.  But almost no one has memories of it actually turning into a tree--or at least, I don't.

You can google and find lists of various items you can grow by seeds, roots, or stumps.  Celery and green onions are other surefire winners, though I have had neither the luck or patience to get either of those to do much more than sprout a few inches.

Avocados, on the other hand...

If you do a quick google search, you can get tips for how to grow an avocado from a pit.  Several months ago, my mom gave me an avocado from her uncle's friend's yard.  Whatever the variety, it was creamy, not bruised, and so flavorful I didn't even need salt!  Considering we live in California, it's disgraceful to see the quality (or lack thereof) of the avocados in the grocery store.  "Okay, I think this one is ripe" = cut it open when you get home to find a bruised and grey inside.  Eat it anyway and weep.  "Okay, this one is maybe close but still firm" = wait two weeks for it to ripen in a paper bag, finally give up and cut open the rock-hard inedible avocado.  Weep.

Well, I was fed up with spending nearly $2 each on crappy avocados!  My current solution is to use Trader Joe's guacamole, which is not only super-affordable and tasty, but as close as you will get to fresh mashed up avocados.  It's great on salads.

Meanwhile, I watch my avocado pits grow.

I spent around $30 for an avocado tree (more like, BRANCH).  Maybe I needed to buy two, as common wisdom holds that you need two avocados, a male and female (they will change genders based on need).  The four leaves that were on it fell off, and several baby leaves sprouted, which have seemed to die this winter.  Here's hoping they revive themselves come spring.

So, using the tips I found on the good ol' Interwebs, I stuck three toothpicks in the lovely homegrown avocado pit from my mom.  I put it in a small glass jar and waited.  Roots sprouted.  Then more.  Before I knew it, a little baby sprout had also sprouted, and the roots were running out of room in the jar.  I increased the jar's size, as you need to wait for the sprout to reach 12 inches.  A few more weeks, and the "sprout" was not only 12 inches, but had a few very pretty little leaves on it.  Now we chop it in half.

This part hurts, after you painstakingly watched the pit grow.  But, this is necessary to put energy into growing a stronger plant, and to make the base of the avocado nice and robust.  The time it takes for the little six-inch branch to re-grow to 12 inches doesn't take long, especially now that it has all those lovely roots.

Once it gets to 12 inches again, take it out of the water jar (I didn't feel the need to ever feed it in the water jar; I feel it gets most of the nutrients from the pit).  Gently place it in a pot with dirt in it (make a nice pit for the pit and roots).  Gently place the roots in the pot, taking care to leave them in tact.  Make sure the top little point of the pit is exposed (not sure why, it's just something they said online to do).  Water to saturate/moisten the soil and place in a sunny, mild location.

The pit above is the SECOND pit I am growing.  The first one is already outside in a pot with dirt in it.  It is doing great still, growing sets of leaves.  We will see what happens this summer, which is prime growing time for most plants and trees.  The picture I took above was just minutes before I cut him back down to six inches.  And now we wait.

To choose a pit, make sure the avocado you had was tasty and robust (no blemishes, healthy skin) (haha, sounds funny).  To me, that sort of ensures that the seed will be healthy and grow.

Watch this space--hopefully in a year or two, I will have my first batch of homegrown guacamole to share (virtually) with you.

Stupid Easy: Thai Stone Soup Hack

Made by a very hungry and tired me.

The other evening, I got home from work after a boring day and a long commute.  I was starving.  The boys had gone for a bike ride, and no dinner was waiting for me, hot on the stove.  I then brainstormed what I could turn into a yummy dinner, quickly.

Fast forward thirty minutes and no trips to the store, and a very content me was sipping on some Trader Joe's Dunkelweizen while stirring a simmering, hearty soup, happily chatting to husband that yes, I did make dinner, it's all ready to go, see you soon.

What happened in those thirty minutes?  Well, I was hungry as f***.  I was almost hangry.  The fridge was near-empty (but we all know this is when the best meals are produced).  I was thirsty.  I reached for an ice cold beer (thankfully there).  Now, with a clear head, was time to carefully examine the fridge.

Hmmm...

There is a pot in there--leftovers?  Yes!  But no...  Only two cups of yesterday's lentil/bacon/greens/brown rice mixture were left.  This will not do to feed three hungry people.  I'll set it on the stove anyway...

What else, what else...  A container of my old standby, Trader Joe's pre-chopped mirepoix?  Excellent.  Let's pull that out.

This always makes me think of soup.  But what kind of soup?  I don't want a boring soup.  How about a Thai curry-style soup?

Luckily, in the fridge door, I found half of a small jar of Thai red curry paste from a previous recipe I did.  Let's set that on the counter.

Anything else?  Hmmm...  Maybe it's getting time to clean out the fridge.  What the hell is in that jar?

Oh wait, here is a fresh-ish one-pound bag of Trader Joe's chopped rainbow chard!  Pretty!  Okay, this is so going in the soup and this is going to be a delicious and nutritious soup.  What else can we do, broth-wise?

Let's look in the pantry...

Ah, my old reliable, Trader Joe's version of Better Than Bouillon, a little bouillon packet I can squeeze into this soup!  And, a can of coconut milk!  Now, I don't want it to be a sauce, so I chose to go with one can of coconut milk and two cans of water (one can of the water will simmer off).

Now, to start the recipe:

1. Over medium heat, warm up the leftovers, stirring.
2. Once they are broken up, add the mirepoix and a bit of olive oil.  Sautee till translucent.
3. Add Thai red curry paste and mix.  Add other spices here as you see fit (I wanted to keep it simple, so it was just this and some salt).  Mix until fragrant.
4. Add the chard or other greens.  Stir until wilted but not entirely cooked through.
5. Add the bouillon packet here (basically anywhere before you add liquid; I find it's easier to mix in at that point).
6. Stir until it all looks cohesive, broken down, melded.
7. Add in one can of coconut milk plus two cans of water and stir.
8. Let it simmer till the soup has reduced to your liking, and serve.  The boys ate it with toast, I had it as is.  You can add a dollop of cream or yogurt to it, too, if you want.
9. Yum!  Winning on an empty fridge!

Those Darn Millennials and Their Refusal to Buy Stuff

Gotta love stock photos!

I read a really interesting-sounding article that turned out to be not as interesting as it sounded, but still thought-provoking.

Click through and read the short article.  Go ahead, I'll wait.  Don't worry, it's not one of those New Yorker articles that goes about twenty paragraphs too long.

Back?  Okay, can I just say one thing now?

Can we just STOP talking about MILLENNIALS.  Oh my gosh.  Young people have always been young people.  Some grew up during extraordinarily hard times, and met the challenge (The Greatest Generation).  Some grew up during extraordinarily prosperous times, and those are our parents (Boomers).  All were young people, finding their way in the world.  All were admonished by the older generation, who would invariably shake its collective fist at the young'uns and say, "Those darn young people!  Why, in my day, blah blah blah..."  The current crop is no different, on both counts.  My favorite example is a Time magazine cover lamenting the new Millennials as self-obsessed nincompoops.  Someone then took the time to gather Time cover photos of EVERY SINGLE GENERATION of the last several decades, all lamenting young people.  Yeesh, give it a rest!  Let's all band together and make each other's lives easier.  Same goes for you, feminists and non-feminists, and the Mommy Wars!  Enough already!

Anyway, sorry about that.  I'm calm now, and looking at this stock image of a happy consumer happily toting around three purses has made me all the calmer.

The article says that youths don't require things just for ownership, as previous generations.  They like to have something that does something, something that they can share (#instagramhashtag, anyone?), something that they can use as a way to express who they are, or who they want to become.  I agree with that, but I think that this is the case for ALL consumers, to some extent.  Or, if you want to poll youths through history, that is probably the case for all youths since the dawn of consumerism.

I am more interested to hear what makes Millennials so different than youths before them, if that's the case.  I think there are a lot of things at play here, and it is far too complicated to be summed up in a blog or article.  Here are my thoughts on some reasons us youths may be slightly more averse than average about consumerism:

• We have seen the previous generation or generations just become swamped by their possessions, which brought them no joy, but did bring them a sense of dread that they now had to do something with all this junk.  Extreme cases saw us have to help go through elderly relatives' homes and sort through all the possessions.  Even more extreme cases saw us watch as folks from the older generation went bankrupt to afford whatever status symbol was designated to them.  All these events have turned us off of acquiring things just to acquire them.
• We spent our formative years (depending on age, that meant high school, college, grad-school, or some combination thereof) trying to find our way as young adults while we faced the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.  For many of us (myself included), this involved a stint of unemployment.  It made money tight, and recreational shopping and consumerism something looked at with a healthy dose of skepticism.
• Many of us youths (myself included) don't have broadcast television.  Now, we do have a TV at our house, and a fair amount of time is spent watching it.  However, since basically everything we watch is on-demand (YouTube and other video sharing sites, Netflix streaming, HBO Go...), we have much more control over what we watch, vs. just channel surfing.  This also, more importantly, means that we don't get commercials!  Now, advertisers are still trying their darndest to make us watch commercials before watching the content we clicked on.  But for the most part, such commercials are largely ignored, and this lack of advertisers being able to tell us what we "need" to buy has left us with less consumerist drive.

Now, these are just my opinions.  What do you think?  Any reasons I left out?

Old Reliable and the Basic Wardrobe

Groundbreaking yet confusing film--but oh the fashion and cool hair!

I stumbled upon this "mood board" on a new blog I found.  I love the look.  Effortless, chic, easy, cool, put-together.  A classic.  Since it is a classic, it wasn't just invented today.  Probably an early benchmark of the cool chick look can be seen above, in one of my favorite movies (confounding though it may be), Breathless.  That's Jean Seberg, pictured, above.  The main character in the groovy, jump-cut-filled film.  Google her to learn more about her sad life and tragic death.

The film was made during a time when women were generally expected to wear gloves, girdles, etc...  Especially in America.  Pre-marital sex was an obvious no-no as well.  The movie, undeniably fresh and modern even now, was groundbreaking.  The look, an instant classic.

The ingredients for the look are:

• Breton stripe tee-shirt, preferably long or 3/4 sleeve, preferably bateau neck
• Loose, flowing knee-length skirt or slacks or JEANS
• Sunglasses (optional but recommended)
• Sass (required)

This look resonates so much that every other fashion blog recently has posted something similar, especially with the new trends of:

• Reduced consumerism
• Retro/Classic/Vintage Cool
• Normcore and Basics (but not bitches)

There is all sorts of good news in this.  In the mood board link above, the classic striped top is paired with patchy beat up blue jeans, flat boots, and hiking socks.  All utilitarian, classic looks that aren't just making a comeback, but never went away in the first place.  Hiking socks I am seeing everywhere, and I LOVE that, because my feet are almost always cold.  And I will always love a good pair of blue jeans with a good shirt.

But the best news is this:  The look can be as cheap or expensive if you want it.  And I want it to be cheap.  After all, I am trying to save for a house (which, in the Bay Area, will take YEARS, but every penny helps).

Go to the thrift store.  My favorite is Thrift Town.  Go to the women's or kid's section.  There is your pick of all sorts of striped shirts, in fits ranging from slim to artfully baggy, all for a couple bucks.  Then, go to the women's or men's section (men's seems to have some good vintage Levi's usually, but my giant hips will not fit in them).  There is your pick of all sorts of delightfully worn jeans with a gorgeous patina that you would have to pay a designer upwards of $200 to obtain, all for a couple bucks (the most expensive pair I have found was a Paige denim pair for $12, retailed at $180).  Accessories are easy:  maybe a funky scarf to add some panache.  Maybe a cool pair of Audrey Hepburn-wannabe shades.  Shoes?  You can go the easy route in ballet flats or Chelsea boots, or get some crazy 70's wedges if you're lucky enough to shop somewhere that still has stuff pre-1990.

Your outfit is put together, unique, and YOU.  And my guess is, the entire lot cost you around $30 or less.  The beautiful thing about chic stuff is you will never fill ripped off.  It's a can't fail look.

Stupid Easy: Homemade Nachos

Don't worry, it's fat free Greek yogurt!  :-D

I was supposed to make some nachos for Super Bowl.  I don't really like football or follow anything related to it, but it's important to my brother, so I had him and his girlfriend over.  His girlfriend, my husband, and I are all equally apathetic toward football, but we can all agree that food is awesome!  Bro's girlfriend brought banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches), so needless to say, we were too full for my nachos.  I saved them for Monday night instead.  Heck, we still had some commercials to watch anyway, since we don't get broadcast TV (not missing much there).

I know some families make nachos all the time, or at least every Friday night.  We don't.  Growing up, we never did, either.  No clue why.  But there you have it.

Probably the best tip with these that I got online was to LAYER them.  So, I gathered my ingredients:

• One bag of STURDY corn tortilla chips (I chose Trader Joe's brand yellow corn tortilla chips)
• Two 12 oz cans of beans (I chose TJ's Cuban style black beans)
• Two bags of pre-shredded cheese or a pound block, shredded (again with the TJ's here)
• One small can of sliced olives
• One small can of sliced pickled jalapenos
• Salsa of your choice
• Fresh cherry tomatoes (optional, but they add freshness)
• Guacamole or avocado mashed up (avocados seem to suck around here, even though it's California and that just shouldn't happen.  I get TJ's packaged version, basically mushed avocados)
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt (I used TJ's fat-free Greek yogurt, which is why I could glop it on like that)
• Several (5-6) green onions, snipped or sliced

Layer one layer (yes, layer, not pile) of chips.  Then put some queso.  Then beans.  Then chips, and repeat the layering process till you run out of chips or space.  Then for the last layer, put even more cheese (you want it ooey gooey), plus the olives, jalapenos (yes, I wanted them baked--yum), tomatoes/salsa (roasted tomatoes = yum).  Put oven to about 400*F--it doesn't matter, but you want it to warm through and roast the top.  Bake for about 15 minutes (check to make sure it's warmed through and cheese is bubbly).  Top with guacamole, sour cream, and snipped green onions.  Serve, and rejoice!

NOTE:  If you have leftovers, they make EXCELLENT chilaquiles or you can just heat the whole damn thing up again, which is what I did, and it was darn tasty.

Plus, it's vegetarian, so it's healthy, right?  ;-)

Make Money with Dumpster Diving and the Law of Thrift

Some dumpsters would require PPE, don't you think?

I just read a wonderful article in Wired, which you can find here.  It's about a guy who has been driving around Austin, dumpster diving.  And he finds all sorts of brand new items!  He started dumpster diving as part of his job as a security consultant (to show where a company had vulnerabilities with information leakage).  He is picky as far as which dumpsters he goes to.  Probably not restaurant dumpsters...  Definitely dumpsters at Best Buy, Harbor Freight, and the like.  Many times, he finds brand new items, discarded by employees.

Is this something we would have seen fifty years ago?  Our culture now is so fixated on everything being disposable, and the need to consume new things and newer things.  Planned obsolescence.  There is an interesting quote:

"Prosperity was becoming a kind of secular religion, and its visionary torchbearer was J. Gordon Lippincott. Today, Lippincott is remembered mainly as the father of corporate branding, the engineer-cum-marketer who created the Campbell’s Soup label and the Coca-Cola logo. He was also, however, the high priest of planned obsolescence. 'Our willingness to part with something before it is completely worn out is a phenomenon noticeable in no other society in history,' he wrote. The phenomenon 'is soundly based on our economy of abundance. It must be further nurtured even though it is contrary to one of the oldest inbred laws of humanity—the law of thrift.'"

Woah.

That just blew my mind.

One of the things that bothers me the most about modern technology is also one of the things I like best.  We have these tiny computers we carry around, that can make calls, surf the internet, set alarms, and even map where I hike via GPS.  This smartphone did not come cheap.  Yet one drop off the kitchen counter and the screen is smashed to smithereens.  One year later and the model is obsolete because of a new version.  Time to dispose of--not repair--the phone.

Yet in this culture where we love to throw away things (and someone else can deal with it, magically), people are throwing away brand-new items that the gentleman profiled in the article above can re-sell.  If there is a need for an item, why is it being tossed?

I love capitalism (YAY CAPITALISM!).  But, as you can see by Lippincott's quote, and I do agree with him--consumerism, and planned obsolescence, is in fact contrary to one of the oldest inbred laws of humanity--the law of thrift.

Let's return to the law of thrift!

For all the new trends that arise--wanting to get back to "natural" parenting because that's the way it has been done for thousands of years, for instance...  Let's make returning to our natural law of thrift a priority as well!

As I have been saying for several posts now, reduce, reuse, recycle...  In all aspects of your home.  Maybe one day, dumpsters will have a service involved that strives to actually keep items out of landfills, and not rely on Freecycle or dumpster divers.  Sure, grassroots is great--but perhaps if anti-waste legislation was implemented, we would see our landfills be less, um, filled.

And, as for planned obsolescence:  Let's overcome it.  I see it in fashion all the time.  Those skinny jeans are SO five seasons ago.  Please try wide leg.  Please try flare.  Oh wait, those flares are SO three seasons ago.  Please try skinny.  And so on.  Less waste and more thrift is what we need to return to.  We can have technology without waste; I know it is possible.

Normcore and Fashion--Probably the First in a Long Series

These aren't my feet, but according to Google, I can reuse this image.

There has been a lot of talk over the past year or so about Normcore.  This is not when you dress like Norm from Cheers, or even Norm MacDonald, but it is when you wear "normal," sometimes ugly, clothing.  It's not the same as being "basic."  I'm pretty sure women I've known in the past whom I would describe as basic would avoid the above Birkenstocks.  So yup, it's about almost knowingly wearing things that are ugly, but celebrating their utilitarian chicness and quality.

Here's my question to you.  If you were in fact going to buy Birkenstocks, would you pay for the classic Birks, or would you get a designer iteration of it, like these here for about five times the price?  I personally would rather have the originals.

What about these designer iterations of Adidas Stan Smiths?

Or these weird-looking ballet slippers instead of these classic Capezios?

I guess it goes without say what my preference is.  To me, the gold standard is with the company that actually invented and designed the original shoe or item.  The classic.

The pant has already been invented.  The blouse, the button, the zipper--all have already been invented.

I love fashion.  But, charging $600 for basically another version of the Birkenstock is not a good thing, in my opinion.  Fashion is about fun, style, and reinvention.  Changing the color on a well-established design is not reinvention.  And making new stuff just to make it is irresponsible.

After going through my closet, I noticed that I tend to gravitate toward the same styles again and again (and those styles that didn't suit me sat in the closet unworn).  My closet purge was an exercise in getting rid of the "fashion for fashion's sake" items, and keeping the stuff that made me look and feel my best.

When someone says they prefer "classics," I always think "BORING."  But, it doesn't have to be.  What are YOUR classics?  Your "classics" is your style.  I'll be going through my recently pared down closet (which can stand for some more paring, but it's a start).  Can a fashion item be a classic?  Sure.  Can something vintage or old be a useless fashion item?  Sure, if it has no place in your closet.  I recommend again that you check out Cheap Chic for an elaboration on this philosophy.

I did get rid of two of my favorite pairs of shoes:  My Birks and my Adidas "Superstar" or as I like to call them, Shell Shoes.  Why?  Because I had had both for 15-20 years, and they were worn out.  Classics are classic for a reason:  they really never go out of style, even if fashionistas tell you that they do.  They look great, they are useful, they are well made.  And, they are reasonable for what they are.  Cost per wear (CPW) for my $100 Birks are probably pennies, since I had them for so long.  I lucked out that both of these shoes are now "it" shoes in the fashion world, but it doesn't matter to me as much as it does that they are cool and comfy.

Which brings me to my other point:  Can we just stop having "it" items?  Wear what you like.  Don't overpay for it.  Repair, replace, recycle.  Don't just consume for consumerism's sake.  When you do buy something, buy responsibly and thoughtfully.  You DON'T have to buy a wardrobe every season.  Besides, California doesn't have seasons, LIKE DUH.

This is Not Even a Recipe: My World Famous Meatballs

Sorry for the messy sides.  That's life!

I first ran across this "recipe" somewhere on Pinterest.  It was fast-approaching time for me to think about what I was going to feed upwards of 30 people for a July 4th party at our house.  I needed something that wouldn't require the oven--it was going to be 100*F that day.  I needed something that didn't require my attention.  I needed something that didn't require much effort.  To be honest, how tasty this would be was not one of the top criteria.

But I sure did luck out!  I made this recipe, and not only was it one of the best things I've made, but it got people who didn't even know me (or know that I was one of the party hosts) (living with roommates ftw) to stop me and exclaim "OMG DID YOU MAKE THESE THEY ARE SO GOOD."

This made me incredibly happy, but also a little pissed off.  I have made stupid recipes from other food blogs that made me shake my fist in frustration and ask an empty kitchen, "did you even try this before publishing your post??"  I've spent several hours in the kitchen, sometimes into the wee hours of the morning, slaving away, only to be told politely after much prodding, "uh, yeah, they're okay..."  My husband, who always strives for honesty, will be the one to say, "it took you THAT LONG to make?  What a waste of time."  (See: mini calzones from a blog that shall remain nameless and also boycotted)

Which is why I love these meatballs.  The effort to reward ratio is spot-on.

Get a few pounds of frozen meatballs.  I used Trader Joe's Party Size Mini Meatballs, which are 20 oz per bag, and I used two bags.  They are fully cooked, frozen, and ready to go.  Also, they're tasty.  You can stick them in a quick and easy soup, too.  But I digress.  The small form factor means an optimal sauce-to-ball ratio.

Get a 12 oz bottle of Heinz chili sauce.  It doesn't have to be Heinz, but this works best for me.  I have also tried "Homade" brand, which worked fine and is probably more natural.  But, are we really that concerned with natural foods when we are making this?

Get about a 12 oz jar of grape jelly.  You basically want it to be equal parts jelly to chili sauce.  So, if you can only find a Costco-sized tub, just eyeball it when you "assemble" this dish.  I tend to try and find an organic version that has no HFCS (high fructose corn syrup).  It's all up to you, though.

Get out your Crock Pot.  What?  You don't have one?  You can get one for super cheap basically anywhere, even the grocery store.  You will thank yourself soon enough.

Put the three ingredients in the pot.  Turn to "high" and stir gently to distribute the sauce, especially the grape jelly.  Usually I don't really keep track until someone asks "um, should we turn this to low?"  But I would say put it on high for at least an hour, since you have frozen balls (don't you hate when that happens) that you want to warm through.  Then keep on "low" for the next few hours as the party progresses.  Near the end, I might reduce to "keep warm" or I might just turn off at that point--heck, all the meatballs are probably done by then!

Decluttering: Blue Jean Baby

RIP the jeans tower

For those poor souls aka my friends who have had to move me to various apartments and locations throughout Fremont and Newark, this might seem like too little too late.  Not only do I have 8 instead of fifty coats (this will be in another post), but now I have a fraction of the jeans I had before.

"Um, you still have like fifteen pairs of jeans," you may be saying.  Or, as my husband put it, "You now have a normal human amount of jeans.  It's still too much, but at least it's not crazy-hoarder levels."

People in the know also may remember the above jeans tower.  Well, as of last night, it is no more.  I now have a normal enough amount of jeans to actually fit in my closet.  Imagine that!  This means easier to access outfits, and it means less crap in my room.  More space in our oddly designed master bedroom is always a good thing.

The only bad thing is that halving my jeans collection meant I thought I could get RICH by reselling these jeans to something like Crossroads Trading!  But no such luck.  They didn't want any of my Seven for all Mankind jeans I paid $$$ for.  They did, however, take one pair of random Levi's that I got at like Kohl's or something ten years ago.  Hm.  Lesson learned.  I could sell the rest on eBay or Etsy but I think I will take 'em to Thrift Town.  :-)  Sometimes a lighter house and car is worth more than money.

Oh, and what did I keep?  Vintage.  Levi's.  Classic designs.  No bells and whistles.  I still have several pairs of designer jeans (Paper Denim Cloth, James, Earnest Sewn...), which I got on sale at various places.  But they are just basic classic jeans.  I'm currently reading Cheap Chic, an awesome style guide published in the mid-70's.  Even back then, they said to avoid crazy pockets, zippers, pulls, and embellishments.  Guess what?  They NEVER age well.  So long, blingy Seven jeans with the bedazzled butt.  Might have been the look I was going for in 2007, but it is not exactly a la mode or classic.

Added bonus:  having all my clothes easy to access, in one location, and organized means picking an outfit is not only easy but fun, and quick.  Getting rid of "white noise" clothing has made the house so much more appealing to hang out in.  No longer working off the top of the wardrobe, and letting those wardrobe items I wasn't using, be enjoyed by someone else, is definitely a wonderful thing.

This is Not Even A Recipe: Blistered Shishito Peppers

Gotta love that cast iron!

If you read any cool hip food blog, you will see a prevalence of recipes as of late for blistered or roasted shishito peppers.  Now, I am not cool, so I had never heard of such peppers.  Jalapenos, yes.  Shishito, no.  Are they hotter or sweeter than jalapeno?  Would it be like a bell pepper?  Or like an Ortega chili?  I had no idea.  I was intimidated.

But enter Trader Joe's.  When such items appear at Trader Joe's at their cheap and cheerful price point, it makes trying intimidating stuff super easy.  So, I saw the bag of shishito peppers in their produce section, and figured even if it was a failure, I'd be out about three bucks.  And besides, as usual on a Friday night, I was starving after my ballet class which ends a bit before nine.  So, basically everything in the store looked great.  I spent a lot.

When we got home, I heated up the cast iron pan and while waiting for it to heat, I slowly rinsed off the shishito peppers and threw them into the hot pan (this is the only prep--no slicing, ribbing, or anything else).  I let them go (POP POP) for a minute or two before pouring in a couple glugs of olive oil.  I tossed and turned the peppers over so that both sides or all sides got those pretty blisters you see above. 

Since this was an experiment, I will say a couple tips:

• When the peppers are done cooking, immediately remove them from the hot pan to retain their freshness and crispness.  Otherwise, you'll get basically roasted peppers, which is not bad, but not what we're looking for.
• When you have the peppers in said serving bowl, toss in some salt and mix...  That's all you need.

So, that's it.  Peppers and salt.  The bag was maybe half a pound?  I ate the WHOLE DAMN THING.  My brother "helped" by eating like two or three.  I ate the rest.  Low calorie snack, full of vitamins?  Not bad.

Oh and one more little tip:  The bag warned that "one in ten" peppers carries a "spicy kick."  They are not kidding.  Nine in ten are super flavorful and wonderful, a certain taste I can't describe except to say it's like a yummier than usual Ortega chili.  But that one in ten makes your face go numb.  You've been warned!  But don't let it stop you from this pepper adventure.