Well this is just depressing. . . .
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Summer foods
One of my favorite summer meals is a panzanella salad. It's light, refreshing and has a nice crunch. It can be prepared in under ten minutes [if you have one of those fancy toaster machines... which I do not].
2 pieces of toast
1 tomato
0.5 avacado
lemon juice
salt and pepper
Another summer meal I've spruced up is my Mexican quinoa. I've learned that cheese puffs make everything more delicious and whimsical.
4 cups of cooked quinoa
2 cans of black beans
2 cups of pico de gallo
1 avacado
chopped cilantro and onion
fistfuls of cheese puffs
cholula
I've also been toying with the idea of eliminating dairy from my diet. I loaded up on dairy-free yogurt last night and almost vomited on my keyboard this morning at work. Coconut-flavored, dairy-free, almond yogurt tastes exactly like sunscreen. Lesson learned.
2 pieces of toast
1 tomato
0.5 avacado
lemon juice
salt and pepper
Another summer meal I've spruced up is my Mexican quinoa. I've learned that cheese puffs make everything more delicious and whimsical.
4 cups of cooked quinoa
2 cans of black beans
2 cups of pico de gallo
1 avacado
chopped cilantro and onion
fistfuls of cheese puffs
cholula
I've also been toying with the idea of eliminating dairy from my diet. I loaded up on dairy-free yogurt last night and almost vomited on my keyboard this morning at work. Coconut-flavored, dairy-free, almond yogurt tastes exactly like sunscreen. Lesson learned.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Making other people feel smart
As I've mentioned here before, I'm way into Gretchen Rubin's Happiness Project. While some of the tips and exercises are beyond hokey, I find myself bookmarking and referring back to lots of her advice. Most recently, I shared "7 Tips for Making Other People Feel Smart and Insightful" with my team at work. I'm trying to incorporate these tips into my professional and personal lives. All of the advice boils down to becoming a better listener-something which requires so, so, so much practice.
Here's the full post from the Happiness Project blog:
1. Take notes. I’m a compulsive note-taker, and I used to feel self-conscious about pulling out my little notebook and taking notes during a casual conversation. Then I noticed that people really seemed to enjoy it; the fact that I was taking notes made their remarks seem particularly insightful or valuable. Now I don’t hold myself back.
2. Refer to a comment that the person made earlier in the conversation. “This ties to your earlier point about…” This reference shows a person that you’re tracking and remembering their comments very closely. And give people credit for their ideas! The terrific Ramit Sethi gave me the idea for this post. Relatedly…
3. If a person doesn’t finish a thought, ask him or her to pick it up again. “You said there were two reasons, but we didn’t get to the second reason.”
4. Use the person’s name—judiciously. Perhaps it’s the influence of How To Win Friends and Influence People, but some folks seem to think that throwing names around is always a winning move. I think it’s much more complicated than that. Sometimes, when someone uses my name, I feel as though I’m being manipulated, or chided, or patronized. But in the right context, it can add a very nice note.
5. As people talk about things they’ve done, take note of evidence of their admirable qualities—just in a word or two. “That must have taken a lot of research.” “You showed a lot of initiative in starting that.” When someone mentions a fact from the past, my father-in-law often remarks, “You’ve got a good memory.” It’s surprisingly gratifying.
6. Ask for advice. We all love to give advice, and feel smart when someone seeks our counsel. Even better…
7. Take someone’s advice! If you read a book that someone recommends, use a software program that someone suggests, or try a restaurant that someone loves, that person will feel brilliant. In conversation, I’m always making recommendations such as Inform Fitness gym, where I go for strength-training, and Gary Taubes’s book Why We Get Fat, and I feel enormously pleased when someone follows my suggestions.
Here's the full post from the Happiness Project blog:
1. Take notes. I’m a compulsive note-taker, and I used to feel self-conscious about pulling out my little notebook and taking notes during a casual conversation. Then I noticed that people really seemed to enjoy it; the fact that I was taking notes made their remarks seem particularly insightful or valuable. Now I don’t hold myself back.
2. Refer to a comment that the person made earlier in the conversation. “This ties to your earlier point about…” This reference shows a person that you’re tracking and remembering their comments very closely. And give people credit for their ideas! The terrific Ramit Sethi gave me the idea for this post. Relatedly…
3. If a person doesn’t finish a thought, ask him or her to pick it up again. “You said there were two reasons, but we didn’t get to the second reason.”
4. Use the person’s name—judiciously. Perhaps it’s the influence of How To Win Friends and Influence People, but some folks seem to think that throwing names around is always a winning move. I think it’s much more complicated than that. Sometimes, when someone uses my name, I feel as though I’m being manipulated, or chided, or patronized. But in the right context, it can add a very nice note.
5. As people talk about things they’ve done, take note of evidence of their admirable qualities—just in a word or two. “That must have taken a lot of research.” “You showed a lot of initiative in starting that.” When someone mentions a fact from the past, my father-in-law often remarks, “You’ve got a good memory.” It’s surprisingly gratifying.
6. Ask for advice. We all love to give advice, and feel smart when someone seeks our counsel. Even better…
7. Take someone’s advice! If you read a book that someone recommends, use a software program that someone suggests, or try a restaurant that someone loves, that person will feel brilliant. In conversation, I’m always making recommendations such as Inform Fitness gym, where I go for strength-training, and Gary Taubes’s book Why We Get Fat, and I feel enormously pleased when someone follows my suggestions.
Friday, May 17, 2013
Hill Country excursion
Until last weekend, I had not visited the Hill Country in almost three years. In preparing for my trip, I honestly thought three years was not long enough. I have many amazing memories of the Guadalupe-summer camp with friends, visiting my aunt and uncle, etc. But I also have a host of terribly unpleasant memories that were more recent and fresh-a summer camp without friends that became overrun with hollow niceties and artificial grins, painful lonliness and an apartment that I lived in for eight days. I was very nervous...
My trip last weekend, however, was incredible! I got to spend lots of time with my aunt and uncle, eat delicious food and celebrate the wedding of one of my oldest friends.
This is the view from my aunt and uncle's house. Can you imagine getting to see this every day?
My aunt is the BEST host. This is what greeted us when we arrived on Thursday afternoon.
The wedding was incredible, and I had so much fun dancing my little heart out!
My trip last weekend, however, was incredible! I got to spend lots of time with my aunt and uncle, eat delicious food and celebrate the wedding of one of my oldest friends.
This is the view from my aunt and uncle's house. Can you imagine getting to see this every day?
My aunt is the BEST host. This is what greeted us when we arrived on Thursday afternoon.
The wedding was incredible, and I had so much fun dancing my little heart out!
Friday, May 3, 2013
TGIF tunes
If you're not reading Turntable Kitchen, you need to start. This blogging pair cooks delicious food and pairs each dish with delectable music.
Today they're sharing music from Kalim ‘Khushi‘ Patel, a London-based solo artist. Check it out below. This song is beautiful.
Today they're sharing music from Kalim ‘Khushi‘ Patel, a London-based solo artist. Check it out below. This song is beautiful.
Monday, April 29, 2013
Food flags
WHYBINTBWA (an Australian advertising agency) recently created a collection of culinary flags for the Sydney International Food Festival. Each flag was constructing using food from the represented country. Genuis and delicious!
via FoodBeast
via FoodBeast
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Retail woes
I debated whether to post this or not, but then I remembered that since it's my blog-I can do whatever I want.
I am having a real retail problem. Nay, Houston is having a real retail problem. Since I have a full-time job, the only real time I get a chance to do any shopping is at lunch or right after work. I usually try to avoid shopping all together on weekends because I loathe crowded parking lots and don't enjoy waiting in lines. Given the times of day I'm able to go shopping, I'm usually one of only a few customers in a store at any given time. I will even venture to say that the number of customers in the stores I'm about to mention is often dwarfed by the number of employees. This favorable customer to employee ratio, coupled with the general common sense of working in the service indsutry, should produce great service. It, however, does not.
I'll start with the most atrocious example, Tootsie's. The women who work here are just plain rude. They are not welcoming upon entering the store, and they do not offer any type of help. They even appear genuinely annoyed when I've asked for assistance. Because I've had the same experience at Tootsie's a number of times, I generally only go when I truly need something and want to avoid the Galleria. [Note: While nobody actually needs anything from Tootsie's, I sometimes enjoy a new party dress for weddings and things.] The inability to receive good service, or fankly any service at all, becomes even more infuriating when I'm crunched for time and would genuinely like to purchase something.
The next is a bientot. I've been shopping at a bientot since it was a tee-niny little store off of Sheperd and San Felipe. While I'm glad they've grown, the service has become borderline insulting. I stopped in yesterday after work searching for something very specific. Four employees [including one owner] failed to greet me when I walked in, and they did not ask if I needed assistance. I had to interrupt their conversation to ask where the headbands were located. I'm not sure if a new shopgirl manual has been published since I last worked in retail, but I assume ignoring customers is still generally discouraged.
The final and the most disappointing example is Kuhl-Linscomb. This used to be my absolute favorite store. I loved their perfectly curated shelves of unique home goods, curios and gifts. I have been to Kuhl-Linscomb seven times since Christmas in an attempt to use a gift card from Santa Claus and have received terrible service each time. I've encountered employees engrossed in trying on merchandise, employees too busy talking amongst themselves and employees who looked me up and down and decided I was not worth the effort. On my last visit, I purchased some bath salts in a huff just to begin making a dent in my gift card.
With all of this being said, I admit that I may have higher standards than some when it comes to be treating appropriately in retail settings. I worked at Houston's Lilly Pulitzer store, Principessa, for three years and was surrounded by the most gracious and professional co-workers. It would never have crossed any of our minds to ignore a customer or just be plain rude. This is why being treated so inappropriately at the places mentioned above is very upsetting to me.
I am having a real retail problem. Nay, Houston is having a real retail problem. Since I have a full-time job, the only real time I get a chance to do any shopping is at lunch or right after work. I usually try to avoid shopping all together on weekends because I loathe crowded parking lots and don't enjoy waiting in lines. Given the times of day I'm able to go shopping, I'm usually one of only a few customers in a store at any given time. I will even venture to say that the number of customers in the stores I'm about to mention is often dwarfed by the number of employees. This favorable customer to employee ratio, coupled with the general common sense of working in the service indsutry, should produce great service. It, however, does not.
I'll start with the most atrocious example, Tootsie's. The women who work here are just plain rude. They are not welcoming upon entering the store, and they do not offer any type of help. They even appear genuinely annoyed when I've asked for assistance. Because I've had the same experience at Tootsie's a number of times, I generally only go when I truly need something and want to avoid the Galleria. [Note: While nobody actually needs anything from Tootsie's, I sometimes enjoy a new party dress for weddings and things.] The inability to receive good service, or fankly any service at all, becomes even more infuriating when I'm crunched for time and would genuinely like to purchase something.
The next is a bientot. I've been shopping at a bientot since it was a tee-niny little store off of Sheperd and San Felipe. While I'm glad they've grown, the service has become borderline insulting. I stopped in yesterday after work searching for something very specific. Four employees [including one owner] failed to greet me when I walked in, and they did not ask if I needed assistance. I had to interrupt their conversation to ask where the headbands were located. I'm not sure if a new shopgirl manual has been published since I last worked in retail, but I assume ignoring customers is still generally discouraged.
The final and the most disappointing example is Kuhl-Linscomb. This used to be my absolute favorite store. I loved their perfectly curated shelves of unique home goods, curios and gifts. I have been to Kuhl-Linscomb seven times since Christmas in an attempt to use a gift card from Santa Claus and have received terrible service each time. I've encountered employees engrossed in trying on merchandise, employees too busy talking amongst themselves and employees who looked me up and down and decided I was not worth the effort. On my last visit, I purchased some bath salts in a huff just to begin making a dent in my gift card.
With all of this being said, I admit that I may have higher standards than some when it comes to be treating appropriately in retail settings. I worked at Houston's Lilly Pulitzer store, Principessa, for three years and was surrounded by the most gracious and professional co-workers. It would never have crossed any of our minds to ignore a customer or just be plain rude. This is why being treated so inappropriately at the places mentioned above is very upsetting to me.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Lucille's
Since I'm two hours into a three-day juice cleanse, I decided blogging about restaurants would be the healthiest thing. I recently tried Lucille's for the first time and was completely impressed with everything on the table. We could only get a 6PM reservation, so the restaurant has clearly recovered from the Houston Press's scathing and misguided review. Lucille's accurately describes itself as serving 'Southern Comfort-foods with European accents', and my shrimp and grits embodied this perfectly.
While other diners at the table enjoyed jalapeno skillet cornbread, I just snapped a picture mid-pout.
I also loved my watermelon and feta salad. It was a light and fresh way to start the meal!
While other diners at the table enjoyed jalapeno skillet cornbread, I just snapped a picture mid-pout.
I also loved my watermelon and feta salad. It was a light and fresh way to start the meal!
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Modern Art Desserts
I read about Modern Art Desserts on Tuesday and have been [unsuccessfully] brainstorming gluten-free modern art desserts for me to create! Maybe a Dali crepe? The combination of delicious desserts, photography and modern art is so genius. I can't wait to add this book to my coffee table.
These desserts look incredible.
Racism is cured, yall
I believe the actual music video has been removed from YouTube because of a massive backlash, but everyone in the world needs to suffer through the 5 minutes and 52 seconds that is Brad Paisley and LL Cool J's "Accidental Racist." It might be the worst, most painful and offensive song I've ever heard.
The good news, however, is that SNL came through on Saturday night with a great Weekend Update sketch covering the lyrical trainwreck. Kenan Thompson and Jason Sudeikis let the world know that racism is over.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)