Thursday, October 29, 2009

RoundUp Of Cool Things!

ACK! I can't believe it's been 2 weeks since my last post! Sorry guys - didn't realize how fast time was flying by....

Here is a brief roundup of some of the things I'm really digging right now, all random of course:

**Venus Embrace Breeze Razors

**Gorgonzola Cheese on EVERYTHING

**www.Foursquare.com

**The New QuickCheck Gas Station By My Office

**Home Depot's Gigantic Sale on Indoor Plants (pssst: they're still in the outdoor section)

**Al Fresca Chicken Sausage - the Ginger Teriyaki Flavor (hard to find but worth the search)


ENJOY!
J

.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Ikea

Yes, we all love nice looking furniture at a discounted price - so I went to Ikea this weekend and fetched a lovely dresser and tv/shelving table.

This blog posting is short and sweet:

When you purchase Ikea furniture - DOUBLE check that you have all the right pieces before you assemble. When I say double check, I mean don't just count and glance at the sizes - you'll want to check to make sure that the screw/bolt holes are accurate on all of the pieces. I'm not going to lie - this will take you about 15 extra minutes, but trust me, it's worth it.

Buggers sent me home with the wrong pieces for a dresser drawer (three wrong pieces, all for the same drawer) and the wrong sized doors for the tv/shelving unit (after we asked for help and had the guy double check the sizes).

It's great looking furniture, but that "discounted price" includes the amount you'll pay in gas, driving back to the store 2 or 3 times to replace/garner parts.

It's helpful to plan for this in advance so that you aren't as dissapointed when it DOES happen.

Cheers and happy assembling,
J

.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Pizza Stones

I am a LOVER of pizza stones - I actually cannot live without one in the house. I absolutely love making pizza at home - it's super delicious and makes for way better leftovers...

But to do this properly - you must and I mean MUST own a proper pizza stone. I have learned from experience that without the proper pizza stone - you are looking at a gooey, oily mess left over on your stone that will NEVER and I mean never, wash out.

Moving into my own apartment recently - my sister was kind enough to buy me my own pizza stone to replace the one I was leaving behind... I was so touched by this and beyond grateful because I really needed it.

The sad part is that I hate this pizza stone. I couldn't be more dissapointed for two reasons a) it sucks and b)my sister gave it to me as the nicest gesture and I would give anything to love it.

Here's why it's horrible - it's not a smooth surface... it's course like an emory (emmry, emry how do you spell this???) board. I mean, you could actually file your nails on this thing if you wanted too. And it's not sealed.

I re-heated some pizza on it last night and every drop of cheese/oil left a nasty oil stain on it. I think I built a new muscle in my arm just trying to scrub this thing and it RUINED my sponge. Because if it could file nails, it can demolish a brand new thick sponge. Proof was in the pudding.

So - the reason why I'm typing about it today is to let you all know what to look for when buying your beloved pizza stone. Unfortunately I don't have any to recommend at the moment, but BELIEVE me, I will be on the hunt and will surely update this posting as soon as a hero arrives.

OPEN THE BOX before you buy it. Make sure that it's smooth and sealed. You don't want it to be any type of "dry" material - if you can imagine a drop of water getting soaked up by it - it's going to be awful. It's worth the extra money to buy a good one, because you really don't want an oily-looking mess sitting in your cabinet. That's no appetizing.

Good luck out there in the pizza stone world and check back for an update because I'm on the lookout and will be sure to send a link!

Cheers,
J

.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Saying Goodbye to Our Favorite Magazines

It is with a heavy, heavy heart that I relay the news to you this morning... In case you haven't heard...yesterday morning news circulated like wild fire about a few Conde Nast publications that are getting the axe.

Unfortunately Gourmet, Cookie, Modern Bride and Elegant Bride magazines have all been shut down due to lack of advertising $$.

It is a sad day that one of our most beloved cooking magazines gets cancelled...and Cookie (a great parenting magazine) was just getting started and was about to approach their 5th Anniversary. As someone who works with all of the bridal magazines on a regular basis, it is very sad to see Modern Bride & Elegant Bride get the boot - it leaves a gaping hole in the magazine industry for this niche...

This just goes to show you - if you love something, you MUST support it. That can be people, magazines, beliefs, initiatives, ideas, TV shows, Radio shows, friends and family...the list goes on.

Let this serve as a reminder to us all - if we love it, love it fully.

J

.

A Fabulous & Easy Dinner!

Good Morning Sunshines!

Just wanted to share with you a meal that's near and dear to my heart. It's quick, easy, filling and delicious - unfortunately - it's not as healthy as can be, but I'm sure with a few adjustments on your end - you could certainly take that road if you're so inclined...

What you'll need:

Thinly sliced bonless pork chops
One bag of yellow rice
Sour Cream
Teriyaki marinade

You'll want to slice up your pork chops into bite sized chunks and let them soak in some delicious teriyaki marinade (for however long you see fit). Then get your yellow rice a-cookin' and your grill a-grillin'.

Cook the rice, grill the pork and when it's all done - mix together and serve with a dollop of sour cream.

You'll thank me, it's delicious. (You can also use beef and/or chicken instead of pork - or all three if you're feeling ambitious).

Cheers!
J

.

Monday, October 5, 2009

New Trouser Jeans From The GAP!

Hi There!

I know, I know - long time no see (or read)... things have been beyond crazy for me these last few weeks! But, I'm back and if I do say so myself, better than ever.

I went shopping this weekend at the outlets, and found these KILLER jeans from The GAP, and I just have to tell you about them.

It's a new TROUSER jean, made of stretchy cotton. My oh my - the comfort of these jeans. I absolutely love them. In fact, I loved them so much in the dressing room, that I was going to buy two pairs - but they didn't have two in my size - so I'm thanking my lucky stars that they had at least one pair for me to bring home!

They come in a dark wash (which I love for its slimming effect), and as I mentioned before, they're made of super stretchy cotton - very comfortable. The waist band sits high but not too high, but no need to worry about your beautiful butt crack saying hello to the world while you reach down for your laundry detergent in Pathmark! Two front pockets and two back pockets - zipper front w/button...

They look great, but feel even better - they stretch in all the right places and have a wide trouser leg which is super flattering to your rear and thighs.

They retail for about $45, but at the outlets, I found them on sale for about $28. A very nice price for a pair of jeans I can already tell you - I will be wearing every day. Now... I'm going to have to stalk my local outlet for another pair in my size...look out GAP employees - You'll be getting to know me VERY well these next few weeks :)

And sorry guys - I looked for a link online at GAP.com, but couldn't find one - so perhaps they're just available at outlets right now???

Here's to you shopping and finding these awesome pants!

Cheers,
J

.