DESIGN YOUR LIFE: Kaitlyn from EatMyBlog.org

This week's DESIGN YOUR LIFE interview is with Kaitlyn, my dear friend and blogger for EatMyBlog.org. For those that have followed my Vegan Cleanse, you will remember Kaitlyn as my partner in crime who also gave up a bunch of animal and processed foods for three weeks. I am constantly inspired by her passion for food and cooking and I am happy to report she has rubbed off on me and I am more into cooking now than ever.

Below are 10 intentions she has for eating well and some great suggestions for the rest of us. My favorite intention she mentions is #10, not just because it is a great idea, but also becasue I am often lucky enough to enjoy her amazing meals (still dreaming about her veggie lasagna from a few weeks ago). I hope you gain as much from her tasty intentions as I do.

1. I enjoy breakfast everyday. My favorite meal of the day is breakfast. I love breakfast so much because it’s the only time of the day that I can quietly think reflect on what the day has to bring. It’s a nice way to gradually move into the hustle and bustle of the rest of your day. I always look forward to breakfast and creating new meal options. After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

2. I stopped drinking coffee. My intention for a better life led to me quitting my morning cup of coffee. I found myself addicted to the caffeine boost. If I didn’t drink my morning cup I would feel extremely sluggish and out of sorts. Jess introduced me to a great tasting tea, with much less caffeine and it tastes better than coffee, which made it an easy transition.
3. I plan my weekly meals in advance to cut back on waste. This is certainly an intention that I am still working at and still find myself wasting an apple here and there, but it is something that makes cooking at home more appealing. Each week I start by writing a grocery list of items that we frequently use or that we are out of. Then I think of meals that my boyfriend and I would like to have throughout the week and list the ingredients accordingly. I try to prepare meals that use perishables first, than move on to any dry or frozen foods. If I feel as though I won’t be needing certain vegetables or baked goods in the near future, I’ll chop and prepare them and put them in the freezer for later use.
4. I make desserts special. I have a serious sweet tooth and there was a time that I would eat dessert every night after dinner. My intention is to make desserts an occasion, something special. I do this by finding recipes and waiting for the weekend to prepare something extra delicious to look forward to.
5. I shop mainly at Trader Joe’s. In an effort to eat healthy and save money I have found Trader Joe’s to be a proverbial haven for grocery shoppers. Now that I have been shopping there for a while, I have amassed some favorites that I get excited for each week.

6. I eat less meat and eat more vegetables. By reading books by authors Kathy Freston, Mark Bittman, and Michael Pollan I have been learning more about reasons why eating less meat is beneficial to the environment, the treatment of animals, and to my health. Although I haven’t completely taken meat out of my diet I have been trying to incorporate more vegetables and have started trying out new vegetarian recipes.
7. I have go-to meals for the days that I don’t feel like cooking. Some days you just don’t feel like cooking, and for those days I like being prepared with easy go-to meals. These meals usually come from the pantry or the freezer, but are definitely healthy. It certainly helps not reverting back to fast food.
8. I pack healthy snacks. Whenever I am away from home I like to pack healthy snacks like nuts, apples, or rice cakes so that when I am hungry I don’t have to eat junky snack food.
9. I shop at the farmer’s market. In the spring and summertime I like to go to the farmer’s market to support local farmers. Not only is the produce fresh and seasonable, but it’s a great event to look forward to each week.
10. I plan dinner parties for friends and family. I get great joy out of planning, preparing and entertaining guests with dinner parties. It’s a great alternative to going out to a restaurant or the bars because my friends and I don’t have very much money to throw around. Besides who doesn’t love a home-cooked meal shared amongst friends?

divine wine on a dime

Everyone seems to be antsy for spring, and though the weather may still be chilly and the farmers market may still be closed, there is one favorite spring tradition that can be enjoyed right now: white wine. I discovered this Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc - Voignier at The Melting Pot. Last year Erwin uncovered a hidden secret: The Melting Pot has free wine tastings on Friday and Saturday night while you wait for a table. Let's just say we have informally taken a free* Wine 101 semester via this secret and Miguel, the "wine man" knows us by face.


Of the dozens of wines we have tried, our favorite remains this Pine Ridge. My preference used to be Pinot Grigio, but this blend is a bit more crisp with lots more flavor. And for $10.99 at Binny's, it's a great bottle for the price. To see what an actual wine review click here.

So drink up. Spring will come (eventually).


* Erwin disagrees about the free part. Sure, we didn't pay for the wine tastings, but the meals aren't budget friendly.

dressing charlotte

For Dressing Charlotte this week I channeled one of the easiest looks I have for going out to dinner in the Loop, or just about anywhere. By layering a cardigan over a halter top I stay warm and look divine. Plus, if I go somewhere else later that night, the cardigan comes off and the look is still chic.

Great halter for going out on the town

Halter + cardigan = dinner and drinks in the winter

Second string halter + cardigan

This look makes accessorizing easy- stay away from necklaces and stick to statement earrings and a great cuff or bracelet. My favorite choices from Jess LC to complete these looks are as follows:

Elm St. Metal Double Circle Earrings

Elm St. Double Diamond Earrings

Addison Three Strand Bracelet with Links

studio 1423: amber + aqua

Take a sneak peek at what we have been cooking up for Studio 1423 this week. Styles will post on Etsy Thursday morning.

If anyone is obsessing over a particular style and want to pre-order, email me at jess@jesslc.com for more details. The long chunky, creamy fossilized reworked vintage one is one-of-a-kind.

UPDATE: Sorry for not making it super clear, these are four separate necklaces layered on Charlotte.

makeunder: "simple" vs. "sencillo"

The term makeunder often brings to mind simplifying and paring away unnecessary clutter. And this is generally the idea. But a conversation with a friend brought to light a distinction within that definition which I can only describe using an example I learned from a Mexican executive at a business conference in my previous life as a business student.

My friend pointed out that while I don't have much "stuff" in my apartment, he actually has even less. I own a fair amount of artwork and decor elements like vases and trays, he has none of these things. So literally, it could be said that he was doing a better job at making under than I. And when it comes down to a personal inventory, he is probably right. His sheer volume of items is less than mine.

To explain the difference between our apartments, I will use two Spanish terms I learned in the conference room four years ago. Simple in Spanish as I was told, is bare, raw, unrefined, and primitive. A warehouse is often this way, the purpose is utilitarian without any other consideration. Though it is not entirely the case, in many ways, my friend's space is like this.

Simple

Sensio

Sencillo on the other hand, is another Spanish word for simple with an entirely different slant. Sencillo is intentional simplicity. Refined, developed, elegant restraint. A perfect example of my interpretation of these two terms can be seen in my earlier Before and After Medicine Cabinet post. The "before" medicine cabinet served a purpose; to hold my bathroom products, but there was no intention or thought involved. The "after" medicine cabinet served the same function but had a more pleasing backdrop and overall aesthetic.

So the lesson I keep in mind when making under is to make intentional choices to include or exclude things based on their ability to improve my life and experience. To live a sencillo life.

Update: Thanks, Maho, for the spelling correction. :)

before and after: medicine cabinet

Part of my quest to live with intention includes living in a beautiful space. This is not a terribly difficult feat for me considering I share a 353 square foot studio with my boyfriend. Less space = less to make beautiful. One of the best and most recent improvements has been my fresh flower revelation. But this weekend I got antsy. I needed a new project and my web wandering led me to the most miraculous medicine cabinet I have ever seen.

Inspiration Medicine Cabinet photo found at Apartment Therapy

Resting my eyes on this image inspired me to take action. Below is what I have looked at every morning and evening. For 547 days.

Hers and his medicine cabinets. Gross.

So I headed over to Target this weekend and bought a $10 roll of contact paper. I was a bit disappointed by their selection (polka dots weren't at the top of my list), but I settled upon a natural cork contact paper that resisted mold and mildew (read: bathroom friendly).

Complicated tools for Project Medicine Cabinet

Once home, I measured the cabinets and cut the contact paper to size. It took about 20 minutes for the whole project (most of the time was spent cleaning the glass shelves).

1. Empty Shelves 2. Cork lined shelves

Painfully beautiful medicine cabinets

Now that the project is complete, I cannot believe I put up with that ugly sight for so long without taking action. Next up: disguising the bathroom's "Jamaica." Don't ask. Once the situation is under control the story will be told.

one week - all chic: soc chic giveaway

To kick off the spring Jess LC season in a BIG way, we are doing seven giveaways over the next five days! Our entire line of Soc Chic necklaces (you know, the really popular $40 necklaces that have clever names and help social causes) are up for grabs at seven awesome blogs around the design web.

To win the necklaces, simply comment on the participating blogs' giveaway posts (click images to get directed to the correct posts). On Friday (Mar/6), each blogger will randomly choose a winner for their respective Soc Chic necklace. The winners will be announced on Monday (Mar/9) on each blog individually and all winners names will be posted here on Makeunder My Life as well.