Monthly Archives: June 2014

Lessons learned

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I just watched Charlie Day (of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia fame) deliver the 2014 commencement address at his alma mater, Merrimack College.  Now we all know stars are nothing like the rest of us (thanks Us Weekly for helping me realize this), but I was inspired by some of his closing remarks.  He spoke about taking risks.  “You cannot let a fear of failure or a fear of comparison or a fear of judgment stop you from doing what’s going to make you great,” he said. “You cannot succeed without this risk of failure. You cannot have a voice without the risk of criticism and you cannot love without the risk of loss.”  So true.

Being that it’s been 10 years since I graduated from college, I find myself doing quite a bit of reflecting lately.  Reflecting on things I’ve achieved, lessons I’ve learned, and wondering what the future holds.  So in conclusion; I don’t know where I’m going, but I sure know where I’ve been…gee, that’s sounds awfully familiar.  🙂  Here are a few things I’ve learned along the way that I would tell my younger self.

People will try to discourage you. Don’t let them.

Worrying about what other people think of you is a waste of time and energy.

Don’t worry about feeling uncomfortable, it means you’re learning and growing.

The struggle is part of the story.

Shots are never a good idea.

Have more than you show and speak less than you know.

Invest in yourself.

Don’t look for roommates on Craigslist.

Save some of your money.

Don’t quit your dream.

Wear more sunscreen and more importantly, avoid the tanning bed.

Ask for more money, get paid what you’re worth.

Stay weird.
What did I miss?  What would you tell your younger self?

 

Kitchen hack – egg slicer

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Why didn’t I think of this?!  Had to share. This really is genius.

Move over coconut water?

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MapleWater

Have you heard about this yet?  Maple water.  Because apparently coconut water is so last year!  Maple water may soon be the new kid in town.  I welcome the new addition to the plant-based-water market.  Personally I can’t stand coconut water.  I want to like it, but the flavor is just a little too funky for my palate.

Newly available in the US, maple water is essentially maple sap.  Pure maple sap, which is water from the ground that has been filtered as it travels up the tree trunk and gets infused with sugar, calcium, potassium, magnesium and manganese along the way.  It’s important to remember the difference between maple sap and thick, sticky, sugary maple syrup.  Maple syrup is maple sap that’s been boiled down and super concentrated.  [Side note: it takes 20 to 50 liters of sap to boil down into 1 liter of syrup…so obviously you can image the difference between the two.]

Drinking maple sap isn’t new, ancient cultures have been drinking this stuff for a long time, promoting it’s many health benefits.  It’s filled with electrolytes and is great for hydration.  It’s high in manganese, and a good source of calcium and iron.  The taste (so I’m told) is just slightly sweet and has very little sugar and is low in calories.

These are the 3 brands I’ve seen penetrate the US market: Vertical Water, Drink Maple and Happy Tree.  It’s only a matter of time until we see this trend pop up in recipes and beverages everywhere.  Maple water popsicles, cocktails and smoothies….oh my!

Have you tried maple water?  What do you think?

Fast eating

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RossEatingFast

My name is Emily and I’m a fast eater.  Phew!  It feels good to come to terms with this.  My husband often jokes that I could give Kobayashi a run for his money some days.  Ugh.  It’s a problem I’ve been trying to overcome for years.  I just read an article in which a new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating slower leads to lesser calorie consumption.  It went on to say that, “if you rush through each meal, you could end up eating more calories than you need to sustain energy, and over time, these larger portions could lead to weight gain.”  Turns out, in the movie Clueless, Cher was actually onto something when she told Dionne “you lose weight by doing it like this, cutting it really small.”

Here are 4 things I learned on how to slow down while eating:

1.  Stop multitasking while eating.  By focusing on your food and observing your portion size, you’ll force yourself to be more present while eating.

2.  Drink more.  By sipping your beverage in-between bites, you slow down your pace of eating.

3.  Savor the flavor.  Taking the time to experience your food makes it an experience you’ll want to savor and make last longer.

4.  Put down the fork.  The physical act of putting down and picking up your fork will slow your pace, according to a study published in Appetite. In fact, those who put their fork down in between each mouthful consumed 10 percent fewer calories than faster eaters.

Bon appétit!

 

 

Friday five

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FridayFive6.13Collage

1.  Ingenious way to sip fruit infused H2O on the go…the brainchild of a 15-year-old entrepreneur // Define Bottle

2.  The prettiest, and oh-so-chic way to serve doughnuts  // Glitter Guide

3.  One of my favorite bloggers/cookbook authors wrote a cookbook (I’ve made many of her recipes) and now she’s started a Kickstarter campaign to help fund the project // The Yellow Table via Kickstarter

4.  Jell-O shots using a hulled strawberry as the serving vessel.  Stop it!  // Popsugar/Yumsugar

5.  In case you missed it…Jim Carrey & Jeff Daniels do Real People, Fake Arms on The Tonight Show // Mashable

Have a great weekend!

The season of saison

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SaisonBeerGlass
Photograph by Romulo Yanes via Bon Appétit

Woo hoo!  It’s that time of year when restaurants and bars all over the country swap dark stouts for crisp, refreshing Belgian-style saisons.  I once heard this style of beer referred to as the “Gatorade of beers” because these earthy and spicy, easy-drinking beers are perfect thirst quenchers in warm, summer temps.

Here are six of my favorite, readily available saisons:

SummerySaisons

1.  Saison Dupont // ABV: 6.5% // Tourpes, Belgium
Coppery blond, the finest aromas and a strong bitterness transform this beer into a thirst-quencher with no equal, just the way it was created.  (Saison Dupont)

2.  Ommegang Hennepin // ABV: 7.7% // Cooperstown, NY
A moderately hoppy, farmhouse-style ale with a champagne-like effervescence, Hennepin has a crisp start followed by malt sweetness balanced with a firm bitterness. Hennepin has a bounty of great flavors: ginger, spice, orange and toasted grain. Pouring a bright golden color with a spicy-sweet balance of orange peel, sweet malt, hops and ginger, Hennepin makes way for a dry finish with a slight bite of ginger.  (Ommegang Hennepin)

3.  Goose Island Sofie // ABV: 6.5% // Chicago, IL
Fermented with wild yeasts and aged in wine barrels with orange peel, Sofie is a tart, dry, sparkling ale. A subtle, spicy white pepper note, a hint of citrus from the orange peel and a creamy vanilla finish make Sofie an intriguing choice for Champagne drinkers and beer drinkers who are fond of Belgian Saisons. (Goose Island Sofie)

4.  Stillwater Artisanal Stateside Saison // ABV: 6.8% // Baltimore, MD
Stateside Saison pays homage to old world tradition while celebrating new world innovation. Naturally brewed with the finest European malts & fresh aromatic hops from the United States & New Zealand. It’s then fermented using a classic farmhouse ale yeast and bottle conditioned to enhance stability. The outcome is a beer of unique design and exquisite taste, showcasing some of the best attributes of modern-day craft brewing. (Stillwater Artisanal Stateside Saison)

5.  Yards Saison // ABV: 6.5% // Philadelphia, PA
Saisons were originally brewed to keep farmhands happy and hydrated during the warm summer months. True to the style, Yards’ Saison is a semi-unfiltered Belgian style ale brewed with distinctive Belgian yeast. It’s delicate and fruity with a subtle spiciness. Styrian Goldings in the kettle lend a touch of hop to the palate, balancing out this highly drinkable version of the classic style. (Yards Saison)

6.  The Lost Abbey Red Barn Ale // ABV: 6.7% // San Marcos, CA
This Farmhouse Ale traces its roots to the small rustic breweries of Southern Belgium. The word Saison comes to us from the French language and it means season. Lightly spiced with Organic Ginger, Orange Peels, Black Pepper and Grains of Paradise, this brew promises to quench your thirst on the hottest Southern California days or wherever your travels may take you. (Lost Abbey Red Barn Ale)

What’s your favorite saison?

 

 

What does your profile picture say about you?

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profilepic

In a previous post I talk about tips and tactics for helping to make a good first impression.  That got me thinking.  In our crazy, social network driven culture, what does our profile picture (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google+, Twitter, etc.) say about us and are we making a good “virtual” first impression?  You can’t deny it, everyone, including myself, has a tiny obsession with how we look online.  Mine started nearly a decade ago when I signed up for my MySpace account.  It doesn’t stop there, I’ve been known to untag a few particularly unflattering Facebook photos of myself from time to time.  No one needs to see those photos from Atlantic City where we danced onstage alongside a relatively obscure 80’s cover band!  Turns out, paying close attention to your virtual identity isn’t vain, it’s kind of a big deal.

I just read an article the other day on this subject.  Researchers from Princeton and Columbia University are actually studying the profile picture phenomenon.  In their study, 800 participants were instructed to record their instinctual reactions to a series of straight-on headshots of 20 individuals making a number of expressions.  Researchers found that participants developed completely different opinions of each person depending upon the specific expression they had on their face in a particular photo. [Side note: again, another  reason to be aware of your BRF!]  What’s more is the respondents reactions changed when they were told how the picture would be used (i.e. different photos were preferred for a Tinder profile pic, versus a campaign photo for a potential politico…duh, obvi!).

In the end, this isn’t earth-shattering new stuff.  Moral of the story, choose your profile pic wisely and monitor your virtual presence.  Here’s a great article from the WSJ with some things to keep in mind when selecting your LinkedIn profile picture – a completely different beast than your other “personal” social networks.

 #smartselfie