Making Popeye Proud
Posted on October 10th, 2016
There’s routine, there’s habit, and then there’s obsession. I think we’ve firmly crossed that last line when it comes to my lunchtime habits. I’ve eaten a simple salad every single workday in the last six months (except July 1 and September 28. Honesty is important).
I had a routine when I lived and worked in New York, too– takeout. I worked near Bryant Park, and had a rotation of about six places I visited for lunch just to get a break from my desk. Mostly salads, sometimes sandwiches, and never less than $7. My absolute favorite lunch of fancy schmancy chopped salads was setting me back $11.37, and I realized I could save a meaningful amount of money while still munching on my favorites if I just made it myself and walked around the block a few times to stretch my legs.
I’m not going to offend you by offering a recipe for a salad. But in case you’re curious, here’s the salad accessories I typically choose with my chopped spinach & arugula base:
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Spiced pecans
- Fat free feta
- Slice of bacon
- 1/2 of small avocado
- …Something else, like roasted butternut squash, peas, chickpeas, or apples
- Trader Joe’s fat free balsamic vinaigrette, or red wine vinegar
I once had a nutritionist who suggested I had enough healthy fat in my diet and should maybe choose cheese or avocado, but that pretty much goes against my beliefs so I ignored it. Bacon is a bit of a random choice, but I find it holds up pretty well in the fridge throughout the week, whereas chicken can start to taste a bit funky after 48 hours.
As a compromise, I sometimes buy a salad from a fancy schmancy salad place on Fridays when I miss the out-for-lunch experience, but even so I estimate I’ve saved $650 in the past six months… so I could turn around and spend it on lattes. We all have different battles we fight at different times, and I’m sure I’ll eventually tire of this monotony and may never be able to eat a vegetable again. But in the meantime, this modern day Popeye will be over here chopping up a storm and checking for spinach in her teeth.
Long Distance Window Shopping
Posted on October 9th, 2016
In what is supposed to be a dying brick-and-mortar world, several of my favorite brands have brought their online presence to life with darling local boutiques. Given Seattle’s proximity to basically nothing (except Canada), I wasn’t quite able to make it to the openings, but that didn’t stop me from stalking Instagram accounts and drooling over interiors and visual merchandising from afar. If you’re local to San Francisco/Washington DC/Dallas/Pittsburgh, make a beeline to the below!
Caitlin Wilson Design– Caitlin’s textile-based brand and interior design prowess comes to life in her showroom boutique in San Francisco. The way she plays with color and mixes styles is fantastic, but her rugs are really my favorites. (Browse the lookbook here)
Tuckernuck– These images have me so excited to visit DC next month! Tuckernuck’s selection always matches my style, but provides me with options from smaller brands that I know everyone else won’t also be wearing. That personalized focus manifests itself in their flagship store with an in-store monogram station, as well as suggestions for a local fall bucket list.
The second Draper James location is now open in Dallas! Under interior designer Mark Sikes’s vision, The signature blue & white is carried forward, but the choice of a yellow accent color has me particularly enamored. There are so many celebrity brands floating around, but I really admire how hands-on Reese seems to be with hers– I think her personal touch is really reflected.
I became familiar with Lily & Val products through Nordstrom, and they’ve opened their own location in Pittsburgh. I’m totally entranced by the lettering videos Valerie posts on her Instagram, and it’s no surprise that their design talents translated beautifully to their store. The color scheme really allows their work to shine. Plus they believe in a pie season, which is everything I stand for.
I’d be totally happy to allow the design of all of these stores to influence the design of my home. Although I do draw the line at adding a cash wrap.
Apple Cake with Honey Glaze
Posted on October 6th, 2016
Apples & honey are a traditional Rosh Hashanah element, symbolizing a hope for a sweet new year. Brisket was a challenge, but sweetness is something this girl can handle. And sometimes, the pieces fall into place and you just get it right. I’ve made a fair number of cakes in my day, and I definitely rank this in the top 3. Serious business! Of course, apples are also a key part of baking in autumn in general, so I’m sharing the recipe with you so that you, too, can buy your friends’ love with through food.
I technically started the cake the day before when I made my own applesauce— one of my favorite fall pastimes– but (not to be all Ina Garten about it), store bought is also totally fine. It seems like a long list of ingredients that you might not always think of working naturally together, but the result was a gorgeous and full flavor profile and just the right texture. Grating apples is a bit unconventional, but I’ve had awesome results with it this month, and chopping the additional apples still gives you that big classic fruity bite while maintaining the flavor and moisture throughout.
Ingredients
3 eggs, room temperature
1 generous cup vegetable oil
1/2 heaping cup applesauce
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup orange juice
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Dash of salt
3 cups AP flour
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
2 Grannysmith apples, grated
2 Grannysmith apples, chopped
1 cup confectioners sugar
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons honey
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Using a stand mixer, beat eggs, and then add the remaining wet ingredients. Stir, and add sugar, baking soda, and spices. Add in the flour, 1 cup at a time, until just mixed. Fold in coconut, pecans, and apples, and pour into a well-greased Bundt pan. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean– about 1 hour and 15 minutes. For glaze: stir 3 tablespoons of milk and 2 tablespoons of honey into 1 cup of confectioners sugar. Coat cake after it has been cooling for about thirty minutes.
This cake bakes low and long, and I covered the top with tinfoil after about an hour to make sure the edges didn’t burn. As always, I’m a huge fan of the Bundt pan in that it makes cakes look good without you having to do anything. A little haphazard drizzling was all it took to finish it off! This recipe produces a meaningful amount, which is lucky since you’ll be able to feed your guests while still having leftovers for yourself to enjoy all week long. Speaking from personal experience, naturally.
A Shiksa’s Rosh Hashanah
Posted on October 6th, 2016
This tried & true WASP has a darling Jewish husband, which for us, since neither of us feel compelled to have the other convert, pretty just means double the holidays and double the celebration. We hosted our first Rosh Hashanah dinner on Sunday, inviting eight friends to our apartment to ring in 5777 and celebrate the Hebrew calendar new year– it was so much fun.
As with most of the dinners we host, I started planning a few weeks in advance, but the stakes were particularly high as I tackled new recipes traditionally served for Rosh Hashanah festivities. One of our dear friends in Seattle co-hosted with us and made a lot of the food using his family’s recipes and several of the guests brought side dishes, so I focused on three key areas: meat, potatoes, and cake. Oh, and wine. I mean really, do we even need anything else?
Answer: we did. We started the new year with very full hearts and bellies.
The biggest adventure for me was cooking beef brisket. I spent six hours of my Saturday babysitting the 8 pounds of meat in the oven while watching football and drooling over the amazing aroma wafting through the apartment. Don’t roast brisket on an empty stomach, y’all. I let it rest overnight before finishing on Sunday afternoon. Rosh Hashanah is all about a sweet new year, and truly, the cake was so outstanding that it deserves its own post. Come back tomorrow if you’re in the mood for some fall baking!
{Full menu, for those who are always in it for the food: apples & honey, matzah ball soup, beef brisket, roasted chicken, roasted potatoes, noodle kugel, tzimmes, challah (homemade!), salad, apple cake with honey glaze. In case you lost count, there were three carbs served in the main course alone, and I’m still full.}
No-Sweat Style
Posted on October 4th, 2016
A few years ago, I bought a navy crewneck sweatshirt from the sale section J. Crew. Red beads at the neckline provided built-in accessories, not to mention the school pride factor so I could wear it to the two (2) sporting events I attended while at Penn. Nevertheless, I’ve managed to get my money’s worth and then some. It’s a perfect four-season staple when I want to go to brunch and run errands while effectively wearing pajamas.
It may be an example of the grass being greener on the other side since I can’t really wear embellished sweatshirts to work, but I think I’d be perfectly happy spending every autumnal day wrapped in a sweatshirt hug.
Sometimes, simplicity really is the glory of expression. Shop some of my current favorites (click to view in browser):
Cali Calling
Posted on September 27th, 2016
Pro tip: if you want me to come visit you all the time, move somewhere warm and sunny. This past weekend was our fourth visiting friends in Los Angeles in the past year, and it was just as fun as ever.
We went to the Getty on Saturday morning, and I sincerely regret that we waited so long to go! When it comes to visual art this cultured pearl is actually a bit of an uncultured swine, but mooching off our friend’s art history major knowledge base helps immensely. In typical southern California fashion, it was a glorious sunny day, so just being on the grounds and in the gardens was a gorgeous experience nearly rivaling the art itself.
Other highlights:
- In-N-Out. Just can’t beat that price point.
- The Hammer Museum. It’s totally free, and they were having the cutest family event when we stopped by. The real highlight was their spinning top chairs. Endless hours of entertainment, and a good ab workout, too.
- Running on the beach in Santa Monica, past a picturesque Georgian Hotel
- A dip in the pool at the Annenberg Community Beach House
- Visiting Sugar Paper, which continues to be one of my most favorite stores in the world
- Eating at R+D Kitchen— delicious food, sophisticated but comfortable neighborhood ambience, and the best service. Hillstone restaurants just do it right!
And the biggest highlight of all, as always, was being with eight of our favorite friends. At this rate, we should probably just get a vacation home in the area– we’re already planning our next trip!
Hi, My Name Is
Posted on September 26th, 2016
One month later, I’m still getting used to being Mrs. Helen Nightingale– by which I mean actually responding to that name.
Growing up in a family of women who had all taken their husbands’ last names, it wasn’t until I actually got engaged myself that I ever considered keeping my own. For a minute, it felt like a major (and majorly artificial) identity change. Working in marketing, I have a lot of opinions when it comes to brand recognition and credibility, and I didn’t want to give up the brand I had built as Helen Rapp.
Of course, there are lots of practical reasons for both keeping and changing your name. Keeping: people at work don’t think you’re a new hire, you can keep your cute monogrammed things, no trips and phone calls to the SSA/DMV/bank/every credit card company/vehicle registration office… etc. Changing: you match your husband, and ultimately your family, minimizing confusion about who belongs in your family unit.
Thinking about that last point a bit further is what affirmed my decision to change my name. My first name was my identifier; and in changing my family names I had the opportunity to signify the people with whom I associate. Moving my maiden name to my middle name allows me to honor my parents, brothers, and father’s family, all of whom have been extremely instrumental in shaping the “Helen” brand. Sharing Ian’s last name establishes us as an easily identifiable family unit, allowing me to honor my future with him. And let’s face it, choosing to keep my former last name would not have been a statement for gender equality– I could either use my dad’s family name, or my husband’s family name. It’s about the patriarchy no matter how you slice it 😉
There is no right decision for a newlywed. Extremely valid arguments can be made supporting either outcome. And despite the one zillion hours I have spent on the phone with every customer service department in the United States in the past three weeks, I continue to feel like I made the best one for me. I’m still Helen, and I still have a really awesome tribe of people in my corner. I’m just building a new tribe, too.
Also, let’s be honest. Was I really going to pass up the chance to have Nightingale as a last name?
Velvet Dreams
Posted on September 21st, 2016
The circle of life continues, and the 90s are having a moment. Button up skirts, chokers, accent braids, and– in what I can only assume was inspired directly by my first grade wardrobe– velvet. The velvet market has recently been cornered by sweet toddlers’ holiday dresses and the symphony concert master in flowy skirts, but there is a little velvet something for everyone this fall.
This pink velour top was a J. Crew offering from a few years ago (thanks, Kimberly!), and has been the key piece in one of my favorite getting-drinks-with-friends outfits. It’s a swing style, so looks great with skinny jeans and booties. I’m not sure how much more velvet I’ll be adding to my closet, but here are a few options if you’re looking to test out the trend:
Scalloped Flats // Hairband // Block heels
Booties // Swing tshirt (most similar to my pink shirt above) // Velvet collar dress
Pearl collar dress // Quilted crossbody // Crinkle tunic
Burgundy pumps // Bow flats // Necklace
I think shoes are the easiest way to to give velvet a try. The Sam Edelman pumps are a perfect Manolo Blahnik lookalike, and the scalloped flats are reminiscent of the Chloe silhouette. I think the velvet and lace dress would be a fabulous choice for fall parties and weddings– Jill Jill Stuart dresses always have such a wonderful fit.
Or, just jump right in and go full on Spice Girl. The choice is yours. What a time to be alive.
Blogging Business
Posted on September 19th, 2016
It’s hard not to look at professional bloggers’ lives with a little bit of envy. Judging by the content they produce, they always look flawless, their hair is never flat, and their calendars are filled with an endless rotation of fetes, drinks with girlfriends, weekend trips, and apple picking. (Although I really do appreciate the women who try to have more real life in their mix!) Even most sponsored posts manage to look like this happy coincidental gift just happened to fall into their laps and fit nicely into their relatively perfect lives. But every once in a while, we’re reminded of what this content creation really is: business.
Recently, I’ve seen several bloggers featuring Crocs, a shoe style that is otherwise the butt of every fashion joke. I was skeptical, and even a bit judgmental at first. They did provide caveats, pointing out that there is a time and place for Crocs, and even that they may not be for everyone. And I do believe them when they say that they are as comfortable as walking on a cloud and that they are perfect for boating, but I just don’t believe they would voluntarily go to the store and select them for themselves to pair with a sundress or pair of jeans.
Cynically, there’s an easy knee-jerk reaction: anyone can be bought, everyone has a price. But the more I thought about it, this sort of makes me like these bloggers even more. This shows me they have financial goals they are trying to meet, or a desire to wear something other than the same seven pairs of shoes every other influencer is wearing, or even an open-mindedness around trends others mock. Do all the buyers at Bergdorf Goodman like all of the brands they work with equally? No, but if it’s a favorable business relationship, they’ll keep gushing over haute couture denim culottes.
Am I inspired to run out and buy white Crocs? No. If anything, this strengthened my repulsion to the shoe itself. I do think that consistently promoting these types of partnerships would lead to a negative brand impact for these bloggers that would have long-term financial implications, as well. But if they want to cash in and wear the Crocs this week, more power to them! They’ll be laughing at us as they walk on cushy, rubber, holey clouds all the way to the bank.
Feminine Fall Footwear
Posted on September 15th, 2016
Summer is winding down, temperatures are dropping, and Seattleites dress in head to toe Seahawks gear at the office on Fridays. I have no choice but to acknowledge the imminence of fall. As much as football dominates my autumnal heart, today’s focus is on my second favorite word that starts with foot: footwear.
Always Lately, I find myself gravitating towards shoes that have feminine details, whether it’s the perfect rose shade or a subtle bow. Versatility is always a high priority, and this list provides you with options to make you feel pretty and girly as you reach for them over and over again.
Bowtie booties– I stocked up on these booties in two colors during the #NSale and am still loving this scalloped pair from last year, but these look like a serious investment.
Nike Frees– I have a pair of shoes I run in, but I like having a separate pair for going to/from barre classes or for running weekend errands. This pink color is irresistible!
Navy Bow Pumps– As much navy as I wear, I actually don’t have any navy heels. These ones are only $50!
Suede Mary Jane– A grown up version of my favorite toddler party shoe. These will look amazing (and be so comfortable!) with black tights and my winter work dresses.
Neutral flat– Your favorite basic gets a twist with the modern D’orsay silhouette
Chloe Boot– Amazing. Can hardly pick a favorite color. I prefer duck boots to wellies, and these will definitely keep rainy days from being quite so dreary.
Glitter Mary Jane– Sometimes, your toes just need to twinkle.
Needlepoint Loafer– An blue blood classic that looks great with jeans and skirts #navyornothing
Slingback– A chunky heel and floppy bow strikes just the right balance of being feminine but not too fussy.
Rose Pump– The color!!
So, in summary: neutrals, navy, pink, bows, and glitter. Sounds about right.
