The A List: 5.20.16

You guys, this week.

It’s been a week of getting back into a routine, a week of serious brain usage and most of all, a week of new surroundings. I’m a little too excited that the forecast is a bit gloomy for Saturday, I can’t wait to get my bearings again.

But with all this newness also comes a giant boatload of inspiration (woo!) which I’m excited to share. In the meantime, here’s a look at what I’m loving this week.

Stella McCartney Lips iphone case

If school supplies are my ultimate way to nerd out (see below), phone cases probably come a close second. I love to dress up my iphone in crazy ways, it’s the one piece of my ensemble that doesn’t stick to my color uniform. Case in point, my latest case. I’ve been eyeing this lip case for weeks, trying to figure out if I should bite the bullet or not to spend the $$$. After seeing it in person at Neiman’s (and finding a gift card) I’m now the proud owner of the best selfie case around. Sure, the case is large, but my personality is larger. ;-)

Rebecca Minkoff Unlined Feed Bag

Rebecca Minkoff has always been one of my go-to handbag designers, but I think she’s completely one-upped herself with my latest purchase. The unlined feed bag is the PERFECT summer satchel. It’s a buttery leather toughened up just slightly with the addition of studs, which coupled with a square shape and wide strap, set it apart from your typical cross-body handbag. I carried mine with me everywhere on my last road trip, it not only holds your essentials but it’s also great for toteing around a blogging camera, your moleskin and even a bottle of water.  You can’t go wrong with this bag by your side all summer long.

Muji Gel Ink 0.5mm Pens

Confession time, I am a giant school supply nerd. From agendas to notebooks, folders to paper clips, I love school supplies. And after getting back into the swing of things this week (i.e. working) I think I’ve finally found my holy grail of pens. Seriously, these pens not only write consistently, they also don’t smear when this lefty advances across the page (ahhh!!!). Leave it to Muji to create the perfect writing specimen. I picked these up in store in NYC the last time I was there, but thankfully you can order them easily online now. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to geeking out over my school supplies.

Google’s Gboard App

GIFs. I’m still not quite sure how to pronounce them as a word but boy do I love to send them to friends via text or other medium. And for me, my friends timelines just got completely spammed thanks to my faves at Google. I have no clue if Google’s Gboard app for iphone is new, but after downloading it this week I’m hooked. Operating just like my beloved emoji app, you can scroll through google’s gif options by category or search for that specific gif that you know and love. So many puppy gifs, so little time.

DNCE Toothbrush Video

I originally had another fave slotted into this spot, but after watching DNCE’s Toothbrush video, I knew I had to include it. And can I just say one thing about this vid? Joe Jonas is a dreamboat. Even better though? Ashley Graham is a total fox. But the best part might be Joe’s follow-up interview with Glamour – saying he only had one girl for the role in mind (swoon!). DNCE knew they were making a statement with Ashley's casting, but the video is so beautiful you don’t even notice. 

Healthy Eats: Anti-Inflammation & Pan-Seared Mushrooms

Maybe I heard it via Gwyneth’s goop, or maybe it was via Ayesha Curry’s instagram, or maybe it was even via one of my many lifestyle blogs on my reader – but recently I came across the anti-inflammatory cooking movement and wanted to check it out.

Anti-Inflammation? Really?

But seriously, the thought that major diseases like cancer are caused by something as simple as inflammation just seemed too simple to me and I was baffled and curious to learn more. Enter Amanda Haas (aka @amandahaascooks to Ayesha’s followers) and her cookbook The Anti-Inflammation Cookbook. I picked up a copy of the cookbook from my local library to investigate more and to dive in and get started. Please note: while you can’t learn everything about a potential lifestyle change from a cookbook, you can learn about healthy choices and habits you can start to make in an effort to reduce inflammation in your body (and remember your doctor/physician is your best reference).  

The book and the diet haven’t really been a huge culinary overhaul for me, my diet already consisted of leafy greens, gluten free legumes and grains and fish (thanks Blue Apron!) and I eat relatively healthy when I do make an effort. But the book has forced me to look a little closer when I’m grocery shopping and to start making the smarter choice (versus the cheaper one). After all, the end goal is to reduce pain and diseases, and if it ends up helping some of the more vain traits of mine (cough skincare cough) well then that’s just gravy.

I will admit that I’ve used the reference pages of this cookbook more than I’ve used the actual recipes.  The section about prioritizing organics based on the pesticides used on fruits & veggies with skins is invaluable, as is the sections that continually reinforce the health benefits of avocados, citrus fruits, and eggs. And for those of us with a sweet tooth, Amanda shares just what kind of chocolate is actually good for you (!!!) and the best natural sweeteners for when you need some extra flavor.

As for the rest of the book, the recipes just aren’t all that appetizing and quite frankly, I’ve seen a bunch of them before (I just didn’t know they were anti-inflammatory). But there are some seriously great tips in here that are worth sharing (ex: dress your kale with dressing for at least 30 minutes) and a great meatless recipe for an easy weeknight dinner.

If you’re interested in Amanda’s book purchase it here or reserve from any of Columbus’ many libraries here.

PAN-SEARED MUSHROOMS with caramelized shallots and thyme

(via Amanda Haas)

The key to the flavour here is the sear of the mushrooms – it seriously makes all the difference.

Tip:  save some cash by purchasing your mushrooms from the bulk mushroom area of your produce section.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

4 cups sliced mushrooms (cremini, shiitake and other “meatier” varieties work best)

2 tbsp minced shallots (1 large)

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tsp thyme leaves

Pinch red pepper flakes

Kosher salt

Freshly group black pepper

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil of medium-high heat in a non-stick skillet. Once the oil starts to smoke, add the slides mushrooms and a generous pinch of kosher salt.
2. Sear the mushrooms until they've browned on one side (approximately one minute) then stir the uncooked mushrooms to the bottom of the pan.
3. Cook mushrooms about 3 to 4 minutes or until their liquid has started to evaporate. 
4. Add the shallots and cook for a minutes, then stir in the lemon juice, thyme and red pepper flakes. 
5. Allow the lemon juice to evaporate for the 30 seconds and then remove the pan from the heat.
6. Add 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to the mushrooms and stir, then add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve immediately.

To keep the meal meatless these mushrooms pair well with a quinoa salad or even a hearty green salad. They'd also be a great side alongside a ribeye for an at-home steakhouse meal. 

The A List: 5.13.16

It’s been super dreary around here this week; with the constant rain we’ve been having. I’m not going to lie though, a mini-road trip and cooler temps has me looking forward to the weekend!

In the meantime, here’s a roundup of things I’ve been loving this week.

Richard Jefferson’s Snapchat

You’ve probably heard of the adventures of Little Kev by now, and “Rich” loves to document his whereabouts daily on his snapchat. But this week’s snaps have been better than most, thanks to a week of rest for the Cavs, and we’ve seen even more glimpses of basketball’s biggest stars behind-the-scenes. Think Starbucks runs, team dinners, and other random outings around town. Thanks Rich for pulling back the curtain on an NBA playoff run, you make the Cavs easy to cheer for (almost!) with the snapchat shenanigans. (Follow him at RJeff24)

So Delicious Coconut Milk Mint Chip Ice Cream

While I haven’t yet given up the traditional diary ice cream (#teamJenis), for a weeknight treat I’ve been looking for a great dairy-free option. What I’ve learned is good dairy-free ice cream is hard to come by – especially when your favorite is over 400 miles away (see you in July Bang Bang!). But So Delicious’ combo of coconut milk with mint chip hits the spot for a must see tv snack. I’m a self-professed lover of coconut and love what the flavor adds to the ice cream, but the coconut isn’t so strong that it overpowers the mint and chocolate. And since it’s dairy-free, it has to be guilt-free, right?

Giving Keys Raw Copper Collection

I don’t have enough hands to count how many times people have asked me if I’m wearing my house key around my neck when I wear my Giving Key necklace, but I absolutely adore the mission and message it sends. My word is CREATE, and it reminds me on a daily basis to keep up my creative spirit and share it with those around me. And now that the Giving Keys has launched their raw copper line, it might be time to add another inspiration to my collection.

R.M. Drake

Remember in Sex and the City when Carrie checks out the library book of love letters from great men? I kind of feel like RM Drake’s words are like that. Another poetic instagram find of mine, his daily words are inspiration, they’re poetic and most of all they’re beautiful. The wanderlust in me wishes to one day be on the receiving end of words like that, they’re straight out of a fairy tale.

Walking in the rain

Like I mentioned earlier, much of this week it has rained, dampening any real plans to do anything outdoors (I’ve got puns for days). But as long as I planned ahead for meetings, there’s a certain poetry in a spring rain. Walks in my neighborhood have been a chance to clear my head, and the sidewalks aren’t nearly as busy as they normally are. Plus the air always smells a bit cleaner after a fresh rain and ground has reaped its benefits in lush green. It’s not always sunshine and rainbows after all and as long as I have my umbrella, that’s okay. (Image via)

Summer Style: Saddle Bags

Summer.

It’s the season of farmers markets, weekend festivals, concerts in park, and lots of lots of patio time.

For ladies, it’s also the season where fashion gets a little bit bohemian, think sandals and maxi dresses, flowy tops cutoffs, basically anything we can do to keep the heat away. And no one wants a fussy bag to get in the way of it all.  

In fashion, it’s also the season of the return of retro. Taylor Swift crowned the choker the new flower crown (90s), flared denim is replacing beloved skinny’s on the runway (70s), and everything seems to have a bit of nostalgia added to it, and is a little bit looser and relaxed than it has been in year’s past.

And no one wants a fussy bag to get in the way of it all.

A little bit structured yet a little bit loose, the saddle bag fits in with summer’s myriad of activities. And the best part about them? They’re perfect for snapping your way through summer, sipping drinks strolling markets, dancing your way through concerts – yep, they’re hands free. Saddle bags are effortless and they actually hold stuff (sorry, uber-trendy mini-tech bags). From the essentials (phone & money) to the extras (makeup, gum, etc), the saddle bag can also hold your liquid refreshment, your blog camera or extra charger, and even your first purchases of the day.

From Coach’s limited edition 1941 collection to Cuyana’s supple and elegant suede,  Madewell’s nod to the 70s and Rebecca Minkoff’s fabulous tassel, here are some of my favorite saddle bags to carry you through the summer months.

Clockwise from top left: Madewell | Big Buddha | Coach | Rebecca Minkoff | Vince Camuto | Cuyana