Friday Funday: The Most Ridiculous Leggings Ever Made

Okay, let's walk through a thought experiment:

Picture the most ridiculous leggings you can possibly imagine.  Now make them a million times more ridiculous.

Got it?  Got that mental picture, friends?

I'm about to blow away your wildest imagination.

Ready?

Okay:

Available here (affiliate link).  They were $18 the other week (when I bought them, because I do ridiculous things sometimes and have a huge weakness when it comes to the ugliest items imaginable, see e.g. here), so keep an eye on that price as hopefully they will drop again.  I also found them here for $20 (not an affiliate link).

Let me break this down for you:  There is a bucking unicorn on one side. There is a robot T-rex on the other side, and he is shooting laser beams from his head.  All of this is happening on a backdrop of rainbows and galaxies.

If this is not the height of "IDGAF" then I don't know what is.  I saw some girl wearing these at a dance party the other week and she was crushing the whole scene.

So, I just thought you all needed to know that this exists.

(Out of curiousity, when I asked you to picture the most insane leggings you could imagine, what did you picture?)

Have a great weekend!

Intro to Sous Vide

About a year ago, I saw an article about an interesting Kickstarter project for a sous vide circulator by Sansaire.  At that point, I had never heard of sous vide and it's possible I had not heard of Kickstarter, either.  The only thing I understood is that cooking sous vide would allow me to cook a steak that was perfectly medium rare from end to end.  This was the sales image that made me want to explore sous vide circulators:

So, sure, this isn't exactly a fair comparison, since we can all agree the steak on the right wasn't cooked by a particularly masterful chef, but the point remains that it's hard for me to get a totally even texture and temperature in my steaks.  They're often more well-done on the outside or on the ends.  The more reviews I read about how easy sous vide circulators were to use and how amazing meat tastes when cooked sous vide, the more I wanted to give this thing a shot.

(Plus, if you know me at all by now, you know I'm a sucker for interesting kitchen gadgets.  My pressure cooker is still the MVP of my kitchen, years later.)

The other week, I decided to take the plunge.  I had decided on the Anova sous vide circulator (it seems like the choice is either Anova or Sansaire) and was about to use my Amazon.com points to buy this one, when I did a bit more googling and realized that Anova has a new sous vide circulator model with bluetooth connectivity, and it's about $25 less than Amazon if you purchase directly from Anova's page.  I found a coupon for another $25 off at Anova so that sealed the deal.

(I liked the idea of getting a circulator instead of a fixed sous vide oven, since a circulator allows you to turn any basin into a sous vide oven.  So if you have thirty pounds of beef to cook, stick it in a huge rubbermaid bin, stick the sous vide circulator in there, and you're all set.  When will I ever cook that much beef?  Probably never.  But I COULD.)

My initial experience with the Anova was mixed.  I was excited to try the bluetooth connectivity features, which allow you to control the temperature of the water from your phone, make your circulator follow recipes from Anova's app, and alerts you when the water is ready:

But, what I learned the hard way while trying to cook a corned beef brisket for ten hours:  if you walk away from your Anova such that the bluetooth is disconnected, the device TURNS OFF.  And STOPS COOKING your food.  (As in, you arrive home after being gone five hours only to realize that your corned beef has been NOT cooking for all that time and you're having people over for dinner in two hours.  Luckily, I dumped it in the pressure cooker with some sauteed onions and water for an hour and a half and it came out GREAT.  Best corned beef I've ever had, in fact.  Not sure if the pressure cooker or the sous vide is to thank for that one.)

So, basically, the bluetooth feature is useless as far as I can tell.

(No pictures of the corned beef because it was immediately devoured.)

Last night, I gave the sous vide a try with steak.  I had a big win at work and decided to treat myself to a fancy ribeye (my favorite cut of steak).  I had a community meeting to attend around dinnertime, so I rubbed the steak with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, and a little butter. 

 Then I sealed it in a ziploc bag, dropped it in a 130 degree water bath, and went on my way.

 

It's only supposed to cook for an hour at that temperature, but I didn't get back to my house for almost three hours.  I'd read that keeping a steak in the water bath for longer than an hour wouldn't hurt it, since it would not exceed the 130 degree temperature of the water...so I figured I'd test that feature?

Once I got home, I seared the steak for a few seconds on each side:

And you guys, it came out perfectly:

I mean, LOOK AT THIS:

So, overall, I'm pretty pleased with the sous vide so far.  The bluetooth technology is just for show, but the implement itself seems to do a GREAT job with meat.  I'm going to try fish and eggs in the next week or so...I'll let you know how that goes.

Have any of you tried cooking sous vide before?  What did you think?

 





Things I Love Buying in Thrift Stores, Part 1

Quirky pins!

Focus on the pin, friends, and pay no attention to the fact that I wore this blazer (sans pin) a few days ago...it's toooootally different now...

Two corners

I haven't been keeping up with any Anthro or clothing blogs lately.  Since I took my new job and my shopping budget all but vanished, I've sort of steered clear of most of the blogs I used to love simply to avoid the temptation of seeing my stylish e-friends wear beautiful new clothes that I could not afford.  If I don't look, I don't crave!  (But I miss you, fellow blogger friends!)

Lately, the money I do have left in my shopping budget has been going towards items for my home.  I made two relatively big improvements to the house (replaced a roof, walled in the master bedroom), but the rest of my budget has been going towards small changes to make the house feel more like home.

Here are two corners of the house I particularly like!


1.  In the family/TV room:

99% of the time that I use my laptop, I use it downstairs on my comfy sofa in front of the TV.  I'd been leaving the laptop on the sofa, plugged into the outlet near the sofa, and it was ugly.

I found this ^ cute firewood/magazine holder at a vintage shop near DC called Peg Leg Vintage (a little overpriced, but TONS of cute stuff), and it works perfectly for my laptop!

I ran the cord behind my TV stand (which is to the left of this photo), so the piece doubles as a laptop charger!


2.  Dining Room Booze Area

All I wanted was just to store my wine glasses somewhere.  Is that too much to ask?  I wouldn't think so.  But I didn't have enough cabinet space to store my wine glasses, and there wasn't a convenient spot anywhere for a wall-mounted or under-cabinet mounted rack.  WHAT WAS I TO DO??

BAM!

It's a LAMP, but the lampshade is made up of wineglasses!!!

How cool is that??  I found it on Amazon.  (Affiliate link.)  Plus, it comes with a cool vintage bulb that looks really beautiful when lit.  Here's a bad photo of the lamp on:

Pretty, right?  The only problem is that if you have dirty glasses, you will DEFINITELY notice once the light is on.

Question:  Do you guys think I should get rid of the lampshades on the dry bar next to the wine glass lamp?  Now that I'm looking at the photo, those hanging lights seem like maybe too much light in one corner?  (Note that the hanging lights on the bar don't work.  Also one is missing; I need to reattach it.)

Happy Sunday!  I hope you guys enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Two Irresistable Things

1.  Enormous glasses.  Gigantic, Carl-from-Pixar's-"Up" spectacles.  I lose all self control.
  That's why I love those Asian glasses websites, which allow me to buy 5+ pairs a year for less than $100.  The glasses below are from Warby Parker, though, and boy how I love them, too:

 

I'm wearing these, purchased almost a year ago.  They are extremely well-made!

My inspiration, of course:

2.  Jumpsuits.  Creators/Highlighters of the FUPA.  Why do I love thee so, when you are arguably one of the worst inventions in clothing history?  Perhaps it's because you allow me to get away with putting on only one piece of clothing in the winter, when otherwise I would be forced to wear (shudder) TIGHTS.  Tights are always my last resort!  (I have hated since since I was a wee babe!  One of my earliest memories is my mom struggling to put me in a pair of white tights for temple.)

 

Sorry about the messy room.  I'm wearing this jumpsuit -- my first Anthro purchase in months!

 

* (affiliate links)

Here's a cool thing for your kitchen:

Check it!
 

 

I found this thing on Amazon the other week, and it's so handy!  It fits a ton of dishes...

 

 

...looks nice...

 

 

 

...and rolls up small when you are ready to put it away. 

 

I love that I don't have to find storage for a clunky traditional metal drying rack!  It's here on Amazon (affiliate link).

 

How was everyone's New Year's holidays?  Any significant resolutions?  I didn't resolve anything this year, although it is my goal to start getting a bit healthier this year.  I have fallen out of the habit of exercising, and I definitely want to get back into that!

Look what I found!

I found myself browsing a flea market in Dover, Delaware this past weekend when I stumbled upon this:

Remember the Anthropologie Stormy Seas necklace?  I joined the Cult of Anthro about a year too late to buy this in stores, and I always coveted it on others.  I found similar necklaces, but always sort of wanted the original.

Now, $5 (and quite a few years) later, here we are, together at last.

Serendipitous finds like this are a big part of the reason I love flea markets!  (The other reason:  totally bizarre and quirky treasures.  See, e.g., here.)  Have you ever had something like this happen, where you found a long-awaited object second-hand?  Do tell!

My Biggest Sale Haul Yet!

Have I told you all yet about how much I love the city of Baltimore?

Well, I absolutely adore it.  Baltimore is homey, quirky, and completely lives up to its nickname of "Charm City."  Baltimore has utterly charmed me thus far.  In fact, I'm hoping to start blogging more about some of the fantastic activities this city has to offer.  I believe this is a city on the rise, for sure.

I love Baltimore so much, that I bought this:

AHHHH!!!  I'm a homeowner!!

There are a bunch of reasons I decided to plunge into homeownership in Baltimore.  First, the real estate market here is pretty good for buyers.  The city has hit its stride but it hasn't quite boomed yet, so real estate generally moves relatively slowly and there are decent deals to be had.  (Plus, interest rates are still extremely low, and those low rates won't last forever.)  Second, the rental market has far outpaced the buying market; you pay substantially more in rent than you would to buy the same house.  Third, I signed a four-year commitment letter with my job, and I'm getting loan repayment assistance from my law school (given to people who take a public interest or government law job and earn below a certain threshold) that is 100% forgiven after five years...so I'm likely going to be in Baltimore for a while.  Plus, I figured if I bought a place in a neighborhood with a strong rental market, I wouldn't be forced to sell whenever I moved; I could just keep the house as an investment property and rent it out to cover my mortgage and expenses.

I started looking at houses in May, before I moved here.  I looked at about 25 houses and I actually put an offer in on this house (how freaking beautiful is that place???), but when the sellers countered for $1500 higher than my offer, I suddenly got cold feet and backed out.  I can't explain why it didn't feel right to buy that house...my parents did not seem particularly enthusiastic about pitching in for a down payment, and there were multiple buyers for the relatively-new-on-the-market house, which made me feel nervous and pressured.  And perhaps on some level I was concerned about buying before I even knew if I would like living in Baltimore.

In the end, I'm glad I didn't buy back in May.  It helped a TON to live here for a few months, get to know the neighborhoods, and get a better sense for where I like to hang out.  I realized in the time I lived in Fed Hill that I loved being close to the harbor, but wanted to be in a neighborhood with a population my own age.  (Fed Hill is fantastic but the average age there is approximately 23.)

When my Fed Hill landlords informed me that they were selling the house I'd been renting a room in and that we'd all have to leave, it seemed like as good of a time as any to resume the housing search!  I had two months before I needed to move out of my old house, so I figured I'd look at real estate for a month, and if I didn't find anything I loved I would just rent again.  I decided to focus on houses with two to three bedrooms, and at a price point that would allow me to cover at least 75% of my mortgage with rental income.  I figured a house of this size would lower my expenses and would give me room to grow if I started a family and we ended up staying in the city.  (The middle schools in the city aren't great, but the elementary school in the neighborhood I ended up buying in is pretty decent and would probably be fine (and would delay the inevitable move out to the better school districts of the suburbs).)

I looked at more than thirty houses in October.  I found a lot of very cool, great houses that seemed promising.  But the moment I walked into the house I ended up buying, I immediately felt a warm, cozy, homey feeling.  It wasn't perfect, and I wasn't blind to the things that weren't perfect about it (I would have loved an open kitchen with different finishes --- like that first house --- or a full bathroom for each bedroom (my house is a 3/2.5)), but I still loved it.  The neighborhood is awesome, the neighbors are chill, and the rental market is strong due to the proximity to Hopkins.  On the whole, it was perfect for me given my price point.  PLUS, the house had been on the market for more than 100 days,* meaning no pressure to bid high to beat out competition!  I was swooning.** 

* I'm not sure why it was on the market for so long --- although in Baltimore 100+ days on the market is not that unusual --- but I think it was because the owners accepted an offer on it after a few weeks, and three days later (without any kind of home inspection) the buyers got cold feet and pulled out.  The house was relisted and essentially became a "back on the market" house.  Often BOM houses face a stigma from new buyers that hurts their market value.

** An indicator of how well my excellent real estate agent got to know me and my taste:  We walked into my house, I immediately oozed, "Oooh, I love it..." and my agent said, "Wait until you hear how long it's been on the market and you'll love it even more."  Srsly, he was great.

The period from contract to purchase was stressful, filled with multiple unnecessary dramas and last-minute crises.  But with the help of a fantastic real estate agent and very supportive parents, we were able to get to closing on time!  I also got the maximum seller cash contribution allowed, so not only did I get a pretty decent deal, but the purchase price on record is higher than the final price I paid (because of the seller contribution), which will hopefully be good for increasing property values in the neighborhood.  Of course, the seller contribution is on record, too, but to the extent that the sale price is a more visible/accessible measure of property values than final sale price, that's gotta be good for property values.

I've already found roommates for the other two bedrooms, and my rental income will almost completely cover my mortgage payment, taxes, and insurance.  This will help me put more money away for loans/savings/home repairs!

I'm still in the process of moving in and decorating, and I have one reasonably big redesign project on the immediate horizon (a contractor is coming in to add a wall and a door to the master suite --- right now, it's not closed off at all so it lacks privacy).  I'll post photos once things get more settled!  I couldn't be happier with the place.  Sometimes I look around the house and feel so overwhelmed with love for my surroundings.  It's my HOME.

So, there you have it!  Do any homeowners read my blog?  What was your buying experience like?  Are you glad you bought?  Any tips or tricks for me?  What websites do I need to know about?

Firmoo Sale!

Hi blogosphere!  As we rev up for Black Friday, I owe Firmoo a post about their online glasses service.  They sent me a pair of glasses last month and I promised them a post, so here it is!  I'll put up a substantive post shortly; I have a BIG update for you.

In any case, onward with the quasi-shilling...("quasi" because I do actually use/like Firmoo even when they are not sending me free glasses)

A couple of years ago, Firmoo contacted me about trying their products, and I've been a loyal customer of Asian prescription glasses websites, including Firmoo, ever since.  If you haven't tried these sites, check out my 2012 post about the process of ordering from Firmoo here.  Ordering is easy, delivery is fairly speedy, and the selection of frames is pretty fantastic.  I've never tried the returns process, but the last pair of lenses I received from Firmoo appeared to have some issue with the pupillary distance and Firmoo CS was all over the problem with offers to figure out where the Rx process went wrong.  I also got my sister hooked on Firmoo and she has accessorized herself since then with tons of hipster pairs of glasses on a student budget.

Anyhoo, Firmoo is having a Black Friday sale (as my sister eagerly told me yesterday), so now might be a good time to experiment!

There appear to be a bunch of screaming deals, such as these for $10 after the discount:

Or these, $5 after the discount....

Incidentally, there seems to be a little turf war happening between the cheap online glasses retailers.  I don't have a favorite --- whoever has my favorite style at the moment will get my business.  Have you guys tried these websites?  What do you think?

 

A few nice things to start your Monday

1. Check out this cute little fox cookie jar I found at Target!

 

 

2. I went on a hike this weekend! We went to Bull Run, which is about an hour outside of DC in a town called Haymarket, Virginia. The hike was about two hours total, so not too long, but long enough to work up a good appetite for brunch!

 

Hiking OOTD. I am such a newb. Also I was wearing Kate Spade earrings because see also, newb.

 

3. My second round of foster kittens were adopted this weekend! They were pretty much the perfect cats and I was so sad to see them go...

 

KITTY SPOON, PEOPLE.

 

4. A woman at BJ's Wholesale Club almost beaned me in the head with a 20-pack of ramen noodles! My crime? I nicely asked the lady behind me to allow me to put my purchases on the conveyer belt before she did, a request that seemed necessary since she bypassed me and started loading up her own stuff on all available space. Drama be following me around lately, apparently.

 

How was your weekend?

 

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Welp, this was a disaster.

I have not checked into the blogs lately, but I can only assume that you have already heard about the enormous sale going on at Piperlime (affiliate link).

I came out of shopping retirement to buy this jacket (affiliate link), along with a bunch of other stuff, for basically $15:

Anyway, this sale was simultaneously awesome and a disaster, as all good things are.  Go check it out while the getting is good.  Plus, use eBates (referral link) to save another 2%.

And happy Friday!  Any fun weekend plans?  Mine involves lots of college friends, poker, and animals -- just not at the same time.

[Thanks @LolaNicole for the heads-up!]

Shopping Fail (AKA, The Hidden Costs of Car Ownership)

This weekend, at Target:

This weekend, at BJ's Wholesale Club:

However, I did manage to use my super free stuff-detecting skills to get a free $40 bottle of car wax and a free $25 restaurant.com gift certificate.

What can I say?  I am a savings ninja.  Except for the part where I apparently buy approximately 20 times more than what I actually need on any given shopping trip.

OOTD: Remember When

Remember when I used to post outfit photos?

 

 

It seems like so long ago now. I feel like I'm struggling a bit just to keep my head above water. Have you ever had one of those stretches where you are pretty unhappy with something (or with nothing, I suppose) and you have a hard time making your way out of the negativity? Lately it seems as though all I want to do IRL is complain, to the point that I am even annoying myself. It's been difficult to reframe and focus on the positive.

 

At least this dress is pretty cute. It was a Black Friday purchase from Macy's. It's a comfortable ponte and the faux leather accents add a bit of toughness to it.

 

(The sleeves are also pleather!)

 

The military green color inspired me to break out my commander (commando?) stars with these fun peekaboo tights:

 

 

It's fun to have a secret accent in your outfit that only you (and a few thousand of your closest internet friends) know about.

 

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Friday Funday: Nice Jewish Guys Calendar Review and Giveaway!

I get a decent number of emails each week from advertisers asking me to blog about their website or their product.  Almost all of these requests I turn down.  (See, e.g., a series of websites offering me free money to buy whatever I wanted, but with absolutely horrific clothing and jewelry for sale, including items with names resembling, "Rasta harem dropcrotch pant crop hippie boho patterned bottoms.")  Some of these requests, I wish I'd turned down.  (I'm currently staring at a packet of gummy vitamins (I love gummy vitamins) that, based on the information on the package, I fear will give me explosive poops.  But I'm morally bound to try them and perhaps endure explosive poops for you, my readers.)

However, I recently received a product review request that sent me over the moon with happiness.

Remember three years ago, I told you guys about a "Nice Jewish Guys" calendar featuring --- you guessed it --- nice Jewish guys gracing each month's pages?  Back then, I thought the idea of a calendar featuring nebbishy Jewish men was an absolutely hilarious idea and a great gift for Jewish girls (or other Jewish boy-loving people) on your list.

Well, the people in charge of marketing this calendar contacted me last month and offered me a 2014 Nice Jewish Guys calendar of my very own!  Now THIS is right up my alley.

Having carefully reviewed this calendar, I can now give it my hearty endorsement.  The calendar is chock-full of awesome photos of very Jewish-looking guys, some of whom are doing very Jewishy things.

Kristopher is responsibly paying for his parking!

Roe is holding a mother-flipping CHALLAH!

Brendan is making matzo brie like your dad used to make during Channukah!

Jason is --- posed in a very unfortunate manner, but WHO DOESN'T LOVE KOSHER HOT DOGS IN NEW YORK?

I brought this thing to my weekly poker night and it garnered rave reviews from the guys in attendance:

"Those are some Jewish-looking dudes."

"Yes, they are very Jewy."

"That's a great-looking challah."

"I can't take my eyes off that challah."

"Saddle up, Jewish ladies!  This guy likes knish."

This calendar is a laugh a minute (or, more accurately, a month), and even includes all of the Jewish holidays.  Even the obscure ones that nobody celebrates!  ("Fast of the 17th of Tammuz," anyone?)  

I even had the chance to interview one of the JDate.com-sponsored Jewish guys featured at the back of the calendar, Sam.

Here are some highlights:

How did you become involved in the Nice Jewish Guys Calendar?  What was your first thought upon learning about the calendar?

I saw the contest on JDate and talked about it with my sister and a female friend of mine.  After some encouragement from them and reading some of the other entries, I decided to submit an entry for fun.  After I was told I was selected as one of the Nice Jewish Guys of JDate, I didn’t really know what form my inclusion in the calendar would take until a friend of mine called from work saying, “I’m looking at the Nice Jewish Guys calendar with you in it!”

What makes you a "nice" Jewish guy?

Living with values and morals adopted and refined from my Jewish upbringing and military service is why those in my life consider me a “Nice Jewish Guy.”  I see myself as someone who lives a life of integrity, candor, selfless service, respect and courage – all qualities which make me stand out in the crowd.

What is your favorite Jewish food?

This question is like asking a parent to admit which child is their favorite.  Pastrami, knishes, matzoh ball soup, cholent, challah, Israeli salad and falafel are all great. However, I think that the true mark of Jewish food is the effort we put in to getting it right. I come from a family of kosher butchers so it’s no surprise that while I was stationed overseas I had hard salami and beef frye sent to me regularly. The greatest effort I’ve exerted so far was for great kosher dill pickles.  Earlier this year I tore out four trees (roots and all) from my father's backyard so that I could grow cucumbers and dill to make my own homemade dill pickles. They were not only my favorite, but the favorites of everyone who tried them.

Best Jew-y childhood memory?

I think my best Jew-y childhood memories all stem from being invited over to friends’ houses for Shabbos. Even though most of them were observant, which meant no TV and going to more services than I may have liked, I associate those memories of Shabbos with great food, acceptance and warmness, which I consider true characteristics of Judaism.

Describe your ideal woman.

My ideal woman would come in part from my interpretation of Immanuel Kant's Observations on the Feeling of the Beautiful and Sublime. I am in pursuit of the sublime over the beautiful. To me the sublime encompasses the truly important, lasting things such as genuine kindness, sweetness, smarts, critical thinking, affection, a nurturing demeanor and natural beauty over fleeting and superficial beauty.

What do you most wish you could change about Jewish girls?

I'd first like to say that I would never want to change anybody.  Everybody has the right to live their life the way they see fit as long it doesn't infringe on those rights of others.  In love, the right person is going to be perfect, flaws and all. 

That being said the thing I don't like about Jewish girls, or guys for that matter, are those who live up to negative Jewish stereotypes.  Despite my name, many people are surprised to find out that I'm Jewish.  I think the reason is that I don't fit many of the typical Jewish stereotypes. When a girl lives up to the negative stereotypes such as being whiny, overbearing and having a sense of entitlement like the clichés of a Jewish-American princess, I am immediately turned off.

Has your recent calendar celebrity yielded any interesting romantic offers?

Not yet.  I think the Shiksas in my life love the "celebrity" status the most.  The calendar has been a hit with family, friends, army buddies and people at the gym. When I walk into the gym I am greeted as the “Nice Jewish Guy.”  Friends have jokingly wondered how long it would take for me to be a pinup.  Every time I go to an LA Galaxy game,my season ticket holder neighbor requests a signed copy of the calendar. However, I would be surprised if the calendar "notoriety" would lead to any “interesting romantic offers,” even if it was posted at every synagogue and sent to every Jewish mother and grandmother.

What's your best Nice Jewish Guy advice for winning over Jewish mothers? 

Just be genuine and honest in addition to all the other qualities of being a nice guy.  If you have to be flashy or go on a charm offensive, it's probably not worth the effort for a number of reasons.  I have had a few instances where the parents were more charmed by me than the girl I was courting.  

I mean, TAKE A NUMBER!  AMIRIGHT, LADIES?  

Don't you just wish you could have a calendar of your very own, to love and cherish for as long as you both shall live?  (i.e., for the duration of 2014?)

Well, you CAN, because I have an extra copy to give away!

To win, leave a comment on this entry with your funniest story about dating a Nice Jewish Guy.  (You can fictionalize an account if you have no real-life experience on which to base this.)  You can also tweet about this giveaway for an extra entry.  One winner will be randomly selected, although I will post the best stories when I announce the winner next week!

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