Simple Inspirations

Finding and appreciating those moments in time that make you stop in your tracks are so rare these days. Sadly, those bits are all around us, but sometimes they have a hard time shining through all of the social noise and static in our daily routines. The realization that “the swing set is gone” has done that for me.

As I sit with a cup of coffee and a book while my daughters explore their new sense of freedom trolling around the mall, simple moments of joy surround me. Watching my two younger daughters walk off together hand-in-hand, giddy at the prospect of an hour together alone. The genuine smile of an old friend when she sees me for the first time in several months. A simple lol text from my husband. The draw of a book to make me sit down.

Of course, I’m tired and stressed. Aren’t we all? My newest rescue kitty (kitty no.5, which puts us on the edge of hoarders) is in heat. I think I know why she was in the middle of a busy road. When I reached into my nightstand drawer in the middle of the night to get an extra ear plug, my husband said, “are you getting the gun?” Wailing aside, I find pure joy from my cats. Animals have an astoundingly pure way of expressing true love that can’t be replicated.

Despite the stress of my looming list…

taxes, grow business, get hair colored, exercise more, fold laundry, eat better, smile more, stretch, ride my mountain bike, create some art, eat less Altoids (at least I have found some creative uses for the tins)…

people have been scratching through the noise and inspiring me lately.

My sister in law has a new appreciation for life after a visit to the nebulous cancer world. I enjoy getting her spontaneous phone calls saying she’s coming to visit and will be in Baltimore in 8 hours. She helps me look at life in a new way and doesn’t even know it.

Even though I don’t live in NYC, I’m fortunate enough to be connected with a friend from the past who lives and works there. Stephanie Culen is a yoga and mentoring guru who inspires me from afar. She bleeds positivity and living in the moment, which is not easy to do on a daily basis.

What simple ways are you inspired?

A Few Tips for Organizing Household Clutter

My autobiography is going to be titled How I Move Stuff. I could use a more impactful word for "stuff," but I won’t. If you have stairs, you know what I’m talking about. Things pile up at the bottom until the stairs no longer remain safe because the last step is completely covered with stacks of stuff that needs to be moved upstairs.

You might even have one of those fancy stair baskets that you bought at a home party out of guilt. We had one, but it was never big enough and ended up crushed and trampled by a stampede of kids running down the stairs.

  

Up, down, in and out. I feel like I spend many hours a day carrying things from one place to another in my house just to find a temporary home for them. I finally understand how the ancient civilizations were built. No use for the wheel or heavy machinery, just pure human strength and stamina. I would have quite a structure if all of my stuff was architecturally piled on top of each other. 

It always amazes me how you can shift large quantities of things to bins,closets, Freecycle and the car’s trunk (which is my holding place for donations) and a few weeks later you’re right back where you started. The worst is when your bags of donations or trash get discovered by their previous owners and half of the things end up back in your house labeled as “favorite things I can’t live without.” 

Naturally, stuff comes in your house and stuff goes out. I guess that’s just the cycle of life. Chris Hartstein of Home Solutions suggests a few simple steps to keeping on top of your household’s bodily functions.

Chris recommends the mantra, “a place for everything and everything in its place is the ultimate organizing goal.” She says, you can achieve this more easily by taking these action steps:

1. Design a “layette for life.” In other words, decide how many of any one item (crock pots, glasses, sweaters, video games, earrings, etc.) you need/desire given your living space. Write it down to make it more real.

2. Establish an attractive “clutter can” or “bye-bye bin” lined with a large plastic bag near the door. Make it a habit to put items that are no longer used or loved into this container for later donation. Take young children to a thrift store so they can see how this all works.

3. Before sorting a pile of papers turn it upside down. The older items will be easier to throw away and you'll get through more. Remember, all paper fits into one of 4 categories: read it, act on it, file it or toss it.

What tips do you have for staying organized at home?

EVOO is Liquid Gold

In my house, olive oil is liquid gold. It doesn’t pay the bills yet, but I’m working on that. 

The Egyptians, Greeks and Romans all took full advantage of this prized oil. Cleopatra didn't just bath in milk, she had olive oil spread all over her body and then scraped off. Obviously, she had no need for a moisturizer after that.

I developed my olive oil scrubs based on this concept, but went for a more DIY approach versus having servants comb your skin with scrapers. 

The idea of cleansing without a super sudsy soap is so foreign in our society, but the beauty of olive oil is that it congruently cleanses, moisturizes and nourishes your skin with the essentials it needs to be healthy.

I’ve always said, "when in doubt, put olive oil on your baby’s skin,” instead of that nasty, petroleum-based liquid disguised as baby oil. 

Actually, that goes for anyone needing a cheap moisturizer. Olive oil is high in antioxidants, including vitamin E. Antioxidants are powerhouses that protect against age-accelerating free radicals. The oil of this miraculous fruit promotes a smooth and radiant complexion, while helping maintain the elasticity of your skin. Everybody could use a little of that.

Olive oil certainly has its delectable culinary advantages too. It can impart a beautiful peppery, fruity taste to your fresh salad or serve as a perfect lubricant for sauteing while providing you with nourishing essential fatty acids.

Of course, not all olive oil is created equal, as Tom Mueller mentions in his book, Extra Virginity. Due to poor regulations, many olive oils sold in the U.S. aren’t what they claim. 

When buying olive oil, stick with 100% extra virgin from a reputable source. As mentioned in the Buyers Guide to Olive Oil in North America, “bitterness and pungency are usually indicators of an oil’s healthfulness.  Sweetness and butteriness are often not.”  This online guide is a work in progress, but lists some reputable olive oils and where they can be purchased by state.

Aside from its beauty and culinary benefits, olive oil can also be used to polish wood, condition leather, remove paint, fix a squeaky door, soothe a cough and ease an ear ache.

At the Agora Market in the Inn at the Black Olive in Fells Point, you can purchase a delicious Greek organic extra virgin olive oil in a reusable bottle--when your oil is gone, you just bring it back in for a refill--love that. They also have some wonderful artisanal olive oils that have been carefully sourced. In their eco-friendly Inn, they’ve gone as far as rubbing the limestone walls with olive oil to serve as a natural, chemical-free sealant.

What’s your favorite use for olive oil?

Here We Go Again

Didn’t we just do this? You know what I’m talking about. The “H” word is heading straight towards us like a giant galactic iron meteoroid. Yep, the end is near. The holidays are around that hairpin turn and I’m feeling the need to blast Eminem.  Don’t get me wrong, unlike Halloween, I love the holiday season, it’s the shopping that kills me. Maybe I just have this self-inflicted pressure to present my friends and family with creative, unique gifts—otherwise known as gifts that require time, thought and effort. This is not easy.

We don’t really have a choice here since the holidays keep coming back like a bad headache, but I say, get a head start before your Halloween buzz wears off. Strap on your high-interest credit cards, we’ve got some shopping to do. Now, honestly, I’m not a mall shopper. My mall visits consist of me dropping my teenage daughter and friends at the Macy’s entrance, them bolting out of my vision within 5 seconds, me heading straight upstairs to drool in the Apple Store and then next door to dream in the Anthropologie store and then I leave and grocery shop at Trader Joe’s.

I guess I’m too sensitive for the mall. The air doesn’t seem to agree with me. I tend to break out into a sweat before the lady at the cosmetic’s counter blinds me with the newest sickly fragrance. I feel like the laws of order are too disregarded. People walk the wrong way—stay to your right—it’s easy. The Yankee Candle shop gives me a headache. Abercrombie gives me a worse headache. I want to enjoy Starbucks, but I’m too hot and thirsty, and the clothing, I just don’t get most of it. I really regret not saving my hideous ‘80s sweaters and leggings, but I will not be buying new ones. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to fashion and would never resort to “mom” jeans, but the clothing choices out there right now are dismal.

Ikea is on to something with its new MÄNLAND concept. Basically it’s a husband-sitting service that provides mancave-like entertainment for the husbands such as video games and foosball, while their wives shop. The wives are even given a beeper in case they need to be reached. This is brilliantly wrong on so many levels and, unfortunately, not offered yet at the White Marsh Ikea. Actually, Ikea is on to something, but they aren’t the ones that need it. I think we should get rid of the mini play land for kids at the mall and put a manland in its place. Instead, maybe it could be “adultland” and feature a martini bar. Surely, mall sales would sky rocket. I may have just solved the recession.

Ok, enough complaining. Here’s the plan.

1. Hit the Starbucks in Towson and get your teacher, coach, mail carrier gift cards. They all need caffeine. Get yourself a cup too, since you won't be overheated yet.
2. Skip the mall—already established
3. Visit my friends at With Gratitude for unique hostess gifts and locally produced holiday gifts.
4. Check out Urban Outfitters' tchotchkes section. They have some really unique, funny books and things.
5. Try shopping online on Etsy. Basically, this is massive site for all things hand made. Think of it as Ebay for crafters. Beware, it’s highly addictive.

By the way, don’t give me a bottle of wine as a hostess gift. I feel uncomfortable keeping it to drink at my leisure. There’s too much pressure to serve it at the dinner party or cocktail party. If I don’t serve it, you might think I don’t like it and if I do serve it, then it’s not really a gift any more.

Happy shopping!

Grocery Shopping is Fun at Trader Joe’s

Who doesn’t love a store that thinks “sale” is a four-letter word and has happy employees who ring bells and wear funny hats with Hawaiian shirts?

I am well known at the Towson Trader Joe’s for my recipe binder and frequency of visits. After slipping into my secret parking spot, I can be found sipping, and sometimes spilling, my mini cup of free coffee while holding my free food sample (aka,lunch), several days a week due to incredibly poor time management.

I love my TJs visits. Socially, I always run into a neighbor and sometimes an old friend. The overly-caffeinated employees are always smiling and very eager to help with what ever you need, even if it’s just a little conversation. Like a good bartender, they have the perfect ability to stay productive, yet make you feel like every word you’re saying is fascinating.

Philosophically, I love a grocery store that says no to trans fats, artificial flavors, colors or preservatives, MSG and GMOs and provides the shopper with handy, quick-read product labels such as vegan, gluten free and vegetarian, all packaged together with constant low prices.

Shopper cards make me crazy. My key chain is so cluttered with those barcoded trinkets that I recently found myself trying to scan my Preferred Shopper Card at the gym. As a recovering Whole Paycheck, I mean Whole Foods shopper, I’ve found that you can get nearly twice as much food at TJs versus Whole Foods.

The TJs Fearless Flyer keeps you updated with helpful product information while providing some witty comic relief along the way. They admit that eating cheese makes them want to “start singing Dickensian show tunes.” Would that be a song that starts with “There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate?”  There’s even a cartoon section. It ranks up there with the New York Times in our house.

I do have some product favorites right now too.

The Dark Chocolate Bar with Caramel and Black Sea Salt

Beware, once you try this sweet and salty block of umami, you’ll never be able to resist grabbing one at checkout again. It’s even better in the freezer.

Chocolate Cake Mix

I admit I’m wary of cake mixes, but with two fall birthdays in our house, I was forced to venture there. Pillsbury, with its artificial everything was not an option. This cake mix, with a homemade cream cheese frosting, is decadent. Truly, it has the depth and moistness of a homemade cake.

On the slightly healthier side:

The Sesame Seed Bagel Spinoza

1 gram of fat, 9 grams of protein and it boasts to “bagel the mind.” How can you resist?

Trek Mix Granola Cereal

This is my late-night snack and works great when you’re having cereal for dinner too. Put some blueberries on top and you have a meal.

My only criticism, this hip, progressive company has the equivalent of snail mail for communication. Come on Trader Joe’s, get a Facebook and Twitter page so I can banter with you. You could have shared this with your loyal customers.

Now I get to eat that chocolate bar I just photographed.

A Seasonal Autumn Rant

I’m feeling grumpy and my Twitter followers don’t even care. I’ve had a headache for a week and a half from a stupidity-related concussion. My fuzziness has lead to confusion between their and there and a serious lack of production in my well-oiled business and household. Well, that might be an over-exaggeration, which is a redundancy. I’m doomed.

Halloween is right around the bend. My least favorite holiday. There’s always a last minute wardrobe malfunction on a costume that cost way too much money. Pumpkin carving is overrated and dangerous and pumpkins cost too much anyway. I buy the candy because I don’t want to be the crazy lady who hands out apples, but the food dye, chemical, preservative content is enough to mummify my entire family. Halloween is a Hallmark holiday. Please tell me why it can’t be the last Saturday of October. Really, what kind of sick torture is Halloween on a Monday. And no, I don’t want to be scared. I can do that on my own when I look in the mirror in the morning.

Sorry, I don’t want any partially hydrogenated, artificially flavored Girl Scout cookies. What a miserable message that sends. Pandora is really getting on my nerves. The Music Genome Project seems to be in a rut and if I have to hear that Geico commercial one more time I might even stop listening to the free radio station. Netflix wants to me use two websites to purchase movies. Maybe I’ll drop them. Now they are back to one. I might drop them anyway.

I’m not impressed that your kid is an honor student because it’s only October and they haven’t even received report cards, so it’s not current. All of your bumper stickers annoy me. I don’t care what college your kid is going to because undergrad college degrees are overrated. Save some money, send them to community college and save the money that you don’t have for grad school.

Speeders on Regester Avenue, it’s not a freeway. I barely have enough room to avoid hitting the parked car’s side mirrors. Slow the crap down. I know you’re in a hurry to get to the light at Regester and York because it’s nice and extra long, but I don’t need another head injury.

Feeling better already…

The Science of Smell

Fall is a time for brilliant colors and savory smells of comfort. Just thinking about the sweet aroma of caramelized onions or pumpkin muffins makes me salivate.  Those smells are what make a house a home, but they can also affect our mood and performance.

I’m intrigued by the effects that smell has on our brains. Did you know that if you inhale the scent of orange or peppermint while exercising you can increase your performance? On the other hand, the exotic, floral smell of jasmine has a stronger relaxing effect on the body than lavender.

Some companies even take our sense of smell to the bank by pumping out aromas of chocolate, vanilla or floral notes that increase our urge to buy — brilliant. That explains the sickly, sweet smell permeating out of Abercrombie or that Cinnabon aroma that brings out our most primitive weaknesses.

Rose is a powerful, multitasking scent. In one study, volunteers were divided into two rooms with identical sneakers in them. One room was infused with the scent of rose, while the other was odorless. 84% preferred the sneakers in the floral-scented room and were willing to pay $10 more for them. Realtors, get your rose room spray out. 

Even better, when you combine the visual of real roses with the smell, you can evoke a mood more powerful than a pill. Harvard researchers suggest that a vase of roses can induce a strong sense of joy due to that winning combination. Why not try it? Keep a vase of roses on your desk at work and see if you’re just a little nicer.

Aside from joy, the scent of rose is also known to help improve memory. I’m thinking I need to get myself a vat of roses. I have to admit, every time I walk in the Dutch Floral Garden (formally called The Dutch Connection) at Belvedere Square, I find myself mesmerized by the stunning collection of roses and their intoxicating smell. I always leave with a little pep in my step.

Citrus oils really pack a puckering punch. They are known for increasing oxygen to the brain, boosting energy and immune function. Crisp, clean lemon also acts as a mood enhancer and grapefruit essential oil can improve hand-eye coordination.

I know you’re ready to buy gallons of these oils.  Fortunately, you don’t have to. Essential oils are highly concentrated, steam distilled oils from flowers and plants. It takes about 10,000 pounds of flowers to make one pound of rose oil. Due to their intensity, they must be used with care. Of course, if you’re pregnant or nursing, you should talk to your doctor, who will know nothing about this, so just stick to a few drops of lavender essential oil blended with olive oil.

Just make sure that you use pure essential oils. Those fragrance oils in candles and room fresheners are nasty little pillars of wax. I admit, some of them do smell good. It's hard to get a natural candle that smells like fresh baked cookies. There's a price, though.  Did you know that fragrance oils consist of hundreds of synthetic chemicals. 95% of the chemicals found in these oils are synthetic compounds derived from petroleum, and include chemicals such as benzene derivatives, aldehydes, and others capable of causing cancer, birth defects, central nervous system disorders and allergic reactions.

You can find these essential oils at The Health Concern in Towson, MD or at most local health food stores. Make sure that you never use essential oils undiluted on your skin. A few drops added to a carrier oil such as olive oil will go a long way. My favorite is a few drops of peppermint oil on a plug-in aromatherapy gadget called a Scentball by Aura Cacia. Within minutes my head feels clearer and the room smells crisp and spicy.