Saturday, January 2, 2016
New Life...In the City
There hasn't been much activity on FTCOAW in quite awhile...and there is a reason. Jake, Dixie, and I have moved out of the cottage and into a townhouse in the big city! Along with the move are big changes which will begin to pop up on this blog.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Let Them Play With Their Make-Up!
What a brilliant concept! Clinique, and other high-end brands, it seems are taking tips from the success of stores like Sephora and Ulta which have been allowing their customers to "play" with their make-up before purchasing. This type of casual shopping environment seems to be working. Dior is also following suit. Burberry, however, will keep the salesperson-oriented shopping environment in order to keep their customers informed on products.
In other news, the iconic three letters - YSL - may be changing to SLP. In order to modernize the brand, the creative director is changing the name of the fashion house opened in 1962 by Yves Saint Laurent. Although a brand does need to evolve over time in order to avoid becoming stale or, in YSL's case, overrun with copies, the change is a big risk: the brand has come to be known by those three little letters. Perhaps this is because we Americans, in particular, have problems pronouncing the French?
Take care.
In other news, the iconic three letters - YSL - may be changing to SLP. In order to modernize the brand, the creative director is changing the name of the fashion house opened in 1962 by Yves Saint Laurent. Although a brand does need to evolve over time in order to avoid becoming stale or, in YSL's case, overrun with copies, the change is a big risk: the brand has come to be known by those three little letters. Perhaps this is because we Americans, in particular, have problems pronouncing the French?
Take care.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Charge Your iPhone with Water?
It took a Swedish company by the name of "MyFC" to come up with the idea of charging a smartphone using water. It is called the Powertrekk and uses just a small fuel puck and a spoonful of water to fully charge a phone.
This got me to thinking...what else could we charge with water? Hmmm...
Monday, February 27, 2012
Impromptu Bathtime...Impromptu Dinner
Welcome to my new blog home! After years of traveling around the globe, I am trying my hand at settling at home in my new cottage...the cottage of a wayfarer.
Tonight while driving home facing the bright rays of a late winter sun, I thought how nice it would be to take my two four-legged friends for a walk through the open field by the cottage.
These are my two snuggle bugs - "Jake" (all tan) and "Dixie" (white with tan spots)
Sorry for the poor quality: this picture was taken covertly with my Android phone. They pretend not to like each other, but secret moments such as this prove otherwise. Anyways, following our little run through the field, Dixie had to get a bath.
I love mail. I always have. There is nothing more exciting than arriving home to a little surprise. Even if it is just the latest Pottery Barn catalog or an ordinary, brown box such as the one which was waiting on my doorstep tonight. This is the first package that has been left in front of my (very) red door, and I thought it deserved a momentous picture.
The package, by the way, only contained a replacement filter for my vacuum (that word never seems to look quite right) and a perfectly pink KitchenAid whisk. Remember the small things in life that bring you joy. Especially as an adult: true excitement comes in such short bursts separated by vast expanses of blah.
Taking a break from the stress of MBA school, I decided to cook a proper dinner tonight. I'm not sure what you would call this, but it turned out quite well. I simply threw together some ingredients I had in my cupboard that needed to be eaten. Don't you just love when dinners like this turn into staples that you can find comfort in time and time again? Find the "recipe" below...
Tonight while driving home facing the bright rays of a late winter sun, I thought how nice it would be to take my two four-legged friends for a walk through the open field by the cottage.
These are my two snuggle bugs - "Jake" (all tan) and "Dixie" (white with tan spots)
Sorry for the poor quality: this picture was taken covertly with my Android phone. They pretend not to like each other, but secret moments such as this prove otherwise. Anyways, following our little run through the field, Dixie had to get a bath.
I love mail. I always have. There is nothing more exciting than arriving home to a little surprise. Even if it is just the latest Pottery Barn catalog or an ordinary, brown box such as the one which was waiting on my doorstep tonight. This is the first package that has been left in front of my (very) red door, and I thought it deserved a momentous picture.
The package, by the way, only contained a replacement filter for my vacuum (that word never seems to look quite right) and a perfectly pink KitchenAid whisk. Remember the small things in life that bring you joy. Especially as an adult: true excitement comes in such short bursts separated by vast expanses of blah.
Taking a break from the stress of MBA school, I decided to cook a proper dinner tonight. I'm not sure what you would call this, but it turned out quite well. I simply threw together some ingredients I had in my cupboard that needed to be eaten. Don't you just love when dinners like this turn into staples that you can find comfort in time and time again? Find the "recipe" below...
Pumpkin Chicken with Saffron Couscous
1 chicken breast (frozen)
extra virgin olive oil
pumpkin seed oil (yes, I always seem to have this on hand)
port wine
handful of cherry tomatoes
handful of fresh mushrooms
handful of chopped cilantro (yes, a handful is an official form of measurement in my kitchen!)
pinch of sea salt
pinch of cracked black pepper
3/4 cup couscous
1-1/3 cup water
pinch of sea salt
pinch of saffron
garlic powder
chives
Pour a little EVOO in a saucepan. Add the frozen chicken and cook over medium heat. Add about 1/4 cup pumpkin seed oil and cover. Check on the chicken often, adding oil as needed. Once the chicken is almost cooked through (about 15 minutes), add mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, and about 1/4 cup of port wine. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Add cilantro and other spices.
For the couscous, bring water to a boil. Add couscous, cover, and remove from heat. Let the couscous sit for about 10 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy when lifted with a fork. Add spices and mix thoroughly.
That's it! Enjoy!
Until next time...greetings from the cottage. May this find you well.
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