FUNemployment here I come!!!

It's official! I have taken a new job, and I start March 6th.

I gave notice to my current job a week and a half ago and have 6 days left in my employment here. (Luckily, I get the President's Day holiday coming up.) So I will have a full week of funemployment!!! Woot woot!

Now, if you don't know what "fun"employment is, I will let the LA Times explain it to you.

And back to me...

I purposefully arranged to be off between jobs, so that I could get some things done. These are things that have been lingering in my apartment and my life that are slowly driving me batty.

THE LIST

1) Paint bathroom.

Some time ago, my husband and I removed the layers and layers of paint that were covering up out perfectly good tile in our bathroom. The saving grace was in most places the first layer on the time was... Marbled contact paper! The super plastic-y kind. So if you got a corner of that and peeled, pretty much all of the paint came off in one fell swoop. There was still some scraping involved, but we are finally done with that. Now we have to paint the room as the butter yellow (aka what passes as white in the apartment) looks even more hideous against the white tile. I have picked out a nice luminous white Benjamin Moore color, and will buy an appropriate bathroom paint.

2) Take items to Goodwill

I have been trying to get my husband to get rid of some of his things since I moved in. And since we got a storage unit, the remaining items stick out like sore thumbs. They have got to go! I have some things I'm getting rid of too. But I am much better at letting things go then my husband.

3) Sew napkins.

Several years ago, I was gifted placemats and napkins. They weren't exactly to my taste so I put them away with my other linens not sure what my long-term plan was for them. I've used the placemats since though they don't really fit my table. And I finally used the napkins this past Thanksgiving. They actually aren't so bad. They went from being GOLD to champagne with a wash and an iron. But I decided I needed proper napkins that match the decor and maybe the season (aka Christmas). With some of my Christmas money, I purchased two sets of fat quarters with the intention of sewing up some napkins. One set will be year-round, and one set is wintery/Christmasy that works in addition to the year-round set.

4) Make sewing plans

I haven't sewn anything or even purchased any sewing supplies (minus the napkin fabric) so far this year. I would like to spend the time planning some sewing projects, picking patterns and finding fabric, for things to be completed in the next few months. I would like to refrain from buying too much during a time when I won't be getting paid, but I just might buy some suiting cloth to make a pattern I bought last year.

5) Clean out... I don't know what. I had gotten distracted.

I want to edit this to read "Clean wedding dress and decide its fate." Originally I wanted to sell my wedding dress after I used it, but I obviously have done nothing with it for 2.5 years. So I intend to bust it out of its bag, give it a light cleaning, take pictures of it, then decide if I am selling it, storing it, and dismantling it. It's about time!

6) Purge unread magazines

Though my husband is the worse offender, I have recently stopped reading as many magazines so once did. So the magazines from my subscriptions are piling up. (I only subscribe to 3 magazines. But they come monthly.) I am going to flip through them, oldest to newest, and decide if I want to read any of them.

7) More sewing - aka finally mend or rework items

There are several (okay more than several) items sitting on a shelf in my closet that need trending to. These have to be fixed or leave the apartment. They are starting to make me feel guilty.

8) Scanning and shredding

Years ago, like when my husband first moved in with me, we bought this mini desktop feed scanner. And my husband brought with him a shredder. (From his studio. I don't know where he found the room.) The scanner was a great purchase because it is super versatile. But you have to have the time to scan YEARS worth of paperwork. Over two days of my Christmas vacation I was able to scan 1.5 years worth of documents. That's kind of a depressing rate. But I'm hoping to spend another chunk of time and get rid of some more.

9) And three smaller administrative tasks...

- Change the location of my prescription refill. I don't want to have to come all the way uptown if I don't have to...
- Zero inbox. My personal email boxes are in pretty good shape, but I'd like to move, store, save the emails that are sitting there waiting for "some day".
- Finish my on-boarding tasks. There aren't a whole lot left, but want to get them done sooner rather than later.

Design Inspiration from Instagram

This month's design post is a round up of all of the Instagram posts that have inspired me this February! Follow me @kelleyrietzke

Truth. Transparency. ✊As citizens, we have more power than we think. Our questions, our voices, and our shopping habits can have the power to change the fashion industry for the better. United, we are stronger. 💪 Join the #FashionRevolution and use your voice and power to call for greater transparency in the fashion industry, and to help improve the lives of the millions of people who make our clothes. www.fashionrevolution.org/donate

A post shared by Fashion Revolution (@fash_rev) on Jan 12, 2017 at 2:31am PST

💜Amethyst flower earrings 💜 #perfectgift #valentines #amethyst #diamonds #flowers #earrings #amethystearrings #february #birthstone

A post shared by Zwikker & Zacher (@zwikkerandzacher) on Feb 13, 2017 at 12:05pm PST

Meet the artists who broke all the rules. -- We’re counting down to 20th Century at Christie's in London, our extraordinary sale series dedicated to one of the most exhilarating periods in art history #Christies20thCentury -- Impressionist & Modern Art Evening Sale – 28 February, King Street, 19.00. The Art of the Surreal – 28 February, King Street, 19.00. Impressionist & Modern Works on Paper – 1 March, King Street, 10:30. Impressionist & Modern Art Day Sale – 1 March, King Street, 14.00. Impressionist & Modern Art – 3 March, South Kensington, 10:30. Picasso Ceramics – 24 February-7 March, Online. -- #art #artist #artists #painting #modernart #contemporaryart #20thcentury #christies

A post shared by CHRISTIE'S (@christiesinc) on Feb 13, 2017 at 1:07am PST

I wasn't too sure whether I liked this liberty of London fabric as it's a bit busy, but it turned out lovely for the amazing Tilly and the buttons Fifi set! 🌸 🌸 Take a peek at my blog post (link in bio) to find out more about the pattern and how I got on with it! . . . . . . . . #makersgonnamake #abmlifeiscolorful #thisismycommunity #creativelifehappylife #makers #fabricaddict #fabricshopping #flatlay #ilovetosew #ihavethisthingwithtextiles #fabricmakesmehappy #flashesofdelight #dowhatyoulove #colorstory #shared_joy #whistleandawhim #vintagestyle #makelightworkshops #thehappynow #petitejoys #simplepleasures #craftastherapy #libertyoflondonfabric #tillyandthebuttons #fifi #handmadewithlove #memadeeveryday #makelight #makelightbeautify

A post shared by Mel Thorley (@ditsytulip) on Feb 4, 2017 at 9:17am PST

The new home of Scandinavian antiques dealer @dienstanddotter designed by @johnpawson is a masterpiece of light and shadow. Photo by @anthonycotsifas

A post shared by Architectural Digest (@archdigest) on Feb 12, 2017 at 11:08am PST

E D U C A T E 🚨 #cloudyinspo #oscarwilde

A post shared by CLOUDY ZAKROCKI (@cloudy_z) on Feb 11, 2017 at 2:52am PST

The Oberholz Mountain Hut by @PeterPichler_Architecture and Pavol Mikolajcak features a complex structural interior that presents a fresh interpretation of the classic mountain hut. 📸: Oskar Dariz. @sandow

A post shared by Interior Design Magazine (@interiordesignmag) on Feb 11, 2017 at 10:22am PST

Blog Anniversary - Happy 8 Years to Me!!!

As of February 3rd, 2017, this blog has been around for 8 years! What?!?

Granted I haven't blogged consistently during that time, but it is amazing how I come back again and again. Every time with a different game plan.

Currently, I blog four times a month, and each post has a different topic. I have yet to figure out what specific topic would consistently energize and motivate me to post more often. But I am using the current plan to keep the blog alive (and improve my writing skills) while letting life determine it's contents.

Most anniversary posts have a run-down of the previous year's posts. I don't think there's anything so spectacular that needs to be shared twice, but I will document one accomplishment. I did post more often last year than previous four years! I think that is outstanding.

A shout-off to the people who are randomly ushered to the blog via a search engine. Thanks for coming 'round.

Cooking - The Great British Bake Off... Or Damn! I Am Behind the Times!

I know, I know… I am (very) late to the bandwagon that is The Great British Bake Off.

My friends were talking about it at a bridal shower last May. It sounded like sweet and pleasant TV watching. But instead of getting into, I instead started watching The Great British Sewing Bee. (Much more up my alley. I was just getting into sewing my own clothes. See the “crafts” or “sewing” tagged posts.)

What I liked most about the Sewing Bee was that the contestants were genuinely interested in and cared for their fellow contestants. American competition shows always play up any animosity between the competitors. It was refreshing to see that there are human beings out there who, even in a competitive environment, could still act like engaging, well-rounded, caring individuals. Whoa!

What finally got me into watching the Bake Off was Paul Hollywood’s episode of Desert Island Discs. He sounded personable and knowledgeable. It also was apparent that his relationship with Mary Berry probably made for good television. (She irons his shirts! WHAT?!? No matter… She’s the coolest grandmother ever! Plus those jackets! And the head to toe hot pink skirt suit!)

Then home alone one night, searching for something to watch, I recalled the episode and went hunting for some of The Great British Bake Off.

It was exactly what I had hoped for.

Beautifully baked treats. Judges who care to teach, and not belittle. Contestants who you really root for.

As I’ve gone through the seasons, I have even gotten my husband hooked. I started him on the first season’s bread episode. Now all he wants to do is make bread.

It’s funny but the thing I love most about The Great British Bake Off is the British-ness of it. Sometimes I have laughed out loud at things the contestants have said. Mostly because of how they said it!

I’m still several seasons behind, but it makes me sad that Mary Barry will not be returning for the new season of The Great British Bake Off.

Crafting - Crochet Cardigan

Woe is me! I just love to start a new hobby and just jump right in!

Instead of, you know, crocheting a scarf or blanket, I decided to start my crocheting journey with an oversized cardigan. In a complicated counted pattern. That is labeled as an intermediate pattern.

Yay!

See, it started last July. While in Germany, I went to a local department store and fell head over heels with their haberdashery department.

What?!? In a department store?!?

Seriously, we are missing out in the US. From what I've read on the internet, many other countries have haberdashery departments in their department stores. They sell everything else - why not fabric, thread, yarn and more?

Anyways, I came across a lovely dark teal wool yarn in one of the department stores and decided to go home and crochet a hat for this winter.

Well... I had several other projects I needed to get out of the way first so this took the back burner.

I did end up starting the hat, but I misjudged the yarn thickness and needle size compared to the pattern, so it is currently sitting in my nightstand as a UFO.

But, for this past Christmas, my mother-in-law bought me the most beautiful and softest dark teal (see a theme?) cashmere stockinette yarn. I had to find something to make right away!

Christmas haul with yarn at right

She sweetly provided me with a knitting pattern. But since knitting is not my thing, I needed to find a crochet pattern to consume all four skeins that she bought me.

Through Google, I rediscovered the blog onedogwoof. The blogger creates beautiful yet simple (though not always easy) patterns for all types of things. One day I will try to make one of her amigurumi patterns.

For this project, I settled on her Summer Diamonds Kimono Cardigan pattern.

Using my yarn, which is thinner than the yarn suggested, I got started with a hook I already owned.

I did have to adapt the sizing, and did so as directed in the instructions. But this was simple. I just stitched double foundation stitches until it matched the length of a cardigan I own and like, counted the stitches (using makeshift stitch markers aka paper clips), and then calculated the needed number of stitches just slightly higher than the number I already had. I ended up with 127 stitches.

I am now several rows into the pattern. It is moving SO much faster.

Progress... I'm further along now.

Things are getting exciting!

Money! Things I've Learned

Sometimes you have it. Sometimes you don't. Sometimes you can hold on to it. Sometimes you can't keep it in your grasp.

Out of all the things you can do with money, the one I know how to do best is spend it.

Not that I'm a shopping addict or a spendthrift. It's that for the longest time I didn't understand money and it's value in my life.

I come from a (upper) middle class family. My parents are divorced so expenses were higher then if we were a single household, but we still were in a good place. They could afford to send me to private school, own homes (they each had their own), and take vacations.

As far as I knew, there weren't any money worries. This allowed my parents to never talk with me about money. Sure, I was denied the odd whimsical "need". (No little girl "needs" all of the American Girl doll accessories.) But money was never outright talked about.

Savings, budgets, spending habits - these were all foreign to me until I graduated from college. And then it was too late.

I had managed to get myself into $70,000 into debt without doing anything. Aka getting a college education. Aka student loan debt.

I was highly encouraged to go to college. And not just any college - the best college! I wasn't told that doing so would cripple me financially for decades to come.

My undergraduate degree cost $40,000 a year. So, on the bright side, graduating with only $70,000 wasn't the worst possible outcome.

But I also wasn't told that my parents were relying heavily on an academic scholarship that I ended up losing. I wasn't told that my chosen major only makes a starting salary of $35,000 so it would take me ages to pay back my loans even if I lived like a monk. I wasn't told that paying at least some of the debt while still in school could greatly decrease the burden after school.

The misinformation (or lack of information) continued after college as well. I had some money – mostly graduation gifts – which I used to move to a new city. I knew I wanted to go to grad school, but instead of starting right away I got a job, for which I was underpaid. Within 6 months (shocking that this coincided with the end of the post-graduation grace period) I was way over my head. I started living paycheck to paycheck.

I had gone onto COBRA under my father’s health insurance (what a waste of money!). I had rented a one-bedroom apartment I could no longer afford. I could no longer afford the monthly transit card (which saves you money) because I never had that much cash in the bank at one time.

Now, I wasn’t starving. I had (and still have) a wonderfully supportive family who I could have turned to it things really went south. I had chosen to move to a new city where I had fewer professional connections.

But someone somewhere along this path could have talked me through it, could have educated me on the benefits and pitfalls of my decisions.

Now I know.

I still occasionally live paycheck to paycheck. But I’m no longer ignorant. I am no longer naïve, blind, or worried.

Now, I have a plan. Now, I pay down a little more of my debt each month. Now, I put any extra money towards the highest interest rate. Now, I am actually trying to find a new job with better pay so that I will be able to save more.

This year, buying Christmas gifts didn’t choke up my finances for months. I can take vacations. I have reasonably priced health insurance.

I still have over $80,000 in student loan debt (that’s what going to grad school does to your loans), plus credit card debt and other debts.

So what do I know now?

You will always have to pay rent and utilities.
Treat your credit score well.
Never overdraft. You pay out the nose for nothing. Literally nothing.
Just because lenders aren’t asking for all their money back right now, doesn’t mean they won’t come knocking on your door one day.
You want that house, those kids, that jewelry/boat/vacation/car? Well, they won’t come cheap.
Are you freelance? Pay your taxes! If quarterly isn’t often enough to keep you on track, pay monthly!
Do you have multiple jobs? Make sure that your tax burden is fully covered by your W-2s.

I pay bills twice a month. This cuts down on daily interest your debts might incur.
I pay more than the minimum payment on every debt every month, so that no interest becomes capitalized.
I put extra money on my highest interest loan. I’ve already knocked out two out of seven. (See next point.)
I work extra jobs and use that money to pay down my debts faster.
I have a set amount I pay towards my debts every month. When one is knocked out, I shift its payment to a different debt.

The Holidays by Design

Just wanted to share a few photos I took over the past month. Starting with the most recent at the top.

 Prospect Park after a recent snowfall. My husband finally got a good tripod for his 360-degree camera, so he wanted to take it out and see what kind of shots he could get of the snow. I tagged a long and took my own photos.

Prospect Park again, but from our favorite spot on Nethermead hill. I love the bare trees and ski trails in the snow. Most people were considerate and stuck to the path (even though you couldn't really see it) to preserve the pristine snow. We weren't so nice, but we did try to stick to the ski trails.

The St. Pauls's German Lutheran Church in Chelsea on Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve is a big deal in Germany, more so than Christmas Day. You go to church, have a large meal with your family, and open gifts. Christmas Day is for lounging and enjoying the day off. We followed up church service with a lovely dinner at Le Singe Vert.

Our tree at home. It's still up even though it's pretty far past the holiday season. One day left to enjoy it! Beautiful tree!

I hope you also had a lovely holiday season! Now to tackle 2017!

Food - Peruvian Chicken

You know those recipes that you are hesitant to try because you think there's no way it'll be that tasty or easy, or fulfill your urge to recreate a lovely restaurant meal?

Well, I had all of those thoughts when I came across this Peruvian Chicken recipe on The Woks of Life.

A little back story: Two Christmases ago I spent my honeymoon in Chile and Argentina. How does that connect to a Peruvian dish? Quite simply!

Our flight landed in Santiago early in the morning, 5am or so. By the time we got our luggage, got through security, and arranged for a cab (and to pay with a credit card, which isn't common there), we made it to our bed and breakfast around 8am. It was only upon arrival that we realized that we didn't tell the owner that we would be arriving early! Oops!

He was very considerate and let us use a different room until our room became available at 2pm. We were able to nap and shower, then we headed out to explore.

Around 5pm, we were back at the B&B exhausted. After trekking around a new city, in a different time zone, and on airplane sleep, we decided to call it a day. We just wanted somewhere simple to eat dinner and go to bed.

The owner started recommending restaurants throughout the neighborhood. And when we started a preference to stay close, he said we had to go to the Peruvian restaurant around the corner, because "Peruvians have the best food." The sentiment we heard multiple times while in Chile.

I can safely say that the roast chicken my husband and I shared that night was the best one I've ever had. Ever.

Now, about this recipe...

Unfortunately, it does not match up to that chicken. And I will never be able to recreate it. I just wasn't focused enough to document what I liked so much about it. Though I'd bet it had something to do with sour orange.

But this is some of the best chicken I've made in my kitchen!!! I made two chicken breasts, one for each of us. I normally make one and butterfly it into two. But I was feeling lazy, so whole breasts it was.

Also, I would eyeball which piece is bigger and serve that to my husband. This time we didn't pay attention to the plates and I got served the larger piece of chicken. I was worried I wouldn't eat it all.
This wasn't a problem at all! Once I took a bite I couldn't stop eating it! And I was sad there wasn't anymore left when I was done. I wanted more!

Changes I made: None! Well, besides using chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken. And deseeding the jalapeno. I was worried the dish would be too spicy with the jalapeno, cilantro, and red pepper. But it was so tasty! Super flavorful!

Note: Recipe photos are provided by The Woks of Life. Photos of Santiago are mine. Please give credit where credit is due.

Crafts - Monthly Update

I'm working on several long standing projects. Trying to get some things crossed off the long "list of things to complete".

Cross stitch Christmas gift

Last month I said I had "finished" it because I had taken it out of the hoop. But once I did, I realized two things. 1) It was incredibly dirty. I had traveled multiple times with it, including two times to the beach, so there a build up of grime. And 2) I had missed a couple of bits. The hands on the clock face. What?!? And my signature...

Granted, I hadn't designed a signature when I finished the piece, but I took some time the other day and thought one up. In order to get the letters to stand out from each other, I intend to stitch each in a different color pulled from the stitched design. My application of this to the gift wasn't as successful as I had hoped. I was worried about scale and did it as small as possible. This didn't end up working with the scale of the design.

You live and you learn. I intend to do it bigger possibly all the time, unless I do one of those micro hoops.

Unselfish sewing

There isn't a current sewing project, though my husband has been on me to replace the zipper on his winter coat. I have never done a zipper before, so I'm a bit hesitant. But I did agree to it, so I might attempt it this weekend.

Once I do that, I can start on a blouse I've had in a project bag for a couple months. And I also have a dress that has fallen apart on me (Forever21, should I be surprised?) that I want to remake into a work top. It was the dress I wore to my Polterabend so it has a bit of sentiment attached.

Patch up a knit sweater

Now I don't knit. There's something about the two needles that I have great difficulty with. But, I purchased a Theory cashmere sweater from swap.com (I highly recommend it, though make sure to look at the "condition".) and decided that the fit didn't quite work for me. The sweater has a cowl neck with the buttons at the shoulder, and two buttons wasn't enough coverage and three buttons was too much coverage. So I decided to stitch a line between the two. That was the easy part. The sweater also draped really wide at the bottom (at the hips, I don't know what the designer was thinking), so I picked the stitching from the side. (The thread is also cashmere. Had to save it.) Now I need to restitch the side into a straight down seam. This requires a very small crochet hook and lots of patience. I started to have a go at it over Thanksgiving weekend, but have since let it wallow in a project bag by my bed. If I don't finish it soon, winter will be over and I will have no chance to wear it.

Crochet a winter hat

Over the summer, I picked up two skeins of a beautiful dark teal yarn in Germany, knowing full well that I wanted to make a hat with it. About two months ago, I found a basket-weave hat pattern on Red Heart. Once I figured out how to start in the round, it was good going until I realized it looked more like I was making a flat doily instead of a hat. Plus I wasn't sure if it was going to be the right size! I used a yarn that is bigger than the recommended, but I also did fewer stitches. Road block! I need to take a moment and figure out if someone has a solution online. Maybe when I am done writing this.

Cross stitching my Christmas cards

The best idea I ever had!!!

NOT!!!

I had a grand idea that I should cross stitch 2" by 2" sized winter animals and machine stitch the panel onto my Christmas cards. Trust me, they would have been adorable! But, I had the idea in June. Bought the supplies in October. Started the stitching beginning of November. Not enough time to stitch 40+ animals, then assemble the cards, for the December 9th international mailing date. Should have started stitching in June, but that's also when I had the idea for my friend's gift and that seemed more important.

The solution is - I took the animal designs fleshed them out in Photoshop so they look like actual stitches and not like colored squares with symbols in them. I will print these out high quality onto the blank cards with a greeting underneath. These will be my Christmas cards. Not nearly as handy, but lovely non-the-less. Though I haven't actually tried to print the design on cardstock yet. Biting of fingernails is commencing. Ugh...

Finances - Retirement

So I jumped into the retirement fund game!

I did some research on Stash and discovered a whole new market of robo-advisors. A robo-advisor is an online investment service. A person does not directly manage your account, so robo-advisors are able to offer investment services at significantly lower costs than traditional investment firms. Stash is just one of many.

I read lots of articles and lots of reviews, and narrowed a long list to one - WiseBanyan.

The fees are low, and the initial investment cost was doable. So far so good. The only downside (which Stash and others do allow you to do) is that there isn't a lot of flexibility in what you get invested in. They do, as most investment firms (robo- or not) do, have you fill out investment related questions to figure out an ideal risk factor for your account. Also, I signed up for a retirement milestone IRA so they will automatically redistribute my risk as I age and/or as my account increases in value. Another thing that I liked about WiseBanyan, that Stash and a few other robo-investors allow you to do, was that you buy fractional shares of investment shares. So if you have $5 or $5,000 you can still invest, unlike with most traditional investment firms.

So far so good!

I experienced a nice bump up of my initial investment after the election, but it has since leveled off. Oh the joy! Oh the sadness! of investing experienced in one week.

So you are aware, this represents a fluctuation of total value of $1 or so. I didn't go from $1,000 at the lowest to millions at the highest... I wish!

DISCLAIMER #1 - I am not a certified financial planner. All information presented in this post is my personal opinion and experience. Please do your own research before making important financial decisions with your own money.

DISCLAIMER #2 - I have not been paid to discuss either service - Stash or WiseBanyan. There are a ton of different robo-advisers providing similar services. As you will have different needs than I do, it is important that you do your own research before choosing an investment firm.

Interior design - Beacon Theater

This weekend was jam packed with activities. I was here, there, everywhere.

The highlight of the weekend was watching the NYC Marathon, but that has nothing to do with interiors or design. Only empathy, sympathy, and love. It was an amazing year, especially given the current political climate.

Anyways... the second best thing I did this weekend was go see Trevor Noah live. He was filming a comedy special at the Beacon Theater as part of NY Comedy Fest. It was a blast! He's an incredibly smart and funny (and attractive) man. He's not the type of comic who just throws jokes at you; he's also politically minded (he's the current host of Comedy Central's The Daily Show). So he takes time to set up his jokes, and also they come from a pretty serious place. Sometimes you wonder where he's taking you, but it's always worth it! I haven't laughed that much in a while!!!! Also, he's a great mimic and clearly so comfortable the stage. If you have a chance to see him live, I'd highly recommend it.

But about the interiors... the Beacon Theater is one of the most gorgeous music halls I've been in. It was clearly lovingly restored. The ornate detail was breathe taking. I missed out on getting a photo of the lobby walls and entrance, but I will see what I can find online. Otherwise, enjoy the shots I was able to get.

View from our seats on the 1st Balcony

Decoration around side doors

View of side of theater showing murals

Ceiling decoration under 2nd balcony

Ceiling of theater

Cooking - Chicken Teriyaki

I imagine that every one of you has one - a smell memory. One so strong that as soon as you get a whiff, it takes you back to an exact moment - from your childhood, holidays, celebrations, everyday life.

I have a few. Mostly associated with food, but some not. I can still remember the scented packets my mom would put in the linen closet. Every time you opened those doors or snuggled up in your flannel sheets for the first time that winter, your head filled with the scent. I'd call it miscellaneous floral, but I'm sure there was one particular scent packet my mom purchased. She's very particular... I don't know where I get it from.

This last week I had the oddest scent memory experience.

I was in need of an Asian recipe for dinner, and I have a real craving for noodles. So I searched Google for "Asian stir fry noodle", and it came up with a few suggestions. I filed the rest of them, but the one I choose to make was Teriyaki Chicken Noodle Bowl by Damn Delicious.

Oh my god...

I was making my way through the recipe, and I had just added the sauce and some chicken broth to thin. And BAM! I was back in high school in line for Thursday's teriyaki bowl. Standing in line, laughing with friends, easy-going times. The smell was dead on. I had to immediately text my best friend from high school.

Now to clarify, this recipe more than out-matched the one from my high school cafeteria, but the smell immediately took me back. It provoked such a powerful memory response that was completely unexpected. I could have stood there and reminisced for hours.

But about the recipe - it was, as the blog suggests, "damn delicious."

There were a few things I changed for convenience sake. Never will my local supermarket carry Yaki-Soba noodles, so I substituted packets of dry ramen. You could never find a more economical way to procure Asian noodles. Cook as directed on the packaging, just don't use the seasoning packet.

Also, I did not marinade the chicken at all. I didn't have the time. Not even the minimum 30 minutes the author suggests. Instead, I added some of the sauce while the chicken was cooking, then added the rest when I combined everything together.

The third thing I changed was more by accident. I forgot to add the 1 cup of water to the sauce. Since this helps with the consistency, I did need to add chicken broth later on.

This is definitely going on the recipe rotation. Asian night will never be the same.

*Images by Damn Delicious.

Crafts - Monthly Progress

So I FINALLY made solid strides on my projects!

The green dress is done! I did some additional stitching while wearing the dress for the second time, but I finished it for wearing a couple of weeks ago. I've discovered that one of the armholes is a bit tight on the side I had to take more out of the chest. I think I should have adjusted the back darts then the front princess seams to even out the correction. Otherwise, it's outstanding. Super comfortable and survived a dinner out with friends. (I usually get nauseous and/or very bloated when out with friends. Stress and anxiety mixed with rich foods and alcohol...)

Also "finished" my friend's cross-stitch gift. I still need to do the hands on the face of the clock. (Totally forgot until a day ago.) And wash and block it. It's amazing how dirty it got. Granted it went to the beach twice, upstate once, and sits in my Brooklyn apartment that always has a layer of soot on everything. I will also need to frame it before gifting.

Now onto Christmas cards and fixing the zipper on my husband's coat. He's become demanding...

Finances - Investing for the Future

A new ad in the NYC subway is for Stash - an investment app.

Now, I have done absolutely no research into what this app purports to do or if it's good at it, but it did get me thinking.

If you've read this blog in any depth, you know that my finances are in a constant state of siege. My debt is significantly more than my income (thank you student loans!) so I don't have a lot of money left at the end of the day. Because of this I have no current investments aimed for the future.

I was wondering if there was a way to easily buy into investment funds and packages. I need low entry costs aka my initial investment, like $10, and no/low fees because when you only have $10 fees are just as important as when you have millions.

I started some research, and I'll see what I find. Hopefully something somewhere that will make me feel like I will have at least two pennies to rub together in retirement.

Modern Done Right - Andrew Franz

The other day while browsing (more like surfing) the internet, I came across Andrew Franz architecture firm. I was really blow away with the firm's work. It produces a lovely mix of contemporary architecture and livable interior design. This is what modern spaces should look like. Swoon!

Image by: Albert Vecerka/Esto

Cooking - Mexican Night

Cleaning out my fridge the other day, I found a still good Tupperware of a sauce. I thought it was a marsala paste I use for a lentil dish, so I immediately put it on the menu for that night.

But it wasn't the masala paste! Instead it was a chipotle-orange marinade. I didn't realize my mistake until halfway through cooking, so I ended up having to wing the lentil dish. (It was good, but not as delicious as the original.)

Then, since I had this leftover marinade, I needed to put it on the menu.

And a new

was born!

MEXICAN NIGHT

I marinaded approximately 1 pound of pork tenderloin in the 4 ounces marinade. Before grilling it on my grill pan. My supermarket still had corn, so I boiled that. Then as a second side, I figured I'd look in the rice aisle for a boxed Mexican or Spanish rice. What I found was Carolina rice and black beans.

What solidified it for me was a recipe on the back of the packet. They were instructing you how to make a southwestern soup with the rice and beans. The recipe called for lots of broth, vegetables, and salsa. Salsa! What if I made the rice as usual and added a little salsa for some southwestern flair?!?

My husband, "Oh, this is great!"

That's about as effusive as it gets my household.

Move over fajitas, Mexican Rice and Beans are a new favorite!

Crafts - Monthly Progress

Not much progress, seeing as this post is weeks late...

But yesterday I had the day off from work for Yom Kippur, so I had an opportunity to work on my latest sewing progress.

The dress went from being a mostly completed bodice and skirt to a dress!

I had to sew up the sides of the bodice with the ties sewn in (which I had to do twice), attach the bodice to the skirt which I almost did without hemming the front edges of the skirt, and obviously hemmed the front edges of the skirt.

All that is remaining is hand-sewing the remaining opening between the bodice and skirt, hemming the bottom of the skirt, and sewing some snaps.

Can't wait to wear it!!!

Money - Financial Savvy

Here I am making incremental progress on getting rid of my various types of debt. I'm trying to be good - spending my money wisely, paying the right bills at the right times, ever conscious of my income.

But, time to time, I slip up.

It starts with living in NYC, where everything is more expensive. Buying lunch a couple of days a week will kill a good budget. Needing a last minute gift for a friend, plus dinner and drinks out, will derail you for a month, if not longer.

Luckily, I have finally gotten over the first hurdle. I have eliminated just enough of my debt that it isn't strangling me, just incredibly heavy. And I've been able save just enough that if I have an emergency purchase, I won't be eating ramen for week(s).

But this last week, I still found myself in the danger zone. I had over-committed my dollars. So when I got to the 7th, I already had no cash left. I needed my next paycheck, badly. But had to wait until the 15th to get the cash injection.

This is where having even the tiniest savings account helps out, as well as having a linked line of credit. I was able to use a little bit of savings and a smaller bit of credit to get by. (I paid off the credit the next day, when I got my paycheck. I still need to set up a savings program to refill my savings.)

Two things I'm doing in the long run to keep this from happening again:

1) My husband and I are reconfiguring our bill paying.

I'm moving from paying the rent and utilities from my account to our joint account with both of us transferring a monthly sum to the pot. This will help me by making my variable budget amounts into fixed amounts. I will know exactly how much I'm spending each month every month in bills.

This also allows me to reconfigure my bills entirely. I have set aside a certain amount of money each pay period for paying down debt. And I recently cleared one debt so I had set new amounts almost across the board. Now that I ran into this "glitch" I will reexamine and reset the amounts so that I don't encounter this again.

Better budgeting makes for better finances.

2) Cooking smarter dinners and bringing lunch to work.

I started cooking more and specifically bringing lunch to work more often. I was really in the groove for a while there, bringing lunch 4 times a week, with a treat day once a week. But I've been so busy that cooking was infrequent, let alone making sure there was enough left over for lunch. But now I'm making it a priority again. So far, so good.

Experiencing Architecture - Inside a Synagogue

I had a new experience last week. I went into a synagogue for the first time.

I had arranged to attend a talk given by an author I admire. He discussed his new book and writing. It was an interesting talk and I will definitely be picking up his new book, when it is in paperback.

But really sparked my interest was the space. I had never been inside if a synagogue before. I've been to German Lutheran churches, Protestant churches, Catholic churches, nondenominational churches, and more than a few other religious buildings. But never a synagogue.

This one was clearly a 20th century structure that was being renovated piece by piece. It faced the street corner in an inviting way. The interior was like a piece of pie with the seating and balcony radiused out from the center pulpit (I don't know what they are called in Judaism).

On both of the side walls, there was one large stained glass and one smaller. Thanking my Christian upbringing and design education, I was able to identify both Old Testament stories depicted in the larger windows even though one of the windows is really dark.

Moses in the river

Can you tell what this is?
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Adam after eating the apple

It was really lovely being in a religious building that I wasn't familiar with. I have always been very interested in other cultures and religions. Once at Easter, I was there only one to attend Easter mass with my friend's mother. (My friend didn't even come along!) I think this interest in the structures that religions build is also spurred by my general interest in architecture. I love seeing how a physical space can reflect an ideology (corporate, religious, or otherwise).

I also know first hand how a space can affect your experience of it. One of my favorite religious spaces is the LA Cathedral. Down the street from the Disney theater designed by Frank Gehry, the Cathedral is the opposite in every way. The Cathedral has a feeling of being built up over time by the sands, with the inside like a dark cave that opens up to a light filled cavern. This experience is very reflective of the Christian belief system.

I didn't get that level of connection to the synagogue, but you could still feel the spirituality and history. It was a lovely experience.

Jewish school across from Synagogue

Another interior shot

Cooking - Vegetarian Night

Sometimes I know exactly what I want to make for dinner. Other nights I succumb to laziness and ask my husband what he wants for dinner. Normally, his response is generic. "Meat." Which equates to chicken breast in our house. Or maybe a turkey burger. Or he says "Pasta".

The other night my husband requested "something veg" for dinner. Since the end of last year, he has been more conscious about the amount of animal products he consumes, so this has become a more common request.

It's also a request I find easier to fill in the winter, as I have several very good vegetarian lentil stew-type recipes.

But, it's summer, I don't want to use the oven, and I had no idea what to make.

This is when Pepperplate comes to the rescue.

A while ago, I was searching the internet for a specific recipe. I had some combination of ingredients in mind and wanted a recipe follow. This happens to me a lot. So I ended up finding all these recipes that sounded good, but didn't quite fit the bill. And to save all that research, I put the best of the lot into Pepperplate.

And one of those recipes came in handy.

Scrolling through my list of recipes, I came across Spaghetti with Asparagus, Shiitake Mushrooms, Lemon, and Chives. It was perfect. I wasn't really looking for a pasta recipe, but, since our usual response to vegetarian is our standard pasta, it isn't shocking that it's what I settled on.

Now a few changes I made:

• I don't ever have shiitake mushrooms. Without going horribly out of my way, I wouldn't know where to get them. But I did have half a carton of regular white button mushroom in my fridge. Those would have to do.
• Also, my husband dislikes when his food is too lemony. (Ignoring his homemade lemonade, which even I think isn't sweet enough.) So, there was no way I was going to include lemon juice and peel. I only used the juice.

Things I made a point to stick to:

• I did buy vegetable stock and chives for the recipe. The vegetable stock was worth it. It provides a color and earthy flavor that you can't get from other broths. The chives weren't as important. Maybe I didn't add enough, or my chives weren't as fresh (read: flavorful) as they should have been, but they didn't add much in terms of flavor.
• I don't always follow cooking directions to a T, but this time I stuck pretty closely to the original directions. The dish turned out great, so I wouldn't do anything differently next time.
• The butter is also crucial. Definitely use it (mixed with oil as per the directions) to cook the mushrooms AND use it to thicken the sauce at the end. Nothing but real butter - I use unsalted - will do.

The result? We will definitely make this again. We ended up eating the whole pot, which usually happens with vegetarian posts. It was tasty, tasty, tasty.

Craft - August Progress

Here's the San Francisco cross stitch.

I haven't made much progress on it in the last few days, but I'm nearing the finish line.

On the sewing front, I started work on a dark green dress for work. I am using Simplicity 8137 View B. I previously made View A in a colorful floral for this year's summer weddings. The fabric for this new make is a forest green 100% cotton broadcloth I bought from onlinefabricstore.com. It'll be perfect for work. Stockings and boots in the winter, sandals in the summer.

I've only just cut out the pieces. I cut out a size 14 skirt and graded from a size 10 bust to a size 14 waist for the bodice. I'm not going to do the sleeves. I haven't gotten to that skill yet. Plus, I don't have a lot of fitted sleeves in my wardrobe. I bother me a bit when wearing. Normally if I need to cover my arms, I throw on a cardigan.

I'm hoping this will take me just a week to sew.

Fire Island - Weekend Getaway

Since our vacation was nice but not truly relaxing, my husband and I decided to do a late summer weekend beach getaway.

Every year, we go out to Fire Island at the end of the season. Like the last weekend of the season. AKA mid-October. It is usually gray and cool, not really swimsuit weather, but boy is it quiet. And sometimes getting out of NYC only means finding a place where you can go 24 hours without hearing a siren.

Fire Island is a beautiful place at any time of year. It's just harder to get to outside of the summer season.

This year we needed some beach time - swimsuits, ocean dips, and sunscreen - so we opted to go earlier, mid-August.

Last weekend was perfect. The weather was lovely and bright, just slightly hot. The only rain was when we had to switch from the train to the taxi. (It always rains when we get off of the train. It's a running gag.) And also when we were already heading home.

Beach side homes. Rumor has it (from information we gathered last October) the government is seizing/buying the beachfront homes in order to build up a larger dune, so that the rest of the island will be protected in the event there is another Superstorm Sandy.

Clear blue skies and the water was ideal. Cold, but not too cold. Perfect for a dip after some sunbathing.

Some bathers enjoying (or sharing) the view.

View from the ferry as we left the island. We'll be back soon!

We weren't sure if we were going to, but we decided to book again for this October. It is one of the most relaxing places. And being there for the last weekend of the season has its own charms.

Money - Step Two: How to Get More of It

If you happened to read my first post on my finances then this will make sense to you. If not, read it here.

I'm going skip step one for the moment and move into step two - Earn More.

Idea ONE

About a year ago, I was approached by a guy I was friendly with in my industry with an interesting job offer. This wasn't full time employment but still something very exciting. I followed up with him on this offer, and it turned out he was serious! So over the course of a month or so I hammered out the details - how much time it would take, what my capabilities actually were, and some of the legal ramifications.

Then, there was silence. This coincided with my accepting full time employment in a slightly different industry, so I thought he felt a little abandoned.

The other day, I was scrolling through my personal design email address. And there were a bunch of emails from this guy's company (I'm on the mailing list), and it turns out that they were filmed for a TV show. Now, I'm taking a different look at the whole situation. I think that he was just too busy to broker two completely new deals at the same time. Adding in my jumping ship, he probably thought that it was a better choice to go with the TV show. And I don't disagree.

But now that I'm steady on my feet and he's out of TV land, I'm going to reach back out to him. You never know.

Idea TWO

A newer idea I have had was to branch out of Interior Design and try my hand at copyediting.

I have always been interested in literature and writing. And I envision having a career as a interiors magazine editor is the BEST JOB EVER. But the extreme downside is the notoriously low pay that is common in the publishing industry.

The current interest has a different bent. First, I have been educated in the different roles each type of editor plays in the creation of a written document. Who knew I have been copyediting my entire life?!? I am that person who can spot an out-of-place comma a mile away. Or transposed letters - Ack! the bane of my existence. Or a document that has clearly been translated into English and not well. *lots of head shaking*

Second, the pay is less bothersome, because I would only be doing this on the side as a freelance gig.

But to begin I would need some sort of education. As much as I have a natural affinity to the job, I have no formal training, minus an above-average high school education. To get someone to trust me enough to pay me the going rate, I would need something, anything to back me up.

I have found an online certificate program (from a legit university) that isn't that expensive, but is still more than I would want to spend on a side gig. I signed up for their free introductory course, sort of, in hopes that it would discourage me from continuing a fantasy about editing. I have also started research on professional study scholarships. I even discussed this with a friend in publishing, and she suggested that I go ahead as she is certain I'm a great fit for the position.

Now, none of this has produced any sort of income for me as of yet. And this whole post is of no value unless it does eventually put money in the bank. So wish me luck. I will stopping writing blog posts and start writing essays for scholarship applications.

*** Postscript ***

There is also talk about finding a new full time job, in order to up the life satisfaction level, so I will also be writing a new cover letter. And updating my resume. What fun! Put those editing skills to the test.

Design - Apartment Redesign

This is an unsolicited redesign I did of a client's apartment. She wanted to do as little update as possible, so her scope of work only included redoing the kitchen and bathrooms. (And they needed it.)

But when I was looking at the plans, and knowing that the best time to do a full overhaul is when you aren't living in the space, I knew there was a better layout. So I drew up plans for a more extensive renovation.

This is the existing floor plan. This is a circa 1920s building so there are a lot of small closets. This also was at one time a studio apartment (the Master Bedroom/Home Office) and a one bedroom apartment. They were combined some time in the late 80s-early 90s.

The most important change is the expansion of the Kitchen, eliminating the Foyer. The original Kitchen is incredibly narrow and dark, so I would suggest replacing the cabinets on the south wall with 18" cabinets instead of the usual 24" and extend them to the entry hall opening. This means there is no lost storage. The working counter becomes the north side with a peninsula looking out over the Living Room.

I removed the walls that divided off the Living Room in order to expand the space. I would then use it as a combined Living Room/Dining Room.  Since I removed the Living Room walls, I reshaped the Vestibule to the Bathroom and Bedroom. This provides a delineation between the owner-used parts of the apartment and the guest quarters.

The closets in the bedroom are combined to provide additional storage. I also combined the Entry closets and moved the back wall to the correct location allowing for additional long-term storage. The Master Closet has also been expanded and the door relocated to allow for maximum storage. The Library has been opened up with the removal of the nib walls. The step and dividing wall separating it from the Master Bedroom are structural and cannot be removed.

I think this means you end up with a significantly more usable space that is better defined.

Design - Not Much Doing

Since I switched jobs from strictly interior design to construction management, my exposure to new, interesting, and beautiful design has dwindled greatly. I have to go out of my way to even see any attempt at a design. Before, I was bombarded with lighting, furniture, spaces - and now, nothing.

I am thinking of getting a new job - one more closely connected to the design industry - just so that I get that exposure. It is the one thing I really do miss.

I'll write a real post about design later, but it took me four days to even think of something to write about. That is the desert I'm in.

Food - Knockoff Whole Foods Orzo Salad

When I first started taking German lessons (Ich spreche ein bisschen Deutsch.), the classes were Saturday afternoons. For the first few classes, I kept waking up at my usual time, make an egg dish or waffles for breakfast, then look up and realize I had to rush out the door to class. I would be STARVING by the time I got out of class at 5pm. I eventually changed my morning routine, but before I did I would rush after class to Whole Foods in Union Square to get some lunch. But it couldn't really be lunch or something so large I wouldn't want dinner, it had to be a satisfying snack.

Enter the Orzo Salad at Whole Foods. That salad is perfect. Just wonderful mix of flavors, the sharp red onion, bitter parsley, creamy feta, and briny olives. Mmmmmm...

And I felt so silly buying a small container of it and scarfing it down on the train. Sometimes buying two when my hunger got the best of me in the market.

Just now while looking for recipes for dinner tonight, I stumbled upon a knockoff recipe, though it sounds like Whole Foods' recipe is a knockoff of another market's recipe.

Now I can eat it all the time, and avoid the ridiculous lines and nasty customers at Whole Foods (the staff is generally friendly there, but the customers... ugh...). Hooray!

My Favorite To-Do List Managers

While talking recently with a women who is just starting out in her career in construction, she mentioned that she had quite a to do list and that she was always worried that items would slip through the cracks. I had to help her out.

I spend probably too much time compiling lists. I always have at least one notebook on hand. Well, two actually. One for personal, and one for work. I use these to track activities that need to be done in the short term. I also have two applications that help me manage more far reaching items, like cleaning the curtains (personal) or invoicing clients (work).
I ended up sending her an email suggesting three different to-do list managers. What I sent her is below.

**All of these allow you to separate tasks by project and allow for sub-groups as well. They also allow you to set a repeating date and get a reminder, though some are more flexible than others.**

Todoist - it's available pretty universally (android, iphone, mac, pc), and it has a nice interface. What I like most is that it has a stand-alone desktop application. I use this in my personal life.
todoist.com 

ticktick - also available on most devices though the website leaves something to be desired. I installed it as a Chrome extension so that I have ready access to it. So instead of just opening ticktick straight from the desktop like you can with Todoist, you have to open the internet first. If you use the app on your phone, it has a calendar feature that isn't available on the internet version. I use this at the office.
ticktick.com

Astrid - this one is great because you can also time your activities, so that you know how long things actually take you. The company was bought by Yahoo, so they no longer support the app. But there is a different version that uses the same code. I used this at my old job, when speed was an important part of task completion.
play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.tasks&hl=en