The Mister and I were recently invited over to dinner with our friends, Laura and Jake, who just so happen to be as gracious and well-versed in the kitchen as they are good-looking. Seriously, when you meet them, it's hard not to be overwhelmed by the incredible duo of attractiveness. Even the Mister, after he met Jake for the first time, was all like, "Whoa, now that's a good-looking dude." I have never before and never again heard the Mister comment on any man's looks if that's any testament. 

Besides good genes, Laura and Jake are wicked fit and subscribe to a Paleo lifestyle which is essentially a whole-foods based diet that includes lean meats and fish, plenty of vegetables, some fruit and good fats like nuts, avocadoes and coconut oil. It is gluten-free, dairy-free (for most)and free of legumes and grains. Some call it the caveman diet and others call it rather extreme. It's actually not so far off from the diet that the Mister and I subscribe to (although more meat than I tend to eat) and it most definitely seems to be working for our friends. 

I was eager to dine in their primal kitchen.  

Suffice to say, there was not an empty belly or disappointed soul to be found after dinner that night. Before dinner, we snacked on  bacon wrapped dates, the perfect combination of sweet and salty. The bacon was nitrate-free, of course.  For the main meal, Jake made a local, grass-fed beef brisket with an amazing dry rub of cocoa, chile, coffee and cumin along with roasted purple sweet potatoes and the rock star side and reason for this post, Brussel Sprout Slaw. That shizz was soooo good. 

The recipe came out  of this book, which also happens to be bible for many die-hard Paleo folks.  It all starts with bacon which means there's really nowhere for this dish to go but up. 

See that sizzle. That becomes the love nest for our brussel sprouts. The recipe calls for a half-pound of bacon, cooked and cut into small dice, then set aside. 

A pound of mature brussel sprouts are shredded into slaw-like pieces, about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. You can use the food processor, but I like to hand-cut mine. It's all zen and stuff. 

Then, the shredded sprouts are sauteed with all the sizzly leftover bacon love  until they are bright green and soft. 
Like so...

The sauteed slaw is then reunited with the diced bacon, chopped scallions and a tangy dijon-apple cider dressing. 
If the bacon is Cher, this dressing is Sonny.  

From Paleo Comfort Foods: 
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons apple-cider vinegar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper (or more to taste) 

Whisk all ingredients together and pour over the slaw. 

The original recipe called for toasted pecans which I left out. Variations could be anything from the addition of crunchy apples to toasted walnuts and chunks of blue cheese (not Paleo).  If swine isn't your thing, use your favorite oil to sautee the brussel sprouts and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. 

Served warm, the combination of flavors is hard to beat.  See that bowl right there. I ate the whole thing after I took photos of it. It is definitely in my "I'll bring a dish" arsenal. Thanks to our friends Laura and Jake for sharing their home and their primal kitchen with us. It was inspiring and delicious! 

I found these postcards last week while adventuring  with one of my favorite blogging buddies at one of my most treasured antiques spots, the Depot at Gibson Mill . My upcoming nuptials are just a short eight months away and I've been on the lookout for vintage bits and pieces to incorporate into my rustic, vintage-themed wedding.

My visits to the Depot usually amount to me wandering aimlessly for about three to four hours "ooing" and "ah-ing"  at a million different things before walking off with items that have nothing to do with my intended purpose like a Turkish Kilim rug or turquoise office chair and a copy of Eddie Murphy's "Party All The Time."  However, I am happy to report that my office is shaping up quite nicely! 

This time, though,  I stumbled upon these charming postcards of old-school couples and decided to bring them home and add them to the growing collection of wedding odds and ends. A few of these postcards carried hand-written sentiments that dated as far back as 1906 which I thought was pretty neato. Some of these will be peppered throughout my wedding decor and one of these images made its way onto our Save the Dates. Can you guess which one? 

I'll be posting those next week, so you'll have to wait and see. Happy Wednesday! 

Dear Booty, I dedicate this post to you...

I’ve always had some junk in the trunk, my whole life. I had a small waist, dark hair and a BOO-TAY!  As a young girl, it baffled me and I spent a good portion of my childhood wishing for narrow boy-like hips, fair skin, blonde hair and a normal name like the rest of my playground companions. 

Instead, I had dark hair, a weird “made-up” name and a big butt.  At the age of ten I was one of the first to shave my legs because my hair was so dark and more visible than my schoolmates and I was self-conscious about it. My grandmother shaved my legs on the back porch with an Epilady, a modern torture device, which essentially ripped the virgin hair from my legs follicle by follicle. My grandmother thought I wanted to grow up too fast. I just didn't want to be different. 

I can remember, too, cringing with awkward embarrassment every time my mother shouted my full name into the cul-de-sac  at dinner time.

“Keia Calei Mastrianni!!”  I hated that. 

I was different. I was always different. Adopted from South America, I had Latina DNA coded for curves.  I was born in Santiago, Chile not Ohio or Wisconsin or some other place that made cheese and Anglican girls. I was always disappointed on road trips when I couldn’t find my name on the touristy rack of plastic keychains that sold to girls with names like Katie, Susan and Sarah.

You know what I wanted my name to be? Elizabeth.  Yes, Elizabeth.  Today, it sounds so milky-white and boring but, at the time, it sounded so normal and nice and, in my pre-adolescent brain, it was a name fit for a princess.  

As I grew older, I began to relate more with the Fly Girls on In Living Color and less with my Barbie dolls and the blonde girls that I admired in school. I can remember J. Lo bursting onto the scene wearing a gold-scripted necklace with her name on it and proudly sporting her big ol’ booty.  I had a gold scripted necklace too. It was gift given to me by my godmother when I was born and it had my name on it.

At 23, I had an epiphany. I was 123 pounds, the thinnest I had ever been, a P.Y.T. going out to the club in low-rise jeans and midriff shirts and yet, my backside  never changed shape or disappeared.  My derriere was a permanent fixture and part of what made me, Me! I began to embrace my God-given curves.

These days, I’m proud to have a caboose.  Two fine hams in the back of my pants. My lady lumps power me uphill when I’m training for a marathon and they are my ally during an intense Crossfit workout.  It’s why Sir Mix-A Lot was like poetry back in the day and why I still love this song with all my heart.

My curves used to embarrass me as a child. I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t made like all the other girls. Today,  I wouldn’t have it any other way. My curves are my gold-scripted necklace with my name on it.  It’s who I am.  It’s funny too. The most common thing I hear when the catcalls come is, “Where are you from?” I’m guessing they know it’s not Ohio or Wisconsin or some other place that makes cheese and Anglican girls.

 Do you have a feature or part of you that made you feel different growing up? What parts of you do you love today that you didn't in the past? Feelgood February is about embracing these parts of you and loving yo'self! 

In my last post, I finally got around to talking about Feelgood February, a whole month dedicated to feeling good physically, embracing my lovely lady-ness and thinking only pretty thoughts. What better way to commemorate the feelgood than with the strong,powerful and dead sexy voice of Nina Simone. 

                                                                       "Birds flying high, you know how I feel
                                                                         Sun in the sky, you know how I feel
                                                                         Breeze driftin' by, you know how I feel...
                                                                         It's a new dawn, its a new day and I'm 
                                                                         feeling goood" 

 Do something wonderful for yourself this weekend and if you're feeling frisky, take a photo of that wonderful thing and post it on my Facebook wall.  Happy Feelgood Friday!  

Holy smokes! It's February 16 and the Inside Job has yet to make an appearance for the month.  Shame on me. 
After spending the month of January organizing and creating some much needed space in my head and in my home, the next logical step that popped up was my physical well-being. My lovely lady lumps. 

Thus, dear readers (ahem, Courtney), I give you Feelgood February. A whole month (or, what's left of it) dedicated to improving my overall physical well-being and the art of being well. That means making an effort to eat better, get active,  and focus on the things that allow me to think, feel and look my best. 

 Here are my goals at a glance:

Move more: Exercise at least four times a week. Stay consistent.

Eat better (and maybe a little less): The Mister and I are going to embark on a 21-day nutritional cleanse to find a happy balance in our eating habits. I'm also on the elusive hunt to marry the everlasting partners of feelgood: diet and exercise. I can usually do one or the other well, but never both.  I'd like to make February the month where I fire on all cylinders and do both. I'd also like to improve upon my most dreadful downfall, the eating of the sweets. Did someone say sweets? 

Think pretty. Feel pretty:  I don’t know about you, but if stuff ain’t right in my head, it shows. My goal this month is to pretty up my thoughts with positivity and then pretty up myself for good measure. The mind-body connection is yet another perfect marriage for those seeking the feelgood.  Also, and I have to type this aloud:  sweatpants and fleece jackets are a no-no in Feelgood February unless I’m headed to a workout or returning from one. No excuses. Elastic waistbands be damned! 
 
Bring sexy back: Feelgood February is also about embracing my femininity. I recently spent the weekend with one of my bestest lady loves  and received a loud and clear reminder to embrace the sexy. It does wonders for a woman's confidence and demeanor. Feeling sexy is for me, although I’m sure the Mister will have no objections.  Sexy is a state of mind and it has nothing to do with a short skirt and too much makeup. It has everything to do with feeling good about oneself. 

So, there you have it, my intentions and focus for Feelgood February.  Of course, my goals will look drastically different than yours because you're you and I'm me! 

Tell me, what could you stand to work on in Feelgood February? What does feeling good mean to you and how do you facilitate it? The lines are open. Holler! 

Good Morning! I hope today finds you cozy and well. Winter finally showed up in our neck of the woods and it is brrrreezy and below 20 degrees. It's a perfect morning to sip a hot cuppa your favorite beverage and catch up on some links from the week. 

First, I wanted to update you on my photo-a-day challenge. As you can see from the photos above, I've been doing a relatively good job on keeping up, though not perfect. I missed taking a photo of a front door on Day 9, which I'll have to make up. 

Here's the list so far minus Day 1 which is posted here...
1. Words: The Mister and his new, hilarious t-shirt
2. Hands: My best friend and her lovely welcoming fruit plate when I arrived in Atlanta last weekend
3. A Stranger: While walking in Piedmont Park
4. 10 a.m.: My view from where I lay while visiting my best friend. 
5. Dinner: Brussel Sprout Slaw. Holy gawd!
6. Button: Vintage buttons from the local antiques depot purchased for a wedding DIY
7. Sun: The last bit of sunlight peeking through a grey day
8. Self-portrait: A full-on photo of myself which I rarely take when it comes to the blog.
9. Makes You Happy: Hardest workout EVER and I finished it! Happy. Proud. Really friggin' sore. 

I'll be posting the second round of photos next Sunday. In the meantime, here are some of my favorite links from the last week or so. Enjoy! 

Speaking of challenges, I love this one that Lobster and Swan is currently doing. 
Awesome literary street art
New twitter follower has a pretty sweet Etsy shop. 
I absolutely love this project from illustrator Sophie Blackall (via Miss Moss) 
Could you do it? 
The 40 Most Common Kitchen Mistakes 
This Amazing Cathedral
Waiting on these to arrive
Get yo' Valentine's slow jamz
Really going to miss this Diva

*LOCAL EVENTS*
AIGA Letterpress Fest kicks off tomorrow and goes through this Thursday.  It's gonna be a good one. 

Have a lovely Sunday!

Last weekend, I hit the road to spend the weekend in the ATL for a little soul sister therapy. My bestie and I  had long, honest conversations, shockingly frank and hilarious discussions and there was, of course,  music and more music. Besides a dope 80's playlist, we listened to this song repeatedly while getting all prettied up for a night on the town and it's been in my head ever since. 

So, in an effort to release this tune from perpetual repeat in my brain, I give it to you.   The artist is Niki and the Dove, a band from Stockholm Sweden which also happens to be where another favorite band of mine hails from. Love me some Swedes and Malin's voice is hauntingly beautiful on this track. Maybe a little evocative of Stevie Nicks?? 

Have a listen or three and tell me what you think and by all means, enjoy this fantastic Friday. 

P.S. My week has gone a smidge awry due to some health complications with my kitty and I have yet to post about my Inside Job focus for the month of February. Not to worry, I haven't forgotten about it, just a little behind. Feelgood February is on the way. 

The first time I ever heard the words vegetarian and restaurant used in the same sentence it was in reference to Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, NY.  At the time, I was in middle school and the concept of having a restaurant that served vegetarian fare seemed exotic and way far out.  Of course, I was eating  Burger King Whoppers and Lucky Charms like it was going out of style too. My tastes have drastically changed and this little restaurant has since revolutionized dining and vegetarian fare in the 20th century. 

"About Moosewood Restaurant: Moosewood (named after a local maple tree) was begun in September 1972 by a group of friends who enjoyed getting together to cook and eat, and who wanted to engage in a community project. The chosen site was an old brick school building which was being converted into shops offices and dwelling units. It took four months to transform a gymnasium into a ready-to-function-restaurant. 

After the grand opening in January 1973, more friends of the original seven people joined. Moosewood is now a collectively-owned and worker-managed business with 15 members, who participate in all aspects of running the restaurant from deciding policy to planning menus to changing lightbulbs. There is no singular owner and no "boss". Any profit that accumulates is distributed among the workers or recycled back into the restaurant.

Fast forward twenty years and Moosewood sounds like my kind of place. You could imagine my delight when I stumbled upon this cookbook while visiting the estate of a recently deceased family member. I collect cookbooks and love vintage items so this gem hit on two of my most favorite things. 

The book is astounding. Not only was it published in 1977, the entire thing is illustrated and hand-lettered by founding member of the Moosewood Collective, Mollie Katzen. The pages were well worn with time and, in some instances, stained. You can see some of that in the photos I have here. 

The recipes are a collection of beloved vegetarian recipes that span the international gamut from Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, Russian, Asian, German, Indian and Mexican. There are whimsical descriptions and titles such as "Celebratory Sandwich Fillings", "Cream of Summer Green" soup, "Mondo Bizarro Sauce"  and family recipes like "Montana's Mom's Dynamite Cheesecake." Everything about the book shows a true love of food and genuine enthusiasm radiates from the pages. 

There are wonderful tips like "A Good Method for Assembling a Green Leafy Salad" and "How to Make Real Corn Tortillas" as well as options galore. The book offers basic recipes and then provides a wealth of ingredients to add or variations of the recipe to try. 

For me, the book conveys the art of cooking in a way that invites the user to play and have fun with the ingredients and each illustration reminds the reader to not take oneself so seriously. Check the Beavis and Butthead-esque illustration below. 

And, cue the whimsy...

I mean, how can you NOT smile while reading a book like this! 

What blows me away is how revolutionary this type of cooking used to be.  It took me at least two decades to become educated about the food I eat and the whole-foods based diet that Moosewood has been pimping for 38 years. So much of their foodlove and business ideas revolve around an enlightened perspective that has yet to reach the majority of Americans. 

The Moosewood people are true pioneers and this book is an indication of the genuine community that exists between people and food. Modern day concepts like Kinfolk Magazine follow a trail blazed by this remarkable community of individuals. 

Ah-mazing! I love, love, love my vintage vegetarian find. Hope you do too! 

Happy Monday! I'm back from a fantastic girls weekend in Atlanta where I got to spend some quality time with my best friend and soul sister. That kind of girl time, full of laughs, 80's playlists, good food and real talk, is food for my soul. I hope your weekend was just as splendid. 

Today's Monday Mantra is all about one simple question: How's your now? 

Like, right now. This very moment. Right here and now.  

As a list maker and relatively organized person, my life is often based upon making plans for the upcoming week or month ahead and managing my future time to accommodate my very full life. That's a good thing, but sometimes I can delve too far into what's happening tomorrow or the next day and forget about the right now. 

My magnifying mind begins to wrestle with the particulars of upcoming events and then the real swirling and twirling begins. Before I know it, I'm predicting the future and fretting about events that have yet to happen. Has this ever happened to you? 

Take for example, my upcoming nuptials. There is necessary planning that needs to happen, of course, and then there's the lying awake at night running over the details when there is absolutely nothing that can be done in that moment but fret. 

I read a quote once: "Worry is like a rocking chair. It will give you something to do, but it won't get you anywhere." 


So, how do you combat the nasty fretting and predicting that is bound to happen? I check myself by asking the question, "How's my now?"  which refers to where my feet are planted this instant. How am I in this singular moment? 

Right now, I have a full belly because I just ate lunch. I have warm socks on and and a clean house. I have a loving partner in the next room and gas in my car. Right now, everything is just fine. Right now, I have nothing to worry about. Right now, there is no trouble. 

Sometimes I have to look at my feet and take stock of the goodness in that one moment. Maybe it's a cool breeze that blows in my direction or the hint of sunshine that peeks out from behind a cloud for a second. Maybe it's the fact that I can take a deep breath and pause before returning to my daily tasks.

Asking myself this question helps to ground me in the present and brings my attention back to the only place where life is truly lived; right here, right now. 

So? How's your now?