Fashion Fortune-Telling!

Happy Friday, everyone!

It's been a busy and productive week... so think it's time for a little fun!  I came up with a game to play with all of you.

In looking for inspiration for today's outfit, I realized how much style can influence how people feel and act - both from the wearer's perspective and the watcher's perspective. The right combination can make you feel confident, or mischievous, or sexy.  And if you feel that way in your clothes, there's a good chance that those around you will see it too... and your fortune could change, as a result.

So I decided that for today's Fashion Friday column, YOU would be the fashion stylist... and I would be the fortune-teller!

Here's the deal: I offer up several possible wardrobe pieces, for an outfit built around one dress.  And you tell me what combination you would pair.  And I will read your chosen outfit like tarot cards or tea leaves... and tell your (for-entertainment-purposes-only) fortune.

Centerpiece dress: pleated chambray by EShakti
A: Cropped tweed jacket by Jessical London
B:Yellow Shrug by Igigi
C: Moto jacket by alight
D: Diane von Furstenberg Busby Day Scarf
E: Mr. Sophisticated necklace by Etsy artist SweetBlissBistro
F: Orchid and pearl necklace by Etsy artist Lillidoll
G: Cashmere scarf by Nordsrom
H: Chrysanthemum earrings by Etsy artist SilverLotusDesigns
I:Scroll earrings by Etsy artist KarinAllie
J: Emerald glass earrings by Etsy artist lcatlla
K: Phillips-head earrings by Etsy artist smhapenrod
L: Dansko boots
M: Christin Michaels wedges

I hope that you will have fun with this. I know I'll have fun looking in my crystal fashion ball.  Heh. And don't forget to keep checking back as I add the outfits with the fortunes here on the entry!

Teresa's outfit:

When you wear this outfit, Teresa, you will be KICKING ASS and TAKING DAMES.  You're a tough around the edges and you're just coming into your full powers. In the near future, you find yourself in a surprising conversation with someone who may intimidate you.  You'll be bold and strong, but it's your little sophisticated observations (much like your little sophisticated earrings) that will wow them in that chance encounter.  (Well, that and your boots.) 
P.S. - you would look so hot in this, Teresa! I love it!

Kimberly's outfit:

Kimberly, in this outfit, you are ALL THAT AND A BAG OF RUBBER CHICKENS.  Graceful and whimsical at the same time.  Which is just how you carry yourself in your soon-to-occur confrontation with a banana peel.  You'll clock some serious air-time as you slip, but you'll tour-jete out of it and come off looking far better than the banana did.  Just please, please take care to avoid the number 7... I don't know what it signifies, but it's going to be a doozy.

Audra's outfit

Audra, in these threads... you are FANCY-LOOSE and FOOT-FREE.  The boys will wolf-whistle and the girls will wolf-pack around you.  But there's a darker side to this outfit. All I can say is that something dreadful is going to happen to your feet.  I dare not even speak of it, because after it happens, I'm not sure we can be friends anymore.

Jennie's outfit

Jen, when you go out, you go all out.  And when you go out in these clothes, you're DEFINITELY PUTTING OUT.  Oh, I know. The sophisticated touches all say "demure."  "Elegant." It's layer upon layer of class.  And you know what's usually hiding just beneath that much class?  One hot mama, on the take.  Your mister better brace himself! Do you need a babysitter?

Cindy's outfit

Cindy, the flowers are in bloom... and in this outfit, YOU ARE BLOOMING LIKE AN ONION AT OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE.  You may chance to rekindle a friendship with a long-lost bosom pal soon, and what she has to tell you about her memories of you will delight you.  Also, it's too hazy to tell yet, but it's possible that the world's most satisfying dinner has your name on it... and soon.

Rena's outfit

Rena, in this outfit you are twinkling like a firework. You will make them go AH, AH, AH.  (And OH, OH, OH.)  The "them" in question is a series of handsome gentlemen.  They will be drawn to your inner sparkle - and your outer va-voom.  As long as you don't go line-dancing with them (as untold dangers lurk at the cowboy bar) the outcome looks incredibly swell.

Leanne's outfit

Leanne, your BOOTS ARE MADE FOR SWANKIN'.  And that's just what you'll do.  You'll show everyone in your new town that a buttoned-up professional lady can kick up her heels with the best of 'em.  Be wary of furry things, though.  They have a way with dismantling footwear.

Joanne's outfit

Joanne, I see your TRUE COLORS are beautiful like a rainbow.  Which stands to reason, because there I see a man in your future.  No, not your husband.  (Though of course he's there, too.)  I see a beautiful, sequined, rainbow of a man, who just can't contain himself when he sees you, bursting into hugs and kisses and serenades. 

Katie's outfit

Katie, you had better watch your back, because the ladies in your life are going to be GREEN WITH ENVY of your Von Furstenberg scarf... and how well you rock it.  (I will be the first in line to envy you... this outfit is the closest so far to the one I'd have picked, myself.)  But you, m'dear, will be green with the green stuff.  I see a windfall in your future.
Also a pratfall, but I won't say a word about that to anyone.

Marla's outfit

The elegant wrap, the sophisticated earrings, the ladylike shoes... Marla, you are FULLY-GROWN and you FULLY PWNED.  There will be a moment... I can't tell when, but it seems like it might be soon... where you take a look at where you've been and how far you've come.  And when you're there... don't look down.  Seriously.  Don't look down.  I'm warning you.

Phew! I've finished everything I can finish today, but if you would still like to play, please leave your outfit choices as a comment, and I'll put your fortune up as soon as I'm able!

In the meanwhile... have a beautiful weekend, everyone, and as always, take care of you!

In the Kitchen with Zucchini x 2, and disastrous results!

It's a beautiful Thursday morning, and I find myself centered - even serene - after crossing several items off my to-do list this week.  I imagine that staying mindful about food (and lowering my sugar intake) helps my general sense of zen, too. 

You know what else keeps me centered? A great big laugh.  There's something really cathartic about laughing until your diaphragm is tired.  And for me, it's especially good if I'm laughing at myself, not taking myself too seriously.

I really love blogging, and I always try to keep it light - but sometimes while preparing for some of these entries, I can get entirely too serious.  Furrowed brow and everything!  Fortunately, all I needed to get out of serious mode was to screw up one of my recipes.  I mean, it was AWFUL.  And when I figured out why... well, let's say my diaphragm wasn't just tired from laughing, it was exhausted.  And with good reason - according to a 2005 study, "ten to 15 minutes of laughter could increase energy expenditure by 10 to 40 calories per day, which could translate into about four pounds a year."

Let's go back to the kitchen, though... what did I do wrong?  Telling you would be too easy, so I'm going to see if you can guess before I get to the end of today's entry, "Zucchini x 2." That's right - I have two recipes for you today!

I have vivid memories of seeing the "take a veggie/leave a veggie" table at church growing up.  This time of year, people would leave the extra fruit (sometimes literally) of their gardening labor, because - let's face it, it's really hard to finish off a whole crop of even a small garden.  On that veggie table, people would snap up tomatoes or beans or melons quickly, but what always stayed behind was the ever-expanding collection of summer squash.  Zucchini just can't be eaten as quickly as it grows, unless you share it... or eat it for every meal.  And in the spirit of "take a veggie/leave a veggie," I offer you two zucchini recipes, one savory and one sweet.

Sauteed Zucchini with Mushrooms and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

You know you're in for a good meal when even the pre-cooked ingredients look delicious.

  
Ingredients:

• 4 small zucchini (or equivalent summer squash)
• 2 cups mushrooms
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 tb basil
• 1/4 cup broth (we use low-sodium veggie broth)

When it comes to savory zucchini, I didn't used to be that much of a fan.  It can get so overcooked, soft and stringy... and I never enjoyed it that way.  But it turns out that if you cook it al-dente (or if you roast it - but that's another day In the Kitchen) it's much more delicious... especially if you punch up the flavor with tasty accompaniments.  Tom introduced me to this veggie dish, which is perfect for a summer night like tonight.

Start by soaking the tomatoes in warm water for ~10 minutes

   

Meanwhile, slice the zucchini, mince the garlic and chop the mushrooms.

 

Spray your frying pan with a spray oil (we use Pam) and saute the garlic over medium heat. 
As it becomes more fragrant, and sizzles a bit, add the zucchini to the pan.

 

Once the zucchini softens slightly, add the drained tomatoes with the mushrooms, and cook until the mushrooms are done.

  

Stir in the chopped basil, and you're ready to serve!

   

This has definitely become my favorite warm summer veggie dish - and if you're fond of the ingredients, you'll be surprised how lovely they are together.  (You may even forget you're eating your fifth serving of zucchini this week!)  It's also incredibly low in calories.

Zucchini Surprise Mini-Muffins

Baking with zucchini is a good way to sneak extra veggies and vitamins into your baked goods.

   
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1/2 cup greek yogurt (sweetened is OK)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tb cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tb vanilla
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup grated zucchini (~2 small zucchini)
Plus the surprise ingredient...

I based this recipe on my mom's own recipe, which was delicious but which called for three times the sugar plus a whole cup of oil.  I made a few swaps here and there to reduce calories and increase the healthy factor.  It's a bit less sweet than most zucchini bread, so if you don't mind the calories, you can increase the sweetener and plan accordingly.

In a stand mixer (or with a hand-mixer), combine the eggs, applesauce, yogurt and sugar.

 

Add the cinnamon, ginger, salt, baking soda and baking powder, and blend thoroughly.
Then add the vanilla and mix until smooth.

 

Then add the flour, mixing slowly until just incorporated. 
(Too much mixing makes it too gluten-sticky.)

 

This is very nearly incorporated - a couple more turns of the mixer should do it.

Grate one cup worth of zucchini.

   

Mmm, zucchini.

  

And fold it into the batter.

  

Scoop one tablespoon of batter into mini-muffin cups.

   

And then it's time for the surprise ingredient!

Today's surprise ingredient is...

BLUEBERRIES!

   
I hide a single blueberry in the middle of each mini-muffin, in tribute to my mom's blueberry zucchini bread.  The blueberry is just the right touch of acid and sweet, giving a burst of flavor to each bite-sized muffin.

Press the blueberry into the middle of each muffin cup, and then top with a tiny amount of additional batter.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, depending on your oven/altitude.

   

Yum! A perfect summer snack.

And now, the real question: did any of my eagle-eyed friends find my cooking mistake?  Well, I'll tell you this... when I bit into the muffin, I found it bland and kind of soggy, and the taste was off.  I couldn't quite figure out why.  That is, until I went to make dinner that night, and instead of a bag of cucumber in the frige, I found a bag of... zucchini?  WHAT!?

That's right, folks.

SURPRISE.
It's my other secret ingredient.
I made cucumber bread.
And it was TERRIBLE.

   
Fortunately, I had enough ingredients left to make another batch the following day, and they tasted great.  (The photo of the baked muffins are actually the real zucchini muffins, not the gross cucumber ones.)

Moral of the story: use cucumber in salad, for pickles, or on your eyes... but not for zucchini bread.  And if you accidentally make cucumber bread... at least you made yourself laugh.  (And also gag.  But hey, it's a workout!) 

Get a good laugh in today - and take care of yourself!

Adventure Wednesday... Swimsuit Edition!

For our last mid-week adventure before Tom's new job, we decided to make a whole day of it and experience some California sunshine together.

We took a leisurely morning drive down Sunset Boulevard, hitting it two blocks from our home and following it along the strip, past the homes in the shi-shi hills, and winding through Pacific Palisades. Finally, the scenery breaks and we're facing ocean.  This, my friends, is the edge of the continental United States.  And it's beautiful.

Turning left, we pulled into the parking lot of Will Rogers Beach, a quieter stretch of sea and surf located between Santa Monica and Malibu.

Will Rogers Beach
Photo via VisitUSA

On this beautifully sunny morning, it was my goal to get my exercise by swimming in the Pacific.  I grew up visiting the dunes of Lake Michigan and the Floridian beaches of the Atlantic, so if I don't get to big, open waters at least a few times a year, I start to yearn for it.

Will Rogers is pleasantly sandy and currently graded "A" for water cleanliness, so I slathered on the sunblock and headed straight in.  The Pacific is as cold as ever!  Far closer to brisk Lake Michigan in June than to the cozy Atlantic.  But I still have a significant layer of insulating blubber (one of those times when those pounds come in handy) so I warmed up quickly and found myself body-surfing through waves.  Tom was with me, though without the insulation, he was slower to acclimate and faster to have his lips turn blue.  Nonetheless, we spent about a half-hour laughing together as the gigantic waves floated and carried us closer to shore.  Occasionally a wave would break right in front of us, drenching us completely.  Thank goodness I remembered not to wear my glasses (which hadn't been the case a few years ago, when I said goodbye to my frames from college as they were swept away with the tide.)

I was debuting my "stylish" suit, which I'd purchased several months ago but hadn't taken the opportunity to wear yet.  (I usually wear heavy-duty lap-swimmin' suits to work out at the pool.)  It's the retro navy Kiyonna suit that I included in my imaginary beach party outfit post, and it's lovely!  It is also, however, not ideal for movement.  Designed to be versatile, it can be tied in many different ways. The straps are very stretchy, and extend around the side of the bust (leaving the opportunity, for instance, to make it strapless by wrapping the straps around the ribcage.  It is unfortunate, however, that the straps, when tied in place, don't really do anything to keep the bust in place.  My suit fits perfectly, but every time I jumped a powerful wave, my boobs jumped ship too.  Thank goodness Tom and I were the only ones on that stretch of beach!  Kiyonna, if you're listening... please know that those of us who are active swimmers could really use a cute retro suit that doesn't cause a wardrobe malfunction.  For now, please know that the Ava Convertible swimsuit is for decorative use only!

It is cute for those purposes, at least. Here I am, post-swim.
Ava Convertible suit by Kiyonna
Sunglasses by Brooks Brothers
Towel by Target

After our oceanic adventure, we toweled off and headed back to Hollywood, where Tom had requested a stop at the newly-opened New York City import, Papaya King - famous for bringing hot dogs and tropical drinks together.  Tom ordered some curly fries and a non-dairy smoothie; I had a dog with roasted onions and 6 ounces of virgin piña colada. 

Pretty much what it looked like,
though the photo is via Los Angeles Times

It was planned into our daily calories, but that didn't stop Richard from bringing it up 200 times in class after I had sent him my food log.  (He's against the consumption of nitrates, and I get that, but to me... in limited quantity, on infrequent occasion, there is nothing wrong with having a premium hot dog.)  All told, I thought Papaya King's dogs and fries (I tried one of Tom's) were better than Pink's but not as good as Skooby's.

After a trip home to rinse off the sand and salt (and hot dog grease), we headed back out to scope out the location of our next Supper Club 600... but that, my friends, is a surprise adventure for another Wednesday!

I'm signing off to get some work done... but I'll be back tomorrow with not one but two recipes, one of which was a blazing disaster that - I hope - will make you laugh.  Until then, keep taking care of you!

Weigh-in Tuesday... am I worth it?

I wasn't that surprised when I hopped on the scale this week and found myself up a pound.  I logged 5 solid workouts last week, and I ate really well as inspired by the market food I blogged about.  But all the good action and healthy moderation at mealtime... does NOT mean I get to indulge in desserts in between meals all weekend.

Oh, it didn't seem so bad at first.

At Tender Greens: "That rustic plum tart is made with wholesome, real ingredients. And we're celebrating Tom's new job! That's OK."

But it went on from there.

At Brite Spot: "We never come here anymore. I ate a healthy, mindful meal. And I'm avoiding the banana cream pie. It's OK to share a banana cupcake."

At a friend's birthday party: "It's her birthday. I'm not going to not eat birthday cake. And that's... ok, right?"

And then it got worse.

At a stitch-n-bitch: "Well, geez. Cream pie is haunting me. It's here. It looks good. I'll have a small slice."

Yesterday while running errands: "Oh, screw it. I've already messed up my weekly weigh-in. And Tom is not here and I'm tired and I'm hungry and I'm right outside Yummy Cupcakes. Might as well have one."

The truth is that each dessert would have fit into my plan... if I'd chosen one of them.  I should've just planned for birthday cake at the party. Or had the tart and passed on everything else.  But I didn't.

It's not the end of the world, and I'm not going to flagellate myself for overindulging.  I'm just going to take it easy on refined sugar, and work on the one response from the list above that worries the most: "Oh, screw it. I've already messed up my weekly weigh-in."

I'm going to repeat what I've said here before, for my own benefit: my healthy choices do not revolve around my weekly weigh-in. And this is, in part, why.  I don't ever want my weigh-in to be an excuse to penalize myself.  If my eating isn't perfectly balanced, I should not (and do not want to) binge as punishment.  Nor do I want to eat healthfully as punishment.  I want to eat healthfully because it makes me feel good, it helps my body feel stronger and move better. I want to eat healthfully because it makes my life better.  I want to eat healthfully because I am worth it.

So. Today I'm going to list 6 reasons I'm worth it, to help encourage me on my way.

1. I am worth it because I've come so far.
   Already in the past seven months, I've seen how taking care of my body, my mind and my spirit has led to incredible growth, physical strength, mental focus, and not least of all, happiness. I have proven to myself that this process can be filled with joy.  And it's OK for me to feel that joy.
   
2. I am worth it because I have so far to go.
   That incredible growth still has room for further - even exponential - growth.  I have lost 65 (well, 64 again as of today) pounds and yet I am still morbidly obese. Am I healthier than I've ever been? Damn straight.  Can I become healthier, more centered, stronger? Damn straight.  It's feasible.  I am capable of it.  And I want to pursue the lifelong progress of improved health.
   
3. I am worth it because I'm a good friend, a good sister, a good daughter, a good wife.
   As a compassionate person, my loved ones matter deeply to me. The way I treat my loved ones matters to me.  I want to be the best friend, sister, daughter, wife... that I can possibly be.  And the best way I can do that is to keep myself strong and healthy.  I want to be there for them.
   
4. I am worth it because I want to be a good mother someday. 
   Right now, I'm not ready yet - physically or mentally.  Before my body (may) let me be a mother, I need to physically prepare - through continual healthy progress.  And before my brain will let me be a mother, I need to mentally prepare.  I do not want to be a parent who continues the cycle of disordered eating.  I want to teach my child the joys of healthy food in moderation - and I can't do that while I'm still learning. 
   
5. I am worth it because I have stories to tell.  I have lots of stories to tell.  I have true stories to tell, here on the blog.  I have food stories to tell, through Supper Club 600.  And when it comes to fictional stories, Tom and I share a book of 130 plot ideas we've developed, for stories to tell through film, television, and novels.  I want to tell these stories, and keep telling them, for as long as I can.  And in order to do that... I need to take good care of myself.
   
6. I am worth it because I believe everyone is worth it.
   Each of us deserves happiness.  And I know we can work together to support our journeys to success.  I believe in everyone's capacity for growth - especially when hard work backs up that growth.  And I have to remind myself that I can't believe in everyone having worth... without acknowledging my own worth.  I am worth this.  So are you.

That's it for today.  Thanks for being here, even when I'm not on track full-force.  I'm an addict - to a substance that I need in order to survive - so I'll have to deal with roller coasters my whole life.  The key is to realize that I'm on that coaster, and get off as soon as I do.  So today, I'm standing outside the roller coaster photo booth, missing the sugar air-time, but feeling kind of glad to have my feet on the ground.  I'm taking care of me.  I hope you'll take care of you, too.

Friend Makin' Monday... caught red-handed!

It's a beautiful day in Los Angeles, and it also happens to be Tom's first day at his new job.  (Yay, hurray!)  It's a ten-hour workday for him, but he's very happy and it seems like it will be a good fit.

My freelancing jobs are more flexible, and allow me to work from home.   This means I get to do all of our errands and much of our cooking while he works on-site, so while my schedule is a little jumbled today, I'm feeling happy and productive.

Being alone at home also means that I don't have anybody there with me while I eat most of my meals.  It's not like anybody stands over me anyway, but there's something nice about knowing there's someone nearby who could catch you red-handed if you were eating inappropriately... or who could help you talk through food challenges.  I used to have a tendency to eat more when I was alone, So I'm going to be working extra hard to stay accountable to myself, logging meals as they happen instead of a day later, and so on.

Fortunately, we have a great food schedule for the week, including a few special items we picked up at the Farmer's Market.  My favorite?  Persian mulberries!

He's kind of tendril-covered. That's normal.

  

We first discovered Persian mulberries in 2008, through an article in the Los Angeles Times, which described the berries as having "a toxicating effect," and "intensely sweet, but with a nice, balancing acidity. The flavor is almost wine-like in its complexity."  They're delicate, plus the trees only produce a limited quantity... and at the time, the berries were so popular that farmers often hid their baskets underneath the market tables, only to be purchased by those in the know.

We headed straight to the mulberry farmer that Sunday after reading the article, and requested one of those sneakily hidden cartons.  After tasting one berry, we couldn't resist.  We ate the rest of that carton for breakfast while sitting on the curb.  And it's a good thing - they're so fragile that you practically need to eat them right away.  Either they melt in your mouth... or they melt right there in the carton.

They're still mostly a word-of-mouth delicacy these days, but instead of hiding underneath, they sit inauspiciously in a corner of the few mulberry farmers' tables.  They're always kind of leaky from the tender berries' deep juices... and if I didn't already know them to be the most complex, flavorful berry around, I would never consider purchasing them on looks alone.

   

They're good with fat-free Greek yogurt... but honestly, they're even better on their own.

  
I tend toward the simple with mulberries, because they have such a unique flavor.  I wouldn't cook them, or even mar their flavor in combination with anything else.  I'd maybe consider using them in a salad. Really, the only time I've appreciated them as much as straight from the carton was last year, when Tom had the brilliant idea of making sorbet with them.  But that's a recipe for next mulberry season, alas, because this one is just about over.  I'll be sure to let everyone know when the season starts next year... because you'll surely catch me red-handed that day.

From the mulberry juice, that is.  These puppies STAIN.

  
And now for a little Friend Makin' Monday!  Today's topic is "A Letter to My Future Self."

Dear future self:


Hello! What is the future like? Do we have rocket packs and flying cars yet?


I am doing well.  My year, so far, has been transformative in so many different ways.  I feel like I'm finally on the right path, of following my heart (not my jerking knee or my anxious brain or my addicted stomach) toward doing what is best for me.  Are you keeping up with all of the changes I made?  I don't know when in the future you are, future self, but no matter when it is, all of the changes I've made have been with the goal of maintaining them for life.  (That's why they aren't drastic, or uncompromising.) 


What I haven't been able to master (yet) is the writing career.  I've definitely made great strides toward it, but I'm really hoping that you've carried out all that I've set up - and more.


How's the family, future self?  Were you able to have a child? Adopt one? Are the kittens still being adorable and mischievous? Do we have a dog yet?  If the answer to those questions is "yes," then it also means we probably have a house.  Are you gardening, and cooking fresh produce for everyone?  I can't wait to see it, taste it, smell it... live it.


Thanks for being such a great influence. I'd like to think I did all of these good things with you in mind... because I'm hoping you and I will have a long, beautiful friendship.


I love you. No matter what you're up to these days.  But whatever that is... I hope you're taking good care of you.


xoxox
present self


OK. That's it for today, but I'm looking forward to sharing my upcoming posts with you.  Come back soon for some harvest-time recipes, a bit of insight on my weight loss progress, and a very Californian adventure, plus lots more.  And in the meanwhile - please, take care of you!

BOOBS.

Made you look!

But, actually, boobs really are the topic of today's Fashion Friday column.  If you're opposed to the discussion of sweater puppies, you best be on your way.  (Otherwise, please know that this discussion will be safe-for-work.)

Sweater puppies.
photo via videobash

I developed pretty young, which wasn't necessarily fun for me, since it meant I'd have yet another measurement nudging me out of the girls' clothes department.  I even remember overhearing another girl in my sixth-grade class say - pejoratively - that "if Heidi cut off her boobs, they'd make two holes in the floor."  Later in life, having a sizable rack might've been something I would appreciate... but at the time, I felt nothing but shame.

Sizable rack.
photo via WallDesigns

As I gained weight, my breasts ended up looking not-so-large in comparison to the rest of me.  In college, a couple of crude guys in acting class were talking about our classmates' assets - whose were big, and who were lacking.  I remember piping up that they'd forgotten mine... to which one of them replied "well, you're big so your tits don't count."  Thanks, sport. You stay classy!

That is one beautiful tit.
Image via DailyMail

I eventually came to appreciate my body, and have felt partial to my breasts ever since.  Until... well... until now.

Exercise and healthy eating has done all kinds of wonderful things for me.  It has also... well... it has also wreaked all kinds of havoc upon my breasts.  What was buoyant now sinks.  And I thought I was stuck with this for life.

What I didn't realize was that as my clothing size changed, so did my bra size.  Why wouldn't I have thought of this?  I don't know, but man, until as recently as a month ago, I was still wearing some of the bras I was wearing last year.

That all changed when my friend Alexa, the lovely Curvy Nerd, dragged me to Intimacy, a lingerie store in Culver City.

"It's amazing," she said, "it changed my life."

"You're crazy," I said, "but I love an adventure."  So the two of us, and my visiting friend Rena, headed over to the store.

When we arrived at the storefront, I became anxious.  Hanging in the window were a large array of beautiful, delicate... tiny... bras.  I have boobs that are neither delicate nor tiny, and in the past, there had to be a very large amount of structure (wire, foam, armor...) to support me.  But Alexa assured me that they had bras for all sizes.

I met with my sizing specialist, who explained that they sized ladies visually, without a measuring tape.  She took one look at my boobs and then left.  Which seemed embarrassing, but then she came back with an armful of bras, which she helped me shimmy into.

It turns out that the bra band I thought I should be wearing was TEN INCHES LARGER than the bra band I needed to be wearing.  And that when I'm wearing the right-sized bra - and one that's well-made - there's no drooping, and I can actually wear delicate lace.  Who knew?

To demonstrate the difference between the bra I was wearing, and the bra I purchased at Intimacy, I took some photos this morning, while wearing a light jersey tank from Lane Bryant.

Old and droopy on the left. New and perky on the right.
Tom noticed that I was smiling much more in the better bra.

  

Again, old on left, new on right.

  

So... if you're feeling a little droopy these days, by all means head out to a bra sizing with specialists.  There are Intimacy stores in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Miami, Los Angeles, New York, Orange County, Philadelphia, San Diego, Scottsdale, and Washington D.C. 

And if you're not near an Intimacy store, I highly recommend seeking out a bra specialty store (not, like, a Lane Bryant or a Victoria's Secret, but a real specialty store.)  Wearing the right bra can mean the difference between good posture and bad posture... or confidence and embarrassment.

I'm off for now, but I'll be back next week with more fun and joyful ways to take care of you and I.  Until then, I hope you'll keep doing good things for you!

In the kitchen with... Bouncing Baby Figs!

Growing up, I knew exactly three things about figs.


#1

Their leaves were the height of fashion back in Adam and Eve's day.
Painting by Cranach the Elder (what a name!)

#2

It was very hard to refrain from eating one whole plastic sleeve of fig newtons.

  
#3 

If a frog and a pig were to reproduce, they would have bouncing baby figs. 
As claimed by the wind-up robot show host version of Kermit, anyway. 
You can see robo-Kermit woo Piggy in this YouTube video.

  


Once I moved to California, I learned the real truth about figs, and that truth is: they are delicious.

It's currently fig season, which means that if you're in a warm climate like we enjoy in the southwest, you can probably find them at grocery stores in your area.  I've seen them at Trader Joe's and Super King in the last few weeks, and since I'm a fan, I picked up a box to enjoy and share with you.

Here are two of the green figs I bought recently.

  

When they're sliced open, I find them both beautiful and kind of repulsive.
Like how I imagine a cross-section of an alien's chest would look.

  

My favorite way to enjoy them is to cut one up into eight pieces, and build fig-cracker-snacks as a mid-afternoon treat.

  

My secret ingredient? Trader Joe's goat cheese medallions. Man, I can't get enough
of the single-portion servings that Trader Joe's have released recently. (And that's
exactly why I need single-serving portions... I can't get enough!)

  

My serving size is one fig, eight low-fat wheat crackers, 1/2 ounce of goat cheese.
(You can substitute light cream cheese if you don't like the tang of chevre.)
If you're feeling sweet, I bet a drizzle of honey would go well with it.

  

Figs are also available right now at... you guessed it... farmer's markets.  I guess that's my theme for the week.  Do you have a farmer's market near you?  What is it like?  What do they sell?  Have you gotten to know one of the farmers there?

OK! I'm off for the day, but I'll be back tomorrow with my Fashion Friday column.  I'm doing something that I have to muster my courage for... so I hope you'll come back and check it out.  And until then - take good care of yourself!