Friday 30 September 2011

WEEKEND SALUTE


Clearly I'm busy. I barely found enough time to generate three posts this week. For those of you interested, though, here they are:

a Wednesday my-life-just-got-crazy-hectic-and-this-is-why re-cap
is it or isn't it? Cassava energy bars, a 'healthier' option or not?
and a brief list of some of my current faves

Boring, I know. Hopefully, I'll be back next week with something more exciting.

In the meantime, have a happy weekend!

image via pinterest

THINGS WE LOVE (NOW)




  
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley / who's a babe? She's a babe.




Leather for fall / leather pants, leather jackets, leather shorts.
                                
Bedhead / perfect hair is overrated (especially in graduate school).
 
Wheel Pose / enough said, ahhhh.
                                   
Zevia / zero calories, zero sucrose, all stevia, pure bliss.
 
Dinner made by my hunny / a man who can work hard all day and come
home and make his lady dinner? How'd I get so lucky!?

images via google, who what wear, martha stewart, pinterest, reasons to breathe, and a piece of toast

Thursday 29 September 2011

CHEW ON THIS


Could this be the next best thing in energy bars? It could just be like any other health food to hit the market: if it's having to make a claim that it's a health food, perhaps the product itself falls short of actually being considered 'healthy'. Then again, what is 'healthy'? And that this food, as Michael Pollan of The Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food has noted, is packaged in the first place, makes one ponder the good food-bad food debate all over again. Shouldn't we be eating fresh (un-packaged) foods like vegetables and fruits? And finally, is this article just a plug for someone's new product? Hello, food politics.

I'll leave that up to you to decide.

I came across this article this morning (actually, it was in my e-mail inbox, I highly recommend you subscribe to this website) and was immediately intrigued. For my thesis research, I am doing a critical analysis of nutritional literacy--or the lack thereof--and people's perceptions of nutrition, nutrition labelling, etc. As part of my research, I will be conducting a case study of three brands of granola bars, all similar in caloric content, two claiming to be 'organic' and/or 'health' products, two high-glycemic, and one low-glycemic. After reading this article, though, perhaps I need to add a fourth brand?

While I still have a lot of research to do, I hope to update you with my findings along the way. My academics seem to be my greatest focus these days, so the least I could do was share a bit of it with you.

As for whether or not I'm convinced by this product? I think I'd consider it (but I'll let you know in the spring when I complete my thesis). 

Read Dr. Mercola's article and let me know what you think.

image via dr.  mercola

Wednesday 28 September 2011

EVERYDAY


Top 5 (+1) Reasons I know I'm busy:

1. It's Wednesdsay and I'm only writing my first post of the week.
2. Yesterday's afternoon snack consisted of this and this.
3. I'm not even thinking about Friday, I'm just trying to get through today.
4. My brain hurts (in a good way?).
5. I had to cancel my driving lesson--total garbage.
6. I have officially left 'laundry day' unacknowledged this week 
   (It's Monday, if you were wondering).

I promise I'll be back with something more exciting later in the week. From auditions to meeting with profs to classes to readings to research to being on-set and back to more auditions, my schedule is quickly (but gladly) filling up with classes, appointments, lessons, social events, you name it.

Time is flying--it's nearly October! Which for me, is already rammed with brunch, coffee, and dinner dates, projects and assignments due, a (quick) trip away and wham! It'll be November before we know it.

Sigh. No wonder my brain hurts.

image via pinterest


Friday 23 September 2011

WEEKEND SALUTE

This salute goes out to a team of gals that I'm so proud to be a part of: Lady Roos, we did it! We're in the Grand Final thanks to all our hard work last weekend and at all of the games and practices leading up to now.

To echo what coach K says, we've earned this. We're the hardest working women's team in the league and we have just as good of chance as any team at taking home the big win tomorrow. Let's play strong, let's yell hard, and let's give ourselves something to dance (even more) about. Fiducia, virtus, amplitudo--courage, confidence, nobility of soul.








For everyone else, it's been a quiet week at Tomfoolery & Bright:

a re-cap of my favourties from NYFW's spring 2012 collections
my gold star of approval for these Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
and how to transition your decor from season to season with minimal effort

More to come next week, but now it's time I go soak in epson salts in preparation for the big game tomorrow.

Here's to the weekend.

IN NEUTRAL

How to go from season to season without the constant change in decor? One word: neutrals.

(with a pop of colour here and there, of course!)

Bedroom / putty grey-brown on the walls allows for
interchangeable style throughout the seasons by
swapping out smaller details and accessories like
this cute blue bedside table.

Living Room / try a neutral palette of creams, off-whites,
and earthy browns; throw in a punch of yellow and voila!
Instant pick me-up to an otherwise plain room.

Living Room/Den / the neutrality of this couch makes it
easy to switch out different colours and patterns of
cushions to change from season to season.

Front Hall / grey walls + rustic touches from the
wood-framed mirror to side table = the best
opportunity to spice things up with holiday decor
during the winter months and fresh pops of colour
during the warmer seasons.

images via martha stewart, country living, apartment therapy, and pinterest

Wednesday 21 September 2011

GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE CHIP


Nearly four years ago now, I cut refined sugars (that includes grains) from my diet due to health concerns. While I do occassionally enjoy dessert at a restaurant that obviously has all the bad stuff in it or a bowl of ice cream (my fave), I try to consume only whole grains and natural sweeteners such as agave nectar, stevia, and honey. While these products are still processed, they all have a low glycemic index, which is crucial for healthy sugar consumption.

Now, before I get too carried away with discussing sugar over-consumption, sugar addiction, and the link between sugar and our health (all of which information is the core of my thesis research), I'll stop here and save the other juicy bits for later.

After all, I just wanted to share a cookie recipe with you. Actually, I wanted to share Bob's recipe with you: it's in the bag.

I pride myself on baking from scratch (almost exclusively), but before I went and bought all of the alternative (gluten-free) flours, I thought that I'd try a mix to start. So, with my golden star of approval, I give to you Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie mix.

If you've never had gluten-free cookies before, you might not be a fan. I've only ever had my own gluten-free ginger cookies (a recipe I adapted from Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks) made using brown rice flour, so not a lot of comparison. But these chocolate chip cookies were delicious! They were crispy around the edges and soft and chewy inside.

So, while I cheated this time around, I now know that I can go ahead and make my own gluten-free chocolate chip cookies and they'll (hopefully) taste just as yummy.

Happy baking!

Sunday 18 September 2011

NYFW '11 LOVES

NYFW 2011 is officially over, but seeking inspiration from all of the wonderful collections showcased certainly is not! Here are some of my favourites from the spring 2012 collections (click the images to be directed to the full collections):


Badgley Mischka elegant and fun, take it from the red carpet to the
after party by pairing a minimal colour palette with sharp details like
hardware or handmade silk roses / 3.1 Phillip Lim (far right) crisp lines
with cool shades make this line slightly more corporate, yet minute details
 give the clothes that little something extra

Anna Sui always a favourite with her fun and youthful looks that exude
a bohemian/hippy and sometimes 'prairie' vibe, Ms. Sui makes us
swoon with these fluttery little numbers
 
Michael Kors keep it simple, sweetheart: with brights and simple, chic
silhouettes, MK's designs are a must-have in every girl's closet
 
Vera Wang edgy, yet elegant seems to be what Vera is going for in
her spring '12 collection, with a focus on modern shapes and feminine
textiles--note the whimsical Asian-inspired details
images via new york fashion week

Friday 16 September 2011

WEEKEND SALUTE

Classes officially began this past week and I'm (almost) back into the swing of things. This weekend, gearing up for three months of reading, writing, reading, reading, writing some more. Ah, the life of a student.

This past week also marked NYFW '11 and the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). With so much going on, it was hard to keep track of everything. In what feels like a very limited nutshell--I could have written about NYFW every day this week, I didn't even touch the spring 2012 collections (that's for next week)--here is the week-in-review for Tomfoolery & Bright:

acknowledging the 10th anniversary of 9/11
in the midst of NYFW's fall collections (if only)
going ga-ga over BHLDN, a not-so-secret secret
the perfect autumn snack (and oh-so-easy!), Baked Kale Chips
and my top ten ways (plus a few more) for a peaceful mind







Here's to the weekend!

images via la la sparkles, kiki sloane, annie's eats, skin care recipes, and pinterest

Thursday 15 September 2011

HUMP DAY + 1

As part of our overall health, it's important to not only follow a healthy diet and eat nutrient-rich foods, to lead an active lifestyle, and to brush our teeth twice a day everyday, but also to keep a healthy mind.

For many of us, the change in season from summer to fall means revving up our engines (back-to-school), losing sleep (buh-bye, Daylight Savings Time), and ultimately getting sick (fluctuating temperatures, anyone?). With the aim of preventing the bug before I even catch it and with hopes of maintaining peace of mind (a healthy mind) I jotted down a list of the things that help me overcome feeling overwhelmed, overexhausted, and just down right over it.

Two words: rest and recovery. As important as it is to go to every social outing, run every errand, and be everyone's favourite gal or guy, trust me, do yourself a favour and think about yourself every once in a while--and your mind.

Here's a list of what I like to do in order to recoil and recharge (my 'feel good' list): 

                            1. say no this is a big, important tip that so many of us
overlook--do what you want (just this once)

                         2. eat right what you put into your body is what you'll
                         get out of it--my current fave is Korean food: balanced
                                                    and oh-so-satisfying

3. sip tea herbal or green teas sans sugar = instant detox 

                          4. take a nap/get enough rest another important tip
                         that so many of us fail to recognize--I can recharge with
                               a 15 minute cat nap, find out what works for you

                          5. eat oils keep a diet rich in fish and omega-3s like I
                                                      do--here's why

6. vent that's right, call up a girlfriend and just blab

7. get a massage or better yet, give a massage (you'll
feel good either way and who knows, the latter could
lead to something else...)

8. treat yourself dark chocolate has all sorts of feel
good bits, plus it's known to have healthy heart benefits 

                          9. go for a walk solo or with a friend, clear the mind
                                       and get some exercise in the process

10. listen to music laying on the couch with nothing but
background music is bliss

                                  11. moderate exercise if it's not a good ol' walk, do
                                           some yoga or go for a bike ride
                              12. finally, laugh get out a good giggle or two--you'll
                                                   instantly feel happier

Ultimately, though:

take some time for yourself whatever that means, it might be to meditate, to dance in your underwear, or to bake a batch of your favourite cookies

What do you like to do to recoil and recharge?

images via baby is a sinner, into the gloss, shells on the beach, invictus, serious eats, etsy, and google  

Wednesday 14 September 2011

NEW FAVE

The best new snack food? Kale chips. I'm sorry air-popped popcorn, I still love you so.


I picked up some kale at the grocery store this week with no intention of baking up these crunchy morsels of delicious (I usually just do up a kale saute with garlic and olive oil--super easy, super tasty), but at the last minute decided, "what the hell, you can have chips for dinner if they're made with kale"!

Alas, R and I enjoyed a bowl full of kale chips--alongside a shrimp saute with cherry tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil, and a cucumber salad, of course.

And while I had all intention of photographing these pretty little things, they didn't stand a chance! R and I gobbled them up! So. Freakin'. Delicious.

For a low-calorie, nutritious, and delicious snack, I give you:

Baked Kale Chips
stolen from Lucy DelRey (and totally worth it, duh)

1 bunch kale
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. With a knife carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite-size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.

3. Bake until the edges are brown but not burnt, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.

Nutritional Information
Amount per serving: 58 calories, 2.8 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol

Bonus: What's not to like? The health benefits of kale are endless--full of antioxidants, cancer-preventive benefites, cardiovascular support, and detox-activating isothiocyanates (see here for more). Worth trying, right?

image via eating well

Tuesday 13 September 2011

AN OLDIE, BUT A GOODIE

BHLDN is no secret. Really, it's been around for a while. I've just been too selfish to share it any sooner.

But let me tell you, it's the best kept secret in wedding excellence since I don't know when. So keep it hush. 

From the creative team behind Anthropologie:



Party-Ready, by BHLDN from BHLDN on Vimeo. I recommend
checking out the separates collection--so in love.
 

Gimme.

video via bhldn

Monday 12 September 2011

NYFW '11

It's the middle of New York Fashion Week and we're not there. Sigh.

Vera Wang, fall 2011
Marc by Marc Jacobs
Badgley Mischka, fall (bridal) 2011
Diane Von Furstenberg, fall 2011
BCBG Max Azria, fall 2011
Richard Chai (my fave), fall 2011


Next year?