Also, right now I’m so tired, I’m tempted to just take a photo of my bed and label it my number one favorite thing in the world. Thank you and goodnight.

Erin Condren Life Planner (WANM-style!):

Though I’m an electronic girl through and through, I’m also a bit of a mess online. I always have a million tabs open at once and I’m constantly jumping from project to project. Keeping my schedule organized online? Not an option. Plus, as a writer, there’s something that’s always felt so gratifying about picking up a pen and writing stuff down. I know a lot of you can relate. Type a to-do list and I’ve got no motivation. Write a to-do list and I’m checking things off like nobody’s business. So, I was pretty excited that my sister and Adam got me an Erin Condren Life Planner for Christmas. I mean, this thing is the beast of all schedules. It’s like 20 different calendars in one, plus to-do lists, plus pretty colors and inspirational quotes, plus stickers. Yes, I was obsessed with Lisa Frank in 4th grade and may not have fully grown out of that phase. OH and PLUS, the one they got me looks like this:

Yup. IN LOVE! And here’s to a very organized 2012.

My New Starbucks Mug:

I consider myself very, very lucky that Starbucks sends me a delightful gift box full of goodies from time to time. For the holidays, they sent me a fabulous box filled with Christmas Blend Coffee, the She & Him holiday CD, notecards, and this absolutely perfect mug. When I first got it, I instagrammed it and no fewer than 12 people commented on it, something along the lines of “that is amazing.” I KNOW it’s holiday-oriented. But only really because it says “Falalalala” all over it. And I mean, some go us are perfectly content to go about our day happily singing, “Falalalala” even when it’s not the holiday season. Therefore, I will be using this ceramic mug all year round. Blame me?

Cole Haan Shoes:

I’m a girl (duh) so, therefore, it’s only natural that I’m a shoe lover. I’ve never had a very large shoe budget and I’ve always been more of a TJ Maxx and Marshall’s shoe shopper. Well, I still don’t have a large shoe budget, but now that I’m working in an office I wear shoes way more than I used to. That may sound weird… But what I mean is that I used to wear my slippers a lot. As in, putting on an actual pair of shoes was a big deal. Unfortunately, I can’t wear my sneakers to work (cry me a river). But I can wear Cole Haan shoes, which are basically like slippers. But way cuter. And more socially acceptable.

I honestly don’t know if I’ll ever buy another brand of shoes. Besides my wedding shoes, which is a whole other story all together (sparkly Jimmy Choos, please?). My point is, Cole Haan shoes are the most comfortable shoes you will ever find. Many of them have a Nike sole in them, which obviously means comfort. But I just wore a new pair today sans Nike sole and was feeling fine by the end of the day. And that’s saying a lot since my feet ALWAYS hurt. I can run around the city in Cole Haan shoes and don’t get the urge to throw my shoes off and run barefoot though the Boston alleys. Also, you should know that Cole Haan has outlets. Since the shoes are a bit pricey, this is totally necessary. And clearly dangerous for me. But I’m pretty sure comfortable feet are one of the keys to happiness in life. So… Justified.

Promise I didn’t buy these all at once. I’ve been collecting… Also, Cole Haan leather goods are heavenly as well. Chris got me a new CH bag for Christmas and I just want to snuggle it and smell the fresh leather. Speaking of Chris, he just got his first pair of Cole Haans and he’s now officially in love, too. And now he kinda has to support my addiction.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks:

I always want to start a “what I’m reading” series here on We are not Martha, but I constantly have so much food stuff going on, it never seems like there’s space. But that might be one of my goals for 2012. I read A LOT. Like a ridiculous amount. I’m really not happy if I don’t get at least a little reading in every day (which really isn’t much of a problem since I’m on the T for so dang long).

Anyway, I just finished a book I’ve been wanting to read for a long time: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. It was a seriously awesome and enlightening book. It’s about Henrietta Lacks, an African-American mother of five who died in 1951 from cervical cancer. When she was sick, a sample of her cancerous tissue was taken without her consent and this tissue spawned cells that could live forever. From these cells, called HeLa, the polio vaccine was developed, AIDS treatments were devised, and so much more was done in the world of medicine. Basically, every scientist was using HeLa cells (and still are!) and people were making massive amounts of money off them. Meanwhile, Henrietta’s family was living in poverty and had NO idea their mother’s cells were aiding in so many awesome discoveries. Rebecca Skloot does a really outstanding job telling Henrietta Lacks story and it brings up a lot of interesting points. Like that most of us have our own tissue floating around in some lab somewhere. Also, even if you’re not a “science person,” you can totally follow along and learn a lot. I’m the girl who took nutrition for my science requirement in college because uh, chemistry? Did not agree with me so well. And I got this book and loved it. I absolutely love a book that is engrossing and extremely educational. Read this!

I have about a million more favorite things that I could go on and on about, but like I said, my bed might be #1 right now. Really, my favorite things are not “things” at all, but the people in my life. Chris deserves a million bucks for putting up with me and my ridiculous schedule the past couple weeks and, of course, I absolutely love my family and friends to pieces. And am so, so thankful for everyone good in my life. But stuff is fun sometimes, too. And shoes. Oh, how I love shoes.

What’s your favorite “thing” right now?

[Sues]

Owl Measuring Cups from West Elm:

File these Owl Measuring Cups ($19 for a set) under “kitchen essentials” for everyone in the world. I mean, can you think of anyone who wouldn’t be thrilled to measure out flour with these. Also, file these under things that are going on my Christmas list ASAP. Also, file under why the heck does West Elm not have a wedding registry option?!

Recycled Glass Containers with Cork Lids from West Elm:

For any chef that strives to be more organized (read: everyone), these Recycled Glass Jars with Cork Lids ($14-24) are a must. Sure, they seem like a super simple gift, but they can make a world of a difference in the kitchen. Bonus points if you fill them up with your favorite grains and nuts before gifting them, allowing your gift recipient to try something new and be super organized.

Sunburst Tea Towel from West Elm:

Yes, it’s just one tea towel. And yes, it’s a pretty pricey tea towel at that, but this Sunburst Tea Towel from West Elm ($9) is a great add-on for any gift that’s not quite complete. Perhaps you have a few dollars left over and want to make your gift really impress. This tea towel will do the trick. Heck, I’d be thrilled if someone gave me this tea towel and only this tea towel. And I never say heck. I love Sunburst, but West Elm has lots of other fun patterns, too.

Illustrated Tidbit Plates from Kate Spade:

There are few designers that I’m really truly loyal to and Kate Spade is one. Not only do they make what I consider some of the most fabulous handbags, but they also have some pretty stunning home decor. I’m especially loving these Illustrated Tidbit Plates ($50 for a set of 4). I think they’re absolutely adorable and something most people probably wouldn’t buy for themselves. They make me want to immediately whip up some finger foods and invite some girlfriends over. But I’d also be very tempted to hang these on my wall.

Molecular Gastronomy Kit from Think Geek:

This is what you get the cook who has everything… But still wants more. I mean, molecular gastronomy is SO in right now, but it’s nothing most of us home cooks really contemplate much. Until now. This Molecular Cuisine Starter Kit ($79.99) has everything you need to get started (that you didn’t know you needed to get started), including 50 individually proportioned chemicals, essential tools, and a DVD. This is awesome.

Digital Spoon Scale:

Now, I can’t speak to the functionality of this, but I have to admit it’s a pretty incredible idea. You want to measure your flour with a measuring cup, but you also want to weigh it, right? Well, this Digital Spoon Scale from Admetior ($19.99 from Bed, Bath, and Beyond) does both! This is the perfect gift for any bakers in your life.

Obol, the Never-Soggy Cereal Bowl from Brookstone:

OCD? Take forever to eat a bowl of cereal? Or just like to keep your food compartmentalized? This bowl is perfect! Obol, the Never-Soggy Cereal Bowl from Brookstone ($19.99) keeps your cereal away from your milk, until you’re ready to combine them. Then again, you could also serve up a nice bowl of clam chowder and oyster crackers. Or chips and salsa. Or milk and cookies. The options are endless. And this bowl, which comes in tons of colors, is pretty fabulous.

Willowherb Rolling Pin from Anthropologie:

I roll a lot of dough. Seriously. I have a flatbread-making problem and I’m in love with making bread, pastries, and more. Plus, I’m obsessed with the idea of perfecting the chocolate croissant. So, I think a pretty rolling pin is needed. Actually, I think it’ s pretty much a requirement of anyone who does much baking. These are the things that make spending time in the kitchen even happier. This Willowherb Rolling Pin from Anthropologie ($18) is one of my favorites because of the cheery colors and Scandinavian print.

And you probably need the matching muffin pan ($36), too, yes? Um, I mean your gift recipient will need the matching muffin pan.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream:

What do you get for the person who has everything? Ice cream. And from what I’ve heard, Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream is the top of the line amazing. If you know someone who’s been crying themselves to sleep at night because Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream isn’t available where they live, you will make their holidays very happy. Jeni’s website allows you to purchase and ship their ice cream. I think this Sublime Holiday Collection ($70) is perfect as it includes Cumin and Honey Butterscotch Cake, Smoked Tea and Plum Pudding, Vanilla Cedar Wood, The Black Forest, Black Currant Lambic Sorbet, and Frankincense and Almond Cake flavors. Can you say unique?

Of course, you could also pair it with the Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream cookbook ($13.61). I have this and it’s an insanely beautiful cookbook with the most unique ice cream recipes ever.

Black Pepper Body Wash from Molton Brown:

So, it’s not really food. And it sounds a little odd. But I’ve heard absolutely amazing things about Molton Brown’s Black Pepper Body Wash ($28). Yes, it’s body wash that is made with black pepper oil. But something tells me if you’re a food lover, you’re a fan of black pepper. It will help relax your muscles, remove toxins, and wake you right up. The body wash is unisex, so it makes the perfect gift for everyone in your life.

Eat Boutique Gift Box:

Want to make your gift recipients swoon? Of course you do! Eat Boutique is the perfect way. The incredible Maggie (a blogging friend in real life!) started Eat Boutique for food lovers to celebrate local and handmade foods. Not only can you purchase her gift boxes to give as gifts (prices vary), but you can even purchase a subscription, which means your recipient will get a handmade food gift box every month. Maggie sent us the Holiday Breakfast Box and I’m absolutely in love with it. It has six local products (New Harvest Coffee, Whimsy and Spice Honey Lavender Biscotti, Lark Fine FOod Teacakes, Sweet Brook Farm Grade A Maple Syrup, Quince and Apple Orange Marmalade w/ Lemons, and Cown and Crumb Granola). We’ll be posting more about Eat Boutique soon, but for now, you should know the gift boxes make the perfect totally fun, unique gift for any food lover. Plus, the presentation is BEAUTIFUL!

Meat T-Shirts from Wooster Meats:

I mean, does it get any better than a t-shirt proclaiming your love for Italian meats? I don’t think so. Wooster Meats offers meat t-shirts ($25) for everyone in your life. Well, the meat-eaters anyway. Particularly the ones who love Italian meats like prosciutto and soppressata. But they even have a Kosher matzo ball soup tee!

Chalkboard Spice Rack from Etsy:

Maybe it’s not the most practical thing in the world, but this Chalkboard Spice Rack from Etsy shop Salt City Spice ($23) sure is cute. Spices are beautiful and it’s fun to display them. Plus, this chalkboard would be perfect to write your nightly dinner menu on, adding character to any kitchen.

Core Bamboo Bowls:

These Core Bamboo Bowls ($12-$45) are my new obsession and you’ll probably see them making multiple appearances on the blog in the future. They’re fun, they’re beautiful, and they can really jazz up any table or meal. In fact, I truly believe these bowls could make even a boron romaine lettuce salad more exciting. Try it. Plus, they come in so many colors, you can definitely find one (or four) for everyone on your gift list.

Bodum Pavina Double-Wall Thermo Glasses:

I’ve talked about these glasses before, but I’m saying it again. Bodum’s Pavina Double-Wall Thermo Glasses ($17-$30 for sets of 2) are a wish come true. They keep coffee hot, but don’t burn your hand. They keep water cold, but don’t give you the chills. And they come in all different sizes. Plus, they’re more fun-looking than the average glass.

Aerobie AeroPress:

Again, you’ve seen this contraption on We are not Martha before (read the post to learn more), but I highly recommend the Aerobie AeroPress ($25.95) as a gift for any coffee drinkers in your life. It’s super inexpensive and makes what I believe is some of the best coffee ever. Talk about value!

Contigo Travel Mug:

Another gift for the coffee-lovers out there. Anyone who takes coffee to work likely knows how annoying it is to a) get to work and have the coffee be cold and b) go to take a sip of coffee and have it spill all over you (and your white coat when you’re on your way to work… Not that I would know…). Well, the Contigo Travel Mug ($17.99) solves both those problems. It seriously keeps coffee hot for HOURS. Like so hot you won’t believe it. Plus, the autoseal lid actually automatically seals between sips so there will be no danger of spilling. Oh, and if you prefer cold drinks to hot coffee? Contigo keeps those cold for 12 hours.

Bloody Mary Gift Basket from GourmetGiftBaskets.com:

You must know someone who has a healthy obsession with bloody marys. If so, this is their dream gift. This Bloody Mary Gift Basket ($79.99) comes with everything (and much more!) you need for an amazing bloody mary. If you don’t know any bloody fans, there’s always the Mojito Gift Basket and many more.

Sign up for Fab.com:

OK, this isn’t a gift, but more of a demand from me. Because you’ll find lots more holiday gifting inspiration here. You probably think the last thing you need is a daily deal site to send you emails. But Fab is, well, fab. That’s all. It’s filled with design inspiration and will make your heart melt. In a good way. You can sign up with my invite code and I’m pretty sure you’ll become as obsessed as I am.

I could keep going. Forever. Really. But, even though it’s December 1, the holidays are coming upon us quickly and I know you want to finish up your shopping! I hope you found a gift idea or two on this list… And remember to check out last year’s Holiday Gift Guide because I still highly recommend everything on there!

What’s your favorite holiday gift for food lovers this year?

[Sues]

Have you heard of the AeroPress coffee maker? I hadn’t. But when I got an email from Aerobie asking if I wanted to try it out, I happened to be reading it out loud in my living room. Chris was in the room and literally jumped up off the couch. “THEY WANT TO SEND YOU AN AEROPRESS!! OMG OMG CAN I HAVE IT?!” Woah. I wrote right back telling them I’d love to try it out. Chris was still asking if he could have it. “Could you let me try it first, please?!” I finally responded. Clearly, he was a tad bit excited.

And how could I not be excited to try it out after hearing his reaction? So, I received the product and opened up the box. My first reaction was that it was a bit complicated. But no, Chris assured me it would be a breeze to use and agreed to help demonstrate it.

Here are all the pieces of the AeroPress set out, along with our coffee of choice, water, and our favorite Bodum double-wall glasses. We can talk more about those later. Swoon.

We decided to use one of my favorite coffees from Starbucks fall line; their Italian Roast (which Starbucks lovingly sent me!). Everyone knows you need to start the coffee-making process with a good high-quality coffee…

But not everyone knows that the method in which you make the coffee is also extremely important. But after they use the AeroPress, they will!

Chris kindly demonstrated the various parts. Including the cute little microfilters that keep your coffee particle-free.

You simply place your microfilter in the bottom cap and twist it closed.

Place two scoops of coffee (with the lovely Aeropress scoop) into the chamber.

And then stand the chamber on your mug and and pour hot (175 degree-ish) water into the chamber.

This takes a lot of concentration.

Now, stir the water for about 10 seconds. And insert the plunger into the chamber.

Gently press down about a quarter of an inch for about 20 to 30 seconds, maintaining the same amount of pressure.

And watch in wonder as your coffee slowly drips into your glass or mug.

And then sip away and enjoy some of the cleanest-tasting coffee you’ve ever had. This coffee was seriously strong and awesome. I was literally stunned by how much better this tasted than the coffee we make in our drip coffee maker (and we have a really nice coffee maker!). Oh, and you can also make a pretty fantastic espresso with this, too.

So, why is the AeropPess better than other coffee makers? For lots of reasons! Here are a few: All of the coffee grounds contact the same water temperature and the brewing process is short and sweet. This means no bitterness is extracted from the coffee grounds.

Also, I always notice if I’m making coffee in my drip maker and I want a cup quickly and pour it before it’s done brewing, the coffee is SO strong. But the coffee that brews at the end of the process is incredibly weak. The AeroPress uses total immersion, which means all of the grounds come into contact with the same water temperature and the brewing process is super short. AND furthermore, the pressure from the AeroPress extracts extra flavor from the coffee grounds. Perfection!

Clearly, I am a fan. The other amazing thing? The AeroPress is SUPER easy to clean, unlike a typical French press. To see more about the wonders of the AeroPress, check out their Amazon page.  And their rave reviews! Many claim it’s the best cup of coffee they’ve EVER had! In the meantime, I should tell you I’m also obsessed with our Bodum Double Wall Glasses. They keep coffee hot (and cold drinks cold!), but because they’re double walled, they don’t burn your hand at all. Even better, they don’t sweat! Which means Chris can stop anxiously following me around our apartment with a coaster. Also, they’re pretty. And I’m pretty sure I now need them in every shape and size.

After we made our coffee, Chris asked me about a thousand times if he could bring the AeroPress to work. But, you know, I want to be able to make good coffee in our home, too. So I purchased a 2nd AeroPress right away and included it in his already coffee-oriented birthday present (his birthday was yesterday!). And today at work? He took this photo:

Yes, that is his desk at work. And no, he does not work at a coffee shop. Clearly, I’m marrying someone who loves a good cup of coffee as much as I do. Life is good.

AeroPress Giveaway!

So, now that you’ve heard me rave and have seen how amazing the AeroPress is, you probably want one for yourself, right? I mean, think about how much brighter your mornings could be! You could even have a desk set-up like Chris’s if you’re really obsessed. I’ll be picking one lucky winner to receive an AeroPress of their own! All you have to do is leave a comment on this email letting me know your idea of the perfect cup of coffee by Tuesday November 22 at 11:59 p.m.

For an extra entry, follow us on Twitter. And for another one, tweet about this giveaway! Make sure you come back to leave another comment letting us know.

Good luck!! And if you don’t win? The AeroPress is only $25.95 on Amazon, which is a small price to pay for the best coffee maker ever (think about how much a good drip maker costs!). And I speak from experience when I say the AeroPress makes a very good gift. And the holidays are coming up!

[Sues]

There are a few things about me you probably don’t know. Like the fact that I get really infatuated with certain celebrities/persons of interest. Like, um, Donny Osmond. Ugh, I know. But that’s not what we’re here to talk about. If you’ve been reading WANM for a long time, you’ve probably noticed I talk about Cook’s Illustrated and Chris Kimball quite a bit over the years. I actually wrote about him in one of my very first blog posts! In my eyes, Chris Kimball is a God. Ever since my dad introduced me to Cook’s Illustrated and America’s Test Kitchen when I was in college, I’ve held Chris Kimball in incredibly high regard. And when I was in grad school and contacted a random email address on the ATK website to see if I could ask an editor some questions for a paper I was writing… And Kimball himself invited me to call him; I became obsessed. Can you blame me? He gave me a fabulous interview and I got an A on the paper Kimball is definitely on my favorite person list!

Though America’s Test Kitchen is practically in my neighborhood, I’ve never had the opportunity to visit. Until tonight. We were invited to the launch party for their new cookbook; the one that compiles recipes from the last 20 years of Cook’s Illustrated. How exciting!

If you don’t know a lot about America’s Test Kitchen, I’ll let you know that they publish my absolute favorite magazine, Cook’s Illustrated. It’s the magazine I’m most excited to get every month because, though it’s pretty short, it’s absolutely packed with quality material. The basic idea behind Cook’s illustrated is that the cooks in the test kitchen test each recipe over and over and over until they absolutely perfect it. That can mean making a recipe once with 1/2 C sugar and the next time making it exactly the same way except for using 3/4 C of sugar instead. They want to make every recipe as perfect as possible, while also making sure the recipes are completely accessible for home cooks. They explain everything they do exceptionally well and have a reason for everything. Plus? There are no ads!

Of course, America’s Test Kitchen also has an incredibly successful PBS show, tons of cookbooks, and another magazine called Cook’s Country. They get A LOT done over here in Brookline, MA!

There was so much incredible food at the party (all dishes from the new cookbook!), but I failed to photograph most of it because there were too many completely fabulous people to talk to… and I do not do well talking, eating, drinking wine, AND photographing.

Chels and I met Steph, Social Media Manager for ATK at TechMunch over the summer. She does an amazing job with social media for the entire brand and one of my favorite things tonight was her Wall of Awesome. When a reader cooks an ATK recipe and posts a picture on Twitter, Steph often prints the photo of their dish out and puts it on the wall. This way, all of the wonderful cooks, who who busy in the kitchen, can see their own dishes that readers are recreating. I love this idea, especially since the ATK cooks don’t have a lot of time to leave the kitchen and hang out on the internet. It’s like a Twitter stream come to life

My other favorite thing? America’s Test Kitchen is my All-Clad heaven! It’s literally EVERYWHERE you look. I contemplated putting a piece in my purse (they’d never notice it was missing! And my purse is HUGE!), but then I realized I wanted to be invited back at some point. Plus my purse was already really heavy. So I just drooled over it, instead

That’s not even the half of it. Oh, and it’s a Le Creuset heaven, too!

Need a whisk?

Chris gave a short but very sweet talk, welcoming us to his “home” and thanking us for celebrating their new cookbook with them. He admitted he once didn’t quite get blogging and social media, but is now fully supportive of it. Yay!

Before we left (you should know Chelsee and I are always the last people to leave every party… beware if you invite us somewhere!), we headed out into the library, another heaven.

We enjoyed some pecan bars.

And pots de creme.

Of course, we also snapped a photo with Chris and BostonTweet! (Um, please excuse my roots. Whoa!).

I also had the opportunity to talk to Julia Collin Davison from the America’s Test Kitchen show, and she was just as nice in person as she is on television. Oh, and we also got to take home the best gift bags ever, including 2 cookbooks- the new one and the Kitchen Menu Cookbook!

Thanks for inviting us into your home, America’s Test Kitchen! We already have plans to return for a full-blown tour, and probably to ask everyone in the kitchen a million questions! I might hide in the refrigerator or something this time, so I never have to leave. Just kidding. I promise…

Are you an America’s Test Kitchen/Cook’s Illustrated fan?

[Sues]

Hello! We’re back from Chicago and proud to say we’ve completed our third year at Butterball University! This year’s trip was a little bit shorter, but we still got our full day in at the Butterball kitchen, getting trained on how to cook turkey many, many different ways. While we’ve learned an endless amount of turkey cooking knowledge each year we’ve attended BBU, I honestly think this year was the best of them all. Everything really seemed to stick and I felt way more familiar and comfortable in the kitchen with the turkeys. I almost wanted to run home and prepare 11 different turkeys using each of the methods! Although I’m pretty sure my apartment building neighbors wouldn’t appreciate it too much if I brought out a turkey fryer (unless I had Masterbuilt’s Indoor Electric Turkey Fryer!). Though they’d probably love if I shared the leftovers.

When we first arrived in Naperville on Wednesday, we met the fabulous Butterball and Edelman team for dinner at La Sorella di Francesca, along with two other bloggers: Zippy from Champagne Living and Heather from Home EC 101. After a day of traveling, we were starving and dug right in to some calamari.

And tomato, basil, and mozzarella.

I enjoyed rigatoni and asparagus…. In fact, the biggest bowl ever. What? We had a full day of turkey cooking ahead of us and I needed to carbo-load (As a non-marathoner, I need a carbo-loading excuse, too. Just give it to me).

And Chels had the delicious pumpkin ravioli, which I snagged a bite of.

Dessert was a heavenly molton chocolate cake with mint chocolate ice cream. We couldn’t resist!

Bright and early the next morning, it was time to head over to the Butterball headquarters and join the ladies of the Turkey Talk Line. Seriously, this is one of the very best days of the year. It’s called Freshman Day and is basically the day when the newer Butterball Talk-Line experts come together and learn and review everything there is to know about cooking turkey. That way, when you call 1-800-Butterball when you’re tying to prepare your Thanksgiving turkey, they can answer every single one of your questions.

We’ve been lucky enough to have the chance to join them for the last 3 years, so we can learn right along with them! Basically, we’re learning all things turkey from the most skilled turkey chefs around.

When we arrived, we spent a little bit of time listening to turkey experts Carol and Marty talk about everything from food safety to thawing to the different methods of cooking turkey.

You may not realize it, but there really is so much to learn when it comes to turkey. One very common phone call the Talk Line ladies get is from people that didn’t realize you need to take your turkey out of the freezer days before you want to cook it. You can’t thaw in 8 hours, like you can a chicken breast! Of course, many other people have questions about what temperature their turkey should be so it’s safe for their guests to eat and what exactly all that information on the Butterball label means.

After refreshing our minds with all the information, it was time to get in the kitchen and start prepping our own turkeys! I’m still obsessed with the easy-open Butterball packaging. It’s, um, actually kind of fun to open.

Like each past year, we were each assigned a cooking method and our very own turkey. This year, I got a moist heat method with the oven cooking bag.

I grew up in a family that practices the dry heat open pan cooking method and before attending Butterball University, I never even realized there were so many different ways to cook a turkey. Now I am much wiser. Anyway, using an oven cooking bag is becoming more and more popular and one reason people like it so much is because it’s a quick cooking method.

Chels’s method was foil wrapped high temperature, which is also a quick cooking method.

After we both prepped our turkeys (including stuffing them… for the experience. And then un-stuffing them!), we got to do a demonstration in front of the whole class.

First I demonstrated how to prepare a Reynolds oven bag (a little bit of flour, some celery and onions) for the turkey, along with Carol.

It was my first time so I had to take a look at the instructions

Then Chels sprayed her turkey with a little vegetable oil and covered it in heavy duty foil.

Into the ovens our turkeys went. Yes, Butterball has a kitchen filled with ovens.

And we were all assigned our very own.

Labeled with the proper temperature and everything.

While everyone’s turkeys were in the ovens, roasters, microwaves (yes, someone microwaved their turkey!), etc. we sat back down and learned about even more turkey cooking methods. This time, we heard all about turkey grilling, frying, and more. We also heard about all kinds of different meat thermometers… Something else I had no idea there were so many options for.

Marty demonstrated some alternatives to roasting racks.

Then it was back to the kitchen to check on our turkeys! My turkey went in at 350 degrees and it took 2 hours and 15 minutes to come to the right temperature. Isn’t that super quick?

Seeing how quickly my turkey roasted, I can see why lots of people like the oven bag method. When it’s Thanksgiving day and you have about a million different dishes vying for the attention of the oven, having your turkey cook so quickly is a great thing.

However, I wasn’t a huge fan of the coloring of my turkey. It wasn’t nearly as golden as many of the others!

Chels’s turkey took even less time in the foil. She was cooking hers at 450 degrees, which is a super high temperature for roasting a turkey. But look at how beautifully golden hers is!

One of our very favorite parts of Butterball University is seeing the whole turkey lineup: everyone’s just cooked turkeys fresh out of the oven!

And all of the lovely ladies who made them.

We went through the lineup and everyone talked about their method, how long their turkey took to cook, and how it looked right out of the oven.

It was really interesting to hear everyone’s different experiences with their turkey. We’re at Butterball University to learn ALL about cooking turkey. So, even though we each had our own method, we still made sure to pay super close attention to what everyone else was doing, too.

But even when the turkeys were cooked, our jobs were not yet complete. We still have to carve those turkeys up! Carving is definitely not my favorite thing about turkey training, but it’s obviously pretty essential if you want to make the most of the turkey and have it looking pretty.

After we all carved our turkeys, it was time to sample the various methods and discuss which ones we liked best.

Time for the great turkey tasting! As usual, I really loved the open pan cooked turkey, but I thought Chels’s foil wrapped was incredibly moist and flavorful for being cooked so quickly. I was also actually very pleasantly surprised by the microwaved turkey. It was strangely flavorful and not dry at all! It’s so crazy to actually taste how different each turkey cooked with a different method tastes.

Then it was back to the airport and home to Boston! Butterball University went by way too quickly this year, but I can’t even tell you how happy we were to be back! It’s always so nice to see everyone and learn from such passionate people. Although we did miss the smiling face of Heather (hi, Heather!), the Brand Manager for Butterball, who wasn’t able to come this year due to other work obligations!

Next up? Chels and I are planning to cook our own Butterball turkey in the coming weeks utilizing everything we’ve learned at Butterball U. What method will we use? Will we stuff the turkey or not? You’ll have to wait and see

In the meantime, you should know that the Butterball Turkey Talk Line opens on November 1 and starting then, you can call 1-800-Butterball with all your questions. In the meantime, you can visit Butterball.com for TONS of great information that will help you make your Thanksgiving (or any turkey dinner) a fabulous success.

Thank you again to everyone at Butterball and Edelman for inviting us to Butterball University and teaching us everything you know. We feel SO lucky! And we cannot wait for Thanksgiving!

[Sues]

Full Disclosure: We were hired to attend Butterball University and are being paid to write on the Butterball Blog. However, all of our opinions are our own and we’re under absolutely no obligation to write any rave reviews of our experiences. We really do feel incredibly lucky and have a great respect for the Butterball brand.

Alternatively titled: The day I ate every fried thing you could ever imagine.

Have you heard of The Big E? I had never heard of it in my life. I’m trying to figure out where I’ve been hiding for the last 28 (almost 29 eeeek!) years, considering it’s the largest fair in the Northeast. And I’ve lived in the Northeast all of my life. I guess I’ve just never been a big fair-goer. I visited the Topsfield Fair a couple times as a kid… And the Rye Fair in college. But the Big E? Never crossed my radar. Until this weekend. My sister’s friend, Lesa, grew up somewhat close to the fairgrounds and invited us to attend the fair with her in West Springfield. So, we made the drive on Saturday and had a day packed with fair fun.

What was my main takeaway from The Big E? FRIED FOOD. Everything was fried. And I ate it all. ALL.

The concept of the fair is actually quite interesting. Besides all the normal fair stuff, there’s an “Avenue of States.” On it, there are replicas of each of New England’s original statehouses. And each building is packed full of all the things that represent that state. Interestingly enough, each individual state actually owns the ground the building resides on!

For instance, here’s good old Massachusetts:

Recognize it?

Anyway, we partook in much of the fair activity throughout the day. And like all good fairs, plenty of animals were hanging out. Including a petting zoo, with this cute little guy:

And a donkey. Ha! There was even a zebra and a crazy llama who kept following everyone around. I haven’t been to a petting zoo in AGES.

Check out this Clydesdale horse who just happens to weigh 2,230 pounds. Sheesh.

There were lots of those booths that say things like “Step inside to see the world’s largest horse!” or the “world’s smallest horse!” I didn’t fall prey to any of them because, hello, we just saw a horse that weighs 2,230 pounds. Do I need anything more than that? Also, I know what a miniature horse looks like, thankyouverymuch.

I kind of loved the chick hatchery with all the adorable little newborn chicks.

Chris faced his worst nightmare… Bees!

OK, let’s talk food for a little bit. I’m warning you, it’s not pretty. But, when at the Big E… What I’m trying to say is that I had to. I recognize that the food at this fair represents all that is wrong with our country. It’s actually a bit sickening. But as people who are relatively healthy in every day life, partaking in one day of fair fried goodness is not going to kill us. And seriously, I couldn’t do it for more than one day!

We started “in” Maine with the baked potatoes because not only did Lesa recommend them, but so did everyone on Twitter. I’m actually not a big baked potato person and didn’t want to fill up too early, but I definitely had a few bites of Chris’s.

It was a HUGE potato and fully loaded. With all the good stuff. You know, fake cheese; fake bacon. Yup.

From there, we made our way to Rhode Island and began our fried food binge.

These clam fritters were quite nice.

Fresh out of the oil!

But maybe not as nice as what we saw next.

Ahem. Fried Kool-Aid

And fried jelly beans.

No lie. This is totally not what we were expecting fried jelly beans to be like. But they were quite interesting.

To be honest, everything just tasted mostly like fried dough. But what did we really expect? At least we didn’t eat the fried butter. Yes, butter.

Say “cheese!” Er, I mean “Fried!”

But we did check out the fabulous butter sculpture!

Which I’m happy say was sculpted with butter donated from Cabot Creamery!

FYI: 600 pounds of butter were used in the sculpture, which means 12,600 pounds of milk were used. Also, you could have topped 19,200 pancakes with that butter. Oh, and did you know “butter” is Greek for “chowcheese?” Now you do.

I opted out of trying a giant cream puff or eclair, but am kind of craving one now that it’s been over 24 hours since any fried food intake.

But don’t worry; the culinary experience wasn’t over just yet. We HAD to try the award-winning Hot Diggid-E Dog! I’m pretty sure it was a hot dog filled with cheese, wrapped in bacon, and topped with BBQ sauce and coleslaw.

Meh, not as good as it sounded. I’m going to need something to cleanse my palate. Oh, how about a burger on a doughnut topped with cheese and bacon. Nobody told me Paula Deen was in the house (oh, never mind, if she was here, there would have been a fried egg on there, too!).

STOP judging me. I swear, the 5 of us shared all of this food and mainly just had a “taste” of everything.

Oh hey, it’s a stand called “Dr. Vegetable.” Finally, right? Oh wait, it says “Fresh FRIED vegetables.” Silly me. Guess the Dr. didn’t finish medical school, huh? Also, please note, this stand remained quite empty each time I walked by. You can batter it up and put it in the fryolator, but it’s still a vegetable.

We also did a bit more state house touring. New Hampshire, home of my alma mater!

This maple cotton candy was seriously awesome.

Upon entering the Massachusetts building, we spotted a booth selling raspberries. Raspberries that weren’t fried!! I love raspberries anyway, but don’t think I ever saw such a beautiful sight at these. My body was majorly craving them.

I’m legitimately leaving tons of Big E attractions out because there are just too many to name. But one thing I found quite interesting was a Christmas tree competition. Here we have the grand prize balsam fir from Massachusetts. Pretty, right? Wouldn’t you like to see that one in your living room on Christmas day?

Oh, hey there.

There was also a lot of infomercial-y stuff around the Big E (and a TON of hot tubs for sale). One of which I may have fallen sucker to.

In all fairness, I needed a new vegetable peeler. Lesa told me these Swiss Super Peeler‘s are the only peelers she ever buys. And another person standing next to me also spoke to their amazingness.

See how totally intrigued I am? Sold!

My dad should just be happy we didn’t purchase a hot tub for his deck… We’ve been trying to convince him to get one for the longest time, but he won’t cave.

After a full day of walking around and stuffing our faces, it was time for a stop at the martini bar. Oops sorry, I mean martin-E.

This dirty martini was exactly what I needed. It was made with V-1 Vodka, which I had never heard of, but is a local brand.

As we were leaving, the music was just starting and more and more people were entering the Big E. But we had an almost 2-hour drive ahead of us, so we hit the road.

The Big E runs until next weekend and during that time acts like Blake Shelton and Reba McEntire will be performing.

So, I mean, if you’re craving fried food and some fair fun, get yourself over to West Springfield. Trust me, I barely even touched upon the food selection… I missed out on the fried Oreos, fried cheesecake, fried whoopie pies, 2-foot-long hotdogs, and much, much more.

Whew. I think I’m all faired out for quite a while!

Are you a fair-goer? What’s your favorite part about a fair?

[Sues]

I admit, I had my first pumpkin beer last night. I know. I didn’t want to, but we were eating dinner outside and it was cool and fall-like and it just sounded so good. And it was September 1, after all. But we’re still in that weird in-between seasons time, with a few more days until Labor Day and a few more weeks before summer is officially over. So, here’s one more glorious summery drink that will be the perfect way to kiss summer goodbye. And since it’s the Cocktail Friday before the long weekend, I figured not only would I give you a cocktail, but I’d give you a giveaway, too! You deserve it. It’s been a long week.

Growing up, I absolutely loved Lime Rickeys. So when I saw Martha Stewart’s more adult-version in her magazine, I immediately knew it would be my end of summer Cocktail Friday drink. It’s simple, but unique with the addition of cilantro and lots and lots of limes. Perfect for sipping outside with a light sweater, as you kiss the summer goodbye. Wahhhh.

Gin Lime Rickeys with Cilantro (makes about 4-5):
Adapted from Martha Stewart Living
Print this recipe!

• 1 C water
• 5 limes
• 1 C gin
• 3 T sugar (superfine if you have it)
• 3 C club soda
• 1 small bunch cilantro

I changed Martha’s ratios up a bit (more gin!), but the instructions for this cocktail recipe are super easy, even though you’re essentially making your own limeade (of course you could buy limeade, too, but if you have an extra 3 minutes, I suggest making it!). Which is perfect for a Friday evening when all you want to do is wind down from a long work week with a cocktail. Simply pour the water into a pitcher and juice 3 of the limes into it. Add the gin and the sugar. Cut the other 2 limes into rounds and add them in the pitcher, too.

Refrigerate pitcher for a little while and then add in the club soda.

Pour over ice, add a bit of cilantro to each, and serve.

I used to not like cilantro. But then something changed and now I quite enjoy it. But even if you’re not a huge fan of cilantro in burritos, tacos, guacamole, etc. I think you might enjoy it with gin and lime.

Then again, what wouldn’t you enjoy with gin and lime? Point taken.

This cocktail was nice and tart from the lime, but also sweet from the added sugar. The gin wasn’t overpowering at all and this could be the perfect way to introduce gin into your repertoire if you’re not totally crazy about it already.

We enjoyed these cocktails on what could be one of the last warm summer evenings here in Boston, on the deck with a delicious dinner (post to follow next week!).

I’ll miss you, summer. But now, I’m going to start scouting around for some fall drink ideas. Pumpkin pie martini, anyone?

Gap Jeans Giveaway!

If you’re a long-time reader of We are not Martha, you may remember the Gap Jeans party we threw a couple years ago. Basically, Gap’s fabulous marketing company, Brand About Town, asked me to be a Gap Ambassador and sent me a whole bunch of jeans from their (then) new 1969 collection. At the time, I wasn’t a huge Gap fan and hadn’t bought their jeans since middle school. But the 1969 collection changed my whole outlook on the Gap. The jeans fit me! And they looked good! And I loved them. And I’m not just saying that because they sent me free jeans.

Fast forward to 2011 and I can say with 100% honesty that I have not bought a SINGLE pair of jeans from any store but the Gap since my party. You might say Gap’s marketing strategy worked incredibly well. And now that they’re amping their program up again, I’m getting very, very excited. The other day, I came home to a package from them containing two pairs of jeans from Gap’s 1969 collection (that they teamed up with Vogue to showcase). Yay!

They sent me their Ponte Legging Jean and Pintuck Trouser Jean. Hello, new fall jeans! Both pairs of jeans are pretty awesome, but seeing that I’m already in love with legging jeans, I couldn’t wait to try these new SUPER soft ones on. Best. Jeans. Ever. The first time I wore them, I can’t even tell you how many times I actually looked down, thinking my pants were unbuttoned. Why? Because they are SO comfortable around my waist that I seriously felt like I was not wearing pants. Isn’t that kind of amazing? Pants that make you feel like you’re not wearing pants? Best thing ever.

Chris and I went to the driving range last night and then decided to stop by Legacy Place for some pizza from Wicked. We happened to be sitting outside right next to a Gap and we popped in after dinner just so I could see what else was going on for fall. Well, we walked in and I saw a huge display of legging jeans. I think I started shaking with happiness, realizing how many colors and shades the legging jeans come in. And the store just happened to be having a one-day 50% off sale. So, I bought another pair. The super duper soft Ponte Legging Jeans come in two colors, the black I have and an olive color. I’m crossing my fingers that Gap will start designing these pants in every color under the sun. Please.

I also wore the black Ponte Legging Jeans out during the hurricane on Saturday night for our friend Naomi’s bachelorette party and kinda felt like I was running around in the rain with no pants on. Or that I was out at the Top of the Hub in my sweatpants. Nothing better.

Now here’s where you come in. Brand About Town was also thinking of you when they sent me my new jeans. They included a jeans certificate for me to give away to one of our amazing readers. The certificate will allow you to get any new pair of Gap jeans, up to a $90 value. How awesome is that?!

Here’s how to enter:

1) Leave a comment on this post letting me know what pair of jeans you like best from Gap’s 1969 denim collection.

For extra entries:

2) Follow We are Not Martha on Twitter (if you already follow us, let me know, too)

3) Tweet: “@WearenotMartha is giving away a pair of @Gap jeans!” and use hashtag #GapAmbassador

4) “Like” We are not Martha on Facebook (if you already “like” us, let me know, too)

Be sure you post a comment for each way you enter, so I know!

Since it’s the Friday before a long weekend, I’ll give you until Tuesday, September 6 (my sister and Adam’s anniversary!) at 11:59 p.m. to enter.

Good luck and happy fall shopping!! (and Cocktail Friday)

[Sues]

A huge thank you to Brand About Town and the Gap for giving me the jeans and free jean certificates. While I did get the jeans for free, all opinions on this blog are 100% my own and I’m absolutely obsessed with my new jeans! We never talk about things we don’t actually love here on We are not Martha

And that is as close as I got to the lovely Giada De Laurentiis on Saturday. Boo hoo.

Oh, Hurricane Irene. You ruined what could have been one of the coolest experiences of my life. On Saturday morning, I was all set to meet Giada De Laurentiis. She was making an appearance at St. Anthony’s Feast in the North End and the lovely people from Bella Sera Wines invited me to come by and interview her. To say I was excited would be a bit of an understatement.

I mean, Giada is basically perfection and I definitely see a lot of similarities between her and We are not Martha (well, except for the fact that she’s on a whole different level than us). When I say similarities, I mean that we both love entertaining and enjoying nice family meals and fun dinners with close friends. I have a feeling that’s why Bella Sera asked me to interview her, too. Their brand is all about bringing people together with good wine. And clearly, WANM loves doing that

Sadly, Giada had to hurry home ahead of schedule due to the hurricane warnings and she couldn’t make her big appearance. As it was a totally last-minute decision, I was already in the North End when Bella Sera learned she wouldn’t be coming. Since I was already there, they asked if I’d be OK chatting with her on the phone instead.

Of course, a phone call is nothing like actually meeting Giada face-to-face- especially since I am NOT a phone person at all- but still… How often do I get to chat with celebrity chefs on the phone? Never. I obviously said yes! And before I knew it, Giada was on the phone.

(I honestly couldn’t believe I was standing in the North End chatting with Giada De Laurentiis on a cell phone, like she was my old buddy. Wow.)

So, below are the questions I asked Giada (with a few thrown in from my Twitter friends!) and her answers:

-I started by asking Giada if she had any tips to make entertaining any easier for beginners who might get a little nervous when it comes to having people come over for a meal. She responded by saying,

“Theme is the easiest thing to do. Once you pick a theme for your gathering, it’s so much easier to make everything come together… Try not to do everything from scratch. Pick one thing to make from scratch and buy food you know is going to be good… Entertaining is really about having people around the table and good food on the table.”

Another awesome entertaining tip:

“Open a yummy bottle of wine. I’ve been loving moscato lately. It’s typically a dessert wine, but I’ve been enjoying it throughout my entire meal.”

Courtesy of bellaserawine.com

- Which led me to the question, does Giada still get nervous before a big performance or, say, before serving a meal to Prince William and Catherine? Her response:

“Yes, I was extremely, extremely nervous nervous!”

Phew! She’s just like us

But even more than that, Giada admitted that, “I always get nervous before hosting dinner parties, but my philosophy is don’t let them see you sweat… And if all else fails, give them a good bottle of wine.”

-I may not have kids myself, but I know many of our readers do. And I’m always intrigued by kids and food and how to raise kids who aren’t picky eaters. Whenever I see Giada’s adorable little daughter, Jade, on the Today Show, it’s pretty obvious she absolutely loves food. So, how does Giada do it?

Giada admits that Jade is just not a picky eater, but does say that she started her eating all kinds of foods at a young age and that:

“I like to keep it interesting and fun and I try to get creative. One thing I love to make is mac and cheese cupcakes with veggies or meat mixed in. I bake them in a cupcake tray and she loves them. I also like to cook with her.”

-Kind of tying into the previous question, I asked Giada if she sits down to family dinners every evening (at least on the evenings she’s available). And she claimed,

“Yes, definitely. Growing up, family dinners were a big thing for my family. You don’t even always have to cook dinner yourself. All that matters is that you’re all sitting down together and making memories… That’s one reason I’m so happy to be working with Bella Sera wines, too, they really promote the idea of family togetherness.”

Courtesy of bellaserawine.com

-And does Giada meal-plan or just fly by the seat of her pants when it comes to dinner?

“I do try my best to meal plan. At the beginning of the week, I figure out what’s going on during the week and do the grocery shopping. Then I pick up a couple last-minute necessities like produce and meat during the week.”

-Since this Hurricane Irene was clearly causing so many problems, I had to ask Giada a hurricane-related question. This one came from my Twitter bud Kimerly. What would Giada stock up on if she heard a hurricane was on its way (you know, hypothetically)?

“Well, besides water and flashlights, I’d pick up some different shaped pasta, nice olive oil, parmesan cheese, a head of garlic, and jarred tomato sauce for a quick meal to throw together with lots of flavor.”

-In case you’re wondering what Giada’s favorite shaped pasta is, like my Twitter buddy @tbella, it’s:

“Penne… penne rigate, which is the penne with lines, is the best.”

-And since I’ve got total wedding-brain lately, I asked Giada what she had at her own wedding dinner. We haven’t picked out our menu yet, but are incredibly excited to meet with the chef at the Colonnade who just happens to be amazing. Giada told me,

“My husband is a meat eater and I love fish, so we tried to have something that would make everyone happy. We started with a caprese salad and then had beef filet for my husband and fish for me. But the most important thing at a wedding is just having all your family and friends there to make it special.”

Giada congratulated me on my engagement, which cheesy as it may sound, made me super happy Think it would be too much to invite her to the wedding? Hehe.

Wow, what an awesome phone call!

Before summer ends for good, I am definitely going to pick up a bottle of Bella Sera’s Moscato, per Giada’s recommendation. I have to say, I loved the fact that Giada De Laurentiis and Bella Sera wine seemed like such a good fit together and she was clearly working with them because she actually loves their wines and believes in their message. If you didn’t know, Bella Sera means “beautiful evening” in Italian and Giada says she wants to help people create beautiful evenings in their home every night. What a refreshing partnership!

While, of course, I’m disappointed I didn’t get to meet her in person (and take a photo with her… and have her sign my book), I was still more than thrilled to chat with her. Thank you SO much to Bella Sera for inviting me to St. Anthony’s Feast and making sure I still got the opportunity to have my questions answered. And thank you to Giada De Laurentiis for taking the time to talk to me on the phone.

Hurricane Irene turned out to not be too bad in the Boston area. There were definitely some falling trees and power outages, but I was lucky enough to have power and a nice comfortable apartment to hang out in all day. At this point, I do have a bit of cabin fever, though, and I’m sure I’ll be heading out to find a coffee shop to work in today. I can’t sit in my apartment any longer!

What would have ask Giada De Laurentiis if you had 15 minutes on the phone with her? And did Hurricane Irene hit you hard?

[Sues]

About two weeks ago, while I was working at Paper Source, two lovely girls from the new MIniLuxe in Brookline stopped in to drop off a generous amount of complimentary basic manicure cards.

I had no clue at all that MiniLuxe had even opened so these girls dropping the cards off at my job was clearly an act from above I was obviously thrilled (what girl doesn’t love a free mani!?) because Kate had taken me to the MiniLuxe on Newbury Street for my birthday last year, so I was excited to try the new location in my neck of the woods.

More about MiniLuxe from their website:

MiniLuxe is a “nail and beauty lounge that caters to you and what is going on in your life at the moment. We believe that “me time” is critical to a balanced life. You never need an excuse to take care of you. Whether it’s your weekly beauty fix or a much-needed pick-me-up, let us work our mani/pedi magic. MiniLuxe brings out the beauty in life and the beauty in you.

The space is sophisticated, bright, and fun while being fairly minimal with only the necessary tools and products visible. All of this makes for a truly relaxing and enjoyable experience. It also makes you want to spend the entire day in there especially since all the girls who work there are wonderful and hilarious.

They also pride themselves on providing the most sanitary nail and skin care treatments in the industry, including cleaning all of their tools in an autoclave, which is the same way dentists and doctors sterilize their equipment. The autoclave completely sterilizes the equipment leaving it 100% bacteria free. After the tools are cleaned they’re then sealed in individualized sterilization packages. Another bonus? The nail buffers and files they use to do your manicure are then yours to keep! To me, this is huge, because many years ago I got a manicure at a mall salon and got a ridiculous infection in my finger because their tools weren’t properly cleaned! I woke up the next morning and my finger was swollen to twice the size! I ended up going to the doctors who then gave me antibiotics. Scary stuff, so I’m all for salons that take the time and put the effort in to providing top-notch cleanliness.

The also sell Havaianas, my favorite brand of flip flops

Another one of my favorite parts about MiniLuxe is they actually sell all of the colors they use so if you fall in love with the color that was used for your mani or pedi you can easily purchase it.

They also sell all sorts of yummy beauty products, including a brown sugar and vanilla scrub that I need immediately:

I got my nails done by Anu, second from the left, who was beyond friendly (we chatted and laughed the whole time!) and talented. She did such a wonderful job on my nails that I might actually think about cheating on my regular nail place… gasp!

Kate also joined in on the manicure fun!

Have a mentioned that I refuse to wear makeup in the summer? Cause yeah…

The MiniLuxe Manicure, which is what I got, normally retails for $19.

They also provide shellac manicures, waxing, neck massages while your nails dry (wooooop!), foot facials, and every kind of waxing on nearly every body part imaginable.

MiniLuxe Brookline is conveniently located immediately past Coolidge Corner at 481 Harvard Street. There’s also a parking lot, which in these parts is hard to come by!

MiniLuxe Brookline
481 Harvard Street
Brookline, MA
617.383.5237  

(Source)

Wouldn’t life be splendid if you had a closet like that?

I’m currently in the process of gutting my entire closet. It’s one of my birthday gifts to myself. Are you scared for me?! You should be because it might suck me in and I’ll never see the light of day again. Anyone who knows even a tiny bit of information about my wardrobe knows this will probably wind up taking far longer than it should. I often say the amount of clothes I own should be illegal. So, arrest me.

But a couple weeks ago I had the Today Show on in the background and heard a preview for the next segment, Declutter your Closet and Simplify Your Life, promoting Jill Martin and Dana Ravik’s new book I Have Nothing to Wear. I actually ended up DVRing the segment since I had to run to off to work and I’m really glad I did because there were some crucial points made about revamping your wardrobe and closet.

First, Jill said any time you utter those words “I have nothing to wear” you most likely need to get rid of about 75% of your wardrobe. I nearly fell out of my chair when I heard this and the first thing that came to my mind was “Mmmk, am I going to have to walk around in my undies now?!” For some reason, I feel like most people who say they have nothing to wear always go out and buy more clothes just because it seems easier. Doing so basically prevents you from taking inventory of what you already own. But the more I thought about it the more I realized the clothes I do wear the most are classics, basics mixed with fun accessories, or a select few current pieces. And to be completely honest, I hardly ever wear anything that’s buried in the bottom of my drawers. Which technically means someone could go into my bedroom and steal armfuls of my clothes and I probably wouldn’t even notice they were gone because I have no idea what I even own. All I do know is that the amount of random t-shirts, absurd amount of jeans, and any clothes I bought years ago that still have tags on them have got to go. Quickly. As in before the Fall starts because there’s nothing I love more about Fall than the clothes and I’m ready to make room for ones I’ll actually wear.

I also think anytime someone is looking through their closet and says “Ohhh, I never knew I had this!” or “Ohhh, I forgot all about this!” it means it’s time to revamp the closet!

So here’s my plan of attack:

Jill suggests starting by making three piles:

• Keep

• Donate

• Maybe

I’ll probably scratch the “maybe” pile because I know anything I toss in that pile will wind up in the “keep” pile because I can’t make a decision if my life depended on it. I’ll substitute the “maybe” pile for a pile called “Bring to Second Time Around or a similar consignment shop that buys used garments so I can try to make a little moolah off of my clothes”. I’ll try to abbreviate the name of that pile before the time arrives Like I said, I have several items that still have tags on them or are in perfectly good condition but if I’m not going to wear them (or have never worn them) I’m forcing myself to just get rid of it. This will be tough. Hold me.

After the piles are made I’ll immediately bag up the clothes that need to be donated and the clothes that are being sold just to get them out of the space. On the Today Show segment Jill went to a girl’s apartment to assist her in cleaning out her closet and they wound up with 13 bags of clothes to donate. THIRTEEN. Dear goodness.

Now comes the organizing part and actually putting things back into the closet. I’ve been a fan of Huggable Hangers for years now ever since my grandmother sent me a bunch for Christmas one year (currently on sale at Container Store for $6.99/10) and that’s what Jill recommends as well. These hangers are nice and thin, which conserves space, and prevent clothes from sliding off and falling on the floor.

And I’ve always, always, always been envious of people who have stellar shoe organizing skills. Please note: this is mostly people in magazines as I’ve never met a real live person who has such skills. You know what I’m talking about. The polaroid pictures on the clear storage bins. Dare I say I’m going to do this? Well, I can promise I will do the plastic shoe bins part because they’re only $1.79 at The Container Store. Which means I can easily afford to house all of my shoes in style.

While visiting my brother’s new dorm I saw that he put one of his dressers in his closet which is an idea I might have to steal. Not only does it save space on the floor of your bedroom but it helps keep the closet organized and prevents those annoying piles from forming on your closet floor. I’m throughly enjoying these 3-drawer carts ($19.99, Container Store) that I’d probably use to store linens.

My goal is to give myself a week to get this done. And I fully plan on sharing the results with you all mainly because it will hold me accountable. Yes, I will be posting before and after pictures. I know for sure it won’t look nearly as good as the first photo of this post because I rent and I’m not about to install an intense closet system. But I fully intend on working with what I have, getting creative, and getting rid of loads of clothes so the ones I keep can have space to breathe.

What are your tips for maintaining your wardrobe and closet space?

[Chels]