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    <title><![CDATA[Glam Media Network Blog Posts for - Food & Wine]]></title>
    <link>http://www.glam.com/</link>
    <description><![CDATA[Current Glam Media Network Blog Entries for - Food & Wine]]></description>
    <language>en-us</language>
    <pubDate>Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:01:45 PST</pubDate>
    <generator>Glam Media Publishing Engine</generator>
    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Valentines Day Baby Foot Print Cards]]></title>
      <link>http://www.elizadomestica.com/home-decor/valentines-day-baby-foot-print-cards</link>
      <description><![CDATA[
This is a fun project to do with your children, no matter what age. Maybe not when they&#8217;re teens, I&#8217;m sure they wouldn&#8217;t like that &#8211; it might be a little weird.
I did this with Oliver last week. I used a non-toxic finger paint to stamp his feet with and also found some cool organic edible finger paint that I&#8217;m tempted to get for future art projects.
The method to these cards were crazy easy. I bought some blank cards at Michael&#8217;s, Valentine&#8217;s themed felt stickers which seem to be everywhere these days, and finger paint. The cards I found had hearts already punched out of them, but you can easily achieve the same results with a heart-shaped whole puncher. I pre-stamped Oliver&#8217;s feet the day before on colored card-stock paper but then realized I could have just stamped the inside the card instead.
Either way you go about it will work just fine.
Decorate your card as loudly or as simple as you please.
I went the sweet and simple route and placed a cute little owl sticker under each heart cut-out.
Write a little special Valentine&#8217;s note inside and voil! Super easy and adorable Valentine&#8217;s Day baby foot print cards.








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      <pubDate>Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:51:01</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Eliza Domestica]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.elizadomestica.com</gf:blogUrl>
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    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Wave Hill Breads - Norwalk, CT]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/3360-3294/wave-hill-breads</link>
      <description><![CDATA[I became an acolyte of Mitchell Rapoport and Margaret Sapir when they started baking their three-grain pain de campagne at a little shop off Route 7 in Wilton. What a magnificent loaf it is: muscular crust, dense crumb, and flavor that is fine with nothing added and even finer dipped in olive oil or spread with good butter.

According to the bag in which it's packed, the loaf is made from flour, water, spelt and rye berries, sea salt, and yeast. The spelt and rye berries are organic, of course; and loaves are baked each morning (except Tuesday). They are available at the bakery as well as several local grocery stores and the every-Thursday Farmer's Market in Westport.

Since debuting with that one great loaf, the Wave Hill repertoire has expanded to croutons -- huge, gnarled, crusty things that make any soup or salad deluxe, available plain, hot-peppered, garlicky, or lemon and thyme -- and an item called "just crust," which is a buff chip for crust lovers. The bread selection now includes a deliriously chewy olive and roasted red pepper ciabatta and a multi-grain loaf. A panoply of pastries also is on the menu: croissants, muffins, macaroons, gibassiers, and sticky buns. And best of all, the Norwalk store includes a small cafe where you can sit down to eat those pastries or sandwiches made on Wave Hill breads.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:04:12</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[GlamSpaceCottage Pancakes]]></title>
      <link>http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/cottage-pancakes-recipe.html</link>
      <description><![CDATA[GlamSpace

I was cleaning out the desk drawers in my office the other day, and came across my collection of vintage photographs. They're pictures I've picked up (a couple here, a couple there) at yard sales and flea markets. A dollar for this one, two for that. I thought you might enjoy seeing a few of them. Additionally, a number of you were curious about the cottage cheese pancakes I mentioned (in passing) a couple posts back. They're pretty great, and a nice alternative to pancakes that are predominately flour-based. So, between the pictures and the pancakes, I hope you'll find something to your liking in this post...



Pictures first? I'll start by saying, there isn't much rhyme or reason to the photos I choose to buy. I have to like something about the image, and that's about it. Sometimes it's the expression of the person in the photo, or maybe it's the way they're looking into the camera. The pattern of a dress, the look of a sky forty years ago, the way a table is set - all things that have caught my attention at one point or another. Sometimes I'll pin a picture to an inspiration board, or temporarily place a selected shot in a notebook. It sort of depends on what I'm working on (or thinking about). Sometimes they just live in my office drawer. Flip the photos, and I often find handwritten notes sketched on the backs - names, dates, far-flung places. 



The two shots (directly above), I have a special fondness for. The first was printed in June, 1959. Clouds from the window of an airplane. It is printed on matte paper, and you see just a bit of the metallic wing. With the image to the right, it was the expression of the main subject that caught my attention, set against the dramatic alpine backdrop. The back of the photo notes, "Kay & Carlisle, Switzerland." And above those, two Kodacolor prints date 1965 from what I suspect was a vacation to Acapulco.



I choose landscapes, and sometimes interiors, and also portraits. The little girl with the big orange bow and floral dress might be my favorite find. It is July, 1966 and she is watching the airplanes at the San Diego Airport in California. The sky is clear, and she is seated high on a cinder block wall. The image below her is a mystery to me. I'm unsure when, or where, it was taken. Although, it seems to have been cut from a paper scrapbook (something I see a lot of). Let me know if you like this sort of thing, I'm happy to share more found photos at some point, if you're interested.



Now, here's the thing with the pancakes. I'm going to share a version I make that incorporates minced cauliflower. I think of this as "the white version". That said, you can take these in a completely different direction if you like. I just typically work something with added texture, flavor, and nutritional oomph to the base batter. If it's not cauliflower  - chopped spinach, blanched/chopped nettles, broccoli, dill - it's hard to go wrong. And it's fun to experiment.



I kept the recipe straight-forward here, but you can also do blini-sized versions of these. They're great topped with the dill butter from Super Natural Every Day. Seriously, blank canvas. Have fun with them. 

  Continue reading Cottage Pancakes...


  
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:11:11</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[101 Cookbooks]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.101cookbooks.com/</gf:blogUrl>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Install a dimmer switch]]></title>
      <link>http://www.barbarasway.com/blog/?p=359</link>
      <description><![CDATA[OVERVIEW:
This project will show you how to install a dimmer switch. We all  know how important mood lighting is. Create the perfect atmosphere, save  energy, and make your light bulbs last longer with this easy to  accomplish project.
MATERIALS:
dimmer switch, masking tape
TOOLS YOU&#8217;LL NEED:
6-in-1 interchangeable screwdriver
BEFORE YOU BEGIN:
Turn off the power to the circuit and have your neon tester ready.
BARBARA&#8217;s TIPS:
A dimmer may hum if it&#8217;s controlling more bulbs than it was designed to   handle. Make sure the dimmer is rated for at least the maximum rated   wattage of all the light fixtures it will control.
Step 1: Getting to the wiring: 
Unscrew the switch  plate and the old switch and lift it out. If the box is metal, be  careful not to let the screw terminals on the sides of the switch touch  the box.

Step 2: Testing the circuit: 
Touch your tester to each wire. If the test light stays off, it is safe to proceed.

Step 3: Refresh the wiring: 
Before you replace any  wires, especially on a three-way switch  note which wire attaches to  each switch terminal. Use masking tape to mark each wire and write what  it was attached to. Cut off the wires at the switch terminals and strip  about 1/2? of insulation off the two cut switch wires.

Step 4: Match the wires: 
Youve got a lot of  choices here, so pay attention: If your dimmer has two black wires it  has no polarity, so twist each dimmer wire together with either one of  the switch wires and screw on a wire connector. If the dimmer has a  green wire, connect it to the grounding wire. If a dimmer has black and  red wires, wire the black one to the incoming power line and the red one  to the lights. Keep the wires well apart from each other during this  process. Gently fold the wires back into the box and attach the dimmer  to the outlet box with screws. Replace the cover plate and press the  dimmer dial on to the shaft of the dimmer.

Step 5: Let there be light: 
Restore the power and set the mood.
You did it yourself! Barbaras Way]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:40:10</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl></gf:blogUrl>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Meet Duck Harry, which is Not a Rubber Ducky]]></title>
      <link>http://athome.kimvallee.com/2012/02/meet-duck-harry-which-is-not-a-rubber-ducky/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[
Don&#8217;t be fooled by what you see at first sight. I was thrilled when I thought that they modernized the rubber duck that is the companion of every child&#8217;s bath time. But it is not the case. Duck Harry can&#8217;t float! Instead, Icelandic designer Hlynur Atlason created it as a multi-purpose item. Intended usages are aa toothbrush/toothpaste tube holder when you put it on the side, a doorstop or a paperweight.I wonder if we could use it as a bookend.
So, what your verdict? Would you give Duck Harry a chance? Or, are you disappointed, like me, that it can&#8217;t float? Having said that, Duck Harry would look great as a doorstep for a nursery or a bathroom.
SOURCING:
+ Duck Harry, in yellow or black $28 USD atKontextr
You might also like these posts













   
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      <pubDate>Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:20:47</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[At Home with Kim Vallee]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://blog.kimvallee.com/</gf:blogUrl>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Striped Paper Straws in Canada]]></title>
      <link>http://athome.kimvallee.com/2012/02/striped-paper-straws-in-canada/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[
We all are familiar with these adorable striped paper straws. They have been a must-have of baby showers and kids birthdays over the last few years. But if you Live in Canada, you know that they are almost impossible to find this side of the border. This is why I am glad to report that Omiyage now carries 9 shades of striped paper straws, 3 shades of dotted paper straws and one red heart paper straw.These straws are compostable, biodegradable, and made with food safe ink.
You might remember that we talked about Omiyage earlier this year for the great washi tapes.
SOURCING:
+ Stripped Paper Straws at Omiyage $4.50 CAD for a pack of 25
You might also like these posts













   
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:23:44</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[At Home with Kim Vallee]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://blog.kimvallee.com/</gf:blogUrl>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[How To Write a (Non-Fiction) Book Proposal]]></title>
      <link>http://www.accidentalhedonist.com/index.php?title=how_to_write_a_non_fiction_book_proposal&amp;more=1&amp;c=1&amp;tb=1&amp;pb=1</link>
      <description><![CDATA[I'm posting this as much as an exercise for myself as I am as a How-to for those who may want to know. 

Non-Fiction Book Proposals are weird beasts, as you're trying to sell a publisher or agent on an idea of a book, rather than a completed one. For a fiction book, the book should be complete (or complete enough) to be sold soon after purchase by the publishing house. The publisher knows immediately just exactly what they are trying to sell. For non-fiction, the publishing house is essentially looking to understand how to sell the book months, sometimes years into the future. The non-fiction book proposal should have ideas on how to solve that problem throughout the document. Here is the template I've used that seems to work well for me.

Section 1. General Overview: I term this the "purpose and scope" section, or the "Why My book idea is interesting" section.  Keep this at a paragraph, maybe two, to discuss the  premise of the book. For example:

99 Drams of Whiskey seeks to explain the world of whiskey to the newcomer, in a way that provides context to its history, rather than the myths and legends that are used to sell it today.

or 

 Sweet Tooth is a book where the dreams of our childhood meet the realities of adulthood. It's a world-wide candy binge where consequences must be paid.

A little flowery, I know, but the quicker and more succinct the premise of the book  that this section gets across, the better an agent, or a publisher can sell that idea to somebody else. Remember! Other people have to sell your book for you. Make it easy for them! They should be able to sell your idea in less than 30 seconds. This is the section that let's them do just that. 

Side Note: I've taken to adding blurbs about me in this section as well, below the purpose and scope. For example

Section 1.1:  Praise for Kate Hopkins &#183;        "...Hopkins's enthusiasm for giving us the lowdown on the best tasting brands makes (99 Drams) well worth sipping slowly." - Playboy

This is me up-selling myself. Nothing more. If someone is going to read only one page of the proposal, I want to intrigue them enough on who I am to make them want to read more. I have no idea if this hurts or helps.

Section 2. Book Synopsis: Here's where you get to explain the book in greater detail. This section should not only explain the idea of the book so that anyone who gets to this page starts to understand it, it also provides you the roadmap you want to travel (or have traveled) when writing the book.

I break this section down into several parts:

Section 2.1:  Thesis: This is the exact point you want your reader to get when they read the book.  If you don't have a thesis for the book, you should ask yourself why you are writing it. I may elaborate on this in a later post.
Section 2.2:  General Summary: Here's your chance to expand upon the General Overview in Section 1. Here is where you want to start getting into the details of the why (is the book worth writing, publishing, and reading) and the how (are you going to prove your thesis). My summaries have never taken more than a page.
Section 2.3: Proposed Table of Contents: Remember in section 1 where I said you have to provide just enough information for an agent or publisher to sell your book in less than 30 seconds? This section (as well as the General summary) gives them enough insight to know what the book will look like. If they are able to get someone's attention with their 30 second pitch, questions will soon follow. These sections should help them answer those questions. A brief paragraph of a sentence or three to explain each chapter will go a long way in accomplishing that.

You should note the word "Proposed". You will find that an idea you have had at the start of the writing process will be unworkable for one reason or another. This is okay, but make sure that you keep those who have bought your proposal in the loop.
Section 2.4: Book Delivery: This is the "I promise to deliver the first draft of the book consisting of x amount of words on such-and-such a date" section. My section for Sweet Tooth looked like this:


Book Length
It is anticipated that the book should be approximately 70,000 to 75,000 words.

Plates and Graphics
As of this writing, I would like to set aside sixteen pages for color graphics. However, this request may change as the book evolves.

Copyrighted Materials
&#8220;Accidental Hedonist&#8221; is a brand owned and copyrighted by Kate Hopkins. She should retain the right to all content provided on her website in regard to this project. She will license the use of her site at no cost to the publisher.

Delivery Date
The first draft of the book can be delivered to the editor twelve to fourteen months after all the applicable contracts have been signed. Much of this is dependant upon time needed to co-ordinate travel plans.

I ended up at over 80,000 words and used no plates or graphics. I did hit the delivery date. I'm of the belief that the delivery date should be written in stone (at least in my mind). Everything else is up for discussion.

Section 3. The Book&#8217;s Market Place: 

Answer this question - Who do you want to, or who do you believe will buy your book? This is the section where you make that case.  And, from anecdotes I've heard from other non-fiction writers, this is the part that is the most difficult to craft. 

For Sweet Tooth, I specified five markets (Candy and Chocolate fans, food historians, Foodies, Travel Aficionados, and online enthusiasts).  I then explained each market as best as I could, and then found evidence (through magazine subscription numbers, to the amount of non-fiction books dealing with food in the Amazon top 100 list). The goal here is to demonstrate that the market to which you want to sell is big enough that the publisher should be willing to risk x amount of dollars in your project.  Remember, the money they invest in you and your book, they expect, not only to make back, but also to make some measure of profit from it. If you can explain this market well enough, it should make them want to research their own numbers (which are assuredly better than yours) to support your initial assertions.

Into this section I list other similar books and when they were released. This does two things

Publishers will check the sales numbers of these books to see how viable of  a project it may be for them. It forced me to look at what I am bringing different to the marketplace. If my book concept is too similar to another book on the shelves, why publish it at all? There are dozens, if not hundreds, of whiskey books out there. Very few are written from the perspective of an outsider to the industry.
 

Section 4. Promotion: Or as I term it "How far will I go to sell this book". Most books don't have an extensive marketing budget. This is the section that tells the agent and publisher what new and innovative (or old, but triend and true) ideas you have to sell your book. The more ideas the better, and one may just catch the eye of the publisher. 

This is important: Do not levy any requirements on the publisher in regards to promotion. This section is all about you and what you will do. It is not about expecting your publisher to pay for a publicity tour, and getting you on the Today show.   

Section 5. The Book (Sample Sections): You should have written at least some of the book already. Place a chapter in here that demonstrates both your writing skills, as well as the premise of the book. I've placed anywhere between 3000 to 5000 words in this section. For 99 Drams, it was one full chapter. For Sweet Tooth, it was two separate sections.

Section 6. The Author: Again, more up-selling of yourself in this section. Who are you and what experience do you have?  I've typically placed two to three paragraphs in this section, pretending that this was the section that would end up on inside of the book flap.

I have also added 1 or 2 small samples of additional writing in this section, mostly to convey my sense of humor as well as the "voice" in which I write.   Both samples came from other published work. I would never put samples of unpublished work in here, for a variety of reasons.
______________

When all is said and done, the proposals should be anywhere between fifteen to twenty-five pages, depending. I add a cover page that reads:

Sweet Tooth:
The Accidental Hedonist's Quest for the History of Candy
 
A Book Proposal


 ...along with my contact information in the lower left corner.

I then send the proposal to an editor friend who ensures that my problems with grammar and spelling aren't apparent. Following that, I print the document (never handwritten, and never printed in a font that's more flamboyant than arial), and then send it on its way to the proper people. 

I am not saying that this is the perfect proposal, but it has worked twice now. And I've purposefully avoided discussing the current state of the publishing industry, as well as the idea of self-publishing. Those are posts for later times. Right now, all I wanted to convey is how I write a book proposal. 

My key points:
1) Write the book you want, but make sure that the proposal is written in such a way that it makes an agent want to sell it and a publisher want to publish it.
2) Writing is a professional business. That means that the proposal should be approached in a professional manner. 
3) The proposal is the means by which people sell your book. It's how you sell your book to an agent, how the agent sells the book to a publisher, and how the publisher sells the book to others at their publishing house. The more effective you are at explaining how interesting/novel/exciting your book is, the greater the probability of selling that proposal. 

Now go off and do magnificent things.






   
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      <pubDate>Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:24:18</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Accidental Hedonist]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.accidentalhedonist.com/</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Last Minute Valentine's Day Gifts]]></title>
      <link>http://www.feteafete.com/blog/last-minute-valentines-day-gifts.html</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Whether you're a die-hard romantic or perpetually jaded, you might be tempted to slack off a bit for Valentine's Day. Rather than incur the wrath of your significant other, here are some excellent...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]


        
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      <pubDate>Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:03:00</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Fete a Fete]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.feteafete.com/blog/</gf:blogUrl>
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    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Pepperhead - Cortez, CO]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/7841-9308/pepperhead</link>
      <description><![CDATA[If there was one thing that we thought we could depend on in this world, it was a dearth of good food in any national park gateway town.  Apparently it took Mesa Verde National Park to prove that we were sadly mistaken. Fairly new to the downtown strip, Pepperhead Restaurant was opened by the daughter-father team of Tess and Pete Montao. The small town of Cortez, Colorado is less than an hour from the New Mexico border and Four Corners National Monument. As a result, their proximity to the Land of Enchantment luckily means that it is still possible to order northern New Mexican specialties within the Centennial State. All of the food at Pepperhead is made from scratch, and the care and quality are evident from the first bite. Not only do they roast all of the green chile themselves, but they even make the lemon, lime, and orange liquors that give their margaritas an extra kick. 

Even though the homemade mole was exceptionally rich and flavorful, the chiles rellenos and green chile sauce rose to the top. We have been let down time and time again by rellenos that were subpar or sometimes even downright terrible, but for some reason this is one of the only items that we continue to order even though the odds of deliciousness are most always stacked against us. Paired with chicken and beef enchiladas, the chile relleno immediately garnered our highest lauds: perfectly fried with a light, almost tempura batter, the flavorful thin-walled pepper gave way to mild, creamy cheese accented by the green chile sauce on the plate. We would like to think that wed dive deeper into the menu next time we are in Cortez, but expect it would be difficult to resist the allure of the R combination plate. Plain and simple, this option includes three chile rellenos served with a bowl of either red or green sauce for your dunking pleasure.

Items are available to satisfy the palates of both venturesome (posole, carne adovada, carne seca) and cautious (nachos, quesadillas, chimichangas) Mexican restaurant goers. A far cry from the stuffed clams of the Ocean State, here, stuffies are sopapillas filled with meat, beans, and rice and then smothered in green or red chile sauce. For dessert, the same sopapillas are drizzled with honey for a warm, puffy treat. Pepperhead is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m.-8:30-ish p.m., closed Sunday and Monday.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:38:32</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Mike's Candy Shop - Buffalo, NY]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/3285-3221/mikes-candy-shop</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Where did the Charlie Chaplin log come from?  You can find it in just about every chocolate store in Buffalo, yet nobody we spoke with has a clue about where or how it originated.  Sold as a candy log about the shape of a loaf of biscotti before it's been sliced, Charlie Chaplins wrap chocolate, coconut, and cashews around a soft marshmallow filling (like Rocky Road spiked with coconut).

At Mike's in Buffalo, another chocolate store we discovered through the maddeningly tempting writings of Jane and Michael Stern (in the 2002 edition of Roadfood), the marshmallow is homemade, with a texture poised between solid and flowing.  The spectacular marshmallow filling is key to this Charlie Chaplin, resulting in a much lighter effect in the mouth than the appearance and weight of the loaf would suggest.  Make no mistake, this is very sweet (and sticky and messy) candy, but the combination of good ingredients makes this more than just kids' stuff.

Sponge candy, another Buffalo favorite, is at its best here.  We've always had mixed feelings about sponge candy.  While the flavors agree with us, the candy often leaves chewy bits stuck to the teeth.  At Mike's, however, the sponge part of the candy truly does melt away on the tongue, leaving only the sweet taste of pure, homemade molasses-touched dark chocolate.

Mike's is a neighborhood chocolate store, located in a Polish section of Buffalo.  When you enter, the candy cases are to your right, and you'll probably see large trays of freshly-made chocolates cooling on racks to the left.  The chocolate scent is fairly intoxicating.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 07 Feb 2012 23:04:23</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Pink and Orange Little Monkey Valentine Party Theme]]></title>
      <link>http://athome.kimvallee.com/2012/02/pink-and-orange-little-monkey-valentine-party-theme/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[
I&#8217;m glad that the New York photographer now based in California Djamilla Rosa Cochran told me about the fabulous Lets Monkey Around sock puppet party that she photographed.You might have seen it featured on the blog of Amy Atlas. Let&#8217;s discuss why you should consider a pink and orange color scheme for your Valentine&#8217;s Day party.

It is OK to refrain your use of red on Valentine&#8217;s Day.Here, the typical red is usedsparsely or as a support while the orange and pink steal the show. The result is fresh, bold and playful, just like my Jonathan Alder&#8217;s Chevron Pink Toilet Roll Cover for Cottonelle. By the way, I was glad when I saw it inside the swag bag that I received at the Canadian Design Bloggers meetup. The cute toilet roll covernow cheers up my powder room.

Going back to the party colors, I like the childish elements that would be cute even for grown ups. Tell me who can resist to the charm ofmonkey sock puppets?
This party is a team effort from California-based vendors.Marjenah ofCandy Bar Couturecreated the dessert table.Jazzy Cupcakes modernly decorated the cupcakes while Cake Pop-in did the cake pops. If you do it yourself, do not be afraid to work with several vendors for a party. Communicating well the colors is key to get a cohesive dessert table. To make sure that everyone is on the same track, rely on colors from paint fans or the Pantone colors to communicate your color choices.
SOURCING:
+ photos by Djamilla Rosa Cochranof The Rose Weddings
&nbsp;
You might also like these posts













   
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      <pubDate>Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:25:09</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[At Home with Kim Vallee]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://blog.kimvallee.com/</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Libert Giveaway: Announcing the Winner]]></title>
      <link>http://athome.kimvallee.com/2012/02/liberte-giveaway-announcing-the-winner/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[
Libert Canada and At Home with Kim Vallee are pleased to announce that the winner of the &#8220;A Yogurt a Week for a Year&#8221; giveaway is Julie Seaborn, who prefers the taste of a vanilla yogurt. Julie, check your inbox because I will send you an email with the details on how to receive her prize. Congratulations to Julie and a big thank to all participants.
You might also like these posts













   
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      <pubDate>Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:21:27</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[At Home with Kim Vallee]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://blog.kimvallee.com/</gf:blogUrl>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Vintage Themed Bridal Shower]]></title>
      <link>http://www.elizadomestica.com/entertaining/bridal-showers/vintage-themed-bridal-shower</link>
      <description><![CDATA[&nbsp;







&nbsp;
I love the look of this vintage themed bridal shower, colors and all. If you have a vintage collection, like milk glass, or jadite, or a beautiful tea cup collection, then this is the perfect way to showcase your goods!
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]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:42:21</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Eliza Domestica]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.elizadomestica.com</gf:blogUrl>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Whats for Dinner: Balsamic Roast Chicken]]></title>
      <link>http://athome.kimvallee.com/2012/02/whats-for-dinner-balsamic-roast-chicken/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[
A one-pan dish not only saves you time, they build flavor while you do something else. I am partial to oven dishes versus a slow cooker. It&#8217;s because it&#8217;s the way I am used to cook.
The recipe on my to-do list is the Balsamic Roast chicken with caramelized pearl onions, olives and tomatoes that I saw in the March 2012 issue of Style at Home. It looks so tasty. Their wine expert, Konrad Ejbich suggests to pair it with a saucy Ripasso Valpolicella. You need a certain amount of sharpness to complement the olives and the tomatoes. The Ripasso Valpolicellais stronger that the fruity Valpolicella, but not as powerful as Amarone.
According toWine Align, &#8220;the Ripasso technique involves taking leftover pomace from the production of Amarone and adding it to simple Valpolicella to kick-start a second fermentation; this method serves to boost the alcohol, body and tannins as well as add layers of complexity to the overall wine&#8221;.
Update: The recipe is published on page 116 of the March print issue of Style at Home. You can buy a digital copy of Style at Home at Zinio. This is now where I subscribe to most of my magazines. Zinio operates a Canadian and an American store. Select your country for the flag at the right top corner.
SOURCING:
+ Style at Home (March 2012) &#8211; Photo by Edward Pond, Prop Styling by Lara McGraw
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      <pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:37:04</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[At Home with Kim Vallee]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://blog.kimvallee.com/</gf:blogUrl>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[What to Do on Valentines Day: Take a clue from this scene]]></title>
      <link>http://athome.kimvallee.com/2012/02/what-to-do-on-valentines-day-take-a-clue-from-this-scene/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[
When I started dating my husband, we used to go to a nice restaurant at Valentine&#8217;s Day. Then, one year I suggested that we had a romantic dinner at home. It has been our tradition ever since. Maybe, we will establish a new tradition this year since we are new parents.We did not discuss it yet. But I know is that I would like to start my day where my husband and I chat around a coffee with a warm French croissant and jam. Since our baby wakes up at 11 AM, we would have the time to do it.
When I saw this picture, I was immediately inspired by the set up that reminds me our trip to Japan. I came empty-handed trying to find a store where I could buy Mister Tby French designer Antoine Lesur. I simply learned that Mister T isedited by Oxyofor Made in Design. On the bright side,Mister T is an occasional furniture composed of a basket, a tray and two cushions. Therefore,it should easy to recreate the concept at home with cushions that are comfy to sit on, a low table and a tray. We could even sit side by side to be closer to each other.

If you prefer to wait later in the day to start celebrating Valentine&#8217;s Day, you can always use the same idea to sip a cocktail.
SOURCING:
+Mister T designed by Antoine Lesur
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      <pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 22:05:34</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[At Home with Kim Vallee]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://blog.kimvallee.com/</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Mexican Breakfast Pizza]]></title>
      <link>http://www.elizadomestica.com/recipes/breakfast-recipes/mexican-breakfast-pizza</link>
      <description><![CDATA[
I&#8217;ve been making this for me and Mark for a couple of weeks now, varying ingredients from time to time. I typically lace Mark&#8217;s breakfast pizza with Canadian ham or a veggie breakfast sausage patty, diced up. I like to keep mine simple. Spicy tomato sauce, cheese and eggs, cooked on top of a whole-wheat tortilla.
It&#8217;s just simply delicious.



Ingredients &#8211; Play around with ingredients here, if you can&#8217;t find Pato sauce, use regular tomato sauce. Add diced jalapenos, or roasted green chilies. It&#8217;s great with ham or sausage, and probably amazing with bacon. Have fun with it.
1- 6 inch whole-wheat tortilla
1/4 cup light shredded cheese
2 tablespoons Pato sauce (a spicy Mexican tomato sauce that can be found in the ethnic aisle of your store)
1 egg
1 teaspoon finely chopped green onions
1/8 avocado
Directions
In a toaster oven, or an oven set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, prep your tortilla by spreading pato sauce evenly over it and sprinkling the top with cheese. Bake it in toaster oven/oven for 6-8 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and tortilla is lightly browned and crisp.
Meanwhile, lightly beat one egg and pour into a lightly greased skillet over a medium-high heat. Swirl egg around so it is thin and round (should look like a crepe). Sprinkle with a dash of salt,pepper, and garlic powder. After egg has cooked on one side for a couple of minutes, flip it and cook the other side for 30 seconds or so, until egg is completely cooked. Remove from pan and set aside.
Place your cooked egg onto a cutting board and roll it into a tight roll, then cut 1 inch rounds to give a &#8220;chiffanade&#8221; look to your cooked eggs.
Top crisp, cheesy tortilla with egg ribbons, avocado and green onions. I love adding a dash of Tapatio sauce to my breakfast pizza.


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      <pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:47:13</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Eliza Domestica]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.elizadomestica.com</gf:blogUrl>
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    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Some Lessons From an 8 Year-Old Food Blog]]></title>
      <link>http://www.accidentalhedonist.com/index.php?title=some_lessons_from_an_8_year_old_food_blo&amp;more=1&amp;c=1&amp;tb=1&amp;pb=1</link>
      <description><![CDATA[I have been writing and ruminating on food now for just over eight years. That would be, if I live an average life span, over 10% of my life. That's a fair bit of thinking on a topic that everyone in the world deals with on a daily basis, and yet for whom many, it is given little more consideration beyond looking for an answer to "What's for breakfast/lunch/dinner?"

As I passed my eight year blogging anniversary, I struck by several things. First and foremost, that I am still here. Typically, I have the attention span of a goldfish on cocaine, but for some reason, thinking about food has stuck with me, far longer than I would have guessed back when I started this here blog back in 2004(!).

I'm also amazed that I keep learning things that affect my worldview in both cynical and/or wondrous ways. I have been taught a lot over the past years, and all of the lessons learned have enriched my life in some manner or another. For example:


Patience: The best example of this? Making coffee and/or tea. The instant versions of these products never seem to live up to the 8-12 minutes of time that they save. I now have no problem in waiting ten minutes (five to let the water boil, five to let the tea steep) for a good cup of tea.
Rituals are Important: Related to the above, my morning routine seems lost if I don't set aside time to make the tea.  When there are days when the morning tea ritual is disrupted, the rest of the day seems off.
Quality is as Quality does: There's a huge difference between talking about quality versus actually thinking about quality from start to finish. I've seen examples of this in brewing, candy making and restaurants. The best example I can give is the quality of White Dog, the un-aged whiskey that can either be consumed or put in a barrel to age. While the barrel imparts some measure of flavor (depending upon several variables), if the base spirit is poor, inevitably the final spirit will be less than perfect. The best producers of food know this and pay attention to every detail.
Politics: A dollar spent on any given product is a vote for that product and a tacit approval of the practices used to get that food to market. This fact has given me more fits in the food world than any other lessons learned.
Money: Tom Douglas told me once that, in the end, it's all about if you can make money at it.  Restaurant owners, chefs, and entrepreneurs are all dependent upon one simple question: can they make a living at what they do? 
Moderation: In the end, moderation is always the safest bet. This is the hardest lesson for me to learn, for a variety of reasons (although not with alcohol, oddly enough).
Taste is variable: What I like differs from what other people like. There is no "World's best beer" or "The ultimate dish". People, even those who have extensive experience in exploring food or drink, rarely agree on anything. Therefore every opinion is relevant - even those to which I vehemently disagree. "Taste" as a signifier of  "class" is rarely anything more than extended experience. 
Food Culture does not mean Food Lifestyle:  Anyone who has had a food blog for longer than three months could tell you about the amount of PR e-mails sent to them on a daily basis.  The PR machinery that goes on behind the scenes of many of your favorite books, magazines, and television shows is both vast and scary. And what many of them are trying to sell to people simply doesn't exist. One doesn't need to go to Scotland to enjoy Scotch. The best chefs in the world aren't necessarily in New York, and the only thing that I can see that differentiates the skills of a Tyler Florence or Bobby Flay versus Seattle's own Ethan Stowell is the PR machinery behind them. 

Yet this Lifestyle they're selling rarely take into account things such as the supermarkets where the majority of us buy our foods, the supply chain that gets food from farm to shelf, or the thousands of local restaurants who survive from year to year without nary a peep from the national press. That diner down that street that sells  breakfast burritos and homemade pie, or the immigrant (legal or otherwise) working at the industrial farm speaks more to who we are than anything a PR firm can fathom. 
Food is a medium, not a message:   Obsessing over recipes, food history, collectible whiskey bottles, or whether you've hit every local restaurant with a Zagat rating above 25 is fine and all. But sharing these moments with your friends is far more valuable.

Over the past eight years, I've had many memorable experiences. What made these moments memorable wasn't the quality of the food or drink consumed, but where I was at, and who I was with.  








   
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:11:34</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Accidental Hedonist]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.accidentalhedonist.com/</gf:blogUrl>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Best of Conversations in Design  (Part 2): Michele Caniato Talked about Opportunities for Innovative...]]></title>
      <link>http://athome.kimvallee.com/2012/02/best-of-conversations-in-design-part-2-michele-caniato-talked-about-opportunities-for-talented-designers/</link>
      <description><![CDATA[
After listening to Michele Caniato at Conversations in Design, I see him as some kind of agent for designers and inventors. Many designers have a hard time to sell themselves. Other do not take the time or have the connections to make deals with retail brands. He saw a niche in the market when he foundedCulture &amp; Commerce, a strategic design consultancy that develops high potential design opportunities for global brands and international designers.
Brands and retailers would gain from challenging designers to come up with new concepts for products and packaging. What he looks for are people with vision. Then, he looks for the right fit. As he said at hisConversations in Design talk, vision, not spreadsheets, leads company forward.
Behind the Scene of the PUMA&#8217;S Clever Little Bag

To prove his points, Caniato chronicled the development of the Clever Little Bag by PUMA. The collaboration between a designer and PUMA led to important savings both in production and distribution costs. The solution enabled PUMA to run a more sustainable business while delivering form and function.
WhenYves Bhar, of San Francisco based fuseproject, got the job to create a game changing packaging system that will reduce the shoe box footprint,insiders told him that they couldn&#8217;t change the shoe box. For 21 months, Yves Bhar with his team studied anddeconstructedthe shoe box. The solution came when they got rid of the box all together. Instead, the Clever Little Bag acts as a minimalist shoe box until the cashier grabs the handle to turn it into your shopping bag. All that was done with a reusable shopping bag that carries a strong brand identity.
Watch this video to know more about the birth oftheClever Little Bagby PUMA and YvesBhar.

Mushroom Packaging
Caniato&#8217;s quest towards innovation carries to materials and techniques. He founded Material ConneXionwhich operates materials libraries across the globe. His materials libraries is the leading resource for innovative and sustainable materials and processes. He presented a cool material calledEcoCradlemade by Evocative Design.

This revolutionary material is the brain child of by two Rensselaer Graduates, Eben Bayer and Gavin McIntyre who became fascinated by how mushrooms grow on wood chips. A few years later, the launch amushroom packaging material aimed to replace plastic foam packaging. They now have a partnership with 3M.
Thinking Outside the Box
The lesson I took home fromMichele Caniato&#8217;s talk was that if you are willing to look at things differently there are a world of opportunities that could open to you. He mentioned that But whatever you do, you must always be true and be fair to ourselves.
By the way, you do not have to be a renowned designer to be represented by his firm. What you need are remarkable design ideas that solve real problems, to have a story and to be passionate about it.
SOURCING:
+Culture &amp; Commerce
+PUMA&#8217;s Clever Little Bag by Yves Bharof fuseproject
+EcoCradleby Evocative Design
+ Conversations in Design &#8211; IDS Toronto 2012
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      <pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 02:58:23</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[At Home with Kim Vallee]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://blog.kimvallee.com/</gf:blogUrl>
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      <title><![CDATA[Feelin' Pretty Powerful]]></title>
      <link>http://www.feteafete.com/blog/feelin-pretty-powerful.html</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Some say that beauty is only skin deep, but it goes far deeper than  that. Real beauty requires inner strength and confidence to foster each unique  spirit. With that in mind, Bobbi Brown's Pretty...

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]


        
]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:44</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Fete a Fete]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.feteafete.com/blog/</gf:blogUrl>
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    <item>
      <title><![CDATA[Toni's Country Kitchen - Laurium, MI]]></title>
      <link>http://www.roadfood.com/Restaurant/Review/7801-9305/tonis-country-kitchen</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Toni's is a few blocks off U.S. 41, the main road leading up through the Keweenaw Peninsula. We likely never would have found it if an enthusiast we met down in Houghton hadn't told us that we needed to detour there for the nisu and saffron breads. Those loaves, which are made by many Finnish bakeries in northernmost Michigan, were just a few of the wondrous eats to be had at Toni's.

Sticky buns, for instance. We smelled them the moment we walked in the front door. Three big round loaves of pull-apart buns were set upon the glass bakery case to cool. Each roll severed from the motherloaf was modest-sized but big-flavored. Just inside the front door, to the left, we peeked into the semi-open kitchen, where bakers were rolling dough on a floured table and another woman was plowing forearm-deep to hand-mix a big pan full of ingredients destined to be the filling of pasties. Toni's pasties are exemplary, light and elegant yet profoundly beefy. 

It was late fall when we stopped in. The modest, one-room cafe was buzzing with conversations among locals who were reminiscing about the summer and anticipating the snows to come. When we ordered pasties, the waitress beamed with pride and exclaimed, "The best, ever!" We left with bags full of oven-warm molasses cookies to munch as we drove.

Note: Toni's closes just before Christmas and reopens at the end of January.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Sun, 05 Feb 2012 01:52:06</pubDate>
      <gf:blogName><![CDATA[Road Food]]></gf:blogName>
      <gf:blogUrl>http://www.Roadfood.com</gf:blogUrl>
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