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Archive for June, 2012

Summer Skin Triggers

Summer is great for lots of things. Like hanging your feet over the edges of speedboats. Picnics involving things like brie and prosciutto. Mini golf.

What summer is not always great for is your skin: each season arrives toting along a new set of exciting challenges for your pretty face. I was going to say that the winter is the worst for me, because my skin is terribly dry and flaky…but I actually think it’s the summer months that make me craziest, because sometimes it feels that my skin has a panic attack in response to virtually anything I put on it.

Heat and humidity can trigger all sorts of lovely reactions, from rashes to breakouts, and while I enjoy the summer because my armadillo-ness takes a temporary leave of absence (and because I get to pretend that nothing in my closet exists except for my jean shorts), my sensitive skin does not like having stuff on it when over-90 degree temperatures are involved. At all.  And it lets me know that it does not like this in very decisive ways, such as bestowing me with very large, uncoverup-able pimples in fabulously attractive places like the sides of my nose.

Of course I still want to moisturize, even in the summer. But the key, for me at least, is finding facial skincare products that accommodate needs that change with the seasons. Heavy moisturizers are just a terrible idea for me during the summer – I need something light and breezy, and that I don’t feel sliding off my face the second I step out the door and the heat hits me.

Up until the weather turned crazy-hot, I was using Simple Replenishing Rich Moisturizer, but for the summer I’ve switched over to Simple Hydrating Light Moisturizer. It has no perfumes or dyes, and the lightest-possible texture, and is it’s exactly what I need right now to keep my skin moisturized without creating a breakout situation.



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Careers In The Arts And “Taking What You Can Get”

Q. Hi Jordan,

I read your blog all the time, and I so often relate to you on your “life advice” posts. I admire the help you are willing to offer your readers and am seeking advice on an issue.

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How-To: Lavender Up Your Food

Q. Hi Jordan!

I am a major lavender nut, and when I recently spied a bag of dried lavender flowers in the spice aisle of my local co-op I immediately threw it into my cart.

I have no clue what to do with it.

Any ideas?

Caitlin

A. There are lots of pretty (and delicious) ways to incorporate lavender into your food. The key is to add only a little at a time – too much, and it’ll taste like you’re munching on perfume.

Some ideas:

If you whip up a little lavender simple syrup (it’s super easy – all you need is dried lavender, sugar, and water), you can make lots of great cocktails, like the Blackberry Lavender Margarita from The Blonde Gourmand (pictured above).

Another of my favorites: the Lavender Vodka Sparkler (mix together 2 oz vodka, 1/2 oz lavender simple syrup, and 1/4 oz lime juice; fill with champagne; garnish with lavender sprig).

Lavender also works in savory dishes, to add a little flavor and color (above, a Beet Salad with Lavender Honey Goat Cheese).

And of course, it’s perfect to use in desserts. Try crumbling a little over chocolate cake or ice cream…

…or use a sprig as a garnish for cupcakes and cakes.

Click the images above for more info. 

Anyone else have a favorite lavender-inclusive recipe?



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Chicken-Pineapple Stir-Fry

This is called “Chicken-Pineapple Stir-Fry” because I like chicken and pineapples (a holdover from childhood, when Chicken-Pineapple Casserole, complete with canned pineapple discs and maraschino cherries, was one of my mom’s specialties)…but what it really is is “Chicken-Whatever You Want Stir-Fry.”

Because that’s the thing about stir-fries.

You put whatever you want in them.

And they’re pretty much impossible to screw up, except I kind of did screw this one up by adding bok choy (not baby bok choy, the regular old enormous-leaved stuff; Kendrick bought it by accident), which was bitter and tough and really not very good. So don’t do that.

But everything else worked out well.

CHICKEN-PINEAPPLE STIR-FRY

What you need:

2-3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized chunks

1 head broccoli, cut into florets

1 red pepper, sliced

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 small chili, finely chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

About a cup of diced pineapple

Olive oil

Soy sauce

Season salt

What you do:

1. In a heavy-bottomed frying pan or wok, heat about 3 tbsp olive oil. Season the chicken pieces generously with season salt, salt, and pepper, and add to pan. Saute until cooked through and remove to a platter.

2. Add a little more olive oil to the pan along with a few splashes of soy sauce, and saute the rest of the ingredients (except for the pineapple) until vegetables are crisp-tender (about 5 minutes).

P.S. That’s a next-day photo, hence the slightly wilted appearance. It was prettier when it was first made.

3. Return chicken to pan, add pineapple, and toss to combine.

Serve over rice.



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Daily InstaGlam

Swingin
Swingin

Best bedtime story ever.
Best bedtime story / Virgil photobomb.

(Follow along with my Instagram feed @ramshackleglam.)



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Stripes And Stripes And Stripes

Stripes!

Every day, every summer, every year.

A cliché?

Maybe.

But also a total classic.
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Perfect Summer Night

What to wear?

Breezy rose and wood with gold.

On me: Maxi dress c/o Dress The Population, Jessie Lane bracelets.



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