Archive for December, 2009

« Older Entries

Once in a Blue Moon

December 31, 2009

Tonight we will not only ring in a new year and a new decade. We will also see a blue moon.

A blue moon is categorized as the 2nd full moon in a single month,or the 13th full moon in a calendar year. But tonight’s moon will be extra special. It is the first New Year’s Eve blue moon since 1990!

I hope the New Year is filled with good health, happiness and prosperity for all of you!  I hope this blue moon brings with it a positive change for the world, and chance for all of us to start 2010 with a fresh and optimistic view on life.

Lots of love and good wishes for all! Happy New Year!

indigo jones

photo: glasshouse images

Tags:, ,
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Sites We Love

December 31, 2009

Fashion bloggers have become the tastemakers and trendsetters of the world. But what happens when the blogger is only 13 years old? Meet Tavi Gevinson, the girl behind the site Style Rookie.

Tavi writes on designers and style, and features her own eclectic looks on the site each day. She recently caught the eye of Rodarte’s Mulleavy sisters, and Marc Jacobs, who invited Tavi to grace the front row of their Spring 2010 fashion shows.

Having reputedly amassed 4 million readers, and guest editing gigs with high profile magazines, Tavi is one of the hottest bloggers on the fashion scene. Her great style is indisputable, but this kid is clearly no rookie!

Check out her site at:  http://tavi-thenewgirlintown.blogspot.com/

photo of Tavi Gevinson taken from Style Rookie

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in fashion | 1 Comment »

Unrecipe of the Week

December 29, 2009

I just watched the film Julie & Julia, and was completely taken with Julie Powell, a passionate home cook and blogger. Sound like anyone we know?

Previously, I was not familiar with Julia Child’s story. She too, took a passion and her need to find fulfillment and turned it a career. Both women had the tenacity to stick with their dream until they were able to make it come true.

This week’s Unrecipe pays homage to the Julie/Julia’s of the world, and was inspired by a recipe in Baking With Julia, by Julia Child and Dorie Greenspan. It is the perfect hors d’oeuvre for New Year’s Eve. Simple, and satisfying; a classic snack made elegant through the use of puffed pastry and goat cheese. I made these Sunday night and they were scarfed right up!

Puffed Pastry Pizzettes, with Tomato, Basil and Goat Cheese

Slightly thaw a sheet of frozen puffed pastry and roll it out on a lightly floured surface, so that it is a little thinner.

Cut into 2” rounds.( I used a shot glass for this!)

Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Place a thick slice of cherry tomato on each round.

Top with crumbled goat cheese, and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.

Press the topping down slightly, so it does not come off in baking.

Place in a 350-degree oven for about 12-15 minutes until puffed, and lightly browned.

Remove from the oven and gently brush them with a little olive oil, and a bit of chopped, fresh basil.

Raise your glass to Julia, and enjoy!

photo: glasshouse images

Tags:, , , , , , , ,
Posted in Food | 1 Comment »

It’s Beginning To Look A Bit Like Christmas

December 24, 2009

The holidays snuck up on me this year. I can’t believe it’s almost Christmas! Hanukah sort of came and went uneventfuly. The great urban juggle of work, family, household chores and the sheer exhaustion from trying to do it all prevented me from getting into the spirit.  But now, I have finally finished a big consulting project, the team in the studio has offiicially gone on vacation, and I have been scurrying around trying to get this holiday started.

Spencer just ran out with Bailey and her friends and found a sad little “Charlie Brown” Christmas tree that needed a home and the girls are decorating it ecclectically. Cookies were baked, stockings hung, and a couple of gifts bought and wrapped. Tomorrow the shopping will be completed, the cooking will commence, and if all goes well Santa Claus will come. Around here, it’s beginning to look a bit like Christmas!

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Happy Kwanza and most of all, Happy New Year! It’s not what you celebrate, but the warm wishes and those you share them with that count. Enjoy!

Indigo Jones

Tags:, , , , , ,
Posted in family | Leave a Comment »

Old Year’s Resolution

December 22, 2009

As 2009 winds down, many people are starting to think about making New Year’s resolutions. This year, we decided to live in the moment, and make “Old Year’s Resolutions”; things we want to do before the year is over.  On that note, we would like to share a story from within a story, excerpted from one of our favorite children’s books entitled “Zen Shorts” by Jon J. Muth. In this book, Stillwater the panda shares his ancient Chinese tales with 3 young siblings he has befriended. Each one is thought provoking and inspirational.

A Heavy Load

Two traveling monks reached a town where there was a young woman waiting to step out of her sedan chair. The rains had made deep puddles and she couldn’t step across without spoiling her silken robes. She stood there, looking very cross and impatient. She was scolding her attendants. They had nowhere to place the packages they held for her, so they couldn’t help her across the puddle.

The younger monk noticed the woman, said nothing and walked by. The older monk quickly picked her up and put her on his back, transported her across the water, and put her down on the other side. She didn’t thank the older monk; she just shoved him out of the way and departed.

As they continued on their way, the young monk was brooding and preoccupied. After several hours, unable to hold his silence, he spoke out. “That woman back there was very selfish and rude, but you picked her up on your back and carried her! Then she didn’t even thank you!”

“I set the woman down hours ago” the older monk replied. “Why are you still carrying her?”

Sometimes people hurt us so deeply, that is hard to forgive and forget.  As this year comes to a close, we are committed to finally putting down the burden of carrying that grief with us. We are looking forward to entering the next decade, freer and lighter, as we put the past behind us, and embark on a positive future.
Won’t you join us?

Happy Old Year!

indigo jones

Tags:, , ,
Posted in family | 1 Comment »

I Robot

December 19, 2009

I just received a Roomba vacuum, and I think I’m in love! As I lounge in bed, propped up against a pile of pillows, while writing this post, Roomba is downstairs vacuuming the house.
At precisely 9:58 a.m. a series of little beeps sound, and Roomba leaves the comfort of his little charger, and embarks on a journey around the dining room, spinning and dancing haphazardly, as he sweeps away the crumbs of dinners past. He wanders casually into the kitchen, and whisks away happily towards the vestibule. When he is spent, he rolls silently back into his little house, tucked discreetly under my drawing table in the corner.

Later, when he has recharged, I will bring him upstairs to perform his little rumba around the sofas and chairs. He can saunter into the bathroom, and down the hall.

He is a sleek, compact little guy, a bit noisier than my old friend Miele, but without all of her attachment issues. We’ve only known each other for a day now, but I am sure it’s going to be a long and happy relationship.

Looking for a great gift?

Roomba Robot Vacuum: about $250

Not having to push it around: PRICELESS!

Shout out to Cat + Will  for giving me this great gift! Thanks!! You really get me!

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in family | 4 Comments »

Unrecipe of the Week

December 13, 2009

This time of the year, our thoughts turn to latkes, those fried potato pancakes that signal the celebration of Hannukah. They are a bit messy,as is anything that involves a pan with hot oil, but they are delicious! We love to challenge the status quo, and try different ingredients to shake it up. Here is a traditional potato latke recipe, and some variations to try:

Potato Latkes

Peel and grate 6 medium potatoes, and drain them in a colander, pressing to release as much liquid as possible. ( use a food processor if you have one!)

Finely chop a small onion and add it to the potatoes. Mix in 1/4 cup flour, a pinch of baking powder, a generous sprinkling of salt and some pepper to taste. Mix in 2 large eggs.  You can do this by hand, for a more rustic texture, or put back into the food processor or blender for a smoother texture.

Heat about 1/8″ or more vegetable oil in a large frying pan. Drop a large tablespoonful of batter into the pan, and flatten it with the spoon. Fry on both sides until brown and crispy.

Drain on paper towels and keep warm in the oven until all the pancakes are ready.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream (or lowfat yoghurt) and apple sauce. Enjoy!

Mix it up: try substituting sweet potatoes, or zucchini for the pototoes in this recipe, for a yummy and less traditional version. I would recommend hand mixing these to maintain a more interesting texture.

TIP: You can make these an hour or 2 in advance and reheat them on a wire rack in the oven and they will maintain their crispness! Place the wire racks on top of a cookie sheet to catch the excess oil that might drip off.

Photo: Glasshouse Images

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Food, Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

All the News That’s Fit to Print

December 10, 2009

Today, the New York Times Thursday Styles section was full of articles that were very informative.

First, there was a story about the infamous party crashers who showed up uninvited to a recent state dinner. According to the article: (Washington D.C.) is “a city about rules, about conventions and if there’s no keg at the party, it doesn’t get crashed.”  Good to know.

Next, a bit about Alexander Wang, the 25 year old fashion prodigy that has taken fashionistas and ”even some regular people who are not size 2” by a storm. Surprised? We are too!
There is a piece on New York City’s first Costco, now open in East Harlem. The question on everyone’s lips is “ How do you lug a car full of household items home from East 117th Street to lower Manhattan without a car? Doesn’t the $30 taxi ride (if you can find one) kind of off set the savings?

Then there is an article entitled “Hey Tannenbaum, Nice Outfit!” about Christmas displays in upscale stores. I have just one question that has haunted me for years:
Who is this Tannenbaum guy, and how did a Jew get to be a Christmas icon?

Oh, yeah, and don’t forget the study on why exerciser’s heart rates run about 15 beats lower in the morning than in the afternoon? Put the scientific info aside here: by 6 pm, most of us New Yorkers are so stressed out that our heart rates are elevated just from our daily commute!

And finally, a little ditty about how to stand out at the Art Basel show in Miami Beach: How about a REAL python for a necklace? Interesting.

Today the Times out did itself, following through on their motto, ” all the news that’s fit to print”!

photo: Glasshouse Images

Tags:, , , , , ,
Posted in fashion, fitness | Leave a Comment »

Reader’s Choice

December 10, 2009

I started this blog to talk about my passions; food, fashion, fitness and family. Mostly, it deals with the trivial… a recipe here, a hot trend there, a little something about nutrition from time to time. But last week, my passions turned to a subject that was a bit less frivolous, and the response was overwhelming. My story about my very personal reaction to the President’s speech at WestPoint entitled “Reality Bites” drew almost 9 times more readers in an afternoon alone, than an average post normally does. The subsequent entry, “A View from the Inside” also had a significant build in readership.

Thank you for sharing this small slice of my life with me. Please use the comments area to share your point of view back, should this or any other story move you to do so.

Thanks for visiting. Spread the word!

Indigo Jones

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Sites We Love

December 9, 2009

Lately, it seems that everyone is a fashion expert. From Lindsay Lohan’s debacle as creative director at Ungaro, to Jon Gosselin trying to launch (unsuccessfully, I am relieved to report) a kid’s line, everyone who actually wears clothes, has become a self-proclaimed expert. But every once in a while, you stumble upon a site that has a fresh point of view, a great eye for trend, and a “tell it like it is” approach to reporting on it all. Such is the case with Refinery 29, a fashion blog that really gets it, in a non-pretentious, yet authoritative way.

Refinery 29 is a great destination for the newest and best in style, shopping and emerging trends. They deliver insightful reports on designers, global street style trends, new boutiques and sample sales, as well as the latest places to be, and people to watch.

Check out their site, and sign up for their daily Pipeline report via email.

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in fashion | 1 Comment »

« Older Entries
%d bloggers like this: