My obsession with subscription boxes continues......

I have been meaning to write about this company but other things just keep coming up. So here I am, sitting home on Saturday night with the Christmas lights on, cup of tea and the snow is coming down!

When I was a kid the big thing was to sign up for those music clubs (BMG I think it was called) and get the free cassette tapes (and then after a few years) or cd's in the mail. When you signed up they would let you pick (I think) 10 different albums and send them to you in the mail. After that you had to buy (again just guessing here) 5 or 6 more for a like $20 a tape over the course of a year. Could've been less but when your income is only $10 a week for an allowance that you are doing next to nothing for every penny counts. So there was NO way I was going to actually buy the tapes but god dammit I wanted the new Pearl Jam album and NOTHING was going to stop me from getting it.

I must have signed up for every club to get as many free tapes that I could. Once I maxed out the companies with my name I then signed my little brother up for it (he was 7), the family dog and ANYONE I could think of (dead or alive) because what I realized was that there was no limit to the household address, just the name of the person. Awwww to be 10 and thinking I have figured it all out! What I didn't realize was there was a little thing called "collection agencies". Needless to say my poor parents had to have MANY phone conversations to these companies explaining that Jake Eross is the family dog who DOES NOT have thumbs and CAN NOT sign up for these services. (My poor poor parents)

But this is where I think my obsession with getting fun things in the mail started....so glossy box. I am OBSESSED with glossy box. I think I like these monthly subscription boxes so much for two reasons, it's like opening a present when they come (who doesn't love that) and what girl doesn't love to play with new beauty products! I think it's the adult version of going into your mom's bathroom and smearing red lipstick and blue eye shadow all over your face. The little girl in you just squeals with joy!

Glossy box is a monthly service that hand selects higher end beauty products and ships them in a BEAUTIFULLY package themed boxes.

I decided to sign up for the year and with that I also got the holiday bonus box for free (see above). The service is $18 a month when you sign up for the year and they give you about $50 or so in deluxe samples and full size beauty products each month.

The holiday box had $150 worth of full sized beauty products in it. Which range from body wash to clay masks to fun nail polish.

Each box usually has about 5 to 6 items it and range from makeup, skin care to hair products. So far out of the two boxes I have received so far 3 out of the 5 products were organic. I think one of the things I love about these boxes is it really feels like I am opening a present each month because it is so beautifully packaged.

This box had a body scrub, clay mask, body wash, some make up that made you look "dewy"(when you put it on it almost brightens your skin), a lip gloss (bright red) and bright red lip pencil. I don't wear a lot of make up any more but I like the deluxe sample sizes because I have a hard time using up the normal sized beauty products. I end up throwing things away after a year or so and this way I can try a bunch of new things without committing to a large size. Who doesn't like variety!?

Each box comes with a beauty card explaining each product and the value which for me is good because half this stuff I have no idea what to do with. And the things I can't use or already have something similar I am putting aside and sending friends and family so it's a win win for all. 

If anyone does decide to do this let me know. I can send you a promo code for the holiday box (i think it makes it 30% off). 

Hope you are all having a fabulous cozy evening! 

HAPPY BETHMAS TO ALL!!!!!

What is Bethmas you ask?! It's the day I graced this world with my presence and because my birthday is 12 days before Christmas (I am the partridge in the pear tree or in this case more like a hippo hanging on to a maple leaf...I've gained a few lbs)

 I have renamed my birthday, Bethmas! I know it sounds a little self absorbed but it's not. If you feel this way it's because you are only jealous that a. you didn't think of this first for your own special day and b. your name doesn't rhyme as well as mine with a near by holiday. Is it a national holiday?! No but it should be....I try to take it off work every year. So I say to you, HAPPY BETHMAS TO ALL!!!!!

Enough about me (more to come the closer we get....It's Friday, the 13th you still have time to finish your Bethmas shopping!) Dinner tonight was OUTSTANDING.....make it and let me know what you think. 

Chickpea Cranberry Pecan Salad Sandwiches 

*the pictures I took are HORRIBLE because I was so hungry after work I didn't take the take to take a good picture but trust me it was EXCELLENT and so easy to make! For a 1/3 of the bowl it was 7 WW points (if you are counting) but I think I could have made 4 portions out of this. 

Here's what you need:

3 stalks of celery (if they are bigger use two), chopped up

1/4 cup of chopped pecans

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 1/2 cups of cooked chickpeas

2 scallions (green onions), chopped up

Salt 

Pepper

1 TBSP of vegan mayo, tahini or regular mayo

2 TBSP of a good Vinegar (I used Trader Joes Orange Champagne Vinegar, if you can't find that I would use Apple Cider)

You can put this on chickpea salad on bread, in a pita, over greens...whatever tickles your fancy....

Toss the chickpeas in a bowl and smashed the with a potato masher. (Yep) Then toss in the celery, scallions, nuts and cranberries....toss it around. 

In a different bowl put the mayo (or whatever you would like to use), Vinegar, Salt and Pepper....wisk (or mix with a spoon) until it all comes together. 

Mix the "dressing" with the chickpea bowl and there you have it!

DONE!

It was DELISH!

*I told you, it's not the greatest picture but it was DAMN good! 

One of Alex's talents that some of you may or may not know is he LOVES to bake. For everyone's birthday he ALWAYS asks what they would like as their special dessert. Most years I say nothing but a cupcake because I am always watching my weight. Well I said to hell with that and picked out a tricky dessert. He stayed up until about midnight this morning making it for me (HOW SWEET IS HE)...drumroll please.......

Mini Sea Salt Chocolate Caramel Tarts!!!!! 

I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am to dive into one of this bad boys. It is taking every ounce of me not to eat one right now. The dessert blog I found these on is hands down what I would consider dessert porn. It is rich, beautifully done, creative and I gain weight just looking at them. 

On that note I will leave you with one other very good deed our Alex did this week. It's cold, VERY cold up here in the Boston Area. Alex isn't one of those guys who thinks to buy me flowers often. (I think in the 6 years we have been together he's done it 4 or 5 times total) but I can tell you what's better than flowers..... this.....

He will, without question, get out of a cozy, toasty warm car and pump my gas on a FREEZING cold night after dinner and drinks. He is the best!

So with that Happy Happy Bethmas to all of you! On Friday evening raise your glass and send me some good cheers because I would give it all to be with all of you in a room sharing some laughs and making some memories! xoxo

The words everyone dreads most......

"So I think I MIGHT have figured out what's wrong with the shower!?"

Cut to the last two weeks of our lives.....COLD, ok more like LUKE WARM showers. This would be fine in let's say July but when it's 20 degrees outside, dark and you have to motivate yourself to get up and go to work the LAST thing you want to do is get into a luke warm shower. This is just like dreaming about the last of vanilla ice cream in the freezer and diet root beer in the fridge that you have been saving for that rough day mid week (YEP I eat my stress). And all you want to do is make a root beer float after dinner only to find that someone drank said root beer with their lunch and ate the last of the ice cream at his 1am late night snack attack the night before while crushing episode after episode of Always Sunny in Philadelphia. (I am still upset about this one...Bitter table for one!)

Ok maybe not that bad but the luke the warm shower is pretty bad. I must have finally whined enough  because this morning Alex woke up early and started "fixing" the shower after I left for work. He calls me tonight on my way home and goes, "So I think I might have figured out what's wrong with the shower?!"

Me, "Wow! Really that's great! What's the problem"

Alex, "Well...blah blah blah blah blah blah (I can't remember what he said because to be honest I was yelling at the car in front of me)......BUT (got my attention) I think I found something!"

Me, "What?!"

Mr. Fix It "A SMALL leak!"

Me, "Uh?! In the shower!?"

Bob Vila Jr "And I think I may have made it worse....."

Me, "Uh...."

Bob Vila Jr "BUT I am going to stop by Home Depot on my way home and don't worry I will have it fixed before morning!!"

Me, "Ok, great!"

I hang up the phone and the first thing I think....Shit I am 100% going to have to go to the gym in the morning and even better...going to have to take a shower there!

How did this end you ask?! Well as of right now the shower is running....hot water is coming out and that's good enough for me! 

In other news from this past week...... Got the band back together and realized we can not play Rock Band at all....nor should anyone be subjected to it in public....

Made this little guy over the weekend....Alex named him Olly

And amazon.com STRIKES again! I thought I was ordering a small bag of stuffing for little projects like the one above and ended up getting this instead....

Say it with me people.... "HOLY SHIT BALLS!"

Trying something new... Stitch Fix!

*No one paid me for this post, even though they should have, and everything written and expressed are my own thoughts.

I do a lot of reading at night. Not the "War and Peace" kind of reading but more like reading my favorite blogs or cruising Buzzfeed for an hour or two before I start drooling on my pillow. A little while ago I came across a blog that was talking at this service out of San Francisco called Stitch Fix! It's a styling service that sends you 5 custom tailored pieces to your house....you try them on at home, keep what you like and send back what you don't want.

What makes this better than going to the mall and shopping yourself? (like I need to spell this out for any of you) Well you get to try different brands that you may not be able to find in your local mall AND you don't have to deal with people...ANY people, No HORRIBLE dressing room lighting that make you look anemic and the temptation of those god damn Annie's Pretzels! DAMN YOU Annie's Pretzels and how good you smell.

How this works...you go to the site, Stitch Fix, and fill out a profile. They ask you a lot of questions of what you like, what you don't like, who you are, could they have your first born child...so on and so on. After that you pick a price point of what you are willing to pay for the pieces, I said between $50 - $75. Next up schedule a date for your "fix" and for $20 (which goes toward anything you want to keep) they send everything right to you!

I got my first one today

and I have to say I was impressed. I really liked it a lot actually. I would have NEVER picked any of the pieces out to try on but I really liked trying on something new. They had a large colorful chart of outfit ideas with each piece with staples you most likely already have at home. They give you work friendly ideas as well as more casual ways to wear the pieces.

This is what I had in my box....

Hard to see everything and didn't want to bore you with a picture of each item but in short...

- Dark wash stretchy skinny jeans ($80)
- FUN dress (double lined...VERY important here in New England in the winter time) with a scoop neck ($78)
- Lined Blazer ($68)
- Long sleeve blouse ($28)
- Pair of earrings that almost looked like coral (you know, the stuff you find in the ocean) ($38)

Every piece was under $80 and seemed like nice quality as well. Each piece also had a small tag and cheat sheet on it as well.

I have to say I was really skeptical at first but I figured, "Hell I have thrown $20 at REALLY bad ideas so why not try this!". I really loved it and would/am totally trying it again!

So if you want to keep everything...they give you the $20 credit towards your purchase as well as 25% off the total. If you don't want to keep any of it or just certain pieces you send everything back in pre-paid bag and off in the mail it goes! When you "check out" online you do need to fill out a small questionnaire that helps customize your next fix even more. 

I will let you know how my next one goes but I think it's something I could see myself trying once in awhile as a little "pick me up". In my 30's I have come to realize that I LOVE getting things (ANYTHING) in the mail that isn't a bill so bring it on Stitch Fix. Let me know if any of you try it and what you think!

Well off to pack, going to NH this weekend to see this guy before he leaves for Brazil!

Sunday Adventures

Last week was a really long week. A really long week that has involved going to a few states in 24 hours to hug some great friends (which I wouldn't trade in for anything), work (always exhausting) and dealing with the gold damn gold iPhone that I purchased at 4am. As I currently sit here typing I am on hold with Apple trying to retrieve all of my ring tones. This is my 5th phone call to this company and my 2nd phone call about this. And to make matter much worse there is some horrible John Mayer song is playing while I am on hold. (I am so thankful it's not on a loop or my ears might start bleeding). *SIDE NOTE....STILL waiting to get this fixed....no ring tones in sight! I had a slight ring tone problem and use to have about 30 of them. One for each group of people that would call me as well as a few old stand bys. I mean who doesn't want to hear "Rockin Around the Christmas Tree" from Thanksgiving until Christmas?!?

Sunday morning, we (everyone except Arizona) gained an amazing extra hour of sleep or in my case cleaning and online shopping because my natural rhythm missed this memo and I was up at 6am doing back flips out of bed. I started a knitting project, drank some coffee, ate a piece of last night's homemade pizza, put the dishes away and thought to myself, "Wow! It has to be like 10am.....looked at the kitchen clock....NOPE! It's 8:15.

....This next part played out so much differently in my head then it did in reality.......

Alex was still sleeping like the dead and I did what anyone would do.....opened the bedroom door, got a running start and threw myself on the bed. (i.e. Supermanned on top of him) He thought someone was trying to violate his manhood in his sleep and almost karate chopped my head off. The upside to this is even in his sleep he has reflexes like a cat (robbers beware) the downside to this....I almost walked away from this cute little Sunday morning experience with a black eye and a broken jaw.

While he was still wiping sleep from his eyes I began the onslaught of "So what do you want to do today?!" without taking a breathe "Can we go on an adventure?!?!" "Can we do something REALLY fun!"

Without missing a beat he goes, "Sure! I think it's resturuant week in Newport? Wanna go?"

YES! Yes for two reasons. 1. I love Newport Rhode Island in the off season. It's peaceful but everything is still open. And 2. There is an AWESOME consignment store called Wish that I am just in love with. Plus it was pretty much sleeting and nasty out. I knew we weren't going to do anything worth writing home about around here so BRING IT ON Newport!

Also I have been DYING to do the "servants" tour of the Elms. It's one of the mansions on the main drag and they are the only house that you can do the servants tour which is basically like walking through a real live version of Downton Abbey! Sign me up!!!

3 hours later...

- Drove down in crappy weather

- Did the servants tour of the house and have only this picture to show (only part of the house from the back garden)...taking pics while inside the house is a BIG no no....which I found out when my phone almost got smacked out of my hand from our little tour guide who was one lisp and show tune away from singing on top of a grand piano at a drag bar.

- One trip to the consignment shop which I said to Alex as we were walking out of, "Well, we might have to swing by back there after lunch because I need to think about those earrings a little more" And it's MUCH easier to pull the trigger on some Tiffany's earrings after a few cocktails.

And then that brings me to our favorite place to grab a quick, easy and tasty meal in downtown Newport...Diego's...go! Go go! It's great, interesting Mexican and VERY VERY good ritas by the pitcher. Hello!!!!! Can't say no to that.

Lunch....WAS AWESOME! We shared a pitcher of rita, had some awesome tacos and pumpkin flan. EXCELLENT!

On our walk back up to the car we HAPPENED to pass back by Wish again. Alex looked at me and he just knew. We walked into the store and (what I thought was the same gal behind the counter) says hi and greets us.

Me "Oh we are back!"

Gal behind the counter "Oh!" (this is the point when Alex realizes that I have NO clue that it is not the same girl as before and this new friend of mine behind the counter has NO IDEA who I am or what I am talking about)

Me, as I walk around the counter to look at the earrings ONCE more "Yeah I just couldn't stop thinking about those at lunch! Can I see them once more??"

Confused New Friend, "Ummmmm, which ones? The cuff links?"

Me, slightly confused and STILL not getting it, "No no the earrings from last time...the Tiffany's ones!"

New BBF, "Ummm the beans?"

Me, again STILL no clue, "No no the ones I was just looking at...these silly!" (JESUS CHRIST BETH!)

BBF, who thinks I AM CRAZY, "Oh! Nice! Yeeeeeeeesssss" wink wink wink

Me, without even thinking about, "Oh I really love these but I don't want to pay the $125, would you do it for $100? I would buy them right now!"

Gal Pal, "Well I just put them out and they are brand new. I don't know if I can take that much off right now."

.........She tries to make a phone call to the store owner and I start yapping about lunch and how good it was. How her recommendation about the type of margarita and the app were perfect. (Alex said she was looking at me like I needed to be committed because in her mind WE HAVE NEVER MET)

BBF, before she could even finish hanging up the phone, "You know what....sure $100 it is!"

Me, "GREAT!!!! CHARGE!"

Bought them, left the store (not before exchanging email address with her so I could show her the wonder that is Zappos VIP, how could she not know about this!?) and as we get into the car Alex goes, "So you know that your new bestie behind the counter right now WAS NOT the same person who you saw BEFORE we went to lunch right?!" I go, "NO WAY! You are lying...." Alex, "Nope, totally different girl!"

HOLY SHIT!

Food Worth Blogging About!

We all have limits in life and we all, at times, try to push through those limits. The majority of the time it's for the better. Like when you're running a 5k and trying to beat your best time or do just one more mile on the treadmill at the gym in the morning. Then there's the time when you push yourself that aren't so good. One more cocktail at the bar (fully knowing you can barely see straight) or polishing off the ENTIRE bag of chips when you told yourself you would only have a handful.

Sunday was a day I just pushed myself to the limit and came to an important conclusion... 2 cupcakes in one sugar binge sessh is JUST A LITTLE too much...my limit is about a cupcake and a half on a lazy Sunday before feeling completely nauseous.

Enough of that so I have got pat myself on the back for this one but dinner tonight was STELLAR!!!!! For all those with dietary shinnaigans this is good for those who are gluten free, vegetarian friendly, can be done vegan and drum roll please......only 7 ww points (for how it is made listed below).

I give you Vietnamese Fried "Rice"!!!!!! It's more like the texture of cous cous so think cous cous not rice when you are eating this. This was so freaking good but bare with me folks and trust me here. It's worth making your kitchen a mess and using almost every dish you have. :) Start to finish it took me about 45 mins total.

For the sauce....toss everything listed below in a separate bowl and put it aside:

- 1/4 cup of water

- 3 Tbsp of fresh squeezed lime juice

- 2 Tbsp of fish sauce or ginger and soy sauce (your choice)

- 1 1/2 Tbsp of a sweetener (white sugar, brown sugar, agave or honey) 

- 1/2 Tbsp of apple cider or rice wine vinegar

- Some chili flake in for a kick

*Ok now that's done....taste it...adjust it as you need to. You really can't mess this up 

For the "rice": 

- 1 head of cauliflower (ends up being about 3 cups or so once you "grate it up")

- 2 large carrots diced or chopped

- 1/2 of a sweet onion diced

- 4 cloves of garlic minced

- baby bok choy chopped (as much as you want) or any other veggies you like

- 2 eggs (scramble) if vegan (used crumbled tofu)

- 14 - 16 grilled shrimp (about a pound) if vegan use marinated grilled shiitake mushrooms

- 5 green onions chopped

- 1/4 cup of chopped cilantro 

*Chop up the cauliflower into smaller pieces and toss it in food processor. Pulse it until it resembles cous cous texture. 

Time to get dirty people!!!

In a non stick frying pan put about a tablespoon oil of your choice (something without a lot of flavor) and throw in the onions, carrots and garlic. Toss them around until the onions are translucent. Throw the baby bok choy or whatever vegetables you like. Toss them around until those are cooked through. 

In a separate pan put another tablespoon of oil (again of your choice) and heat it up. Put the cauliflower in there. Let it get a little brown (about 3 mins) and then toss it around...keep going with this for about 10 mins total until you get little brown pieces throughout the cauliflower. 

Make a "well" in the middle of the pan (move the cauliflower aside to create a hole in the middle of the pan). Throw the raw scrambled eggs in the pan and mix it all together over the heat. (Or toss in the crumbled tofu)

Take the cauliflower "rice" and combine it in the other frying pan with all of the vegetables. Toss it all together. At this time put the add the chopped up grilled shrimp or shiitake mushrooms.

Oh sweet baby jesus...you are almost done (this is a long recipe uh?!) Grab that sauce you made (what now seems like hours ago) and "sprinkle" it was a spoon all over the "fried rice". Toss the scallions and cilantro with the rice...now the moment we have all been waiting for...DIG IN!

Honestly this is just awesome. Please let me know what you think!!!!

Why Hello Fall......

I love the fall. I think almost everyone in the North East claims it as their favorite season for the sheer fact that summer here isn't all it's cracked up to be. Who likes the outdoors to smell like a gym locker because of the humidity and when you step outside you literally just sweat... (not this guy)...
I in fact look forward to fall for three reasons only...

1. Cooler weather makes for GREAT outside walking...well for any kinds of outdoor, weekend warrior crap.....
2. The chub layers are hidden behind great sweaters, jeans and tall boots. So when we have one too many "hot date nights out" during the week (please read, I'm too lazy to make dinner after work and REALLY could use a glass or 6 of wine) this becomes irrelevant due to the fabulous fashionable layers one can toss on.
3. And last but not least....Pumpkin everything (savory, sweet, breakfast, dinner, snacks....I could go on forever) and I know I am not alone in this orange pumpkin shaped boat.

Which brings me to the point of this post...I have been in a breakfast runt for the past two weeks. The egg white scrambles on the low cal english muffins just aren't cutting it anymore. And oatmeal with dried fruits and nuts just doesn't scream, "Hi, let's start your day" to me....

So last night I spent the better half of an hour looking through blogs and trying to find the breakfast smoothie of my dreams.....and man oh man did I! (If my 17 year old self could hear me talking now about my love for all things smoothie or the fact that this is the sheer highlight to my day, they would think I have 100% lost my mind) DRUM ROLL PLEASE.........

The Pumpkin Smoothie Breakfast Shake!!!!!!! I can not take the credit for this at all but I will tell you it's only 4 ww points for the entire thing (just count the banana as a separate item in your breakfast category...it's 0 points anyway and jesus christ it's a banana!) and add more pumpkin, cinnamon, a little extra frozen banana and good vanilla. I also tossed in a few ice cubes when I was zipping it through the Vitamix this morning. (Our neighbors truly must hate us...I love that blender but it 100% sounds like an airplane is taking off in the kitchen at 6:30am)

The Good Stuff:

• 1/3 c. pumpkin puree
• 1 tbsp. maple syrup or brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 3/4 c. unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• 1/2 c. old fashioned oats
• 1 to 1 1/2 bananas, frozen
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

The How To:

1. Toss everything but the banana into a mason jar, put on a lid and shake the heck out of it... into the fridge it goes to refrigerate overnight.
2. In the morning put everything including the banana into the blender with a couple of ice cubes and let the magic happen.

I can also tell you that I am excited for tomorrow morning to come, not because it's Friday or that I actually have some pretty solid weekend plans with gal pals that I haven't seen in A LONG time but to meet this smoothie again. :)

Try it....drink it and LOVE IT! Embrace fall with me people.