people. places. objects.

sunday in july.

girloftheblog — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 02:02:57 +0000

if there is one thing that having a baby forces you to do that is live in the moment and take it one day at a time. so, here’s my post about today, a sunday in july.

the day started off playing with lucy and all of her toys on the living room floor. some bad dane cook movie on in the background. little lucy was still battling her ear infection that was diagnosed yesterday at the ER (a great way to start the weekend, by the way) and the subsequent fever. but i could tell she was beginning to pull out of it by her interest in her bevy of toys!

hubby and i worked up the energy to go check out made in the 216 down on 4th street. it felt a little like the day after the party with things picked over and a bit bare. the photo booth was fun though and we took full advantage of it. felt great to get out of the house and lucy was a trooper and hung in there while we stopped by target afterward to grab socks.

after being back at home for a bit, we decided it was pool time! we scored a super cute little whale-shaped pool at target a few weeks back and were excited to test it out. it was lucy’s first time wearing her yellow polka dot bikini too. and…probably her last as it is snug. (i bought it when she was maybe 2 weeks old and boy is kids’ clothing sizing terribly off. can someone fix that already?)

then lucy napped (hooray) and joe worked on his scooter and i worked on some new mini cake stands that will soon be for sale at salty not sweet (@saltycleveland).

and now, with ohio city four cheese ravioli in our stomachs and showers had, things are winding down. lucy is asleep but not so sure for how long with her not feeling well.

today felt like a bit of a marathon (especially with a sick kiddo) and i know that it’s not over yet (again, kiddo) but if i step back for a moment i can see that it was a good one. i think i just need to remember to step back more often.

Great Food in a Strip Mall.

girloftheblog — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 02:12:28 +0000

You don’t expect to find a restaurant serving delicious, natural food in a strip mall set back from Bagley Road in Berea, Ohio. I drove past it the first time I was visitng. The strip mall features two businesses: a gym and Tree Hugger’s Cafe. The cafe which serves meat and meat-free (including vegan) food is tucked away and frankly I’m shocked it stays open with such an out-of-the-way location. (I’m a foodie and a long-time vegetarian and I had never heard of the place.) But nevertheless, I am happy it is there and to have found it.

I have to do a little sidebar here on the name of the cafe because it gets under my skin a bit. I take issue with anything that is healthy or natural needing to go to the hippie side of things. Why does a love for animals and planet need to go hand in hand with tie-dye? I don’t wear Birkenstocks. I don’t even like patchouli. I do enjoy amazing food that is also natural, locally produced and nutritious. And Tree Hugger’s uses almost 100% organic ingredients and buys its produce when in season from local farmers. They also purchase their bread, coffee and other items from local independent businesses.

But the good news is that…

…the delicious food options more than make up for the cafe’s name. My current addiction: the black cactus black bean patty burger. With the perfect touch of spicy flavor, the generous patty is piled high with lettuce, tomato, Swiss cheese, mango salsa and fresh avocado slices. And the bun it is all nested on doesn’t disappoint either. With the burger comes your choice of side. I always go for the dill coleslaw (vegan). I’ve never had a dill-flavored cole slaw but it is all I want from this point forward. It is a crunchy dish probably due to a lack of mayo that is not missed in the least. This is a large meal and I usually end up taking half of the sandwich home.

Another favorite is the hummus which comes with veggies and warm pita for dipping. I’m pretty picky about my hummus and this one is herby, creamy and scores major points. I would order it as my meal. And don’t miss out on the hand-cut fries. They are fresh-tasting and cooked to perfection.

Tree Hugger’s scores extra points with me for also offering the following:
- Kombucha: pretty tough to find in the Cleveland area. (The only two places I have been able to buy it so far are Nature’s Bin and Good ‘n’ Raw–both in Lakewood.)

- Chocolate Chip Cookies: as big as your head (Plus an array of other delicious desserts.)

- Drive thru window: perfect for calling ahead and picking up your order at lunch time

So get check out this hidden spot. You’ll enjoy some great food and leave feeling like you also did your body good.

Quick Links:
Menu
Map: 1330 Bagley Road, Berea OH 44017

Sunday at the Bakery.

girloftheblog — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 02:08:00 +0000

Today, I had a lovely time kicking back with my husband and good friend. The three of us enjoyed coffee and pastry treats at the Blackbird Baking Company in Lakewood. I had a raspberry jammer. I would have shown you a photo of it with this post (because they are quite pretty) but I had polished it off by the time I remembered that I was supposed to take a photo. Hey–it happens. And that is testament to just how delicious it was.

If you haven’t checked out this spot on the borderline between Lakewood and Rocky River, you should. Hang out there with a friend or bring along your laptop. And make sure you take a fresh loaf of bread home with you as well. I’m going to enjoy one of their multigrain options as toast tomorrow morning.

Happy New Year. Happy New Baby.

girloftheblog — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 01:45:27 +0000

2011 really will be a year full of HAPPY and NEW for me. Any day now, I will meet my little person who has been growing inside me (and kicking me with what feels like stilettos) for the past 8.5 months. Pregnancy is a wild, fascinating ride but it is these last few weeks that are the most intense both physically and emotionally. I am literally sitting around waiting to go through labor and delivery (not the easiest thing I hear) and to have my life change forever when I see my baby for the first time. It is…indescribable.

Every so often, my husband or I will abruptly announce to the other–”We’re going to have a baby”–as if it is new news. I just think that the human brain can’t grasp such a large concept. And yet I realize that people have babies every day.

So here is to a HAPPY first year for me, my husband and our little one, and our family and friends. May it be filled with sweet little grins and giggles.

An old rocking chair fixed up with cotton candy pink spray paint and Amy Butler fabric purchased at Stitch Cleveland

a different perspective on clutter.

girloftheblog — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 01:09:35 +0000

“clutter is the poetry of our homes. it is an intimate view that is not always perfect–a few dishes in the sink, books piled next to the bed. everything in its place may give a certain satisfaction, but a lived-in room exudes comfort and warmth.”

-mary randolph carter, author of “a perfectly kept house is the sign of a misspent life”

doesn’t this make you feel just a little better about things not always being in their place?

mindful eating.

girloftheblog — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 13:09:07 +0000

mindful is probably a word we need to remember to put in front of most verbs these days. good examples would be mindful driving or mindful listening. but awareness is also a good thing when we’re talking about what you decide to put in your body.

this morning, i ran across a fun-to-read article on this topic that even includes some pretty simple recipes at the end and wanted to share: HOMEMADE CONDIMENTS: JUST LIKE GRANDMA MADE. i’m excited to try the homemade hummus recipe. i think i’ve finally hit a point where i need to move on from trader joe’s hummus or at least take a break.

the article is on a new magazine’s site called shoestring: good for the wallet, good for the planet. it’s a cute, easy-to-navigate site with all kinds of thrifty and eco ideas. so check out the article. i’m off to explore the site some more!

the perfect dress.

girloftheblog — Tue, 11 May 2010 22:35:03 +0000

this is my cry for help. i’m looking for the perfect dress to wear to a friend’s wedding. it’s a lovely couple that is getting married and my husband is even in the wedding so i want to be sure to look my best.

dresses have always been tricky for me. it’s tough to find one that nips in at the waist, out at the hips, hits the knee, and flatters on top. i always seem to qualify a few of those points but never all of them.

so, i have less than two weeks to pull this off. send me your suggestions. i’m looking for something cool, classic with a modern twist and at least semi comfortable. show me the way!

i can’t believe i’m blogging about deodorant.

girloftheblog — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 03:59:00 +0000

but i am. and here’s why.

i love sharing news of a great product with other people. and deodorant is no exception.

i’ve been on a quest for a deodorant that wasn’t full of aluminum or other harsh chemicals. but i also wanted something that worked. that combination was not easy to find. i tried all kinds of natural deodorants including crystal stones, lavender roll-ons, unscented bars. each ended up creating a new strange and not so pleasant scent by mid-day or just did nothing at all leaving me…unprotected. (“unprotected” sounds like something from a cheesy deodorant commercial so i had to say it.)

i had almost given up and resorted back to my secret solid–chemicals and all. and then i decided to give natural deodorant one more shot–earth science liken plant herbal scent natural deodorant. (and it was on sale at heinen’s.)

and the verdict–it works! and the scent is a pleasing light citrus. plus it’s paraben-free and not tested on animals.

so go for it. it’s all of these little things we do for better health that really do add up.

cool clevelander 2010

girloftheblog — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:56:03 +0000

if i had to vote for the coolest clevelander of 2010 it would be an easy vote for danielle deboe. google the girl and see for yourself. the list of her cool contributions to cleveland–from shop owner of Room Service to her unwaivering promotion of our city–could constitute an entire blog on its own. but what i will share with you in this post is her latest contribution–her participation at the TEDxCLE event. danielle charmingly shared her view on how one may go about “arriving at doing something”.

color your winter bright.

girloftheblog — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 02:12:26 +0000

so sometimes it’s very small things that help us get through a dark time. ya know, a dark, dreary and COLD time like this winter.

and i’ve found one of those small things: a $5 bottle of nail polish from urban outfitters in a punchy purply pink that is the perfect pick-me-up. paired with dark clothing, this polish almost reads as a fluorescent. it’s very, shall we say, miami (pronounced mee-ah-mee).

and notice how cool the bottle is. very 80s meets 90s. and the cap is a matte texture which helps you keep a firm grip while you paint away.

so go crazy! get colorful! what else can you drop $5 on and enjoy so much!?