Have a safe and fun weekend!
Love,
Wendy, Riggins and Bud (on a doggie vacay with us)
Happy Memorial Weekend
24 Friday May 2013
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Pants on Fire
23 Thursday May 2013
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I sometimes lie. Now before you gasp in horror, grab your handkerchief and demand smelling salts let me suggest that we all lie … just a little bit. I dare to suggest that nearly every time the following statements are uttered from someone’s lips there is some untruth involved:
- “No I don’t want any dessert.”
- “Those yoga pants make your butt look great.”
- “Pleased to meet you.”
- “Honestly she said nothing bad about you.”
- “Growling means he likes you.”
- “Get whatever you want. I don’t mind picking off toppings I don’t like.”
- “Your children are always so well-behaved.”
- “I never drink alone.”
The place I do the most lying? Where I get my eyebrows waxed. There are few things in life that make you feel better for so little then getting your eyebrows done. You can walk into the salon feeling like an ugly hairy chupacabra and 15 minutes later walk out feeling like Snow White. It’s a special kind of magic and I will lie so I can experience it. I’ve been getting my eyebrows done at the same place for years. I’m not going to tell you were for fear that they read this and red flag me in their system. In the past few years their casual questions prior to the treatment have become more detailed and now include a questionnaire and signature. Forcing me to actually document my lies.
Years ago one of the few questions was, “do you use Retin-a.” I’d casually mummer back, “nope.” The entire time mentally picturing the tube of wonderful goop that was hidden behind my bathroom mirror. I never had a problem. Not once. But every single time I was worried that 1/2 my face was going to be ripped off by the hot wax and the woman would scream pointing at me, “LIAR!”
That day in Bar Method class when I almost passed out and I watched the color drain from my face in the full length ballerina mirror, I noticed that my eyebrows had gotten OUT OF CONTROL! Yesterday I took the time to fix that and in doing so had to go through my list of “please just fix my eyebrows” lies.
- Do you drink alcohol – Yes.
- Did you drink alcohol today – No. (Define “today.” Is that the last 24 hours or just the last couple hours. Are we talking since I’ve gotten up or since Riggins woke up from his last nap.)
- Do you take antibiotics – No. (Crap. I think I forgot to take my antibiotic this morning. So really this isn’t a lie. I mean I’m on day 7 of 10 so I should be in the clear.)
- How many glasses of water did you drink today – 8. (When measured in shot glasses.)
- Do you take aspirin – Yes.
- Did you take aspirin today – No. (Crap I forgot to take that too. Did I take any of my pills this morning? Crap.)
- Did you take aspirin this week – No. (Yes.)
- Do you stay out of the sun. – Yes. (Except every day when I hike or walk Riggins or go to the dog park or …)
- Sign here proving everything you said is truthful – WENDY LYN NEWELL
I mean enough with the inquisition. Slap some wax on my face and let’s get this party started! My theory is that this list of questions (that goes on for much longer) is obviously for my own good and therefore if I wish to ignore them that’s on me. Should something go wrong then “my bad.” I’m happy to say nothing went wrong and I happily skipped out of the place looking and feeling like a million bucks. My bum was a little warm from the flames in my pants but one has to suffer for beauty!
The Bird Flower
21 Tuesday May 2013
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My front porch get’s direct sunlight most of the day and during the summer months can reach a temperature similar to the surface of the sun. Add to that my lack of gardening skills (it’s not so much lack of skill as lack of patience) and the result is a beautiful pot garden of succulents. I actually love succulents. Not only are they pretty and hearty they seem … well … succulent.
I have a bird feeder stuck in the biggest flower-pot. It’s been there for years and I fill it up with food for the birds to come snack on. The thing about bird feeders is it takes awhile for our feathered friends to find them but once they do BACK OFF! They won’t stop eating until every last seed is gobbled up. My front porch is a 24 hour smorgasbord for a gaggle of beautiful red-headed/breasted birdies.
These birds will feast through wind, rain, and sun. They don’t flinch when Riggins sits just a couple of feet from them behind the screen door barking up a storm (not at them … they’ve made peace with each other). They use to scatter when I drove up or down the driveway until one brave chick (I assume based on her gumption and grit she is female) decided to take a stand and continued to peck away only glancing up for a second, looking at me from the corner of her eye as if to say, “keep on driving lady … there is nothing to see here.” Now most stay put when I go by. I’m not seen as a big enough threat to stop their non-stop meal.
Years ago I discovered if I purchased the right kind of food and placed the bird feeder just so, many of the seeds that don’t quite make it into a birds stomach will fall into the big planter. It now has a constant mulch of seed shells. If all the stars align then one or two sunflower seeds will drop down and then bloom into gorgeous sunflowers. Sunflowers are the biggest and best of all the flowers and I love that they are planted by the birds so I don’t have to even work at it!
I remember the first year this happened. The sunflower was HUGE. It was later in the summer, I remember because my cleaning lady (moment of silence for the fact that I am forced to clean my own house right now during my unemployment phase) would bring her son with her on cleaning day. He would plop himself in front of my TV and let me know which of the many children TV channels he would like to spend his morning watching. Once we met outside and he admired the big yellow flower. I explained how the birds had planted it, which he didn’t believe. We spent some time picking through the uneaten bird food to find a handful of sunflower seeds that we put in a bag then into his pocket so he could plant them when he got home. Sunflowers make everyone happy!
Right now I have one tiny sunflower and one bigger one on its way. The touch of beauty is the birds “thank you” for my feeding them!
Bananas Two Ways
15 Wednesday May 2013
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You guys I’m zonked. That’s the only word that accurately describes how I feel. Monday I gave up being sick and made my way to the doctor who prescribed me cough medicine and anitbiotics. I’m sure the cough medicine was prescribed due to my whining about non-stop coughing and inability to sleep. I may have even begged, “please help me sleep.” My doctor took that to heart and ordered me a cough medicine with a dash of sleeping potion. Honestly I can’t tell you what was dream or real over the past 48 hours. It’s all fuzzy. My whole body feels like it’s being pulled down by that lead blanket they put on you before taking x-rays.
I’m starting to feel better and I’ve held off taking the sleeping potion all day so I’m a little less foggy than I was yesterday. I may even be able to vacuum or do the dishes today. Nah … at the very least I can push around my lead filled wrists and fingers to write a blog post!
I’ve told you before I’m not a fan of bananas. In fact just saying the name makes me gag a little. Sadly bananas are good for you and I’m convinced that with a combination of greek yogurt, honey, applesauce and bananas you can pretty much sub out any of the bad things in any baked item for something healthier. Oddly enough I do like banana bread. Putting banana in bread form makes the evil mushy fruit edible, even delicious! When I was on Pinterest recently I found a couple of banana based recipes I thought I’d try. Hence this post. Bananas two was (the good way and the bad way).
The good way – Banana Oatmeal Cookies (aka Germ Cookies) – Monday I couldn’t think of a single thing I wanted to eat. Nothing sounded appetizing. That is when I noticed the bananas on my counter were at the “very ripe” stage and decided to whip up a batch of cookies. I’ve made these before so I knew that they would be worth the trouble of standing up and forcing myself into the kitchen. There are many versions of this cookie on Pinterest so I’m not sure who to give credit to. You actually don’t need a recipe. Mush up 2 bananas, add a cup of oats, mix, put blobs on a cookie sheet and back at 350 for 15 minutes. Done! The first time I added white chocolate chips and coconut (because it was in the same place as the white chocolate chips and seemed like a good idea). The second time I added another banana and another cup of oats, then when the cookies where almost done I plopped a chocolate melt on top. My goal was to have the melt, “melt” all over the cookie so that it was covered in chocolate. I used this method because I was lazy and zapped of energy from cough syrup. It didn’t work. You are better off using chocolate chips inside or melting the “melt” and dipping the tops of the cookies in the chocolate. Don’t worry. I still ate them! As I was mushing the bananas and mixing in the oats I kept coughing and sniffling hence the nickname, “germ cookies.” You don’t have to use that name if you don’t want to. I really like these cookies and I have essentially lived on them since Monday. I figure oats and bananas can’t make them that bad.
The bad way – Banana Pancakes – Seriously I’m almost embarrassed to write this up. It was such a giant fail it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. The recipe for banana pancakes is easy. Take an egg, mix in a mushed up banana and pretend it is pancake batter. I’m shaking my head at myself as I write this. As I was mixing the two ingredients together it became clear to me that the only thing I was making was scrambled eggs with banana. There is NOTHING less appetizing than scrambled eggs with banana. As I cooked my “pancakes” I tried to put that thought aside and tell myself they were a delicious fluffy breakfast treat. I didn’t have any syrup around and putting powdered sugar on my mini banana omelets seemed like a bad idea so I dug in with my fork and a clear mind, then proceeded to move to the trash can, spit out everything in my mouth and dump the rest of the contents on the plate in after it. WORSE PANCAKES EVER. You can’t even call them pancakes. They are blatantly banana omelets and NO ONE thinks that is a good idea.
If you have “very ripe” bananas on your counter may I suggest turning them into cookies and skip the creepy pancake omelet.
Sick Day II
13 Monday May 2013
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Sick Day
08 Wednesday May 2013
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I feel like an elephant is sitting on my chest. It really pisses me off. Clover deserves to hike Runyon and run free through the flowers. Instead I’m going to have to force myself out of bed and take Riggins and her to the dog park. Not nearly as much fun for any of us.
I’ve missed my last two days of Bar Method class and today isn’t looking great. I despise being sick.
I blame the crazy weather flux in LA this past week. Thursday it was shorts and tank tops hot. Monday it was pouring rain. I suppose it didn’t help that I took the dogs to Runyon Monday morning rain be damned. You know what Clover likes more than being wet? Being wet and muddy. She was so happy!
I hope I feel better tomorrow so Clover can have more Runyon days before she goes home.
The dreaded word: Exercise – Guest Blogger
06 Monday May 2013
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I realize you may be sick of me preaching about how great Bar Method is and forcing you to look at a zillion pictures of Riggins and me. Today I decided to mix things up and have you listen to my good friend Michelle talk about her exercise of choice and show you pictures of her and her dog, Buddy! Recently I went with Michelle (and her friend Olga — more about her in the post below) to a dance (salsa-y) aerobic class and it was a blast. Generally during my exercise time I tend to put my head down, concentrate, breathe and focus for the hour or so. Michelle may be onto something with the whole “have fun while you are doing it” idea! I’ll pass it to Michelle to tell you more about her work-out philosophy —-
The dreaded word: Exercise
First, let me clarify. I don’t dread exercise itself. I actually enjoy physical activity. But I want it to be FUN. I want it to be something I look forward to doing. I don’t want to ever feel like it’s something I have to do. Simply put, I don’t want it to feel like “exercise”.
My entire life, I’ve always done some sort of physical activity (note that I’m not using the word “exercise”). Growing up, we lived outside of town so if I wanted to see my friends outside of school, I typically rode my bike. In high school, I dabbled in track and basketball until I found my favorite sport – soccer. In college, my physical activity consisted of walking to and from class, and up and down State Street to the various bars and fraternity parties (it was a pretty big campus so there was a LOT of walking).
Michelle & Buddy – Photo taken by Lori Fusaro
But later in life, in my 30s, I had to come up with something new. I always enjoyed being outside. And I grew up with animals. So I decided it was time to get a dog – THAT would ensure physical activity – I would take the dog on daily walks! For the next 13 years, my beloved dog Buddy and I went on regular walks – about a mile and a half up to 5 times a week. But as Buddy grew older he started to slow down a bit, and at the same time I entered my 40s. Daily walks weren’t going to cut it. I needed to change up my exercise routine or my waistline was going to start – and continue – to expand.
One day, one of my employees suggested I try Zumba. “What’s Zumba?” I asked. She explained that it’s like aerobics but with variations of Latin dance, usually with Latin music. Well, that sounded pretty good to me! I love to dance! Another appealing aspect was that Zumba is offered in a class setting. I live alone, and at work I sit in a private office with limited interaction with others. It can be very isolating, almost depressing at times.
I wasted no time getting online to find the nearest Zumba class (www.Zumba.com). Lucky for me, classes were offered at a gym only a few blocks from my house. I could request a free 7-day pass and take at least 3 classes for FREE! Sounded good to me! Three classes later, I was hooked and joined the gym.
To me, Zumba is like a dance party with your girlfriends sans the tequila. (Yes, the classes are mostly women – men should get a clue! Hot, fit women in tight workout gear swinging their hips!)
Michelle and Olga
But the most unexpected benefit of this “exercise” was the friendships I formed in the classes. At my age, most of us already have an established circle of friends; our closer inner circle and our more casual extended circle. We’re not necessarily looking to add to those circles. I never would’ve expected that within a year I’d meet someone who I now consider one of my closest friends. Olga and I are around the same age, both single, love travel, dance, good food and wine, and live just two blocks from each other. How great is that? We’re even planning a trip to Europe in the fall.
Having friends in class REALLY helps motivate me to go on those few days when I’m just not in the mood. I look forward to dancing with them, sweating with them, and often going for coffee or a cold drink after class.
I guess the moral of my story is: “Exercise” doesn’t have to be a dreaded activity. It’s all a matter of finding something you genuinely enjoy – walking your dog, dancing with friends – that achieves the same results yet doesn’t feel like “exercise”. And who knows what unexpected benefits you’ll find along the way!
Bar Method – Connecting my Brain with my Body
02 Thursday May 2013
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I’ve written a lot about Bar Method (here, and here, and here, and here), so you know it is my exercise of choice. You also know that it was not/is not easy for me! When I took my first class on 9/8/2009 I was super cocky. After all I was a triathlete. What did I have to fear? I promptly almost threw up 1/2 way through class! After nearly passing out I walked out of class into the waiting room where one of the owners (although I didn’t know that at the time) Kate, came out to check on me and Mason (who I also didn’t know at the time and wasn’t even the super star teacher he is now) promised me it got easier. I must have looked as bad as I felt.
Just a small sampling of the classes I’ve attended.
Over the years I got better. Not great, but definitely better. I’ve admitted before I’m not at all flexible so it is a slow process for me. The day I could touch my toes I was elated. The day I got through all of thigh exercise without re-setting I was beyond happy. The day that one of the teachers said, “Oh my goodness Wendy you are at the tall barre.” I smiled like a cheshire cat. All of these things were HUGE accomplishments for me.
Last year I took a time-out from life (as you know). Due to travel and mental angst I didn’t go to class as often. When I left my job at the beginning of the year, I told myself that while I was looking for my new career I would take Riggins up Runyon and go to Bar Method as much as possible. My health and happiness was going to come first … dang gumit!
Going back “full-time” to Bar Method was not easy. I re-dedicated myself to 3 or 4 times a week. If I was insane, or it was raining and I couldn’t do other activities, I’d bump that number to 5. It took me a long time to get back to where I thought I had been before (minus the gumption to stay in thigh … man I hate thigh). It was heartbreaking how hard it had become again but I wasn’t going to give up.
This week I made myself a vow to step it up to the next level. Riggins is still limping so my daily trips up Runyon or my run around Silver Lake isn’t happening. I have no excuse not to give 100% in my evening Bar Method classes. I can’t rely on the crappy excuse that I was up early spending an 1 and 1/2 hours hiking up and down a mountain with a dog or two, so didn’t have to work as hard. I needed to dive deeper into Bar to move to the next level. This week during class I realized what I had been missing. I was missing the mental aspect of class. It took me this long (4 months) to shake the self-doubt and general unhappiness I had last year and to refocus on what I was doing for myself. My body wasn’t the only thing in the game anymore. My head was back in it as well!
Concentrating really hard on controlling my shaking hand.
Let me tell you it is tough! I’m back to hurting every day after I work out. Something somewhere hurts every day. The good hurt. When I leave the parking lot and put that little parking ticket in the machine to let me out, my hand is still shaking from how hard I worked. Tonight I went to meet a friend for a drink and had a hard time holding the wine glass correctly without it slopping all over the place because of my STILL shaking body (1 1/2 hours after class had ended). What has changed exactly:
- I force myself to always take the “extra challenge” in class. Extra challenges make the hard movements even more difficult. I’ve always been good at taking some but now I at least try them all … well most of them. I mentally give myself a point for every challenge I try, and two points if the instructor gives me a “wow Wendy” or “way to take the challenge Wendy.”
- I demand that I can do better for each move that I hate. Thigh in wide second …. hate … go deeper. Pretzel … hate … move my knee back further. Arabesque … hate … get that leg higher. I’m constantly trying to check to see if I’m doing the most I can. It’s a pain in the butt … sometimes literally. It IS not easy to keep that up for an entire hour. I can also feel more of my muscles working beyond just the “main” ones that exercise focus’ on which means overall I’m getting more bang for my buck.
- I try to stop caring about the counting (just get me to the last number … please) but instead try to listen to the music. This was suggested by the founder of the Bar Method in her last blog. It is working for me. She suggested it for thigh … I haven’t mastered it for that section yet. I’m in too much pain. In general if I feel I can’t keep up the level I’m at for any longer I try to listen to the music. This doesn’t work when that Barbara Streisand song is playing. That thing cracks me up and I have to tune it out.
- I don’t give a shit that I’m not the most flexible, strongest or best in the class. I’m not. Nor am I the youngest, skinniest or prettiest. Who gives a flip? It use to really bug me that I would get so sweaty during class while the adorable young 20 something year olds glide through the movements with obvious ease and nothing past a lovely “glisten” covering their brow. I was the dancing hippo next to the lovely gazelles. I would get upset when I would read a review about the Bar Method that says it’s great that you don’t get sweaty. Were they on crack? And really what an odd thing to say, “this is a great exercise you work so hard you don’t get sweaty.” I get sweaty. Granted I get sweaty doing anything … a n y t h i n g … but that doesn’t make me any less of a bar-er ball-er. Now I purposely try to work so hard I HAVE to change my top after class because I’m such a sweaty mess.
- I always use to play mental games with myself while I was running why didn’t I do that in class? Sometimes I pretend if I can stay in thigh the entire time the cute guy from Match.com will write me back (never works but it’s a good way to push myself). I will pretend that my friend I’ve been trying to get to come to class is behind me and I have to show her how it’s done.
- I try to act as if the teacher is always watching me … the thought that they are makes me work harder.
None of this is earth shattering. In fact it’s odd I didn’t put two and two together months ago. Again I blame everything on my horrible last year. I obviously had to turn my brain off to survive and it’s starting to fire back up again!
One day I was walking back to my car after class and a young woman asked if I had been going for long. I said I had and then she asked if I ever feel like it is hard. Apparently she felt she didn’t get a workout and would now have to go to the gym. I told her she was doing it wrong. I was a little nicer than that but not much. I feel the same way when people leave negative reviews online (there aren’t many). It’s easy if you want it to be. Get your head in the game, and mind your positioning (aka do it right) and you will be shaking when you put the parking ticket in the machine too! If you aren’t feeling it you are letting yourself do it wrong.
I have followed this new and improved work out plan for an entire 3 days! Ha! I feel like I’m getting more out of it and overall I’m prouder of myself and find myself standing up taller. The best thing of all? Now I’ve written it down so I HAVE to keep it up or I’ll not only disappoint myself but I’ll disappoint you and we can’t have that!
Please share any tips you have on getting to the next level of your exercise of choice. I’d love to steal them! AND … if anyone can give me tips on how to get through dreaded thigh during Bar Method class PLEASE enlighten me.
The current Bar Method teachers at the Pasadena studio. Source.
(Bar Method studios are all over the US & Canada. I have been loyal to the studio located in Pasadena, CA and can tell you all the instructors there are wonderful. I’m not the kind of person who chooses the class she goes to because of who is teaching it but instead I go when it is the best time knowing no matter who the teacher is, I’m going to be getting a good one. The two owners of the Silver Lake, CA studio used to teach at Pasadena so I can tell you they are also pretty brilliant.)
A Cupcake Story – Guest Blogger
01 Wednesday May 2013
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Annemarie and her family. 2010.
While writing my blog I’ve given you a number of recipes and cooking tips all with the caveat that I don’t cook, don’t bake, and don’t like it. I realize this makes me a horrible source! I wanted to let an expert give you her advice. Well maybe not an expert baker but an expert mom for sure. Annemarie is one of my dearest friends. Not only is she a wonderful mother to her two boys, she is also a great friend. Add the fact that her husband is super sweet AND will serve me wine while telling me all about it makes them the perfect family! Honestly I could write all day about the fun Annemarie and I have had over the years but if I did that we’d never get to her guest post. I’ll skip those stories so Annemarie can take over …
A Cupcake Story
I am a dessert-first girl. I LOVE my sweets so today we’re talking cupcakes—actually, one special cupcake. For the better part of the last 10 years I had been on a quest, a cupcake quest. You see, my two boys have food allergies. My 7-year-old, Benjie, is allergic to peanuts. Josh, who’s 10, has multiple food allergies. His toughest allergies are to dairy (milk, cheese, butter, etc.), eggs, and all nuts. Pretty much everything I bake is dairy-free, egg-free, and nut-free. From the beginning, birthday parties were challenging. Josh can (almost) never eat the birthday cake, so it was up to me to find a replacement. I started experimenting on cake recipes when he was 1. In the beginning he seemed okay with the bland vanilla cupcakes I made, but I wanted more. I wanted him to jump up and down when he heard, “It’s cake time!” I wanted his cake to be as yummy as the one that held the candles. I went back to my kitchen and tried again, and again. When I’d find a cake recipe that showed promise, I would make my allergy-friendly substitutions—rice milk for milk, vegan Egg Replacer for eggs, Spectrum Shortening or Earth Balance for butter. The cakes were all “just okay” and Josh could take them or leave them. I gave up for a while.
Then I discovered that I could make Rice Krispie Treats with Spectrum Shortening or Earth Balance and Josh loved them! These became our go-to, all-occasion party treats. They were tasty and easy to make. I brought them to school to celebrate the boys’ birthdays and everyone was happy. The treats easily transformed into hearts, pumpkins, dreidels, or Christmas trees. They were fantastic…until they weren’t. After a blissful Kellogg’s year Josh had burned out on his dairy-free Rice Krispie Treats and I was back in the kitchen experimenting.
Next was the year of the “Perfect Sugar Cookie”. You know those sugar cookies, the ones in the shape of flawless flowers and beautiful butterflies. They have that smooth, satiny, multi-colored icing. I found an amazing sugar cookie recipe that Josh and I both loved. It was delicious even with my dairy and egg substitutions. Then, I went to Michael’s and brought home all the equipment to decorate the cookies just so. I watched dozens of You Tube videos to get the icing techniques down. And it worked! Those cookies wowed the crowd and I didn’t even have to qualify them with, “They’re dairy-free and egg-free. That’s why they taste like that.” There was just one problem. They took hours, sometimes days to make and decorate. It was just too much, especially when we had parties every other week. Eventually, I reassigned the Perfect Sugar Cookie to very–special occasion treat only. It was back to the kitchen for me. I was determined to find something just as good, but simpler. And I did!
A few months ago, I came across a quirky little recipe that was supposedly created during the great depression. It requires no eggs, no milk, and no butter because those items were rationed at the time. I tried the cake recipe and it wasn’t bad. On top of that it was ridiculously easy. I tweaked it here and there, adding more chocolate and more sugar. It was pretty darn good but it didn’t become THE CUPCAKE until I added chocolate chips. Wow! The chocolate chips made this cupcake a winner! It’s super-chocolaty, almost brownie-like. I pair it with a homemade vanilla frosting but it’s delicious even without the frosting. It’s a big hit, with everyone except Josh that is. He doesn’t like chocolate! I know, what? I’m experimenting on a lemon cupcake for him now. I’ll let you know how it works out.
I, for one, love this cupcake. Here’s the recipe. Enjoy!
Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Vegan CHOCOLATE CHOCOLATE CHIP 
CUPCAKES
- 1½ cups flour
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- 1¼ cups sugar*
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 5 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup soymilk (or water, or any milk of your choice)
- ½ cup Enjoy Life dairy-free mini chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with 12 liners.
- Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Mix wet ingredients in a separate bowl and stir to combine.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until you get a smooth batter. Do not beat.
- Stir in chocolate chips.
- Fill the muffin liners about ⅔ full.
- Bake about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.
*This cupcake tends to be super sweet, especially if you add frosting. If your palate doesn’t like things too sugary, feel free to reduce the amount of sugar or ease up on the frosting
Vanilla Frosting – Adapted from The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook by Cybele Pascal
- ½ cup dairy-free vegetable shortening**
- ½ cup (1 stick) dairy-free margarine, softened**
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- ¼ cup rice milk, or whatever milk you like
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the shortening and margarine on medium speed for about 1 minute.
- Add the confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla. Beat until smooth and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Pipe onto cool cupcakes and finish with extra chocolate chips.
**I use Spectrum Organic Vegetable Shortening and Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks for the shortening and margarine respectively. If you like, you can use all shortening or all margarine.
Before I go, I want to give a shout-out to Wendy and Riggins for inviting me here today. Wendy is my dear, dear friend. We share a love of wine & cheese–as a meal, much-too-much TV, and all things arts and craftsy. I am honored to be blogging in her space today.
Ignorance & KT Tape
26 Friday Apr 2013
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I’m not an athlete (not the first time I’ve said this to you). Just because I do athletic things sometimes does not mean I’m an athlete. In high school I was that kid that did well in archery … and that’s it. My sister was on the long distance running team but at that time you couldn’t get me to run longer than a mile if my life depended on it. I recently attended my friend’s daughter’s (college) softball game. I was mesmerized by the speed of the balls being whipped around. As my friend’s daughter fearlessly ran, jumped, reached, leapt, and fell to get to the ball screaming past her, I turned to my dad, who was with me, and said “no way!” No way would I EVER put myself inline with that speeding projectile! If that thing was coming toward me I’d duck screaming my lungs off. Not an athlete.
Later as an adult, as I got submerged into real life, I turned to exercise to help relieve stress. Fitness was a welcome and happy side effect. I now try to work out 6 days a week. Again I’d like to point out working out on a regular basis does not make me an athlete so it seems completely unfair that I should sustain injuries like they do.
2 or 3 years ago I managed to get a stress fracture on the top of my left foot. It’s a fairly common injury for runners and, at the time, I was running a lot. Alas I didn’t land wrong while running around the Rose Bowl. Nope. I landed wrong when I misjudged the steps in the jacuzzi at Burke Williams (a local spa chain). The doctor had me off my feet for 6 weeks and in one of those ugly black stabilizing shoes. It was a drag. Once you have had a stress fracture you are kinda screwed. It tends to be recurring which explains why my foot has been hurting lately. Pisses me off. The correct thing to do would be to keep off of it, stop exercising, and pull out that ugly shoe from the back of my closet. It just sounds so annoying and boring I don’t want to do it. Instead I’ve been slapping some KT Tape on it and relying on the magic I know it possesses (btw – KT Tape doesn’t stick as well if you use
coconut oil as a moisturizer. Even after washing a few times and pouring rubbing alcohol on your foot it still contains traces of coconut oil and causes the magic tape not to stick.). Then I can continue to hike with the dogs and stay on tippy toe during Bar Method thigh exercises. I can compromise and ditch the little running I’ve been doing. Lately my shoulder has been bothering me too. Completely unfair since I haven’t been swimming (sniff — I miss swimming). So if someone could come over here and tape that up for me I’d appreciate it! Just don’t make me wear that ugly shoe!
Have a Great Weekend!
Me Myself & Riggins 