I'm Making My Own Extracts & You Can Too!

I've had a big bottle of cheapo vodka burning a hole in my cabinets for quite some time now!  My plan was to (a) make my own extracts, (b) make my own essential oils, and (c) make my own perfume.  I've had perfume-related fails before, as you may know, so I'm still trying to figure out how I want to do that.

Months ago, I bought some dried juniper berries which I've been wanting to turn into extract and essential oil, so that's my plan at this point.  Rather than sit around waiting for shit to happen and THEN blog about it, I decided to start now and do this entry in realtime.

Looks like a lot more than it actually is.

I used about an ounce of dried food-grade juniper berries for this little experiment, and about 8 ounces of vodka.  (Yeah, I'm making a lot!  I guess it'll be kind of like fake gin.)  The research I've done suggests using a bottle or jar with dark-colored glass as light can interfere with the integrity of the extract, but I've decided to settle for a family-sized plastic Ragu jar which I'll be keeping away from light.

The juniper berries will be absorbing the alcohol, which will then absorb all of the delicious juniper essence from the berries.  Juniper berries have a somewhat oily consistency on the inside, so they should yield a very nice extract in a relatively short amount of time.  I'll probably keep these marinating for about a week or two.  I may give the berries a good squish after about a week, but when the extract is finished, I will drain it and bottle it.  And don't worry, I won't forget to take pictures! :)

Arrrgh, Matey!

My pirate name is:

Dread Pirate Rackham

Like the famous Dread Pirate Roberts, you have a keen head for how to make a profit. You have the good fortune of having a good name, since Rackham (pronounced RACKem, not rack-ham) is one of the coolest sounding surnames for a pirate. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
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November 2012 Look Bag Review

In direct contrast to my "Fine and Illustrious Art of Using Shit Up" movement, I subscribed to The Look Bag a few months ago.  It's a fun subscription service which, for $12.95 a month, sends you a monthly bag of beauty samples.  Actually, they're not all samples; usually you get a couple of full-sized products, and a few sample-sized items as well.  I thought it'd be nice to have something to look forward to in the mail aside from bills, so in October, I subscribed.

My October Look Bag was cool.  (I should've reviewed that one!  It had a black crackle nail polish!)  In November, I got a vague email stating that because of Hurricane Sandy, the bags would be arriving late.  And then at the very end of December, I got another email suggesting that I tell my friends about how awesome The Look Bag was; I wrote back and said it'd be even more awesome if I got my November and December bags!  (A lot of folks around the internet seem to be rather pissed with the Look Bag's lack of customer service, but I can't fault someone for screwing up in the wake of a ruinous hurricane.)

Anyway... That's my little explanation for why the Look Bag review for November is happening in January.  (I'll do December's later.) Now, onto the review!

 This month's package came in a pretty pink bag (just like last month's), and contained the following:

1.  Sally Hansen La Cross round tweezers.  My first thought when I saw the tweezers was "WTF??"  I guess they're useful and all, but it seemed like a real waste of bag space, not to mention the fact that most beautyphiles already have as many tweezers as they probably need.  I'll put these in my "treasure trove" for now.

2.  Pixi by Petra Lip & Line in "Petal Pink."  I got one of these in October as well, so it was disappointing to see another one.  It was in a different color, though, and my last one was given to Dax 'cause she thought it was cool.  So I guess this one is for meeeee!  It's a lip liner and lipstick 2-in-1 that's the exact same shade, so no need to look for matching shades.  The concept is cool.  I haven't tried it yet, but am looking forward to seeing how it does.

3.  June Jacobs Spa Collection Green Tea & Cucumber Body Bar.  This looks like a creamy, smooth bar of soap that smells so amazing!  June Jacobs stuff is kind of fancy-schmancy.  I may be stingy on myself and gift this to someone I like, 'cause it's so awesome.

4.  "Lola" by Marc Jacobs sample.  Are Marc Jacobs and June Jacobs related?  I have no idea!  This sample came in a convenient little spray.  I've heard of "Lola" before, but never smelled it.  Tried a bit on my neck, and A Boy I Like said it was "very nice," which is high praise indeed!  Another comment: "It's there, but not in your face.  Smells very sweet and flowery."  That's probably some of the nicest things I've heard about my scent choices.  I am wearing my "Lola" sample today, and I am enjoying it.  Probably won't purchase more, since there are a lot of other scents on my stuff-to-get list once I've used up what I currently have.

5.  Pop Beauty "Eye Magnet Shade" shadow in "Tantalizing Teal."  Nice full-sized item!  I've got my Pop Beauty crackle nail polish from October, and I adore that.  The eyeshadow looks interesting, but I'm not a blue-based eyeshadow person.  So it'll go into my Treasure Trove and my nieces will probably love it. :)

6.  Korres Liquid Lipstick in "Raspberry."  It doesn't smell like a raspberry, and I think it looks more like a cherry.  The color is dense and lovely, with some sparkles to jazz things up a bit.  I think we have a winner!

7.  Scarlett & Greene "Young Skin" sampler pack.  I don't have young skin -- haven't in years. ;)  The pack features three sample products, including a cleanser, moisturizer, and spf creme.  I think this would be fun to try if you're part of their target audience, and the packaging is like a cute little booklet.  I'll put this in the Treasure Trove.

My New Apartment: A Quick Look

Since I've had a few pictures burning a hole on my desktop all this time, I figured I'd post 'em, along with a bit of information about the new place.

This is what it looked like when we had the first tour.

We wound up going with the Shoebox.  I'm not sure how many square footage it is -- definitely not 1100 like "Granny's," though.  There are no room-sized walk-in closets, no private pool, no gorgeous gardens to stroll around in. 

However, it's a nice quiet building and I'm on the second floor.  There's an elevator (which is a blessed relief!), and our apartment is right along a long hallway, so I can keep my TV turned up as loud as I want, and no neighbors will hear it.  There's a balcony and two bathrooms -- one for the master bedroom, and one for guests.  And closet space!  We may not have walk-ins here, but we do have some nice big double closets.  There are THREE in the bedroom; one for my shit, one for his shit, and one "linen closet" where we also keep a 10-gallon trashcan to deposit our dirty laundry.  So there are definitely positives.

There is also a little matter that my friends and I call "The Withering Stench," but I'll get to that another day.  It's pretty gross; the source is undetectable, and it seems to come and go randomly.  Tres embarrassing when I want to have visitors, but so far I'm just covering it up with incense and Febreze.  I've been waiting until we're totally moved in, and so far, we're just about there.  (Note to self: Call maintenance guys!)

I made a mock-up of what I wanted to do to my living room.  However, since then I've changed my mind a bit.  I wanted some of that cool repositionable wallpaper I've been seeing, and although I did eventually get it, I decided to stick it elsewhere.  One "must" was a couple of good, sturdy rugs; I don't want my bunnies wrecking the living room carpet.  I wound up getting two 8'x11' rugs from SuperiorRugs.com from their clearance section.  These ones were "final clearance," and with the coupon code, I wound up paying less than $150 plus shipping for my elegant floor coverings. ;)  The one issue was that their credit card processing machine was clunky and unruly, and there were some miscommunications along the way.  This made the order take forever to fill.  But hey, you can't beat the prices!  I'm not too much of a fan of pink or cream colors, but they looked pretty good on this rug.  I'm not a bit sorry that I bought these; I'd definitely purchase from them again.

Will post more pics later! 

Picadillo Time!

Well, it's been a few months... and I've done a few things that I've wanted to post sooooo badly!  But for some reason, I've been kind of lethargic about that stuff.  I think the relocation just hit me harder than I realized it would!

But, after weeks of being like "Oh, this would be such a fun thing to post on PGS!" today I was like, "Screw this, even my humble dinner recipe HAS to be posted!"  So today, since a bad cold has been kicking my social circle in the ass all week long, my friend Fluffy and I decided to make some yummy spicy picadillo for dinner.  Fluffy and I shared the picture-taking duties.  Here's my recipe, and no, it's not really authentic at all.  But it IS inexpensive, forgiving, great for when you have (or need) lots of leftovers, and aside from the ridiculous amount of sodium, can be quite nourishing and yummy.

INGREDIENTS:

Solids:
* 1 lb ground beef (preferably quite lean, 'cause draining it is a pain in the ass)
* 1 lb ground turkey
* 1 10-oz package of Morningstar Farms "Grillers" crumbles (or your fave equivalent)
* 2 huge-ass chopped red, white, or yellow onions
* 1 red and/ or green bell pepper (use half of each, or one whole one of each if you love peppers... you could even go crazy and add a couple of jalapenos or banana peppers)
* 1/2 cup diced celery with chopped-up leaves for flavor
* a few tablespoons of capers
* 1 1/2 whole kosher dill pickle, or 1/2 cup olive style of your choice (I want olives, but Abil {A Boy I Like} has a psychic allergy to them, so pickles it is!)

Liquids:
* 1/2 cup wine; marsala is recommended
* EITHER the small can of tomato paste (how many ounces is that? 6?) or a 14-ounce can of chopped tomatoes
* water
* A splash of red wine vinegar or pickle juice -- hell, use both like I do!

Spices:
* 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
* 1 tablespoon dried garlic or garlic powder (use to taste; I like a lot)
* anywhere between 1 and 5 bay leaves; use your favorite number.
* a big pinch of allspice & a big pinch of clove (optional but yummy)
* 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin
* 1 tablespoon paprika
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
* 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (use to taste)
* 1/2 teaspoon oregano, thyme, or basil
* Optional: a few drops (or gallons) of Frank's hot sauce!
* Also optional:  A packet of Sazón Goya, for that delicious hit of MSG.  I would avoid adding any additional salt, as the pickled stuff and cooking wine has plenty.

Gases:
Not 'til later! ;)

Step 1.  Chop that onion and celery, get it sweating over the stove!  Use some olive oil if you have it, or just a bit of cooking spray.  Medium or low heat should do it.  Cook until the onion is see-through-ish and/or brown. 

Step 2.  Dice your peppers, process your pickles (either digital or analog methods will work fine), and get your spices ready while you wait for the onions to be translucent. 

Step 3.  Toss all that shit -- your peppers, your spices (except the Goya, the bay leaves, and the Frank's) -- into the pot!  It's better to put your spices in while the veggies are cooking so that they get coated with delicious seasonings right away. 

Step 4.  Add your tomatoes and/or paste, swirl it around until it's evenly mixed.

Step 5.  Add meat, breaking it up into luscious chunks.  Turn up the heat if you need to.  If you want a vegan recipe for picadillo, you can always substitute your favorite meat analogue for the turkey and beef as well; nothing else in this recipe is animal-based.  I have tried it both ways, and it's awesome no matter what protein you like.

Step 6.  Here is where you add everything else: the wine, the vinegar, the "Grillers," capers, pickle, bay leaves, Sazón if you choose to use it, and just a bit of hot sauce -- you can adjust the heat later.  Stir everything up until it is mixed well, then add plenty of water.  Ideally, you want the entire mess to be completely covered and then some.  (This picture was taken after about 45 minutes of simmering, so keep that in mind.)  At this point, get the heat to medium-high, and then turn it to low after it has begun to boil.  Stir it now and again as it simmers, making extra sure to scrape the crap at the bottom of the pot so it doesn't stick and burn.  No one likes a ruined picadillo, except maybe your pet rats, but they really shouldn't be eating onions or garlic.

Here it is, bubbling frantically on the back burner!  It's almost done after about an hour...  Keep stirring and waiting.  I bet your kitchen smells awesome right about now!  Reminisce with your friends about how, years ago, this would be right around the time you'd be getting ready to go out clubbing... and then you eventually had other things consuming you, like arthritic hips and finding ways to pay for your Geritol addiction.  Ahh, memories!

And now, approximately an hour and a half after adding the water and crying over your lost youth, the picadillo has come to the perfect consistency: The liquid has reduced beautifully and everything has come together perfectly, so now it's almost the consistency of chili or a dense meat sauce.  There will still be some yummy liquid floating around in there, but it's fine and delicious.

 DONE!  Serve over rice and enjoy it!  (Also, marvel over how your new iPhone makes everything look 109482983958 times nicer than the crap-ass old cell you used to take kitchen pics with... wow!)

Finding My Way Home

Oh, Granny! How I'll miss your linen closet!

I know that it's been awhile since I've posted anything.  Now that the excitement around here has died down, I can tell you all what's happened.  Basically, this spring I was in a 3-car accident that left me bruised from my knees to my chin.  Nothing's been (majorly) broken, but I do require some physical therapy and other treatments.  After several visits to several doctors, it's been decided that I've developed fibromyalgia and some neurological issues from the accident.  The past few months have required me to slow down and take it easy.

Right now, I live in a house with a couple of levels.  The stairs have evolved from a nuisance on the days where my knee or hip flares up, to a huge hardship.  So, I guess the motivation to move came in good time.

....and your kitchen! :'(

To tell you the truth, I've lost count of the houses and apartments that Mr. Manly and I have gone to see (alone and together)!  I think it's somewhere in the neighborhood of 7 or 8.  You may remember "Granny's" from my last batch of pictures; well, that was the one that had truly won my heart with its 1100 square feet (only half the space I'm used to now!), central A/C, luxurious walk-in closets (one was almost a room in itself!), and a glass-door shower with a seat.  Yes, it seemed to be just what I needed.  It was in a cluster of small, quiet, privately-managed buildings that were big enough to provide timely service and good maintenance, yet small enough to feel like a nice little community.  I was so excited to live there, and the moment I went to see it, I had begun pinning my hopes and dreams on Granny's.  Unfortunately, no vacancies were available -- each month, the manager encouraged me to call back next month to check, and faithfully, I did every single time.

A cool kitchen for cool people who don't cook (or eat?)

Apparently, their backs don't hurt while sitting on this cool toilet, either.  Check the back ledge!

This didn't stop me from looking at other apartments, though.  I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to "Super Cool Urban Estates," of the stainless steel appliances and a granite countertop in what seemed to be the perfect haven for hip young professionals -- despite the total lack of closets (aside from one 2.5-foot deep alleged "walk-in"), it was modern and chic, with each unit bragging its own washer and dryer!  Yes, it was overpriced and small, had no closets for linens or coats, but it was close to all the good restaurants -- and did I mention the washer and dryer?  I put it on my "maybe" list. 

How lovely, the Walgreen's is in bloom!

I also found some real hope in "Sophisticated Auntie's Place" -- it actually had an elevator with each floor sharing washers and dryers.  Not bad!  Again, I found tasty central A/C at Auntie's, a wrought-iron decorated balcony with a breathtaking view of the local Walgreen's (conveniently located for late-night soda runs when I'm up and feeling productive), and pretty hardwood floors which I couldn't decide were a blessing or a curse.  This was a larger complex with many daunting buildings, yet the 2-bedroom 2-baths which I'd selected were in the tiniest "baby sister" building which was slightly apart from those others, enjoy the same privileges but also a bit more privacy and intimacy among the neighbors.  "Sign me up!" I exclaimed, only to find out that there was one unit left -- oh wait, nope, it was filled an hour ago!  DAMN!

Cars are forced to slow down so the People Farm can have access to more fresh victims.  Please don't make me live here, OK?

Then there was "The People Farm" which was down the road from and managed by the same company as Auntie's, yet not even close to the same in style or friendliness.  The place was HUGE.  I think there were half a dozen buildings, each with like 7 floors.  It was like a creepy, slightly rundown hotel for folks who had nowhere to go.  In the middle of the complex was a pool that seemed to be the size of a football field, with about a thousand people inside and around it on that summer Sunday that we'd come to inspect a unit.  It turned out that the unit I needed wasn't available there either, though there would be vacancies come fall.  I put it on my "last resort" slot, and prayed.

Granny's looked like a possibility... a bunch of times, in fact.  People kept deciding to move, then changing their minds.  Some folks applied for mortgages (just a formality, really!) and when shit fell through, guess who got left holding the bag?  "Trust me," the manager said.  I tried hard to do just that, but with so many disappointments -- and a mere 6 weeks to homelessness -- trust was a luxury that I just couldn't afford.

Half the old tenants' furniture around during the Shoebox walkthrough. 

After many hours scouring rental sites, Googling, calling realtors, and (gasp!) resorting to Craigslist while praying not to get too many genital pictures from fellow Craigslisters, eventually "Shoebox Sweet Shoebox" was found.  As luck would have it, this building is owned by an old "friend" -- the company who owned the apartment from just before I'd moved out to the country 7 years ago.  There are pros and cons, of course.  On the plus side, I like having a history with my landlord, also quite a bit of closet space, and the building is located in a quiet and low-traffic annex situated nicely between several bustling and busy city roads, so it's like having a hundred square yards of small-town living snuggled inside an urban area.  There are only 3 floors and my place is on the second; but there's an elevator and laundry facilities on each floor, so hopefully that won't be a problem.   Also, a little balcony for growing my bunnies some tasty herbs, and a 5x6 storage unit for all the crap we can't fit into the apartment.  The cons:  The place is MINISCULE.  I'm in the middle of doing my floor plan now, and so far I've calculated about 600 square feet; that's including the closets, but without the master bedroom.  My minimum was 1100 square feet, so crapola to that!  But, another pro is even more important: I am no longer homeless.  (And I've also packed NINE boxes for donation this week!)

Official moving day will the the 22nd of this month, but the lease begins on the 15th which provides a bit of time for moving some stuff in advance.  I'll probably be posting a bit more 'til then!

Hope that everyone else is doing well! :)

The Fine and Illustrious Art of Using Shit Up

Well, I'm still looking for a new pad.  Last week, I checked out a pretty good one (another Mecca of Coolness), but I'll discuss that in another entry.  Right now, my biggest issue revolves around the fact that I have about 2 months to declutter and get rid of as much crap as humanly possible.  I'm going from a 3-bedroom house, complete with basement and shitloads of hidey-holes, to a yet-to-be-named apartment where space and storage are all still unknown factors.  I am positive that I'll need to reduce my possessions by at least half -- no easy feat in any case!

One of my new ways of doing this has been referred to as The Fine and Illustrious Art of Using Shit Up.  In little ways, I am lightening my load -- eating all of my exotic stuff from the Asian grocery, using up my most treasured incense, bathing luxuriously in as much Lush as I feel like, giving away beautiful and useful things that I know will make my friends (as well as various charities) happy.  So, even when I don't have the strength to sift through boxes and bags and closets of junk, I'm still doing my part each day, little by little, lightening the load and clearing up the tiniest bit of space for my future move.

These days, I've been consistently reminding myself of an anecdote in Amy Tan's book (not The Joy Luck Club... the other book).  The narrator had an elderly aunt who was known to be rather stingy.  During each year at Christmas, her family would send Auntie a beautiful box of fancy chocolates.  One Christmas, they received a box of the same type of chocolate from her as well, and wouldn't you know it?  The chocolate was all white, dried out, and generally nasty.  It turns out that Auntie wouldn't enjoy the nice gifts that she was given; instead, she'd stuff the boxes of chocolate into her closet, saving them to regift.  Unfortunately, by the time an occasion was good enough to merit the chocolate as a gift, the candy had turned all gross and rancid -- not a very good gift at all!  So, not only did Auntie wind up giving her beloved relatives a big box of crap, she was also being very stingy with herself too.  The chocolates were saved because they were so special, yet no one got to enjoy them.  What a waste!  It also begs the question of why Auntie didn't think that she was worthy of such a nice prezzie, when obviously her family wanter her to savor the fancy chocolate?

The same concept can be applied to so many things that we're saving for a special occasion.  Instead of holding onto that expensive perfume you have, why not luxuriate in it instead -- before it turns into rancid crap that's worse than dollar-store body spray!?  Those fancy guest soaps that you've had on display since the 1990s?  They aren't impressing anybody anymore, so if they're now too gross to use, how about putting them to good use making your own laundry detergent?  These things take up our space, and somehow remind us that "today" isn't special enough, or maybe that we're not special enough, to just go all-out and enjoy whatever it is we're saving.  Use it up!  You'll be able to enjoy it while it's still good, and you'll be decluttering at the same time.

The Little Things in Life

I think I'll take Rihanna's advice for now, and STFU. :)

I apologize for not posting more lately, but I have suffered some injuries through an accident which, for legal reasons, I can't really discuss just yet.  I'm alive and in one piece, but beyond that I really need to keep mum for the time being.

Before this happened, I had a few projects cooking, but the progress has slowed to a halt for now.  I recently read someone else's blog where the main article was a list of things that the blogger was "into right now."  It's a bit of a cop-out for PGS, but what the hell?  It's a nice cheerful distraction, and maybe if some of my current mini-obsessions spark some interest in you, you will find something cool or new to make your own life a bit better.  So, here's a rundown of what I'm into these days:

1.  Modal fabric.  This stuff is amazing!  It's technically not a natural fiber because of the process it needs to go through in order to become fabric, but it's roots are natural.  Modal comes from beech tree fibers.  It's softer and more absorbent than cotton, hangs beautifully, and always seems to look great even if you don't iron it.  This makes it beautiful for any body type, as it drapes and flatters the wearer to a T.  Over the past few months, I have acquired a few pieces of modal clothing; it's wonderful to go out and be seen in, but also to stay home and just live in.  I love it!

2.  No-fuss nail treatments.  If I could marry nail foils, I would.  My nails are short and brittle, and often, my nail polish chips off the edges within a day or so of applying it.  But the nail foils I've been using are designed to stay on for up to 10 luxurious, polish-free days!  They come in solids, but also in a cunning array of cute designs as well.  They're available in stores for $5-$7 a pop, but being a patient cheapie, I bought mine from this eBay store for only 99 cents.  My favorites?  Black with skulls or spiderwebs, of course!  (A close runner-up is the Sally Hansen nail pen, in chrome colors.  It dries quickly and with a minimum of BS, so it's just right for a 30-second touch up before you run out the door.) 

3.  Scramble With Friends.  A good friend of mine surprised me with an iPad for my birthday this past month, which thrilled and exhilarated me -- I've wanted one for a couple of years now, mostly for a curiosity.  But let me tell you, the convenience and fun of the iPad has made it an invaluable tool for me, whether it's for work or play.  One of the awesomest games going is Scramble With Friends, which is easier and quicker than the better-known Zynga app, Words With Friends.  I feel that it helps my powers of concentration too.  If you don't have an iPad or iPhone, no problem -- you can play it on Facebook too. :)

That's all I can think of right now.  What's everyone else into these days? :)

A Wealth of Possibilities

As many of you know, my lease ends this summer.  While I can probably get out of it a bit earlier -- as it is quite flexible -- my SO and I have decided to tough it out to the bitter end. ;)  This gives us about 3 months' worth of breathing room.  So far, we have toured 4 houses in the hopes of purchasing -- and then we realized that we don't quite measure up down-payment-wise.  After that, we began hunting for a new apartment.

Cool Minimalist Lobby is cooler and
more minimalist than your lobby.

We've seen two places so far, both of which have advantages and drawbacks.  "Apartment Number One" is an industrial brick-accented downtown loft in the heart of a city close to Boston.  It's hip, freshly converted from an old factory.  Everything about it says "The people who live here are way cooler than you."  Admittedly, it has some possibilities.  One of my favorite features is the washer and dryer hookup right in the apartment, which is like heaven on earth!  But the place is very vertical -- sucks for me on those high pain-score days -- and the 2 bedrooms are sort of small.  There wasn't a whole lot of storage space, even if the apartment itself was simply adorable.  The hardwood floors were stylish, but I'm sure our bunnies wouldn't be very happy hoppers with their little piggies clacking on the floor, and their furry little feet slipping around the smooth wooden surface!  These are big sacrifices indeed if one wishes to live in a Mecca of Coolness.

Hey, whipper-snapper. What's cookin' in Granny's kitchen?

"Apartment Number Two" is definitely NOT an M of C.  It is located in a complex in a more residential area near Boston.  (I guess they'd call it the Boston Metro Area?)  We saw heaps of boring ugly buildings, children playing outside, old people going for walks, and soccer moms with silver minivans.  This one also had a lot of floors to climb, but I realized that being on the top floor (despite lack of elevator) would be awesome since there'd be less traffic outside my door.  The master bedroom was bigger than I'd expected, bigger than what we have now actually, with a closet for each of us.  The second bedroom, conversely, was smaller, but with a nicely sized closet.  We may need to ditch the big bed in the other bedroom.  The place has central heat and air conditioning, which is a rare find!  My favorite parts of this apartment are the surprising amount of storage space (including a walk-in closet which is big enough to fit a couch!), a kitchen with a window, and two bathrooms!  One has a shower with a glass door and a seat (amazing!), and the other has a tub and assloads of drawers and storage space.

We'll be looking for more places over the next few months, so stay tuned!