Month: February 2017

Hidden museum gems

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One of the best things about living in such a thriving arts community is that there is no shortage of amazing museums, theaters, and musical opportunities. Living in the middle of all of it, I think we often forget what is around us.

I first visited The Museum of Russian Art a few years ago on a Groupon (which, by the way, I’ve always thought was a great way to try new things) and enjoyed it immensely!

Then I promptly forgot about it.

A few weeks ago, Z and I were looking for a weekend adventure and decided to head to Minneapolis to see an exhibit that was only there for one or two more days: Stage Designs by Vera Mednikova: From Pushkin to Hawthorne. It was amazing. I’m glad we went!

The museum is gorgeous – with nooks and crannies and more exhibits than I had remembered. We easily could have spent more time there than we did. Other exhibits that I found inspiring and interesting:

Unknown Fabergé: New Finds and Re-Discoveries
Art of Valerian Formozov: Visions of the Russian Heartland

Gorgeously displayed with fantastic information as part of the introductions and on each piece. The exhibitions they have up and coming look equally incredible and I’m sure we’ll be back – a great afternoon date!

What hidden gems have you discovered in your own city?

 

Monday night dinner inspiration

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Last fall, we did an adventure with Whole 30 – which was not nearly as difficult as I thought it was going to be. And I LOVE cheese. And wine. It definitely took some adjusting, but we’ll be doing it again – we felt great.

One of the things that came out of it was my renewed obsession with roasting veggies and sheet pan meals in general. SO EASY. Easy to make, easy to clean up!

I thought I’d share one of our favorites for easy Monday night meal inspiration:

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Ready to roast!

Toss sliced zucchini (I used three small zucchini), potatoes (I used two large baking potatoes, but sweet potatoes or squash work well too) and small tomatoes (one lb of mixed size tomatoes) in olive oil, salt and pepper and then throw them on a pan (I use parchment paper to line the pans) with some sausage (pictured are not Whole 30 compliant, but definitely paleo compliant and I got them at our local meat counter).  Roast at about 430 degrees until they look done.

I usually check at about 20 minutes, flip/toss them around a bit, (make sure to switch the pans from top to bottom if you have more than one) and then finish it up for another 15-20 minutes.

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Yum.

The first time I made this – I was in awe of the flavor of the tomatoes. Roasted tomatoes are seriously tasty. This would also be good with garlic/onions, just about anything you can think of to roast!

A great meal for late farmer’s market season because you can get just about everything local. Prep work is super fast, and you can work, work out, read, watch the news or whatever you want while it’s roasting.

We usually have leftovers – perfect for lunches the next day and it reheats perfectly. OR, you can throw a fried egg on it and have it for breakfast!

Good comfort food for a rainy (!) February evening in Minnesota.

My favorite products: Lengthening Mascara

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This weekend we had a short get away up north to Duluth to visit some friends – what a perfect weekend for it! We had a great time – pizza, wine and visiting. Plus a pretty cute baby.

20170218_153158No coats in February!

For a weekend away – just an overnight, I always try to not overpack – especially makeup and other products. Just a few necessary items are all I need. One necessary item in my make-up bag? Mascara!

As someone with very short and very blonde eyelashes, I have been on the hunt for a mascara that would provide color and length without being a sticky mess.

I admit, I was skeptical about this mascara when I first tried it. The brush – it’s so small!

The brush is perfect for adding multiple layers to build on the volume and length. The mascara itself is smooth, and not clumpy. It stays put – even on a long day. Since using it, I’ve been skipping adding eyeliner occasionally to save on a few minutes, plus it gives a cleaner minimal look. I didn’t feel like I could go without eyeliner in the past because other mascaras were too clumpy or sticky to manage without the eyeliner too.

I love it. Check it out here.

Minimal look + friends + weekend away = pretty amazing.

My favorite products: Nourishing Cream Cleanser

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Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing my favorite Beautycounter products, how I use them and why they rank in my top five favorites.

I’m starting with the Nourishing Cream Cleanser because it was one of the first products I tried and continues to be one of my favorites. I had the opportunity to try the Essential Nourishing Starter Set from my good friend Colleen, who had just started her own Beautycounter business. I was hooked after trying this super gentle cleanser the first time.

It’s gentle, not heavily scented, super rich/smooth and as I discovered, perfect for my sensitive skin. What I have recently learned that makes this product even better (along with all of the Beautycounter line) is that the products do not contain any gluten products. (I am not generally very sensitive to gluten in products, so if that is a bigger concern for you, please do a patch test.)

You only need a tiny dime sized dab of this gem (really!) – and it easily rinses clean, without any dryness or tightness. Massage over damp skin and rinse! Voila. Make-up and dirt: gone.

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Have you tried the Nourishing Cream Cleanser? What did you think? Share in the comments!

Why I joined Beautycounter

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Friends, I decided to join the Beautycounter movement because I believe that we should not have to question the toxicity level of our personal care and cosmetic products. I want to advocate for safer products, but also to share these incredible products which have been great for my sensitive skin. I invite you to take a few minutes to watch this video to learn about this innovative company, but also to understand why this is important. If you have questions about Beautycounter or are interested in learning more – please contact me!

This website will be a space for me to share news and product information, but also to share some of my favorite things related to the arts, music, and food. I hope you’ll follow along, ask questions and help us move toward safer products and a brighter tomorrow.