Gap Shirt (thrifted) Ann Taylor shorts (thrifted) Ralph Lauren slides (thrifted)

This may be the first and last time you ever see a post with me in shorts. I wish I would have had the penchant to wear shorts when they looked better on me.

For some reason I am in love with this new (thrifted) Gap top and can’t think of any other way I want to wear it except with black shorts ….

In the Chic Friends post, Christine from the Red Geranium said the one essential item every woman should own is a trench coat. She wrote:

“A trenchcoat/really fabulous coat.  If you have to run out to the store you could be in pajamas underneath and nobody would know!  On the outside you would still look as chic as Audrey Hepburn!”

I would add: a trenchcoat and some lipstick will fool anyone:

Case in point:

Every once in a while I run out of milk and will basically roll out of bed and go to the corner market for the milk for my coffee and my kids. This market is only two blocks from my house and carries affordable organic milk from a local dairy.

Part of la bella figura means that I throw on something acceptable to wear — usually a trench coat and a dab of lipstick. I was glad I did.

So that one day I got there when it opened  — at about 6 a.m. — I ran into my husband’s cousin at this corner store. (My husband’s family is that big and like that, even though we live in a big metropolitan area). So the next time I woke at 6 a.m. and needed milk I put on some lipstick again, thinking I might run into him again and didn’t want to look like I just rolled out of bed (which I had).

Of course he was there again! (What?!) I told him, “Hey! I put on lipstick in case I ran into you again.”

Yeah, it came out wrong. My point was how odd it was to see him there again.

His response: “I don’t know why you did that, it’s not like we’re going to be kissing or anything!”

Yes, he has a droll sense of humor.

This morning I needed milk once again. I had on black velvet sweats and a black t I had slept in. I threw my trench coat over it, slicked on some lipstick and headed out.

This time I didn’t see anyone I knew, but it sure was easy to just throw that trenchcoat on and I’m sure no one suspected I just rolled out of bed.

Rebecca Beeson Top - Apt. 9 skirt (thrifted) - Franco Sarto heels (thrifted) -Target belt

Some of you might remember I sold some red heels a bit back because I never wore them and yet, found myself picking these up at the thrift store this week because they were cute and on super clearance. I justified breaking my “no ankle strap rule” thinking I would wear them with jeans where the ankle strap didn’t show, but here I am wearing them with a skirt.

Unfortunately, now I know why they were brand new at the thrift store — I nearly have chunks of my ankle missing from the damn strap …. I took them off halfway through the day. At least they were only $7. My husband also weighed in, saying they didn’t do anything for him. Live and learn.

Menu:
Breakfast: Banana and cheese hunk; cafe au lait
Snacky Lunch: salami, crackers, pepper jack cheese; four oreos
Dinner: We didn’t have our traditional Big Sunday Dinner today. Instead, we had some scrambled eggs with spinach and salsa wrapped in tortillas. We had a big dinner last night at my SIL’s house and just decided to do something easy and light today.

JCrew Top - Apt. 9 Skirt (Thrifted)- Target sandals - Silver Hoops, chain

I can never fit the description of what I am wearing in the photo caption spot.
I almost daily wear a large or extra large pair of silver hoops and a small diamond pendant on a silver chain. Today I also wore one of my prized possessions: a vintage Mexican Opal silver cuff.

Menu:
Breakfast: leftover fish tacos with guacamole; cafe au lait (I’m just not much of a traditional breakfast person and without some of my homemade bread for toast or yogurt, I don’t care for most breakfast food)
Lunch: salad with lemon juice, olive oil and blue cheese crumbles
Dinner: Made a stir fry with some bok choi that came in my CSA share. I bought some inexpensive steaks, sliced them thinly, added canned water chestnuts, brocolli, the bok choi and marinated them in Korean BBQ sauce, plum sauce and soy sauce with chunks of smashed garlic and thinly sliced red onion. Then cooked them in some oil in a skillet and put over white rice; wine

Ann Taylor dress (thrifted) - Frye boots - silver hoops, chain

Can you tell I am a bit excited about my first share with a CSA. I can’t believe I waited so long to do this. I always thought it was cost prohibitive, but really it ends up costing me $30 a week. I spend way more than that on produce at the market as it is.

Here is a part of the newsletter that came with my share and the recipes included.

Farm Notes:

Folks, it is that time once again. A new sun

is coming over the horizon, the bacon is sizzling

and the folgers is brewing. The neighbors

sam hill rooster is crowing like a mad

king claiming all he sees in the name of

chickendom. Yes… it is time for a new season

of veggies, cooking and farm ramblings!

Before anything else takes place here, we

should cover the basics of how this all

works. From here and through the summer, veggies

will arrive for you. They come in a

waxed box that you might be holding in your

hands right now. The catch is, we need those

boxes back so that they can be reused for

more deliveries. The preferred method is to

bring a bag or cooler with you when you get

your veggies and leave the box at the drop

site. The second method is to return the

box later, or when coming to pick up the

new veggies. Either way, please get the

boxes back to your site so they can get back

to us. Otherwise, we’ll send Ali the Rooster

to get the boxes back, and nobody wants that!

Everything here on the farm is grown with organic Ali the Rooster

methods. However, this does not mean that you

shouldn’t wash your veggies before eating them. They are grown outside in

the soil and earthworms. Though we spend time here washing them too, not all

the dirt stays on the dirt farm. Wash and enjoy!

Other than all that, it’s pretty simple. Some recipes are provided here in the newsletter,

especially if there is a rare or little known item along with suggestions for

how to simply prepare things. Also, storage tips will be included. A penny saved is a

penny earned they say. Though sometimes it can seem like the veggie river will never

stop, eventually it does. When that happens, you’ll be glad that you froze that spinach

in June for that creamed spinach soup in December.

This season sees the return of Adrienne here for her third year as crew manager.

On the crew this year are Alex H. and Jess Z. from the Twin Cities, Kiri T. from Wisconsin,

and Jesse P. from Texas. These are the folks who have been laboring in the

fields for your vegetables, while the farmer looks through the files for that perfect

chicken photo for the first newsletter.

Burning River Farm CSA

Lastly for this week, a big thank you to you all for partaking in the season. Thank

You!! It is truly appreciated. We will do everything we can week in and week out to

make sure we get a great box of veggies to you.

-A word about egg shares: some of you have signed up for egg shares. We will begin

delivery as soon as the new hens are producing, beginning in the order that the shares

were received. Stay tuned for more.

-Also, if you requested an e-mail newsletter and don’t receive one this week, please

let me know so that we can remedy it for the next delivery. Everyone is getting a paper

copy this time, just in case there are any kinks in the system.

In the box this week:

Lettuce- a variety of head lettuce. My favorite is the ruffly Red Sails!

Bok choy- this is the largest addition. It is a stir fry staple and subtly sweet.

Single Shares Only: Radishes- I’m sure you’ve noticed that is has been hot lately.

Darn Hot! Well, the radishes don’t like it and the last two successions went to seed

like there was no tomorrow. We were able to get enough for the single shares though.

Hopefully there will be some cool weather and radishes for everyone

Full Shares Only: Baby Red Russian Kale- this is sweeter and more tender that the

regular full sized kale.

Broccoli Raab-this is the light green bunch. Use it stems and all as a traditional

addition to pasta’s. Wonderful flowery flavor.

Spinach-this is some really nice spinach. We couldn’t bear to see if it could handle

the heat one more week, so we brought it this week.

Herb Basket-some have sage, some tarragon, some marjoram and some parsley. All have

thyme and oregano. Hang it in the kitchen window or plant it in your garden. Use it to

add life to your dishes.

Stir Fried Bok Choi- from How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman

2 T oil, 1 T minced garlic, 1 T minced ginger, 1/2 C cut scallions or onions,

2 pounds bok choi cut into 1” pieces, 1 C stock, white wine or water, 1 T soy

sauce, salt and pepper to taste.Heat large skillet over Med heat, Add oil and

immediately the garlic ginger onions. Cook stirring for 15 sec. add bok choi

and turn to high. Cook stirring for 3 minutes, then add liquid. Cook until

liquid evaporates and bok choi is tender, about 5 min. Add soy sauce and turn

off heat. Season.

Creamed Spinach-Heat skillet, add a generous amount of butter. Before it

browns, add spinach and garlic, cook until well wilted. Add half and half

and cook to reduce, salt and pepper to taste. I’ve seen recipes call for

stock to reduce in and then add cream as well. Try it a couple different

ways, as you have plenty of spinach!

The Kale and spinach can be blanched or lightly steamed, bagged into baggies

and put in the freezer for later use in soups. If you haven’t used it after

5-6 days, freeze it and save it for later!

Next week-more lettuce for sure, probably kohl rabi, more spinach, arugula,

swiss chard and hopefully radishes. Maybe some other items too. Have a wonderful

week!!

Soprano top (thrifted) - Target skirt - Urban Outfitter sandals

On My Nightstand: I have two stacks this week. The first is my writer’s reference books I’m reading. The second is the fiction stack.

 The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauer – I’m about half way through this. At first I didn’t want to keep reading, but now I’m glad I did. It’s a little, teeny, tiny bit too sentimental, but I’ll keep going. 

The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver– I was on the wait list at the library forever for this one. Now that I have it, I’m not itching to read it, but will because it has a wait list so I can’t renew it and have to turn it in in about 10 days.

Little Altars Everywhere by Rebecca Wells– I borrowed this from my SIL, so probably won’t read it in a hurry as I have other books with due dates.

The Girl Who Stopped Swimming by Joshilyn Jackson– Bought this at the thrift store after seeing on FB that an author I love – Marisa de los Santos is reading this author.

The Nautical Chart by Arturo Perez-Reverte — I adore this author and snatched this up at the thrift store. Also in a holding pattern until the library books and book club books are read. I can’t complain — I love having TOO MANY good books waiting beside my bedside to read! I am going to bring this with me on my vacation to California in a few weeks.

Cha Cha Vente Top - Apt. 9 skirt (thrifted) - Urban Outfitter sandals - silver hoops, necklace

Menu:
Breakfast: homemade bread toasted with butter; cafe au lait
Lunch: snacks leftover from book club last night (cheese, crackers, carrots, celery, peas and dip)
Dinner: Broiled Yellow Tail; brocolli; brown rice; wine

BR top (thrifted) - Max Studio skirt - Gabriella Rocha wedges

I had a school meeting today that I was really apprehensive about so I wanted to dress nice. For some reason having really high-heeled shoes on gave me a boost of confidence that I needed. I love these shoes.

Menu:
Breakfast: small dish whole milk yogurt; banana; cafe au lait
Lunch: bagel crisps; two stalks celery with peanut butter
Dinner: Wendy’s bacon cheeseburger; fries; lemonaide*

This is the first time I’ve had fast food in forever and I actually thought the burger tasted really good. It was a treat for our kids who sat quietly through a school meeting we had to attend.

Rebecca Beeson Top - Skirt and Sandals (Target)

Menu:
Breakfast: greek nan pita bread with baba ganoush and red pepper hummus (is this wrong? i think not); cafe au lait
Lunch: gardettos; wrap (tortilla with salami, wasabi mustard and pepperoncini); pretzels
Dinner: pizza slice with mushrooms, pepperoni, jalapenos and olives; wine

Charlotte Russe Top - Max Studio Skirt - Urban Outfitters Sandals

Back of Top

As many of you know I am obsessed with lace, crochet, ivory, cream and white right now.

My other style obsessions: denim and gold! (not together)

Menu:
Breakfast: small dish whole milk yogurt; banana; cafe au lait
Lunch: small bowl leftover taco salad; nan from the holy land deli with red pepper hummus and baba ganoush
Dinner: bean, rice and cheese burritos with tomatoes; wine

REMINDER: PLEASE let me know if you would like to participate in the Chic Friends Spring Edition.

email me at mammaitaliana23@gmail.com

Thanks!

JCrew Top - Levis - Urban Outfitters Sandals - Vintage Choker

I’m happy to report that I had to change out of my jeans in the afternoon and put on a black jersey skirt for my Sunday dinner guests because it was soooo hot! Yea. It is about time.

We had roast (the fail proof roast recipe is in my book); potatoes, carrots, salad, rolls and Dairy Queen for dessert. Oh, and of course, wine!

After church and between dinner, I attended a writer’s workshop and got some good resources for finding an agent and getting published (my fiction novel).

On My Nightstand:

On My Nightstand:

The God of Small Things – One of my book clubs picked this. I’m about halfway into it, though I think I may have read it in the past. It is good, but not something I can’t wait to get back to every night.

Reading Lolita in Tehran — A thrift store buy I have just barely begun — on the back burner for now. So far, it seems like it is going to be really good.

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers — I bought this on the recommendation from Phyllis Bourne (see side bar) who is a published author. I read the first chapter but am saving the rest for when the first draft of my novel is complete.

The Nautical Chart by Arturo Perez-Reverte — I adore this author and snatched this up at the thrift store. Also in a holding pattern until the library books and book club books are read. I can’t complain — I love having TOO MANY good books waiting beside my bedside to read!

My Spanish Book — I realized that outside my normal life, I have room for one great passion — This year it is completing my novel. Next year will be studying Spanish again. I am the type of person who becomes so immersed in what they are doing I have a hard time spreading myself out.

This is why I quit my job as a newspaper reporter when I had kids. As a reporter, I was obsessed! It consumed my entire life. When I had children, that passion shifted to them. There was no room for both. A friend who knew me well told me she wasn’t surprised that I had to quit my job because she knew me as having so much passion for what I did that she couldn’t imagine me doing both.

MY DVD: has been neglected. I don’t watch very many movies when it is summer and so nice out.