Now, I believe in life that every person has small unique gifts that make them extra special – like me, I can always pick the most delicious restaurants, and my husband, he can always pick the most delicious dish served in those restaurants. And the craziest thing – at least to me – is that after my husband consumes a dish, he is then able to remember the flavors and reconstruct those flavors in his kitchen … so that is what we attempted. Changes were made – like roasting the mushrooms to add a smokier flavor – and who knows if we used the appropriate types of mushrooms or if the recipe we created is even close to the original … all I know is that this soup is delicious AND in my opinion is even better than the original.

Roasting the Mushrooms

• 10 oz Baby Bella
• 4 oz Shitake
• 6 oz Cremini
• 8 oz Oyster

Roast mushrooms at 350˚ for 20 minutes in a pan – covered with foil. Remove foil and roast for another 15 minutes. Take the mushrooms out of the oven and set aside.

Creating Mushroom Soup

In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the following:

• 2 small onions
• 1 leek
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed

Once the onions are soft, add the following:

• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup Port
• 2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce

Stir to combine the ingredients. Add in the roasted mushrooms along with 2 cups of low sodium beef broth. Heat for 20 minutes over medium-low heat. After 20 minutes, remove from heat and transfer the contents of the pot to a blender or food processor. It may be necessary to do this in batches, so a second pot may be needed. While blending the soup, add up to 1 cup of half & half (to your taste preference). Blend to your desired consistency. If you want a thicker soup, blend just enough to mix the soup with the half & half.

Extra Trimmings

If you want to add a little flair to your presentation, reserve a few of the Bella and Cremini mushrooms, quarter them and saute them in butter. Garnish the soup bowls by placing a few of the sautéed pieces on top of the filled soup bowl, in the middle.

Ingredients:

• 1 10-ounce package spinach
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese {we substituted cheddar cheese since we were snowed in & feta free}
• 1/2 teaspoon dried + crushed oregano
• 24 sheets phyllo dough
• 1/2 cup melted butter

The Filling:

Cook the spinach, onion and garlic is a large fry pan. Drain well once spinach has cooked down. Add in cheese and oregano. Stir stir stir.

Working with Phyllo Dough

Friends, phyllo dough is most definitely yummy scrumboes … but, it is not exactly uber-fun to work with. If the dough is too dry then it rips. If the dough is too warm then it sticks together. If the dough is too frozen it is unusable. If the dough gets too wet then it begins to congeal. So, the best plan of attack is to work in pairs and work with the dough as fast as possible once it hits that temperature sweet spot. Have your first teammate flatten out the sheets, butter them up, fill them with the filling mixture and fold them into triangley-goodies. Have a second person transfer them to the baking sheet and butter up the finished squares. Work at a factory pace – impressing Ford himself – and you should be able to make enough triangles before the phyllo dough begins to get too cranky.

Finishing Touches

You are now faced with two options. {PS> I chose option one. Yum!}

1. You can put your triangles in the oven, set to 375˚ for 15 minutes, pull them out when they are golden brown and flaky, and eat them.

2. Or, you can place the unbaked triangles – wrapped for icy temperatures - and place them into your freezer for up to 2 months, only pulling them out when you have company and need to make a splash as homemade-appetizer-queen/hostess-with-the-mostest.

{FYI: This recipe – in a more conventional format – can be found in the Better Homes and Gardens: New Cookbook – Bridal Edition.}

I find, in my personal opinion, that male authors do not write women very well. But as I flipped through this tale, I became very intrigued with the author – Mr. Amor Towles – a man who seems to capture the very essence of the female mind in a way only comparable with Truman Capote a la Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Yes, yes, I am actually comparing this little-known author to authorific great, Capote, but with due cause – observe …

“As a quick aside, let me observe that in moments of high emotion – whether they’re triggered by anger or envy, humiliation or resentment – if the next thing you’re going to say makes you feel better, then it’s probably the wrong thing to say. This is one of the finer maxims in life. And you can have it, since it’s been no use to me.”

Amor Towles, a graduate of Yale and Stanford, is actually not a writer by day – however, he works for an investment firm. And I do not know if he is any good at his day job, but he is a terrific, poetic, honest and open author. His story was touching in the best way. Plus, in addition to truly ‘getting’ the female mystique, the man writes about New York like he has actually lived, loved, and experienced New York. Case in point, Amor’s spot-on analysis of the nuances of commuting:

“Anyone who has ridden the subway twice a day to earn their bread knows how it goes: When you board, you exhibit the same persona you use with your colleagues and acquaintances. You’ve carried it through the turnstile and past the sliding doors, so that your fellow passengers can tell who you are – cocky or cautious, amorous or indifferent, loaded or on the dole. But you find yourself a seat and the train gets under way; it comes to one station and then another; people get off and others get on. And under the influence of the cradlelike rocking of the train, your carefully crafted persona begins to slip away. The super-ego dissolves as your mind begins to wander aimlessly over your cares and your dreams; or better yet, it drifts into ambient hypnosis, where even cares and dreams recede and the peaceful silence of the cosmos pervades … what a relief it was, those few minutes with our guard down and our gaze inexact, finding the one true solace that human isolation allows.”

Now, I have not shared much detail of the story with you, this is true. But that is because I want you to read this tale. In fact, I urge you, plead with you, beg you. Then I would love for you to come back here and tell me about your experience with this story. Did it touch you as it did me? Did you find yourself highlighting parts of the book so that you could quickly reread certain sections later? Did you find the characters to be as real, and as fallible, and as truly unforgettable as I did? It is times like these I wish I was still a part of a book club – because novels such as ‘Rules of Civility’ can only get better after a nice hearty discussion.

And remember, “I guess there are two sides to every story. And, as usual, they were both excuses.” So tell me what your side is to this story and don’t give me any excuses.

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder (price varies from $7-12) and Sonia Kashiuk Hidden Agenda Concealer Palette ($10): I mentioned both of these products in my wedding guest makeup post here, but I’ve never actually reviewed either one in-depth.  I initially learned about the Dream Matte powder after one of my favorite YouTubers, missglamorazzi, raved about it in several videos.  I use this every single day as a setting powder over either BB cream or foundation.  It’s great to throw in your bag for touch-ups throughout the day, especially because there is a mirror that swivels out from underneath the product.  For me, powder is one of those products that I go through very quickly, so it’s great to have an affordable alternative to a high-end product (like the MAC StudioFix that I used for years).

The Hidden Agenda palette includes 2 shades of concealer, a corrector, and a setting powder.  I use the lighter shade every day under my eyes, and the darker color to cover up blemishes.  The corrector is fairly good for balancing out any redness.  Frankly, I never use the setting powder, because I apply the concealer right before dusting the Dream Matte powder all-over, so it’s a little unnecessary in my opinion.

Hard Candy Fox in a Box in Smooth Talker ($6), available exclusively at Wal-Mart: Hands down, this is my new favorite blush for winter – when you blend the four shades together, it’s a cool-toned, pinky shade that’s not too shimmery and just leaves you with a nice flush.  It’s been touted as a dupe for Benefit’s Sugarbomb, and although I’ve never tried that particular blush, I’ve seen comparisons online from other bloggers and it seems pretty darn close.  The one con to this product – the packaging is HORRIBLE (actually, there are two cons, because it comes with a terribly useless little brush, but I just tossed that in that trash immediately).  The product is housed in a cardboardy box with a flip-top lid that doesn’t close all the way (at least on the one I own).  Even if the cover did close all the way, there isn’t a way to secure it shut – which basically means that if I want to take it with me, I’m going to have to use a rubber band to keep the product from spilling all over the place.  But for $22 less than the Benefit counterpart, I can put up with a packaging flaw.

Revlon GrowLuscious Waterproof Plumping Mascara (price varies from $7-10): This mascara is a recent purchase – I’ve been a fan of the original GrowLuscious formula since trying it out in early 2011.  The brush on the Plumping formula is more tapered than the original formula, which I find makes it easier to reach the tiny corner eyelashes.  For me, waterproof mascara is a must, especially now that I’ve become much better about curling my stubby, stick straight, downward-pointing eyelashes every day – waterproof mascaras generally hold a curl better than non-waterproof formulas.

Revlon Colorburst Lip Butters ($7.50): Since they were released a few months ago, YouTubers and beauty bloggers have gone completely bonkers over these lipsticks – and I have to admit that I am no exception. The lip butters are extremely pigmented, moisturizing lipsticks that are just really easy to wear.  The staying power isn’t amazing, but in general that doesn’t really bother me when it comes to lip products.  So far, I’ve purchased 6 of the shades: Creme Brulee, Sugar Plum, Pink Truffle, Berry Smoothie, Cherry Tart, and Candy Apple, and I’ve been wearing all of them religiously with the exception of Candy Apple, which was just a tad too orange-toned for me (and thus was gifted to a friend).  In fact, I’ve rarely worn any other lip products over the last month or so because I’m so impressed with these lipsticks.  Because they are so coveted, they are still hard to come by – I found all of mine at either Target or Harmon Face Values.  However, Ulta recently began carrying the lip butters online, so head over there if you’re having trouble finding them in a store near you.  I’m waiting for Red Velvet to come back in stock as I type…

NYX Slide On Eye Pencils ($8) and Milani Liquid Eye (formerly Liquif’eye) Liner Pencils ($8): These long-wearing, waterproof eyeliner pencils have been compared to the Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye Pencils and the Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes Pencils, both which retail at nearly three times the price of these drugstore pencils.  I actually prefer the NYX pencils to the Urban Decay pencils in my collection.  The Slide On Eye Pencils are currently available in 18 different shades, which is a pretty decent range (although it would be even better if there was a solid, dark navy color…why is it so hard to find a true navy eyeliner?!).  I own Brown Perfection and Gunmetal, the latter of which has replaced MAC’s Powerpoint Eye Pencil in Industry as my go-to dark gray liner.  You can purchase NYX cosmetics online at nyxcosmetics.com, cherryculture.com, or ulta.com, or check out your local Ulta or Harmon Face Values.

The Milani Liquid Eye Liner Pencils are also amazing as far as quality is concerned – in fact, I probably reach for this Brown pencil more often than any other eyeliner.  The staying power and pigmentation is really great, and I love that the Brown shade is so dark – it’s the perfect everyday alternative to harsh black liner.  Milani is available in drugstores or online at milanicosmetics.com.

Revlon Colorstay Makeup for Combination/Oily Skin (price varies from $8-14): Check out my previous post on my fall favorites here where I talk about why this drugstore foundation is a must-have!

What are your drugstore must-haves?

Don’t forget to follow Krista (@hellopanda57) and Carolann (@cadematos) on Twitter for the latest in beauty discounts, giveaways, and tips!

Call me prejudiced against male fashion, because the truth is – I am. I am bored by it. Most men in my life don’t seem to abide by any rules of fashion – or frankly know that there are rules of fashion. In fact, I have even written about my three top male fashion pet peeves before because I find some male fashion behaviors to be so abhorrent. But character Neal Caffrey – well this man dresses like every woman’s dream, and makes me reconsider that there just may be some exciting possibilities in men’s fashion after all.

Neal wear hats. He wears color. He wears skinny ties. He matches. He does casual without appearing homeless. Girls, I watch this show and at times feel myself swoon. Oh, where have all the gentlemen gone and why can’t all men dress like this?

Last year my soul was in a dark spot and it took me some time to be able to claim my faults, accept that not every fault was mine to bear, find peace, and move on. And that is not surprising considering I am nearly at the end of navigating those hazardous 20′s. As I step closer and closer to the big 3-0, my life has changed in ways I could never have expected – most specifically in regards to the company I keep.

My mother used to tell me, ‘if you can count your true friends and fill a whole hand, you are indeed a lucky girl.’ I used to laugh and tally off both hands worth of fingers {and even some toes} stating that I had many more than five true friends who would stand with me through even the toughest times. But I was a child and considering friends as a child does – in the most innocent sense of the word. As time goes on, people grow, people change, people drift, and the friends you thought would always be there are now nowhere to be found – while others become so much a part of your life that just that one person means more to you than all the extra fingers you used to count upon.

My biggest accomplishment this year was not really learning to let go of lost friends per say – as I had thought I needed to do – but to be able to step back and realize that sometimes circumstances simply change. What I should have strived to acheive was ‘Accept the passing of acquaintances; not everyone and everything can be perfect – most especially yourself’.

In the end – I cannot be everything to everyone. I cannot twist myself in knots trying to make everyone else happy – while I end up making myself miserably unhappy and utterly unfulfilled. I cannot force forgiveness. I cannot forsee the consequence an action or innocently intended comment may have. And I cannot continually punish myself by trying to discover ad nauseam what exactly I have ‘done wrong.’ Because in the end, maybe I have done nothing ‘wrong’ … maybe there is no quick fix, maybe there was no way of avoidance. And regardless of fault, I need to stop feeling abandoned and instead embrace the people in my life who can look at me and love me through and through – as I do them. And it is with these true friends that I excitedly jump into 2012 …

Bonne année et bonne santé mes amis.

The deal is thus … you bring a book, you share a book, you take a book, you read a book. This is how I came to hold ‘The Girl in Blue’. See, a friend had given me two of the ‘Twilight’ books because he was uninterested in the tale – and I admit to feeling the exact same way. But throwing away a book is incredibly wasteful, so instead I brought the two tomes to my book exchange and instead found this brightly-covered, humorous, little gem and was able to enjoy a tale much more to my liking.

‘The Girl is Blue’ is my first Wodehouse – of the Sir Pelham Grenville variety - and although I have always heard terrific things about the author, for some reason I have just never picked up one of his fanciful tales. Well, poo poo to me – because I was really missing out. He is hilarious. He is charming. He is adorable. He is British. Quote in point:

‘Anything in life that’s any fun, as someone wisely observed, is either immoral, illegal, or fattening.’

It was a simple, bordering-on-silly story full of multiple interesting and memorable characters. The plot touches on such ‘heavy’ themes as gambling, broken engagements, thievery, love, family fortune, heartbreak, and debt – but does so in such a cheerful and boisterous way that the reader has fun the entire way through the tale.

I am not sure I know exactly who to even call the ‘main’ characters in the book, because there were so many but if I had to hazard an assumption I would say the two main characters are Jerry and Jane. But they are surrounded by Barney, and Chippendale, and Vera, and Crispin, and Willoughby … and a few others – which all help to keep this read swift and blissful.

The good news is that most of Wodehouse’s books and short stories are now available for free download, which means I will be never be stuck on a late-running train without a book again. And it also means that you, dear reader, have no excuse to NOT read a Wodehouse. I have already chosen ‘A Damsel in Distress’ as my next P.G. read, and if you decide to jump on the Wodehouse wagon, I would love to hear what you think of his tales.

I enjoyed every little second of this film. Rachel was emotional and charming – with an adorable sense of style that grew and enhanced as the character did throughout the tale. Diane was hilarious – she danced/rapped with Fifty Cent, pirouetted in a tutu with children, and open-mouth kissed a frog. And Harrison – well his character spurted out this little gem, ’You know what I’ve noticed, people only say “lighten up” when they’re gonna stick their fist up your ass’ … and numerous other fantastically funny tidbits.

Holiday break is quickly approaching for many – so if you are looking to cuddle up with some cocoa, your pug, and a feel-good flick, Rachel’s ‘Morning glory’ will not disappoint. PS> ‘Morning Glory’ is streaming on Netflix … it couldn’t be easier to watch.

1. Site Update: I have been working to update the look, feel, flow and functionality of the site. I wanted my blog and my portfolio site to be incredibly more integrated. And I wanted the look and feel to more directly relate to my own personal and ever-changing design aesthetic. This, of course, meant a ton of work on my end and took eons longer than I expected. PS> While we are on the topic – what do you think about the changes?

2. New Opportunities: I have recently started a new job, and you know how that goes. First you have to make the decision to leave the old job. Then you have to deal with the fallout from everyone around you who has an opinion about you leaving said old job – whether it be good or bad. Then you need to reconfigure your whole life to work within the new job schedule and needs. And the whole time you need to be able to sit alone with yourself and be able to honestly say, ‘I have made the right decision.’

Now, for me, this last bit is always the hardest part. I am not a great decision maker. Actually let me clarify, in my professional life and within the confines of my professional responsibilities, I am able to see, ascertain and make the best decisions that will not only assure the most efficient result for resolving problems, but I am also incredibly confident that the decisions I make in a professional capacity are in the right. However, when it comes to making personal decisions – where to have dinner, what purse to buy, what movie to watch, and of course, what job opportunities to accept versus which to graciously pass … these decisions are the ones I agonize over {and over and over and over}.

Which leads me to the charming video on the right and also the completion of #9 on my 30 Before 30 list :

‘Find and start a job that I truly love; a place I long to go to every day {or at least most days}’

Not only have I started a job that excites me and challenges me every day – at least thus far – but I am working with a group of women who truly respect and care about my experiences, opinions, and recommendations. Sometimes life is just beautiful, and though I have worked my derrière off to get to where I am, there is still something beautiful to be said about life’s little turns.

And in regards to my weak decision-making sklls - well that little video sure made me smile and feel incredibly more confident in my decision – because sometimes it is just nice to hear, ‘I love you Carolann. Good Job!’