Sort of Portland, and Kale Chips!

We didn’t end up taking many photos in Portland last weekend as it turned out. I’m okay with that though because it was one less thing to think about for a couple days. We drove down via 101, the scenic route. It took twice as long, but was certainly beautiful. We stopped in Astoria and did some thrifting, lunching, and coffee drinking. By the time we made it to Portland is was a proper dinner hour. We styled at the Ace Hotel (a cheap option with a shared hallway restroom) and were in walking distance to plenty of good eats around the Pearl District. We didn’t have one bad meal, every restaurant was great! We even turned in early for the night… driving makes you tired. And being tired from a crazy week makes you tired.

In the morning we did some browsing and shopping. Well, really we only shopped on Sunday. That’s the thing about getting out of town with a gal pal, there is no guilt spending too much of your time browsing through shops. I finally had the chance to visit Eden, a beautiful vintage utopia that is sadly calling it quits. 60% sales are great, but we both wished we could have seen the shop in all it beauty before they started ripping it apart and selling everything not bolted down. Oh well, I found a necklace, Selena found a copper ring.

We also visited the Hawthorne District and the one and only House of Vintage. I love places like these, they’re a little chaotic, but I’m a hunter! I dug through this place pretty quickly and came out with a new Gunne and few other gems... as for the photo's i did take while in portland... the hotel and some fancy deviled eggs - and yes they were yummmm!



One last thing to end on, kale chips. Anthony's garden has been exploding with kale and baking them into quick easy "chips" is my current favorite thing! So easy and so tasty!

Baked Kale Chips with Nutritional Yeast

A Bunch of Kale
A Lil Olive Oil
A Handfull of Nutritional Yeast Flakes
Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Rinse your kale and rip it up into chip size pieces. I tend to leave out the bulky part of the stem.
3. Toss Kale in just a little bit of olive oil, then spread onto a baking sheet (i like to use parchment paper). Bake for 10 minutes, just long enough for browned edges.
4. Throw chips into and bowl and dust with nutritional yeast right away - pepper is also a great addition! Enjoy right away!

Oh so simple... you don't really need a recipe.

reading list

i'll admit i'm a magazine lover. i love browsing through the photos first, then going back through for the content. i love physically holding books and a magazines. the feel of paper. they keep saying "print is dead" - and i hate that! i'm all for using less paper, but books are beautiful. old hard cover novels have the most inspiring covers. i collect some books just because of their old spines. not sure i'd do well with a tablet and digital publications.



i'm not the best "reader" - i'd like to be, but i'm restless. magazines are great for their shorter content. i also grew up very dyslexic, words were my enemy through school. i always felt clever, but academically speaking - i never did well except for art class. though what kept me down in school became my greatest asset in college and now my career ambitions. creativity is something a lot of people are missing. they say dyslexic people often make great entrepreneurs because of their need to go around the system and come up with alternative strategies to fit into the puzzle of life. my sister and i are two dyslexics born to two other dyslexics - who also happen to be entrepreneurs with two creative businesses.

seeing the bigger picture is what i do best. i stylize everything to fit my aesthetics. and while i don't want to fit into anyone's norm, sometimes it's comforting to read articles about dyslexic folk, i'm not alone! (though i never have been any-hoo with a whole family of like-minded people). i may never be a great speller (thank the universe for spell-check!), and i'm certainly not the best writer (write the way you talk!), but i've got the eye for strategy and the big picture.

back to what's floating around my coffee table these days... publications about design, style, and right now - camping!



i've seen bits and pieces of Kinfolk Magazine around the internet, but after a friend showed me her magazine i really got into it! the current issue is about home. a topic of interest to me recently. there are a handful of articles about living alone which i also connect to strongly.



i've been waiting for Gypsy by Sibella Court to come out for a couple months, and it has not disappointed. Gyspy is the follow up to her book Nomad and is described as a sumptuous stylist′s guide that will inspire you to interpret faraway lands in your own styling. beautiful photography, beautiful book - many inspirations!



Communications Arts was introduced to me when i was in design school. the issues vary from the photography, typography, and interactive annuals... and then there's the illustration annual - my favorite! these magazines find amazing designers and showcase great talents.

annnnnd Sunset Magazine's camping guide! Sunset is a local magazine and it's always fun to read about our own turf. camping season is upon us in the next few months and i've got a new sleeping bag to break-in! ;)


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okay and one last totally unrelated recipe. yesterday was cinco de mayo and we ended up going all out! i wanted to try cooking with nopales, cactus paddles! it's always interesting coming up with a whole meal around one ingredient. we opted to make veggie enchiladas with a homemade salsa verde (so good!), mexi rice, and cocktails. the cactus went inside the enchiladas and took on a slightly tart flavor that was a perfect pair with the sauce we concocted. we winged/made-up all the recipes, but... the cocktails i will share! they were dangerous and went down almost too easy ;)

Frozen Raspberry Tequila Sunrises with Clianto
1 part tequila
3 parts orange juice
a handful of frozen raspberries
a lil ice
lime
cilantro

• blend the tequila, orange juice, raspberries & ice.
• pour into a nice glass.
• squeeze in some lime, garnish with cilantro and serve!

i think a salted rim would be an excellent addition as well!

Recipe : Vegan Mac & Yease

I have been through a lot of Mac & Yease recipes (vegan mac and cheese with nutritional yeast!) over the past year, and finally I think I’ve come up with my favorite recipe! It’s based on at least 6 other recipes that always had something missing for me. But now I’ve found the two magic key ingredients after cooking a lot of Indian food: tomato paste & cashew butter. Tomato paste gives a good subtle tart flavor and adds great color. And the cashew butter makes it creamy and thick, but surprisingly not too nutty.

Shown garnished with fresh baby heirloom tomatoes!

Vegan Mac & Yease

1 tbs. Earth Balance or non-dairy margarine
1 tbs. Flour
1 ½ cups Almond Milk (unsweetened)
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1 tsp. Turmeric
2 BIG tbs. Tomato Paste
3 BIG tbs. Cashew Butter
1/3 cup Nutritional Yeast
1 ½ tsp. Salt
Sriracha to taste

1. Make a roux by melting the Earth Balance over low heat & beating in flour with a wire whisk. Continue to beat over medium heat until mixture is smooth and bubbly.
2. Slowly whip in the almond milk. Only add a couple tablespoons at a time so the mixture stays smooth.
3. Add onion powder, turmeric, salt, 2 big fat tablespoons of tomato paste, and 3 fat tablespoons of cashew butter.
4. Add the yeast! Whisk lots, keep it smooth. Now add Sriracha and maybe more salt to taste.
5. Eat it with stuff, pasta, gnocchi, or chips!

Note: Add a more almond milk at the end if your sauce is a little too thick. The cashew butter is quite the thickener.