Kristin van Ogtrop's Blog, page 340

The June Book Poll Is Now Closed

Hi, Bookies:

The results are in, and it looks as if you'll be Talking to Girls About Duran Duran next month. Discussion leader Lisa Whitmore, Real Simple's beauty and health senior editor, will check in at the end of the week and set up the reading schedule—just in time for anyone looking for a good book over the long weekend. See you then!

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My Favorite Asparagus Recipe

Last time I posted about favorite spring foods and my personal favorite, asparagus. I mentioned one of my favorite recipes, which includes asparagus, chickpeas, maple syrup, and salmon. Since there were some requests for the recipe, here it is—it's from this humble little cookbook I got years ago and still cook from quite often, called Simply Shrimp, Salmon, and (Fish) Steaks by Leslie Glover Pendleton. The recipes are really easy and straightforward but give you great ideas for delicious new ways to serve seafood.

Sautéed Salmon with Asparagus and Chickpea Vinaigrette
Serves 4
Adapted from Simply Shrimp, Salmon, and (Fish) Steaks

½ pound asparagus, tough ends snapped off
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil plus 1 tablespoon for cooking salmon
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
Coarse kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed well
3 tablespoons minced scallions
1 ½ pounds center-cut skinned salmon fillet, cut crosswise into 4 portions

1. Cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces at an angle. In a pot of boiling salted water, blanch the asparagus for 1 to 2 minutes or until tender but crisp. Drain and rinse briefly under cold water.

2. In a bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, ½ cup oil, the syrup, and salt and pepper. Stir the asparagus, chickpeas, and scallions into the lemon mixture.

3. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over moderate heat and sauté the salmon for 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until crisp and cooked through. Add the asparagus mixture to the skillet just to warm the sauce. Divide the salmon and sauce among four plates and serve.

Enjoy! I wanted to make the recipe and post a photo of it for all of you, but somehow I didn't get in much cooking this week. If you make it, let me know how it turned out.

Fun Website: SLR Camera Simulator

If you've been considering upgrading from your point-and-shoot digital camera (or even from the camera on your smart phone) to a digital SLR (single-lens reflex) model, check out this fun website, SLR Camera Simulator, first.

 

 

Using the image that shown above (although on their site it's an animation with the pinwheel spinning), you can adjust all of the standard settings you'd find on an SLR like the aperture, ISO, and shutter speed then snap a photo to see how it affects your image.

 

What kind of camera do you use?

 

Related:

Organize Your Vacation Photos

Look Great in Every Photo

Ask Real Simple: How Do I Remove Fingerprints from Photos?

 

Getting LinkedIn

Whether you call yourself a small business owner, a freelancer, or an entrepreneur, chances are you are always thinking about your business and where to get more of it. One place to look: LinkedIn.

I've been on LinkedIn for a while now, and I have hundreds of contacts. And yet I'm not using this valuable tool as much as I should. If you're job hunting or looking to make new business contacts, there's no better place to start than with the contacts you already have. Here are a few simple tips to enhance your LinkedIn experience:

1. Take a great photo. If you're in a particular field, have your photo reflect it. If you run a doggie day care, for example, have Fido in the picture with you.

2. Create your title. I'll confess I struggle with mine quite often as I wear many hats. One great resource for this is Jason Alba, whose website I'm on LinkedIn-Now What is a one-stop shop when it comes to everything LinkedIn. Once your profile is up to date, visit his site (or buy his book) to take it to the next level.

3. Join groups. As a basic member you can join up to 50 groups. Many corporate recruiters post jobs within groups, so join the ones most relevant to your line of work. Sign up to receive daily or weekly updates. LinkedIn will notify you via email when new content is posted. Introduce yourself to your new group, start conversations, and become a trusted expert there.

4. Add skills to your profile. This is a new LinkedIn offering and it's still in Beta (look for it under the more tab). You can add the skills you want to be known for (e.g., press kit writing, graphic design, HTML) and when a potential employer or client searches for these skills, your profile could come up. Although when I tried this, the first few professionals listed had 500+ contacts, leading me to believe that the more contacts you have, the more likely this is to work for you. You can also pull up job listings related to a particular skill set.

5. Track your industry. The news section is a great way to track the headlines relevant to your industry, your clients or your competition. LinkedIn serves up the top stories daily on your Today page, which means you don't have to hunt around the Internet looking for them.

Do you have a LinkedIn success story to share? Please leave it here in the comments.

 

 

 

 

 

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Part Two

Hi, Bookies!

I hope you've enjoyed this month's book, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, by Muriel Spark. This discussion will cover the second half of the book, chapters 4 to the end (pages 79 to 137 in my version). Let's get started...

Okay, so, I'm one of those people with a rule about movies: If there's a book attached to it, I have to read it before I see the flick. I find that a film is too influential; I am far too selfish of a reader to want to share my idea of what a story sounds and looks like with someone else's cinematic vision.

That's why I am glad I haven't yet seen the film version of Jean Brodie from 1969. It stars Maggie Smith, who I am sure was a lovely Brodie (especially since she won an Oscar for her performance). But that's all I know—or want to know. I've enjoyed letting my mind wander through its own pictures of Sandy's squinty little eyes, Teddy Lloyd's paintings that always resemble Miss Brodie, Sandy's hands clenched on the convent bars, and Mr. Lowther's Cramond home (as well as his growing waistline).

But now that I've finished the book, you can bet that I'll be heading over to Netflix as soon as I complete this post so I can pop it in my queue. I liked Muriel Spark's short story—a smart tale of growing up. She reminded us of how, when you're 10, a figure like Miss Brodie can be fascinating, worthy of made-up stories with fictional lovers and dramatic plot twists—and more influential than we realize. She also reminds us that, as you grow into an adult, your eyes and ears change...and you slowly start to see the adults around you for what they really are (or, at least, what you think they are). Sometimes it's painful; sometimes it's a relief. Oftentimes it's confusing, and most of the time it's slightly disappointing (we are all human, after all). And it always becomes a reason to look at yourself and piece together the puzzle of who you've become, taking into account how those adults in your life have helped shape you along the way.

I agree with most of you who commented in our earlier discussion: Overall, Miss Brodie did not necessarily have the girls' best interests at heart. What I think more, however, is that, even after the story's conclusion, we still do not "know" Miss Brodie, and it's hard for me to judge her or her actions completely. All we know about her is mostly what we've seen through the eyes of girls who are growing up—and we know that the young, inexperienced eyes in this case aren't empowered to see her truth (even perhaps after they are adults). That said, it's hard for me to form a full picture of the true Miss Brodie because our storytellers can't form one either. (Perhaps we all just need to rent the movie?) Did your feelings about Miss Brodie shift during the course of the book?

I don't know 100% whether to pity Miss Brodie or be intrigued, disgusted, or saddened. But I was left with a unsettling feeling for the nun/writer Sandy, who ends the book clutching the bars of her grille "more desperately than ever," admitting that the biggest influence on her childhood was not literary, political, or spiritual, but Miss Brodie in her prime. This image reminds me of our earlier talk of "The Lady of Shalott," by Alfred Lord Tennyson. Book Club-ber Renee commented that the lady in the poem can be likened to Miss Brodie "in the way that she is 'cursed' and cannot look directly out at the world; she has to look at it through a mirror's reflection." I'd agree with this, and also say that the lady represents Sandy as well—caught in her own prison of a convent, looking out at the world from afar. (Dina said that Sandy's "gripping of the confessional bars while she is allowed to make contact with her few visitors makes it seem like [she] is in jail.") Do you see any parallels between the life of Jean Brodie and the life of Sandy?

A few more things to consider before I go:

What do you think about the very little information we get on the girls' parents (particular on Sandy's)?

Were you, like me, completely stunned when we were suddenly slapped with the knowledge that Sandy, not Rose, had had the affair with Mr. Lowther? (Muriel Speak changed it all in that one paragraph! Smart, surprising writing.)

Would Sandy have still ended up desperately clutching the bars of a convent, even if Miss Brodie had not been in her life?

And P.S.: To answer one of my earlier questions about Team Lloyd or Team Lowther, I'd say I am Team Nobody. Honestly, they both basically grossed me out. (-:

Thanks to everyone for your comments and insight. You are truly the crème de la crème. Don't forget to vote in the June book poll, which ends this Sunday at 11:59 p.m. ET!

—Amy

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Great Read: Pulled - A Catalog of Screen Printing By Mike Perry

I have a great book that just landed on my desk called Pulled - A Catalog of Screen Printing by Mike Perry published by Princeton Architectural Press. Have you come across it yet? If you love screen-printed works of art with a focus on modern, graphics and bright colors this book is for you. Pulled is a big boy -- a hefty 250+ pages and contains over 40 of Perry's favorite designers to, "Remind us that there are some things you just can't achieve with digital printing", which is so true. There are so many things that the digital world won't be able to replace and that's fine with me, I like diversity - especially when it comes to art, don't you?

This inspiring collection of work (it's not wordy, it's more about the eye candy) introduces you art that Perry has curated with a brief bio along with a few pages showing some work from that particular artist so you can get a sense of their portfolio. I enjoy the book because I'll use it as a reference and since I found a few new names that I'd not heard of before -- I always enjoy finding new talent to be inspired by. Here are some spreads from the book so you can catch a glimpse.

If you are looking to find some great artists then Pulled is a beautiful collection that will provide you with many from all over the world. It's a very straight forward guide that I'll enjoy for years and a huge congratulations to Mike Perry on his third book! Well done!

I wish everyone a nice weekend, see you on Monday!

(image: top-holly becker all others-mike perry)

Smart Product: Cloverware Nesting Utensils

It's full on picnic season (that is if the rain plaguing parts of the country will ever stop). And to make your picnic basket packing even easier, try using these nesting utensils from Cloverware:

 

 

Not only are these sets great for picnics or camping (be sure to check out the fun picnic video below), they'd also be perfect to stash in your desk drawer at work so you can kick the disposable spoon habit. And, yes they are recyclable and BPA free. 

 

 

Cloverware Utensils: $13, alitedesigns.com

 

What's your favorite dish to take on a picnic?

 

Related:

6 More Smart Picnic Supplies

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Picnic Packing Checklist

 

Have You Voted Yet for June?

Hi, Bookies:

At the moment, Rob Sheffield's Talking to Girls About Duran Duran is in the lead, but we've all been around the block enough times together to know that any of the four books could still win. So have you picked your favorite yet? Vote before the poll closes at 11:59 p.m. ET this Sunday, May 22.

Look Me in the Eye, by John Elder Robison

Robison's name may not be familiar, but at least some of his story may be: He figured in another memoir, Running With Scissors, by his brother, Augusten Burroughs. But Robison tells the full story of a "different" kid who does not find out until he is 40 just why he is different—he has Asperger's.

Making Toast, by Roger Rosenblatt

The subtitle of this memoir by journalist and novelist Rosenblatt is "A Family Story," and that neatly sums up his tender, journal-like detailing of the 14 months following the sudden death of his daughter, as he grapples with both his loss and his new life as fill-in parent to her three young children. A slender volume packed with emotion.

The Middle Place, by Kelly Corrigan

A happily married mother of two is contentedly living in what she calls the Middle Place—"that sliver of time when parenthood and childhood overlap"—until duel diagnoses of cancer (hers and her beloved father's) force her out of it. Corrigan refuses to take the path of self-pity, though, as she relates in an absorbing memoir filled with honesty, humor, and—above all—heart.

Talking to Girls About Duran Duran, by Rob Sheffield

The veteran music journalist revisits his Catholic adolescence in coming-of-age vignettes (first loves, first jobs) that are defined by the music—and the decade—that defined him. Affable, lighthearted, and a tribute not just to the bands (both famous and obscure) he loved, but to the strong women who populated his life.

What Should We Read in June?online survey

Great Haircut. But Do I Need To Tip?

 

This week's etiquette dilemma comes from Catherine Jarmain, who recently posed the question on Real Simple's Facebook page:

"Should I tip my hair stylist if he is also the salon owner? I went to him for the first time last week and he gave me the best cut I have ever had. I didn't tip him because my mother always said not to, but my husband said I should have."

Should Catherine tip him next time? 
 





When we tip, it's a way of saying thank you for excellent personal service. Traditionally, it also has been a way for people in low-paying jobs—such as waiters, manicurists, hotel housekeepers and hair stylists—to supplement their incomes by being really good at what they do.

When your mother says don't tip the salon owner, it's because he presumably already earns a living wage from his place of business (since he owns it). When your husband says you should tip, it's because your stylist gave you excellent service.

Who's right? In the past, your mother's opinion was the norm. But these days, modern manners often means relaxing the old rules to fit your own life, so long as the change doesn't cause someone harm or hurt feellngs.

If your stylist gives you the best cut of your life, why not tip him generously next time to say thanks? I would give him the same tip as I would any other stylist at the salon. How much is generous? That's another good question. Personally, I think a great cut is worth a 15 percent tip.

Readers, how about you? How much do you tip at the hair salon? And would you tip the owner if he's also your stylist?
(Image courtesy of Realsimple.com)

 

To Invite or Not to Invite?

My brother and I are planning a summer weekend in the Catskills for our friends in late June. We've been talking about it for months but, with only a few weeks left until the date, we're finally getting around to figuring out all the logistics.

 

We have a place to stay and we've discussed everything from transportation from the city to food and drinks. There's only one minor detail we have yet to sort – the guest list.

 

 

Even though I love to entertain, my blood pressure starts to rise when it's time to think about who to invite. It's true that the right guests can make or break a party – you want your event to have a convivial atmosphere. But, for me, finding kind and fun people to invite isn't the problem.

 

Instead, the burden is limiting my invitees. If you can only include a few friends how do you choose who to extend an invitation to and who to leave out? And what about significant others – do you include someone's girlfriend or boyfriend no matter how little you may know about them?

 

In our case, we're capping the invites at 10 each, which means I'll have to do some careful planning. Here are two ways I plan to focus on enjoying a relaxing weekend with friends rather than worry about the guest list:

-Forget pleasing everyone. I'm going to stick with my core group of friends and leave out the ones I don't see on a regular basis. I'll plan a time to connect with them at a later date.
-Omit the plus one. This time, I simply don't have the capacity to invite anyone I don't know very well.

 

Another good strategy is to put your guests into groups of yes, no and maybe and then include the yes's and begin adding maybe's, provided there is room.

 

Do you struggle with who to invite to your events? I'd love to hear about your strategies for planning your own guest lists. 

 

[photo from William Arthur Stationery on Flickr]