Kristin van Ogtrop's Blog, page 374

Vitamin D: Do I Need to Care? Really?

Oh, so much has been keeping me from blogging over the last couple of months: the holidays; trying to find two gloves that actually match; shoveling all the snow that NY has gotten; trying to be a good parent to a 12-year-old who won an Xbox 360 at a camp reunion and now just wants to play video games all day long. Oh, and I have a vitamin D deficiency. I actually think that is the reason I have been so remiss in blogging: At first I thought it was Christmas, but now I realize I am just tired, or sick, or bedraggled, or weak, or whatever it is that happens when you don't have enough vitamin D.

Apparently all the best people have vitamin D issues. Or at least half the women of my acquaintance. All I know is that the last time I had a checkup, my doctor took a blood sample and a week later I got a letter saying that normal vitamin D levels are between 32 and 100, and I am a 24.4. (Never mind that I don't know how high the scale goes; is 100 the highest possible? And 100 whats? Units? Points?) No Laughing Matter, being a 24.4. I was instructed to start taking 2000 units of vitamin D3 daily, chop-chop.

Which I am doing, kind of. The problem is, I just can't get that exercised about vitamin D. What with the Golden Globes and Natalie Portman's weird acceptance speech laugh and my new obsession with Downton Abbey and the hours upon hours I have spent trying to enjoy Cleopatra, not to mention showing up at work every day and raising three kids, well, being a vitamin D 24.4 falls to the very bottom of the list of important issues in my life.

Apologies to my wonderful OB/GYN, if you are reading this: I know you are only looking out for my best interests, and that I am the problem here. Please promise you will still be my doctor, even if I am only a 24.4.

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One Day, Part 4, Late Thirties

Hi, Bookies:

I have to admit that as much as I wanted Dex and Emma to get together, when it happened I was surprised that they were finally able to admit their feelings and fears, but frankly was more surprised that the two of them seemed to finally grow up. Did anyone else find themselves a bit taken aback that they had matured, or that Emma was as vocal as she was about her fear of Dex hurting her? Or that Dex was willing to make such a grand gesture and travel to fight for Emma?

While I was sad about Emma's death, I wasn't all that stunned by it. These two individuals wasted so much time fighting each other and their feelings that it is almost karma that in the end their time together would be so limited.

I knew as I turned the page going into that first anniversary of Emma's death that Dex was headed for the bottom. I was shocked at how much I dreaded reading how far Dex was falling, considering I spent so much of the book loathing him.

In the last few chapters of the book we see what happened the day after Dex and Emma spent their first night together. I was so excited to see that Dex had chased after Emma, but it saddened me more that they let fear (of admitting how they felt and what they truly wanted) dictate their lives. We also see Dex and Maddy start a relationship and eventually marry. Am I the only one who secretly hoped that Dex would remain single, knowing that he would never love again like he loved Emma?

I wanted to remind everyone that David Nicholls, the author of One Day, will be answering questions from readers, so don't forget to include questions with your posts. I have two for Mr. Nicholls:

1. At any point did you consider the possibility of Emma and Dex not being together?

2. Was it difficult to write how these characters evolved, considering we have only a glimpse of their lives from one year to the next?

Thank you to everyone for their wonderful comments and for participating in this month's book club!

—Danielle

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Pajama Jeans: Simply Amazing or Simply Awful?

 

In a perfect world, wearing your pajamas throughout the day would be acceptable and chic. You could bound through your day with the greatest of ease--walking, running, and sitting as if enveloped in a fluffy and stylish cloud. But alas, we must restrict the highest level of apparel comfort to the four walls of our homes. Or do we?

 

I'm sure by now you have seen or heard about the Pajama Jeans infomercial--promising us this "perfect world" of certified pajama daywear. These "jeans" in fact are not true jeans, but actually a pair of stretchy leggings/sweatpants made of a synthetic material (DormiSoft) that masquerade has jeans.

 

Please see the video below for a more comphrensive (and often comical) explantation...

 

 

 

My question to you is: Would you wear them?

 

Are we convinced that "real" jeans are so horribly uncomfortable that we must replace them with a faux option? Maybe the woman in the video whose jeans leave marks on her skin, simply needs to go up a size or two.

 

Personally I think they are a clever idea (awesome for a long flight or car ride) and a great price ($39.95)...BUT they lose major points in the style category, which would ultimately prevent me from spending my dough. There is just something about those phony jean details and white lining that makes me itch.

 

I'm actually a huge fan of jeggings---part jeans, part leggings. New York & Company has an amazing style that only retails for $39.95 as well. They seem a bit more sophisticated to me. The minimal points they lose in stiffness versus the Pajama Jeans---still allow them to prevail overall (in my humble opinion)

 

 

What do you think? Have you tried Pajama Jeans?

 

Cozy Knitted Throws for Frigid Temperatures

It's absolutely freezing here in the northeast. In fact it's way below freezing. So in an attempt to make you feel warm, I offer up a round up of knitted throws. Just imagine snuggling up in one of these by a roaring fire. Don't you feel warmer already?

 

Handknit Throw from West Elm, $59

 

Cozy Cable-Knit Throw from Pottery Barn, $99

 

Hailey Mustard Throw from Crate & Barrel, $89.95 (also available in Navy)

 

 

Publique Living Alpaca Throws from Velocity Art & Design, $250

 

Pendleton Motor Robe Blanket with Leather Carrying Strap from Urban Outfitters, $78

 

Stay warm!

 

Kick-Start Your New Year: Streamline Your Medicine Cabinet

 

One area that always seems to end up being a mess is the medicine cabinet. Whether you have multiple bottles of the same thing, or just have too much to be able to find what you're looking for quickly, taking a few minutes to streamline and organize can make a big difference the next time you're facing a headache or a cut finger.

 

Follow these steps to get your medicine cabinet in order.

 

1. Empty everything out of your medicine cabinet and check that nothing has expired. If you do find expired medicines follow these steps for getting rid of them.

 

2. Group medicines and first aid supplies by category. Think about how you would look for them at the drugstore, and use those categories.

 

3. Make a list of anything that you are missing or need to replace. Put this list in your purse so you'll have it the next time you're at the drugstore. If you're unsure of what you need, compare what you have with these checklists: Medicine Cabinet Essentials and First Aid Essentials.

 

4. Return everything to the medicine cabinet. To keep items together by their category use plastic bins or even plastic bags to keep them organized.

 

What's your strategy for keeping your medicine cabinet organized?

 

More organizing tips:

31 Smart, Low-Cost Home Organizing Ideas
Organizing New Uses for Old Things
Easy Storage Solutions from A to Z

 

Our February Book

And our winner is. . . Half Broke Horses, Jeannette Walls' novelistic recounting of the life of the beloved grandmother she introduced in her best-selling memoir, The Glass Castle. Later this week, join RealSimple.com Deputy Editor and food blogger Maggie Shi, who will say hello and talk a little bit about our February pick.

Ameliart: Original Paintings For Your Kids

I was approached recently by a painter who lives in Poland, who is so talented that I knew I had to share her work with all of you today. Amelia hopes to get her original works of art before a larger audience outside of her home country and after seeing what she does, I don't think she'll have a problem promoting her charming work.

Painted specifically with children in mind, her endearing characters are ones you can imagine delighting a little one -- they'd be very sweet adorning the walls of a nursery or displayed leaning on a shelf against the wall in toddler's bedroom. She has a and an etsy shop called , so you can order no matter where you live and she will ship to you no matter where you live. Her work is also very affordable considering that they are not prints but originals -- one-of-a-kind pieces of art. I adore the little elephant below.

I'm inspired by her tender and lovely work, perhaps you will be too. Have a nice Monday!

(images: ameliart)

Kick-Start Your New Year: Make a Grocery List to Save Money

 

One of the easiest ways to save on your food budget is to make a list before you hit the grocery store. On average, people who make a list (and stick to it) save 23 percent on their grocery bill.

 

To help make your list for this weekend's trip to the supermarket, use our handy meal planner to know exactly what you need for the coming week.

 

Do you make a list before food shopping? What other tricks do you use to save money on groceries?

 

More ways to save:
Money-Saving Secrets from the Pros
6 Ways to Save on Groceries
How to Save on Going to the Movies

 

Is That "Wild" Salmon Really Wild?

Last week I made the Real Simple Roasted Salmon and Potatoes With Dill for dinner. When I'm cooking salmon at home, I always buy wild salmon—I'm worried about the mercury, PCBs, and other toxins that are found in higher levels in farmed salmon. Plus, wild salmon has higher omega-3 fatty acids and is better for the environment (farmed salmon escape from their pens and disturb the habits of their wild counterparts, depleting their numbers and spreading diseases and parasites; plus, chemicals and antibiotics used to treat the farmed fish seep into the water supply and affects other ocean life).

 

 

Wild salmon is certainly much pricier; I usually get it from the small gourmet market a couple blocks from my apartment, and it generally runs around $23 per pound. I love this little market. It has a great cheese counter, fabulous olive bar, generally good produce, and lots of specialty items I can't get at the bigger mainstream supermarket, which is actually even closer to my home and therefore, technically, more convenient.

 

I took home my salmon, cooked it up, and ate it. It was delicious. Juicy, fatty, and full-bodied, with a lovely pink color. It was, I realized later, almost certainly not "wild" salmon. 

 

The New York Times came out with a rather shocking/depressing article several years ago—it bought salmon sold as "wild" from eight different stores in New York City and had them tested. It turns out that six of the eight salmon were actually farm raised, though they were labeled, priced, and sold as "wild." Most of the stores involved were high-end, well-known places in New York, including Dean & DeLuca and Wild Edibles. I had read this article back when it came out and completely forgotten about it. Oops.

 

Here's the deal: Wild salmon is scarce to begin with, but especially so during the off-season (November to March). If you see something sold as fresh wild salmon during those months, chances are very good that it's farmed. You can't tell the difference by looking at it, as farmed salmon are given artificial coloring to make them pink. Once you eat it, however, you can certainly detect the difference: Wild salmon is much leaner and firmer and has a more intense flavor.

 

So until wild salmon season kicks in again in the spring, I'm going to stick to frozen wild salmon (Trader Joe's, Costco, and other stores carry it). I also picked up some canned wild salmon, which I think will be great tossed with pasta. 

 

Oh, and by the way, I stopped in at Dean & DeLuca this week just to see if they were selling any "wild" salmon. They were not.

 

(image: James and James/Getty Images)

Help Etsy Share the Love This Valentine's Day

Growing up, I was the girl who made her own Valentine's Day cards to take to school. They weren't always perfect or even that inspired, but I enjoyed making them. And this year I'm going to be making some again as part of Etsy's project: Special Delivery Share Your Love 2011.

 

 

Etsy is partnering with Citymeals-on-Wheels in New York City to deliver Valentine's Day cards along with their meals on February 14th. So they've put a call out to their sellers and buyers to make or purchase cards to be donated and handed out with the more than 18,000 meals that Citymeals-on-Wheels delivers.

 

I plan on making a bunch of cards to contribute, and I'll be posting photos of the cards here before I send them in. I'd love to have anyone who is interested join me, and email me your photos so I can post them here on Simply Stated.

 

All cards must be to Etsy by February 9th. And they do have a list of guidelines to follow, which I've posted below. But be sure to read the post on their blog to get the full directions.

 

I can't wait to see all the cards that everyone comes up with!

 

FAQ from Etsy

1. How do I participate in Special Delivery?

There are two ways. Either make or purchase a handmade Valentine's Day greeting card (or several). Please mail them to:

Etsy
Attn: Adam Brown
55 Washington St.
Suite 512
Brooklyn, NY 11201

 

2. When do the cards have to arrive at Etsy?

The deadline is Wednesday, February 9, 2011. This is important!

 

3. Are there any rules about what the cards should look like?

Yes. Please follow these guidelines, otherwise we can't use your card(s):

No glitter! This creates food safety issues.
Please make your cards cheerful by using bright colors. You can decorate cards using paint, crayons, markers, pastels, collage or anything else you can think of.
Please avoid dark backgrounds and religious symbols.
Please write clearly in large print and avoid using the abbreviation "V-day." Please say, "Valentine's Day."
You should not give out your address or suggest that the recipients write back to you. Initiating an ongoing correspondence is not appropriate.
Please make sure that the cards are appropriate for the intended audience. That is to say, pretend it's for your sweet sweet grandma, not your snarky, angst-ridden teenage brother.

 

4. How many cards should I send?

As many as you want!

 

5. Is this open only to Etsy sellers?

Nope. This is open to anyone who wants to help brighten someone's day.

 

6. Can I send vintage cards?

Sure! The more, the merrier.

 

7. What's that deadline again?

We need to have all of the cards in our hot little hands by Wednesday, February 9, 2011. Thanks!

 

(photo by YesJess)