Kristin van Ogtrop's Blog, page 394

Does Parallel Parking Make Your Heart Race?

I met my husband through an online dating site, and he told me that one of the little things that intrigued him about my profile was the line where I boasted about my skill in parallel parking. I think the phrase was: "I'm an excellent parallel parker."

And while yes, I was trying to be a bit cheeky and clever by including something in my profile other than so much of the standard stuff about likes and dislikes, it's 100% true: I am an excellent parallel parker!

I can't totally explain why—since my spatial skills aren't actually that sharp, ordinarily—but whether I'm in a tiny two-door or a big SUV, I can usually glide into a cramped spot in one quick attempt. Maybe one or two wee adjustments so that I get close enough to the curb, but in comparison to some people who need ten minutes to get situated, I feel oddly proud of this tiny (but important!) life skill.

Turns out, many people DO find parallel parking a chore—and a difficult-to-master one at that! In a new study at the New England University Transportation Center at MIT, (sponsored by Ford Motors, who's touting their new Active Park Assist System), 43 percent of female drivers label their skills as "fair" or "poor" while 21 percent of men say that their parallel prowess is similarly lacking. According to a Harris Interactive Poll for Ford, 31 percent of all drivers say they avoid it altogether!! (Not sure how they'd fare in NYC where it's pretty much all parallel parking and dog-eat-dog at that!)

And there are physical effects too—anxiety over this task can raise your heart rate! The MIT researchers found that the added help in parking lowered people's heart rate by 12 beats. (The Ford system identifies a parking space and pretty much slides the car into the spot without all that much driver participation.)

Do you find parallel parking stressful? Or are you more of a white-knuckler upon highway merging? Or freaked out while in the passing lane?

Must-Have Thanksgiving Drink: 12th Century Spiced Wine by Liz Vidyarthi

For the month of November, we have asked some of our favorite food bloggers to share recipes for their must-have Thanksgiving dishes. Join us to see what will be on their tables this year and for years to come.

 

12th Century Spiced Wine from Liz Vidyarthi

 

 

This spiced wine recipe dates back a good number of years—about 900 to be exact. A family friend who studies the scribbles and doodles in the margins of ancient manuscripts found it scrawled in a medieval document, by a 12th century fellow named Hippocras.

 

My family, which loves both wine and obscure trivia, was instantly intrigued. Were people boiling fragrant bowls of spiced wine that many years ago? All the ingredients—sugar, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom—would have been rare in medieval Europe, but available for the wealthy. In particular, the ginger (fairly unusual in today's recipes) adds a special, spicy warmth.

 

The true answer is probably lost to time, but I love the idea of some cleric, looking forward to a hot drink after work, jotting down a recipe just like we do today.

 

12th Century Spiced Wine

1 bottle of red wine (750 ml)
¼ cup sugar
3-4 slices ginger
4 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon whole cloves
5 cardamom pods, crushed
4 thin slices lemon (I use Meyer lemon)

Combine, simmer on low for 15 minutes and serve warm.

 

Liz Vidyarthi is a photographer based in Brooklyn, New York. On her blog, Liz V. Photography, she shares shots of great food, beautiful spaces and interesting people – around the city, and around the world.

(image and recipe courtesy of Liz Vidyarthi)

 

Do you serve any special drinks at your Thanksgiving meal?

 

Live a Little!

When I saw the title of this book at my local library the other day, I couldn't help but pick it up. Written by two leading authorities on female health, Dr. Susan Love and Dr. Alice Domar, the book dispels many myths we have all come to accept as truths. The authors argue (on the book jacket, no less) that breaking the rules won't break your health. In fact it's perfectly OK to eat a brownie, blow off your run or fail to get eight quality hours of sleep every night.

Did you know, ladies, you may not even need to subject yourself to an annual pap smear?

Live a Little! examines six popular areas of worry for most women: sleep, stress, preventive care, exercise, nutrition, and personal relationships and provides realistic guidelines for living a life that's, well, good enough. I don't know about you, but I find it hard to do all the things I am supposed to do in a given day, never mind squeezing in rigorous cardio and weight training on alternate days, eating 13 servings of fruits and vegetables, meditating, making time for my husband, going to bed early. You know what I mean.

A few months ago, I had a visit with a new primary care physician in my new city. She spent about an hour with me in her office, taking my medical history and asking a bunch of questions. I felt we clicked. I enjoyed her sense of humor. She agreed that I'm pretty healthy for a 41-year-old woman. No serious complaints. But then she started peppering me with questions about preventive screenings. Why hadn't I had my baseline mammogram yet? Why hadn't I had a colonoscopy when there's history of colon polyps in my family? Have I seen a new OB/GYN? Why not?

Woah. Suddenly my excuse for letting these things slip a little—moving—felt embarrassingly lame. "Well, we just moved, our family has new health insurance, not everyone here accepts this insurance, I put the kids first since they needed a pediatrician and shots to start school, I've been traveling every other week for business.... . And it took me weeks just to find you!"

Plus, who among us is eager to get a colonoscopy?

I left the office with a stack of papers for follow up testing and felt slightly scolded. I was to schedule a mammogram, a colonoscopy, complete blood work and a pap smear. All just routine tests because let's face it, I didn't even have a complaint to share during the visit. But what if something is growing inside my body somewhere? What if I have a problem I don't even know about yet?

Live a Little! put some of that fear and worry into perspective. Page 93 of the book has a terrific list of screening recommendations for everything from mammograms to bone density scans. And while I enjoyed all of the terrific information in this book, my favorite chapter had to be Chapter 7: You, Me, Us-Healthy Relationships.

Did you know that 40 percent of women respond to overwork and stress by cutting back the time they spend with friends and family?

That, the book points out, is one of the worst things we can do when trying to live a little.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Postmistress: Part Two

Based on all of your comments from last week, we all got off to a bit of a rocky start in terms of getting into the storyline. Hopefully, all you're all intrigued now that we've moved on to the real meat of the story.

 

I'm curious to know what you think of each of the characters now that we've seen how they react to everything life throws at them. I love seeing the interaction between Iris and Emma—you can tell that Iris feels almost protective of Emma with Will away in London. What do you make of Will giving Iris the letter for Emma to be delivered if he dies while in London? What do you think the letter says?

 

I continue to love how Sarah Blake transitions from Frankie's story back to the women in Franklin. I was especially moved by Iris's reaction to Frankie's broadcast about the people of London being heros—how Frankie has now redefined the nature of a hero in Iris's mind.

 

Will seems to thrive once he gets to London. Yes, he's exhausted, but he also feels like he has a purpose. Do you think he finally feels as though he's atoning for Maggie's death? What is your reaction to his statement that his life didn't matter until he moved to London? What does that mean for Emma?

 

I think we probably all knew that it was coming, that Frankie and Will were destined to meet in London. What did you think of their interaction in the shelter? It seems to me as if they understood each other, but were still at odds.

 

Then of course, there's Will's death. The suddenness of it took me by surprise. Based on the letter that Will left for Iris, I didn't necessarily expect for him to make it home from London, but I didn't expect him to die like that. I empathized with Frankie's need to tell his story, and was frustrated that there ended up not being a story to tell. At least not immediately following the accident. Why do you think Sarah Blake wrote Will's death the way she did? And what do you think will happen to Emma, who is now pregnant, back in Franklin? And why do you think Frankie continues to hold on to Will's last letter to Emma?

 

Finally, to Frankie's travels around the continent. The stories here and how personally she took everything was so moving to me. I really admire Frankie's need to tell the story of the Jewish people trying to make their way across Europe. Which of the people that she met resonated with you the most? By the time this section closes, Murrow urgently wants Frankie to return to London, and Frankie is getting very discouraged because she doesn't even know if people are hearing her reports. What do you think will happen when she returns to England?

 

For next Thursday, we'll finish the book. I, for one, am eager to return to Franklin in the last part, and find out if Emma knows about Will, and see how she reacts.

 

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Would You Order a Coffee Cocktail?

At this very moment as I'm typing this, the main article on the NYTimes.com homepage is about a new trend in a handful of New York City bars: coffee cocktails (why this is front-page-worthy news, I'm not sure. It even has a featured video). We're not talking about your typical Irish coffee here—there's nothing loaded down with sugar or covered in whipped cream and maraschino cherries. Instead, these drinks include top-shelf bourbon and brandy, house-made syrups, and sustainable, carefully sourced coffee. Some are served hot, some are cold, and for now, they're mostly being served during the day (though the article speculates nighttime service is soon to follow).

 

 

I'm not likely to ever order one of these cocktails. I'm not opposed to an after-dinner spiked coffee drink in lieu of dessert, mind you—I see nothing wrong with ending an old-school Italian meal with an espresso and a shot of Sambuca, and I actually do love an occasional Bailey's on the rocks when I want something sweet but don't want to order dessert (ok, I'm skipping the coffee entirely here, but it's a similar idea). But I'm generally not a big coffee drinker; it tends to make me a little crazy or gives me headaches. I'll just stick to tea, thanks.

 

However, most people I know are coffee addicts and claim they can't get though the day without a few cups. So I could see how this trend could catch on—combining your post-work happy hour with your daily Starbucks run seems like a sensible way to streamline your life, no? Why hit up two places when you can get your drink on and your caffeine fix at the same spot? What do you think—would you order coffee cocktails?

 

(image: NYTimes.com)

Under $100 Options For The "Reader's Fashion Challenge"

I hear you loud and clear ladies!

 

I read through all the comments from my "Reader's Fashion Challenge: 'I Can NEVER Find Clothes For My Body Type'" post last week and from the looks of it--everyone thought the tips were useful BUT the price points were too high.

 

 

I won't argue with that. Although it's always nice to invest in items that are right for your body type, have classic designs and are good quality.

 

That's not to say that there aren't good deals and steals out there as well. Sooooo, to honor our more thrifty side--here are some options for our "Challenge reader's" body type and any of those who can relate...and they all retail Under $100!

 

 

 

M.S.S.P blouse, $23.40

 

 

 

Tommy Hilfiger blouse, $69.50

 

Long Tall Sally jumper, $69

 

 

 Alfani printed wrap dress, $59.99

 

 

 

 

 

Long Tall Sally Foxy Chester jeans, $79

 

 

 

You Asked: How to Avoid Annoying Nicknames?

 
Today's question was posted by stnipper, who wrote:  My coworkers have shortened my name to Steph instead of Stephanie. Normally, I would care less. Except now my patients, students and other professional contacts are addressing me as Steph. How should I approach the correction?

You own your name, stnipper. In this day and age, it's your brand. So don't be ambiguous about it. If you want people to call you Stephanie or Dr. Stephanie—or Fred, for that matter—then the first time they mis-address you, correct them politely.


You can do this with humor ("Steph was my mother"), or frostily, if you feel your students are getting out of line. Or somewhere in between. (Always safe: "I prefer Stephanie.")

But don't send mixed signals, by saying sometimes you couldn't care less. You care. So take control.

 

Do you have a different strategy for avoiding annoying nicknames? Please share. 

 

(image: Jeff Lowe, courtesy of flickr)

Are You Exhausted?

When I talk with people about organizing, I often hear the phrase, "I'm so tired." Usually this phrase appears in statements such as, "I'm so tired when I get home from work that the last thing I want to do is cook, clean, and handle the business of the house," or "I'm so tired in the mornings when I wake up that it takes all my energy just to get to work on time, I can't imagine adding anything else to my morning routine."



Without a good night's sleep, there is no way you can function at your best. Add to that a poor diet (something that easily happens when you don't have enough energy to plan your meals) and a lack of exercise (something you don't want to do when you're tired), and you're going to be on a downward spiral until you get sick. At that point at least, when you're sniffling under the covers, you won't really care much about the clutter.



To end the exhaustion cycle, the first thing you need to do is learn how much sleep your body requires. Note what time you go to bed at night, approximately how long it took you to fall asleep (seconds? minutes? hours?), if you slept soundly, and what time you woke up in the morning. Also keep track of if you hit the snooze button, how many times, and how you felt when you finally crawled out of bed (alert? groggy? mad at the world? eager to face the day?). Track your sleeping patterns and be willing to vary your sleep schedule quite a bit. Try to sleep for 7 hours a few nights, then go for 10 the next few, then go back down to 6, then back up to 8, throw in a couple half hours. Keep logging your sleep schedule until you notice you're repeatedly getting good results -- about 10 minutes to fall asleep, a sound sleep, no hits on the snooze button, and an alertness and eagerness to face the day.



If no amount of sleep leaves you feeling refreshed, you need to see your doctor. You could have a thyroid problem, anemia, or another medical condition that is zapping your energy.



You also might be thinking that you don't have time to get the amount of sleep you need to accomplish everything in your day. The opposite is actually true -- you can't accomplish everything in your day without a good night's sleep. You will never have the energy to do what you need to do, to maintain focus, to work efficiently, and to stay motivated if you're exhausted. The only way to break the cycle is to get a good night's sleep.



Learn how much sleep your body needs to function at its best, get that amount of sleep each night, and watch your energy levels rise -- you'll finally be able to get the things done around your house you've been too tired to do. "I'm so tired," will disappear completely from your thoughts and phrases and will be replaced with, "Finished!"

Must-Have Thanksgiving Dish: Fresh Cranberry Relish from TheKitchn

For the month of November, we have asked some of our favorite food bloggers to share recipes for their must-have Thanksgiving dishes. Join us to see what will be on their tables this year and for years to come.

 

Fresh Cranberry Relish by Elizabeth from TheKitchn

 

 

 

Given all of the labor-intensive things that make up a Thanksgiving table (anyone brined a turkey lately?), cranberry relish is beloved for being relatively easy. So when I say that my family's cranberry relish recipe for many years involved a meat grinder, you might think, "Yeah, right. I'll take the can." But trust me: This is easy, and it's the perfect combination of tart and sweet, juicy and crunchy. Also, I now use a food processor.

 

My grandmother (and then my parents) used the meat grinder because she put whole oranges, peel and all, into the relish, and the old-fashioned grinder created nice texture. But over the years, my sister and I have eliminated the peel; it always tasted slightly bitter. This version has cranberries, of course, plus sectioned oranges, apples, pecans, and, the secret ingredient, some canned pineapple. It is like a minced fruit salad, which is a nice accompaniment to all of the hot stuff on your plate. We treat it like a pre-dessert—something sweet to tide us over until the pies are sliced. If stores sold bags of fresh cranberries year-round, I'd eat it all the time. Fortunately, it freezes beautifully, so not only can you freeze it for later, you can also make it a few weeks before Thanksgiving. Leaving you more time to brine that turkey.

 

Fresh Cranberry Relish

makes about four cups

 

1 12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries
1 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
1 large orange (or 2 small), sectioned and chopped into small pieces*
1 apple, peeled, cored, and finely diced
1/3 cup canned, crushed pineapple (drained of excess juice)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

 

1. Rinse and drain the cranberries.

2. Then pulse them about 12-15 times in a food processor until finely chopped but not pulverized. Put in a large bowl.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir, and allow to sit for an hour or two in the refrigerator before serving, so that the sugar can dissolve and the flavors can mingle. This relish also freezes well.

 

*To section an orange: Slice off a small disk from the bottom of the orange, so that it sits still on a cutting board. Use a chef's knife to carve down the sides, removing the peel in about 4 or 5 pieces. Use a paring knife to cut into the orange on either side of the thin membranes that separate each section. The sections should wiggle free and come out. Then roughly chop and add to the relish.

 

Elizabeth Schatz Passarella is a freelance writer, and frequent contributor to Real Simple in addition to several other publications. She blogs for TheKitchn, and loves pork but has an aversion to lentils.

(image and recipe by Elizabeth Passarella)

 

Do you serve cranberry relish or sauce for Thanksgiving? If so, which do you prefer: fresh or canned?

 

Trend: Vintage Rugs Over-dyed

Wow check out this trend in floor rugs that I just saw when I was in Istanbul a few days ago, also appearing on the ABC Carpet & Home website -- vintage carpets over-dyed a solid color to modernized them. What a gorgeous look! You can see examples below...

These imperfect carpets have been reinvented using color -- first they were neutralized and then over-dyed to produce colorful compositions, some in a patchwork style. You can shop for these gorgeous rugs here. Wow!

What do you think of this trend? What is your first impression?

(images: abc carpet + home)