LolaK…Writes

The Time Machine

My mind? Blown.

Mad Men returns this Sunday night (eek!), and Newsweek took the opportunity to create a retro-yet-current issue, highlighting real time stories, up-to-date news compared with where we were in the 60′s, plus a few photos and reports from over 40 years ago. I have never consumed a magazine quite so… rabidly. I am feasting on every single page: what is new, what is old? It is a vortex of eras, and I am spin, spin, spinning in it.

The best part? The ads.

I notice ads. I dissect them – the visual and verbal messages, the intent and position. I am ruthless yet respectful. But these ads are fun. I am (dare I say it?) proud of these agencies and companies who either dug into the archives to resurrect art that has been collecting dust for a few decades, or created something appropriate even though the company on display has only been around this century. [AT&T? You really could have done something special. I'm not even going to show your lazy 4G ad here!]

I’m still pouring over the pages, but when I came to this Allstate ad, I just HAD to stop and write this post. Up until the below ad, the prior displays were cool but disconcerting, leaving my brain on unsure footing: QR codes and web addresses juxtaposed with decidedly-1960s set-ups. But, in my opinion, Allstate and their hilarious Mayhem nailed this issue; it is perfectly, delightfully anachronistic when it ends with “In 47 years, visit www.Allstate.com.” Genius.

Well done, Newsweek.

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Categories Work

Sunday Night (Healthy) Cooking

11 Mar

When the man you love loves your curves, your motivation to bring your diet A-game every day dwindles. And when your primary and most joyous couple activity is cooking (and thus eating) with (almost) abandon, your clothes invariably get a wee bit tight. But, fortunately, this is true love, and thus tomorrow morning, my man has agreed to join me on a 24-day health bender. Nothing too crazy, just some good (for us) food and a system of supplements.*

So, as I unpacked my trunk-load of veggies and proteins from the store, I figured I’d get a jump on what is sure to be a busy work and social week. I’m a big, big (big) fan of doing as much prep work in advance so (healthy) meals come together quickly, and therefore I stay on track^. My fella and I purchased quinoa (never tried it? Really good and SO good for you, particularly if you’re like me and trying to avoid gluten), and I decided to take advantage of a little extra energy this evening and pre-make quinoa pilaf for the week. Ladies and gents (okay, mainly ladies), I invented a recipe. Mark this day in history!

LolaK Quinoa Pilaf Ingredients

1 box/2 cups quinoa (I used Ancient Harvest; they have a great line of products)
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 small head of broccoli, diced (I used a small amount of stem)
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
seasoning, to taste

Grab a large-ish pot. Drop in all ingredients except seasoning and bring to a boil. Once you have a boil, lower to simmer, cover, and cook until all liquid is absorbed. My concoction took about 20 minutes until all liquid was absorbed; cook time will vary depending on your selected veggies (I used what I had on hand). Then I seasoned with Maldon Sea Salt (my FAVE) and garlic salt (my OTHER fave). Now it’s ready to roll for lunch with salad or dinner with… well, I don’t know yet, but I’m looking forward to eating it!

What’s your favorite, healthy, make-ahead meal? I’m always on the hunt!

As the man in my life says, “yum, yum. Eat ‘em up!”

*My trainer is an AdvoCare rep. Let me know if you’re interested and she’ll hook you up.

^I also pre-washed/prepped 2 heads lettuce, 3 tomatoes, 1 cucumber, and 1 bunch green onion (and even put the base of the stalks in water to see if they’ll grow again!). I am SO ready to kick this week’s bootie.

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Categories gluten free, Home Life, quinoa, The Buff Life, The Inner Chef

Mellow Wednesday Music

1 Feb

As I do my best this morning to fight back the growing desire to go on a scorched earth rampage (coming home last night to a dead fridge/freezer full of Whole Foods groceries did not help AT ALL), I try to calm my frayed nerve endings with a little music. If you’re having one of “those” days as well, I hope this helps you, too.

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Categories Music

Notes from the Moon Shell

31 Jan

At a most appropriate time, my mother gave me a copy of Gift from the Sea, a must-read for all women (in my humble opinion).
I recently returned the book as a temporarily loan to Mom; I felt that the timing was right. As I handed over the book, I noticed that while reading it a few years back, I dog-eared a number of pages for safe-keeping, and I opened it to the below. At this moment of my life during which I mightily struggle more than ever before to balance all that is urgently pressing and dear: love and the future that is rapidly approaching, family, work, friends… it was almost as if the spirit of Ms. Lindbergh were politely coughing and pointing from the great beyond to her words of wisdom.
I share this passage here with you and hope you pick up your own copy.

Is this then what happens to woman? She wants perpetually to spill herself away. All her instinct as a woman, the eternal nourisher of children, of men, of society, demands that she give. Her time, her energy, her creativeness drain out into these channels if there is any change, any leak. Traditionally we are taught, and instinctively we long, to give where it is needed, and immediately. Eternally, woman spills herself away in driblets to the thirsty, seldom being allowed the time, the quiet, the peace, to let the pitcher fill up to the brim.

Purposeful giving is not as apt to deplete ones resources; it belongs to that natural order of giving that seems to renew itself even in the act of depletion. The more one gives, the more one has to give, like milk in the breast.

If it is womans function to give, she must be replenished too. But how? Solitude, says the moon shell. Every person, especially every woman, should be alone sometime during the year, some part of each week, and each day.