With Labor Day weekend on the horizon here in the U.S., my mind has turned to fall travel. Today's post kicks off a series of posts on websites I've found helpful while planning trips. Some of them are well known, and some are not. But today I thought I'd focus on a few logistical tips I've found very helpful in both international and domestic travel:
Packing & Prior to Departure
* The best tip I could possibly offer is to pack light. We travel exclusively carry-on only, and have managed weekend, weeklong, and more than one month-long trip out of a standard carryon suitcase (each). It requires careful planning, and knowledge of your itinerary, but it is very possible, and frees you from having to lug heavy suitcases up and down staircases or cobblestone streets, pay baggage fees, or wait for checked luggage.
* If possible, leave part of your suitcase empty. This ensures you have space to bring home any wonderful souveniers you might stumble upon on your way (even if it's just a bottle of the local tipple). If you're flying on a non-budget carrier, another way to handle this is to pack a second bag that you could check if you needed more space, but then you have to wait for checked luggage when you get home.
* Plan your departure several days ahead of time. This includes when and how you're getting to the airport, what you need to bring with you, and what needs to be done before then. You'll be glad you had a checklist when you don't forget your passport, or you remember to toss the milk before you leave.
* Get rid of any perishables that won't last, and empty your trash right before you leave. No one wants to come home to rotten food, or an overflowing trash can.
Organization
* Determine what you want to do while you're gone. I've found that a good rule of thumb is to plan approximately 2 activities (sights to see, parks to wander, restaurants to visit) per day in a new city. That way you have time to get lost or stay longer at something you love without feeling like you're getting off schedule. We also plan a few "optional" outings in case we have extra time. I'll be posting several websites later in this series that can be very helpful to determine where you want to go.
* Check the weather. There's can be a big difference between the weather you expect and the weather that actually occurs. We didn't know how cold and wet Dublin is over New Year's Day- save yourself some seriously cold feet and check the weather before you go, then plan your outfits accordingly.
* Make a checklist of all the items you'll need with you for the activities you have planned, and all of the things you need to do before you leave. I find it helpful to run through each day in my head as I make the list. Remembering that I'll need to brush my teeth reminds me to put my toothpaste and toothbrush on the list, etc.
* Save important information somewhere easily accessible- if you're traveling domestically, smart phones can be a great way to access information saved on email, but it's also helpful to mark information for upcoming trips as "important," so that you're not wasting time searching through years of hotel/airplane/car reservations to find the right ones. If you're traveling internationally, phone service can be a bit spotty- we like to bring printed copies of our information then (one set per person).
Upon Return
* Give yourself at least half a day to unpack and get back into to things before you have to get back to your regular schedule. I never used to do this, but it makes for a much more relaxing reentry.
* Plan your airport pickup before you get home. There's nothing more frustrating than a 40 minute transit after a day of flying, when you could cover the distance in a car in 20 minutes.
* Keep a few fully cooked meals in the freezer, so that you don't need to go out to eat again.
* While social media is very tempting, consider waiting to post pictures until after you return. Social media is not always as secure as we want it to be, and I'd personally hate to make my home a target for a break-in because I made it clear to the world that no one was home. Plus, it gives you a chance to relive the experience while it's still fresh in your mind!
Last, but certainly not least- save a pair of easily removable shoes to wear to the airport (even better if you also have socks on). It's always nice to be the person who can just reach into their carryon, grab their 3-1-1 liquids, and slip off their shoes. No one likes the security lines, so do what you can to move through them more quickly!
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Meal Planning
Any of you who have read about losing weight or saving money will have come upon the advice to plan out your meals. By taking the cravings out of cooking, you are less likely to make impulse purchases, saving time, money and calories. At this point, that's probably common knowledge. What I'd like to suggest is a bit more of a flexible plan- it can help save time, money and calories (if you want it to), but allows for dinners out with friends or other events where you aren't able to cook.
First, make a list of your favorite easy meals. It's especially helpful if one or two of these is a pantry or freezer recipe that you can pull out without going to the store. I like to use my green curry with chicken or shrimp, and pasta with tomato sauce, both of which are freezer recipes (I've listed my recipe for green curry below). I make large batches of these recipes once every month or so, and freeze double portions (enough for dinner and lunch the next day). That way, if I hit a day where I'm too tired to cook, or we eat at home more often than normal that week, I still have a homemade meal to put on the table, and all I have to do is cook rice or pasta.
Now, think carefully about your week. Is it reasonable to say that you'll eat at home 2 or 3 nights? More or less? In our household, I've found that we can almost always count on eating at home 3 nights of the week. The other nights, we might have work events, family dinners, or just feel like eating out.
Once you've figured out how many dinners to account for, pull out that number of easy, but different recipes. If you don't have a mountain of cookbooks, Real Simple and Cooking Light are great resources for delicious, and generally easy recipes. Write up a shopping list with the ingredients for these recipes- check your cupboards to see if you already have any of the pantry basics that the recipes call for (this is a big part of saving money by planning meals- if you already have a perishable ingredient, choose recipes that will use it up). Most recipes make a serving for about 4. If you're cooking for two, that means you can get a dinner and followup lunch out of eat time cooking. If you're cooking for four, you'll need to double the recipe to get the same amount.
You've now got a list of food needed to cover most of your lunches and dinners for the week. Think about what you like to eat for breakfast and snacks, and add that to the list. We often have listings like "Fruit- 3 days," so that we can feel free to grab whatever kind of fruit looks best at the store, but we don't forget to grab our healthy snacks for the week. That's it- you've got a basic meal plan.
I like to keep the recipes out on my counter, as a reminder of what I'm going to cook. If any include fish, I prioritize those earlier in the week, since fish doesn't keep as well. I tend to push more complex recipes to weekends, because then I have time to enjoy the cooking process.
How do you plan out your meals?
First, make a list of your favorite easy meals. It's especially helpful if one or two of these is a pantry or freezer recipe that you can pull out without going to the store. I like to use my green curry with chicken or shrimp, and pasta with tomato sauce, both of which are freezer recipes (I've listed my recipe for green curry below). I make large batches of these recipes once every month or so, and freeze double portions (enough for dinner and lunch the next day). That way, if I hit a day where I'm too tired to cook, or we eat at home more often than normal that week, I still have a homemade meal to put on the table, and all I have to do is cook rice or pasta.
Now, think carefully about your week. Is it reasonable to say that you'll eat at home 2 or 3 nights? More or less? In our household, I've found that we can almost always count on eating at home 3 nights of the week. The other nights, we might have work events, family dinners, or just feel like eating out.
Once you've figured out how many dinners to account for, pull out that number of easy, but different recipes. If you don't have a mountain of cookbooks, Real Simple and Cooking Light are great resources for delicious, and generally easy recipes. Write up a shopping list with the ingredients for these recipes- check your cupboards to see if you already have any of the pantry basics that the recipes call for (this is a big part of saving money by planning meals- if you already have a perishable ingredient, choose recipes that will use it up). Most recipes make a serving for about 4. If you're cooking for two, that means you can get a dinner and followup lunch out of eat time cooking. If you're cooking for four, you'll need to double the recipe to get the same amount.
You've now got a list of food needed to cover most of your lunches and dinners for the week. Think about what you like to eat for breakfast and snacks, and add that to the list. We often have listings like "Fruit- 3 days," so that we can feel free to grab whatever kind of fruit looks best at the store, but we don't forget to grab our healthy snacks for the week. That's it- you've got a basic meal plan.
I like to keep the recipes out on my counter, as a reminder of what I'm going to cook. If any include fish, I prioritize those earlier in the week, since fish doesn't keep as well. I tend to push more complex recipes to weekends, because then I have time to enjoy the cooking process.
Green Curry Recipe
2-3 cans coconut cream
3-ish green bell peppers, cut into pieces
2-3 zucchini, cut into half moons
1 lb green beans, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
1 can of any: bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, baby corn
1 lb uncooked shrimp or chicken
Put the curry paste into a large, hot pan. Push around until it's starting to brown a little on the bottom of the pan. Add chicken (if using), diced, and cook until no longer pink on the outside. Add coconut milk/cream and bring to a simmer. Add veggies, except green beans. Simmer, uncovered 10-15 min. Add green beans, simmer 20 min more or until veggies are cooked. Add shrimp (if using), turn off heat immediately, and let sit about 10 min. Taste, and add more curry paste if needed. Don't add the shrimp if you're freezing it.
Feel free to add other veggies- red potatoes are good, but don't freeze well. Very tiny eggplant can be a good substitute for the zucchini, but bigger ones fall apart. Basically any veggie should work- I like the visual of all green. Very soft smooth tofu can be great to thicken the sauce, but doesn't freeze well.
Put the curry paste into a large, hot pan. Push around until it's starting to brown a little on the bottom of the pan. Add chicken (if using), diced, and cook until no longer pink on the outside. Add coconut milk/cream and bring to a simmer. Add veggies, except green beans. Simmer, uncovered 10-15 min. Add green beans, simmer 20 min more or until veggies are cooked. Add shrimp (if using), turn off heat immediately, and let sit about 10 min. Taste, and add more curry paste if needed. Don't add the shrimp if you're freezing it.
Feel free to add other veggies- red potatoes are good, but don't freeze well. Very tiny eggplant can be a good substitute for the zucchini, but bigger ones fall apart. Basically any veggie should work- I like the visual of all green. Very soft smooth tofu can be great to thicken the sauce, but doesn't freeze well.
How do you plan out your meals?
Monday, August 25, 2014
Making Do
My bike is probably about 12 years old. My dad built it for me before I went off to college, and, other than a basic tune-up, it hasn't changed much since then. It's heavy, has racks I don't use, and was designed with basic trips to class carrying heavy books in mind, not commuting or going on 20+ mile trips.
Over the last year or so, I've been throwing around the idea of buying a newer, nicer bike, to try to better fit my current lifestyle. I've talked over options, and came to the realization that I wanted a touring/racing bike (lighter than my current adapted mountain bike), made out of steel (which is more resiliant and not much heavier than aluminum), with drop handle bars (for lots of hand position options), street/not racing tires (for a little extra grip), and mountain bike/not disc brakes (because I don't bike fast enough that disc brakes would be necessary). I found out about Shimano integrated gear shifts, which are basically maintenance free, and am hoping that I can find those too, although they're less common than the standard gearing mechanisms. Some very basic preliminary research suggested that a mid-level bike with those features would be about $500.
I didn't want to spend that kind of money without trying out the features in store, so I spent an afternoon going from shop to shop. It turns out that what I want is not a standard mix of features, and I'll probably have to buy online to get everything all at once. I'm not sure that I want to risk such a large purchase without being able to try it out first, so I started listing out the changes that'd need to be made to my current bike to bring it closer to what I'm looking for:
* new handlebars (which also means new brake mechanisms and possibly a new shifter)
* a new seat
* removing my baskets
* putting a smaller pouch under the seat for keys/phone
* changing out the wheels
Now, if you had to buy those retail, and pay for someone else to do the work, it might be somewhat expensive (I don't know). I'm lucky enough to have a father who has a bit of a bike obsession, and had spare parts for almost all of those changes hanging around (and the know-how to do the change or walk me through it). As of yesterday afternoon, I have a new seat, fixed bell, one basket is off, I have a pouch under the seat, and one of the tires is changed out. The handlebars will take some time, because of the need to change out the brakes and shifter, I still need to take off the other bike rack, and I'll probably need to pay for a tire to fit my front wheel.
Will this make for the perfect, functional bike that's exactly what I want? No. But it allows me to reuse what I already have, get (hopefully) significantly closer to what I'm looking for, and, even if I didn't have a fountain of bike wisdom and access to parts, it would still be quite a bit cheaper than getting a brand new bike. It wasn't my first instinct, but it's worth looking at how you can adapt what you already have to fit your needs, rather than just replacing something. Even if you don't have a friend or family member who knows how to do something, Google can be a powerful tool. I may still end up replacing this bike, but in the meantime, I'll be able to evaluate the changes and see what I like and what I don't, and I'll hopefully be able to make a more informed choice about features and costs if I do decide that I really need to upgrade.
Over the last year or so, I've been throwing around the idea of buying a newer, nicer bike, to try to better fit my current lifestyle. I've talked over options, and came to the realization that I wanted a touring/racing bike (lighter than my current adapted mountain bike), made out of steel (which is more resiliant and not much heavier than aluminum), with drop handle bars (for lots of hand position options), street/not racing tires (for a little extra grip), and mountain bike/not disc brakes (because I don't bike fast enough that disc brakes would be necessary). I found out about Shimano integrated gear shifts, which are basically maintenance free, and am hoping that I can find those too, although they're less common than the standard gearing mechanisms. Some very basic preliminary research suggested that a mid-level bike with those features would be about $500.
I didn't want to spend that kind of money without trying out the features in store, so I spent an afternoon going from shop to shop. It turns out that what I want is not a standard mix of features, and I'll probably have to buy online to get everything all at once. I'm not sure that I want to risk such a large purchase without being able to try it out first, so I started listing out the changes that'd need to be made to my current bike to bring it closer to what I'm looking for:
* new handlebars (which also means new brake mechanisms and possibly a new shifter)
* a new seat
* removing my baskets
* putting a smaller pouch under the seat for keys/phone
* changing out the wheels
Now, if you had to buy those retail, and pay for someone else to do the work, it might be somewhat expensive (I don't know). I'm lucky enough to have a father who has a bit of a bike obsession, and had spare parts for almost all of those changes hanging around (and the know-how to do the change or walk me through it). As of yesterday afternoon, I have a new seat, fixed bell, one basket is off, I have a pouch under the seat, and one of the tires is changed out. The handlebars will take some time, because of the need to change out the brakes and shifter, I still need to take off the other bike rack, and I'll probably need to pay for a tire to fit my front wheel.
Will this make for the perfect, functional bike that's exactly what I want? No. But it allows me to reuse what I already have, get (hopefully) significantly closer to what I'm looking for, and, even if I didn't have a fountain of bike wisdom and access to parts, it would still be quite a bit cheaper than getting a brand new bike. It wasn't my first instinct, but it's worth looking at how you can adapt what you already have to fit your needs, rather than just replacing something. Even if you don't have a friend or family member who knows how to do something, Google can be a powerful tool. I may still end up replacing this bike, but in the meantime, I'll be able to evaluate the changes and see what I like and what I don't, and I'll hopefully be able to make a more informed choice about features and costs if I do decide that I really need to upgrade.
Friday, August 22, 2014
Kombucha
Kombucha is a bit of an acquired taste- it's a fermented tea, which provides lots of wonderful probiotics (similar to those in yogurt). You may have seen it in stores- the most common brand I've seen is GT's Kombucha, which is delicious (especially the flavors with chia seeds). My kombucha habit was getting a bit out of hand though, so I decided to try brewing my own. My sister did this for years in college, so I knew that it wasn't difficult, just takes a little time and experimentation.
While this is significantly cheaper than store-bought kombucha, I have yet to make a batch that I feel is quite as good. It's tasty, just not quite there. So, this is really more of a project for if you feel like trying something new.
You’ll need:
* a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast), also known as a “mother”**
* a large glass jar
* tea (anything caffeinated but without bergamot- SCOBYs seems to react best to plain tea)
* sugar (or maple syrup)
* cheesecloth or a paper towel
** If you have a friend who is already brewing kombucha, you can probably get a SCOBY from them for free. If you don't, they are available online from several different places. There are also instructions available to grow your own SCOBY from store-bought kombucha, but rumor has it that these aren't very effective. I got my SCOBYs from several friends, so I can't vouch for any of the online or home-grown options.
Instructions:
Brew the tea according to package directions, stirring in about 1/3 c. sweetener per approximately 4 cups tea. You can adjust this amount to taste, but the SCOBY needs both sugar and caffeine to do its thing. Let the sweet tea cool to room temperature. Put the sweet tea in the glass jar with the SCOBY and about 1-2 c. kombucha from a previous batch. Cover tightly with the cheesecloth or paper towel and place in a cool, dark area. Let brew for 7-10 days, then check its flavor. Depending on the size of your jar it may take longer to ferment to the point you like. The longer it ferments, the less sweet it will be, and the more likely it'll be carbonated.
Once it’s ready, decant the kombucha into glass bottles/jars. These will keep in the fridge 1-2 weeks, but may need some head room to accommodate carbonation. The SCOBY can be kept in the fridge in a glass container with 1-2 c. kombucha for several weeks at a time, if you don’t want to have a batch going. Your SCOBY will grow a new SCOBY underneath it as part of this process- you can take that one out to make a second batch or give away, or leave it attached.
Variations:
Boil chunks of ginger as you heat the water for the tea, and use maple syrup to sweeten.
Try a flavored black or green tea- I've had good luck with blueberry tea.
I’ve heard that you can mash fruit and add it during the fermentation period, but have not tried it.
Trouble shooting:
If your kombucha smells off, it probably is. You may want to dump that batch.
Your SCOBY should be fairly clean and uniformly colored. Bumps and bubbles are ok, but anything mold-like on the surface could mean that it's compromised. Use your best judgment.
*Disclaimer: kombucha is a fermented product, and like all bacterial cultures can be unpredictable. I am not a doctor or food scientist, and do not promise success or safety. I have personally used this process succesfully, but that is the only endorsement I am able to give. Use your best judgment about the products you consume.*
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Can you be social and green?
Sometimes it's difficult to stick to ethical choices you've made. I had a friend once comment that she didn't feel like she could tell someone "I'm not vegetarian, but I can't eat the meat you're serving because I don't know where it came from." It's an awkward position to be in for both parties- you don't want to make anyone feel bad about their choices, but your choices are important as well.
What can you do when your choices don't align with a friend or family member, and you don't want to put yourself into that situation?
Choose restaurants with practices you can support. Often, the goal is just to get together socially, and people will be flexible about where that is. Many restaurants publicize their sourcing or sustainability measures on their websites, or you can look at resources like Chinook Book or Spoon & Trowel for restaurants that have already been vetted.
If a restaurant is not in your budget, throw a dinner party or potluck. Cooking a whole meal can be more cost effective than a meal out, especially if you're picking up the tab for more than one person. If you're cooking at least one dish, you know that it complies with your food choices. It's also very common for a group these days to have at least one vegetarian or vegan, and not unreasonable for you to ask people to only bring foods that comply with those dietary restrictions. It may not guarantee you organic produce, but it does limit the need to discuss meat or dairy sourcing. The bonus with a potluck is that you get multiple delicious dishes without the effort of having to prepare them all.
* Pro tip: give people some guidance when you ask them to bring a dish, or you'll end up with 6 types of chips & salsa, and 4 different batches of brownies. Not that there's anything wrong with that!
Consider it an opportunity to explain your choices. While it might begin as an awkward conversation, if you think your friend or family member might be receptive, this can be a good opportunity to explain the choices that you've made, and the logic behind them. Just remember that (1) people respond poorly if they feel that they're being judged for their choices, so it's important to chose your phrasing carefully, and that (2) not everyone will have the resources to make the same choices you do. But explaining that "I was uncomfortable with what I knew about conventional milk production, and so I've made a choice to only eat dairy products where I know the conditions in which the cow was raised" may help explain your choices and allow them to consider their actions.
What can you do when your choices don't align with a friend or family member, and you don't want to put yourself into that situation?
Choose restaurants with practices you can support. Often, the goal is just to get together socially, and people will be flexible about where that is. Many restaurants publicize their sourcing or sustainability measures on their websites, or you can look at resources like Chinook Book or Spoon & Trowel for restaurants that have already been vetted.
If a restaurant is not in your budget, throw a dinner party or potluck. Cooking a whole meal can be more cost effective than a meal out, especially if you're picking up the tab for more than one person. If you're cooking at least one dish, you know that it complies with your food choices. It's also very common for a group these days to have at least one vegetarian or vegan, and not unreasonable for you to ask people to only bring foods that comply with those dietary restrictions. It may not guarantee you organic produce, but it does limit the need to discuss meat or dairy sourcing. The bonus with a potluck is that you get multiple delicious dishes without the effort of having to prepare them all.
* Pro tip: give people some guidance when you ask them to bring a dish, or you'll end up with 6 types of chips & salsa, and 4 different batches of brownies. Not that there's anything wrong with that!
Consider it an opportunity to explain your choices. While it might begin as an awkward conversation, if you think your friend or family member might be receptive, this can be a good opportunity to explain the choices that you've made, and the logic behind them. Just remember that (1) people respond poorly if they feel that they're being judged for their choices, so it's important to chose your phrasing carefully, and that (2) not everyone will have the resources to make the same choices you do. But explaining that "I was uncomfortable with what I knew about conventional milk production, and so I've made a choice to only eat dairy products where I know the conditions in which the cow was raised" may help explain your choices and allow them to consider their actions.
Wednesday, August 20, 2014
Decluttering
I won't claim to like cleaning, but I am one of those slightly strange people who get a kick out of purging. I absolutely LOVE getting rid of things. Shirt doesn't fit correctly? Gone. Bowl hasn't been used in a while? Donated. Pile of blankets too big? Gave some away. We live in a less than 1000 square foot loft. While we actually have a fair bit of storage space, I feel much better when we have fewer things. That's why, when I'm daydreaming, I'm probably mentally running through my closet or a cupboard trying to decide what else we can do without.
What have we found not necessary?
* Probably 2/3 of our wardrobes: mine more so than my husband's, since I wouldn't get rid of anything that's his without permission.
* 2-3 bankers boxes of books: fiction and nonfiction, but especially cookbooks. Last year I started a challenge to cook 3 recipes from each cookbook I owned. If all 3 were good, it got to stay. If all 3 were mediocre or bad, it immediately went into the "out" pile. If there were a mix, I kept cooking from it until I came to a decision. We found a couple of great new recipes, but also weeded out a huge number of cookbooks that would never get used. I'm currently in the process of cooking every interesting recipe from the remaining books to that I can decide which has really earned a permanent spot.
* kitchen gadgets: I cook a lot, but I have never found myself reaching for ramekins, or decorative spoons, or whisks (if I need to whisk something, it goes into the Kitchenaid mixer), or a full sized coffee maker. Those went by the wayside and have not been missed.
Young House Love is a blog that focuses on home improvements, but had a post last year about their wardrobe. Sherry (one of the bloggers) mentioned that she thinks of her closet as having an IQ, and she trys to keep that score as high as possible by only having things she loves in it. I love this idea, and have been trying to follow it with my own closet as well.
Upcoming items on the chopping block?
* pitchers: We have 4, but only ever use 2. I need to decide this summer which 2 best serve our purposes.
* dresses: I've managed to clear out my closet pretty well, but have a soft spot for dresses. I don't wear all of them though, so I'm planning on purging down to the ones I really love.
* t-shirts: The farther I get from college, the more I appreciate people who always seem to look put together. I'm planning on sorting my t-shirts so that I have fewer "meh" shirts, and a greater proportion of ones that allow me to look put together.
What have you purged? What are your guidelines for what to keep? Have you regretted any of your choices?
What have we found not necessary?
* Probably 2/3 of our wardrobes: mine more so than my husband's, since I wouldn't get rid of anything that's his without permission.
* 2-3 bankers boxes of books: fiction and nonfiction, but especially cookbooks. Last year I started a challenge to cook 3 recipes from each cookbook I owned. If all 3 were good, it got to stay. If all 3 were mediocre or bad, it immediately went into the "out" pile. If there were a mix, I kept cooking from it until I came to a decision. We found a couple of great new recipes, but also weeded out a huge number of cookbooks that would never get used. I'm currently in the process of cooking every interesting recipe from the remaining books to that I can decide which has really earned a permanent spot.
* kitchen gadgets: I cook a lot, but I have never found myself reaching for ramekins, or decorative spoons, or whisks (if I need to whisk something, it goes into the Kitchenaid mixer), or a full sized coffee maker. Those went by the wayside and have not been missed.
Young House Love is a blog that focuses on home improvements, but had a post last year about their wardrobe. Sherry (one of the bloggers) mentioned that she thinks of her closet as having an IQ, and she trys to keep that score as high as possible by only having things she loves in it. I love this idea, and have been trying to follow it with my own closet as well.
Upcoming items on the chopping block?
* pitchers: We have 4, but only ever use 2. I need to decide this summer which 2 best serve our purposes.
* dresses: I've managed to clear out my closet pretty well, but have a soft spot for dresses. I don't wear all of them though, so I'm planning on purging down to the ones I really love.
* t-shirts: The farther I get from college, the more I appreciate people who always seem to look put together. I'm planning on sorting my t-shirts so that I have fewer "meh" shirts, and a greater proportion of ones that allow me to look put together.
What have you purged? What are your guidelines for what to keep? Have you regretted any of your choices?
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