shopping

Notes From the Road

Just for Fun

FridayFreeForAll

We were, as you might guess, on the road this past weekend, specifically to and from Mobile, Alabama, for MobiCon. It was #3 on the circuit of 6 conventions I’m taking my book to this year and we had a fabulous time.

We usually try to drive over the night before any given convention so we’re not road-weary when the show opens (usually around noon on Fridays for most cons), but that means grabbing dinner somewhere on the road. Since travelling is one of those times I try to be especially careful what I eat (so I don’t end up ill between points A and B), we try to find a sit-down place to eat rather than an drive-through.

Did you know Cracker Barrel has salads?

And not just the side salad or coleslaw variety. It’s not what you usually think of when you see the wooden rockers on that wide front porch, but they’ve apparently added some lighter fare options including this Chef Salad that was quite tasty.

Chef Salad from Cracker Barrel

Chef Salad from Cracker Barrel

Dinner salads are my default option for dining out while keeping the FODMAPs low.

Trying to get back into the Illustration Friday habit.

Ages ago I was among the first wave of artists to sign up for Illustration Friday prompts but my participation has been lacking for most of that time. I’d sketch some of them out but seldom would I get around to posting them. Friday’s prompt was “Universe” and immediately the Beatles started playing through my head. That song was stuck in my head all weekend long, but I didn’t mind.

Across the Universe

Across the Universe

I’d seen (somewhere, I failed to bookmark it) a coloring style that concentrated on outlines and corners (for lack of a better description), more a suggestion of color than anything else, and I was curious to try it. It worked especially well with colored pencils, and I like the composition enough that I might recreate it digitally for prints. Maybe. It was fun to have something to draw just for fun in the moment.

A little detour on the way home.

While I’m generally content to snooze my way home while Todd drives (I generally fight sleep if I’m driving the return trip, so we’ve just given up trying at this point), this time we made a little detour to the Tanger Outlet shops. Now, usually I stick with the outlets that are right off the Interstate but this one was 20 miles down a state highway and then had the nerve to more mall than outlet. What is up with the prices being just as high there as they would be in a non-outlet store?! My bargain-loving self was not amused.

I did, however, manage to find a good bargain on a handbag from Wilson’s Leather; $200 bag for $50? I’ll take that deal! But most of our time was spent in the kitchen stores (no surprise there) where we picked up a couple of Snap ‘n Stack Cupcake/Cookie Carriers at essentially 2 for 1 and the hope is that they will make taking our samples to conventions that much simpler.

The cupcake inserts flip to make 2 tiers per container.

The cupcake inserts flip to make 2 tiers per container. (image via Amazon)

It was a fun, if exhausting weekend. Our next convention isn’t until mid-July. That’s a good thing as now we’ve got to get on the ball and start packing!

Under Pressure

Nibbles

(Sorry if you now have that song stuck in your head.)

Growing up I’d always heard dire stories about pressure cooker malfunctions–blowouts, dinner ending up on the ceiling, and even injuries in the more severe cases. These stories pretty much insured that it was one kitchen appliance that I wouldn’t be bothering with, despite some of the so-called benefits.

Or so I thought.

Recently I received a book to review that had me rethinking my stance on pressure cookers and other things. While that review is for a future post, it did get me researching and eventually buying a pressure cooker of my own. I think this is one of the most researched pots in my kitchen (or any other appliance or vessel, for that matter).

At first I figured (since I wasn’t 100% sure I’d be using it a lot outside of the projects for the aforementioned book review) that I’d hunt around some thrift stores for one on the cheap. But the more I thought about it, the better buying new sounded–mostly because you never know how well (or not) that pot was treated in its former home.

So the research began. I looked both in stores and online, keeping in mind a few deciding factors:

  • Ease of Use
  • Consumer Ratings
  • Price

Cuisinart Electric Pressure Cooker (affiliate link)

The shocking thing, to me, about pressure cookers was the price. The least expensive version my local Bed, Bath & Beyond carried was $70, with most–manual and electric–in the $99 region. And the fact that there were electric ones was quite intriguing, though I later opted for manual because of size/price concerns. After all, if the whole process turned into more trouble than it was worth, I didn’t want to be out too much money for this little experiment.

While 4- and 6-quart models are fairly common and relatively inexpensive, I learned that for my purposes, nothing less than a 10-quart model would do. That’s what ultimately knocked the electric models out the running, though I really did love the idea of being able to plug it in and let it do most of the work/monitoring.

 

Fagor DUO Pressure Cooker (affiliate link)

Within the manual types, though, there are those with pressure dials and those where you place the appropriate weights on the steam valve yourself. And those with rubber gaskets and those without. Ultimately I went with a 10-quart Fagor DUO that has a pressure dial and gasket. This model was very highly rated on Amazon and elsewhere, and those who purchased the 10-quart without the perforated basket and trivet missed those features tremendously, hence my decision to go with the DUO.

The gasket is what makes the build-up of steam pressure possible while also, as I understand it, acting as a safety valve should something go awry. If the other safety measures fail, the gasket will blow and release the built-up pressure at a designated spot, preventing a more serious mishap. Gaskets are also the more maintenance-heavy parts of the cooker as they require oiling after each use/cleaning and replacement at least once a year. The gaskets are pretty universal, though, so finding replacements shouldn’t be too tough.

Before I got into the book review project, I wanted to try out the basic tenet of pressure cooking: shortening the cooking time of everyday foods. The box for the pressure cooker touted roasting a chicken in 15 minutes–that was something I could easily try.

15-18 minutes was listed as appropriate for a 3 lb chicken. As mine was 4  lbs I figured 20 minutes would be enough. Now, that’s just the time required at pressure (high or 15 psi, in this case). You also have to factor in the time it takes for the vessel to reach that pressure as well as depressurizing afterwards, so my question was how much time it really would save.

Well, color me surprised when it took less than 5 minutes for the cooker to reach the needed pressure and less than 5 for it to depressurize afterwards! (And that’s using the “natural” method of moving it off the heat and waiting for the chamber to release the pressure on it’s own, not using the automatic release or cold-water release, both faster and useful for more delicate items.) So we really did have a roasted chicken in half an hour. Sure beats the 2 hours called for in the original recipe I was following!

Roast Chicken in less than 30 minutes.

Roast Chicken in less than 30 minutes.

Of course, pressure-steaming a chicken does mean you’re not as likely to have a golden-brown skin on your bird without browning it beforehand. You can do this in the pressure cooker before putting the lid on, but maneuvering the 4lb chicken in the deep pot wasn’t quite an easy task and I didn’t want to dirty another pan, so we settled for the paler bird. In the end, the brown rice I was making to accompany the chicken took longer than the chicken did. Quite a change!

For a first run it was a little nerve-wracking, baby-sitting the pressure cooker is a requirement to make sure, especially on an electric stove, that the pressure stays constant, but overall a success. While I’m not sure I’d use a pressure cooker for those more delicate foods that cook rather quickly on their own, I can definitely see it as a useful tool for rapidly making stocks and soups when the need arises, as well as other projects I’ve got lined up.

Gifting Wine is Mighty Fine

Sips

Once again the holidays are upon us and, once again, the invitations are flowing and you–being a polite guest–want to bring something nice for your host or hostess.

Unless you’re specifically asked to bring something to be a part of the event, understand that your host is under no obligation to use or consume your gift that night. In fact, a hostess gift is meant to be enjoyed after the guests have departed, as a thank-you for a pleasant time or a way to unwind.

Flowers can send a hostess into a tizzy, trying to find a vase and a place for them while she’s greeting guests, not to mention potential allergies. If you want to send flowers after the fact, that would be a nice gesture along with a nice thank-you note–seriously, the common courtesies are falling by the way-side, it’d be nice to revive them. Still, it’s nice to show up with something in your hand.

Consumables are the best, and wine is considered quite the gifting commodity. Even if your host doesn’t drink, they can always regift it or keep it around for others that do, so it’s a nice, safe choice unless you know they have moral objections to wine or spirits.

Here are some bottles to be on the look out for, at a variety of price points to fit any occasion and budget (my notes are the ones in italics):

Villa Pozzi Pinot Grigio is perfect for the female friends in your life. Whether it is a coworker or a cousin, let them know you’re thinking of them. This unique Sicilian wine produced by the 4th generation winemakers of the Pozzi family, is ideal for the modern woman with its refined aromatic, well balanced taste profile and simply-elegant packaging. SRP $9.99

White wine has no gender. If you know your friends prefer bright white wines, go for it. We found this Pinot Grigio to be an excellent example of the varietal, nice and fruity and it went pretty well with the chicken and wild rice I was serving last night. It’s also a fabulous wine to cook with, especially if they like risotto.

Girard Artistry is the ideal wine for the important men in your life. Perhaps for your father-in-law who enjoys the finer things in life, or your uncle who likes to unwind after work? It is produced by Girard Winery has been producing world-class wine since 1975 that truly and faithfully represent the unique terroir of the Napa Valley. Girard Artistry is stylistically diverse with elegance, balance, power, and finesse. SRP $39.99

A table wine is a blend of many different varietals that make it a great choice for a range of meals. This particular wine seemed on the medium-bodied side to us, which is what we like. Did we consider it a $40 bottle? Not really. But that doesn’t mean it’s a bad choice if you’re looking to impress someone who finds those sorts of things important.

Ruta 22 Malbec is the gift for the adventurous, travel-lover on your list. Have them explore South America, take them on a journey to Patagonia, which produces the finest Malbec in Argentina. Ruta 22, hand harvested wine, will delight them with its dark ruby red color and fruit forward and elegant taste. SRP $12.99

You might remember we shared this one last year, too. It’s tough to go wrong with a South American Malbec.

[ yellow tail ]  bubbles rosé is for that bubbly person who keeps you smiling! Maybe your girlfriend who brings a smile on your face, or your best friend who is the one you’re sharing laughs with and celebrating life with. SRP $9.99

Sparkling wine is the perfect choice the closer we get to New Year’s Eve–providing the Mayans were wrong, of course, and the world doesn’t end on the 21st. Sweet sparklers are growing in popularity (which is fabulous in my book) and a rosé is a nice stepping stone between the dry and sweet. Yellow Tail is a very affordable tipple, perfect for stocking up for the countdown or any cause for celebration.

I can’t imagine the host, coworker, or Secret Santa that wouldn’t love to receive any of those bottles.

Happy Holidays, my friends. Please remember to celebrate responsibly, use a designated driver or call a cab–jail or the hospital is no way to start the new year!

——————–

I was provided samples of the above wines for purposes of review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Dressing the Groom

Third Time Wife, Wedding Planning

First things first, let’s state the obvious: Mr. Road Trip is fully capable of dressing himself.

And I don’t mean in the sit-com-ish man-child ‘oh, look, he pulled something together that doesn’t look half bad, here’s a cookie’ way. I mean that when I met him he regularly wore ties to work. And he irons on a somewhat regular basis–even I don’t do that! So I’m not really worried about what he’s going to want to wear to our wedding, you know?

Still, I have thoughts on the subject–boy, do I!–but they’re more preferences than anything else. And if it comes down to 2 ensembles that are equally good and I prefer one a little more and he prefers the other, I’m not going to pout and fuss because he picks his preference. After all, I want him to be just as comfortable in his get-up as I am in mine.

And since we’re more than likely going the suit route, he actually has a prayer’s chance of wearing his again, which is more than I can say for my dress!

We’re not having a super-formal wedding. It’s going to be in the morning, in fall, with a small group of people and a brunch reception. A tuxedo strikes me as a bit too much and the sight of a cummerbund makes me think of high school formals. If he did go with more of a tuxedo-style jacket, I do prefer the long tie over the bow-tie, but in the store one day, T made a very good point:

I can wear a tie any day, I want something a little more special.

And who am I to argue with that?

That said, it was just recently that we even ventured into a Men’s Warehouse to look at what they had and start to figure out his jacket size.

Can I just take a moment, here, to say DAMN, the man cleans up nice.

But you’re going to have to take my word on it, for the moment. Because just as I was thinking ‘oh, maybe I should take some pictures of this’ a salesman (who I think might have helped me out when I bought some French cuff shirts for T the Christmas before our cruise) walked up and started to assist us.

A few things we learned, aside from his jacket size, were that we both preferred the European cut (straighter shoulders and more tapering to the waist) to the Continental cut (sloped shoulders and less tapering), and that there is a distinct difference between a suit coat, a sports coat, and a blazer. To which I replied, “I don’t care what you call if as long as it looks good.”

Since my dress is a creamy ivory, we were thinking a tan or taupe suit would look good with it, but their idea of taupe has a lot of grey in it. And then, come to find out, several coats that looked the correct color on the rack and against my skin-tone when I picked them up looked almost green against T’s skin! Mr. Trips also made the point that we were under store lighting and not in natural light, and that could make a difference, too, but I still think the color change is worth being aware of.

Our salesman pointed out that if we went on their website we could have free range of the colors they offered in various styles and cuts. If we made a note of the color codes (a particular part of the item number on all their wares) he would order them in (give it a week as some might be making a cross-country trek) with no obligation by us, and then T could try them on in person.

So that was our homework, but we decided to look around the rest of the store just to see.

Shirt & Tie from Men's Warehouse | personal photo

Shirt & Tie from Men’s Warehouse | personal photo

And the one thing I took a picture of was this shirt and tie combo (see, we’re back to the tie for the time being, at least). The dark chocolate shirt with a creamy tie really struck a chord with both of us.

What we’re thinking, based on this little Saturday side-trip, is that a dark shirt with a light tie, a light-colored blazer (sports coats tend to have patterns that could conflict with the tie, etc.), and dark or neutral-colored slacks might be the direction we go for the grooms wedding day look.

All things subject to change, of course.

How involved were you with the groom’s attire?

The Dress Hunt Begins: David’s Bridal

Third Time Wife, Wedding Planning

A few months after becoming officially engaged, I decided it was time to start the dress hunt. No matter that we still had 2 years to go–it’s not like I was planning to buy anything right then, anyway! But I was a member of several shopping sites that were having limited time and selection sales (Rue La La, Dress Rush–now Tailored, and others) and I figured it would be good to have an idea of what looked good on me (not being in the habit of trying on white, formal dresses and all) so that if a good deal popped up I’d be able to grab it. With confidence.

Now, I know that sometimes the big chains get a bad rep, but as a plus-sized bride, they’re the most likely to have several samples in my size, which is important for seeing how a dress is really going to look when it’s not all gapey in the back.

Since we have a David’s in town, that was my first stop, with two close friends in tow to take pictures, help out, and generally pull anything they thought might be interesting on me. Because even though I had an idea of what I thought I wanted, I was willing to try on just about anything because you never know what’s actually going to work. My preliminary criteria:

  • Empire waist
  • Chiffon or tulle, no shiny satin or nightgown-feeling materials
  • Texture, but not the crazy-huge-flower kind of texture
  • Ruching was probably my friend
  • Ivory, not white
  • Sweetheart neckline

While I’d love something that gave me the look of a waist (I’m a rectangle with a bit of a dent at my natural waist, or a cylinder that shifts forward and back to allow for boobs and butt; something other than well-defined curves is what I’m getting at), I can’t really have anything super-tight on my abdomen or I’ll become physically ill thanks to some ongoing digestive issues, and who wants to deal with THAT lovely prospect on her wedding day? Not I!

The one thing that shocked me about this appointment had nothing to do with the dresses I tried on. I was nervous. Seriously, hand-shaking, knees-wobbly nervous. Once I got to the shop and got checked in the nerves settled down and soon we were all laughing and joking around because I can do nothing where I’m the center of the attention without plenty of self-deprecating humor. They (wo)manned the cameras and pulled dresses when our consultant (who, thankfully, never tried the hard-sell me on anything and was perfectly pleasant) switched to her second bride-to-be who was sans entourage.

Enough blathering, how about some pictures?

I tried on 12 dressed in 2.5 hours and have copious photographic proof of the good, the bad, and the awkward. Here’s a representative sample:

That would be my 'Why did I mark this as a favorite?!' look. Between the shiny fabric and the straight-across boob-line, this was a quick no. (all photos personal)

That would be my ‘Why did I mark this as a favorite?!’ look. Between the shiny fabric and the straight-across boob-line, this was a quick no. (all photos personal)

I do like the back of this one--the beading was nice but I didn't think I wanted a train at the time, so it would be a shame to cut it off.

I do like the back of this one–the beading was nice but I didn’t think I wanted a train at the time, so it would be a shame to cut it off.

Again with the uniboob look, but otherwise not a bad dress at all.

Again with the uniboob look, but otherwise not a bad dress at all.

This was probably the number 2 dress of the day. I could probably adjust the neckline into a sweetheart-ish dip, but if I could avoid it all the better. Still, the fabric had the look and feel of what I was after.

Score one for the diagonal ruching--I look like I have a waist!

Score one for the diagonal ruching–I look like I have a waist!

Too bad it was in the wrong material and what the hell is up with that seam across the back?! The sweetheart neckline was definitely an improvement, though, and for that this dress was probably number 1 of the day. Though that’s not saying much since I was in love with absolutely nothing.

The one thing it needed was some bling, and different fabric.

The one thing it needed was some bling, and different fabric.

I must have just turned around, making the a-line look like a sheath–definitely not the look I was going for.

Help me, Obi Wan, you're my only hope!

Help me, Obi Wan, you’re my only hope!

I swear, if this one had a hood it’d be perfect for a Princess Leia cosplay. For the geeks among us, that detachable train is actually a Watteau train (yes, really). If I wore something like this I’d be totally playing with my “cape” all day. But I don’t think I would. Wear it, that is. While I like that the dress isn’t strapless, this style totally squished the girls and, geez, take away the curves I do have, why doncha?

Some other things I learned were that the tea-length dresses, while I loved them in theory, did nothing for my legs–go short, go long, but no in between. And while I’d hoped to avoid the bulky crinoline slips, I’ve changed my tune and love them dearly–they camouflage any tummy-bulge weirdness, even under the less-structured gowns.

Also? When your bestie unlaces you from the tea-length dress you removed the aforementioned crinoline to try on, remember the lack of underslip before the dress falls and you happen to have the dressing room door half-open. Oops!

But the mission was mostly accomplished. I still didn’t know what I wanted, but I knew more about what I didn’t want, and that’s not a bad place to be, 2 years out from the wedding.

How did your first dress-trying experience go?