Archive   |   October, 2009

just in time for halloween: ghost clock

Posted by in decorating

ghostlock
The folks at Innermost UK have created a Ghost Clock that more gorgeous than spooky. The ornate design of a traditional carriage clock gets a streamlined makeover thanks to trompe l’oeil and a glass body — could be the perfect perch for Poe’s raven. For $150, it’s a bigger investment than a Halloween decoration (especially alongside your Dollar Store bag of spider webs) but this is one ghost that you’ll want to leave on your mantle year ’round. –Katie D.

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real life test kitchen: cooking in a mug

Posted by in cooking

cakeinmug
mugmeatloaf

I’ll try anything once, and when it comes to cake, you don’t have to ask me twice. So when my culinary curiosity lead me to a recipe for a five-minute cake that is cooked in a mug, I was instantly dedicated to road-testing any version available that would lead me through the dark woods of my cynicism to believing that something tasty could in fact be made in a mug in five minutes. Apparently WebMD’s Elaine Magee RD, MPH was on a similarly holy mission, but she took it a step further by making the cake recipe healthier. And wouldn’t you know it? Her 5-Minute Chocolate Mug Cake Makeover was the tastiest of the few I tried! I also experimented with meatloaf and omelets in a mug — details after the jump! –Sarah C. Click the link for the mug cake recipe and more mug love! (more…)

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kinda genius: single-use spice packs

Posted by in cooking

tsp
smartspice

TSP Spices wants to solve the issue of wasted spices and seasonings by packaging their certified organic spices in one-teaspoon packs that stay fresh longer. To someone who just realized that we have a huge bottle of spice that is a year and a half past its use-by date (I hate even admitting that) this seems like a simple but great idea. TSP Spices has a higher price point than grocery-store spices and thus might be a better gift option, but sister company Smart Spice operates with the same packaging idea at a more economical price point. The spices at TSP Spices inlude gift sets and themed lines (i.e. Green Basics, Sweet Basics, Spice Basics, Set for the Holidays) and individual spices, while the 16 varieties of Smart Spice are sold individually. –Sarah C.

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i’m nuts for cracking stuff

Posted by in cooking

nutcracker

This back-to-basics nutcracker — aptly named Cracking Stuff — is just the type of kitchen tool I love. I’m pretty sure any craft-minded individual with a scroll saw could make their own version of the two-piece nutcracker — it’s simply a beach wood block with a hole cut out of the center and a steel clamp. I don’t often by my nuts in the shell, but for those of you lucky enough to have a walnut or pecan tree in your backyard, this may be your new best friend. Pick one up for around $18 at Spunique. —Erica P.

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paris vacation rentals that look the part

Posted by in traveling

jonsapt
atticwindow
mansion

If you’re visiting Paris, why not go all out and indulge in your fantasy of living in a fabulously chic apartment right on the Seine, a whitewashed attic nook just steps from the Bon Marche, even an opulent mansion near Hotel des Invalides? Yes, I’m already dreaming — a friend recently stayed in this apartment found through Vingt Paris, and all I can say is, je l’aime. I mean, look at that place! Can you really do better at a hotel? Short- and long-term rentals are available at the Vingt Paris site, where I suspect the photos will wow you as they did me. And if you really fall in love with Paris, they sell apartments, too. –Mary T.

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