This weekend many Americans will be celebrating Independence Day with parades, parties and food-filled barbecues. I’ll be cooking for a few of those myself and celebrating my independence from a hot oven and stove with this quick, simple recipe that my mom threw together for just such occasions. With few ingredients, this dish is easily customized to your taste preference. Increase the soy sauce for a tangier bite, up the Dijon ante for greater zip or turn up the heat with the red pepper oil without ever breaking a sweat in the kitchen. — Sarah C. Read on for cold sesame noodles! (more…)

Around this time of year there’s always buzz about cookbooks for recent college grads who are beginning their adult lives and embarking on voyages of discovery in the kitchen. Another helpful gift to that end? This set of chef’s pencils, $11 from Etsy seller PaperPastries. With definitions for common culinary techniques and adjectives, a simple glance is all the reminder needed achieve cooking success. That grilled cheese isn’t going to cook itself! – Sarah C.

We have a toddler who goes to daycare, so I feel like I’m constantly packing lunch and snacks for him (and myself). Plastic baggies are a last resort for us, so when I spotted the ReSnackIt ($12.95) at Paper-Source the other day, I had to buy it. It’s a machine-washable cotton bag lined with nylon that’s BPA/lead/PVC/phthalate-free. Perfect for snacks, it’s also big enough for a sandwich. And it’s stylish. I love it, and so does our son. The cheerful prints are appealing to kids, and the velcro closure makes it easy for them to use. I’m planning to get a couple more from the ReSnackIt site where there are more prints and better prices than at Paper-Source.

If you’re handy with a sewing machine, there are also a few cute do-it-yourself opportunities to be had. We’ve posted before about the Reusable Sandwich Wrap by Betz White from CraftStylish, but some other ideas include this Recycled Reusable Sandwich Bag from Noodleheads (she uses the pocket from pair of men’s pants!), and the reusable Snack Bag from French Sleep Deprivation Study. – Michelle V.K.

At my apartment we’ve almost completed the switch to compact fluorescent bulbs. In the energy smart era, the incandescent bulb will soon be a fixture of the past, but ReadyMade has a fun way to make even those a little greener by recycling them with this nifty DIY project. Like the idea but don’t have the tools or technical prowess? Etsy user StarRedesigns has you covered with her freestanding versions. Based on washers for a customizable angle, various bulb sizes and shapes are available starting at $11.50. — Sarah C.

I confess: I’m a little prejudiced against wallpaper. The term itself conjures up images of Nanas’ sewing rooms and newborns’ nurseries papered with fussy tea pots and tumbling teddy bears. I know now that I had just never met the right one. The wallpapers from New York-based Trove are intricate and gorgeous enough to hang in your house instead of art. Doves mid-flight, glam patrons sitting in opera boxes, ghostly jellyfish, fluttering butterflies — they all manage to feel sophisticated instead of silly. – Katie D.

Know someone with a thing for public radio and travel? I do. That someone is my dad. While he wouldn’t leave home without his trusty new GPS, he’s a map man at heart and in a few weeks, he’ll be embarking on a road trip with his brother to do some hiking in Washington. Father’s Day turned up some jazzy new hiking boots, and this NPR Map would be the perfect complement on the man-trip. You know, the koozie to his brew. The Bengay to his fit fifties. For just $7 at Uncommon Goods, he’ll be privy to the locations of more than 600 local public radio stations, and I’ll rest easy with the knowledge that he’ll never miss “A Prairie Home Companion” no matter where he roams. – Sarah C.

image via radio-map.com

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of enjoying Omakase at one of the West Coast’s premiere sushi spots. At his tiny West Seattle sushi bar, Mashiko, Chef Hajime Sato is innovating cuisine and helping to preserve our endangered oceans simultaneously. Chef Sato explained to me why he decided to switch over to a fully sustainable seafood menu: his favorite food in the world is unagi, a fresh water eel that is highly endangered, yet is a ubiquitous menu item at sushi restaurants. When he discovered the dire fate of this eel, he decided to give up eating AND serving the fish, declaring, “I don’t want to eat the last one”. He has, however, found phenomenally inventive ways of recreating his favorite flavors sustainably. For “dessert”, Sato-san served us what I dubbed “faux-nagi”, using a sustainably farmed catfish seasoned meticulously to recreate the signature flavor of the eel. It was the best unagi — real or faux — I’d ever had. The menu ranges from the more traditional unagi and california rolls to a unique version of ankimo, substituting black cod liver for over-fished monkfish. If you can’t make the trip to Seattle, there is sustainable sushi available in Portland and San Francisco, or better yet, belly up to your favorite local sushi bar, befriend your Itamae, and start asking them to change their menu! –Megan B.

For more info on sustainable sushi, got to sustainablesushi.net, and for sustainable seafood in general, check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium seafood watch.

If you’re anything like me, you take real issue with putting your toothbrush down anywhere in the bathroom. At home we have a ceramic holder that addresses the problem, but brushing at work involves a series of inspired balancing acts. Designed with a weight in the base, the DEWS toothbrush, by Hyun Jin Yoon and Eun Hak Lee of Ryan Harc, does away with such hygiene fears by standing upright after finding balance, like a tumble doll. Genius! As the folks at TreeHugger point out, it is a lot of product to be throwing out every few months (they recommend Eco-denT or Montebianco brushes to minimize waste) but this simple design could be a lifesaver for my pearly whites at work. – Sarah C.

1) Peppermint oil does more than just eliminate odors. T says: “and if you put a few drops on a bit of cotton wool, and then hoover/vacuum this up, your hoover/vacuum and the bag will smell lovely and transfer the aroma to the rooms when you hoover/vacuum!” Click here for more simple peppermint oil solutions; just remember to keep it away from your cats!

2) You’re singing the praises of this converted church. Tanja says: “Hallelujah indeed! What an amazingly versatile (and more than a little indulgent) home. Think of the parties, dance rehearsals, art shows…” See the home and click through comments for links to similar projects.

3) Storing produce without plastic gets a green light. Greta says: “Oh what a great article! Thank you for sharing. I am trying to get rid of using plastic–ziplock bags are so handy and insidious in my life–so this is a great start.” Learn more about how to end your ziploc habit right here.

4) When it comes to bridal showers, you’re against games. Sharon says: “Maybe it’s my age, but I hate games at showers and so do all of my friends. I’m all for cute decorations and lovely food, but games, blech. You know what makes a shower fun? Cocktails.” We’ll second that! What are your favorite bridal shower traditions?

5) You have compassion for Mary’s window conundrum. Pencils says: “I had windows like that in my last apartment. I didn’t do much for them as I knew we weren’t staying that long. What I wanted to do was have a roman shade made in some great fabric, maybe trimmed with some wide vertical tape made out of some contrasting fabric or color. Wouldn’t be cheap, it being so wide, but it would look great. They’re interesting windows, and you should play them up.” Have some design advice for Mary? Sound off here.

Check out this shelving system that gets its design inspiration from capillaries. Kinda diggin’ it… At BoingBoing.

Lifehacker let us in on a free program that turns your handwriting into a custom font. Completely awesome — unless your penmanship is hardly legible!

SoCal residents: now’s your chance to score a primo condo in the coveted Castle Green building in Pasadena, for a paltry sum of $2900 a month! Via the Huffington Post.

Learn how to make Japanese curry rice from scratch at Serious Eats. No MSG required for maximum deliciousness!

Got ants? Re-nest’s got a great roundup of natural ant repellents. Cinnamon, apparently, works pretty well!

Celebrate America’s independence from Great Britain the proper way: through festive alcoholic beverages! Curbly’s fun post , Red, White, and Booze, Part Deux should be all the researchin’ you need.

Architectnophilia’s house of the week makes us want to hop on the next flight to the Pyrenees.

And while we’re over there, should we want to stopover en Paris, we’ll be staying at Christian LaCroix’s Hotel du Petit Moulin, thanks to CasaSugar.