Gilroy Garlic Festival

 My husband and I have been meaning to get to this famous festival for many years and this year we FINALLY made it down last weekend! We had such a fantastic time eating the most wonderfully pungent food (it smelled sooo good everywhere!) and drinking lots of local beer and wine. This festival lived up to our expectations and was honestly the most well-run and organized outdoor festival I've ever attended. Good times were had!

Here's a little of what we experienced:

Fire-roasted corn on the cob dipped in garlic butter.

Louisiana Cajun style crayfish. My husband ate this whole thing! (I was too weirded out by the heads & eyes)

At the halfway point. By the end he was sweating from all the spice. Sweating, but smiling.

The almond champagne in the middle was so delicious and refreshing. Had a taste and later came back for a whole glass (cause that's how I do!)

Gourmet Alley, all the chef's were cooking over open flames.

Took a break from the sun and all the eating/drinking to hang out in the shady amphitheater and listen to some live music.

Didn't catch the name of the band, but these guys were pretty damn good. They lured me in with a cover of Radiohead's "High and Dry".

Yes, that is a real tattoo of a garlic clove. That is some hard core garlic love, right there!

Beer battered garlic fries with ice cold beer. OMG amazing!

There I am showing my garlic pride.

We couldn't leave without trying the world famous garlic ice cream. You wouldn't believe how long the line was!

Vanilla garlic ice cream in a cantaloupe. It sounds awful, but it was pretty amazing. (Well worth the wait)

Bedroom 101 - How to create a more restful, healthy sleeping environment.

It’s not news that sleep is important. Studies have shown that people who get between 6-8 hours of sleep are healthier and more productive than those who get less than 6. A healthy sleeping environment is essential to get the most benefit of a good night’s sleep. I’ve compiled a list of simple things you can do in your own bedroom, broken down by sense (minus taste).

Sight

Make your bedroom as dark as possible. Most of us live in a city or suburb and no matter what, light creeps into our bedroom and can disturb us. Black out shades are your best bet, but you can also get lined curtains or shades to block out as much of that light pollution as you can. In my apartment I’ve combined the crappy standard apartment shades with beautiful dark brown silk curtains from West Elm.

Our bedroom curtains

Our curtains shut. Had to use the flash otherwise you couldn't see them! (It's THAT dark!)

Another option is sleeping with a sleep mask. I've recently started doing this and if you can get past the feeling of sleeping with something on your face, I highly recommend it. And besides, this is how cute you'll look:

The amazing Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's (and cat)

Keep clutter out of your bedroom. Clutter = stress and stress is the one thing you want out of the bedroom! So find another place to keep unfinished projects, paperwork, and any other unnecessary items. Definitely NO WORK should be brought into the bedroom. No laptops, paperwork, and even no smart phones! (I know that’ll be hard for some of you!) Working is the opposite of resting and ne’er the twain shall meet!

Keep reading material to a minimum, a few books on the bed table are OK, but I think a bookshelf full of books is much too much. The idea is to keep mental stimulation at bay so you can turn your focus to relaxation.

Photo from iheartprettylittlethings.wordpress.com

This might be an unpopular idea, but I think a TV in the bedroom is a BIG no-no.  Watching television right before bed effects the quality of your sleep. And even though I love him, watching John Stewart doesn't exactly get me in a sleepy (or sexy) kind of mood.

I'm a firm believer that your bedroom activity should be limited to a few things: sleeping, sex, and getting dressed. Anything more and you could be bringing in unnecessary energy. 

Sound

Unless you’re lucky to live in the quiet countryside, chances are you have some nighttime noise to contend with occasionally. How many have had their sleep interrupted by a barking dog or car alarm? Not only is this annoying, but it can have a big effect on your sleeping habits (especially if that darn dog barks night after night!) A white noise machine can help block out some of those disturbances. My husband and I bought one long ago when we lived in San Francisco and I swear by them. White noise machines make a “whooshing” sound, kind of like sleeping with a fan but without the breeze. They don’t take a lot of energy to run and some of them have adjustments to how loud or soft you want them to sound. The one we have is called “Sleepmate”by Marpac and we bought it for about $50 on Amazon. I have never regretted buying our noise machine, in fact we’ve even taken it on vacation with us!

Smell

Everyone knows that lavender essential oil is used for relaxation in aromatherapy. But there are other essential oils out there that induce relaxation. (From aromanaturals.net)

Jasmine

Jasmine: Possesses a rich, deep scent that is sensual and relaxing. It is also used to prevent mental blockage, nervousness and sadness. It functions quite well as an antidepressant.

Chamomile: As most know, in the form of a tea chamomile is praised as a marvelous relaxing drink. In aromatherapy, its properties are not much different. Not only does it calm, but also it reduces pain and stress.

Bergamot: This Italian oil is helpful for relieving stress and ‘loosening up’ one’s tensed state.

Rose: Has been used for such things as hysteria, grief and depression. It is calming and supportive, even being thought to balance out female 

hormonal cycles.

Bergamot

Clary Sage: Has a herbaceous, light, fruity aroma that is irresistible. With its sweet, floral fragrance, it often gives one a euphoric sense after exposure to it. In fact, clary sage is believed to help stimulate the body’s natural production of endorphins that ease fatigue and chronic pain.

Neroli: The oil is extracted from the bitter orange and it is one of the best aromatic anti-depressants. It is good for stress, anxiety, shock, fear and lack of confidence.

Sandalwood: Is a wonderful way to calm one’s nerves. Although these essential oils are very hard to harvest and hard to find, they relax and soothe irritation as well as help lift bouts of depression.

Ylang Ylang

Ylang Ylang: Has been used as an anti-depressant and is a most exquisite way of calming one body and soul. It has been known to also fight acne, lower blood pressure, ease muscle spasms, relieve the symptoms of PMS, and fight bacteria.

Vanilla: Not only is it one of the most pleasant fragrances of the oils, but also it helps promote a calm and relieves stress in its users. Also it is thought to be an aphrodisiac.

So how does one use essential oils when trying to relax? Candles infused with essential oil is one way. Light the candle then go about getting ready for bed. By the time you’ve brushed your teeth and washed your face, the scent will be in the air. Just be sure not to fall asleep with the candle lit!

Vanilla

You may also make your own linen spray. Combine a few drops of essential oil with some distilled water in a spray bottle and mist your pillowcases before bed. You can even combine different scents you like for a more personal result. Much better for you (and your wallet) than using Febreeze!

A note about essential oils: please invest in the real stuff, not just the fragrance. Fragrance is often artificial whereas essential oils are derived directly from the plant and therefore better for you. Whole Foods has a great selection of essential oils and testers so you can sniff before you buy. 

IAQ (indoor air quality)

If there is any room in your home where air quality is of the utmost importance, it’s the bedroom. We spend 1/3 of our lives sleeping so make sure the air you breathe is as clean as possible! Here are a few ways to do so:

Grow a plant. Plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen as well as regulate humidity. No brainer that a plan can help with IAQ. Here are the top 10 houseplants for cleaner air. Courtesy of a NASA and Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) study.

• Bamboo Palm
• Chinese Evergreen
• English Ivy
• Gerbera Daisy Gerbera Jamesonii
• Janet Craig Dracaena
• Marginata
• Mass cane/Corn Plant
• Mother-in-Law’s Tongue (also known as Snake Plant)
• Pot Mum
• Peace Lily
• Warneckii 

Bedding. Dust mites, mold, pollen and pet dander can contribute to allergy suffering and IAQ. To prevent these pollutants from affecting your sleeping quarters, I strongly suggest using pillow covers, mattress covers, and duvet covers. A pillow cover is different from a pillowcase because it’s zippered. For all these items, look for a high quality, high tread count cotton. Mattress covers also come with moisture protection, which can be great for protecting your bed from sweat.

Who wants to sleep with this guy? Not me!

Wash your bedding often. I wash my bed sheets weekly, but the first laundry day of the month, I strip the whole bed down (pillow covers, mattress covers, and duvet covers) and wash them in hot water. Thus killing any critters that might be lurking in there.

Keep a bedroom window open at night. Even in the dead of winter if you crack your window just a bit, the fresh air is good for you while you sleep. Personally, I can’t sleep in a stuffy room anyway! In the summer should you choose to sleep with the windows open and a fan on, be sure you clean your fan regularly. Here’s a great how-to for cleaning an oscillating fan: http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-An-Oscillating-Round-Fan If you’re lucky enough to have air conditioning in your bedroom, make sure you change out the filter every year to keep the air circulating as clean as possible.

Organic mattresses. You would be astounded at the amount of chemicals in a standard mattress (and don't even get me started on memory foam!). Here is a link explaining what is in a standard mattress and how it can affect our bodies: It’s so much information, it’s easier for me to link you rather than attempt to sum it up. http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_16880.cfm

If you can’t afford an organic mattress (they can be quite expensive) at the very least you can get a mattress cover to help protect your body from the harmful chemicals of a traditional mattress.

Touch

A wise designer once said to invest money in your sheets and save money on your curtains. Bed sheets, unlike curtains, are the one thing in your life that touches you from head to toe. Why not make them as luxurious as possible? You don’t have to spend a fortune, but you are worth having sheets that feel good.

So what’s the deal with thread count? Thread count can be misleading. The term is a measurement of the amount of threads per square inch, but more important than thread count is the fabric itself. Cotton is made up of staples, or fibers, and high quality cotton (like Egyptian) has very long staples that are very thin so when woven together, the weave is tight resulting in a smooth hand (the way fabric feels). High-end designers like Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren use high-quality cotton like Egyptian, Pima, Combed, and Supima. So while the thread count may seem low when you look at designer sheets, the quality is high because the fiber themselves are high quality. Keep this in mind next time your shopping for sheets! (Smart Linen Closet Blog & E-how.com)

Cotton 100x magnified

An alternative to cotton is bamboo sheets. Bamboo is a great material because it’s naturally anti-bacterial, moisture wicking, and pests hate it (the plant itself doesn’t even need pesticides!) If you’ve never felt bamboo sheets, they feel like silk!

Bamboo sheets. Yes, please!

Stay away from polyester sheets. In fact, stay away from polyester altogether. Seriously.

I know this is a lot of information and I hope you find it helpful. I follow most of the tips I've listed here. Do I still have the occasional bout of insomnia? Of course. But I'm also a small business owner so I blame that. For the most part though, I love to sleep in my bedroom and usually don't have any trouble getting my recommended 8 hours.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to post below. Happy zzzzz's!

A friendly reminder...

I was reading my local newspaper yesterday the editorial contained a great little story by an unknown author that I can't stop thinking about and wanted to share with you. (Thank you, Alisa Corstophine of Lafayette Today)

A professor gave a lecture to his class. He began by placing a large jar that he proceeded to fill with big rocks. When he asked the students if the jar was full, and they agreed that it was the professor picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He lightly shook the jar so the pebbles rolled into the open areas between the large rocks. The students once again thought the jar was full. Then the professor proceeded to pour sand into the jar, and of course the sand filled in the remaining space. When asked, the students unanimously agreed that the jar was now completely full. The professor then poured two cups of coffee into the jar, effectively filling the empty space between the grains of sand and the students laughed.

The professor proceeded saying, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The large rocks are the important things - your family, your education, your health, your friends, and your favorite passions - things that if everything else were lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house, and your car. The sand is everything else - the small stuff. If you put the sand into the jar first there is no room for the pebbles or the large rocks. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have enough room for the things that are important to you."

At the end of the demonstration a student asked what the coffee represented. The professor smiled and responded, "It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a cup of coffee with a friend."  

In our hectic lives filled with all this go, go, go, it's easy sometimes to get caught up and forget what is really important. My hope is to remember this little story when I start to get wound up over the small stuff.

Proof you don't need a room to make an office!

As you may have guessed, I work out of my home which currently is a one-bedroom apartment. Luckily, our living room is large enough for me to have my own office space along one wall. Unluckily, this means I don't have the luxury of having an entire room dedicated to my work space and my office is always within sight.

Functionality and aesthetics are equally important when designing your office (whether at home or not). Here are a few tips I used in my office:

Tip #1: Use color to define your space

I painted my office wall a calming blue, one of my favorite colors. Doing this has dual function: it adds a great accent wall in my living room and it defines that wall as "my office".

To keep your office from looking like a mish mash, try designing to this ratio: 60, 30, 10. This means 60% of your space will be the main color. I choose white for it's clean, timeless appeal and it's ease (you can always find white furniture & accessories). 30% will be an accent color, in my case I used light blue on my wall. And finally, 10% will be a bright pop to give your space a little life. I used a bit of red scattered in my office and living room. I've also added a bit of natural material with my baskets and wood chest of drawers to warm up the space, so I guess I did 5% red and 5% natural materials. These aren't hard and fast rules, but it can give you an idea of how color can work for your space.

Tip #2 Make your bookshelves interesting

I grouped my books by the colors of their spines. This might not work if you have a ton of books because you won't find what you need quickly, but if you like this idea you can group them by subject then by color.

Lay some groupings of books on their side. This will keep your shelves from looking like a public library (not that there is anything wrong with libraries!)

Incorporating items you love will give a sense of personalization. Add framed photos, mementos and interesting objects in with your book collection. If you have lots of little items, group them in odd numbers (3, 5, 7) it's more pleasing to the eye. Don't ask my why...but it's true!

Give yourself pretty places to store ugly things. I used drawers to store my stacks of fabric samples (by color, of course) and decorative boxes to store loose samples. I'm a big magazine reader, so I did white mesh magazine containers to keep them together. Using pretty containers will keep your office from looking cluttered and *extra bonus* it helps keep you organized! P.S. This is another great way to use the 60, 30, 10 idea. If your storage accessories are in an accent color it automatically adds personality and interest to your shelves!

Tip #3 Keep what you use most at hand

What do you use most during the day? For me it's my computer, printer, files and datebook. But I also keep my pencil cup and a small office accessories container as close to my desk as possible. I can pretty much reach everything I need from my desk chair, which makes my life a whole lot easier.

In case you're wondering about my desktop photo. It was the view from my honeymoon suite. Mmm Hmm!

Tip #4 Bring in lighting and life!

You might notice I don't have an office window, so lighting becomes even more important. Obviously I have a desk light but when I need more, like dealing with today's June Gloom, I open my window shades all the way up. If I need even more light, I switch on my dining room ceiling fixture which is adjacent to my office. Having enough light keeps me motivated...super important when you're your own boss!

I like to keep fresh flowers on my desk to give me something other than my screen to rest my eyes on. Above my monitor I have my favorite wedding photo and photos of my two kitties. This isn't design related, but here's a great tip to prevent eye strain: the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes focus on something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. I do this by giving my cats some love during the day. (And it gives me an excuse to get away from my computer!)

Tip #5 Keep it clean

This might be easier for some and not others. I tend to only keep what I'm working on for the day on my desk (it helps keep me from feeling overwhelmed). I tend to stack less pressing things I'm working onto my printer, it's still within sight but not directly in my face. If I'm not currently working on it, into the file cabinet it goes!

Dusting bookshelves is not fun. Here's a link from Real Simple on how to speed-clean your bookshelves:

http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/dusting-polishing/speed-clean-big-bookcase-00000000040374/index.html

I find a clutter free workspace to be essential to productivity, but I know some people just aren't built that way. If you need help with organizing your workspace or have questions that I haven't answered, please feel free to comment and ask away!

A salmon recipe for people that don't like fish

The other night we were out with another couple and my friend Steph mentioned that she doesn't like the taste of fish. I am one of the few Asians in the world that shares that sentiment. I do have a salmon marinade recipe that I adapted from when I lived in the Pacific Northwest that takes care of the fishy taste. Salmon has a very mild fishy taste to begin with, and the marinade that turns into the sauce topping does a good job of covering up any of that fishyness. I call it Slammin' Salmon. It's been a hit at company BBQs and is also my husband's all time favorite. (Who, by the way, LOVES seafood)

I make this recipe with quinoa (pronounced keen-wa), a delicious grain that's full of protein. Basmati or white rice are also good. (*Timing tip: cook your grains before you start the salmon) Cook your grain according to package directions. I use chicken stock instead of water, it adds more flavor.

For a veggie, I either roast asparagus or saute some green kale. Asparagus is in season here in California so I used that last night, but you can make any veg you like.

Total cook time: 30-35 minutes Prep time: 40 minutes-2 hours (including marinade time)

Ingredients for marinade (for 2)

1- 3/4 pound WILD salmon fillet (This is important, it must be wild. Farmed salmon isn't good for you or the environment)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup low sodium soy sauce (You can use regular soy sauce and 1/2 the beef bullion cube. Otherwise it'll be too salty)
1 beef bullion cube, crushed (I use a mortar and pestle)
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon garlic powder
freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine ingredients in a plastic bag (add the salmon last) and refrigerate skin side up from 30 minutes to 2 hours. When you're ready to start cooking, set the marinade aside as you will make it into the sauce later.

I label my marinade bags and wash & reuse them until they get old (i.e.: holey)

Topping (optional)

2 shallots, minced
2 tablespoons garlic, minced

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan and sautee garlic and shallots over medium heat until translucent, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

sauteed shallots and garlic...mmm!

Add a little more oil to the pan, turn up the heat a bit and add the salmon. Cook salmon on medium high heat for 4-5 minutes per side or until cooked through. I place a loose piece of tin foil over my frying pan to minimize splatter, but make sure you leave a little vent so steam won't develop and burn you.

Cut salmon in half down the middle using a plastic spatula so you don't scratch your pan. In the final few minutes, pour the marinade into the pan with the salmon and let it simmer down, about 2 minutes.

Once I cut the fillet in half, it makes it easy to slide the skin off.

Place the salmon on top of your grain of choice, add some of the sauteed garlic and shallots and finish with pouring the cooked marinade on top.

Finished off with a side of asparagus.

Voila! A perfectly healthy and pretty easy meal. If you give this one a try, kindly let me know what you think.

Ash loves it too!

Closet Remodel - First Official Chaos Tamer Project!

Wow, it's been a few months since my last post, but I am proud to announce that I have completed my first official Chaos Tamer project! It was a woman's master closet in a 100 year old Victorian home in San Francisco.

The client wanted a more functional use of the space which was 36" deep and 85" wide. She wanted drawers to house her sweaters, shoe racks to get her collection off the floor, shelves for her purses, and plenty of rod space for separates and a section to hang her long, formal wear.

The biggest challenge of the space was a band of wood wrapping around the entire closet which the existing shelf rested upon. Having such an old home with plaster lath walls, we were unable to rip out this band of wood fearing we'd have to patch the walls, much more work than we were willing to do. Another challenge was a built-in bench on the right side that we were unable to remove and were forced to work around.

Looking straight in from the doorway. Her sweaters were stacked on top of each other on the top shelf.

She was unable to vacuum the floor without having to remove the shoe racks.

Looking to the right, you can see the top of the built-in shelf.

Looking toward the left, you can see the wood band the shelf was resting on top of. This band could not be removed.

A close up of the band that had hooks attached all around from the previous owner.

After a bit of research and presenting my ideas to my client, we decided to go with a very modular solution from the Container Store, Elfa. The plan was to use the back wall as the main source of storage with various components to meet her needs.

To prepare the closet, we removed the existing rods, hooks and shelves that were on all three sides of the closet. We painted it a very pretty blue to match her master bathroom with white trim. Her very handy husband installed new lighting located above the door, giving much more light than the existing one bare light bulb. Working around the wooden band, he installed wood furring strips along the same structure as the top track and hanging standards as the Elfa system, giving sturdiness to the system.

The component solution consisted of:

•  4 deep drawers adjacent to the door to house her sweaters. 
•  To the left of the drawers we installed 4 shoe racks, 2 for heels and 2 for flats to get all her shoes off  the floor as requested. 
•  Above those shoe racks we installed a solid birch shelf and above that 2 white ventilated shelves with dividers to store her purses.
• A solid birch shelf running the entire length at the top
• "Short hang" rods above and to the right of the drawers
• A "Long hang" rod at the far right above the built-in bench.

You can see the wood furring strips used to give a flush surface for the top track and hang standards.

Work in progress: installing the shelves and rods.

Finished product straight view from doorway. Four drawers for sweater storage.

View to the top left: ventilated shelves with wood fascia and dividers for her purses and solid shelving on top as well as waist level. You can see the new lighting on the far left of the photo.

View to the bottom left: solid shelving with sliding shoe racks below for heels and flats.

View to the right: hanging rods and top shelf. The mirror is reflecting the accessory storage to the left side.

The beautiful thing about this closet solution is the client will be able to add or remove any component as her needs change giving her flexibility and freedom that she didn't have before.

Once she replaces her existing hangers with new matching ones, I'll snap a few photos on the closet actually in use. But for now you can see the solution without her clothing and accessories. (Except for that one top she just got back from the cleaners that's hanging up next to the bench) She plans to install hooks for belts and scarves on the opposite wall on both sides of the doorway, utilizing even more of the space.

I have to admit it's a great feeling to give someone a more functional and beautiful closet to use. I hope my client smiles every time she needs to get dressed in the morning!

3/28/11 Update! 

I was able to take a few photos of the closet in use. My client expressed how efficient her new system has been working for her and how it's been helping her keep organized. Since she has a spot for all her items, putting things away is a no-brainer. This proves the old organizer's adage, "A place for everything and everything in it's place."

The left side is reflected in the mirror.

New lighting.

Purse storage.

Gliding shoe racks.

Drawers for knitwear.

Hooks for scarves and belts.

Eventually she will buy some decorative boxes to line the top shelf and will possibly replace her old hangers. But for now she seems very pleased with the end result. Which of course makes me happy too!