Archives for April 2011 | theclothesmakethegirl

Apr 30, 2011 Posted by Mel

Celebrate The Big 43 With Me

Tomorrow is my 43rd birthday. I’m not entirely sure how that can be since I feel about 17-and-a-half on the inside. I’m sure there’s been some kind of addition error, like when I calculate the weight of the barbell wrong because I’ve got the CrossFit stupids. That must be it! The universe is CrossFit drunk and is all confused about my age. For now, I’m accepting that 43... read more

Apr 29, 2011 Posted by Mel

Friday Flashback: Careful What You Wish For…

I’ve been blogging here since 2008, and – if I do say so myself – there’s some good stuff in my archive that you might have missed. On Fridays, I’m going to take you on a Friday Flashback and point you to some good stuff from the checkered past of The Clothes Make The Girl. Friday Flashback: Careful What You Wish For… Originally posted on July 29, 2009, I’d completely... read more

Apr 29, 2011 Posted by Mel

Stovetop Pork Carnitas

There are tons of carnitas recipes available online with various spice blends and cooking methods. Yes, a crockpot version is easier because you can plop it in the slow cooker and forget about it for 6-8 hours. My issue with that is the crockpot cannot produce the beautiful, salty, charred, crispy bits available when pork is browned on the stovetop. The cooking part of this recipe takes about 2-3 hours. I... read more

Apr 28, 2011 Posted by Mel

Strength Training Tuesday: 4/26/11

In my quest for lean superhero-ness, I tackle the Strength Training Workout posted by Coach Wes every Tuesday at CrossFit Austin. It was kind of a lackluster performance at the ol’ craptastic gym on Tuesday. Some days are just like that. The workout was a “strength recovery workout,” so the weights were only 60% of max, which was fine by me because I wasn’t feeling very... read more

Apr 28, 2011 Posted by Mel

Review: Shurky Jurky

I think portable protein sources are one of the biggest challenges of living this dino-chow lifestyle. Sure, I can keep a cooler in my car and take advantage of the corporate loverlords’ refrigerator, but sometimes, I just want to throw some snacks in my bag and go. Beef jerky seems like the perfect option… except for the ingredients panel. More often than not, sugar and soy are starring... read more

Apr 27, 2011 Posted by Mel

Happy Anniversary, Texas Rollergirls!

Eight years ago today, I made my official debut as Melicious and skated in my first flat-track roller derby bout. Congratulations to all the Rollergirls, all over the world, who’ve laced up their skates since then. And kudos to all the girls in Austin who believed the Texas Rollergirls could make it, even when everyone was telling us we couldn’t. Well-played, ladies! Visit the Texas Rollergirls... read more

Apr 27, 2011 Posted by Mel

TV: You’re Dead To Me

In 2010, I swore off celebrity magazines, cleaned out my RSS feeds, and significantly reduced my intake of Hollywood hoopla. (You can read about it here – there are some good bits about the relationship between celebrity imagery and body image, I think.) I’ve mostly stuck to my guns. I bought, maybe, two or three issues of US Weekly in the last year, and I only occasionally give in to my... read more

Apr 26, 2011 Posted by Mel

Welcome To My New Home!

It took approximately 5 days, one lunch at Habanero (sans tortilla chips), 3 sessions of hide-and-seek with Smudge, 2 pots of decaf coffee, one middle-of-the-day movie break, and 17 dino-chow meals, but Dave and I did it! We launched the new version of The Clothes Make The Girl. I hope you it! One of my primary goals was to make it easier for you to find recipes, so there’s nifty navigation at the... read more

Apr 21, 2011 Posted by Mel

Must Be The Kicks!

I had a totally super-awesome so hard-so fun workout this morning. Must be the new kicks my mom sent me. Dig my new Inov-8 F-Lite 230s. This is what they look like in person – pink & yellow! And this is how they look in my kitchen, with overhead lighting and my pale, pale legs. Do you like how my legs and the floor tiles are practically the same color?! Looks like someone needs to slap on some... read more

Apr 20, 2011 Posted by Mel

Strength Training Tuesday – 04/20/11 (On Wednesday!)

In my quest for lean superhero-ness, I tackle the Strength Training Workout posted by Coach Wes every Tuesday at CrossFit Austin. Wednesday, April 20, 2011 – Strength WOD 5X 1 press + 2 push press (heavier than last week) – 70# 75# 80# 85# (fail; 3 push press) 80# 4X2 back squat @ 85-90% max – 135# 5X2 deadlift @ 75-80% max – 155#plus… 1-2 negative chinups, hold @ top for 2,... read more

Apr 19, 2011 Posted by Mel

I Think It’s Poison

I’m a little late getting to this, so you may have seen it already: a compelling article in the NYTimes called “Is Sugar Toxic?” I won’t try to summarize it here – much better if you go read it yourself. But here’s a tasty quote: It’s one thing to suggest, as most nutritionists will, that a healthful diet includes more fruits and vegetables… It’s entirely... read more

« Previous Entries

reading is sexy
Reading right now...

The Redbreast: A Harry Hole Novel
I'm about two-thirds of the way through this detective thriller, and I'm hooked. It's set in modern Norway with flashbacks to WWII (catnip for me!) and features a somewhat grim hero that engenders empathy. I can't help pulling for the guy as I watch him struggle with his case and his life. The cast of characters is a realistic but motley crew, and it reminds me of other favorites set in cold, snowy climes: the Millenium Trilogy and Smila's Sense of Snow.
Recently finished...

The Lost: A Search for Six of Six Million
I picked up this book after reading an interview with Lee Child (author of the Jack Reacher thrillers). He referred to The Lost as "the book of the century" and since I devour as much as I can about the Holocaust to try to make sense of it all, I decided I needed to read it immediately. Part memoir, part detective tale, this book was thoroughly engrossing. It's intelligent, annoying, moving, frustrating, and ultimately, rewarding and beautifully written. It challenged me in ways I didn't expect, and I was sad when it was finished.