Archives for July 2011 | theclothesmakethegirl

Jul 16, 2011 Posted by Mel

Dear Ego: Shut Up

It was another Friday cardio-endurance fest at CrossFit Austin yesterday, and the workout was mostly made up of things I like. So why was it so hard to enjoy it? One word: ego. Skills jerk progressions: press, push press, jerk, split jerk WOD 3 rounds: 400m run 5 presses, 55# 5/leg stationary barbell lunges, 55# 400m run 5 presses 5/leg walking lunges My time: 22:30 I have a well-documented preference for... read more

Jul 15, 2011 Posted by Mel

Spiced Cantaloupe

I’ve never liked cantaloupe. The texture always seems off – either too hard and flavorless, or too soft and sickeningly sweet. Blame our conventional produce production cycle, but, frankly, I’ve never understood the appeal of this melon-colored melon. When it shows up on a restaurant fruit plate, I eat around it or force it on Dave. But last week, our Farmhouse Delivery included a... read more

Jul 14, 2011 Posted by Mel

5 Painless Ways To Be A (Paleo) Social Butterfly

Once you get over the shock of not eating stuff like pasta and bread and wine and Holy sh*t! I can’t have cereal or yogurt for breakfast anymore!, the real challenge of paleo begins to emerge: socializing. I’m fortunate because many of my friends are at least paleo-aware and some of them are as committed as I am to this lifestyle. I also know and love a bunch of people who fall into the... read more

Jul 13, 2011 Posted by Mel

I’m a Trading Card!

So… I’m having, like, the worst day at work EVER. EVER. During an afternoon browse through my favorite blogs, I took a trip over to Pop Candy – the best pop culture/entertainment blog – to cheer myself up, and I saw this: The adorable and cool and smart and Converse-clad Whitney Matheson, the genius behind Pop Candy, is taking trading cards to Comic-Con this year, and I’ve been... read more

Jul 13, 2011 Posted by Mel

Smupdate! July 13, 2011

This just in from Smudge… Frankly, the grocery shopping and cooking and food photography and brainstorming is simply overwhelming. She is so sleepy – and could someone please, for the love of Sunbutter and coconut chips, turn off that infernal... read more

Jul 12, 2011 Posted by Mel

Strength Tuesday – 07/12/11

In my quest for lean superhero-ness, I tackle the Strength Training Workout posted by Coach Wes every Tuesday at CrossFit Austin. Between the corporate overlords’ expectations (Can you believe they want me to come here every weekday?!), recipe testing, and photo shoots – you have NO IDEA how demanding an Alaskan salmon fillet can be – I’ve barely had a moment to talk to you, my dear... read more

Jul 12, 2011 Posted by Mel

Turkish Chopped Salad – On Film!

So, this is pretty cool. The blogger behind Life Out of the Box posted a video of herself making my Turkish Chopped Salad. Love the soundtrack! And boy! do I wish I could chop that fast in real life. Dig... read more

Jul 8, 2011 Posted by Mel

7 Things I Know About Double-Unders

Friday is aerobic endurance say at CrossFit Austin, and today’s workout pushed me hard, but left me feeling accomplished, and, if I’m totally honest, feeling damn tired of doing double-unders. I have to give a big hell, yeah! shout-out to Dave, a.k.a., the Senator, a.k.a., Best Husband On The Planet, for nailing his first three double-unders this morning. Right on! Skills double-under... read more

Jul 7, 2011 Posted by Mel

The Surprise of Grilled Okra

You now how I know it’s summer? I mean, besides the 100+ temperatures predicted every day this week… OKRA and ZUCCHINI! Last summer, I thought I’d discovered my favorite way to enjoy okra: rolled in almond meal and toasted in the oven. But last night, I discovered my One True Way To Eat Okra™. Say hello to grilled okra; I guarantee you’ll have a summer romance. Grilled... read more

Jul 7, 2011 Posted by Mel

Where Women Cook

I recently discovered Amuse-Bouche, the blog for the quarterly print magazine Where Women Cook. It spotlights women who love food and is a charming mix of pros – in gorgeous kitchens – and people like me (like us!) who enjoy playing in the kitchen to make food infused with love. I’m delighted that today, my Turkish Chopped Salad is featured in a post about summer recipes, along with a beautiful... read more

Jul 6, 2011 Posted by Mel

DLs and Almost a Ring Dip

Today’s workout is what I think of as Classic CrossFit Austin (which I love): a dynamic warmup (yay, run ladder!), heavy low reps with the barbell, and a short, sweet-in-that-breathless-way WOD. Strength 4 rounds: 3 deadlifts, build 80% of 1 RM – 135#, 145#, 155# 5 dips rest 2:00 WOD 4 rounds, for time: 10 deadlifts – 95# 15 pushups 20 double-unders My time: 10:30 Cashout Fun :45... read more

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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.