Bun Maternity

While I have recently taken most of my pre-pregnancy clothes out of storage, and thankfully, much of it still fits, there's still this ever-constant issue of what shirts to wear. I look at every shirt with my "can I nurse in this?" glasses on, which means some of my favorite shirts and dresses are just out of the picture for a while more. Make way for flowy tops that are easy to lift, or low-neck wraps that won't get stretched out when pulled to the side! Lots of cardigans and zip-up hoodies in my life for that easy-access front, for sure.

I recently became familiar with a company called Bun Maternity...and their super cute nursing hoodie. I'd seen it around the internet, in my Facebook feed, on the mommy blogs...and I wanted to try it for myself. When they offered to ship me one for review, I was super excited! And it did not disappoint.

I love how it comes low enough to cover my bum!

It's just fitted enough to be cute, not frumpy, and its front panels are a cute alternative to the standard front-flap nursing top. My husband didn't even realize it was a nursing shirt - he just thought it was a hip, artistic sweatshirt :)  It's warm but not too heavy, and the fabric is super soft.

The easy-access front is great for nursing in cooler weather (side note: this was taken in February - she already seems so small in this picture!). And while I don't care much about nursing modesty, if you are someone who does, I think you'll like the modesty it provides. 

I typically wear a size 12/14 in tops, and the XL fits me great, even after going through the wash (on cold) and dryer (on low) (that's how I wash everything). I also tried their Nursing Tank Top (the XL is a tad too big on me) and the Long Sleeve Cross Top Nursing Maxi Dress (looked kind of frumpy on me, but I think it would look awesome on someone who isn't so high-waisted), but this hoodie is by far the best thing of theirs I've tried. I'm considering buying one in another color, just to have two.

I'm embarrassed that it took me so long to write this post, but not embarrassed at how much I love this hoodie. Seriously.

Full disclosure: Bun Maternity sent me a few items for free to try and review, but did not ask for a specific type of review. My opinions are my own.

Pumping Mama: My Lansinoh Smartpump and Me

As I sit at my desk at work, rehydrating with tea (wait, is tea actually dehydrating?) after pumping, snacking on dry Cheerios like I did as a toddler, I can't help but...wait, what was the rest of that thought? I have no idea. Because I have severe Mom Brain. I need this 15 minute writing break to refocus the thinking parts of my brain before I dive back into work. I thought pumping would provide much needed breaks in my day to rest and recharge (ha!) but it turns out, pumping is draining. Literally and figuratively. I don't leave my pumping sessions feeling rejuvenated and ready for action. I'm often tired and...well, like I said, drained.

I'm using a Lansinoh Smartpump at work, which I generally love. I used the Medela Pump In Style Advanced once and exactly once - the Lansinoh is simpler to use and I find the flanges more comfortable. I was initially excited about the Smartpump because of its tracking features - it has an app that connects to the pump via bluetooth so you can log how long your pumping sessions are and what your output is, among other things. And for the first few months, I found that super useful. Now, however, as I've been pumping for about two months, I find that manually logging my ounces is more trouble than its worth, and I don't track anything else baby-related anymore. I'm not super concerned with tracking output over time because it's relatively stable, and I know how much I'm pumping because it says so right there on the bottle. As long as I fill those bottles over the course of the day, I don't care quite as much how much I get in each session.

Pumping at Work, Working While Pumping
Awkward photos are my specialty.

Pros:

• Super easy to use. The digital display makes keeping track of time, pumping strength, and "style" super easy, and the buttons to adjust are great. I hated the Medela's knob-style adjusters, and I felt like I could never get the pressure and speed quite right. I like the different pumping styles, and find it very easy to match one of their pre-set sucking patterns to how my baby typically nurses.
• The flanges are comfortable. I'm kind of in between sizes with the Medela ones, but the Lansinoh ones fit me great.
• Pretty quiet. Our conference room walls are pretty thin, and I'm told that it can't be heard in the room next to me.
• It's a pretty compact little system (the cooler bag it comes with is large enough to hold 4 bottles, and ice pack, and all the pumping parts in a ziplock bag). I can fit the aforementioned cooler bag full of gear, the pump itself, and my hands free pumping bra in the small tote bag that Lansinoh provided. It's a bit more discreet than the Pump in Style backpack for sure, if that's something you care about (I don't), and I find it easier to carry than a backpack, or at least more convenient to carry.
• My baby likes the Lansinoh mOmma bottles, so it's convenient to pump directly into the bottles she's going to drink from. The wide mouth makes them easy to clean as well.

Cons:

• Lots of parts. The Medela is a little more universal; there are substitute parts made by third parties that reduce the number of individual pieces you have to wash. The Lansinoh pump isn't difficult or complicated, but there are 5 separate pieces to wash (times 2) and it would be nice if there was an all-in-one type solution.
• The rubbery part on the flanges sometimes catch drops of milk that I wish would flow down into the tube/bottle. When I take the flanges off, it's a little bit of a delicate balancing act to try to catch those drops (even though it's only a drop or two, every drop counts, right?) that stick to the rubbery lip.
• The ice pack it comes with is a standard crappy little ice pack. I prefer the contoured hard pack that came with the Medela, so I use that one in my Lansinoh cooler bag (which is a better size than the Medela cooler bag).

Neutrals:

• I honestly don't find the "smart" elements of the pump to be that useful. If it automatically tracked the quantity of milk I was pumping, that might be better, though I don't know of any pump currently on the market that does that (perhaps the Willow, when it comes out?). The additional step of manually entering my #oz isn't useful enough to justify the extra couple of minutes...especially since the app asks for the quantity in ounces, and the bottle has more ml lines than oz lines, so I end up having to Google conversions to get the amount right when I'm in between whole ounces. The app allows you to track diapers and breastfeeding and bottles and growth and more...and I just find that I don't have the bandwidth to care about so much tracking. For folks who are super into data though, it would be useful to have all your baby-related tracking in one app.

Overall, I like this pump enough that I'm considering selling my Medela and all its accessories and buying an extra Lansinoh pump to keep at work (though I probably wouldn't get the "smart" one unless the price was the same, because eh), just so I don't have to unplug and replug every day. One less thing to carry back and forth, one less thing to do. The Lansinoh Smartpump retails for $174.98 on Amazon (vs $109.99 for the regular double electric pump), so it's competitively priced, as far as I'm concerned. I have a Medela hand pump as well, which I'm considering replacing with a Lansinoh hand pump, just to have uniformity with my bottles - baby is bottle agnostic, but it's kind of a pain to go back and forth and it would be simpler to just have one system to use.


Do you pump at work or at home? Do you have multiple systems or brand uniformity? What kind of pump do you have and why do you like it? Does pumping melt your brain or is it just me? Is it the pumping or the sleep deprivation? Or both? This too shall pass, right?



full disclosure: I received the Lansinoh Smart Pump for free in exchange for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own; they did not request a positive review or in any way influence this review.

Family Pizza Night!

Back in August, Rustic Crust contacted me about hosting a "family pizza night". I've always loved this idea - pizza is such a fun and easy way for the whole family to work together to make dinner. It's fun for kids, fun for adults, fun for our bellies. All around wins. My husband has a pizza dough recipe that he made as a kid, and I've had "family pizza night" with my parents and with kids I've babysat, but since we don't have children of our own yet, we don't have regular occasion to do "special" dinners. Like, with a theme. Like, FAMILY PIZZA NIGHT!

Anyway, October is apparently National Pizza Month (?), so why not celebrate by sharing the photos from our family pizza night. Our family right now is our close friends Sonja and Jack. We make dinners together often, but it was really fun to have an extra excuse to try something :)

The ingredients. Wine is especially important!

Sonja prepping our crusts with a brush of oil.

Sonja and Jack pose with their creations.
We made flatbread with fresh tomatoes and
parmesan, garlic herb crust with meatless
 meatballs and padron peppers, and plain flatbread
with figs, balsamic, and parmesan. Gourmet!

I mean, they're frickin' beautiful, no?

And like any great family dinner, it ends with empty glasses,
empty plates, full bellies, and passing out in front of the TV.

Thanks to Rustic Crust for sponsoring this post by providing the dough and the sauce! While I do prefer a from-scratch homemade crust, we don't always have time to make one. These ready to go flatbreads and crusts tasted way better than your standard Boboli, and it's nice to know that they come free from chemicals or artificial ingredients. Super delicious.

Full disclosure: Rustic Crust provided me with free samples for review, but did not influence my review or provide additional compensation. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Twisted Holiday

Well, my last post was before Thanksgiving, and I'm barely getting this one in under the wire for 2014, but here it is. The Holidays are nearly over, and it's been a busy season. So busy, in fact, that I neglected to share these glorious photos from our holiday party earlier this month. A party that was, in part, sponsored by the good folks at TwistedShotz.

I met the TwistedShotz team at BlogHer this year, and when they reached out asking if I wanted some Shotz to sample at home, I figured they'd make a great addition to our annual Multidenominational Holiday Jamboree. And boy, did they.

On (a very festive) display...

Our intrepid first shooters - Cheshire and Erik

Will chooses a festive holiday location
for his first shot

Hockey team looks a little unsure...

...but those boys can handle their shotz

The verdict: TwistedShotz are delicious. At 20% alcohol, they're not boozy enough to really get you drunk, but enough of 'em will definitely give you a little buzz. We sampled Strawberry Sundae, Rattlesnake, Buttery Nipple, Sex On The Beach, Porn Star, Polar Bear, Whipped Chocolate, Ginger Snap, Root Beer Flirt, and Miami Vice...I stuck to the Whipped Chocolate (chocolate and cream) and the Polar Bear (a minty chocolatey concoction) - many of the others are Tequila-based and I'm just not a Tequila girl. I can say that those two are delicious though. And that it didn't take long for all 48 shots to be devoured. 

Interested in getting your own Shotz? Check out their website for retailers near you! 

Full Disclosure: TwistedShotz sent me a ton of these little guys to review, but did not otherwise compensate me for this point and did not persuade me to write a particular review. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Dip it Good

Oh hi. It's been a long time (and yes, the blog got a little facelift). I can't believe it's been so long since my last post. I guess that March Madness win really took it out of me. Howzabout I make it up to you with a little giveaway? 

I thought you'd like that. Am I forgiven? Thanks.

About a month ago, La Terra Fina contacted me, asking if I'd like to try their new line of dips and spreads. Not one to turn down free food - and definitely one to enjoy a good dip - I said I was game. They sent five delicious dips to my door, and y'all know I tried them all. I opened them up at a party at our place, brought them to a friend's party a few days later, and finished off the last one this weekend. And I kind of wish I still had some left. The best part? They're made with Greek yogurt, so they're totally not even bad for you! They would make really good spreads on a sandwich or wrap, and they're super tasty with just about anything dipped in them.

Oh, and the packaging is made from 100% recycled PET bottles, so that's cool too. 

They were all delicious, though my favorite was definitely the Balsamic Beet & White Bean. The Onion Dip was a little sweeter than I like my onion dip to be, but it was still pretty good (and friends enjoyed it quite a bit). The Kalamata Olive & Spinach probably takes 2nd place in my heart, with its tangy "kind of like spinach artichoke dip but better" flavor. The lentil dips were tasty -- I thought they'd be kind of weird, but they were totally delicious. 

One lucky winner will receive four of the following dips:

• Caramelized Onion Dip: Rich caramelized red onions with a hint of balsamic are blended with tangy Greek yogurt for a healthier and more flavorful alternative to this party favorite.
• Red Lentil Curry Dip: Roasted garlic and spicy curry add a rich layer to this blend of creamy Greek yogurt and simmered red lentils for a hearty dip.
• Greek Kalamata Olive & Spinach Dip: Leafy spinach and sun-dried tomatoes are blended with creamy Greek yogurt then finished with a fresh squeeze of lemon and Kalamata olives.
• Balsamic Beet & White Bean Dip: The natural sweetness of nutrient-rich beets is a perfect complement for Greek yogurt, with a savory touch of basil and salty Parmesan cheese and a splash of balsamic vinegar
• Yellow Pepper & Lentil Dip: Yellow bell peppers are roasted, then blended with savory red lentils and tangy Greek yogurt, for a perfect balance of sweet and savory. 

To win, leave a comment telling me which dip you're the most curious to try! Share this post on your favorite social media (Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, whatever) for extra entries - just leave an additional comment for each thing you do.

Contest will remain open until 11:59pm PDT on Monday, July 1. Winner will be chosen at random. 

Hopefully I'll start blogging more regularly soon. I have so many garden updates to share!

While I was given free spreads to review, I was not otherwise compensated for this post, and my opinions are my own. 

Say Cheese

Oh, friends.

As usual, I've been meaning to post for weeks, but life has been getting in the way. Yada yada, things have been crazy and good and the blog once again took a backseat.

But that's changing tonight, because I can't wait one more minute to bring you this post.

I first met the folks at Sartori Cheese at the annual San Francisco Food Fete last year, and was really into their flavored BellaVitano cheeses -- raspberry and rosemary and espresso...these cheeses were interesting and delicious. This year, they presented some new flavors (chai!?), and they, too, are delicious. Oh, cheese. Cheese pleasin' me.

Sartori was kind enough to send me some samples for (ahem) further review, and I set up a taste test with a few friends. Everyone had one that he or she liked the best -- I wish I could tell you that one was the clear frontrunner, but we had 5 cheeses, and 5 people, and 5 favorites!

Perhaps you should try them for yourself.

Leave a comment on this post and you'll be entered to win a fabulous prize package...a Sartori cooler bag filled with cheese! You'll get the BellaVitanos (Chai, Espresso, Black Pepper, and Raspberry) and the SarVecchio Parmesan as well.

mmm cheese wedge

These are award-winning cheeses, folks. You should probably enter now.


Rules and Whatnot:

• Leave a comment about your favorite cheese to enter.
• If you Tweet/Facebook/G+/Whatever this, come back and leave a comment for each thing you do.
• No limit to number of times you can Tweet/Facebook and come back to comment.
• Each comment = 1 entry.
• Winners will be chosen via random number generator.
• Contest closes at 11:59pm PDT Friday March 22.

Full Disclosure: I was not compensated for this post, except for the free cheese. All opinions are my own. I love cheese.

Jacob's Creek Wine

This post is long overdue, but I'm crossing things off my list as the year winds down, and I say it's better late than never!

Back in October, I was invited to a wine tasting dinner hosted by Jacob's Creek Winery (from Australia), held at Prospect, a delightful restaurant in San Francisco that I had never visited. The evening was a delightful culinary treat, and I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to taste such awesome food and wine.

Le menu

Le wine expert!

The tasting was in honor of their new Moscato, which is a bit sweet but quite lovely. And look! Fun facts about Moscato!

• There are 13 hip hop artists who have Moscato in their lyrics (Drake is such a fan, he had a Moscato wine sponsor his 25th birthday*)
• Real Housewife of Atlanta Nene Leakes just launched her own Moscato brand
• 30% of Moscato drinkers are Millenials (hey! That's my generation!)
• It is said that Moscato was served at King Midas' funeral (Moscato is Italian for muscat, one of the world's oldest grapes)
• The word Moscato was tweeted 510,034 times in 2011.

Random, but kinda fun, no?

*I could not name a Drake song, and I don't know when he turned 25, but I hear his a big deal or something? Thought y'all might appreciate the info.

It seems I was drinking a little too heartily to photograph the wine, so please accept this photo from the Jacob's Creek website, so at least you can see the label (and better recognize it in the store!). I tried the Pinot Noir, the Chardonnay and the Dry Riesling, and enjoyed them all. The Riesling in particular - typically I find Riesling too sweet, but this one was quite nice. As was the Chardonnay (again, not too sweet). We had some champagne too...oh, all of it was tasty! I am getting the feeling that I am not so much a wine expert and could perhaps benefit from a class in wine tasting. Perhaps.

The kind folks over at Jacob's Creek have put together a little food and wine pairing guide as well, for you to sample this holiday season. I haven't found it in my local stores yet, but I'm hoping I will soon!

 Food and wine pairings, courtesy of Jacob's Creek:

• Appetizers·         

•  Grilled Bruschetta With Marinated Artichoke Hearts: Best served with Jacob's Creek Reserve Chardonnay·          

• Chilli Prawns: Best served with Jacob's Creek Moscato Rosé  

• Classic & Unique Holiday Side Dishes 

• Sweet potatoes: Best served with Jacob's Creek Reserve Chardonnayo 

• Sausage cornbread stuffing: Best served with Jacob's Creek Reserve Barossa Shiraz

• Green beans with mushrooms casserole: Best served with Jacob's Creek Reserve Adelaide Hills Pinot Noir 

• Green Vegetables With Spicy Sauce: Best served with Jacob's Creek Reserve Riesling
• Main Dishes·          

• Baked Ham with Cranberry Curry Glaze: Best served with Jacob's Creek Reserve Pinot Noir·          

• Panfried Salmon With Beans and Preserved Lemon/Caper Vinaigrette- Best served with Jacob's Creek Reserve Riesling  

• Dessert·          

• Strawberry Flan- Best served with Jacob's Creek Sparkling Moscato Rosé·  

• Pavlova Roll With Tropical Fruit And Mango Sauce- Best served with Jacob's Creek Sparkling Moscato White

Thank you so much to Jacob's Creek for hosting this event and allowing me to have such hearty "tastes" of your wine!


In the interest of full disclosure, I received wine to sample and review, and the meal at Prospect, but otherwise received no compensation for this post. I was not required to write a positive review, and all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

Giving Good

This holiday season, I've been approached by a lot of PR companies, hoping I'll include their clients' products in my holiday gift guide. Funny thing is, I've never actually put together a gift guide, and I feel sort of icky recommending products just because someone asked me to. I have a strict policy here at Kim's Kitchen Sink, to only recommend products I've tried and loved. If the brand is willing to provide product for a giveaway, all the better, but I never review something just because I'm getting it for free. Just so you know.

While I'm not putting together a gift guide this year, I do want to bring your attention to the World Vision Gift Catalog. When they emailed me, asking if I'd write about them, I wasn't just drawn in by their offer of product to review and give away. I was encouraged by their creative approach to giving, and the way they make it incredibly easy to give to those in need. How does it work? Watch this short video!

From World Vision:

The catalog has more than 250 items ranging in price from $16 to $39,000 that help children and families in need here in U.S. and around the world. Included in the catalog are several items that foodies on everyone’s gift list might enjoy such as Family Food Kit, farm animals, fruit trees, drought-resistant seeds and many more. 

In addition World Vision offers Maximum Impact Fund gifts that are used where resources are most desperately needed. With a financial contribution, the gift giver can select one of 36 items that can be given to a loved one and at the same time help a person in need. 

World Vision sent me this beautiful set of spoons (from the Maximum Impact Fund list), and is going to give one set away to one of you as well! To enter, visit the catalog and leave a comment on this post, telling me what you think of giving this way -- would you like to receive a gift that helps someone in need? My husband's uncle "gave" us all a cow (given to families in need) via Heifer International one year, and I thought it was really nice! If you were going to give someone a gift from World Vision, what would you give? 

You can check out World Vision on Pinterest and Facebook as well, if you're interested.

Please note that the contest ends on Friday December 7 Monday, December 10 at 11:59pm. Winner must be located in the U.S.  World Vision did not compensate me for this post, and though they did provide a free set of wooden serving spoons, my thoughts and opinions are my own.

Be Prepared

Ok, so not this.

But kind of this?

While I technically missed National Preparedness Month (September), it's never a bad time to check in on disaster preparedness. With Hurricane Sandy terrorizing the East Coast, and the ever-present threat of earthquakes in my homestate of California, we could all use a reminder now and again, right? And apparently, October is Earthquake Month (and National Cyber Security Awareness Month? Does everything have a month?), so my timing is...not too late?

I was lucky enough to receive an emergency kit/backpack back in the day when I worked at Google, as part of their Oprah-like distribution plan (YOU get an emergency pack! And YOU get an emergency pack! Emergency packs for EVERYOOOOOOOONE!) .

My pack contains:

• rope
• thick gloves
• battery/solar-powered radio/lantern
• those shiny silver blankets
• a tent/tube
• ponchos
• glow sticks
• a wrench (for shutting off gas valves)
• a whistle
• kleenex
• a military can opener 
• a swiss army knife
• first-aid kit
• matches
• duct tape
• emergency candles
• water purification tablets
• out-of-state contact info
• expired water (oops)
• expired MREs (oops)

This, combined with our drawer full of water bottles, our always-packed pantry, and our extensive collection of camping/backpacking supplies (including several freeze-dried entrees) means we are pretty well set for a disaster...as long as our house is pretty much intact. If the house were to burn down or collapse and we couldn't go inside, we'd be in a little bit of trouble. 

72hours.org has information on what to do in cases
of all kinds of emergencies...including setting up
your family communication plan, finding shelter,
and stocking your home with supplies.

That's why I finally put together a "Go Bag" as well, something that's easy to grab and contains the essentials. We have the Google Pack, but it doesn't have everything. Like food, for instance. I grabbed an old backpack that I never use anymore, and filled it with canned goods (fruit, vegetables, beans, and spaghetti o's - things I wouldn't mind eating cold if necessary!), candy bars, and crackers that don't expire for a long time. It's a good idea to re-check your expiration dates once a year, just to make sure everything's still good! We each threw a rarely-worn sweatshirt in the bag as well, just in case, and I added some additional items like, um, feminine products and disposable utensils, and I'm considering adding some Clif Bars as well.

I do keep our important documents (marriage/birth certificates, social security cards, etc), my backup external hard drive, and some of our more "valuable" jewelry in a fireproof safe (documents and electronics in heavy duty ziplock freezer bags for water protection), but it's a good idea to also keep copies of the documents (especially insurance/marriage/birth certificates) in your Go Bag as well. Note to self: make copies and put in the Go Bag.

One thing that could prove useful, that I never think about, is a reliable source of fire. If your power goes out, you'll want a flashlight (and spare batteries), of course, but you also might want to light candles. You might need to light a fire for warmth, or to cook food. And in that case, a reliable fire starter will be pretty handy. I would usually just suggest a box of matches (in a waterproof container!), but there are other options too.

I recently had the opportunity to try out the Zippo Emergency Fire Starter, and I highly recommend it as an addition to your Go Bag. I'm not great with lighters, to be honest (I think I'm always afraid of burning myself), and if you don't have matches around (or your matches get wet), this would be a good alternative to have on hand. The waxed tinder sticks light quickly and easily, and stay burning for a good amount of time - definitely long enough to light a fire, I'd say! You can buy them online, or at various sporting goods stores...but one lucky reader is going to get one for free!

Leave a comment below, telling me what you have in your Emergency Kit -- if you don't have one yet, what will you put it yours when you make one? ed note: This contests closes for entries on Sunday, 11/11, at 11:59pm PST.

Seriously, everyone should have one. Don't be caught in a disaster without provisions. Stay safe out there.

Ed note: I actually started writing this post before Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast, and with the stories of devastation over there, this post just seems all the more relevant now. Please help yourself by being prepared -- and if you want to donate time or money to those in need on the East Coast, head on over to the Red Cross website to see how you can help.

Official FCC Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with 72hours.org, and I doubt they even know I'm writing this post. I just think their site is extremely useful. Red Cross Bay Area (with whom I am also not affiliated) pointed me to them a few years ago. Neither company has provided me with any compensation, and my opinions are my own. Zippo sent me a free firestarter (and refills) to try and review, but I was not otherwise compensated, and they did not require that I write a positive review. This is my blog, and my opinions are mine, yo!

Wearing my Produce

A few months ago, I was approached by a company called Fresh Produce, to see if I'd be interesting reviewing something from their line...of clothing. I wasn't sure what to expect (skirts that look like squash?  pants covered in pears?), but was pleasantly surprised to find their collection of beachy, outdoorsy, casual-yet-put-together clothes.

Admittedly, a lot of what they offer seemed a bit too old for me (maybe geared more towards the middle-aged beach-living crowd...I'll get there someday), and there are a lot of sundresses that are just not practical for my everyday life, but I found quite a few things to add to my wish list! I like that Fresh Produce is co-founded and run by a mom-entrepreneur, and that the clothes are primarily made in the US. That's always nice to find, no?

They sent me the Pintuck Knit Tunic, and I was skeptical. It's really hard for me to wear tunics without looking pregnant. Usually there's some sort of empire waist or tieback, and it's never low enough to account for my...ahem...chest region. But this tunic is awesome. Because there's no "tieback" part, there's no awkward pulling around my ribcage, and the "pintucks" actually sit right about where they should. It's lightweight, delightfully flowy, and looks pretty darn good, if I do say so myself. I've worn it with yoga pants for an "around the house casual" look, and with jeans to go out and about.

Because I lacked sufficient time to schedule a photoshoot (even though it's taken me months to get this wimpy little review together), and because real-life pictures are better anyway, here are some photos of me eating. In my tunic. (photos taken on my iPhone, by my husband, at the EatRealFest, which is awesome)

Pardon the sun in my eyes and across the front
of the shirt, but I was trying to get a "front of
shirt" picture." I think it's actually more flattering
in person than on the website. Or in this picture.

This one shows the drapeyness well, I think.
I need to not look directly into the sun when
I'm taking pictures.

And right now, ALL of their tunics are 50% off! A great deal, because I'm cheap, and I would never spend $74 on a cotton shirt, even if it is produced in the US and made by a very nice lady (sorry, just trying to keep it real here). But $36.99? I might just buy myself another one. In the same color. You know, in case one is dirty.



While Fresh Produce did send me the shirt free of charge, I received no other compensation for this post, and all opinions and awkward photos are my own.

Technogel Pillow Of Deliciousness - and a giveaway!

This year at BlogHer, I happened to stop by the Technogel booth (what can I say? I was lured by the giant bed! A girl's gotta rest her feet!), where I was able to try out the oh-so-comfortable Technogel mattress and pillows.

And oh man. If you've tried memory-foam-type pillows, you know the feeling - except that Technogel products contain gel instead of foam. More on that later.

I am a picky sleeper. I have a very particular method of stacking pillows (one slimmer Target brand "firm" pillow on top of another, fatter, IKEA brand "firm" pillow), where the top pillow has to be stacked at just the right angle atop the bottom pillow, and I often have to readjust several times before getting it right each night. I need just the right amount of firmness, at just the right angle, and recently I noticed that my once-firm Target-brand pillow was starting to lose steam. Oh, first world problems, I know thee well. But when the kind folks at Technogel offered me the chance to try one of their luscious pillows, I knew I couldn't pass it up.

Oh hello, there.
Nice curves.

I chose the "Anatomic" pillow (pictured above), and have been sleeping on it for the last two weeks. And I don't think I can ever go back, guys. I don't know that it gives me "a fresh feeling around [my] face and neck" (one of the advertising claims), but it definitely stays cool throughout the night. As for the other claims? The 3-D Deformation does support my head and neck (and the Anatomic shape means that it works whether I'm on my side or my back, which is good news for me, since I tend to roll around a lot. It's even comfortable when I'm on my stomach, even though it's not marketed as the one for stomach-sleepers). And it is definitely odorless and hypoallergenic -- I'm prone to allergies and somewhat sensitive to smells, so this is something I care about. And it's not really relevant, but it's a heavy pillow. And I kind of like that. Not sure why, but I do.

If you're interested in more information, Technogel made this 10-minute video. I'll be honest, I didn't make it through the whole thing, so, uh, no pressure or anything. They do have a lot of great information on their website though, so you should definitely check that out. The only downside I can see is the price (I think it retails for around $150), but considering the quality and that it should last for years, it's worth it, yo.

But, oh, what's that? Something about a giveaway? YOU LUCKY PEOPLE, YOU! Technogel is letting me give away one pillow (winner's choice!) to one lucky winner (super lucky!). That's right - one of you lucky readers is going to get one of these magical pillows of wonder. Something tells me my husband might be entering this giveaway...

As far as the giveaway itself goes, I'm using Rafflecopter for the first time, and I'm not quite sure what I'm doing, so forgive me if it's awkward or something - just let me know if it is and I'll figure it out. The contest is open until Sunday at midnight, and all you have to do to enter is do one (or all!) of the things listed in the Rafflecopter widget thing.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

In the interest of full disclosure, Technogel provided me with a complimentary pillow to review, but I received no other compensation for this post. Technogel did not require a positive review, nor did they influence my review in any way. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

flask review

I was recently contacted by Red Envelope (who I met at BlogHer - funny how many BlogHer-related posts I'm doing lately) about doing a review of one of their products.  I really wanted to review these customizable throw pillows, because they come with cute pictures of states, and I thought it would be fun to have a Washington or Minnesota pillow and a California pillow for our home.  Sadly, there was a bit of miscommunication, and the only pillows to choose from were text-only, and I don't really care for the text-on-pillow thing.  Doesn't really go with our decor.


Anyway, they were nice enough to let me select something else, so I selected a flask. Why not?  We don't own one, and Will actually drinks things like gin straight out of a flask, and I figured it would be good for us to take to games and tailgates and whatnot to mix with other stuff.  All alcohol-drinking adults should have flasks, right?


So part of the deal with receiving this product was that I have to write a review, and link you to some stuff. Maybe that means I'm selling out a little bit, so sorry if you never want to read this blog again, but oh well.  Kimmy wanted a free flask, so there you go.  Red Envelope is a good place to go if you're looking for personalized bar gifts (like, say, a flask), or any leather gifts, really.  But honestly, they have a whole lot of stuff to choose from in their catalogue.  So check 'em out.

The flask (actually flasks...they accidentally sent me two - bonus?) is pretty good.  We don't really have any other flasks to compare them to, and our flask experience is pretty low, but it works.  The leather is glued on in a way that is a liiiiitle bit cheap; I thought you had to remove the leather to clean the flask, and it came apart easily as I tried to take it off -- clearly, I wasn't supposed to rip the glue, and luckily I only did a little corner before realizing this. It has silly debossed writing on it, so it's not necessarily the classy gift-type flask (unless your classy recipient would laugh at the "damn fool" message on the bottom there), but we don't mind that.  We need to get a smaller funnel, because our funnels are all a little too big, and it's hard to pour without spilling -- it would be nice if it came with a funnel.  Do any flasks come with a funnel?  Are you just supposed to have a steady hand?


Overall, a decent flask I think.  Ours didn't come personalized, so I can't speak to the quality of that, but Will's used his twice already and, when prompted for a review, said, "It's fine."  And that's about all I need from a flask, really.  Nothing fancy, a comfortable fit in the pocket, not too heavy, and easy to use.   I mean, it's a flask, right?


Am I missing something? Any flask aficionados out there with opinions or things I should be looking for in any future flask selection?


Thanks to Red Envelope for sending us the flasks!

Lindt Chocolate Tastes Good and You Can Have Some!

Lucky me, I met the fine folks at Lindt Chocolate when I was at BlogHer this year.  So many chocolate samples, oh yum oh yum oh yum.  And then they mentioned me on their BlogHer recap post.  And then they offered to send me more chocolate.  Lindt, I love you.  If Will hadn't given me a giant diamond, and if I could marry a company (corporations are people too?), I would marry you.  For reals.

cue angels sighing 

My dear, amazing, wonderfully hilarious friend Lyz (who lives way too far away from me) also got courted by the Lindt (wemakeyourchocolatedreamscometrue) people, and she made some SEXY PIE out of her chocolate.  I just ate it.  But I made Will help me.  And I made him offer tasting comments.  We worked for this chocolate, yo! (not really)

What did we think?

• 70% cocoa almond brittle -- a pleasant nutty flavor, chocolate is dark but still creamy. I like the crisp/brittle bits amidst the creamy chocolate. Will says it has a "satisfying crunch"
• 70% cocoa nut crunch -- a little more plain, more focused on the chocolate, but still with a walnutty undertone. Not sure I can taste the hazelnuts at all, but I enjoy the still-creamy darkness.  A milder, more traditional-tasting nutted chocolate.
• 90% cocoa -- I was surprised at just how much darker it tasted than the 70%.  I mean, it's a 20% difference, sure, but I hadn't really expected it to be so...cocoa-more-than-chocolate. Not sweet at all, really, more bitter, but not in a bad way? It's not subtly creamy like the 70%, just raw-tasting cocoa.  I like it, a lot, but this is definitely a 1-square at a time richness (the 70% with various nuts are lighter in taste and I could probably eat half a bar at a time).  I wonder what the 99% is going to taste like, holycow.
• Extra Fine Dark with a Touch of Sea Salt -- We tried this almost immediately after the 90%, and it felt extremely smooth and creamy in comparison.  The sea salt is subtle at first, but it sticks with you, leaving a pleasing salty-sweet aftertaste. Will thought it had a slight raspberry taste, and I agree. A bit fruity and sweet, with that saltiness countering nicely.  I'm so glad Lindt sent this in my batch, because it was my favorite one at BlogHer :)  Delicious.
• 99% Dark -- whoa baby is this stuff dark.  Scary dark.  Almost too much to handle dark.  Seriously.  The instructions say to place it on your tongue and let it melt...so Reed and I did just that.  It turned into a sort of chalky, bitter mush in our mouths.  Not super pleasant.  I chewed and swallowed, and it was like, ok. I guess.  Sort of like taking a spoonful of cocoa powder.  Bitter, without the sweetness of the 90%.  This chocolate is probably best used in recipes.  Or maybe turned into chocolate milk.  Will have to experiment with the rest of the little squares (this one comes in much smaller squares than the others).

We didn't do an official taste test for the plain 70% chocolate, because it's the basis for the nutty ones, and because honestly I forgot it was on the counter until I started cleaning this weekend and realized it was still there.  And now I want to make sexy pie.

And I want to give you chocolate!  Read on...

Some words from Lindt:

The Lindt Excellence collection is the world’s most exceptionally-crafted premium chocolate, boasting a wide range of cocoa percentage bars and innovative flavor combinations.  Made with the finest cocoa beans and highest quality ingredients, these innovations from the Master Chocolatiers at Lindt have a thin, refined profile to offer chocolate lovers a unique and sophisticated sensory experience.  The 3.5 oz. Lindt Excellence bars are available at retail locations nationwide, Lindt Chocolate Shops, and www.Lindt.com (SRP: $2.59 each).  For more information, visit www.LindtExcellence.com.  

The winner of the giveaway will receive three Excellence bars including: Excellence 70% Cocoa, Excellence Almond Brittle and Excellence Nut Crunch.
 Excellence 70% CocoaThe #1 premium chocolate bar in the U.S. – a full-bodied dark chocolate, masterfully balanced to be neither bitter nor overpowering Excellence 70% Almond BrittleA delicate crunch of almond brittle provides a sweet counterbalance to the deep flavor of the full-bodied, dark chocolate Excellence 70% Cocoa Nut CrunchThe subtle flavor and delicate crunch of caramelized walnut and hazelnut pieces enhances the refined, intense dark chocolate

To enter -

• Leave a comment about your favorite kind of chocolate.  Or why you love chocolate.  Or why chocolate is the cure for what ails us.
• Share this post on facebook, Twitter, etc. and come back and leave a comment for each thing you do.
• Go read Lyz's post about sexy pie and come back here to leave a comment telling me something you liked about her post.  Cross-bloggy-promotion for my friend Lyz!  Bonus treat: she also posts pictures of her nommably chubby baby, Ellis.  Enjoy.

Giveaway remains open until 11:11pm (Pacific) on 11/11/11.  Because, as Lyz said, I can.

CHOCOLATE!

Getting Carded

I am a fan of Shutterfly.  I've used it for photo books and photo storage/sharing for years, so when they contacted me about doing a review and giveaway of their holiday cards, I jumped on the opportunity!  I've never sent holiday cards before, but I do think they're fun to receive! Why not be on the giving end this year?  ...now I just have to decide what to do!

We're planning to take engagement photos sometime next month, so I'm thinking maybe we'll incorporate some of those photos in our cards?  They have all sorts of designs, from Christmas cards (and Chanukkah cards too!) to just general greeting cards and holiday cards, including some cute ones that just say "Happy Everything".  I like the ones with the snowflakes and pine cones too...very wintery. And though it's just barely starting to feel like Fall up in here, I get excited about the spiced cider and scarves and blankets and general coziness.

Some of my favorite designs:

This one is pretty adorable. Wintery without going overboard.

Do I just like this one because of the wedding?
And because of the pine cones?
Maybe.

Also cute. Especially with the snow.
Get it? Warm wishes? Cause they're all bundled up?
Oh, that's just something people say?
Whatever.

I like this one a lot.

It's hard to decide what kind of holiday card to send, since we're about to send out Save the Dates and Wedding Invitations, and we'd likely send holiday cards to the same people...but I'm sure I'll think of something :)  In those cold winter months when we're all feeling cozy, people don't mind getting a little extra mail, right?  Especially if it's a warm wish or a happy face smiling back at them, I'd think?  We'll probably just go easy on the cheesy and make it fun.  Or make some more generic thank you cards to send at a later date.

Do you send out holiday cards?  If so, what do they usually say? Who do you send them to? What's your favorite part of sending cards?  If you've never done it before (like me!), how come?  Would you ever want to? So many questions! 

For those of you who like sending cards, or for those of you who never have but want to start, Shutterfly is letting me give away THREE sets of 25 holiday cards!  This is your chance to get a head start on those cute and awesome photo cards of you and your kids or pets or partners or just your super sassy self - don't wait until the end of the holiday season to remember that you wanted to send cards this year!

How to Enter:

1. Leave a comment on this post telling me about your favorite part of the holiday season. Let's get all warm and fuzzy up in here!
2. Share this post on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, whatever, and leave a comment for each individual thing that you do. 

Comments will be counted and THREE winners will be selected by the Random Number Generator on Friday, 11/4/11 - all entries must be received by 11:59pm on Thursday, 11/3/11.  There is no limit to number of entries, so share away!

The fine print about the giveaway:

• The prize codes are good for any 5x7 greeting or stationery card product. 
• Note that they do not apply to the cheaper photo cards (with the glossy surface).
• The codes can be used for any of the products found at the links below:
• 5x7 Holiday & Christmas Greeting/Stationery Cards (here or here)
• Other 5x7 Greeting/Stationery Card Types (here or here)
• The codes expire December 31st, 2011.

In the interest of disclosure, Shutterfly is also providing me with a coupon code for my own set of free cards. They asked me to write about their holiday cards in exchange for free cards for myself and three readers, but I am receiving no other compensation for this post. They did not ask me to write anything specific, or to give positive reviews; my opinions and thoughts are my own.  Enjoy!

Columbus Salami, Columbus Day

In honor of Columbus Day today, I thought I'd post my recap of our recent salami tasting party, which was generously sponsored by Columbus Salame!  Now, I am a huge Columbus Salame fan.  I love their salami, their prosciutto, their pancetta...even their lunch meats.  They're a Bay Area company, which makes me feel good about supporting them, though I'd been buying their products long before moving up here.

The kind folks at Columbus sent me six different types of salami to review, and we decided to host our salami tasting party in conjunction with our housewarming party (and a Cal football watching party).  Fun for all!

So much salami!
You can see the tasting guides, pens, and adorable
Columbus cutting board in the background :)
Not pictured: Columbus tote bags

Everyone had a great time tasting the salami, and reading about the differences between salume and salame in the tasting guides!  A brief review, based on feedback from the group:

Chorizo Casero: Not as spicy as we'd expected from a chorizo, but it had a pleasant, smoky chorizo flavor. 

Soprasetta: Slightly oily, I think this is the fattiest of the selections?  It is mighty tasty, with a hint of fennel. 

Cajun Salame: This was the spiciest of all, with a surprising kick that hits you towards the end of the bite. One of my favorites, because it's quite different. 

Pepper Salame: This was also a bit spicy, but more peppery really (perhaps because it's coated in black peppercorn? maybe?).   

Herb Salame: One of the messiest, but also one of the most delicious. The herb salame is coated in a lovely herb mixture, which yes, gets all over your hands, but it's so worth it. 

Italian Dry Salame: The basic salame, though some thought it wasn't dry enough. I don't mind my salami a little wetter, so I had no problem with its texture.  Mild, yet rich, it's just your classic salam.  :)

We pre-sliced half for easy grab-n-go tasting.

We got through just about half of the salame at the party, and Will and I have been enjoying our leftovers quite a lot.  Chopping it into salads, mixing it into breakfast (both alongside fried eggs and in scrambles), and we took a full log up to Tahoe when we drove up to look at venues -- it's a great car snack as long as you have a sharp knife and something to cut on.

Gratuitous salame closeup by Suki

The party was a great success, and a fantastic way to warm our new house!  Thanks, Columbus, for the tasty housewarming gift!

Will says this could be a stock photo for
Columbus. I agree. Thanks, Suki, for the
cool photo (and thanks, Dana, for not
being mad that I posted a picture of you
eating :) 

And because it was damn good, and I'm proud of the design,
I present to you...Script Cal Peanut Butter Snickers Pie.
Sadly, it did not help the Bears beat the Huskies that day.

Oh, you're still here?  You're still reading? Well, lucky you, you get to find out about the giveaway!  That's right, because they are super nice, Columbus is going to send a selection of 3 salamis to one of you lucky readers! 

To Enter:

• Comment on this post and tell me what kind of salami you would like to try.
• Comment on this post to tell me where around the internet you've shared this (twitter? facebook? your blog?  leave one comment for each place)

That's it!  So easy!  :)

I'll choose a winner on Sunday 10/16 - contest remains open until 11:59pm on Saturday 10/15.


You can also visit their Facebook page for a chance to win a grab-n-go salami...they're giving them away (in honor of their fans and their Italian heritage) to the first 1,000 people to enter!

Special thanks to Reed, Suki and Dana, who were especially
helpful in getting this party set up. Salami slicing masters!
Not pictured: Katherine (for some odd reason)