Entries from March 2008

Wine of the Week

This week’s wine is the 2006 Dr. Loosen Riesling from the Mosel Valley in Germany.
The bottle looks like this:

 
This Riesling is slightly sweet and tastes of peach. It is very crisp making it a nice wine for Spring. The bottle has a screw top but I can get past that if the wine is good [...]

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Category: Wine of the Week

At Work Image Emergency Kit

I keep a small container of personal stuff in the office to help me keep up my appearance in case of an emergency. I call it the “At Work Image Emergency Kit.”
Here are the top ten essentials I keep in my kit:

Shout Wipes
Lint brush
Safety pins - I was happy to have these handy [...]

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Category: work/life balance

5 More Websites You Should Check Out

Here are five more websites that I refer to often.

Kayak - Searches most of the travel sites and consolidates the pricing options for you
Cork’d - Offers a simple way to find new wines and read reviews
Angry Alien Productions - 30 Second movie re-enactments with bunnies
Epicurious - Has great gourmet recipes categorized quite nicely
GymTicket -Provides a [...]

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Category: Reviews

Furniture Rehab: Coffee Table Edition

I bought a new sofa with my income tax return and I really wanted a new coffee table, but I didn’t have the budget for it. My solution was to rehab my current coffee table so that it looked better with my new modern sofa.
I took this Leksvik coffee table from IKEA:

1) Sanded [...]

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Category: Home Improvements

Wine of the Week

This week we selected an old favorite, the 2005 Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles.
The label looks like this:

This is medium bodied cab that tastes of blackberries and chocolate. The tannins give it a good kick so it pairs nicely with grilled steak.
You can find it at www.wine-club-central.com for $10.65 a bottle or [...]

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Category: Wine of the Week

Table Etiquette: Where Is My Bread Plate?

I’ve been out to dinner a few times this past month where the person to my left has taken my bread plate. Here is a quick tip on how to find your bread plate on the table.

Make a circle with both your right and left hand, with your fingers touching your thumbs.
Point your index fingers.

Notice [...]

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Category: Personal Development

The $100 Challenge - How I Measured Up

I made it through the $100 Challenge. It was harder than I thought it would be, but I learned a few lessons that will help me budget in the future.
The Rules:

During a one week period I was only allowed to spend a $100 allowance on all out-of-pocket expenses including: food, gas and going out.
I [...]

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Category: Budget

How to Organize Your Bathroom

My schedule has been crazy for the past month so moving into my new apartment was overwhelming. I just threw things in the general direction of where they belonged as I unpacked.
This past weekend I spent a little over an hour organizing my bathroom.
I put a divider in the drawers and organized my items so [...]

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Category: Declutter

Unitasker Roundup

I have never understood the need for most of the specialty appliances I see in the store. They are clunky and take up space in cabinets or on the counter. They aren’t that easy to clean either. You can get the same results by simply cooking on the stove with a pot or pan.
Here are [...]

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Category: Unitaskers

Affordable Recipe - Chicken and Dumplings

I’m constantly being asked for my chicken and dumplings recipe, so I decided to post it for everyone to enjoy. This dish is healthy, hearty and very affordable. It usually cost me $20-25 to prepare.
I have put the ingredients into two categories - ‘From the Store’ and ‘From the Kitchen’.
‘From the Store’ ingredients are [...]

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Category: Recipes