The corner of Guerrero and 22nd Street offers a variety of dining and drinking options. One dinner choice, Beast and the Hare , is sure to please your inner carnivore.     I first discovered Beast and the Hare when we walked from our flat to Bi-Rite Market to go grocery shopping. It was closed, neatly set up and waiting for the evening rush. Two months and two cancelled reservations later, cubes and I secured a corner window table for a two hour date.   There were two things I knew walking into the restaurant: arrive hungry and order the rabbit. Previous diners were right on both accounts. We wanted a representative sample of what the kitchen had to offer. A big believer in first impressions, I went to FourSquare for additional recommendations. I'm glad I did or we would have missed the most amazing deviled eggs I've ever eaten. (Up until these, Mooflyfoof's deviled eggs had that honor. )   Do you make a killer deviled egg recipe? Please share.   What did ...

We're all guilty of it: leaving photos forgotten and abandoned in a digital wasteland. Why not personalize your gifts this holiday? And free your photos? A travel journal from a vacation with friends for the friends you traveled with. A yearbook to share for a class reunion.     Creating a book or magazine worthy of your coffee table or your friends' and family's coffee tables has never been easier. You already have the material to start - in your phone, on Facebook or Twitter, or on your blog (in your diary or journal).   Steps for Creating Coffe Table Worthy Photo Journals and Travel Guides Determine your audience. This sounds obvious, but it's not actually. Is the journal for your immediate family? Extended family? Family by blood or by choice? The photos you choose, the stories you highlight, the details you share, and more depend on how familiar the readers are with the people and events. For chosen family, you may want to share more inside jokes. With extended ...

There's a decided chill in the air. Fall is finally here--only a few months late. Now I'm dreaming of cozy nights in, curled up in front of the fire, sipping hot cocoa. Such a comfort food. So easy to make a gathering memorable.     Hot cocoa is the perfect accompaniment for dessert; it can be dressed up or down, and it comes in flavors fit for all members of the family or just for those 21 and over. But, that's not the best part. You shine like the star you are while your guests do all the work! Here are some ideas for serving hot cocoa at your next gathering. Encourage guests to create their own cocoa mixes. Provide a few sample recipes with containers of labeled, raw ingredients: cocoa powder, sugar, confectioner's sugar, nonfat dry milk, vegan soy powder, vegan rice powder, cinnamon, and sea salt. Have guests serve themselves from carafes or urns. How you serve the cocoa determines whether your event is refined, laid back, or somewhere in between. Pre-pour the...

In tech it's easy to accept the way things are. Initially it rankles; but, you're one voice drowned out by others. And, hey you chose to be a trailblazer; you have no one to blame but yourself. A thread that started last night on Twitter surfaced a wave of fresh voices.     When I woke up Tuesday morning my Twitter feed had a few occurrences of the hashtag #1reasonwhy . The hashtag attempted to capture the one reason why the number of female game developers was the lowest it had been in decades. For those keeping track, the number of women with computer science jobs has fallen 3% percent over the last decade and the number of female graduates with computer science degrees dropped 16% over the last two decades.   As I scanned the tweets many sounded familiar; they mirrored my experiences as a female in the tech industry (as well as being a female in civil engineering/construction). Sadly, they echoed experiences my mom had in the mid-1960s as the only female drafting ...

Before we found out we were expecting, I'd always imagined us living in a loft. When I'm between books and without Internet connection on the train, I sometimes daydream about what it would like if we'd moved into a loft. Recently I came across some contemporary rugs that won't fit with the feel of our Railroad flat. They'd go perfectly in that loft I dream about.     My daydream loft has three floors. The bottom floor houses the master suite. The space is divided into a sleeping area, bathroom, and office. As I'm won't to do, I'd take over the office space. To make it hip, I might choose to place this Lil Mo Hipster rug by Momeni under the desk that showcases abbreviations commonly seen in texts and tweets.   The second level is the main level with a kitchen, family area, and dining space as well as formal entry and another bathroom. To highlight the value of family, either the color or black and white version of the Family rug designed by Robert and...

In our house we have a goal of one home-cooked meal a week. Careful planning allows us to extend this one meal into two or more. One good base dish to start with is a traditional pot roast.     What makes a traditional pot roast so special? Its ability to be used in so many dishes. The first night serve pot roast as the main course. Leftovers can be shredded and used in wraps, stews, or chili. My favorite next day use? Beef Stroganoff.   5 Dot Ranch Beef Brisket Pot Roast 3- to 4- lb chuck roast or brisket Coarse salt and pepper 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) olive oil 8 medium carrots, chopped in thirds 3 medium onions, quartered for a total of 12 wedges 1 pound crimini mushrooms, approximately 20 to 24, or 4 portabella mushroom tops 1 Tablespoon (Tbsp) cornstarch* If preparing in a slow cooker, 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) water If preparing in the oven, 2 cups water 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) Worcestershire sauce* 1/4 cup red wine *To make this meal Passover friendly, you'll need...

I've taken Justin Hackworth 's Using Photography to Grow Your Blog class via Alt Summit twice now. Each time something different has stood out.   Last week's class inspired today's mantra: "Be you. Avoid Comparison. Be original."     Thursday, Justin was talking about sources of inspiration while Gates was riveted to the computer screen. His advice to an intimate audience of bloggers was not to look for inspiration in the blogging world. He cautioned to avoid comparing yourself and your blog to other bloggers and blogs. Why? Because subconsciously you start writing or formatting your work like theirs; you run the risk of being less original and more of a me too.   How Design regularly shares exercises designed to help you jump start your creativity. One of my favorite posts, Overcome Unhealthy Creative Expectations by Todd Henry, gives two additional cautions to Justin's: comparisons to your own work and others' opinions.   So how do you get ins...

A naturally safe and non-toxic solution for getting rid of ants? A mix of vinegar and water. Effective? No, not really. A natural safe and non-toxic cleaner for baby toys and highchairs? Effective? Yes, completely.     When you grab a bottle to spritz on toys the ingredients seem innocuous: "[w]hat’s in the bottle: Plant Based Cleaning Agents (Coconut, Palm Kernel, Corn and Sugar based surfactants), Soy Ester (Soy based cleanser), Filtered Water, Water Conditioning Agent, Preservative (less than 0.05%)." Right at the top of the spray bottle is the claim "natural and non-toxic;" the ants would disagree to the label of "non-toxic." Until I ran out of my vinegar and water mixture, the ants had been continuing their advances. Then wham! A spritz of BabyGanics Toy and Highchair Cleaner (compared to eight to ten spritzes of the vinegar mixture) stopped them dead in their tracks.   After seeing the success of The Cleaner Upper on the ants, I wanted to know what...

Sometimes the third time really is the charm. After two visits on days they were closed, I finally made it into Wise Sons Deli on 24th Street. Was it worth the wait? Short answer: Yes.     cubes' jury duty had finally ended and he was off for the day. While the office where I work is being painted and recarpeted, I'm working from home in the city, giving us the perfect opportunity to have lunch together. Having tried to eat at Wise Sons on Monday (I always forget that they're closed on Mondays and Tuesdays), I suggested Wise Sons.   It was after 12 when we arrived. They were busy, but the tables turned quickly. We opted to get our food to go. I was originally going to order Pastrami on Rye (my favorite at Saul's) and what I got a taste of at a Street Food Festival this summer. But then their twist on a burger caught my eye. I'm a sucker for a good burger. Their deli burger is ground with pastrami and comes with a beet-horseradish spread, deli mustard, iceberg l...

A discarded flyer. A blog by a former employee of the Dirección de Contrainteligencia del Ministerio del Interior. The California elections. Separate threads woven together by a chance sighting and an Internet search.     On my way to lunch Monday, a discarded magazine caught my eye. I liked the color treatment and use of fonts so I snapped a photo. Later when I went online to get more information about the publication, I discovered someone else had been inspired by the color palette .   I didn't find out much more about the publication I'd seen; the cover photo appears to have been taken in Mexico in 2006. I did discover a blog, La Malaletra or Bad Handwriting , written by a woman in Cuba, Regina Coyula, a former employee of the Dirección de Contrainteligencia del Ministerio del Interior (think KGB). Living in the states, especially on the west coast away from communities of Cuban immigrants, one doesn't hear much about what it's like to live in Cuba. It's hard ...

We can all identify with Veruca Salt (Willie Wonka and The Chocolate Factory) when she screams "I Want it Now!" That's why we reach for Raid without a second thought instead of trying less toxic alternatives. Yesterday's run in with sugar ants has me thinking about patience and determination.     The ants are both patient and determined. Even when their way is blocked and the path uncertain, they continue pushing forward and trying new things to achieve their goal. I respected their ingenuity. And wondered at my inability to anticipate their next move.   While I could appreciate the ants' determination, I still wanted them gone. I'm not the most patient. With a mobile baby, non-toxic remedies trump fast acting solutions. So, I've approached this an exercise in patience.   To deal with the initial onslaught, I used a solution of 50% white vinegar and 50% water. This reduced the number of ants but appeared to have no effect as a deterrent. The ants just k...

Tuesday night cubes and I shared a rare date night. While our friends Helen and Icka watched Gates, we headed back to our old neighborhood and one of our favorite haunts: Mission Beach Cafe.     Like the other diners in the restaurant our occasional sanfransocializing focused on checking in on the presidential election as well as local and state measures. Mostly we put our phones away, except for me to photograph our food. (I'm a little out of practice as the photos did not do the presentation justice.)   cubes started with the seasonal soup: a butternut squash soup with herb oil, apple, and creme fraiche. Unfortunately for me the chef had used butter and cream. Their vegan version of this soup is my all-time Fall favorite.   For me, the star of the meal was the grilled flatbread of the day. Crisp thin flatbread smeared with romesco sauce and topped with pancetta, goat cheese, braised greens, arugula, and Sheep's Milk parmesan. The sweetness of the romesco sauce ...

In need of inspiration? Hang out with creative entrepreneurs or plan to. It's not yet January, and Alt Summit SLC is already fueling creative fires.   For the past two years, each January I've wanted to be at Alt Summit. For a week, my favorite bloggers left their comfy, warm spots and headed to the snow touched streets of Salt Lake City. In January 2013, barring any unforeseen circumstances, I'll be one of those creatives descending on Salt Lake City.   For a Type A individual, getting one of the coveted tickets sets a high bar. Business cards need to be up to par. Branding needs to be consistent and authentic (no one should be surprised when they meet you in person). And... your blog must be ready. Just deciding to attend Alt Summit SLC gives you the kick in the pants you need to stop leaning in and just jump. But that's not all.     About a week ago, an unexpected yellow mailing tube arrived in the mail. More goodies were promised. The other day, an unexpecte...

I wish I could say there's a decided chill in the air, and that Fall is finally here. Alas, I can't. Even though the temperature outside is in the 70s, I'm dreaming of cozy nights in, curled up in front of the fire, sipping hot cocoa. Such a comfort food.     Here are some recipes to make your tastebuds sing. Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate Hot Chocolate with Salted Caramel Sauce S'mores Hot Chocolate (pictured in tip 5) Vanilla Mocha Hot Chocolate Mint Hot Chocolate Cinnamon Hot Chocolate (pictured in tip 2) Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate: Dairy-Version (pictured in tip 3) and Vegan-Version Pumpkin Pie White Hot Chocolate Lavender Hot Chocolate (pictured in tip 4) For crowds: Creamy Crockpot Hot Cocoa (pictured in tip 1)   What's your favorite hot chocolate recipe?   Bon Appetit! Eden   Credits: Layout designed by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life. Photographs from 1. Conceived of and photographed by Crystal for Mrs Happy Homema...

It's Day 6 of the Mindful Consumption Challenge . How are you doing so far? Only buying what's budgeted? What you need?     “My motto is ‘buy less, choose well, make it last.' You should wait until you really need something before you buy it. In fact, don't buy this collection.” - Vivienne Westwood ( Source )   Saturday while I was at Code Salon, I stumbled across the October issue of More magazine. Besides Salma Hayek's photo, an article, Declutter Your Closet to Find Your True Style, caught my attention. One of the tenets of the Mindful Consumer's Mantra is "I will end the year with either the same amount or fewer possessions than I started the year with." As my closet is stuffed this seemed like perfect timing. (You can read the article online here .)   My takeaway from Jennifer Braunschweiger's experiment? Choose well initially and revisit regularly. In addition to the traditional year-end sort of items into Keep, Fix, Donate, or Trash p...

Last week I threw together a last minute wine, cheese, and antipasto social followed by a dinner with six of the guests. I was in full party planning mode. Who would sit next to whom? Would I have to hide sharp objects? Would I need boxes of tissues? Would talk be effortless or awkward?     I thought I knew who my guests were going to be. I considered each carefully while my latest music obsession -- Ellie Goulding's single, Anything Can Happen -- repeated in the background. By the time the somg had played a zillion times, I found out I was wrong. My guests didn't match my expectations. My guests exceeded them! So much so that the evening turned into a weekend retreat.   Interestingly enough two guests, who didn't get a seat at the table after the happy hour, correspond to areas I want to be less public about: Mom Eden and Analytical Eden. Mom Eden left early. No one talks to her about anything other than her daughter, and she often feels like recording a set of stock ...

Each month I take an "official" portrait of Gates. Each month, the task gets harder. The number of chances to get the killer shot fewer. Fourteen last month. Six this month.     More of Gates' personality is revealed each day, and we're already getting a hint that she'll be as obstinate and stubborn as I am. I'm waiting for the day she gets sent home from pre-school or grammar school for disagreeing with the teacher.   Steve Bowler (@Gameism)'s daughter did poorly on assignment for correctly categorizing activities by gender (activity to support student's comprehension of Allie's Basketball Dream (link to Classroom Guide (PDF) ). The teacher assigned the column headings: Boy, Girl, Both, and asked the students to sort activities into columns. @Gameism's daughter sorted most activities under Both, splitting boxes where needed ( link to photo ). They have a parent/teacher conference tomorrow and will update the Internet as to the thinking behin...

Every time I'm assigned a mood board in a class, its creation takes much longer than I anticipate. Why? Because a constrained canvas forces editing.     I first took Blogging Your Way in March 2011. At the time, I was focused on one of five blogs, Recipes for the Good Life. One of our first homework assignments? Create a mood board . As the Recipes blog was primarily focused on food, kitchen, and entertaining, creating a mood board was fairly painless; I don't even think my husband noticed.   Last November I decided to combine all of my blogs; the content across them was too similar, which make senses as it's hard to talk about a good life without including events and food! So for this mood board, I had multiple topics I had to represent on one mood board. Worse I was creating this mood board to be an arbiter of what style photographs, color scheme, content, and so on could appear on this blog.     Have you made a mood board to organize and focus your thoug...

Over the next few weeks, our office space is getting a makeover. Nothing drastic--just fresh paint and new carpet. There's two ways to look at the makeover: a minor inconvenience or a chance for a fresh start.     To facilitate, the work we're moving into a conference room temporarily, and that means packing. This is the inconvenient part of the process. It also means cleaning, sorting, and recycling or tossing unneeded files, magazines, banners with old logos, and more.   When the dust had settled, I'd packed six moving crates. I'd also recycled two drawers of files from 2004 through 2006 that predate me at the company. In the process, I found part of a project we did in 2006 that applies for a project today.   How do you approach moves? As an inconvenience or an opportunity?   All the packing has me ready for weekend! I hope everyone has a good weekend lined up. For those with me on the Mindful Consumption Challenge , if your weekend plans include going to...

Today marks the start of the November Mindful Consumption Challenge . Is it all or nothing? No, like dieting it's everything in moderation, being aware of what you're buying, and making considered purchases.     Since our wedding in 2010, where consumption for no real reason is pushed down brides' throats, I've been trying to purchase gently loved items over brand new where it makes sense. (See today's In My Closet post for a sample outfit.)   Before that I frequently found myself sitting on my bed surrounded by bags of clothes purchased from the mall that I hadn't budgeted for. Sifting through receipts and trying to figure out what I could and couldn't return was stressful.   Despite attempts to save, I found myself taking money from savings to pay for the recent purchases. I was lucky that I could do that. Now, you might be asking what's the big deal, pay it off the next month. Nope, couldn't do that. After college, one of my only-spend-what-y...

Ever flip through old photo albums and do a double take as you see your mom as a college coed wearing something similar to what's in your closet? I used to. Now I go to the albums for inspiration.     As a child, my play closet was filled with designer cast offs from my aunt and my mother. That I had to share this wardrobe with my sister was sometimes contentious--we liked the same things. With that early closet we learned to love bold paisley prints, soft cashmeres, French seams, statement buttons, and more.     Now, my style is not a direct copy of what was in that closet. It's a modern interpretation of colors, textures, and lines. Where my mom has a waist-length, cream turtleneck with a plaid pencil skirt, I have a cream, cowl neck top that ends at my hip with a pleated, plaid skirt. My skirt is shorter than my mom's so I paired my outfit with black tights. With the exception of my tights every item in my favorite outfit was acquired at clothing swaps or onli...