Whether it's a special occasion or a recipe from a nightly family meal, many of us are bound to be grabbing our cameras and sharing via Instagram, a photo album, or our blog. We put a lot of work into making that moment special. So, before you click away, here are five tips for making food look mouthwatering that I learned in Nicole Hill Gerulat's Food Photography Design Camp.     Tips For Taking Mouthwatering Photos of Food Set up your shot before you start playing with your food. You don't want your garnish to sink into your soup. A trick Nicole recommends for keeping croutons or other ingredients that absorb liquid or weigh more than your soup from sinking is to put marbles in the bottom of your bowl. (NOTE: If you're planning on serving the soup, especially to little ones, skip the marbles.) Choose your camera angle based on what you want to highlight. To make your food look three-dimensional on the screen (or paper), position your camera a little higher than ...

Before I left for Alt I had the feeling it was an indoor Burning Man . My conclusion now that I'm back in San Francisco and have had time to reflect? Well, I'll let you be the judge.     Weigh In: Alt Summit is a mini-indoor Burning Man. I Agree. | I Disagree.   When I left for Salt Lake City, I had two goals (find collaborators and come away with ideas and concrete actions to improve my content and online conversations). Limiting myself to two goals proved a challenge in practice, but I was hardnosed about it.   Everyone had FOMO (fear of missing out), but you couldn't do it all. I had a little of it when I didn't choose Jasmine Star's session; reminding myself that one of the other sessions better matched my goals helped with that.   Apologies in advance for the long post, I know I could have broken this up into multiple posts, but I figure some of you are tired of hearing about Alt (there will be two more posts - one on Finca, an amazing Tapas restaura...

Socrates once said, "the unexamined life is not worth living." This blog is where I chronicle my quest for "The Good Life," or in other words, examine my life. In writing the first Dispatches from The Station , one of my passion projects, I realized I don't always do a good job with sharing the how of what I've learned. Today I'm going to work to correct that.     Each time I decide whether or not to do something or to buy something, I have a set of mileposts that I consider. I hadn't really codified my thought process until I began working on Dispatches from The Station to bring to Blurb's mini-party at Alt Summit.   When I sat down and thought about how would I describe The Road to The Good Life, or myself, to strangers I realized the first missive was starting in the middle. Documenting our "good life" in three month periods, highlighting memorable meals, road trips, and so on doesn't make much sense without how we got where ...

Bad things happen when you're in a hurry. When you skip your checklists. What kind of bad things? With fonts, funny characters happen.     I know better. I could have totally prevented this hiccup had I followed my checklist. It's there: "Type converted to outlines. Yes | No"   Do you have a production checklist that you follow?   First, let me take you back a couple of months to the beginning of the story. In early November, Blurb surprised all Alt Summit attendees with a gift certificate and instructions to make a book and bring it with them to Salt Lake City.   As you know back in November and December I was in the midst of rebranding, so I waited to start my book until the new branding was finished. (Originally I thought I wouldn't have time to do this project and had crossed it off my list.) This meant I started on the layout and photo processing in January, less than a week before the printing and shipping in-time-to-arrive-for-Alt deadline.   ...

I had promised myself that I wasn't going to buy anything new for Alt Summit, other than warm tights. Then a green velvet Anne Fogarty dress happened, and well, the rest is history. I went from Ms. Scarlet ( photo ) to Ms. Green.     Green Velvet Dress by Anne Fogarty, $59 from Friendly Fox Vintage (Etsy); Petticoat by Anne Fogarty, $65 Sweet Bee Finds (Etsy); Green Suede Handbag, $40 from Northline Designs (Etsy); Iridescent Black Purple Green Metallic Necklace, $18.94 from Vintage Starr Beads (Etsy); Bakelite Shoe Buckles by Musi, $39.50 from Mathilda's Attic (Etsy); Black Mary Janes by Via Spiga purchased in the late 1990s at Nordstrom.   Which look do you prefer? Ms. Scarlet or Ms. Green?   Ciao Bella! Eden!   Items denoted with an asterisk (*) were purchased for Alt Summit. Other items are from my closet; if I had records of purchase prices and shops I included that information.   Credits: All layouts designed by and images taken by Eden Hensl...

There are times when jeans are not the most comfortable essential in your wardrobe. This happens when you're in between sizes; your proportions don't fit any designer's average standard sizing proportions. So, I'm more at ease in skirts and dresses right now.     This means at Alt Summit, I'll be wearing lots of tights (fleece-lined leggings and tights are a wonderful invention) and boots. Today's the official start of the conference, a full day of sessions from 9 to 5, followed by the Clue-themed party. For on-the-go, stylish comfort, I'm going to go with a touch of red and a whole bunch of polka dots.   What I'm Wearing: Five Strand Black and Green Beaded Necklace, from Patsy's Vintage Treasures (Etsy) $15; Cream with Black Polka Dot Dress by DJ & Co. from Sixty Five Roses (Etsy), $36; Red Leather Skinny Belt by Liz Claiborne from Frequency Vintage (Etsy), $7.50; Black and Cream Oxford T-Strap Pumps by Amalfi from Vintage Turtle (Etsy), $...

Starting today and going through Sunday, I'll be sharing Alt Summit reveals with you. The first big reveal: my business cards.     How do you design? With a budget in mind? Or with a "sky's the limit" mantra?  

We all have a Good Life story. How we arrived at our story is different. Regardless of the path she takes, I want my daughter Gates to grow up being able to recognize and enjoy "The Good Life."     With the assistance of my sister, a pre-school and primary educator with over 15 years of experience, I'll be writing and illustrating a children's book, Finding the Good Life. In it, a little girl runs away from home thinking the animals have better lives. On her adventure, she goes from animal to animal asking about their good lives, realizing she has The Good Life back at home.   Rather than let the media define what is and what isn't a Good Life for Gates, I'm taking it to the streets so to speak. I'm asking you to share your definitions and examples of "The Good Life" with me.   I want to hear your Good Life story. I want to include your story in a children's book.   Interested in contributing? Throughout 2013, I'll be collecting people...

If you're a woman in the public eye, people will be talking about how you look. Last year there was lots of talk about Hillary Clinton using a scrunchie to tie her hair back. And just this month about whether you can be a feminist and be feminine when Zooey Deschanel, asserted in an interview with Glamour Magazine , "We can’t be feminine and be feminists and be successful? I want to be a f--king feminist and wear a f--king Peter Pan collar. So f--king what?"     When you're a woman, it's always about the clothes. And the hair. And the makeup. I've had countless career counselors advise me about straightening my hair: curly hair is not professional. One counselor even advised that glasses were a distraction. (Yes, my glasses at the time were hideous, but still. In case you're curious, I now let the staff at Eye Gotcha select frames for me.)   How do you deal with hypercriticality?   I recently learned the word "Twee." The Flack has a post, ...

When I entertain I want everything just so. With a full-time job, traffic, and an active 9 month old, that's not always possible. Here's how I make hosting stress free (or less stressful).     Take out.   I forget which television shows have had a hostess opening her door to receive delivery and then feverishly plating the contents and disposing of the containers. I know there have been a few. While you laugh at the time, part of you thinks what a clever idea.   Gates caught a cold over Christmas, which I promptly went on to catch as well. Why am I telling you this? Because I'd planned to host a pot luck New Year's Eve dinner at our house, with me cooking the main course. Rather than cancel the evening, I mean, heck, New Year's Eve only comes once a year, I served take out.   I didn't hide the changed menu from my guests, that was the one part of the television show scenario that didn't sit right with me, I told them. So on New Year's Eve with Gates ...

I admit it. Lately, I've been a one subject girl. Alt-this. Alt-that. I get that you're sick of it. But, it's a big deal. A really big deal for me.     What's the big deal about Alt? Not counting life events, such as getting married or having Gates, attending Alt Summit SLC this week ranks in my top three. The other two events? Yearbook camp in high school and my first Burning Man. Both of those events changed my life. I landed my first job in tech because someone saw the print out of my neatly laid out and illustrated notes from my Geology class -- skills I learned at Yearbook camp. I got engaged at Burning Man, but also learned that no matter how well prepared you are for something you've never done, to survive takes a community. Will Alt have a similar impact? Who knows.   Never heard of Alt? Having never been and based solely on accounts I've read or heard, Alt is an indoor, micro-sized version of Burning Man with branded sponsors (the sponsors are ther...

Handwritten fonts seem to be all the rage right now. In the scrapbooking world. And in Fashion; just flip through your Nordstrom or Free People catalog and you'll see more than a few examples. So why?     There's just something about a font that mimics old-fashioned handwriting. To me it screams notice me, if used in a caption, this was something I really liked. Or, if on the front of an envelope, please take this action.   Do you have a favorite handwriting font?   I just discovered this really cool site, Kevin and Amanda , that has tons of free fonts created from people's handwriting. And what's even better than other people's handwriting? If you really want to personalize your albums or cookbooks, have your handwriting made into a font. How cool is that? The designers at Kevin and Amanda will do just that for you.   Ciao Bella! Eden!   Credits: All layouts designed by and images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life. Font...

I love clothes that are super soft, especially in cold weather. While I won't buy new fur, you'll find me snapping up jackets and accessories from the 1950s and 1960s that sport fur.     Alas, while my Modern Deb jacket is warm enough for San Francisco winters, it's not for Salt Lake City. So, it'll be staying home in my closet while my Ultrawarm Jacket from L.L. Bean comes out of storage (an item I was so incredibly happy to find earlier in the week that it was what I was thankful for that day ( photo on Flickr )). My super comfortable BF Goodrich boots (purchased by the original owner in 1963 for $19.00) and gloves will be among the things I pack. Other cold weather necessities that I haven't used since I lived in East Lansing, MI, like ear warmers and Hand Warmers (those hot packs that you tuck inside your gloves or pockets), will also be joining me at Alt.   Would you wear vintage fur? Or is it faux fur only for you?   Ciao Bella! Eden   Credits: All layo...

How often do you eat mindfully? Or heck, indulge in lunch? No, grabbing a bite between meetings at your desk while scanning your email and listening to voicemail doesn't count.     Today, don't worry, I'll go easy on you, for five or ten minutes shut your office door. Turn off your phone's ringer. Close your laptop or turn off your computer monitor. Put away all distractions. Now, before taking your first bite really observe your lunch.   Is your lunch visually appealing? Did the person who made your lunch throw it together or craft it with care? Can you smell the individual ingredients in your lunch? The vinegar in the mustard?   Take a bite. Chew deliberately don't swallow your bite whole. Notice if the ingredients are evenly distributed. Or, did you get too much mustard or no salami? Take another bite. Is there too much bread to meat? Or too much meat or cheese to bread? Continue eating, pausing between bites to really think about your sandwich.   How do ...

Temperatures have been dipping into the high twenties in parts of the Bay Area. That has me reaching for my packed away winter clothes. Here are some of my must haves for braving the winter cold.     The obvious wardrobe go to for chilly nights is a down jacket. While not the most stylish of coats, its ability to keep you dry (as snowflakes melt) and warm as you wait for a cab or dash between buildings is unparalleled.   For me gloves that I can wear while I'm busy tweeting or processing iPhone pics and warm boots are not negotiable. My hands and my feet are almost always cold; throw in shoes that aren't well insulated or thin knit gloves and I'm an icicle. When I went to school at Michigan State, I loved my Columbia boots. They kept my feet both dry and warm. Another accessory that was key if I was wearing a dress or a skirt was a pair of fleece-lined leggings or tights.   Get the Look: Ultrawarm Coat Long, Black, Chocolate Brown, Paperwhite, Blue Periwinkle, R...

One goal I made for 2013 was to be less focused on the next and more focused on the now. So, for all of 2013, I decided to capture at least one person or thing I'm thankful for.     Here's how I'm doing so far. While I've gotten into the grove of recording what I'm thankful for, I haven't gotten into the habit of getting the photographs into the 2013 365 Days of Thanksgiving Flickr gallery (3 out of 14). Day 1: A Clean Kitchen Day 2: The Sounds of a Happy Baby Day 3: The First Cup of Coffee in the Morning Day 4: A Quiet, Sunny Corner in the City Day 5: Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice at the Corner Market Day 6: Pizza Delivery Day 7: Car Brakes that Work Day 8: My MacBook Retina Display Laptop Day 9: The Pleasure of Firsts Day 10: Guests from a Party Going Out of Their Way to Walk Me Safely to BART Day 11: Workday Lunch with My Husband Day 12: A Toaster Oven with a Timer Day 13: A Coffee Carafe Day 14: Experts Freely or Inexpensively Sharing Their Expertise Som...

Before you beat yourself up for what you've done, the paths not taken, the opportunities missed, remember this:     Because of the lessons of yesterday, you know more today.   And as we all know from those time travel movies, changing one thing -- no matter how insignificant -- can change the you of now. So, stop looking back, and enjoy the now.   If you're really not happy with where you are, rather than "what if"ing or "should"ing yourself, take action. Take a class or two to learn new skills. Rewrite your resume. Just do something. ( Complaining doesn't count!)   Ciao Bella! Eden!   Credits: All layouts designed by and images taken by Eden Hensley Silverstein for The Road to the Good Life.

I like technology and marketing because they never get stale; both are constantly evolving and there's always more to learn. To keep my skills current, I'm constantly attending webinars or eCourses . Education, and its various forms of delivery, is always on my mind.     Lately in my circle of friends there's been much discussion about learning and teaching. Our educational backgrounds are mixed. Some went to public school, others to private school. Some were homeschooled. Some supplemented traditional school subjects with classes in art, science, zoology, social science, geology, life sciences, and more from local museums, arboretums, aquariums, and zoos. Our experiences represent school systems across the United States from the early 1970s through mid-1990s. Each system has its pros and its cons.   As I begin to work with my sister, a pre-school and elementary school teacher with over a decade of experience, on The Good Life Children's Book , I appreciate those teac...

I don't know what it is, but when it gets gray and dreary in the City, everyone grabs the grays and blacks from their wardrobes. I personally love those brave souls who don bright purple, yellow, and pink slickers and boots.     Now I'm as guilty as the next of pulling on a black or gray dress with tights in cold weather. In fact, when I started thinking about how I could reuse a Clue Party-themed tote, I went immediately for a classic little black dress that could go from day to night. But imagine how much attention you'd get showcasing Turquoise and Yellow with a Winter White dress.   Get the Look: Square Neck, Three-Quarter A-Line Dress by Kensie available at Macy's, $79.99 with Tresor Patent Leather Shoes by Kate Spade NY, $298.00 and Turquoise and Yellow Fabric Flower Statement Necklace, $26 . The Belt: Skinny Braided Leather Belt by Tarnish available at Nordstrom, $22 each, shown in Khaki, Turquoise, and Mimosa. The Totes: Key Per Nylon Tote by Fossil ava...

Winter days are often long and grey. Luckily here in the city we've been experiencing some cool and clear days. Cool for us is the mid-50s. Today's round up features pops of color to brighten anyone's day.     One item currently missing from my closet and on my wardrobe essentials shopping list is a little black dress. I have a fun flirty jersey black dress but its ability to go from day to night is limited. This dress from Macy's is priced right for me; I think I'll head over to Union Square later this week to try it on.   Which is your favorite color?   Get the Look: The Essential Little Black Dress by Style & Co. available at Macy's, $46.99 with Sheryl Black Patent Leather Shoes by Nine West, $49.99 . The Totes: Plum Kinda Wonderful Bag available at ModCloth, $29.99; Can't Stop Shopper Tote by Nine West available at eBags, $68 ; Paige Pinkin Shears Leather Tote available at Banana Republic, $130 ; Large Red Leather Shopper Tote by ANYA available...

As humans we can't help it. We look for validation in what we do in numbers. How many people viewed my post today? How many people commented? If all is quiet, we wonder is anyone out there. The end of a year is the perfect time to look back on what worked and what didn't work.     By the numbers, you (and SEO) seem to like the posts where my personality comes through and I'm keeping it real, whether it's a struggle to find inspiration, educational artwork for Gates' nursery wall, what I'm getting in the mail, or my challenge to be happy with what I have.   Top Ten Posts from 2012 Here are the top ten posts from 2012 by popularity: DIY: Magnetic Message Boards Join me for the Mindful Consumption Challenge Sunday Scramble: Look Outside for Inspiration Thursday Purseday: Bring on the Orange Reflections: Pulling the Family Card Thursday Tools: Toss that Resume for a Graphical Bio A Good Mail Day: Unsolicited Information Overload Tuesday Shoesday: Fun in the ...

Any time I need inspiration, I dust off my branding collage that I created after reading one of my all time favorite books, Tom Peter's The Brand You 50: Or Fifty Ways to Transform Yourself from an 'Employee' into a Brand That Shouts Distinction, Commitment, and Passion! ( affiliate link ), for the first time.     What is it that makes you unique?  

Deciphering the theme for the 2012 Photo Challenge from my Flickr gallery, one would think it had something to do with food. The majority of my photographs are still lifes of fruit and vegetables, blueberries, oranges, habanero peppers, strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes, squash, brussels sprouts, basil, and more.     The 2012 Photo Challenge was simple. Choose a color for a month and shoot it as many or as few times as you wanted. I thought this was a much more doable challenge than the previous photo challenges; there wasn't a daily or weekly commitment to a specific subject. Life doesn't always cooperate - presenting the perfect subject in the wrong light or the most amazing light and the wrong subject. After the first two months, rather than intentionally choosing a color and shooting it, I photographed color as I came across it.     For me, the challenge isn't about forcing myself to take a photo every day, it's about motivating myself to create. Remember...

Today's post is short and sweet; I'm busy at work on the first issue of Dispatches from The Station, choosing photos, editing text, and finalizing page layouts.     Dispatches from The Station is one of my passion projects. Each issue will explore the definition of "the good life" by weaving photographs, recipes, and adventures together around a central theme. The first edition, to be published in January for Alt Summit , courtesy of Blurb , tackles the challenge of defining the good life and living without expectations.   I've been dreaming of working on this project since 2004, and am so grateful to Blurb for helping make it happen. When Blurb gave each Alt Summit attendee a gift certificate to create a book to bring to Alt, I just knew it had to be Dispatches from The Station. I hope you like it!   What will you create in 2013?   For 2013, I'll be combining the Reflections and Scramble series into Sunday Sayings. The refreshed series will appear on Sund...

A new year. Time for new assessing where you've been, where you want to go, and finding mentors to help you get there.     One challenge women in technology can face is a lack of mentors. I don't mean role models such as Marissa Mayer, Jocelyn Goldfein , and others. I mean women they interact with at work or in person and can openly talk about career concerns without fear of reprisal.   In my career, with the exception of two companies, since receiving my Bachelors degrees, I've been the sole female at the company, or the sole female manager, or the highest titled female. Maybe this is an artifact of working for startups in the technology sector. Whatever the reason, I've always felt the pressure to be self-assured and confident. If trying something new or steering the company in a new direction, I couldn't voice concerns or brainstorm with colleagues; there were too many people early in my career looking for me to falter.   So I looked outside my industry and a...

Noise makers are squeaking. Horns blaring. Glasses chinking. 2013 is here.     For me, rainbows have always signified a turning point. When I've seen them light up the sky, it's typically been at a break in the weather, which reminds me that stormy times won't last forever.   Time's LightBox closed the year with Rainbows in the Frame: Emblems of Hope in a Dark Year , pairing their hopes for 2013 with rainbows from 2012. I too closed out my year -- as well as my tenure at the technology company where I'd worked for over four years -- with a series of rainbows.   Now don't get me wrong. For me, 2012 wasn't a bad year. In 2012, cubes and I welcomed our daughter Gates into the world. The new design for the blog went live . I left my 9to5 job of four plus years to do my own thing .   What are your goals for the new year?   My goals for 2013 are: Take time to be thankful for what I have. Continue to publish a blog that you enjoy reading. Prioritize more ...