3 simple artisan food tricks

While staring at food photos on Pinterest tonight, it hit me. All these trending food photos are SO similar to each other! Yes, we've been obsessed with artisanal products (AKA, unique, high-quality, handmade, limited production, and local) for years. In food however, I honestly think "artisan" just means putting together weird combinations and adding unexpected, interesting toppings. It's so simple. And it works. (I know I spend a lot of money on food like this!) My top 3 favorite artisan food tricks, using basic pizza and bread as examples.

Trick #1: The Let's-Just-Throw-Fruit-On-It special

I wouldn't bat an eyelash at a regular old slice of pizza or toast. But who could say no to nectarine pizza or blueberry toast? Fruit adds instant sophistication and I just have to try the flavors together. (Think Pizza Hut should start re-working their menus?)

Trick #2: The Make-It-Breakfast option

Every time I have pizza brunch (like at San Marzano's), the pragmatist in me screams, "You're just having a normal Pizza with an EGG." But then the foodie in me says whatever, eggs are awesome. Also, the egg almost looks like a target. Now I psychologically can't help myself from consuming!

Trick #3: The Duh-Just-Add-One-Expensive-Topping trick

Mushrooms and asparagus are decidedly very unsexy vegetables. Bread is blah. But luscious toppings like truffle oil and riccota cheese are both delicious as well as more expensive. (They also are typically artisanal on their own.) Toast them up with bread and veggies, and the entire value of the meal goes up. Expensive toppings are like magic pixie dust!

Have you noticed any other "fancy" but simple tips that make your meals stand out? I think I should just get in the kitchen and mix up combinations... Bon appetit! (PS: New Yorkers, if you'd like to try the newest artisanal food, go hop around the food stands at the Hester Street Fair, Smorgasburg, and the Brooklyn Flea.)

(Food photos via 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6)

matchbook girl mantra

Wow, I have never related more to any issue of a magazine... love this month's Matchbook magazine "Matchbook Girl" list!!! The girl power and entrepreneurial love are fantastic. And I must get myself a purple blazer :) Read the whole issue here.

PS: Previous posts here and here on Matchbook mag.

life lately... july recap

Is it me, or did July just disappear? This summer has been the speediest summer of my life! Here are some Instagrams from July...

 Last night, I grabbed dinner at Delicatessen with my girlfriends from college: Eunsan, Andrea, and Tina. It was Eunsan's belated birthday, so Andrea got a bunch of desserts from Ceci Cela. Delicious. (Thanks for sharing the treats, E!)

 Another necklace from eBay -- clearly this is becoming a habit ;)

 I'm usually a homebody, but going out dancing with Justin and Christian at Stash until 4AM is one of my fondest memories from this month. Dancing with two gay men is SO much fun. My skirt's too short? Who cares! They're buffers for unwanted attention, have great dance moves, and not to mention are wonderful people/friends in general. Above is a capture of J and I goofing around in our Sobe glasses (Justin works at Pepsi, which owns the Sobe brand).

 Coffee dates with friends are really so inspiring. Eunsan and I try to have "Creative Sessions," where we brainstorm new projects. Last weekend we popped by La Colombe, and prompty after the session, I started my Living with Purpose column! I tell you, creative accountability really works.

My friend/coworker Valorie invited our entire team of eight to post-work drinks & snacks on her Financial District apartment rooftop. It was amazing to take in the sunset views of the Brooklyn bridge with a glass of wine and great people.

 Angela and I popped by Hester Nights for dinner two weeks ago. I am OBSESSED with Lizzmonade, a startup beverage company that makes the most insane lemonade combinations. I got a mix of lemonade with real mango and raspberry pieces mixed in, an ambrosial combo. Angela and I unintentionally had matching manicures ;)

I usually swing by Uniqlo (a Japanese clothing store with a US flagship in NYC) once every two weeks. But this was the first time I was treated to a full on drum performance in-store. Not sure what they were celebrating, but they were giving out some delicious Asian candy and chocolate as well. Right place at the right time!

Speaking of right place... an exciting celebrity sighting from two weekends ago: Adam Levine was a foot away from me at Le Esquina (a favorite Mexican food restaurant of mine in Nolita), but I didn't know it was him until after he walked away. Here he is above with his girlfriend Victoria's Secret model Behati (in the orange dress). You'll be surprised to know that my night got even more exciting: my friend Danny L drove into Manhattan from Staten Island in his yellow convertible Camaro, and we cruised through Soho in a car! (A real car! Not a taxi! This is a huge deal to me.) And then we went with Justin and Graham to karaoke. (Another huge deal for me -- I am a karaoke fame whore.)

The photo of me above is from the hottest day of the year so far -- it was 99 degrees out, and Paul, Justin, and I were walking through Soho, about to die. We made pit stops to random stores like Kate's Paperie and my favorite bookstore McNally Jackson just for the air conditioning. I was having a good hair day so I made Paul snap a vanity photo. (Sometimes when I put my hair in a bun, waves just happen. It's my trick!)

Hope you're having a great July xo

helen loves: edition #6

Excited to browse through my new coffee table book Paris in Color; can we bring this fun yet chic tie dye dress back in stock, Steven Alan?; Marc Jacobs "Big Hearted" iPhone case-- is it a surprise that I love this?; cool clock via Design Atellier Article's Etsy shop; a sweet handmade card via Oh My Deer's Etsy shop; two pieces of encouragement: take risks & be open to learning from mistakes; raspberry sorbet in lemon bowls -- so crafty; too bad this "Mischief" necklace via Asos is out of stock... love its spirit!

Some more things Helen Loves...

cover to cover

After reading a novel, Jenny Vovolski illustrates and designs book covers based on her own interpretation -- and they are all incredibly artistic and unique. You can browse all her works here at Cover to Cover. What a fantastic creative project to work on! Two of my favorite designs:

Jenny is also a third of ALSO, which creates websites for small independent companies, tackling illustration, animation, and design. Judging by how wonderfully interactive their company website is, I would imagine they do a pretty darn good job. 

(Thanks Kate for the tip on Cover to Cover)

living with purpose: the 25 minute vow

Happy weekend friends! Today I'm excited to kick off a new column called "Living with Purpose," something that has really been on my heart lately. This is a space where we can talk about our careers, time management, personal growth, lessons learned, and the pursuit of, as Oprah says it best, living our best life. One thing that has been increasingly apparent to me is that we are all trying to figure it out, at every stage of our life. So let's commit to talking about this topic 1-2x a month here. I'll start it off with a question and challenge: Would you vow to do one thing for 25 minutes every day for a year?

My friend Eunsan and I were talking about how sometimes the smallest steps can lead to the most impactful life growths. Then my friend Jenn W said something that really stuck with me-- how a small, steady stream that trickles over a rock every day for a year will carve its trail in the rock; on the other hand, a huge tidal wave over the rock, though impressive in size, won't make an indent at all. Sometimes the smallest daily habits can make bigger impressions on our lives than the most enthusiastic of resolutions.

Eunsan told me her 25 minute vow is to commit to creating designs on Illustrator every day. Her friend Tracy who's moving in a month to Stockholm, Sweden for graduate school vows to carve time to learn Swedish every single day. My 25 minute vow started back in January -- to read the Bible every day. Now, 7 months later, that quiet time is something I look forward to every evening and without a doubt is changing my life. So what would you do for 25 minutes every day for a year? What's your small, steady stream?

(Photos: Audrey Hepburn knitting and the graceful and strong legs of ballerina)

july 4th nathan's hot dog eating contest!

This July 4th, I was thrilled to cover the 97th annual Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island for international food blog Guestaurant. Probably one of the coolest experiences I've had as a New Yorker, and it was so great to go with my friend Stephen. Below are some of my photos of the contest, but you can see all of them in my article for Guestaurant here. It was such an exciting experience, and I hope you enjoy my account of the event!

(Photos via my iPhone, edited with the Camera Plus app)

my top 4 favorite lipsticks

Okay ladies. Let's talk about something I consider a beauty secret arsenal: lipsticks! My mom used to always tell me this, and it didn't take me long to believe it myself -- lip color makes you instantly look 100% better. A rosy lip brightens your complexion and awakens your entire face. I am a firm believer in trying any lip color you can get your hands on, and try I have. Here are my Top 4 lip products which I wear on rotation virtually every day.

Clockwise from top left: L'Oreal Paris Infallible Le Rouge Lipcolor in Fearless Fuschia (145); Lancome Rouge in Love in Rose Boudoir (340); L'Oreal Paris Infallible Stars Collection Lip Color in Beyonce's Red; Lancome Color Design in Fearless (145).

Picking the right shade can be daunting, but rest assured you can look naturally beautiful (yes, keyword: natural) in pink, red, and coral as long as the tone of the lip shade works with your skin tone. So make sure you go to Sephora and try everything on! Do you wear lipstick? What are your favorite shades and brands?

newest book on my shelf: wallflower at the orgy

I haven't blogged about this until now, but I along with the rest of female kind was in serious mourning after Nora Ephron's passing on June 26th. (The cab driver even asked me if I was alright, after I found out in transit via NYTimes' mobile app.) I had been quietly collecting her books, essays and movies for years, acquiring I Feel Bad About My Neck and I Remember Nothing immediately after they were published. I wanted to share with you my most recent purchase -- her essays from the 1970's all bound up in the evocative title, Wallflower at the Orgy. What a treasure! Glad to have that 2-day Amazon shipping.

Here's some Nora Ephron links that capture her so richly:

- Fabulous tributes by Tom Hanks and Lena Dunham 

- A great Ephron round-up by Joanna

- Ephron's hilarious essay, "A Few Words About Breasts" in PDF

- NYTimes's write-up on Nora

We'll miss ya Nora, xoxo

more tattly tattoos!

Since I am too chicken to ever do anything permanent, Tattly temporary tattoos are the bomb in my book. I've always wanted to rock creative, designy tattoos on a daily basis, just like some other colorful accessory-- but the permanence scared me off. Tattly is the perfect solution -- cool temporary tattoos for adults like you and me.

Aren't these designs so fun!? I need to get some before the end of summer. (Still remember how thrilling it was to wear a temporary tattoo on Halloween day three years ago, when I wanted to add some more credibility to my pirate wench outfit!)

schmoopy

...That's how this ad makes me feel. A nice blend of emotional & aspirational qualities makes for a darn good ad. Well done, P&G's "Thank You Mom" campaign. (And good job promoting it on twitter too. Seeing that hashtag everywhere!)

PS: Happy Independence Day! I'll post more updates later, as I will be off covering the National Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island later in the afternoon for Guestaurant.com. More later! Hope you have a splendid holiday break.