September Colloge

Happy Last Day of September!

September has been a very busy month for me; full of road trips and good times. 

Every weekend was a different adventure.

Sept 1-2: Road trip to Washington DC to visit my sister and cousins. 

We brunched, explored the arboretum, and hung out like old times.

Sept 8-9: Road trip to Buffalo for Sean's childhood friend's wedding. 

We took the scenic route, saw some good street art, had a fancy breakfast at the hotel, 

and rocked out to my famous Road Trip playlist.

Sept 15-16: Road trip to Massachusetts for a family reunion,

 and to root on my cousin who plays football at Harvard. 

I also enjoyed a fantastic meal at the Red Hat in Irvington with my pals,

and met my cousin's new dog, Zeus. L'shanah tovah!

Sept 22-23: Road trip to Albany for Kristen and Travis' state-side wedding party.

The happy couple threw an awesome Texas Style BBQ which included delicious meats 

(yes, I ate ribs! and sort of regretted it afterwards...), 

sweet treats of s'mores and candy apples, and even their very own caricature artist! 

The next day, Jack and I enjoyed our special fall cocktail on the way to the Yankees game.

The team lost but we still had a blast!

Sept 29-30: Finally, a weekend where I wasn't road tripping! 

Sean came to NY for a visit. We went to Obscura, which you may be familiar with

from the Science Channel's show "Oddities." 

We did not make any odd purchases, but it was fun looking around. 

We then enjoyed a raw, vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free lunch at Rawvolution, and felt great after eating there! 

Next we did a little research for an upcoming project we have in the works at the NY Public Library.

September, you pretty much rocked.

Instaweek

First week of August
- Traded in my Corolla for a 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid (Got 600 miles out of my first tank!!!)
- Tea and delicious quinoa banana waffles with peaches that my boyfriend made for breakfast
- Pineapple balancing contest at a Luau Benefit for the Boys & Girls Club

Couldn't have asked for a better week :)

July Five Faves - Beauty Products

This month I am focusing on my top five beauty products, 

all of which I use practically daily. 

Almost all of the products cost under $10. 

The $20 "splurge" for the #2 product is worth it!

In addition, most of these products use all natural ingredients,

which is something that is very important to me.

<< 5 >>

Neutrogena's Revitalizing Lip Balm

$8

Neutrogena's Revitalizing Lip Balm makes my lips shinny, soft, and even has a slight fruity taste. This sheer tinted balm has SPF 20 right in it and actually makes your lips look fuller and healthier even after you take it off!

<< 4 >>

Nature's Gate Hemp Conditioner

$7

This conditioner has a great scent, is super creamy and moisturizing, contains all natural ingredients, and uses absolutely no damaging sulfates, artificial colors, alcohol, or animal-derived ingredients.  Nature's Gate Hemp Conditioner uses essential fatty acids from Hemp Seed Oil as well as other natural ingredients to calm frizzy hair and make your hair look and feel healthy.

<< 3 >>

Aveeno Clear Complexion Daily Moisturizer

$15

I have slightly dry skin and I need to moisturize my face every morning. This Aveeno Clear Complexion moisturizer works very well for me. It is great to use a facial moisturizer with SPF already in it because you will always leave the house with your face protected from the sun. This product has SPF 15.  

<< 2 >>

Moroccan Oil

$20

This all natural hair product almost seems like magic in the way it eliminates frizz without leaving your hair looking or feeling greasy. I mostly use it on my hair when I get out of the shower to give my hair a great shine. It also works well for quick touch ups throughout the day.

<< 1 >>

Burt's Bees Facial Cleansing Towelettes

with White Tea Extract

$6

The wisest women know that you must always wash your face before going to sleep. Leaving make-up on your face over night is detrimental to your skin; causing blemishes and even worse WRINKLES in the long term. For those nights when you are already cozy in bed when you realize you have not washed your face yet, leave these facial cleansing towelettes next to your bed for a quick wipe down. This product not only leaves your face clean and refreshed, it also moisturizes and has a great scent! I also believe that you can never go wrong with buying any Burt's Bees product.

Hey Big Spender

I am excited and slightly nauseous about a few big purchases that I am about to make. My 6 year old MacBook is pretty much dead. It doesn't connect to the internet, the battery always feels like it is on fire, and the OS is so old that it doesn't know what an iPhone is nor does it understand how to run Netflix. That being said, I have a beautifully configured 15 inch MacBook Pro with a 2.6Ghz Quad-core processor waiting in my cart at apple.com. And I think tonight is the night I will actually go to the checkout. Who knows, maybe my next blog post will come from the new machine!

My next adventure in to adulthood (aka buying expensive sh*t) is purchasing a new car. My Toyota Corolla lease will be up in a few months and I'm going to need a new whip. I'm dead set on buying a hybrid and at this point in my search, the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is at the top of my list. I was able to test drive it last weekend and it was very cool! You are able to see when you are using the battery versus the engine and even witness the battery charging as you press the breaks. The design is sleek and the interior is very ergonomic.

Now if you will excuse me, I need to go jump around with excitment and then go purge in the restroom. Oy.

June Five Faves - Blog Edition

Again, it seems that I have waited until the last minute to post a "Five Faves" entry for this month. I am happy that I have started creating these Five Fave posts, because otherwise I'm sure months would pass before I would post something new. This month's edition features my Five Favorite blogs. I really appreciate the style of photography most of these blogs incorporate. I tried to choose blogs that cover my diverse array of interests; ranging from crafting, videography, photography, fashion, plus cooking healthy recipes. Enjoy.

1
<< Dear Friend >>

Water color and crafts

Jam

2
<< Tiger In A Jar / Vimeo >>

Photos and Videos

Beat Cake Recipe Video

3
<< Andy Heart >>

Fashion

Details

4
<< Wellness Mama >>

Healthy Living

Herb Profile: Cinnamon

5
(These two blogs are quite similar so they both earn a spot on the list)
<< The Forest Feast >>

Recipes and Photography Styling

Spring Salad

<< Roost >>

Recipes, Photography, & Videos

Savory Pecan Biscuits w/ Garlic Herb Confit & Crispy Sage

Also,  don't forget to check out my FlyMovieReviews on the right column of my homepage. Thanks!

May Faves

With one day left before May ends, I wanted to post my Five Faves for this month.

1

<< Hiking >>

@instafly on instagram

If I could go on a hike once a week, I don't think I could be happier. There are several trails that I haven't yet taken near my house, and this summer I plan on exploring them all. I took ^ this ^ picture at the summit of Anthony's Nose, a trail overlooking the Hudson River and the Bear Mountain Bridge.

2

<< Pandora Radio >>

Yes, I know Pandora has been around forever. But Sean told me he was listening to it at work and now that I have my own editing suite at my office, I have the privilege of being able to play music on the speakers while working. I have only been listening to NPR for the past two years and I am feeling out of touch with good music. Pandora has been perfect for showing me new bands and artists to listen to. My go-to stations are The Black Keys radio, Yeah Yeah Yeahs radio, RJD2 radio, Lykke Li radio, Kid Cudi radio, and Calvin Harris Radio.

3
<< Gluten and Sugar Free Recipes >>

Blueberry Coconut Pecan Breakfast Cookies

Today's diets have manipulated our bodies to constantly crave sugar. But everything we eat shouldn't have sugar in it! Take a look at the ingredients on the next food item you eat. It will most likely have some form of sugar in it, whether it's cane sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or some crazy chemical like dextrin, saccharose, or xylose. A new thing I am trying is to simplify the food I eat by sticking with as few ingredients as possible. Try ^ this ^ delicious breakfast cookie from kumquat.com.

4

<< Shea Moisture Deep Treatment Masque >>

My sister Daina bought this product for me and it has changed my life. It smoothes out frizz and leaves my hair shiny but not greasy. You can leave it on as a masque for several hours and wash it out for beautifully conditioned hair or you can apply small amounts as a leave in conditioner.

5

<< ASOS Swimwear >>

asos.com/ASOS-Geo-Print-Longline-Bikini

ASOS has the best, biggest, and most affordable collection of swimsuits that I have seen. Now that the pools are open and my bills for this month have been paid, I am ready to drop some coin on new bathing suits for the summer!

Homemade Ice Cream

This past Christmas, my boyfriend's family gave my family an ice cream maker. It's about time I used it! Here are two recipes that I have found that I want to make this weekend:

Honey & Toasted Nutmeg 
Ice Cream
Ingredients

1 whole nutmeg
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (35%), divided
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup liquid honey
6 egg yolks or 4 whole eggs, see head note
1/8 teaspoon salt

Original Recipe Post

Grate 2 teaspoons of nutmeg into a small skillet. Toast the ground nutmeg over medium heat until aromatic, around 2 minutes. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine the milk and 1/2 cup of heavy cream. Add the rest of the (whole) nutmeg to the pot with the milk mixture and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Remove from heat and allow steeping for 10 minutes. 

In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks (or whole eggs, if using) with the sugar, honey and salt. Pouring in a thin, steady stream, whisk in the hot milk mixture into the eggs. Transfer the mixture back to the pan and cook, stirring, until thickened, 8-10 minutes. Pour custard through a fine-meshed sieve into a clean bowl. Stir in the remaining 1 cup heavy cream and toasted nutmeg; cover custard lightly and chill. 

Churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's direction then transfer to an airtight container and freeze until set.

Makes 1 quart.

Notes: The type of honey used will greatly impact the ice cream's flavor. A wildflower honey will be subtle and almost fresh, with the cream coming through, while a more robust buckwheat will be far more prominent.

Chai Tea Ice Cream

Ingredients
2 cups heavy cream, divided
2 cups whole milk
6 bags black tea (I will most likely use 6 bags of chai tea and skip the next few ingredients)
1-inch piece ginger, sliced into thin coins
3 cinnamon sticks, broken apart
4 star anise
1/4 tablespoon ground cardamom
1 tablespoon cloves
1/2 cup sugar
A pinch of salt
5 large egg yolks

Original Recipe Post

The night before, put your ice cream freezer bowl in to the freezer.

Keep 1 cup of heavy cream in the fridge until you're ready to use it. Combine the other 1 cup of heavy cream with the milk, tea bags, ginger, chai spices, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.

Heat the mixture until it starts to bubble around the edges, but do not let it boil. If it looks like it’s going to boil, remove the saucepan from your stove and adjust the heat. Once you see bubbles on the surface, lower your heat and steep for about 30 minutes until the chai is well infused with the tea and spices.

Meanwhile, pour the remaining 1 cup of cold heavy cream into a bowl, and place a fine mesh sieve over it. Remove the chai from heat and strain the mixture into the bowl of heavy cream. Press down on the tea bags with a spoon to really get all the flavor out. Stir.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Temper the yolks by pouring a small amount of chai into the bowl and whisking it quickly so you don’t cook the yolks (and end up with scrambled eggs).

Keep adding a small amount of chai at a time and whisk until everything is smooth and well blended. You have now just made your custard base!

Return the custard to your saucepan and heat it through over low heat. Stir the custard until it thickens just enough to coat a spoon, about 5 minutes.

Transfer the custard to a bowl and bring it to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, or overnight. Once the custard is nice and cold, churn it in your ice cream maker following the manufacturer's instructions. 

Makes 1 1/2 quarts

New Video

Back in February, I blogged about a video shoot that I went on in San Francisco. We interviewed a photographer named Bambi Cantrell about Profoto's D1 Lighting Kits.  The video is now online so please check it out! Click here to watch a higher quality version on Vimeo.

Elyse's Five Faves

Inspired by Molls from HelloGiggles.com, I want to do a weekly (or monthly) list of my current favorite things. It seems like a positive thing to do; showing a little appreciation for what makes me happy. So here we go.

#1 - Galapagos by Kurt Vonnegut

I think I'm like most people in the fact that I wish I read more. And finding authors that keep me turning the pages is something I really treasure. Kurt Vonnegut (along with Chuck Palahniuk) keeps me motivated to achieve this goal of reading more. I recently picked up Galapagos whilst browsing the fiction section of the bookstore and have been pleased with the satirical social commentary that Vonnegut is so well known for. The story is told from the perspective of a ghost one million years in the future describing a 1986 catastrophic event that leads to a small group of people being challenged with the task of repopulating the earth. It is a nonconventional, nonlinear tale that is refreshing and entertaining.

#2 - Watercolor Paintings

>>"Voyages over Edinburgh"<<

I love the way watercolor looks and I love how when you paint with it, it does its own thing almost. Every stroke is unique, depending on the ratio of water and paint. I find painting with watercolor to be so calming and the end results to be really gratifying.

#3 - Quinoa Recipes

>>GlutenFreeDay.com<<

I am kind of just obsessed with quinoa and love cooking with it for every meal of the day. This banana bread recipe from GlutenFreeDay.com is delicious and I like to think of it as quite good for you too! My boyfriend Sean also makes a kick-ass Quinoa Banana Muffin, which is what initially inspired me to try making this bread. Another one of my favorite quinoa recipes comes from Heidi Swanson's Super Natural Everyday cookbook: Little Quinoa Patties. These patties topped with a poached egg for breakfast are to die for!

#4 - Design Sponge Sneak Peeks

>>DesignSponge.com<<

I love looking at these interior designs and seeing how people decorate their homes. It inspires me for how I want to decorate my future place. You can search on the site by state or just browse all of the posts. The photography is really good too!

#5 - Earl Grey Tea with Homemade Honey Vanilla Cinnamon Marshmallows

Amahzing. Luxurious. Delicious.

{Sweet Potato Soup} & {Beet Fennel Fig Salad}

Food52.com's Sweet Potato Soup With Feta and Za’atar Oil

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons za’atar (a spice blend that combines dried hyssop, thyme and sesame seeds and can be found at Middle Eastern grocers or other specialty stores)
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, peeled and diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 leek, white part only, rinsed thoroughly and diced
5 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
6 cups water
2 cups vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon salt, or to taste
1/4 cup feta cheese

1. In a small pot, combine 1/4 cup olive oil and the za’atar. Cook over medium heat until hot, but take care not to burn the za’atar. Set aside for at least one hour to cool and infuse.

2. In a large pot, heat the butter and remaining olive oil over medium high heat. When the butter has melted, add the onion, carrot and leek and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sweet potato cubes and sauté for another minute. Add the water, stock and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Once the soup begins to boil, lower to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes. Check to make sure the sweet potatoes are completely soft. If not, continue cooking until they are.

3. Remove the bay leaf and purée the soup using a regular or immersion blender. Check the seasoning and add the salt (you may need more or less depending on the stock you used). Ladle out the soup into individual bowls. Crumble some feta into each bowl, and drizzle each bowl with some of the za’atar oil.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Candle 79’s Beet, Fennel and Fig Salad With Cranberry-Sage Dressing

Cranberry-Sage Dressing:
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed if frozen
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 fresh sage leaf, chopped
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Salad:
1 pound fresh beets
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and halved
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup pecans
1/2 pound baby arugula
1 pear, cored and thinly sliced (optional)
6 fresh figs, cut into wedges

1. To make the dressing, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the cranberries and cook, stirring, until they are softened and begin to pop, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool, then transfer to a blender. Add the vinegar, rosemary, sage, water, maple syrup, salt and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and process until smooth.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Wrap the beets in aluminum foil and put them on a baking sheet. Put the fennel on a separate baking sheet, cut side up, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Put the beets and fennel in the oven and roast until fork-tender, about 30 minutes for the fennel, and 50 to 60 minutes for the beets. When beets are cool enough to handle, peel and cut into thin slices, and cut the fennel into very thin slices.

4. Meanwhile, spread the pecans on a baking sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 5 to 8 minutes.

5. Put the arugula in a large bowl, add the beets, fennel, pecans and optional pear, and gently toss together. Drizzle with the dressing and scatter the figs over the salad. Alternately, divide the arugula evenly among salad plates, placing it to one side of the plate. Drizzle with the dressing and scatter the pecans on top. Arrange the beets, fennel, figs and optional pear alongside the arugula and serve at once.

Yield: 6 servings

Beekeeping 101

Albert Einstein once said, 

“If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live. 

No more bees, no more pollination … no more men!” 

Honeybees are endangered and it is up to us to help them survive. That is why I just signed up for a beekeeping class at Hilltop Hanover Farm. I want to learn how to help protect the bees, and possibly how to maintain a beehive box to collect honey. I hope I don't get stung though!

Macaron Madness

I'm so excited that I just needed to blog. Not only is one of my dearest friends, Kristen, visiting NYC next week, but her hotel is a mere four blocks away from Macaron Cafe. Now I have never actually had a French Macaron before, but they are my new obsession. They just look so pretty and cute and fancy and classic. Can't wait!

Icon: Mary Ellen Mark

For the past few months I have been tirelessly editing an interview with photographer and photojournalist 

Mary Ellen Mark. She is well known for not only her film-set photography (i.e. One Flew Over the Cockoo's Nest, Apocalypse Now, Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, etc etc) but also her daring and uncencored documentation of life around the world (places like Indian brothels, homeless families in the US, etc etc). With great pleasure, I share with you the Profoto Icon Series: Mary Ellen Mark (click to watch). Enjoy!

Today's Words of Wisdom...

Can It Be True - Only 58 Calories?

*Triple Chocolate Chunk Muffin*

{I must try this recipe}

Ingredients:

1 3/4 c oats

3 egg whites

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (or regular plain low fat yogurt)

1/2 tsp cream of tartar (or 1-1/2 Tbsp. vinegar)

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

1-1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup hot water

1 cup sugar substitute (like Splenda granular) OR 1/4 cup + 2 tbs stevia

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or use white chocolate or peanut butter chips!)

Servings: 12 Big Muffins or 24 Smaller Muffins

Calories: 116 Calories Per Muffin or 58 Calories Per Muffin

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
• Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with foil cupcake liners, or spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
• In a blender, (or food processor), mix all of the ingredients together, except for the chocolate chips. Blend until oats are ground and mixture is smooth. 
• Place mixture in a bowl and gently stir in 1/2 of the chocolate chips (set the rest aside). 
• Scoop mixture into prepared muffin pans. Place muffins tins in the oven for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, remove muffins from the oven (but don’t shut oven off), and distribute the other half of the chocolate chips on top of each muffin. Place  the muffins back into the oven and bake for an additional 2-5 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. *Note, you could skip this step by putting all of the chips in the batter, and baking the muffins for 12-15 min straight, but this method gives the muffins the traditional ‘VitaTop Muffin’ look with the chocolate chips on top!
• Cool muffins before removing from pan.

Source: http://healthyisalwaysbetter.tumblr.com/post/6583755120/lessthan300kcal-triple-chocolate-chunk-muffin

New Goals

Spring is almost here and I am ready to start a new season. I have a few goals floating around in my head and I figure if I post them here I might feel more accountable to complete them. 


Today I will be sending in my application to volunteer at Hilltop Hanover Farm. I've been interested in learning about farming for a while, so there's no better time to start than now. I'm interested in a few of the opportunities offered at the farm; including Organic & Sustainable Agriculture ( cultivation, weeding, harvesting, etc), Composting Environmental Appreciation (trail maintenance, perennial gardening, naturalist, ornithology) and Arts Inspired by the Land ( photography, painting, poetry, etc). 

"A New Crop" - Hilltop Hanover promo video

I also haven't done any painting in a while, and I haven't even used the watercolor set that my sister got me for the holidays yet.  I think tonight I should start a new piece... My current muses are fashion (NYFW!) and foxes.

I have also been motivated to register for the NYC Color Run. I need to get serious about being able to run a 5K (I'm a good sprinter, but I ain't got much stamina when it comes to long distance running). I'm really happy that my best friend and my sister also want to do it with me. Registration still hasn't opened up, but when it does I need to get my booty in to action!

The Color Run

I Heart My Job

Here are some stills from my recent shoot in Benicia, California. I was at times the boom operator and other times a camera-person during the 12-hour shoot. I am currently editing the piece and I think it is going to turn out really great. I'll make sure to post a link to the final video when the campaign goes out in a few weeks.
But in the mean time, click on this link to see photos from the shoot taken by photographer Bambi Cantrell: cantrellportrait.com/Portfolio