Nail art for the lazy and impatient

Nail art always seems like a good idea in theory, but not so good in practice. I’m usually too impatient to let the first coat dry before adding any kind of design, so I either smudge them and have to start over, or in most cases just give up and paint them one colour.

I often find nail art too fussy, I get bored of it after a day and it’s just too much work to get rid of it a day later. I also feel like I need to match my mani to my clothes if the nails are too attention-grabbing.

Bottom line, I can’t be fussed to do nail art. Side note: Are people still doing nail art?

But sometimes, I want something different for my nails that’s more than just an accent nail, so to switch it up I like to do this nail art-esque design on my nails and feel proud about my artistic ability even though it’s easier than a regular swipe of nail polish. Also, super easy to match with outfits because it’s just like my preferred fall dark colours.

Here’s how to accomplish this…

Materials:

• Base coat and top coat, I enjoy Essie’s Millionails as a base and Good To Go as the top. I’m not too picky about base coats, but care deeply about my top coats. This one is quick drying and doesn’t get bubbly.
• I used Essie’s Licorice for the black and some random blue Sephora for OPI colour I got a few years back. I haven’t tried any other combo’s but I imagine the blue could be switched out with another bright colour.
• Rubbing alcohol
• If you’re so inclined you could give yourself a manicure with cuticle oil, a nail file and cuticle scissors or something, but I was too lazy.

The how to:

• Remove any other nail polish you have on with remover (duh) and clean your nails with rubbing alcohol. This gets any oils or remaining remover off your nails and starts you off with clean nails. It’s up to you if you want to huff the alcohol, but don’t drink it
• Paint all your nails with your base coat. Let dry.
• Now you’ll work one nail at a time, and you get to be kinda messy, but try to avoid your cuticle when necessary since clean-up is a pain. Dab the black polish on two-thirds of your nail. You don’t want to pile it on, but because you’re not doing two coats you want it thicker than one coat, this also helps with blending.
  
• Grab your blue (or whatever colour) and dab it in the empty space at the top of your nail, using the brush to blend the two colours  swirling them a bit. You may need to add a bit more black to help the swirl

  

  The black already blends into the blue as you dab the blue on top

  

  After a bit more swirling and adding of black and a bit more blue

• Continue with the rest of the nails on that hand, then add a top coat while still a bit wet to help with the blending.
• Let dry and then continue on the other hand.

The best part is every nail is unique. Some you love, others you’re a bit meh about.

 Tips:

• Avoid drying drops, I find they just make the polish bubble up. That is unless you’ve found a good one, then by all means leave your recommendations in the comments, but I have yet to find one
• Because you’re doing a thicker coat, it can take a bit longer to dry so avoid opening pop cans, showering or doing anything with your hands for a bit longer than usual. If you find a way to do this, please tell me how. I immediately want to do everything afterwards.
• This is perfect because you don’t need to be precious and the messier you are the better
• If you get polish on your cuticles you can wash it off in the shower in a couple hours. I usually paint my nails a couple hours before a shower, the hot water helps loosen the stuff on your skin so while I wait for the conditioner to do its thing I stand there picking nail polish off my skin.

PS: I really wish I made a drunk nail tutorial video for this, this woman is my hero and I’m sad that I can’t nail a manicure (pun somewhat intended) as she does while drunk.

What are some ways you like to switch up your manicure, link us to your favourite (easy) nail art tutorials. 

Why I was right to buy a $100 hairbrush

So as I have mentioned in my post about What sucks about arthritis, I am currently in a battle with the shimmering angel that is psoriasis. Although I have had a couple little patches over the years, it is still rather new to me, and I am trying my darnedest to figure it out. The part that is the most frustrating to me is the psoriasis that is on my scalp. I can’t cover it up with clothes like I can with other patches of psoriasis, and I seriously cannot pull off hats. One example of this is below with a photo that Jen posted of me wearing an Aritzia toque. Other girls can pull them off. Not I.

This has lead me to much endless research online to prevent parts of my scalp from coming off at embarrassing times. One thing that I found was a suggestion of brushing your hair with a boar bristle brush. Now when I heard that, it made a lot of sense. I find myself scratching my head and finding little to no relief and the idea of having scratching little bristles caressing my aggravated head sounded amazing. So I looked online for the one that was most recommended for people with itchy but sensitive scalps, and I found the Mason Pearson brush.

After looking all over the inter webs, I cannot believe that I had not seen it before! I am a card carrying member of the useless objects of desire club and paying way too much for things that celebrities use. So I hopped right on Amazon to see what options were available. There are so many options, ranging in size and bristles. There are all boar bristle options for thin to medium hair, a mix of boar bristles and nylon bristles for medium to thick hair, and all nylon bristles for thick hair. I settled on the Mason Pearson Pocket Sensitive All Boar Bristle Hair Brush which you can find here because it is good for sensitive and thinning thin hair (like mine!) and it is the small size which is fine for now, and I can also see how much I like it before investing $150 plus in a full sized option.

When I received the brush in the mail, I couldn’t have been more excited. Once I pressed the button to buy it, I researched even more to confirm why it was reasonable to spend $100 on a brush. People were saying how it reduces flyaways, and split ends. It also makes you need to wash your hair less as it effectively spreads the oil from your scalp all the way to your ends.

From the week that I have had this brush, I can say that all of the above is true. I have added an extra two days to my hair washing schedule (I can go four now rather than two!), and it is much more manageable between washings. As far as the psoriasis goes, it give me relief from needing to scratch, and getting rid of some of the charming flakes as well.

I will update once I have been using this brush for a little longer, but so far, I am hopeful that it was worth the money!

What kinds of products do you shell out the big bucks for? Is it worth it? Let us know!

Secrets from an Introvert

I spent almost the entire weekend alone and it was heaven.

For the longest time, I thought there was something wrong with me. In my early-twenties my friends would be out every weekend, going to clubs and staying out until the wee hours of the morning. I’d join them from time to time and it was fun, but I usually would spend the night anxious and the next morning I’d be exhausted. It didn’t make sense, because we’re taught to believe that we’re supposed to be out every weekend, living it up and dancing the night away while we’re still young. But so often I would just want to be back at home, where I wouldn’t be wearing heels that make my feet hurt and I didn’t have to wait in line for a toilet.

I would spend entire nights at the club checking my watch and wondering when would be an okay time to leave, worried about how much sleep I would get and if I would be too tired the next day to do homework. I knew that a night out was going to take so much more out of me than my friends who seemed to do this every weekend. The only way I can really explain this is that when I went out I constantly felt like I had to be “on” and the outgoing, non-awkward, social genes that came to my friends so naturally were something I had to fake every time I went out. So the next day, not only would I be tired from being out late and drinking, but also exhausted from having to pretend I was someone I was not. To be clear, I would have fun when I went out but it came with a cost (and not just a hangover). So because of that, I had to learn to reserve my energy.

Eventually, my friends would stop inviting me out and I’d only tag along on the rarest of occasions. I spent a lot of time wondering if I was depressed, boring or unlikeable. I would meet new people and so shy, which was weird because around those that know me I’m talkative, funny and loud. I knew that I was different from many others, but I wasn’t sure what it was. There was a period where I thought I was agoraphobic (the fear of spaces and social situations… you know what, read the Wiki article, I can’t sum it up succinctly here), due to my inability to concentrate in loud places and wanting to hide in the bathroom at parties. Alas, I was not. I was just an introvert.

The great thing about age is that with it comes wisdom. As I’ve gotten older I’ve figured out why I’m attracted to quiet nights at home with a few friends and wine versus out at a noisy and crowded restaurant, and it’s not just because buying your own wine and drinking it in your home is cheaper than the same bottle at a restaurant. In the past few years I’ve been able to pinpoint why I want to stay at home, but not only that but become okay with it. In my twenties I’d make up excuses for staying at home or lie about having plans with others to get out of plans, but I don’t do that anymore (as much). I’ve also learned to leave a party when I want to, it used to be that if I was going out I was staying to the end (I believe this is what kids these days refer to as FOMO), but now I’m a fan of the Irish Exit. This also gives me time to get home at a respectable hour and the ability to transit home and avoid a costly cab ride.

Perhaps thats part of growing up and becoming an adult and owning your flaws… except being an introvert is not a flaw.

The past few weekends have been busy, friends birthdays and weddings, mixed in with dinners and nights out with friends. I love spending time with my friends but having absolutely no plans this weekend has been a dream. It gave me time to reenergize for the upcoming week and weekends as this upcoming month will have a calendar full of activities again.

 

Over time, I’ve cultivated a group of friends that I love and want to spend time with and I think this has been one of the best things that an introvert can do. I go out with them and while the act of going and being among people and in crowds can be stressful and tiring, it’s worth it because I’m with people I love. They also seem to be similar to me and like staying in as well, so a night in with a bottle of wine (or two), some gossip and Broad City is a perfectly acceptable way to spend a Friday night.

It’s also important to understand that you don’t even need to be with other people, you can totally spend Friday and/or Saturday night at home. And that’s 100% ok.

From the amazing Hyperbole and a Half, who gets it.

This weekend I spent it almost completely alone in my house, save for a visit from my parents and a brief meet-up with a friend on Sunday afternoon. I ran some errands and went to the store, but for the most part talked to no one (woohoo self checkouts!) and that’s just what I needed to get me ready for a busy October.

Does a weekend alone sound like heaven or is it the worst? Share your ultimate chill weekend plans in the comments! 

Hey there wagon, I seem to have fallen off!

So I don’t know about you, but for me, September is a stressful time of year. The seasons change in a hurry and all of a sudden you are not living the easy breezy summer lifestyle anymore, where a beer in the afternoon is acceptable, and it is too hot to cook. No no. You turn the heat back on, and you need to get your act together. For me this means back to school.

Pretty campus that is bright and sunshiny at the start of the semester. Dirty liar.

While I was taking classes in the summer, it is a different vibe. I took two courses per summer semester which only occurred twice a week, so five days a week I had no class. This allowed me to go to the gym three times a week, be relatively smart about food choices and I could feel caught up with everything.

Now don’t get me wrong. I love fall. Its the best, but this year I am having a hard time for a number of reasons, which leads me to the title. That wagon I was on so diligently since January 2014, the Weight Watchers and exercise wagon. I seem to have fallen off. I don’t quite know when this happened, but over the last few months I have lacked the restraint that I previously had. It seems that the lack of restraint combined with the weather changing, health issues, and more has taken a toll. So I thought I would first share some of my most ridiculous indulgences and setbacks, and why I think they happened. Then I will tell you about what I am planning on doing to start feeling like myself again, here goes.

1. Pizza. You are there when I need you, want you, and feel like I shouldn’t have you. A plus/minus of living in the West End is the fact that I order Pizza Hut, and it is literally at my door in 10 minutes. How do I know this? Because I ordered a pizza today for lunch. I planned on putting half away for lunch tomorrow, but we all know that was never going to happen. So I ate the whole pizza while watching House Hunters Off The Grid. By the end I was full, but what am I going to do with two slices of pizza? I had dough brain and decided to continue stuffing my face until there was none left.
2. Pasta. Bad date? Late babysitting? No plans? No money? Pasta to the rescue. It is so cheap and so yummy and if you eat enough of it, you will feel like garbage. At least I do. I know this is my kryptonite, and as soon as I have it in the house I will find a way to eat it.
3. Ice Cream Sandwiches. Why would I buy a “reasonable” 6 pack when I can buy twelve! It will last so long! Until I decide to have three of them for dinner.
4. Exercise or lack thereof. So I am a super emotional eater, and I am also an emotional non exerciser. For the last month and a half, I have only gone to the gym a handful of times and I know that this isn’t enough for me. I feel great when I am going to the gym, its just a matter of getting my butt there.
5. Weight Watchers. I haven’t gone to a meeting in forever. It has actually been a few months.

What I am planning on doing to get back on track. This is the tough part. One of the big problems for me right now is my arthritis. With the weather change, my joints are quite stiff and painful which makes me less likely to work out, and more likely to eat something to make myself feel better. For this I think I do need to reduce my membership for the gym. I can commit to 1 day a week, but I feel like more that that will make me less likely to go at all. In addition to this I am going to try to find a yoga class which should help with some of the pain I am experiencing.

Part of gaining back a bit of the weight I lost is feeling like I am in a rut. I can always tell (actually my mom can tell, and lets me know) when I am feeling down because I stop doing my hair and wear it up all the time, and I stop wearing makeup. To try to get ahead of this, I went to get a haircut last weekend. I know this makes me feel better about myself and makes me more likely to put in effort.

Shorter hair means no more messy buns!

As far as the food stuff goes I know being prepared goes a long way. When I am feeling more ambitions, I am going to get things organized for slow cooker meals I can put on in the morning and enjoy when I get home. Also getting rid of the pasta and such in the house so I can’t use it to cheer me up on a bad day. I also plan on getting my butt back to a Weight Watchers meeting. I know this works for me and I am going to recommit myself to getting back there.

I am also going to try not to be so hard on myself. In the past I would feel terrible about this, but I know that this is just part of the journey. There are ups and there are downs, its just a matter of getting back up! I’m now gonna put on my cute new slippers to protect me from the chilly floors, and find out when I can get to a Weight Watchers meeting!

What do you do when you find yourself off track? What do you do to get yourself back on track? Let us know!

Fall

FINALLY. WE MADE IT.

Today marks the first day of autumn, and I for one am pretty damn happy about it. I’ve made no secret about it on this blog, I am not a fan of the summer months so this change of season is welcomed with open arms.

To celebrate, I want to share a love list specifically geared towards fall. Love lists are something I do from time to time to celebrate the little things in life that I love and make me happy. They help remind you to stop stressing about stupid stuff and focus on the awesome. Since fall is one of my great loves, why not celebrate what’s to love?

• Sweaters. There’s nothing better than being cozy and warm in a sweater.
• Boots. I bought two pairs of booties so far this past month, lets see how many more I can add to my collection.
• Honeycrisp apples. If you’ve never had one, this is your only mission this autumn. Life. Changing.
• Butternut squash. So I said this before, but I love it. I try to find new recipes weekly to explore with this ingredient.
• Rain. Spoken like a true Vancouverite, I love the rain. Sure it gets annoying when it’s been raining 30 days straight and your hair is constantly frizzy, but something about the sound of rain and the sight of it out my windows makes me feel at peace.

• Books. I don’t know why, I feel so guilty staying in and reading in the summer. But oh man, is there anything better than a good book and a cup of tea as it pours outside?
• New clothes. I never grew out of the idea that you get new clothes in the fall, you then have to wait the first few weeks of September for it to cool down so you can break them out. I bought this poncho at The Gap a few weeks back and I’m so excited to break it out.
•  The fact that I have never had a Pumpkin Spice Latte. It’s my own personal protest against the man or something (when in reality I love Starbucks).
• Soups. I made this lasagna soup from Skinnytaste yesterday, it’s legit the best comfort food that’s pretty low in calories and you make so much that you have leftovers for multiple work lunches.

• Fall colours. From the leaves and their beautiful changing colours to the jewel tones in clothing.
• Dark nail polish. I can’t wear dark polishes in the summer, I don’t know why. Ruby reds, black, dark purples and navy blue are permanent fixtures on my nails in the fall/winter.
• The chill in the air. I can say for a fact that there is absolutely nothing better than a crisp sunny fall morning, your breath hangs in the air and it smells like halloween is coming. Just add a park full of fallen leaves to kick your feet in and you’ve described heaven, my friend.

What would you add to your own fall love list?

The two faces of 1989

So who doesn’t like Taylor Swift? Her music, I believe is almost impossible to hate. Even if you don’t love every song, there has to be at least one gem in there that you like. Especially with her latest album 1989. Her music is no longer country (which some people aren’t a fan of, I love it) and she has great, catchy songs with awesome lyrics. We all know this. It is not new information. We have been hearing the awesomeness of this album all summer, and we thought we had heard it all, until now.

In comes Ryan Adams, the singer-songwriter, producer, and ex-husband of the one and only Mandy Moore. He is known for his rock and folk rock sound, which seems oddly distant to the pop sounds of T. Swizzle. This is where the magic happens. He reimagines the the songs and made covers  of the album 1989 in its entirety. If you are like me, you listen to albums from beginning to end not shuffling. There is a reason they put it in this order! So after I excitedly downloaded the album this morning, I listened, and while the songs have the same lyrics, it is often hard to recognize which song is being played, unless you have the order memorized (I do).

The album art on Adam’s cover gives a glimpse into what you are going to hear on his version. The songs are gritty, soft, and melancholy. He takes new meaning with many of the lyrics, and you can tell he had a different goal in mind that the incomparable Swift.

So far my favourite tracks are Welcome to New York because it sounds like a Springsteen song. I never could have pictured this! It sounds folksy and mellow rather than upbeat and poppy. I also am loving Bad Blood, which was the original song Adams recorded for the album. It rocks. 

It seems that the only person more into this is Taylor herself. I love seeing a fan freak out. Especially when the fan is a superstar. It makes me feel more normal.

As I texted Jen about this development this morning, (we were both simultaneously listening to the album without discussing it) I said how excited I was that I could listen to this album no matter what mood I was in. It doesn’t matter if I want to dance and be happy (Taylor) or if I want to sit, cry, read or sleep (Ryan). 1989 has you covered.

I know that for the foreseeable future, this is going to be my study music. Its quiet enough to have on in the background, and I always know all the words! What could be better!

What do you thing of Ryan Adams release of 1989? Are you a diehard Swifty or do you like the change? 

My hair and nail drug of choice

Guys… look at this:

Ignore the ragged cuticles and uneven roundness, I need you to look at the length of the nails. This is a damn record for me.

I’m a former nail biter and current idiot who peels her gel nail polish off instead of removing it properly and because of this, my nails are generally nubbins. But not now. Oh man, I might actually have to cut them down soon because I’m afraid for my eyes as I put in and take out my contact lenses.

Not only are they long, but they’re pretty strong too. Partially due to my favourite nail polish, Sephora’s Sheer Strength nail polish, but mostly due to my favourite bottle of pills

This is Hairfinity, and it has changed my life.

I started taking it about a year and a half ago, then stopped for about 6 months and started again last month. Originally it was recommended to me by a former co-worker of mine, she was complaining that Kim Kardashian Instagrammed it and now it would be harder to get because people would buy it up. She has gorgeous hair and my hair was still pretty short after my horrible hair cut experience, so she sold me on this stuff much better than Kim ever would. I originally ordered a 3 month supply, and within 2 weeks my hair already saw a difference. It felt healthier, looked shinier and was growing quicker. Other bonuses include my hair feeling thicker and less of it comes out in the shower.

Hairfinity is sold as a dietary supplement that helps hair grow faster, making it healthier from the inside out, but one of the other benefits is longer, stronger nails.

I’ve turned a bunch of people on to this stuff, and while I’m not being paid to promote these pills or to write this blog, I’m telling you to try them out if you’re as hair obsessed as I am. I’ve become such a spokesperson for these pills that one of my friends has started calling them my hair-oids.

 

I took this photo right now after a day of top knots and house cleaning (the night after it being curled and hairsprayed to hell). Typically it would be frizzy as well after sleeping on it, but Hairfinity helps with that too.

Here’s another photo where I actually put effort into my hair:

Look how long that hair is!

I have yet to notice any downsides to these pills, aside from the florescent pee (which I feel just helps me determine whether I remembered to take them each day). I do hate that the shipping to Canada is expensive and they only send out three month supplies, so you can’t buy more to save on shipping charges, they also don’t sell it anywhere here. So if you’re working for Hairfinity and/or Brock Beauty, you are welcome to hook a sister up.

What about you, have you ever tried Hairfinity or have a recommendation for other dietary supplements for my hair and nail needs? 

How to be a home handy person

So as a young lass living on my own, I have realized the importance of being able to fix shit for yourself. Even before I moved out, I was the handy one. I lived in a house with my mom and sister, neither of which are particularly well versed in art of fixing things, or assembling IKEA furniture (which we had a lot of). I have figured out some tools and tricks of the trade that I am going to share with you here.

First of all the tools. Don’t let the pink fool you. This is the handiest little kit, and I have actually bought this exact set for myself and quite a few friends. You do need an additional screwdriver situation because what is included here is an electric screwdriver which isn’t great for all situations. To find the Apollo Pink Tool Kit click here!

Now for screwdrivers, I am a huge fan of the Picquic. My dad first recommended this to me and he loves it so much he got rid of a whole bunch of his old screwdrivers. It allows you to change the bit on the end, while still having secure grip and control. It comes in majorly handy when assembling things from IKEA. You don’t need to get up five times to find the right screwdriver, its all there! To find the Picquic Multi-Bit Driver click here.

Once you have these sorts of tools your options are endless! You can hang pictures, put up lights, assemble an apartments worth of furniture and fix most things that come up. With just these things I have fixed my garburator, taken it apart piece by piece and re assembled it, fixed my moms clogged sink in her bathroom, and replaced all of the pulls on my cupboards. Another helpful tip is YouTube. I am so resistant to paying for things to get fixed, I usually start with trying to sort it out myself, with the great assistance of YouTube, and my last resort is calling my dad. Typically if I can’t fix it, he can’t either but its worth a try! As far as YouTube goes, pretty much anything you would encounter needing to be fixed is on there. From coffee machine issues, to said garburator issues. Just look it up, watch the video, and take what you can from it and go from there.

For IKEA and other home assembly furniture, what I have found to be a tried and true method is separating all of the little fidgety bits (you know the ones, the screws, dowels and more) into different containers. I have a whole bunch of tiny little glasses my friends mom gave me for “wine”. Lets be honest. I need a real wine glasses. 3 oz will never cut it. So I use them for separating all the IKEA bits and it makes everything so much easier. The other thing I recommend is reading the whole instruction booklet first, and clearly identify which part is used for what. Sometimes they look really similar and if you don’t read the whole thing, you put the screws in the wrong thing!

The next thing is to go step by step and not jump ahead. They are in this order for a reason, and it is not just a Swedish ploy to make you cry. I promise.

Also, as I learned last Friday when I was assembling my most recent piece of IKEA awesomeness, if something doesn’t make sense, you probably did something wrong. When I was assembling, the drawer in my new nightstand wouldn’t slide in! I followed all of my own rules and still made a mistake! I retraced my steps and although the drawings were awfully misleading (I swear) I saw where I went wrong. I switched the drawer slide things and it slid in like a dream! And check out my new bedside setup! 

Ignore the pug who would not move. If you are interested the side table is a BRIMNES Nightstand which you can find here for $49.99, and the lamp is the BRÅN Table lamp base – 30 inches which you can find here for $15.99 and the shade is the JÄRA Lampshade in gray 23 cm which you can find here for $10.00. Anyways, happy fixing, DIYing, assembling or whatever you choose to do!

What kinds of projects to you like to take on? And what are your tips and tools of the trade? Let us know!

The men of Late Night Comedy

I love Comedy.

There’s really nothing more to it, I just love comedy. And I think I’ve revealed that fact here in the past when I wrote about books you should read this summer and most of the list was some of my comedy heroines. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are my absolute favourites. Amy Schumer is killing the game right now, along with Melissa McCarthy. And we can all agree the women on Saturday Night Live have been running it for years.

But that picture up there doesn’t reflect that. The picture above is from Vanity Fair’s article Why Late-Night Television is Better Than Ever.  And you know what, it very well may be. I mean, Jay Leno is no longer on late night so that right there makes it 100% better than what it was just a few years ago. But that picture just pisses me off something fierce. I’ve known for a long time now that women aren’t represented in late night, but I think it’s all these men together for the shoot just drives the point home.

And the scotch. For some reason the scotch makes me angriest. It’s like they’re this old boys club and they get together, drink their scotch and I guess the only role for women is that they did the make-up for the shoot? And steamed the suits, I assume. If it weren’t for the inclusion of Trevor Noah and Larry Wilmore I would almost confuse this shot for Mad Men.

Late Night has come quite far in the past few years, as mentioned Trevor Noah and Larry Wilmore have their own shows. For the longest time you couldn’t imagine a man of colour succeeding in Late Night (well, we’re not sure about how well Noah is doing as his show hasn’t yet started). In fact, in America they basically don’t think a man of colour could run the country despite the fact that he’s been doing it for almost a decade.

But women are still really underrepresented. In 2016 there will be shows from Chelsea Handler and Samantha Bee debuting and I’m excited, I also don’t get why they weren’t included here. Sure, their shows aren’t airing yet, but again neither is Trevor Noah’s.

I love most of these men. Seth Meyers has been a favourite from early in his SNL days, and I have such high hopes for Colbert. And I can’t even put into words my love for John Oliver, his dimples and Last Week Tonight. I’ve watched some of Trevor’s stand-up and despite some controversial tweets (that I really don’t think are a good judge of how he’ll be at The Daily Show) and misguided ideas on women in comedy, I look forward to him taking over Jon Stewarts throne.

I don’t blame these funny guys for the lack of women in late night or the struggles women still have trying to prove they can be funny too. It’s the network execs and corporations who won’t take a chance on women. But I also hate that this photo exists and while these guys don’t have much say over who gets hired, they’re also not the best at giving women jobs in comedy. Stephen Colbert, who wrote a fantastic essay for Glamour about women, still only employs two women versus his 17 men on his writing staff. And this video, an imaginary group text between the men is funny, but you can’t help but wince when Stephen Colbert asks “where the women at?” and they respond “ha” and “lol.” Maybe it’s a tongue in cheek joke that there are no women in late night, but it’s also a sad reminder of our underrepresentation.

What say you… am I overreacting or do you want more women in late night? Who would you like to see with her own talk show?

Chicken soup for the soul/cold

I am, as I am sure many other are, fighting the first cold war of fall. We all know what its like to have your head feel like it is full of cotton, your nose full of goo, and your throat being swollen and sad. It sucks. The only thing that I want to eat when I am sick with a cold is soup. Or pasta. Or ice cream. But soup is best. Over the years I have worked on how to make a yummy chicken soup that doesn’t break the bank. All you need is a rotisserie chicken, noodles of your choosing, celery, onion, carrot, and any other veggies you like. The rest you should have kicking around.

What is seen here is the chicken, olive oil, butter, onions, a lemon, celery, carrots, cabbage and some pasta.

First of all you are going to want to separate the meat from the bones on the chicken. Once this is done, put the bones in a large pot with about 6-8 cups of water and simmer for at least a couple of hours to make a stock.

While this is simmering, cut up the veggies. I dice the celery, carrots and onions quite small, first cutting into strips and then into little cubes, see below.

I used the full head of celery, about six carrots and two little yellow onions. YUM! These guys make the traditional mirepoix, which adds flavour and aroma to the soup. My favourite part of the soup making process is cooking these three ingredients slowly in a bit of butter. By a bit, I mean like 1/4 cup. Lets say 1/8. It was a big batch! One of the most important parts of the soup is having the right tools, and by this, I mean a dutch oven. I got this Cuisinart one for Christmas a couple of years ago and it is amazing. I use it all the time in the winter!

You can find the Cuisinart 7 Quart Covered Casserole in Provencal Blue here. Seriously, it changes everything about how you cook in the fall and winter.

So once all the veggies are chopped, heat the dutch oven to about medium heat and put in the butter. Let it warm, but don’t let it cook. In order to get all the mirepoix goodness, you need to cook it slowly and let it sweat. I swear, it will smell like Thanksgiving in your house!

Once these are cooked down a bit, add in the other veggies you want to use. I added cabbage, because it adds a bit of heft to the soup. If you are not a cabbage fan, you can add anything else!

Next dice up the chicken and add it to the pot as well. Let all those flavours mix and start thinking about what spices you want to add in.

Once your stock has been cooked, you can strain it and add it into the pot. If you want, you can pick the bones for any remaining meat, but I find that there isn’t much flavour left in the meat on the bones, so I toss whatever is left over.

Now that the stock is strained and ready to go, add it in with everything else and let it simmer on low for a little while. This is the best time to add spices. I added in about a teaspoon of Herbs de Provence that I picked up from Penzey’s Spices when I was in Seattle last week. It is the most heavenly blend and a go to of mine for pretty much everything. I also added in salt to taste. I only recently realized how important it is to properly salt dishes. It has made such a different in my food! Now let the flavours meld together for about a half hour and then turn off the heat. I then add in the juice of a whole lemon and call it a day!

As far as the pasta goes, I cook and add it in separately so that the noodles don’t overcook. Also this way you know exactly how much you are getting, instead of sneaking all the extra pasta in ;).

After a couple of days of this soup, I am feeling quite a bit better! The other tools in my arsenal are these gems.

Anytime that I say I am feeling a bit sick my roommate throws one of these at me and shrieks “DRINK THIS”. It must work, this is as sick as I have been in the last year, and I was able to dodge it pretty efficiently! Good luck fighting the cold war!

What kinds of things to you like to make/eat when you are sick or on the way to getting sick? Let us know!