Winter came early this year. Never have I had to experience the first snowfall in early November during my last 3.5 years in Chicago. Bizarre, I must say. The global climate change frightens me a bit, but perhaps, I'm jumping to my gun. Well, we saw snow two weeks ago, and the grass and rooftops were actually covered in the fluffy whiteness. Of course, this also means that the wind chill has exacerbated and will only give us greater chills. See, Chicago and I have a dynamic relationship. While I do love the city and seasons--quite different from southern California--the bitter cold irks me at times. Sure, I enjoy the refreshing, sharp wind... sometimes.
As a person who dislikes wearing gloves unless desperate situations beseech me to do so, I keep my hands warm with a cup of coffee from Pret A Manger. Anything warm and cozy will gain immediate favor from me. Hence, my awesome heating blanket becomes my new best friend in the late fall... at least while I'm at school here.
Every morning, I treat myself to a nice cup of tea or coffee in my Peter Rabbit mug. Does anyone remember the story of Peter Rabbit? My mom, a highly cultured woman, would always buy beautifully written books for me while growing up, and two of them happened to be Beatrix Potter's books. Until this day, Peter Rabbit still holds a dear place in my heart. Hence, when my good friend Meesoh returned from Denmark, she brought back a Peter Rabbit themed tea set. If you have a child or will have one, I encourage you to read Beatrix Potter's stories to him/her. Oh, and by the way, did I tell you how I snagged this awesome mug at Barnes and Noble? Not as expensive or classy as the pieces back at home, but I personally love it!
Other than enriching my early day with a hot cup of caffeine, I absolutely love creating new salad recipes. Last week, I pulled apart some of the herb-spiced rotisserie chicken I bought from Whole Foods for this wintery salad. Easy peasy and quick!
1 cup of cut rotisserie chicken
1/2 cup cherry/sugar pum tomatoes
a bowl of herbal salad mix
1/2 cup dried or softened apple thins or 1 apple chopped into pieces
1/2 cup edamame
If you're the type who can't live without dressing even if the apples and cherry tomatoes add the natural sweetness to the salad, then use 1 tbsp of pear vinaigrette! Low in calories, fat, and sugar. Despite these facts, 1 tbsp will be plenty sweet.
So, we have the drinks, food... what's next? Shoes, obviously. How else will you travel these roads in the winter without the proper pair of shoes? While back home for Thanksgiving, my mom and I came across a pair of Tory Burch booties. Mind you, I promised to never buy Tory Burch footwear, again, after my painful experience 2 years ago. However, the booties are a different story from the line's flats. EXACTLY ONE IN MY SIZE REMAINED. Hello, booties! My mother, without hesitation, said, "We'll take these."
Ladies, gentlemen, your gender does not matter. Everyone could always use a nice pair of booties. Guys, wear those desert booties with straight leg pants, and you will have the heads turning. Ladies, booties go well with denim, skirt, dresses, and shorts. Just don't forget to wear those tights underneath in the winter!
Please send me some recipes if you have any favorites! I'll be baking some gingerbread cookies and scones this weekend... when I have finals the next week.
Until next time,
Pristine Christine
