Me in Melange

Chic at Any Age

In honor of our new shipment of Eileen Fisher that will arrive TOMORROW, I wanted to post a link to this fantastic blog I just discovered called "Chic at Any Age". A great post on how relevant Eileen's cool clothes are to every woman, of any age, and we couldn't agree more! Modern, Classic, Sophisticated, Luxurious, these adjectives describe Eileen's clothes to a T, and they look amazing on everyone! We love the way these girls are rockin' their Eileen on the runway! Other posts on this fabulous blog tackle fashion issues "Double Denim, Do or Don't?" (we say definitely DO btw), or beauty topics might be discussed like alternatives to Botox, or how to apply special event make up, etc. Check it out and stay tuned for tomorrow's AMAZING EILEEN!!! xoxo DR

The Joy of Baking

I am so proud. I have finally tried to make a dough with real, active, dry yeast, and have succeeded!!! Always a late bloomer, I put this particular challenge off until nearly 49, but have finally achieved it, nevertheless. Knock that one off the bucket list!

I have to say it's all thanks to the great Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood, cooking experts and judges on the fantastic show "The Great British Bake Off". Mary Berry has been teaching England how to cook since before WWII, and everyone wants to please her. One blue-eyed glare from Mary and even iron men crumple. And if Mary pronounces your bake "scrummy" you know you have mastered your craft.

Paul has a recipe for Hot Cross Buns that intrigued me. After watching every single episode of every season of the Bake Off, I felt I might be up to trying a yeasted dough. I watched the contestants knead, let rise, and bake so many times I finally felt confident to try it. So try it I did.

Hot Cross Buns are a traditional English Easter treat. I had no idea what they tasted like, I've never had one before, but I like the look of them, and the ingredient list. Lots of fruit, LOTS of citrus, and spices. So I gave it a go.

The first time was all learning experience. Every single step was unknown to me, and there were several times when I thought I had done something horribly, irrevocably wrong. But in the end the buns turned out quite delicious, although very heavy and dense. I didn't know if they were supposed to be like that, but I suspected not because they hadn't risen very much. They also lost their white crosses. I misread the oven temperature and made it far too low, causing the white paste to melt into the tops of the buns and disappear. So I called them "Not Cross Buns" and served them at Easter anyway, to good reviews. Not rave reviews, but decent. At least polite. I vowed to try again.

My opportunity arose when I heard of the annual Worldwide Vegan Bake sale last weekend. There was a call for bakers on facebook and I thought, why not? I bet I can veganize those buns! I googled vegan hot cross buns and found recipes that were close to Paul's so I blended the two, taking Paul's ingredients (except for the eggs) and using the vegan measurements for a substitute. 

Right away I knew I was on the right track. This time my dough ROSE. It rose and rose, until it was a beautiful, double-sized light, fluffy, yeasty cloud. I added all the fruit and the zest of two oranges, kneaded it for ten minutes and let it rise again which it did, brilliantly. Again I tipped out the fragrant, light-as-air dough and divided it into a dozen rolls, letting them rise once more, then piping on the crosses, baking for 20 minutes and glazing with apricot preserves. 

The first bite was heaven on earth. So THIS is what they are supposed to taste like! Light, fluffy, a little chewy with a crisp top, slightly sticky with glaze. The chewy fruit and fresh cinnamon taste is divine, truly. I had a hard time leaving a dozen to take down to the bake sale. I heard they were a big success there and sold out quickly! 

So happy to have finally experienced a yeasted bake. I will make these buns often, and i have my eye on a certain "Apricot Couronne" on Paul Hollywood's site. Check out the Bake Off and Paul's blog if you feel like having fun and making your family and friends and coworkers very happy!   xoxo DR

“Women may be the one group that grows more radical with age.” ― Gloria Steinem

Women are radical. The fact we can give birth, the profound changes our bodies go through whether we have children or not, the subtle nuances of our thought processes, the power of our emotions, our intellect, our vision, our creativity, our constant current of energy, seeking to make something of the world, of ourselves, our families, our friends, is very radical! Those of us lucky enough to be born into healthy families have a much easier time finding, developing, and using our strengths than those suffering the devastating and sometimes deadly effects of domestic violence. We here at Melange want to help in any way we can. This week during our annual WOMEN HELPING WOMEN EVENT we are cleaning our closets and donating our gently used clothing to our local domestic violence shelters, and we encourage you to do the same! We love the idea of women helping women because women are not only radical, they are wonderful!!! 

Aligning My Chakras

Is it possible to learn the art of mindfulness from a cat? How about an adolescent cat? A nine month-old, swaggering, teen-age cat named CHAKRA?! Evidently so, for I have done it.

Yes, I admit it, our cat is named Chakra. It is a name I would never have chosen, not even in my 20-something bohemian days. But I didn't name him, my teenage daughter did. She rescued him off the streets, out of a shopping cart, so she got to name him. It's only fair.

At first my husband and I were too embarrassed to call him by this hokey moniker. "Chakra" did not roll easily, or comfortably off the tongue. So we made up nicknames like Chalkie, Chalkster, Mr. Cool, Young Sir, Burt Reynolds (don't ask), etc, and used those instead. 

But now, the playful kitten has morphed into a long, languid, leonine creature. He is a titan of cats: long in body and in tail, with silky hair that parts in the wind. The hair is so silky in fact that it reminds me of a 1970's feathered 'do, like a Charlie's Angel might have, or David Cassidy.

And perhaps in that hair, like with Samson, lies Chakra's inner strength. He is a combination of macho and mellow. (Aren't most 1970's cult gurus a similar mix? Father Yod, anyone?) Sometimes Chakra is intent on violence, lying hidden under the bushes, fixing the birds and squirrels that dare enter the yard with a clear-eyed kill-stare, flexing his new talons in anticipation of ripping out their guts. But other times he is content to lie in the shade of the lilac bush, twitching his ears to the bird calls, blinking his eyes in apparent bliss, occasionally raising a paw to swat the insouciant flies that come within reach. Those times he is truly CHAKRA, totally in line with the planets, at one with his breath, at one with the world. 

And he inspires me! 

Why not, right? Pets are known for their calming, blood-pressure-reducing benefits. Watching Chakra lie in the green grass, sides rising and falling as he sniffs the fresh spring air and just absorbs the world around him, inspires me to do the same. Sometimes as we both sit in the back yard, the blue sky overhead and the white clouds scudding across it, and I feel totally at peace. Totally happy. And however corny it might sound to the uninitiated, aligning your chakras is where it is at. 

xoxoxo DR

Mad for Margaret O'Leary!

Oh Madge, you make us so happy! This beautiful Techno Floral Tank is just the thing this summer and spring! We love the idea of this piece over some cropped black pants or leggings, with a sweet little flat, or a kitten heel for a totally mod look, a la Audrey Hepburn, or Megan from Mad Men. Add a little bling for a look that is Classic Cool! (with a modern twist!)