A Dream Pumpkin Cake

Photo: tomsfarm.com

Autumn begins on Sunday. Temperatures are dropping making it the perfect time to turn on the oven. A recipe that's traveling around the internet [see The Novice Chef] sounds delicious. As usual, I tweaked the ingredients to make the cake slightly healthier, but don't fool yourself! It's still a gooey, buttery dessert, not an all-you-can-eat leafy green vegetable. However, if you eat healthy most of the time, you can have a slice of cake, unless of course your doctor says otherwise.

Dream Pumpkin Cake

For the cake -

Ingredients: 
3 cups flour (I use half all purpose and half whole wheat.)
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup butter, softened
1 ¼ cups sugar (I reduce it from 2 cups, eek!)
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
A dash of cinnamon
1 15 oz can pumpkin
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup buttermilk (Add another ¼ cup, or so, if needed to get a not too dry or runny consistency. Eyeball it.)

Directions:

Photo: The Novice Chef

1. In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt.

2. Add the remaining ingredients, one at a time and blend with an electric mixer until creamy.

3. Divide the batter evenly by pouring into 2 greased cake pans.

4. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until done in the center.

5. Let cool for about 5 - 10 minutes in the freezer and remove from the pans. Don't let the cakes continue to bake in the hot pans. You want to keep them moist.

For the frosting -

Ingredients: 

12 oz (1 ½ packages) cream cheese, softened 
½ cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 tablesoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon
6 cups powdered sugar 

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix the butter and cream cheese until creamy.

2. Beat in maple syrup, vanilla and cinnamon. 

3. Add the powdered sugar and blend until smooth. 

4. Frost the top, middle and sides of the cake.

5. Professional bakers will put the cake into the refrigerator to let the frosting set, then remove it to frost it again. So a second frosting is totally up to you.

Serve with coffee, tea or milk. 

You get some protein, fiber, vitamins A, B, E, D and calcium in this pumpkin cake, but probably not enough to offset the sugar, nor count as a healthy food. So it's a ring-in-the-fall special treat. Enjoy!

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Feast Your Eyes On Cobalt Blue

This year's New York Fashion Week featured lots of cobalt blue on the runways, one of my all time favorite colors. The deep and stable blue pigment is often used to make beautiful porcelain, jewlry and transparent glass, as well as, the most stunning ball gowns, or eye-popping everyday dresses, blazers and shoes.

It is described as this fall's hot new hue, but there's nothing trendy about it. Historically a popular color, it is soothing and grounding. Simply stated, cobalt blue is gorgeous and will never, ever go out of style. Personally, I find it somewhat intoxicating and could wear it every hour of everyday! 

So just for you, my awesome readers ... THE SAVVY SHOPPER's roundup of the many possibilities:

Awww, feast your eyes on even more cobalt blue with ... a runway sampling --

... everyday à la mode

... elegant home decor. (Click here and scroll down. It began life as a sherry bottle.)

... a dose of loveliness, Nine West's Ponte Bodice Dress

... MINE! I called it. What are you having? :)

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The National Academy Museum And School

Photo: Artnet News

Perhaps one of Museum Mile's best kept secrets is The National Academy Museum and School. Located a block away from The Guggenheim on Fifth Avenue (at 5 East 89th Street), it occupies a mansion that was once the home of scuptor Anna and scholar Archer Huntington.

Founded in 1825, the National Academy is an organizaton, a school and a museum. It is a professional organization whose highly esteemed members included Frank Lloyd Wright and Winslow Homer and living members, Frank Stella and Jasper Johns. (The National Academy is the oldest artists' organization in the United States. Members are elected by their peers.) The school offers "studio instruction, master classes, critiques, workshops, lectures" and scholorships; and the museum has an acquisition of over 7,000 "works of American art from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries."

The building, itself, is a beautiful piece of architecture with fireplaces, marble floors and a spiral stairwell. Visitors can get a real sense of Edith Wharton's turn of the century New York. The mansion is fully renovated and intimate, with a charming interplay of old and new throughout.

Photo: NY Press

The National Academy is a place where the past meets the present. There are frequent special exhibits, where American art is examined and appreciated.  The museum focuses on the variety and vitality in American art. There is a blend of fine art from 19th century landscape painters to more modern and comtemporary abstract painters.

The National Academy strives to be a lively community of artists, architects, teachers, students ... and the public. So the next time you come to New York City, stroll up to the Upper East Side to check out their exhibits and permanent collection. You'll be glad you did!

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New Fall Trends

Photo: People Style Watch

By the time Labor Day arrives, you know summer is fading and fall is only a few weeks away. Here are five looks to take you from late summer into autumn:

1. Burgundy lips - It's also a universal color that flatters everyone, regardless of hair color or skin tone.

2. Skinny jeans and legging paints - Too comfortable and polished to ever go out of style.

Photo: nastygirl.com

3. Spiked shoes - They are edgy. Spikes add a "wow" factor to flats, boots and heels. After the summer passes, we'll have to get our socks out again.

4. Utility jackets - It's a great investment that can be layered as seasons change -- when a chilly wind is replaced by a drop in temperatures. Select a waterproof one that can be rolled up to fit into a suitcase.

5. Wrap chain bracelets - A little bling adds pizzazz to any outfit.

Rebecca's turtle - She has two, Morticia and Gomez.

This last picture was taken by Rebecca Keegan, someone I worked with in New York, who now lives in Los Angeles. What she wrote, sums up my attitude perfectly, " Summer is over when we say it's over." Alas ... the attitude is much easiler to maintain in sunny LA. I'm going to miss the taste of watermelon very soon.

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This Belstaff Biker Jacket Is After Me

BELSTAFF Leather Sidney Moto Jacket

Leather motorcycle jackets never truly go out of style. I am seeing them hanging in the windows up and down Madison Avenue. Belstaff, a clothing company best known for making all-weather and waterproof jackets, has an absolutely gorgeous moto jacket in their fall collection. It is expensive and impeccably made. Indeed, I love the eye-catching ridges on the shoulder panels and along the sleeves; and just look at the tracks of zippers and the snaps!

I try hard to be a mindful consumer and not buy what I don't actually need. Although I don't own a classic biker jacket, I already have 3 fashionable leather jackets in 3 different lengths that I bought over the years. Actually, my Mom bought one of them for me -- a short, biker-length, leather jacket, with breast pockets and removable insulation -- while I was still a teenager. So a leather jacket, if you really need a jacket, is a great investment. It is attractive, versatile and holds up for years. A person will probably wear out long before his or her leather jacket does.

During any given week I walk up Madison Avenue many times in order to get home. Usually window shopping doesn't come back to bit me in the ass because I tend not to be an impulse, or over-buyer ... and I am afraid of clutter. Seemingly, this biker jacket was designed by the Belstaff people to flip my values and test me.  But, I resolve to stay strong. No. No. No. No. NO. -- so far so good. 

HELP, I may need to change my route! What temptation are you resisting to buy?

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Vince Camuto ... Thank you!

There's so much I like about fashion designer, Vince Camuto. I walked into his Fifth Avenue flagship store recently (at 667 Madison Avenue across for Barney's), which houses his Signiture and Vince Camuto lines. His stuff, including apparel, shoes, watches, jewlry, sunglasses and jackets for men and women, is classic and modern. It won't go out of style anytime soon, and it's beautiful!! He gives you quality -- great fabric, complimentary silhouettes and expert tailoring combined with extra design details and ultra practical bells and whistles (such as zippers and pockets), and it's affordable! 

Even people who never walk across a stage to collect awards can buy his clothes, shoes and accessories. Vince Camuto creates clothes to flatter and make you look your best. Cher or Bjork may dress to stand out. Remember that weird swan Bjork wore around her neck to the Academy Awards? Be honest, didn't you think "bird strike on her way over to the show?" You don't want to wear clothes to look like that. I think even Bjork would leave her feathered friend at home, if she had a do-over. She's a talented musician who made a fashion mistake.

Which brings me back to Vince Camuto's store. The word for his collection is lovely. It's impossible to make a fashion faux pas while shopping in there, plus you won't have to rob a bank to pick up a few pieces. He also has a hand in designing Jessica Simpson's collection and is available in major department stores like Dillards, Macy's and Nordstrom's. Vince Camuto has a laser sharp eye ... and I love EVERY-fashion-forward-THING with his name on it.

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Tomato Salad, A Summer Favorite

Photo: The Rachael Ray Show

One of the many things I love about August is how big, juicy tomatoes are falling off their vines. If you have a few plants and a green thumb, you have more ripe tomatoes then you can possibly eat about now. 

It leads to neighborly sharing in some communities. There is a rural town in Kentucky, where if you park your car, leaving the doors unlocked, you will find a basket of tomatoes (and other produce) in your front seat upon your return. If you can't eat tomatoes, locals will advise you to be certain to lock your car doors before leaving it unattended in the town.

I love tomato salad in August. The dish is easy, breezy to prepare. My recipe is so forgiving, you don't have to have all the ingredients all the time, and it will still be delicious: 

Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

fresh ripe tomatoes

purple onions, diced (or onion powder)

basil

celantro

extra virgin olive oil

vinegar (cider, or Balsamic, or your favorite)

water (add a 2 [water] to 1 [vinegar] ratio to dilute the vinegar)

salt

pepper (from a pepper mill)

garlic powder

Slice (or dice) the tomatoes and throw into a serving bowl, then eyeball and add the rest of the ingredients to taste. Mix. It's that simple. No real measuring required. Just sprinkle, taste and serve. It's a pull up a chair and grab a fork kind of dish.

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Bring Back My Product, Lancome!

The Dearly Departed : (

Oh, don't you hate when your favorite products are discontinued!?! You're left with the question: Why??? 

Sometimes I'm prepared and can buy a few extras, hoping my stash will last until a company comes to its senses to bring back a perfect product that really works.

This time I didn't see it coming. Why, oh why ... did Lancome stop making Pure Focus T-Zone Powder Gel? It's crazy!

A dab of Pure Focus gel took away all the shine on my oily T- zone: the forehead, nose and chin area of the face. Plus it softened laugh lines and emerging winkles. (Yes, I'm admitting it. Emerging wrinkles. We're all heading in the same direction!) It was better than any BB or CC Cream out on the market today. It has no color, but I used it like foundation. It lasted all day, too, for a fresh face with no shine.

Now I'm down to half-a-tube of this wonder gel and am rationing it like Seinfeld's Elaine Benes rationed her Today sponges when that particular product disappeared. Each time I go out, I must ask, is this activity Pure Focus gel-worthy? 

And you can't order it on the internet either. I checked. Zero. Zip. Zilch. It's ridiculous.

Pleeeease bring back my product, Lancome. And ... next time before taking something I use off the market, ask me!

Meanwhile, I'm trying L'Oreal's Revitalift Miracle Blur to see if it will produce similar results. It's not quite as silky or oil-thristy, but does take away the shine ... sigh. Unlike what I used before, L'Oreal adds SFP 30 to their formula. Well ... at least adding sun protection is a good idea. #whodoItalktoatLancome?

Update: Another similar product to try is Garnier 5 Sec Blur.

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The Floyd Country General Store

Photo by Growlerfills

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia sits The Floyd Country General Store. People who pay a visit feel like they have stepped back in time. A real country store serving a rural community, its shelves are stocked with a bounty of quirky and practical goods, including penny candy, books on farming, local arts and crafts, eco-friendly cleaning products, kitchen tools, casual clothing, and old fashioned toys and games.

The store has an inviting cafe. All the food on the menu is fresh, locally-grown and homemade. You will find country favorites like barbequed pulled pork, Chicken Brunswick stew and pinto beans with onions and cast-iron-skillet baked cornbread. Be sure to save room for the hand-dipped ice cream.
All year-around, the general store hosts a popular Friday Night Jamboree of Appalachian music and dance, where some of the most esteemed, old-time musicians take the stage. The evening starts at 6:30, features three bands, and by all accounts, lives up to its repulation of excellence. Live music also plays on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

According to public records, the store has been around since 1910. Continuing with tradition, it strives to be a gathering place for its community to make music, attend agriculture lectures, play a friendly game of checkers, or simply catch-up on local news perched in rocking chairs, while sipping craft beer and rootbeer floats. (You will find award-winning craft beer all over town.)

The Blue Ridge Mountains are a beautiful area to visit, and the The Floyd Country General Store is a charming, lively stop along the way. [Read more on Floyd, VA here.]

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Nordstrom: Looking For High-End Style?

Nordstrom, the swanky retailer, is running an anniversary sale. The promotion ends August 5th. It's where to shop for upscale clothing, shoes, handbags or jewlery that you want to have in your wardrobe for years to come. It's not where I, personally, turn for articles, which will quickly go out of style, since you can find lots of fun, trendy pieces elsewhere (at H&M, Forever 21 and Target) for much less.

But, what if you don't have a Nordstrom in your town? I hear you! Don't be afraid to buy items from this store online. Since they sell high-end merchandise, you can count on quality arriving in your mailbox, plus Nordstrom offers free shipping and returns. So if you make a mistake, you can exchange, or return the goods at no charge. That's the only way to shop for outfits and boots online!

It just might be the perfect time to pick up a few expensive wardrobe pieces you need at 30% - 60% reductions. Worth a browse.

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Breakfast In New York: Not Just Lox And Bagels Anymore

Photo by Tilia

If you find yourself in New York City sometime, there are three breakfast foods you absolutely must try. I have a savory palate and am a big fan of the Scotch egg. It's an egg, wrapped in ground pork or duck sausage, breaded and fried. (I love all things breaded and fried, though I don't let myself eat everything breaded and fried. This is worth it.) The yolk of a perfectly cooked Scotch egg is often a little runny. The egg is served with a grainy brown mustard. I try to limit myself to eating two, but I can devour more. Visit Fat Radish on the Lower East Side (17 Orchard Street), a breezy London themed restaurant to taste them.

A cronut is described as part croissant and part doughnut. The hybrid pastry was invented by Chef Dominique Ansel, who says it's "a fremented dough that's rolled, fried, topped with lemon cream and finished off with maple sugar." Only 300 are baked per day, and they sell out within an hour of the bakery's opening. People line up in the wee hours of the morning to buy 2 per person. Equally in demand is Chef Dominique's Frozen Smores.

Choux Factory makes delectable French cream puffs in vanilla, chocolate, strawberry coffee and green tea flavors. There are several Choux Factory locations in Manhattan. Unfortunately, one of them is within one block of my apartment building, so I don't have to make any effort whatsoever to bring them home. My favorite flavor is probably the vanilla, but perhaps it's the one I happen to be eating at the time.

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New York City On A Saturday Night

Pulling into the dock at the North Cove Marina in front of the World Financial Center down in Battery Park City

The best way to see New York City's skyline, as well as, the Statue Of Liberty and Ellis Island is taking a boat ride on the Hudson River in Lower Manhattan.

The Circle Line offers a number of sightseeing cruises around Manhattan Island, or take the "Admiral's Launch" to the Willy Wall for a glass of wine. Go here for details. It's a lovely way to spend a Saturday night.

Finally, the Staten Island Ferry is free. It serves 60,000 commuters traveling between Staten Island and Lower Manhattan daily. Hop aboard for a prime view of  New York's habor and The Statue of Liberty. 

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Sunscreen Powder

We all know how important it is to apply sunscreen to prevent skin cancer, premature aging and sunburns. But sometimes we skip it because it's greasy and inconvenient. I am guilty of not reapplying sun protection as often as I should. When I'm out, I'm busy, forget and like to travel light, sans SPF lotion.

Thank goodness, there are new products on the market to make protecting your skin easier. Sunscreen powders block harmful UV rays without adding a shine to your complexion. Ultra fine mineral powder delievers flawless airbrushed coverage. You will find them at all price points. Luxury brands (like Colorscience, Peter Thomas Roth and La Roche-Posay) are $30 and up.

You can also find excellent brands at your corner drugstore for less. Physicians Formula Mineral Wear offers the same broad-spectrum protection and has the same ingredients (titanium dioxide and zinc oxide) as traditional SPF lotions. You can buy it as a loose power, or a compact (i.e. pressed power) to carry in a purse. L'Oreal also sells a loose power with SPF 19. Costs of each: About $13. Both brands give your face an airbushed finish, contain a high SPF and save you a few bucks.

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A Photo Collage Clock

When decorating a home, the usual advice is to surround yourself with the things you love. A photo collage clock of family (and look closely, man's best friend) is a clever way to add warmth and a personal touch to a room.

Your pictures don't need to be exactly the same size, but if you have a colorful wall, you might want to select neutral frames, or if you have a neutral wall, you might think about contrasting it with colorful frames.

I like the idea of arranging familiar faces around a big ticking clock. Not only is it cozy, it's a reminder that our time in history is right now. Life is change. We have a past and future. Pictures capture a moment in time, while time, itself, assuredly marches on.

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Hair Tools: Goody Spin Pins

I have fine hair, but lots of it. Although cut uniform in length, it's slippery, or something. Bobby pins and barrettes will slide out of my hair even before I step away from the mirror, but these spin pins will secure an updo. I have no idea how they work, but they do. Hair stays in place. Each of the spin pins claim to do the job of 20 bobby pins. You simply twirl you hair up, twist it into a bun and literally screw the pins in.  

When you want to take your bun out and let your hair down, you unscrew the spin pins by turning them in the opposite direction, as you would with regular screws. They have round edges and don't seem to harm the hair. The only mistake you can make is twisting your bun too tight. A tight bun is too dense, and you won't be able to spin the pins through your hair with ease. Using them, you can create a polished or messy bun. Available in two colors: light (for blonds) or dark (for everybody else). Costs: $6.

Photo: BabesInHairland, their channel here

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Eat A Peach Cake

Photo: Watson Ashe

This is a peach one layer cake with a coconut and nut topping. Moist and simple to make, it is a delicious dessert to bring to a party. In my opinion, 2/3 of a cup of sugar is sweet enough. I can't imagine using the 2 cups suggested. What a sugar overload! Here is how to make it:

Peach Cake

For the cake -
Ingredients:

2 cups sugar (I cut this down to 2/3 of a cup.)
2 eggs

2¼ cups flour (I use one and ¼ cups all purspose and one cup whole wheat.)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup buttermilk
4 tablespoons butter, ice cold and diced
1 teaspoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large can peaches (drained), or 2 cups fresh peaches (Save the juice and add to the batter if needed to get a not too dry, or runny consistency.)

Directions: 
1. Throw the ingredients into a mixing bowl, in order, and beat with an electric mixer.
2. Mash the peaches, separately, and by hand, fold into the batter.
3. Pour into a greased 9" by 9" cake pan.
4. Bake in a 350 F degree oven for about 40-50 minutes, or until done. Remove and let cool in the pan. (I scrape the sides with a knife.)

For the frosting
Ingredients:

¾ cup sugar
¾ cup can evaporated milk
1 stick (8 tablespoons) butter (I only use 4 tablespoons.)
1 cup coconut
1 cup walnuts (or pecans), chopped

Directions:
1. Toast the nuts on a baking sheet in a 350 F oven for about 10 minutes and set aside.
2 Put all the ingredients, except the nuts, in a sauce pan and simmer on a stovetop until it thickens.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in the nuts.
4. Spread on top of the cake. (Sometimes I take a spoon and twirl holes in the cake so the frosting seeps in.)

We all like desserts occassionally. My Mom is a fussy-fancy-pants baker, unlike me. And yet, just like me she reduces the amount of sugar in recipes when making pastries. (Only recently did I realize she did it too.) You want to use enough sugar to still have a satisfying sweet. Figuring out how much you can cut requires some trial and error. While measuring Mom will quip, "You have to leave some sugar in, or else you end up with a piece of bread." She doesn't know she is funny.

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