the violet | holiday 2012
DESCRIPTION
The Violet Holiday 2012 IssueTRANSCRIPT
HOLIDAY 2012 | 1
HOLIDAY | 2012
copy 2012 The Violet
Cover photo and this photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 3
Contentsopen Camillarsquos Letter 5 Powered by Bloggers 9live Do Something 12 All I Want for Christmas is Less Stuff 14create Wrap It Up 18 Make a Paper Star 22 Blossom Mistletoe 24nurture We Recommend 27
The Juicy Details 28explore Winter in Munich 34 Winter in the City 38nourish Four Pizzas Fit for a Party 41 From Scratch 48 In Season Tangerines 50play Dumpings of the World Party 53muse For Elyse 59 An Interview with Hannah Brencher 60embellish Flirty amp Festive Winter 65 Holiday Nails 72love Life as an Army Wife 78 All We Need is Love 80close
Back Story 84
Openverb
remove the covers or wrapping from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 5
Every year around the holidays I make a big list of things that I
want to do It usually goes something like this send out handmade
holiday cards make a wreath string popcorn and cranberries
make peppermint bark from scratch to give to friends and family
chop down a tree and decorate it in a fun and unique way that
has never been done before and so on Man I feel stressed and
overwhelmed just writing that list And frankly stress has no
business in this happy time of year
So for our first holiday issue ever (wow) we want to do away with
that stress and focus on what we think really matters At the heart
of everything this time of year is all about sharing experiences
Families are reunited friends throw sweet get-togethers and
strangers exchange more smiles on the street How great is that
Life should be like this all year long Wersquore offering up some sug-
gestions for the season revolving around that theme of ldquoA Shared
Experiencerdquo including ways to wrap gifts simply and creatively as
well as how to host an international dumpling party Wersquove also got
some heartfelt personal stories from some great women to share
and pizza recipes for a night of delicious fun Wersquore even sharing
our own experience of Winter in Munich with you
We hope this issue warms you up from the inside out and helps
you get even more excited about the holidays Because the truth is
we absolutely love sharing the experience of putting together this
magazine for you
Happiest of holidays to you Violet readers
Camillarsquos Letter
Camilla Salem
Founder amp Creative Director
Blog Champagne Bubbles
a shared experience
The Team Behind This Issuehappy holidays from all of us at the violet
CELESTE NOCHE
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
Celeste is a Bay
Area native whose
life dream is to
travel the world
A recent Stanford
graduate in English
and Classics she
loves her ukulele
film photography
stargazing and Mr
Darcy She splits
her daydreaming
equally between
food Europe and
what to be when she
grows up
Blog Wanderlust
MOLLY YEH
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
Molly is a Brook-
lyn-based food
writer classical
percussionist and
mustard collec-
tor Originally
from the suburbs
of Chicago she
moved to New York
to attend the Juil-
liard School Her
favorite things to
do include riding
her bike eating
making dump-
lings tap dancing
and changing the
subject
Blog My Name is
Yeh
EMILY RACK
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
A curly-haired
library-loving girl
split between
Ottawa (journal-
ism school) and
London (home)
An apple lover
dinner party en-
thusiast amp bedroom
ballerina Emily
enjoys picnics
baking 80rsquos post-
punk and read-
ing Hemingway
She loves boys
with glasses John
Hughes movies
and listening to
other peoplersquos sto-
ries Idols include
Anne Shirley and
Tina Fey
JACKIE PFEFFER
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
Jackie lives in New
Yorkrsquos Hudson
Valley with her two
dogs Rocco and
Suzette Known as
ldquothe resident pa-
parazzirdquo it was no
surprise that shersquos
ended up making
her living as a pho-
tographer Jackie
likes hiking sushi
and she is among
the small percent-
age of people in the
world who actually
enjoys hanging out
in airports
Blog JacPfef
JASMINE L H
MYER S
CONTENT EDITOR
Jasmine is a
southern Cali-
fornia
native living in
Long Beach CA
with her super-
hot hair stylist
husband Levi and
their kitties Gretel
and Lily True to
her Gemini na-
ture she values
independence and
likes to dabble
in anything that
strikes her fancy
She appreciates
good food good
coffee and good
people
Blog An
Experiment in
Poverty
ASHLEE GADD
MANAGING
EDITOR
Ashlee is a writer
photographer and
brand new momma
residing in Sacra-
mento California
When shersquos not
making lists and
guzzling Go Girl
energy drinks you
can find her at your
local thrift store
yoga studio or
most likely frozen
yogurt shop Shersquos
a self-proclaimed
joy-chooser and
loves to make
people smile
Blog Where My
Heart Resides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 7
CARMYN JOY EFFA
CONTRIBUTOR
Carmyn is a 25
year-old artist
from Edmon-
ton Alberta She
became interested
in photography
after receiving
her grandfatherrsquos
camera a
trustworthy Pentax
K1000 Sev-
eral years later she
couldnrsquot imagine
her life without
this means to
express herself In
addition she loves
creating zines with
her friends writ-
ing music reading
graphic novels
and hanging out
with her cat named
Gatsby
BlogCarmyn Joy
CHRISTINE
AMOROSE
CONTRIBUTOR
Californian by
birth traveler at
heart Since earn-
ing a degree in
journalism
Christine has
worked in PR in
Silicon Valley
bartended on the
French Rivi-
era backpacked
through Europe
worked in market-
ing in Australia
and explored
Southeast Asia
Shersquos currently
managing the
brand marketing
and social media
for ONA Bags in
New York City
Blog Crsquoest
Christine
ANNA JORDAN
CONTRIBUTOR
Anna Jordan is
a writerreader
foster momma
living and loving
in Santa Barbara
California with
her husband Kiah
[foster] son Ma-
son and fluffy dog
Lily Anna loves
to run without a
jogging stroller
practice yoga
and drink lots of
freshly ground
coffee
Blog Plan A
KINGSLEY FRAZIER
CONTRIBUTOR
Kingsley is a Bay
Area native mak-
ing her home in
Tennessee with her
husband Grant
who is an Officer
in the US Army
Shersquos a special edu-
cation consultant
and teacher cur-
rently playing the
role of Army Wife
When Kingsleyrsquos
not teaching she
can be found cook-
ing working out
and blogging about
being married and
life with POTS
Blog Life as Griki
ORLI KADOCH
CONTRIBUTOR
Orli is a bay area
native who studied
Cell Biology at UC
Davis and hopes to
apply her knowl-
edge creativity
and enjoyment of
working with peo-
ple to the health
sciences Always
eager to explore
new things she
enjoys research-
ing new concepts
and planning
adventures Her
positive energetic
spirit often finds
her laughing with
family and friends
and searching for
inspiring treasures
of life to incorpo-
rate into her own
KELLEE VOPELAK
CONTRIBUTOR
Kellee is a Los
Angeles transplant
from the Chi-
cago suburbs and
couldnrsquot be happier
with her new home
She has a penchant
for guilty pleasures
(90s pop) and
enjoys Instagram-
ming food and
Instagramming her
food Shersquos a lover
of nail art coffee
anything soft and
all things cute
Blog Irsquom Stuck at
Age 19
HOLIDAY 2012 | 9
pow er ed by blog ger s
Thank you for your support
ADVERTISEMENT
Check out these great blogs from some of our readers
Liveverb
remain alive
HOLIDAY 2012 | 11
HOLIDAY 2012 | 13
Do Something
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Carmyn Joy Effa
get down with moisturizing Letrsquos talk about
winter dryness Chapped lips cracked
fingers crocodile legshellip all this
delightful territory comes with the
winter climate Make it your per-
sonal mission to buff away every flaky
bit and slather on body butter until
yoursquore as smooth as a Victoriarsquos Secret
model Wersquore crazy for cactus-bristle
body brushes homemade brown sugar
scrub and coconut oil as a moisturizer
(put it all over your bod in your hair
and even use it as an overnight scalp
treatment)
create the best hot chocolate ever Buy a few bars
of high-quality chocolate and melt it
down slowly adding in your milk of
choice and any extras you can think
of for the ultimate decadence Go
traditional with marshmallows or up
the ante with some Baileys a squeeze
of orange juice and a little zest some
peppermint extract a spoonful of
Nutella or some chai tea Curl up with
your creation and watch Home Alone
for some major holiday cheer and a
sugar high Hey you gotta misbehave
sometimes
turn your bedroom into a zen sanctuary All it takes is a
smattering of tea light candles some
new throw pillows and a hefty dose of
de-cluttering to update your bedroom
Get your laptop out of there (what did
we say about zen) spray some lavender
oil onto your pillowcase and get ready
for some seriously peaceful slumbers
do something for someone else Whether you make
up a package for the homeless help
serve Christmas dinner at a shelter or
write a love letter to someone in need
this is the season for giving Think
outside of what you can do financially
or what you can buy for someone else
and give some of your time Find a
worthy cause one you truly believe
in and spare a few of your watching-
reality-tv or blog-perusing hours to
help out Trust us yoursquoll feel so much
luckier for your own blessings
six ideas to make the most of the winter season
connect with someone from your past Not someone
who should stay in your past (ex-
boyfriends wersquore looking at you) but
the holiday season lends a lovely sort of
nostalgia that can be the perfect excuse
to email an old friend to say hello and
catch up You might read dozens of
Facebook updates a day but how often
do you genuinely connect with your
ldquosocial networkrdquo Think about how
glad yoursquod be if you got a little note just
to say ldquoI was thinking about yourdquo
make your house smell like a winter wonderland Fill
a pot with water a chopped orange
a cup of cranberries four cinnamon
sticks and a pinch of cloves Let it
simmer gently on the stove all day
Sometimes we let our olfactory senses
fall by the wayside but scent can be
one of the most powerful mood en-
hancers In no time your home will
smell like a magical delicious holiday
kingdom Pop a little Bing Crosby
onto the record player and yoursquoll be
buzzing to smooch someone under the
mistletoe in no time
I have a lovehate relationship with ldquostuffrdquo which tends to make me
a gift-giverrsquos worst nightmare at Christmastime While Irsquove never
been one to hoard things I went through an intense de-cluttering
phase last year after reading a book called The Joy Of Less The
premise of the book is simple own less stuff be happier
The book inspired me to de-clutter my entire house from the
bathroom to the kitchen and everything in between I began clear-
ing out cabinets and drawers room by room and making regular
trips to Goodwill with bags of unwanted stuff clothes rarely worn
appliances rarely used DVDs rarely watched etc If it wasnrsquot prac-
tical or being used on a semi-regular basis out it went I watched
my drawers dwindle down to necessities and my shelves become
bare and yet I felt no regret or remorse I found freedom in the
empty space - a happy lightness that I hadnrsquot realized I needed in
my life
A few months later Christmas came along and suddenly I was
back to square one Stuff was everywhere begging to be bought
and begging to be had I spent the majority of December mak-
ing lists pinning ideas fighting crowds at Target hunting for
online coupon codes and wrapping gifts with a perfect mixture
of craft paper ribbons and doilies It was stressful expensive
overwhelming and not exactly the cheerful holiday season I was
expecting
Even more stressful was unloading all of the gifts from our car
after Christmas was over I had become so protective of my half-
empty drawers and bare shelves that I couldnrsquot fathom filling
them up with clutter again even if that clutter was straight off my
Pinterest wish list Even though I knew the gifts had been given in
love it was just too much
So lesson learned This year wersquore approaching Christmas a bit
differently Wersquove established a 4-gift rule in our household wersquoll
each receive something we want something we need something
to wear and something to read Wersquore asking our families for more
experiences and less stuff - swapping new boots and shiny gadgets
for zoo memberships and art classes The hope is that wersquoll be able
to use most of our Christmas gifts to create memories in 2013 and
avoid cluttering our home with tons of things we donrsquot need
If you also find yourself unwillingly wrapped up (no pun intend-
ed) in too much ldquostuffrdquo this holiday season here are a few experi-
ences you can add to your wish list or give to others
For Him
Concert tickets
Tickets to a lecture
Brewery Tour
Round of golf at his favorite course
For Her
Local yoga passes
Drybar bartabs
A photography class
For the Couple
Weekend away
Cooking classes
Wine tasting
Food tour
For Kiddos
Local zoo membership
Local art studio membership
Tickets to the train museum aquarium etc
Movie tickets
All I Want for Christmas is Less StuffWords by Ashlee GaddPhoto by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 15
Createverb
bring (something) into existence
HOLIDAY 2012 | 17
Wrap ItUpfour creative ways to wrap gifts
By Camilla Salem
One of the best parts of the season is turn-
ing on your favorite holiday music and
sitting down to wrap gifts for all of your fa-
vorite people You could go the traditional
route and purchase lovely wrapping paper
or you could do what I did and make use
of all the extra paper bags you have lying
around the house Itrsquos simple really Take
a paper grocery bag Cut it apart along the
seams cut off the handles and wrap your
gifts Decorate with unique and inexpen-
sive items for an extra special touch
add an ornamentTie an ornament to your wrapping with a
piece of twine Itrsquos like getting two presents
in one
HOLIDAY 2012 | 19
go naturalFind pretty leaves (I used eucalyptus leaves
and pods) and tie them down with some
raffia for an earthy feel I suggest bay leaf
holly berries or pine needles
stampedMake your own pretty printed wrapping
paper by creating a pattern with stamps
Go crazy here and have fun mixing colors
and shapes
HOLIDAY 2012 | 21
jingle bellsYour friends will hear their presents
coming if you tie on some festive bells
(available at any craft store) It adds so
much to the joy of the holidays
Step-by-Step Make A Paper StarBy Emily Rack
HOLIDAY 2012 | 23
what you need
Kite paper (in a pinch wax paper or baking parchment will do)ScissorsGlue
My sisters and I have made kite paper
stars ever since we were little and itrsquos a
tradition we have continued and passed
on with great delight These simple stars
encapsulate everything I love about the
holiday season and make a beautiful mini-
malist addition to plain wrapping paper
a white card or even windows When
the light shines through them you see all
sorts of beautiful patterns
Cut eight identical small rectangles
out of your paper
Fold each piece vertically down the
middle
Fold in both corners of the top like
yoursquore making a paper airplane
Do the same with the bottom corners
Fold the top corners in again so that
one end is very thin
Line up the bottom left edge of one
piece with the center line of another and
glue in place
Continue like this with all eight
pieces making sure to layer each piece on
top of the last
Allow to dry and voila You can make
them in any size as long as your pieces are
all equal
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
copy 2012 The Violet
Cover photo and this photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 3
Contentsopen Camillarsquos Letter 5 Powered by Bloggers 9live Do Something 12 All I Want for Christmas is Less Stuff 14create Wrap It Up 18 Make a Paper Star 22 Blossom Mistletoe 24nurture We Recommend 27
The Juicy Details 28explore Winter in Munich 34 Winter in the City 38nourish Four Pizzas Fit for a Party 41 From Scratch 48 In Season Tangerines 50play Dumpings of the World Party 53muse For Elyse 59 An Interview with Hannah Brencher 60embellish Flirty amp Festive Winter 65 Holiday Nails 72love Life as an Army Wife 78 All We Need is Love 80close
Back Story 84
Openverb
remove the covers or wrapping from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 5
Every year around the holidays I make a big list of things that I
want to do It usually goes something like this send out handmade
holiday cards make a wreath string popcorn and cranberries
make peppermint bark from scratch to give to friends and family
chop down a tree and decorate it in a fun and unique way that
has never been done before and so on Man I feel stressed and
overwhelmed just writing that list And frankly stress has no
business in this happy time of year
So for our first holiday issue ever (wow) we want to do away with
that stress and focus on what we think really matters At the heart
of everything this time of year is all about sharing experiences
Families are reunited friends throw sweet get-togethers and
strangers exchange more smiles on the street How great is that
Life should be like this all year long Wersquore offering up some sug-
gestions for the season revolving around that theme of ldquoA Shared
Experiencerdquo including ways to wrap gifts simply and creatively as
well as how to host an international dumpling party Wersquove also got
some heartfelt personal stories from some great women to share
and pizza recipes for a night of delicious fun Wersquore even sharing
our own experience of Winter in Munich with you
We hope this issue warms you up from the inside out and helps
you get even more excited about the holidays Because the truth is
we absolutely love sharing the experience of putting together this
magazine for you
Happiest of holidays to you Violet readers
Camillarsquos Letter
Camilla Salem
Founder amp Creative Director
Blog Champagne Bubbles
a shared experience
The Team Behind This Issuehappy holidays from all of us at the violet
CELESTE NOCHE
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
Celeste is a Bay
Area native whose
life dream is to
travel the world
A recent Stanford
graduate in English
and Classics she
loves her ukulele
film photography
stargazing and Mr
Darcy She splits
her daydreaming
equally between
food Europe and
what to be when she
grows up
Blog Wanderlust
MOLLY YEH
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
Molly is a Brook-
lyn-based food
writer classical
percussionist and
mustard collec-
tor Originally
from the suburbs
of Chicago she
moved to New York
to attend the Juil-
liard School Her
favorite things to
do include riding
her bike eating
making dump-
lings tap dancing
and changing the
subject
Blog My Name is
Yeh
EMILY RACK
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
A curly-haired
library-loving girl
split between
Ottawa (journal-
ism school) and
London (home)
An apple lover
dinner party en-
thusiast amp bedroom
ballerina Emily
enjoys picnics
baking 80rsquos post-
punk and read-
ing Hemingway
She loves boys
with glasses John
Hughes movies
and listening to
other peoplersquos sto-
ries Idols include
Anne Shirley and
Tina Fey
JACKIE PFEFFER
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
Jackie lives in New
Yorkrsquos Hudson
Valley with her two
dogs Rocco and
Suzette Known as
ldquothe resident pa-
parazzirdquo it was no
surprise that shersquos
ended up making
her living as a pho-
tographer Jackie
likes hiking sushi
and she is among
the small percent-
age of people in the
world who actually
enjoys hanging out
in airports
Blog JacPfef
JASMINE L H
MYER S
CONTENT EDITOR
Jasmine is a
southern Cali-
fornia
native living in
Long Beach CA
with her super-
hot hair stylist
husband Levi and
their kitties Gretel
and Lily True to
her Gemini na-
ture she values
independence and
likes to dabble
in anything that
strikes her fancy
She appreciates
good food good
coffee and good
people
Blog An
Experiment in
Poverty
ASHLEE GADD
MANAGING
EDITOR
Ashlee is a writer
photographer and
brand new momma
residing in Sacra-
mento California
When shersquos not
making lists and
guzzling Go Girl
energy drinks you
can find her at your
local thrift store
yoga studio or
most likely frozen
yogurt shop Shersquos
a self-proclaimed
joy-chooser and
loves to make
people smile
Blog Where My
Heart Resides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 7
CARMYN JOY EFFA
CONTRIBUTOR
Carmyn is a 25
year-old artist
from Edmon-
ton Alberta She
became interested
in photography
after receiving
her grandfatherrsquos
camera a
trustworthy Pentax
K1000 Sev-
eral years later she
couldnrsquot imagine
her life without
this means to
express herself In
addition she loves
creating zines with
her friends writ-
ing music reading
graphic novels
and hanging out
with her cat named
Gatsby
BlogCarmyn Joy
CHRISTINE
AMOROSE
CONTRIBUTOR
Californian by
birth traveler at
heart Since earn-
ing a degree in
journalism
Christine has
worked in PR in
Silicon Valley
bartended on the
French Rivi-
era backpacked
through Europe
worked in market-
ing in Australia
and explored
Southeast Asia
Shersquos currently
managing the
brand marketing
and social media
for ONA Bags in
New York City
Blog Crsquoest
Christine
ANNA JORDAN
CONTRIBUTOR
Anna Jordan is
a writerreader
foster momma
living and loving
in Santa Barbara
California with
her husband Kiah
[foster] son Ma-
son and fluffy dog
Lily Anna loves
to run without a
jogging stroller
practice yoga
and drink lots of
freshly ground
coffee
Blog Plan A
KINGSLEY FRAZIER
CONTRIBUTOR
Kingsley is a Bay
Area native mak-
ing her home in
Tennessee with her
husband Grant
who is an Officer
in the US Army
Shersquos a special edu-
cation consultant
and teacher cur-
rently playing the
role of Army Wife
When Kingsleyrsquos
not teaching she
can be found cook-
ing working out
and blogging about
being married and
life with POTS
Blog Life as Griki
ORLI KADOCH
CONTRIBUTOR
Orli is a bay area
native who studied
Cell Biology at UC
Davis and hopes to
apply her knowl-
edge creativity
and enjoyment of
working with peo-
ple to the health
sciences Always
eager to explore
new things she
enjoys research-
ing new concepts
and planning
adventures Her
positive energetic
spirit often finds
her laughing with
family and friends
and searching for
inspiring treasures
of life to incorpo-
rate into her own
KELLEE VOPELAK
CONTRIBUTOR
Kellee is a Los
Angeles transplant
from the Chi-
cago suburbs and
couldnrsquot be happier
with her new home
She has a penchant
for guilty pleasures
(90s pop) and
enjoys Instagram-
ming food and
Instagramming her
food Shersquos a lover
of nail art coffee
anything soft and
all things cute
Blog Irsquom Stuck at
Age 19
HOLIDAY 2012 | 9
pow er ed by blog ger s
Thank you for your support
ADVERTISEMENT
Check out these great blogs from some of our readers
Liveverb
remain alive
HOLIDAY 2012 | 11
HOLIDAY 2012 | 13
Do Something
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Carmyn Joy Effa
get down with moisturizing Letrsquos talk about
winter dryness Chapped lips cracked
fingers crocodile legshellip all this
delightful territory comes with the
winter climate Make it your per-
sonal mission to buff away every flaky
bit and slather on body butter until
yoursquore as smooth as a Victoriarsquos Secret
model Wersquore crazy for cactus-bristle
body brushes homemade brown sugar
scrub and coconut oil as a moisturizer
(put it all over your bod in your hair
and even use it as an overnight scalp
treatment)
create the best hot chocolate ever Buy a few bars
of high-quality chocolate and melt it
down slowly adding in your milk of
choice and any extras you can think
of for the ultimate decadence Go
traditional with marshmallows or up
the ante with some Baileys a squeeze
of orange juice and a little zest some
peppermint extract a spoonful of
Nutella or some chai tea Curl up with
your creation and watch Home Alone
for some major holiday cheer and a
sugar high Hey you gotta misbehave
sometimes
turn your bedroom into a zen sanctuary All it takes is a
smattering of tea light candles some
new throw pillows and a hefty dose of
de-cluttering to update your bedroom
Get your laptop out of there (what did
we say about zen) spray some lavender
oil onto your pillowcase and get ready
for some seriously peaceful slumbers
do something for someone else Whether you make
up a package for the homeless help
serve Christmas dinner at a shelter or
write a love letter to someone in need
this is the season for giving Think
outside of what you can do financially
or what you can buy for someone else
and give some of your time Find a
worthy cause one you truly believe
in and spare a few of your watching-
reality-tv or blog-perusing hours to
help out Trust us yoursquoll feel so much
luckier for your own blessings
six ideas to make the most of the winter season
connect with someone from your past Not someone
who should stay in your past (ex-
boyfriends wersquore looking at you) but
the holiday season lends a lovely sort of
nostalgia that can be the perfect excuse
to email an old friend to say hello and
catch up You might read dozens of
Facebook updates a day but how often
do you genuinely connect with your
ldquosocial networkrdquo Think about how
glad yoursquod be if you got a little note just
to say ldquoI was thinking about yourdquo
make your house smell like a winter wonderland Fill
a pot with water a chopped orange
a cup of cranberries four cinnamon
sticks and a pinch of cloves Let it
simmer gently on the stove all day
Sometimes we let our olfactory senses
fall by the wayside but scent can be
one of the most powerful mood en-
hancers In no time your home will
smell like a magical delicious holiday
kingdom Pop a little Bing Crosby
onto the record player and yoursquoll be
buzzing to smooch someone under the
mistletoe in no time
I have a lovehate relationship with ldquostuffrdquo which tends to make me
a gift-giverrsquos worst nightmare at Christmastime While Irsquove never
been one to hoard things I went through an intense de-cluttering
phase last year after reading a book called The Joy Of Less The
premise of the book is simple own less stuff be happier
The book inspired me to de-clutter my entire house from the
bathroom to the kitchen and everything in between I began clear-
ing out cabinets and drawers room by room and making regular
trips to Goodwill with bags of unwanted stuff clothes rarely worn
appliances rarely used DVDs rarely watched etc If it wasnrsquot prac-
tical or being used on a semi-regular basis out it went I watched
my drawers dwindle down to necessities and my shelves become
bare and yet I felt no regret or remorse I found freedom in the
empty space - a happy lightness that I hadnrsquot realized I needed in
my life
A few months later Christmas came along and suddenly I was
back to square one Stuff was everywhere begging to be bought
and begging to be had I spent the majority of December mak-
ing lists pinning ideas fighting crowds at Target hunting for
online coupon codes and wrapping gifts with a perfect mixture
of craft paper ribbons and doilies It was stressful expensive
overwhelming and not exactly the cheerful holiday season I was
expecting
Even more stressful was unloading all of the gifts from our car
after Christmas was over I had become so protective of my half-
empty drawers and bare shelves that I couldnrsquot fathom filling
them up with clutter again even if that clutter was straight off my
Pinterest wish list Even though I knew the gifts had been given in
love it was just too much
So lesson learned This year wersquore approaching Christmas a bit
differently Wersquove established a 4-gift rule in our household wersquoll
each receive something we want something we need something
to wear and something to read Wersquore asking our families for more
experiences and less stuff - swapping new boots and shiny gadgets
for zoo memberships and art classes The hope is that wersquoll be able
to use most of our Christmas gifts to create memories in 2013 and
avoid cluttering our home with tons of things we donrsquot need
If you also find yourself unwillingly wrapped up (no pun intend-
ed) in too much ldquostuffrdquo this holiday season here are a few experi-
ences you can add to your wish list or give to others
For Him
Concert tickets
Tickets to a lecture
Brewery Tour
Round of golf at his favorite course
For Her
Local yoga passes
Drybar bartabs
A photography class
For the Couple
Weekend away
Cooking classes
Wine tasting
Food tour
For Kiddos
Local zoo membership
Local art studio membership
Tickets to the train museum aquarium etc
Movie tickets
All I Want for Christmas is Less StuffWords by Ashlee GaddPhoto by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 15
Createverb
bring (something) into existence
HOLIDAY 2012 | 17
Wrap ItUpfour creative ways to wrap gifts
By Camilla Salem
One of the best parts of the season is turn-
ing on your favorite holiday music and
sitting down to wrap gifts for all of your fa-
vorite people You could go the traditional
route and purchase lovely wrapping paper
or you could do what I did and make use
of all the extra paper bags you have lying
around the house Itrsquos simple really Take
a paper grocery bag Cut it apart along the
seams cut off the handles and wrap your
gifts Decorate with unique and inexpen-
sive items for an extra special touch
add an ornamentTie an ornament to your wrapping with a
piece of twine Itrsquos like getting two presents
in one
HOLIDAY 2012 | 19
go naturalFind pretty leaves (I used eucalyptus leaves
and pods) and tie them down with some
raffia for an earthy feel I suggest bay leaf
holly berries or pine needles
stampedMake your own pretty printed wrapping
paper by creating a pattern with stamps
Go crazy here and have fun mixing colors
and shapes
HOLIDAY 2012 | 21
jingle bellsYour friends will hear their presents
coming if you tie on some festive bells
(available at any craft store) It adds so
much to the joy of the holidays
Step-by-Step Make A Paper StarBy Emily Rack
HOLIDAY 2012 | 23
what you need
Kite paper (in a pinch wax paper or baking parchment will do)ScissorsGlue
My sisters and I have made kite paper
stars ever since we were little and itrsquos a
tradition we have continued and passed
on with great delight These simple stars
encapsulate everything I love about the
holiday season and make a beautiful mini-
malist addition to plain wrapping paper
a white card or even windows When
the light shines through them you see all
sorts of beautiful patterns
Cut eight identical small rectangles
out of your paper
Fold each piece vertically down the
middle
Fold in both corners of the top like
yoursquore making a paper airplane
Do the same with the bottom corners
Fold the top corners in again so that
one end is very thin
Line up the bottom left edge of one
piece with the center line of another and
glue in place
Continue like this with all eight
pieces making sure to layer each piece on
top of the last
Allow to dry and voila You can make
them in any size as long as your pieces are
all equal
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 3
Contentsopen Camillarsquos Letter 5 Powered by Bloggers 9live Do Something 12 All I Want for Christmas is Less Stuff 14create Wrap It Up 18 Make a Paper Star 22 Blossom Mistletoe 24nurture We Recommend 27
The Juicy Details 28explore Winter in Munich 34 Winter in the City 38nourish Four Pizzas Fit for a Party 41 From Scratch 48 In Season Tangerines 50play Dumpings of the World Party 53muse For Elyse 59 An Interview with Hannah Brencher 60embellish Flirty amp Festive Winter 65 Holiday Nails 72love Life as an Army Wife 78 All We Need is Love 80close
Back Story 84
Openverb
remove the covers or wrapping from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 5
Every year around the holidays I make a big list of things that I
want to do It usually goes something like this send out handmade
holiday cards make a wreath string popcorn and cranberries
make peppermint bark from scratch to give to friends and family
chop down a tree and decorate it in a fun and unique way that
has never been done before and so on Man I feel stressed and
overwhelmed just writing that list And frankly stress has no
business in this happy time of year
So for our first holiday issue ever (wow) we want to do away with
that stress and focus on what we think really matters At the heart
of everything this time of year is all about sharing experiences
Families are reunited friends throw sweet get-togethers and
strangers exchange more smiles on the street How great is that
Life should be like this all year long Wersquore offering up some sug-
gestions for the season revolving around that theme of ldquoA Shared
Experiencerdquo including ways to wrap gifts simply and creatively as
well as how to host an international dumpling party Wersquove also got
some heartfelt personal stories from some great women to share
and pizza recipes for a night of delicious fun Wersquore even sharing
our own experience of Winter in Munich with you
We hope this issue warms you up from the inside out and helps
you get even more excited about the holidays Because the truth is
we absolutely love sharing the experience of putting together this
magazine for you
Happiest of holidays to you Violet readers
Camillarsquos Letter
Camilla Salem
Founder amp Creative Director
Blog Champagne Bubbles
a shared experience
The Team Behind This Issuehappy holidays from all of us at the violet
CELESTE NOCHE
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
Celeste is a Bay
Area native whose
life dream is to
travel the world
A recent Stanford
graduate in English
and Classics she
loves her ukulele
film photography
stargazing and Mr
Darcy She splits
her daydreaming
equally between
food Europe and
what to be when she
grows up
Blog Wanderlust
MOLLY YEH
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
Molly is a Brook-
lyn-based food
writer classical
percussionist and
mustard collec-
tor Originally
from the suburbs
of Chicago she
moved to New York
to attend the Juil-
liard School Her
favorite things to
do include riding
her bike eating
making dump-
lings tap dancing
and changing the
subject
Blog My Name is
Yeh
EMILY RACK
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
A curly-haired
library-loving girl
split between
Ottawa (journal-
ism school) and
London (home)
An apple lover
dinner party en-
thusiast amp bedroom
ballerina Emily
enjoys picnics
baking 80rsquos post-
punk and read-
ing Hemingway
She loves boys
with glasses John
Hughes movies
and listening to
other peoplersquos sto-
ries Idols include
Anne Shirley and
Tina Fey
JACKIE PFEFFER
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
Jackie lives in New
Yorkrsquos Hudson
Valley with her two
dogs Rocco and
Suzette Known as
ldquothe resident pa-
parazzirdquo it was no
surprise that shersquos
ended up making
her living as a pho-
tographer Jackie
likes hiking sushi
and she is among
the small percent-
age of people in the
world who actually
enjoys hanging out
in airports
Blog JacPfef
JASMINE L H
MYER S
CONTENT EDITOR
Jasmine is a
southern Cali-
fornia
native living in
Long Beach CA
with her super-
hot hair stylist
husband Levi and
their kitties Gretel
and Lily True to
her Gemini na-
ture she values
independence and
likes to dabble
in anything that
strikes her fancy
She appreciates
good food good
coffee and good
people
Blog An
Experiment in
Poverty
ASHLEE GADD
MANAGING
EDITOR
Ashlee is a writer
photographer and
brand new momma
residing in Sacra-
mento California
When shersquos not
making lists and
guzzling Go Girl
energy drinks you
can find her at your
local thrift store
yoga studio or
most likely frozen
yogurt shop Shersquos
a self-proclaimed
joy-chooser and
loves to make
people smile
Blog Where My
Heart Resides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 7
CARMYN JOY EFFA
CONTRIBUTOR
Carmyn is a 25
year-old artist
from Edmon-
ton Alberta She
became interested
in photography
after receiving
her grandfatherrsquos
camera a
trustworthy Pentax
K1000 Sev-
eral years later she
couldnrsquot imagine
her life without
this means to
express herself In
addition she loves
creating zines with
her friends writ-
ing music reading
graphic novels
and hanging out
with her cat named
Gatsby
BlogCarmyn Joy
CHRISTINE
AMOROSE
CONTRIBUTOR
Californian by
birth traveler at
heart Since earn-
ing a degree in
journalism
Christine has
worked in PR in
Silicon Valley
bartended on the
French Rivi-
era backpacked
through Europe
worked in market-
ing in Australia
and explored
Southeast Asia
Shersquos currently
managing the
brand marketing
and social media
for ONA Bags in
New York City
Blog Crsquoest
Christine
ANNA JORDAN
CONTRIBUTOR
Anna Jordan is
a writerreader
foster momma
living and loving
in Santa Barbara
California with
her husband Kiah
[foster] son Ma-
son and fluffy dog
Lily Anna loves
to run without a
jogging stroller
practice yoga
and drink lots of
freshly ground
coffee
Blog Plan A
KINGSLEY FRAZIER
CONTRIBUTOR
Kingsley is a Bay
Area native mak-
ing her home in
Tennessee with her
husband Grant
who is an Officer
in the US Army
Shersquos a special edu-
cation consultant
and teacher cur-
rently playing the
role of Army Wife
When Kingsleyrsquos
not teaching she
can be found cook-
ing working out
and blogging about
being married and
life with POTS
Blog Life as Griki
ORLI KADOCH
CONTRIBUTOR
Orli is a bay area
native who studied
Cell Biology at UC
Davis and hopes to
apply her knowl-
edge creativity
and enjoyment of
working with peo-
ple to the health
sciences Always
eager to explore
new things she
enjoys research-
ing new concepts
and planning
adventures Her
positive energetic
spirit often finds
her laughing with
family and friends
and searching for
inspiring treasures
of life to incorpo-
rate into her own
KELLEE VOPELAK
CONTRIBUTOR
Kellee is a Los
Angeles transplant
from the Chi-
cago suburbs and
couldnrsquot be happier
with her new home
She has a penchant
for guilty pleasures
(90s pop) and
enjoys Instagram-
ming food and
Instagramming her
food Shersquos a lover
of nail art coffee
anything soft and
all things cute
Blog Irsquom Stuck at
Age 19
HOLIDAY 2012 | 9
pow er ed by blog ger s
Thank you for your support
ADVERTISEMENT
Check out these great blogs from some of our readers
Liveverb
remain alive
HOLIDAY 2012 | 11
HOLIDAY 2012 | 13
Do Something
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Carmyn Joy Effa
get down with moisturizing Letrsquos talk about
winter dryness Chapped lips cracked
fingers crocodile legshellip all this
delightful territory comes with the
winter climate Make it your per-
sonal mission to buff away every flaky
bit and slather on body butter until
yoursquore as smooth as a Victoriarsquos Secret
model Wersquore crazy for cactus-bristle
body brushes homemade brown sugar
scrub and coconut oil as a moisturizer
(put it all over your bod in your hair
and even use it as an overnight scalp
treatment)
create the best hot chocolate ever Buy a few bars
of high-quality chocolate and melt it
down slowly adding in your milk of
choice and any extras you can think
of for the ultimate decadence Go
traditional with marshmallows or up
the ante with some Baileys a squeeze
of orange juice and a little zest some
peppermint extract a spoonful of
Nutella or some chai tea Curl up with
your creation and watch Home Alone
for some major holiday cheer and a
sugar high Hey you gotta misbehave
sometimes
turn your bedroom into a zen sanctuary All it takes is a
smattering of tea light candles some
new throw pillows and a hefty dose of
de-cluttering to update your bedroom
Get your laptop out of there (what did
we say about zen) spray some lavender
oil onto your pillowcase and get ready
for some seriously peaceful slumbers
do something for someone else Whether you make
up a package for the homeless help
serve Christmas dinner at a shelter or
write a love letter to someone in need
this is the season for giving Think
outside of what you can do financially
or what you can buy for someone else
and give some of your time Find a
worthy cause one you truly believe
in and spare a few of your watching-
reality-tv or blog-perusing hours to
help out Trust us yoursquoll feel so much
luckier for your own blessings
six ideas to make the most of the winter season
connect with someone from your past Not someone
who should stay in your past (ex-
boyfriends wersquore looking at you) but
the holiday season lends a lovely sort of
nostalgia that can be the perfect excuse
to email an old friend to say hello and
catch up You might read dozens of
Facebook updates a day but how often
do you genuinely connect with your
ldquosocial networkrdquo Think about how
glad yoursquod be if you got a little note just
to say ldquoI was thinking about yourdquo
make your house smell like a winter wonderland Fill
a pot with water a chopped orange
a cup of cranberries four cinnamon
sticks and a pinch of cloves Let it
simmer gently on the stove all day
Sometimes we let our olfactory senses
fall by the wayside but scent can be
one of the most powerful mood en-
hancers In no time your home will
smell like a magical delicious holiday
kingdom Pop a little Bing Crosby
onto the record player and yoursquoll be
buzzing to smooch someone under the
mistletoe in no time
I have a lovehate relationship with ldquostuffrdquo which tends to make me
a gift-giverrsquos worst nightmare at Christmastime While Irsquove never
been one to hoard things I went through an intense de-cluttering
phase last year after reading a book called The Joy Of Less The
premise of the book is simple own less stuff be happier
The book inspired me to de-clutter my entire house from the
bathroom to the kitchen and everything in between I began clear-
ing out cabinets and drawers room by room and making regular
trips to Goodwill with bags of unwanted stuff clothes rarely worn
appliances rarely used DVDs rarely watched etc If it wasnrsquot prac-
tical or being used on a semi-regular basis out it went I watched
my drawers dwindle down to necessities and my shelves become
bare and yet I felt no regret or remorse I found freedom in the
empty space - a happy lightness that I hadnrsquot realized I needed in
my life
A few months later Christmas came along and suddenly I was
back to square one Stuff was everywhere begging to be bought
and begging to be had I spent the majority of December mak-
ing lists pinning ideas fighting crowds at Target hunting for
online coupon codes and wrapping gifts with a perfect mixture
of craft paper ribbons and doilies It was stressful expensive
overwhelming and not exactly the cheerful holiday season I was
expecting
Even more stressful was unloading all of the gifts from our car
after Christmas was over I had become so protective of my half-
empty drawers and bare shelves that I couldnrsquot fathom filling
them up with clutter again even if that clutter was straight off my
Pinterest wish list Even though I knew the gifts had been given in
love it was just too much
So lesson learned This year wersquore approaching Christmas a bit
differently Wersquove established a 4-gift rule in our household wersquoll
each receive something we want something we need something
to wear and something to read Wersquore asking our families for more
experiences and less stuff - swapping new boots and shiny gadgets
for zoo memberships and art classes The hope is that wersquoll be able
to use most of our Christmas gifts to create memories in 2013 and
avoid cluttering our home with tons of things we donrsquot need
If you also find yourself unwillingly wrapped up (no pun intend-
ed) in too much ldquostuffrdquo this holiday season here are a few experi-
ences you can add to your wish list or give to others
For Him
Concert tickets
Tickets to a lecture
Brewery Tour
Round of golf at his favorite course
For Her
Local yoga passes
Drybar bartabs
A photography class
For the Couple
Weekend away
Cooking classes
Wine tasting
Food tour
For Kiddos
Local zoo membership
Local art studio membership
Tickets to the train museum aquarium etc
Movie tickets
All I Want for Christmas is Less StuffWords by Ashlee GaddPhoto by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 15
Createverb
bring (something) into existence
HOLIDAY 2012 | 17
Wrap ItUpfour creative ways to wrap gifts
By Camilla Salem
One of the best parts of the season is turn-
ing on your favorite holiday music and
sitting down to wrap gifts for all of your fa-
vorite people You could go the traditional
route and purchase lovely wrapping paper
or you could do what I did and make use
of all the extra paper bags you have lying
around the house Itrsquos simple really Take
a paper grocery bag Cut it apart along the
seams cut off the handles and wrap your
gifts Decorate with unique and inexpen-
sive items for an extra special touch
add an ornamentTie an ornament to your wrapping with a
piece of twine Itrsquos like getting two presents
in one
HOLIDAY 2012 | 19
go naturalFind pretty leaves (I used eucalyptus leaves
and pods) and tie them down with some
raffia for an earthy feel I suggest bay leaf
holly berries or pine needles
stampedMake your own pretty printed wrapping
paper by creating a pattern with stamps
Go crazy here and have fun mixing colors
and shapes
HOLIDAY 2012 | 21
jingle bellsYour friends will hear their presents
coming if you tie on some festive bells
(available at any craft store) It adds so
much to the joy of the holidays
Step-by-Step Make A Paper StarBy Emily Rack
HOLIDAY 2012 | 23
what you need
Kite paper (in a pinch wax paper or baking parchment will do)ScissorsGlue
My sisters and I have made kite paper
stars ever since we were little and itrsquos a
tradition we have continued and passed
on with great delight These simple stars
encapsulate everything I love about the
holiday season and make a beautiful mini-
malist addition to plain wrapping paper
a white card or even windows When
the light shines through them you see all
sorts of beautiful patterns
Cut eight identical small rectangles
out of your paper
Fold each piece vertically down the
middle
Fold in both corners of the top like
yoursquore making a paper airplane
Do the same with the bottom corners
Fold the top corners in again so that
one end is very thin
Line up the bottom left edge of one
piece with the center line of another and
glue in place
Continue like this with all eight
pieces making sure to layer each piece on
top of the last
Allow to dry and voila You can make
them in any size as long as your pieces are
all equal
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
Openverb
remove the covers or wrapping from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 5
Every year around the holidays I make a big list of things that I
want to do It usually goes something like this send out handmade
holiday cards make a wreath string popcorn and cranberries
make peppermint bark from scratch to give to friends and family
chop down a tree and decorate it in a fun and unique way that
has never been done before and so on Man I feel stressed and
overwhelmed just writing that list And frankly stress has no
business in this happy time of year
So for our first holiday issue ever (wow) we want to do away with
that stress and focus on what we think really matters At the heart
of everything this time of year is all about sharing experiences
Families are reunited friends throw sweet get-togethers and
strangers exchange more smiles on the street How great is that
Life should be like this all year long Wersquore offering up some sug-
gestions for the season revolving around that theme of ldquoA Shared
Experiencerdquo including ways to wrap gifts simply and creatively as
well as how to host an international dumpling party Wersquove also got
some heartfelt personal stories from some great women to share
and pizza recipes for a night of delicious fun Wersquore even sharing
our own experience of Winter in Munich with you
We hope this issue warms you up from the inside out and helps
you get even more excited about the holidays Because the truth is
we absolutely love sharing the experience of putting together this
magazine for you
Happiest of holidays to you Violet readers
Camillarsquos Letter
Camilla Salem
Founder amp Creative Director
Blog Champagne Bubbles
a shared experience
The Team Behind This Issuehappy holidays from all of us at the violet
CELESTE NOCHE
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
Celeste is a Bay
Area native whose
life dream is to
travel the world
A recent Stanford
graduate in English
and Classics she
loves her ukulele
film photography
stargazing and Mr
Darcy She splits
her daydreaming
equally between
food Europe and
what to be when she
grows up
Blog Wanderlust
MOLLY YEH
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
Molly is a Brook-
lyn-based food
writer classical
percussionist and
mustard collec-
tor Originally
from the suburbs
of Chicago she
moved to New York
to attend the Juil-
liard School Her
favorite things to
do include riding
her bike eating
making dump-
lings tap dancing
and changing the
subject
Blog My Name is
Yeh
EMILY RACK
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
A curly-haired
library-loving girl
split between
Ottawa (journal-
ism school) and
London (home)
An apple lover
dinner party en-
thusiast amp bedroom
ballerina Emily
enjoys picnics
baking 80rsquos post-
punk and read-
ing Hemingway
She loves boys
with glasses John
Hughes movies
and listening to
other peoplersquos sto-
ries Idols include
Anne Shirley and
Tina Fey
JACKIE PFEFFER
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
Jackie lives in New
Yorkrsquos Hudson
Valley with her two
dogs Rocco and
Suzette Known as
ldquothe resident pa-
parazzirdquo it was no
surprise that shersquos
ended up making
her living as a pho-
tographer Jackie
likes hiking sushi
and she is among
the small percent-
age of people in the
world who actually
enjoys hanging out
in airports
Blog JacPfef
JASMINE L H
MYER S
CONTENT EDITOR
Jasmine is a
southern Cali-
fornia
native living in
Long Beach CA
with her super-
hot hair stylist
husband Levi and
their kitties Gretel
and Lily True to
her Gemini na-
ture she values
independence and
likes to dabble
in anything that
strikes her fancy
She appreciates
good food good
coffee and good
people
Blog An
Experiment in
Poverty
ASHLEE GADD
MANAGING
EDITOR
Ashlee is a writer
photographer and
brand new momma
residing in Sacra-
mento California
When shersquos not
making lists and
guzzling Go Girl
energy drinks you
can find her at your
local thrift store
yoga studio or
most likely frozen
yogurt shop Shersquos
a self-proclaimed
joy-chooser and
loves to make
people smile
Blog Where My
Heart Resides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 7
CARMYN JOY EFFA
CONTRIBUTOR
Carmyn is a 25
year-old artist
from Edmon-
ton Alberta She
became interested
in photography
after receiving
her grandfatherrsquos
camera a
trustworthy Pentax
K1000 Sev-
eral years later she
couldnrsquot imagine
her life without
this means to
express herself In
addition she loves
creating zines with
her friends writ-
ing music reading
graphic novels
and hanging out
with her cat named
Gatsby
BlogCarmyn Joy
CHRISTINE
AMOROSE
CONTRIBUTOR
Californian by
birth traveler at
heart Since earn-
ing a degree in
journalism
Christine has
worked in PR in
Silicon Valley
bartended on the
French Rivi-
era backpacked
through Europe
worked in market-
ing in Australia
and explored
Southeast Asia
Shersquos currently
managing the
brand marketing
and social media
for ONA Bags in
New York City
Blog Crsquoest
Christine
ANNA JORDAN
CONTRIBUTOR
Anna Jordan is
a writerreader
foster momma
living and loving
in Santa Barbara
California with
her husband Kiah
[foster] son Ma-
son and fluffy dog
Lily Anna loves
to run without a
jogging stroller
practice yoga
and drink lots of
freshly ground
coffee
Blog Plan A
KINGSLEY FRAZIER
CONTRIBUTOR
Kingsley is a Bay
Area native mak-
ing her home in
Tennessee with her
husband Grant
who is an Officer
in the US Army
Shersquos a special edu-
cation consultant
and teacher cur-
rently playing the
role of Army Wife
When Kingsleyrsquos
not teaching she
can be found cook-
ing working out
and blogging about
being married and
life with POTS
Blog Life as Griki
ORLI KADOCH
CONTRIBUTOR
Orli is a bay area
native who studied
Cell Biology at UC
Davis and hopes to
apply her knowl-
edge creativity
and enjoyment of
working with peo-
ple to the health
sciences Always
eager to explore
new things she
enjoys research-
ing new concepts
and planning
adventures Her
positive energetic
spirit often finds
her laughing with
family and friends
and searching for
inspiring treasures
of life to incorpo-
rate into her own
KELLEE VOPELAK
CONTRIBUTOR
Kellee is a Los
Angeles transplant
from the Chi-
cago suburbs and
couldnrsquot be happier
with her new home
She has a penchant
for guilty pleasures
(90s pop) and
enjoys Instagram-
ming food and
Instagramming her
food Shersquos a lover
of nail art coffee
anything soft and
all things cute
Blog Irsquom Stuck at
Age 19
HOLIDAY 2012 | 9
pow er ed by blog ger s
Thank you for your support
ADVERTISEMENT
Check out these great blogs from some of our readers
Liveverb
remain alive
HOLIDAY 2012 | 11
HOLIDAY 2012 | 13
Do Something
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Carmyn Joy Effa
get down with moisturizing Letrsquos talk about
winter dryness Chapped lips cracked
fingers crocodile legshellip all this
delightful territory comes with the
winter climate Make it your per-
sonal mission to buff away every flaky
bit and slather on body butter until
yoursquore as smooth as a Victoriarsquos Secret
model Wersquore crazy for cactus-bristle
body brushes homemade brown sugar
scrub and coconut oil as a moisturizer
(put it all over your bod in your hair
and even use it as an overnight scalp
treatment)
create the best hot chocolate ever Buy a few bars
of high-quality chocolate and melt it
down slowly adding in your milk of
choice and any extras you can think
of for the ultimate decadence Go
traditional with marshmallows or up
the ante with some Baileys a squeeze
of orange juice and a little zest some
peppermint extract a spoonful of
Nutella or some chai tea Curl up with
your creation and watch Home Alone
for some major holiday cheer and a
sugar high Hey you gotta misbehave
sometimes
turn your bedroom into a zen sanctuary All it takes is a
smattering of tea light candles some
new throw pillows and a hefty dose of
de-cluttering to update your bedroom
Get your laptop out of there (what did
we say about zen) spray some lavender
oil onto your pillowcase and get ready
for some seriously peaceful slumbers
do something for someone else Whether you make
up a package for the homeless help
serve Christmas dinner at a shelter or
write a love letter to someone in need
this is the season for giving Think
outside of what you can do financially
or what you can buy for someone else
and give some of your time Find a
worthy cause one you truly believe
in and spare a few of your watching-
reality-tv or blog-perusing hours to
help out Trust us yoursquoll feel so much
luckier for your own blessings
six ideas to make the most of the winter season
connect with someone from your past Not someone
who should stay in your past (ex-
boyfriends wersquore looking at you) but
the holiday season lends a lovely sort of
nostalgia that can be the perfect excuse
to email an old friend to say hello and
catch up You might read dozens of
Facebook updates a day but how often
do you genuinely connect with your
ldquosocial networkrdquo Think about how
glad yoursquod be if you got a little note just
to say ldquoI was thinking about yourdquo
make your house smell like a winter wonderland Fill
a pot with water a chopped orange
a cup of cranberries four cinnamon
sticks and a pinch of cloves Let it
simmer gently on the stove all day
Sometimes we let our olfactory senses
fall by the wayside but scent can be
one of the most powerful mood en-
hancers In no time your home will
smell like a magical delicious holiday
kingdom Pop a little Bing Crosby
onto the record player and yoursquoll be
buzzing to smooch someone under the
mistletoe in no time
I have a lovehate relationship with ldquostuffrdquo which tends to make me
a gift-giverrsquos worst nightmare at Christmastime While Irsquove never
been one to hoard things I went through an intense de-cluttering
phase last year after reading a book called The Joy Of Less The
premise of the book is simple own less stuff be happier
The book inspired me to de-clutter my entire house from the
bathroom to the kitchen and everything in between I began clear-
ing out cabinets and drawers room by room and making regular
trips to Goodwill with bags of unwanted stuff clothes rarely worn
appliances rarely used DVDs rarely watched etc If it wasnrsquot prac-
tical or being used on a semi-regular basis out it went I watched
my drawers dwindle down to necessities and my shelves become
bare and yet I felt no regret or remorse I found freedom in the
empty space - a happy lightness that I hadnrsquot realized I needed in
my life
A few months later Christmas came along and suddenly I was
back to square one Stuff was everywhere begging to be bought
and begging to be had I spent the majority of December mak-
ing lists pinning ideas fighting crowds at Target hunting for
online coupon codes and wrapping gifts with a perfect mixture
of craft paper ribbons and doilies It was stressful expensive
overwhelming and not exactly the cheerful holiday season I was
expecting
Even more stressful was unloading all of the gifts from our car
after Christmas was over I had become so protective of my half-
empty drawers and bare shelves that I couldnrsquot fathom filling
them up with clutter again even if that clutter was straight off my
Pinterest wish list Even though I knew the gifts had been given in
love it was just too much
So lesson learned This year wersquore approaching Christmas a bit
differently Wersquove established a 4-gift rule in our household wersquoll
each receive something we want something we need something
to wear and something to read Wersquore asking our families for more
experiences and less stuff - swapping new boots and shiny gadgets
for zoo memberships and art classes The hope is that wersquoll be able
to use most of our Christmas gifts to create memories in 2013 and
avoid cluttering our home with tons of things we donrsquot need
If you also find yourself unwillingly wrapped up (no pun intend-
ed) in too much ldquostuffrdquo this holiday season here are a few experi-
ences you can add to your wish list or give to others
For Him
Concert tickets
Tickets to a lecture
Brewery Tour
Round of golf at his favorite course
For Her
Local yoga passes
Drybar bartabs
A photography class
For the Couple
Weekend away
Cooking classes
Wine tasting
Food tour
For Kiddos
Local zoo membership
Local art studio membership
Tickets to the train museum aquarium etc
Movie tickets
All I Want for Christmas is Less StuffWords by Ashlee GaddPhoto by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 15
Createverb
bring (something) into existence
HOLIDAY 2012 | 17
Wrap ItUpfour creative ways to wrap gifts
By Camilla Salem
One of the best parts of the season is turn-
ing on your favorite holiday music and
sitting down to wrap gifts for all of your fa-
vorite people You could go the traditional
route and purchase lovely wrapping paper
or you could do what I did and make use
of all the extra paper bags you have lying
around the house Itrsquos simple really Take
a paper grocery bag Cut it apart along the
seams cut off the handles and wrap your
gifts Decorate with unique and inexpen-
sive items for an extra special touch
add an ornamentTie an ornament to your wrapping with a
piece of twine Itrsquos like getting two presents
in one
HOLIDAY 2012 | 19
go naturalFind pretty leaves (I used eucalyptus leaves
and pods) and tie them down with some
raffia for an earthy feel I suggest bay leaf
holly berries or pine needles
stampedMake your own pretty printed wrapping
paper by creating a pattern with stamps
Go crazy here and have fun mixing colors
and shapes
HOLIDAY 2012 | 21
jingle bellsYour friends will hear their presents
coming if you tie on some festive bells
(available at any craft store) It adds so
much to the joy of the holidays
Step-by-Step Make A Paper StarBy Emily Rack
HOLIDAY 2012 | 23
what you need
Kite paper (in a pinch wax paper or baking parchment will do)ScissorsGlue
My sisters and I have made kite paper
stars ever since we were little and itrsquos a
tradition we have continued and passed
on with great delight These simple stars
encapsulate everything I love about the
holiday season and make a beautiful mini-
malist addition to plain wrapping paper
a white card or even windows When
the light shines through them you see all
sorts of beautiful patterns
Cut eight identical small rectangles
out of your paper
Fold each piece vertically down the
middle
Fold in both corners of the top like
yoursquore making a paper airplane
Do the same with the bottom corners
Fold the top corners in again so that
one end is very thin
Line up the bottom left edge of one
piece with the center line of another and
glue in place
Continue like this with all eight
pieces making sure to layer each piece on
top of the last
Allow to dry and voila You can make
them in any size as long as your pieces are
all equal
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 5
Every year around the holidays I make a big list of things that I
want to do It usually goes something like this send out handmade
holiday cards make a wreath string popcorn and cranberries
make peppermint bark from scratch to give to friends and family
chop down a tree and decorate it in a fun and unique way that
has never been done before and so on Man I feel stressed and
overwhelmed just writing that list And frankly stress has no
business in this happy time of year
So for our first holiday issue ever (wow) we want to do away with
that stress and focus on what we think really matters At the heart
of everything this time of year is all about sharing experiences
Families are reunited friends throw sweet get-togethers and
strangers exchange more smiles on the street How great is that
Life should be like this all year long Wersquore offering up some sug-
gestions for the season revolving around that theme of ldquoA Shared
Experiencerdquo including ways to wrap gifts simply and creatively as
well as how to host an international dumpling party Wersquove also got
some heartfelt personal stories from some great women to share
and pizza recipes for a night of delicious fun Wersquore even sharing
our own experience of Winter in Munich with you
We hope this issue warms you up from the inside out and helps
you get even more excited about the holidays Because the truth is
we absolutely love sharing the experience of putting together this
magazine for you
Happiest of holidays to you Violet readers
Camillarsquos Letter
Camilla Salem
Founder amp Creative Director
Blog Champagne Bubbles
a shared experience
The Team Behind This Issuehappy holidays from all of us at the violet
CELESTE NOCHE
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
Celeste is a Bay
Area native whose
life dream is to
travel the world
A recent Stanford
graduate in English
and Classics she
loves her ukulele
film photography
stargazing and Mr
Darcy She splits
her daydreaming
equally between
food Europe and
what to be when she
grows up
Blog Wanderlust
MOLLY YEH
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
Molly is a Brook-
lyn-based food
writer classical
percussionist and
mustard collec-
tor Originally
from the suburbs
of Chicago she
moved to New York
to attend the Juil-
liard School Her
favorite things to
do include riding
her bike eating
making dump-
lings tap dancing
and changing the
subject
Blog My Name is
Yeh
EMILY RACK
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
A curly-haired
library-loving girl
split between
Ottawa (journal-
ism school) and
London (home)
An apple lover
dinner party en-
thusiast amp bedroom
ballerina Emily
enjoys picnics
baking 80rsquos post-
punk and read-
ing Hemingway
She loves boys
with glasses John
Hughes movies
and listening to
other peoplersquos sto-
ries Idols include
Anne Shirley and
Tina Fey
JACKIE PFEFFER
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
Jackie lives in New
Yorkrsquos Hudson
Valley with her two
dogs Rocco and
Suzette Known as
ldquothe resident pa-
parazzirdquo it was no
surprise that shersquos
ended up making
her living as a pho-
tographer Jackie
likes hiking sushi
and she is among
the small percent-
age of people in the
world who actually
enjoys hanging out
in airports
Blog JacPfef
JASMINE L H
MYER S
CONTENT EDITOR
Jasmine is a
southern Cali-
fornia
native living in
Long Beach CA
with her super-
hot hair stylist
husband Levi and
their kitties Gretel
and Lily True to
her Gemini na-
ture she values
independence and
likes to dabble
in anything that
strikes her fancy
She appreciates
good food good
coffee and good
people
Blog An
Experiment in
Poverty
ASHLEE GADD
MANAGING
EDITOR
Ashlee is a writer
photographer and
brand new momma
residing in Sacra-
mento California
When shersquos not
making lists and
guzzling Go Girl
energy drinks you
can find her at your
local thrift store
yoga studio or
most likely frozen
yogurt shop Shersquos
a self-proclaimed
joy-chooser and
loves to make
people smile
Blog Where My
Heart Resides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 7
CARMYN JOY EFFA
CONTRIBUTOR
Carmyn is a 25
year-old artist
from Edmon-
ton Alberta She
became interested
in photography
after receiving
her grandfatherrsquos
camera a
trustworthy Pentax
K1000 Sev-
eral years later she
couldnrsquot imagine
her life without
this means to
express herself In
addition she loves
creating zines with
her friends writ-
ing music reading
graphic novels
and hanging out
with her cat named
Gatsby
BlogCarmyn Joy
CHRISTINE
AMOROSE
CONTRIBUTOR
Californian by
birth traveler at
heart Since earn-
ing a degree in
journalism
Christine has
worked in PR in
Silicon Valley
bartended on the
French Rivi-
era backpacked
through Europe
worked in market-
ing in Australia
and explored
Southeast Asia
Shersquos currently
managing the
brand marketing
and social media
for ONA Bags in
New York City
Blog Crsquoest
Christine
ANNA JORDAN
CONTRIBUTOR
Anna Jordan is
a writerreader
foster momma
living and loving
in Santa Barbara
California with
her husband Kiah
[foster] son Ma-
son and fluffy dog
Lily Anna loves
to run without a
jogging stroller
practice yoga
and drink lots of
freshly ground
coffee
Blog Plan A
KINGSLEY FRAZIER
CONTRIBUTOR
Kingsley is a Bay
Area native mak-
ing her home in
Tennessee with her
husband Grant
who is an Officer
in the US Army
Shersquos a special edu-
cation consultant
and teacher cur-
rently playing the
role of Army Wife
When Kingsleyrsquos
not teaching she
can be found cook-
ing working out
and blogging about
being married and
life with POTS
Blog Life as Griki
ORLI KADOCH
CONTRIBUTOR
Orli is a bay area
native who studied
Cell Biology at UC
Davis and hopes to
apply her knowl-
edge creativity
and enjoyment of
working with peo-
ple to the health
sciences Always
eager to explore
new things she
enjoys research-
ing new concepts
and planning
adventures Her
positive energetic
spirit often finds
her laughing with
family and friends
and searching for
inspiring treasures
of life to incorpo-
rate into her own
KELLEE VOPELAK
CONTRIBUTOR
Kellee is a Los
Angeles transplant
from the Chi-
cago suburbs and
couldnrsquot be happier
with her new home
She has a penchant
for guilty pleasures
(90s pop) and
enjoys Instagram-
ming food and
Instagramming her
food Shersquos a lover
of nail art coffee
anything soft and
all things cute
Blog Irsquom Stuck at
Age 19
HOLIDAY 2012 | 9
pow er ed by blog ger s
Thank you for your support
ADVERTISEMENT
Check out these great blogs from some of our readers
Liveverb
remain alive
HOLIDAY 2012 | 11
HOLIDAY 2012 | 13
Do Something
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Carmyn Joy Effa
get down with moisturizing Letrsquos talk about
winter dryness Chapped lips cracked
fingers crocodile legshellip all this
delightful territory comes with the
winter climate Make it your per-
sonal mission to buff away every flaky
bit and slather on body butter until
yoursquore as smooth as a Victoriarsquos Secret
model Wersquore crazy for cactus-bristle
body brushes homemade brown sugar
scrub and coconut oil as a moisturizer
(put it all over your bod in your hair
and even use it as an overnight scalp
treatment)
create the best hot chocolate ever Buy a few bars
of high-quality chocolate and melt it
down slowly adding in your milk of
choice and any extras you can think
of for the ultimate decadence Go
traditional with marshmallows or up
the ante with some Baileys a squeeze
of orange juice and a little zest some
peppermint extract a spoonful of
Nutella or some chai tea Curl up with
your creation and watch Home Alone
for some major holiday cheer and a
sugar high Hey you gotta misbehave
sometimes
turn your bedroom into a zen sanctuary All it takes is a
smattering of tea light candles some
new throw pillows and a hefty dose of
de-cluttering to update your bedroom
Get your laptop out of there (what did
we say about zen) spray some lavender
oil onto your pillowcase and get ready
for some seriously peaceful slumbers
do something for someone else Whether you make
up a package for the homeless help
serve Christmas dinner at a shelter or
write a love letter to someone in need
this is the season for giving Think
outside of what you can do financially
or what you can buy for someone else
and give some of your time Find a
worthy cause one you truly believe
in and spare a few of your watching-
reality-tv or blog-perusing hours to
help out Trust us yoursquoll feel so much
luckier for your own blessings
six ideas to make the most of the winter season
connect with someone from your past Not someone
who should stay in your past (ex-
boyfriends wersquore looking at you) but
the holiday season lends a lovely sort of
nostalgia that can be the perfect excuse
to email an old friend to say hello and
catch up You might read dozens of
Facebook updates a day but how often
do you genuinely connect with your
ldquosocial networkrdquo Think about how
glad yoursquod be if you got a little note just
to say ldquoI was thinking about yourdquo
make your house smell like a winter wonderland Fill
a pot with water a chopped orange
a cup of cranberries four cinnamon
sticks and a pinch of cloves Let it
simmer gently on the stove all day
Sometimes we let our olfactory senses
fall by the wayside but scent can be
one of the most powerful mood en-
hancers In no time your home will
smell like a magical delicious holiday
kingdom Pop a little Bing Crosby
onto the record player and yoursquoll be
buzzing to smooch someone under the
mistletoe in no time
I have a lovehate relationship with ldquostuffrdquo which tends to make me
a gift-giverrsquos worst nightmare at Christmastime While Irsquove never
been one to hoard things I went through an intense de-cluttering
phase last year after reading a book called The Joy Of Less The
premise of the book is simple own less stuff be happier
The book inspired me to de-clutter my entire house from the
bathroom to the kitchen and everything in between I began clear-
ing out cabinets and drawers room by room and making regular
trips to Goodwill with bags of unwanted stuff clothes rarely worn
appliances rarely used DVDs rarely watched etc If it wasnrsquot prac-
tical or being used on a semi-regular basis out it went I watched
my drawers dwindle down to necessities and my shelves become
bare and yet I felt no regret or remorse I found freedom in the
empty space - a happy lightness that I hadnrsquot realized I needed in
my life
A few months later Christmas came along and suddenly I was
back to square one Stuff was everywhere begging to be bought
and begging to be had I spent the majority of December mak-
ing lists pinning ideas fighting crowds at Target hunting for
online coupon codes and wrapping gifts with a perfect mixture
of craft paper ribbons and doilies It was stressful expensive
overwhelming and not exactly the cheerful holiday season I was
expecting
Even more stressful was unloading all of the gifts from our car
after Christmas was over I had become so protective of my half-
empty drawers and bare shelves that I couldnrsquot fathom filling
them up with clutter again even if that clutter was straight off my
Pinterest wish list Even though I knew the gifts had been given in
love it was just too much
So lesson learned This year wersquore approaching Christmas a bit
differently Wersquove established a 4-gift rule in our household wersquoll
each receive something we want something we need something
to wear and something to read Wersquore asking our families for more
experiences and less stuff - swapping new boots and shiny gadgets
for zoo memberships and art classes The hope is that wersquoll be able
to use most of our Christmas gifts to create memories in 2013 and
avoid cluttering our home with tons of things we donrsquot need
If you also find yourself unwillingly wrapped up (no pun intend-
ed) in too much ldquostuffrdquo this holiday season here are a few experi-
ences you can add to your wish list or give to others
For Him
Concert tickets
Tickets to a lecture
Brewery Tour
Round of golf at his favorite course
For Her
Local yoga passes
Drybar bartabs
A photography class
For the Couple
Weekend away
Cooking classes
Wine tasting
Food tour
For Kiddos
Local zoo membership
Local art studio membership
Tickets to the train museum aquarium etc
Movie tickets
All I Want for Christmas is Less StuffWords by Ashlee GaddPhoto by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 15
Createverb
bring (something) into existence
HOLIDAY 2012 | 17
Wrap ItUpfour creative ways to wrap gifts
By Camilla Salem
One of the best parts of the season is turn-
ing on your favorite holiday music and
sitting down to wrap gifts for all of your fa-
vorite people You could go the traditional
route and purchase lovely wrapping paper
or you could do what I did and make use
of all the extra paper bags you have lying
around the house Itrsquos simple really Take
a paper grocery bag Cut it apart along the
seams cut off the handles and wrap your
gifts Decorate with unique and inexpen-
sive items for an extra special touch
add an ornamentTie an ornament to your wrapping with a
piece of twine Itrsquos like getting two presents
in one
HOLIDAY 2012 | 19
go naturalFind pretty leaves (I used eucalyptus leaves
and pods) and tie them down with some
raffia for an earthy feel I suggest bay leaf
holly berries or pine needles
stampedMake your own pretty printed wrapping
paper by creating a pattern with stamps
Go crazy here and have fun mixing colors
and shapes
HOLIDAY 2012 | 21
jingle bellsYour friends will hear their presents
coming if you tie on some festive bells
(available at any craft store) It adds so
much to the joy of the holidays
Step-by-Step Make A Paper StarBy Emily Rack
HOLIDAY 2012 | 23
what you need
Kite paper (in a pinch wax paper or baking parchment will do)ScissorsGlue
My sisters and I have made kite paper
stars ever since we were little and itrsquos a
tradition we have continued and passed
on with great delight These simple stars
encapsulate everything I love about the
holiday season and make a beautiful mini-
malist addition to plain wrapping paper
a white card or even windows When
the light shines through them you see all
sorts of beautiful patterns
Cut eight identical small rectangles
out of your paper
Fold each piece vertically down the
middle
Fold in both corners of the top like
yoursquore making a paper airplane
Do the same with the bottom corners
Fold the top corners in again so that
one end is very thin
Line up the bottom left edge of one
piece with the center line of another and
glue in place
Continue like this with all eight
pieces making sure to layer each piece on
top of the last
Allow to dry and voila You can make
them in any size as long as your pieces are
all equal
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
The Team Behind This Issuehappy holidays from all of us at the violet
CELESTE NOCHE
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
Celeste is a Bay
Area native whose
life dream is to
travel the world
A recent Stanford
graduate in English
and Classics she
loves her ukulele
film photography
stargazing and Mr
Darcy She splits
her daydreaming
equally between
food Europe and
what to be when she
grows up
Blog Wanderlust
MOLLY YEH
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
Molly is a Brook-
lyn-based food
writer classical
percussionist and
mustard collec-
tor Originally
from the suburbs
of Chicago she
moved to New York
to attend the Juil-
liard School Her
favorite things to
do include riding
her bike eating
making dump-
lings tap dancing
and changing the
subject
Blog My Name is
Yeh
EMILY RACK
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
A curly-haired
library-loving girl
split between
Ottawa (journal-
ism school) and
London (home)
An apple lover
dinner party en-
thusiast amp bedroom
ballerina Emily
enjoys picnics
baking 80rsquos post-
punk and read-
ing Hemingway
She loves boys
with glasses John
Hughes movies
and listening to
other peoplersquos sto-
ries Idols include
Anne Shirley and
Tina Fey
JACKIE PFEFFER
CONTRIBUTING
EDITOR
Jackie lives in New
Yorkrsquos Hudson
Valley with her two
dogs Rocco and
Suzette Known as
ldquothe resident pa-
parazzirdquo it was no
surprise that shersquos
ended up making
her living as a pho-
tographer Jackie
likes hiking sushi
and she is among
the small percent-
age of people in the
world who actually
enjoys hanging out
in airports
Blog JacPfef
JASMINE L H
MYER S
CONTENT EDITOR
Jasmine is a
southern Cali-
fornia
native living in
Long Beach CA
with her super-
hot hair stylist
husband Levi and
their kitties Gretel
and Lily True to
her Gemini na-
ture she values
independence and
likes to dabble
in anything that
strikes her fancy
She appreciates
good food good
coffee and good
people
Blog An
Experiment in
Poverty
ASHLEE GADD
MANAGING
EDITOR
Ashlee is a writer
photographer and
brand new momma
residing in Sacra-
mento California
When shersquos not
making lists and
guzzling Go Girl
energy drinks you
can find her at your
local thrift store
yoga studio or
most likely frozen
yogurt shop Shersquos
a self-proclaimed
joy-chooser and
loves to make
people smile
Blog Where My
Heart Resides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 7
CARMYN JOY EFFA
CONTRIBUTOR
Carmyn is a 25
year-old artist
from Edmon-
ton Alberta She
became interested
in photography
after receiving
her grandfatherrsquos
camera a
trustworthy Pentax
K1000 Sev-
eral years later she
couldnrsquot imagine
her life without
this means to
express herself In
addition she loves
creating zines with
her friends writ-
ing music reading
graphic novels
and hanging out
with her cat named
Gatsby
BlogCarmyn Joy
CHRISTINE
AMOROSE
CONTRIBUTOR
Californian by
birth traveler at
heart Since earn-
ing a degree in
journalism
Christine has
worked in PR in
Silicon Valley
bartended on the
French Rivi-
era backpacked
through Europe
worked in market-
ing in Australia
and explored
Southeast Asia
Shersquos currently
managing the
brand marketing
and social media
for ONA Bags in
New York City
Blog Crsquoest
Christine
ANNA JORDAN
CONTRIBUTOR
Anna Jordan is
a writerreader
foster momma
living and loving
in Santa Barbara
California with
her husband Kiah
[foster] son Ma-
son and fluffy dog
Lily Anna loves
to run without a
jogging stroller
practice yoga
and drink lots of
freshly ground
coffee
Blog Plan A
KINGSLEY FRAZIER
CONTRIBUTOR
Kingsley is a Bay
Area native mak-
ing her home in
Tennessee with her
husband Grant
who is an Officer
in the US Army
Shersquos a special edu-
cation consultant
and teacher cur-
rently playing the
role of Army Wife
When Kingsleyrsquos
not teaching she
can be found cook-
ing working out
and blogging about
being married and
life with POTS
Blog Life as Griki
ORLI KADOCH
CONTRIBUTOR
Orli is a bay area
native who studied
Cell Biology at UC
Davis and hopes to
apply her knowl-
edge creativity
and enjoyment of
working with peo-
ple to the health
sciences Always
eager to explore
new things she
enjoys research-
ing new concepts
and planning
adventures Her
positive energetic
spirit often finds
her laughing with
family and friends
and searching for
inspiring treasures
of life to incorpo-
rate into her own
KELLEE VOPELAK
CONTRIBUTOR
Kellee is a Los
Angeles transplant
from the Chi-
cago suburbs and
couldnrsquot be happier
with her new home
She has a penchant
for guilty pleasures
(90s pop) and
enjoys Instagram-
ming food and
Instagramming her
food Shersquos a lover
of nail art coffee
anything soft and
all things cute
Blog Irsquom Stuck at
Age 19
HOLIDAY 2012 | 9
pow er ed by blog ger s
Thank you for your support
ADVERTISEMENT
Check out these great blogs from some of our readers
Liveverb
remain alive
HOLIDAY 2012 | 11
HOLIDAY 2012 | 13
Do Something
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Carmyn Joy Effa
get down with moisturizing Letrsquos talk about
winter dryness Chapped lips cracked
fingers crocodile legshellip all this
delightful territory comes with the
winter climate Make it your per-
sonal mission to buff away every flaky
bit and slather on body butter until
yoursquore as smooth as a Victoriarsquos Secret
model Wersquore crazy for cactus-bristle
body brushes homemade brown sugar
scrub and coconut oil as a moisturizer
(put it all over your bod in your hair
and even use it as an overnight scalp
treatment)
create the best hot chocolate ever Buy a few bars
of high-quality chocolate and melt it
down slowly adding in your milk of
choice and any extras you can think
of for the ultimate decadence Go
traditional with marshmallows or up
the ante with some Baileys a squeeze
of orange juice and a little zest some
peppermint extract a spoonful of
Nutella or some chai tea Curl up with
your creation and watch Home Alone
for some major holiday cheer and a
sugar high Hey you gotta misbehave
sometimes
turn your bedroom into a zen sanctuary All it takes is a
smattering of tea light candles some
new throw pillows and a hefty dose of
de-cluttering to update your bedroom
Get your laptop out of there (what did
we say about zen) spray some lavender
oil onto your pillowcase and get ready
for some seriously peaceful slumbers
do something for someone else Whether you make
up a package for the homeless help
serve Christmas dinner at a shelter or
write a love letter to someone in need
this is the season for giving Think
outside of what you can do financially
or what you can buy for someone else
and give some of your time Find a
worthy cause one you truly believe
in and spare a few of your watching-
reality-tv or blog-perusing hours to
help out Trust us yoursquoll feel so much
luckier for your own blessings
six ideas to make the most of the winter season
connect with someone from your past Not someone
who should stay in your past (ex-
boyfriends wersquore looking at you) but
the holiday season lends a lovely sort of
nostalgia that can be the perfect excuse
to email an old friend to say hello and
catch up You might read dozens of
Facebook updates a day but how often
do you genuinely connect with your
ldquosocial networkrdquo Think about how
glad yoursquod be if you got a little note just
to say ldquoI was thinking about yourdquo
make your house smell like a winter wonderland Fill
a pot with water a chopped orange
a cup of cranberries four cinnamon
sticks and a pinch of cloves Let it
simmer gently on the stove all day
Sometimes we let our olfactory senses
fall by the wayside but scent can be
one of the most powerful mood en-
hancers In no time your home will
smell like a magical delicious holiday
kingdom Pop a little Bing Crosby
onto the record player and yoursquoll be
buzzing to smooch someone under the
mistletoe in no time
I have a lovehate relationship with ldquostuffrdquo which tends to make me
a gift-giverrsquos worst nightmare at Christmastime While Irsquove never
been one to hoard things I went through an intense de-cluttering
phase last year after reading a book called The Joy Of Less The
premise of the book is simple own less stuff be happier
The book inspired me to de-clutter my entire house from the
bathroom to the kitchen and everything in between I began clear-
ing out cabinets and drawers room by room and making regular
trips to Goodwill with bags of unwanted stuff clothes rarely worn
appliances rarely used DVDs rarely watched etc If it wasnrsquot prac-
tical or being used on a semi-regular basis out it went I watched
my drawers dwindle down to necessities and my shelves become
bare and yet I felt no regret or remorse I found freedom in the
empty space - a happy lightness that I hadnrsquot realized I needed in
my life
A few months later Christmas came along and suddenly I was
back to square one Stuff was everywhere begging to be bought
and begging to be had I spent the majority of December mak-
ing lists pinning ideas fighting crowds at Target hunting for
online coupon codes and wrapping gifts with a perfect mixture
of craft paper ribbons and doilies It was stressful expensive
overwhelming and not exactly the cheerful holiday season I was
expecting
Even more stressful was unloading all of the gifts from our car
after Christmas was over I had become so protective of my half-
empty drawers and bare shelves that I couldnrsquot fathom filling
them up with clutter again even if that clutter was straight off my
Pinterest wish list Even though I knew the gifts had been given in
love it was just too much
So lesson learned This year wersquore approaching Christmas a bit
differently Wersquove established a 4-gift rule in our household wersquoll
each receive something we want something we need something
to wear and something to read Wersquore asking our families for more
experiences and less stuff - swapping new boots and shiny gadgets
for zoo memberships and art classes The hope is that wersquoll be able
to use most of our Christmas gifts to create memories in 2013 and
avoid cluttering our home with tons of things we donrsquot need
If you also find yourself unwillingly wrapped up (no pun intend-
ed) in too much ldquostuffrdquo this holiday season here are a few experi-
ences you can add to your wish list or give to others
For Him
Concert tickets
Tickets to a lecture
Brewery Tour
Round of golf at his favorite course
For Her
Local yoga passes
Drybar bartabs
A photography class
For the Couple
Weekend away
Cooking classes
Wine tasting
Food tour
For Kiddos
Local zoo membership
Local art studio membership
Tickets to the train museum aquarium etc
Movie tickets
All I Want for Christmas is Less StuffWords by Ashlee GaddPhoto by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 15
Createverb
bring (something) into existence
HOLIDAY 2012 | 17
Wrap ItUpfour creative ways to wrap gifts
By Camilla Salem
One of the best parts of the season is turn-
ing on your favorite holiday music and
sitting down to wrap gifts for all of your fa-
vorite people You could go the traditional
route and purchase lovely wrapping paper
or you could do what I did and make use
of all the extra paper bags you have lying
around the house Itrsquos simple really Take
a paper grocery bag Cut it apart along the
seams cut off the handles and wrap your
gifts Decorate with unique and inexpen-
sive items for an extra special touch
add an ornamentTie an ornament to your wrapping with a
piece of twine Itrsquos like getting two presents
in one
HOLIDAY 2012 | 19
go naturalFind pretty leaves (I used eucalyptus leaves
and pods) and tie them down with some
raffia for an earthy feel I suggest bay leaf
holly berries or pine needles
stampedMake your own pretty printed wrapping
paper by creating a pattern with stamps
Go crazy here and have fun mixing colors
and shapes
HOLIDAY 2012 | 21
jingle bellsYour friends will hear their presents
coming if you tie on some festive bells
(available at any craft store) It adds so
much to the joy of the holidays
Step-by-Step Make A Paper StarBy Emily Rack
HOLIDAY 2012 | 23
what you need
Kite paper (in a pinch wax paper or baking parchment will do)ScissorsGlue
My sisters and I have made kite paper
stars ever since we were little and itrsquos a
tradition we have continued and passed
on with great delight These simple stars
encapsulate everything I love about the
holiday season and make a beautiful mini-
malist addition to plain wrapping paper
a white card or even windows When
the light shines through them you see all
sorts of beautiful patterns
Cut eight identical small rectangles
out of your paper
Fold each piece vertically down the
middle
Fold in both corners of the top like
yoursquore making a paper airplane
Do the same with the bottom corners
Fold the top corners in again so that
one end is very thin
Line up the bottom left edge of one
piece with the center line of another and
glue in place
Continue like this with all eight
pieces making sure to layer each piece on
top of the last
Allow to dry and voila You can make
them in any size as long as your pieces are
all equal
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 7
CARMYN JOY EFFA
CONTRIBUTOR
Carmyn is a 25
year-old artist
from Edmon-
ton Alberta She
became interested
in photography
after receiving
her grandfatherrsquos
camera a
trustworthy Pentax
K1000 Sev-
eral years later she
couldnrsquot imagine
her life without
this means to
express herself In
addition she loves
creating zines with
her friends writ-
ing music reading
graphic novels
and hanging out
with her cat named
Gatsby
BlogCarmyn Joy
CHRISTINE
AMOROSE
CONTRIBUTOR
Californian by
birth traveler at
heart Since earn-
ing a degree in
journalism
Christine has
worked in PR in
Silicon Valley
bartended on the
French Rivi-
era backpacked
through Europe
worked in market-
ing in Australia
and explored
Southeast Asia
Shersquos currently
managing the
brand marketing
and social media
for ONA Bags in
New York City
Blog Crsquoest
Christine
ANNA JORDAN
CONTRIBUTOR
Anna Jordan is
a writerreader
foster momma
living and loving
in Santa Barbara
California with
her husband Kiah
[foster] son Ma-
son and fluffy dog
Lily Anna loves
to run without a
jogging stroller
practice yoga
and drink lots of
freshly ground
coffee
Blog Plan A
KINGSLEY FRAZIER
CONTRIBUTOR
Kingsley is a Bay
Area native mak-
ing her home in
Tennessee with her
husband Grant
who is an Officer
in the US Army
Shersquos a special edu-
cation consultant
and teacher cur-
rently playing the
role of Army Wife
When Kingsleyrsquos
not teaching she
can be found cook-
ing working out
and blogging about
being married and
life with POTS
Blog Life as Griki
ORLI KADOCH
CONTRIBUTOR
Orli is a bay area
native who studied
Cell Biology at UC
Davis and hopes to
apply her knowl-
edge creativity
and enjoyment of
working with peo-
ple to the health
sciences Always
eager to explore
new things she
enjoys research-
ing new concepts
and planning
adventures Her
positive energetic
spirit often finds
her laughing with
family and friends
and searching for
inspiring treasures
of life to incorpo-
rate into her own
KELLEE VOPELAK
CONTRIBUTOR
Kellee is a Los
Angeles transplant
from the Chi-
cago suburbs and
couldnrsquot be happier
with her new home
She has a penchant
for guilty pleasures
(90s pop) and
enjoys Instagram-
ming food and
Instagramming her
food Shersquos a lover
of nail art coffee
anything soft and
all things cute
Blog Irsquom Stuck at
Age 19
HOLIDAY 2012 | 9
pow er ed by blog ger s
Thank you for your support
ADVERTISEMENT
Check out these great blogs from some of our readers
Liveverb
remain alive
HOLIDAY 2012 | 11
HOLIDAY 2012 | 13
Do Something
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Carmyn Joy Effa
get down with moisturizing Letrsquos talk about
winter dryness Chapped lips cracked
fingers crocodile legshellip all this
delightful territory comes with the
winter climate Make it your per-
sonal mission to buff away every flaky
bit and slather on body butter until
yoursquore as smooth as a Victoriarsquos Secret
model Wersquore crazy for cactus-bristle
body brushes homemade brown sugar
scrub and coconut oil as a moisturizer
(put it all over your bod in your hair
and even use it as an overnight scalp
treatment)
create the best hot chocolate ever Buy a few bars
of high-quality chocolate and melt it
down slowly adding in your milk of
choice and any extras you can think
of for the ultimate decadence Go
traditional with marshmallows or up
the ante with some Baileys a squeeze
of orange juice and a little zest some
peppermint extract a spoonful of
Nutella or some chai tea Curl up with
your creation and watch Home Alone
for some major holiday cheer and a
sugar high Hey you gotta misbehave
sometimes
turn your bedroom into a zen sanctuary All it takes is a
smattering of tea light candles some
new throw pillows and a hefty dose of
de-cluttering to update your bedroom
Get your laptop out of there (what did
we say about zen) spray some lavender
oil onto your pillowcase and get ready
for some seriously peaceful slumbers
do something for someone else Whether you make
up a package for the homeless help
serve Christmas dinner at a shelter or
write a love letter to someone in need
this is the season for giving Think
outside of what you can do financially
or what you can buy for someone else
and give some of your time Find a
worthy cause one you truly believe
in and spare a few of your watching-
reality-tv or blog-perusing hours to
help out Trust us yoursquoll feel so much
luckier for your own blessings
six ideas to make the most of the winter season
connect with someone from your past Not someone
who should stay in your past (ex-
boyfriends wersquore looking at you) but
the holiday season lends a lovely sort of
nostalgia that can be the perfect excuse
to email an old friend to say hello and
catch up You might read dozens of
Facebook updates a day but how often
do you genuinely connect with your
ldquosocial networkrdquo Think about how
glad yoursquod be if you got a little note just
to say ldquoI was thinking about yourdquo
make your house smell like a winter wonderland Fill
a pot with water a chopped orange
a cup of cranberries four cinnamon
sticks and a pinch of cloves Let it
simmer gently on the stove all day
Sometimes we let our olfactory senses
fall by the wayside but scent can be
one of the most powerful mood en-
hancers In no time your home will
smell like a magical delicious holiday
kingdom Pop a little Bing Crosby
onto the record player and yoursquoll be
buzzing to smooch someone under the
mistletoe in no time
I have a lovehate relationship with ldquostuffrdquo which tends to make me
a gift-giverrsquos worst nightmare at Christmastime While Irsquove never
been one to hoard things I went through an intense de-cluttering
phase last year after reading a book called The Joy Of Less The
premise of the book is simple own less stuff be happier
The book inspired me to de-clutter my entire house from the
bathroom to the kitchen and everything in between I began clear-
ing out cabinets and drawers room by room and making regular
trips to Goodwill with bags of unwanted stuff clothes rarely worn
appliances rarely used DVDs rarely watched etc If it wasnrsquot prac-
tical or being used on a semi-regular basis out it went I watched
my drawers dwindle down to necessities and my shelves become
bare and yet I felt no regret or remorse I found freedom in the
empty space - a happy lightness that I hadnrsquot realized I needed in
my life
A few months later Christmas came along and suddenly I was
back to square one Stuff was everywhere begging to be bought
and begging to be had I spent the majority of December mak-
ing lists pinning ideas fighting crowds at Target hunting for
online coupon codes and wrapping gifts with a perfect mixture
of craft paper ribbons and doilies It was stressful expensive
overwhelming and not exactly the cheerful holiday season I was
expecting
Even more stressful was unloading all of the gifts from our car
after Christmas was over I had become so protective of my half-
empty drawers and bare shelves that I couldnrsquot fathom filling
them up with clutter again even if that clutter was straight off my
Pinterest wish list Even though I knew the gifts had been given in
love it was just too much
So lesson learned This year wersquore approaching Christmas a bit
differently Wersquove established a 4-gift rule in our household wersquoll
each receive something we want something we need something
to wear and something to read Wersquore asking our families for more
experiences and less stuff - swapping new boots and shiny gadgets
for zoo memberships and art classes The hope is that wersquoll be able
to use most of our Christmas gifts to create memories in 2013 and
avoid cluttering our home with tons of things we donrsquot need
If you also find yourself unwillingly wrapped up (no pun intend-
ed) in too much ldquostuffrdquo this holiday season here are a few experi-
ences you can add to your wish list or give to others
For Him
Concert tickets
Tickets to a lecture
Brewery Tour
Round of golf at his favorite course
For Her
Local yoga passes
Drybar bartabs
A photography class
For the Couple
Weekend away
Cooking classes
Wine tasting
Food tour
For Kiddos
Local zoo membership
Local art studio membership
Tickets to the train museum aquarium etc
Movie tickets
All I Want for Christmas is Less StuffWords by Ashlee GaddPhoto by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 15
Createverb
bring (something) into existence
HOLIDAY 2012 | 17
Wrap ItUpfour creative ways to wrap gifts
By Camilla Salem
One of the best parts of the season is turn-
ing on your favorite holiday music and
sitting down to wrap gifts for all of your fa-
vorite people You could go the traditional
route and purchase lovely wrapping paper
or you could do what I did and make use
of all the extra paper bags you have lying
around the house Itrsquos simple really Take
a paper grocery bag Cut it apart along the
seams cut off the handles and wrap your
gifts Decorate with unique and inexpen-
sive items for an extra special touch
add an ornamentTie an ornament to your wrapping with a
piece of twine Itrsquos like getting two presents
in one
HOLIDAY 2012 | 19
go naturalFind pretty leaves (I used eucalyptus leaves
and pods) and tie them down with some
raffia for an earthy feel I suggest bay leaf
holly berries or pine needles
stampedMake your own pretty printed wrapping
paper by creating a pattern with stamps
Go crazy here and have fun mixing colors
and shapes
HOLIDAY 2012 | 21
jingle bellsYour friends will hear their presents
coming if you tie on some festive bells
(available at any craft store) It adds so
much to the joy of the holidays
Step-by-Step Make A Paper StarBy Emily Rack
HOLIDAY 2012 | 23
what you need
Kite paper (in a pinch wax paper or baking parchment will do)ScissorsGlue
My sisters and I have made kite paper
stars ever since we were little and itrsquos a
tradition we have continued and passed
on with great delight These simple stars
encapsulate everything I love about the
holiday season and make a beautiful mini-
malist addition to plain wrapping paper
a white card or even windows When
the light shines through them you see all
sorts of beautiful patterns
Cut eight identical small rectangles
out of your paper
Fold each piece vertically down the
middle
Fold in both corners of the top like
yoursquore making a paper airplane
Do the same with the bottom corners
Fold the top corners in again so that
one end is very thin
Line up the bottom left edge of one
piece with the center line of another and
glue in place
Continue like this with all eight
pieces making sure to layer each piece on
top of the last
Allow to dry and voila You can make
them in any size as long as your pieces are
all equal
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 9
pow er ed by blog ger s
Thank you for your support
ADVERTISEMENT
Check out these great blogs from some of our readers
Liveverb
remain alive
HOLIDAY 2012 | 11
HOLIDAY 2012 | 13
Do Something
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Carmyn Joy Effa
get down with moisturizing Letrsquos talk about
winter dryness Chapped lips cracked
fingers crocodile legshellip all this
delightful territory comes with the
winter climate Make it your per-
sonal mission to buff away every flaky
bit and slather on body butter until
yoursquore as smooth as a Victoriarsquos Secret
model Wersquore crazy for cactus-bristle
body brushes homemade brown sugar
scrub and coconut oil as a moisturizer
(put it all over your bod in your hair
and even use it as an overnight scalp
treatment)
create the best hot chocolate ever Buy a few bars
of high-quality chocolate and melt it
down slowly adding in your milk of
choice and any extras you can think
of for the ultimate decadence Go
traditional with marshmallows or up
the ante with some Baileys a squeeze
of orange juice and a little zest some
peppermint extract a spoonful of
Nutella or some chai tea Curl up with
your creation and watch Home Alone
for some major holiday cheer and a
sugar high Hey you gotta misbehave
sometimes
turn your bedroom into a zen sanctuary All it takes is a
smattering of tea light candles some
new throw pillows and a hefty dose of
de-cluttering to update your bedroom
Get your laptop out of there (what did
we say about zen) spray some lavender
oil onto your pillowcase and get ready
for some seriously peaceful slumbers
do something for someone else Whether you make
up a package for the homeless help
serve Christmas dinner at a shelter or
write a love letter to someone in need
this is the season for giving Think
outside of what you can do financially
or what you can buy for someone else
and give some of your time Find a
worthy cause one you truly believe
in and spare a few of your watching-
reality-tv or blog-perusing hours to
help out Trust us yoursquoll feel so much
luckier for your own blessings
six ideas to make the most of the winter season
connect with someone from your past Not someone
who should stay in your past (ex-
boyfriends wersquore looking at you) but
the holiday season lends a lovely sort of
nostalgia that can be the perfect excuse
to email an old friend to say hello and
catch up You might read dozens of
Facebook updates a day but how often
do you genuinely connect with your
ldquosocial networkrdquo Think about how
glad yoursquod be if you got a little note just
to say ldquoI was thinking about yourdquo
make your house smell like a winter wonderland Fill
a pot with water a chopped orange
a cup of cranberries four cinnamon
sticks and a pinch of cloves Let it
simmer gently on the stove all day
Sometimes we let our olfactory senses
fall by the wayside but scent can be
one of the most powerful mood en-
hancers In no time your home will
smell like a magical delicious holiday
kingdom Pop a little Bing Crosby
onto the record player and yoursquoll be
buzzing to smooch someone under the
mistletoe in no time
I have a lovehate relationship with ldquostuffrdquo which tends to make me
a gift-giverrsquos worst nightmare at Christmastime While Irsquove never
been one to hoard things I went through an intense de-cluttering
phase last year after reading a book called The Joy Of Less The
premise of the book is simple own less stuff be happier
The book inspired me to de-clutter my entire house from the
bathroom to the kitchen and everything in between I began clear-
ing out cabinets and drawers room by room and making regular
trips to Goodwill with bags of unwanted stuff clothes rarely worn
appliances rarely used DVDs rarely watched etc If it wasnrsquot prac-
tical or being used on a semi-regular basis out it went I watched
my drawers dwindle down to necessities and my shelves become
bare and yet I felt no regret or remorse I found freedom in the
empty space - a happy lightness that I hadnrsquot realized I needed in
my life
A few months later Christmas came along and suddenly I was
back to square one Stuff was everywhere begging to be bought
and begging to be had I spent the majority of December mak-
ing lists pinning ideas fighting crowds at Target hunting for
online coupon codes and wrapping gifts with a perfect mixture
of craft paper ribbons and doilies It was stressful expensive
overwhelming and not exactly the cheerful holiday season I was
expecting
Even more stressful was unloading all of the gifts from our car
after Christmas was over I had become so protective of my half-
empty drawers and bare shelves that I couldnrsquot fathom filling
them up with clutter again even if that clutter was straight off my
Pinterest wish list Even though I knew the gifts had been given in
love it was just too much
So lesson learned This year wersquore approaching Christmas a bit
differently Wersquove established a 4-gift rule in our household wersquoll
each receive something we want something we need something
to wear and something to read Wersquore asking our families for more
experiences and less stuff - swapping new boots and shiny gadgets
for zoo memberships and art classes The hope is that wersquoll be able
to use most of our Christmas gifts to create memories in 2013 and
avoid cluttering our home with tons of things we donrsquot need
If you also find yourself unwillingly wrapped up (no pun intend-
ed) in too much ldquostuffrdquo this holiday season here are a few experi-
ences you can add to your wish list or give to others
For Him
Concert tickets
Tickets to a lecture
Brewery Tour
Round of golf at his favorite course
For Her
Local yoga passes
Drybar bartabs
A photography class
For the Couple
Weekend away
Cooking classes
Wine tasting
Food tour
For Kiddos
Local zoo membership
Local art studio membership
Tickets to the train museum aquarium etc
Movie tickets
All I Want for Christmas is Less StuffWords by Ashlee GaddPhoto by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 15
Createverb
bring (something) into existence
HOLIDAY 2012 | 17
Wrap ItUpfour creative ways to wrap gifts
By Camilla Salem
One of the best parts of the season is turn-
ing on your favorite holiday music and
sitting down to wrap gifts for all of your fa-
vorite people You could go the traditional
route and purchase lovely wrapping paper
or you could do what I did and make use
of all the extra paper bags you have lying
around the house Itrsquos simple really Take
a paper grocery bag Cut it apart along the
seams cut off the handles and wrap your
gifts Decorate with unique and inexpen-
sive items for an extra special touch
add an ornamentTie an ornament to your wrapping with a
piece of twine Itrsquos like getting two presents
in one
HOLIDAY 2012 | 19
go naturalFind pretty leaves (I used eucalyptus leaves
and pods) and tie them down with some
raffia for an earthy feel I suggest bay leaf
holly berries or pine needles
stampedMake your own pretty printed wrapping
paper by creating a pattern with stamps
Go crazy here and have fun mixing colors
and shapes
HOLIDAY 2012 | 21
jingle bellsYour friends will hear their presents
coming if you tie on some festive bells
(available at any craft store) It adds so
much to the joy of the holidays
Step-by-Step Make A Paper StarBy Emily Rack
HOLIDAY 2012 | 23
what you need
Kite paper (in a pinch wax paper or baking parchment will do)ScissorsGlue
My sisters and I have made kite paper
stars ever since we were little and itrsquos a
tradition we have continued and passed
on with great delight These simple stars
encapsulate everything I love about the
holiday season and make a beautiful mini-
malist addition to plain wrapping paper
a white card or even windows When
the light shines through them you see all
sorts of beautiful patterns
Cut eight identical small rectangles
out of your paper
Fold each piece vertically down the
middle
Fold in both corners of the top like
yoursquore making a paper airplane
Do the same with the bottom corners
Fold the top corners in again so that
one end is very thin
Line up the bottom left edge of one
piece with the center line of another and
glue in place
Continue like this with all eight
pieces making sure to layer each piece on
top of the last
Allow to dry and voila You can make
them in any size as long as your pieces are
all equal
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
Liveverb
remain alive
HOLIDAY 2012 | 11
HOLIDAY 2012 | 13
Do Something
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Carmyn Joy Effa
get down with moisturizing Letrsquos talk about
winter dryness Chapped lips cracked
fingers crocodile legshellip all this
delightful territory comes with the
winter climate Make it your per-
sonal mission to buff away every flaky
bit and slather on body butter until
yoursquore as smooth as a Victoriarsquos Secret
model Wersquore crazy for cactus-bristle
body brushes homemade brown sugar
scrub and coconut oil as a moisturizer
(put it all over your bod in your hair
and even use it as an overnight scalp
treatment)
create the best hot chocolate ever Buy a few bars
of high-quality chocolate and melt it
down slowly adding in your milk of
choice and any extras you can think
of for the ultimate decadence Go
traditional with marshmallows or up
the ante with some Baileys a squeeze
of orange juice and a little zest some
peppermint extract a spoonful of
Nutella or some chai tea Curl up with
your creation and watch Home Alone
for some major holiday cheer and a
sugar high Hey you gotta misbehave
sometimes
turn your bedroom into a zen sanctuary All it takes is a
smattering of tea light candles some
new throw pillows and a hefty dose of
de-cluttering to update your bedroom
Get your laptop out of there (what did
we say about zen) spray some lavender
oil onto your pillowcase and get ready
for some seriously peaceful slumbers
do something for someone else Whether you make
up a package for the homeless help
serve Christmas dinner at a shelter or
write a love letter to someone in need
this is the season for giving Think
outside of what you can do financially
or what you can buy for someone else
and give some of your time Find a
worthy cause one you truly believe
in and spare a few of your watching-
reality-tv or blog-perusing hours to
help out Trust us yoursquoll feel so much
luckier for your own blessings
six ideas to make the most of the winter season
connect with someone from your past Not someone
who should stay in your past (ex-
boyfriends wersquore looking at you) but
the holiday season lends a lovely sort of
nostalgia that can be the perfect excuse
to email an old friend to say hello and
catch up You might read dozens of
Facebook updates a day but how often
do you genuinely connect with your
ldquosocial networkrdquo Think about how
glad yoursquod be if you got a little note just
to say ldquoI was thinking about yourdquo
make your house smell like a winter wonderland Fill
a pot with water a chopped orange
a cup of cranberries four cinnamon
sticks and a pinch of cloves Let it
simmer gently on the stove all day
Sometimes we let our olfactory senses
fall by the wayside but scent can be
one of the most powerful mood en-
hancers In no time your home will
smell like a magical delicious holiday
kingdom Pop a little Bing Crosby
onto the record player and yoursquoll be
buzzing to smooch someone under the
mistletoe in no time
I have a lovehate relationship with ldquostuffrdquo which tends to make me
a gift-giverrsquos worst nightmare at Christmastime While Irsquove never
been one to hoard things I went through an intense de-cluttering
phase last year after reading a book called The Joy Of Less The
premise of the book is simple own less stuff be happier
The book inspired me to de-clutter my entire house from the
bathroom to the kitchen and everything in between I began clear-
ing out cabinets and drawers room by room and making regular
trips to Goodwill with bags of unwanted stuff clothes rarely worn
appliances rarely used DVDs rarely watched etc If it wasnrsquot prac-
tical or being used on a semi-regular basis out it went I watched
my drawers dwindle down to necessities and my shelves become
bare and yet I felt no regret or remorse I found freedom in the
empty space - a happy lightness that I hadnrsquot realized I needed in
my life
A few months later Christmas came along and suddenly I was
back to square one Stuff was everywhere begging to be bought
and begging to be had I spent the majority of December mak-
ing lists pinning ideas fighting crowds at Target hunting for
online coupon codes and wrapping gifts with a perfect mixture
of craft paper ribbons and doilies It was stressful expensive
overwhelming and not exactly the cheerful holiday season I was
expecting
Even more stressful was unloading all of the gifts from our car
after Christmas was over I had become so protective of my half-
empty drawers and bare shelves that I couldnrsquot fathom filling
them up with clutter again even if that clutter was straight off my
Pinterest wish list Even though I knew the gifts had been given in
love it was just too much
So lesson learned This year wersquore approaching Christmas a bit
differently Wersquove established a 4-gift rule in our household wersquoll
each receive something we want something we need something
to wear and something to read Wersquore asking our families for more
experiences and less stuff - swapping new boots and shiny gadgets
for zoo memberships and art classes The hope is that wersquoll be able
to use most of our Christmas gifts to create memories in 2013 and
avoid cluttering our home with tons of things we donrsquot need
If you also find yourself unwillingly wrapped up (no pun intend-
ed) in too much ldquostuffrdquo this holiday season here are a few experi-
ences you can add to your wish list or give to others
For Him
Concert tickets
Tickets to a lecture
Brewery Tour
Round of golf at his favorite course
For Her
Local yoga passes
Drybar bartabs
A photography class
For the Couple
Weekend away
Cooking classes
Wine tasting
Food tour
For Kiddos
Local zoo membership
Local art studio membership
Tickets to the train museum aquarium etc
Movie tickets
All I Want for Christmas is Less StuffWords by Ashlee GaddPhoto by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 15
Createverb
bring (something) into existence
HOLIDAY 2012 | 17
Wrap ItUpfour creative ways to wrap gifts
By Camilla Salem
One of the best parts of the season is turn-
ing on your favorite holiday music and
sitting down to wrap gifts for all of your fa-
vorite people You could go the traditional
route and purchase lovely wrapping paper
or you could do what I did and make use
of all the extra paper bags you have lying
around the house Itrsquos simple really Take
a paper grocery bag Cut it apart along the
seams cut off the handles and wrap your
gifts Decorate with unique and inexpen-
sive items for an extra special touch
add an ornamentTie an ornament to your wrapping with a
piece of twine Itrsquos like getting two presents
in one
HOLIDAY 2012 | 19
go naturalFind pretty leaves (I used eucalyptus leaves
and pods) and tie them down with some
raffia for an earthy feel I suggest bay leaf
holly berries or pine needles
stampedMake your own pretty printed wrapping
paper by creating a pattern with stamps
Go crazy here and have fun mixing colors
and shapes
HOLIDAY 2012 | 21
jingle bellsYour friends will hear their presents
coming if you tie on some festive bells
(available at any craft store) It adds so
much to the joy of the holidays
Step-by-Step Make A Paper StarBy Emily Rack
HOLIDAY 2012 | 23
what you need
Kite paper (in a pinch wax paper or baking parchment will do)ScissorsGlue
My sisters and I have made kite paper
stars ever since we were little and itrsquos a
tradition we have continued and passed
on with great delight These simple stars
encapsulate everything I love about the
holiday season and make a beautiful mini-
malist addition to plain wrapping paper
a white card or even windows When
the light shines through them you see all
sorts of beautiful patterns
Cut eight identical small rectangles
out of your paper
Fold each piece vertically down the
middle
Fold in both corners of the top like
yoursquore making a paper airplane
Do the same with the bottom corners
Fold the top corners in again so that
one end is very thin
Line up the bottom left edge of one
piece with the center line of another and
glue in place
Continue like this with all eight
pieces making sure to layer each piece on
top of the last
Allow to dry and voila You can make
them in any size as long as your pieces are
all equal
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 11
HOLIDAY 2012 | 13
Do Something
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Carmyn Joy Effa
get down with moisturizing Letrsquos talk about
winter dryness Chapped lips cracked
fingers crocodile legshellip all this
delightful territory comes with the
winter climate Make it your per-
sonal mission to buff away every flaky
bit and slather on body butter until
yoursquore as smooth as a Victoriarsquos Secret
model Wersquore crazy for cactus-bristle
body brushes homemade brown sugar
scrub and coconut oil as a moisturizer
(put it all over your bod in your hair
and even use it as an overnight scalp
treatment)
create the best hot chocolate ever Buy a few bars
of high-quality chocolate and melt it
down slowly adding in your milk of
choice and any extras you can think
of for the ultimate decadence Go
traditional with marshmallows or up
the ante with some Baileys a squeeze
of orange juice and a little zest some
peppermint extract a spoonful of
Nutella or some chai tea Curl up with
your creation and watch Home Alone
for some major holiday cheer and a
sugar high Hey you gotta misbehave
sometimes
turn your bedroom into a zen sanctuary All it takes is a
smattering of tea light candles some
new throw pillows and a hefty dose of
de-cluttering to update your bedroom
Get your laptop out of there (what did
we say about zen) spray some lavender
oil onto your pillowcase and get ready
for some seriously peaceful slumbers
do something for someone else Whether you make
up a package for the homeless help
serve Christmas dinner at a shelter or
write a love letter to someone in need
this is the season for giving Think
outside of what you can do financially
or what you can buy for someone else
and give some of your time Find a
worthy cause one you truly believe
in and spare a few of your watching-
reality-tv or blog-perusing hours to
help out Trust us yoursquoll feel so much
luckier for your own blessings
six ideas to make the most of the winter season
connect with someone from your past Not someone
who should stay in your past (ex-
boyfriends wersquore looking at you) but
the holiday season lends a lovely sort of
nostalgia that can be the perfect excuse
to email an old friend to say hello and
catch up You might read dozens of
Facebook updates a day but how often
do you genuinely connect with your
ldquosocial networkrdquo Think about how
glad yoursquod be if you got a little note just
to say ldquoI was thinking about yourdquo
make your house smell like a winter wonderland Fill
a pot with water a chopped orange
a cup of cranberries four cinnamon
sticks and a pinch of cloves Let it
simmer gently on the stove all day
Sometimes we let our olfactory senses
fall by the wayside but scent can be
one of the most powerful mood en-
hancers In no time your home will
smell like a magical delicious holiday
kingdom Pop a little Bing Crosby
onto the record player and yoursquoll be
buzzing to smooch someone under the
mistletoe in no time
I have a lovehate relationship with ldquostuffrdquo which tends to make me
a gift-giverrsquos worst nightmare at Christmastime While Irsquove never
been one to hoard things I went through an intense de-cluttering
phase last year after reading a book called The Joy Of Less The
premise of the book is simple own less stuff be happier
The book inspired me to de-clutter my entire house from the
bathroom to the kitchen and everything in between I began clear-
ing out cabinets and drawers room by room and making regular
trips to Goodwill with bags of unwanted stuff clothes rarely worn
appliances rarely used DVDs rarely watched etc If it wasnrsquot prac-
tical or being used on a semi-regular basis out it went I watched
my drawers dwindle down to necessities and my shelves become
bare and yet I felt no regret or remorse I found freedom in the
empty space - a happy lightness that I hadnrsquot realized I needed in
my life
A few months later Christmas came along and suddenly I was
back to square one Stuff was everywhere begging to be bought
and begging to be had I spent the majority of December mak-
ing lists pinning ideas fighting crowds at Target hunting for
online coupon codes and wrapping gifts with a perfect mixture
of craft paper ribbons and doilies It was stressful expensive
overwhelming and not exactly the cheerful holiday season I was
expecting
Even more stressful was unloading all of the gifts from our car
after Christmas was over I had become so protective of my half-
empty drawers and bare shelves that I couldnrsquot fathom filling
them up with clutter again even if that clutter was straight off my
Pinterest wish list Even though I knew the gifts had been given in
love it was just too much
So lesson learned This year wersquore approaching Christmas a bit
differently Wersquove established a 4-gift rule in our household wersquoll
each receive something we want something we need something
to wear and something to read Wersquore asking our families for more
experiences and less stuff - swapping new boots and shiny gadgets
for zoo memberships and art classes The hope is that wersquoll be able
to use most of our Christmas gifts to create memories in 2013 and
avoid cluttering our home with tons of things we donrsquot need
If you also find yourself unwillingly wrapped up (no pun intend-
ed) in too much ldquostuffrdquo this holiday season here are a few experi-
ences you can add to your wish list or give to others
For Him
Concert tickets
Tickets to a lecture
Brewery Tour
Round of golf at his favorite course
For Her
Local yoga passes
Drybar bartabs
A photography class
For the Couple
Weekend away
Cooking classes
Wine tasting
Food tour
For Kiddos
Local zoo membership
Local art studio membership
Tickets to the train museum aquarium etc
Movie tickets
All I Want for Christmas is Less StuffWords by Ashlee GaddPhoto by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 15
Createverb
bring (something) into existence
HOLIDAY 2012 | 17
Wrap ItUpfour creative ways to wrap gifts
By Camilla Salem
One of the best parts of the season is turn-
ing on your favorite holiday music and
sitting down to wrap gifts for all of your fa-
vorite people You could go the traditional
route and purchase lovely wrapping paper
or you could do what I did and make use
of all the extra paper bags you have lying
around the house Itrsquos simple really Take
a paper grocery bag Cut it apart along the
seams cut off the handles and wrap your
gifts Decorate with unique and inexpen-
sive items for an extra special touch
add an ornamentTie an ornament to your wrapping with a
piece of twine Itrsquos like getting two presents
in one
HOLIDAY 2012 | 19
go naturalFind pretty leaves (I used eucalyptus leaves
and pods) and tie them down with some
raffia for an earthy feel I suggest bay leaf
holly berries or pine needles
stampedMake your own pretty printed wrapping
paper by creating a pattern with stamps
Go crazy here and have fun mixing colors
and shapes
HOLIDAY 2012 | 21
jingle bellsYour friends will hear their presents
coming if you tie on some festive bells
(available at any craft store) It adds so
much to the joy of the holidays
Step-by-Step Make A Paper StarBy Emily Rack
HOLIDAY 2012 | 23
what you need
Kite paper (in a pinch wax paper or baking parchment will do)ScissorsGlue
My sisters and I have made kite paper
stars ever since we were little and itrsquos a
tradition we have continued and passed
on with great delight These simple stars
encapsulate everything I love about the
holiday season and make a beautiful mini-
malist addition to plain wrapping paper
a white card or even windows When
the light shines through them you see all
sorts of beautiful patterns
Cut eight identical small rectangles
out of your paper
Fold each piece vertically down the
middle
Fold in both corners of the top like
yoursquore making a paper airplane
Do the same with the bottom corners
Fold the top corners in again so that
one end is very thin
Line up the bottom left edge of one
piece with the center line of another and
glue in place
Continue like this with all eight
pieces making sure to layer each piece on
top of the last
Allow to dry and voila You can make
them in any size as long as your pieces are
all equal
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 13
Do Something
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Carmyn Joy Effa
get down with moisturizing Letrsquos talk about
winter dryness Chapped lips cracked
fingers crocodile legshellip all this
delightful territory comes with the
winter climate Make it your per-
sonal mission to buff away every flaky
bit and slather on body butter until
yoursquore as smooth as a Victoriarsquos Secret
model Wersquore crazy for cactus-bristle
body brushes homemade brown sugar
scrub and coconut oil as a moisturizer
(put it all over your bod in your hair
and even use it as an overnight scalp
treatment)
create the best hot chocolate ever Buy a few bars
of high-quality chocolate and melt it
down slowly adding in your milk of
choice and any extras you can think
of for the ultimate decadence Go
traditional with marshmallows or up
the ante with some Baileys a squeeze
of orange juice and a little zest some
peppermint extract a spoonful of
Nutella or some chai tea Curl up with
your creation and watch Home Alone
for some major holiday cheer and a
sugar high Hey you gotta misbehave
sometimes
turn your bedroom into a zen sanctuary All it takes is a
smattering of tea light candles some
new throw pillows and a hefty dose of
de-cluttering to update your bedroom
Get your laptop out of there (what did
we say about zen) spray some lavender
oil onto your pillowcase and get ready
for some seriously peaceful slumbers
do something for someone else Whether you make
up a package for the homeless help
serve Christmas dinner at a shelter or
write a love letter to someone in need
this is the season for giving Think
outside of what you can do financially
or what you can buy for someone else
and give some of your time Find a
worthy cause one you truly believe
in and spare a few of your watching-
reality-tv or blog-perusing hours to
help out Trust us yoursquoll feel so much
luckier for your own blessings
six ideas to make the most of the winter season
connect with someone from your past Not someone
who should stay in your past (ex-
boyfriends wersquore looking at you) but
the holiday season lends a lovely sort of
nostalgia that can be the perfect excuse
to email an old friend to say hello and
catch up You might read dozens of
Facebook updates a day but how often
do you genuinely connect with your
ldquosocial networkrdquo Think about how
glad yoursquod be if you got a little note just
to say ldquoI was thinking about yourdquo
make your house smell like a winter wonderland Fill
a pot with water a chopped orange
a cup of cranberries four cinnamon
sticks and a pinch of cloves Let it
simmer gently on the stove all day
Sometimes we let our olfactory senses
fall by the wayside but scent can be
one of the most powerful mood en-
hancers In no time your home will
smell like a magical delicious holiday
kingdom Pop a little Bing Crosby
onto the record player and yoursquoll be
buzzing to smooch someone under the
mistletoe in no time
I have a lovehate relationship with ldquostuffrdquo which tends to make me
a gift-giverrsquos worst nightmare at Christmastime While Irsquove never
been one to hoard things I went through an intense de-cluttering
phase last year after reading a book called The Joy Of Less The
premise of the book is simple own less stuff be happier
The book inspired me to de-clutter my entire house from the
bathroom to the kitchen and everything in between I began clear-
ing out cabinets and drawers room by room and making regular
trips to Goodwill with bags of unwanted stuff clothes rarely worn
appliances rarely used DVDs rarely watched etc If it wasnrsquot prac-
tical or being used on a semi-regular basis out it went I watched
my drawers dwindle down to necessities and my shelves become
bare and yet I felt no regret or remorse I found freedom in the
empty space - a happy lightness that I hadnrsquot realized I needed in
my life
A few months later Christmas came along and suddenly I was
back to square one Stuff was everywhere begging to be bought
and begging to be had I spent the majority of December mak-
ing lists pinning ideas fighting crowds at Target hunting for
online coupon codes and wrapping gifts with a perfect mixture
of craft paper ribbons and doilies It was stressful expensive
overwhelming and not exactly the cheerful holiday season I was
expecting
Even more stressful was unloading all of the gifts from our car
after Christmas was over I had become so protective of my half-
empty drawers and bare shelves that I couldnrsquot fathom filling
them up with clutter again even if that clutter was straight off my
Pinterest wish list Even though I knew the gifts had been given in
love it was just too much
So lesson learned This year wersquore approaching Christmas a bit
differently Wersquove established a 4-gift rule in our household wersquoll
each receive something we want something we need something
to wear and something to read Wersquore asking our families for more
experiences and less stuff - swapping new boots and shiny gadgets
for zoo memberships and art classes The hope is that wersquoll be able
to use most of our Christmas gifts to create memories in 2013 and
avoid cluttering our home with tons of things we donrsquot need
If you also find yourself unwillingly wrapped up (no pun intend-
ed) in too much ldquostuffrdquo this holiday season here are a few experi-
ences you can add to your wish list or give to others
For Him
Concert tickets
Tickets to a lecture
Brewery Tour
Round of golf at his favorite course
For Her
Local yoga passes
Drybar bartabs
A photography class
For the Couple
Weekend away
Cooking classes
Wine tasting
Food tour
For Kiddos
Local zoo membership
Local art studio membership
Tickets to the train museum aquarium etc
Movie tickets
All I Want for Christmas is Less StuffWords by Ashlee GaddPhoto by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 15
Createverb
bring (something) into existence
HOLIDAY 2012 | 17
Wrap ItUpfour creative ways to wrap gifts
By Camilla Salem
One of the best parts of the season is turn-
ing on your favorite holiday music and
sitting down to wrap gifts for all of your fa-
vorite people You could go the traditional
route and purchase lovely wrapping paper
or you could do what I did and make use
of all the extra paper bags you have lying
around the house Itrsquos simple really Take
a paper grocery bag Cut it apart along the
seams cut off the handles and wrap your
gifts Decorate with unique and inexpen-
sive items for an extra special touch
add an ornamentTie an ornament to your wrapping with a
piece of twine Itrsquos like getting two presents
in one
HOLIDAY 2012 | 19
go naturalFind pretty leaves (I used eucalyptus leaves
and pods) and tie them down with some
raffia for an earthy feel I suggest bay leaf
holly berries or pine needles
stampedMake your own pretty printed wrapping
paper by creating a pattern with stamps
Go crazy here and have fun mixing colors
and shapes
HOLIDAY 2012 | 21
jingle bellsYour friends will hear their presents
coming if you tie on some festive bells
(available at any craft store) It adds so
much to the joy of the holidays
Step-by-Step Make A Paper StarBy Emily Rack
HOLIDAY 2012 | 23
what you need
Kite paper (in a pinch wax paper or baking parchment will do)ScissorsGlue
My sisters and I have made kite paper
stars ever since we were little and itrsquos a
tradition we have continued and passed
on with great delight These simple stars
encapsulate everything I love about the
holiday season and make a beautiful mini-
malist addition to plain wrapping paper
a white card or even windows When
the light shines through them you see all
sorts of beautiful patterns
Cut eight identical small rectangles
out of your paper
Fold each piece vertically down the
middle
Fold in both corners of the top like
yoursquore making a paper airplane
Do the same with the bottom corners
Fold the top corners in again so that
one end is very thin
Line up the bottom left edge of one
piece with the center line of another and
glue in place
Continue like this with all eight
pieces making sure to layer each piece on
top of the last
Allow to dry and voila You can make
them in any size as long as your pieces are
all equal
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
I have a lovehate relationship with ldquostuffrdquo which tends to make me
a gift-giverrsquos worst nightmare at Christmastime While Irsquove never
been one to hoard things I went through an intense de-cluttering
phase last year after reading a book called The Joy Of Less The
premise of the book is simple own less stuff be happier
The book inspired me to de-clutter my entire house from the
bathroom to the kitchen and everything in between I began clear-
ing out cabinets and drawers room by room and making regular
trips to Goodwill with bags of unwanted stuff clothes rarely worn
appliances rarely used DVDs rarely watched etc If it wasnrsquot prac-
tical or being used on a semi-regular basis out it went I watched
my drawers dwindle down to necessities and my shelves become
bare and yet I felt no regret or remorse I found freedom in the
empty space - a happy lightness that I hadnrsquot realized I needed in
my life
A few months later Christmas came along and suddenly I was
back to square one Stuff was everywhere begging to be bought
and begging to be had I spent the majority of December mak-
ing lists pinning ideas fighting crowds at Target hunting for
online coupon codes and wrapping gifts with a perfect mixture
of craft paper ribbons and doilies It was stressful expensive
overwhelming and not exactly the cheerful holiday season I was
expecting
Even more stressful was unloading all of the gifts from our car
after Christmas was over I had become so protective of my half-
empty drawers and bare shelves that I couldnrsquot fathom filling
them up with clutter again even if that clutter was straight off my
Pinterest wish list Even though I knew the gifts had been given in
love it was just too much
So lesson learned This year wersquore approaching Christmas a bit
differently Wersquove established a 4-gift rule in our household wersquoll
each receive something we want something we need something
to wear and something to read Wersquore asking our families for more
experiences and less stuff - swapping new boots and shiny gadgets
for zoo memberships and art classes The hope is that wersquoll be able
to use most of our Christmas gifts to create memories in 2013 and
avoid cluttering our home with tons of things we donrsquot need
If you also find yourself unwillingly wrapped up (no pun intend-
ed) in too much ldquostuffrdquo this holiday season here are a few experi-
ences you can add to your wish list or give to others
For Him
Concert tickets
Tickets to a lecture
Brewery Tour
Round of golf at his favorite course
For Her
Local yoga passes
Drybar bartabs
A photography class
For the Couple
Weekend away
Cooking classes
Wine tasting
Food tour
For Kiddos
Local zoo membership
Local art studio membership
Tickets to the train museum aquarium etc
Movie tickets
All I Want for Christmas is Less StuffWords by Ashlee GaddPhoto by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 15
Createverb
bring (something) into existence
HOLIDAY 2012 | 17
Wrap ItUpfour creative ways to wrap gifts
By Camilla Salem
One of the best parts of the season is turn-
ing on your favorite holiday music and
sitting down to wrap gifts for all of your fa-
vorite people You could go the traditional
route and purchase lovely wrapping paper
or you could do what I did and make use
of all the extra paper bags you have lying
around the house Itrsquos simple really Take
a paper grocery bag Cut it apart along the
seams cut off the handles and wrap your
gifts Decorate with unique and inexpen-
sive items for an extra special touch
add an ornamentTie an ornament to your wrapping with a
piece of twine Itrsquos like getting two presents
in one
HOLIDAY 2012 | 19
go naturalFind pretty leaves (I used eucalyptus leaves
and pods) and tie them down with some
raffia for an earthy feel I suggest bay leaf
holly berries or pine needles
stampedMake your own pretty printed wrapping
paper by creating a pattern with stamps
Go crazy here and have fun mixing colors
and shapes
HOLIDAY 2012 | 21
jingle bellsYour friends will hear their presents
coming if you tie on some festive bells
(available at any craft store) It adds so
much to the joy of the holidays
Step-by-Step Make A Paper StarBy Emily Rack
HOLIDAY 2012 | 23
what you need
Kite paper (in a pinch wax paper or baking parchment will do)ScissorsGlue
My sisters and I have made kite paper
stars ever since we were little and itrsquos a
tradition we have continued and passed
on with great delight These simple stars
encapsulate everything I love about the
holiday season and make a beautiful mini-
malist addition to plain wrapping paper
a white card or even windows When
the light shines through them you see all
sorts of beautiful patterns
Cut eight identical small rectangles
out of your paper
Fold each piece vertically down the
middle
Fold in both corners of the top like
yoursquore making a paper airplane
Do the same with the bottom corners
Fold the top corners in again so that
one end is very thin
Line up the bottom left edge of one
piece with the center line of another and
glue in place
Continue like this with all eight
pieces making sure to layer each piece on
top of the last
Allow to dry and voila You can make
them in any size as long as your pieces are
all equal
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 15
Createverb
bring (something) into existence
HOLIDAY 2012 | 17
Wrap ItUpfour creative ways to wrap gifts
By Camilla Salem
One of the best parts of the season is turn-
ing on your favorite holiday music and
sitting down to wrap gifts for all of your fa-
vorite people You could go the traditional
route and purchase lovely wrapping paper
or you could do what I did and make use
of all the extra paper bags you have lying
around the house Itrsquos simple really Take
a paper grocery bag Cut it apart along the
seams cut off the handles and wrap your
gifts Decorate with unique and inexpen-
sive items for an extra special touch
add an ornamentTie an ornament to your wrapping with a
piece of twine Itrsquos like getting two presents
in one
HOLIDAY 2012 | 19
go naturalFind pretty leaves (I used eucalyptus leaves
and pods) and tie them down with some
raffia for an earthy feel I suggest bay leaf
holly berries or pine needles
stampedMake your own pretty printed wrapping
paper by creating a pattern with stamps
Go crazy here and have fun mixing colors
and shapes
HOLIDAY 2012 | 21
jingle bellsYour friends will hear their presents
coming if you tie on some festive bells
(available at any craft store) It adds so
much to the joy of the holidays
Step-by-Step Make A Paper StarBy Emily Rack
HOLIDAY 2012 | 23
what you need
Kite paper (in a pinch wax paper or baking parchment will do)ScissorsGlue
My sisters and I have made kite paper
stars ever since we were little and itrsquos a
tradition we have continued and passed
on with great delight These simple stars
encapsulate everything I love about the
holiday season and make a beautiful mini-
malist addition to plain wrapping paper
a white card or even windows When
the light shines through them you see all
sorts of beautiful patterns
Cut eight identical small rectangles
out of your paper
Fold each piece vertically down the
middle
Fold in both corners of the top like
yoursquore making a paper airplane
Do the same with the bottom corners
Fold the top corners in again so that
one end is very thin
Line up the bottom left edge of one
piece with the center line of another and
glue in place
Continue like this with all eight
pieces making sure to layer each piece on
top of the last
Allow to dry and voila You can make
them in any size as long as your pieces are
all equal
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
Createverb
bring (something) into existence
HOLIDAY 2012 | 17
Wrap ItUpfour creative ways to wrap gifts
By Camilla Salem
One of the best parts of the season is turn-
ing on your favorite holiday music and
sitting down to wrap gifts for all of your fa-
vorite people You could go the traditional
route and purchase lovely wrapping paper
or you could do what I did and make use
of all the extra paper bags you have lying
around the house Itrsquos simple really Take
a paper grocery bag Cut it apart along the
seams cut off the handles and wrap your
gifts Decorate with unique and inexpen-
sive items for an extra special touch
add an ornamentTie an ornament to your wrapping with a
piece of twine Itrsquos like getting two presents
in one
HOLIDAY 2012 | 19
go naturalFind pretty leaves (I used eucalyptus leaves
and pods) and tie them down with some
raffia for an earthy feel I suggest bay leaf
holly berries or pine needles
stampedMake your own pretty printed wrapping
paper by creating a pattern with stamps
Go crazy here and have fun mixing colors
and shapes
HOLIDAY 2012 | 21
jingle bellsYour friends will hear their presents
coming if you tie on some festive bells
(available at any craft store) It adds so
much to the joy of the holidays
Step-by-Step Make A Paper StarBy Emily Rack
HOLIDAY 2012 | 23
what you need
Kite paper (in a pinch wax paper or baking parchment will do)ScissorsGlue
My sisters and I have made kite paper
stars ever since we were little and itrsquos a
tradition we have continued and passed
on with great delight These simple stars
encapsulate everything I love about the
holiday season and make a beautiful mini-
malist addition to plain wrapping paper
a white card or even windows When
the light shines through them you see all
sorts of beautiful patterns
Cut eight identical small rectangles
out of your paper
Fold each piece vertically down the
middle
Fold in both corners of the top like
yoursquore making a paper airplane
Do the same with the bottom corners
Fold the top corners in again so that
one end is very thin
Line up the bottom left edge of one
piece with the center line of another and
glue in place
Continue like this with all eight
pieces making sure to layer each piece on
top of the last
Allow to dry and voila You can make
them in any size as long as your pieces are
all equal
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 17
Wrap ItUpfour creative ways to wrap gifts
By Camilla Salem
One of the best parts of the season is turn-
ing on your favorite holiday music and
sitting down to wrap gifts for all of your fa-
vorite people You could go the traditional
route and purchase lovely wrapping paper
or you could do what I did and make use
of all the extra paper bags you have lying
around the house Itrsquos simple really Take
a paper grocery bag Cut it apart along the
seams cut off the handles and wrap your
gifts Decorate with unique and inexpen-
sive items for an extra special touch
add an ornamentTie an ornament to your wrapping with a
piece of twine Itrsquos like getting two presents
in one
HOLIDAY 2012 | 19
go naturalFind pretty leaves (I used eucalyptus leaves
and pods) and tie them down with some
raffia for an earthy feel I suggest bay leaf
holly berries or pine needles
stampedMake your own pretty printed wrapping
paper by creating a pattern with stamps
Go crazy here and have fun mixing colors
and shapes
HOLIDAY 2012 | 21
jingle bellsYour friends will hear their presents
coming if you tie on some festive bells
(available at any craft store) It adds so
much to the joy of the holidays
Step-by-Step Make A Paper StarBy Emily Rack
HOLIDAY 2012 | 23
what you need
Kite paper (in a pinch wax paper or baking parchment will do)ScissorsGlue
My sisters and I have made kite paper
stars ever since we were little and itrsquos a
tradition we have continued and passed
on with great delight These simple stars
encapsulate everything I love about the
holiday season and make a beautiful mini-
malist addition to plain wrapping paper
a white card or even windows When
the light shines through them you see all
sorts of beautiful patterns
Cut eight identical small rectangles
out of your paper
Fold each piece vertically down the
middle
Fold in both corners of the top like
yoursquore making a paper airplane
Do the same with the bottom corners
Fold the top corners in again so that
one end is very thin
Line up the bottom left edge of one
piece with the center line of another and
glue in place
Continue like this with all eight
pieces making sure to layer each piece on
top of the last
Allow to dry and voila You can make
them in any size as long as your pieces are
all equal
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
Wrap ItUpfour creative ways to wrap gifts
By Camilla Salem
One of the best parts of the season is turn-
ing on your favorite holiday music and
sitting down to wrap gifts for all of your fa-
vorite people You could go the traditional
route and purchase lovely wrapping paper
or you could do what I did and make use
of all the extra paper bags you have lying
around the house Itrsquos simple really Take
a paper grocery bag Cut it apart along the
seams cut off the handles and wrap your
gifts Decorate with unique and inexpen-
sive items for an extra special touch
add an ornamentTie an ornament to your wrapping with a
piece of twine Itrsquos like getting two presents
in one
HOLIDAY 2012 | 19
go naturalFind pretty leaves (I used eucalyptus leaves
and pods) and tie them down with some
raffia for an earthy feel I suggest bay leaf
holly berries or pine needles
stampedMake your own pretty printed wrapping
paper by creating a pattern with stamps
Go crazy here and have fun mixing colors
and shapes
HOLIDAY 2012 | 21
jingle bellsYour friends will hear their presents
coming if you tie on some festive bells
(available at any craft store) It adds so
much to the joy of the holidays
Step-by-Step Make A Paper StarBy Emily Rack
HOLIDAY 2012 | 23
what you need
Kite paper (in a pinch wax paper or baking parchment will do)ScissorsGlue
My sisters and I have made kite paper
stars ever since we were little and itrsquos a
tradition we have continued and passed
on with great delight These simple stars
encapsulate everything I love about the
holiday season and make a beautiful mini-
malist addition to plain wrapping paper
a white card or even windows When
the light shines through them you see all
sorts of beautiful patterns
Cut eight identical small rectangles
out of your paper
Fold each piece vertically down the
middle
Fold in both corners of the top like
yoursquore making a paper airplane
Do the same with the bottom corners
Fold the top corners in again so that
one end is very thin
Line up the bottom left edge of one
piece with the center line of another and
glue in place
Continue like this with all eight
pieces making sure to layer each piece on
top of the last
Allow to dry and voila You can make
them in any size as long as your pieces are
all equal
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 19
go naturalFind pretty leaves (I used eucalyptus leaves
and pods) and tie them down with some
raffia for an earthy feel I suggest bay leaf
holly berries or pine needles
stampedMake your own pretty printed wrapping
paper by creating a pattern with stamps
Go crazy here and have fun mixing colors
and shapes
HOLIDAY 2012 | 21
jingle bellsYour friends will hear their presents
coming if you tie on some festive bells
(available at any craft store) It adds so
much to the joy of the holidays
Step-by-Step Make A Paper StarBy Emily Rack
HOLIDAY 2012 | 23
what you need
Kite paper (in a pinch wax paper or baking parchment will do)ScissorsGlue
My sisters and I have made kite paper
stars ever since we were little and itrsquos a
tradition we have continued and passed
on with great delight These simple stars
encapsulate everything I love about the
holiday season and make a beautiful mini-
malist addition to plain wrapping paper
a white card or even windows When
the light shines through them you see all
sorts of beautiful patterns
Cut eight identical small rectangles
out of your paper
Fold each piece vertically down the
middle
Fold in both corners of the top like
yoursquore making a paper airplane
Do the same with the bottom corners
Fold the top corners in again so that
one end is very thin
Line up the bottom left edge of one
piece with the center line of another and
glue in place
Continue like this with all eight
pieces making sure to layer each piece on
top of the last
Allow to dry and voila You can make
them in any size as long as your pieces are
all equal
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
stampedMake your own pretty printed wrapping
paper by creating a pattern with stamps
Go crazy here and have fun mixing colors
and shapes
HOLIDAY 2012 | 21
jingle bellsYour friends will hear their presents
coming if you tie on some festive bells
(available at any craft store) It adds so
much to the joy of the holidays
Step-by-Step Make A Paper StarBy Emily Rack
HOLIDAY 2012 | 23
what you need
Kite paper (in a pinch wax paper or baking parchment will do)ScissorsGlue
My sisters and I have made kite paper
stars ever since we were little and itrsquos a
tradition we have continued and passed
on with great delight These simple stars
encapsulate everything I love about the
holiday season and make a beautiful mini-
malist addition to plain wrapping paper
a white card or even windows When
the light shines through them you see all
sorts of beautiful patterns
Cut eight identical small rectangles
out of your paper
Fold each piece vertically down the
middle
Fold in both corners of the top like
yoursquore making a paper airplane
Do the same with the bottom corners
Fold the top corners in again so that
one end is very thin
Line up the bottom left edge of one
piece with the center line of another and
glue in place
Continue like this with all eight
pieces making sure to layer each piece on
top of the last
Allow to dry and voila You can make
them in any size as long as your pieces are
all equal
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 21
jingle bellsYour friends will hear their presents
coming if you tie on some festive bells
(available at any craft store) It adds so
much to the joy of the holidays
Step-by-Step Make A Paper StarBy Emily Rack
HOLIDAY 2012 | 23
what you need
Kite paper (in a pinch wax paper or baking parchment will do)ScissorsGlue
My sisters and I have made kite paper
stars ever since we were little and itrsquos a
tradition we have continued and passed
on with great delight These simple stars
encapsulate everything I love about the
holiday season and make a beautiful mini-
malist addition to plain wrapping paper
a white card or even windows When
the light shines through them you see all
sorts of beautiful patterns
Cut eight identical small rectangles
out of your paper
Fold each piece vertically down the
middle
Fold in both corners of the top like
yoursquore making a paper airplane
Do the same with the bottom corners
Fold the top corners in again so that
one end is very thin
Line up the bottom left edge of one
piece with the center line of another and
glue in place
Continue like this with all eight
pieces making sure to layer each piece on
top of the last
Allow to dry and voila You can make
them in any size as long as your pieces are
all equal
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
Step-by-Step Make A Paper StarBy Emily Rack
HOLIDAY 2012 | 23
what you need
Kite paper (in a pinch wax paper or baking parchment will do)ScissorsGlue
My sisters and I have made kite paper
stars ever since we were little and itrsquos a
tradition we have continued and passed
on with great delight These simple stars
encapsulate everything I love about the
holiday season and make a beautiful mini-
malist addition to plain wrapping paper
a white card or even windows When
the light shines through them you see all
sorts of beautiful patterns
Cut eight identical small rectangles
out of your paper
Fold each piece vertically down the
middle
Fold in both corners of the top like
yoursquore making a paper airplane
Do the same with the bottom corners
Fold the top corners in again so that
one end is very thin
Line up the bottom left edge of one
piece with the center line of another and
glue in place
Continue like this with all eight
pieces making sure to layer each piece on
top of the last
Allow to dry and voila You can make
them in any size as long as your pieces are
all equal
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 23
what you need
Kite paper (in a pinch wax paper or baking parchment will do)ScissorsGlue
My sisters and I have made kite paper
stars ever since we were little and itrsquos a
tradition we have continued and passed
on with great delight These simple stars
encapsulate everything I love about the
holiday season and make a beautiful mini-
malist addition to plain wrapping paper
a white card or even windows When
the light shines through them you see all
sorts of beautiful patterns
Cut eight identical small rectangles
out of your paper
Fold each piece vertically down the
middle
Fold in both corners of the top like
yoursquore making a paper airplane
Do the same with the bottom corners
Fold the top corners in again so that
one end is very thin
Line up the bottom left edge of one
piece with the center line of another and
glue in place
Continue like this with all eight
pieces making sure to layer each piece on
top of the last
Allow to dry and voila You can make
them in any size as long as your pieces are
all equal
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 25
Blossommeet me under the mistletoe
By Camilla Salem
Each year December rolls around the streets fill with Christmas
trees wreaths and garlands Stores glitter with gorgeous ornaments
hanging in windows Pretty wrapping paper and peppermint every-
thing peak our interests But therersquos one little bunch of foliage that
tends to get looked over
A hanging bunch of mistletoe immediately brings kissing to mind
Actually this plant has a rich history which makes it even cooler
The plant itself is a parasitic plant (ironic isnrsquot it) It has no roots
and instead digs into the bark of a tree to survive But itrsquos not all
bad Some animals use the plant as food and there are even studies
of Junipers that concluded that more berries sprout where mistletoe
is present
The plant has been seen as a representation of romance and vital-
ity for centuries It is even said that the Greek goddess Artemis wore
a crown of mistletoe as a symbol of fertility It was even used as a
remedy for barrenness in animals Not too long ago mistletoe was
hung in homes to ward off witches and evil spirits but these days we
mostly hear of the plant in holiday songs or we lure our crushes under
a hanging bunch to sneak a kiss
While the history of the plant is vast and impressive (seriously we
have only barely scratched the surface here) we like to think that it
serves as a reminder to take pause as you stand under it and show a lit-
tle affection to those you love and cherish no matter what holiday you
celebrate this time of year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
Nurtureverb
care for and encourage the growth or development of
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 27
We Recommend
BOOK ndash The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by
Deb Perlman
The long-awaited Smitten Kitchen
cookbook is here and filled with
recipes we might never have dreamed
of without Deb Perelman Perhaps
Irsquom biased - Smitten Kitchen was the
first blog I ever started ldquofollowingrdquo
so my thoughts on her book might
be tainted with the pride of a long-
time reader Even still itrsquos not often
you find a cookbook with recipes like
ldquoButterscotch Banana Tarte Tatinrdquo
and ldquoSrsquomore Layer Cakerdquo all from a
woman self-taught and self-made in a
tiny New York City kitchen Fandom
aside we recommend Debrsquos cookbook
because it serves as inspiration of what
our passions can become
ALBUM ndash A Charlie Brown Christmas
mdash Vince Guaraldi Trio
I unfailingly reach for this album
around this time every year With
holiday songs on repeat almost
everywhere you go itrsquos refreshing to
listen to something so subtle yet so
seasonal ldquoJoyrdquo is the first word that
comes to mind when I put this record
on Maybe itrsquos because I always picture
Snoopy and the gang dancing their
little hearts out To me this album
evokes the purest sense of holiday
goodness Itrsquos simple melodic and
doesnrsquot get stuck in your head
MOVIE ndash Safety Not Guaranteed
ldquoThree magazine employees head out
on an assignment to interview a guy
who placed a classified ad seeking a
companion for time travelrdquo (IMDB)
When my boyfriend hit ldquoplayrdquo and
began explaining this premise I
told him it had 30 minutes to ldquoget
interestingrdquo An hour later I was
unreasonably attached to Darius
(Aubrey Plaza) and had forgotten
about my 30-minute ultimatum
Yes in a way itrsquos a movie about time
travel but itrsquos less about actual travel
and more about the possibility and
personal motives behind it Beyond
the seemingly sci-fi storyline the
characters are both written and
portrayed with excellence They
breathe life and witty humor into the
film making it a very different yet
very pleasant kind of surprise
three things wersquore loving this season
By Celeste Noche
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
The Juicy Details
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Celeste Noche
no chewing allowed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 29
I am a person who likes to chew
This isnrsquot something I ever thought I would
have to stipulate not even something I ever
thought about until I was two days into a
juice cleanse and realized ldquoAh chewing
Thatrsquos whatrsquos missing hererdquo
Juicing The idea caught my attention a few
years ago when these all-liquid tickets to
bodily happiness were being championed
across every health outlet and womenrsquos
magazine in the western world
I thought it was utter nonsense How
grumpy and tired would you be after only
drinking juice for days on end Nope it
wasnrsquot for me Irsquom a food girl through and
through and didnrsquot have time to wilt over
my desk wearily sipping juice and snap-
ping at anyone who dared take a bite of a
sandwich near me
To my surprise the trend stuck around
and I decided ldquoDonrsquot knock it lsquotil yoursquove
tried itrdquo was a better approach Irsquom an avid
green smoothie drinker and veggie fanatic
and eat fruit like itrsquos going out of style
so this seemed like it would be a natural
progression just one step further into the
world of clean eating
I also had wicked desire to see what all the
fuss was about and maybe even (gasp) ex-
pose juice cleanses as merely a fad You see
the tabloid shots of celebrities and Califor-
nia it-girls walking out of the gym glow-
ing and holding telltale bottles of green
juice I figured if anyone was going to
prove them wrong it would be me (namely
a non-celebrity non-Californian)
It turns out that although I set out to do
some serious investigative reporting I dis-
covered that while juicing isnrsquot necessarily
all that it has some enormous benefits and
is not to be sniffed at
Juicing 101
Essentially juicing is a way to recharge
and reset your insides You drink only
juice (and water and herbal teas) for a set
number of days in the hopes that your body
can clear itself of toxins get rid of the
processed junk itrsquos polluted with and soak
up all the goodness it needs while getting
set on the right track
You can juice cleanse at home but I chose
to try delivery services Theyrsquore easy con-
venient and most importantly save the
mess and time of at-home juicing I tried
two cleanses - one from Total Cleanse and
one from BluePrintCleanse both of which
were fundamentally the same process
Depending on your level of juicing-savvy
you can increase the cleanse intensity to
best suit your lifestyle In mine there were
six juices per day a mixture of green veg-
etable juices cayenne-lemonades some-
thing fruity and a rich creamy cashew
milk to end the day with
What cleansing promised clearer skin
more energy boosted immune system
better sleep clarity of mind less bloated
clearing your body of old toxins Not bad
hey
Calorically the cleanses sit between 900
and 1200 calories per day which is lower
than Irsquod like (typically I wonrsquot go under
1200) but they claim that with digestion
removed from the equation you donrsquot need
as many calories to function
You should ease into juicing by eliminat-
ing meat sugar caffeine dairy and wheat
products from your diet for a few days You
should also ease back into regular foods
afterwards The packages are all highly
comprehensive and customizable And if
you use a juicing service there is always
someone on hand to field your questions
Juice Diaries
What I want out of the cleanse is to help
kick some bad habits Irsquom gluten- and
dairy-intolerant so juicing holds a huge
appeal to me in this respect Everything is
fresh natural and raw and I wonrsquot have
to worry about putting anything reactive
into my body Irsquom also completely addicted
to processed sugar something Irsquove been
trying to cut but am miserably failing at
If juicing could help me oust that habit it
would be a winner in my book
The juices show up at my door in the mid-
dle of the night and are completely intimi-
dating One girl three days 18 bottles of
juice I unpack them and they sit like an
army on my counter ldquoOkay juicesrdquo I tell
them ldquoItrsquos just you and merdquo
Day one is breeze I have the momentum
from preparing for the juice cleanse and
am on a single-minded mission to do my
body some good The juices are large and
while most of the varieties are absolutely
dreamy the green juice is sour and a little
too grassy for my liking By the middle of
the second day I am choking the green
ones down with my nose plugged
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
I drink the juices about two hours apart
with lots of water and herbal tea in be-
tween and although Irsquom not hungry it
feels strange to not be full By bedtime my
stomach is growling so I sip on the last
bottle of the day a cinnamon-agave cashew
milk which adds the only fats you get
throughout the cleanse My stomach pipes
down and I have one of the best sleeps of
my life I feel clear-headed light and airy
The second day goes by fairly easily I have
a huge caffeine withdrawal headache in
the morning that is remedied by drinking
extra water I have found that drinking
the greens through a straw makes them
more palatable At dinner I have a bowl of
organic low-sodium vegetable broth along
with my juice but Irsquove done 90-minute hot
yoga classes both days without feeling un-
characteristically exhausted so I consider
it a success vegetable broth and all
The third day I am an old pro and actually
starting to crave the (previously feared)
green juices The lemon-cayenne drinks
are my favorite - spicy and refreshing
I am amazingly still not hungry By the
last evening however things start to go
downhill I shake so violently during yoga
that I collapse I break the cleanse that
night with a bit of steamed sweet potatoes
and some vegetable broth and feel better
immediately
The Verdict
Okay so my skin wasnrsquot necessarily glow-
ing and my energy levels werenrsquot exactly
through the roof but juicing was a fantas-
tic way to reset my eating habits and put my
mind in a healthful spot
If I had done a longer cleanse maybe five
days (albeit with less exercise) Irsquom sure I
would have experienced more of the adver-
tised benefits but this is what I did find
Awareness Juicing is an exercise in
knowing exactly what yoursquore eating and
in self-control Pre-cleanse I thought I
would be starving and tired but I wasnrsquot at
all The sheer volume of liquids keeps you
full all day and yoursquore being packed full of
nutrients
Au revoir junk food I kicked out
processed sugars completely Even after the
cleanse I had zero cravings for processed
sugars and weeks later my sugar con-
sumption is extremely reduced Hurrah
Flat stomach Oh let me tell you about
the flat stomach It made me want to call
Sports Illustrated and strip down to my
skivvies and make a calendar right then
and there I wanted to take photos of it
I wanted to star in a music video This is
rare for me because even as a relatively
healthy active girl having allergies and
food sensitivities has made me chronically
inflamed puffy and uncomfortable I
would juice cleanse again any day of the
week for the flat stomach alone
Listen to your body You are cutting
out a lot of important elements when you
cleanse things like iron and most impor-
tantly fiber Make sure you drink tons of
water to keep everything moving through
your system and pay attention to what your
body is telling you
Chew your juice The lack of chewing
makes your teeth feel fuzzy In fact I am
told after the cleanse that juices should be
chewed to stimulate digestive enzymes so I
would keep that in mind for next time
Steady on Really and truly ease off the
cleanse with only fruit veggies and soups
Maybe introduce a little fish I didnrsquot
do this properly the first time and was
extremely uncomfortable the rest of the
week
The Skinny I imagine juicing is a good
way to start a weight-loss kick (although I
didnrsquot lose a single pound) because of the
level of awareness brought to your diet But
it shouldnrsquot be used as a weight loss tool
Remember any weight loss you see on the
scale during your cleanse will all come
back as soon as you start eating again
Expert Opinion
ldquoJuice cleanses are not a quick fix If yoursquore
interested in eating healthily going on a
cleanse for a few days is not the answer If
yoursquore feeling toxic from what yoursquore eat-
ing itrsquos best to address whatrsquos making you
feel that way in the first place A lot of peo-
ple say they feel good after a juice cleanse
but a long-term real balanced diet with
lots of fresh fruit and whole grains will
have the same effects It kind of sounds like
cotton underwear - kind of boring and not
very sexy - but itrsquos the right thing to do for
your bodyrdquo Krystle Hall MSc RD direc-
tor of Health Castle Calgary
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 31
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
Exploreverb
travel in or through (an unfamiliar country or area) in order to learn
about or familiarize oneself with it
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 33
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
As the year comes to a close and the weather grows colder
we think of cozying up preparing hearty meals and staying
inside to escape the winter This isnrsquot quite the case in Munich
The southeastern German city experiences winters below 23deg F
(-5deg C) yet during these months the city center is just as lively as
the middle of the summer From seasonal food to their outdoor
markets Muumlncheners show us that although winter is here we
donrsquot have to stay inside
Christkindlmarkts and Wintermarkts are the primary tradition
that keeps Muumlncheners outdoors late in the year Throughout
the city wooden shops pop up in clusters to sell winter goods
and warm food to enjoy in the chilly weather Although the
seasonal ldquovillagesrdquo often appear to be childlike in decorations
and carnival fare winter market patrons of all ages can be found
enjoying Heiszlige Schokolade andLebkuchen (hot chocolate and
gingerbread) The outdoor markets are the perfect setting to enjoy
the heartiness of other typical German food like goulash and
bratwursts And although Germans have Gluumlhwein (hot wine) to
get their buzzes while keeping warm itrsquos not uncommon to see
beers on hand as well
While these Christkindlmarkts can be found all over Germany
this fearlessness of the wintery outdoors became most evident one
Sunday in the Englischer Garten On this particular November
day it was 32deg F (0deg C) at most yet the park was filled with tourists
families and dog-walkers alike The Englischer Garten--
famed for its biergartens and its picturesque setting for summer
picnics-- was filled with visitors at the cusp of winter The sun was
barely visible behind the sheet of overcast gray but every picnic
table at the Chinesischer Turm and Kleinhesseloher Lake was
taken
Being the homebody that I am I rarely turn down the opportunity
to stay inside with hot tea and a good book-- especially in the
winter And while this lifestyle might be comfortable itrsquos kept me
from fully enjoying a time of year thatrsquos most often referred to as
ldquomagicalrdquo The soft sting of crisp air on your nose Warm bellies
filled with soup and hot chocolate Our breaths transformed
into wisps of air spouting in puffs and reminding us wersquore alive
Although small and fleeting they are nevertheless reminders to
embrace the season
winterin munich
By Celeste Noche
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 35
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 37
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
how does a california girl survive a new york city winter
Thatrsquos the question Irsquom trying to answer as
I prepare for my first ldquorealrdquo Winter in the
big city Irsquom buying snow boots scarves
and sweaters Irsquom trying to figure out how
to work my ancient noisy wall heater Irsquom
stocking up on my emergency supplies
namely extra jars of peanut butter hot
chocolate mix marshmallows and a life-
time supply of Clif Bars
The reality is Irsquove worn flip-flops and
hoodies through most Winters of my life
Growing up in the suburbs of Sacramento
we certainly have a seasonal change itrsquos
blistering hot in the Summer gray and
rainy in the Winter and beautiful blue
skies and bright colors in the Fall and
Spring But I never spent much time in the
unsavory elements The run to and from
my car was usually the longest I had to
endure a bite of cold or a drench of rain
usually needing my sunglasses more often
than I needed an umbrella
My fear of Winter in New York City is
multifaceted Therersquos the extremity and
unfamiliarity of it hurricanes and bliz-
zards snow and sleet Then itrsquos the length
the gray freeze of Winter can drag from the
first festive snowfall in November until the
supposed Springtime in April And the
third is the actual interaction reliant on
public transportation I spend much of my
day walking to and from the subway or to
and from my home to my actual destina-
tion
Winter In The CityBy Christine Amorose
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 39
And herersquos my biggest fear that with-
out those bursts of sunshine that quite
literally brighten my mood Irsquoll slip into
a funk Seasonal affective disorder a
form of depression that manifests in cold
weather runs in my family For many of
my post-adolescent Winters I had an un-
healthy obsession with the tanning bed I
tanned 3-4 times a week to light up my day
as much as to darken my skin
Since I made the conscious decision to quit
tanning in June 2009 Irsquove chased mild
weather and sandy beaches around the
world Irsquove been a beach bum in the French
Riviera Australia and Southeast Asia as
Winter swept through North America
New York City is a drastic change from
my usual MO of laid-back vibes and
year-round sunshine Therersquos something
alluring in the frenzied energy the hustle
of pressed suits and clicking heels on the
sidewalk and the subway that never shuts
down in the city that never sleeps Itrsquos so
far out of my comfort zone that making it
here is a personal challenge and part of
that is making it through the Winter
So far Irsquove weathered Hurricane Sandy
and Snowstorm Athena while my friends
and family regale me with tales of the In-
dian summer in California that just wonrsquot
cease
Irsquom learning how to layer fashionably and
effectively wool headband to keep my ears
warm without ruining my hair fingerless
gloves to warm my fingers while still letting
me text thick scarves socks and sweaters
Irsquom discovering which bars have fireplaces
and mulled wine and planning museum
and movie weekends Irsquom bonding with the
other Californians in the city - exchang-
ing tips on what to keep in the pantries for
emergency-snowstorm-movie-days and the
warmest socks to buy We know that if wersquore
going to survive itrsquos going to be together
huddled over hot apple cider as we experi-
ence our first (or second or third) white
Christmas season
But herersquos what really makes the thought of
Winter in New York City bearable itrsquos New
York City And I know that even when itrsquos
freezing cold itrsquos never boring
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
Nourishverb
provide with food or other substances necessary for growth
health and good condition
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 41
Four Piz zas Fit for a Part yBy Camilla Salem
eat lots of pizza and be merry
Pizza night is always a good night This
holiday season try something
different from your usual party fare by
serving delicious homemade pizzas They
can be served as meals or cut into small
slices and passed around as
appetizers Your family and friends will
love you forever guaranteed Wersquove got
four savory ideas for your next
homemade pizza party
You can opt to buy pre-made dough from
almost any store but if you set aside a little
bit of time earlier in the day yoursquoll have
homemade dough that you can brag about
all night long The technique is simple
and once you have it down yoursquoll never
rely on store-bought dough again
Homemade Dough Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
1 12 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for bowl
1 tablespoon yeast
about 12 cup of water (or more if you need
it)
In a large bowl mix flour olive oil and
yeast Add water and mix everything
together until itrsquos evenly distributed Work
the dough for about 5 minutes on a floured
cutting board Shape it into a ball Coat
the bowl with a thin layer of oil and roll
the ball of dough in the oil so the surfaces
are covered Cover with a towel or a piece
of plastic wrap and let the dough rise for 2
hours After two hours work the dough for
a couple minutes on your floured cutting
board Let it sit again for 5 minutes under
a towel or piece of plastic wrap Then use
your fingers or a rolling pin to stretch and
roll the dough into a thin pizza skin Oil a
baking tray or a pizza pan and stretch the
skin to fit With a fork poke holes in the
skin evenly Top with your favorite top-
pings bake at 450deg Fahrenheit and pull
it out when the crust is golden brown and
cheese is melted and bubbly
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
Pizza Margherita with Lemony Arugula ToppingWant to fancy up your favorite classic pizza Top it with
some spicy arugula and watch the slices disappear
1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano
tomatoes
1 clove of garlic minced or grated
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
fresh mozzarella slices
2 cups fresh arugula
juice of half a lemon
In a large saucepan heat tomatoes plus all
of the juice in the can Add garlic 1 table-
spoon of olive oil and salt Cook down for
30-40 minutes pressing tomatoes into
the side of the pan every so often Take off
the heat and mash with a potato masher
to make the sauce smoother Add water if
necessary
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread sauce evenly over the dough Ar-
range mozzarella slices on top of the sauce
Bake at 450deg Fahrenheit until crust is
golden brown and cheese is bubbly Set
aside
In a separate bowl toss arugula with 1
teaspoon of olive oil and the juice of half a
lemon Once the pizza has cooled slightly
top with arugula and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 43
Potato Basil and Roasted Garlic PizzaIf yoursquore looking for a lighter pizza thatrsquos loaded with all
kinds of flavor this is your winner
1 head of garlic
2 Yukon gold potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil plus more for
brushing
12 cup basil leaves chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
Pinch of salt
14 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (or
white cheddar)
Preheat oven to 400deg Fahrenheit Cut
the head of garlic in half (so that you cut
through the garlic cloves themselves)
Brush exposed garlic with olive oil Wrap
both heads in aluminum foil and roast for
30 minutes or until the cloves are soft
Thinly slice potatoes with a mandolin or a
sharp knife Soak in cold water until yoursquore
ready to work with them Set aside
With a mortar and pestle or in a food
processor blend together 3 tablespoons of
olive oil basil leaves chopped fresh garlic
and salt Add more olive oil if you need it
You can also use a store-bought pesto if
yoursquod prefer
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with olive oil Arrange one
layer of potato slices evenly over the dough
Sprinkle with cheese lightly Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until potatoes are cooked
through cheese is bubbly and crust is
golden brown Take the pizza out of the
oven top with roasted garlic cloves and
drizzle with basil mixture
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 45
Mushroom Onion and White Wine PizzaThis pie is seriously savory The wine adds great flavor to
the mushroom mixture
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brush-
ing
12 yellow onion thinly sliced
34 pound of crimini mushrooms thinly
sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves removed
a pinch of salt and pepper
12 cup dry white wine
1 cup grated fontina cheese
chopped flat leaf parsley for serving
Heat olive oil in a sauteacute pan over medium-
high heat Cook onions mushroom
thyme salt and pepper together until
everything begins to soften and brown
Add the wine and cook down until the
wine evaporates
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Spread mushroom and onion mixture
evenly over the dough Top with fontina
cheese Brush crust with olive oil Bake at
450deg Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly
and the crust is golden brown Sprinkle
with parsley and serve hot
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
Spicy Shrimp and Garlic PizzaGet ready for a rich slice of pizza The garlic-butter
mixture is key to this indulgent recipe But hey itrsquos the
holidays so enjoy
12 pound of raw shrimp peeled and
deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
14 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
pinch of salt and pepper
12 stick of salted butter
2 large cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoons chopped flat leaf parsley plus
more for sprinkling
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
In a bowl coat shrimp with olive oil pep-
per flakes salt and pepper Set aside In
a saucepan melt butter Add garlic and
parsley and let it all cook together for 2
minutes or so Remove from heat
Prepare the pizza dough for toppings
Brush dough with butter and garlic mix-
ture making sure to get garlic chunks all
over the pizza Top with shredded cheese
and shrimp and brush with more but-
ter mixture if you have it Bake at 450deg
Fahrenheit until the cheese is bubbly the
crust is golden brown and the shrimp
are cooked through Sprinkle with more
freshly chopped parsley and serve
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 47
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
From Scratchglazed over
zesty lemon glaze2 cups powdered sugar
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Over low heat dissolve the icing sugar into
the lemon juice Grate the zest into your
mixture Pour over a plain or lemon pound
cake after baking
salted caramel glaze1 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
frac12 cup whipping cream
frac12 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Melt the sugar over high heat in a large pot
(constantly stirring) until it has reached a
liquid consistency Quickly add the butter
and continue to stir as the mixture foams
Take everything off the heat pour in the
cream and continue to stir until the sauce
is smooth Mix in the vanilla and sea salt
and refrigerate for up to a week Use on
everything
Words by Emily RackPhotos by Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 49
chocolate raspberry ganache1 cup dark chocolate broken into small
pieces
1 tablespoon raspberry jam
1 cup whipping cream (coconut milk would
work for a dairy-free alternative)
fresh raspberries for garnish
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or
over low heat When smooth remove from
heat and whip in the jam and cream Allow
it to cool in the fridge for about an hour
before whipping the mixture again and
layering it between sponge cakes or on top
of cupcakes
cream cheese icing1 package (250 grams or 8-9 ounces) of
cream cheese
frac14 cup butter
frac34 cup icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
frac12 teaspoon cinnamon
Beat the cream cheese and butter together
until smooth then gradually whip in icing
sugar cinnamon and vanilla This will
keep in the refrigerator for a day or so Add
in the zest of half an orange for some extra
pizzazz
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 51
In Season TangerinesBy Camilla Salem
Itrsquos that time of year
The piles of little orange citrus fruits are showing up in grocery
stores and that means wersquoll all be getting our daily doses of delicious
vitamin C But whatrsquos the story behind this popular fruit
The word ldquotangerinerdquo is derived from Tangier Morocco which is the
port where the first tangerines were shipped to Europe back in 1841
Prior to that the fruit was grown exclusively in the Far East where
they were once offered as tokens of honor to royals Different varieties
today include the honey tangerine and the sunburst tangerine
Tangerines are loaded with vitamins and minerals but more impor-
tantly theyrsquore fun to eat Theyrsquore not as sour as oranges and theyrsquove
got a distinct flavor Tangerine juice is delicious (mimosas on Christ-
mas morning anyone) and the segments are a perfect addition to
salads but mostly people just peel and eat on the spot
In stores you can often find clementines which are a seedless variety
of tangerine The freshest fruit will still have its green leaves and stem
attached They should be firm and have an even orange color
So this year enjoy the rich food of the holiday season and on days
when you need something a little lighter pack a couple of tangerines
in your purse and enjoy
Things we want to try tangerine cocktails tangerine sorbet and
tangerine marmalade
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
Playverb
engage in activity for enjoyment
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 53
By Molly Yeh
Dumplings of the World Party
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
Because therersquos nothing not to love about a plump little
dumpling you should definitely throw a party about it Invite your
closest friends dig your hands into some dough and work up an
appetite with this edible party activity Whether your guests are
cooking experts or cooking newbies dumpling making is a simple
and fun way to bring out inner chefs So get the rolling pins out
and prepare for your kitchen to take a beating because it is about to
see a bazillion dumplings
prepTwo or three days in advance
Buy ingredients This will give you enough time to hunt down all
of your ingredients but it wonrsquot be so much time that the veggies
and meat will spoil
One day in advance
Make all of the dough the potsticker filling and any other fill-
ings Keep in mind though that if you wait to make the pierogi
samosa or empanada filling until right before guests arrive your
house will smell amazing
Day of
Set up (see below) preheat the oven to 375deg boil water for the
pierogi and potstickers (itrsquos okay to use the same water for both)
make remaining fillings and pour sauces into serving bowls
set upCreate four stations one for each type of dumpling Stations can
be all at the same table or you can set up little tables around your
house Cover all surfaces with parchment or wax paper so that
guests can work with the dough (this will also allow for a super
quick and easy clean up while the dumplings are cooking) Each
station should have a bowl of dough a bowl of filling spoons for
the filling a little bowl of flour a rolling pin and a pan covered
with parchment for the formed dumplings
You may also want to set out some veggies or crackers to snack on
in case guests get hungry before the dumplings are ready to eat
decorKeep it simple and functional Use colorful and fun bowls for
fillings dough and sauces Handwritten signs with directions will
add charm Blast a fun playlist to keep the energy high
drinksPair your dumplings of the world with beers of the world Have
a Tsingtao with a potsticker a Kingfisher with a samosa a San
Miguel with an empanada and a Zywiec with a pierogi
Making the dumplings
Once guests have washed their hands and cracked open a beer
allow them to choose which dumplings theyrsquod like to make Some
will pick a station and stay there until all of the dumplings are
made some will want to rotate through all of the stations and
some will just drink all of your beer and keep good company
As the host be available to float around and help those who are
dumpling-challenged (even if itrsquos just to provide moral support in
the form of ldquoItrsquos okay that your dumplings look like a 6-year-old
made them [insert guestrsquos name here] They will still be deli-
ciousrdquo)
As pans get filled up with finished dumplings start cooking them
Clear the stations of the empty bowls and parchment paper and
give them a quick wipe down so that guests can have a place to eat
Itrsquos really important to make sure that any guests that work with
the potsticker filling which contains raw meat know to wash
their hands really well before eating anything Also pay special
attention to this station to make sure that the table gets cleaned
thoroughly
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 55
more ideas Donrsquot feel the need to stick to our dumpling recipes Bring in
other dumplings to the mix like ravioli kreplach or spaetzle
Feeling overwhelmed with all of the prep Make it a potluck
and have each guest bring a different dough or filling
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
soy chorizo empanadas Dough2 12 cups all-purpose flour2 cups cornmeal2 teaspoons baking powder2 teaspoons salt2 tablespoons sugar2 sticks of butter melted 1 cup water
In a large bowl combine dry ingredients add butter and combine to create a coarse meal mixture Add water to form a dough Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons butter1 medium onion chopped1 red pepper chopped12 ounces soy chorizo chopped1 teaspoon cumin12 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon pepper12 teaspoon paprika34 cup vegetable broth2 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well)
In a large pan over medium heat melt butter then add the onions Sweat the onions for 7 minutes Add pepper soy chorizo and seasonings Cook for 8 minutes stirring occasionally Add broth and simmer for 5 min-utes Remove from heat and stir in cheese
Additional Ingredients1 egg + 2 tablespoons water for egg wash Sour cream for serving
To form roll out golf-ball-sized pieces of dough and fill with 1 table-spoon of filling Pinch to seal shut and place on a greased baking sheet Brush with egg wash and bake at 375deg for 15-20 minutes until edges become slightly browned
samosasDough2 cups all-purpose flour 14 cup vegetable oil 12 cup water
In a large bowl combine flour and oil to form a coarse meal mixture Gradually add water to form a dough Knead for 5‐10 minutes until dough becomes smooth Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons + a pinch salt2 large baking potatoes diced into centimeter cubes 2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped1 tablespoon crushed garlic23 cup frozen peas1 teaspoon garam masala12 teaspoon turmeric14 teaspoon paprika12 teaspoon ground coriander seeds14 teaspoon ground ginger14 teaspoon cayennethe juice of 1 lemon
Add 2 tablespoons salt to a large pot filled with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat Add potatoes and cook for 15 minutes While the potatoes are cooking heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat add onions and pinch of salt and cook for 5 minutes Add garlic peas and seasonings and stir to combine Add potatoes and stir to combine cook for 15 minutes Remove from heat and add lemon juice
Additional IngredientsOil for fryingChutney and plain yogurt for serving
To form roll out a ping pong-sized piece of dough fill with 2 tablespoons filling Seal the edges to make a half-moon shape and then fold in half joining the outer corners and pinching the edges to make a pyramid shape Fry in a thin layer of oil over medium heat turning to brown all sides
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 57
chicken potstickers Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 12 teaspoons salt12 cup boiling water12 cup cold water
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl Add hot water 13 at a time stirring constantly until you have a coarse meal mixture Add cold water 13 at a time gathering mixture until it forms a ball Knead dough on a floured board for 20 minutes (adding more flour is necessary to prevent sticking) until dough is smooth Cover with a damp towel and let sit for at least 20 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling34 pound ground chicken 14 teaspoon salt2 teaspoons soy sauce2 teaspoons rice vinegar2 teaspoons sugar12 teaspoon black pepper1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger14 cup finely minced scallions 13 cup chicken broth
Combine all ingredients
Additional ingredients Blanched cabbage for steaming Soy sauce for serving
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough and fill with 1 tablespoon filling Pinch to seat shut Steam in a steamer lined with blanched cabbage over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes
honey + ricotta + caramelized onion pierogies Dough2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper14 teaspoon ground nutmeg1 egg12 cup + 2 tablespoons milk
Combine dry ingredients Add egg and milk Turn onto floured surface and knead for 5 minutes Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use
Filling2 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion chopped 15 ounces ricotta (part skim) 1 teaspoon salt12 teaspoon black pepper4 teaspoons honey1 egg
Heat oil in a pan over medium-low heat Add onions and caramelize While onions are caramelizing combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl When onions are ready add them to the mixture stirring constantly
Additional ingredientsButter for frying
To form roll out a ping-pong-ball-sized piece of dough fill with 1 table-spoon filling Pinch edges to seal Boil in salted water over high heat until dumplings float to the top (about 5 minutes) then transfer to a frying pan over medium heat Fry with butter until slightly browned
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
Museverb
be absorbed in thought
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 59
Wersquod driven between Edmonton and Calgaryso many times the road became a well-wornpaperback You in that over-sized blueVolvo the patchwork quilts of farmerrsquosfields enclosing your ribbon of asphalt
That night we left Highway 2 Irsquove committedto memory how we left your stationwagon stranded just to feel what itrsquod be like torace through the prairies in a January darknessOur shoes sliced into cregraveme brucircleacuteesnow while the soft black sky sought me out layingme quietly bare reminding me of the exhilarated speckI am We ran Ran as though nothing in the future couldhurt as though even oceans and grief and the absenceof God were surmountable
Do you know what itrsquos like to look out on oneof those unending planes To view an expanse of land sowide and so precious you fold open creased in the faceof future possibilities In that space yes even Icould start over
for e ly sePoem and photo by Carmyn Joy Effa
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
Hannah Brencher is a heroine among women a Christmas angel in
her own right Or at the very least living proof that the pen is
(much) mightier than the proverbial sword
Maybe yoursquove heard of this 24-year-old do-gooder from Connect-
icut and her organization The World Needs More Love Letters If
you havenrsquot yoursquore in for a treat What started out for Hannah as
a project in self-healing two years ago has exploded into a global
love letter extravaganza Today the initiative has inspired thou-
sands of hand-scripted sentiments to be stamped and sent out into
the world to help lift up strangers and brush off their sadness
Brencher champions a back-to-basics approach something oft
overlooked and yet powerful enough to bridge the undeniable
person-to-person gap technology leaves behind As she puts it
what we really need is ldquopure old-fashioned never-goes-out-of-
style Love Ridiculous oozing cannot-pack-this-thang-into-
140-characters kind of loverdquo
We sat down with Hannah to talk about making change the power
of kindness and of course putting pen to paper
Hannah we are so excited to be speaking with you we love the
project For our readers who might be less familiar can you tell
us a bit about who these love letters are going to
People come to our website and request love letters for someone
anyone who might need them This idea is very close to my heart
because we typically associate letter writing with occasions like
birthdays or Christmas or we designate them for specific causes
like cancer patients I wanted More Love Letters to exist so that
whoever you were and whatever yoursquod gone through you could
come onto the site and ask for letters for yourself or for somebody
else We give those requests to our letter writers to our subscrib-
An Interview with Hannah Brencherthe world needs more love letters
As told to Emily Rack
ers and to people who come onto the site looking to help We
make sure every single person gets a love letter or a bundle of love
letters
So how many letters have you facilitated
We just hit the 5000 mark
Wow Are you having a party
Oh my gosh no But we should start doing that
You definitely should That is a major cause for celebration
What inspired you to start the organization in the first place
I never intended to start it It wasnrsquot something on my radar or
something that I planned to do but when I was living in New York
City about two years ago I became enveloped with depression
At that time in my life I was fresh out of college and didnrsquot truly
know that depression was something you couldnrsquot help I figured it
was up to me to be strong enough to get over it and so to get myself
out of it I started writing love letters and leaving them all over
New York City
I wrote dozens of letters and then I started blogging about it and
said I would send a handwritten note to anybody who gave me their
address I wrote about 400 of them before I thought I could move
this out into the world to have a big impact Other people wanted
to do it too and wanted to know how to get involved
And there has been a massive response so far
Itrsquos been pretty crazy I think I thought it was going to die out after
a couple months or it might be a little side project I never thought
it would grow to be this massive Wersquore in 47 countries now and
growing every single day My favorite thing is getting emails from
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 61
people who want to sign on to this cause and hear about the stories
and fall in love with the site and the raw organic-ness of it I donrsquot
want it to become commercial or a cool club to join I want it to
resonate with people
Now that itrsquos become so much bigger than just you are you
working towards an ultimate goal
I had to step back and realize I canrsquot steer it as much as Irsquod like
People take it into their own hands and I fully acknowledge the
fact that More Love Letters has grown into something of its own
Irsquom there to nudge it in the right direction and there is a lot of
opportunity coming down the pipeline There is a lot I can do
with it but I donrsquot want to say what the end goal is because ulti-
mately it keeps changing
Can you tell us about a love letter request that made a huge
impact on you
One that really impacted me personally was a young woman called
Eilis whose mother requested love letters for her She had just
graduated high school and was about to go to college and her
father had recently passed away I felt a really strong attachment to
her so I adopted Eilisrsquos love letter bundle For my birthday I asked
people to send in a love letter for Eilis instead of writing a card for
me Her mother got in touch and told me they would read a letter
to each other every night and even after Eilis went to college she
found herself reading the letters That to me is really inspiring
and reminds me of why I do what I do
Do you have a personal history of letter writing Do they mean
something special to you
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
I actually do Irsquove always had a really strong hate in my heart for
not digital communication the fact that as we move forward with
digital communications we stop talking to each other
My mom has never really believed in technology Her main way
of communicating with me through college and when I lived in
New York was through letter writing I donrsquot think I fully under-
stood how a lot of people didnrsquot have these kinds of letters to their
names
And you wanted to bring that back
I was sitting in class in college after reading Beloved by Toni Morri-
son and my professor was talking about letter writing She said she
and her husband had met at a time when distance really kept them
apart and they fell in love through writing letters She said ldquoYour
generation is never going to have thatrdquo
And I realized that letters play an important role when it comes
to learning about one another fully You shovel all your thoughts
into a letter you mail it off and then you have to wait for some-
onersquos reaction In the world we live in today we donrsquot have that
waiting process Itrsquos so much easier to get to know a person quickly
and I donrsquot know that wersquore being thorough enough with it
So you think itrsquos important to unplug from technology
I do Irsquom a strong advocate for technology and I think that this is
why More Love Letters is better than any other letter-writing or-
ganization out there - because we fully acknowledge that we arenrsquot
going to be anything without Twitter and social networks
But I want people to know the importance of unplugging Irsquom 24
years old and I feel like my message should be ldquobe plugged in
and be familiar with social mediardquo but itrsquos not I think itrsquos really
important that we spend time with one another that wersquore present
with one another that wersquore not bringing our phones to the table
that wersquore not always Instagramming our every move
Our time here is very limited and we donrsquot know how much we
have of it I think of how plugged in we are and how much wersquore
living our lives on Facebook and Twitter and how that interrupts
living a full life and our relationships with one another
Oh you are right up our alley What else do you think is impor-
tant in living fully
I feel like I live my life on a mission I donrsquot feel my life is my own
so much as I feel like it is for helping others I feel like everything
I do should be done with somebody else in mind If Irsquom waking up
and not doing things for someone else Irsquom doing it wrong
I am so fortunate and blessed and so lucky every single day and I
should see every interaction and every person I come across as an
opportunity to be a light for them and a blessing in their day
Thank you so much Hannah We love what yoursquore doing and we
canrsquot wait to see whatrsquos next
Get out your best stationery and get involved with The World
Needs More Love Letters by checking out their website and make
sure to follow them on Twitter Last yearrsquos 12 Days of Love Letter
Writing project may be coming around again just in time for you
to start changing the world and spreading the holiday cheer one
stamped envelope at a time
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 63
hannahrsquos favorites
Season Fall
Cocktail Margarita
Drink Sweet tea (ldquoIrsquove just come back
from Georgiardquo)
Cookie Oreo
Beauty product Bare Minerals
makeup
Song Gangnam Style
Book Gone Girl
Vacation spot Georgia
Way to relax (what makes her a
TOTAL Violet girl) ldquoI like to listen to
Christmas music Year-round Irsquom
not kidding you Irsquove been listening to
Christmas music since last Christmas
Like tonight Irsquom going to plug in my
Christmas lights and listen to music
and probably drink hot chocolaterdquo
Flower Sunflower
Way to end a letter With crossed Ts
and dotted Is
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
Embellishverb
make (something) more attractive by the addition of decorative
details or features
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 65
Flirty amp Festive WinterPhotos by Ashlee GaddWords by Camilla SalemModeled by Orli Kadoch
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 67
lsquoTis the season to get dolled up and feel good So curl your lashes put on your favorite shade of lipstick and wear things that make you feel as special as this time of year Wersquod like to thank the Citizen Hotel in Sacramento for providing a lovely backdrop for this shoot
a flirty frock
Get yourself a short flirty dress for holiday parties
Wear tights if yoursquore not comfortable showing so much
leg but remember - if you opt for a short number
keep the neckline high (or vice versa)
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
romantic knits Heavy knitted sweaters beg for cups of hot
cocoa and cuddling (ideally with snow falling
outside) Bundle up but keep your hair loose
and relaxed
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 69
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
color frame
Stand out in a sea of neutral Winter colors
All the heavy food and champagne may have
you leaning on your black clothing a little bit
more but simply wrap a colored pashmina
around your neck to feel lighter and brighter
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 71
a touch of sparkle
It can be tempting to go overboard with
the sparkle during the holidays but most
of the time a little bit goes a long way A
sweet sparkly belt over a sweater is per-
fectly special for the season
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
Holiday Nailsthree hairstyles yoursquove got to try
Words by Kellee Vopelak Photos by Celeste Noche
Who doesnt like a little sparkle during
the holiday season (or year-round for
that matter) When it comes to my nails
I love when the holidays are around the
corner because it gives me an excuse to go
a little crazier with the glitter than I nor-
mally would Read on for several simple
ways to add a little shine to your Winter
manicures
Look 1
Colors
OPI - Keys to My Karma
American Apparel - Galaxy
I canrsquot stay away from this beautiful multi
An accent nail is very on-trend and eye-
catching right now and my favorite thing
about OPIrsquos ldquoKeys to my Karmardquo is that
it isnrsquot overwhelmingly ldquoChristmas redrdquo
You wonrsquot have to take your polish off im-
mediately after the holidays with this look
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Apply the necessary two coats of
this base color - itrsquos a thin polish so take
extra care to make sure all spots are cov-
ered and your nails arenrsquot left with streaks
Make sure you leave your ring finger (or
whichever finger you choose) with just the
clear coat
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoGalaxyrdquo
on your designated accent nail Once
finished dab a generous amount of the
polish onto tin foil Using a dotting tool
or a toothpick pick up each piece of glitter
one by one and place it in the empty spots
on your accent nail Repeat this until your
nail is completely covered You wonrsquot want
to stop looking at the finished product
Trust me
step 4 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 73
Look 2
Colors
Essie - Good as Gold
American Apparel - Meteor Shower
Gold glitter on gold nails may sound
outrageous but the best thing about
Essies Good as Gold is that its muted
- almost vintage-looking American
Apparels Meteor Shower is unique
(and one of my favorite glitters) because
the flecks are anything but consistent
Inside youll find tinsel-riffic bits and
pieces of different-sized gold foil Its a
great break from the predictable sparkle
step 1 Base coat
step 2 Youll want to make sure to
apply two coats of Good as Gold Its
necessary
step 3 My preference is just one
subtle coat of the glitter This way your
nails look more holiday fun and less
Ke$ha is coming to town
step 4 Finish with your favorite top
coat
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
Look 3
Colors
Essie - Steel-ing the Scene
American Apparel - Light Year
Therersquos nothing better than holographic
glitter This style is absolutely perfect for a
New Years Eve soireacutee Your nails will shine
like a disco ball
step 1 You guessed it - base coat
step 2 Yoursquoll need two coats of Essiersquos
ldquoSteel-ing the Scenerdquo Itrsquos such a unique
color - applying it is half the fun
step 3 Apply one coat of ldquoLight Yearrdquo
to each of your nails after letting the silver
dry for a bit
step 4 After the glitter has slightly
dried apply another coat starting midway
up your nail Again let it dry
step 5 Apply glitter to just the tips of
your nails ndash think unique glittery French
manicure Feel free to get creative with the
gradient
step 6 Top coat
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 75
Look 4
Colors
American Apparel - Malibu Green
American Apparel - Galaxy
Something about this look just screams
Christmas Lights The unexpected teal
under the shiny multicolor glitter is per-
fect for the holidays but can also be worn
well into the Spring
step 1 To discourage staining evenly
apply your favorite base coat and let it dry
step 2 Apply one or two coats of
American Apparels Malibu Green De-
pending on your technique one coat may
be all you need
step 3 Let the teal dry mostly then
apply one coat of Galaxy If youre feeling
extra sparkly feel free to apply extra coats
to achieve your desired look
Step 4 Finally apply a top coat My fa-
vorite happens to be Seche Vite Ive never
used anything like it
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
Loveverb
have a profoundly tender passionate affection for (another person)
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 77
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
As women we tend to identify ourselves by labels Irsquom a wife a
daughter and a sister Irsquom a teacher and a consultant Irsquom a Junior
Leaguer and Kappa Alpha Theta Irsquom a blonde-haired blue-eyed
California girl who is currently playing Southern lady My list is
long like everyone elsersquos and depending on what kind of mood Irsquom
in and what the situation is certain labels are more prominent
than others Last December I added wife to my list of labels when
I married the cute athletic boy from high school who is now an
Infantry Officer in the United States Army
We spent the first year of our relationship on opposite coasts
I was a high school special education teacher at our alma mater
in Northern California and he was going through the Infantry
Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning Georgia With over
50000 miles flown that year it became quite clear that the word
ARMY was going to be attached to me too When Grant and I
started dating we knew that there would be lots of unpredictable
moments and things we would not be able to control Weve always
called them ldquoexternal factorsrdquo Thatrsquos just the way the Army works
The day we were married was the most special day of my life and
ldquowiferdquo was a welcome addition to my list of labels We were sur-
rounded by family and friends We exchanged vows at the church
my parents were married in We ate cake And we dancedhellip a lot
But that day I became not only a wife but also an Army wife
From my experience the public perception is that the Army wife
life is a lot like the television show Army Wives on Lifetime And
while some people may have that experience that has not been
ours We donrsquot live on post And while I am friends with the wives
in the battalion Grant serves with they arenrsquot my go-to people
when Army life gets tough For me the people I turn to will always
be my friends and family back home The people in California
Life As An Army WifeWords by Kingsley FrazierPhoto on opening page by Carmyn Joy Effa
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 79
have known Grant and me since before we embarked on this crazy
rollercoaster called the Army They know all the good bad and
ugly in our lives They know us without any labels at all And while
the Army wives I know may not be my best friends and we do not
all meet at the local bar every chance we get to vent (no matter what
Lifetime would lead you to believehellip) there are several common
experiences we share
Being an Army wife means lots of things
1 Loving your husband unconditionally
2 Building a relationship based on communication and love -
because sometimes when yoursquore far apart those are the only two
things you have And even then communication can be spotty if it
is available at all
3 Understanding that the Army comes first even though you know
your husband loves your more than his job
4 Leaning a whole new vocabulary filled with mostly acronyms
FRG (Family Readiness Group) SDO (Staff Duty Officer) PCS
(Permanent Change of Station)hellip
5 Remembering that he cannot control his work schedule So yes
sometimes he will have leave in the middle of the night to go take
care of a problem created by someone else even if this means miss-
ing the end of your favorite romantic comedy that yoursquove finally
convinced him to watch
6 Learning to love hogging his side of the bed when he is training
in the field for two weekshellip or five weeks at a timehellip or even longer
when hersquos deployed
7 Fully embracing being THAT girl sobbing her way through the
airport after a tearful goodbye
8 Leaning on family and friends when times are tough and yoursquore
missing home more than usual
9 Having those beginning of relationship butterflies come back
every time you get to see your husband after too much time apart
10 And most of all remembering that God has a greater plan for
us all
Irsquom not a spokesperson for all Army wives All I know is my experi-
ence and the experiences others have shared with me We may all
be Army Wives but in many cases that is where the similarities
end My husband has permanent nerve damage to his foot that
will not allow him to make the Army a career like he thought And
although I wonrsquot have the Army wife label forever this experience
will stay with us always The Army has forced Grant and me to
build a relationship from two sides of the country We fell in love
through text messages phone calls and weekend trips The depth
of love that this experience has created is what allows me to deal
with all the external factors the Army brings into our lives Irsquod be
lying if I pretended not to be thrilled that my life wonrsquot be spent
dreading deployments and time apart Irsquom thankful for those that
are protecting our country and for my husbandrsquos dedication to his
job But Irsquom a California girl at heart and canrsquot wait for us to be
home
Photo credit White Haute Photography
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
My journey to foster care began nearly ten
years ago when I spent several weeks work-
ing in an orphanage in Brazil It was there
that I met a tiny 2-year-old girl who called
me Tia (aunt) All she wanted to do was
cuddle her head buried in my chest one
of her hands stroking my face Her family
had dropped her off at the orphanage when
she was an infant and the need she had for
love was so clear I so desperately wanted to
give her the love she needed and the rem-
nants of that desire have stayed with me
About two years ago my husband and I
came to the conclusion that our first child
should be adopted As we tried to decide
how we would go about adopting we kept
circling back to adoption through foster
care
As of July 2011 our plan was to finish our
certification provide short-term respite
care for a couple of months and then
accept a long-termadoptive placement
in possibly December or January 2012
Well on a rainy Friday in September we
got a phone call that put our plan in fast-
forward We were two steps away from com-
pleting our certification when our social
worker called to see if we were interested in
taking a 2-month old baby boy Despite the
fact that this was five months earlier than
expected I said yes () without hesitation
The social worker told me we could meet
the baby that same afternoon
Let me back up a moment and clarify that
when I received the phone call about this
baby boy I was coming out of a yoga class
I was sweaty hungry and unprepared
We didnrsquot really have anything for a baby
and by that I mean we had only a second-
hand crib and one blanket I was worried
about bonding and attachment and I was
concerned that he would feel too much like
someone elsersquos child for me to feel like a
mother at all
Two hours after I received ldquothe callrdquo my
husband and I walked into the short-term
home where our sweet boy was staying and
saw him sitting in his car seat
ldquoWe just arrivedrdquo the social worker said ldquoI
thought you could take him outrdquo
I walked over to where he was placed care-
fully lifted him up and as I looked down
at his darling little face we locked eyes In
that moment I felt flooded with a love that
I cannot describe but Irsquod venture to say
that itrsquos the love all mothers feel for their
children It was and still is all encom-
passing
As I reflect back on those first moments I
can see how that hour served as a preview
into what has become our year in foster
care totally crazy There we were with
three social workers an intern and a
brand new baby who was as unprepared
for his transition as we were He had an
ill-fitting onesie the too-big outfit he
was wearing and thatrsquos it We filled out
paperwork while Mason screamed his head
off and I desperately tried to look like the
worldrsquos most competent first-time mom
In the midst of the chaos of that first hour
we fell in love This love had nothing to
do with his big brown eyes or his soft baby
curls Actually his adorableness didnrsquot
register with me until we took him home I
didnrsquot even know if we could keep him but
I was his mother then and nothing else
mattered
I used to hate the saying ldquoall you need is
loverdquo because it seemed cheesy and too
simplistic to be accurate However lately
Irsquove been thinking that it might actually be
a little bit true Because Masonrsquos perma-
nence in our home is uncertain people
often ask if this attachment is too hard or
too scary and the answer is yes This last
year has been the most overwhelming ex-
hausting heart-wrenching year of my life
but I would do it over again in an instant
As I think about that cheesy phrase and
how sometimes it might not be true I ac-
knowledge that this year it was That sweet
screaming baby boy ndash who has since grown
into a joyful yelling toddler - needed love
and I found that I had an abundance Even
though our house is now fully stocked with
baby gear and toddler toys we always had
the one thing we needed most
All We Need Is LoveWords by Anna JordanPhoto by Ashlee Gadd
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 81
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
Closeverb
bring or come to an end
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 83
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
Back Story
Irsquove never made a dumpling of any kind in
my life Irsquom not sure why but the thought of
making some kind of dough and filling it
with some kind of filling totally intimi-
dated me for the longest time But as is
always the case when I put together these
issues I find myself faced with the tasks of
doing things I never thought Irsquod be able to
do I surprised myself in Fall 2011 when I
successfully whipped up a batch of peanut
brittle (yum) then again in Summer 2012
when I learned how to make a bouquet
And now this issue I successfuly con-
quered the potsticker
And boy am I glad I did
Clearly dumplings are a metaphor for
bigger obstacles When I first started this
magazine I had no idea what I was doing
I simply had something in front of me that
I wanted to try out And I went for it guns
blazing Irsquove learned a lot about myself and
a lot about life from this experience and
while failures are inevitable often you
learn the most from them So I guess what
it comes down to is that whatever you have
in front of you that yoursquod like to try maybe
you should just go for it Yoursquoll never know
what you might gain along the way if you
donrsquot try
And boy yoursquoll be so glad you did
By Camilla Salem
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
HOLIDAY 2012 | 85
Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right
Oprah Winfrey
and a happy new year
and a happy new year