winter detox

every so often i like to do a cleanse for the body, primarily for my liver. i'm not necessarily a heavy drinker, but i can be if i want to. i always feel great after i do a cleanse and i decided to do one this week and Trevor decided to join me.

i don't juice cleanse. some people swear by it, but i know that my body cannot sustain any energy without the proper nutrients. before i even did research about the different cleanses out there, i made my own. for 7 days, i avoid alcohol, meat, dairy and gluten. i focus most of my attention on vegetables and fruit, and still allow myself eggs for lots of good protein. basically its like being a wheat-free vegan for a week (if you drink coffee, switch to green tea!). it's definitely challenging and your body will feel tired out, but the results are worth it. trim a little off your belly while also cleansing your system of toxins.

one of my favorite websites for all things holistic, nutritious and conscience-minded is www.mindbodygreen.com. i even found a page with links to a plethora of articles about cleansing, juicing, detoxing and healthy eating here. i HIGHLY recommend doing research on any cleanse you plan to try, and seek out advice from people who have done them before. talk to your friends, family, yoga teacher, or any other mentor for guidance and you will surely find the right way to detox for yourself.

enjoy and be a healthy Betty!!

                                            

                                                                                                      

the best thing i've ever cooked

OK, so by now we've established that i have a deep love for eating, vegetables, cooking and all things food-related. the other night, i made the best thing i've ever cooked. in a decade of living independently and learning how to cook delicious and nutritious food for myself, i swear this is the best thing i've ever made. and it was super easy! 

the other day, i got some organic chicken legs to roast with winter vegetables, and i found a couple of fennel bulbs in the fridge that were about to go bad. i looked up recipes with fennel and found myself this one. i made a few adjustments to the recipe, like i cooked it in a large skillet on the stovetop, so that the house would smell more like fennel and bacon, and so the oven wouldn't be crowded (the chicken and vegetables were roasting away already). instead of using spinach, i substituted chard that we had in the fridge from the other night. i meant to include the chard stems, like i've mentioned before, but i forgot and they can be used for something else delicious. 

the finished product: sweet, salty, fatty, crunchy, garlicky,
tangy goodness. 

maybe it was the organic, thick-cut bacon i used that i get from the co-op, or the slow simmer of the stovetop, but this dish became an instant classic that i will now cook many times in my life. 

to top it all off, we used the leftovers in our egg scramble, such as we love to do, this morning, with avocado slices and Udi's gluten-free toast. if you are vegetarian or vegan, you'll have to use a bacon substitute, and for your sake i hope it's comparable (because only bacon is as good as bacon). 

enjoy!!!

    

co-ops are the best ops

you may not know much about the co-operative movement that's happening in our world, but it's probably best if you get to know about it. these organizations are popping up in different industries, including grocery, fashion, and art, and in every way they are beneficial to all parties involved.

our bag of goodies after joining EastSide Co-op:
includes a book about founding co-ops,
dark chocolate, tea, coupons and recipes!

my first co-op experiences were here in the Twin Cities about 6 years ago when i learned about the place where my sister Erin did all of her grocery shopping. she had moved from Seattle and introduced me to the world of holistic wellness, yoga and local/sustainable food. soon after i realized how awesome Erin's co-op was, i immediately joined the one in my neighborhood in Minneapolis called the Wedge (it's well-known amongst foodies and co-op supporters around the country). yesterday, Trev and i bought our lifetime membership at the EastSide food co-op in our new Minneapolis neighborhood.

co-operatives have grown popular in the past decade with the advent of the local and organic movements, but some have been around much longer. they are perfect venues for small, local farmers and producers to sell and promote their goods. when we buy local we have a great impact on our community and the environment. co-ops provide a space for the producers and also reward member-owners with special coupons, discounts and yearly dividend returns. one year i got a check for $87 from the Wedge!! it's all pretty special if i do say so myself.

multi-use winter accessories

now that it's november in Minnesota, i've been happily pulling out my winter jackets, clothes and accessories. i am a summer baby but i do love layering and feeling cozy when its cold outside.

back in August i found an amazing, handmade vintage crochet shawl at Ragstock for about $6. with a little push and some inspiration from my style guides on instagram (@manrepeller is particularly influential) i put the shawl to the test as a scarf. lo and behold, it is a thing of beauty and warmth worn either way.

shawl/scarf, vintage rings, red nail polish and a recycled
military-inspired black jacket. 

when i get to school after braving the elements and the bus, then i use it as a shawl again to keep me warm in the cold classrooms. i love getting the most out of my money, using recycled pieces year-round!

the currency of trade

ok, ok, i know i have been absent from posting for a few weeks - but i'm a grad student now and school has pretty much taken over my life! also, my family and Trevor were in town and i was incredibly busy. ANYWAY...

i recently made a connection via Instagram (only the best social media app out there - photos galore!!) with a sweet chica from California who crochets and makes really awesome things. see, part of the magic of Instagram and other social media outlets is the hashtag. i think i'll have to devote an entire post to hashtags and their capabilities another time. so i found this Neena and mentioned on one of her photos of an item that she made that i would love to trade if she liked any of my own creations. lo and behold, we connected again via Etsy and now the trade is in progress! i make her 2 custom pairs of earrings and she crochets me a super adorable cropped sweater vest.

Neena's custom leather fringe and chain earrings, by bohobetty (me)

now that i've found how easy this can be among artisans, i made a note of it on my etsy page so that if other creative people like my jewelry but are tight on cash, we can both benefit by making a trade for equal value. just like that, we eliminated the need for dollars AND we are supporting one another as artists. this sounds familiar, yet not quite mainstream...more on the co-operative model is to come!

seamstress betty

remember that betty emergency i told you about a few weeks ago? when i couldn't quite fix my beautiful vintage velvet gypsy skirt in time for my friend's wedding? well, i found a solution and with the help of my mom's nice sewing machine, everything is all better now and ready to wear.

original

thrifted for material

as i was perusing the racks at my favorite Twin Cities thrift store (which i could reveal but i'd be giving away my secret), i found another velvet maxi skirt in a similar burgundy color for $2. i immediately bought it, with the brilliant idea of using it as my added material to lengthen the skirt.

when i finally got around to this project the other day, i made sure to take measurements before beginning, so i knew if i would have enough material or not. i measured the hem of the original gypsy skirt (as a bell-shaped skirt the measurement around the bottom is pretty big), and also measured the replacement material skirt. i cut the replacement skirt into 4 sections of even width, attached them to form one long piece, and hemmed it. when it came time to attach it to the original skirt, i was just a hair short but had enough material left over to fill in the gap.

finally came time to attach the long piece to the hem of the original skirt, for which i used a heavy duty zig-zag stitch, since the velvet materials are fairly heavy. et voila! it turned out great. though the colors are just a hair different and the sewing is not perfect, it's perfect for me and will do just fine for me to wear. yet another way to make use of my resources and efforts for an entirely custom piece of clothing.

finished product!! adds about 4 inches to the original length

betty negotiates

today i was faced with the issue of a miscalculated cell phone bill, due to a mistake made by a phone company employee a month ago. the old me would've gotten angry and started to take out my anger with customer service reps, who probably would then be unwilling to give me what i want. instead, i called, very nicely explained the situation, and firmly explained what i wanted the outcome to be. i can tell i'm a grad student on her way to becoming a full-on grown-up by doing this. turned out i had to call one more time, at which point i explained everything again, very nicely but firmly, and before i knew it i had credits on my bill and exactly the outcome i had requested. funny how being nice will get you what you want.....


to top it off, i found some AMAZING vintage boots on Etsy that i had been searching for, and finally had found my size. but the price was wrong. they were $25 more than the other pair i had looked at, so i sent a message to the seller to see if she was willing to negotiate. 3 hours later, she responded positively. i get the magical vintage boots that are the perfect size, and she still makes a decent sale to a fellow Etsy member. ta-daa!! negotiating can definitely contribute to my resourcefulness. and it feels so good to get a good deal!!

mass transit, mass benefits

i know i have been so delinquent in the past few weeks in posting, since school has somewhat taken over my life. now that i have a schedule in place and am on top of all homework, i have a few things to share about being resourceful.

since i've been in Minneapolis i've started using public transportation again (Tahoe is not exactly great for those without cars). as an urban area its incredibly easy to get around by bus, and very soon the Light Rail will be expanded to cover more area in both Minneapolis and St. Paul. though its great to save money and energy, there are a few pitfalls to public transportation.

1. timing

in order to make it to my classes, i have to give myself a minimum of one hour to get to campus, usually more to be safe (i absolutely hate being late to class, especially as a professional-looking grad student). i actually have to take 2 buses to school which can delay things even further, especially when i'm done for the day and i just want to go home. it is, however, a great time to practice patience and remember why i'm taking the bus in the first place.

2. waiting

waiting for the bus goes hand-in-hand with timing, but i also feel like there's a decent amount of waiting while i'm on the bus. sometimes passengers need extra assistance getting on and off the bus, or maybe there's a lot of people getting on or off the bus. in addition, just waiting to get to my stop can sometimes feel like eternity. to combat this, i bring a book (unrelated to school) that can draw my attention away from the waiting. by nature i am not a patient person so i try to remember to do these things and not drive myself crazy.

3. bus etiquette (or lack thereof)

personally, i prefer to ride the bus with headphones and keep to myself. other people want to make conversation. as politely as possible, i smile and pretend like i can't hear them, which usually i can't anyways. i certainly don't want to offend anyone but i also am not interested in talking to a stranger about nothing while i'm commuting to school. it's also important to be courteous to everyone and their space, though some people have a harder time with this. i always make room in a seat for older folks, and i politely excuse myself when i arrive at my stop and i'm sitting on the inside seat. people who often ride the bus are usually on the same page, so this hasn't really been an issue for me. just to be safe, i make sure and practice my best manners.

all in all, riding the bus and public transportation is better for my wallet and the environment, though it can sometimes be trying. when possible, i think its a great option and certainly much better than trying to commute into or through a major city, and pay an outrageous amount for parking (unless your company or firm is willing to pay and you don't mind traffic). it's a great way to save money and energy and be resourceful!!

consignment gold at the end of the rainbow

unless you've been living under a rock and know nothing about me (or have never read this blog before), you know nothing about my obsession with used and secondhand goods. i love thrifting and vintage shopping so much i even wrote a guide for my readers and followers so you too can strike gold at your local thrift shop or vintage boutique.

silk Marc Jacobs blouse, purchased for $26
in 2008

last week i was given the privilege to pick a few things out (for back-to-school, yay!!) with my parents at my favorite consignment store EVER, Fashion Avenue. i could go into more detail about its location but that would be completely giving up the secret. there i found a sweet scoop neck Velvet brand wool-blend tunic and a light-colored and lightweight plaid button down by Free People, all together for under $60.

the lot of scores from 1 week of consignment shopping

a few days later, my dad called and said i had a store credit at Fashion Avenue as a late birthday present, so i was able to go pick out a few more things for school, when i found an adorable grey sweater dress by Free People and some J Brand black denim bootcut jeans, again for about $60. that may seem like a lot to spend on just a few items, but knowing what i do about these brands means they will last for a long time, fit me well, and can be consigned for something different if i decide i don't like them anymore.

keyhole and ribbon detail from the back of Free People sweater dress

i cannot tell you how satisfying it feels to find such amazing deals on high quality clothing. i mean i can, and i am now, but i recommend you find out for yourself. check my guide (all 3 parts) for more info and tips to making the most of your money! being resourceful will always pay off, i guarantee.

san francisco on the quick

Trev tries on his favorite team's
helmet at a Mission thrift store

earlier this week, Trevor and i decided to head right down the hill to the great city of San Francisco for a quick trip to see friends and enjoy the city. the drive down is only 3 hours from Truckee and beautiful through the foothills. if i have the time, i usually stop at Pedrick Produce in the Valley, to stock up on local fruits and veggies. our first day and night were spent mostly socializing and going out in the city, which can be costly, but we managed to not spend a total fortune on alcohol.

Mexican Cokes

the next day we nursed a serious hangover with brunch at Eats Restaurant in the inner Richmond district. after our meal, we headed to the Castro so i could swing by Crossroads to sell some clothes. i've been cleaning out my closets as i get ready to move to Minnesota and i was able to sell a few things, though that particular Crossroads was already well stocked. while i did my errand, Trevor and his friends went to hang out at nearby Mission Dolores park. after a food coma and nap we got ready to head out of town, hitting up the famed Mission Chinese restaurant on our way out of the city. i've been hearing about this place for a while, where authentic, traditional Chinese cuisine takes center stage and the public comes pouring in. the sign outside is for the previous restaurant, named Lung Shan (it's yellow and hangs overhead; have to keep an eye out!). the vibe inside is hip yet traditional, featuring lanterns and huge paintings of the General Mao and his comrades. we ordered 4 "Mexican Cokes" (Coca-Cola in a glass bottle) made with real sugar and got to work on the menu.

between the 4 of us, we ordered one soup, one chicken dish, and two vegetable dishes, one of which was a cold appetizer. all food is served family style and the portions are appropriate, even at a fairly inexpensive price. without realizing it, we did all order fairly spicy dishes and the kitchen staff certainly does not skimp on the spice. after sufficiently stuffing ourselves and relieving our burning mouths with cold Coke, we paid up and tipped the very aloof hipster server. including tip, we spent under $80 (his aloofness prompted only an 18% tip).  with a little time to kill before rush hour ended on the Bay Bridge, we headed to a nearby thrift store on Mission and 17th. the place was like a huge warehouse, yet i found nothing (and i am trying hard to stop collecting items right before i move).

cold Garlic Cucumbers at
Mission Chinese

we made it home to Truckee that night around midnight and i was supremely exhausted, but it was all well worth it. San Francisco is my favorite city and i was happy to have one last trip before heading east again for school.

Mongolian Long Beans with Leeks
(this was the spiciest and my favorite dish!)

the spread: Kung Pao pastrami, Garlic Cucumbers,
Mongolian Long Beans and Smoked Beef
Brisket soup