L.L.Bean Double L® Polos. I have never found a better value in a polo.

Bob is a "polo and khakis" kind of guy. Always has been. But, most of his polos had seen better days. Much better. Not that he didn't have name brands hanging in the closet, he did, but in looking through them there were several things I noticed. After they had been washed a million times, most of them faded and had some pilling. Also, on many of the polos the collars developed a weird stiffness and some had permanent creasing that I couldn't beat out of them with a hammer.

I started looking for the perfect polo for Bob. Something soft, with a classic cut (none of that "athletic cut" for him), that could run through the wash and come out looking perfect every time. I of course thought I was dreaming, until I decided to try a few Double L Polos from LLBean. I got him three colors to start with, a gray, a mustard and navy.

Everything LLBean says about this polo is dead-on. Not only do they have a really soft feel, but they maintain that softness wash after wash. They did not shrink one bit, and they come out of the dryer wrinkle-free (they do have an actual wrinkle free style, but I just went for the regular ones as shown). Bob loves the way they feel, and I LOVE the price: $17.50. In my opinion they are preferable to the RL polos he had, and at less than half the price.

I'm going back for more today, and I am going to try one of the women's versions for myself. How can you go wrong with a classic from LLBean!?

Update (8/10): I finally received my LLBean Double L polo for women. Just exactly the same soft feel and nice drape as the men's version. The description says that it is slightly fitted and cut for women, but it is definitely boxier than the more contemporary women's polos out there. However, I liked it for its retro/classic feel. Because it is relaxed and comfortable, will be the perfect golf shirt with walking shorts or cropped pants, and it looks just as cute with jeans. I recommend it.

Bad hair days? Flatten them.

For me, hair styling has always been a hit-or-miss proposition. I have "accidentally good" hair days, but I can't seem to string them together because I can't remember what I did right. I recently embarked on a quest for no more bad hair days, hoping to use some new technology and some new product to come up with a system that works for me.

My first step was to upgrade a couple of personal care items in my drawer. First to go was the vintage blow dryer, in favor of a new one with ionic and ceramic technology. It was not a top of the line dryer by any means (it's a Vidal Sassoon one I got at Ulta for about $13), but combined with an ionic/ceramic brush (about $9), my hair is salon-soft.

While my hair was now as soft as I wanted it to be, it still had a mind of it's own. It flipped out on one side and in on the other. So, I went on a search for a new hair straightening iron. This is the one I picked up: the Conair Ultra Slim Straightener - CS4JCS for $17.99 at Walgreens. Unlike a little travel straightener I had used before, this one heats up in literally 60 seconds or less, it has really comfy handles and it stays consistently hot. I never had to hold the plates on any section of hair, rather I just slid the plates down the strands and got the effect I was looking for – hair that still has some bounce, but is controlled. I get consistent results in 5 minutes or less.

So, how will this work into my morning routine? I typically wrap my hair in a microfiber towel while I put on my makeup (see previous post), so by the time I get around to drying it, it’s just barely damp. I apply some straightening gel (currently using Paul Mitchell), and then clip my hair into sections and dry, starting with the back and bottom layers and working up. At this point I am not worrying about getting it straight, just getting it dry. Then, I plug in the straightener and tidy up for the 60 seconds it takes to heat up. I section my hair the same way and straighten. My goal is to control it, not to make it super-extra flat, so I am not spending a lot of time on any section.

Total time spent on my hair should now be in the 10-15 minute range. Not bad. And the bonus is that the time I save can be converted into sleep time!

Cool summer eyeshadow (literally), and mineral makeup that doesn't break the bank.

I am not a beauty product maven by any means, but occasionally I run across things that work pretty well for me. If you don't have an Ulta store near you, you can go to their website to find these (and lots more).

The first is called Cooling Eyeshadow. I haven't used a cream eyeshadow in years, so they must have been improved since... oh, say the 70s. It comes in three colors, Sunkist Pink, Bronze Shimmer, and Gold Glow. Pink shadow makes women my age look like we've been crying, so I chose the Gold Glow. It goes on with a slight "cooling" sensation, easily blends and all I need is a touch of liner and some mascara and it's a simple, less-than-five-minute look that I have been wearing all summer.


The second product is Ulta's own mineral makeup. I decided to try mineral makeup a while back, but I was very dubious at first. After all, they tell women of a certain age that powder tends to settle into fine lines, making us look older. Egad, anything but that. However, this type of makeup provides good coverage without any kind of heavy feeling and low and behold it's nothing like wearing powder. Bonus, the minerals are supposed to have some extra goodies like antioxidants that are actually said to improve the condition of the skin. I was a convert, but OUCH, the Bare Minerals I was using was pretty pricey, $25.

When I ran out of the Bare Minerals, I noticed that Ulta had come out with their own brand, and at $14, it was tempting. It came in fewer colors but one that matched what I was using so I grabbed it. What's the worst that could happen? I notice no real difference in the way the Ulta mineral makeup goes on, the coverage is the same and it feels as lightweight as the expensive stuff. I actually like the Ulta packaging better, because it has a transparent, domed lid, which is where I put the powder on the brush. It's not often you find something cheaper that works the way the expensive stuff does.

Both lines are available at Ulta, so you could try both yourself and see if you notice a difference. I will take the savings and go have myself a double-shot Brevé instead!

Keep it neat. Use a tray.

I can’t claim this idea as my own, but I do use it and it works. It came from a little book someone gave me called
“Simplify Your Life: 100 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy the Things That Really Matter”by Elaine St. James. The book has a lot of practical tips you can implement, and some others that are less practical for the way we live.

The goal of this particular tip is to reduce the number of times you have to vacuum (a good goal in my life) by reducing the amount of crumbs, drips and messes created when the family takes food into the family room.

Truth is, many of us eat meals and snacks in front of the television, and it’s not very realistic to demand that they eat only in the dining room. So, as the book suggests, I initiated the “Tray Program.” Every time we took our meals or a snack into the family room, we put everything on a tray. The tray went on the ottoman or our laps, forming a “TV tray.” The bonus of the Tray Program is that you actually have everything you need right on your tray – your food, your drink, silverware a napkin and even salt and pepper. So, you aren’t running back and forth to the kitchen. When dinner’s over, the trays simply get a wipe-down and they’re put back. Notice how many crumbs and drips are on the trays, and you’ll realize that those crumbs and drips could have been on your furniture or floor.

I had some fun with this. I went to a few antique stores and found some nostalgic old metal trays that were very inexpensive – less than $8 a piece. I started collecting them in just about every shape and size. Some are the “full meal” size, and some are just right for a snack and a pop. You could snap up some cute plastic trays at Kmart or Wal-Mart and they would work great, too. Stash them away or keep them out in sight, either way just insist that every time someone takes food out of the kitchen it goes on a tray.

When someone calls you a “neat freak” or OCD, just smile and thank them and imagine how much more they have to vacuum than you do.

No-crust Broccoli and Ham Quiche

This is a very slight modification of recipe for no-crust quiche. Perfect for low-carb eaters, they turned out puffy, golden brown and delicious.

You'll need:
1 package (10 ounces) frozen broccoli florets
3-4 slices of deli ham, cut up
6 large eggs
1/2 cup half-and-half
About a cup of crumbled sharp cheddar cheese
Salt & pepper to taste

How to:
Preheat your oven to 350º.

Spray four ramekins with non-stick spray. I used these little creme brulée dishes from Crate & Barrel (shown). The recipe filled four just perfectly, and they looked even more like little individual quiches.

Microwave the broccoli, then drain and let cool while you combine the eggs, half and half, cheese, ham and s&p. Cut the broccoli into smaller pieces if you need to, then add to the egg mixture.

Put the ramekins on a rimmed cookie sheet and ladle the egg mixture evenly into each one.

Bake for about 40 minutes until puffed and golden brown.

There's really nothing to it. I have three left over, which I took out of the ramekins and put in plastic for breakfasts for the next few days. I think they should reheat pretty well in the microwave.

This is one of those recipes I can see myself changing up, substituting vegetables and cheese for a different flavor profile. Instead of the broccoli I could see using fresh zuchinni or asparagus or a carmelized onion.

Update: Reheated one for about 1.5 minutes in the microwave this morning and it was just delish. My next experiment will be to freeze them, which should work fine because regular quiches can be frozen for about a month after baking. A bunch of these in the freezer and I won't have to worry about breakfasts during the work week!

Second Update 7/26: I have made this recipe three times now, once with asparagus and once with just ham and cheese. The plain ham and cheese tempted Bob to try them, and he's hooked. I will be making these on a very regular basis.

On another note, I decided to research the origin of the recipe. I had originally seen this recipe on a blog and the author credited it to Martha Stewart. It may have been originally hers, but crustless quiche recipes are all over the place, popular on low-carb recipe sites as well as mainstream cooking sites. So, if it was Martha's to start with, it's everyone's now. Bon appétit!

Rachael Ray is looking for tips from US!

Submit Your Tip to Everyday with Rachael Ray!

If you have a hot kitchen tip, submit it on Rachael Ray's "Everyday" website for a chance to get a free year's subscription to the magazine AND get your tip published. I tried my hand with this idea:

"This has become such a natural for me I didn't even think of it as a "tip" until now! I keep a little set of four vintage dessert plates stacked up on the counter next to my stove to use as spoon rests. When I'm cooking a big meal and need more space for utensils, I just slide the top one off, and there's the next clean one in line. I'm never out a place to rest my spoon or tongs when one of the little plates is in the sink or dishwasher. Note: I think a set of old mismatched saucers would work too, and mixing up the patterns to match your decor could be fun."

Mini Review – 16 Blocks

16 Blocks (2006)

Moral of the story: Don't stop at the liquor store with only 12 more blocks to go.


Not particularly original - bad cops, good cop, mouthy witness - but I liked it. Bruce Willis is not the quintessential do-gooder in this flick, instead, he's a former cop-on-the-take-turned-alcoholic who is trying to prevent his former bad-cop partners from killing the witness to save their own skins. Frankly, it looks at times like Willis' character Jack Mosley, is trying to commit semi-slow suicide the odds are so stacked against him. So, it's a little contrived. So, it's pretty predictable. So, crime never pays. I still recommend it b/c it's an entertaining, solid movie that draws you in as far as it goes (which is about "that" far). Lots of shootings, people cuss some, but surprisingly it is only PG-13.