Author: Chelsea Harper

Aspiring Food Network celebrity chef/Conan O'Brien. Incurable brunette.

Oh Chat!

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What better way to express that you’re an avid cat-lady/francophile? A shirt that says, “Oh Chat”! When I found this in the ASOS online outlet (my ultimate weakness), I HAD to have it! Also, it has side slits so I can show off my rarely-seen tattoos.


top/Asos, sandals/Keds, sunnies/ABM for BonLook


Today was beyond gorgeous—a major plus since Michael and I had to wake up at the crack of dawn and drive into Boston to renew his passport for our trip to Montréal this weekend! But on the bright side, I found street parking (twice!) and treated us to doughnuts and coffee at Blackbird Doughnuts!

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Also, white pants forever! I avoided white pants like the plague for years because I assumed that disaster would befall me if I ever wore them. 2016 has been the year of white pants for me, and nothing terrible has happened! No stains! No “surprise visitors”!

*furiously knocks on wood*

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I took advantage of the nice weather to finish the novel I’m reading and start an overdue paper for school. I finished the book, but only wrote about a paragraph of the paper…oops.

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The book, In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez, is so good that I’m planning on devoting a post to it. Easily the best book I’ve read all year!

How are you enjoying the beautiful springtime weather?

—DellaBites

Doughnut Obsession: Blackbird Doughnuts 

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I finally tried Blackbird Doughnuts today, and there are no words. NO WORDS.

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492 Tremont St Boston, MA

Just kidding, there are always words! Blackbird is an artisanal doughnut shop on Tremont St. that bakes on site and has an ever-rotating menu of flavors. While they have plenty of “normal” flavors (chocolate frosted, vanilla glaze, etc.) they also don’t skimp on the creativity! I had an Everything Bagel Doughnut. That’s right—a freaking savory doughnut. It was even sliced down the middle with cream cheese frosting on it. Onion and garlic on a doughnut doesn’t sound good, but BOY was it!

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I chose the Everything Bagel and the Lemon-Poppy. Michael’s sweet tooth won out and he got Triple Chocolate Cake and Strawberry-Honey. Blackbird also serves a cold brew that’s really smooth, so I filled up my mason jar (zero-waste, y’all!)

In conclusion, run—don’t walk!—to Blackbird and get yo’self some damn doughnuts. Bonus points: there’s actual street parking there! I know! In the city of Boston!

Are there any other kickass shops in Boston that I should know about?!

—DellaBites

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Praise.

DIY not? Vinyl Storage

Chelsea HarperLeave a comment

So, guys—I did a DIY and it did NOT turn out horribly!


I recently bought my first record player (yes, at age 24, shut up). I only have 4 LPs so far (because of the Spending Fast), but they have such pretty artwork that I just needed to display them. When I saw this Photo Ledge DIY on A Beautiful Mess, I knew I’d found just the thing.

Rilo Kiley’s The Execution of All Things & Eisley’s Currents
Since we redecorated our living room, there’s been an awkward patch of bare wall underneath our faux-mantlepiece that I’ve been dying to fill up with some art. When I saw the DIY on ABM, I figured I could make the space work double duty as a place to store my tiny record collection.

Jenny Lewis’ Acid Tongue & Belle and Sebastian’s If You’re Feeling Sinister
Of course, I messed up along the way. My power drill is from Ikea—I lovingly call it my “drill for girls.” Not having the right tools for the job was a major roadblock that turned this into a day-long, rather than an hour-long project. Also, Home Depot is a confounding labyrinth—we spent way too long searching for supplies. But all in all, I’m proud that I made something useful with my own two hands.

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Sanding like a boss.

After I assembled the wood, I primed and painted the ledge gold, because all gold everything, obviously. I asked my father-in-law to come over with his drill to hang the shelf, et voilà—stylish record storage! I’m so inspired to work on more projects because of how successfully this one went.

Can’t wait to share more DIYs!

—DellaBites

Homemade Ramen

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I grew up a ramen junkie. Granted my lily-white mom called it “Oodles of Noodles” but regardless—I was hooked on that Japanese elixir. Chicken, Shrimp, Oriental—whatever flavor that weird atomized msg dust called itself, I was in.

My father (the main culprit of feeding us ramen) tried to “health it up” with frozen veggies, sesame oil, and dried seaweed, but at the end of the day, ramen-from-the-packet is basically death soup. Exactly nothing about it is nutritious…

UNTIL NOW.

I made this last night and was amazed at how delicious it was. Even better than the packets, with the added bonus of ginger and miso!

Homemade Vegan Ramen

3-5 cloves garlic, chopped (your preference)

1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp sesame oil

4 cups veggie broth

2 cups water

2 tbsp miso paste

2 cups chopped broccoli florets

3 organic carrots (cut to matchsticks)

4 oz rice noodles

chopped scallions

sesame seeds

Roasted Tofu Topping

1 pkg tofu

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp sesame oil

2 tsp sriracha

The tofu topping is easy, so start with that. Preheat oven to 400. Drain extra firm tofu, press out excess liquid. Dice tofu, and lay in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Drizzle on sesame oil, soy sauce, and sriracha. Bake/roast (depending on your oven) in 5-10 minute intervals, flipping to ensure even cooking. The goal with the tofu is that they’re all evenly coated in flavoring, crisp on the outside, and soft on the inside. Cook for approximately 25 minutes total. Set aside.

To make the ramen, sauté the garlic & ginger in the sesame oil for a few minutes until it smells like heaven in your kitchen. Add the chopped broccoli and carrots. Sauté for a few more minutes, making sure everything gets coated in the sesame oil. If the mixture gets a little dry, drizzle some soy sauce in there. Next, add the broth, water, soy sauce, & miso paste. Mix around until the miso dissolves. Let everything simmer for a few minutes so the carrots can soften. Next, add your noodles. Depending on what type of noodles you have simmer for 5-10 minutes until the noodles are thoroughly cooked. Turn off the heat and add the scallions & a squirt of sriracha.

Ladle into bowls and add the tofu & sesame seeds as a topping. Enjoy!

Do you make from-scratch versions of your favorite junk foods?

—DellaBites

That Bulletproof Coffee Trend

Chelsea HarperLeave a comment

So, unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past few years, you’ve heard of Bulletproof Coffee. When you Google it, about 1,000 think pieces about it come up; some people praise it like it’s Sliced Bread 2016, others mock it for being possibly the world’s stupidest idea. I haven’t tried the real thing (drinking butter seems highly gross to me), but I do drink a lot of coffee, so any way to pack more nutrition into it seems like a good idea to me!

Lucky Goat coffee beans, chia seeds, organic coconut oil, & cinnamon

 

An amazing dairy-free version already exists, via Nutrition Stripped, but as I don’t have powdered medicinal mushrooms or maca at my disposal, I thought I’d try my hand at a layman’s version. Vegan living isn’t that hard if you’re creative in the kitchen!

I only used ingredients that I always keep in my house, and it tastes pretty delicious! I can see myself making this on work mornings to stave off hunger until break time.

Frothy Power Coffee

serves 1, hot or iced

8 oz. cold brew or freshly-brewed hot coffee

2 oz. unsweetened organic almond milk

1 tsp. organic coconut oil

1 tsp. chia seeds

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. of nutmeg

sweeten to taste (I recommend 100% maple syrup)

Pour all ingredients into a blender until frothy and then serve! A word of caution—if you choose to serve this cold/iced, the coconut oil will start to solidify over time, giving the drink a chalky consistency. Hot is probably the way to go for those of us with texture issues!

All the above measurements are estimates. You know how you like your coffee! If you take your coffee black, skip the almond milk altogether and sub in more coconut oil. Add some cocoa powder to make it a mocha or blend in some fresh raspberries. Totally customizable.

There are endless ways to enjoy this super easy drink, without bankrupting yourself at the health-food store.

Well, I’m off to start cooking brunch! We ran out of tempeh so I can’t make my kickass “bacon.” So much sadness!

Happy brewing!

—DellaBites

Wednesday Wears 

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It’s official! Nice weather is back. It was 80 degrees and sunny today! I live for shorteralls, so this is very good news! 

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I didn’t have to work today (praise), so I stayed in pajamas until almost 2. When I finally worked up the motivation to shower and put on clothes I had to rush out the door to cash in our cans before the redemption center closed. I know. Exciting life!

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I bought this denim jacket about a million years ago at Old Navy. I don’t shop there anymore because working in retail has made me a little snobby, but this jacket is my absolute favorite. It goes with everything. It’s like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Jacket.

My fiancé is an inch shorter than me (much to both of our chagrin), so whenever he’s not around I make sure to rock platforms like it’s my job!

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I haven’t really gotten into the enamel pin trend, and now with the Spending Fast, I don’t have the option, but when Cameron Esposito put out her last special, Marriage Material, she had some pins available as merch. This one says “Breast Stroke Specialist” and the other (on my opposite lapel) is a Chinese food take-out box filled with sperms. It brings me soooo much life.

The other button is handmade merch from the NAF/M. Ward show at Royale last weekend (which was amazing).

I’m hoping that the beautiful weather brings me more energy! I have been dead tired for weeks—I think it’s a side effect of spring allergies.

If you need me, I’ll be outside forever!

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bag/Kate Spade, jacket/Old Navy, top/Jenny Lewis merch, shorteralls/thrifted, shoes/Zigi Soho, sunnies/ABM for Bonlook, necklace/Monqstyle, headband/Charming Charlie, pins/Kill Rock Stars

Vegan Tempeh Bacon

Chelsea HarperLeave a comment

Love bacon but hate the inhumane slaughter of one of Earth’s smartest and cutest creatures? Me too!

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image via google
I’m not going to sit here and act like I’ve never eaten or will never again eat a pork product. I don’t eat pork, but unless you personally make every single meal you eat, there’s really no way to 100% know. I’m not perfect! But pigs are very awesome, so until I convince my fiancé that a pet pig is a really good investment, I’m just going to eat all of this vegan “bacon” in one sitting.

Here’s the deal: I love to cook, but I’m also deeply passionate about recipes involving fewer than 5 ingredients with 20 minute prep/cook times.

Vegan Tempeh “Bacon”

makes 4 servings (or 2, because let’s be real)

1 pkg. tempeh

1 tbs olive oil

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp liquid smoke

Preheat oven to 400. Combine liquid ingredients in a small bowl. Slice tempeh as thin as you can, trying your best to replicate the shape of bacon. Thinner slices mean crispier, cruncher “bacon” (this is obviously the best way to eat it, screw anyone that likes it soggy). Thicker slices are heartier and more Canadian bacon-esque. Lay all of your slices on a piece of parchment paper on a cookie sheet (no need to grease the paper), and brush on your marinade. Bake for 7-10 minutes, depending on your oven (mine has a convection bake setting). Take the cookie sheet out, flip your slices, and brush the marinade on the other side. Bake for another 7-10 minutes, this time checking to make sure the pieces haven’t burned. When you take them out of the oven, they’ll be sizzling deliciously. Let them cool for a couple of minutes and enjoy!

My favorite way to enjoy these are between whole grain toast with mashed avocado! Or for omnivores, add a fried egg & melted Swiss to the above equation.

Happy baking!

—DellaBites

P.S. Sorry there are no process pictures, but this is so quick and so delicious that they were gone before I could even grab a camera!

Coffee Cocktails: Summer Edition

Chelsea HarperLeave a comment

So, I realize typing this that there’s no “Coffee Cocktails: Winter Edition,” but everyone has had espresso martinis & coffee with Bailey’s! One thing I guarantee you haven’t tried? Vodka Mazagran! I was going to call this cocktail “Ghetto Four Loko” but I realized quickly that a. using the word “ghetto” to describe ratchet things is wicked offensive and b. this drink is actually way, way classier than Four Loko.

Those layers tho.

Mazagran is a drink that I discovered on my recent trip to Tallahassee, courtesy of Catalina Café. It’s lemonade over ice topped with cold brew. It sounds kind of weird and potentially gross, but it’s actually delicious. Not delicious in the way people say that kale is delicious—even a picky kid could get down with this drink.

Vodka Mazagran came to me while I was writing a paper for Philosophy of Law. I was drinking my afternoon cup and realized—this boring legal document would be a thousand times more interesting if I spiked my drink with vodka!

I’m a simple woman of simple desires.

So there you have it: a 3-ingredient cocktail that will make your summer. Seriously.

Vodka Mazagran

1/4 c. cold brew coffee

1 c. lemonade

1 shot of vodka (or 2, you do you)

1 tall glass filled with ice


The entry-level version of this cocktail just involves pouring these ingredients over ice, stirring, and sipping. The liquid measurements are relative to your glass size. Basically, you want more lemonade than coffee and more coffee than vodka (obviously).

If you’re not already making cold brew by the gallon every week (or like, three times a week) get on that.

Mazagran’s simplicity makes it a perfect platform for serious upgrades! Garnish it with a lemon wedge, and consider these options:

Fresh-squeezed lemonade sweetened with all-natural maple syrup

Rosemary (or rosemary-maple) infused simple syrup

Thyme-infused lemonade

Garnishing with sprigs of fresh herbs

Muddling raspberries into the sweetener

Shake these up and serve them in your best barware to dazzle your friends! Bonus points if you read up on mazagran’s Algerian origins…talk about cocktail party trivia!

Bon appétit…or rather, bonne soif!

—DellaBites

Author’s note: Please drink these babies responsibly! The mixture of coffee & vodka will result in a lessening of the obvious effects of intoxication, but trust me, they’re there! Also, who needs the calories? Savor, don’t chug!

*all photos taken with an iPhone 6 and edited with A Color Story

Budget (Della)Bites

Chelsea Harper1 Comment

I did it. I finally started The Spending Fast.

If you haven’t heard of the Spending Fast, it’s the creation of blogger and photographer Anna Newell Jones. I’ve been following her blog And Then We Saved for years, and after reading her new book and forcing myself to confront the truth about my spending, I officially began my Spending Fast.


I finally went through my personal bank and credit card statements and not counting a lot of spending while on my vacation in Tallahassee, I managed to blow through $2,000 in 2 months! Holy. Shit.

Not all of it was completely reckless spending, but, let’s be honest: did I need to buy a Rebecca Minkoff handbag just because it was on sale? Is it actively improving my life? No. Is it hella cute and am I glad I have it? Of course. But c’mon: the fact that splurging on designer handbags had become so commonplace in my life should have been a red flag that I noticed a long time ago.

bag/Rebecca Minkoff, glasses/Skunkboy for Bonlook, faux furball/Topshop, bag charm/Michael Kors

Here’s what $2,000 could have been spent on:

  • paying off one of my student loans in full
  • paying for my summer course in cash
  • paying off almost half of my car loan
  • paying off 100% of my credit card debt

But nope. It went to dinners & drinks out, home décor trinkets, and clothes. When I went through my finances, I noticed that I make plenty of money to pay my bills, including my future student loan payments. The problem isn’t my job—it’s me being an absolute maniac with my money. I’m so done with that life.

I’m blogging about this publicly in the hopes that it will keep me accountable. I’m going to admit every time I screw up (so far, $27 total on Chardonnay, water bottles, and breakfast/coffee at school), so I can’t deny it or hide it.

The typical Fast period is a year long, so I’ll aim for that. However, because of the unique circumstances of my 2016-2017 (a planned vacation, a wedding, and a honeymoon), the Fast year will have to include a few Fast vacations, which, in the lingo of And Then We Saved, I’ll call Spending Diets.

Here’s how it works:

You have to split all of your spending into two black & white categories, “Wants” and “Needs.”

My Needs:

  • cell phone bill
  • groceries
  • car loan payments
  • summer class & textbook
  • student loan payments (current & impending)
  • gas
  • medical co-pays (not that I ever go to the doctor)
  • Netflix & Hulu (reducing to one service soon)
  • wedding expenses (be as frugal as possible and pay cash for everything)

My Wants:

  • new clothes, accessories, & shoes
  • dining out
  • tech gear & accessories
  • cosmetics
  • haircuts (going to try to barter with my cousin/hairdresser for trims)
  • misc. online shopping, i.e. Etsy
  • home décor (will talk over all changes with my fiancé and work together to finance genuine improvements to the house)
  • music & concert tickets (we are huge music people, so this is going to be VERY tough)
  • premade & convenience food items

My Goals:

  • freedom from debt (duh!)
  • to eventually quit my job and blog/pursue passions full-time
  • to stay at home if/when I become a mother
  • to learn lasting money management skills

Some “Needs,” like groceries, can be wide open in terms of interpretation and actual dollar amount spent, so I’m narrowing it even further to exclude junk food and convenience items. My concentration will be on fresh produce and bulk grains/beans. It will require an added investment of time, but I’ll have a lot more free time once I stop internet window-shopping!

There is another component to the Spending Fast that is NOT fun to think about, but it’s an aspect that can’t be ignored: the Spending Fast and sobriety go hand-in-hand. I’m not talking about total teetotaling, but alcohol 100% of the time falls into the “Wants” rather than “Needs” category. There is never a time when one needs to drink. Therefore, apart from the bar of Chels (aka the liquor I acquired prior to the Fast, which I have to make last an entire year), no more drinking for me.

The Bar of Chels (bottle opener/Modcloth)

This is definitely a first-world problem, but I am naturally a very shy person who is easily overcome in noisy crowds (think: big family holidays), so being able to have a couple of drinks has been my emotional band-aid for years. Not great, Bob. I also suffer from depression, so it will be interesting to see if my mood lifts as a result of this major cutback. I’m hoping that this alleged sacrifice will actually turn out to be one of the most life-affirming and positive parts of the Fast.

So, wish me luck! I’m on day 5…only 360 more to go!

—DellaBites

*all photos taken with an iPhone 6 and edited with A Color Story

 

Progress Re-porch: Outdoor Spaces

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As I mentioned in a recent post, our outdoor spaces are getting a facelift in preparation for spring & summer! My personal design aesthetic is more modern and neutral, but I wanted to brighten up this previously boring space by injecting it with color! Every time I walk towards my house I basically want it to radiate sunshine, even on a cloudy day, as the song goes. We had some super ugly & dirty plastic patio furniture, but to save money I decided to give it a makeover instead of ditching it for nicer new furniture. #reducereuserecycle!

Spray paint has been proclaimed by the Internet as the number one best hack to give old junk new life, so I obliged and bought some Rust-Oleum. I don’t have much experience with spray paint, but so far I’ve had the best results with Rust-Oleum. Plus, they come in every color and finish under the sun, so you can really flex your creative muscles! The best part about this is that I can retouch my work season-to-season to keep it looking so fresh and so clean for a long time! (Author’s note: Buy the comfort spray grip accessory. Trust me. Best $7 I ever spent.)

(Author’s note: Buy the comfort spray grip accessory. Trust me. Best $7 I ever spent.)

I bought a can of ocean mist and candy pink and  went to town!

Summer DIY gear, of course.

I laid out my gear on our lawn (and promptly got scolded by my fiancé for “ruining” the grass with the paint). Grass gets mowed and grows back, dude. Luckily the weather last week was stunning, so everything dried to perfection in record time.

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The almost-finished product, sleek AF! Barely any drips, which is amazing because I am the least patient person on planet earth!

In addition to the newly sprayed patio set, I added an Adirondack chair & cushion in similar colors, and a giant hanging fern! I feel like I’ve only just begun, and that there’s still so much work to be done, but so far it’s been great to have a chill spot to drink coffee and write (weather-permitting).

Pre-paradise. Now to fix the paint and wood stain!

Being relatively new to DIYs that involve more strenuous effort than cooking or knitting, I made some mistakes along the way. First big word of caution: read the instructions and shake the damn spray paint for the full minute. That massive splotch of dark pink on the table? Not a trick of the light. It was me sucking at following directions. Secondly, exercise patience! You can do it, I promise. The more slowly and carefully you spray, the more amazing and perfect your items will look. No drips or splotches.

Any tips on transforming your outdoor spaces?

—DellaBites

Follow the hashtag #DBoutdoorspaces on Instagram to see our progress!

*all makeover materials purchased at my local Home Depot for under $100

*all photos taken with an iPhone 6 and edited with A Color Story