I love kitchen gadgets, such specialized little contraptions, most invented to gracefully accomplish a single tricky task. And I love sushi. LOVE sushi. Even took a class to learn to make my own to fix my constant cravings. That was a mess.

So imagine the extent of my adoration for this invention: the Rice Cube. It’s an fool-proof sushi-making aid. Without the mats, the fancy sushi rice… And it only takes seconds. And, and, AND it will also make stylish presentation cubes out of any ingredient that will stick to itself such as potatoes, cheese, brownies, polenta…There are some great recipes on this page (check out the Coconut Cherry cubes and the Biryani Chicken cubes!).

The Rice Cube was invented by Ross Patten (that’s him on the video below) for his audition on Australian TV show Masterchef. He soon realized that he’d created something entirely original and worth marketing.

“For me it was all about presentation, quick, clean and sharp, the small bite sized cube worked well both as a hand sized snack or as a smart shape on a plate complimenting a beautifully well presented meal.”

It’s food-safe and dishwasher-safe and finally available in the U.S. You can buy it at RiceCube.us for $24.99. It’s a little pricey, but you only need one and you really need to think of it as a toy too. Great investment!

I want to play with my rice now.

The sad state of our economy and our increased willingness to be good to Mother Earth has motivated us to think in new ways about our wardrobes. It’s a case of less is more. It’s a little bit of a scary notion for some of us, to think that maybe only one pair of shoes and less than a dozen garment pieces and and handful of accessories would suffice, but the merits of a minimalist wardrobe need to be considered.

A little over two years ago, we followed The Uniform Project where Sheena Matheiken chose to wear one single dress for an entire year. Certainly she was creative in doing so and made the idea of wearing a single garment every.single.day a little less painful for the rest of us. She offered the design for sale on her website and it quickly sold out. Since then, other contributors have proposed their own versions of the modular LBD, all of which have sold out as they were released.

There is definite interest in the pared down approach to fashion.

Other designers around the world are playing with this idea too. The Ultra 10 Challenge, who’s creators are based in Kuala Lumpur and China, has come up with a 10-piece-wardrobe-for-365-days concept. The collection includes some creative convertible and multifunctional pieces such as the 3-in-1 coat, which converts into both a shirt and a skirt and the 2-in-1 jacket which converts into a vest. Other included wardrobe staples are a white shirt/dress, stretch pants, cotton trousers, a skirt, a dress, a cropped top and a vest. The whole collection is made from organic cotton and recycled materials. Though it appears to no longer be available for sale online, I’m still finding that this concept provokes an inspiring way to think about reformulating my own wardrobe based on multitasking, interchangeable and classic pieces.

Read the full story »

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor

Last year Anne-Marie wrote about attending local art fairs in Chicago and she shared where to find some of those artists after the fair season in a two part series here and here. This is one of many passions that Anne-Marie and I share. We love and appreciate artists that are not only creative and talented but also have such a devotion to what they do. When Anne-Marie and her family came to visit us at our cottage in Muskoka, Ontario, I wanted to introduce her to one of our local art fairs. The Muskoka Arts & Craft Show will celebrate its 50th year next year. It is truly a tradition for my family to attend this show every year. Even as a child I always went and one year I was able to help out in one of the artist’s booth. The quality and diversity of these invited artists never cease to amaze me. Every year I see some of my old favorites and am introduced to some new amazing local Canadian artists.

Just as Anne-Marie had done, I would also like to share some of my favorites whose work can now be purchased through their online stores:

	Dotti Potts necklaces – I have bought several of Dotti Potts porcelain clay necklaces for many of my girlfriends (and for myself also). I love the size and designs on her pieces. Truly a statement piece! Although the company is just now setting up an ecommerce site, you can still order by phone upon consulting her online catalog.
	Vintage Beaded Purses – When I saw Jacqui Uza making these beaded purses, I fell in love with them on the spot. Each unique piece is intrinsically created. No two are quite alike. Jacqui starts with finding old purse snaps and then weaves a beaded design onto it. It would definitely fit both the something old and something new for a bride-to-be. This is one piece that would be passed on from generation to generation. Buy from her Etsy store.
	Read the full story »

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor

Every parent to a high school student knows that a certain amount of volunteer hours is a requirement for graduation.

Here’s a great – and fun -way to get in some of those hours: Teens Turning Green has an initiative in October called the Project Green Challenge. This nationwide challenge is for students, a group of friends or an entire classroom to see how a school can transition from conventional to conscious living. The 30-day challenge will raise awareness about the choices we make and about the impact that these choices have on, not only our community, but on the world in general. Each day, for 30 days, a new challenge will be sent via email.

The challenges will cover everything from food, fashion, tech, fitness and so on. A student’s amount of free time to dedicate to the cause determines the level of involvement, ranging from green, greener or greenest, for each challenge. The greener the challenge, the larger the involvement and the greater the chance of winning some very cool prizes, plus a chance to be invited to San Francisco for a 2 day educational summit and be part of a team of eco-experts in creating a platform for social action.

It is easy to sign up for this world-changing initiative. Plus, think of the all the volunteer hours that can be accumulated in just 30 days, but check first with your local school for approval.

By Audrey van Petegem, Senior Editor

We, at The Succulent Wife, thought we were done writing about Water Bottles. So, for us to write about another one it had to be pretty special…

I was given a Filtrete Water System to try out. Not unlike Brita, the Filtrete Water Station filters tap water through a filter that reduces sediment, chlorine and odor. The big difference is that the Filtrete Water Station filters the water in seconds into 4 individual bottles.

I leave mine on the kitchen counter and each morning the girls and I grab our bottles to go. So easy! The tightly closed lids are no problem to open and close for my girls and we have never had a problem with them leaking. I, of course, love the fact that they are BPA-free and there is a convenient sticker on the filter telling me when I need to change it.

Head to Filtrete to find out where they can be purchase in your area and for special offers off the Filtrete Water System. I’m seriously loving this product.

The school year has barely begun and the stress is already palpable. You feel it too? Especially if you have a high-schooler and most especially if that kid is a junior; ACTs, SATs and trying to keep those grades up for college admissions. Oh, the stress indeed. And, we’re not sure whether parents stress out more than the kids themselves, but we know that a good tutor could help overcome learning humps.

And then, just the thought of finding the right tutor with the right credentials compounds the general level of anxiety. How much can you trust the advertising flyer posted on your grocery store’s community grocery store? Is the guy listed on Craigslist legit? Why are all recommended tutors charging $75 an hour?

Turns out that the internet and some enterprising young men are at the rescue. Indeed, Aaron Harris, Josh Abrams and Ryan Bednar founded Tutorspree when they saw the need in the marketplace for a better student-tutor matching system.

More precisely, Tutorspree is an online marketplace that helps parents find the right tutors, locally, for their kids in various subjects (math, language, science) or for specific issues such as test prep, study skills and special needs.

When searching in my area for tutors by subject (math is our issue!), I received several results showing me tutors that were university or graduate school and some phD’s as well. The rate for each tutor ($15 to $40 an hour in this case) is immediately displayed and their profile information includes their qualifications, a photo and first name and their general location. That’s just enough information to make a choice, or at least to start a discussion to see if this might be the right fit. Tutors have been screened by Tutorspree and additional feedback is also available from parent feedback and peer reviews.

It’s a great system. I wish this had been around when my son (now in college) had been in high school. Might have prevented a few tears. And, I mean mine.

I have a new craving this fall. It’s hitting me hard. I’ll need to satisfy it soon…It’s for a desert boot, with updated styling à la 2011.

FYI, the Desert Boot is now 62 years young. This enduring style with the crepe sole has many fans. My sister and I were among some of the early fans. I remember us both sporting a pair of the “originals” (but we didn’t need to call them that back then…) as little girls and feeling very cool in a tomboyish and powerful sort of way.

And now is the time to revisit the timeless design. Here are some adaptations that I have found for (serious) consideration:

	Clarks Desert Boot – An homage to the Original thing: “An international cult classic, the iconic lace-up boot by Clarks Originals® was inspired by the crepe-soled boots worn by British officers in World War II.” These are available at Clarksusa.com for $99.99 but you’ll be interested to know that the UK site also has a lace, a knit-adorned and a pink flannel versions of this original.
	Clarks Water Row Boot – Definitely inspired by the Original Desert Boot, this Water Row boot may just prove to have as much classic endurance. And a dressier profile with a manageable heel. Like. Buy at Clarkusa.com for $124.99.
	Read the full story »