The Look for Less

Whenever I am home, my mother has tons of design magazines. Ballard's Designs in particular is one that always makes me want to claim bankruptcy! A few months back they showed beautiful glass jugs with fairy lights in them on the "apron" of a fireplace (it's that little stoop in the front fyi). It was so adorable and I already had the lights, all I needed were the jugs… that cost $100?? You can see them here if you are curious. Now I get it, these are sold as hand blown glass and that makes them really expensive…no, you're right I don't get it at all. So I was on the hunt to find the perfect replacement.

I actually like mine better AND it's a real wine jug. Carlo Rossi, some of the cheapest wine on the planet. Most people use it for cooking because it tastes horrid, I use it for decoration. I work at an upscale Italian restaurant and when I saw these in the kitchen (they use it to cook with, of course), I asked them to save me one. 

*Tip to remove the label: Put the jug in the sink and let hot water run over the side of the jug where the label is. Remove from the water after about a minute and use rubbing alcohol on a paper towel to rub the label off. Repeat from beginning if necessary.*

It has created an adorable little corner in my apartment and I hope it will inspire you to create one of your own! And of course, I hope this helps your life stay simple and easy.

Best,

Michelle

Other mentionables:

Apothecary bottle from Target

Bombay Sapphire Dry Gin

Carlo Rossi

Fairy Lights from Anthropologie

Budgeting and Planning: Drinks!

Going out on the weekend is what we do best - we are the youth! We are living in our first apartment and we are fabulous! Yes! I can handle another shot of tequila, who are you to tell me otherwise?!

We all know it gets excessive and I'm not just talking about shots - I'm talking about spending money. I very much regret nothing from last night except for the $100 bill that I insisted on picking up. Whoops! What helps this spending? Pre-game parties and of course soirées.

As for my bar area… it's a work in progress. It's a shared table with my record player and it's location is not quite settled in the space. I will have a more extensive bar area post once I think it's ready - I really would like a bar cart but the one I want is a little out of budget right now.

Technically these glasses are stemless wine glasses - but I plan on using them for cocktails too. They were much cheaper than the cocktail glasses that I wanted from Macy's and cheaper and better quality than the ones I wanted from Anthropologie. I saw them in the store and they were very light, I was nervous they would break easily. The glasses I purchased are from West Elm at $8 a piece (you can buy them a la carte in the store) and they feel very sturdy. Not to mention, breaking $8 glasses won't make me cry as hard as breaking $20 glasses. The fact that they are wine glasses does kind of bother me but I figure at my age, I very well might be the only person that knows that these are wine glasses - also if there is alcohol in it, who cares?

Sometimes I feel like I am constantly entertaining people and of course it gets tiring, but it's a lot cheaper than bar hopping and can be a great way for you to expand your inner bartender! Think of it this way: $20 - $40 on a bottle can be less expensive than the bar tab.

Here are a few tips to help this method be successful:

• Don't purchase cheap alcohol. Go ahead and spend more than you normally would knowing that it is for you and you are going to make yourself nice cocktails. 

• If someone asks for you to make them a drink, say "of course, but you owe me one later!" You bought the bottle to save money, not dish out.

• This may or may not be obvious, but do drink enough before so that you know you will only get one or two drinks while you're out.

I hope this inspires you to start entertaining your guests with a little bar fun! And of course, I hope this helps your life stay simple and easy.

Best,

Michelle

Alternative Coffee Methods and Why

There are many reasons why alternative coffee methods are the way to go. These are my three favorites: The French press, the drip coffee maker, and the espresso percolator ( or Cafetera). All three create a different type of coffee and a different type of coffee-drinking experience. These are much better than electric percolators and especially Keurigs. And all fulfill the need to clear counter space for the minimalist lifestyle.

First, the drip coffee maker (and my current favorite) creates the most rich and flavorful coffee. The design allows you to pour hot water over ALL of the coffee grounds, which really makes me feel like I am getting the most out of each individual ground. This method costs much less than electric perc ($40) and it makes better coffee so for me it's a no-brainer. Filters come in packs of 100 at $10 - I use un-bleached. The pointed end of the filter helps the coffee filter through slowly making each drip really count.

The brand is Chemex and you can get it at most specialty coffee shops. Here is a link to get it from Sur la Table. They have many sizes, I got the 6 cup maker.

The next coffee maker is the French Press. This is probably the most common among alternative coffee methods. In my opinion, it makes great coffee (and loose leaf tea!) but it does take more to make it great. I think that if you do not buy specially ground coffee specifically for the French press the end result may leave a type of "soot" at the bottom of your coffee cup. Unlike a usual filter, the mesh bottom of the French press will allow small grinds to pass through. This can be easily fixed though, either buy special grounds or wrap a regular coffee filter underneath the press - this will eliminate the "soot" tremendously. French Press coffee makers are easily found at TJMaxx (like mine) for no more than $15. IKEA has it for $9!

When it comes to espresso, things can get expensive. If you are all about that taste, Cafeteras are the way to go. I wouldn't just go ahead and invest in an espresso machine, great makers need even better espresso beans (which can be extremely expensive - like $80 a bag). Stove-top percolators make really great espresso (but be warned they do not make crema (light creamy foam on top) so you will not be on your way to making latte art any time soon with this). When I was in the south of France, this was the only way we drank coffee and I apparently got hooked. These are also very inexpensively found at TJMaxx but here it is on Amazon too. I do really like illy espresso but I wouldn't spend the money (yes, I found it at TJMaxx for much cheaper). There are plenty of other brands at grocery stores for you to try out at a much smaller price.

And in case you are curious, the following photo is how I usually have them displayed on my counter top. My boyfriend bought me the vintage coffee tin, the coffee scoop is something I found at an art festival - lucky for you I saved their card and here is their Etsy: Riverwood Trading Co.

I hope this makes your mornings (and afternoons and evenings - let's be real) a little more minimal (and tasty). And as always, I hope this helps your life stay simple and easy.

Best,

Michelle

Penny Saver!

I used to hate sponges! I thought they were a waste of money because they go bad so quickly. I still continued to buy them even though my disgust was evident. If only I could make them last longer…

It's been two months since I've bought a two-pack of sponges and I didn't even touch the second sponge until this morning to take these photos. Seriously, cutting my sponges into 1/8 sections has changed my dish-washing-life! I thought about it, you do not actually need the entire sponge to get something clean! 

You can cut them to whatever size you need (or whatever size your budget allows). I know some people may not like them this small (for whatever reason - I find it easier to scrub with a smaller, scrubby, surface area).  The photo above shows you half, a quarter, and eighth sizes. 

It is so helpful to have little things like this all around the house to save money because later, it does make a difference. As always, I hope this helps your life stay simple and easy.

Best,

Michelle