I spend most of my life without a stitch of makeup on, barefoot in jeans and concert t-shirts, but when I get fancy (don’t get excited – for me, fancy means changing clothes and putting on mascara and lip balm), my boho side makes an appearance. I’m not into fashion at all, really – I have absolutely no idea what makes most couture appealing, and comfort is a top priority for me – I never, ever wear high heels. What I do love is style – that head-to-toe personality revealing thing that everyone has, regardless of fashion sense (which again, I don’t have. At all). Learning about another person’s personal style is fascinating to me, so I suppose it stands to reason that along with home style blogs, I love street style blogs. My favorites are The Sartorialist, Advanced Style, and Urban Weeds, and they’re all great reads, but lately I’ve been wondering where all the chubby people are.
Aside from approximately two blogs that I found via Google which feature small, rather poorly done street style “categories,” I can’t find any “plus size” street style blogs – or any street style blogs that actually include chubby folks. I’m not talking about plus size fashion blogs where the blogger posts self portraits – there are plenty of those, and they’re typically fantastic – I mean a blog that represents the blogger walking up to a stranger on the street and having a conversation about what they’re wearing and taking a few photos. Street style.
I suppose it isn’t surprising that The Satorialist doesn’t feature very many (if any) fat people on his blog, and maybe it’s possible that there are no clever fatties in Portland, but it seems like something is lacking here. Even a search on Pinterest turned up very little in the way of fat fashion (so I started a group pinboard devoted to it, obvs). It’s a little disenchanting that after all this time, fat people are so underrepresented in the media. Is it because most fat people are still so reluctant to be seen? I don’t really understand it. Size is totally irrelevant to style.
I’m not sure exactly where I’m going with this. Maybe I’ll start a street style blog that primarily features chubby gals and guys. Maybe I’m wrong and there is already a really well done Urban Weeds style blog out there for folks over a size 14 (if so, links requested). For the chubby amongst you, how would you react if a photographer walked up to you on the street and asked you to talk about your outfit? Would you be willing, or even happy, to be featured on a street style blog? Consider my question market research.
I love Saturdays. I worked today, but I took some time out for a late lunch at one of my favorite local places, Midtown Sundries. I know that I said I’d endeavor not to eat out for the month of September, but I don’t get to see my brother very often, so it was an invitation that I couldn’t turn down. I sat talking with him and our mom and watched a big table of Clemson fans and alum cheer on the Tigers, dressed to the nines in their orange and white. Have we ever talked about my love for college (and high school) football? Maybe it’s a southern thing. Professional football bores the pants off of me, but I love college football.
Anyway, today. Let’s talk about the Buffalo Chicken Bites that I said I’d be making this week. I made them last night! The recipe that I used includes cheddar cheese and green onions, which I left out. I didn’t include the cheddar because I’m really not a fan of cheddar cheese with chicken, and I left out the green onions because I just couldn’t envision them adding anything to the taste, you know? Here’s the (very awesome) recipe that I used.
To start, I baked three boneless, skinless chicken breasts brushed with some buffalo sauce and wrapped in their own little foil packets at 375 for an hour, then I shredded them, which I’m actually really impressed with because I had heretofore never shredded chicken. I know, right? The three chicken boobs yielded about 3 cups after cooking, which was exactly what the recipe called for. Here’s my version of the recipe:
They were so good, friends. Warm and gooey and oh my god. I made them for dinner and not a snack, so I made bigger balls (haha – oh, me). Also, I mixed some buffalo sauce into my ranch dip because I like to live on the edge, spicily speaking. I ended up with some leftover chicken/cream cheese/buffalo mixture too, which I’m going to use as a dip tonight.
So anyway, after lunch I took a walk around my neighborhood and snapped some photos. I really, really love where I live, which is downtown St. Petersburg. Even though I was born in North Carolina and will always be a Carolina girl, I grew up here and this is home. Also, it’s gorgeous.
I really love Maira Kalman. Her illustrated column for The New York Times always captured my heart – especially In Love With A. Lincoln – because you have to agree, Abraham Lincoln was a total BAMF. There’s something special about Maira Kalman’s work. It makes me happy.
I also love Michael Pollan, who as you probably know is the author of In Defense of Food and Food Rules, the two books which have helped me see food in a completely new and different way. I am so grateful to him for writing these books.
I am so excited because Maira Kalman has illustrated a new hardcover edition of Food Rules, and it will be coming out on November 1st. Maira Kalman is really into food. Real food, good food. Back to the Land is my other favorite of her New York Times pieces, and it is all about how we eat, so this is a perfect pairing, when you think about it. Here, even Penguin’s copy is exciting:
Michael Pollan and Maira Kalman come together to create an enhanced Food Rules for hardcover, now beautifully illustrated and with even more food wisdom.
Michael Pollan’s definitive compendium, Food Rules, is here brought to colorful life with the addition of Maira Kalman’s beloved illustrations.
This brilliant pairing is rooted in Pollan’s and Kalman’s shared appreciation for eating’s pleasures, and their understanding that eating doesn’t have to be so complicated. Written with the clarity, concision, and wit that is Michael Pollan’s trademark, this indispensable handbook lays out a set of straightforward, memorable rules for eating wisely. Kalman’s paintings remind us that there is delight in learning to eat well.
The hardcover Pollan-Kalman collaboration will be the Food Rules edition that families will pass down for posterity, sharing lessons for eating healthfully-and joyfully-for all their lives.
Look, here’s the cover. It’s perfect. I can’t wait for November!