CRAVE CRUSH the urban girl's blog to all that you CRAVE

Peek into the CRAVE Closet

February 25, 2010 by Sarah C. | Comments (0)

Our very own Melody Biringer had her closet raided! MyCloset.com, a website dedicated to airing people’s dirty laundry (literally), recently featured the CRAVEcompany founder in its scintillating Celebrity Closets installment. Among the hangers and hampers, a myriad of wardrobe gems were unearthed from all over the world. Woolen leg-warmers from Amsterdam, Ilse Jacobsen rain boots from Seattle, a bold purple dress from Vancouver, BC… how can that much cuteness exist in one closet? Lucky for us, Melody divulged a few of her shopping secrets and we can all check out her fashion favorites for ourselves. Below check out some of her most-cherished boutiques.

Moscow (moscowdesign.nl)
Runstraat 8, 1111 AA, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Horseshoe (horseshoeseattle.com)
5344 Ballard Avenue Northwest Seattle, WA 98107

Lambs Ear (lambsearshoes.com)
3516 Fremont Place No.inesgloves.com Seattle, WA 98103

Ines Gloves (inesgloves.com)
Oudezijds Achterburgwal 132 1012 DV Amsterdam, Netherlands

JC Studio (jcstudio.ca)
46 West 6th Avenue Vancouver, BC V5Y 1K1

sonja | clothes to live in (sonjatacoma.com)
2701 N 21st St, Tacoma, WA 98406

Switch Shoes (switch-shoes.com)
7871 Southwest Capitol Highway, Portland, OR 97219

For a truly in depth look into the world of women-owned boutiques, check out the CRAVEguide for a city near you. These books are brimming with local women you need to know, whether you want to satisfy a craving for your closet, appetite, business, or piece of mind.

Home is Wherever You Hang Your Hat

February 23, 2010 by Lynn Edwards | Comments (0)


For those of you who have read my Rachel Ray blog you know I’m culinarily challenged, but love those food shows. I’m equally as inept at home design & décor but I love me some Design on a Dime (although I don’t actual DO either). I love the word “home.” I grew up in a small rambler with seven people, one bathroom and no dishwasher, but it was home. My Dad still lives there and it’s amazing how it feels sleeping in that house. It’s awesome when we all go home with our families, the bathroom line is just a little longer now with 23 people. After college I became a vagabond and lived all over the world, followed by 18 years as an army spouse. The Army has this cute little sign that says “Home is where the Army sends you.”

Needless to say, my “home” has been a stinky room the size of a closet, a grass hut in the middle of a rice paddy, an apartment on the 75th floor, a condo near a strip mall, a large sprawling tudor style, and approximately 5000 hotel rooms. I love all that cool stuff you get for your home when you get married but I made a critical mistake and had a really small wedding. Turns out I received three place settings of my formal china. When we’d have another couple over the fourth person had to eat off a plastic power ranger plate. I’m so home décor challenged I have lived for months with no pictures on the wall, have gone 20+ years without buying window treatments and I don’t have more than two bath towels the same color. When people ask me what “theme” I have decorated my homes I answer with a mid-modern century “pot pourri”.

As a joke one year my friends bought me an entire set of holiday plates. I now have salt & pepper shakers with snowmen on them…so stinking cool! I think chicks that wear hats are fashion forward stars, those with holiday-themed china are domestic goddesses….now I’m one. There are some staples I love that seem to make a house a luxurious home…a million pillows on your bed & lots of thread count sheets, a system to organize your plastic wear & lids, real flowers on your kitchen island, and that’s living. Oh, and whoever invented that electric fire place switch needs a raise…big time! I love huge tubs but have spent little time in them. The time I did spend was usually jockeying around to get comfortable around all those hot wheels in there with me. I did build a water feature on my deck once. I loved it, yeah for Lowe’s. I looked like a landscape architect genius just by putting part A into part B and firing up the hose. It was great to fall asleep to but it made me have to get up and pee all night long.

Oprah says make your home an oasis…take a look around and think about what you can do to make your house a little more “homey”…even if it’s just a $2 apple pie scented candle.

Come Clean in DC

February 23, 2010 by Sarah C. | Comments (0)

Given the recent Snowpocalypse, it’s hard to believe that winter is coming to an end. It’ll be spring cleaning time before you know it…  The question of the hour is, will you be ready to face your closet, let alone your entire house or office? Below, two local ladies who make a living out of organizing other people’s stuff give us their top five organization tips in anticipation of spring cleaning!

D. Allison Lee (dallisonlee.com)
phone: 301.502.3835

From organizing your home or office to helping you with home staging and storage solutions, D. Allison Lee will de-clutter and de-stress your space in the most efficient way for your lifestyle. A Certified Professional Organizer since 2008, Ms. Lee offers a variety of packages for virtually any budget and promotes innovative, structured, and organized living.

1. Set Organizing Goals. Figure out what you want to accomplish, and put those items in order of priority. Sometimes it feels like our whole house needs help, and it might. However, there are likely to be specific areas that bother you the most. Start with those areas first.

2. Gather Everything You Need. Once you’ve set your goals, get everything you need to work successfully on your project. For example, when sorting and categorizing documents, be sure that you have a shredder, recycling bin, file folders, etc.

3. Work When You’re at Your Best. Most of us don’t do anything well when we’re hungry, tired, and/or in pain, so be sure that you’re mentally and physically ready to work. Also, think about the time of day that you’re the most productive. Are you an evening or morning person? Do you get your “second wind” in the afternoon? When do you feel the most alert? Finding out when you perform at your best will help you to complete tasks more efficiently and with greater success.

4. Play Your Favorite Music. When we exercise, we play up tempo music. It makes the whole process more fun and it can be very motivating. The same is true for organizing. Who says you can’t sing while you organize the kitchen cabinets?

5. Do a Little Bit Every Day. Have you ever tried to tackle a large project all in one day? It can be pretty daunting and overwhelming to manage it all at once, so spend 10-30 minutes every day doing some type of organizing activity. Not only will you keep the momentum going, but you will also get a chance to do other things you love to do. You’ll be surprised by how much you can get done when you do a little bit at a time.

Put It Away! (putitaway.net)
phone: 240.242.PIA1 (7421)

Catering to homes and small businesses, Kim Oser’s professional organizing service customizes its services based on each client’s particular need. Her business uses the most up-to-date organizational tools and trends to help you get rid of the clutter in your space! Put It Away! also does a great deal of community service, including supporting local non-profit organizations.

1. Schedule time to get organized. Mark it in your calendar. Set aside 20 minutes to 2 hours. Are you more productive in the morning, mid-day or at night? Schedule it like you would a doctor’s appointment. If you wait until you have spare time, you’ll never get started. Adding organizing time to your calendar establishes a commitment.

2. Grab a buddy. Do you ever feel like you get more done while you have a repair person at your home or you get the laundry folded quicker while the kids are doing homework? Have you noticed the kids get their room cleaned faster when you are standing at the door even though you never lift a finger? Invite over a non-judgmental friend, your mom, the dog or turn on the radio. This is the concept of body doubling. The body double’s only job is to stay in the room with you and help you stay on track, keep you from getting distracted. The presence of the body double serves as a physical and emotional anchor whose existence helps keep you focused on the organizational process. Plus, doing anything with company usually makes it more fun.

3. Spend 10 minutes setting goals. Why do you want to get organized? What is preventing you from being organized? By getting this information out of your head, it gives you an idea of what you want to accomplish and purpose for moving forward.

4. Drop a perfectionist attitude. We tend to think “I can’t get started because I won’t be able to make it perfect”. Our desire for perfection inhibits any success. So rather than tackling the whole office or closet, start with one drawer, or just the shoes. If we plan for small accomplishments, we feel success and inspiration to move forward.

5. The organizational process starts at home (or your office). When getting organized, our first inclination is to go buy a bunch of bins, new bookcases, file folders. While buying these supplies may get us excited, we tend to get home, pull out our supplies and go “now what?”. The organizational process starts with your stuff. Pick an area to start organizing. Sort the items in the area, match like items with like items. Determine do all of the items in this area belong here? Do empty shopping bags really belong in your closet? Do your heels belong in your file drawer? If items are out of place from where they are being used, set them aside to be returned to their appropriate area. Once an area is sorted, pick appropriate containers, label them and assign a home. By assigning everything a home, you always know where to find things and where to return them.

Put a Spring in Your Step with these Hot Colors

February 22, 2010 by Madeline | Comments (0)


When we think of spring we think of pastels and floral prints, but those just seem a little too passé and boring. What will you be wearing this spring to spice up your wardrobe? Here are some of the color trends that you won’t want to miss out on. Pick up a few bright accessories that are both trendy and timeless.

Turquoise – We’re pretty sure this is on EVERYONE’S hot-list, along with other aqua-colored hues. This vibrant color turns every outfit up a notch, making you just exude that cool confident aura that will make you the center of attention. Splurge on a Jamie Joseph brightly colored stone ring. We love this Sea Blue Chalcedony Ring for a beautiful eye-catcher.

Light Pink – More specifically, champagnes and corals are two “light pinks” that won’t have you gagging on pastel and cotton candy. Champagne is the closest you can get to a nice neutral color while adding a little pop! And for coral, try some of Cara Lyndon’s hairpins, we recommend Coral Wheel . Whether your hair color is light or dark, this feminine flair will turn heads.

Yellow – In every shade and size. Add a dash here or there or a big bright bag to have everyone around you smiling. Evoking sunshine and happiness, everyone could stand to integrate this cheerful color into their wardrobe or even their home. Try a bright throw pillow to add to your living room, we like the yellow Gloria pillow from Henry Road. The great thing about throw pillows is, when spring is over, you can just throw them back into the closet until spring comes again!

Interview with Sondra Lewis from Chic Chocolate

February 19, 2010 by Sarah C. | Comments (5)

Chic Chocolate (chicchocolate.net), Sondra Lewis’ lifestyle fashion blog, focuses on what she calls “The Chocolate City that is DC”. From designers to make-up to models to accessories, she blogs about it all in fun, chocolate-coated posts that leave us drooling over luscious looks and CRAVE-able couture.

What’s your favorite fashion must-have or must-NOT-have?
My favorite fashion must-have is a great pair of jeans! A pair or two that fits perfectly for your proportions and that make you feel sexy and confident at the same time.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given?
You have two ears and one mouth. Listen twice as much as you speak!

When you’re not focused on the blog, what does your life look like?
I’m a defense contractor by trade. When I’m not busy with work, I’m working on building my beauty business. I am a makeup artist, too. I love doing bridal makeup and I’m looking forward to doing fashion show and other beauty events really soon. I love making women pretty! When I have some down time, I love going to new restaurants with my friends or taking a road trip with my family.

What or who inspired you to start your blog?
The inspiration to start my blog, Chic Chocolate, came from loving fashion and beauty and art. I’ve always been a visual and creative person and my blog gives me the outlet that I need to express and share what I’m about.

What makes you feel most CRAVE – able?
A beautiful fragrance and a friendly smile makes me feel CRAVE-able!!

Tell us about a cause you’re passionate about.
Helping women succeed and prosper is what I’m passionate about. Although, I haven’t gotten the chance yet (no excuse), I want to volunteer with groups like, Dress For Success or Suited For Change. Being able to use my passion for fashion and helping very capable and smart women who may have fallen on hard times get back on their feet would be an honor for me. I’ve been very blessed in my life and it’s all about helping the community and giving back.

What makes you laugh so hard you cry?
It doesn’t take much to make me laugh. I’m a “born giggler!” My friends and I have a lot of inside jokes that we laugh about constantly, so that keeps me going.

Go Ga Ga for Babies in DC!

February 17, 2010 by Sarah C. | Comments (0)


If you’re a mom or a mom-to-be (or an auntie or granny for that matter), you know how fun it is to buy baby stuff. Admit it – adorable outfits, cute-as-can-be accessories, and maternity clothes that actually make you feel pretty all have the ability to put a smile on your face. Read on for local baby shops near you!

Apple Seed Maternity & Baby Boutique (appleseedboutique.com)
115 South Columbus St. Alexandria, VA 22314
Expecting moms need look no further – Apple Seed is brimming with all things baby. Hip, chic clothing for moms and tots, the latest baby gear, and an array of unique gifts make this shop in Old Town a must-visit. Be the best dressed mom-to-be with maternity clothes from the likes of Citizens for Humanity, Paige, and Olian. Don’t miss the baby How-To videos on the boutique’s website!

Daisy Baby & Kids (shopdaisybaby.com)
4912-A Del Ray Avenue, Bethesda, MD 20814
Specializing in design services for children’s rooms, Daisy Baby offers a comprehensive experience for parents and parents-to-be. Founder Dana Evans helps you create the perfect space, one that is visually stunning and a happy place to be for everyone in your home. Furniture, bedding, window treatments, flooring, art, and more – Daisy Baby offers the works, and they even do House Calls to ensure that your new nursery or child’s room is the best it can be!

A New Twist on the Theme Song

February 15, 2010 by Jade | Comments (0)


A Theme Song. Normally when you think of a theme song you think of the first 30 seconds of a TV Show or news broadcast. That annoying thirty second melody that plays over and over in our heads days after we have watched the show. But this week we take a new look at the theme song. We asked around on Twitter and Facebook and came up with a fabulous list of songs people consider their “theme songs” for life.

These are songs that lifts you up and makes you feel good. Songs that starts a fire and keeps you going. Songs that you dance around in your bedroom listening to while you sing into your hair brush. These are the songs that define us. Everyone has one hidden some where inside of them. It might be your phone ring or the song that plays in your headphones while you work out or before a big meeting – whenever you use it and however it makes you feel we thank you all for sharing your themes.

Here is a complete list of the suggested theme songs:

For your listening pleasure go to the complete playlist on the blip.fm page titled CRAVEThemeSongs.

And next time you need a pick me up or inspiration, crank up one of these tunes and sing out – you might be surprised just how good it makes you feel!

Interview with Meagan Kurtz from ADMK Jewelry

February 12, 2010 by Sarah C. | Comments (0)

ADMK Jewelry (Adorn Designs by Meagan Kurtz – admkjewelry.com) is handcrafted, distinctive jewelry made of the highest quality, cultured freshwater pearls, cubic zirconia, Swarovski Crystals, semiprecious gemstones and precious metals. ADMK Jewelry combines the natural beauty of gemstones with a bit of flare, offering a stylish and sophisticated complement to any outfit.

What are your most popular products or services?
Earrings and simple necklaces that are sparkly yet classic with a little flare or twist to the design, maybe an unusual shapes or bold colors.

People may be surprised to know…
I don’t wear much elaborate jewelry on a daily basis.  My daily wardrobe consists of jeans and tee shirts – so the occasion to get dressed up is a nice treat!!

What or who inspired you to start your business?
My husband, family and friends always inspired me to follow my dreams.   I wanted to find a way to match my passion for fashion and business with the beauty of gemstones. I have been blessed and inspired by all the people I have meet along this journey.

What is your indulgence?
Shopping!

What do you CRAVE?  In business?  In life?
The ability to take one day at a time in life, love, business and success.

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.”
Robert Collier

Where to find:

Kiskadee
2205 Mount Vernon Ave.
Alexandria, VA
703.549.0813

MooJoo Ken
1512 U Street NW
Washington DC, 20009
202.234.3140

The Denim Bar
1101 S. Joyce St., #B8
Arlington, VA 22202
703.414.8202

Valentine’s Day – Pink Themed Recipes

February 12, 2010 by Madeline | Comments (1)

There are so many pros to going out to dinner on Valentine’s Day and we can think of a lot of cons to staying in and cooking. But with the following recipes, staying in and making a home-cooked meal with your sweetheart might just look like the best idea ever!

Rack of Lamb with Herb and Olive Crust
For a pink themed menu, let’s start with a delicious lamb recipe. It comes from Caroline in Chicago’s blog (hwhippedtheblog.com). Our mouths are watering already!

1/3 cup coarsely chopped olives – kalamata, picholine or Manzanilla
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh thyme
2 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 Tablespoons mayonnaise
2 racks of lamb (7-8 ribs each, trimmed or frenched)
salt and pepper
3/6 cups breadcrumbs

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Combine olives, parsley, thyme, garlic and red pepper in a food processor or mortar. Make a rough paste. Stir in mayo. Set aside. Trim lamb so only a thin layer of fat remains. Heat a heavy skillet (NOT a nonstick) over high heat. Season racks with salt and pepper. Set in skillet fat side down and cook for about 2 minutes. Spread breadcrumbs on a plate. Coat the surface of the lamb with the olive paste then dip in the crumbs to coat. Put bone side down in a roasting pan. Cover the bone tips with foil so they don’t burn. Roast until instant read thermometer is 120-125 degrees for rare or 130-135 for medium. It will cook another 5 degrees when out of the oven. Let the lamb rest for 5 minutes. Cut apart between the bones and serve.

Strawberry Cupcakes
Amy Sherman, a San Francisco-based author, writer, and developer of all things food, shares an amazing strawberry cupcake recipe on her blog (cookingwithamy.blogspot.com). Cupcakes and strawberries are the key to any beau’s heart.

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 large egg
6 ounces Dannon® All Natural Vanilla Lowfat Yogurt (or any other fruit flavor of yogurt)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup fresh strawberries, diced

Frosting:
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
2 fresh strawberries, about 2 Tbsp. mashed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. With an electric hand mixer, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add the egg, Dannon® All Natural Vanilla Lowfat Yogurt and vanilla, blending until smooth.
2. Measure the dry ingredients into the bowl and blend, then fold in the strawberries.
3. Divide the mixture equally between the 12 paper-lined cupcake cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.
4. Beat together butter, powdered sugar, and mashed strawberry in medium-size bowl until creamy and smooth. Chill frosting for 15 minutes or until thick. Frost cupcakes with a spatula. Keep cupcakes in the refrigerator loosely covered.
Yield: 12 servings

French Kiss
To accompany your beloved meal (cupcakes are a meal, right?), the Wedding Paper Divas have some suggestions for romantically festive drinks (blog.weddingpaperdivas.com). May we recommend the French Kiss? It’s just the perfect shade of pink to match you cupcakes…we mean cheeks!

¾ oz Chambord
¾ oz Peach Schnapps
¾ oz Vodka
Splash orange juice, pineapple juice, cranberry juice
Serve straight up in a martini glass

Hello, Cupcake!

February 10, 2010 by Sarah C. | Comments (0)

Every now and then (okay, all the time), we get cravings for cupcakes that simply can’t be ignored. No matter how badly we want that chunky bar of fiber twigs to satisfy us, it’s just not gonna happen. Rich chocolate ganache, zesty lemon curd, luscious red velvet… these are flavors best devoured in the form of moist little cakes fresh out of the oven! If you’re like us and want to indulge in a heavenly, sugary morsel, here’s a guide of where to find the best cupcakes near you.

Hello Cupcake (hellocupcakeonline.com)
1361 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC, 20036
Penny Karas’ cupcake flavors have the most adorable names- Prima Donna, Velvet Elvis, and You Tart! to highlight just a few. Their titles, however, don’t hold a candle to their gourmet taste. With fresh, simple, yet decadent ingredients like real creamery butter, Madagascar bourbon vanilla, and fresh strawberries, every bite is pure bliss. Don’t miss the cute Anatomy of a Cupcake section on Hello Cupcake’s website!

Baked and Wired (bakedandwired.com)
1052 Thomas Jefferson Street NW, Washington DC, 20007
We love Baked and Wired’s sassy take on every girl’s favorite treat. On any given day, you may have to choose between personality-packed flavors like Smurfette, Pretty Bitchin’, and the Chocolate Cupcake of Doom, each wrapped individually in parchment paper before being decked out with a generous dollop of creamy frosting. When it’s in season, try the DC Special. The Cherry Blossom features a vanilla cake with chunks of cherry and maraschino flavored buttercream.

Georgetown Cupcakes (georgetowncupcake.com)
3301 M Street, Washington DC, 20007
Even though we recently featured this delightful cupcakery in our CRAVE blog post about sisters, we couldn’t exactly leave them out! With locations in Georgetown and Bethesda and nationwide shipping, there’s really no reason not to try one of Katherine and Sophie’s delectable confections. Check out their daily cupcake schedule if you want to see when your favorite flavor will be in the shop!

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