shak-shuka

Make-Up Your Mind (+Bag!)

Just as people make fun of me for having too many baskets, I now have become a hoarder of small bags. Now that I have a child it seems to make sense as she has about 100 bags filled with random toys, craft supplies, headbands - you name it, we bag it. But I've noticed that one area where I find it hard to discover a really nice compact bag is the make-up department. You should have seen some of the doozies I've been traveling with lately!

Low and behold one of our newest and favorite brands that we're carrying - Apple & Bee - does a wonderful selection of cosmetic and clutch bags. Love, love and love some more! Made from organic cotton and hemp, covered with a non-toxic, wipeable lining (on the inside so your make-up or creams don't splatter everywhere) are a dream come true for a gal like me. Personally I love them all, and they come in different shapes and sizes to fit your mood, which, if you're like me, are many, so you better just stock up on all of them!

 

DIY Bedroom Advice

Rather than share an item or find that we discovered, we thought it was best to ask the advice of our experts - YOU! You see, in preparing our house to look somewhat inhabitable, we've run into a problem that we can't seem to figure out: we have a lovely bedroom with a terrace off of it, a decent sized closet, decoration at the ready for all the other walls, but we have this stubborn wall behind our bed that has this strange phone jack/outlet line that we don't know how to remedy. So we're asking for your help, advice, ideas, craftiness to help us resolve this problem, albeit quickly and cheaply if possible (haha). We've thought about a headboard, but not sure if we want to make such a serious investment if we end up hating it. There are a few restrictions (the house nightstands that we love next to the bed) which means it can't be too big, and we had the idea of putting nightstand lights on the wall, but that depends on what we end up doing to cover up that horrible cable/line behind the bed. Please share your ideas about how we can remedy this eye-sore of a problem!

 

Back to School Edition

Back to school fever is in full swing. Nearly every order we're packing at Shak-Shuka headquarters has some form of back-to-school gear in it. It's great to know that so many children will be taking eco-friendly, non-toxic items to school this year. If you're not sure what to pack for the kiddos this year, let us give you a helping hand:

For the backpacks, pencils cases and lunchbags, you just can't go wrong with any of our PVC and lead free collections: choose from the Neoprene (what swimsuits are made from!), machine-washable Dabbawalla backpacks which are always a crowd-pleaser - or our newest brand - Beatrix NY which is loved by celebrity tots that have been strutting them around town. If organic cotton is what you're looking for, look now further than Coq en Pate's european-style backpacks, or Apple & Bee's reversible satchels that change with your child's mood (ok, maybe not that often!). Another fun and funky brand is Franck & Fischer who make adorable backpacks and pencil cases that you might just find yourself snagging from the kids!

When packing lunches, it's best to steer clear of animation-covered-lunchboxes and instead go for a BPA, PVC and phthalate-free brand such as Goodbyn. Loved by little and big kids alike, there are now 2 styles to choose from - the original Goodbyn (best for kids 5-6 years and up) and the more petite Bynto (good for ages 3 years+) which is great for small hands. Both of them come with plenty of space for healthy lunches, are dishwasher safe, and the kids can personalize them with the stickers that are provided.

Besides the food carrier, you need to think what the kids will be using for utensils and drinking gear. Hands down the best (and most eco-friendly) has to be the Bambu brand, with their utensils and spork which is an all-time favorite of kids and parents alike (only 1 utensil to wash!). Instead of a plastic bottle, we have Earthlust's bottles which are made from 100% stainless steel, don't retain smells, and now are available with a handy sport spout for easier sipping.

Of course you can't deny that part of back-to-school is clothes shopping. Love it or hate it, as the seasons change and the little ones start to sprout up, it's time for a wardrobe refresher. Even though not all of our fall/winter collections are in at the moment, we are already selling out fast of our in-house brands like Mini Rodini, Bobo Choses, Koolabah and New Generals. These brands are so cool, you'll probably forget that you're helping to save the planet by purchasing these organic, eco-friendly brands. Who knew going green could be so cool? So see, you can wear black and still be green....maybe black is the new green!

 

Aussie Hair Vacation

Not sure if it's just me and my hairdresser, but it seems that every 8-9 weeks when I see him, he's changed brand loyalty. I suppose it's a great way to learn about new brands, but for a slow product user like myself it's hell. Of course I'm such a sucker and whatever he's using on my hair to make it look fab I just have to buy - as if that's going to give me the salon-worthy look that he's just given me (after countless hours of blowing drying and styling!).

Lately he has been quite good, and the past few visits have been consistent with the same brand - Aussie brand Kevin Murphy. If you don't already know of this brand, hussle to a place that sells it and you will not be disappointed. Everything from the conditioner (I used this one with Kakadu Plum that smells divine) to my current favorite - Hair Resort Spray. Although the name sounds a bit strange, it really does do what it says - gives you sexy, textured beach hair. I am probably the laziest hair-doer ever, as my routine includes sleeping on wet hair so that I can avoid using a blow dryer. In the morning I spritz on this Spray and voila! It's a cross-breed between a styling product and a hairspray, so it's a wonderful combo of the two. Best of all, all of Murphy's products are not tested on animals, based on renewable and sustainable ingredients, and he is part of Al Gore's Climate Project in Australia, so you know he's serious about not only his commitment to hair but also the environment. Put down that Aqua Net ladies and raise your bottle of Hair Resort Spray!

The (Bumpy) Road to Motherhood

 

I'm not usually one to share personal information, as I tend to be more private about my personal life. But this I just had to share, as it will pepper most of my future posts, and if I didn't share this info with you, you might be like "what? why is she backtracking and going all baby on us?!"

Thank my lucky stars, I am now 27 weeks pregnant. Having had a long and bumpy road to pregnancy, I wanted to wait to announce to the world that I was pregnant until I passed my critical "intense fear" stage and entered the "mild fear and major excitement" phase.  I want to share this with you, but also for those of you out there who are struggling to conceive, or are "reproductively challenged" as I refer to myself - you are not alone. Many times when I read blogs that I love, when the writer announces they're pregnant, I was like "oh! doh! everyone can get pregnant so fast, maybe even from high-fiving their partner!" Each time I heard about someone getting pregnant while I was struggling myself, it was like a kick to the gut, or shall I say - ovaries.

Through my struggles to get pregnant, I found so much comfort and support in women that I shared my sorrows with, and found that so many other women, including my friends and family, had suffered the same kinds of problems. I don't want to say that misery loves company, but when it comes to reproduction and something that feels like it should just "happen", when it doesn't, you feel like there must be something wrong with you as a woman. Sharing isn't something that I'm usually particularly fond of, but in this instance, I found such strength and courage from other women's stories, and if you are experiencing the same problems, I encourage you to talk with women in your life and you'll be surprised to find out you are not alone.

So I share my story with you, and if you're up for it, the journey ahead as I dip my toes into the waters of pregnancy and motherhood all over again. Someone I shared my story with once told me "nothing worth it in this life comes easily" - I couldn't agree more. I feel that my sense of gratitude for my current family, and my expanding one, is so profound because of the emotional rollercoaster we've been on. I send courage to those of you who are struggling to become pregnant, and find comfort, strength and faith in those women around you who share their stories on the bumpy road to motherhood.....

(photo courtesy of Stuart Miles)

Spinach & Yogurt Dip/Salad

Yay! A recipe post - it's been a LONG time since the last one, so I thought I'd come back with a BANG in the kitchen!

I don't know about you, but we are major hummus-addicts in this house. I think we end up eating about 4+cups of hummus per week. In sandwiches, as a dip, you name it, we schmear it. But I have to be honest that even I get tired of it sometimes, and plus it always leaves me hankering for a vegetable to get into our mouths (mostly the kiddo's).

Leave it to the Middle Eastern kitchen that created hummus to come up with another wonderful recipe! Spinach salad - don't be put off by the name, it's not a salad in the traditional sense that we think of in the West, but instead it's a dip just like hummus or baba ganoush. In many countries in the Middle East dips are called "salads" which leads to confusion when foreigners visit! But this one is a keeper, and is an easy way to get kids, or adults to eat their veggies. I love spinach, but you have to be careful, as it decalcifies the body (removes calcium) so it makes sense that traditionally it was always prepared with calcium-rich foods like tahina, yogurt, cheese, etc. This dish is a great balance that will get the veggies in, keep the calcium in the bones, and make the belly full!

 

Spinach & Yogurt Dip/Salad

2 onions, chopped

sprinkle of hot pepper flakes or one tiny chili

1 box of frozen spinach (or you can use fresh and cook it in the dish itself)

2 cloves fresh garlic, crushed

2 cups yogurt (you can use soy yogurt, but it won't be as sour tasting)

a big glug of extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

*Heat oil in a pan and add onions and hot pepper, cooking until the onions are transluscent - about 10 minutes. Add spinach, salt and pepper to taste, cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often (this estimate may change depending on whether you use fresh or frozen spinach). Transfer the cooked greens to a food processor with the remaining ingredients and puree until smooth.

*Spread on bread, crackers, pitas, or anything you can get your hands on!

 

Rain, Rain Come Again

It's been a long time since my last post, but we've been really busy over here at Shak-Shuka headquarters! Busy preparing for a wonderful (albeit short!) vacation, busy on vacation, then busy back to reality after the vacation! We were fortunate enough to spend some time in Hamburg, Germany and Copenhagen, Denmark - both wonderful, family-friendly cities that we'll discuss in a later post.

First I have to share with you my latest obsession! One thing that I noticed in Denmark is that people are VERY serious about their rain gear. Even though it rains here in the Netherlands, I have never seen people be more prepared than carrying around an umbrella, or for long treks on the bike - maybe rainproof pants. The Danes seem to have it all covered (quite literally) from waterproof jumpsuits for the kids, heavy-duty rain jackets, and footwear that made me cringe with envy. Luckily the footwear department I had done my research on, and Ilse Jacobsen is the woman that I would turn to to keep my footers dry during the 9+ months of rain we have here. Jacobsen handmakes (ok, probably not her, she's the designer, but you get where I'm going here) all of her rainboots, and I have to say they are THE most comfortable boots I've ever worn. They have a fleecy interior so even when you're wearing socks/tights/the works, you still feel their fuzzy softness. There are quite a few styles to choose from (ranging from low ankle-style to high knee boots) and a million and one colors. I'm not as adventurous and I went with the ankle-height dark brown model, which I absolutely love. Handmade, local, and made from 100% natural rubber, there is very little not to love about these boots.....except maybe the rain that you need them for!