EZINE Vol. II, No. 2

The Column for the week of January 19th, 2007
BACK TO COOL: Hair and Now

Swanky, posh, hip, modern and hot – these are a few of the adjectives out there to modify “mother” (as in swanky moms, posh moms, hip mama, modern moms and hot mommas). Yes, that would be you and me. So tell me, why I do not feel quite so posh, swanky or hip, let alone, hot as I sit here dressed in my ratty outfit with disheveled hair. Maybe these words are meant to be aspirations. As a suburban mama, do I actually WANT to be swanky or posh? Modern and hip? Wasn’t I once considered hip and cool? Did I really have to relinquish these modifiers to motherhood?As a once-upon-a-time-on-the-cutting-edge (in my mind at least) City girl, I decided that this year I would bring back a little of my old self. After all, being mom doesn’t mean giving up being me. Yup, that’s what I told myself as I sat at the salon and I asked the stylist to chop off my mane. It was cathartic! I looked good and felt even better. I didn’t cry like in those make-over reality shows because it wasn’t the first time I cut my hair short. The first time was after my first son was born, it cost a lot of money at a swanky (!) Philadelphia salon, but hey, it was worth it. I think SAHMs like me have less pressure to keep up appearances (we aren’t in the office, where other ADULTS as opposed to our adoring children and their similarly-dressed stay-at-home-moms, can see us and criticize our outfits and makeup).We end up with hair in a ponytail, makeup-less and wearing whatever’s comfortable and clean, which usually means-- the ubiquitous track suit . Aargh! Following fashionistas’ advice I’m trying to make a change and avoiding sweats as much as I can except when I’m at the gym (which is rarely and that's gotta change too) or at my son’s mommy-and-me gym/music class . I’m thinking to myself --how can I be swanky and hip if I don’t look swanky and hip? Right, ladies? BTW, do clean jeans and a black shirt be considered an upgrade? Clinton and Stacy will probably not agree with me, but hey, it’s a start right? *

FEATURE: Delightful Dinner Options
A look at the assembly line prep kitchen trend
Forget fast food – beat the dinner deadline with these “nearly homemade” options – drop by “Super Suppers” or “Dinner by Design” – two local places that offer meals that are meant to be frozen and cooked when you need them. You can make them at their kitchen facility, assembling the pre-shopped, pre-cut recipe. (Look ma, no clean up!) or Pick up the meals ready-made. One afternoon while the baby was napping, I dashed off to one of those strip mall prep kitchens and opted to prepare six super dinners. The gleaming stainless steel stations enticed with pre-cut and pre-chopped ingredients, herbs and condiments, measuring spoons, uncooked (frozen) meats and Ziploc bags. There were recipes in each station, and all I had to do was scoop and measure spices, oils, herbs, veggies and meat and toss them into my plastic bag. No fuss. No mess. (I was left on my own, although the owner and employee that welcomed me were very nice.) It seemed fun at the time as I enjoyed pretending I had a sous chef who assisted me. And in less than two hours, I had bagged six entrees good for six people, ready to be frozen for future meals. The whole adventure cost $130 which when you think about it is likejust , $21.66 per entrée (definitely cheaper than a restaurant!) and $3.61 per person. Great, huh? Except I didn’t have six hungry mouths to feed -- just me and my hubby and the two kids who were happy with a simple meal of rice and fried chicken, which meant we would be repeating some of those meals and what if DH didn’t like it? Well, whaddya know -- back home, we realized some meals tasted good, some were so-so. The menus change from month-to-month so you can always choose your entrees to avoid the dishes that aren’t quite your taste. I don’t know that these pre- assembled entrees are any more nutritious than any old frozen dinner, but I suppose if you had the extra cash and if you were really pressed for time, then this would be a good way to stock your fridge and still feel like you had a hand in “cooking”. All told, it was a fun afternoon but it’s not something I would do regularly although I am curious about the dinner parties places like Super Suppers and Dinner By Design (both in Mt. Laurel) host. *Quick Facts: Prices range from $129 -$230 (6-12 entrees) Places to check out: Super Suppers in Mt. Laurel, Dinner By Design also in Mt. Laurel and Let’s Dish in Marlton.