the color lab blog — lifestyle

This post is not about a particularly healthy meal. I know I try to highlight foods in this Colorful Eats series that represent our good-for-you way of eating. But in these challenging and uncertain times, occasionally a little decadence is called for. Sometimes demanded.

So when the Home Chef Extraordinaire was trying to come up with his next creation, he went blank. As he struggled with concepts he thought you would enjoy, his writing pad remaining empty for hours, I tried to make some admittedly lame suggestions and after he returned a long blank stare, I offhandedly quipped "Why not NOT cook at all?".

It turned out to be the lightbulb in the refrigerator moment he needed. He tossed around a few fantastic ideas with me, some of which will make the blog at later dates.

Since it's almost football season and we are big fans (Kansas City CHIEFS, y'all), we're always in search of the best game time snacks. And what could be more perfect than a beautifully carved wood board rendered invisible by hoards of artisanal meats and cheeses!

I hope you love the products I recommend! This post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to bring you color commentary like this. You can find more about our site, privacy, and disclosure policies here. Thank you for your continued support!

We were new to the world of Charcuterie when we started this project, having only experienced these tantalizing spreads at parties. We've admired the creativity involved in the placement of each food element and wondered if we could create our own delicious, colorful (of course) and aesthetically pleasing version for next Sunday's game.

We set out for our local Whole Foods Market to see what ingredients we could discover. We had no real strategy and no list. And it turns out that's the best way to design your own board. No need to overthink it. Just go with what looks good, tastes divine and appeals to your eye.

Just remember - if you choose to go meatless, don't call it Charcuterie. There are rules - meat MUST be involved, so sayeth the cured meat gods. It becomes a snack board without them but those are wonderful too! Here's how our Charcuterie experience took shape:

1.  We found the right board to build our platter. Large cutting boards, marble slabs, slate boards or ceramic platters are great options.

2.  We selected a variety of meats. Traditional Charcuterie is all about cured meats but since we wanted to stay nitrate-free, we chose Colameco's prosciutto, sopressata, chorizo and salami. This brand also uses no antibiotics and their meats are minimally processed.

3.  Cheese? Please! There was an overwhelming array of hard and soft cheeses to choose from. You can't go wrong with your selection. Stay true to your taste buds. We went with cheddars, brie, gouda and gorgonzola.

4.  Pitted greek and black olives were a must plus some brilliant red Peppadew sweet piquante peppers, roasted garlic cloves, cornichons for good measure.

5.  A sliced french baguette and lightly salted crackers were important for creating bite-sized stacks. With all of the savory-spiciness, we balanced the board with a delectable Blood Orange Marmalade, Hot Pepper Jelly, Fig and Ginger Jam and a variety of mustards from Stonewall Kitchen.

6.  For fresh fruit, we went with grapes because we already had them but berries and dried fruits are good too.

7.  You can certainly use a variety of nuts but we decided on carmelized walnuts because once we tasted them, nothing else mattered.

8.  To up the fancy factor, add some fresh rosemary or mint sprigs.

9.  Serve with your favorite wine or beer. More important than anything else, have fun arranging and eating your Charcuterie board!

When it comes to color, I haven't written the book but I sure have READ the books. One thing I know for sure, color is so much more than what can be gleaned by the naked eye. Color influences our perceptions, touches our deepest emotions, and moves our decisions.

We have always existed in a color-filled world but we are rarely aware of the impact color has in our daily lives. Through books we can take a deep dive into the ways in which color has influenced our understanding of our global community, our differences and our commonalities.

From the sun-drenched beaches of the Mediterranean to the works of Impressionist artists, these books are both tools for expanded knowledge and simply yummy reads.

I hope you love the products I recommend! This blog post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to bring you color commentary like this. You can find more about our site, privacy, and disclosure policies here. Thank you for your continued support!

Curl up with these books for a little trip down colorful highways and byways or display them on a coffee table to entice your guests. Here are 9 favorites from my personal library:

1. Color: A Natural History of the Palette by Victoria Finlay - The author is a genius at expanding our knowledge of color through the ages.
2. Pantone: The 20th Century in Color by Leatrice Eiseman - The quintessential book on how color has expanded our horizons from the "house that color built".
3. The Rainbow Atlas: A Guide to the World’s 500 Most Colorful Places by Taylor Fuller - Travel takes on a renewed importance when you take in the beautiful bucket list places profiled.
4. Black Is A Rainbow Color by Angela Joy - Not necessarily a book on traditional colors, per se, but one of the best children's books on skin color, race and culture written from a child's perspective.  
5. Interaction of Color by Josef Alber - The literal bible of color theory, this book has helped shape my color career and continues to be a guide for my jewelry designs.
6. The Colorful Kitchen by Ilene Godofsky Moreno - Plant-based foods never looked (or tasted) so good! A vibrant book of vegan recipes from a fellow New Jersey native (and somewhat of a neighbor).
7. The Color Scheme Bible by Anna Starmer - A must-have book for a map to bringing new life to any room through color and other home decor inspiration.
8. Bisa Butler: Portraits by Erica Warren - Artists who use color in a manner that evoke strong emotional responses are my jam! Bisa's work not only speaks, it shouts loudly and with passion.
9. Flower Color Theory by Darroch Putnam - Ever wonder how floral artists create such seamlessly elegant flower arrangements? This book will have you heading to the nearest farmer's market or flower stand to grab a few bouquets to play with.

I'll be wearing lots of dresses this Summer. It's not a fashion statement or a trend alert, my dear friends.

Let me explain.

One unseasonably warm day a couple of months ago, I was inspired to get a head start on changing over my thick, loungy, Lou & Gray sweatpant set-heavy wardrobe to my lighter, J. Crew t-shirt, shorts and Old Navy swing dress outfits. I went deep into my closet abyss and what I found was unsettling.

image above: Juliet in J. Crew Brocade Sheath Dress (no longer available but adore this similar one) Shoes: vintage Nine West (only available in Tan in very limited sizes)

Way in the back on a long forgotten rack were tons of brightly colored dresses. From dressy to casual, it was all there. Dresses I'd bought years ago, some dated back to 2010. And there was one thing they all had in common.

The price tags were still attached.

Finding one or two items each season may be acceptable but the haul I found could fill a small boutique. These "vintage" (my definition = items older than 10 years) finds were still in fantastic shape - no fading or moth holes. They were all in the same condition they were when I bought them.

I toyed with the idea of actually opening a virtual dress shop (Atelier Juliet?) but what I quickly realized is that I still loved almost every dress I found, they were all quite wearable and remarkably, most were still in very much in style.

Since we seem to be headed in the direction of our lives returning to some sort of normalcy, as vaccines for COVID become more available and some restrictions are being eased, my hope is that as the weather gets warmer, I will be more comfortable getting back to doing the types of activities that used to mean dressing up for the occasion. Or just dressing.

(left) Juliet in Polka Dot Tunic Dress by Ann Taylor (no longer available but here's a style I LOVE, Bag: Gifted (similar style here), Shoes: vintage Nine West (no longer sold), (right) Sweater Dress by Ann Taylor (no longer being sold but I love with the print on this one), Shoes: vintage Nine West (only available in Tan in very limited sizes)

So while I won't be shopping for new clothes anytime soon, perhaps you will be. Maybe you already have weddings to attend, in-person meetings or dinner parties on your calendar. Or perhaps you'll be like me and take any opportunity I can find to put on something other than the wide leg pants I've come to adore and the long sleeve stretch t-shirts that have become my daily uniform.

I hope you love the products I recommend! This blog post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to bring you color commentary like this. You can find more about our site, privacy, and disclosure policies here. Thank you for your continued support!

I've collected some of the prettiest, brightly colored dresses (available in lots of sizes and price points) in vibrant solids and fabulous prints that I could find to give you some options for whatever chance you may have, casual or formal, to show a little or a lot leg! Shop my finds below!

1.  Kobi Halperin Sophie Printed A Line Dress

2.  Johnny Was Cabot Mixed Print Silk Dress - out of stock but this one and this one are lovely as well

3.  MICHAEL Michael Kors Chain-Print Fit & Flare Dress - sold out but here's a cute one.

4.  Lauren Ralph Laren Ruffled Georgette Dress

5.  Ramy Brook Olsen Rainbow Cable Knit Maxi Dress

6.  Tadashi Shoji Cap Sleeve Lace Gown

7.  Tommy Hilfiger Cotton Polo Dress - almost sold out of most sizes. Here's an alternative.

8.  Kasper Sleeveless Sheath Dress - sold out but this one's a goodie! 

9.  Calvin Klein Cotton Chambray Maxi Dress - no longer available but I love this one too.

10.  A.L.C. Mischa Cotton Printed Midi Dress

I hope you have fun shopping for Summer looks this year and until next time....

May your life be filled with COLOR!

I've returned to the Colorful Cocktail series with a treat that I’ve created to celebrate these last days of Spring. It's refreshing and slightly exotic - perfect for showers, light lunches or that fresh European soft cheese board you've been meaning to put together. Watch my how-to video or follow the complete recipe below for all you need to add this pretty and super easy drink to your seasonal celebrations!

Juliet's Springtime Sparkler

makes 1 drink 

I'm back with another Colorful Mocktail! This time, I've got the sour and the sweet commingling to make this fruity drink plus my favorite color, Green has a starring role! I put my special twist to the mix but feel free to make it your own. Watch the video or follow the complete recipe below for all you need to add this super easy drink to your at-home beverage rotation!

Juliet's Sour Apple Martini

makes 1 drink