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Ladies of Be Nice

Ladies of Be Nice

Hello Earthlings of Be Nice!!!

We here at Be Nice want to wish you a Happy Mid-Summer and to celebrate we are having a sweet summer sale! All shirts are now $25 from $40 just like that. Boom!

We also updated the website’s “Photos” section with new photographs from 2011. Which brings me to this, Be Nice would love for our loyal patrons to send us pictures of yourselves in Be Nice shirts, doing anything, anywhere. If you so choose to accept this challenge you may be the insanely lucky winner of a fantastical Be Nice shirt of your choosing. You will also be featured on the Be Nice homepage for the months of October and November. Not too shabby!

Here are the simple details on how to enter the Mid-Summer Photo Competition. From August 14th to September 30th, email photos@ubenice.com your full name, contact email address, photo title and attach your photo. That’s it!

Last but not least we have updated the “Wind Turbines Are Good” black and white t-shirt design. Check it out here! Super model Sabrina Whiteman making Be Nice shirts look even better once again.

Just a reminder that each Be Nice shirt is printed with water based ink on Alternative Apparel, super soft, organic cotton shirts. Thay are all done by hand in our Brooklyn, NYC studio. Each shirt is one of a kind. You know that is pretty bad ass.

Be original with Be Nice.

Sincerely yours,

Cara E. Reynolds
Be Nice

P.S. – Don’t forget to “Like” us on Facebook to get the 411 faster or follow Be Nice’s super important tweets here. :]

Day 139 - Life Cafe

Life Cafe Brooklyn

I am not going repeat what I already wrote here. A quick synopsis, starting August 1st, 2010 I will publish a picture I take that day everyday for a year (well to be exact I will do this everyday until July 31st, 2011). This is the 139th of those photographs. Also, there is a Flickr collection called “The Awesome Leftovers” where I put the daily shots (if any) that didn’t make the cut.

Life Cafe in Brooklyn and some bowling in Queens.

-Cara

Help get the word out about my favorite company Be Nice’s super fresh, eco, original, organic, sexy, soft, handmade in Manhattan t-shirts by “liking” them on Facebook.

Spread the love by being nice.

:]

-Cara

Day 127 - These Two

These Two

I am not going repeat what I already wrote here. A quick synopsis, starting August 1st, 2010 I will publish a picture I take that day everyday for a year (well to be exact I will do this everyday until July 31st, 2011). This is the 127th of those photographs. Also, there is a Flickr collection called “The Awesome Leftovers” where I put the daily shots (if any) that didn’t make the cut.

Denise, Sammy and I hanging out at the Shake Shake and Barnes and Noble, keeping it real. Here are some extras, Day 127 – Books Are Cool.

-Cara

Who Stars Diva Close Up

Who Stars Diva Close Up

I am not going repeat what I already wrote here. A quick synopsis, starting August 1st, 2010 I will publish a picture I take that day everyday for a year (well to be exact I will do this everyday until July 31st, 2011). This is the 105th of those photographs. Also, there is a Flickr collection called “The Awesome Leftovers” where I put the daily shots (if any) that didn’t make the cut.

This is Be Nice’s newest design by me entitled, Who Stars. This owl is not only wise, but also a super hero in disguise. Who is the one who stars in the night? Who never takes flight from a fight? That’s right it’s the unknown hero of Be Nice. Stay tuned for more on this story…

Good times.

-Cara

What a great time for Who Stars and Homosapien Friendly to debut in the midst of three gift giving holidays. You’re welcome! Pick yourself up one or two or all of Be Nice organic t-shirts here at ubenice.com. If you’re not sure which Be Nice super fly, organic tee to get your friends why not get them a Be Nice gift card instead?

Since it is “The Season” we would like to offer our super fans a sweet deal on our fresh threads till the 26th of December. Use the promotional code, Holiday for 15% off your “Tis the Season” order!!!

We have also redone some of our more popular shirts’ screens. One example that is already up on the site is Robot Girl aka Fem Bot to some. Robot Girl’s screen has been updated and she is now bigger and more beautiful than ever before. You to can have your very own fantastical, organic cotton, handmade in Manhattan, inspired by my very own marvelous mind, super soft, ONLY $40 t-shirt if you’d like, just click here. Technology can free us and Robot Girl is here to show us the way.

I will keep people updated on the other screens we have redone as we list them on the site. FYI the next re-design is Wind Turbines!

Don’t forget to “Like” us on Facebook to get the 411 faster or follow Be Nice’s super important tweets here. :]

Spread the love.

-Cara

Who Stars Chic

Who Stars Chic

That’s right Be Nice is launching yet another amazing design, Who Stars, by me. :] I love owls. I have been slightly obsessed with them, super heroes and the stars at night forever, which is how this shirt came together. The question remains who is this owl in disguise? What is the story behind the mask? Stay tuned to find out more.

What a great time for Who Stars to debut in the midst of three gift giving holidays. You’re welcome! Pick yourself up one here, http://ubenice.com/shirts/girls-guys/who-stars and sign up for the newsletter to find out more on this awesome owl. You can also like Be Nice on the book of face here.

Spread the love.

-Cara

Fem Bot

Fem Bot

I am not going repeat what I already wrote here. A quick synopsis, starting August 1st, 2010 I will publish a picture I take that day everyday for a year (well to be exact I will do this everyday until July 31st, 2011). This is the 84th of those photographs. Also, there is a Flickr collection called “The Awesome Leftovers” where I put the daily shots (if any) that didn’t make the cut.

Again, I am doing some self promotion. This is an amazing reprint of Robot Girl and watch out world, she’s bigger and better than ever before. That’s right, I said it. You too can have your very own organic cotton, made in Manhattan by my very own hands, inspired by my very own mind, super soft for only $25 dollars t- shirt. Here’s where you can find her amongst other cute tees.

Rock the robot.

-Cara

Day 57 - Homosapien Friendly

Homosapien Friendly

I am not going repeat what I already wrote here. A quick synopsis, starting August 1st, 2010 I will publish a picture I take that day everyday for a year (well to be exact I will do this everyday until July 31st, 2011). This is the 57th of those photographs. Also, there is a Flickr collection called “The Awesome Leftovers” where I put the daily shots (if any) that didn’t make the cut.

Today’s photo of the day is an obvious bit of self promotion for Be Nice, my organic cotton, hand printed, unique designs t-shirt business. I printed up two new designs for Be Nice this last weekend. One being Homosapien Friendly, a design by Marine Boudeau, which is today’s picture of the day. The second new addition to Be Nice’s repertoire is Who Stars, a design by me, Cara Reynolds. There are also the two slightly altered-for-the-better tees, Binary Queer and Wind Turbines. To check out all these new additions go to Day 57 – Be Nice.

You may pre-order the new designs if you so desire. :] Please send an e-mail to info[at]ubenice[dot]com for this special promotion before they are released on the site to all. Be Nice shirts are only $25. Send the email and we’ll get the ball rolling on delivering your new, soft, hand printed, organic cotton, super fly tee to you asap.

Much love.

-Cara

Day 33 - Vines

Shoes Vines

I am not going repeat what I already wrote here. A quick synopsis, starting August 1st, 2010 I will publish a picture I take that day everyday for a year (well to be exact I will do this everyday until July 31st, 2011). This is the 33rd of those photographs. Also, there is a Flickr collection called “The Awesome Leftovers” where I put the daily shots (if any) that didn’t make the cut.

I don’t know the street name, but this place is on a small side street on the way to Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. I’ll look next time I walk by it.

Check out the rest, Day 33 – A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

Recycle, Reuse.

-Cara

Celebrate Christmas with Be Nice

Yes, Thanksgiving has not even happened yet, but I know there are those that like to be done with their Christmas shopping before Thanksgiving, even Halloween.  I didn’t want to leave these particular individuals out of the loop about our super fresh Be Nice gift cards. This is a perfect gift for those who feel it is too much pressure to pick out which one of our super soft, organic, handmade, awesome shirts they should buy their family, friends, boss, co-workers, neighbors, orphans, whoever you feel the need to give a soon-to-be new favorite shirt(s) to. :]

You also have the option to personalize the gift card however you feel, from choosing the amount you want to bestow on said lucky individual(s), to adding a witty, perhaps moving, personal note, and you can even schedule on which special date it arrives in their e-mail (paperless is a nice way to show a tree some love this holiday season).

We wish everyone a Merry “Green” Christmas (or if you don’t swing that way a Happy Yule, Chanukah, Kwanza, Three Kings Day, Day of Ashura…) this year from us here at Be Nice. May it rock!

Much Love.

-Cara and Marine

FairTradeCertifiedCoffee

I forget sometimes how important buying fair trade is. I don’t want small children working, picking my cocoa beans to survive, and possibly being abused at the same time. I want kids to be kids, to play, laugh and just be. I want a responsible world where people who have the power to make a huge difference do just that. We have the power to, in astronomical numbers, change how companies operate in this world. We can support fair trade products and if they don’t carry them in your local store, ask them to. We live in a world where distributors can get you anything you’d like. It is not much more money to buy fair trade.  I would rather pay more and buy fair trade chocolate than to pay a cheaper price to support a company that allows families to not receive a fair wage (i.e. – contributing to the poverty of cocoa farmers) and where children have to work for a living instead of just living.

You can take a minute to take action by sending a letter through Green America to Todd Stitzer, CEO of Cadbury, http://www.greenamericatoday.org/takeaction/cadbury/.  Here is a bit from Green America about what is going on with Todd and Cadbury.

England’s leading chocolate bar, Cadbury Dairy Milk, has announced plans to begin using Fair Trade cocoa in summer 2009. The significance of this fantastic news is that Cadbury is the first major chocolate brand to go Fair Trade with one of its main product lines, one of the goals Green America has been striving towards. Cadbury’s announcement proves what Green America has been saying for years: it is viable for a major chocolate bar to go Fair Trade without passing a significant cost increase to consumers. Congratulations on this important victory to all of you who have taken action by buying a Fair Trade Certified™ chocolate bar or writing a letter to bring us to this moment!

The deal, which will bring the Fair Trade label to 15% of the chocolate sold in England, is welcomed by Green America and our allies on both sides of the Atlantic. Increasing the amount of chocolate sold on the Fair Trade market is an important step to improve the lives of farmers around the world.

That doesn’t mean that Cadbury is now a model of sustainability. Here in the US, Cadbury’s chocolates are not Fair Trade Certified™.

Learn more about Cadbury from Green America’s Responsible Shopper.

By contrast, Green Business Network™ members in the confectionery industry like Sweet Earth Chocolates, Equal Exchange, Alter Eco, and Divine have been pioneering Fair Trade and sustainable practices for decades, and are 100% Fair Trade.

As we all know, it is critical to write companies to pressure them to improve their performance on human rights and the environment. But it is just as important to thank companies when they make a change for the better, so that company executives can bring an outpouring of positive feedback to their boards, shareholders, and employees to sustain their new, responsible practices and promote more change.

Please join Green America and Fair Trade advocacy organizations around the world in generating as many letters as possible to:

* congratulate Cadbury on the Fair Trade certification of their Dairy Milk bar in the UK

* ask Cadbury, Hershey (Cadbury’s US manufacturer) and Green and Black’s Organic (owned by Cadbury) to expand their commitment to Fair Trade in the United States by introducing more Fair Trade Certified products.

Then, commit to seeking out Fair Trade chocolate for special occasions, such as Easter eggs from Green Business leaders like Sweet Earth Organic and Divine Chocolate, instead of buying Cadbury’s Crème Egg.

Here is the form letter below. You may alter it to say what you want as well. This is the link where you are able to send and alter said letter.

Subject: Thank you for your fair trade commitment!

Dear Todd Stitzer, CEO, Cadbury:

As a conscious consumer and as a member of Green America, I would like to congratulate Cadbury on your plans to earn Fair Trade certification for the Dairy Milk bar in the United Kingdom. Thanks to your company for taking the leadership role among major chocolate brands in earning Fair Trade certification for an iconic chocolate bar with wide distribution and broad public recognition.

Through your leadership, Cadbury will transform the lives of cocoa farmers and their families, while contributing to a higher standard for ethical sourcing among major chocolate brands. Grassroots activists have been pressing major chocolate brands for years to become Fair Trade Certified. I regularly purchase chocolate from companies that offer Fair Trade Certified products in the United States because with each pound of Fair Trade cocoa purchased a fair deal is made with small-scale farmers in Ghana and other cocoa-producing countries. I am appalled at the existence of abusive child labor on cocoa farms in West Africa and do not want to buy chocolate picked by one of the hundreds of thousands of children working under “the worst forms of child labor,” as the US State Department reported. I choose to support companies that source Fair Trade because I believe that farmers should earn a price for their cocoa that allows them to meet their basic needs and have the right to participate in democratic organizations to decide the use of community development funds. Cadbury’s Fair Trade certification is a significant leap forward in resolving these issues and is a landmark for corporate social responsibility.

I look forward to the day that I will be able to buy Fair Trade Certified products from Cadbury in the United States. I am pleased that Cadbury Green and Black’s Organic has one Fair Trade bar and I encourage Cadbury to work with Hershey as your US licensee to extend Fair Trade certification to your entire range of Cadbury and Green & Black’s products.

Families in my community seek out Fair Trade Certified chocolate for special occasions like Easter. Expanding Cadbury’s commitment to Fair Trade in the United States by introducing more Fair Trade Certified products, such as Cadbury Creme Easter Eggs, Mini Eggs, Dairy Milk, and multiple types of Green and Black’s bars would give families in my community a reason to purchase more of Cadbury’s products.

I hope that Cadbury will join with communities like mine across the US to denounce forced and child labor, support small farmers and expand the selection of Fair Trade Certified products available in the United States.

Sincerely,
Your Name
Your City and State

I make the commitment to only buy fair trade, organic chocolate.

I said it!

-Cara

the market nyc

I know all my stalkers like to know when they can catch a glance of me from a safe distance of 20 to 30 feet, well tomorrow is your lucky day!  Marine and I will be selling our cute, handmade, organic, soft shirts at The Market NYC for the first time. This all courtesy of our green little company, “be nice“. If you would like to learn more about it, you can on the “be niceblog!

Hope to see some non-crazy peeps there as well.

:]

-Cara

A New Shirt, "Wind Power"

This week Be Nice is releasing additional super fresh designs, shirts, and colors on the fantastical site ubenice.com. We will also be changing the look of our “store”, because change is good. Please bear with us as we go through this transformation, it won’t take long. Until then we will be deactivating the online store. What this means is if you see a shirt (or shirts…don’t let us hold you back.) you like, you will have to email us at info[at]ubenice.com. Then we will send you your invoice through PayPal.

For the size chart visit the FAQ section.

We hope you like the new designs.

-Cara

Here’s a little blurb about what’s going on with my organic, handmade t-shirt company I run with Ms. Marine Boudeau.

Good times.

-Cara

Join us at Pridefest this year in the West Village:

Hudson St. between Abingdon Sq. & West 14th St
Sunday, June 28th, 2009
11:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Come check out our handmade, organic, super fresh t-shirt collections, hang out, take pictures and buy plenty of shirts for you, your peeps, lovers, family…

Sign-up for our newsletter to receive any Pridefest updates and possibly discover many other amazing and interesting things.

To learn more about this super gay weekend visit NYC Pride.

Cara & Marine
Founders of Be Nice

antibispread1

Marine is doing some research for our organic t-shirt business, be nice and sent me this web site, http://actionnetwork.org/. They are a part of Environmental Defense. One of their featured action alerts has to do with humans increasing resistance to antibiotics. Go here to send a message to your Congressperson and Senators.

I, myself have never been a big fan of Western medicine, especially that flu shot. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, that flu shot is just the government doing some crazy testing on us or something to that affect. I am sure of it! It is the same way with goldenseal root and penicillin, if you take them for too long or just take too much you become immune to their positive/healing effects. I also think that Western medicine mostly covers up the aches and pains of sickness till you heal, unlike natural vitamins and herbs that act as a preventative measure and heals you rather than covering up the sickness.

Heal naturally when possible.

-Cara

Living in NYC, it is strange to wrap my mind around all that nature and chimpanzees swinging around everywhere. I think any of those jobs would be cool. The coffee sniffing, the chimpanzees studying and the farming, but maybe not on such a large scale. I’m more of a fire escape gardener than coffee farmer.

I love organic coffee, chimpanzees and fair trade!!!

-Cara

It has been forever and a day since I wrote a green shopping review. I have been getting a little too political and musical lately. I need to bring this blog back to its roots. :] Let’s start with this super fresh bag by Green Chic Bag Co.
Green Chic Bag Company

Natalie Bag

Green Chic Bag Company was kind enough to send me one of their bags, the Natalie to be precise. First off, I enjoy the softness of the bag’s stylish exterior fabric. It has a really nice feel that you just need to experience to understand. The interior lining of the bag is waterproof, dark and smooth. I posses multitudes of bags I take shopping, and this is my favorite size-wise. I especially like the depth of it. The straps are very sturdy. I have filled it up a couple times and it is no worse for wear.

I also adore the logo…

green-chic-bag1

Cute Logo

My only issue with the bag is if I have a big sweater and heavy jacket I can’t really throw the bag over my shoulder. When it gets really cold here I may not use it as much, but come the three other seasons, it is my first choice.

It really is a fabulous bag.

-Cara

It doesn’t so much matter what you feel about the war, America, corporate advertising, etc. The point of the matter is there are a lot of young men and women and a few adults far away from home, fighting this crazy war, that feel forgotten, homesick, crazy, sad, confused, whatever it may be and these boxes of products make them happy, they represent home, America. Who doesn’t love a bag of Skittles…come on, show your humanity and help out.

Here’s How You Do It!

Step 1: Write A Letter

Write a letter to the soldier that will receive your package. You may decorate your letter however you’d like. Do something artsy. You don’t need to put a stamp on your letter, as it will be included in your package.

Step 2: Make Your Care Package

Here are some of the things you can put in your care package:

  • A Letter
  • An awesome book
  • AA Batteries
  • Crossword, Puzzle or Sudoku Books
  • Baby wipes or hand wipes
  • Ziplock bags
  • Playing cards, Cool games
  • Writing notebooks
  • Pens
  • Stationary/note cards
  • Beanie Babies
  • Packs of Gum
  • Organic Cookies
  • Lip Balm
  • Socks
  • Tooth paste and toothbrush

Please do not include anything perishable or any home-made food. Sometimes, it takes a few weeks for packages to get to the troops. All goodies should be new and fully sealed.

Step 3: Send Your Care Package

Operation Gratitude is an organization that works with the military to find soldiers who need a care package. Please send your package to Operation Gratitude and they will get your package to a soldier.

Operation Gratitude
16444 Regugio Road
Encino, California 91436
USA

I believe in peace through knowledge.

-Cara

jeffe-me

That’s right a year ago, on January 10th, 2008, “The Day After An Inconvenient Truth” was formed. When I first started this blog it was to have a voice in the world that differs from mainstream television, radio, satellite, newspapers, etc.  I was inspired by the movie, “An Inconvenient Truth“, drawn into the meaning of an “inconvenient truth”, the fact that you might not want to hear what the problem is and what can be done to solve said problem, but here is the truth and now that you know, what are you going to do about it?

In the beginning, what I primarily wrote about was eco, environmental “inconvenient truths”, following in the footsteps of the film, but as time went by I began to find “inconvenient truths” in other areas as well, be it the issue of gay rights, human rights, animal rights, freedom of speech, freedom of art, whatever is going on in the world that mass media does not cover or covers up, these were the pieces I exceptionally enjoy writing about. Then there are the “recycle stuff” ones, just there for some information of what extra steps you can take to make a better world, the D.I.Y. projects using recycled materials, or just how to make something green and cool for your everyday life.  Throw in a few organic recipes, cool green events, green product reviews, games, petitions, stories of amazing people who inspire me, beautiful photos, and sometimes just a funny video to relax and you have, “The Day After An Inconvenient Truth“.  :]

What I am getting at with all this is to say, “The Day After An Inconvenient Truth” has evolved from when I began to where it is at now. I went from doing blog entries everyday from January, 10th, 2008 to October 13th, 2008, right around when I got an official 9-5 job, to now where I may not blog everyday, but no more than a few days go by without me throwing one out there. I needed to find a balance in my life and for now this works for me. I’d rather have good ones than just have ones. :]

I really like writing this blog, even when I can’t think of what to write about, or when I’d rather be playing PlayStation with Ms. Marine or web 2.0 out on the million social networks. This blog makes me more accountable.  It is something I started and am still doing a year later (see Tony). Listen, for someone with absolutely no attention span to anything (besides computers and all things tech), I am pretty amazed that “TDAAIT” is still going. What is crazier is when I started this blog I was surprised if I got 10 hits a day, to now where I get on average over 300 unique hits a day from all over the world. Though businesses like MSNBC and other corporations that I do not have any respect for, ask me to place their advertisements on my site, I refuse. I was not working a real job when I started this blog and could have used easy money like that. Instead, I was insulted that they would even ask me, so much so I responded that they obviously had not looked at my blog, because if so they would never have asked me! In retrospect, I am sure they would have asked me anyway. In their minds people are just a herd of non-thinking cows who when they see a blinking ad, inevitably they must click on it. That goes against what I am trying to achieve here. I really hate ads everywhere. I am blessed in  many other ways through this blog, so it doesn’t need to monetarily support me as well.

What else have I gotten from writing, “The Day After An Inconvenient Truth”? I have learned about a lot of bad stuff that goes on, and I have learned about good people, things and ideas, living and growing here on this Earth (I liked it when Alice Walker called humans “Earthlings” in this interview.). I maintain hope and an awesome faith that things will only get better if you do good.

Something I keep in the forefront of my mind is, what each of us does affects the other. It is not just the huge things necessarily, even our smallest thoughts affect the world. Also, we can as one person change things; who you touch in turns will touch others. You may not get the gratification of seeing the change you bring to the world directly, but if you do it, you may see the world itself change. I search for happiness and peace, by going inconveniently through its sorrows, untruths, truths, and ugliness. I also keep the faith. Faith is the most important thing, without it you are lost. I guess that is what, “The Day After An Inconvenient Truth” is to me, a way to not lose hope and to maintain my faith during the era that is the beginning of the end.

This year I have learned that humanity is not as bad and hopeless as it seems, so that’s cool.

-Cara

It’s Friday and I think we could all use a little break.

Nice…

-Cara

modern-transportation

This design is printed with white eco-friendly ink on a galaxy organic American Apparel t-shirt. It was designed by Marine.

Modern Transportation is a futuristic water-powered car. The design is inspired from a rain drop.

You can buy it now at ubenice.com.

Do it.

-Cara

im-local

This design is printed with green eco-friendly ink on a natural organic American Apparel t-shirt. It was designed by Marine.

“I’m Local, talking to me will not increase your carbon footprint”. I think it is a little funny. This shirt is specifically recommended for single beings.

You can get it online at ubenice.com.

certifiably-organic

This design is printed by hand with green eco-friendly ink on a natural organic American Apparel t-shirt. It was designed by me, Cara.

“Certifiably Organic” is a shirt made for people like me who are certifiable when it comes to eating, wearing, producing all things organic. If you are crazy like me about organic, then this is the perfect shirt for you! :]

You can find “Certifiably Organic” online at ubenice.com.

Be nice.

-Cara

benice

This design is printed with green eco-friendly ink on a natural organic American Apparel t-shirt. It was designed by me, Cara.

“benice” is the name of our be nice mascot. We aren’t really sure what benice is, but we do know that benice is fresh and just wants people to be nice and do good.

You can find benice at ubenice.com.

-Cara

Marine and I started be nice, a  handmade, original design eco-friendly ink screen print on fresh organic cotton t-shirt business like a week ago.

I decided to post about some of the designs over the next few days here, as I really love the designs we’ve created and the love we put into not only the shirts, but the whole project. Here is “My Robot”.

robot

This design is printed with yellow eco-friendly ink on a black organic American Apparel t-shirt. It was designed by me, Cara.

“My Robot” is cool. She wants to hang out and discuss super nerdy stuff and the future.

You can find her online at ubenice.com.

-Cara

headersplashbg

Be Nice isn’t just a cool site with organic, original shirts, but Marine and I have also created a Be Nice blog to keep people up to date with what’s going on with the two fresh chics and their biz.

You can get to it from, http://ubenice.com or go directly to the blog at, http://www.ubenice.com/blog/.

A girl can never have too many blogs.

-Cara

The Last Time I Made Them

The Last Time I Made Them

It been a hot second since I’ve done a recipe and with the Holidays upon us (and today being Thanksgiving), it’s baking time. These Organic Cheesecake Thumbprints are a sweet delicacy. I love them.

What You Need

4 ounces organic cream cheese, make sure it is room temperature

1/2 cup organic sugar

1/4 teaspoon sea salt, plus an additional pinch

2 large, organic, free range egg yolks

1 1/2 teaspoons organic sour cream

1/8 teaspoon pure organic vanilla extract

2 sticks (1 cup) organic unsalted butter at room temperature

2 cups all purpose organic flour (I recommend King Aurthur Flour’s organic all purpose flour)

What To Do

In an electric mixer bowl using the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until it looks light and fluffy, about 3 to 6 minutes, stopping every 30 seconds or so to scrape the sides of the bowl and let the motor rest for a second.

Once light and fluffy add 1/4 cup of sugar and a pinch of sea salt and beat 3 to 5 minutes until smooth.  Add one egg yolk, sour cream, and vanilla; beat until smooth again. Transfer to a small bowl, and refrigerate  for an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, with the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set them to the side. In the bowl of the electric mixer use the paddle attachment to beat the butter and remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, on medium speed, till everything is good and mixed, for about 1 to 2 minutes I’d say. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl now and again. Add the rest of the sea salt (1/4 teaspoon) and egg yolk; beat till mixed. Put the mixer on low and gradually add the flour, mixing until it is just combined.

Take a level tablespoon of the dough and roll into a ball about 30 times or until you are out of dough, placing each on a prepared baking sheet, about an inch apart.  Use your CLEAN thumb and make an indentation in the center of each ball, this is where the magic gets put into each mini cheesecake.

Bake the thumbprints for 10 minutes, then remove them from the oven. Make another indention, rotate the baking sheets, return to the oven. Bake for about 7 to 9 more minutes or until the edges of the cookies turn golden brown. Once done remove from oven and place on a wire rack until completely cooled.

Take a teaspoon and fill the center of each cookie with about one teaspoon of cream cheese filling, in a hill shape. Put the cookies back in the oven, baking them until the filling is firm, about 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Put them in an air tight container, layered between wax or parchment paper in the refrigerator for at least four hours before serving and to store any leftovers.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

-Cara

be-nice

Marine and I have just launched an awesome eco, green, super fresh, organic t-shirt company, “be nice”, and thankfully just in time for the Holidays. : P You can check out our web site at http://ubenice.com . The designs are original and we do the screen printing in our very own Spanish Harlem 5 floor walk-up.

We are just starting out, and doing it all manually, which it turns out is a lot of work. :] We definitely put a part of ourselves into each shirt we create. I even invented two of the colors, one is a soft blue used on the “benice” shirt and the other is a rich green I use on the “Certifiably Organic” shirt.

I’ll miss the shirts, but it is cool knowing someone is out there wearing something you put your mojo into. That should be our slogan, “For some good ass mojo, buy yourself a super fresh shirt”

Be nice.

-Cara

Music times are good times.

-Cara

With that said…

The Day After An Inconvenient Truth

The Day After An Inconvenient Truth via e-mail, a gift from me to you.

You’re Welcome. :]

-Cara

It has been a hot second since we’ve had a game. This one is about herding these lovely free range farm animals into their rooms. It seems easy, but I keep on losing…

What about you?

Farm Hustle time.

-Cara

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Days To Do Something Good

May 2024
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I start many things with good intentions, many, many things. This time I intend to stay focused. This time I will not leave behind what I started. This time it is larger and more important than my obsession with Martha Stewart, all design shows, and Teresa Witherspoon. :P This time it is about the greater good...this time I am serious.

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