Saturday, July 30, 2011

Healthy Living Summit

I am so excited!  I’m sure some of you have been watching my Twitter feed these last few days and saw a posting about a trip to Philly with no further information.  If you’re anything like my ‘rents, you’re probably wondering what is making me fly to Philly.
WELL, let me tell you!
A few days ago the blog-o-sphere had this little thing called ‘The Great Fundraising Act.’  Basically, Janetha at Meals & Moves, hosted an online blogger auction to help raise funds for Susan at The Great Balancing Act who was recently diagnosed with Lymphoma.  It was a huge success where they raised over $26,000 to help Susan cover the costs of treatment.
Anyway, without expecting to win anything, I decided to place a bid on a few items that I liked - some yoga clothes, fun baskets and a ticket to the Healthy Living Summit in Philly in August.
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I never expected to actually win!
But I also could not be more excited!  When tickets originally went on sale for HLS, I really wanted to go but I feared the financial burden, time off work and the whole “not knowing anyone” thing that comes with these sorts of conferences.
Well the TGFA brought on a little twist of fate and after winning the auction, you can bet I’m not going to turn down this opportunity!  I’m so excited! My ticket has been paid for, my flight has been booked and now I’m just working out the hotel/roommate details.
So if anyone attending HLS happens to stop by here, make sure you say hi!
And to everyone else, don’t worry, I will most definitely be blogging about my trip and this awesome opportunity!

Friday, July 29, 2011

Fitness Friday

This seemed like a relatively “easy” week in terms of exercise, though when I look back at it, I got a pretty good amount.  I guess a part of me expects weeks like during the cardio challenge and yoga challenge, where I have a certain goal in mind and days off aren’t as much of an option.  Either way, I feel pretty good about this week (minus the fact that I didn’t do legs?) and I’m looking forward to hitting the gym tomorrow after work! :)
SAT 7/23/11
20 min walk/run (1.6 miles, hurting lungs-allergy induced asthma)
SUN 7/24/11
35 min walk/run (2.85 miles)
15-20 mins abs & stretching
MON 7/25/11
90 mins yoga (in the sun!)
TUES 7/26/11
90 mins yoga
WED 7/27/11
Rest
THURS 7/28/11
30 mins walk/run (2.75 miles)
15 mins arms abs stretch
FRI 7/29/11
Rest
I’m also super excited to tell you guys about a fun health-filled trip coming my way in a few weeks! 

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Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Foodie for Day

Have you ever heard about this honey for allergies debate?
I’ve been having trouble with my asthma lately.  No attacks per se, but rather trouble breathing if I’m outside getting exercise (biking or especially running).  And since I seem to be doing okay indoors most of the time, this feels more allergy related.
I was talking to my friend the other day and he asked if I ever tried honey for my allergies.  Apparently there is this theory out there that local honey (keyword being local - support your farmers markets people!) helps many people with allergies.  But after a little “google” search, it appears this is quite the debate.
So why am I choosing to share this with you?
I’ve decided to try it!  I guess we could classify this as another “challenge” but I’d rather not.  Instead, this is just me trying to have at least a teaspoon of my local honey (purchased at the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market today) and hoping it will make an attempt to clear up my asthma.  Wish me luck!



Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Loud and Clear!

My body has been asking for a day off and while I’d like to say that I listened, today, I did not.  I looked at my week ahead and decided I wanted yoga in the next few days and today was my best bet, so I went.  But after a rough day at work (it just got started on the wrong foot and I had trouble bringing it back in as things progressed), I really hoped yoga would be my answer.
Alas, it was not.  I went to a class with an instructor that I don’t have a set opinion on.  Sometimes I like her classes, other times, not so much.  Today was a not so much and by the time we got to the hip openers, I was so fed up and annoyed, I just started crying.  
If you’ve never been to a yoga class or heard this before, we store our stress and tension in our hips, so when you’re doing a hip opener (like pigeon pose pictured below), we are releasing that tension on our exhales.  Well I released my tension on my exhales and through my stream of tears.
So, do I feel better now?  Yes.  For the most part at least.
Will I take tomorrow as a rest day?  Yes.  Because my body is screaming loud and clear and I hear it!

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Monday, July 25, 2011

Music Monday - The Lumineers

Today it hits close to home but I still want to share... 
If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, you know that I used to manage a band called The Lumineers.  If you’ve been reading a bit, you also watched as I lost the band.  But despite everything that happened, they are my friends and amazing musicians.  So when they came to LA last week, I knew I needed to go to their show at Hotel Cafe and was pleased when they invited me to attend.
I’m sure you can imagine the roller coaster ride that I went through emotionally but it was still really good to see them and of course, hear the music!  They are amazing musicians, but you will never truly experience the band unless you see them live and that’s just how it is!  (Though temporary stand-in bass players should be left out until they can enjoy the music as much as / as close to the rest of the band as possible).
Anyway, while the band was in Seattle in June recording their new album with a producer, it doesn’t sound like it will be released for awhile, so for now, I leave you with one of the new songs, The Dead Sea which will be stuck in your head after you watch this video.  Enjoy!



Sunday, July 24, 2011

Awkward moment of the day...

Going from living alone to having a roommate is bound to bring up a few awkward moments and this is something I was (and still am) prepared to have...and today brought one of those moments.
I worked 7-4, drove my manager home, went to the gym and came home.  I started my dinner in the oven while I took a quick shower (knowing I will probably be heading out at some point this evening) and when I ended my shower I thought I heard someone.  There is a window in my shower and my immediate reaction was to take a quick peak and make sure no one could see in...safe!
I decided a neighbor probably had their windows open and I heard them talking.  I went into my room to change and continued to hear weird noises...kind of a knocking but not really and it sounded really close.  Honestly, it was like one of those movie moments where a guy is outside throwing pebbles at the window to get some girls attention.  Get this!  IT WAS! 
My roommate has stepped out as I was getting home (I think to the gym?) and her boyfriend came by and when she didn’t answer the door, he started throwing pebbles at her window to get her attention.
I had gone downstairs to find out what was going on (and getting the confirmation of what I thought) and let him know she wasn’t home.  But it was awkward.  I don’t know him very well and my mind went on this quick anxiety of was I supposed to be nice and invite him in until she got home or let him wait outside like he said he was going to (I think that’s what he said)?  I chose for the waiting outside.  Something about having just gotten out of the shower + near stranger trying to get in, that just felt weird.  But then not letting him in (and my roommate coming home 5 minutes later to find her boyfriend waiting outside our building) that also felt weird.
Needless to say, I had my awkward moment of the day.
With that, I leave you with this picture of me taken at Gigi Yogini & Chad Moline’s Contact Yoga Class (photos by Fluid Frame Photography!) this past Thursday.  Some may call it beautiful, to me, it feels awkward.  I’m sensing a theme for today.



Friday, July 22, 2011

Fitness Friday

A quick recap of fitness this past week:
Saturday 7.16
25-30 min run (approx 2.3 miles)
Approx 3 mile walk
5-10 mins abs & stretching
Sunday 7.17
90 min/14 mile bike ride (45 min / 7 miles each way to work)
Monday 7.18
5-10 mins ab & stretching
Rest
Tuesday 7.19
40 min walk/run (approx 3.4 miles)
20 min weights: arms, abs, stretching
Wednesday 7.20
Rest
Thursday 7.21
22 min walk/run (1.65 miles)
25 min weights: legs, abs, stretch
90 min contact yoga (photos of this class to come?)
Friday 7.22
90 min yoga
I’m trying to incorporate stretching and light ab work on my rest days so I am continuing to strengthen my core and loosen any tight muscles.
People often say they can’t do yoga because they aren’t flexible - this is not an excuse! 
I’m not very flexible but I’m working to increase my flexibility so that I can try new poses or take my current practice to another level.  You would also be surprised by how much your body can loosen up as you warm it up with movement.
Just.keep.moving!

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Thursday, July 21, 2011

Well-deserved pampering!

The long days have gotten out of control.  I like my job and I’m a team player, but I’m beat!  I checked my hours last night and saw that in 4 days, I had already achieved my weekly hours...  I went in to open this morning and was immediately met by more stress.  I was silly to think going in early this morning would mean I could get my work done before others came in and could bother me.  My bad.
But I got the things done that needed to get done this morning and thankfully was able to get out a few hours early since the rest of my team was there.  I headed straight to the gym where I realized I forgot my headphones and accidentally locked the keys to my gym lock in the locker.  Oops!  A 45 min workout + friendly gym staff + a big lock cutter later, and I was on my way home for lunch.  I would have liked a longer workout but I’m planning to hit up Gigi Yogini’s Birthday Contact Yoga class this evening and didn’t want to completely tire out my body before.  Plus, I have the next 2 days off where I can kick my butt at the gym!
So how does a girl who’s been working too hard spend a free afternoon?  A little well-deserved pampering, of course!  I thought about going all-out w/ a mani and pedi but decided just to stick with a pedicure (I’ll do a self manicure later) and end with a little froyo.  I’m definitely a happy girl!
Now it’s time to get rid of this headache, shower and finishing installing Lion on my MacBook Pro! (Pretty sure this is proving I have the slowest internet in the world....)


Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Apology from a Foodie

Let me start by apologizing for my delay and lack of posts these past couple of weeks.  With school and some crazy stuff at work leading to 10-12 hour days, I come home mentally and physically exhausted so I pour myself a bowl of cereal for dinner and go to bed.  If I have even a bit of energy, I try to do some studying.
Today was another one of those days.  I generally have Wednesday’s off but some scheduling things required me to work today.  It’s sad because I miss my favorite yoga class but I guess I’ll feel better about it come paycheck time.  But man, I’m realizing how burnt out I am and how much I just need a “normal” week to refresh and recharge myself.
I went to see The Lumineers play at Hotel Cafe last night and the show was good and the crowd was definitely into it, but as you can imagine, there’s a bit of awkwardness, as well as hurt feelings on my part.  They are amazing musicians and despite it all, still people I consider friends, so it was good to see them for sure but it definitely made for a bit of an emotional roller coaster on my part, especially as I was driving home.
So with everything, I decided I had earned to buy myself lunch today.  So I did!  And I went to one of my favorite places around work to grab a sandwich - Bay Cities Italian Deli!  I’m sure I’ve written about Bay Cities before, but it is quite the happenin’ spot come lunch time on the West Side and I’m thankful I work close enough to walk there and back on my lunch break because parking is a nightmare!
Anyway, I got my usual “Veggies Only” sandwich, which has cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, lettuce, pickles, black olives, and avocado spread on the best Italian loaf you could ever taste! Mmm, Mmm....


If you ever find yourself on the West Side of LA (particularly in Santa Monica), log yourself onto baycitiesitaliandeli.com and place a sandwich for yourself.  You surely would not regret it!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Make me feel pretty

You know when you see your ex for the first time since the breakup and you feel like you need to get all dressed up to show them you’re okay without them?  That is how I feel today.
Thank goodness for a good run + lift session this morning to wash away yesterday’s frustration and exhaustion; I am going into today with a clear head and mind.
Have a good day everyone!

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Monday, July 18, 2011

Music Monday - Birthday Dress

Last Monday I told you guys about Lil Playy, the new Interscope artist whose album I previewed / reviewed a couple weeks ago.  Well last week I could only share the “Behind the Scenes” for his first single, “Birthday Dress.”
This week, I can share the “Birthday Dress” video which premiered during our review session.  The video is awesome and song will be stuck in your head for the next several days!  Enjoy!


Saturday, July 16, 2011

A Delayed Response

I apologize for the delay and missing my Fitness Friday “deadline” but yesterday was quite the day!  It wasn’t bad but it was long and exhausting!  Without going into the long-drawn out details, let’s just say I worked a 12+ hour workday.  And the only reason it ended when it did was because I had been there so long my manager’s decided I needed to leave and while the issue making me stay was still unresolved, I sent out the information that I could and made sure they knew where all information was that they may need once they could get it resolved.  And then as I was leaving and another issue came up, I set someone else up for success and then was pulled away for a drink by a few of my coworkers/friends.  
And let me just say, a drink + some sweet potato fries for a late dinner was the perfect end to my day!  We hung out for awhile and chatted at Barney’s right down the street from work and then parted ways as we were all getting sleepy.  As soon as I got home, I got ready and climbed right into bed and allowed myself to sleep with no alarm this morning!  Oh, what a glorious feeling! :)
This weekend marks what LA has deemed “Carmageddon” and so far rumor has it, the roads are clear.  I guess it’s proof that scare tactics work but I still don’t know if I want to venture out.  My luck would probably lead to everyone else hearing the same thing and then the traffic and major backups would take over.  Plus it’s my day off and I’m just fine spending it in my yoga pants, taking walks/bike rides in my neighborhood, and relaxing.  I’m also planning to bike to work tomorrow, whether there is traffic or not.  It will be interesting and fun!
Anyway, with the move last weekend, I allowed myself to take it a bit easy at the gym and on the workout front this week - my body was tired and deserving of rest but you have to know when to rest and when to push through the soreness.  Here’s what my week looked like:


Saturday 7.9
Moved (lots of lifting of heavy things and walking back/forth and up/down stairs)
Walked about 2-3 miles to pick up moving truck and bike
Biked about 1 mile home
Sunday 7.10
Rest (not nearly as sore as I expected)
Monday 7.11
90 minutes of yoga (this class kicked my butt more than I expected it to!)
Tuesday 7.12
Rest
Wednesday 7.13
20 min walk/run
20-25 min lifting (arms), abs and stretching
90 minutes yoga
Walked 1.5 miles from new apartment to old apartment
Biked back 1.5 from old apartment to new apartment
Cleaned old apartment (that’s a workout!)
Thursday 7.14
20 mins elliptical
20-25 mins lifting (legs) and stretching
Friday 7.15 
Rest (though I had planned on yoga before the 12 hour workday)
Now I’m off to get some exercise and continue my day of relaxation and the apartment to myself! :)

Thursday, July 14, 2011

h.a.p.p.y.

I'm going to make this rather quick tonight because I just finished up my Anatomy assignment due tomorrow night and I work in the morning, but despite a lot of the struggles and hurdles I've been working hard to overcome, I'm happy.


That's it. Simple as that.  


I'm happy.


I see the positive and joy in my life.  I see my power and strength to overcome hurdles.  I see my openness to let people in and take part in new experiences.  I see optimism shining through more often than pessimism.  I see hope and a bright future.


That's it.  Simple as that.


I'm happy.





Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Foodie for a Day

With this move, it feels like I’ve been struggling to find any time to unpack, let alone cook a good meal.  So what I’ve been doing is trying to make myself some quick meals without sacrificing my health and budget.  Also since I’ve been having to put my energy towards school, work and the move, I don’t have the energy to figure out what I want to eat for dinner each night, let alone plan out a meal that will take more than 5 minutes to put together.
With that, this week I wanted to show you a quick meal that (at least) I don’t feel bad eating.  And it came together in under 5 minutes!
I started by sautéing some sliced bell peppers (mine were frozen - frozen veggies are a staple!)

While the veggies were thawing and warming up, I put a packet of Trader Joe’s Multigrain Pilaf in the microwave.


This stuff has a blend of whole grains, onion, garlic, soy, tomato and spices.  It was delicious!
When that came out of the microwave, I divided it between two bowls (one for now, one for tomorrow’s leftovers), topped with the peppers (again divided) and a sprinkle of pine nuts for a little extra protein and flavor.


For something that I made out of mere pantry staples in less than 5 minutes, this was a pretty delicious dinner!  And after I pull my laundry from the dryer, I will finish with a dessert of fresh strawberries I bought today! :)


Monday, July 11, 2011

Music Monday - LiL Playy

If you haven’t noticed from my blog or you don’t actually know me that well, let me just tell you that music is a big part of my life (I mean that is what I went to school for)!  It’s also something I’ve been wanting to write about for awhile and was tempted to start a second blog devoted solely to music.  But who wants to worry about maintaining two different blogs all the time?  I love writing and blogging but I don’t want to find even more time to make sure both stay updated without feeling like the content is being sacrificed.  So instead, I want to find a way to share everything I’m passionate about in one blog!  So this brings about another “feature” day: Music Monday.  With these days, I want to share music/music videos I’m really enjoying, new artists I heard about, album or live event reviews.  And if you have a band you want me to review, please email me and I will gladly.  (Disclaimer: I will be honest, whether you like what I have to say or not).
So with that, I want to tell you all about this event I was invited to last week.  I’ve mentioned many times that I’m not looking to leave the music industry by pursuing a career in health and fitness, but rather I’m looking to find a way to merge both passions into one career and life I can be happy with.
Anyway, I was invited (along with several other Berklee alums) to attend a feedback session for a new artist on Interscope.  We were given the date and time and asked to RSVP if we were interested/could attend.  Well I did and I got my friend Kahlil to join as my +1, knowing that since he’s in music, he might really enjoy it as well.  The day of I found out the name of the artist and the producer.  The producer was Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins and the artist was LiL Playy.  Being the girl who doesn’t generally choose to listen to hip-hop or rap, I was afraid what I was getting myself into but knew I needed to keep an open mind.

The whole group with LiL Playy (I don't have the one with Darkchild too).

...and thank goodness I did!  We got to listen to LiL Playy’s unreleased record and give our feedback as to whether we liked the song or not and if we had any additional comments on each track.  As with most albums, there were some songs that I did not like (though they did tend to be the general consensus of the group), songs that I liked and a few that I really liked and ended up stuck in my head!
The first single is called “Birthday Dress” and was my favorite from the whole album! It might be that it had a bit of a “rock” vibe or maybe it was the super catchy hook that had me nearly singing along before I heard the whole song through once.  We also got to preview the unreleased music video for “Birthday Dress.”  
Who knew I would be excited to share a hip-hop/rap artist named LiL Playy?  But as surprising as it may be, I hope you all keep your eyes out for the single (I think it’s supposed to be released in the next week or so) and the album whenever it drops!  
For now, I can leave you with the Behind the Scenes video for “Birthday Dress” giving you a nice little sneak peak to that hook on repeat in my head!



Sunday, July 10, 2011

Moving Tips!

There’s still a lot of unpacking that needs to be done but I definitely started to get myself settled last night but man am I exhausted!  Thankfully my legs and feet are feeling a bit better than they were at 2am when the pain radiating through my body woke me up and kept me up for awhile.  I think I have earned a massage on one of my days off coming up!
Anyway, while I’m still preparing the apartment to share with you all, I thought it would be fun to find more of the fun “moving tips” I shared yesterday.  Apparently Budget used to use these on the side of their moving trucks, though the truck I got yesterday didn’t have one. :( 


Anyway, these are super fun - enjoy!








Saturday, July 9, 2011

I SURVIVED!

I did it!  I really did it! 

And I'm beat!  I had hopes to make it out tonight for a co-worker who is having some people over but my body is physically and mentally exhausted and I'm opting out and heading to bed for a good night's sleep instead.  I work in the morning so I really think it's what is best for all involved parties (mostly me but also all of my co-workers who have to deal with me tomorrow). ;)

I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend and I'll try to fill you in tomorrow! G'night!

Today is the day!

Well everyone, today is the day, the day of officially moving!  I decided to forego a truck and stuck with a Cargo van instead as I feel more comfortable driving that and hope it will save some of the moving stresses that come up.  Though while maintaining relatively calm on the outside my insides are twisting and turning with all sorts of nervous energy.
I have 2 friends helping me, Blayne and Heather, the others who said they would help are either working or on their way out of town.  Just my luck, huh?  But either way, I’ll be walking to get the truck around 10, driving it back to my apartment and then moving will begin.  It’s a Saturday, I booked last minute and apparently truck rental places want to work super short hours making you rush to move so I’ll have to drop it back off by 2!  Good thing I’ve been moving so much on my own via my car!  (And I’ll be back for the last bits with my car because I ran out of boxes...oops!)
Anyway, if I can and I’m not super busy unpacking, sleeping from exhaustion or just too lazy from the day, I’ll give you and update on how it went later.
For now - wish me luck!

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