Life update

So here's what my life has been like (somewhat) lately:

A few weeks ago, my cousin and I did a hike in Pacific Palisades. The views were gorgeous, as you can see. It was about 3 miles, and it umm kicked our butts. My legs felt like jello for 2 days afterwards. Sooo, half dome here we come?

On the 4th of July, my parents and I took a day trip to Santa Monica. It was cool and cloudy (weather that seems like a distant memory now). And still no one would go on the ferris wheel with me! Jessie, let's go?!

And no, we haven't moved yet. But hopefully soon...because I'm tired of living out of boxes. 

Life update

Remember how I said changes were in store for this summer? Well here's the scoop (if I haven't already told you): me and the folks are moving! We are moving to a town about 20 minutes from where we are now. With the exception of college, I've lived in the same town for as long as I can remember, so this is a little bit of a change for me. The big move will be sometime next month, so...I guess I should start packing, huh? Moving to a new place will give me a chance to clean and organize my stuff (2 of my favorite things!). Hopefully it'll also inspire me to give some "tough love" to my closet. Even though I don't wear most of the things I own, I can't seem to let go of a lot. Maybe when faced with the task of carrying all that stuff, I'll be more likely to say goodbye. (I'm already cleaning out my bookshelves and getting stuff ready to donate, cause books are heavy yo). This is all a long-winded way of saying that posts are gonna become sparser than normal. I'd rather be packing watching netflix.

Summertime

[1]

Happy 3 day weekend! It is so nice to wake up on a Sunday and realize you have one more day of sleeping in left. Hope your extra time off was as good as mine was. I did nothing but eat, read, and refresh. Since this weekend marks the unofficial start of summer, I've decided to create a summer "to-do" list, a list of fun things that I'd like to see or do in the months to come. 

Ride on the Santa Monica Ferris Wheel (also on my 25x25 list)

Make these nectarine vodka chillers

Go to McConnell's Ice Cream (amazingly, I've never been)

Go to the Cleopatra exhibit at the California Science Center

Hit up the beach more

See the Walt Disney archives exhibit at the Ronald Reagan Library

Attend an eatseehear event

I must say that changes are a coming this summer (nope, not job changes - guess again) so we'll see how many of these I can check off. Here's hoping! 

The weekend, in pictures

berry, banana and spinach smoothie (2 days in a row)

avocado toast

giant stack of magazines

and a george clooney double feature. 

all in all, a good weekend. 

Spring cleaning

I know posting has been sparse on ye olde blog as of late, but I've been working on trying to do things, instead of just reading about them. It got to a point where I spending more time online, reading blogs just out of habit, and then complaining about not having enough time to do the things I actually wanted to do. Silly! So I cleaned out my google reader and now read only what I love. It leaves a little bit more time to do things like catch up on my reading and work on my college scrapbook. Not to say I've totally broken my online addiction, but it's a work in progress. 

I'm also working on spring cleaning my closet - I feel like things need a re-vamp. Since I can wear anything I want to work, that typically means I dress very casually. I'm hoping to go shopping and polish up my basics. Maybe take some inspiration from these:

[J. Crew, as always]

Friday, Friday

Hey Friday! Long time, no see. Have any exciting plans? I gave up candy and girl scout cookies for Lent, so I've made quite the pile of sweet treats for me to dive into on Sunday. I'm also working on catching up on my TV shows - I've been bouncing back and forth between Community, Downton Abbey and Breaking Bad. (All so good!) 

Emma Stone is my favorite person EVER. (We are now planning our own Easter dance dares - watch out family!)

This tumblr makes me giggle. I can't stop guys. 

Awkward Hunger Games moments. 

Happy weekend!

Happy freakin' Friday

Oh, it's been a long week. I'm so ready to head over to my cousin's for a girly night of movies and sangria. And then tomorrow we're seeing Hunger Games! I can't wait. I'll let you know how it goes. Any fun weekend plans?

P.S: The best article I've ever read. (Jen, read this, and love me for it)

Harder, better, faster, stronger

This weekend I ran in my first 5k! It was one of my goals this year to complete one, so now I can check that off my list. I was a little nervous about running, especially because I felt like I hadn't been super strict with my training. I had bumped up the amount I running I was doing each week, but had never actually ran 3.1 miles straight (I know). I was ready to accept the fact that I would just have to walk part of it. As I went up the huge hill to the starting line, I started to get more pumped up. Before I knew it, I was crossing the starting line. I turned up my special race playlist and just started to go...and didn't stop! Other than a quick water stop, I ran the whole thing. Which I'm pretty darn proud of. And I reached my goal time of 35:00 (came in at 34:21!). There is something about being in a huge crowd of people that really gets you moving! And the people cheering on the side didn't hurt - the best race sign: "run now, tequila later." I really liked doing this race - and I'm excited to do the Revlon run/walk in May! 

I'm back!

Ok, I didn't fall off the face of the earth. Well, maybe a little. But I'm back, and I'm ready for my NYC recap. (Apologies for the picture-heavy post.)

I landed Friday afternoon and after a quick stop at the hotel, we walked over to Times Square. We wandered in and out of the shops (including a 4 story Forever 21!), and walked to Rockefeller Center. 

We also walked past Parsons. Sadly, no sign of Tim Gunn.

Then we headed back to the hotel and watched a movie. The next day we hit the ground running. We walked up Fifth and headed to the #1 place I wanted to see: the New York Library! I kind of wanted to just stay there. 

Next, we headed to Rockefeller Center to go ice-skating! This has been on my life list for years. 

But we only stayed on the rink for around 45 minutes, cause it was too cold for this wimpy girl. Then we headed to the Top of the Rock. Where it was even colder. But beautiful!

We also saw St. Patrick's...

and the Empire State...

and made a stop in Tiffany's...

Next, we stopped in FAO Schwartz where I fulfilled another life dream. I played the piano from Big!

So much fun! Then we walked through Central Park to get through the Natural History Museum.

I met the dum dum head...he didn't speak to me, which was infinitely disappointing. 

We didn't spend a ton of time going through the museum cause we were both tired and hungry, so I'll need to make another trip sometime. After the museum, we walked back to Times Square and went to a brewery for dinner. Once we both got food and beer, we felt much better. After walking so much, we made it another early night. The next night, we took a train up to where my friend lives and then I left the next day. It was a whirlwind trip, but it was so much fun. I can't wait to go back!

Packing

So, originally I had planned on doing a post about my packing for NYC. But guess what? We are t-minus 36 hours till I need to be showered, dressed, packed and out the door....and I haven't packed a thing. Not one thing. Instead, I'm watching Despicable Me. Because, you know, priorities people. So, instead, let's talk about what I would put in my suitcase. Tomorrow. Let's start with the weather: it's going to be mostly in the 50s, although Saturday has a high of 45. A HIGH of 45. Now I know that for most of the country, that's a normal winter day. But in Southern California, we are weather wimps. Anything under 65 is our winter, and 45, during the day, is just not something we encounter very often. So while I actually like cold weather, and would love to imagine myself looking super cute like this on my trip:

[images]

It's probably gonna go more like this:

[image]

C'est la vie.

Sicky icky

So the cold that seems to be going around lately finally got me. I hate being sick. I always feel really guilty missing work (which I did yesterday for half a day). I'm starting to feel better, just in time for the weekend! My cousin and I are planning on a hike in Malibu (and maybe a post-hike beer?!) I'm also going to attempt to pack for my trip to NYC, which is next weekend! My cousin was in NY this time last year and her packing advice for me boils down to this:

More on how that goes later. 

I could watch these all day

You've probably already seen these videos, but they're too good not to post. Lemme break it down for you...

Ellen is hilarious, I kinda wish I could watch her show everyday. And T. Swift is precious. And I also have a not-so-secret crush on Zac Efron (and I ain't afraid to show it!) So put all 3 of them together, and you have 2 videos that I may have watched like 17 times in the past day or so. Plus Betty White makes an appearance in the 2nd one, which ups the cool factor like 1,000 percent. 

Life lately

Is anyone else as excited as I am that the week is already halfway over? 

I had a blast this past weekend visiting my friend Jen. We headed out to the Shout House, a super fun, rowdy piano bar. Of course, hilarity (and embarrassment!) ensued. I love love love San Diego (and of course, Jen!) so even a brief visit was fun. 

This week, I've had to hit the ground running at work, which is why the week seems to be zipping by. I promise I'll have more to update when life calms down a little (which looking at my upcoming weekends may not be all that soon), but in the meantime....

TRUTH.

[image]

TGIF!

Happy freakin' Friday! Why is it that weeks before long weekends are so long?! Tomorrow, I'm heading down to San Diego to visit my girl Jen for her big badass birthday :) Other than that, I was thinking of taking a run outside, starting up Downton Abbey, and maybe doing some window shopping at the mall. Do you have any fun plans? 

Two fun things from the internets lately:

I'm pretty sure this is what books do when we're not around. 

David Beckham posted this picture of Victoria Beckham, captioned "So proud of my wife taking #NYFW by the balls" The idea of Victoria Beckham being this silly makes me giggle.   

My weekend, and #16

For some reason, the last few weeks have felt really long. Work has been getting busier, and each weekend was flying by, packed with chores and errands. So I made a promise to myself - Saturday I would just rest and relax, guilt free. I spent the day reading and catching up on all the shows I missed during the week. Pretty sure the most strenuous thing I did all day was hit up the starbucks drive-thru. 

Today, I felt so much better and was ready to do something fun and different. I've been wanting to see the dinosaur exhibit at the Natural History Museum for a long time, so we headed over there. It was so cool! I'm kind of a history nerd, and dinosaurs have always boggled my mind, so I loved getting to learn more about them. (And the other exhibits were great too - we saw giant camels, walking whales, and mastodons from our own backyard!)

Also, I'm 99% sure they come to life at night. 

Working on my fitness

I've been finding myself in a gym rut lately. I know I should be training for that 5k (in March) but I just ain't feeling it. So I thought I'd tell you a little bit more about my gym-ventures. 

My whole life, I was never the athletic kid. I read books, and drew pictures, and put on spice girl skits...but sports? Not so much. I did the bare minimum in PE class and that was it. When I got to college, people around me were so...active. The gym was always full, people played sports for fun. It was so not me. I walked to class, but that was about it. Once I moved off campus (and started driving to class), all that pizza and beer pong caught up with me. I graduated with the freshman 15 (plus a little extra) - I was no longer comfortable in my own skin. My parents could see I was unhappy, and offered to pay for a gym membership. I initially refused - the closest I came to breaking a sweat was going to get the mail. And that was the problem. Something had to change. I agreed to go. Luckily, I had a friend who belonged to that same gym. She helped make me feel more comfortable going to the gym - I was intimidated! And knowing I had a date set up with someone held me accountable. Soon, I started seeing results and going became a habit. It's been 2 1/2 years since I first started going to the gym, and I can't imagine quitting. I feel so much happier, calmer and self-confident. If I skip exercising for a few days, I can really feel the difference, mentally and physically. Now I'm no expert, but here are a few things that have helped me get healthy and stick with it:

1. Create a gym schedule. I used to just wing it and go whenever I felt like it. Turns out, I feel like sitting down more often that I feel like going to the gym. Now I have a schedule, and I stick to it. It's so much easier this way.

2. Pack my lunch the night before. I used to always pack my lunch in the morning, and I barely had enough time to throw together a sandwich before I ran out the door. Now, I pack the night before and make much healthier choices. I usually pack a salad, fruit, yogurt, veggies, and a treat. I still seem to be racing against the clock every morning though...

3. Don't weigh myself. I know that people have differing opinions on this - some people say that regular weigh-ins help keep them on track. For me, hopping on the scale would keep me too focused on that number, rather than how I feel. 

So even though I get in a rut every now and then, I'm still on a pretty good path and I'm proud of myself :)

Quote

[source]

I love this print. 

Resolutions

I make new year's resolutions every year, with varying degrees of success. The ones that I have this year are pretty specific, which I think is key to making and maintaining change. My top 5:

1. Run a 5k. Last year, my cousin and I walked the Revlon Run Walk and loved it. I'd love to try running a 5k this year. 

2. Go digital. I've always been partial to my day planner, but this year I'd like to try and make the leap to digital. I'd like to hopefully organize my calendar, lists and notes in my phone and computer. I just downloaded iCloud to help me do this. 

3. Try out one new recipe a month. I'd love to improve my cooking skills. 

4. Cut down my trips to Target. Even though I love it, I gotta be honest and say that Target is a major time suck and money drain. So many impulse buys!
5. Try to pay in cash. I find it much easier to shop when I'm paying with a credit card. Hopefully paying in cash will make me think twice about my purchases.

Here's to a great year!

Also, 3 things that were interesting on the internet this week:
1. This article, entitled What Is It About 20-Somethings? An interesting look at how this generation is taking longer to grow up and the efforts to define this process. A lengthy article, but worth it.
2. Engagement photos inspired by Disney movies. I'm a Disney nerd, so I found these really cute. (although not sure if I'd go for an Alice in Wonderland theme...)
3. A hiking trail that is underwater during the summer, but uncovered during the winter. 

A Christmas movie you've never heard of

Ok, so there's this old Christmas movie from the 80s, Babes in Toyland. If you and I are not related, chances are you haven't heard of it. For some reason, this is the movie I remember watching most at my grandparents' house. Not really sure how my grandma found this gem (probably in the drugstore bargain bin, if I'm being honest). But it stars Keanu Reeves, Drew Barrymore and Mr. Miyagi. I don't remember too many of the details, other than there is a song about Cincinnati, the villain lives in a huge bowling ball, and the giant toy soldiers come to life. Clearly, a winner. I tried to make my mom watch it a few years ago and she quit after the Cincinnati song. The reason why I'm writing a whole post about a silly childhood movie is because it is on netflix insta-queue. Now I can watch it anytime I want! I texted this very exciting news to my parents, who then told me they were busy. Forever. 

When I brought up Babes in Toyland again at dinner today, my dad said "you mean the movie we watch every year?" (dad translation = he means A Christmas Story). I was actually offended that he compared the two. A Christmas Story wins. Hands down. Don't even bother with Babes in Toyland. I can assure you it's not even on Keanu Reeves's resume anymore. 

(Also, this post is pretty much just for my cousin Jessie, cause she's the only one who has any idea what Babes in Toyland is, although I don't think she remembers much of it.)

Countdown to hibernation

So this whole being an adult thing kinda stinks sometimes. I really miss those 2 week Christmas vacations. Even though my break is considerably shorter this year (3 days), I'm still really excited. I'm preparing myself for what I call my "hibernation." It's going to be 3 days chock full of:

-sweatpants (real pants? please.)

-Christmasy movies, including but not limited to: Elf, The Santa Clause, Love Actually, The Holiday, Christmas Vacation, A Christmas Story, Home Alone and It's A Wonderful Life

-a big stack of unread magazines

-no healthy food at all

(Actually, this may read like a lot of my weekends at home)

Also, this fruit compote will definitely be involved:

8 oz mixed dried fruit (chopped)

16 oz cherry pie filling

11 oz can mandarin oranges (drained)

1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 cup bourbon (or apple juice)

Combine 1st 3 ingredients in 1 1/2 quart dish and set aside. Combine other ingredients and pour over mixture. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. 

We've never used bourbon in this before, but it sounds delicious. This is amazing over homemade waffles, which is how we have our Christmas breakfast every single year. I'm drooling a little bit just thinking of it.