Day in the Life | An afternoon in L.A.

Last week, I was fortunate enough to take a quick trip to L.A.  Since most of the trip was dedicated to work, I only had a few hours to dedicate to exploring the city.  I had to act fact so I reached for my Yelp app and searched for the nearest "boutiques" and found Shopaholic Sample Sales.
Quickly, I made my way over there hoping I'd find something I'd be able to afford.

After perusing the sales floor for a few minutes, I stumbled upon some must have jewelry items and a few potentials for my wardrobe.  My bliss was interrupted by a super friendly sales girl who inquired about whether I was ready to try on my selections.

Once I let her know I was ready, she led me to a "community dressing room"  where several women were trying on clothes.  Never in my life have I tried on clothes in an open room with others so I was taken a back by the experience.  I tried to play it off by acting as if this was a normal occurrence for me.  

After the shopping was done, I once, again asked my trusty Yelp App for  sushi recommendations.  Much to my delight, the was a location nearby that featured black rice sushi!  Ever since I was first introduced black rice, I've been on the lookout for a local restaurant that offered black rice as an option, with no luck.

Luckily for me, Slowfish gave me the chance to have my wish.

I enjoyed two black rice rolls as a perfect ending to a wonderful afternoon.  Having seen black rice sushi with my own eyes, I have the confidence to recreate them at home.  Can't wait to go back.

Sunday Market

It's been unseasonably warm this week so I decided to head out to the local Farmer's market to enjoy the weather.  Every time I go, I'm guaranteed to get and eye full of interesting art along with ample opportunities for people watching.

I couldn't believe that it reached the 80s today.  To keep comfortable, I opted to wear a light weight, olive green dress paired with my beloved B Makowsky bag.

While there,  I was caught a glimpse of some beautiful heads of hair.  My attention was immediately caught by a young mother and her gorgeous little girl. Both of them with stunning tresses.

As soon as I snapped the pic, I looked across the lawn and saw this girl with her group of friends.  I think I noticed her huge ponytail before anything else.  I wish I could have gotten a closer shot but I didn't want to appear any creepier than I already was.

Hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!

{Crab dip & Camouflage} A leisurely Sunday afternoon

Lately, my work schedule has been out of control.  So by the time the weekend comes around, I'm completely ready to enjoy it.  Today I decided to go to a favorite spot in town for brunch.  For once we got there early enough to grab a good seat before the Sunday crowd formed.

I ordered one of my favorite appetizers, a crab artichoke dip.  This time, however, the skimped on the crab so I vowed to learn how to recreate my own version of it that I can enjoy with as much crab as I want.   Look out for the recipe once I get it down.

After brunch, I strolled the shopping area on the hunt for any cute finds.  Unfortunately, I came up empty handed this time around.

Wearing camouflage jeans from GAP.  Similar pair here. Fergie heels. Top from H&M.  Next weekend is The Makeup Show!  I can't wait.

Motivation Monday: The 7 Day Challenge

Seven days ago today I embarked on mini journey that I will call the 7 day challenge.  Some of you might be familiar with 30 day challenges where one commits to doing (or going without) something for a full 30 days.  I've yet to complete a successful 30 day challenge so I did the next best thing.

For the past 7 days, I made the commitment to conduct some form of exercise on a daily basis.  After sharing my last fitness inspiration post, I thought I'd try to live the life of someone who works out every day.  See what it feels like and, best of all, receive some of the benefits.  If the challenge was completed successfully, perhaps I could find a way to make that action a permanent part of my life or, at the very least, I could continue on to a second 7 day challenge.

I chose daily exercise as my first experiment because it seems like I could always find an excuse not to work out.  "I don't have time." "The gym is too far." "I worked out yesterday."  "I'll do it tomorrow."  "It's kinda late."  All of those excuses took on a life of their own and soon my body and health began to show signs of my decisions.  This week was the week of zero excuses. Nothing could get in the way of me achieving my goal of 7 days of consistent exercise.  Heck, I even worked out twice in one day.  Twice in a day!!!

I didn't loose a ton of weight in 7 says, and although I do see some signs of my hard work, my body didn't transform in a week's time.  But what I got was even better than all of that.  I now can confidently operate with no excuses when it comes to my workout habits (or any other habit for that matter).  If ever I feel like it's too late to work out, I'll think about Wednesday night when I walked in the door at 9:30 pm after a 12 hour day, immediately changed into my workout clothes and completed a 30 minute workout at home.  No longer will I look at someone who has the discipline to consistently work out and think "how does she do that?"  I have been given a glimpse of that lifestyle and can choose to continue cultivating the habit if I chose.

I'm loving this seven day challenge thing.  Now that I completed one round, I'm ready to keep it going.  Next on my list is a 7 day scalp massage and a meditation challenge. My mind is brewing up countless seven day challenge experiments. I encourage challenge you to try this for yourselves.  If I would have "failed" at my attempt to work out 7 days, chances are, I'd still work out more often last week than I would have normally so, technically, there's no downside to this experiment.


Have you every tried a 7 day or 30 day challenge?  Who's ready to get started?

These are a few of my favorite things

Have you ever gone through periods of time where you've been really into something? Seems like I'm always going though phases where I'm infatuated with one thing or another.  Today, I'd like to share are few of my favorites that I'm currently obsessed with. 

Nutrient Rich Seaweed Snacks//

There's an Asian grocery store not too far from me.  They carry all types of spices and delicacies from the far east.  Me? I go there for my gluten free soy sauce and lifetime supplies of toasted seaweed sheets.

These crispy treats are so addictive it's not even funny.  Years ago I wrote about the benefits of eating super green foods like seaweed.  After reading so many accounts of women who had lovely hair and shared that they ate a lot of seaweed, I was convinced.  My obsession with these roasted seaweed snacks started out as means by which I could create healthier hair.  But I would continue to enjoy them even if  they weren't loaded with vitamins and minerals.  But they are good for me so it's even better!  If you haven't tried these, you've been depriving yourself.

MASON JARS//

I was at the checkout line the other day when my eyes just happen to land on a case of mason jars.  Normally, I wouldn't  be affected by such a sight.   If it hadn't been for the experience at an indie hangout where I was served my mojito from a jar, I wouldn't have made this purchase.  Drinking out of a jar was so enjoyable that I couldn't resist recreating the experience at home with bamboo tea.  This weekend I whipped up a batch of  tea and infused it with lemon.  It was so perfect.  My husband seemed to like it as much as me so we refilled the jar several  times over the course of the day. 

BLENDTEC BLENDER//

Next on my list is this nifty Blendtec blender that I picked up on a trip to Sam's Club. I went in there for one thing and walked out with a state of the art blender. The Blendtec is supposed to rival the Vitamix Blender which is said to be the best in the world.  Me and this other lady were pretty much sold the product by a guy who did a live in store demo.  Later she told me that she only came in to get a hot dog for her daughter and herself.  What sold us is how many options available with this amazing machine. The guy blended ice cream, soup, green juice, fruit smoothies.  After purchasing I walked over to their produce section and was approached by one of the employees at Sam's who proudly told me that I wouldn't regret the purchase.  He went on to say that he's had his Blendtec for years and enjoyed a smoothie for breakfast that morning.  After a week past I had buyers remorse but once I was able to make an avocado smoothie that tastes as good as the Vietnamese restaurant up the street, I knew that this new toy was a keeper.  The best part of this purchase was the recipe book. I hope to share some of the recipes with you in the future. 

YSL SHADOW QUAD//

The last thing on my current faves list is this Pure Chromatics eye shadow quad from Yves Saint Lauren.  I purchased after having received the best makeup session of my life.  Seriously, never has anyone done my makeup where I didn't run to the restroom and wash it off immediately after the reveal.  She did such an amazing job that I purchased eye shadow knowing that I'd never be able to recreate her work of art.  Even though I couldn't create the look, these colors are still my favorite for everyday looks. I've got tons of eye shadow at home (and I mean tons of it). But the quality of the YSL brand can not be compared.  I just love the shimmer it gives without being all glittery.  I look forward to adding more colors from that brand to my collection in the future.

Melyssa Ford & Pilar Sandars: My Perfect Body Inspiration

Nothing like a striking image to bring us quickly into reality. For me, the images happen to be of highly fit women to take amazing care of their fabulous bodies. I'm just really getting into this social media trend so one thing I started doing was following some of my fitness inspirations online. One of those people just happened to be Pilar Sandars. Crazy divorce drama aside, this woman has an incredible physique. The pic below is an obvious reminder of the outcome of one's dedication to her habit of physical fitness.

I have been trying (fairly unsuccessfully) to cultivate this habit of regular exercise for quite some time. My dad is a fitness buff and, for as long as I can remember, this man has had a six pack and strong arms. I wish his type of discipline could have passed down to me as easily as the facial features we share. It's like the people who work out do it with such consistency that living life any other way is not an option.

Take Melyssa ford for example. She shared the pic above on her instagram page with a caption that reads: "AM gym flow after 3 hours of sleep." I don't know about you, but after 3 hours of sleep, the VERY last thing on my mind would be doing some leg exercises. #realtalk. So how does one become so committed to their health and fitness that it becomes a way of life? Last month, I listened to an audio book called The Power of Habit. In it, the author gave some really compelling examples of how habits are formed and then evolve to become so deeply ingrained in us that we sometimes have no control. These women who push their bodies to the point where it has no choice but to conform, aren't doing it because it's fun. As a matter of fact, Nicole Murphy, who has a darn near perfect frame, posted the words "it don't come easy" along side of a pick of her and some friends at the gym.  They don't do it for the fun, they do it because it's a deeply rooted habit.

In the Power of Habit book, I recall the author discussing the reward that one receives following a new action as a factor of how quickly that action becomes a habit. The greater the reward, the more likely we are to repeat the action. Unfortunately, for us, the reward for physical activity is rarely instant. Sure, there's that whole thing about chemicals being released during a work out that mimic eating chocolate or falling in love. Sadly, those chemical sensations are competing with the loud voice that tells me to stop or the sore muscles that beg me to remain sedentary. I know for a fact that these women do what they do because they receive numerous rewards. For one, they get to walk around knowing that they have the kind of body that 95% of the population would want. They pretty much will look great in anything. And I'm sure the chemical reactions that create that "work out high" are so strong that someone like Melyssa is willing to forget the fact that she only slept for 3 hours the night before.

(source) 

 Now I'm at the point,once again, where I'm ready to recommit to a lifestyle of fitness rather than my current routine of running to the gym whenever things start to get too jiggly. My desire is to become my own source of inspiration. In everything we do there are the visible results and the non-visible. The visible results of me working out consistently should be obvious. But there will also be the impact to my confidence and my overall outlook on life. The book labeled exercise as a "keystone habit." Meaning that this habit has the ability to positively impact other areas of our lives. For example, someone who starts working out consistently also begins to make healthier eating choices. That person also suddenly becomes more confident or better organized. These secondary habits develop without the conscious effort required in the first habit. Keystone habits are very much like the unexpected "get one free" item received at a shoe sale.

 

 (protective stylin' it while I get my workout on)

So here I am, ready to make this thing real. I've been fit before and that feeling is amazing. There's nothing like that feeling of when I'm walking down the street knowing that my tummy is flat and I'm the proud owner of ab cuts. It's completely different than trying to strategically hide my belly under baggy shirts. In the past,  I didn't associate a reward with my habit to keep it alive. This time, I'll try incorporating a reward into the process and see what I can create.  Perhaps my reward could be a smoothie from the juice bar right next to my gym.  I'll think of something. Either way, I'm excited about this new found desire to create a new me.  Those of you who are consistently working out, how do you do it?

Salmon Eggs Benedict and Reality Creation Recipe

It all began about a week ago.  While browsing through some stunning pics on someone's blog,  I fell in love with an image of a meal this blogger enjoyed in the days prior.  By the looks for it, her meal, was probably consumed at some fancy restaurant.  Not only did it look tasty, it was visually stunning.

The very next moment I made the decision to try to replicate this dish.  On Sundays my husband and I like to sometimes enjoy brunch at a local eatery.  The food is wonderful but the cost adds up after a while. So I thought to myself, "this could be the opportunity to save a few dollars while flexing my skills in the kitchen". Immediately, I began assessing the ingredients I would need to create this meal.

Salmon? Check! Hash browns? Check! Leafy greens? Check! Eggs for poaching?......

Getting a hold of some eggs would be easy but I had never in my life poached an egg.  I pretty much like to enjoy my eggs in the same way. Something about runny eggs never appealed to me so learning how to make poached eggs was never a priority.

Once I'd made the decision, I didn't think twice about my lack of skill in the area of egg poaching.  The only thing I knew was that I had to move forward and turn this desire into a reality.  I told myself that on the next Sunday morning, I'd be creating this meal and that was it. 

Sunday came and I knew what I had to do.  After taking assessment of the elements needed to prepare this creation, I realized that I was missing a few items.  One trip to the store took care of that.  After arriving back home, I went to work.

I stumbled around a bit in the kitchen before I was able to produce the finished product.  I felt all warm and fuzzy inside about my completed dish.  Finally, the moment came when I was able to share the meal with my husband.  Minutes later, he looked at me and said, "this is better than the restaurant."  I'm not sure I completely agree with him, but I was proud of the result none the less.

As I finished up my meal, I had somewhat of an epiphany.   I felt like I learned a lesson from this experience.  A few days earlier, my attention was caught by a visually stunning image, next thing I knew, the image was a reality.  Can I use the same process to bring other things I desire into reality as well?  So I thought back and retraced my steps.  How did I get here?

Desire.
The moment I laid my eyes on the image. I knew I wanted to have it.  I wanted it so bad that started planning it out in my head right away.   There's a difference between "liking" something and "wanting it."  When I'm at the mall, I may see something and say, "this is nice, I really like this."  But that isn't as powerful as when I say "I want this, I'm gonna get it."

Intention.
After connecting with image of the dish I wanted, I immediately told my husband of my plan to prepare this dish.  In doing so, I was expressing my intention to bring this meal into reality.  By verbally expressing my intention to him, I already began the process of creation.  I also told him exactly when I would prepare it.  This is like saying, "I'm going to the gym on Tuesday" versus "I need to go to the gym."

Action.
Sunday came.  The moment I woke up that morning, I knew it was about to go down.  I made no excuses nor did I allow any distractions to get in the way.  I didn't try talk myself out of it.  I got up, went to the store and that was it.  All of my actions that morning were correlated to the outcome I wanted to create.

Focus.
Throughout the process, I nearly burned the potatoes, I dropped a poached egg on the floor, and I screwed up the first batch of hollandaise sauce.  Yet I let none of that deter me from getting to my goal.  With every set back, I learned from it, and just kept moving forward.  Egg on the floor? No problem, I'll just make another one.  It's all about getting to finally taste the meal that I so longed for. Nothing else. The goal is all that matters.

The process of poaching egg and sauteing salmon did so much more than just satisfy my hunger, it taught me a lesson in life.  From now on, if I see something that I'd like to create (no matter what it is), instead of thinking "wouldn't that be nice" I'll ask, "what will I do to create this?"


Eggs Benedict with Salmon Recipe
Ingredients:

• 1 salmon fillet (I used a frozen fillet purchased at Sam's Club)
• Ore Ida frozen potatoes 
• Leafy greens of your choice
• Eggs
• Hollandiase sauce mix (purchased at Walmart. For the more adventurous types, the recipe to make it form scratch is here.)
• Pink salt and pepper to taste.
• Butter
• Vinegar

-Season your salmon with salt, pepper, parsley to taste
-Start by cooking the potatoes on the skillet to your liking.  I prefer my potatoes a little crispy.
-Once potatoes are 10-15 minutes from completion, melt a little butter in the skillet and place salmon in the pan on medium heat.
-If making instant hollandaise, begin preparing the sauce by following the recipe.
-In a  separate pot, prepare the water by warming it to the right temperature required to poach the egg (hot but not boiling). Add a little vinegar to the water.

If all goes well, the potatoes and salmon should be ready at around the same time.  Turn of heat and allow ingredients to remain in pan to maintain temperature.  Poach the egg by carefully dropping a raw egg into the warm water ( first, I cracked the egg into a cup then use the cup to carefully place the egg into the water. Using the cup gives you a little more control, making the process a little easier).  Allow the eggs to begin cooking in the warm water for a few minutes.  Plate potatoes, salmon and leafy greens.  Scoop out with slotted spoon and allow the water to drain from the egg.  Place egg on top of salmon, top with salt/pepper and hollandaise and voila!