Happy Halloween!

Are you dressing up today? I really wanted to be a snail (inspired by this), but just couldn't pull it together. I would normally default into my black bear costume (see above), but I've lent it to a friend this year. That leaves me with the classic...

The Juicing Chronicles Pt.2

Hello friends! I wanted to give you an update on my little world of juicing. I have to admit that I kind of fell off of the wagon for a bit, and even stopped juicing for a few weeks. Then, I finally watched the documentary, Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, and it jump started my desire to juice (I totally recommend watching it, it's really good). I've been juicing consistently, but am not letting myself feel guilty if I miss a morning.

I've realized that I really enjoy making natural juices from fresh fruits and vegetables. Last night I was able to share some of my favorite recipes with some girlfriends, and it was so much fun! If you're interested in starting out, here are some of my recommendations and things that I've learned:

• Apples and oranges make great bases for juice; their flavors are not too strong, but they produce a lot of juice
• Carrots will sweeten the flavor of any juice you make (read: it's great to add with bitter veggies)
• Spinach is a great vegetable to juice because it's flavor is hidden so well 
• Don't be afraid to use all kinds of veggies (spinach, kale, asparagus, zucchini, cucumber, etc.), the darker the better!

Also, here are some of my favorite combinations:

• 1 apple + 1 orange + boatloads of spinach + 1 carrot + 3 strawberries 
• 3 oranges + a hearty handful of spinach
• 1 beet + 7-8 strawberries + spinach (always use a lot :) + 1 carrot
• 1 carrot + 2 apples + spinach + kale + 3 asparagus stalks 

And a juice that feels more like a dessert:

• 1 peach + 1 nectarine + 1 apple + 1 carrot + spinach + a few strawberries

I continue to learn as I go, and it's just a matter of finding the flavors you like best. I, personally, have been feeling convicted to use more vegetables in order to increase the amount of nutrients I am getting, but I think you should start with whatever you like best.

Have you ever tried juicing? Do you have any recommendations from your experience? 

Do You Collect?

Do you collect anything specific when you travel? Shot glasses? Pens? Magnets? I'm not a huge collector and don't have anything specific to get when we go on trips. Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy some shopping (especially for jewelry :), but there is never anything that I have to search out.

I've tried to be a collector or souvenir shopper in the past by picking up magnets wherever I went, and asked my roommates to do the same (Bon - remember that was going to be our "thing"? ha!), but it kind of fell flat. I admire those that can really commit to that kind of collection, like my brother. He has done an amazing job at collecting shot glasses over the last couple of years, and has even talked others into grabbing them for him as well. He has well over 100, probably closer to 200! I just don't know what I would want badly enough to have that many of.

What kinds of items do you collect (if any) when you travel? How long have you been collecting?
(Photos: one and two)

Daydreaming

Our first rain (technically second) of the season has come! The cool temperatures, wet pavement, and crisp air have me daydreaming of this scene...

Wouldn't you love to explore a city all day and then cuddle up with a blanket and book while listening to a storm rage outside?

Content Issue 4.4

Content's latest issue, Education, has landed! I'm super excited because we were able to interview Vincent Kartheiser (a.k.a. Pete Campbell from Mad Men) and have a very real conversation about life and death. It's exciting to watch the magazine grow and continue to gain momentum.

If you haven't already done so, you should subscribe. I realize that is a blatant sales pitch, but I can't help but feel pride for what my city does and how beautifully Content displays that (I have no problem talking about how beautiful it is because I don't actually contribute to any of those parts :). The whole team does a fantastic job of uncovering what is happening throughout the city, as well as the people who are making it happen.

Even if you can't bring yourself to subscribe (even though it only breaks down to $3.50 a month ;), flip through a copy today. You can download a copy on our website or found us at one of these retailers.

Happy Weekend Friends!

I think I'm getting sick. My brain has been in a fog and I'm waking up with a sore throat. :( It probably has something to do with the crazy weather California has been having (80+ degrees yesterday with rain forecasted next week).

Anyway, there's not much slowing down in my future! I'll be working this weekend, spending some time with family, and deep cleaning the house.

What do you have planned? 
(Photo taken in Ireland in 2011)

Pitch Perfect

Over the weekend my friend Sarah and I had a little bit of a date night. She came into the salon for a manicure and pedicure, then we grabbed a bite to eat at our favorite sushi place, and decided to see a movie. Since I knew Rob wasn't game to see Pitch Perfect (I had already asked), we found a time at a local theater and bought our tickets. *Sidenote, it was a small local theater and we only paid $6.75 for our tickets(!), on a Saturday night!



The only expectations I had for the movie was that: a) Rebel Wilson was probably going to be hilarious and b) it would be a total Glee rip-off. While the latter is mostly true, I really enjoyed the movie. It was a super cute, feel good, funny kind of movie. The producers did a good job of picking music that covered multiple genres and were easy to sing along with (quietly of course :). Oh, and Rebel Wilson was absolutely hilarious.

Have you seen Pitch Perfect? What were your thoughts?

Happy (Belated) Blog Birthday!

September marked the one-year anniversary from when I decided to start taking my blog a little bit more seriously, and made a commitment to post everyday. It was definitely a challenge, but I am proud to say that I've (mostly) completed it. ;)

It's been fun to look back at some of my old posts and remember what was going on during that time in my life. Whether it was deciding to continue with grad school or not, or sharing my travel fantasies, I've had fun opening up a part of my life on this blog. Some of my favorite posts have included:

• Awkward Family Photos
• Berlin, Germany - Europe Trip 2012
• Ireland 2011
• Airport Playlist
• No Spending Challenge

When did you start reading? Do you have a favorite post? 

Thank you for being a part of my life and journey through the blogosphere! :)

What Do You Want to Be?

One of the bloggers I read, Sharon Beesley, just landed a pretty sweet gig at Elizabeth Street (congratulations!) and shared her experience getting to this point. Here is a quick snippet of her post:

PS Jordan Ferney took the above picture of me when I was in Paris a few years ago. One night she asked me what I wanted to be. I told her I really wanted to be a writer. Her response was something like, "You want to be a writer? Great! Call yourself a writer when people ask you what you do. Put it as your occupation on Facebook. There. Now you're a writer." She's the best at going after what she wants without making excuses. I love that about her. She's right--calling myself a writer actually turned me into a writer. This theory doesn't exactly fly for someone who wants to be a brain surgeon, but it works for most other things. What do you want to be? A runner? An artist? A baker? Consider yourself one and watch what happens!

This idea got me thinking about what I would call myself. Right now, I would call myself a manicurist and magazine contributor (because that is what I am doing), but is that what I really want to call myself? To be honest, I'm not sure. I feel more content now than I have for months and I am so grateful for the place I am in. I love my internship and I love the personal interaction I get from being in the salon, but I have zero thoughts for the future. 

Will I stay in the salon long term? Will the magazine take off? Who knows! All I know is that I am ok with where life is right now. I'm not anxiously awaiting the next season or frustrated that I haven't moved onto a new phase; I'm happy. I do like Jordan's advice (and I think that it can be very freeing), but I'm ok with not knowing what my title is yet. 

Do you know what do you want to be? 

San Francisco 49ers

Last Sunday, my parents had extra tickets to the San Francisco 49er game, so Rob and I tagged along for the fun. My parents head up to the stadium extra early (8am!) each week so that they can tailgate with their friends and hang out before the game begins. They didn't have space for us in the early car (oh, darn) so we drove up with my sister and brother-in-law mid-morning. Robbie and I had never been to a game as adults and were excited to participate in the festivities.

The weather was absolutely amazing. There was plenty of sunshine, a cool breeze, and a comfortable temperature. We were able to meet my parent's friends and eat delicious food while everyone was "pre-gaming". Once we got in, we found our seats on the 15 yard line and were able to see plenty of action. It was definitely an exciting game for Niner fans; the team broke franchise offensive records for the amount of passing and running yards they gained in a single game and beat the Buffalo Bills 45-3 (yes, they beat them by 42 points).

To be honest, I had a blast. It was really fun to watch the Niners win and to be so excited with everyone around us. One thing I didn't expect: the amount of "showmanship" that went into the game. When I say that, I am referring to the fireworks before the game started, the parade of players, and the Fleet Week flyover (ok, so they don't do the flyover every week, but it was still a pretty big deal). All of the hype made me feel like I was at a post-season game, not a regular season one. Rob always talks about how each week of football is so crucial because there are so few games (16) compared to baseball (162) or hockey (82), and that is why everything is such a big deal. Either way, it was fun to take part.

If you're headed to Candlestick anytime soon, here are some things to keep in mind:

• Bring cash. The vendors don't accept card, so you'll need to make sure you'll have enough cash on hand to overpay for beverages. :)
• Bring sunscreen. Sitting in the sun for hours at a time will toast anyone's skin. 
• Bring layers. Yes, it was warm, but once the wind picked up at the end of the game, we definitely appreciated having our layers. 
• Plan on dedicating most (if not all) of your day to the game. Even if you decide to skip tailgating, lines to get in are pretty extensive and there is bound to be traffic when over 70,000 people are leaving a stadium at the same time. 

Back in the Saddle!

Earlier this week, I shared with you my awesome new job opportunity. I also wanted to share with you another aspect of my new chapter: nails! During college, I worked as a manicurist at a great salon called Los Gatos Nailworks. The salon has been open for over 20 years, it is full of talented women, and is right in the heart of Los Gatos, CA. As I begin my new transition, I have decided to head back into the salon for a few days a week (Wed - Sat) and am really excited about the opportunity.

I started taking clients yesterday and it is as though I never left; my muscle memory kicked in and I felt right at home. Sure, I'll need to take some time to re-build my business since I left to join the corporate world, but that's expected. I'm really looking forward to meeting new people, re-connecting with old clients, and enjoying the flexibility of being my own boss!

If you're interested in coming in for a service (manicure or pedicure), please do! I'd love to spend some time with you. You can call the salon directly (408-354-6245) and ask for an appointment with Stacy. :)

Have a great weekend! 

Looks Like Summer Decided To Hang Out For a Bit

Remember when I said that Summer was almost over? Well, that sure backfired. It has been absolutely hot as blazes here. I'm talking almost 100 degrees! In October! Yuck! I know this sounds completely hypocritical since I was so bummed about it ending just a week ago, but I have a small window of tolerance for heat. I sit comfortably between 65-77 degrees; anything above 82 and I start to wilt like a fragile flower in July. To make matters worse, my awesome car only has organic air conditioning (read: my AC doesn't work and I have to roll with the windows down!) + I live in an area with LOTS of slow moving traffic. Ugh.

Welp, enough with this pity party, I've got to go stand in front of the fridge! 

P.S. While this photo is plenty embarrassing, I feel it accurately represents my wilted flower analogy. Look at that flushed skin and drooping eyes. I melt (and not in the "that baby is so cute" or "Ryan Reynolds has his shirt off" kind of way). 
(Taken in Florence in 2012)

Cafe 15

I started the new job yesterday and it was awesome! I'm really excited for what's ahead. The company is in a really exciting time (we just got a shout out from President Obama; for real) and we have a lot of (good) work ahead of us. I don't think I mentioned it yesterday, but the office is located in Downtown Oakland. Luckily, once I wrap up training I'll be able to work from home (it's about an hour away), but in the meantime, it's fun to explore a city I don't have much experience with.

As a "welcome to the team, let's get to know each other a little more" time, my managers took me to a great restaurant called Cafe 15. It's a short walk from our work and has a great outdoor area. I ordered the Wild Arugula Salad, which came with goat cheese, melon, walnuts, and cinnamon pears. It was super yummy and surprisingly filling, but I didn't take a single picture (don't judge me, I was relationship building)!

Do you have any recommendations for Downtown Oakland?
(All photos are from Cafe 15's Facebook page) 

A New Chapter Begins

Today I start a new job! I have been keeping mum about the change until all of the dust settled and the details were worked out (the transition is also a part of the reason I have been a bit MIA on here). I will be contributing to the Social Media Marketing and Communication team for a non-profit organization called Slavery Footprint. Slavery Footprint builds awareness around modern day slavery and human trafficking, and have an amazingly interactive website (a.k.a. you should check it out). It is a heavy cause, but one that is important and needs to be talked about.

Change can be scary, but sometimes you just have to do it. I'm not totally sure what to expect from my new position, but I'm exited to learn. I'm excited to be working to make a difference in the lives of thousands of people who are being taken advantage of. The topic itself can be daunting, but that doesn't mean I should run away from it either. I'm sure a heavy heart is ahead, but I'm happy to know that I will be working to end human suffering.

Wish me luck!

(p.s. How do you decide what photo best represents a new chapter in your life? I didn't know how to choose, ha! This one was taken in Yosemite in 2011)