healthy happy hour

The first cup is for the guest, the second for enjoyment, the third for the sword. - An old Arabic saying on coffee

That's right, pourin' one out for my homies this morning. Funny story. After my run and while making a morning protein-a-cinno, I checked Facebook while the blender mixed up my treat.  I found Facebook chat was open, which is odd as I never have it turned on, probably some Facebook software upgrade so I have to go re-do my settings again...

My favorite mug of all time, purchased at Vernazza in the Cinque Terre

To my delight, an old friend from Italia, Giovanni who speaks zero English, messaged me to come back to Parma and visit his cafe for a delicious cappuccino. Me speaking only a bit of Italian, and babble fish translating the rest, responded with what I think probably read to him in Italian: I go work now. Make coffee for myself. How is you? I miss you a lot. What I wanted to say: Getting ready for work, making some coffee but really missing the coffee from your cafe. I believe it translated awkwardly because he responded with 8,000 kisses emoticons. Whoopsies.

New obsession: love burritos.

Healthy Treats

I personally am a very big fan of treats.  I love snack food and could live off of snacks and never eat an entire meal.  Luckily my Tone It Up plan calls for little meals all day long and I can snack like a king.  It is my gigantic need for good snacks that has inspired today's post.  For quite some time I have been purchasing Kale snack chips from Whole Foods, but they are usually like $100 for one small pack (okay maybe $7.50 but still) so I was beyond delighted to find a kale chip recipe in my Tone It Up plan! 

Kale all dressed up, and in the oven we go.

I heart kale by the by.  I could eat it everyday and I actually probably do.  Yesterday I was in need of a snack to hold me over between lunch and dinner and decided to give baked kale chips a try.  I strayed from the TIU recipe just a bit and here is what I created:

Kale Cayenne in my Belly Chips:

• 1 1/2 cups of fresh kale (torn into "chip pieces")
• 1 Tbsp. of drizzle olive oil (probably could use 1/2 Tbsp., this was too much)
• A few shakes of cayenne pepper
• A few shakes of onion powder
• A few shakes of cumin
• A few pinches of Sea Salt
• Juice of 1 lime

Lined a baking sheet with foil and baked for 15 minutes.

Mmmm baked deliciousness! 

Nosh away I did! The verdict: I think I have found my new favorite snack, though next time I will definitely use less olive oil. And I am dying for a dehydrator because I think they would taste even mo bettah!

Very much not on the TIU plan: Carne Asada Tots (luckily I don't eat meat and was not tempted)

Did I mention I met my slo-pitch team before our game last night to watch the NBA finals?  Surrounded by big hungry men they ordered no less than 4 trays of Carne Asada Tots!  I am a vegetarian and sat happily full with kale chips in my belly, and a veggie patty on the way. Though I may have picked at one tot on the edge that never touched the meat...  Just one.  I also enjoyed a pear cider, just 2... 2 too many....  All the sugar from the 2 ciders really did not sit well with me and I did not wake up too happy this morning. 

Summa Summa Summa Time: Healthy Happy Hour Drinks!

My RA rattles every now and again when I eat things like sugar and basically anything white, so I was a bit achy this morning.  From my achy breaky bones, I started dreaming of healthy summer delights and so I thought I'd share my favs with you to wrap it all up!  I'd probably prefer to make every single recipe from the Fashionably Bombed girls, but their drinks tend to have a lot of sugar which does not sit well with me.  Not to mention is a leading culprit in hangovers!  So here are a few of my favorite summer healthy happy hour recipes!  Share 'em, enjoy 'em and love 'em in moderation.  xo

My best beezy whom we share the exact same tastes in food and cocktails and life!

Beezy Breezies

• 1 Shot Vodka
• 4 oz Water
• 1/2 Lime
• 70 calories of delish. P.S. These can get you quick, so probably just a couple and take it slow.

Grapefruit Drank Drank

• Juice of 2 Grapefruits (makes about 1 cup)
• 1 shot vodka
• 163 calories of refreshing deliciousness, and the best cocktail to escape the warm weather.

P.S. Got any healthy happy hour recipes? ALWAYS in need of more!

life is boot-y-ful!

"Bring on the sunshine.  Bring on the good times.  Girl let me look atchuu."

A card my bestie sent me, that I should send to my blog.

Hello blog.  It's been much too long, and I am sorry for neglecting you.  I've been real busy, transitioning from an old job to a new one.  Working on wicked side projects, and hauling over my new wardrobe for a new life.  Well not really a new life but it feels nice.  Anyway, I promise to never leave you unattended for more than a week.  I do heart you so.

The sweet spot.  Golfing with my boys.

In the last couple of weeks, I have found a really sweet and happy spot in my life and am totally ready to rock in ELEVEN.  I've had to make some tough decisions, and I really have come to the conclusion that Margaret Shepherd was right when she said, Sometimes your only available transportation is a leap of faith. Well here's my big jump with both feet, fueled by drops of cappuccino, and some wicked love.

Life's too short not to drink a GOOD cappuccino.

The truth is, you never know where you will land, but there's a good chance you won't get very far standing still.  You can create anything --no b.s. I mean it-- for yourself if you actually attempt it.  Waiting for someone or something else to create the space for you to innovate your life will get you just as far as walking in a circle and preying will.  Walk the line, make a few jumps, and let the people, who care to, catch you.

My favorite life catcher in the world.

Let's get to the goods.  The BEST BEST part of starting a new job is not my corner office with a view of the ocean, ha syyykke I wish, but the new wardrobe I get to adorn myself with. The last few years I have been rockin' some serious black stretchy pants, and I am so ready to dress up again.  It's like September back to school shopping on crack for this shopahollic.

 Fuel.  Inspiration.  Hope.

Did I mention I fell in love since I've been away.  Hubs and I are still married, but there's a new man in my life.  Joe of Joe's Jeans.  I have the worst luck with jeans because I have a honky tonk badonk-a-donk, and a little waist.  I would find great jeans that get over the booty, and then swam around my waist, or when I sat down and my thong is hanging out for the world to see (clASSy), skinny jeans make me look like a pear with legs, baggy jeans make me look gi-normous... So basically I gave up the search a long time ago for the perfect jean for my silhouette. 

Rock, rock, rock it out!

Well bootiful ladies rejoice, I found my most favorite jeans in the world at Nordies a few days ago, "the Rocker" from Joe's Jeans, skinny jeans with a flare for those of us with a curve in our catwalk.  They hug my curves well without suffocating them, and they fit my waist! Holler, I bought two pair.

Hey girl, heyyy.

Life is a bit like my search for the perfect pair of jeans.  If you have already decided you will never find the perfect pair, then you are right you won't.  But if you are committed to your search, hopeful, and bear the 5 way dressing room mirrors leaving no delusion of what your body actually looks like from all angles, you will find a way to fit into the life that's right for you.

Pop.  Lock it.  Drop it.

Go ahead.  Pop that champagne, when it's fitting, even if it's not, toast to your life.  It totally rocks if you let it. #sparkleandshine

your corners of the world

Lately I've realized a rather large shift happening in my life.  Everything from my dreams, friends, and what really holds stock in my priorities are changing.  Some have been changing for a long time, some are new, and some I am just beginning to realize will change.  Normally change frightens me, but today, I'm welcoming it with open arms, and holding dear my little corners of the world.

Coral Tree Cafe in Brentwood, this exact spot under the heater was our corner of the world in college.  Going back recently reminded me how much I miss LA, and how much I have grown out of this person who originally sat there.

Sunday morning indulgences, homemade cappuccino, January Vogue.  Finding my balance again with my reading.  I have been working so much and have been so busy, I haven't made time for the things I love, like Vogue, Italian Vogue, and catching up on my BlogLovin'.  I'm bringing Sundays back.

Drops of cappuccino, sprinkles of chocolate, topped off with love.

Need I Say more?

Bialetti milk frother.  Haven't used this bad boy in over a year, I forgot how wonderfully delicious it whips up the foam for my capp.

Moka stove top espresso maker.  The way the Italians do.

Homemade cappuccino in the awesome tea china I got for our wedding.  It only make special appearances, but since it makes me so happy, I think I need to use at least one cup a week for a smile.

Homemade butternut squash soup a friend made for me, just because.  Makes the ol' heart warm, and it was delicious.

Balanced indulgences.  Because I've been rather busy lately, the at least hour workout a day I am accustomed to is not always realistic.  So I've committed myself to a 20 minute interval workout every morning.  It doesn't take long, I break a sweat, run as fast as I possibly can, and at 9:30 at night I don't beat myself up for exhaustion and no workout.  Sometimes you have to give yourself a break and just acknowledge the place your in, embrace it, and hold on to your corners of the world.  

Life changes, but simple pleasures always seem to you right back to a simple happy life.