sometimes you need pasta

Just as your car runs more smoothly and requires less energy to go faster and farther when the wheels are in perfect alignment, you perform better when your thoughts, feelings, emotions, goals, and values are in balance. - Brian Tracy

Back on track with a delicious PB mocha covered strawberry smoothie! (Recipe below)

Balance looks different to everyone. You have to try it on sometimes to see if it fits, and sometimes you simply have to accept the fact that you're not perfect. You're not perfect in your words, thoughts, and for me food choices. But that's the beast of burden of our lives. If you can learn to live with it, let it slide off your back and move on, you'll feel a bit lighter walking the path of your life with the guilt monkey off your back.

 

Like a little glass of healthy heaven!

I have to kick myself constantly simply to remember that you cannot plan your whole life. Sometimes there's not going to be a healthy vegetarian option for you, and if you're real hungry you'll be just fine eating some bread and butter. Your body won't hold it against you. On Saturday my mom made her version of my Grandma Betty's spaghetti, and having lost her a few months ago, this was quite possibly one of the most emotional meals of my life. I know it sounds odd, but her spaghetti is like a little nugget of my childhood, when all the world falls away and enjoying some spaghetti is the key to all that is great. Needless to say I indulged in two full plates of spaghetti, and topped it off with some vanilla ice cream with the hubs. Granny Betty preferred cookies and cream ice cream, but she never believed in skipping a dessert, so I really had no choice.

Mmmm frozen strawberries, almond butta, coffee and protein does a body good! 

This morning I thought I would wake up 10 pounds heavier, upset and irritated for over eating and ruining a strong week of workouts and clean eating. Luckily I slept it off. Not the extra calories but the extra negative 'tude I gave myself for enjoying some pasta, ice cream and a night with the fam. Instead I woke up, laced up the sneaks and Jackalope and I set out for a 3.5 mile loop around the sunny block. I came back to a delicious peanut buttah mocha covered strawberry smoothie, a recipe which I adapted from PB Fingers, and bounced right back into health and happiness.

Bottoms up bottoms up whaa?

Take a breath sometimes.  It's totally OKAY to eat pasta now and then.  Grandma Betty would be proud.  Don't beat yourself up, and don't use working out and healthy eating as a trophy to over indulge.  Live it breathe it balance it.

xo

PB mocha covered strawberry smoothie! 

* 1 scoop chocolate protein powder
* 1/2 c. almond milk
*1/2 c. coffee! 
* 1 tbsp. almond butter
* 1 tbsp. cocoa powder
* 3 ice cubes
* 5 small frozen strawberries

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

rain rain feel free to stay...

when it rains it pours... so stay inside and stay warm

We've had a wickedly rainy week in San Diego.  I am talking roads closed all around my house because our city is not supposed to experience weather, ever.  Last night I missed yoga with my favorite instructor who I haven't seen for weeks because "I've been too busy".  I.E. I have had no balance.  Needless to say optimism had washed away in the rain.

These guys had no problem with the rain.  I literally couldn't leave the house because of the floods, so the babies got to hang all day long, kennel free, and with multiple walks.

Shockingly, I don't take to the cold very well.  Not a big fan of rain or snow, but whenever I need a piece of sunshine, my cherished Beverly Hills Hotel coffee cup and apple cider spiced tea brings me back to the glory days in LA.

Best.  Christmas.  Present.  Ever.  Grandma Betty whipped up a "vegan" version of her famous spaghetti sauce.  But, this is the same woman who has asked me close to a hundred times if I can eat chicken because that's not really meat.  So I'm not asking if she used chicken stock, I'm making some vegan chili with the sauce, enjoying every bite and remembering my days faking being sick at school to go hang with Grandma Betty.

Naturally, this chili should be served in my rudolph mug.  I have a full Christmas collection, which I have taken one after another year after year at my best friends annual Christmas Eve party.  Here's the thing, I'm not a thief, but these mugs never saw the light of day outside the cupboard, and I wanted to celebrate them.  My friend's family doesn't care, they actually gave me a mug as part of my wedding dish.  Pretty sure those only one left I need to capture.

Vegan Chili Di Whitters

• 1 cup of mixed beans, garbanzo, pinto and black
• 1 tablespoon of hummus (instead of cream)
• 2 cups of Grandma Betty's Spaghetti Sauce
• 1 Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer Mug

Oh and just one glass of red wine on the side to really make this day half full of happy.

Cute as a button.

Hope you all stay warm this season.  When it rains, find your sunshine somehow.  

alt + control + delete

the last legal vice

I use a Mac, so this command is not relevant anymore.  But sometimes I think we need a command that automatically forces us to quit a certain activity, refresh it, and start anew.  Meet my human form of "alt + control + delete".

waking up to this smell is heaven

It's not a massage, or a weekend getaway, it's an espresso stove-top moka that I brought back with me when I moved home from Italy.  I know coffee is bad for you, this won't help you de-stress, blah blah blah.  I don't care.  It's a piece of a place I gave my heart, and with every cup I'm reminded of la vita bella.

My best friend from Italia, Andrea, she introduced me to Carreras, I introduced her to the side braid.

Have no fear, I put a healthy twist into my espresso vice.  As some of you may know, coffee used to be my breakfast, but we broke up (for mornings that is), and I've moved on with protein.  So I've created a perfect way to wake up. Introducing the Iced Chocolate Coconut Milk hold the whip skinny non-latte extra Italian memories almond butter espresso protein shake.

venti doppio!  Mmm protein frappuccino de whitters

The name is a work in progress and I am open to ideas.  Basically, we need a name that encompasses the ingredients and the memories it provides me.  At the end of the day, I can't move back to Italia, I made no money, barely enough for food and my Carrera obsession.  But I can dream about the friends I made, the wine I tasted, and the morning cappuccinos Giovanni served me with chocolate drawn foam hearts.  That my friends is worth waking up for.

la ricetta:

1 Scoop Chocolate Designer Whey Protein Powder
1 Shot of Espresso (brewed on the stove makes it mo-bettah)
1 tbsp of almond butter
4 ounces or so of water (I prefer filtered because I am obviously a snob)
1/2 tsp. of cacao powder
6 or so ice cubes depending on if you want a frappuccino or an iced latte version
1 tbsp of coconut milk creamer

Throw it in a blender. Sip sip remember the good days.  P.S. Starbucks if you made a morning protein frappuccino that was actually healthy, you'd sell a lot.  Just sayin.