Weekend Recap

I had the most lovely weekend! It began with drinks with coworkers and the surprise homecoming of P! We spent the weekend together and finalized something I see as a milestone in our relationship. We decided on our wedding bands!

Beyond that, my wardrobe is very much in need of an update yet I have not taken the time to do so due to the various projects I'm always flitting between. Productivity over Prada? For now.

Health.

Despite a few hiccups here and there, I have consistently made healthy choices and as a result, my body actually seems tinier even in the absence of my usual workouts. I start most of my days with an assortment of antioxidant rich berries. 

I have been neglecting my pretty little laptop but vow to be more consistent in my posts and reading many of yours. I find it more important to seize all of these opportunities that have been thrown my way. I don't want to look back on my life and wonder "What If?"

Thoughts.

 

I am not afraid of making a few mistakes (and there have been more than a few in my 25 years of living) but each has both defined and educated me.

One of my coworkers said something to me the other day about how I seemed to be in a habitually good mood. I answered that generally I am a happy person but even if I don't feel particularly happy at the moment, spreading that sadness would only make me feel worse. So forgive me, but I fake it. One of the worst things a sad/angry person can do for their own psyche (and others) is to make an attempt to bring someone else down. Not my thing.

Fashion.

 Floral is most definitely one of the trends du jour and it is especially one that delights me every time it comes around. Cheerful, feminine and inducing optimistic thoughts of the spring ahead, I love incorporating little hints into my wardrobe. 

A few of my favorites:

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A+ 

(the short and quite casual abbreviation for À plus tard)

 

Best Kept (not so) Secret: J & M Diner

 

I was in need of a new place to explore for lunch and had been told about the wonders and large portions of nearby J & M Diner. Figuring it was worth a shot, I called and ordered a hot roast beef sandwich (with cheese, barbecue sauce, mushrooms and bacon – I know) at the recommendation of the woman that answered the phone.

It was delicious beyond words and came with a side of coleslaw (which made the bread a bit soggy – note to all and self, if you’re getting the coleslaw get it separately) and pickles. 

 I was expecting something a bit larger, but apparently the over-sized serving rumor pertains mainly to their breakfast entrees.

I was neither disappointed, nor horrified at the slightly steep price tag. You get what you pay for in most instances and what I received, well, it was pure deliciousness.

I’ll be ordering from there again, today and hopefully having brunch sometime. What are some of your favorite local haunts and new discoveries? 

Current Obsessions

A Few of my Favorites:

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 1. Tom's ballet flats, any even more stylish way to give back.

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2. Sabi's line of sleek pill cases and a water bottle that has a storage space at the top for medicine/supplements. Genius!

3. Money Matters $$$ This article from my favorite young financier on:  What should be in my wallet?

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5. Girl Scout cookie flavored lip balm, um YUM!?

6. "Paradise" by Coldplay

7. Favorite new blog:  http://www.lainthebay.com

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 8. My new part-time gig as a piano instructor. I studied piano for over 11 years and apparently my ~art~ can now also become a source of income.

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9. These Haute Hippie tiered lace shorts.

10. Armani's Spring 2012 Eye Palette #2

& Finally....I'd love to emulate this storage space. The bright hues are so Spring appropriate.

Have a wonderful day!

Spotlight on an Artist

Consider James Heroux if you would like the most thoughtful gift you'll ever give at jamesheroux.com

It may be too late to purchase his one-of-a-kind pieces for Valentine's Day, but one would be ideal for a birthday, engagement,wedding, anniversary, Mother/Father's Day - the possibilities are endless.

I found out about the artist from his wife and after seeing the gorgeous and vibrant piece he did for their wedding, I knew this was something P would cherish immensely.

James sits down with his client(s) and interviews them to get a personal history on what is special to them, what makes them unique and the moments/locations/other important notable concepts and then places them cleverly in the most vibrant piece of art.

I am in the midst of making a list of every important/memorable meal, date, place I can think of that I would like included in P's piece. Take a look at his website and let me know if you decide to commission a piece! His Levi Letters are also one of the sweetest things I have ever seen.

What other creative gifts have you come up with?

Healthy Snacking

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I made one of my favorite snacks yesterday, baked kale chips. I got the idea from Kourtney Kardashian after she offered one of the apparently offensive excuses for junk food to Rob during his foray into healthy eating.

After obtaining a simple recipe, I washed, dried and ripped them into bite sized pieces, disposing of the stems. I coated them with about 2 tbsp of olive oil and then sprinkled a bit of soy sauce and a mixed seasoning. They only take 30 minutes in the oven and out comes an incredibly tasty, vitamin/mineral rich snack! Smitten kitchen has another recipe and a few other healthy snack ideas here.

A few of my other favorite healthy snacks: blackberries (I eat them by the case), soy yogurts: I especially like Stonyfield's Strawberry O'Soy it's delicious, Luna protein bars in the cookie dough flavor, baby carrots with hummus, vine-ripened tomatoes sliced thin and drizzled with balsamic garnished with a few small pieces of mozzarella and I love me a homemade trail mix: I mix raw cashews, dark chocolate chips, raw sunflower seeds and dried cranberries.

I work out most mornings before work and have an incredibly fast metabolism. So having these snacks on hand is incredibly important as it seems I am always hungry.

As far as beverages, I drink mainly water throughout the day, a “green” (wheatgrass, organic fruit, spirulina, kale and other green veggies/nutrients) smoothie in the morning, one cup of coffee and if I feel I need a little boost to get me through the last three hours of the day, a cup of tea.

What are some of your favorite healthy snacks?

Dreams

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Most nights I don't dream and then evenings that I eat a bit late, I seem to have the most insane dream/nightmares. Excellent motivation to completely cease late night snacking? I think yes.

Last night I had a dream I was back on my high school basketball team, all of the players were the same, yet I was wearing the wrong jersey. Instead of sporting our fancy-schmancy game day uniform (white for home, black for away) I was wearing my dinky practice jersey!

I always wonder if these dreams correlate with something going on in my day to day life and upon further reflection I do remember it is now February! I was supposed to join a local women's league this month (wow), perhaps this dream was a gentle reminder? Or could it be my anxiety over starting my new job and wanting to find the perfect outfit for my first day. Something that says serious, conservative but still chic.

In my quest to find answers to some of my more bizarre dreams, I looked into a few resources to decode what they may mean. Enter: Dream Library which gives some psychological and scientific reasoning behind some of their theories, Dream Dictionary which has a nice A-Z format that makes it easy to find particular themes and What Does My Dream Mean?

What has been your most bizarre dream to date?

Stylish Segway

In my quest to venture even deeper into my blogging, I finally did a few things I should have done long ago:

1. Added all Boston Bloggers because well, they have a great community, have meetups and soon; a Boston Blogger Conference! So exciting!
2. Created my "follow by email" mailing list. So. Late. I know.

I love to begin my day by writing, though after my morning cup of coffee please. Often I type a few topic ideas into my Blackberry before bed or am inspired after reading a few posts from my favorite bloggers.

Wow.. This morning I stumbled upon a gem. This blogger began with a perfectly normal theme "If I Were President." However, after reading some of her action items regarding her hypothetical stay in office, I was appalled. I also resolved that I will never share my political views on my blog. Though this is a lifestyle blog, I believe that is one part of my life that will remain private, only to be shared with a very select few.

Keeping It 100...I never actually noted this but I just hit 100 posts! This also draws attention to the extended hiatus I took about 2 years into blogging but no matter, I am back with a vengeance now.

Update... I have been working hard on editing my interviews and though it is a much bigger project than I originally anticipated, it is a welcomed challenge. There are so many opportunities coming my way I am thrilled at what is to come. Anything even resembling an easy path is far less fun than taking the more complex route.

I'll let you in on a little secret... Because I am often so inspired while writing, I write a few articles at a time (one day it was about 6 or 7) and then schedule them to post once a day. I confess that this article was actually written on Super Bowl Sunday. Until I develop a stronger following I don't feel that two posts per day are truly necessary and don't want my blog to suffer from lack of posts due to my busy days at the office. 

It's time... to have some breakfast and spend some time in the gym. I always work out on Sundays and today should not be an exception. What is your workout habit that never changes? Have a wonderful rest of your week!