11.30.2011

Word Up Wednesday


just look aound.


great way of thinking, takes a little training...


love this.


because it's my favorite holiday movie, and i like you!


seriously makes me giddy with happiness!  it's so hard to be angry when christmas music is on!

happy hump day and last day of november!  hello december!

11.29.2011

Song Of The Week: Little Drummer Boy



I'm back from a wonderfully relaxing holiday vacation and overjoyed at the abundance of holiday music that is filling my ears (minus "Christmas Shoes" which was the VERY first X-mas song I heard this season  - trying to block that out).

I love all the pop holiday tunes but every once in a while really enjoy a classical holiday tune that includes a choir.  My favorite holiday tune with a choir has to be Harry Simeone Chorale's "Little Drummer Boy".  I love the beautiful voices behind it and singing along to the "pa rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum".

If you are starting to compile your holiday party mixed tape, you most definitely should include this beauty.  It may be on the slower side but will surely please all your guests.

Anyone else so excited about the return of holiday music?

11.24.2011

Happy Thanksgiving!


I have long said that Thanksgiving would be my favorite holiday if I didn't love giving presents so much.  I love the smells, the food, the friends, the family and just this general time of the year. 

I am thankful for my incredible family who love and support me through my toughest times and taught me how to love others. 

I am grateful for my amazing friends who make me laugh, cry and push me to excel and be a better me. 

I am thankful for my sweet Waldo who loves me even when I am hungover and pain in the butt.  He gives the best snuggles and brings a smile to my fave on a daily basis. 

I am thankful for B and his support, love, and intelligence.

And I am thankful for all of you that read my blog, and leave me comments that bring a smile to my face (often times a chuckle).  It means that world to me that you take time out of your busy day to read YBB and I love you for it!  

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

XOXO

11.18.2011

Happy {Turkey/Vacay} Weekend!


I am officially on vacation and off to Denver to spend Thanksgiving with this turkey...


It will be my first Thanksgiving not spent with my own family or California friends and while I sad to break tradition, I'm also excited to experience a different side of Thanksgiving and indulge in new traditions and feast on new treats with ones I love. 

I will try to sign in next week and share any fantastic goodies with you all, but want to wish you all a happy turkey day, and may it be filled with tasty food, the best wines and warmth and love from friends and family!

XOXO

Forever Frugal Friday


Next Monday, I depart for Denver to spend Thanksgiving with B and his family.  I was super excited until I realized I didn't have any appropriate pajamas.  Old boxer shorts, skuzzy sweats and holey washed too many times t-shirts sure, but legit cute, come down to breakfast, be seen in public pajamas, no such luck.  Thus began my quest for cute pajamas. 

Surprisingly the options available were slim to none (unless I wanted $50 pj pants or ultra thin see through ones) and I was freaking out a bit, until my sweet roomie Aves came to my rescue with these cuties!  But I figured two pairs of pj bottoms is never a bad thing and wouldn't you just know that Forever has these cute Jumbo Dot Flannel PJ Bottoms which I just adore, and for under $11! 

What is your favorite thing to sleep in (besides your birthday suit)?  Any great must have pj's that I should check out?  Also do you think wearing pj's to breakfast with your boyfriends parents is ok?!

11.15.2011

Headgear to help your Rearview


I like to pretend that I look as lovely and perfect as this lady above on the treadmill at Circuit Works whenever I workout.  However, last night when I wasn't paying attention and hopped on the treadmill I ended up looking more like this...


No joke, totally ate sh*t last night on the treadmill in front of (luckily) only 10 people.  Just because I wasn't paying attention.  Be careful people, the treadmill really will kick your a**!

Back to the point of this post...

Whenever I work out, I need my hair COMPLETELY off my face/neck.  These people at gyms who work out with their hair down I will never understand.  Maybe it's because I sweat a lot and end up looking a tomato, but every strand of my hair needs to be tightly tied, pined and whatever else so that it is not in my face. 

I have baby fine hair that is slippery as all get out and requires a ton of hairspray to hold curl and a special headband to keep it locked in for my workouts.  And so I bring you to my favorite headband and a review of other headbands that actually work, and are guaranteed to keep you looking somewhat cute and put together. 


Thank you Miss Kord for being a fabulous friend and picking up this Braided Headband from lululemon for me.  This sucker is TIGHT!  It holds my hair in without any fidgeting and is the real deal folks.  In fact you shouldn't purchase any other headbands until you buy this one.  It really is a workout changer my friends. 


I picked up my own lululemon Slipless-Headband and like it ok.  It works pretty well and averages 1 or 2 pushes or secures during my workout.  It is a little wider than I prefer but leaves little to no indent in my hair so I am able to run around town without headband crimp.  It's alright as an alternative but I don't think I will purchase again. 


The Lucy Power Double Strap Headband is my 2nd favorite after the lululemon braided goddess.  The one has little grippers that stick to your hair and it is available in a variety of colors and the double band helps keep my hair in tact.  I generally only have to adjust once during the workout with this guy and I could see purchasing a few more in different colors. 



The first headband I bought for working out was the American Apparel Shiny Headband.  This one doesn't stay in that well at all, but it is by far the cutest of the bunch.  I use this one when I absolutely have no other headbands available and it requires the extra help of bobby pins to keep it in place.  A good option is to use this pretty headband to cover the indent of the braided headband after your workout!

Do you have any headbands that you think are the bees knees and stay put after a hard workout?  I would love to hear your suggestions! 

11.14.2011

Song Of The Week: Good Feeling



My roomie Avery and I are always helping each other find the best new music for our iPod's or agreeing which songs we love/hate currently on the radio.  Yesterday we both agreed that we are loving "Good Feeling"  by Flo Rida.  In fact we were both agreeing that we enjoyed every song that has been released of his.  All are feel good songs that make me want to dance, workout and just have fun!  Perfect song to listen to before I hit my hour long Circuit Works class.   This song gives me a ton of motivation and I am left feeling good.

11.11.2011

Forever Frugal Friday ~ Trendy Tights!


1/2/3/4/5

Today was the first day of the season that I pulled out a pair of my trusty polka dot black tights, and I have to say I am quite happy with the results and received numerous compliments at work (yay!). 

Tangent much...my whole point was that every lady should have at least 2 or 3 pairs of tights for those cold days that have already arrived or are coming soon to a city near you.  I love the playfulness tights add to any outfit and it reminds me of my youth and love for tights as a young girl. 

I love the variety of styles out there and there is just about something for every girl, whether you like to play it safe with solids, bright, or trendy with those leopard lace tights.  Everyone can wear tights!  All of the tights above are under $15, so you won't feel guilty if you snag, poke a hole or rip them after a couple wears. 

And just because I mentioned it, and have never actually done an OOTD, here you go!

(close up so you can see the tights)


(please excuse my terrible background)

11.10.2011

Make This - Roasted Butternut Squash Soup w/ Spicy Seeds


One of the many things I love about fall is the abundance of delicious soups available for the tasting.  When I was in Amsterdam, we at this incredible Peruvian restaurant where I drooled over the best Butternut Squash Pumpkin soup I have ever had in my life.  No joke.  The second time I was in Amsterdam I made sure it was the first stop on my list. 

The other day while cruising through Williams-Sonoma (my fave store during the holidays) they were sampling the most incredible version of Butternut Squash Soup from Derek Clayton of Lola in Cleveland, OH.  They were serving it in little dixie cups that you drank directly from and the sample included roasted pepitas, julienne cut Granny Smith apples and a pinch of fresh cut cilantro.  It was to die for. 

I instantly knew what I was bringing to the Thanksgiving dinner table and highly recommend if you are still stumped for what to bring to your next potluck, or your own Thanksgiving dinner table look no further!  This recipe gets it done with a smile on every one's face!

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP WITH SPICY SEEDS

Ingredients
  • 1 butternut squash (about 3 pounds) (or buy the puree from Williams-Sonoma to save time.  Also Trader Joe's offers already cubed butternut squash for your convenience)
  • Olive oil
  • Salt
  • 1 teaspoon butter, melted
  • 2 pinches cayenne pepper
  • 1 pinch ground cinnamon
  • Vegetable oil
  • 2 yellow onions, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
  • 2 medium carrots, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 2 medium celery ribs, chopped (about ½ cup)
  • ½ jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (optional)
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 4 cups chicken stock
  • ½ cup heavy cream (optional)
  • Cider vinegar
  • 1 Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced into matchsticks
  • ½ cup cilantro leaves

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Slice the squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and fibrous pulp and separate the seeds from the stringy pulp. Reserve the seeds. Use a sharp knife to score the neck portion of the squash several times, then rub the flesh with olive oil and season with salt. Roast the squash cut side down on a baking sheet until tender and lightly caramelized, about 1 hour.

2. In a colander, rinse the reserved seeds and dry with paper towels. Place on a sheet pan and toast in the oven for 5 minutes, until golden and fragrant. In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, cayenne pepper, cinnamon and a large pinch of salt. Toss the seeds in the mixture and set aside.

3. In a medium stockpot set over medium heat, heat about a tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the onions, carrots, celery and jalapeño, if using, and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the maple syrup and cook, stirring frequently, until the syrup is reduced by two-thirds, about 5 minutes. Remove the stockpot from the heat and set aside.

4. When the squash is done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool briefly. Remove the squash flesh from the skin and mix it into stockpot with the onion and carrot mixture. Return the stockpot to the stove. Turn the heat to medium, add the chicken stock and cream, if using, bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes. Carefully transfer the soup to a blender and blend until smooth. Season with the cider vinegar and salt. Serve soup hot with apple, cilantro and toasted seeds.

Bon Appétit!

11.09.2011

Word Up Wednesday


i try to write in my gratitude journal at least twice a week.  it really makes clear all the good things i have in my life.


love.


reminds me of the Roxette song...love it.


great advice dr. suess


makes everything better.


i am loving the morning lightness, makes waking up so much easier!  plus i love that i got an extra hour in san francsico with my bestie!

11.08.2011

Song Of The Week: Midnight City



I have to thank my coworker Yvette for introducing me to "Midnight City" by M83.  I hate working in silence and am always listening to my iTunes or latest Pandora station that tickles my fancy at my desk.  Listening at work is great because often times I hear of great new bands from people who have similar tastes.  Yvette asked if I had heard "Midnight City" (which I hadn't)t and sort of forgot about it.  Until the following week when it was iTunes's free download of the week.  I gave it a shot and I just love it!

It's a little bit Passion Pit, a little bit 80's and a whole lot of awesome.  Great for the gym and driving on a Sunday afternoon. 

11.03.2011

Happy {Wine Tasting, Cougar Football Viewing, Friends} Weekend


I am off to San Francisco tonight to see my bestie Mrs. R, The RinaCoff's, and some other great peeps up north.  In store for tomorrow is some wine tasting in Napa (my first time!) and then Saturday is the WSU vs CAL football game at AT&T park. 


I will be attending the game with these lovely ladies (along with some other fantastic fellow Cougs) and finishing up my weekend with a tour of San Fran and a day with Carebear. 

A fantastically perfect weekend and I am WAY overdue for a vacation. 

Hope y'all have a spectacular weekend and root for the Cougs to beat the bears! 

XOXO

11.01.2011

I'm Loving It...(Shh...Don't Tell)


The Starbucks "Red Cup" is back!!!

I found myself in a funny situation today.  I was overjoyed by the return of the red cup, but then felt annoyed that it seems a little too soon...like perhaps November 15th would have been a better day to release the glorious red cup. 

I will tell you that it is FAR TOO EARLY for the holiday music that greeted me today at Macy's while browsing the racks.  Unacceptable.  I love holiday music more than the average person and it is too soon.  Holiday music after Thanksgiving all for it. 

Which makes me wonder...am I a hypocrite for loving and smiling at this beautiful red cup and cursing out loud at Macy's for playing holiday?  You be the judge. 

Truth be told...I can't wait to get my new red cup tomorrow ;)

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