May Foodie Pen Pals

Posted on May 31, 2012 by

Hi lovelies! Hope that you enjoyed yesterday’s new blog feature and I look forward to sharing some more outfits with you soon! Don’t you love 3-day weekends? Not only do you get to enjoy an extra day of the weekend but the work week flies by! Since it’s not only Thursday but the end of the month, it means it’s time for this month’s edition of Foodie Pen Pals.

This month I was matched up with Cinnamon from Eat Pray Tri, so check out her blog to see what I sent her and head over to Lindsay’s blog to see all May entries!

This time around I received a box of goodies from Shannon at Life As a Fry! This fellow California-girl put together an incredible box for me and I was giddy when I opened it! This box was so perfect for me too because it enclosed so many items that I have wanted to buy, but just never ended up picking up at the store! Now, it was finally my chance to try them!

Since I’ve started cooking, I’ve been seeing Trader Joe’s 21 Spice Salute on tons of blogs. As someone who is still a little scared to cook with herbs since I’m scared the flavor will be off, this will be the perfect introduction. I enjoyed the polenta the other night by slicing it up and steaming it in the microwave and paired it with tomato sauce and chicken meatballs- a super fast dinner that was delicious and filling. Cookie butter was another thing on my list of products to try and I already have big plans for this and am going to make Averie’s Cookie Butter Funfetti Triple Chip bars… doesn’t your mouth water just reading the title? But in the meantime I’ve been snacking on the popcorn like there is no tomorrow. I’ve always enjoyed caramel corn, but cover it in thick layers of chocolate and I’m sold. Let’s just say that every day after work I found myself dipping into my stash. Another item I’ve been hooked on is the Bob’s Red Mill granola. I love Bob’s products but have NEVER seen granola sold anywhere! It is crunchy, flavorful and I love that it doesn’t have any added fat. I will definitely be on the lookout for this in the future!

This was such a sweet and thoughtful box and I truly love everything in it. Thank you so much Shannon! Do you want to get in on the fun too? Here’s a little more about the program:

To see past Foodie Pen Pal reveals check out my reveal posts from April and March!

Questions:

-Do you use spices when cooking?

-Have you tried cookie butter?

Posted in Foodie Pen Pals | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

What to Wear Wednesday: Hot Pink

Posted on May 30, 2012 by

Hi lovelies! I hope that you all had an absolutely wonderful Memorial day weekend and enjoyed an extra day off from work or school. This weekend I got the chance to attend the Indy 500 race with my parents and it was one of the best experiences ever! I’m still pretty exhausted from the trip (thanks flight delays) so rather than recapping it now, I thought I’d introduce you to a new feature on GGG! I’ve been working on a project for LOFT, taking pictures of my daily work outfits and thought it would be fun to share with you. I work in an environment where I need to look put together but can definitely take some creative license with my outfits, so that’s what you’ll be seeing here.

If you looked at my wardrobe a few years ago, you would have had trouble discerning between clothing items because they were pretty much all black. I’ve always liked wearing black and think it’s so flattering and classic. But over the past year or two, I’ve been working on pushing myself outside of the box and introducing color to my wardrobe- and I love it!

Shirt: Gap, Skirt: LOFT, Shoes: Nine West, Turquoise Statement Necklace: LOFT

I absolutely love this bright pink skirt and decided to embrace its classic shape and pair it with a white button down. This Gap shirt is one of my favorites and the fit is impeccable. As someone who has trouble with button down oxford shirts, I can tell you that Gap’s is a great find! I let the skirt take center stage and kept my shoes simple (don’t be fooled though, those are my signature 5-inch heels) and added a bright necklace as a focal point. I’m so excited about all the possibilities this skirt brings though and I can’t wait to colorblock!

Questions:

-What are you wearing to work/school today?

-Do you like bright-colored clothing or do you prefer more subdued colors?

Posted in Fashion, LOFT, What to Wear Wednesday | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Oh Mr. Sun

Posted on May 22, 2012 by

Hi lovelies! I hope that you all had a great Monday and your week is off to a fantastic start! This is a busy week for me and I’ve definitely got my eye on the prize– this weekend! On Friday I leave to go to the Indianapolis 500 and am beyond excited. People are always surprised when they hear that I like Indy but I’ve been watching the race with my mom for years. It’s always been a dream to go and after getting tickets a year ago, Daddy Jeff, my mom and I are so ecstatic that it’s finally time!

I spent this past weekend in the sun celebrating a very special friend’s birthday in the park. We had a great time hanging out at Fort Mason eating some red velvet blondies and drinks and enjoying each others company. I had a perfect day but I brought a something unexpected home… the worst sunburn! My back and shoulders are bright red and incredibly painful. Since I’m pale I do have the tendency to burn but it’s been years since I’ve had a burn this bad.

The entire front of my body was “touched by the sun” during a past trip to the Bahamas

Since it’s almost summer (!!) I thought it’d be good  time to talk about proper sun care and how to have fun in the sun without taking home a nasty burn.

Before you go:

-Look for sunscreen with the Skin Cancer Foundation seal, and make sure it prtoects against UVA and UVB rays. There are three active ingredients to look for: PABA derivatives, titanium dioxide, or zinc oxide.

-Apply sunscreen half an hour before going out into the sun. Not only will it have time to soak in to the skin, but you won’t have to twist and turn awkwardly in public trying to rub it in those hard to reach places!

-Most people put on too little sunscreen and the correct amount to use is about 1 oz or a shot glass full.

While You’re There:

-Reapply sunscreen approximately every two hours and if you are sweating or in water, it may be necessary to apply more often. For a day in the sun one person should be using 1/4-1/2 of an 8 oz. bottle.

If you get “Touched by the Sun”:

-Get out of the sun as soon as possible at the first sign of pink. It takes a sunburn 4-6 hours to develop, so keep in mind that a little color can turn into a painful experience later.

-Moisturize! Take a cool shower if you can stand it and slather your skin with a moisturizing product- I’ve been living on aloe vera!

-Stay hydrated by drinking extra water, juice and sports drinks as the burn draws fluid from the surface and away from the body.

By following these tips you can spend time enjoying the beautiful weather and spending time with friends and family. These are all things I’m going to be doing this weekend!

Questions:

-Have you had any bad sunburns?

-What’s your favorite thing to do in the warm weather?

Posted in Family, Health, Vacation, Weekend Wrap-up | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Derby Day

Posted on May 16, 2012 by

Hi lovelies! Thank you all for your sweet comments on my last post- I truly am so lucky! I’m a little behind in updating you on my weekends but I’m finally getting around to posting about Derby Day! My sorority hosted an event at a local restaurant and bar in San Francisco to raise money for a local charity. Beforehand, my lovely friend Biz, who is seriously the hostess with the mostess had a pre-derby, mimosa and grilled cheese party! Rather than tell you about it in words, I’d rather show you in pictures (with captions of course!)

Derby ready in my big hat and pearls!

Mimosa bar with 6 different types of juices and assorted fruit! My favorite was the ruby red grapefruit!

Step 1: Pick your outsides, Step 2: Let’s get cheesy, Step 3: Top it Off, Step 4: Grill it up!
My favorite combo was the rosemary olive-oil sourdough with raclette cheese, apples and pesto! Mmm!

Gorgeous view from Biz’s roof!

Having some serious hat malfunctions due to the wind– at one point it flew onto an adjoining roof but was able to be retrieved thank goodness!

Some of the ladies, ready for the Derby! Biz, the fabulous hostess is to my right!

Mint juleps!

My beautiful friend Ashley with the donation “horse”

The event was so much fun and we had a chance to do some good as well as raise money for such a good cause. I also ended up taking home some money when my horse “I’ll Have Another” won the Derby! I have to admit- I actually missed the race because I was too busy chatting away… a common problem with me and sports. But regardless it was a great day with my girlfriends and I already can’t wait until next year… and am hoping I don’t have to wait that long before we can do another grilled cheese bar, because it was AMAZING.

Questions:

-Did you celebrate Cinco de Mayo or the Derby?

-When was the last time that you dressed up for a theme?

-Do you pay attention during sports?

 

Posted in Events, Friendship, San Francisco, Weekend Wrap-up | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

My Best Friend

Posted on May 14, 2012 by

Hi lovelies! I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend! I spent this weekend celebrating my best friend– my Mommy. I feel so completely blessed and honored to not only have such an amazing mom but to get to call her my friend as well. She is the woman who instantly puts everyone at ease and the woman that everyone wants to open up to, even if it’s their first time meeting her. She really is that good of a listener and she is also incredibly wise, offering wonderful advice. She is my biggest cheerleader and fan, always making me feel good no matter how small the accomplishment. She is an amazing woman of God who truly has lived her life listening to God’s call. She is smart and funny and truly the most incredible woman I know. And somehow, I’m lucky enough to be her daughter. She has had the most profound impact on my life and I don’t know what I would ever do without her. Everything is just better when she’s around and I love spending time together.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures of us (that I had on my computer!)

Isn’t she absolutely beautiful and so stylish? I’m also lucky to have some very good genes! :)

Questions:

-Tell me about your weekend!

-Did you do anything special for Mother’s Day?

 

Posted in Family | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

GGG Restaurant Review: Straw

Posted on May 9, 2012 by

Hi lovelies! Happy Wednesday and congrats on being halfway through the week! In San Francisco we’ve had gorgeous weather lately and I think everyone is starting to be in summer-mode.

A few weeks away I went to brunch with my girlfriends in Hayes Valley at Straw. I first heard about Straw from Kelly at Pine to the Pacific when she went a few months back. This carnival themed restaurant is super small but seemed like the perfect place to gather up my girlfriends for brunch after a night out on the town. Now, this is not a healthy restaurant- I’m just putting it out there because you have to go in knowing that everything is decadent… and delicious. After my last review of Serendipity it might seem hard to believe that this is a healthy living blog anymore. But I promise that in between these splurges, lots of healthy salads, greek yogurt and green juice are being eaten in the background!

Adorable menus in a file folder- such an easy DIY!

We started off the meal with Strawberry Basil Lemonades (served in mason jars, making them even cuter) which were absolutely delicious and refreshing. They weren’t too sweet or tart and I was very sad when I’d gotten to the bottom of my glass! For my entree, I was tempted by lots of things on the menu but ultimately went with the grilled cheese which was voted one of 7x7s best grilled cheeses in San Francisco! This grilled cheese is made with smoked cheddar and swiss and… wait for it… a parmesan crust. It was served with creamy tomato soup (complete with goldfish crackers) and sweet potato tater-tots and blackberry bbq sauce.

The grilled cheese was as phenomenal as 7×7 had made it out to be but the real star of the show in my eyes were the tots and bbq sauce. I rarely eat fried food so it doesn’t usually appeal to me but these are something special and I wish I had that sauce at home to dip veggie burgers in! But of course, at a place like this, trying one thing is simply not enough. So I ordered a Whack-A-Mole for the table, also known as: red velvet Belgian waffle with vanilla cream cheese frosting and seasonal fruit.

It was absolutely fantastic though sadly we were all too full to take more than one bite! The red velvet flavor was light but not overpowering and the frosting tasted just like the stuff on top of a cupcake. All in all it was a lovely day and I’m so glad my girlfriends and I got to do a fun brunch together. Brunch is one of my favorite meals and I always look forward to trying new restaurants and chatting about the evening before!

Questions:

-What’s your favorite meal to share with friends?

-What kind of carnival food would you like to see on the menu?

-Have you ever had a cake-inspired breakfast?

Posted in Restaurant Review, San Francisco | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

This Little Piggy

Posted on May 7, 2012 by

Hi lovelies, I hope that you all had a fantastic weekend! Did any of you celebrate Cinco de Mayo or Derby Day? I went to a fabulous Derby Day party on Saturday that I’ll have to devote a separate post to- let’s just say it included a mimosa bar, a horse pinata and lots of big hats!

On Sunday however, I was out with my parents when my Daddy Jeff spotted a petting zoo that had baby pigs. I’ve revealed on the blog that I don’t eat any pork products before, but I haven’t ever explained why. Well the truth is, I’m somewhat obsessed with pigs. I think they are the cutest animals and love them so much that I really want one of my own as a pet. Though most people think of pigs as large pets, there is a breed called Royal Dandies that stay small and only get to be about 10 lbs when they are full grown. Though I’m not currently in a situation where I can buy one, it is my dream and I cannot wait for it to become reality.

Because of my slight pig obsession (my key chain is a pig from Henri Bendel in NYC) I tend to talk about my future pet quite regularly. I have already decided to name it Pigtoria and my parents call it their little grand-hog, not to be confused with brothers pet pugs who are the family grand-dogs. So when pigs were spotted today at the petting zoo, I knew I had to get in there. I traipsed into the hay in my dress and 5-inch heels and picked up little Pigtoria. I hated how they were being treated in there, with little kids chasing after them and dropping and throwing them back on the ground. It was so sad but once Pigtoria was in my arms, all was well in the world. And since one picture just wasn’t enough, I thought I’d show you a little video that was taken as well!

Posted in About Me | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments