Travel Reminiscence: Cinque Terre, Italy

Today was a great day. I'm still feelin' my workout from yesterday morning, I was able to enjoy my lunch break with my man., and I am very pleased with my first math exam results....so my happy place leads me to think about one of my favorite things: TRAVEL. I'm pleased to say that I've been to some amazing places so far and there are hundreds more that I'd love to see. In 2008, Matthew and I traveled to England, France, and Italy. Our absolute favorite part of the trip was the Cinque Terre.

I can't express how beautiful these five villages along the Italian coast are (Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore). On one side you have the hills that are lined with grapes and olives, and on the other side you have the gorgeous Mediterrean ocean.

No cars are allowed into the villages, just a single train that passes through them all. There's also a walking trail that connects all of the villages ("Via Del 'Amore"). Matthew and I hiked it and there really are no words for the beauty. We scored an awesome 3 story apartment...in my opinion, renting apartments from locals is the way to go. This place was no more expensive then a hotel, and it was a fully equipped! The best part was our huge balcony, overlooking the ocean. Right below us was a selection of amazing restaurants. The fresh pasta was the kind of delicious that you have to close your eyes and say "mmm" with every bite. Oh, and did I mention the wine?

Ti amo Cinque Terre!

Healthy body, healthy mind.

Are you like me and gain weight like a mad woman if you don’t watch what you eat? UGH! I sometimes envy my skinny little friends who can eat whatever they want and not see an impact. But at the same time, it’s kind of nice to know I work hard at keeping my figure trim. While it’s definitely far from perfectly where I want it, I am at a point where I feel good enough to blog about it! So aside from the much needed- no matter how skinny you are- daily exercise, I have found some healthy eating habits that make it much easier to keep the muffin tops away. This is what works for me:
-Save your indulging for the weekends. I have to remind myself that eating is really just for our health and survival. So while I love love LOVE a delicious meal, I also can’t always eat to my heart’s highest content. But there is definitely a happy medium. For example, I create a consistent and healthy routine that keeps my body happy by eating the relatively same foods at work every day. Then come the weekend , I can let loose without the guilt!
- Pack your lunch the night before! Do it! This way you can buy things that require a bit more prep time so that you don’t have to worry about the rush in the morning (which means they are probably healthier). Also helps to avoid getting take out because you didn’t have time to pack anything
-Read labels! Avoid buying it if it’s not good for you. Just avoid having the unnecessary and unhealthy foods at your house. If you’re like me, if it’s there….you’ll eat it. And then feel guilty about it.
Suggestions (all purchased at Trader Joe’s):
-I LOVE salads. I have a salad every day at work- I mix the greens the night before at home, and leave some of my toppings and dressings at work to avoid the hassle of lugging at back and forth. My perfect salad that I am yet to get sick of consists of: baby lettuce mix, basil, Persian cucumbers (represent), shredded carrots, walnuts (super food), dried cranberries, tomatoes, broccoli, and feta cheese crumbles. I just add balsamic vinegar and olive oil. It sounds like a lot of work but honestly, TJ’s makes it really easy and if you leave the bulk of it at work and do the other part at home the night before, you’re set.
-TJ’s Heart Healthy Instant Oatmeal (blueberry or cranberry are my fave)
-Fat free cottage cheese- try it with some fruity fat-free (natural) yogurt or fresh berries! If you can’t deal with the cottage cheese, try fat free vanilla yogurt or for more of a natural flavor Greek style plain yogurt mixed with fresh berries (I love mixing with blueberries)
-An apple, banana, pear….at least one fruit as a snack
-Turkey meatballs- TJ’s sells these low fat frozen cooked turkey meatballs. They have great flavor and are a good source of protein. I just heat up a few, plain or with marinara, and eat them a la carte!
I have a lot of others but these are some of the ones I consider staples at this point. It really makes a difference not just in the way you look but the way you feel when you live an intentionally healthy lifestyle and I think it’s something everyone should try out!

Pumped.

I am feeling inspired to jazz up this blog. I am so not a jazzy person, but I love so many things and have a zillion different aspirations- that’s gotta get me somewhere, right? I’ll admit that just having a blog to come home to and write on has motivated me to seek inspiration from almost everything in life. Looking at other people’s blogs (check out Alicia’s, linked below- so cute, and with links to a ton of other cute blogs), I get fired up! From adorable outfits and accessories that inspire my own wardrobe, to great books to read, to places to eat and even sweet things to do for my bf…. I just want to do it all.. So now in addition to seeking the career I am passionate about….staying fit and healthy…and overall being the best version of myself possible, I want to challenge my creativity and continue sharing my thoughts and experiences with the people I trust and love the most!

It's Amore!

I had a wonderful Valentines Day weekend! On Friday night, Matthew made us some delicious chili and cornbread and we watched Freedom Writers. Pretty good movie, especially given that it's based on a true story, and it definitely kicked up some more inspiration for my possible teaching career. On Saturday we had Matthew's beautiful goddaughter's baptism, did some running around, and had dinner with his family at the Cheesecake Factory. On Valentines day we took my mom on a hike in Auburn near the American River Canyon, where we discovered an awesome cove and lady bugs galore! We wrapped up the evening with a fantastic filet mignon dinner and the Godfather (finally saw it!).....This morning we enjoyed coffee and pastries with some friends at one of our favorite coffee spots in Sacramento, Old Soul. This was an awesome 3-day weekend. Not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow!! But.....c'est la vie! I am so thankful for time that I get to spend with friends and family. Matthew has been so loving and sweet - well he always is- but more so lately he has been professing his love so publicly and making reference to our future. It really is a wonderful and exciting thing, to really be able to envision making a life with someone. OOOhhh la la!

Praying for the People of Iran

I wish people understood how bad it still is in Iran for the people. I am so sick of seeing the state organized pro-government rallies. This is not a true representation of the mass public. The mass public, including my educated and wonderful family wants to have their rights acknowledged and instead they are being attacked and silenced. The corrupt regime is a true shame and words cannot express the disgrace that they have caused. I pray for change, for the sake of the people. For their safety and for their lives to be without fear and oppression.

My Sweet Man!

Matthew treated me to a wonderful show on Friday night. It was so sweet and thoughtful of him, LOVE that boy! We also had a wonderful breakfast at "Dottie's"
(try it if you can- delightful), walked along the Golden Gate Bridge and hiked the coast at the Marin Headlands, and stopped in Sausalito for a stroll and coffee. It was so relaxing and great... Saturday was the hilarious comedy show- all Iranians who can should see Maz, he had us cracking up!! After two years, one of which was a serious learning curve for us, to say the least, Matthew and I are stronger than ever and soooo thankful for the experiences that have brought us closer. I hope everyone waits it out for the person who truly makes them feel they understand the true meaning of love, and that it goes both ways.

Not quite!

Well, the crazy schedule has caught up to me and I. Am. Tired. I have not at all gotten accustomed to it, not to mention, I am always hungry! Ugh. Oh well...I'll keep pushing it until it just becomes routine. In other news, I've found myself in quite a strange situation. An old acquaintance has tracked me down, and decided to tell me a bit too much information. At first this information was really sad, and I felt a lot of sympathy. Therefore, this person, who I was never close to, started to get a lot of my attention as I felt she needed a friend. Now as her stories and traumas progress...I feel confident I am being manipulated. And it is so weird. I really do not understand how some people can be so careless with other people's lives and emotions. I seem to attract a lot of these people. In a conversation with Matt regarding this situation, we pointed out that he is often told that he is very friendly, personable, well-spoken, likable...etc. Yet people, with the exception of oldies, never really impose on him or go to him in times of need. Then there is me- who often gives off the vibe (as I am told) of a less friendly, very private and intense person. Yet people have always- spilled their hearts out to me, involved me with their dramas and lives, and sometimes imposed on a lot of my time. This is not referring to just my close friends who can do that, its people who I am not close with, acquaintances if you will. I need to get to the bottom of what I do to give off that additional 'come to me with all of your problems' vibe....Not that I don't like to help people. But I think that gets taken advantage of, which isn't cool.