This lovely Friday marks what would have been my grandma's 80th birthday. Before last month, I had never lost a person I was really close with. On one hand, I feel blessed to have lived nearly 27 years before experiencing the loss of a person that was so dear to my heart. I'm grateful that when I did lose a person so important to my life, it was one who had led a pretty long, happy life. But on the other hand, it still hasn't been easy by any stretch. As anyone whose lost someone close to them can probably relate, I think it may be the worst feeling in the world to have this aching that can never be satisfied, a hole in your heart because someone you loved has passed away. You wish you could talk to them and just hear their voice again. I look for signs of her everywhere, ... [Read More]
vegetarian
Weekend Shenanigans: Harley Wants a Dog Stroller
Hi there! If you haven't yet, don't forget to enter my Bondi Band sporty headband giveaway. It ends tomorrow and doesn't have a high amount of entries, so chances of you winning are good! Hope that you all had a fabulous weekend. My weekend was great! Let's delve into a recap of it: I kicked off my weekend with a hike with Harley at a nearby spot called Lake Calavera Hills Preserve. It's a pretty area, and one pretty unique aspect of it is the 22 million-year-old volcanic plug that's located there: The first time I went hiking here, we saw a rattlesnake. This time, towards the beginning of my hike, a man warned me that he had seen a couple of snakes there that day. Since Harley loves to stick her face in bushes and zigzag around exploring, I felt somewhat paranoid of her ... [Read More]
Kale Salad with Strawberries, Goat Cheese & Almonds
"Being a family means you are a part of something very wonderful. It means you will love and be loved for the rest of your life." The 10 days that I've spent in Jersey have been extremely tough for my family and me. My grandma passed away last Friday. To be honest, at the moment I don't feel like writing about my heart aching. I'd rather talk about cute babies, my wonderful family, and a yummy kale salad, so that is what I'm sharing with you today. On a positive note, going through this has reminded me what an amazing family I have. I am so grateful and lucky to have my wonderful family and to be close with them. Given the reason I flew to the east coast, I spent a lot of time at the hospital and hanging out with family members, and the quality time I got to spend with them was ... [Read More]
Mint Chocolate Chip Date Balls
Hey friends, how's it going? Greetings from the east coast -- my parents' house in Jersey to be exact. Things around here are pretty up and down. As I talked about in my last post, I flew here because my sweet little grandma is really sick. When I'm not at the hospital or working, I've been trying to do things that soothe my soul a bit and help me keep it together. This includes fitting in an at-home workout this morning, going for a long walk with my brother's girlfriend and their newborn baby yesterday, and having brunch with a close girlfriend today. Yesterday after being at the hospital, I wanted to try to take my mind off of my grandma for a bit, so I decided to spend time in the kitchen whipping up some snacks and dinner for my family. My mom got a food processor last year that she ... [Read More]
Weekend Recap: Easter Winery Picnicking
Hi everyone! I hope that your week is off to a great start. Today I'm sharing my favorite eats & activities from my three-day Easter weekend! I kicked off my weekend Thursday evening with a hiking workout with this little lady... ...followed by some at-home yoga. It was perfect weather that fortunately continued throughout the weekend. By the way, I'm sporting a t-shirt sent to me by My Social Canvas -- a really neat design company based in NYC that's dedicated to giving back to various causes in the community. I received the shirt as I was about to go hiking, promptly put it on, loved it and just kept it on. Got to love comfy and cute clothes! On Saturday morning, I was up and out early for a date with Gina in Los Gatos. We bought a Groupon a few months ago for a hiking ... [Read More]
Mediterranean Goat Cheese Crostini
Hello friends! Ever have days when you feel like you're going a mile a minute from the minute you wake up until the minute you go to sleep? That has been me for the past couple of days. At the moment I'm procrastinating packing for my trip to San Diego tomorrow. Packing is the worst but I'm excited for my trip! In the spirit of hectic days, I thought it'd be fitting to share a recipe I whipped up last week during a busy day. I was starving for dinner and all I felt like eating was the loaf of fresh bread I had picked up at the grocery store earlier. What resulted was an easy appetizer recipe that can also be your meal if you're like me and love to make appetizers your main dish. Mediterranean Goat Cheese Crostini Crostini creations are perfect for get togethers and quick ... [Read More]