My schools been flooded so I’ve gotten to enjoying my lunch time at home, meaning: actually being able to eat fresh, delicious lunches (as opposed to those that are zapped or made hours ahead of time).  This week I’ve been over the moon about what I’ve been eating for lunch and dinner – but we’ll stick to lunch.  I found this incredibly simple and delicious recipe for grilled veggie sandwich from Giada @ the Food Network, and it makes hands down the best sandwich I’ve EVER eaten. True story. And it’s incredibly easy to make.

Grill veggies that are brushed with olive oil marinade.

Meanwhile, toast italian bread and spread one half of bread with goat cheese and the other with the olive oil/garlic/sun dried tomato mixture.

Stack on the veggies.

Try to eat this as slowly as possible because the flavors are dreamy. And creamy. And garlic-y.

Beware of peepers.

I’ve spent way too much time recently on my new favorite website, Forever Young.  Seriously, it makes me feel like so much less of a creep for still counting My So Called Life amongst other teen dramas as top faves (cough, Buffy, cough). D has been giving my some serious slack for watching The Lying Game (O.M.G.!) and Awkward.  I mean that’s not even the tip of the iceberg of crappy television that I enjoy, but in the teenage television category – these are my weekly regulars.  Let’s not even mention the fact that my favorite teenage author of my LIFE (we’re talking – preorder books at the local bookstore for EVERY book she penned – which I still have, and must be vintage ha. ha.) has TWO television shows now (The Secret Circle and The Vampire Diaries - which I do not watch).

Seriously, before I was a teen, I was a tween.  Except as a tween in the 90′s we didn’t quite have the same television options as we  tweens/teens do now.  Most of the time I was living in the literary tween-sphere anyhow. But a few did exist and influence my perception of reality.

The first show to ever influence my life in a major way was Clarissa Explains It All.  Come on, SNICK!

First and foremost, Clarissa made me very envious of the fact that she had a boy as a best friend.  From here on out, her and Alex Mack made me feel like my life was seriously lacking for lack of a boy BFF.  Thanks Nickelodeon. Eventually my best friend was a boy in high school but when you are 12 and want to be Clarissa you want what she has now dammit. 

The next thing on the Clarissa covet list is of course, the window seat. Of course. In fact I had my parents build me one the year I left for college, but by then it was too late.  I had already lost my formative window sitting years, but I least I could cross that one off the list too. To me, that was at the top of the Clarissa’s cool list. Followed closely by….

That goddamn computer. Sure she had cool clothes and wispy bangs, but what I was really after was that computer. I want to draw boxes in the air in neon colors and make video games with my head on the players and draw up elaborate plans.  NOT. FAIR. This was way way before I could even imagine having a computer, let alone my very own. And now that I can afford my very own, I still can’t make video games with my body in them and draw pictures in the air. So this totally is not off the list.

So to sum it all up, what did Clarissa teach me? Envy. At a very young age. I can not even bare imagining coveting things that teen stars flaunt on their shows nowadays, because computers and window seats are so not even on the top 100 things teens desire I’m sure. And clearly while other children may have revered her unique style and personality, I obviously was far more materialistic in my desires. Windows and computers. Fundamentally, I’m not sure anything important within me has changed in the past 15 years.

And don’t even get me started on how I can’t levitate things by squinting my eyes and pointing my finger. That’s for another day.

Last year on the Autumn Solstice I attended a party for my friend’s birthday.  She had each of us arrive with a pumpkin which she deemed our “manifest pumpkins”.  We were instructed to, under the moonlight, paint our pumpkins with our intentions for the coming year.  We were then supposed to plant the seeds or roast and eat the seeds.  I forget which, because I did neither.  But the intentions I did paint.

Most of the people around me drew gold, coins, and dollar signs on their pumpkins. On my pumpkin I painted things I truly wanted to achieve that year.  I painted planes because I desperately wanted to travel (Europe, check). I painted cats because I wanted to get involved with a cat charity and possibly adopt another cat (check, check).  I painted hearts and smiley faces because I wanted to be happy and loved (check, check).  As silly as the entire exercise seemed to most of us, I used it as an opportunity to truly set out into the universe what I really wanted.  Dare I say, I’ve been lucky to receive all that I asked for.

Which leads me to today.  Although it’s not quite the Autumn Solstice, and my friend who orchestrated the party is just about to board a plane and move to Hawaii (meaning no “manifest pumpkins” this year), the air following Hurricane Irene has turned my house autumnal.  The wind is rattling the leaves and slammed doors in our house, at the perfect temperature. I’m flipping through Fall fashion magazines, and school starts next week.  Fall is upon us.

So while I’m not quite ready to set my intentions for the coming year (we’ll put a hold on that for a few weeks), I do know what I’m excited for activity wise.

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Bicycling.  In the heat of the summer I haven’t touched my bicycle – which I just bought at the beginning of the summer.  I’m looking forward to taking a few spins in the crisp fall air.

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Run. This summer has just not been it for running for me.  My knees still hurt easily and it has just been too hot.  The fall is when I get the most motivation to run.  Today I pulled out all my physical therapy gear and stretched and zapped my knee.  I signed up for a 5k and would love to do a few more, just for the fun of running in the fall.  Without pain.

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Decide. I’m going through this fitness battle.  I love practicing yoga, I know that.  I also like to try different things.  I need to decide within the week whether I’m going to reinvest in the Bar Method as I wrap up my 30-day package (at $185 a month – a teachers break, it’s quite a lot) or try my 30-day Bikram groupon.  I’ve always wanted to try Bikram and I love yoga, so I feel like I’ll definitely get my moneys worth out of that trial, however the Bar Method is doing something something to me and I’m not sure if I should give it a 60-day go before I make a decision.  The classes are challenging, it’s tightening my abs and my ass and those are areas I NEVER pay attention to.  Unfortunately their schedule and my schedule are a bit opposing (my late nights and their late classes are on different days).  I may have to run my Bikram groupon and the Bar Method simultaneously just to make life work. I crave both exercises equally and I just do not have the time or finances to be obsessed with both. The battle of the fitness classes is ON.

SO that’s where I’m at with my fitness intentions for the beginning of fall. Bike.Run. And figure the rest out asap.

Paris was by far my favorite city during our trip.  Rome has always held the top spot, but Paris has usurped my former favorite city (although just barely – Rome is amazing and everyone should visit it). We started each morning with espresso and baked treats before wandering from sight to sight.  We could have spent two weeks here and have been busy every day – three and a half days weren’t nearly enough.  We ate, we shopped, we toured, we slept.  We did a lot of sleeping.  But we did get to see some things!

What are your favorite non-US cities? My official new ranking is: Paris, Rome, London.  It appears I love big cities, huh?

No, not that kind of cocktail, although I had dreams of bellinis last night.  I’m talking about my pill cocktail that I’m trying to desperately make a part of my morning routine.  I know that I need to supplement my diet, but when presented with a handful of pills I need it to be pre-packaged and ready to go in order to execute.

So this is my daily cocktail, at least the calcium chew acts as a treat after I down my horse pills!

What’s in your daily “cocktail”?

Off to wrap up some loose ends before school starts next week.

Berlin offered a bit of culture shock, and was certainly the least veggie friendly of all cities we visited. It seems like pork is number one in that city.  Given that, coupled with our complete inability to read German (limited English translation menus), we didn’t eat lunch most days.  But we did get to see most city sights. And I ate my weight in carbs and Reisling.

Pictured below are the Berlin Wall, the TV Tower in Alexanderplatz, the Brandenburg Gate, and some other randos!

Up next on our Tour, Paris!

I bought these flowers to make me happy, brighten up the entry way, and welcome myself home after a 10-day vacation. Except the cats seem to be loving the flowers more than me.  Totally cool – I brought the wild into their box and wrapped it up in a vase.

Also totally cool, my compulsion to purchase classes at various fitness studios in bulk.  It took me a long time to realize I am not a gym person anymore.  I’d purchase a membership, go for a month, then slowly taper off.

When I found yoga, that totally changed. I bought myself an elliptical to take care of cardio at home and bought a package at the studio to practice yoga.  Then, a year ago, another hot yoga studio opened 5-minutes from my home (other studio is 20-minutes away). Once I started going there more regularly out of convenience, I purchased a package of classes there. So now I’m juggling two yoga studios based on my schedule – totally doable.

Enter: the Bar Method.  Now I’m in the middle of a 30-day unlimited package, which I’ve pretty much committed myself to as my sole workout form until the package runs out (holy expensive!).  Enter: PAUSE on TWO yoga packages.  Oh – and did I mention that I also bought a package at the local Bikram studio at a total steal of a deal? That will begin after the Bar Method package ends. Yea. Keeping track? Let”s not even enter the cycling studio into the equation. Luckily I was smart enough to by that on a per-class basis as needed.

So what’s the problem? My inability to say no to work opportunities.  I need to prioritize – as much as I love a good paycheck, I love feeling good too.  Work versus Working Out. The eternal battle.

So after taking a Bar Method class this morning, I decided to sort out my workout clothing and determine whether or not I’m allowed to purchase lululemon items.  Technically, I know that is an irresponsible desire and one I don’t need to indulge in. But as you can see above, I have different clothing that functions for different activities. Yoga tops, yoga bottoms, running tops, running bottoms, and “other”.  Don’t ask. But the Bar Method is sort of an “other”, I suppose. I digress..

Even though I know I don’t “need” cute lululemon items, I sort of have convinced myself that I should be able to wear ONE piece per workout, either a top or a bottom, to make myself feel cute. Totally ridiculous, I know. So upon today’s clothing sort I realized I have plenty of lulu bottoms (which are well worth their salt) but not enough tops. This will be changed.

Anyone have a good way to organize your workout clothes? No matter what I do, come laundry day they all get mixed up in one drawer. Which leads me to randomly allowing myself to purchase new goods. Yikes!

So things have taken a turn. I am no longer eating primarily vegan (still a conscious vegetarian). I was sick of becoming a meal centric blog – but I do miss blogging. And I do love sharing my favorite things.  So consider this my return.  I’m not sure where this is going to go – pictures, lists of favorite things, and yes – probably some food as well.

Most recent love? Paris.  From which I’ve just returned.

More highlights to come.  However most important is my recent obsession is with espresso.  More specifically, the Nespresso machine.  Can I just say – why must I love the Bentley of all things?  This is like the high-end Keurig of espresso machines.  Sadly its way out of my league right now. But if you like good coffee, I highly suggest you check it out.

Ciao!

I know there are various animal rescue/relief groups surfacing to aid animals who have been abandoned in Japan.  If you’re looking for a place to donate the Japan Earthquake Animal Rescue and Support is “coalition of three groups; HEART-Tokushima, Animal Garden Niigata and Japan Cat Network … that have been rescuing and rehoming animals in Japan for many years.” You can read more about Japan Cat Network here where they have some updates on their rescue efforts. Donations can be made here.

And as an aside, did anyone know that CAT ISLAND is located west of the earthquake epicenter in Japan?  It’s a small island with 70+ elderly residents and 100+ cats.  They are reportedly doing okay but are in need of food/water/etc.