Austin

Holla at my fellow Chicagoan SuzLyfe for nomiating me for the Sunshine Award! You know what that means…you’re about to learn new, random, unique things about me! I never in a million years thought that strangers on the internet would want to know intimate details about me, and I wouldn’t be creeped out by it. In fact, it only seems appropriate that you all get to know more about what makes me, me, other than my insatiable love and need for food and a good sweat session. So without further ado….

1. I have been to 12 different countries. My favorite place was Prague in The Czech Republic, and my lease favorite was Venice, Italy. I haaaated that place. It was a claustrophobic girl’s worst nightmare.

2. Speaking of that, I’m claustrophobic. I had a traumatizing experience when I was little where I got trapped crawling through a dark tunnel, with someone in front of me and behind. It was the worst feeling of my life and I’ll never forget that panic. Ever since then, I can’t be in small, dark, enclosed spaces, and if I’m locked in somewhere, I have a panic attack.

3. In high school I pierced my cartilage with a safety pin (it didn’t end well)

4. My head is too big to fit into hats. I just tell myself it’s because I have too big of a brain 😉

5. I ate so much cereal in college that some of my friends referred to me as the “cereal killer”. I even went as that for Halloween once.

6. I have a twin brother!

7. Austin is my favorite city in America

8. I lived in Washington D.C. for a summer – and in two months made some of the best friends in the world. We still talk today!

9. I’m in a sorority – Pi Beta Phi

10. I was a barista in college. It was a humbling experience but also one of the most fun. I wish everyone could work in the food industry for at least a year because it really gives you a whole new outlook on life. Plus, I got free drinks whenever I wanted, so not only did I make money but imagine how much I saved on coffee throughout college!

So there’s that! I feel like you know me on a whollllle new level now. But now I need to hear some random things from you! Tell me something unique about yourself! Give me some workday entertainment.

Vacation dreaming

I love to travel. I have a lot of favorite cities depending on what kind of trip I’m looking for. Feeling patriotic? DC all the way. Beauty in nature? Sioux Falls, South Dakota. International adventure? Prague Prague Prague.

But the one city that I think has it all…is Austin, TX.

I’ve been there twice in the past year and a half and it. has. everything. From paddleboarding to live music to breakfast tacos and everything in between, I’m head over heels in love with Austin. Now that the weather is getting colder and colder I can’t stop dreaming about frozen margaritas overlooking Lake Travis while the sun goes down. It’s a cheap trip and definitely worth it if you just want a few days away to escape to a land where there’s music in the streets and food trucks abound.

Food for thought (literally)

It makes me so sad that my beloved Mars company is up there. M&Ms, I’ll never give you up but man, I just don’t feel good about looking at this chart. I hate thinking that very few corporations have so much control over what I eat. I’ll never be fortunate enough to go totally organic, but this kind of thing makes me step back and really think about what I’m buying. There’s a reason why no conglomerate can get their hands on apples, you know? Whole foods FTW.

Why I love to write

There’s something special about writing. Until I started this blog, I had pretty much stopped writing for fun, an activity that took up much of my life before I left for college. I’ve always been a million times better at writing than I am at speaking. There’s just something about a pen and paper that helps me get out exactly what I mean, with no fillers or things that can be misconstrued. I’ve also always valued the fact that I can write down how I’m feeling and look back on it in retrospect. It’s almost as if with everything I’ve ever written I can get a better picture of who I was at that time, when all that I have besides my written words are pictures, and those don’t say much. Most people who write aren’t writing for the sake of it, but because they have something to share that they just can’t muster up the words for. Even food bloggers, who don’t seem like they have anything important to say, are usually sharing some parts of their personal life through their blogs. People like me who have spent years trying to figure out the “right” way to eat and have come out on the other side just want to share their love for food and fitness to the world. We have something to say. And while some people can read blogs like mine and think “what’s the point?” others read it and can relate.

Thanksgiving is almost here!

Thanksgiving is on the way! It’s no surprise that this is my favorite holiday of the year. I’d imagine that for many food bloggers it’s the same. And it’s funny because it’s not the food itself that gets me so excited for this day. I’ve always been in love with the process of making food. The family all jammed into a small kitchen, each calling dibs on different stovetops and oven temps. I love having football on in the background while we prepare mashed potatoes or set the table. The rituals are what I look forward to the most. The idea that it’s not about giving/getting things (which can be stressful) but just about being together to eat at one beautifully filled table once a year–that’s why I love turkey day! In the spirit of Thanksgiving, here is the recipe I made for the big meal last year. If you’re struggling to think of something to bring to your celebration, definitely consider this (minus the mushrooms because that’s just gross).

http://www.howsweeteats.com/2012/11/lightened-up-fresh-green-bean-casserole/

Burned out

I’ve worked out once this week. Oh well. I’ve been burned out. My days this week have been spent looking like this:

I also have a pretty bad cold and this weather makes my asthma go nuts so nothing about waking up each morning made me want to exercise. The funniest part is that even though I’ve barely worked out all week, the world is still spinning. Weird, right?

Luckily New Girl has kept me great company. Until this passes, it’s just me, my couch, and Schmidt.