Friday Faves

Do you know what happens when the men in our lives get sucked in to watching documentaries about cleanses, products, diets and electronics that can change your life?  We usually go out a day later and buy said products, usually after pinky swearing we'd never be asked to buy another kitchen electronic from now until forever.

We started the Reboot cleanse to basically get rid of all the crap in our bodies.  And oh, it worked (see last post).  On night #1, we attempted to "juice" using our blender which ended up in a chunky, tasteless mess of kale, spinach and other leafy things.  We were basically eating the juice instead of drinking it, so I immediately got online to see about making a proper juicer purchase!  I figured we're already one foot in, and if we're going to do the cleanse... we're gonna do it right.

Which brings me to my next installment of Friday Faves...

The Breville 200XL Juicer:

I caved and bought this time sucker of an appliance after reading so many rave reviews.  At only $99, this thing has a 700 watt motor and spins the filter basket at 14,000 RPM!  Holy juice!  In less than 5 seconds, it can spit out 8 oz. of the freshest, most nutritious and best tasting juice you've ever had.  Spinach, kale, whole apples, carrots, celery, beets, bananas. The pulp that's left over is completely dry so you know you've squeezed out every last drop of juice.  We're obsessed, and if you don't watch out...we might be juicing your sushi pretty soon.

Milk + Honey

One of my favorite things to do is meet my BFFOUSBCA for coffee dates before work to catch up and chat with no distractions.  This morning was no exception! Tucked away in a little corner of The Camp in Costa Mesa is Milk + Honey, a cute little cafe that has the best of both worlds - delicious fresh food and a perfect atmosphere.  We love their open air patio filled with succulents and rustic furniture, and often sit on the comfy velvet couch with our lattes and acai bowls (SO delish) soaking up the precious early morning time before hitting the office.  If you're a newbie there, try the lavender latte - you won't be disappointed!

Friday Faves

This goofy guy:

joshua tree, november 2011


I was hit with the plague at 1:30am on Thursday morning, and puked 9 times before Todd took me to the emergency room for some serious drugs and fluids. It was an awful case of food poisoning, or at least that's all we can chalk it up to. He paid the emergency room co-pay and made me laugh, calling me an expensive date. He stood by my bedside (literally, almost on top of me) with bloodshot tired eyes and even held the bin while I tossed my cookies just one more time to show the doctors and nurses I meant business. He played hooky to stay home and sleep with me, and even kept the TV noise to a minimum :)
In sickness and in health, baby! This guy wins the Friday Faves award from now until forever...

Friday Faves

Do you ever search high and low, over-analyze, consult 12 people with 13 opinions, lose sleep over something... and then realize the answer you're looking for has been right in front of you the whole time?

That's a BIG, DRAMATIC way of saying this: as I sat here thinking about this week's Friday Faves, I took a look at my desk here at the office and realized that two of my current faves are, literally, right in front of me. I didn't exactly lose sleep over this one, but it does make me realize that there are oh-so-many little tiny treasures right before our eyes that are easy to overlook. Without further ado...

1.  MyPublisher

our pretty lil' wedding album

I've recently become obsessed with creating things.  Photo albums, montage videos, online surveys, you name it.  I brought our wedding album in to the office this morning to show a co-worker because I love, love, LOVE the program I used to create it.  I shared the website with her, along with lots of coupons, and she's currently working away on a pretty little album for herself.  If you want to create a beautiful and unique photo album that will last for many, many years... MyPublisher is it!  And it's SO easy. :)

2.  Iced Coffee

bad phone shot :)

It's no secret that I love my iced coffee.  But ever since I started making my own coffee at home (domesticity at its finest), going out to buy coffee has become so much more of a "treat" than an everyday ritual.  I love it that much more now that I don't do it often.  I'll never tire of the coffee shop vibe and it always puts that extra bounce in my step in the mornings.  Hey, it's the little things...

Friday Faves

I've gotta make this one quick thanks to a crazy day of meetings ahead, but I have one thing to say...

COMMUNITY.  SUPPORTED.  AGRICULTURE.
I always passed it off as something that snobby lil' yuppies do.  Get a weekly delivery of organic fruits and vegetables that could have been purchased in the store for half the price, just to say they do it. 

Boy was I wrong.

My best friend, one of the most creative gift-givers I know, gave me a 3-week supply of CSA delivery from Tanaka Farms for my birthday.  Not only do I get a beautiful box of organic produce like kale, corn, cucumbers, amazing strawberries, perfect tomatoes and so much more... I am supporting a local farm, eating and cooking healthier, AND seeing my best friend (the deliverer) every Tuesday :)

I love that it forces us to cook things that we wouldn't normally cook, and find recipes to accommodate all the crazy things in the box! The freshness is unmatched, the price is way more reasonable than I thought, and aren't the colors pretty?!

Plus, you're totally supporting a movement.  How cool is that?!

Friday Faves

In an effort to blog more and be somewhat consistent about what I write (you just never know what you're gonna find here, do you?) I've decided to come up with a little series called Friday Faves where I'll discuss what I'm loving at the moment. Okay, it's actually just because I love alliteration.

1.  Trader Joe's Roasted Gorgonzola Crackers
Holy gorgonzola batman!  These Trader Joe's crackers are ridiculously tasty - the Veuve Clicquot of Cheez-its, I'd say!  They're flavorful and fulfilling and the best part is, the serving size is so big that you can nibble on them almost guilt free :)

2.  Mahjong!
My mom has played mahjong for years and I resisted learning like it was the plague.  I'm not really a board game fan and I certainly don't have the patience that 60-year old women do :)  And then... my sweet friend Laura volunteered to teach some of us how to play, and now I can't get enough!  Sometimes we get together for the girls to play "maj" and the guys to play poker, and we have SO much fun.  Winning 50 cents never felt so good, it's challenging and intense, and the best part is these awesome glittery purple tiles we get to play with :)  Pretty soon we'll be sending our parents out to dinner on a Saturday night and staying in to play like old folks until they get home at 11pm.  Oh wait, that already happened.

3. DonorsChoose

DonorsChoose is probably one of the raddest charities I've ever come to know.  It all happens online, connecting the donor to a classroom in need, anywhere in the country.  You have a passion for dissecting frogs?  Great, find a classroom in Bismarck, North Dakota that needs dissection kits.  You like art?  Find a charity in Boston that needs paint trays and blank canvases.  The charity does a great job of making the donor feel impactful, and you'll always get a thank you note from the children which is adorable.  I gave my dad a $50 gift card for Father's Day so he could pick out his own project to support, and my company matched the gift 100%.  That's $100 toward a classroom in need and my dad gets to support a cause he's passionate about.  Win win, I say!