One to Nothin'

Bay Area Thangs

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Lately I’ve thought back to planning my cross-country road trip into the unknown over four years ago. Not just because holy-shit-where-did-the-time-go, but also because the old me would’ve been ashamed of the present me’s lack of dedication to this internet space. That entire week of travel was full of guest posts. GUEST POSTS. Not only did I plan posts ahead, but I even forced my friends and family to write for the internet too (sorry, guys).

I was uprooting my entire life, leaving everything and everyone I’d ever known, but it was YOU guys I was worried about (ok, maybe it’s only my mom who’s still around from that era). Anyway, I have a lot of stuff going on these day. Once I got here it became more of the “LOOK AT ALL THE COOL STUFF CALIFORNIA HAS” kind of content, and dudes, there’s still so much cool stuff here. I’ve just been doing it without telling you about it, so let’s catch up for a minute. I’m sticking to the bigger events, but four years ago I could’ve/probably did write an entire post just about how excited I was to have dairy-free creamers for my coffee everywhere I went). #spoiled

Bottlerock — the past couple years I went all out for Bottlerock (read about it here and here), but this time it was a last-minute decision. My office has this majestic thing we call Summer Fridays where everyone goes outside and enjoys life starting at 1pm on Friday through the summer (did I mention my job is awesome?). So instead of riding the ferry home and lol’ing at everyone still in their offices like I’d done the week before, I raced home and drove to Napa for some wine and music. I missed out on a bunch of acts earlier in the day, but let’s be real, I really just needed to see Modest Mouse. I also managed to catch Macklemore on the food stage throwing chicken into the audience with Martha Stewart, heard St. Motel as I was trying to find parking, watched some of Fitz & the Tantrums’ set, Silversun Pickups, Catfish and the Bottlemen, then settled on in with Modest Mouse the rest of the night. It was a short, whirlwind love affair, but I already have my Outside Lands tickets for this year, so I let it go.

Clusterfest — Speaking of Outside Lands, those angelic humans created a COMEDY FESTIVAL. This was its inaugural year, and I’m hoping there will be many more to come (despite it  living up to its clever name). I’m pretty sure I strained my face from laughing so much. There were simultaneous sets of super to semi famous comedians in the Bill Graham Auditorium, at a stage set up across from the capital building and another smaller stage set up farther away. We saw so many hilarious acts, but the ones that really stick out in my mind are: Rachel Bloom, Hannibel Buress, Fred Armisen, Lil Dicky, Anthony Jeselnik, Tig Notaro, Hasan Minhaj, Liza Treyger, Jay Larson, Chris Garcia… I know I’m missing some really great ones, but seriously all of these people cracked me up. There were a couple times when I was uncontrollably laugh crying. OH, AND TIA CARERRE WAS THERE (the Babebraham Lincoln from Wayne’s World) — the Broad City Girls (who I also love) did a live reading of Wayne’s World (one of my all-time favorite movies) and then, BOOM, Cassandra comes on and sings Ballroom Blitz right into my ears. It was incredible.

Random Weekend Things — When I’m not chilling at festivals it’s all about that brunch, wine, hike, and obviously Netflix life. So that’s what I’ve been up to.

What have your weekends looked like this summer?

How to sink safely into Netflix-fueled denial

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IT’S A BEAUTIFUL TIME TO BE ALIVE, FRIENDS!
As long as you turn off your CNN notifications, don’t go on any form of social media and acquire someone else’s Netflix password…  
It’s a wonderful, quirky world filled with quick-witted people with perfectly symmetrical faces whose biggest problems (and solutions) are neatly written into a script. 
You gotta love that kind of consistency. If you really want to drown out the miserable nails-scraping-a-chalkboard sound that is the world news at any given time, I suggest investing in a Costco set of Ghirardelli dark chocolate brownie mixes, coconut La Croix and plenty of puzzles. 
Once you’ve got a batch in the oven, your phone placed safely in the freezer and a cold one popped open, here’s what your queue should look like (warning: unless you’re thrifty before your phone goes into hibernation, you may need to create a fake email address for an HBO Go trial, which means going on a computer, which puts you at risk of falling into a black hole of internet hate, so tread carefully): 
Master of None — Season two just came out, so if you watched season one a million years ago, like myself, it’s time to watch it again and let the splendor of Arnie wash over you all over again. Aziz is a genius.
LOVE — If you like watching beautiful people be assholes in LA in an extremely awkward, pretty funny and weirdly addicting way, get on it. Season two for this one also recently popped out, so enjoy both seasons back-to-back like a real hermit.
Girls — See above description except in NYC instead of LA. You’ll need an HBO Go login, but I believe in you. Somewhere back there one of your exes texted it to you, you just have to trust in the scroll. Just know that the very last episode of the finale will make you say, “what in the actual fuq?”
New Girl — One of my top three favorite shows of all time. Season six just ended, and if you’ve never seen season one, then I am incredibly envious. But I’ll watch it with you for the fifth or sixth time anyway. 
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend — If you hate musicals, GTFO this blog. Kidding. But not really. This show is hilarious, and if you don’t agree then we can’t be friends. That is all.
Girlboss — This one started really strong for me. It takes place in San Francisco, it’s loosely based on the book based on the life of Sophia Amoruso and her BFF makes it worth watching. 
Gilmore Girls — I’m realizing now how many of my favorite TV shows have the word “girl” in the title. Please ignore this as I feel it may be some sort of internalized misogyny playing out in my very own Netflix queue. Kidding… kind of. Anyway, if you’re a weirdo like me, start with the newest season so you’ll be real nice and confused before starting from season one for the first time. I love watching people get younger while I waste away on my couch. 
Big Little Lies — IT’S SO GOOD. But read the book first. AND THEN APPRECIATE HOW GOOD. And save the soundtrack because daaaayum. 

Stranger Things — This one’s not great for the anxiety issue we’re trying to avoid, but at the same time it’s nostalgic and you can’t stop watching, so just do it.  
Once you’ve made your way through that there list, it’s time to hit up these fail-safe options:
The Office, FRIENDS, Parks & Rec (chubby Chris Pratt is the best Chris Pratt), 30 Rock and Modern Family.
Aaaand once you get through those, it’s time to hit the hard stuff… like Community, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Workaholics and, if need be, The O.C.
That’s it, friends. All you need to forget about our world falling apart: brownies, fruity soda water and endless television. Whatever allows you to actually get out of bed in the morning, amiright?  
What are your coping mechanisms these days? 

PS: I know, I know. We have to be the change. I’m trying. But sometimes denial is the best chance I have at not crawling into a little ball forever and ever.  Just keeping it real. 

PPS: Like my sweatshirt? It’s c/o Mindful Tee — see more designs here.

Let us raise a toast

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Have you guys met Elizabeth yet? She’s my new(ish) roommate, pictured above and below, who I skillfully snagged through Craigslist. That’s right, friends, I took a chance on a could-be-murderous-stranger and won at life because she’s one of the coolest people in the world–and she loves wine. Match made in heaven. 

But when I say I “took a chance,” I’m lying my face off because I actually spent several hours crafting that CL ad. No joke, I was tired of finding a new roomie every couple months, so I took a hint from the hundreds of job listings I’ve read (and been rejected by) over the years. I did it up big explaining exactly what our apartment is like (covered in dog hair and always operating to the sound of Taylor Swift or Gilmore Girls), what myself and my other roomie (another one of the coolest people in the world) are like (cooking, drinking, talking openly about any and all bodily functions), and what we wanted him or her to be like (mostly in love with my dog).

Then, to make sure the candidate read through the entire listing, they had to start their application off with their go-to karaoke song. We had some pretty promising players, but Elizabeth came with actual references, and as soon as she walked in (bearing wine and brownies) it felt like she belonged. Ziggy had the final say, of course, but *knock on wood* she hasn’t run away yet and it’s been over three months. Obviously we love her, and since she’s always, always sharing her wine with me, I thought I’d express my gratitude by bringing her as my plus one to the Memorial Day Wente White Party in the Vineyard.

You might already know this, but when I first moved to California I lived in Livermore for a year. I’ve been telling everyone in the SF area how underrated Livermore Valley Wine Country is forever, and I even had a tasting (or 12) at Wente way back in the day, so naturally I was very excited when they offered me a free ticket to the wine party.

As soon as we drove the 45 minutes it takes to get from Oakland to Livermore, the clouds disappeared completely and it was straight up 75 and sunny the whole time.

There was a gif-making booth complete with props, a basket of sunscreen for folks like myself, a branded tote full of delicious food (quinoa, lots of cheese, two different types of sandwiches and the cutest little handpie) and ginormous balloons on each table–ours kept bopping me in the head. I apologize for not getting that on camera.

We sat at a random table with the friendliest people, and as we drank more Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, the conversation naturally got raunchier (let’s just say there was talk of piercings and I somehow managed to show off my tattoo without flashing everyone).

After a whole lot of laughing and posing with the Wente sign, we finished off the Memorialist Memorial Day party ever by getting our dance on. Luckily I did manage to get that on camera for you, but I’m sparing you by muting the part where I rap at the camera–you’re welcome. Check out the fabulous event by pressing play below.


Thanks so much for having us, Wente. We’ll be back next year. 

Half Dome-ination

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Running has meant so many different things to me throughout my life. Freshman year of high school it was a source of anxiety because I couldn’t beat the elusive 9-minute mile to achieve the Presidential Fitness Award in PE class. I remember feeling  defeated by it, and getting faster seemed entirely impossible.

Sophomore year of high school I started playing soccer and gained some confidence in my athletic abilities (however meek they may have been). Then, one fateful day, I saw a sign taped up in the hallway and those Comic Sans letters said, “Want to get in the best shape of your life? Join Cross Country!” So I did.

Back then I hoped it would be a way to look good in a bikini, and I did drop about 15 lbs right away, but I also made some of my best friends in the universe. We suffered through 3pm runs in the Florida heat. We ate pasta together the night before races. We sang silly songs and made up ridiculous dances to distract from the lactic acid building in our scrawny legs. We laughed all. the. time. We got competitive sometimes, but mostly we made something I thought would be impossible to ever enjoy the most fun thing of my young life. 



I loved running, but I knew I wasn’t going to try to make it competitively in college, so for a while I lost it. I missed having my team to get sweaty with every day, and my new group of sorority gals weren’t really the running type (drinking? oh yes. running? nah). I was having fun, but I wasn’t running and I was starting to feel pretty rotten because of it.


I was at the beach with my BFF’s family sophomore year of college and this older gal I didn’t know very well told me she ran a half marathon. I had to know everything—how did she train? How hard was it? What was the course like? It was like she flipped the switch. The revelation that people from all over the world came together to run 3, 9, 13 and 26 miles together made me realize, once again, that maybe I could be athletic too. I signed up right away (and couldn’t convince a single other soul to do it with me), and I trained my ass off. Once again, I looked and felt good, and I realized this was gonna be a thing for as long as my body would let it.

I’ve used running as a way to make new friends, and it’s my favorite way to bond with old ones. It’s been a way to find bloggers to follow when I didn’t even know they existed, and a way to connect with ones who are just starting to discover their running potential. It’s my way to explore new cities when I travel, and an excuse to travel in general—Disney, Seattle, San Francisco, Oakland and, last weekend, Yosemite. 

Sometimes I train really hard and crush it (like for that marathon), and sometimes I wing it and just have fun (…and can’t move the next day, or the next). But no matter how far I go or how prepared I am, the best feeling in the world is sharing the experience and excitement with people who inspire you, support you and crack you up all at the same time.

The group of women who ran the Yosemite Half Marathon with me this past weekend were the perfect example of the bond that running creates. There were some old friends and the new acquaintances felt like old friends. They were fast, talented, friendly and hilarious. They were happy to pose for the camera (and occasionally stand behind it), and they never missed an opportunity to laugh. They shared their positive energy, cooking skills, rounds of applause and delicious food with me, and I shared wine—lots and lots of wine.
I had an amazing time earning this gorgeous race medal with these people—I can’t think of a better group to share a house and Morning Chardonnay with. So here’s a toast to the ones I love the most—running, friends and the friends who love running. 

Special thanks to Wente for providing the breakfast beverage of choice. Check out their wine selection and their vineyard, and don’t forget to celebrate Chardonnay Day on May 25 (I’ll be collaborating with them again next weekend in Livermore–so excited!).

Summer Skin (and scalp)

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Can I get real with you guys for a second? My body does some weird stuff, and it gets weirder when the weather starts to change. Then, when you add stress to the mix…that shit cray.
Mostly it’s been good stress around here. Writing about beauty things full time, trying to train for a half marathon at high altitudes (this weekend—AHHH), working another job part-time, blogging and refusing to not have a life (seriously, I’m grateful for this kind of stress). But it takes a toll nonetheless, especially on my skin and scalp. When it’s super hot out, right after I work out, or if I’m freakin’ out about who knows what, that’s when my face decides to break out into lovely hives. They sort of look like little mosquito bites except I know they’re not because sweet, sweet California doesn’t have many mosquitos, and I know from 23 years of Florida experience that my mosquito bites swell up to the size of a planet. Then there’s my scalp, which is just as itchy and makes wearing black The Worst (especially now that I work in an office and don’t wear yoga pants every day—le sigh).

So far the only cure for my hives is a daily dose of Zyrtec (not ideal), but my dermatologist tried to tell me my scaly, itchy scalp was from psoriasis just a couple months ago (I finally caved and went to the doc when it spread to my ear). The only thing is, I think she’s wrong. My genetically identical mother (who works in the medical field) is convinced it’s the same condition she’s had forever—seborrheic dermatitis. It’s not making my hair fall out or anything, but it does itch, it is embarrassing (since it flakes like dandruff) and it’s stress-triggered, so it’s not my favorite thing to deal with on top of other things. Anywayyyy, I’m telling you this because it’s been bad lately and coincidentally I got to try some Vanity Planet products that I think are going to help.


When I was in Florida last weekend I was chatting with my mom about the state of my scalp. I’ve tried all kinds of medications on my head over the years, but after having a long discussion with my mom about ways to stop adding chemicals to my body, I told her I’d give some more natural remedies a shot. One of the best cures for everything is coconut oil, so I wasn’t all that surprised that this anti-inflammatory super oil was considered a treatment for seborrhea. When Vanity Planet offered to let me try a scalp massager I was down, and I was excited to use it with some regular old coconut oil, but I was pleased to find out the package already came with a hair treatment containing coconut oil–win, win.

The Remi Moisturizing and Restorative Treatment (that comes in a cute little pouch) contains natural extracts like argan oil, castor oil and coconut oil to help liven up my dead ends while soothing my scalp. I haven’t been using it long enough to say that it has made a huge difference in my scalp situation, but I do know that my hair is shiny and the scalp massaging brush feels goo-oo-od. Vanity Planet was a new brand to me, but I’m excited to try out some of their makeup and skincare products in the future.

AND while we’re on the topic of hot air ruining my body…how cute are my new bathing suits? I just want to be on the beach forever right now. The other products shown are my go-tos lately—a primer that contains UV-protection, ALL the lipsticks, eyebrow filler, mascara and micellar water. Summertime = less foundation, more freckles and all the experimental lip colors.

Anywho, I want to know what’s going on with you. Have you ever had to deal with scalp issues or recurring hives? I know it’s not sexy to talk about, but it seems fairly common and I like to keep it real around here—whether it’s adult acne or drunk blogging my inadequacies. Do you have any advice or remedies for me? Have you ever tried Vanity Planet products? Get at me, friends.

OH, and if you’d like to try any of their hair products, use the code SpringHair25 at checkout to get 25% off.

A Type B Picnic

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I’m quite a fan of personality tests. I think finding insight into my own behavior is fascinating. I’m sure that sometimes this allows some randomly commissioned copywriter to take creative liberties when it comes to my behavior analysis, but it’s all in good fun.

Lately I’ve been thinking about Type A personalities. I see them everywhere because they are so proud (and they should be—it’s hard work). You hear them speaking to it in job interviews and bragging about it in their Instagram bios. You might even hear them complaining about a Type B’s little red number indicating unread emails on their iPhones (ahem).
But I want to know why we Type B personalities aren’t living loud and proud about it? I am Type B allllll the way. I currently have three weeks worth of dirty laundry in my room and that little red number is 7,355 for me rn (no joke). Sure, I kind of wish I’d found time to do laundry on Sunday, but I’m not going to think or stress about it until I’m trying to find clean undies for tomorrow, and that’s when I’ll get it done. I always get it done, it just might take me a little longer (or maybe not, since I certainly won’t be ironing any of the clothes after they come out of the dryer).
According to the internet, “Type B personality are noted to live at lower stress levels. They typically work steadily, and may enjoy achievement, although they have a greater tendency to disregard physical or mental stress when they do not achieve.”

Okay, so that achievement part sounds negative, but lower stress levels? Working steadily? Giving yourself a break when things aren’t perfect? Sounds like a win to me. Take this picnic for example. Yes, I wanted it to look beautiful. I prepared pretty food, I was provided with gorgeous wine, cheese and butter, and I got myself all dressed up for photos. But it took everything I had to not dig into the spread before photos were taken. The Type B in me was screaming, “WHO CARES IF IT LOOKS GOOD?! Eat it, eat it now!”
It probably didn’t help that I had an audience wondering why I wouldn’t just eat the wings already. For me, Type B means doing the best I can without ruining the fun. I want to have a picnic where things look pretty and I can pop a bottle of sparkling rosé while laughing at myself along with the bystanders. I want to be okay with forgetting the serrated bread knife and using the blanket as a napkin. As soon as the camera stops clicking, my hair is going to be in my face, I’m probably going to spill buffalo sauce on my dress and I’m going to have a blast. 
We are consistent in our quest to get things done in a way that doesn’t cause high blood pressure. We know perfection isn’t always the best way to go, and we embrace the opportunity to drink wine in the middle of the day when there are dozens of more “productive” things we could be doing. 


Now that you have a better idea of how this picnic actually went down, let’s discuss the fabulous French aspects of this spread. The French Ministry of Agriculture is to thank for the five bottles of wine from Languedoc, Provence and Alsace, as well as the cheese from Meuse and butter from Normandy. The last time I was in France, I was 15 which means I was certainly drinking wine (because I could) and I ate ALL the butter and cheese because I didn’t know I was lactose intolerant yet (ahh, the good ole days). Luckily, we are still capable of enjoying this incredible French cuisine right here in the states. Since there were only two of us (I promise I didn’t drink five bottles alone—somebody has to take photos!), we only had a chance to try two bottles so far—the sparkling rosé and the pinot gris, but I can assure you the other three will be put to good use in the near future. 

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A beautiful wedding weekend

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The past few times I stepped out of the intensely air conditioned airport and out into the hot, wet air of the arrivals level, I felt suffocated. It was shocking and hard to breathe in more ways than one. The excitement of seeing my family would, for a moment, be lessened by the humidity attacking me from every angle.

Somehow I’d forget every time that it wasn’t going to be refreshing to step outside after being incapsulated for so long. My sticky skin, my inevitably stuffed sinuses and itchy, sleep-deprived eyes usually leave me hoping I don’t sound less excited than I am on the 90-minute drive home. Of course, I’m always happy to see them, but it’s not always easy hopping out of one life and back into another one that’s been going right along living without me this whole time. Sometimes it’s harder than I’d like to admit, but this time felt different. Instead of being assaulted by the warm air (and warm was a serious understatement this weekend), I felt welcomed by it. The hot air hugged me, welcomed me home, made me feel grateful and nostalgic.

Maybe it was because I finally got to eat honey mustard zingers from Ale House or because I just bought two new bikinis and I’d actually get to swim. Maybe it’s because for once I had the sense to secure a window seat and pop a sleeping pill before my red eye. Maybe it’s because I knew I was about to see some of my oldest friends—standing next to one while she married the love of her life, playing with another’s seven-month-old first born for my very first time, reintroducing another to my family after many years, and recognizing faces that have known me longer than anyone else.

Maybe it’s knowing that every person I’ve worried about on this coast is thriving, overcoming and absolutely crushing it right now, and I’m proud of us. We struggled for a while, and now there’s that group sense of relief when you’ve shared an experience and come out on the other side. The clean, clear energy in the room.

All culminating in a beautiful ceremony—everyone looking their best, feeling buzzed on champagne and the electricity of two people stupid in love. Decorations, festive feels, reunions and suddenly looking forward to the future—all of it. Not just the little bits sprinkled throughout, sparkling amongst the grey. The whole thing. The hard parts too. This time Florida felt friendly and familiar. I felt grown up and pretty and happy. It’s always great to be home, but it doesn’t always feel like home and this time it really did.

I’m not leaving California any time soon, friends. Don’t you worry. But it was really lovely to be in Florida this weekend. Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Parker. I’m so glad you two found each other and brought all of us together to celebrate your love.

The Audiobook Obsession Is Real

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Guys, this post has been sitting my drafts for so long. Like, I’ve listened to a dozen new audiobooks since then, long. Like, I hope I can even remember what these books were about, long. Like, I was listening to these back when I could run 26.2 miles straight, long. And I’ve been watching Gilmore Girls every night instead of blogging, so I don’t know when to make my list rambles stop. Anywho, here are some books I listened to on tape a long time ago (can I still call them that?) and my emotional reactions to them. Do with them what you will.

“Girl On The Train” – Paula Hawkins
This murder mystery book-recently-turned-movie started off sloooow. I am all for making up stories in my mind about the random people I see on trains and getting a little too hammered sometimes, for that matter, but it took me a while to get into this one. Once I did it was compelling for sure, and even though a couple of the voices featured in the audiobook are jarring, I’d recommend it if you’re looking for a read you can get lost in. 

“On The Road” – Jack Kerouac
This classic was pretty much everything I’d built it up to be in my mind all these years. Adventure, literature, drunken debauchery, so much epic road tripping and a littttttle too much creeping on the lady characters (especially the young ones–chill out there, Jack). Definitely worth the listen though. Dude does a great job of reading even if he does pronounce huge without the H. 😒

“The Martian” – Andy Weir
If you’re surprised that this one made the list, that’s okay–so was I. I’m not usually a sci-fi kind of gal, but I am very trusting of a majority of stellar reviews. I still haven’t watched the movie, but I will say that for a book that is almost completely an inner dialogue mixed with very technical space things, it was really flippin’ funny. The reader was excellent too–the bro-iest nerd ever. 

“The Unbearable Lightness of Being” – Milan Kundera
UGH don’t do it. Just don’t. The best part of this book was the very minor role of the dog. I believe much of the meaning is lost in translation, so please enlighten me if this is your fave. But otherwise, do yourself a favor and do not listen to it on tape. There are some effed up dream sequences and waaay too many anus references. I regret spending a full credit on this guy.

“Modern Romance” – Aziz Ansari
Oh, Aziz. I already loved him for his role in Parks and Rec, but it was his Netflix show “Master of None” that really turned me into a fan (I highly recommend you watch the first season ASAP). I figured this book would be funny and full of anecdotes, but I didn’t really expect to learn as much as I did. He dives into some super relatable modern dating research, conducts studies, gets experts to weigh in and fills you in on the goings on of dating culture in other countries as well. It’s quick, it’s informative, it’ll make you laugh and he reads the audiobook himself, so there are plenty of extra giggles to be had.

“Luckiest Girl Alive” – Jessica Knoll
This is not a book for everyone, particularly not for those of the masculine species, but I liked it. That plot twist, man. It’s a fast-moving mystery, but it’s buried under 556 too many designer name drops and body/eating issues (but not in a constructive way. I’m all for an educational moment on disorders–that’s not what this was).

“Gone Girl” – Gillian Flynn
YAS KWEEN! I don’t know why it took me so long to get to this one. Clearly everyone already knew this twisted story was awesome before I did, but the audiobook particularly rocks. The voices are on point, and I plowed through all 19 hours and 11 minutes of it in maybe a week? Maybe less? If you don’t already know the plot of this book, I’m not even going to describe it. Just go read or listen, but please, for my sake, do not watch the movie first. It’s good, but it’s way more fun to watch after you’ve read it.

“The Gifts of Imperfection” – Brene Brown
Meh. I may have completely overdone the self-help genre at this point in time (ahem, all this was happening), but I wasn’t all that impressed by this one. Granted I was trying to learn why it’s okay to be imperfect when I’ve always, always embraced imperfection while doing the longest training runs of my life just as the weather was getting hot AF, so who knows who the real culprit here is. All I know is the cover art is fugly. Why.

“Flowers For Algernon” – Daniel Keyes
Did you guys have to read this a million years ago? It was never on any of my reading lists back in school (Why yes, I did read every single book that was ever assigned to me. How did you guess?), so I decided to go for it as an adult. It was lovely, heartbreaking and super interesting. The reader on this one did a great job–not an easy feat when the author depicts changes in the lead character’s mental capacity and health through spelling and grammatical errors in the journal. It’s certainly not a happy-go-lucky story, but it’s important.

“Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear” – Elizabeth Gilbert
This one’s for my creatives out there. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed, incapable of creating or scared to start/finish, I suggest you read this one immediately. It’s very inspiring, and far less annoying than others in its genre (promise).

I’m getting on a plane to Florida tonight and I’m almost finished with my longest audiobook yet (32 hours!!). Any suggestions for my next Audible credit? Any IRL books you’ve loving lately? Let’s talk books! See my up-to-date reading list and be my friend on Goodreads.

PS: Check out old book reviews here, here, here and here.

PPS: Need new music? Here’s my 2017 list so far. If you don’t have Spotify, you’re doing it wrong.

A Fresh Start

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Sponsored Post: This post is sponsored by Wente Vineyards, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.
Two years ago, it looked like I settling in. It was a nesting year. My apartment’s furnishings drastically improved—I decorated for each holiday, bought kitchen supplies and blogged a lot. I started a new (boring) job that year with great benefits and more money. Everything looked very in place. And it made me all the more anxious. 

After months of dreaming I was trapped in a sinking car, getting robbed of all the things I cherish or losing children I was responsible for watching, I realized I needed to make a change. I decided to quit my job and see where things went from there. 

Immediately, my car—which had recently been paid off—was hit by a semi, and suddenly I had to deal with the entirely unappealing process of buying a new car (everyone was safe—I am v grateful, but still). On top of leaving my cushy job and losing my car, my long-term relationship was coming to an end. And just like that, I went from settling in to overhauling everything. 

The past year hasn’t been the easiest—transitions never are—but y’all, I made the best of it. I took a temporary job nannying, which I knew I would love, and I freelanced on the side. I don’t particularly condone quitting a good job without a safety net, but I guess I kind of do. If you’re not happy, who cares about your resume? I didn’t. It was scary. It worked out.
During that time I went through three different roommates, but I also made new friends, got closer to my old ones, explored new places, ran a marathon and, of course, drank lots and lots of wine. 

I didn’t spend nearly as much time expressing myself on the blog last year, but in a way that felt more authentic. Pouring my insecurities and worries out on the internet when I could barely articulate them to the people who needed me to figure my life out IRL didn’t really seem fair. I took a step back. 

My word of the year was “freedom,” and while I hoped that would bring clarity or a job that allowed me to forget about my bills and go on adventures, it ended up meaning things had to get crazy for a while before they could get better. But they did get better. 
I got a new car that I love. I have a different outlook on relationships and what I need going into the future. I found awesome freelancing opportunities while I cared for two of the cutest children I’ve ever seen. I remembered how excited I am for a future with my own children one day. And as of two months ago, I started a new job that I’m absolutely stoked about (I’m a writer at Sephora now, ICYMI). 
I doubted my decisions a lot over the past year. There were moments where I cried into my pillow (Ziggy pawing at my head, trying to lick my tears), or called my mom or sister hoping they would tell me I was doing the right things. But ultimately, regardless of whether I was able to get a new, nicer car or score a badass job, right now I am more me than I have been in a long, long time.

It took messing pretty much everything up pretty bad to get here, but I am so happy I did. 
TL;DR? Watch the video to get the gist.

Dairy-Free Stuffed Shells Simmered in Tradition

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Sponsored Post: This post is sponsored by Ragu, but all content and opinions expressed here are my own.
In my family, food is everything. We never pass up an opportunity to get our grub on, and we’ve pretty much got a signature dish for every holiday, event or, in my case, homecoming.
Christmas morning it’s eggs benedict, on my birthday is wiener schnitzel, for Halloween it’s fish sticks (with mayo + ketchup sauce – don’t judge) and so on. It’s a thing. I can tell you each of my family members’ favorite foods because we eat them on their birthdays every year without fail. But aside from these foodie traditions, we had a few odd snacking preferences, too.

We were far too dedicated one specific brand of frozen burrito, on an average day you could find me crunching on raw Ramen noodles (yea, I still do that), and frozen stuffed shells were my jam. My family never really cooked Italian food except for the occasional spaghetti, but I fell madly in love with stuffed shells somewhere along the way.

I started ordering them every time I saw them on a menu and while everyone else was falling all over their meaty, tomatoey lasagnas and baked ziti, I was all PASS THE CHEESE. Since discovering, ignoring and finally accepting the fact that I’m severely lactose intolerant all through college, the passionate flame started dying down. And after one extremely unfortunate calzone situation (think: a bunch of dudes + work lunch + me eating a calzone the size of my face), I no longer allowed myself to be giddy at the sight of my beloved shells.

I’d pretty much given up on them completely until all my recipe development for Does This Have Dairy? got underway, but I’m happy to report that I’ve got my shells back — without the pain or awkward next-day water cooler chats. And so without further ado, I introduce to you my newest tradition: dairy-free stuffed shells. 

Ingredients: 
1/2 c cashews (soaked overnight)
1/8 c lemon juice
2 T diced garlic
1 lb firm tofu
1 1/2 t salt
2 T olive oil
Large pasta shells
2 T chopped fresh basil
1 jar RAGÚ® Homestyle Zest Garlic Pasta Sauce
Imitation mozzarella cheese shreds

Directions: 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and start boiling water to cook pasta shells
Blend cashews, olive oil, garlic and lemon juice in a high speed blender or food processor until it’s thick and creamy
Add crumbled tofu and salt to the blender mix and blend until it’s a nice ricotta texture
Mix in chopped basil
Spread half the RAGÚ® bottle over the bottom of the pan
Dunk the cooked shells in ice water after draining, then stuff them with about 2 T of ricotta mixture, arranging them in the saucy pan
Top the shells with the rest of the RAGÚ® sauce and sprinkle with imitation mozzarella cheese
Bake for 30-40 minutes
Enjoy!

Check out more RAGÚ® recipes here!

Wanna watch me make it instead? Press play!

Learn more about RAGÚ® Homestyle Sauces and discover more recipes for the family here.

What kind of foodie traditions or weird snacks went down at your house?

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