Zebra Butts And Other Such Things.

"San Diegoooo, drink it in... It always goes down smooth"
Anchorman (aka the funniest movie... basically ever)
I am so grateful to live in a city with so many incredible things to do and see.

Last week I went to the San Diego Zoo for the first time since I was 6 years old.
Kind of silly right? I mean I do live in San Diego. You'd think I get to the zoo more. I was pretty impressed with the entire place, but I have a difficult time getting over the whole "animals in a cage" thing. I can't help but think that animals should live in the wild... not in zoo.

Oh well ya know? At least I know the animals are well taken care of at the zoo.

On the bright side the zoo does make for a fun afternoon with people I love and some beautiful photos. =P

Photo by Sveta Z.

 Auntie Tammy, Brendan, and Farra. So much cuteness happening here.

Photo by Sveta Z.

Photo by Sveta Z.

Apparently this camel was in the middle of shedding off its hair...

Photo by Sveta Z.

Love these little ones

Photo by Sveta Z.

Oh you know.. just a zebra butt.No big deal =P

Hope you had a happy weekend. Mine was quite eventful =P
I'm lucky to have good friends who support and understand me. Thanks to those of you who came out on Saturday night... even if it was shenanigans.

 

Crock Pot BBQ Chicken

I need my crock pot, and it needs me. 

Basically, I'm kinda hopeless in the kitchen without my crock pot. No joke, cooking over a stove kinda stresses me out... buttt I'll get there eventually. =P

I found this recipe for crock pot BBQ chicken on stick a fork in it. It was soooo easy to make and soo soo good.

What You Need
4-6 pieces boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 bottle BBQ sauce (sweet baby ray's all the way!)
1/4 c vinegar
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic powder

What You Need To Do
1. Mix the BBQ sauce with all the ingredients listed under it.
2. Place chicken in the crock pot and pour BBQ sauce over it
3. Cook on LOW for 4-6 hours. you pretty much don't even have to stir it

So easy, right? It is seriously fool proof.

I served this yumminess with some brown rice against Nadav's wishes. He swears that brown rice has no taste. Boys. =P
Now make sure you check stick a fork in it for lots and lots of yummy recipes

....

In other news, the Madewell SoCall Blogger Event is this Saturday night.
It will be at Madewell from 6pm-9pm at

South Coast Plaza 

3333 Bristol Street, Suite 2831, CA 9262

Hope to see you there!

 

Sushi In My Tummy

 I know I've written about Ikiru before, but it was before anyone read my blog awhile, sooooo it needs to be mentioned once again... Ikiru Sushi is my FAVORITE sushi place in San Diego. This is serious business now, this place is sooo good.The fish is so fresh, the sushi chefs are so talented (and nice), and the restaurant is tucked away in beautiful Liberty Station.
It just doesn't get much better, and I really can't get enough of Ikiru Sushi.
Nadav and I are regulars and usually just sit at the bar. We don't even bother looking at the menu, instead we just let the sushi chefs do their thing. They make us the the yummiest creations.

Check out some of these yummilicous sushi pics(and wipe the drool off of your mouth ok?)

And no, I don't eat the scary looking friend sweet shrimp. I have to draw the line somewhere =P

The protein roll is soooo good

I don't even know how to explain what's happening here... but it was good

And now some silly photos that we took outside of Ikiru.. because you know sometimes you've just gotta throw in a some silly photos amongst so much yumminess.

Do you live in SoCal? Come hang out at Madewell this Saturday evening, enjoy some cupcakes, and meet some lovely ladies. =) It's going to be fun. Click here for more information.

Also, today is the last day to enter to win a large ad space from Gina and myself. Have you entered?

Win Some Ad Space Up In Hurr

My friend Gina is basicalllly the cutest.

 And I really, really admire her. A couple of years ago Gina realized that a 9-5 job just wasn't for her, and decided to peace out figure out a way to spend her days doing what she loves. She started Acute Designs and opened up a fabulous jewelry/accessories shop.
 Point is, she no longer needs that 9-5... jealousssss. 
(Ok I love my job, but working from home sounds pretty wonderful)  

Wellll, Gina and I like each other a lot, and we like you a lot sooooo...

We're doing a joint ad space giveaway on our blogs today, enter below to win a large ad space on one our blogs for 2 months.

Holllllla

a Rafflecopter giveaway  
P.S. Do you live in SoCal? Come hang out at Madewell on April 28 =) There will be lots of fun bloggers there for you to meet

Taking Care Of Me

Let's be honest here, I've never been one of those girls who is naturally thin.

I've always had to work at it and my weight has pretty much gone up and down throughout my life. And really, it doesn't help that I have a tendency to do and enjoy things in excess..

You know, I'll go through phases where I work out excessively and restrict my diet a little too much. Then, I start to fall off that wagon, and find myself exercising less, mindlessly eating, and eating lots and lots of junk. Because lets face it... junk tends to taste pretty good.

Eventually, I gain weight and find myself majorly out of shape. It's really been a cycle throughout my life, and is something I need to constantly work on.

Over the past year, I've started to find a balance that is without all those excesses. I joined a great boot camp class that is fun and challenges me, and I try to do yoga/pilates/zumba once or twice a week. I'm more aware of the food I eat and try to make healthy choices. Really, it's not just about how I look, but how I feel. Finding that balance has allowed me to feel more energetic and feel pretty flipping proud about the crazy things my body can do.

Speaking of which... this happened on Saturday after boot camp. Don't ask me how I got conned into this, but it happened haha.

Ya that's me in the middle. No further commentary is necessary haha

Silly pictures aside.. I know that over the past couple of months I started to lose that balance. I started finding excuses about why I shouldn't go to boot camp and why I deserved that cupcake and well.. I'm taking full responsibility and I'm resolving to find that balance once again.

This past week I went to boot camp 4 times and made it to yoga once. I became more aware of my eating habits and am taking better care of myself.. because you know what? I feel a whole lot better when I'm treating my body the way it deserves to be treated. 

The truth is I have big plans for this life of mine and I expect my body to help me get there.

 

P.S. Do you live in SoCal? Come hang out at Madewell on April 28 =) There will be lots of fun bloggers there for you to meet

P.S.S. Have you entered to win earring from The Altered Chain ?

Dont Look At Me

I know I know, I'm supposed to be on a serious spending freeze, but I had a facial scheduled at Urban Skin Care in Little Italy for months and I was not about to give it up.

I really had no other choice? This pale redhead had started noticing an overtaking of freckles on her forehead and some (gasp) "age related" skin issues that are kinda depressing. Must wear sunscreen everyday, must wear sunscreen every day....

On top of that I am not really a person who thinks facials are all that relaxing. The truth is, anytime someone looks at my face that closely I get kinda anxious. This is most likely due to the skin issues I had as a teenager and the complex that ensued. But I knew I had to get that facial and start taking better care of my skin, that's life eh?

All anxiety aside Larissa at Urban Skin Care took such good care of me.

I explained my teenage skin paranoia to her right away, becauseee well sometimes you just gotta get things out in the open in order to relax. Once I got over the drama explained my fears, Larissa went to work on me. She had recommended the Priori Coffeeberry Facial which is meant to reduce fine lines, lessen the signs of aging, and hydrate the skin. Added perk: it also includes a fabulous massage. 

I didn't feel anxious once during my facial. Instead, the opposite happened and I felt relaxed the entire time. I seriously almost fell asleep at one point. Larissa is good eh?

And the best part? My skin does feel and look more hydrated and I swear those "age related" issues I mentioned earlier? They are wayyyyyy less apparent now. 

(Larissa you are my new favoritest person ever. No but really, you are hehe)

Post facial glow

Urban Skin Care is so relaxing, but has a really down to Earth atmosphere. I really felt like I was in my element.

Urban Skin Care is a full service spa that offers all kinds of facials, massages, waxing, medical spa treatments, and manicure and pedicures. I also really love that they strive to provide holistic treatments and use natural products that are gentle on my sensitive skin. I left Urban Skin Care feelings so relaxed and refreshed.

If you're in the San Diego area and are looking for an incredible spa experience try Urban Skin Care.
I promise you will love it.

P.S. Do you live in SoCal? Come hang out at Madewell on April 28 =) There will be lots of fun bloggers there for you to meet

P.S.S. Have you entered to win earring from The Altered Chain ?
and finally... want to sponsor Lemons, Avocados & the Bay? I have a few spots left for the month of May. Send me an email or leave a comment if you're interested. 

 

 

Sponsor In May

Are you interested in sponsoring Lemons, Avocados & the Bay?
Wellll, I would love to have you. =)

I've changed my ad sizes a bit and limited the number of spots available to maximize each button's visibility.
All proceeds will go towards raising money for my trip to Blogher. So excited!

Check out my sponsor page for more information and send me an email if you're interested.

Most importantly, thanks for taking the time to read my words and leave your sweet comments. This little blog has really changed my life for the better.
So grateful.
 

 

On Freedom

Having the freedom to run treatment sessions the way I want to is one of the greatest perks of my job. I am grateful to have a boss who trusts my ability to create treatment sessions that are fun as long as they relate to the students’ needs and goals.

This week I decided to teach one of my pre-teen students how to paint her nails. This particular student is so sweet, very girly, and really is one of those kids who is just easy to work with. I tend to make our treatment sessions really fun (hence the nail painting business)

We painted her nails and I taught her how to carefully dip the brush, remove excess polish, and slowly paint each fingernail. I then painted her dominant hand for her because really.. it’s just tough to do that sometimes. While we sat together and waited for her nails to dry, I started thinking about how lucky I am.

Lucky to work with such a sweet kid, lucky to teach her to slow down sometimes, and lucky that even if it was just for 30minutes I was able to spoil her just a little bit (she deserves it). And you know what else? I’m lucky even if her nail polish smeared the second she left my office, because she reminded me...
It’s not always about the end product, it’s about the lessons you learned while arriving at that final destination. 

Dun da dunnn
--- 

And now, I give you 3 of my sweet bloggers friends, and the little things that make them happy.

Cara-Mia of I Typed For Miles

1. Being married! It's only been two months, but I am loving it. 

2. Living in a new city and exploring San Diego. 

3. Coffee. Always.
Blog  Twitter  Pinterest  Instagram: typed_for_miles

…

Bri of Breezy Days

1. The warmth of the California sun on my skin

2. When I go to bed late from doing homework, and my husband is already asleep...he has his arm opened up on my side of the bed, just waiting for me to hop in and snuggle. 

3. Watching Audrey Hepburn movies whilst organizing my basement apartment. {Fave movies: Funny Face, Breakfast at Tiffanys, My Fair Lady, Paris When It Sizzles, and Sabrina} 

Blog – Bloglovin – Instagram: breezy_days

…

Ginny, Chasing Sunshine

1. Brunch on the weekends with my love. Mmmm, mimosas and good food! 

2. Waking up in the mornings to my kiddos' beautiful, smiling faces definitely makes my heart happy. 

3. Oh sweet summer, please get here soon! The warm sun, cool water, family, friends and vacations all put a smile on my face.  

Blog – Twitter – Facebook – Hellocotton – Bloglovin – Pinterest

Check these ladies out, I read each of their their blogs each day. =)

Have a happy, happy weekend

The Altered Chain Earrings Giveaway

 See these earrings?

Well I own them, love them, and wear them almost every time I go somewhere that requires looking presentable cute.

They seriously match everything and can be dressed up or dressed down.

And the best part? My good friend Cheryl makes these earrings, and she has the CUTEST etsy shop called The Altered Chain.Cheryl's shop has lots and lots of sweet, simple, fun, and affordable jewelry pieces. You will seriously want everything in her shop.

Cheryl is so talented and sweet. =)

She's so sweet that she has offered to give away these brass triangle earrings to one of you before they're even available in her etsy shop. 

You're going to be so fancy, and to make it better we can be earring twins because I have a pair too hehe.

Ok ok, enough of my ridiculousness.

To enter:

- You must be a follower of Lemons, Avocados & the Bay

- You must be a follower of Cheryl's blog The Little Brunette Mermaid

All the other entries are extra

Good Luck =)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
P.S. Thank you so much for all your encouraging comments and tips on yesterday's post. I will try my best to respond to each of you individually, but in case I can't.. THANK YOU.
P.P.S. Do you live in SoCal? Come hang out at Madewell on April 28 =) There will be lots of fun bloggers there for you to meet

 

On Learning To Budget And Growing Up

Confession: I've been really irresponsible over the past year.

I make a pretty good living as an occupational therapist and I kinda took that for granted...
For the first time in my life I really felt like I was earning good money and could think of lots and lots (and lots) of fun things to spend that money on.
Things like a house, furniture, pretty decor, travel and clothing.
I really love me some pretty clothing and I can shop shop and shop some more.
On top of that I love to spoil my family, friends, and Nadav. Buying things for people I love makes me happy.
All that said, I kinda took that "making a good salary" thing a little too seriously this year, and umm...kinda forgot about budgeting.

Well a few months ago I took a look at my bank statement and had one of those"woooooahhhh what have I done?" moments. You know that moment where you feel your stomach drop and the word "SH*T!" comes out in a whisper. It hit me, my spending was kinda out of control.

Seriously, was I really going out to eat every single day?
Did I really go to Anthropologie on Saturday and drop BLANK amount of dollars because I was bored?
Did I really need to get coffee from Panera three times this week? I mean come on....
Was that manicure and pedicure really necessary?
No really? Where had my money gone because it wasn't in my bank account??

  (Ok Mom and Dad: calm down, drop the phone, and stop dialing my number. I am not poor and I will not be sleeping on the street anytime soon. You know Nadav wouldn't let that happen to me.. Really I'm kidding, seriously.. calm down =P)

On that note, I knew that I really needed to make some major life changes
Changes like...
- Bringing lunch to work 3x-4x a week
- Going on a 2 month shopping freeze (my goal is to make it to 3 months)
 - Going grocery shopping each week and buying the things I need to make some delicious meals
- Stop going to Starbucks, Coffee Bean, and Panera Bread. The truth is coffee from home is just as good, if not better.
- Doing my own nails
- Making dinner at least 4x a week
- Making a budget (to be honest I still need to do this)

Slowly I started to save, my bank statements became less painful to view, and that sinking feeling in my stomach started to disappear.

Me looking really pleased with my cappuccino last November

And you know what else? I remembered that I can have fun without spending money. I mean really, I do live up the hill from the beach! What was I doing driving to the mall instead of to the beach?!?!

Oh growing up, it is quite the journey isn't it?

Now my question for you... what steps do you take to save some extra money? 

And a few things before I sign out for the day...

- My parents are going to kill me after they read this. Mom, Dad please remember you love me and sending me to college was a good idea.

- It's the last day to enter to win a cute vintage purse from Montana Snow Vintage. Make sure you enter =)

- Want to come hang out at Madewell on April 28? It will be funnn
- I was featured by Pocket Change in their Best Of The Web series. Cool, eh =) Check out their awesome site.

Have a sweet day

 

With The Girls (And Boys)

Balboa Park is one of my favorite places in San Diego.

It’s a huggge park with hiking trails, restaurants, outdoor cafes, a Japanese friendship garden, and is home to the San Diego Zoo.

Basically it’s an incredible place, and it's so easy to lose yourself in its beauty.

Last Saturday, Farra, Olivia, Magan, and I met at Balboa Park to check out the Art Alive exhibit at the San Diego Museum of Art.

Honestly we were a little underwhelmed by the mostly unimpressive flower arrangements exhibit, but still had a great time together.
And the best part? We were finally able to introduce the men in our lives to each other.

Yayyy

It was quite the epic blogger date

We spent some time wandering around the museum and then decided to get something to eat.

The only problem was that I picked the restaurant, but I kinda forgot that "said restaurant" was about an hours walk from our current location. Woops.

So we walked and we walked.. and it was cold.. and it rained (a lot)..and we walked (with baby Brendan in his stroller)

And, cough, everyone wanted to kill me.

We finally arrived at "said restaurant" and found this sign.

 Bigger woops haha. My punishment was standing next to the sign so everyone could take photos of me and laugh.
Did I mention that everyone wanted to kill me? =P

Good thing their love for me was stronger than their anger.

It was also a good thing that said restaurant was a block away from one of my favorite sushi spots in San Diego, Ebisu Sushi.

A few rolls, some Japanese beer, and a couple of hours later everyone forgave me.

(Pshew, I like my friends.)

Wishing you a happy week

P.S. Make sure you enter to win a pretty vintage purse from Montana Snow Vintage

P.S.S. Are you a SoCal blogger? Come hang out at Madewell in OC on April 28. Read more here =)

SoCal Blogger Event On April 28

So remember that time I went to a private Madewell party at South Coast Plaza?

It was kinda wonderful.

I spent too much money bought some cute clothing, hung out with some fun ladies, and had yummy cupcakes.

 Annddd... guess what?

Madewell is holding another insider event and you are invited.

The fun will take place on  
April 28 from 6pm-9pm at South Coast Plaza
There will be more yummy drinks, even yummier cupcakes, cute clothing, and lots of fun ladies to meet.

Hope you can make it, and no you don't have to be a blogger to attend =)
Let me know if you would like to come and I'll make sure to send you an evite invitation as well.

Hope you have happy Monday