Oh the places I'll go!

My car is here! Oh the adventures we'll have! It only took a few days. I was so shocked when I got the call though a bit sad because I was about to go to BodyPump class. At least I got to finish 30 minutes on the bike. I wouldn't have made it had I stayed the hour.

My day started out fantastically. Lately, I've been falling asleep every time I sit down and worse, I don't feel good when I wake up. But today, I woke up at 6:45AM with the sun shining and thought my clock must be wrong. I felt refreshed and didn't have to be up till later.

I headed to Pilates Fusion and it felt good to stretch out and work my muscles. The first few minutes hurt good and got me ready for the rest of class.

I stopped by Trader Joe's to get some veggies.

I chose mache, or lamb's lettuce.

(image from Melanie Cooks)

I love frozen veggies too so I went by and grabbed grilled eggplant and zucchini melange.

(image from My Tasty Journey)

Finally, I had to restock on goat cheese.


I love farmer's market goat cheeses, but TJ's keeps better.

I didn't use everything but made a dish of Miracle Noodles with salmon and the eggplant-zucchini mix. Yum. I ate it all and was full until... my aunt came home with a taro bun from 85 Degrees. I ate a couple of bites.

Instead of falling asleep, I went to Camelot Books, a used book store stuffed to the ceilings. They have so many books that a lot of them are still sitting in boxes. They have a big section of romance novels and a gigantic (2 rows of extreme shelving) section of history books. I was ashamed of myself. Here I was with my history degree and I haven't really read any history books in a long long time. :/

So I headed to the library. I came home with a few books in addition to the ones I'm already reading.

Fun books:



(image from Sweet Potato Queens)

Self-help(?) to compliment Wendy Shanker's Are You My Guru?

(image from goodreads)

Food reads:

(image from Simply Recipes)

Necessary:

(image from Open Library)

I went to prep for BodyPump by hitting the upright bike. My knee hurt the night before so I went for the bike tonight. Right as I got on, I got a call. My car is here! Well, an hour away. I fit in 30 sweaty minutes then headed home to wait for my car.

While I waited, I ate dinner I picked up from Huntington Beach Farmer's Market, a new store that sells local fare as well as European food. I got a chicken shawarma with hummus and Mediterranean salad (tomatoes, cukes, other stuff). I ate about 1/3 of the chicken in a fiber tortilla and ate the salad.


I asked to skip the pita and rice.

After moving things from my car, I went to see my cousin Chris who just got back from New York. I wanted my souvenir.


What is it?!


Jacques Torres chocolates! Thanks Chris! I'm savoring these.


To end my night: a stop by Yogurtland for taro. Everyone gets tons while I get a squirt of taro and strawberry and some fruity toppings.

The Donuttery: cute name, amazing customer service, yummy donuts

Instead of a nighttime session, I got to take the car so where did I go: The Donuttery. I lived so close to this place growing up... as it in would've taken me 2 minutes to get there and I didn't have to cross the street! I never went though because I wasn't a fan of donuts. Now they're all popular so there I went.

I went in for the popular blueberry donut but heard good things about strawberry donuts also. I was torn and the employee or proprietress cut a strawberry one and gave me a fourth of the donut!

I ordered a blueberry without any glaze (great option to have!) and a strawberry with glaze. I didn't have cash and they require a $5 minimum purchase. Instead of letting me leave and come back, which I fully intended to do, she told me to just pay when I come back... next time not even today.

(image from Yelp)

I ate the donuts and was driving so didn't get a picture. They were both delicious though I definitely preferred the strawberry, which apparently has banana too. It's possible since it was super moist.

(image from Yelp)

When I did come back an hour and a half later, I gave it to a man and he said the same thing: I didn't need to bring money today.

Wow. Either donuts are cheap or they're trying to really build a following - I think both. Either way, it works.

Then Trader Joe's for Powerberries. So good and just enough chocolate!

(image from The Quick + Dirty Dirty)

And Mother's Market for a green juice for later to counter my donut. :/

My little cousin Catherine loves dogs and picked out "Chihuahua: The Movie," which I just watched. Eh, not terrible, but I like really bad movies.

(image from redbox)

I rented "Sucker Punch." I'm going to fall asleep to it no doubt.

(image from boomtron)

Is it bad that I want to watch these two movies? Like pretty badly too.

Come on! It's Russell Brand... and Jennifer Garner?!

(image from Film O Filia)

I've missed my random black movies. Yeah, I said it. Plus, you've got Paula Patton, Meagan Good, Lil Romeo, Pooch Hall, AND Gary Dourdan, Warrick from "CSI."

(image from The Light NC)

1st of tha month: August

I love when months start on Mondays! It made me think of Bone Thugs! Love them.

I was thrown a curve ball this morning as I trekked with all my belongings - basically my laptop - for a mile.

I finally made it to a later Turbo Kick class with 20+ minutes time to get on this strange elliptical machine, which is actually an "adaptive motion trainer." The machine allowed me to do either steps or stride like a gazelle.

I didn't have a TV to watch though.

Turbo was equally awesome. I was pointed to as the example for advanced options. During one of our Turbos (HIIT), a guy came in who complained about our loudness by shutting down our music! He said he was a lawyer and if we have to open the doors for air, we shouldn't even be occupying the room! It was pretty dramatic and thus, funny. :)

Lunch was fresh salmon steak over romaine.

As for the rest of today:

• 7:45AM: breakfast - 1/2 c. 0% Fage yogurt
• 20 mins on the AMT machine
  
• 9-10AM: Turbo
• 10-11AM: Bank and bills
  
• 11AM: Quick rinse
  
• 11:30AM: lunch - salmon over romaine
• 12-2PM: TV & naptime
• 2:30PM: snack time - 1/3 apple & 1/2 c. Arctic Zero Mint Chocolate Cookie
  
• 5:30PM: bites of blueberry & strawberry banana donuts from The Donuttery
  
• drove around for fun
  
• 7:15PM: dinner - salmon over romaine
• 9PM: green juice from Mother's Market