aloof.

stepping off the grid for awhile. when i mean grid, i mean facebook.
too much of my time is spent there.  it is starting to consume my life.

in other ways than you think. really.
i will activate when my life is on the upside.

e-vite?

to be honest, i have always been a little negligent of recycling.
but after taking an environment course, my whole outlook on going green has changed.

at first, i thought that big corporations only enticed consumers with the idea of green products
because it was something that everyone wanted to hear. 
at one point, i thought that going green was a fad.

aside from my ignorance,
i came across this website for plantable seed paper.

i wanted to send out invitations for my birthday shin-dig and i thought that this product was SUCH a good idea.

here is the link:

http://www.botanicalpaperworks.com/

wedding invitations, formal or informal gatherings, birthday parties, etc.
what better way to commemorate a special event by looking
in your backyard and seeing it bloom right before your eyes? :)

march.

it is my birthday month. woooooo.

like the seasons.

is it normal to never stop changing?
almost every morning, i wake up and think about what i could do to better myself.

become a vegetarian?
eat healthier/organic foods?
lose a million pounds?
find a better job?
find ways to be happier?

i think i've hit a transition period.
you know, the time where you stop being a twenty-something college student.
once you're out, you're out.

let's face it. i'm not getting any younger.
i think --actually i know... that i have to make some changes that reap benefits.
and i can only find those changes within myself.

i'll get back to you when i find them.

♥

happiest of love days to you and yours. :)

generic super bowl sunday update.

everyone has one. everyone who has a blog, really.
i am still so, so stuffed from the amount of unhealthy food that i have consumed.
in one sitting. and the copious amount of red wine. i love red wine.

that being said,
gaze your eyes upon this merry feast. and the people who helped make it happen.
good people. good food. good times.

a long hiatus.

wow. i feel like i haven't updated in a long time.
work, on top of other things -- has kept me rather busy.
nonetheless, i am back and better than ever. sort of. moving on.

on days where i don't feel like cooking or that i find myself too busy to do so,
i rely on the simple fact that a crockpot works wonders.

i purchased a 4 pound young chicken, infused him with asian spices and voila!
meals for a week. :)

granted, you'll probably get bored with eating the same thing,
but i guess it depends on who you are. i try to look at it as a filler. literally.

operation ''birthday hustle''.

lose that winter fluff & keep it off.
renovate my wardrobe.
start eating raw, organic foods.
(this one is a little to scandalous for the internet)
at my age, dress for my age, embrace my age.
get a 4.0 this semester, not a 3.8.
get a fulll-time job.
save money.
save money.
save money.


i need to get a lot of these checked off before march 28th.

sometimes when you start to feel insecure, you just need to compile one of these.
there is always room for improvement, you know.

i may.

have exciting news. maybe.
i think it's time that i move on up. you know. get that life ball rolling.

if you think that you're stuck in a rut & time seems to be slipping away -- don't fret.
the average person lives for many years. and it only takes a few of those years to change,
or to make something better of your life. if you choose, that is.

change is exciting. learn to embrace it. & learn to love it.

sidenote: find a boyfriend that cooks.
actually. find a boyfriend that cooks well.

eyes wide open.

sometimes, i need to just sit back and relax with a glass of red.
last night, zachary told me that i should just focus on being happy.

it's simple, really.
i'm in the process of getting a degree (almost done!)
i am pretty healthy.
i have a job that pays the bills ... well, most of them.
i have a loving & incredibly supportive family.
i have wonderful friends.

and i get to wake up to this every morning. i absolutely cannot complain.

so this is the new year.

well ... maybe it has been for twenty days now.

all i can say is this:
the influx of feasting has left millions of americans springing for a gym membership.
and i am one of them.

here's to losing more weight.

heaviest weight: 145 pounds.
lowest weight: 118 pounds.
current weight: 118 pounds.
goal weight: 105 pounds.

good luck to me. and to you.

p.s. - thank you, zachary, for updating. :)

Taking It All In

As the boyfriend of this blogger, I was asked to add my own flavor to this soup. Ill pop in here and there to mix things up.

Mare and I get a lot of enjoyment out of finding quirky little places to spend our time, take some pictures, and enjoy each others company.  One such place is the Book Barn in Niantic, Connecticut. 

The Book Barn is just what it sounds like; an old barn converted to a used book shop.  But it is also a lot more.  On the premesis are ten or so buildings from plastic storage sheds to permanent structures to childrens wagons filled with every genre known to man. Known to this man, at least.

The atmosphere is built on a farms wholesomeness and spiced with scenic walkways and friendly house cats.  For Mare and I, it is a great place to spend a few hours snapping pictures and perusing the shelves.  On one trip, we didn't buy a single book, instead spending our time ''taking it all in''.

splurge a little.

that's right. splurge. even if it's only it's $10.
i found these puppies in the clearance rack at urban outfitters.
and although they're not really practical for inclement weather, they do make me happy.

and that's always important.

edit** i trudged in the snow, rain, sleet-y slushy mess. they hold up & my feet never get cold. 

winter brings much hat making.

so it's been getting colder out. winter is definitely upon us and i absolutely hate it.
but what better way to lessen the blow of the chill with crocheting a slouchy hat?

it's easy to make. and it's definitely snuggly & warm.
i found tutorials online via youtube.

if you have the time. give it a try.

the amazing avocado.

a friend once told me that avocados reminded him of a really green booger.
to those who have never tried one -- please do not be fooled.
avocados aren't like boogers at all. they are delicious. and nutritious. and hearty.

today for lunch, i made an avocado-hummus sandwich with a lemon-spinach-cucumber mayo.
i sort of have this thing where if i have one healthy item, i combine it with
other healthy items and make a sandwich. so i did.

i combined chopped spinach and cucumber in a bowl
of a tablespoon of mayo and a splash of lemon juice.
i used red pepper hummus and half an avocado.

this was the outcome:

clarified & emulsified.

butter. it sort of makes everything taste better.

yesterday, i created a butter-encrusted salmon dish.
it went with olive oil-garlic sauteed spinach, and cornbread muffins.

the salmon was baked & broiled in a lemon-balsamic clarified butter sauce,
and then topped with a lemon-garlic emulsified butter sauce.
the spinach is pretty self explanatory. the cornbread muffins were store-bought.

before baking, i topped the salmon with crushed ritz crackers and paprika.
350 degrees; 20 minutes. broiled for 3 minutes.

the end result:

where to begin?

i, in no way, give extraordinary advice. however -- i find that i am passionate about living.
i don't have much money.  & that already, is an inhibiting factor in itself. 

but who needs a lot of money to find the creative or the pretty in things?
all you need is a view through your window. 

i want to live day by day by trying something new,
jotting something down,
or creating something special.

what started as a cookbook idea has turned into a complete revamp of my life.
or something sort of. 

and through this blog, i reach out to you with my ideas & my creativity -- whether it be through:

photography,
creative projects,
cooking recipes,
word-of-mouth,
or relaying what inspires me and/or what i find integral & interesting.

follow me. & enjoy.