A New Place (3)

Remember I talked about some of the things I looked for when moving to a new place? In case you missed it, I always try to find out about: running paths, grocery stores, burritos and libraries. I already talked a little about some of the great places to run that I have found. I will also have a list for you pretty soon regarding burritos and grocery stores.

But right now, I want to say that although those staples were and are important to me, here are a few others that I forgot about or have found as well. Sometimes you don't know what you've got until it's gone and sometimes you don't know what you are missing until you find it! In this case we have some examples of both!

Thrift Stores: I am an avid thrift store shopper. NOT a vintage store shopper. This time especially, since we are only living here for a couple of months. We did not want to move stuff from my storage, which is 200 miles away, to then have to just move it back in 10 weeks. Mr. Lovely lives 3000 miles away, so of course there is no point in moving his stuff! So we decided to get by on the bare minimum. With a few trips to the thrift store, we pretty much had all that we needed! Also, not only are the thrift stores plentiful here, but the prices are awesome! (A few to try if you are in the area: Thrift Center, Salvation Army, Bargain Barn) If you are willing to dig a bit, you will find gold. I found a pair of Anne Taylor slacks for $2. (FYI. Other places with good thrift stores? Kansas City and New Orleans.)

Yard Sales: Who knew I would also be a yard sale person. I guess really it's just a step above (or below?) the thrift store. I am sure what doesn't sell at the yard sale will end up at the thrift store, so it's really just cutting out the middle man (and getting a better price to boot!) Mr. Lovely has decided he is an art connoisseur and has gone on a painting buying spree and I picked up four of these seal-able glass jars for $5!

People Watching: I have seen many a beard, deadlock, tattoo, and backpack. I have seen people playing trumpets, saxophones, guitars and a violin while walking down the street (not to mention the percussion groups and bands on the sidewalk). There are 90 year old surfer dudes and 5 year old ones. There are a plethora of Westfalias and Subarus. There are painted vans and motor-homes. There is a guy selling fish tacos from his truck near the beach. There are skateboarders, bikers, surfers, runners, walkers, paddle boarders, unicycle riders and mini motorcycles. There are punk kids and yuppies and everything in between. It's a beach town. It's great. I love it.

Fish tacos and surfing accidents

People Power: Their mission: "We promote the use of bicycles, utility tricycles, bike-trailers, skateboards, walking, and other non-motorized transit. We are committed to helping government, cititzens, and businesses overcome their dependence on the automobile. Our goal is to demonstrate that better alternatives to the car exist, while improving conditions for bicyclists in Santa Cruz County." A little bit hippie? Sure. Do I love it? Yup.

The Weather: I love the weather. On average, it's between 50 and 70. This is great for running and just being outside in general. Also, plants barely need water, as there is plenty of moisture in the air. If I get lazy and don't feel like running in the morning, I can wait. It's awesome!

Farmer's Markets: I am not talking about the froo-froo ones where everything is 3x more than you would normally pay and there are specialty cheeses and oils and other froo-froo stuff and it's filled with a bunch of stiff white people wearing Ferragamos who are feeling all superior because they are buying cherries for $5.99 a pound. I am talking about the ones who picked the fruit are there, letting you taste everything and selling you the stuff mere minutes after it's come from the ground. I am talking about the place where the peaches are still warm, and the whole family is tending the stall and where you can get a bunch of beets or a couple of fat tomatoes for less than a dollar.

These also go hand in hand with Roadside Fruit Stalls. I saw them in New Orleans (Oranges, shrimp. Yes, shrimp) and in Missouri (Watermelon), but I think California is where I have seen the most. Usually you can stop at the actual farm and buy whatever they are growing. You can also stop at the roadside stall where the food is always cheaper than at the market. Oranges, Cherries, Peaches, Kiwis, Pluots (a cross between a plum and an apricot), Olives, Artichokes...the list goes on. They are all grown locally (in most cases mere feet from the seller) and are fresh, cheap and delicious.

Anyway, there are so many more things that I am loving and am finding and am forgetting that I even needed, wanted or loved! But I am remembering the old ones and finding more new things I love!

What do you love about where you live? Have you found something new that you didn't even realize was there and now it's your new favorite thing? Do you have road side fruit stands in your area?

Last Week (4)

Whew. I have been a bit MIA the last week or so, because of the holiday, an unplanned trip to San Francisco, friends visiting and more. So hold on to your hats, grab a PBR or your favorite summer cocktail and check out what's been happening while I was gone.

Men. You can't live with them and you can't send them to the grocery store. 

Exhibit A: Make coffee. 

1.5 cups of grounds + 6 cups water = something resembling Turkish coffee.

Exhibit B: Go to the grocery store. 

Meat, cheese, condiments and...booze. Lots of booze (not all pictured!)

Running. 

Top: Santa Cruz's Wilder Ranch

Bottom: Three Sisters, OR

I ate my first garden veggies. Basil and chives. 

Small but delicious. 

I am also growing (not killing!) several others and can't wait to eat them.

We had friends over for the 4th.

There was wine and conversation. 

Good times.

I took them on a hike through the redwoods. 

You want the free tour? Come visit! I still have limited availability!

Oh the bookstore. I went, but instead of buying books (since I am banned) I wrote down some new finds.

A few on the list (pictured below):

Up: A Mother and Daughter's Peakbagging Adventure

Blood, Bones and Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef

The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of the Little House on the Prairie

A sign inside a local store. 

Are we allowed to say this in public now? 

The temperature while I was in Oregon! 

Summer? Hello? And I hear people are having a heat wave. 

I dropped a jar of pickles. 

My biggest regret? I wanted the jar to store beans in. 

Also I got glass pretty much EVERYWHERE. I was finding it in corners for days afterward! 

On my runs, I go past these every day. 

Do you know how hard it is not to run with scissors and a bag and bring some home next time? 

Beer fest. 

Verdict? I can't drink $30 worth of 4 oz beer. 

But I tried. 

How was your week? Who does the shopping in your household? Do you like artichokes?

Protein Boost

I used to lift weights a lot. I had guns (and buns) the size of Texas. Okay, not really. When I did, I would sometimes use protein powder. The ones I tried were all very chalky tasting. Since I have been running more and lifting less, I stopped taking the protein powders, as I didn't see the need to gain weight or bulk up, which is what I though that the protein powders did.

Luckily, I was recently given the chance to try a few different ones. In the process, I learned a little more about the different proteins and how they can each assist you in different ways. The ones I tried were:

GNC Pro Performance Soy Protein -- Chocolate  -- This is a plant based, easily digestible protein. It is known for it's antioxidant capabilities. Helps support muscles during exercise.

Vega Sport -- Vanilla -- This is a plant based protein to be used for recovery. It replenishes your system, repairs muscle tissue and reduces inflammation to assist in recovery.

GNC Pro Performance Egg Protein -- Chocolate -- Good for people with lactose intolerance. Take either right before or right after a workout. 

GNC Pro Performance Whey Protein -- Strawberry -- This is a fast absorbing protein found in milk. It is in your body for a short time. Best used after intense workouts.

GNC Pro Performance Casein Protein -- Chocolate -- Casein is the main protein in milk. It is slow absorbing and remains in your body for a long time. Best used between meals or before bed.

According to an article in Runners World, the FDA suggests .36 grams of protein per pound of body weight. For someone who weighs 130, this equals roughly 47 grams of protein. If you exercise a lot, this could increase to approximately twice that much (see this WebMD article). Protein is good for muscle recovery, maintaining a strong immune system and for helping muscles heal faster, which can mean less injuries for runners.

The order they are placed in above is the order in which I liked them. The Soy Protein was my favorite, as it tasted really good, is low in cholesterol and also had 25 grams of protein. This one is good to take before a workout or a run in order to deliver protein to your muscles during your workout.

To test these out, first I made a batch according to the recipe on the label. This usually includes adding one scoop of powder to 8 oz of water. When doing that, the two that tasted the best were the Soy Chocolate and the Vega Vanilla. However, Mr. Lovely, who is an old pro, whipped up a batch of the When Strawberry with a banana, some OJ and some ice for a delicious smoothie. I also tried a bit of the Soy Chocolate in my regular batch of steel cut oats. It tasted great and gave me a nice boost of protein for the day ahead!

I have also seen recipes online that I am looking forward to trying, like Elle's Protein Pops, Jess' Vanilla Almond Cran Protein Bites, Gina's Protein Pancakes or Livestrong's Easy Vanilla Cheesecake.

These products were sent to me for review purposes. All opinions are my own. 

Are you getting enough protein in your diet (if you are active, you should have 1 - 1.6 grams per kilo of body weight)? Do you use protein powder?  Do you have any good recipes to share?

An Unmarked Grave

I have read several books about World War II, but not as many that are set during World War I. That is why I was excited to read this one! What did I think? Read on. 

An Unmarked Grave by Charles Todd

Set in 1918 in both France and England during World War I, an English nurse working in a French hospital sees something that she shouldn't. During the time of the Spanish Influenza, a patient in the pile of the deceased seems to have died of causes that seem a bit suspicious.

The nurse, Bess Crawford, takes it upon herself to find out the details of this man's death. In the process, she encounters danger and intrigue and suffers attacks on her very life.

I am a sucker for a good murder mystery. My go to beach read is something with murder, suspense and danger. This book did not disappoint. The authors hook you from the very beginning, when Bess discovers the body while working at a clinic in France. Throughout the story, you are always kept guessing as to who the killer is and what their motive could be.

The characters, who consist of Bess, her family and a couple of male friends and officers, are all very likable and the book had a sense of realism to it, which I prefer. There is nothing I dislike more than a book that is supposed to portray real life but when you are finished with it you are left thinking, "that couldn't happen!" This book did not leave me with that bad taste in my mouth. I finished it in a couple of days because I had to see who the killer was! The authors also added in some facts about the war, the enemy lines and the countries (have you ever heard of the Cheddar Gorge?), which always makes me like a book more, as I feel like I am learning something while I am being entertained.

I rate this book a 3 out of 5 on Goodreads. I liked it! I would definitely read another book by these authors (it is a mother and son pair).

For other tour dates, go to the TLC Book Tours website. For more information, go to the authors' website and their Facebook page. 

Disclaimer: I was given a complimentary copy of this book by TLC Book Tours. I was not compensated for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.


Have you ever heard of/been to the Cheddar Gorge? What is your favorite genre of book? Have you read many books about WWI?

Then and Now: June

Goodbye June! No matter what year it is, June is a month full of birthdays, trips to places with mountains and trees, time with family and friends and lots of fun summer activities. Here we have, once again, June 2011 vs 2012, the who, the what and the where!

The Who:

In 2011, I spent time with my family in CA and coworkers in Missouri. In 2012, I have mostly hung out with Mr. Lovely, but also got to hang out in Oregon with these lovely ladies!

2011: Family time!

2012: Mr Lovely and the Lovely ladies

The What:

Books:
2011: 2 / 2012: 8

Having done a lot of travel in June, I had plenty of time to read on the bus, plane or train. Some of my favorites from this month were: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, and The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. The Book Challenge is going well, as I have not bought ONE book this year! For more book reviews, check out my Bookshelf page.

Miles:

2011: 5.5 / 2012: 205

This month sets a new miles per month PR for me. I think living in Santa Cruz, as well as vacationing in Oregon, are both conducive to wanting to be outside and loving to run! I also had a few extra runs with a friend who is trying to get back into a workout routine, so I ran with her on a couple of my normal rest days. Notice that before I was showing up with all zeros for mileage for the previous month. This month marks the first month of my getting back into running last year! I had two runs last June, a 2.5 mile and a 3 mile run, both at a pace of about 9:45.

Races:
2011: 0 / 2012: 1

I only had one race this month, which was the See Jane Run Half Marathon in Alameda. This was my 6th of 12 in 2012 races and was a new PR!

The Where:

Last year I spent a lot of time doing some repair work at home, as well as working in Missouri. My time this year was spent between Oakland, San Francisco, Santa Cruz and Oregon!

2011: California and Missouri

2012: Santa Cruz, Oregon, Oakland, San Francisco

The verdict? June is great! I love summer and can see that June definitely brings more time outdoors and with friends and family! You can't beat that!
 
What were you doing in June last year? Are you doing anything differently than you were last year?

Foodie Pen Pal Reveal: June

This month' was a little hectic, as I moved at the beginning of June and had a busy few weeks in which I was moving boxes, picking stuff up from the old place, buying things and getting used to the new place. So having a foodie pen pal box come from "out of the blue" was awesome. I didn't have to think too much about what to buy, food-wise!

This month, my foodie pen pal / snack angel was Melissa from Treats With a Twist. I think she and I would be great friends in real life, since she likes to take her favorite treats and give them a healthy twist, which I like to do as well. She is also very friendly and positive and she picks great snacks!

 Food included: Maple Vanilla Coffee, Justin's Nut Butter, Dried Tropical Fruit Mix, Clif Bar Gary's Panforte, Dinstuhl's Assorted Truffles, Peanut Butter Oatmeal Square and Blueberry Covered Pretzels

My favorite? The dried tropical fruit and nut mix.

Kiwi, Mango, Papaya, Coconut, Pineapple, Macadamia nuts and Cashews. 

It is SO GOOD. Much better than candy!

I had a good time trying all the snacks. The coffee was just flavored enough without being overpowering. The Gary's Panforte was a new Clif flavor for me, even though they are made only a few miles away from my house. The blueberry pretzels were surprisingly great. Mr. Lovely tried to eat them all so I had to hide them from him (yes, I do that sometimes). 

Thanks to Lindsay at the Lean Green Bean for hosting. If anyone wants to do it, and it's a great way to discover new treats, go and check out her blog! 

Have you ever done a food swap? Have you ever tried the dried tropical fruit and nut mix?

Oregon in a Nutshell

Today as you read this, I will be flying back from Oregon. I did not have internet the entire time, so I will spend tomorrow catching up on things, blogs, news etc! Until then, here is a list of what we did in Oregon -- in a nutshell.

- Running: I had a great time exploring the running trails and roads, including a nice loop around the neighborhood as well as running in the Peterson Ridge Trail System. More on this later.

- Eating: We went to Costco and Trader Joes and Rays and Food For Less and bought SO MUCH food. I traveled with my friend and her daughter and her mom. You wouldn't think 4 ladies could eat so much, but our fridge was stocked! The good thing about being with ladies? The items mostly included vegetables, fruit, fish and SNACKS! It was my kind of party. 

- Hiking: Every day we took a walk around the neighborhood, and some days we hiked to the tops of small mountains in order to see the surrounding mountains. Unfortunately, it was cloudy and the mountains were hiding some days, but we had a few days of clear views and they were spectacular.

- Mountains: As you may know, the Cascade Range was formed by volcanoes, and it is beautiful! We spent lots of time enjoying the view! (not this one; we were closer to the ground)

source

- Relaxing: Many a book was read, many a magazine was perused. Many a movie was watched. Many a conversation was had. It was good times.

- Biking: It was about 8 miles RT to town and I had a great time biking along the highway (eeek) to get to town for some fun. "Town" is one main street and 2000 people and reminds me a lot of the "town" I grew up in.

I hope everyone else also had a great week and that you all have a great weekend as well! I can't wait to hear all about what everyone has been up to!! Good luck if you are racing this weekend!

What is your favorite relaxing activity? If you are with a group of ladies only, what does the menu look like?

Finish This: June

A couple of great blogger friends did this, and I think it's fun (plus I am a copycat), so here goes!

Maybe I should go to the conversational Spanish meetup at the local library.
I love living near the ocean.
People would say that I’m brutally honest.
I don’t understand people who are late, flaky or don't follow through with things.
When I wake up in the morning the first thing I do is start a pot of coffee.
I lost my way when I tried running on a new trail (and do almost every time)!
Life is full of difficult decisions.
My past is full of carefree days at the beach, good memories and great experiences!
I get annoyed when things don't go my way.
Parties are something I don't really go to/have very much anymore.
I wish I had more patience.
Dogs are slobbery and stinky and hairy.
Cats are snide and snooty.
Tomorrow I’m going back to CA (I'm in OR)!
I have low tolerance for people who try to strike up random conversations in public places.
I’m totally terrified of failing.
I wonder why I have such high expectations (of others and myself!)
Never in my life have I been to Yellowstone.
High school was a fun and easy time of my life.
When I’m nervous my sweat is really stinky. (**and I put my fingers in my armpits and I smell them like this. That's gross**)
One time at a family gathering we had a food fight. My uncle started it. Or maybe it was my Dad. Bad!
Take my advice:
Making my bed is a must every day as soon as I get out of bed.
I’m almost always on time or early to meetings, parties and events.
I’m addicted to coffee, the internet and running.
I want someone to take care of any and all car issues for me. I hate dealing with them. I would rather do dishes every day for the rest of my life.

What do you wish you had more of? What are you terrified of? Finish a few yourself in the comments below!

A New Place (2)

Remember I talked about some of the things I look for when moving to a new place? So far, I am having a great time trying to find them! One of the main things I have worked on from my list is places to run.

I have gone for several different runs near my new house. I am still exploring, but I have found a few nearby which are worth mentioning.

Star = My House, 1 = West Cliff, 2 = Wilder Ranch, 3 = East Cliff, 4 = Pogonip

Run 1: West Cliff Drive: This is a great path on the cliff side of the ocean. It's paved and runs from the Boardwalk to Natural Bridges State Park, which is about 4 miles one way. I have run this section several times. The only downfall for this one is that if you run it on Saturday any time after 9, it is pretty busy. However, I normally run this one on the weekdays, earlier in the morning.

Run 2: For my longer run, I ran along West Cliff, but added a few extra miles. I ran the bike path on Highway 1, as well as running the final loop through Wilder Ranch State Park (where I saw the snake eating the mouse!) The Highway portion is a few miles on a paved path and then the WRSP section is about a 2 mile loop along a dirt trail, which is partially along the cliffs and partially a bit more inland. 

Run 3: I went on a nice 17 mile run a couple of Sundays ago along the East Cliff Drive, which is a road which goes near the ocean most of the time. It veers off a little, but tends to have a good view of the waves and the beach and the cliffs most of the time.

Run 4: Pogonip and UCSC. This one is uphill, on trails most of the way. It goes through the Pogonip, and if you want, you can continue to Henry Cowell Redwood State Park and/or Wilder Ranch State Park. 

I am still having fun exploring, and think my next one will be through Pogonip and then around to Wilder Ranch and back home.  Or maybe I will run farther along East Cliff. Who knows? It's fun trying new routes and seeing new scenery each day!

Do you prefer the mountains or the coast? Do you like the river, the ocean or lakes better? Do you like to explore new places or once you find a good spot, you stick with it?

Looking Forward

June is almost over and that means it's time for another Looking Forward post.

Today I am looking forward to going hiking! Here is where I am planning to go! There are dozens of choices for where to go and we haven't figured it out just yet, but I am sure that no matter where we go, it will be fun!

This week I am looking forward to a fun weekend back in Santa Cruz, including a long run of 19 miles. I love mapping out where I am going to go, as well as finding new, cool places with each extra mile I go. Last time I ended up here.

Where will I end up this time? Who knows. Also, Mr. Lovely and I are kind of establishing a weekend tradition of going out to eat at a new restaurant and then watching the Euro cup. So far, it's been fun. We have tried Chinese, a few different burritos and a Hawaiian place. What's in store for this weekend?

This month I am looking forward to many things! In July, we have plans to see some friends from Madison, WI who will be here for a wedding (hi S&R!) Also, beach days with Bay Area friends are in the works. Also, Mr. Lovely's brother may come for a visit. To top it off, it's my Mom and Aunt's birthday, 4th of July, my friend's birthday and much more! July is a busy month! I am also considering signing up for a longer trail run in July to find out if I am ready for a 50k in August.

This year I am looking forward to figuring out the future a little. Things have been kind of up in the air for the past year or so. Mr. Lovely decided to go back to school to get his Structural Engineering License (PE). I have been wondering about my future, both professionally and personally. Hopefully after this summer, I will have more of a handle on where we will be, as well as what we will be doing, at least for the next year or two. We have many decisions to make, but many of them are reliant on what happens now, in order to figure out what happens later. I hate waiting and will be glad when the future is a little clearer.

What are you looking forward to? Have you been watching the Euro Cup? What will you be doing in July? (want to come visit for a beach day?)

With My Body

A middle aged woman finds herself stuck in a rut of laundry, kids and marriage that she doesn't know how to get out of. She feels trapped, and wonders what happened to the fresh young girl that she used to be, the one who was adventurous and erotic, the one who had dreams of becoming something. 

She finds herself remembering her teenage years in Australia, where she was an uncouth bush girl. She remembers her first sexual experience with an older man, where she learned everything there is to know about sex and love and reciprocity. She thinks about the present, and her sexless marriage with her husband, and longs for that feeling of first love again. This feeling takes her back to Australia to find the man who she lost. From her journey, comes a new understanding of herself.

This book was quite graphic. I won't say that it was a bodice ripper, but there was plenty of sex. However,  it was really raw, emotionally. She is a young girl, and she wants to learn everything. In trying to learn about sex, she also learns a lot about life. It really kept me reading. I wanted to put it down because at times it was a little overwhelming emotionally, but at the same time, I couldn't, because I had to find out what happened next. It really made me remember those days of young love and that carefree, give-it-your-all feeling. Relationships now seem very complicated comparatively.

The only thing I did not like about this book was that there are over 200 "chapters". Each one is only a few pages long and there is a quote at the start of each one. I found that the quotes distracted the flow of the story, as did the short chapters.  However, they didn't stop me from reading this book in one day.

If you are looking for a book that is a little bit racy but also poignantly honest, you should give this book a go. I may not have immediately chosen this one off the shelf, but after finishing it, I am glad that I gave it a chance!

You can find the rest of the tour info and other reviews here. Here's the author's website,  Facebook page, and the Facebook page for With My Body. Disclaimer: I was given a complimentary copy of this book by TLC Booktours in return for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.  

Do you remember your first love? How have things changed for you, relationship-wise, since then?

Active Vacation

Next week, I will be in Oregon, spending some time at a friend's house near Bend. I am really looking forward to this, as it will not only be spent with friends and family, but from the house, within walking distance, there are several running and hiking trails. So this will not be a rest and relaxation vacation, although I am sure there will be plenty of time in the evenings for reading and other relaxing pursuits. This will be an active vacation, with lots of fun and physical stuff going on!

As you know, where I grew up is in a National Forest, so I am kind of assuming the part of Oregon we are in will look similar. Here is a photo of where I grew up.

Bald Eagle Mountain

Here is a photo I found online about the area we will be in.

The Three Sisters (source)

Okay, so maybe it's a little different. But there are mountains, and trees and water!

Where we will be staying is not actually in Bend, but in a cute little town (Population: 2,000, Elevation: 3,100) nearby. Besides hiking, the 15 Must Do Activities list says that I should also do these things:

- Eat an ice cream (I think I can handle that!)
- Go fly fishing (I LOVE fly fishing)
- See some live music
- Enjoy a coffee drink (naturally!)
- Bike around the area
- Paddle on one of the local lakes

I want to do all of those things! Also, I looked around a bit and I may also see many animals, including Elk and an animal called the Water Ouzel, which is a bird that flies underwater. I think I am going to have lots of fun and I won't be short of things to see and do! 

I have been to Oregon before and I loved it. I had a great time in Portland, eating my way around the neighborhoods (and I found some GREAT food!) I did some hiking in the Columbia River Gorge, which is beautiful. I also went to the coast and ate cheese and stared at water and fog and houses and rocks. I loved my trip last time and so I have high hopes for this one as well!



Have you ever been to Oregon? Do you normally stay active or try to relax on your vacations? 

*Don't forget to stop by Jills for some more Fitness Friday posts!*

Living and Learning

As you know, I have an interesting relationship situation. Let me quickly remind you, in case you forgot. 

Boy from MA. Girl from CA. Meet while working together in New Orleans. The situation is interesting, as in, neither are "in their element". Living out of a hotel does not give you a very good chance of learning who someone is completely (aka. are they messy? are they a hoarder? do they make their bed/wash their dishes/clean their toilet?) And yes, this matters.

2 months later Girl goes to South America for a year of travel. You would think this would be the end, but it's not. They keep in touch. Boy comes to visit a few times. When girl comes home, she goes to work in Iowa. Boy is still in New Orleans. They try to see each other when they can, which is usually once a month, in a city in the middle, where they are tourists, living in a hotel (aka. not real life). 

After several months of this, Girl gets a job in New Orleans again. For about a year, they both live in the same city. Sometimes in a hotel, sometimes in an apartment, but still, it is a temporary thing. After this, Boy and Girl decide to travel the world for a year, once again living in hostels, hotels, campervans and even a tent (that was an interesting situation). 

Boy and Girl get back home from traveling and go to their separate corners, him to MA, her to CA, where they have been ever since. They see each other every couple of months. 

BUT NOW: Boy and Girl are both in CA. Living together. In a house. Once again, it's temporary. It's strange to be together for more than a couple of days, and for more than once a month or once every couple of months. 

We are very different, but so far are making it work. How are we different? 

- He is not a good sleeper. I sleep like the dead. 

- He doesn't care where things are placed. I am a type A organizational freak. 

- He is spontaneous. I am a planner.

- He would rather pay for dinner out than cook and clean up. I let him. :)

- He splurges. I am frugal. 

- He is always hot. I am always cold. 

- He likes beer. I like water. 

We are also the same in many ways. 

- We both prefer savory over sweet. 

- We love taking after dinner walks.

- We both love photography. 

- We like looking at houses for sale even though we can't afford them.

- We both love exploring new places. 

- Food is important to both of us. 

I know that even though we have been together for almost 5 years, we still have a lot to learn about each other, not only the little things, like what is someone's favorite cake flavor, but also bigger things. We haven't really had the chance to go over all of our life goals, since we are always on the move. We are not going to figure it all out here either. We still have a ways to go, but I am looking forward to it! 

Have you ever had a long distance relationship? Would you rather pay for dinner out or cook it and clean it up yourself? 

** also, I have a guest post up over at Her Sunday today! Go check it out when you get a chance!**

Food Firsts (4)

On Sunday, Mr. Lovely and I had pizza. I made the dough (my first attempt) and it didn't even suck!

The recipe was adapted from here.

4 1/2 cups  whole wheat flour
1 3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp instant yeast
1/4 cup olive oil (optional)
1 3/4 cups water, ice cold (40°F)
Semolina flour OR cornmeal for dusting

I am not going to go into the making of the dough in detail; if you want more information, you can go to the original site. Basically, add together all the dry ingredients. Then add the oil and water and stir, using a metal spoon kept cold, or your hands, which you should keep dipping in ice water. Once the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl (about 5 mins), split it into 6 equal portions. Each portion should make about a 9 inch pizza.

I kept two portions in the fridge and put the rest in the freezer to pull out later. When you are ready to use the dough, take it out of the fridge about 2 hours beforehand. Flatten out the ball and cover loosely with a piece of saran wrap until it's time to cook. When you are ready with all your toppings, you can throw the crust or you can just roll it with a pie roller. I put cornmeal on my baking sheet and placed my crust on it, then poked holes in it with a knife to keep it from rising.  Put your toppings on and then cook on your oven's highest setting (mine is 550) for about 6-10 minutes (mine took 7).

The Topping Bar

Serve and enjoy! We had a ton of fun and this is a great idea for if you are having people over, because each person can make their own pizza with whatever they want on it!  As you can see, some people like to heap stuff on theirs and some people take a more simple approach. You can try to guess whose is whose.

Do you ever make your own crust? Or add your own toppings? What is your favorite pizza topping?

Tuesday Training (2)

Well, it's time for my monthly training post. The post about training week 1-4 can be found here. For those of you who get bored by these training posts, feel free to check out some posts that are more interesting but little read, due to the fact that I wrote these back when I was but a wee blogger, like a post I wrote about The Latte Factor, or maybe you would prefer one where I ask, "Why Weight?"

Training is still going strong. I have had fun exploring new places as well as getting to run in a coastal city in the summer, which beats running in Missouri in the summer (which is what I did last year)! 

Week 5: May 21 - 28: 41 miles

For week five I ran a couple of fast and flat runs around the lake and then I did the group trail run, where I got to wear test the Brooks Connect. After that, I decided to explore the BA Ridge Trail and ended up doing a 17 mile trail run just for fun. I saw a few snakes, stopped and took dozens of photos, got lost, got rained on and had a great time! I wish all long runs were like that. I experimented with fuel: I tried Nuun (on the uphills) and a mocha Gu, which I took half at 1 hr and half at 2 hrs and they both seemed to settle pretty well.

Week 6: May 29 - June 3: 42 miles

In keeping with my exploration of the BA Ridge trail, for week six, I decided to run on the trail to meet a friend for a walk and I got lost again, so this one became an 11 mile trail run. I really didn't mind, except the next day's 3 mile run was pretty lead legged! I also did some 800s with an average pace of 7:40 for the entire run. My long run (13.1 miles at 7:26 pace)for the week was the See Jane Half Marathon. I did not use any fuel for the race.

Week 7: June 4 - June 10: 45 miles

Week seven was the week of the broken down car, and therefore I was stuck without my Garmin for a few days. I actually enjoyed not knowing what my pace was, although I missed having the data to analyze later. My average pace was around an 8:30 without it. My long run this week (16 miles at 8:52 pace) was in Santa Cruz along the West cliffs. The highlight was a snake eating a mouse. I also experimented with Gu Chomps, which are okay, but not great.

Week 8: June 11 - June 17: 47.5 miles

I was sick for the majority of week 8, which was a bummer. It's hard to run and breathe through your mouth the whole time. It's also a pain to have any extra reason to spit. However, I rested for the first couple of days and then made myself get back outside (it was beautiful in Santa Cruz this week -- weather in the 60s and low 70s) and just do it. I did a quick tempo run in the Kinvaras, which was like running on air. I also did a hill run, which was a 10 mile trail run uphill most of the way (I took the bus back down the hill). My long run (17 miles at 8:51 pace) was on the East Cliffs. I got a little lost but had another beautiful view (albeit a bit foggy).

Aside from the running, I have been walking approximately 2 miles (or more) a day, just to do normal things like walk to the bus stop, the grocery store, or just a leisurely after dinner photo walk. I have not done any strength/cross training, aside from carrying boxes, moving things, gardening and cleaning the house.

Are you training for any races? Do you do any strength training? How do you feel about working out in the summer time? (**Do you like to mess around with Excel?)

Last Week (3)

Happy Monday everyone! I hope you had a great weekend. I had a good one, and also last week was pretty eventful as well!

I went to the Dollar Store. Yes, I did. 

You may wonder how they can sell these wipes for a dollar!

I did too, until I noticed...there are only 24 in the container, which is the same size as the 75 count Clorox version.

I am onto them!

My friend Richard was on Chopped! 

I am going to shamelessly plug his place. 

If you get the chance and you like BBQ, go to: 

CatHead's BBQ in San Francisco!

Here is the Yelp Review. It's good. I wouldn't recommend it otherwise. 

They even have vegetarian food!

 

You know you are living in a hippie town when...

 

As seen on our weekly after dinner walk.

 

As seen on my bean plant.

I tried Kombucha. I did not like it. 

I do like the warning: 

Due to natural fermentation, this product may contain a trace amount of alcohol.

There has been much cabbage salad in my life lately.

Top with Vietnamese dressing (ginger, rice wine, Sriracha, a dash of brown sugar) and it's a delicious and cool way to have a nice treat!

I also added peanuts and basil.Yum!

We've been doing some exploring. 

This is Henry Cowell Redwood State Park. 

Yup. Redwoods.  It's like the Return of the Jedi.

(actually that was filmed here)

 

We went for a swim in the San Lorenzo river. 

 

Another after dinner beach walk. 

 

How was your weekend? Did you do anything fun? Have you ever been to the Redwoods?