aloha!

                

It’s finally here! After many months of anticipation I am off to Hawaii. For the first time ever! I’m so excited to drink high caloric, fruity drinks, go on a wicked 26-mile bike ride down Mount Haleakala, eat at Mama’s Fish House and get a golden tan. I am going with my mom and Aunt Sandy, who are both celebrating birthdays during our tropical vacation. I wasn’t sure what to get my mom, so I asked her what she wanted my dad to give her (so then I could get it for her!). And all she said was, “I just want cash so I can shop!” Ok then. I’m not just going to give my mom cash in one of those god-awful Hallmark card money holders. So I got creative.

fresh start

I have always been a morning person. It’s probably because breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. If I could, I would eat breakfast for every meal. Cereal in the morning, omelets with spinach and goat cheese for lunch, and blueberry pancakes for dinner. Mmm.


In recent months I’ve been more health and weight conscious than usual. You see I’m leaving for Maui on Saturday (yes, be jealous). So I obviously want to be in pristine shape for all of those local island boys, and maybe the tourist (always have to keep my options open!). So a couple weeks ago when Dr. Oz said that adding cinnamon to ones diet could help increase weight loss, I was on it like white on rice. Apparently, eating at least a teaspoon of cinnamon a day helps lower normal elevations of blood sugar. It also helps reduce hunger by delaying food from leaving the stomach, so you feel fuller for a longer amount of time. So I’ve been trying this little trick for the past week, and I definitely feel a difference. I’ve been putting it on Grape-nuts, with hot milk (some people think this is gross, but it is the only way I will eat Grape-nuts), a ton of cinnamon, and frozen blueberries (I love the contrast of the hot milk with cold blueberries). And to top it off, blueberries have the highest amount of antioxidants of all fruit. And they help aid in reducing belly fat. And they help with digestion.


So get on board with cinnamon and blueberries. And say goodbye to those last 5 pounds you’ve been trying to lose! Seriously, I’ve lost 2 more pounds in the last week. Aloha island boys! 

anthro

Anthro. No need to even say the whole name. The name has become synonymous with everything intricate and beautiful. Anthropologie is one of my favorite stores to shop. Not just for the clothes, but for the home goods. I never understood why my mother would get so excited over cake plates that were on sale for $2.95. Now I know. Now I don't even go to the sale rack with all of the clothes. I am running to shelves full of miniature salt and pepper shakers, butter dishes (I don't even have butter in my kitchen), and bright blue egg racks.

(Miniature pig salt and pepper shakers)

(Measuring cups)

(My butter-less butter dish)

(Dishes so pretty I keep them on the drying rack)

(Statement flower vase in my living room)

(Ceramic egg rack)

obsessed

Every week I'm going to post something that I am completely, utterly and fully obsessed with. Something I think everyone should have in their lives. These could be items, places, music, food, wine...anything worth obsessing over.

(Jack Black lip balm in lemon & chamomile. Goodbye chapped lips.)

i'm hooked

Since I can remember, my friend Megan has talked about this thing called a "swap meet". To me it just sounded like a more glamorous name for a flea market. Now where I'm from, the flea market is pretty nasty...you couldn't pay me to go there. Yes, I judged. Shame on me! Because the swap meet here in SLO is absolutely AMAZING! I am officially hooked. I now look forward to waking up at 6:30 am every Sunday morning. So while everyone else is sleeping off their hangover or doing the walk of shame, I am finding killer deals at the swap meet! Here are some of the things I have found so far.

(Hand carved wood screen)

(Sex and The City trivia game. Best $2 I have ever spent)

(Glass owl trinket for my coffee table)

(Another blue trinket. They seem to catch my eye at the swap meet)

(Vintage mirror for my sitting area)

putting it together

(Before)

I have spent the past month trying to put my new apartment together. I found the perfect leather couch from Habitat Home and Garden in SLO and a classic coffee table and media stand from Pottery Barn. They delivered in less than three days! A new decorators dream! I chose these pieces because I knew they would last me for years. With a splash of color and lots of little trinkets, it would become the living room I had been envisioning. I wanted lots of jewels tones in greens, purples, blue and oranges. I don't think a house is every completely done, but this is what I have so far.

(After. Oh hey freaked out fiance on "Say Yes to the Dress")

welcome to the real world

(Graduation day. Looking oh-so-fresh from the 6 am bar crawl)

After graduating from Cal Poly and getting a "big girl" job, I knew that I wanted to live on my own. After living with over 15 different girls over the past four years, it was time! I lucked out on an amazing one bedroom apartment in downtown San Luis Obispo--only a five minute walk to work and the nightlife.

I knew that I wanted a leather couch as my first investment piece for my apartment. I found a beautiful dark leather couch at a local furniture store and had to have it. I bought it the day before I moved into my apartment. I could smell the leather already!

(My new couch. Sorry Megan! )

welcome.

This past weekend my friend Shawn came to visit me in my new apartment. The first words out of her mouth were: "I want to live here!" I recently graduated from Cal Poly SLO. I am now managing the amazing boutique Ambiance. I am inspired everyday by the new clothes we receive, outfits I put on customers, and the merchandizing and decor of the store. I also have a love for decorating. I love rearranging my house, adding little trinkets here and there, and making a room feel complete. I also have a little shopping compulsion :) I love finding a fabulous deal. Whether it be a vintage mirror at a swap meet for $2 or a DVF leather motorcycle jacket for $180, I love the natural high from finding an amazing deal. This blog will be my place to show everyone my fabulous finds and to see how my first apartment is coming along. Cheers!

Graduation night at Novo (my favorite restaurant in SLO)