Vino and a Castle...

So this weekend was seriously amazing! My hot hubby and I went wine tasting in Paso Robles ( a little birthday trip I had planned for him) and let me tell you, it was so incredibly fun. We had the best time. I booked a wine tour through a company called Cloud Climbers Jeep Tour, and I HIGHLY recommend them. They picked us up at our hotel, took us to 5 wineries, fed us a delicious lunch at an amazing spot, and the whole day we got to ride around in an awesome open air jeep...seriously, what could be better? We giggled, we drank, we loved our experience. Our driver was Lynne and she was so sweet, and it just so happened that we were the only one's on the tour (it seats 6), so it was like we had our own little private tour and driver all day! It's so incredible to spend a day like that with your best friend, and life love...I am so blessed...sigh : )

For more info on Cloud Climbers visit http://www.ccjeeps.com/

On Sunday we went to Hearst Castle. I just love Hearst Castle...I am completely enamored with this majestic place. The grounds especially are incredibly beautiful...can I just live here already?

Who would have known I have mad photography skills? : ) jk

Sunshine Quest

So I’ve been on this quest you see. A long and arduous quest to get as healthy as possible. I mean, I want sunshine shootin out my backend…I want to sweat granola I’m so healthy. So for the past 4 months I’ve completely cut out dairy, which I should have done like 10 years ago because I’m lactose intolerant, but I was in denial and was always sick from it. I’ve also cut out refined sugars (except for red velvet cupcakes). Let me just explain…I had to. Seriously. Sugar is like crack to me. When I don’t have it I’m thinking about getting it, and then when I get it I feel guilty for having it…it’s a vicious addict cycle. So that’s gone, and honestly, I am beginning to see the light. Don’t get me wrong…there are days I just want to sit on the couch with a bag of hot Cheetos, but alas, I prop myself up on the elliptical, press start, and hope that my legs follow suit. One time they didn’t…I’ve got the bruises to prove it. So anyways, I thought I would include a few delicious new staples in my almost vegan(I eat fish), not by choice but by necessity, diet.

Barny butter (Almond butter- from Whole Foods)

Quinoa (contains all 18 essential amino acids)

Almond Breeze

Agave (great natural sweetner)

Vegan protein
Carob powder (its like coco powder)
Gaucamole Hummus (trader joe’s)

Suit yourself

I'm so excited...we have a new addition in our home. It's big and strong, and works me out good. Needless to say, it knows what I like...it's our new elliptical machine. I just can't get enough. I pop in The Devil Wears Prada, and before I know it Ann Hathaway is wearing Chanel and Meryl Streep is playing nice. It's super exciting. So in light of my new found exercise routine, I've been getting a little bit more comfortable with the idea of wearing shorts...and I'm almost ready to start thinking about the possibility of swimsuits. I've definitely got a lot of work to do still...but a girl can dream can't she?

Old Navy $16.50 each piece

Old Navy $16.50 each piece

Victoria Secret.com

a little spring in your step...

So there's just nothing better than spring. I mean, the birds are chirping (and feverishly building nests in your patio...where you can only imagine what follows), flowers are a growin, and the best thing of all...summer vacation is right around the corner. This year for my summer vacay I plan to accomplish a great many things....we'll see how far I get. One thing I have managed to do though is a little spring cleaning. I tend to clean out my closet about every three months. I get rid of stuff I just cannot forsee wearing in the near future, in order to make room for any new friends than may want to join the ranks in my closet. A few new items I have had my eye on include a Juicy terry cloth jumper (a necessity for our week at the North Carolina beach house), a few unique yet amazingly lovely little cardigans to wear open over tanks with shorts, and last but not least, some sweet little sandals. So here are a few choices...happy SPRING to you!

Forever21 $28

Forever21 $22.80 (isn't this so Anthro, but at a fraction of the cost? Love it)

Forever21 $22.80

Urban outfitters $24

Urban Outfitters $128

I'm in love with these...but with their $178 price tag, it seems as though we were not meant to be together afterall. Urban Outfitters

shopbop $138

Shopbop $138

shopbop $118

In the army now...

OMGosh...I cannot believe that last time I updated the blog was March 9th! Life has been super busy as of late. I was on spring break this past week, which was pretty much the best thing ever. So you think I would have posted already, but I was gone. The husband and I went on a little road trip. We drove to Oregon and back in four days....I mean we stopped and stuff, but we drove a ton. It was so beautiful too. We saw more bodies of water in one place than I have ever seen...there are rivers, lakes, waterfalls, and creeks everywhere! It was insane, and there were the biggest waves we had ever seen on the coast in Bandon, Or. But don't worry...we didn't stand out or anything...I mean we only drove the BMW with Cali plates into towns with like 300 people in them and no cars made after 1998...let's face it, we stood out like Lindsey Lohan in church. Oh well...a little less make-up, less long blond hair, and a lot more flannel and I would fit in like Hiedi Montag at a drag queen show. One day. One thing that did fit in perfetly however was the army green cargo jacket I bought before we left and wore the enitre time. So here are a few more army inspired spring items...

K, something is up with my laptop and I don't really feel like figuring it out, but it won't let me post pics, so here are the links:

This is the jacket I bought. It's on sale right now for $34.90...really lightwieght for spring.
http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=55474&vid=1&pid=730323

I also just bought this little cap. I love wearing hats in the summer because they keep the sun off my face and I don't have to get ready! This one is at bleudame.com for $11.80
http://www.bleudame.com/product_info.php?cPath=99&products_id=13261

THis is a great casual necklace to wear with like boyfriend jeans and a white tank...plus its authentic vintage! That always makes things cooler : ) Also from bleudame, $18.90
http://www.bleudame.com/product_info.php?cPath=57&products_id=13820

My Top (recent) Beauty Finds

So, I'm tired...oh and hungry...I would looove to scarf down some delish chicken nuggies right about now, but I musn't. Instead I will hop on the 'ol eliptical and elipticate my glutes into shape...dang. Because of my extreme fatigue (from what, I do not know), I am too tired and lazy to search for the items I want to put on the blog right now. I can see them in my brain...and I really wish I could just will them onto the computer screen, but alas, I cannot. So anyways, I have found some pretty rad beauty products in the past couple of weeks that I have actually been meaning to share with you, so here they are in no particular order...because let's face it, that would take way too much effort.

1. Laura Mercier primer (I don't wear foundation and I still find this product useful. It just makes your powder stay on and look nice all day--I like it in the oil-free formula too because sometimes i can get a little shiny and this eliminates all shine.) sephora.com
2. St. Tropez Bronzing Mousse (Ok...the truth is, I've been holding out on all y'all. I've been loving this product for a few weeks now and meaning to write about it but haven't yet. It is amazing! I am VERY fair, so I do not like to tan because it just gives me huge patches of frecks (aka freckles) so this stuff is awesome! I use it all over, face included and it looks very nice and bronzey...never orange.) St. Tropez website
3. Agadir Morracon Argan Oil (makes your hair so shiny, soft, and sleek). Amazon.com

the land of the lotus people

Sorry folks...it has indeed been a while since I've posted. This whole grad school thing was a big mistake...I mean it is seriously conflicting with my consumer binging and I am just not sure I'm okay with that. However this past weekend I was able to spend a couple of hours in Santa Monica on the Promenade. I just love that place. Where else can you see a Victoria's Secret model walk by followed by a crazy bum with a shaggy beard...oh wait, maybe that was Brad. Come to think of it he did have like 15 multi-ethnic children with him. Wierd. Anyways...I of course went to Anthro...it's waaaay bigger than the one in my town. And, they had the Keel's Simple Diary! I've been wanting it so bad...it's really cool. I also got some super cute gray denim pants...I'll post a pic of the same pair. Oh and they have a Forever 21 the size of Guam. I seriously thought that it was going to be like Percy Jackson and the Olympians where I was going to walk out of there and people were going be like "Happy 4th of July!" It was three stories tall and there were like 5 rooms on each floor...it was nuts. I seriously felt so overwhelmed that I bought absolutely nothing. That has never happened to me before. It seems I have finally met my match...damn F21.

Pilcro Crops $88

Taschen Books Keel's Simple Diary $15