Author Archive: Elise

About Elise

I’m a nurse. An exercise lover. A whole foods connoisseur. A health enthusiast. And I have IBS. No need to cue the sappy violin music yet... I’ve found that eating a mostly plant-based diet has allowed me to continue to live and love life to the fullest. Although moderation isn’t something I do well, I’m 100% devoted to giving my body pure, wholesome, quality food. Nutritious and delicious, all the time. Hungry Hungry Hippie is a way for me to share my daily dealings with food, fitness, and everything in between.

Va De Vi

It’s about the wine. That’s the Catalan translation of this restaurant’s name, and indeed it was.  Kyle and I had no real occasion to go out to dinner, but we just felt like splurging for a fun date night.  Va De Vi is a gem of a restaurant in Walnut Creek’s downtown area.  The ambiance is casual but chic, with a friendly and knowledgeable staff, a menu that changes with the seasons, and a wine list to die for.  Every direction you turned had more wine displayed.  And being all about the wine, the menu… Read more >

Nothing comes close to the golden coast

Had a pretty legit weekend.  As if Santa Monica beach time wasn’t fun enough, Kyle and I headed off to Palos Verdes and then San Clemente… It all started with le beurre de cacahuetes (aka the butter of nuts).  Add a duo of WF multi-grain bread slices…   And some strawberry jammin’… And it’s a PB&J par-tay.  Nothing fancy, but simplicity is often underrated (that’s kinda my roundabout way of saying being on a budget can lead to boring repetitive meal choices). Lunch was quick and snackalicious.  WF’s traditional hummus and a soft pretzel (that… Read more >

So long sports club fees

Reasons So Cal residents don’t need a gym membership… (1) It’s sunny (or at least not snowing) approximately 327 days of the year (give or take a few…). (2) There’s no shortage of space – inside or out.  Seriously, there are beach front paths, sidewalks, and parks aplenty…and that’s not even taking into account the square footage under my own roof! (3) When you get sick of running, biking, rollerblading, swimming, and/or surfing in the sun (as if that’s even a possibility), you can turn to any number of workout DVDs and/or home exercise equipment. … Read more >

Mastering the Art of French Pressing

New toy! I’ve never had a French Press before, but Kyle put his high school barista skills to use and taught me how to make myself a steaming cuppa joe.  Sadly, we parted ways with our old coffee maker back in NYC (and haven’t gotten a new one yet), so I’m now having to nurture my caffeine addiction expand my coffee horizon with other methods.  Hi reflection! Ok, so this French Press is actually incredibly easy.  There’s no need to get all anxious before using it like I did.  I’m just a weirdo.  The only… Read more >

Nesting

Is it seriously Friday?  Geez.  Now that I have internet (in Starbucks, not yet in our apartment) today may be a multi-post kind of day.  Let’s back up to Monday. As Kyle and I unpacked our things…some old, some new…we each enjoyed a cup bowl of coffee together.  Thank you Patti for these wonderful mugs.  They hold 3 times the amount of caffeine for a normal person (which is equal to approximately one Elise serving). Next item that took up residence was the fruit basket. May this never be empty! Eventually I took a break… Read more >