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Given my hormonal state, it should be fairly obvious that I was in no mood to go out on Saturday.  Especially once it started pouring in the afternoon.  But Kyle knows that sometimes he has to refuse my homebody requests and drag me out.  He usually knows best.    Wine! We decided to go visit a friend at his restaurant (I’ve mentioned him a few times before).  He is the general manager of North End Caffe, a small restaurant in Manhattan Beach.  If you happen to watch Food Network, you may have seen it featured… Read more >

Over the past few years I’ve grown to love a certain hard ass trainer.  However, it wasn’t until I looked at our DVD collection the other day that I realized it may be bordering on obsession. Don’t worry, no restraining orders need to be filed.  But I do think Jillian Michaels is a fitness genius.  I used to poo-poo home workout videos, thinking they were so 80’s.  Then I moved to the East Coast, where the nasty weather kept me indoors far more often than I liked.  Rather than go stir crazy pent up in… Read more >

I love my new camera.  Love it!  It’s pure bliss having a toy that takes such pretty pictures. The only negative aspect of having a Canon Rebel DSLR is lugging it around (point-and-shoot cameras definitely have the convenience factor of size and portability working to their advantage). Truth be told, camera cases are hideous.  While borrowing my mom’s this winter, I realized I never brought it out at night because of this aesthetic issue.  And such a fine camera should never be left at home.  What’s a girl to do?! Solution: camera bags that are… Read more >

H is for hemp… Hemp protein powder, that is.  I got this sample from NutsOnline a month ago but wasn’t really sure what to do with it. Good thing I remembered it when “h” day rolled around for my alphebruary challenge. I used 1 tbsp of it in a smoothie because I was nervous about how strong the flavor would be. I liked it so much I made it again the next day, too.  Yes, it’s a little gritty.  But I kinda liked the gritty texture.  I’m not generally a big protein powder gal (if… Read more >

Buckwheat is kinda amazing. To avoid confusion, let me just clarify right now that buckwheat is not actually related to wheat.  Despite it’s common name and grain-like use, it is in fact a gluten-free pseudoseed (meaning it’s neither grain, nor grass, nor cereal).  Other pseudoseeds include quinoa, amaranth, and chia. Anyway, since this gluten-free crop is used very similarly to wheat, it functions nicely as an alternative for those with gluten intolerances or coeliac disease. It can be eaten raw (soaked or sprouted) as well as cooked (on it’s own or as buckwheat bread or… Read more >