Thursday, January 1, 2015

Happy 2015!

Happy New Year! I hope you had a great 2014 and wish you a fabulous 2015!

How did you do with your resolutions? Did you follow through with yours or forget them after March?

Here's a recap of my 2014 Resolutions:
  • Start a blog and keep up with it: SUCCESS Happy 1 year blog anniversary!
  • Bike the distance of Route 66: SUCCESS It was a long journey but I made it through!
  • Travel to a new state: SUCCESS, SORT OF... only if you count my 3 hour layover in Colorado on my return from NJ and finally exploring NYC like a tourist. 
  • Participate in a half marathon: SUCCESS
  • Learn to use my sewing machine: SUCCESS
Some of my highlights of the year included meeting Matt Kemp, finally meeting Aladdin, watching my kouyreeg graduate from college in NJ, being a bridesmaid in Christina & Kenny's wedding, and spending time with my cousins in NJ. Oh, and can't forget the lovely fact that I found out that I'm allergic to wheatgrass.

can't believe he's going to the Padres
lifelong dream
#lutztietheknot
Lena Dunham book signing for Not That Kind of Girl
I was on TV with my boo, Brian Wilson, pitching. 

New Year, New Resolutions... Here's my 2015 Resolution list:
  • Start an etsy shop. Everybody has been telling me that my crafts should be sold. Let's see if I can sell these goodies. 
  • Catch a Roller Derby game. I've only been wanting to go for the past 3 years, it's about time I check out the LA Derby Dolls at the Doll Factory. 
  • Travel overseas! Either to visit relatives or new destination or both. 
  • Go on a road trip to somewhere new. Maybe the Grand Canyon? Zion National Park?
  • Bake a pie from scratch! I bought a nice dish last year but only made the usual pumpkin pie. 
  • Take a sewing class. YouTube can only teach me so much. Sew LA sounds like a neat place to check out. 
  • Write and send more snail mail, especially Thank You cards.
What are your resolutions?
Let's jump start this new year!

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Keeping Resolutions Update #13

VICTORY IS MINE!
I'm DONE!!! 
I've made it across Route 66! 
Now off to close out this year and ring in 2015 with family and friends.
Have a fabulous night!
Happy New Year! 
xoxo

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Fab Finds: California Love

I woke up to a text of a picture of the California flag framed with a note saying "thought you'd love it." I sure did. I've got nothing but California love. Always. Forever.
Kris Nations California Outline Necklace
Thank you, Nicole! I'll be wearing this proudly with love. What a fab find! I love my home state.

Monday, December 29, 2014

Jam of My Day: Follow Your Arrow by Kacey Musgraves

In the spirit of more Sagittarius archer references, I present today's jam of my day by Kacey Musgraves. This song came up on one of my Spotify playlists this morning. I'm a sucker for lyrics and I like the chorus.



Make lots of noise
Kiss lots of boys
Or kiss lots of girls
If that's something you're into
When the straight and narrow
Gets a little too straight
Roll up a joint, or don't
Just follow your arrow
Wherever it points, yeah
Follow your arrow
Wherever it points

Fab Finds: Icy Hot No Mess

If it wasn't for this incredible find, I don't think I could have recovered from the Long Beach Half Marathon I did earlier this year nor the ridiculous biking I've done these past couple of days (see Keeping Resolutions).

I'm new to the whole Icy Hot, medicated muscle relievers, scene. When I found this bad boy at Target, I had to give it a try. It sold me on the "no mess" factor alone. The idea of getting that menthol oily ointment on my hands did not appeal to me at all. I honestly didn't think I would even need it, but my muscles were screaming "what did you do to me?" after the half marathon and refusing to function normally. I didn't even know what to expect from this product nor if it worked. The only thing I knew was the name and rumblings from my athlete friends. It literally went as follows: rolled onto muscles, tingly coolness came over, warm fuzzies followed. The second I rolled it on, I started to feel it working. I may have even been on a menthol high. Can that happen? I was hooked! It was a miracle worker.

Icy Hot No Mess is my new best friend. A necessity for the old lady in me and the challenge acceptor. Bring it on!

Now please excuse me as I rub these on my legs and go to sleep. I've only biked  221.5 miles in these past 4 days. I need functional legs if I'm going to endure a day at Disneyland on Tuesday!

Keeping Resolutions Update #12

Beastmode has ensued me.
I can barely feel my legs.
It's been a crazy couple days catching up.
Procrastination led me to this.
Almost there!
58 miles to go.
3 days remain.
I'm #winning this. 

Oh! Hi, Phil Dunphy! 

To recap for new followers: A 2014 New Year's Resolution challenge of mine was inspired by our very own loved Phil Dunphy. Yes, this resolution was based on an episode of Modern Family. Can you blame me? To prove his wife, Claire, wrong, he was motivated and inspired to keep his elliptical in the bedroom by making a deal that he would go the distance to Canada. I thought this was a genius idea and told my coworker that I was inspired to do the same, but virtually via my stationary bike.

This idea didn't stop there. I decided to venture the distance across Route 66 instead. That's a whopping 2451 miles from California to Illinois! To put that in perspective, Los Angeles to Vancouver is only 1277 miles. That's only half of Route 66! I clearly don't like to start small!

Once my coworker said this was not a realistic or SMART goal and teased at how ridiculous I sounded, I made a bet to prove him wrong. Nothing crazy, just lunch and bragging rights that I'm no quitter. Alas, it's been 362 days of this challenge and it's nearing the end. I, being from Los Angeles, started my journey from California and am on the last leg of Illinois. 97.63% complete.

The end of days and the end of miles. I'm so close I can taste it. Victory will be mine!

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Fab Finds: Pasadena Roving Archers

Let me first start off by listing some Sagittarius attributes:
  • generous
  • honest
  • adventurous
  • fanatic
  • stubborn 
  • exaggerating
  • optimistic
I went through a phase when I was younger where I was really into astrology. Nowadays, I don't recall many of the stuff I read and I've stopped reading my horoscope. When I describe a Sagittarius, I just think of my own quirky characteristics and identify those as part of my zodiac sign. I even forgot what my sign looked like. Little did it occur to me til just now, like literally as I'm writing this post, that the Sagittarius sign is that of an archer. And what did we do for my birthday? Archery. Where do I come up with this stuff?!
About a year ago, I heard that Pasadena offered archery lessons for free on the weekends. I looked into it once and really wanted to try it out, but I could never get myself or a friend to commit to an early Saturday morning outing. After a few attempts, the idea was lost and forgotten... until I started to watch Game of Thrones. As I watched the first episode, men on their horse with a bow and arrow entered the scene and I was instantly reminded of the archery lessons. Katniss Everdeen from Hunger Games nor Daryl Dixon from Walking Dead reminded me of archery but Game of Thrones was my light bulb moment.

Pasadena Roving Archers offers FREE first time lessons every Saturday morning from 8:30 - 10AM. Now how many things are left in this world that are FREE and FUN? Limited space is available and this is first come first serve. The site mentions to arrive at 7:15 to start being fitted for equipment, which is provided. If you're a returning student, each lesson is $5. Going in groups is highly discouraged but group reservations can be made. Returning archery lessons are $5 and from 10:30 - Noon, meeting at 9:45AM for equipment fitting. Archery lessons take place in Lower Arroyo Seco Park in Pasadena on Saturdays only.

Earlier this year, I contacted Pasadena Roving Archers to make a group reservation for a few of us. I reached out in May and was told the next group reservation was in December! Clearly the memo has extended to a lot of folks of this awesome activity. Once I heard December, I realized that this was going to be my birthday activity and reserved it for my birthday weekend. Group reservations are for a minimum of 5 people and up to 20. To reserve a spot, you need to submit a $50 donation to the Roving Archers for the first 5. Each individual person in the group thereafter is $5. The best part of this program is that it's led by volunteers. The money that is collected goes right back into the program to continue the service. Another plus is that group reservations are from 12:30 - 2PM. Now that's a more reasonable time slot!
Saturday, December 20th, a few of us had some mimosas at brunch in my favorite Montrose spot, Black Cow Cafe, and then headed off to our very first archery lesson! I didn't know what to expect but this experience completely surpassed all our expectations.

I was the first one up and as terrified I was being the example, I shot all my arrows on the sheet! I'm born to be an archer, literally!
For some of us, like Kiki, this wasn't the easiest thing to try. As much of a rough start she had, she was definitely the most improved! I'm happy my fellow Sagittarius friend enjoyed embracing her inner archer (and succeeded without cheating)!
Please don't kill me for posting this!
We may have terrified our instructor once we displayed our extremely competitive sides. He placed a balloon target for us to get. As soon as Gareen got it, the rest of us didn't congratulate her but rather damned her (sorry!) verbally.We're all bitter losers.

As for the group: May the odds be ever in your favor.

This is by far one of my best finds yet! Pasadena Roving Archers is a gem!
Don't ever cross us.