Farmer's Market Fresh

On Sunday I went to the Hollywood Farmer's Market and stocked up on the fresh produce, the still-in-season strawberries and farm-grown eggs (the chicken, not the egg.) I've eaten only from this shopping trip and couldn't have enjoyed each and every meal more. I cannot wait to go back next Sunday and pick up some peppers (for fajitas), sweet potatoes (mixed with chopped pistachios for a new take on mashed) and apples (at the peak of their season.)

[Homemade Tomato soup + giant grilled cheese croutons]

[Farm fresh eggs]

[Seedless grapes + ripe strawberries in my favorite teal bowls]

[Last night's dinner (honey and bread also from the market) spread]

Big Purchase

As my mom said, this weekend I put on my "big girl pants" and bought my first car. The whole thing happened unexpectedly (as most good things do!). I went for a run in Santa Monica along the beach, got a strong cup of coffee to warm and wake up post-workout, then went to one (yes, just one) car dealership. After many hours of negotiations and me leaving for a bit to get the below manicure (& pedicure) and call my dad to freak out, then went back to seal the deal. While there were many car options out there, I'm over the moon happy with my choice (a Prius) and feel a step closer to "real" adulthood and being earth-friendly.

Chinese Food + Wine

Not every day is perfect. Not everyone is perfect. It just so happened that on a Monday night one of my best girlfriends and I had our crappiest days. Solution? Ordering massive quantities of P.F. Chang's and cracking open a bottle of Willy Jack (check out your nearest BevMo!, its a hidden gem. Seriously. All of my friends are hooked.) We didn't finish the food or the bottle, but talking about our woes certainly lightened the mood of the day. Cheers (with glasses and chopsticks) to fantastic friends who make it all better!

Cravings

Since I've been home for just a little over 24 hours I've done some of my most favorite and comforting things: seen good friends, watched trashy TV, eaten at In-N-Out and even gone through a pile of long-overdue magazine stacks. This weekend I'm really looking forward to being low-key and keeping the focus on relaxing moments and to-do's.

[Home-cooked meals]

[Mounds of blankets]

[At least four of these will be viewed]

[Enjoying ice cream while its still warm outside]

Status Update

A week in New York and I'm coming back (yes, on the plane) energized- albeit walking everywhere in place of cabs (except in the near constant down pour I experienced the first few days.) For once I listened to my body and ate well - pork buns at Ippudo don't count, right? - drank minimally and exercised.

At some Fashion Week events I bumped into friends who commented on how and why I do what I do. Being surrounded by thin, beautiful people who stare at food rather than consume it. Crazily enough, I don't notice. Not in the slightest.

Much more on NY and Fashion Week soon. Stay tuned for lots of exciting updates!

Palmilla Panela

Just a few weeks (although it feels like days in my head!) I came back from the gorgeous One&Only Palmilla resort in Los Cabos, Mexico. Despite my beautiful surroundings and relaxing environment, there was one point in the day we looked forward to (and even coined it a nickname) "magic hour." We would arrive back to our hotel and apparently (because I didn't notice until maybe the fourth day) the shades were lowered and the entire room was candle-lit. There were chocolates left and fresh (homemade) tequila was around for enjoyment as well. But my most favorite was the marinated panela cheese with a side of mixed nuts or croutons. I gorged myself so much that our butler (yep, you read that right) would bring me extra. Within one day of arriving back in LA, I figured out the recipe. Super simple guys. Great for parties.

Marinated Panela:

• Queso Fresco cheese
• 2 parts chile powder 
• 1 part paprika 
• The teeniest bit of lime juice (fresh squeezed) 

Cut the queso fresco in teeny rectangles and pour the mixture over, coating each piece well. Serve immediately. Serve with cute toothpicks!

New Season Resolution

It's nearly September. I haven't blogged in ages. My jeans barely fit. My hair is blonde. I'm tan. Explanation: fun happened. Solution: it's time to get in shape; for good. While this isn't my usual fashion or trend category post, I think some readers can relate (and hopefully support) to my journey.

Let's get real. Stats (Shannon-style):

• Weight is equivalent to college graduation time. Several years later.... 
• A workout consists of half-assed tries that barely result in sweating 
• I'm awake more of the day than I sleep 
• My fridge contents are: several bottles of white wine, at least 12 types of cheeses and a shelf of flavored beverages and mixers. (My freezer has 3 types of ice cream [one homemade] and a flask.) 

I'm running the 2012 NY Marathon, I'm signed up for (well, after I post this) the Surf City half marathon in February and I've got about 6 packages to Exhale's (amazing) Core Fusion classes. Ambitious. 

So where do I start? 

• Tracking food entries/weight through the MyFitnessPal app (I highly recommend). 
• I set my alarm for 5am this morning and made it to the gym by 6am. Gave it a legit 45 minute try and then went home. It's a start. Don't hate. Repeat daily.
• HBO GO and Netflix have ruined my evening reading time. Aka falling asleep 15 minutes after opening the book. The Corrections has been waiting to be finished all summer. Let's get on that. 
• I'm feeding my body with more good things than bad. This takes time. And sacrifice. And will power. All of which I'm working on. I had fries with my turkey burger lunch and let the salad go to waste. Truth. I also had a handful of raisinettes and half of a (not worth it) chocolate chip cookie. But a light dinner of hummus and pita helps to balance out the day. 

Please note, that I'm not overweight or anything close to it. Living in Los Angeles certainly screws with your "normal" scale, however, I'm constantly tired, my eyes are usually blood shoot and wrinkles and grey hair are knocking on my twenty-something door. It's time for a change. Because any of us know that you don't get to look like Giselle if you're sitting on your bum...well only if you're the real Giselle because she's borderline perfect and apparently has a 6-pack two weeks after childbirth. I digress....