Agent 99 (updated May 2014)

Today, we have the blog meme de rigueur. I saw it here and she saw it here. If you post it on your blog, know you're in very good company! Red=I have done it. *= I have yet to and want to.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii*
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris* (Made the trip November 2012)
13. Watched a lightening storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty*
18. Grown your own vegetables*
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France* (Trip to Paris November 2012)
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a marathon (three halfs!)
28. Ridden in a gondola
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagra Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied*
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung Karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant*
44. Visited Africa*
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been inside an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person*
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris*
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling* (Snorkeling on trip to Turks  & Caicos, December 2013)
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie*
56. Visited the Great Wall of China*
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching*
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving*
66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter*
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London*
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book*
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalum
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (only if a fish counts!)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby*
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Surprise!

Hello Internetz,

Yesterday was a day full of wonderment. What I thought would be an ordinary trip to the orthodontist, where I'd get my trap looked at and he'd say, "meh, come back in a month," turned into the application of actual braces!

Yes y'all, I finally got some braces! Right now it's just six brackets on my lower front teeth. All those times when I was little when I'd form my gum into a small strip that would fit in front of my teeth like "braces" has finally paid off. And that's about what it feels like, extra baggage. It's a little pinchy and scratchy, but doesn't feel entirely ridiculous like the expanders felt. It took me a good solid week before I got used to that heap of metal. My teeth do feel somewhat tender though. Tendertooth can be my new code name. Apple eating will be kept to a minimum!

I'd post a picture, really I would. Oh, I tried to capture them in all their glory, but it's not pretty. Nobody should take pictures of just their teeth - unless, of course, you're a tooth model or something. My goodness, people. The pics were scary and cannot be shared. I'd hate to be responsible for seared retnas. Funny thing is, I clearly knew my teeth needed a little straightening up, but it wasn't until I started taking pictures of them in order to document the braces process that I realized just how jacked up they were. I guess a macro lens will do that! Perhaps once everything all straight and pretty, I'll share a before and after. Perhaps.

That is all for now.

Sincerely yours,
Tendertooth

Oscar Recap!

I stayed up way past my bedtime to watch all of the Academy Awards. Began watching red carpet coverage and grazing the snack buffet at A's house. Then on to my mom's for the rest of the Awards. Was not overly impressed with any of the dresses. It seemed like people were playing it safe. I saw minimal jewelry, hair that wasn't overly fussy - many down 'dos and a few fuzzy updos that I cannot, as a stylist, support. Yes, Jennifer Lopez, I'm talking about your hair. Several of the ladies rocked a complete, well thought out, well styled look though. I may not have been 100% in support of every detail, but here are the ladies who did it right.

Demi Moore in Atelier Versace

So Demi was a presenter and I think this ensemble is spot on for the job, nothing over the top. It's just pretty. I like the little bit of asymmetry happening in the skirt. Simple hair, a drop earring, matching clutch and fake tanner and she's in business. It seems summery and warm to me. Maybe that's why I like it so much. I'm longing for summer!

Sandra Bullock in Marchesa

Classic Hollywood glamour. I read somewhere online today that Sandra came dressed to win. I would have to agree. She's just classy. The dress with its intricate detail photographed much more gold than I think it actually is. You can see in the two pictures just what a difference there is. It looked more like the top picture in HD. Loved her hair, the red lip and the simple drop earrings. And I also loved her acceptance speech. It was funny and touching all at the same time. Loved that Jesse James looked a little teary-eyed too when she alluded to him.

Kate Winslet in Yves Saint Laurent

Not a very risk-taking ensemble, but overall the look is classically beautiful. Maybe she went more understated because she was only a presenter and not actually nominated this year. Last year was her big win year. I like the top of the dress and think as a whole it would have looked better with more of a full skirt. There were certain photos where the skirt looked like pants because of the way it's draped.

Mo'nique in unknown designer

Her hair and make up were beautiful. During a backstage interview Mo'nique said she wore the royal blue dress and the gardenia in her hair because Hattie McDaniel wore royal blue and a gardenia when she accepted her Oscar in 1940 for her role in Gone With the Wind. Cool.

Rachel McAdams in Elie Saab

This one will surprise A & K because as we were watching the red carpet coverage, I said the dress looked like throw up or a puddle with oil in it. Upon further inspection, I will amend my comment to the following: The cut and drape of the dress are beautiful. The choice in fabric/color seemed too washed out, not vibrant enough for the Academy Awards. I do think the dress would look much more Academy Award worthy if Rachel were rocking some serious jewels and/or had more dramatic make up.

Did you stay up for the whole show? Who wore your favorite dress? Any favorite moments from the telecast? I want to go see Crazy Heart and The Blind Side now while they're both still in the theater. Okay, for real, need to wrap this up since it's officially past my bed time again! Thanks for keeping me up, Oscar!

Plans for the Bath

I've been thinking about redoing my tiny Barbie-sized bathroom for a couple years now, but after reading a recent post on The Good Life for Less about a savvy kitchen redo in phases, I'm feeling inspired to get moving. I'm feeling the "do it in phases" approach will allow me to do everything I want without breaking the bank. Need to call a friend of mine in for some estimates. New tile floor is in order. Perhaps with heat. Still trying to decide if I should reglaze the tub/re-tile the walls or just take the whole thing out and have a walk in shower built from the ground up. Somthing like this:

The shower/bath part of the redo would likely be one of the last items tackled in the plan since it would involve removing a window and replacing it with another size/shape window. Did I mention that I have a window in my shower? Clearly the house was built prior to an actual shower being installed, it's a regular window, people! A little more involved than just laying new tile. I do know that window's got to go! We shall see.

My current sink/vanity has got to go. It's a tiny one-door cabinet that makes the room look even smaller than it is. So that's got to go. I want to replace with a pedestal sink like this one from Kohler:

Then there's the medicine cabinet situation. There are currently two that hardly provide enough space for all the lotions and potions a gal needs. One appears to be an original standard old-school medicine cabinet which even has a slot where you can deposit used razors. Yeah, because everyone uses straight razors, right? The other appears to be an IKEA addition by the last owner, an attempt at gaining a bit more space. It reminds me of a safety deposit box though. Not huge at all! I want to take out both and do a custom deal where that entire wall would be mirror with built in medicine cabinets. Think secret door like any mystery movie worth its salt or Scooby Do episode would have. Basically I want the doors to blend in. When you press the door it would open. Sadly, there won't be any rotating doors leading you to a secret room. I wish!

That bathroom doesn't know it yet, but I have big plans! Hoping to get started soon! Tile and new sink are first in my mind. Depends entirely what expert friend says makes sense to tackle first. Excited to get going!

Teenage Me

At the Downtown GR Rail Jam this weekend standing among throngs of teenage boys decked in snowboard gear, I noticed I had something in common with many of them.

Orthodontia!

I came this close (-----) to asking the kid who stood next to me for about an hour watching the pee wee kids ride the course who his orthodontist was and what kind of brackets he had. Yeah. Kind of nerdy, yes. I didn't do it. The brackets weren't that noticable and I'm hoping I can score the same kind! Braces are coming soon, people! My fingers are crossed that it happens this month. As much as I'm used to life with expanders, I'm ready to move it along.


Besides realizing how much in common I have with the teens, the weekend was a mixed bag per se. After being totally moody, seasonal affective disorder-y most of the day Saturday, Sunday was a world of difference in terms of my overall attitude. Pancakes, good company, watching some snowboard action in my own downtown, a tasty latte and seeing my book club girls had a lot to do with a better day. Oh, and deciding not to go into work. I did what I wanted to do instead of what I felt I "should" do and amazingly the day was a great one!


So besides having orthodontia, here's to having more in common with the teens - doing more of what I want to do. Having more fun!






Oh, it's 11:11 p.m., make a wish! Don't tell me exactly what your wish was, but tell me what you want more of in your life.

sigh

Life feels like a hamster wheel lately. Day in, day out it seems like the same thing EVERY. DAY. and it's just about to drive me crazy! Typical day involves making my breakfast UltraShake, feeding the kitties, work, running, showering (for what always seems like the millionth time!) making some sort of dinner and then finally sitting down finally with nothing left that MUST be done. Add to that three months of gray, cold winter and I'm so ready to jet off somewhere warm and just stay there forever.

This is what I'd wear:

Star Sliding Triangle Top & String Bottom via Victoria's Secret

This is where I'd want to stay:

The Beach House Barbuda

This is what my hair would look like:

Seriously, everyday I'd just wake up with Giselle's hair without having to "do" it!

This is how relaxed I'd feel:

photo via eihr.com

Okay, that little mental vacation was amazing! I'm hoping it's just the time of year, end of winter blahs that I'm experiencing. Soon enough we'll have Day Light Savings Time again. The weather will start to improve. I'll be able to run outside more regularly without having to bundle up or worry about slushy, icy roads. In the meantime, I'm going to do my best to focus on what I'm doing at that minute, like really getting zen with whatever it is I'm doing and be grateful for the ability I have to do such things rather than hate every minute of it.

Is winter driving you nuts too? Want to jet off somewhere warm with me?

Starting Now

Dear Thursday,
Today's a little different from how you and I usually do things. Somehow it still feels like it's going to be really good day. I've got lots of work to do. The tunes are turned up - a little Andrew Bird to start, maybe followed by some Neko Case and a little South Rakkas Crew later on for good measure. I've got a meeting with my favorite designer later this afternoon. Hoping to put some projects to bed today so I can focus on other work.

So Thursday, I'm counting on you to carry through with me. Let's make it an awesome productive day. So now, I'm off to it!

Best,
* starr fish

Run This Tune

Music is one thing that makes racking up the training miles each week so much easier. Two faves in my current running playlist feature the talented Rihanna. One thing I listen for in a good running song is strength. Strong beats? Strong lyrics? Will I feel strong and fast while listening to the song? The "yes" column gets checked for all of the aforementioned questions with Jay-Z's "Run This Town" featuring Rihanna and Rihanna's own "Hard". I also get a kick out of putting songs in my running playlists that have the word run in the title or lyrics. I'm kind of a dork though.

Life's a game but it's not fair

I break the rules, so I don't care

So I keep doing my own thing

Walking tall against the rain

They can say whatever

I'ma do whatever

No pain is forever

Yup, you know this

Tougher than a lion

Ain't no need in tryin'

I live where the sky ends

Yup, you know this

I dig Rihanna. And with all she's been through in her personal life, I like her even more for prevailing. You go, girl and keep the hits coming because I'm going to keep running (this town) and doing my own thing too!

Items of Note

A few items to share, some are in direct relation to celebrating my birthday this weekend and some are not:



I am super grateful that I have such a great group of people that I can call friends. I'm a wealthy lady when it comes to the people I have in my life!



Everytime I bowl, I think I should bowl more often, but usually still only average going about once a year.



It's a bummer that people are moving out of Michigan. This weekend, I met a super-cute, artsy couple that R was already friends with. They're in the process of selling most of their stuff and getting ready to move to California. While that seems like a daunting process, I bet it would also be completely freeing to let go of so much stuff. I guess I don't have to move out of state to do this, just need to start weeding. And while the GR art community will now be short this cool couple, that just makes for two more cool people in California. And it serves as a reminder to make an effort to get to know those cool people that that I just sort of know, but would like to know better!


Cake with frosting in your favorite color makes for a fun photo op. There was a definite color theme for the weekend!


The world is really small. The guy that helped get us squared away at the bowling alley this weekend is the son of a sales rep I worked with at my high school/college bakery job. He literally must have been a baby when I worked there and he's a young man now, which makes me old(ish)!


I've loved Jamie Oliver since watching him on the Food Network back in the days of yore when I had cable. I love him even more after watching his TED talk. You should watch it now! His mission is to educate children (and adults) about healthy food. He makes a great case. There are children who don't know what common vegetables are! And make sure to look for the wheelbarrow full of sugar!


Speaking of good food. I'm on a mission to be able to make brown rice that turns out like they make it at Gaia. I found this on Pinch My Salt, and I'm going to give it a try the next time I make rice, which will be very soon! Since the UltraSimple Diet, I've been eating rice like it's going out of style. I'll let you know how the new method works out.


Sometimes, the best gift of all is keeping your word.


I really want a Diet Coke right now. But we're not seeing each other any more. Such a dysfuctional relationship!

Happy Feet!

I took the day off today and man did it ever feel good! I started the day off at Douglas J getting a facial and a pedicure. My goodness, that's the most relaxed I've been in a while, and my toes look super cute now too! With my training schedule really kicking into gear lately for Riverbank Run, I really want to make a point of taking care of my feet since They really take a beating throughout the year with all the miles I put in. Scheduling regular pedicures just might be the right treat for me every 100-150 miles or so.

Because they sure as heck don't always look this good! The color is OPI's Suzi Says Feng Shui and it's my new favorite!

oh, hello...

Just thought I'd throw you a bone. You seem hungry for something to chew on. Grrr....

My Name Is...

I've been seeing this look up your name thing on Facebook for thee last few weeks. Hmmm. Then my good friend K posted the meaning of her name, so I thought I'd follow suit and look up mine. Here's the number two listing for my name:

A smart, sassy and sexy woman who knows things from fashion, to film to literature, from Manolo Blahniks to Mahatma Gandhi.

Nice!

Another fun Internet time suck, look up names of other people you know and see if any of the listings are close to describing the people you know. Reading through some of the "definitions" my mental picture of the average author - middle school to high school age, too much time on their hands, writing a definition as a way to bolster their own image with the kids in their crowd or with the object of their affection. High-larious! I would have totally written fitting definitions for my crushes in middle school and high school.

psssst...

...I want to tell you a secret. I had a lovely Valentine's Day weekend and I hope you did too! Heart filled with love, mindful of those near and far who are so amazing, I'm sending out hugs and kisses to my family and friends whom I can't see whenever I want. Give yourself a hug and know that you are loved!

Beeswax

I checked out a book called Living Raw Food by Sarma Melngailis from my library. After the whole detox cleanse I'm curious about raw food and willing to try some recipes. Raw food usually means vegan food - no animal products - and there's no cooking in the traditional heat it up and serve it sense. Nothing is heated above 118 degrees.

As I'm paging through the book, I'm mostly checking out the lovely pictures of food, skimming recipe pages here and there and making mental notes of recipes I might want to try. Then I see a picture of two people sitting in what appears to be an outdoor section of the author's restaurant. The woman in the picture looks curiously like the author, who in the introduction talks about the fact that this book is about "living raw food, not just eating it, but living it." Would you think someone who is concerned enough about raw food to write an entire book about it would be pictured smoking in her own book? I wouldn't think so, which makes me think, that's gotta be someone else in the picture, not the author. But I'm 99% sure that it's her, with a cigarette in her hand.

Clearly everyone has the right to make their own choices. I'm just having a hard time imagining how the choice is made, because the two choices seem so far from each other. Raw vegan diet + smoking cigarettes. It wouldn't work for me, but it must work for her.

I am fascinated by the choices people make, because you never really know what went into someone's choice. They may not even know. Was there a lot of thought involved? Or was there no thought at all? Do they regret the choices they've made? Are they consciously satisfied with their life or numbed out to the what their life has become? We're all on our own journey, with decisions to make every day. Life really is like one of those choose your own adventure books! Make one choice and your life could head in a completely different direction.

I know I've made choices that might not make any sense to someone who isn't inside my head with all the information I have. I have to remember that when I come across seemingly disparate concepts present within the same situation. Raw vegan food and cigarettes as part of the same person's life don't make sense in my brain, but it wasn't my decision so it's not mine to understand. Might people think it's odd for someone who is clearly health conscious to love baking and eating said baked goods. There are two disparate concepts present in someone's life. My life.

It's helpful for me to keep the focus on myself and my choices when I find myself saying, "Huh? Really? Why would someone do that?" None of my beeswax, so I'll just mind my own!

little things

I don't know about you, but it helps my state of mind to focus on the good, looking for things I'm grateful for each day. I could just as easily come up with a "not so grateful for" list, but if I choose not to be a Bitter Betty today, my day goes so much better because I've made that choice! Things have made the gratitude list lately:

A bowl big enough for the job, especially if it's stainless steel!

Packages in the mail.

New magazines.

Saving money.

Making healthy choices about food.

Finishing my taxes in record time. Earlier than usual!

Running. (This depends on the day and time you ask me and how many miles I've got to run, but since I didn't have to run tonight and training is going well, it's on the list.)

Fresh laundry. (This goes hand in hand with the running. Totally appreciate the fresh clean laundry, but hate actually doing it!)

Finding out that something I worked on helped my company get a law suit thrown out of court.

Having a night off where I didn't have to do anything! The snow helped out on that one tonight!

What's on your gratitude list?

Who Dat?

No, this is NOT going to be a Super Bowl post. Since it's been about a week since I've posted anything, I thought you just might be asking that question!

It's been a full week since I wrapped up the cleanse and the first week back to real food I did pretty well. I've been trying to stay away from the copious amounts of cheese I used to eat pre-cleanse, but have not ruled it out entirely. I haven't eaten it at home in anything that I've made, (which is a big deal!) but did have it this weekend out to eat - a bit of goat cheese in a spinach salad and a small cheese quesadilla and burrito with cheese from my favorite mexican take out place, Maggie's Kitchen. Also, in the sense of full disclosure, I did have some sweets over the last week, split two pieces of pie with three of my girlfriends Wednesday night at Electric Cheetah. And there were some treats in legal on Friday. And...okay, you get the picture. I didn't go overboard with any of the treats. More like I had just enough to have a taste and enjoy.

I've been trying to find some suitable snacks and treats for the times when there's too much going on in one day and not enough time to have a proper meal. So far a favorite find that works on many levels the Larabar. They are gluten free, dairy free, soy free, non-gmo, vegan and kosher and they actually taste good! So far I've tried the Key Lime Pie, Ginger Snap and Cherry Pie flavors. I love that each bar has such a short list of ingredients. The cherry pie bar has just three: dates, alomnds and unsweetened cherries. They've been great for an in between work and the gym. Another thing they've got going for them is texture, they're soft enough and not too sticky to be annoying with my current orthodontia! Larabar for the win!

Making food in advance for the week is something that I've continued. I like to be able to just toss my premade lunch into my bag in the morning and not have to rustle something up. Keeps me from eating lunch out somewhere that wouldn't be as healthy as what I could have made my self. Plus, hello, money saver!

That it's for now!

UltraSimple Wrap Up

I made it through the seven day detox cleanse known as the UltraSimple Diet. While I don't feel like I had any lightning bolt-type results, (which I wasn't necessarily looking for) I feel really good about the whole experience. I stuck with the morning routine of hot water and lemon followed by an UltraShake. I decided I want to try to incorporate as much of this kind of eating as I can, without adapting a super strict attitude about food. I want to be able to enjoy food still, but I want to have my over all way of eating be more along the lines of how I ate for my seven days on the cleanse. I will for sure add in many of the veggies and fruits that aren't necessarily on the list - I really missed cooking with tomatoes and would have liked to use some red pepper or potato in my meals.

I was a little apprehensive about how I'd do going back to regular food, but my monthly book club dinner out at a local Italian place provided me with a great place to try it out. We normally get a few appetizers to share. I won't lie, I ate a few onion rings and french fries, but I don't feel like I went overboard. For dinner I usually order a dish called Spaghetti Roberto, which is spaghetti in a red sauce covered in what we lovingly call a cheesy blanket. Last night I ordered the regular spaghetti dinner, no cheesy blanket. You know what? It was still good! I usually gobble up any bread on any table, but didn't even eat the two pieces of garlic toast that come with the dinner or any of the breadsticks that were for sharing before dinner. That's a big deal for me and the coolest thing is that it wasn't a big struggle. I just decided I didn't want to eat it and didn't. I thought the pasta in and of itself would be enough to test out the return to gluten.

So, did I get sick or notice any odd after effects from my dinner? I felt really sleepy and sort of fuzzy headed for a couple hours when I got home, which I believe to be a direct result after eating pretty purely for the seven days prior. I survived though, no stomach revolt, which I was afraid of.

One of my main reasons for wanting to do the cleanse was to "reset my sweet tooth" and I think it may have worked! My company remodeled the corporate cafeteria and it debuted today, complete with bulk candy! How do you like that? Part of me wanted to not even participate in the candy. The other part of me was kind of curious. I got maybe a little more than a handful of Jelly Bellies for a mid afternoon candy snack. I ate a few at my desk and didn't feel compelled to eat the entire quantity just because they were there. There are still some at my desk, which wouldn't have happened pre-cleanse. While I think I'll always enjoy candy and sweets, I'm hoping I can hang onto the take it or leave it feeling I had about those Jelly Bellies today and not feel a compulsion about sweets anymore.

The positives of my experience:

• Possibly resetting my sweet tooth.
• Increased energy level.
• Finding new healthy recipes I'm excited about.
• Reducing my reliance on cheese as a protein source.
• Setting a healthy goal and accomplishing it.

My aim now is to try to keep up my healthier eating for at least two of my three meals a day so I can continue to feel as good as I do today, without being so strict about what I eat/don't eat that I end up taking the enjoyment out of food or let it become something that separates me from other people. I love nothing more than sharing some tasty food with good friends. I was able to do that last night and am grateful that book club night fell on the first day off my cleanse.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my experience. Let me know if you have any questions about any of it. Or if you end up trying it on your own, I'd love to hear how it goes for you!

Day Seven

Saturday was a busy day. I woke up and had a leisurely morning, but had a bunch to do. I made my hot water and lemon juice and then enjoyed my UltraShake. One of the things I had to do was run six miles. (I'm training for my second 25k race, May 8, 2010) I had my shake around 10:00 a.m. and finally got to the gym around 1:30 p.m. By then I was already getting a little hungry, but knew eating something out and about wasn't really an option. I managed to get through my run, which was made a little more of a challenge because I skipped a three mile run earlier in the week. Add in the hunger and I wasn't really equipped to do six miles. I managed to get in five. Got home and ate some left over sweet potato fries and made another UltraShake because I knew it would be the quickest thing I could make and eat (drink) to overcome my crazy hunger.

R was supposed to be coming over Saturday evening and after reading all week about the sweet potato fries, he wanted to try them, so I made some around 9:00 p.m. for a snack for us. That's a lot of sweet potatoes, kids! They're so good and so good for you though! I also ended up eating some rice.

So Saturday wasn't really an ideal eating day per the cleanse plan, but I managed to stay true to the parameters of what foods to eat/not eat. I'm actually surprised that I ran five miles and really only had the UltraShake, sweet potato fries and some rice as my recovery foods. I felt good though.

One of my main thoughts on Saturday was that I couldn't believe the cleanse was coming to and end. I almost didn't want to get off it and will tell you more about that in my wrap up post! Read on, readers!

Day Six

Going to go ultra simple bullet point list on the Day Six wrap up:

• Wanted to sleep in this morning, maybe because I stayed up way too late last night. Probably had nothing to do with what I'm eating or not eating!

• Felt super ADD this afternoon. I could not focus on one task and stay with it. Needless to say, I did not have a productive afternoon. Who really knows what this is about - Friday afternoon, maybe?

• Made it to the gym tonight for a three mile run.

• No new food items today. All meals contained something I've already eaten in the cleanse. I Have tons of lentil soup still! I should probably freeze some.

• Feeling the need to clean my house from top to bottom since I'm cleansing my innards. I've started the process and I'm sure it will continue through the weekend!

• I've saved a good amount of money eating all my meals at home this week. An added bonus of the cleanse.

Day Five

Are you sick of this yet?

I'm just getting used to it, settling in and it's almost over! I love that this exercise has made me stretch in the kitchen so I'm not just eating steamed veggies, brown rice and straight up tofu every night for seven days. I don't know if I'd be able to eat like I've been eating for EVERY meal, but if I keep eating this healthy for half my meals, that would be something in terms of my over all health and energy level!

So what did I eat today? I believe I mentioned the lentil soup that was last night's dinner. I had that again for lunch today with my requisite 1/2 cup of brown rice. During my lunch time, I also made some more Indian sweet potato oven fries for tomorrow's at-work lunch (I got to work at home today!).

After work, I was happy to be able to hang out and do some hair with my friend S. So I ate a really late dinner tonight. I JUST finished cleaning up the kitchen. The kids in BK do it that way, so it must be okay! The cool thing, I wasn't soo hungry that I just had the soup again. I wanted to try making a tofu scramble for my protein tonight. I found a great recipe online and gave it a go.

With all the tofu I needed to be eating during the cleanse, this week was either going to be the week I turned a good corner with tofu or ended up seriously hating it. WOW! Forget scrambled eggs! This was so easy to make. Delicious and not slimy or runny the way scrambled eggs sometimes are. The egg scramble can go wrong in too many ways. I can see the tofu scramble being a solid go-to from now on! From the recipe, I left out the red pepper and soy bacon. Just garnished with some fresh dill. Dill is my new favorite herb. We're getting along famously. I think we're going to be really good friends.

So it's the end of Day Five and I'm still feeling good. Energy is still up and I just realized, I ate my dinner and I'm not even thinking about something sweet. (I guess except for the fact that I just thought about the fact that I'm not thinking about it!) That, folks is major progress! I don't think I've lost any weight, which I don't think I technically needed to, but it's a possible benefit of doing this particular detox/cleanse. I feel like I'm always eating and/or in the kitchen. It's all good though. I'm enjoying it. Also enjoying the ongoing blog updates for those of you actually interested enough in this crazy experiment to be reading about it.

And on a completely different subject. Rosie has been fascinated with this shopping bag today for some reason. It's the bag I've been bringing my lunch/Nalgene water bottle to work in this week. She climbed into it while it was sitting up right, so I picked it up and walked around with her in the bag. Just her head was peeking out. It was pretty funny. I just kept thinking, how's the cat gonna get outta the bag?! Tonight she climbed back into the bag and I was able to capture this pic ! So cute!

Day Four

Being that I'm now in day four of this cleanse/detox practice, I'm into the routine of eating the perscribed healthy foods. Although I have thought about the foods I'd like to be eating, I haven't. I don't feel deprived. I've rarely felt hungry, only near meal times. I'm feeling really good. I remember hearing somewhere that in order to make a habit out of something you need to do it for at least seven days straight. It's only been four and I can see how this type of eating could become a healthy habit for me. I know I'll go back to eating my cheese and my wheat-derived products, but I'm pretty sure I'll be incorporating more of the healthy foods I've been eating so far this week.

A few notes so far:

Not feeling broccoli without some sort of sauce. I usually like it with a red sauce or some garlic sauce like I used to eat all the time at the Bamboo House in NYC.

Ground flax seeds are a pain in the blender. Every morning after making my UltraShake, which has two tablespoons of ground flax seed, I end up fighting with the blender as I try to wash it. Sticky little dudes. This morning I had the brilliant idea to stir them into the glass AFTER I poured the shake into the glass.

I'm still in love with Sweet Potatoes.

I made a simple lentil soup last night for tonight's dinner. I was a little dubious of how it would turn out as I forgot to include the garlic when I was sauteing the onion, carrot and celery. I ended up doing it as the soup was simmering and added then. For dinner tonight, it was actually tasty and very filling!

I bought a bunch of fresh dill yesterday to toss with some cannellini beans, olive oil, lemon and salt. The fresh bunch was $1.99. The bunch in a little plastic box was $2.50. Duh! That was an easy decision. Why do stores do stuff like that?

That's about all I've got tonight. I can't believe I'm already heading into Day Five!

Goodnight, dear Internets!

Day Three (afternoon)

Dear Internets,
It's been three days aboard this ship with nary a sweet, cheese or bread stuff to be found. The cravings are so much stronger than the other days of the cleanse. This afternoon, I've been thinking about what it would be like to eat the following items, in no particular order and of course not all at the same time:

Frosting, heck, I'd eat the cake too!
Pudding.
Cheese in any of its melty forms.
Crusty delicious bread.
Big Bob's cheesy breadsticks, which combines bread and cheese!
A slice of pizza from NYC or Georgio's (have you tried Georgio's in GR yet?!)
Swiss cake rolls. Hey, Little Debbie, can you hear me?!
Cookies. Ginger snaps or chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven.
Butter.
Diet coke.
Ice cream.
Barbecue Sauce.

Really, these cravings are not any different from my usual cravings, it's just that I might actually eat some of them if I weren't so determined to make it the full seven days of the cleanse (some of you have asked how long it goes...). I will prevail. Going to try not to think about it.

Got any food cravings you want to share?

Day Two

I kept waking up last night, and was relieved that I still had more time to sleep. When my alarm went off I actually got out of bed - partially due to the fact that I knew my morning routine would be a little different since I'd be making my UltraShake, getting my lunch together, etc., plus all my other normal morning duties. I also felt rested and like I had a little more energy. We'll see if it lasts through the week! Ha! It usually takes me a few snoozes on the ole alarm before actually GETTING out of bed.

I actually felt good all day. I usually get a craving around 10:00 a.m. for something, anything really. I usually eat some raisins or something just to get through. Today, I looked at the clock around that time and wasn't hungry. I did drink a small cup of broth a bit before lunch, just because I brought it in my handy thermos. My lunch was almost too much food. Sweet potato oven fries left over from last night's lunch, brown rice and some lettuce/hummus wraps. I brought another UltraShake just in case I got hungry in the afternoon. I wanted to be able to go to the gym with enough energy/fuel to do my regular workout. Didn't need the afternoon shake. And I was able to run my scheduled 3 miles without incident! Pretty cool!

One thing I'm noticing about this practice so far, I'm excited about food. I'm into trying veggies that aren't in my regular rotation. It's fun!

For dinner tonight, I used the leftover tofu I had from last night's dinner and sauteed it with some onion and garlic for my protein. I baked an acorn squash and ate half of that with a little Earth Balance Spread (vegan buttery spread) and some cinnamon.

I also ate a few more lettuce wraps as I made them for tomorrow's lunch. Tonight I put a dab of hummus on each lettuce leaf, a slice of avocado, then sprinkled a little lemon juice and a touch of salt. This is my new favorite snack! Delicious!!!

Basically it's going really well. I'm feel good. My energy level seems to be up. I'm drinking water and actually enjoying it. Of course that means I'm always going to the lady's room, but that's what a cleanse is all about, right?! I'm giving my kidneys a work out!

Day three should be another good day. Going to hit the hay here in a few so I'm getting the rest I need.

Day One

I've been thinking of doing some sort of a cleanse/detox for a while. I've read a lot about different juice cleanses like Blueprint Cleanse, and Red Carpet Cleanse where you basically drink all your nutrients for a number of days. I've also heard about the crazy lemon juice/cayenne pepper nonsense. I found something that is neither of those, but will hopefully help me get right with food. I'm hoping to reset my sweet tooth, something I haven't been able to do through sheer will power alone. I'm also hoping to ferret out any food allergies I may have. As many of you know, I'm a vegetarian, but I love me some cheese and I love anything that falls into the starch category. By not eating any dairy or wheat products for the duration of the cleanse, and then reintroducing dairy and wheat I may find out that I have an actual allergy. We shall see.

Anyway, today is Day One of The UltraSimple Diet. I don't like that it's called a diet, but I guess technically it is. So whatever. I did a bunch of food prep yesterday after buying a bunch of veggies, tofu, broth, etc that will take me through the cleanse. Not everything I'll eat is pictured. So no worries that it doesn't look like enough.

I was a little apprehensive about the UltraShake that you have for breakfast, - it's basically silken tofu, soy milk, 1/2 non-sweetened berries, ground flax seed, and ice or water to get the consistency you want. The book suggests adding some almond butter and a 1/2 banana. I'd hate to think what it tastes like without those last two suggested ingredients. It was actually pretty good with them. Breakfast will be easy.

Here's my lunch from today:

1/2 cup brown rice, a cup of broth, and a bunch of sweet potato fries. You get to have at least 2 cups of approved veggies. Thanking my lucky stars that sweet potatoes are on the list, because I heart them. I tossed them with some olive oil and some garam masala, black mustard seeds and salt for an Indian flair. Tasty. I felt full after lunch. I had some carrots and hummus for a snack a bit ago and am starting to think about dinner. Clearly I'm not going to go hungry.

There's a lot of thought that's gone into the food I'll be eating. I've been looking at cookbooks and for recipes on line so I'm actually excited about the items I'll be eating instead of just sticking with steamed veggies and brown rice (and tofu at dinner). I think that's an added bonus for me because this is going to get me out of my comfort zone of always eating the same things because they're easy to cook. If you knew how many times a week I cook something with a Mexican twist. Some of you actually do know first hand - RTL! It's a lot. I also end up eating a lot of cheese that way, which may not be my healthiest choice.

I saw the Krispy Kreme flyer in today's paper featuring TRIPLE chocolate filled doughnuts and for a few seconds wanted to scrap the cleanse and go get some. Maybe someday, I'll be able to have just one or a bite of one and not want to eat a whole box of them. That's the goal anyway.

Time for my dinner.

Golden Globes Glamour

Anna Paquin in Stella McCartney. Normally not a fan of anything in gold, but I like the cut of this dress. It's simple, yet daring. And it's something different than the most of the one shoulder or strapless numbers on the red carpet.

Sandra Bullock (who won the Golden Globe for best performance a motion picture drama for The Blinde Side) in a purple Bottega Veneta gown. Pretty sure the rain made the dress a little see through. Bummer. Perhaps her stylist had the rain in mind for her hair - sort of half up on the side. Not a fan, but you can't really tell if it's messy on purpose or messy because of the weather. In that case, it's a win.

Jamie Pressley. She's a tiny sparkler! I'd like to see this bead/sequin work on a dress cut like Anna Paquin's dress above. Combine the two and we'd be in business.

Susan Downey. Pretty Dress. Perfect for the wife of a nominee. It's not too flashy, not too fashion-forward where she'd be the one in the spotlight. They look good together. I would have made him shave his goatee though. The whole sculpting a goatee or beard deal, it's too contrived. I was happy that he won, he was entertaining in Sherlock Holmes.

Maggie Gyllenhaal in pink dress by unidentified designer. Something about this dress says Origami. Will she be able to fold up her dress into a giant swan at the end of the night? I think the dress is pretty, but would lose the asymmetric one shoulder bit and just go for strapless. Also, her hair is too severe for the dress. I would have liked to see her hair down with some soft waves.

Julia Roberts in vintage Yves Saint Laurent. Here's what I don't get, this dress is technically a black long sleeve dress. Nothing spectacular, right? This is a going out to dinner dress, not a presenting at the Golden Globes dress. Meh, I was not impressed.

Drew Barrymore in Atelier Versace. Um...this might have worked if there was only one small spiny hedgehog-looking attachment to the dress. There definitely does not need to be one on a woman's hip! For the love of God. It looks like a growth of some sort. Not a good thing. And it's a one shoulder dress...*shakes head*. How does this dress get picked? Did someone have to talk Drew into it or did she pick it willingly?

Kate Hudson in Marchesa. Beautiful. Nice to see Kate in something that is a little different for her. There's no whiff of patchouli with this dress. The only drawback to the entire ensemble is that in this particular photo, being able to see only the front of her stacked heels really bugs me out. It makes it seem like she's wearing some chunky white orthopedic shoes.

January Jones in Lanvin. She's totally channeling a 60's era Barbie and I dig it.

Courteney Cox Arquette in Victoria Beckam. Simple and elegant. I really like this and would probably pick something similar if I had an award show to attend. Maybe a little too safe for the Golden Globes though.


My overall thoughts on the show - no to the asymmetric one shoulder look. I'd probably hold my own umbrella if it were raining on my award ceremony night. Definitely a long dress. Mo'nique's acceptance speech made me get all teary-eyed. I was happy for Jeff Bridges (the Dude). I want to see Crazy Heart now. I love how even though it was raining on the red carpet all the lights make it look like it's sunny. There's something to think about. Even in the utmost dark, light, positive thoughts make all the difference.

Did you have a favorite look or moment from last night's Golden Globes?

Chow

Wow! There's a show on the Travel Channel called the Chow Down Countdown. Each episode features 20 eateries that are worthy of being featured on a show that includes the words Chow Down in the title. I happened to catch a bit of the 80-61 show the other night. Looks like they've only aired two episodes so far, so if you play your cards right, you may be able to catch the first two and the new episodes as they air.

My initial thought upon seeing some of the featured dishes, "this is why Americans are fat". Interestingly though being someone who loves to cook and eat, I couldn't get enough of the show! It was total food porn. Clip after clip of amazing, drool-worthy food located all over the country that I will probably never eat. Here are a few of the features that stood out to me. And if you've got some extra time, a few pics from the episode can be found here.

#76 An ice cream sundae called the Kitchen Sink.

#75 The Buffet at the Bellagio looked like it was a mile long and had amazing looking everything.

#73 A ballpark with a burger served in a grilled Krispy Kreme doughnut.

#67 A five-pound burrito called Burritozilla.

#64 Round Rock Donuts. A place that has a doughnut so big they use a five gallon bucket as the dough cutter.

Watching one episode made me totally hungry for junk food in huge delectable portions. It's probably a good thing that these places are located all over the country and not in my back yard! Probably also a good that I don't have cable to be able to watch shows like this on the regular.

One of my favorite out of town food memories is when I visited Sherman's Dairy in South Haven, Michigan on a high school camping trip. I had been on the road with classmates for nearly two weeks traipsing around out west and we stopped in South Haven for an almost-home snack - ice cream cones that were GIGANTIC! I like to say that large portions of food are "bigger than my head," but look at that picture, the cones really were that big!

Wonder of Wonders

Wondering:

Why Facebook makes suggestions about people you should get back in contact with. I think the suggestion has only worked a couple times on me. I haven't heard from anyone random lately, so I know people who are getting me as a suggestion for a wall post or message are ignoring.

How I should celebrate my upcoming birthday. This one seems like a big one and I'm not terribly excited about it, so I'm trying to think of something fun to do as a diversion to the fact that I'll be one year closer to 40!

When I should embark on The UltraSimple Diet. Supposed to be a great way for a 7 day cleanse and to figure out if you're allergic to certain foods, while still eating actual food. I'm pretty sure I have some food allergies that have gone unchecked. Need to do it soon before I get too far into training for the River Bank Run.

When my tax documents will get here. I usually wait until sometime in March to file and want to file as soon as possible this year. TurboTax makes filing so simple. I've used it for several years now and am a fan.

If I'll be able to get through my book club book, Cleopatra's Daughter. It just came in the mail yesterday and I'm already on chapter 4. Only 16 more to go!

What are you wondering about?

Paparazzi

During a recent conversation with K, we discussed what it might be like to live with paparazzi trailing your every move. Can you even imagine? I do not think I would enjoy it.

Today they would have snapped me walking to lunch in my work-at-home clothes (thankfully I was not working in my pajamas!), no make up, hair in braids with winter hat on. Hat stayed on to cover messy hair throughout lunch. There would have most definitely been shots of me scarfing my grilled cheese and tomato soup. Although, now that I think about it, we chose our table wisely, the paps would have had to be in the restaurant to snap either of us. We were sort of hidden. I guess we're savvy in pap-avoidance techniques without even knowing it.

Every minute detail of your life would be documented. Bad hair days. Comings and goings. Who you're with. Who you're dating. Questionable outfit. Are you going to the gym regularly? Weight gain/loss. Did you fall asleep in that meeting? What are you buying at the grocery store?

I think it would be particularly terrible if you were going through a break up. They'd get you with puffy eyes if you forgot to don your shades. If they're photographing you, they'd most likely also be photographing your ex and whomever he might be canoodling with. Uck.

While I would not enjoy having my life documented by the paps, I do enjoy seeing the lives of others documented. I know, it's not fair, but that's how it is. I'm also not getting paid millions and millions for the work I do. Hang on while I go check my google reader for the latest celeb news and photos.

do not like

We went to lunch at Qdoba today and I can still smell the restaurant grill smell on my clothes. I'm so not a fan of food smells permeating clothes. I even went as far as to leave my giant winter parka in the car so my coat wouldn't smell. So while the parka may have been able to escape being bathed in the pungent aroma of lunch, the rest of my outfit, not so lucky.

Dear Qdoba,
What exactly is going on in there? Do you need better ventilation. I think you do. Seems funny that you'd have a restaurant - you cook food for customers - and not have adequate ventilation for those customers. It's not like it's a surprise that you cook huge volumes of food every day. It's not like you're grilling up veggies and quesadillas for yourself for lunch and all of a sudden there are hundreds of people who want to eat lunch with you so you're forced to prepare food in less than adequate conditions. You are a restaurant for crying out loud!! I want to eat your food for lunch. I don't want to smell like my lunch after I eat it. I'm considering breaking up with you. Remember the sweater incident? (*)You were on my list for a couple years after that situation. Do you want that to happen again? You're on thin ice, my burrito-making friend. Don't think I don't have other burrito making friends in town. I'm just saying. Please do us all a favor and review your ventilation system.

-*fish

*many years ago. The ex and I visited the Qdoba on 28th Street between lunch and dinner. We were two of maybe four people in the place. I somehow left a light sweater behind. I called the restaurant within a half hour of our departure. When I described the sweater, they said they had it. I went back shortly after the call and they tried to pawn a fleece from the lost and found box on me. It was so not my sweater. I'm pretty sure one of the staff members snaked the sweater for themselves. Of course there was no way for me to substantiate my suspicion, but it took me a couple years before I'd even consider eating there again.

New Banana Bread Recipe

Trying new recipes is something I want to make a part of my new year, and hopefully I'll share my discoveries with you along the way.

I've been making my own Chocolate Chip Banana Bread for years. It's my mom's recipe and instead of adding walnuts, I add a half a cup of chocolate chips. I love it, but when I saw this recipe from Confessions of a Tart for a slightly healthier version that uses less butter, slightly less eggy-badness (one full egg and two egg whites), buttermilk and whole wheat flour, I bookmarked it for the next time I had bananas that had turned a corner.

It was time. The recipe is pretty straight-forward. The one thing I wondered about was the 34 grams of applesauce. Turns out its 2 Tablespoons, which is explained in the butter line just above the applesauce line in the recipe. I used Sir Mix Alot, my KitchenAid Mixer, instead of a hand mixer, but I'm sure the hand mixer works just fine. I didn't have whole wheat flour, so I used all white flour instead of mixing it like she does. I also used 3 1/2 bananas to yield 2 cups of mashed banana. I guess it just depends on the size of your bananas. I also used soy milk that I added about a teaspoon of white vinegar to instead of buttermilk. All told, it turned out just wonderful. Next time I want to try it with the whole wheat flour though to see if you can taste the difference.

Winter Wonderland

Winter Wonderland by *fish

One thing that hasn't changed with the new year, it's still winter here in Michigan! I created this fun Winter Wonderland inspirational collage featuring some of my favorite looks, textures and colors. I love the idea of incorporating a little luxury into an outfit, whether it's the sparkle a pin or necklace or sequins for a special occasion. I tend to get into the rut of turning to my warmest, softest clothes in the dead of winter and just keep repeating the same looks. I went through my closet yesterday to organize it a bit. I still had some summer pieces that needed to be put away. I'm now set to take on the winter cold and will remember to add a splash of color or a little sparkle to liven up my go-to cozy, warm outfits.

Happy New Year!

Wow, it's 2010!

This year, I'm on a quest to do new things, to become more engaged in my community and keep learning about myself and the world around me.

One thing that I won't be changing in 2010, training for and finishing a good number of races. I'll do my second 5/3 River Bank Run in the spring, my second Lowell Half Marathon in August and I'm even contemplating running a full marathon later in the season. I'm so glad I started running and am psyched for another year of training and races.

My family is going to have a reunion this summer. Everybody in the same place for the first time in probably three years. It's about seven months away, but I'm already looking forward to all the fun times we'll have together.

What are you looking forward to in 2010?

Best Dress(es)!

My friend K sent me the link to InStyle's compilation of the 100 Best Dresses of the Decade this week. She then blogged about her favorites. Taking her cue, I painstakingly scoured the list for my own favorites and share them with you here.

Kate Hudson in Versace, from 2003 is the # 1 dress.

Eva Mendes in Dior from the Golden Globes in 2009.

Gwen Stefani in Valentino at the 2004 Golden Globes

Cate Blanchett in Prada, 2000 BAFTA Awards

Kate Beckinsale in Givenchy, 2001

Halle Berry in Diane Von Furstenberg, 2006

A couple things I noticed right off the bat in looking at my choices, seems I prefer white/off white and sparkly. I'd wear each and every one of the dresses unaltered, except for the Eva Mendes dress. I'd have to take the front pouf off. The whole silhouette would be much more streamlined without it. It reminds me of a droopy flower. The only way I'd keep it on is if you could carry small items or snacks in it somehow. Since I doubt that, it's got to go.

The jewelry in all looks is very minimal, save for the Eva Mendes dress and she's rockin' the turquoise, which I LOVE! Halle's even got a simple strand necklace with turquoise beads.

While going through the list, there were a few dresses that came to mind that were not on the list and I thought should have been.

Michelle Williams in Vera Wang, Academy Awards 2006

Isaac Mizrahi, 2008

The yellow Vera Wang dress on Michelle Williams is one that sticks out of all the dresses and all the awards shows over the last decade. How could it not? She looked lovely and it's such a striking dress! A true stand out. The Isaac dress is a fun one because my sister in law M and I often choose a dress to "wear" for the Oscars. We'll ask, "who will you be wearing?" In 2008, this was my dress! I'd love to see it in person and OMG, to actually wear it for an occasion! I wish I had a dress up occasion coming soon! I guess I'll have to create one!