Guess What?!?!

Ryan and I are engaged!!!!! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!

And I must say, the Groom-To-Be is quite the sneaky one. Because I had NO idea it was coming. NONE! He caught me completely off guard and had me thinking it would be a couple months since he wanted to save up for a ring. Little did I know he was just throwing me off!!!! Oh, he's GOOD. REAL good ;)

So, last Thurs. 7/2 (one of THE best days of my entire life) I worked a half day and then came home so Ryan and I could spend the latter part of the day together. I knew we were going on a picnic (one of our favorite dates at the beginning of our relationship) but didn't know where. He wanted it to be a surprise where we were going. The whole drive down the 405 S, I was joking with him asking "is this the exit?" and "so where are we going and when will we be there?" He wouldn't budge.

We pull up to the Casa Romantica in San Clemente (pictured above) which is this amazing beautiful historical site that overlooks the ocean and pier. It's breathtaking. So we had our lovely picnic that Ryan prepared complete with yummy cheeses, figs, bread, crackers, wine (shhhh), and electrolyte water to keep us awake...hehe. And enjoyed each other and the beautiful views and our day together. It was PERFECT!! And I STILL had no idea. The thought crossed my mind that "Wow, this would be the most amazing place for him to propose...maybe he'll TAKE ME BACK HERE someday." Ironic, right?

Then, he cleared the table and we went into this amazing conversation expressing our appreciation for one another and how lucky we are....yada yada. Nothing out of the ordinary or formal, per se. But THEN.....he pauses and says, "I brought you here for another reason," said some really sweet things that I OF COURSE can't remember it all, reached in his pocket, got down on one knee and proposed!!! And I was BLOWN AWAY!!!!! So happy and ecstatic and speechless and it was just so surreal.

The way he proposed was perfect, the location was perfect, what he said was perfect....I just feel so incredibly lucky :) Good work Mr. Wagner. Love,your soon-to-be Mrs. Wagner....ah!! Crazy.

Then we had dinner reservations at Vine which was superb. Yummy food and wine and dessert and it was just so lovely. He selected that place specifically so we could return there for anniversaries and special occasions. So thoughtful.

I am incredibly blessed to have Ryan as my partner for life and best friend. I CAN'T WAIT until June 2010!!!!!!!!!!!

King of Pop (1958-2009)

It still hasn't sunk in that Michael Jackson is actually gone.

Rest in Peace, Mr.Jackson. My heart goes out to his family and kids. THE ultimate dance AND music icon. A true legend. Despite the scandals surrounding the latter part of his life, there is no denying his unparalled talent. He will truly be missed.

What is YOUR favorite MJ song? Mine is "Smooth Criminal." Loves it.

P.S. How CUTE is that baby tiger in the pic above?!?! I WANT one!! I would totally take it out for walks and snuggle with it. Sure, I might lose a couple body parts, but it would surely be worth it ;)

Um...yeaaaaahhhh...

Remember when I said I'd wait until AFTER I read my next book club book before I started the 4th and final "Twilight" book? Um...yeahhhhh, so, the next book selected for our book club is called Shantaram...and it's 900 FREAKING PAGES!! I've never read a book that long....the only thing that compares is the last Harry Potter book which was 800 something pages.

Well, we have until the end of September to read Shantaram, so...I thought it wouldn't be a problem to buy "Breaking Dawn" at the aiport the other week to occupy myself until I got home to buy my book club book. Yeah, I'm on page 500 something of "Breaking Dawn" and STILL have not made it to the book store to get the book club book. Whoops! Ohhhhhhhhhhh wellllllllllllllll. haha, I seriously have a Twi addiction...I may need an intervention....

My predictions for the best show EVER!!

I'm loving the new season of SYTYCD! So good. I really liked the disco number from last week with Brandon and Jeanette especially. RiDICulously fast!!
I also loooooved the contemporary dance that Jonathan and Karla did. Especially that song. It's so beautiful!
So, my prediction is the following 4 will make it to the end: Ade, Brandon, Kayla and Karla. I may change this prediction every week of course...but that's where I'm at for now.

SURE, I'll call you right back.

I just love it when evil ad sales reps (no offense to anyone reading this that may be an evil ad sales rep) call me at work and say, "This is so-and-so, and you can reach me at 123-456-7890, look forward to hearing from you!"

Really, these types of people should teach classes in ad sales. Because, what could be MORE compelling for me to call an ad sales rep back than them NOT telling me what company they're calling from or WHY they're calling/what they're offering. Great work. GREAT work. Not that I get hounded by sales reps EVERY DAY and therefore, never answer outside calls while at work. But sure....I'll make an exception and call you RIGHT back because YOU'RE special. Promise ;)

I'm a TWI fan

Yes, I admit it. I was resistant for SO long. I didn't care to read about stupid stupid vampires in high school. Not my thing, sorry. Most of my friends have read the Twilight series and have raved about it. And I still declined.

Until my birthday, when my friend bought me the first two books. Game OVER. I'm so addicted. It's not even funny. I get made fun of by my man relentlessly. And I don't even care; I am SO into these books, it's a problem. I stay up way too late reading them. I read them INSTEAD of my book club books. Such a rebel, I know. I need to buckle down and read "Memory Keeper's Daughter" since our meeting is next Thursday. Yikes! I don't regret finishing the 3rd book, Eclipse, of the Twilight series instead though.

So....freaking....good! Can't wait to read the 4th. May need to wait until AFTER I read my next book club book ;)

THAT'S healthy!!

So I'm leaving the gym this morning and I see this woman walking up the stairs to the gym's entrance, puffing on a ciggy. Really?!?!? You think that's the best idea, lady? That can't be good for you. I equate that with gobbling down a Big Mac burger right before working out. Kind of defeats the purpose in my opinion. I'm sure she's gonna have LOADS of fun doing cardio. Bravo, chick. Bra-vo.

Ahem...."shaving tips"

Alright guys....in case you've always wanted to know the right way to shave "down there" here's an informative instructional video! Yes, I'm not even kidding. Gillette is hilarious.



"Trimming the bush to make the tree look taller"....LOL! What other related "sexual similes" are there?!?!

I love PASO!!

Memorial Day weekend was stupendous! Made plans to go to Paso Robles a few months back, and decided to make a mini-road trip out of it. Stopped in Los Alamos to feast on some of the best pizza I've ever had at "Full of Life Flatbread." It was so incredibly tasty and fresh and inventive. And the town itself is super small and quaint, but the restaurant was bustling. Quite a reputation.

Then we stayed in Morro Bay for the evening and spent the morning there. Got to see the illustrious "Morro Rock" which was pretty cool. Also browsed an ArtWalk while there and got this cool funky wind chime made from 19th century silverware...I love all of the creativity at those fairs!

We made a stop in Cayucos next which is a cute, saloony beach town. All of the beach towns in Central Coast have their own flavor. Had lunch at Hoppes outside in their garden which I also highly recommend.

Paso was AMAZING!! We totally are going to live there some day. We stayed at the B&B Hollyhock Farms and they had chickens and roosters and rams and cats and dogs....so adorable. And the freshest tastiest eggs ever! Ate dinner at awesome restaurant called Artisan.....all I can say is YUM!! And their trio of creme brulees were the BOMB!!!

Wine tasting was fun, but, I learned a lot for THE NEXT TIME!! Like, I should pace myself and not slurp down EVERY wine that Tobin James Cellars gives me (eventhough it was quite delicious) and drink more water, and plan for lunch in the middle instead of only eating the "cleanse your palate" bland crackers...and, we went to 6 wineries....yeah, I would have been good with 2 or 3. The wino nap afterward was divine though :) I definitely would love to go to a "olive oil" tasting next time too!! Discovered I absolutely love the 2006 Opolo Mtn. Zinfandel too. Soooooooo good. Good we got a few bottles to take home from Long's Drugs there too!!

On the way back, we stopped in Avila Beach and got some of the freshest fish tacos ever at Pete's Pierside Cafe....Wahoo's has some competition in my eyes now ;) Then we took a drive through Arroyo Grande and saw Huasna Farm (Ryan applied for an internship there a while back) and it was breathtaking.

Then we spent 2 1/2 hours on the "101 parking lot freeway" near Santa Barbara. Fun fun! All in all, such an amazing trip.....I want to be back there now :)

Oh, IT'S ON!!!

Finally! My most favorite TV show is back on the air for it's Fifth Season!!! Oh, how I missed you so, SYTYCD!! In honor of the season premiere, I've posted one of my ALL time fave numbers back in Season 3. The Samba routine by Lacey and Danny (actual routine starts at the 1:00 min mark). H-O-T!!!



And, another fave from Season 4, with Mark And Courtney doing Jazz to "Garden." So creative and twisted. Loves it!



Ok, ok, one more....the "Pas de Deux" by Katee and Will to 'Imagine'...simply breathtaking!

Mother Lover!!

Wow, I just discovered this snl digital short and IT IS SCANDALOUS!! I can't believe NBC got away with airing it. Way worse than both "D--- in a box" and "J--- in my pants." Pretty freaking funny though. Enjoy!!

No Doubt? Really??

So I was at PT (Physical Therapy) the other day, and No Doubt was performing on the Today Show. We were all rocking out to it (Patients, Aides, and Therapists alike). And then a 16 year old patient states, "So who is No Doubt anyway?"

Wow, really?!?!? I was shocked to find that this seemingly normal teenager had no idea who No Doubt is. And then it occured to me. I am THAT old. I remember when I was a teenager and my Mom would rattle off bands I had never heard of and I would think to myself, "Omigosh, my Mom is SO out of it and likes all these old-fashioned bands." Now, I'm in the generation where teens will have never heard of Sublime, Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden (also bands this kid had never heard of by the way). Wow. The time has come, hasn't it?!?!

Speaking of PT, it's been going really well. Love the office and the people that work there. Except...I got the "lazy" therapist. I see all the other therapists really connected to their patients and focused on what they're doing when they're working on them. Not mine. He'll start doing work on my knee for all of 45 seconds, and then zone out, start a random conversation or watch TV, with no focus on what he's doing.

It drives me CRAZY! And, he's been away on vacay for the past week, so I've had a fill in therapist work on me. She was SO much better. I get to have a nice little talk with this dude tomorrow. Fun fun! I'm paying for this though....the least he could do is...I don't know...DO HIS JOB maybe?!?!

The Wonderful World of Arugula

So this may sound strange, but I just discovered my love for arugula. This past weekend.

Ryan got some to garnish with, and I've always been familiar with the taste, but have really only had it mixed in with salads. And I kid you not, whenever I've had salads with arugula in it, I've thought to myself, "Wow...what IS that delightful leafy green in my salad?" I never pinpointed the source until now.

I find this so bizarre considering I must have ingested arugula 473 times...atleast! I guess I never cared enough to dissect a mixed green salad to find out what the source was for the yumminess on my palate.

So...since this recent discovery, I've doused every meal with a ton of baby arugula on top. It's almost comical. But, it really enhances food in my opinion. Cilantro too. I'm a cilantro fiend!

The reason for all of this "herb" talk is I'm on Day 10 of my two week (Phase 1) Fat Flush Plan and I'll take any seasonings or herbs I can get! It's been a journey for sure, but I'm really glad I've been doing it. Nice to cleanse the system and it's been a huge wake up call to how poorly I had been eating. Lots of processed crap! No more. I'm all about fresh foods and really limiting the salt and sugar I put into my body.

Amazing Lemur Rescue!

This story is incredible!! So these lemur parents were playing with their baby in Little Rock Zoo, and then the baby fell in the water and couldn't swim! So two of the zoo keepers jump in the water, and one of them gives the lemur baby mouth-to-mouth and resucitates the little guy. There's video too.

Makes me think of that one scene in "Something About Mary" when Matt Dillon gives CPR to the dog. Hehe.

Tantalizing "Tide Table"

Does a memory ever pop into your mind from a completely ambiguous train of thought? This happens to me all the time. The human brain is truly fascinating in that way.

Anyway, I saw something animation related, and it triggered this memory of my most favorite artistic animated piece that resides in SFMOMA. It's by the South African artist named William Kentridge and the film is called "Tide Table." When I lived up in SF, I would always visit this exhibit, and watch the 8 minute piece over and over again. I'm completely captivated by the beauty and rawness. It's haunting and poetic. And the music that accompanies the film takes my breath away. I'm so glad the memory of this piece popped into my head today!!

Here are a couple links to it...
1) A two minute clip of the film
2) A live musical performance accompanying the piece
3)Artist's discussion of the film

Here's some info about the artist...
South African artist William Kentridge is widely regarded as one of the world's most influential artists making work today.

He was born in Johannesburg in 1955 where he continues to live and work. An exploration of the human reality of South Africa's political situation has been at the core of much of his practice and his work presents an arresting and forceful commentary on the contemporary cultural and socio-political issues in South Africa. Inspired by music, opera, literature, and banal or troubling everyday events, the artist creates highly personal and often haunting works in a variety of media.

Gorgeous Gardens

So we went to the Huntington Library out in San Marino on Monday for my birfday and it was glorious! Beautiful sunny day outside and gorgeous weather. We liked both the Desert and Japanese gardens the best. It really motivates me to have my own garden one day. It's amazing how greenery and nature and plants can make me feel so happy and refreshed!

Then we finished off the day by going to the Spaghetti Factory which I hadn't been to in ages. The Mizithra Cheese spaghetti dish is RIDICULOUS!!! So good. I could totally eat that every night for dinner. Granted, I'd probably be 400+ pounds in no time, but it'd totally be worth it ;)

Marvelous Meniscus!!!

So, I went to the ortho doc this morning, and I felt like I was awaiting serious test lab results...the suspense was killing me! Surgery or not, surgery or not...just tell me already!!

He brings up my MRI scan on the computer (pretty cool) and said my MCL is SEVERELY sprained and inflamed...it looks ballooned 5x the size it should be. Probably why I can't straighten my knee all the way, huh?!?!

And....the Meniscus is FINE! Thank you for holding up Meniscus. You're one tough cookie.

So, no surgery required which is great. No TRI either which is poopy, but hey, there are other TRIs out there this year. It's all good. It will be 3 whole months before I'm able to do normal physical activity though. So I get to be super patient. And, I'm thinking milking this injury for all it's worth and having Ryan wheel me around in a wheelchair at Disneyland for my bday (since bday peeps get in for free!!!) so we get to the front of the line. Shhhh, don't tell!

P.S. I totally have the same injury as the Lakers Center, Andrew Bynum. Yeah, I keep up with NBA athletes so I know all the scoop...haha, yeah right. I didn't even know who Andrew what's-his-name was until today. But, it is quite glamorous we share the same injury. I wonder if he's sporting the gimp walk too!?!?

Mighty Meniscus

Yeah, I wasn't familiar with the "meniscus" either until only recently unfortunately. Went to Mammoth last weekend and had a fabulous day skiing. On Day 2, which would have been a 2nd fabulous day of skiing, I instead did a not-so-graceful splits in my skis (1st run of the day mind you on a "green" trail) and my left knee twisted underneath me.

After I balled my eyes out for 3 whole minutes (not because of the pain but the thought I may not be able to participate in the TRI I've been training for), I skied down the rest of the run, and my knee has NOT been feeling too hot ever since. I walk with an awesome limp. It's great. My new nickname is Gimpy. Loves it.

I went to the ortho surgeon this morning and he said it could be two things: (a) just a sprain/tear to the MCL which would require no surgery, or (b) MCL tear AND Meniscus tear which WOULD require surgery...but only a few weeks rehab. I'll know next week after the MRI scan. Woohoo!!

Although I'm hugely disappointed about not being able to participate in this upcoming TRI, I consider myself lucky considering other injuries to the knee could require 6+ months of rehab. And my ski accident could have been A LOT worse. A LOT. My heart goes out to Natasha Richardson's family and friends. So tragic.

Quackity-Quack

So, aside from our neighborhood feline, Max (who we call Maximus, Maxxy, and when he's bad....Maxi-pad)...we now have two new animal residents of the bird variety in our apartment complex. A ducky couple! They're pretty darn cute. And they hang out by our pool all the time. I make "quacking" noises whenever I walk past them. I'm totally THAT girl.

And each time I see this cute duck pair, it brings a smile to my face. They're adorable. However...they weren't so adorable at 7am this morning! Granted, I should have been awake anyway and been throwing on my gym clothes for my daily TRI training session, but heck, I'm entitled to snooze atleast 15 times, and, the "cute" ducky duo were NOT helping. The first couple "quacks" I heard were endearing. And when it reached about the 50th quack, I was ready to throw a shoe out the window at them. I was NOT happy.

Is there a way to remove a duck's voicebox by chance? Only kidding!!! I would never even fathom such a thing. Geez. Relax. Hehe. If they could just schedule their "quacking" sessions between the hours of 10 am and 5 pm, that would be much appreciated though.

I'm a fan of stones

Hot stone massages that is. We had a girls' spa day and I decided to change it up and go with a hot stone massage. I had never had one before...I usually go with the standard "use and abuse" you deep tissue massages to work out the knots in my back.

And let me say...I LOVE hot stone massages. I thought it'd be really gimmicky...like, ooooo, let's slap these hot stones on you and charge you $50 extra bucks for leaving pock marks essentially all over your body and the stones stay hot for all of 7 seconds. And I was pleasantly surprised because the masseur kept reheating the stones and actually massaged WITH the hot stones which felt so freaking cool. I may just have discovered a pricey indulgence. Oh geez.

So, I've gotten a lot of massages in my day...especially given my chronic shoulder injury...and I always feel weird with male masseurs. I had a dude who gave me the hot stone massage...and he was probably in his 50s or 60s....I couldn't decide if that was more or less creepy. And he wasn't inappropriate in any way (if he had been, he would have received a welcoming knee to the groin region). Oftentimes, I'll request a female masseuse so I don't feel weird in any way, but male masseurs can typically apply more pressure.

Maybe next time I ask for a flaming male masseur, so I get the best of both worlds?

Oh, they're BACK!!

I never thought I'd see the day where Hyper Color Shirts were brought back!! I thought that was a fad that was sure to stay in the past. Apparently not.

Because now YOU can buy your very own Thermochromatic t-shirt from American Apparel too!

Personally, I think they were a lot more exciting the FIRST time around.

Halo

So, I must admit...I've had mixed feelings about Beyonce. In her Destiny's Child days and when she released her first solo album, I was ALL about her. Strong, independent woman with a breathtaking voice and curves to admire. Awesome.

Then she became all diva-ish and the radio and TV were both saturated with Beyonce. So, I've been pretty OVER her for a while now.

Even the "Single Ladies" song...while it IS admittedly catchy, it also makes me kinda want to scream and hurdle something across the room.

But....her song "Halo" is one of the purrrdiest songs I've heard in a long time. It brings tears to my eyes. It's truly beautiful.

Check out the video here.

I especially like this verse here: I found a way to let you in; But I never really had a doubt; Standing in the light of your halo; I got my angel now

So Beyonce...we cool for now ;)

Don't hate the gamer, hate the game

It's official. We have become "gamers." We would rather play our Wii than do outdoor activities a majority of the time I'd have to say. Lovely.

We did manage to make it outside Friday night to grab dinner and do some awesome shopping at Whole Foods (I could spend hours in that grocery store by the way). But really, I think we both secretly couldn't wait to get home to play Mario Kart for the first time.

My awesome coworker lent me the game (steering wheels and all) and we had A BLAST playing it!! It's so freaking fun. I really don't like the "Ghost" race though...I think it's in the "Shell Cup" maybe? Yeah, that one is ridiculously hard.

Ryan was making fun of my "racing skills" since I seem to think I have more control over my driver when I really lean to one side with my arms and put my body into it...almost hitting him in the face...several times. He's says it's a "chick" thing. Whatever. I can totally kick his butt, any day of the week. Bring it.

Wii Be Fit

So with all the great things I've been hearing about Wii Fit, I had already been thinking of this really convincing argument on why we should TOTALLY buy it and why the value would be much greater than some other game my guy would probably want more.

And just when I thought I'd be throwing on my negotiation gloves...guess who was on the phone hunting down Wii Fit at nearby stores when I got home from work last week one night? You guessed it!!

The game FREAKING ROCKS! And, um, yeah, it's pretty fun and entertaining to play after having a strong margarita with dinner too. Yup. Especially the hula hoop balancing game. All I gotta say is the vision of Ryan hula-hooping with an imaginary hula hoop will stay with me for a LONG time.

LOL.

Say My Name!

So I just went on to yahoo to check my e-mail and the following headline caught my eye: "Cows with names make more milk." Wow, really? Yeah, I had no choice but to click on the link. Article here.

Turns out,some research study conducted in the UK discovered that cows "with names" make 3.4% more milk than cows without names. Golly gee, ain't that somethin?

The article goes on to say that it isn't simply the name, per se, but the "personal touch" and attention that keeps these cows happy, thus producing more milk.

Wow, I guess happy cows DO make great cheese...and milk, apparently!! Yeah, I TOTALLY went there.

Back to Gymmy

So, I may have snoozed 4 times, but I finally made it to the gym this morning after my much needed hiatus (which may have last 1 month too long...but we don't have to get technical).

Anyway, dragging my sorry behind out of my comfortable bed in the morning is BEYOND challenging. And, it really just is a mind thing. And I need to constantly remind myself of that. Because once I actually get to the gym, it feels freaking great!

I went and worked out at the 24 hour fitness near our apartment for the first time (on 19th Street near Triangle Square in Costa Mesa) and it's an awesome facility. Me likey.

What I don't likey is how my cardio endurance went waaaaay down during my hiatus. Meaning, next time I take a break, it better be a bit shorter! I just need to upload some new tunes to my iPod and I'll be set! NB Triathlon...here I come :)

P.S. That pic is totally of me at the gym. It was really early in the morning...that's why it's so dark ;)

It is SO on!!

Guess what Ryan's parents and sisters got him for his birthday this past weekend? I'll give you two hints...(1) I am so pumped on his gift that it was like it was MY birthday too!, and (2) my right forearm and bicep are ridiculously sore from playing with it the past few days.

Yes, you guessed it. We got a Wii!!!!! I guess the accompanying photo may have been a 3rd hint.

I'm convinced that Wii and 24 Hour Fitness, Bally's, LA Fitness and other gyms across the country should partner with one another and have "Wii" stations where people can work on building up their "Wii arms" and various machines. Granted, I guess the same could go for improving one's game at "actual" tennis (like the kind you play "outside"), but, let's be honest, I'm most concerned with improving my Wii tennis game.

Welcome to Office!

What a magical historical day it is. Obama exhibited honesty, inspiration and greatness in his speech. This particular part gave me chills.

"This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed -- why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath." - Barack Obama

Glad to have you here, Mr. President.

P.S. Did anyone catch Arethra's performance? Hrrmmmmmm...nice...hat?

Helloooo, Mr. President (elect)

Is it wrong and totally inappropriate that I think our soon-to-be Prez is....I don't know...kinda...fairly attractive?!?!

Yeah, that's what I thought...forget I said anything ;) Hehe

Speaking of Obama, has anyone read "The Audacity of Hope" or "Dreams from my Father?" Trying to decide which one to read first (and how I will fit them in between book club books!)

Tomorrow, Tomorrow, I Love ya, Tomorrowwwww!

So we went and saw the musical Annie last night at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood. And, can I just say, it was FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC!! I loved it. So cheery and light and fun and happy. Don't get me wrong, I love the emotional, epic, heart-breaking, gut-wrenching musicals like the rest of them (Les Miserables being my favorite), and, it was a nice change to watch a production that was just so...so...fun!

I love the songs "Tomorrow", "Maybe" and "Hard Knock Life"...they have all been in my head on rotation since last night actually. Such classics. And, I'm not accustomed to seeing a musical with so many adorable kiddies in it! The kids playing the orphans were so talented and precious! Especially the smallest one, Molly. The Playbill claims she's 7, but she looked about 4. We were giggling every time she was on stage....cute as a button.

The Miss Hannigan and Grace actors were the best by far. Outshined Annie and Warbucks actually. All in all, great production, great time.

On TARGET!

I never get sick of Target. It really is a "one stop" shop.

So, the apartment decorating is coming along, slowly, but surely. And, Ryan's Momma suggested that instead of putting another painting up in our room, we get a vase and stick a bundle of those "stick thingies" in it.

I was thinking I'd be making a trip over to Pier 1, but thought I'd try Target first...just in case.

To my surprise and delight, I found EXACTLY what I was looking for!!! I found this vase and this bundle, and it looks AWESOME!! So, if you're ever in the market for a vase and "stick bundle" thingie...check out Target ;)

You say Po-tay-to, I say Po-tawt-o

Yeah, so remember when I was all inspired and working out every morning for the triathlon? Well, after all of that hard work, a bit of a break...a "hiatus" if you will....was definitely in order. I was figuring a few weeks or so...then, I'd be getting my butt back to the gym.

Umm....2 months later...HAVE NOT been to the gym yet. The couch is just too comfortable! What can I say? My bed is too comfortable in the morning, and the couch is calling my name after work. I really have no choice in the matter if you think about it, right? RIGHT?!?!?!

Oh geez, I really do need to get back to a work-out schedule....next TRI is in April!!! Let's get'er done.

P.S. I SO wish I had that green fancy couch like the one pictured above!!

You did WHAT in your pants?

One of THE best SNL video shorts of all time.

Loves it!!

Yum Yum, you Chez?

So when we went up north for the holidays, Ryan was all about us going to the famous Chez Panisse for dinner in Berkeley. What makes this dining experience unique from your typical "fine dining" eatery is that the food there is local produce that is organically grown and harvested in ecologically sound ways (I totally got that from the website by the way).

I was a bit skeptical walking into it...thinking it would be one of those "shi shi foo foo" restaurants that gives you portions the size of a post-it note and is way over hyped. And, I must report that the restaurant delivered! Way beyond my expectations!

Let me start off by saying that even though Ryan had an "in" (one of his friends is a waiter there)....we couldn't get a reservation until 9:45 pm on a Monday night! And....the place was PACKED when we got there. A good sign I guess, right?

Very earthy, rustic, homey ambiance....waiters were extremely attentive. We split the following dishes...
-Oysters on ice (decent...nothing special)
-Handmade pasta with fancy mushrooms, peas and sauce (excellent!!! so delish)
-Oven baked caramelized squid (it sounds gross but was sooo freaking good)
And....three desserts...
-Apple tart (of course I loved it....it's pie!!)
-Lemon sorbet (super refreshing)
-Chocolate ice cream with hazelnut (chocolate heaven)

Granted, the descriptions they had were waaaay fancier than what I described above...that's just my "layman's term way" of describing everything.

So, if you're ever in the Bay area...I encourage you to check out Chez Panisse....and might be a good idea to make a reservation a month in advance! The next "shi shi foo foo" place we want to try is French Laundry in Napa. Or...I could just have a special certain chef just cook me an AWESOME meal so we don't even NEED to go to Napa!!!! (wink wink)

Let's Bookity

Happy New Year Everyone!! Wow 2008 was freaking great! And 2009 is going to be just as great...if not the GREATEST-EST!! Cheers to that :)

Okay, so I have sooooo NOT been keeping up with my Book Club posts. So....a year in review.....we read....

1) Eat, Pray, Love (excellent...highly recommend it)
2) What is the What (too long...didn't finish it....it's alright)
3) Skinny Bitch (interesting read...influenced me to stop eating poultry/meat)
4) Three Cups of Tea (couldn't really get into it...really inspiring story but dragged a little)
5) Tortilla Curtain (decent...I'd recommend others over this one)
6) Devil in the White City (LOVED IT......it's a historical thriller and one of the best books I've read in a long time)
7) Snowflower and the Secret Fan (I was a total slacker and didn't read the book for that month...it's on my list though!!)
8) The Other Boleyn Girl (fascinating and SUPER long...highly recommend it though...I hear it's much better than the movie).

So, onto 2009, our next book is "The Last Lecture"....and, thankfully, it's only about 200 page (vs. Boleyn girl which was like 600+ pages). I just finished it the other day and it was just beautiful. It's a book filled with short stories from a computer science professor by the name of Randy Pausch who taught at Carnegie Mellon and it contains ways to "live out your childhood dreams." Very poignant and insightful.

And touching and sad at times because Randy was actually diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at age 47 (with 3 small children) and was told he'd have about 6 months to live, thus the "Last Lecture." He passed away in July 2008, and left such an amazing legacy for his wife, kids, friends and students. Truly inspirational.

It's a beautiful book. I absolutely recommend it. Quick read, great nuggets of wisdom in there. You can check out video for the actual lecture here.