this and that

this and that of early september: 

[latte art from Blue Bottle Coffee located in the Ferry Building Market Pier on Embarcadero in San Francisco]

[edamame hummus and red pepper spread vegan sammy. yum in my tum!]

[super succulent display. want the key to my heart fellas? gift me a succulent!]

[coconut kale chips i'm totally into making right now. got an oven or toaster oven like me? you're half-way there to enjoying these tasty, healthy treats! do it: 1) wash and dry some kale, 2) add a teaspoon of olive oil over the kale and lather - don't use too much or you'll have soggy kale :'( 3) sprinkle on some coconut butter, 4) bake at 225 degrees for 20 minutes or so - check 15 minutes in for crispness, 5) and ENJOY, doy!]

[rosemary marcona almonds from Bin 38 in the Marina in San Francisco]

[sea fog in the San Francisco Bay - taken from the ferry to Sausalito]

[Giant Dipper fun at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk! Sal, you're a legend...]

[favorite food combination at Cafe Brasil, one of my favorite restaurants in Santa Cruz, is (drum roll please....) the Acai Bowl (top) and the Peixe De Baiana (simmered white fish in tomato sauce)]  

our beautiful earth

After looking at these photographs, its hard to deny that our Earth is a beautiful thing. Its delicate and needs to be taken care of so our children and children's children can continue to benefit from its beauty. 

For tips and ways you can start going green to protect the environment, check out my previous blog post: go green this st. patty's day !

Did you know that there's an Earth day anthem? COOL!

It goes like this:

Joyful joyful we adore our Earth in all its wonderment

Simple gifts of nature that all join into a paradise
Now we must resolve to protect her
Show her our love through out all time
With our gentle hand and touch
We make our home a newborn world
Now we must resolve to protect her
Show her our love through out all time
With our gentle hand and touch
We make our home a newborn world

Enjoy :)

Bora Bora, French Polynesia 

The Iguazu Waterfalls, Argentina-Brazil Border

Meteora, Greece

Santorini, Greece

The Alps, Austria/Slovenia/Italy/Switzerland/Liechtenstein/Germany/France

Uluru, Australia 

The Grand Canyon, Colorado, USA

this and that

Obsessed with Pictionary-inspired iPhone game "Draw Something." Is it considered an unhealthy obsession if I play this game first thing in the morning, on the john, at lunch, while making dinner, before bed, doing yoga (ha, jk, but I'd do it if I could) ? 

Like my Skrillex drawing on the left? How about my cousin Carly's Yoda drawing on the right? She has a degree in Art if you couldn't tell... :)  

[SO pho-king good veggie pho bowl from Saigon Pho] 

First Pho experience at Vietnamese restaurant Saigon Dish in Hawthorne. Pho is a traditional Vietnamese beef noodle soup comprised of basil, bean sprouts, onions and scallions, bell pepper, carrots, lime and chili,  and greens. I got the Tofu Veggie Pho made with veggie broth instead of beef broth! Yay to Saigon Dish for catering to vegans, seagans, and vegetarians! It's light, flavorful, healthy, and is large enough to leave you with leftovers!  

  

[liquid gold sunset in Manhattan Beach Saturday]

Saturday's breathtaking sunset in Manhattan Beach. This photograph was taken on my iPhone with no enhancements/filters/whatever. What you see here is what I saw that evening. 

[flat white coffee beverage from Two Guns in Manhattan Beach]

Have you ever heard of a flat white before? A flat white is a coffee beverage originating from Australia . It is prepared by pouring microfoam (steamed milk from the bottom of a pitcher) over a single or double shot (I got 3!) of espresso. This type of coffee is a healthier alternative to a traditional latte because it uses less milk. You also will find that you don't need to add sweetener to a flat white. Don't ask me why, but you don't. It's sweet on its own... 

Two Guns Cafe in Manhattan Beach serves an amazing flat white for only $3! 

Starbucks beware. There's a new guy in town and he goes by the name of Two Guns! 

[image via pinterest]

My yoga instructor, Matt Rothert, on Sunday talked to us about the power of giving and how when you make a conscious effort to give (even if you don't have a lot), not only do you experience personal benefits, but receiving tends to follow. As the joy of giving flows out from you, new richness fills your life! 

Try it!

Keep in mind that giving doesn't necessarily need to involve your wallet. Giving can be done through small gestures such as smiling (smiles don't cost you a thing!) at someone you pass by, holding the door open for a group behind you, or picking up and throwing away a piece of trash on the ground. 

From Rabbi Harold Kushner, 

"We all have the power to give away love, to love other people. And if we do so, we change the kind of person we are, and we change the kind of world we live in.”

the most beautiful public spaces

[image via luxefinds]

"The Bean" sculpture by Anish Kapoor in Millennium Park, Chicago. It is made of 168 highly polished stainless steel plates, and stands at 33 feet high, 66 feet long, and 42 feet wide, weighing 110 tons. I like how the reflective surface captures and transforms the city skyline and your own reflection if you get close enough. 

[ image via luxefinds]

“Tiger & Turtle – Magic Mountain”, a giant sculpture in Duisburg, Germany by artists Heike Mutter and Ulrich Genth. Information about the sculpture by the artists: Here is more information from the artists: ”The curved flight of stairs inscribes like a signature on the landscape and recruits the nimbus of the classical roller coaster. Having a closer look, the public is disappointed in a disarming way. The visitor climbs on foot via differently steep steps the roller-coaster-sculpture. So the sculpture subtly and ironically plays with the dialectic of promise and disappointment, mobility and standstill. Visitors happen to briefly meet with oncoming visitors on the steep and about 1m | 1yd wide corridors. Led-lights are integrated in the handrails and highlight the flight of stairs so the sculpture is accessible at night, too.” I'd like to climb on this at night and take in views of the Rhine river and surrounding areas!

Located in Sienna, Italy, Piazza del Campo is an open plaza located at physical and cultural the heart of the city. I visited Sienna back in high school and this square made the most vivid memory. I love the way in which the square is outlined with quaint cafes and shops and if you're big into people watching like I am, Piazza del Campo is perfect for that because its layout allows you to see everything in the square from any corner! Sounds creepy, I know, but it's a real treat! 

The Champ de Mars is a large public greenspace in Paris, France. Umm, could you have a more beautiful monument to play frisbee, eat a banquet and cheese with a loved one, or take a nap next to? I think not. 

  

New York knows what's up when it comes to the holidays and how to decorate and transform the city into a winter wonderland! It's no surprise then that Rockefeller Center at Christmas time makes the list as one of the most beautiful public spaces to visit. I mean look at that tree! There are literally thousands of lights strewn upon that giant. All I got to say is I'm glad not to be the one in charge of decorating it! 

It's very clear that New York is the place to be during the holidays! Note to future husband: Take me here for the holidays one year PLEASE! :)

The Madrid Atocha Train Station is Madrid's largest and first train station. It was converted into a concourse with a beautiful tropical garden of palm trees and glass roof (as well as a nightclub and various cafes!) in 1992 after the city built a new train station adjacent to this one. I love the whole modern industrial meets nature vibe going on here!  

These are only a handful of some of my favorite places I've been lucky enough to enjoy; and some I'm still dreaming about going to. Out of the thousands of beautiful places out there, which is your personal favorite? It may be your local park or a national park. Tell me about it! I wanna know where it is!