ted talks: gratitude

Friends, 


You think today is just another day in your life. Its not just another day. Its the one day that is given to you. Its a gift. Its the only gift you have right now and the only appropriate response is gratefulness. 

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.”

TED talks: chimamanda adichie, "the danger of a single story"

"Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice -- and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk critical misunderstanding."  source

"The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that are untrue, but that they are incomplete. They make one story become the only story." - Chimamanda Adichie 

So happy I stumbled across this talk. Chimamanda Adichie is one wise and insightful woman! I encourage you to take a listen. It's 20 minutes of honesty and pure enlightenment. It will most definitely enrich your perspective on the world. 

embracing otherness, embracing myself

"Imagine what kind of existence we can have if we honor inevitable death of self, appreciate the privilege of life, and marvel at what comes next. Simple awareness is where it begins." Thandie Newton

English Actress, Thandie Newton, talks about the theme otherness and the notion of self. In this talk, Thandie suggests that when you realize and really understand that your self is a projection and has a function, a funny thing will happen. You will stop giving it so much authority. You will begin to respect your self as its function. Overtime, and with practice, You will begin to live more and more for your essence, or otherness. She believes that if you can do that, incredible things will happen. 

Her words are incredibly insightful and I encourage you to take the time (12 minutes) to listen to her words. Make a nice cup of tea, turn off the tv, radio, or anything that will distract you, sit back and just listen :)