Every year we celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving at our house with lots of food, drinks, and friends. (You can read about last year here.)
The only picture we took together!
The ladies
This year was probably the most stress free event we’ve had yet (though the bar is set pretty low considering we almost caught our house on fire four years ago… #allofthestress).
It was a gorgeous day yesterday, perfect for hanging out at our outdoor BBQ pit! Mike manned the grilled and made burgers with Keg spice (the seasoning from the Canadian steakhouse chain) and Canadian cheddar, while I made poutine (a Canadian staple). We found REAL cheese curds this year; which is a big deal for us because in the past, we’ve had to use sliced mozzarella and it just hasn’t been the same. Mike also made homemade gravy for the poutine.
We had an array of different Canadian chips and candies for people to snack on while the food was being made and, of course, Canadian beer, wine, and rye.
This year, Mike and I also made little cards with Canadian fun facts and trivia. I thought they turned out really cute and were hopefully interesting!
For dessert, Mike made Nanaimo bars. They are delicious with a TON of butter in them (are those synonymous?). Unfortunately I dropped the ball on pictures this year and didn’t get any of the dessert or food! There was just too much fun to be had. 😉
Owen wasn’t very entertained with our selfie
** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe.**
In school, I was the student who was nice to substitute teachers. While a lot of my classmates took advantage of a free range day in class without the “real” teacher there, I dutifully obeyed whatever instructions the sub laid out for us.
Make no mistake, this did not earn me cool points with my peers. In fact, being “nice” has somewhat carried a negative connotation for me my whole life.
Recently, two friends remarked I was “like a dog, I was so loyal.” They didn’t mean any ill-intent by this comment but I was instantly taken back to my classroom days, helping substitute teachers figure out how to turn on the overhead projector (remember those?!) and getting mildly made fun of for being a teacher’s pet.
In all honestly, there were times when I tried to abandon my nice girl ways. Most of my friends were way cooler than I was. I joke now that I wasn’t a cool kid in school, I just somehow – gracefully – made friends with some key cool kids who wore the right clothes, made the right jokes, and didn’t seem to have the sensitive streak or emotional attachment that I did…
I’ve never really been able to flee too far from my nice-girl ways. But I’m starting to embrace this side. Some may see it as a sign of weakness but I disagree. To me, kindness is the greatest strength of all.
I think we are generally seeing a shift towards this realization in our Western culture. There are things like the Kind Campaign and a growing awareness surrounding bullying. I see my friends who are parents striving to teach their kids about compassion and being inclusive.
It just may be becoming cool to be kind; and for once I can say, I was ahead of the curve.
** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe.**
Mike and I just got back from a great week visiting friends and family in the Toronto area. Instead of breaking down each day, moment by moment, I thought I would try something different and showcase the highlights of our stay instead!
Friday, 9/23/16:
We took the redeye to Toronto from SFO and I was able to sleep a lot longer than I thought I would! When I woke up and looked at the map/ETA, we only had 1/2 hour left until landing. Score!
Saturday, 9/24/16:
After breakfast with Mike’s parents, we napped for a bit. Then we headed to a beer and cheese tasting at a local garden store that was closing down for winter. Seems random but it was a lot of fun. We sampled some delicious cheeses and the store had really cute things to look at. They also had a photo booth that, of course, we participated in.
Photo booth fun
For dinner, we went to The Keg with family friends, Carole, Nikki, and Maria – a favorite tradition of mine! The food and company are always great but I didn’t snap any pictures… Next time.
Sunday, 9/25/16:
We spent the day reliving Mike’s childhood at Canada’s Wonderland. The park wasn’t too crowded so we spent most of the day on rides instead of in line. Big win.
At Wonderland!
After we got home, Mike and I walked to a nearby eatery called Turtle Jacks. I ordered the Greek salad and tomato soup. This wasn’t really a highlight of the day but since this blog is partially about eating healthy, I thought I would include it (plus, I remembered to take a picture…..).
Soup on a cold evening, so comforting.
Monday, 9/26/16:
We headed into the city for a Jays game with our good friends Melissa and Davin. The Blue Jays didn’t win 😦 but it was a good game nonetheless. And it is always so good to see Melissa and Davin.
Classic elevator pic
Selfie Us-ie at the game
Mike actually watching the game…
Tuesday, 9/27/16:
We stayed in the city and ventured to Toronto Island. There was a small farm on the island and we saw cows, pigs, chickens, peacocks, alpacas, donkeys, ponies, goats, and a few other animals. A part of me hates how much I love to see animals up close because I want them to be free and livin’ large in the wild but they were all soooo cute, I couldn’t get enough.
A miniature donkey in da house!
Pretty peacock
More soup for lunch 🙂
We also met Mike’s good friend Alex in Kensington Market, a cool little area of the city that reminded me of Haight and Ashbury (with less smoke shops and tattoo parlors).
Mike and I went to Oakville in the morning to rock climb and then met with Melissa and Davin again at Kerr Street Cafe. I have been wanting to try this cafe since I read about it on Oh She Glows and it didn’t disappoint. Like Angela, I ordered the Buddha Bowl. Noms.
On Wednesday evening, my good friend Jeff and his finance came over to Mike’s parents for dinner. Jeff and I met in college and he nows lives in Canada with his bride to be. It was really good to see him since we live so far away now and don’t get to hang out nearly as much as we used to. (Ahhh.. the crazy stories we have to tell.)
Any time spent with good company, good food, and wine is a highlight in my book.
Thursday, 9/29/16:
Mike and I spent the day in Niagara near the falls. We had a really good day together, walking around and exploring in the drizzle. We had a room there at the Sheraton (where I also stayed in New York) with a Falls view. It was a perfect cozy day spent with my man.
Started the day with Tim Hortons!
That view!!
Friday, 9/30/16:
Mike’s parents met us at Niagara Falls and we did the Hornblower Niagara Cruise, to see the massive waterfalls all up close and personal. It feels like you are right at the base when you are out there, which is two parts amazing, one part terrifying.
Photo cred: Mike
Selfie!
Drinks with a view 🙂
Saturday, 10/01/16:
On our last day we went into the city again and ate lunch at one of our favorite brew pubs, Mill Street Brewery. After lunch we did a sake tasting and walked around downtown for a bit, ending the day with a beer at Steam Whistle Brewery. A lot of drinking but also a lot of walking!
Beer flights
Sake!
We left to come home on Sunday morning and we’re already looking forward to Mike’s family visiting in December!
This week we are prepping for Canadian Thanksgiving celebration this Sunday – check in next week for a recap. 🙂
Stay tuned and eat your greens!
** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe **
This year we celebrated Mike’s birthday at one of our favorite places, Squaw Valley in North lake Tahoe. It was a long weekend and on Saturday morning, after fueling up at our favorite local bagel shop, we set out on the 4 hour drive to Tahoe. We arrived around 12pm; just in time for lunch! Since check in at the resort wasn’t until 4pm, we decided to eat and then spend time on the lake kayaking.
We stopped at Tahoe Brewing Co. for lunch and split a flight of beer, chicken wings, and a hummus + avocado wrap. Typically I aim for one carb meal, one protein meal, and one combo meal (carb and protein meal) in a day. For me, this is the most effective way to maintain a healthy body weight while not feeling overloaded with restrictions. Of course, I’m also sure to load up on veggies whenever possible! Our wings and veg wrap was the perfect combo meal and kept me full for hours.
Unfortunately the lake was too choppy for us to kayak after lunch, so we opted for drinks poolside at the resort before our room was ready.
We had dinner at the property pub and then back to our room for gifts, scotch, and games! Mike’s actual birthday was on Sunday but I couldn’t contain myself and made him open his presents early. 😉
Opening presents fireside 🙂
On Sunday we rode our bikes to Olympic Village, where we did a little repeat afternoon from a few years ago and took a gondola up, up, up to the top of a mountain where there is a pool and hot tub (!). All day was like, hot tub, pool, drink, snack, rinse, repeat. 🙂
On our way up!
For dinner I took Mike to Six Peaks, one of our favorite fancy places to dine! Everyone is so friendly there and the food is ah-mazing; it’s hard not to have a great time. We started with a charcuterie board and then each ordered a filet mignon and shared side of truffle mashed potatoes and asparagus. They brought Mike dessert for his birthday that (we think) was banana pudding in a cookie-crust bowl with bananas, whip cream, and chocolate shavings on top. I don’t think we would have ordered it if we saw it on the menu but, like everything at Six Peaks, it was heaven.
Our view of the pools at dinner
Strong after-dinner selfie game
On Monday, Mike woke up early for a swim. I met him a bit later for tea and hot tubing! We spent a lazy morning alternating between the pool and hot tub. SO MUCH POOL TIME THIS WEEKEND.
Morning bliss!
Since we weren’t able to kayak on Saturday, we tried again before we left and luckily the water wasn’t as choppy! We spent a hour on beautiful lake Tahoe, kayaking together and taking it all in. One of my favorite things about mine and Mike’s relationship is how much we do together. He urges me to explore the world through activity (bike rides, hikes, kayaking, etc.), while accompanying me on my never-ending quest of healthy eating and compassionate living. I don’t think I could have picked a better partner!
After working up an appetite on the lake, we broke into our cheese, cracker, and prosciutto leftovers from dinner the night before. Then, still hungry and needing more food, we went to Rocker@Squaw and noshed on (more) wings and a veggie plater with hummus and Green Goddess dressing. NomNOM.
After lunch we stopped for a coffee and one last splurge at Dorinda’s Chocolates – best sea salt caramels in all the land!
As usual, our time at squaw did not disappoint! Now the countdown is on for when we return in December with Mike’s family. 🙂
Stay tuned and eat your greens!
** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe **
We spent the weekend camping in Yosemite and I’m already jonesing to go back. Aside from a quick drive through with my grandparents when I was younger, this was my first time spending the night in the majestic national forrest.
Every year our friend Ben (who we went to Tahoe with in February) plans a trip with a bunch of friends; meals are divided between everyone, wine and different beers to sample are shared, there are campfires and singing, a talent show, and even a custom made T shirt for that particular trip.
On our first night there was a meteor shower, so around 12am and we headed down the river’s edge and got cozy under the stars. I saw the brightest, biggest shooting star within the first 10 minutes we were there. It was spectacular (!) but the rest of the stargazing fell short in comparison… After 45 minutes or so (and no more huge shooting star sightings) we headed back to camp and called it a night. …or so we thought.
Both Mike and I had trouble sleeping the first night. Finally – at one point when we were both awake at the same time – we decided to go back out to the beach for some more meteor searching. The best time was supposed to be around 4am so we thought we would have better luck on our second round.
Instead of making it down to the sand again, we ended up folding our towels into makeshift pillows and laying on the bridge connecting the camp grounds to the beach. This was both very romantic and terrifying at the same time. My mind kept alternating between us sharing a rom com-esce moment – sweetly laying hand in hand on a bridge underneath the stars – and a horror movie with a predator bear on a killing rampage & two star gazing lovers making for a tasty appetizer. Yikes!
When I wasn’t movie-montaging my life, I was concentrating on the sky. It ended up actually being later than we thought (around 5am – the things you don’t know when your phone isn’t attached to you!) so we didn’t see too many shooting stars but, nonetheless, there is just something about being surrounded by nature, isn’t there??
Our stargazing bridge
We went back to camp and were able to sleep for a few hours, waking up around 9:30am for a slow and delicious morning. I happily learned that there was coffee for sale at the general store nearby. We were staying at Housekeeping, which is almost glamping (oh hey!) with the showers, laundry facilities, a store and, most importantly, fresh brewed coffee on the premises. Mike and I took a stroll down to the store and filled up on caffeine while breakfast was being made. When we got back we had eggs, bacon, waffles, and fruit to fuel us for the day.
After breakfast we all went for a hike to lower Yosemite falls and let me just say, highlight of the trip! To get to the falls you “hike” – but really rock climb – up about a mile or so. The climb up itself was a lot of fun (especially since I’ve recently got back into rock climbing and felt like a little ninja up there, demonstrating all of my bouldering abilities) but nothing prepared me for the gorgeous scene that was waiting at the top.
Picture a rocky nook hidden in a waterfall’s stream with big boulders lazily laying all around and water pooling, making the area a swimming hole. A little rock oasis, tucked away. When the waterfall is at full power and – well, water is falling – this place is unreachable. But this past weekend the water was more trinkling than falling (a watertrinkle!) and we took full advantage.
Word to the wise, use a Go Pro, be sure to constantly wipe the thing down so water spots don’t ruin your pix! At least half of our pictures are blurry because we forgot to…
After a few hours in the water, we hiked back down to our camp site; just in time for lunch! Ben’s dad and stepmom had an amazing spread of homemade chicken pesto salad, assorted breads, hummus, chips, Mary’s Gone Crackers (my fav!), fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, and cantaloupe. Yummmmmmy!
Next we went back down to the river, armed with rum and floaties.
The river!
We left the beach after an hour or so and went back to the campsite. It mine and Mike’s turn to cook for everyone. We made a salad and fajitas, which turned out to be great for vegetarians and meat eaters!
After dinner we were transported back to college and played a few rounds of beer pong. I learned that I’m still terrible at the game and Mike quickly replaced me as a partner… We ended the night with a few rounds of a new board game Mike has been playing (with a title that isn’t very PC).
The next morning we went to brunch at The Majestic Yosemite Hotel. I didn’t even know this existed and, to be honest, it was a little off-putting to see such a grand hotel in the middle of a national forrest… Don’t get me wrong, brunch was good but I couldn’t help but think do we really need couches, a flat screen TV, and a fireplace in Yosemite!?
Fun fact: I did learn the Obama’s recently stayed there by eavesdropping on a another table’s conversation with a waiter. I think I was literally craning my neck to hear more.
After brunch and packing everything up and said goodbye. Having taken our bikes but not having a chance to ride them, Mike and I decided to bike to the hike from the day before (rhymes!). It was as amazing the second time around as it was the first and a great way to end a fun weekend!
THAT view though
Can’t wait to get back there next year!
** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe**
It’s another first of the month (how is it already August?!) which tends to bring on a new “challenge” for me. In June, I experimented with something different. I focused on my mind instead of my body and tried for a No Negative June.
Negativity is so easy, isn’t it? I’ve noticed how go-to gossip and complaining are (for me and likely many others) in conversation. To talk trash or gossip can easily become our social crutch when we feel we don’t have anything to say or are just getting to know someone. It takes more effort and thought to talk about something deeper than just complaining.
I still fall into this trap even after my No Negativity June. When I’m stuck in an awkward silence, I feel myself scrambling for a bit of recent gossip or a complaint forming on the tip of my tongue.
In the end though, I realize these conversations don’t add much value to my life or relationships. I want conversations that are both positive and that make me think harder or in new, brighter ways. I want depth and substance. I want them to be a reflection of my values and who I want to be.
It was effective to be conscious of this in June and I am really trying to maintain mindfulness here. It is important that my conversations – the stories I tell, the jokes I laugh at – and the information I absorb – the people I engage with, the news I read – serve me well.
Stay tuned and eat your greens.
** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe**
We had a double whammy of weekends away this month from Mexico to a mini family vacation just north of Santa Barbara. A few weekends ago, Mike and I met my grandparents, my mom and my stepdad down in Solvang, CA.
Mike and I arrived at the airbnb we were staying at shortly after my grandparents had. We took a quick tour of the house and were pleasantly surprised with the digs.
When I booked our accommodations a few months ago when I had read reviews about chickens living on the property and the fresh eggs that were supplied from them. I couldn’t wait to try organic, free range (backyard?) eggs AND meet the chickens who produced them.
Sure enough, there were about 2 dozen fresh eggs waiting for us in the refrigerator; plus, organic milk, almond creamer, bagels, cream cheese, orange juice, and organic coffee. 10/10 would recommend.
Since my mom and Andy were still a few hours away and the four of us were hungry, we decided to check out the Firestone Walker Brewery. Mike and I love trying news beers and this place did not disappoint! I ordered the Easy Jack IPA (yum, yum IPAs!) and Mike got a seasonal sour. For food, my grandma and I spilt the ribs with mashed potatoes and veggies and a small plate of mac n’ cheese. Mike ordered the flank steak and my grandpa got a burger with fries. The meal was decadent and delicious.
After dinner we stopped at a local store for a sweet treat. Armed with 3 different cookies, we headed back to the house and waited for my mom and Andy. My grandpa and Mike are both engineers and get along well. It is always nice for me to sit around with my family and Mike and simply just chat. Some of my best adult memories so far are having my grandparents over for the weekend and spending lazy mornings around my kitchen table, drinking coffee (for me and my grandpa) and tea (for Mike and my grandma) while talking politics (luckily we all generally agree with each other!).
Shortly after my mom and Andy arrived we all went to bed, full from cookies and conversation.
Between cups of coffee and getting ready on Saturday, my grandma and I went outside to meet the chickens on the property. Then it was time for FRESH eggs, y’all (one complete with a little feather still left on the shell).
After breakfast, we drove into downtown Solvang. It was already HOT so we were glad to get there early and score pretty good parking. Solvang is a cute little Danish town that – in Mike’s words – resembles the ride It’s a Small World at Disneyland. We popped into a nature museum (random) to start the day. The things you do to beat the heat, ok!
After the museum, my mom was hungry but – having had a later breakfast – Mike and I were no where near ready for lunch. So, instead, while everyone got a bite to eat, we went exploring. A few streets away we found Copenhagen Sausage Garden and spilt a grapefruit beer and a few sweets while sitting outside on the patio. This beer tasted more like juice than a brew and was perfect for a before-noon drink. Also have I mentioned it was hot out?
We met back with my family to go on a trolly tour of Solvang next. Interesting tidbit was the history we learned behind the saying it’s “raining cats and dogs.” Which came from roofs being made of grass and when it rained, outdoor pets will climb to the top of these roofs and start digging and digging to get inside where it is dry. If they were successful in digging, it would be “raining cats and dogs.” Bam!
After the tour, Mike and I were ready for lunch. We went back to the sausage garden and spilt a grilled pølse (a red sausage that I def had to google) and the charcuterie board. So much meat for this veg loving girl!
Next, my grandma, mom, and I hit up a few thrift stores, which is one of the most environmentally friendly things you can do(!), while the guys went to check out a motorcycle museum. We were all pretty tired after so went back to the house for some quick power naps before dinner.
We were celebrating my grandpa’s birthday so dinner was at an Italian restaurant nearby our airbnb called Trattoria Grappolo. We sat outside and enjoyed one of those perfect evenings when the breeze finally kicks in and you get a bit of a reprieve after a scorcher of a day.
The rest of our night was mellow back at the house, turning in again for another early bedtime.
On Sunday morning, Beverly (our airbnb host), taught us all about the chickens on the property. We were able to feed and massage them too. (Who knew chickens love a good back rub?) After our lesson, we packed up and headed to OstrichLand.
OstrichLand has both ostriches and emus. You are given a bowl of food to feed the birds, that is glued to a metal dustpan so you can extend your through the fence. The ostriches are way more aggressive when eating than I thought so I stuck to feeding the smaller emus. We were only here for about 20 minutes but I recommend going. It’s cheap and cool to see those massive birds up close.
Next we went to Anderson’s Spilt Pea for lunch. Mike and I weren’t hungry this early again so we sat and enjoyed the company instead. (Though I did snag a bowl of Anderson’s famous spilt pea soup!) After lunch it was time to say goodbye and get on the road. 😦
Since Mike and I hadn’t eaten lunch we decided to stop at the other Firestone Walker Brewing Co location in Paso Robles (different location, more north). I ordered the Pivo (and liked it so much we bought a 6 pack to take home) and we spilt a chicken burger and the mac n cheese (again).
The weekend was a huge success with a great place to stay, some of my favorite company, and really good noshes. What else could a girl ask for?
Stay tuned and eat your greens!
** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe**
For the past 3 years Mike and I have celebrated 4th of July with our friends Gary and April, who moved away from us to Los Angeles. 😭
This year, we flew past LA and headed a little more south to Puerta Vallarta, Mexico!
The only bummer about our trip was that I still had to wear bandages on my chin from having stitches removed last week. Before we left I was feeling pretty sorry for myself because I was going on vacation with these ugly, blood soaked bandages on my face (that I couldn’t get wet!) but I mostly got over it before we left and just accepted it.
Mike and I left from SFO early Saturday morning and arrived in Mexico late that afternoon, with the flight being just under 4 hours. Right when we stepped outside of the airport, the humidity hit me (and I slightly regretted not taking the free margarita that was offered as we made our way through customs). Luckily the car wasn’t too far and there were ice cold Coronas waiting for us to slurp down as we drove around the bay to Punta Mita; the luxurious property that we stayed at for the weekend. …Now feels like a good time to mention this is not how Mike and I typically vacation! Gary had an great hookup from a friend and we would have never stayed somewhere so amazing without it.
Coronas in a cooler for our drive to Punta Minta
Tester picture to see how bad my bandages looked… they were hidden the rest of the trip
I loved the ~45 minute drive to the property. Everything in Puerta Vallarta was colorful and beautiful. Most of the buildings had art painted on the walls and, as we moved our way out of the city, the land was green and endless. Plus there is just something exciting about being somewhere completely new.
The anticipation of a great vacation set in when we drove through the gates at Punta Mita. Holy gorgeous! The house we were staying at was a beautiful 3 bedroom place that included our own private infinite pool in the backyard, a hot tub on the upstairs patio, an outdoors shower connected to mine and Mike’s room, and a golf cart for us to get around in. YES PLEASE SIGN ME UP!
Our room!
Getting ready to explore
After we toured the house and unpacked, we headed to the small downtown area for dinner. We went to a restaurant called Sí Señor, which was located right on the beach. We appropriately started the night with a round of margaritas and toasted to our vacation with good friends in a beautiful place!
For dinner I ordered the verde chicken enchiladas that came with a side of refried beans. I also tried the grilled octopus Gary ordered as an appetizer. We ended the meal with tiny scoops of guava sorbet that was as delicious as it was refreshing.
Dinner with a view on our first night
Guava sobert in a cute turtle bowl as dessert
After dinner we headed back to the house and spent the rest of the night in the backyard pool, drinking beers and catching up. Overall it was a relaxing first few hours in Mexico, just the way I like my vacations.
The next day we slept in and had a lazy breakfast at the house. Around 11am we took the golf cart to one of the beach clubs on the property. I was amazed by how luxurious this place was! There was a huge infinite pool with lounge chairs sprawled along the edges. And just down a few more steps there were more lounge chairs on the sand, right along the shore. Since we were one of the first groups to arrive, we scored plush chairs with mattresses on them and two umbrellas to keep us shaded throughout the day.
We alternated between dipping ourselves in the pool and our toes in the waves (or, my toes at least… Mike, Gary, and April were able to go in and get their faces wet). We ordered drinks and drank tons of bottled water. We applied layer after layer of sunscreen and still managed to get burnt. We ate chips and guacamole poolside and then, later, burgers and onion rings and seafood and salad at the beach club restaurant. We were there for the majority of the day; soaking in the sun, the booze, the atmosphere, and each other’s company.
Around 5pm we headed back to the house and went straight into our backyard pool again! A little while later, April made cheese quesadillas for dinner. Then, armed with micheladas, we went back outside to stargaze and watch a thunderstorm
Strategically placed Modelo…..
Bliss…
Can you spot the chicken?
On Monday, our final full day in Mexico, we decided to go explore Sayulita, a town about 30 minutes from Punta Minta. Sayulita is a fun, cute beach town and I am so happy we went! The only downside was that we didn’t realize most places only accepted cash, something we didn’t have much of on us. Luckily we found a restaurant that accepted card, where we ate lunch and had a few beers.
After lunch we spent the cash we had on popsicles and walked around town. I wish we stayed longer but it was so hot and humid, we left shortly after lunch.
Group selfie
Love in Sayulita!
After a quick power nap at the house, we headed back to the town nearby for our dinner reservations at Rosa Restaurante Mexicano. Again, we started our meal with a round of margaritas. We munched on chips and the best salsa made fresh right at our table while we waiting for our food. I ordered roasted shrimp with veggies and sweet potato mash. For dessert we ordered churros and ice cream. Normally a loud and rowdy bunch, we joked that the four of us had never been as quiet as we were licking up every last drop of dessert.
On our way back to the house we decided to take a detour through the golf course. The sun was just setting and it was gorgeous out. Zipping through the grass – and coming up with excuses in case we got caught on the course – was probably one of my favorite memories from this vacation. Particularly because our adventure landed us at a nice restaurant where we decided to stay for a few rounds of drinks.
April and I both ordered the Gin Gin Martini (twice) which was a refreshing blend of ginger and cucumber. We enjoyed our drinks with our toes dipped in the pool. There was also a few fireworks for the 4th of July, that Gary and Mike went and watched while the girls enjoyed catching up more.
We ended the evening splashing around in our backyard pool again. Suffice to say, we fully utilized that pool having spent every night in it. Few things beat a personal pool with a view of the beach!
The next morning, after packing all of our stuff, Mike and I took the golf cart to check out a pier that was nearby the restaurant where we had drinks the night before. We saw giant pelicans at the end of the pier, a ton of little fish that they were likely snacking on, and – on our way back – an iguana on the side of the road.
Our car picked us up around 1pm to take us to the airport and, having only had a banana and coffee for breakfast, I was starving. Getting through security was a breeze and we were having our last meal in Mexico shortly after arriving at the airport. In an effort to eat some veggies, I ordered 2 slices of vegetarian pizza (definitely not a typical last meal in Mexico). A few hours later we boarded our flight and were on our way back to San Francisco.
My No Negative June is coming to an end and it has been hard to remain positive over the past few days; granted this is because of an injury that has left me feeling pretty helpless.
This past Saturday Mike and I went for a bike ride and, as we were riding downhill, approaching a red light, I face planted off of my bike and onto the street. I was putting my water bottle away when I noticed the red light and – because we were going down hill – I nervously tried to reduce my speed. The problem was I only used my left hand/break which caused my front tire to stop but not my back. The next thing I knew I was facedown in the street with blood gushing out of my chin.
Luckily an officer was nearby and she stopped to help us. Unluckily, I don’t have insurance until July 1st (tomorrow) since I recently changed jobs. This means all of my medical expenses have to be paid out of pocket.
The officer who stopped was really sweet. She called the fire department and EMT because I think my injuries looked a lot worse than they were. When I see (or hear or think about) blood, I become very nauseous. Since my chin was bleeding I felt very faint but I didn’t feel like I had a concussion or anything too serious. Nonetheless, the officer thought it was best to call for medical assistance. Up until this point I was relatively calm but as soon as one of the first responders came and told me I would likely need stitches – and I remembered I didn’t have insurance – I started freaking out.
The first responders took my blood pressure and were concerned because it was so low. They wanted me to take an ambulance to the ER. I immediately thought about all of the expensive ambulance bills horror stories I’ve heard and started to cry. There was no way I was getting in an ambulance without insurance.
The fact that I had just been involved in an accident – and was still bleeding – but had to be concerned about medical bills and insurance is disappointing. It astounds me that we don’t have a publicly funded healthcare system in America…
Luckily Mike was able to get a hold of a friend who graciously came and picked me up and took me to an Urgent Care nearby. Mike stayed with our bikes until our other close friends were able to come and get him.
At Urgent Care I had to pay $150 for the office visit alone and an additional $350 for stitches in my chin. A $500 bill! Thankfully I can afford this unexpected medical bill but truly feel for the folks who would have been put over their financial threshold because of one doctors office visit.
Stitched up and getting an I.V.
The doctor and staff were thankfully very understanding of how nauseous I become around blood. They even put on some “spa” music while the MD stitched my chin, while the nurses held my hands throughout the procedure. Mike & I chuckle at the site of mellow music playing on an iPhone nearby and both my hands tightly clinging to the nurses for comfort. As you can probably tell, I am a bit of a baby when it comes to these kinds of things and might be perceived as melodramatic… No matter, I’m just grateful for a gracious medical team!
I left Urgent Care a few hours later and quickly realized that my chin was actually the easiest thing to deal with in comparison to my other injuries. I had also scrapped my palms, forearms, knees, and maybe bruised my ribs? And while they were surface level wounds, my palms made a lot of things difficult to do Including bathing and brushing my hair; two things I like to do daily. Thank goodness for living with your boyfriend who can help you bathe and neighbors who will brush and French braid your hair… My ribs were better after a day or two but it was hard to sleep – because any movement cause rippling pain – those first few nights.
I am lucky to have Mike who helped me a lot while I recovered. And family and friends nearby. My mom and stepdad came over the day of my accident and brought me flowers, Neosporin, and pineapple (the doctor told me pineapple helps with inflammation). Our friends Sam, Shelby, Conor, and baby Owen spent their Saturday afternoon in the waiting room after driving me and Mike to Urgent Care (not to mention Shelby’s daily text messages checking in on me and making sure I am okay).
Aside from having a good supportive system to help me while I heal, it has been a painful and frustrating few days. Tomorrow is the start of July and this experience has put a kink in my project of No Negativity this month. I am trying to keep things in perspective and realize 1. my injuries could have been a lot worse and 2. I will, of course, be better soon. The one thing I can’t shake is the sadness that comes with realizing our “system” is not set up for people who don’t have insurance or close friends and family nearby.
I don’t know why but I love reading Day in the Life posts. Something about seeing what my favorite bloggers do in a normal, unscripted day makes me feel like I am getting a behind the scenes glance into their lives. Not that I expect anyone to love reading about my random Tuesday (except maybe my parents; hi mom!) but I still thought it would be fun to partake in this internet trend.
7am: Alarm goes off, hit snooze
7:10am: Alarm goes off again, hit snooze
7:25am: Finally get out of bed/get ready
7:45am: Make breakfast (I usually breakfast when I get to work but I had some cashew milk to use today)
8:00am: Leave the house with all of my bags for the day; purse, laptop backpack and gym stuff
8:15am: Hop on the shuttle to work
9:30am: Grab a latte and work for a while in a cafe on campus
11:30am: Snack attack! Time for veggies, hummus, and grapes
Yes, I have a mouse pad of my own blog…. 😉
1:00pm: Ride to Taco Tuesday!
3:00pm: Meet with a colleague to work together
5:00pm: Cardio sculpt!
6:00pm: Snack attack round II
7:00pm: Home/champagne + FaceTime with my good friend Nicole while dinner is in the oven
Nicole and I have been friends forever and her carefree, positive spirit is contagious. A definite gem to hang around during a month of No Negativity! Especially with life advice nuggets like, “just eat well, smile, and have a drink.”
Cheers to that, sister.
7:30pm: Dinner
Mike wasn’t home so a simple dinner of fishstix and garlic green beans it was!
10pm: Get in bed and write in my 642 Things To Write About book
10:15pm: Read for a bit before turning off the lights and going to sleep
That’s a wrap!
Stay tuned and eat your greens.
** Note this blog went through a rebrand and is now veg vibes; which aligns better with the direction I organically gravitated towards. It’s all about your vibe**
VEG VIBES 