I HAVE MOVED!

Hey everyone!

I’ve moved the blog HERE. New & improved layout, functionality.

Love you!

Jenny

New snack: pineapple slices with hot sauce

This weekend I was introduced to an amazingly delicious (and healthy) snack.  Pineapple slices with hot sauce. Yes, you heard right! It sounded odd to me at first, but the two tastes actually compliment each other magically.  It’s so simple, too:

pineapple slices

+

hot sauce

All you need to do is slice up some fresh pineapple and drizzle hot sauce over it.  I like Cholula (pictured above) or Frank’s Red Hot.

Trust me!

(Thanks Leo!)

wordpress.com to wordpress.org

eventually i’m going to be making the switch.  ideally i’d like to migrate all of my content/links over as well. anyone who has experience in doing this let me know – i’m about to dive into a whole new world here.

thx

perez hilton – black eyed peas

if you haven’t heard about the perez hilton statement, you are behind in the times my friends.

my boyfriend made a song about the alleged assault. he’s funny. check it.

Rockin’ Raw

Just wanna say I’m really psyched to try this.

New raw restaurant that opened in Williamsburg. I will clearly post an update once I’ve eaten here.

http://rockinraw.com/

http://www.freewilliamsburg.com/archives/2009/06/they_like_it_ra.html

http://www.welikeitraw.com/rawfood/2009/05/rockin-raw-brooklyns-newest-raw-spot.html

Amanda Leigh vs. Wild Hope

In 2007, Mandy Moore came out with Wild Hope - a suprising album that changed her entire musical direction. She may have lost some fans who wanted the old bubble gum pop Mandy, but she definitely gained a new following with her folky, heartfelt tunes. Supposedly inspired heavily by her breakup with actor Zach Braff, The album was very relationship-centric, focusing on moving on, coming to terms with heartbreak, breaking out of your shell and feeling comfortable in your own skin. It was truly a growing pains album for Mandy.  It seemed to come straight from her experience, and it brought forth so much emotion that my sister and I both cried at her concert during “Looking Forward” and “Gardenia.” Her vengeful tune, “Nothing That You Are” was the perfect song about being angry that someone you thought you knew turned out to be someone much different. A truly authentic, explorative  storytelling album that had me listening on repeat for months.

I was thrilled to hear that Mandy was coming out with another album, Amanda Leigh. Just the name of the album screams “I’m mature now! Don’t call me Mandy anymore!” This album is that, yes, but it also seems much less soul-searching and less emotion-driven. None of the songs really jumped out to grab my heartstrings the way they did with Wild Hope. This album’s focus seems to be a mix of the old, poppy Mandy (“I Could Break Your Heart Any Day of The Week”), and a folky/melodic sounding album (“Merrimack River,” “Bug.”). “I Could Break Your Heart…” is absolutely catchy, and sounds like something from her older albums. It’s a true summer song and (unlike anything from Wild Hope), I’m sure it will get heavy radio play.

“Everblue”, thankfully, has a tone reminicent of “Gardenia,” but comes from a lighter place. When Mandy sang and performed “Gardenia,” you could see the pain in her face. I get chills just thinking about it.

Songs like “Pocket Philospher” show that Mandy (or should I call her Amanda Leigh now?) has truly grown into a happier place (now married to singer Ryan Adams) and has found more of a home in her life. So should we be happy for her? Of course. How can you not love her – she’s disgustingly likeable. Does this mean her music may not touch our battered hearts as much as it did on Wild Hope? Probably.  For me, this album will be more background music than experiential. And hey, I guess that’s ok. Good for her.

Prep bowls. Schmancy but awesome.

I saw prep bowls for the first time on the Food Network. I thought they were just one of those unnessary schmancy things that gourmet chefs have in their kitchens. Well, yesterday I was at Whisk and I caved. I bought prep bowls. They were just so green and enticing. I couldn’t help it!  So after trying them out I must admit, they make cooking feel much more professional, clean and organized. I think I’m in love with them. Don’t let first impressions fool you. Prep bowls are the shit!

And yes, if you’re wondering, that is cilantro. I can’t stop eating it.

Couscous fail = unexpected masterpiece

Howdy kittens. Just wanted to share a sweet development in my oh-so-exciting world of couscous making. Yesterday my dear friend Gabby was on her way over to check out my apartment and I told her I’d make some food. Couscous sounded like a great plan. Only problem was that I put too much water in the damn couscous, so it came out soggy and mushy, almost like mashed potatoes. Ick!

What to do?! I had a quick moment of feeling complete idiotic failure and then it hit me – a lightbulb went on – I should bake this soggy mess and turn this ugly caterpillar into a butterfly!!!

So I decided to chop up some tofu, add salsa, hot sauce, and of course – copious amounts of cilantro – and then throw it all into a baking dish. Cooked it for about 20 minutes at 350 and voila! It was crispy and perfecto.My couscous fail turned into a couscous WIN! Once finished, add some more salsa or hot sauce on top, or whatever you want. You could even throw some sliced avocado on top, get real crazy with it.

Clearly you can see it was satisfying because Gabby passed out on my couch immediately after consuming. Success!

Quinoa Pasta

Hey Snickerlings! I am on such a cilantro kick lately, due to my obsession with researching it. It has made me appreciate cilantro in a whole new light! I feel so lucky and blessed that I was born with the cilantro-appreciation gene. If you’re reading this and you love cilantro, put it on your gratitude list!!! It’s a magical thing.

So I just thought I’d share a lil recipe I created last night (eaten only by me since my boyfriend is away…sigh).

Have you ever tried quinoa pasta? It’s – you guessed it – pasta made from quinoa flour.  I love quinoa and know it’s one of the healthiest grains around, so a pasta made from it is really exciting. It’s gluten-free too! I’m not a huge pasta eater in general (I think I’m scarred from the olden days of being on Atkins/Sugar-Busters/No-carbs/whatever), but I was curious to try this quinoa version.

It was a success! I used radiatore (did you know it’s named this way because it looks like a radiator?!), tofu, onions,  garlic, lemon juice (pictured in the bowl above), cilantro, salt, pepper, and earth balance.  After it was done, I will admit, I added a bit of cheese as well.  It definitely could have done without the cheese, next time I will skip that. I bet it would be spectacular with a spoonful of vegan cream cheese mixed in. YUM!
Anyway, point is, quinoa pasta is a great alternative to regular pasta! It comes in spaghetti form, as well as shells, radiatore, and probably others.  Bon appetit, my little nuggies!

update:  I’m eating the leftovers for lunch at work (notice calculator and highlighter in background, haha).  I added some hot sauce (which I keep at my desk) for an extra kick. Definitely a good choice!

Let’s talk about Cilantro, baby

Cilantro.  CILANTRO.  Yes, I want to talk about cilantro.

Lately I’ve heard a few different people mention this controversial herb, and I figured it was time to do some further investigation.  Cilantro, also known as Coriander, is a leafy green herb that  likely brings 1 of 2 things to mind: It’s either a mouth-watering citrusy taste that’s a welcome addition to any Mexican dish, or… it’s the equivalent of eating dish soap.

What gives? Why do some people LIVE for the stuff, and others won’t get within 3 feet of it? Initially I wrote it off as just regular old difference of opinion – but now I realize that cilantro-haters are not messing around.

Clumsiness and PMS

Hey female (and curious male) readers

I usually don’t like to write about squeamish topics like PMS, but I have noticed some hilarity today involving clumsiness. I’ve done a bit of research and many women report they are extra clumsy right before their period.

To be honest, clumsiness is funny to me, and as long as I don’t injure myself or others, it’s a welcome visitor – unlike the free-floating anxiety I tend to get, over nothing. Last night I had anxiety over whether to make vegan chili dogs or go to the movies.  Not cool, my friends, not cool.

So far today, the following has occured:
-I tripped on the way out of the elevator

-I ran into a glass door at a bakery (and then acted like nothing happened)

-I burnt my tongue on scalding hot soup

-My boss called me “disheveled.”

SUPER!

banana hammock

I’ve always wanted a banana hammock.  And when I say “always,” I mean for the past few months, ever since I went to St. Thomas and relaxed in a sweet hammock on the beach.  I wanted a miniature one for my house. And now I have one!!

Check it out.  Amazing, right?

Have no fear! You, too can have a banana hammock of your own!  Click here to order one. Apparently they help keep fruit fresher and “encourage better ripening.” Jackpot!

The Artist’s Way Workshop – Julia Cameron

Have you ever felt like you grew up a lot in a matter of a few days? That’s how I feel right now after taking Julia Cameron‘s 4-day workshop at the Omega Institute.  I did extensive self-discovery work, and the growing pains feel severe.  I’ve never felt so introspective before – it’s like I got an entirely new outlook.

I’ll write more about the specifics later, when I’ve processed it more. I’m planning to revamp my entire blog after doing the work from The Artist’s Way, too – so expect big changes here.

I met so many wonderful, talented and inspiring people at Omega. Julia Cameron is a magical, mysterious and undeniably wise woman and it was an honor to learn from her. If you were in the workshop and want to discuss anything, please comment here or send me an email – jennysansouci@gmail.com.

“Be willing to be a beginner. Good things will happen.” -Julia Cameron

my friends at the office

honorable mention

Just want to give a shout out to Kathy Dodd for a nice blog mention.

Love it when my worlds collide – my former RedPeg Marketing colleague, now involved with HerFuture in DC! The universe continues to amaze me. Kathy’s blog is great, too!

Rainy Day Playlist

It’s rainy outside. And you know what? I love the rain! I think rainy days are the perfect excuse to relax. I mean, people should be able to relax every day, but there’s something about the rain that just makes the general vibe a little more mellow.

Rainy days are a great time to chill out and listen to some tunes, drink tea, stare out the window, and just think about life. I’ve put together a sweet rainy day playlist and I thought I’d share it with you! I have some repeat artists on this list, but trust me, all of these are rainy day sensations.

A few slow, melodic tunes to compliment the rainiest of days:

Mazzy Star – Halah

Belly – Stay

Billy Bragg & Wilco – One by One

Cowboy Junkies – Sweet Jane

Ben Harper – The Three of Us

Mazzy Star – Into Dust

Cowboy Junkies – Good Friday

Sarah Blasko – Perfect Now

Nina Nastasia – Superstar

Ben Harper – Morning Yearning

Cowboy Junkies – Blue Guitar

Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions  – Friends of a Smile

Recommended by one of my besties, Kawan:

Iron & Wine – Resurrection Fern

James William Hindle – Leaving Trains

Interpol- Evil

Jem – Flying High

Peace, love and rainy days.

how can i contact thee? let me count the ways.

Well, i’m sure some of you agree- the multitudes of social networking outlets make it hard to concentrate on just one sometimes.  With twitter, gchat, AIM, text, email, facebook, etc – blogging has become more of a “i’ll do it when i have more time” type of task.

Being the Virgo that I am, I don’t like to blog unless I have something “perfect” to write about, and lots of “free time” to write. But because my mentor has suggested I try “living in the gray” more, I’m going to continue to update my blog – even if my posts aren’t perfect or I “don’t have time.”

twitter has abducted me!

hey guys!! i know i haven’t blogged for a couple weeks. shame on me, i know! it’s sad. i think it’s because TWITTER has taken over my life!!

i am planning a blogfest SOON, but if you are missing my blog posts and still want to jennify your life, follow me on twitter:

web: twitter.com/jennysansouci
mobile: @jennysansouci

sometimes i say interesting things. sometimes not. same as my blog. love you!!!!!!

new kombucha flavors from GT’s!

My sister Lisa excitedly texted me from Whole Foods yesterday, saying  there were 4 new Kombucha flavors out! She bought every one, and of course I planned on doing the same.  I looked them up online and found this post who supplied me with a picture (thanks!):

After a goodbye dinner last night at Spring Street Natural, (I’ll miss you, Lizzie!), I rushed over to Whole Foods on Bowery at 10:45pm (they close at 11) in order to be one of the first to sample these new flavors!  I noticed that there are many ingredients in these new boochies that I’ve never heard of before. I had to investigate, of course.  If I describe it below, it means that I wasn’t aware of the ingredient/it’s health benefits before now. My findings here….

raw update: best avocado salads in nyc

so I’ve been raw for a few weeks now, and it’s fun. i like it.  i’ve had to tweak it here and there, and i’ve generally come to realize that i feel a lot better when the majority of my diet is fruits and vegetables, and minimal fats. when i go through an entire day with my only fat intake coming from avocados,  I feel great!

It’s so hard to follow a mostly-fruits-and-veggies diet though. the gourmet/more fattening raw foods are so tempting – raw chocolate, flax snax/flax crackers, tahini, pumpkin seed butter, and of course things like nut meat “mexican food,” lara bars,  almond sour cream, etc….OY!!!  I’ve been consuming less nuts over the past few days, and I feel better. My goal for this week is to try eating mostly fruits and veggies – and no gourmet nut products!! I want to get the majority of my fats from avocado and some flax seeds. And, I guess oils in minimal amounts for salad dressings.  Read on….

this hollywood heart – lisa sansouci

check it, yo.  my sister’s new songs.  they rock!!

THIS HOLLYWOOD HEART

scanwiches

hilariousness.  if you’re like me and looking at food is a source of pleasure (the other night I watched YouTube videos of people eating Di Fara’s pizza), you’ll love Scanwiches. Someone scans in views of various sandwiches…”for education and delight.”  From the mayo smears in the picture, I think they actually cut the sandwich in half and put it ON the scanner.  Ha!

Scanwiches.com

associated content is my friend.

Hey goons!

My homegirl EG just got a job at associatedcontent.com so i checked it out. Maybe i’m seriously late to the party, but this web site has tons of sweet articles and information.  I knew me and AC were meant to be when the first thing I saw was a link to raw food articles. check it!!
PLUS – you can write for them and make $$.  Jackpot!!

The site also has sections for entertainment, relationships, lifestyle, techonolgy, and even CRAFTS! haha. but for real, it’s totally a one-stop-shop.  I am going to be surfing around on this site for sure.

“Associated Content publishes authentic, useful and informative content on nearly every conceivable topic, produced by real people sharing real-world expertise from diverse perspectives.”

LOVE.

raw food day 12

i can’t believe it’s been 12 days already that i’ve been on the rawnessss.  i’m so diggin it, except i’ve been totally obsessed with researching things online about raw foodists and reading people’s opinions.  i’m a virgo, so i’ve got that perfectionist side to me, and i always want to know why why why!!  i’ll share a few things i’ve heard from people and online….

my favorite lara bar: pistachio!!  MMM!!!

Everyday Health gives a Veggie Shout Out

Regardless of the homepage content on Everyday Health, it always seems fitting that I work for a health web site.

But it feels extra-special when new diet & nutrition content goes up that is aligned with my lifestyle. Thanks to my hip, in-the-know co-worker, Carlos, I was tipped off on a new veggie recipes section:

A couple of these recipes are a little dairy-heavy, and I could cook them under the TABLE with my meatless burrito recipe…but be sure to check out the Curried Carrot Spread – sounds delish! xoxo

raw food day 8

well hello kiddies! i’ve made it to day 8 of raw glory.  i’ll tell you right now that it has been up and down so far! But mostly good.

That’s a picture of my favorite salad that I’ve been making: mixed greens, olive oil, 1 avocado, lime juice, and sea salt. heavenly, my friends! im serious!!!

Read on..

raw food day 4 update

Woo! I’ve been raw for 3 days now – today is day 4.  Here are a few updates …

raw food diet

So it’s been about a year since i first read about going raw here on Steve Pavlina’s blog.  I read Steve’s entire 30-day raw food diet, detail by detail, mesmerized by it. I knew that at some point soon, I’d have to try going raw. It just seemed like the right thing to do. Kind of like when I first stepped foot in NYC, I just got that feeling that I was supposed to move here.  Everytime I heard about someone who was once raw, or currently raw, I felt like I wanted to pick their brain and learn more.

RCRD LBL

Yo, dawgs. It’s your lucky day. I am going to share a musically delicious tidbit with you.

So I’m sure we all remember the good old days, when Napster was legal and freely used to get all the glorious mp3s that we could dream of.

Soon after came the day when everyone freaked out that they were going to get arrested for having illegally downloaded music. Some people started buying iTunes music and spending 99 cents per song.

Others continued to download illegally. Although there are some various ways to get free mp3s around the internet, including the widely-used LimeWire (not a legal way to download music), we don’t have many free, legal, user-friendly options out there.

Enter Rcrd Lbl.

25 things.

Since writing 25 random facts about yourself has been the craze on Facebook lately, and I took awhile to write these, I figured I’d share them on here too. If you’re interested, read on…

vegan chili dogs

People always ask me what vegetarians can eat, commenting that it must be “sooo hard.” Well, what if i told you that vegetarians can eat chili dogs that taste EXACTLY like a normal animal-filled chili dog?? It’s true!!!  Last night Leo made these,  and i was extremely skeptical because it looked and tasted so much like the real thing! But he’s been a vegetarian for 10 years, so at this point he really knows whats goin on in the non-meat dept.

Looks meaty, huh? How can this be possible? Read on, friends. If you’re newly Veg It’s easy and anyone can do it!!

Dating a Banker Anonymous

Sometimes I read things that actually make me physically ill. This NY Times article is one of them.

There’s a group called “Dating a Banker Anonymous” for, you guessed it, women who are dating bankers. It would be one thing if it were a real support group about how to deal with the economic crisis, but no – it’s a group that invites women to join “if your monthly Bergdorf’s allowance has been halved and bottle service has all but disappeared from your life.” OMG! I clearly am not eligible since I just had to google “Bergdorf.” Ha.

These women get together and complain to each other that they “haven’t been taken on a trip in awhile.”

how to avoid the “relationship 15″

So, I’ve noticed a trend lately and have had many people voice their struggles with this particular phenomenon.

It all began last summer, when I was a single gal. I worked out with a personal trainer 3x a week, ate a vegan/no sugar diet, and felt generally awesome about my health (oh..except I was a smoker…oops).

Anyway, at the end of the summer I found myself suddenly dating someone- and that whole euphoric feeling of falling in love took away from my workout/healthy eating habits a little bit.  I mean, lets be honest, who really wants to take hours to work out when you could be spending time with someone who already thinks you’re super hot? Plus, I think something about commitment in a relationship makes you automatically feel a little more lenient in other areas of life.

It’s like my new favorite Starbucks cup quote:

“The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating — in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life.” – Anne Morriss

*Note – Jared Leto’s weight gain was not due to a new relationship.

That Starbucks quote tells me that when you commit to someone, you are less critical of yourself and more likely to stray from your stringent ways. I’d like to investigate here some more reasons why people become less strict with health habits when they get into a relationship.

Vegetarians have (way) more fun.

Yo! I love when I find  pro-vegetarian info. I also love working for a health web site, because I get to read about health stuff ALL DAY!

Check out the site I work for - Everyday Health – and the newest blog dedicated to why it’s freaking awesome to be a vegetarian. Actually, this blogger is on the fence regarding meat, but we’ll lure her in soon enough.

The only thing I don’t agree with is that you spend less money eating vegetarian food.  I just spent like 12 bucks on a teeny bag of Flax Snax….

Healthy Living with a Twist (Lime.com)

Hey ya’ll.  I wrote that in Paula Deen’s voice, FYI.  But this isn’t a post about extra cheese or extra butter. It’s about a kick-ass health site that I just got tipped off on.

The site is called Lime.com, and their tagline is “Healthy Living with a Twist.” What is that twist, exactly? Well the first thing I noticed is that the site is a GAIAM site. This is the company that makes my yoga mat, so they must be pretty clever folks.

The 2nd thing that made me happy about the site is that there’s a Kombucha article on the main page. Kombucha, as we all surely know by now, is the miracle elixir. I drink one every day at this point. Kudos to Lime for mentioning it. Their site actually tells you how to make your OWN Kombucha! So get crazy with it.

My friend Micaela happens to write amazing blog posts for Lime.  Check them out here! My favorite so far is “Goodbye, Dieting – Hello, Clean Eating.” I totally agree with Micaela – the best way to be healthy is not to fill yourself up on “diet foods” or refined, empty calories -  but to choose natural foods that do good things for your body.

Anyway, according to the site, this is what Lime is about:

“At LIME, we built a place where you can find all the ideas, information and resources to inspire you to live healthier and help make our planet greener – and have some fun while you’re at it.”

Site Mission:
To serve a community of people interested in a healthier, greener, more balanced lifestyle.

So be sure to check it out for articles, blogs, polls, forums, pictures, and whatever else you need to get a little inspiration to put down your cheesy butterballs and get your lime on.

LOST blog…coming soon

I’ll admit. I’ve been postponing blogging about Lost in fear that my entire blog will turn into a Lost tribute.  But since I’ve had a few requests, I promise I will deliver.  Stay tuned…

*Just to keep you satisfied until I actually write my Lost blog, here is a picture from the Sawyer Appreciation Club:

You’re welcome.

fine & raw

hey little dudes!!  it’s time for me to introduce yet another amazing discovery.  you can thank me later, or just buy me some of it.  last night while watching the Lost season 5 premiere (when am I?) I had the pleasure of being introduced to RAW CHOCOLATE for the first time ever.

Since I’ve been trying to be on a stricter health-kick lately, I was skeptical of eating any kind of chocolate. But after speaking with the man who made the recipe, Daniel Sklaar (check out this “People Are Amazing” entry) and a super thin girl who says she eats “2 big pieces” every day, I was assured that this chocolate (no sugar!? no dairy?!)  is, in fact, “on the table. “

The company is called Fine & Raw, and you can order their raw chocolates on their site. If you’re lucky enough to live in NYC, you can go pick some up for yourself at any of these stores.

These sugar-free, dairy-free, additive-free chunks of heaven are made from raw cacao, blue agave nectar, coconut oil, and Himalayan sea salt. OY! You can taste the little bits of salt in the chocolate. Trippy.  If you’re curious to know more about raw chocolate, check out the description here.

My favorite thing on their site is the small print that says  “for the eco-chic & forward and any one whose tongue is bored and heart plays loud music that no one else can hear.”  how fabulously hipster of them.

Believe me kiddies – this stuff is unreal. Besides, anything you can do to draw attention to your mouth is good.

oops, i did it again

i played with your heart.

and by that, i mean i didn’t blog for a month. i have an explanation this time, for real. i have been really crazy busy finally MOVING out of my apartment that i’ve lived in for the last 2 years. moving is a big time-hog! but i’m so happy. i’m finally saying BYE to the Upper East Side and HI to Williamsburg.

BYE

HI

I like that Williamsburg picture because it has the Bliss sign in the top left, and that is exactly how I feel about moving. Blissed out! Bliss is just an awesome word. LOVE YA

fall out boy – set list 12/16/08

hey all you curious cats.  so i went to fob’s folie a deux album release show last night, and i felt it would be selfish not to post the set list for any ocks who didn’t get a chance to make it to NYC.

here’s a sweet cell phone pic from the show:

note:  i didn’t remember to start writing down song names until a few songs in, so the first few may not be in order.

and check out this random happenstance (how DO i use that word correctly?) – it looks like Z100 took the same picture of pete at the same time, but much clearer and from a different angle. BTW, i am assuming that the “BX” on his face is for Bronx.

folie a deux and renewing my FOB vows

I’ve slowly begun to realize over the years that I can’t have specific expectations when it comes to a new Fall Out Boy album.  They have progressively gotten less and less “punk” since the release of Evening Out with Your Girlfriend, but the punk genre has changed significantly, and come to think of it, so have I, so nothing can really be pigeon-holed anymore.

When Infinity on High came out in Feb 2007, I was hoping for a sweet follow-up to From Under the Cork Tree (2005), an album that really changed my life and helped me define precisely what was going on in my head and heart. What I got instead with IOH was a popped-out, glittery version of FOB. I couldn’t even listen to “I’m Like a Lawyer With the Way I’m Always Trying to Get You Off” and even “Golden” without almost throwing up in my mouth. I was immediately disappointed in how the Hollywood spotlight had affected the music and lyrics (Jay Z?), but after awhile I grew to accept that they write about what they’re going through at the time. So while some of the past albums were about broken hearts, betrayal of friends, and clawing through darkest times of growing up, IOH consequently had to be about getting immensely famous, navigating the scene and the ups and downs of being rock stars.

newbie to the blogosphere – welcome!

i’d just like to extend a warm welcome to the newest blogista in cyberspace, who just happens to sit next to me at work.

check out her blog, yo.

http://emilygenende.wordpress.com/

**update 1/23/09**

i’ve been reading Emily’s blog and she is freaking hilarious! Check out her “readers favorite” post about her Jewish Christmas here.

abandonment issues?

hey darling readers….i know, there is no excuse for not posting for a month. i take full responsibility for my actions and i promise to have some great content coming soon. and no, i’m not just writing this because i shamelessly plugged my blog in my mom’s christmas card letter.

don’t leave me.

i love you.

um..whoa.

peas & pickles in dumbo never ceases to amaze me with their selection. this is like…thanksgiving worthy.

quorn…the best thing since mcnugs.

I can’t believe I’ve waited this long to blog about my newest love in life. QUORN! I first was blessed with the presence of quorn in my life on Halloween. After a long night out of eating candy and prancing around in a costume, the only thing to do was, of course, indulge in meatless chicken nuggets.

I had my doubts about these “quorn” nuggets because i have never been a big fan of fake meat. I usually think it tastes weird and rubbery and not worth it. But when someone feels strongly about something, I have to at least try it. So I had someone convincing me that quorn was where it’s at, and that I was missing out on one of life’s delicacies if I didn’t try it.

buddha in a bubble

breakfast of champions

junior mints have really outdone themselves.

junior mints are my favorite (along with york peppermint patties) and now, aside from their classic movie-theater-box candies, they have created something for the upper class to enjoy. ha.

subway jumping

it’s friday, ya’ll, so i’m gonna keep it light. i think i should write a little post about one of my favorite morning hobbies. you can call it subway jumping, hopping, whatever, but either way it’s fun, awesome, and kind of a rush. i love finding ways to entertain myself. this way i never get bored.

I have a feeling that nobody is actually going to take the time to read this post, but if you’re really bored, read on, you crazy reader.

become an ex. quit smoking. becomeanex.org

i love social networking. there is a social network for everything these days!! and with good reason. there is a lot of support and interaction going on in these networks, which can help people relate to each other on a lot of different life experiences. (shameless plug: all women who want to network with other women should be a member of herfuture.com)!

anyway, 4 days ago i decided to really try and quit smoking for good (yes, mom & dad, if you’re reading this, i *used to* smoke). haha. yikes…

so i figured there has to be a social network out there dedicated to quitting. lo and behold, there’s a site dedicated to just this. the site is called Become an Ex, and there are some amazing tips and lots of support and inspiration!! i joined and have started blogging on there about my experience under the username “Jazzybean.” so if you’re interested, check it out, yo! I’ve already gotten some comments on my first blog there.

so, now i’m going to go back to my life of quitting side effects – drinking too much coffee, eating dark chocolate, and being generally irritated by others.

also, as much as it pains me, i should probably give some props to leo for putting up with me being a TINY BIT of a brat while quitting. i said tiny bit.

thai red bull

walking around on lafayette last night, somewhere between spring and canal, i had a brand new life experience. it was called krating daeng, or thai red bull.

upon drinking the elixir from this little brown bottle, i realized that it has the same flavor as the red bull we buy here in the good old USA, but it’s sweeter and not carbonated. i was skeptical at first but i loved it. after doing further research i found out that this was how red bull originated. A guy named Deitrich (now a very rich man) was in Thailand and realized that this little beverage helped cure his jet lag. Thus, what we traditionally think of as red bull was born.