coffee maker love

Dear Coffee Maker,
What is wrong with you? Why does my lavish, pricey Starbucks coffee taste like bitter gas station coffee?

{via}

{via}

I have slowly been converting to tea in the morning (which has been hard!), but a few times a week I need a good, strong cup of Joe. Today was one of those mornings and my coffee maker let me down. I turned to Google and quickly discovered that I needed to clean my coffee maker. Did you know that drip filter coffee makers need to be cleaned monthly to remove hard water deposits, leftover coffee oils, and other impurities? Monthly? UGH! Like I need one more thing to clean...

After reading several articles, I followed these steps and my coffee tastes good again!

1. Fill your carafe with one part distilled white vinegar and one part filtered water. Pour it into the reservoir and let it sit for 20 minutes so it can begin to break down impurities.
2. Brew the vinegar/water solution. Once the batch has been brewed, let it sit in the carafe for 20 minutes.
3. Repeat this process 1-2 more times depending on how long it has been since you cleaned your machine.
4. Dump the vinegar/water solution and brew at least two consecutive batches of filtered water. This is to get rid of any of the foul vinegar taste.

Other notes:

• If your coffee maker has a water filter, it should be changed every 2 or 3 months.
• If there are any other impurities on the coffee pot or maker after cleaning, soak an old toothbrush in vinegar and scrub away. Make sure to go through the rinsing process again so your coffee does not taste like vinegar.
• If you have a fancy coffee maker that grinds your beans, you can remove the grinder parts and soak it in a 1:1 vinegar/water solution for about 30 minutes. Rinse and soak the parts in filtered water for another 30 minutes. Let dry and then put back in the coffee maker.

I'm off to enjoy another cup of coffee. Enjoy your day!

my latest picks from sephora

We are moving to a country with no Sephora. Yep, you read that correctly: no Sephora! I had a mild panic attack when I came to that realization, but then I decided to do a great Sephora stock-up and order double of my favorite three makeup products. I ordered on a day when they were giving extra freebie samples (and who doesn't love trying new beauty products!!!!), so I was even more excited when the package was delivered yesterday.

Here is what I got:

• Josie Maran Argan Matchmaker Serum Foundation - This stuff is magic. It is white when you put it on your face, but changes color to blend with your skin. The argan oil keeps my skin dewy all day. No more worrying if your foundation is the correct color. 
• Bobbi Brown Bronzing Powder - The best bronzer I have tried. I keep my face out of the sun as much as possible to avoid further sun damage and age spots, so needless to say I am pretty pale. This powder gives my face, neck, and decollate a nice sun-kissed glow.
• Bobbi Brown Blush in pretty pink - I love this blush. It is a great color and a little goes a long way. 
• I have not tried the other samples yet, but I will report back when I do

Have a great Tuesday!

trying to be healthy monday

This weekend was a blur of big decisions, errands, movies, and unhealthy food. My husband and I are preparing for a big move and we have been very stressed trying to make arrangements. Everyone handles stress differently, but I tend to bee-line for the fridge. Most of the time I choose healthy snacks (trail mix, smoothie, pretzels, etc.) but I allowed myself one "really bad" weekend of being totally unhealthy.

No workouts + pizza + tacos & nachos + cupcakes + chocolate chip waffles = time to get back on the healthy wagon.

I sat down this morning to make a grocery list and my weekly meal plan. I usually cook 3 or 4 nights a week and rely on leftovers for the remaining days. This week I decided on...

• Salmon with sriracha sauce using this Gwyneth Paltrow recipe
• Spinach salad with turkey, apple, avocado, almonds, and dried cranberry with this amazing salad dressing
• Tortilla soup with avocado using this recipe
• Ground turkey taco salad with avocado and tomato. No recipe, I just throw this together

By the way, I love my inov-8 shoes. If you are looking for a new athletic shoe, consider giving them a try.

Here are a few recent photos of my life lately:

{new Kate Spade watch}

{french toast breakfast at Casa Laguna in Laguna Beach}

{cool shot of giant wave crashing over a rock}

{Potter, the cutest golden retriever puppy in the world}

{whale fluke seen in Dana Point, CA}

inov-8

It's finally Friday! Is it 5:30 yet? A mojito sounds very tempting, but it's still too early and I need to workout tonight. Who decided that 5:30 is the widely accepted time to have  a cocktail without other people judging? I like Jimmy Buffett's idea that it's 5:00 somewhere...

Do you get extra motivated to workout when you have new gear? Like shoes. YES!!! I wonder if Carrie Bradshaw ever got excited about athletic shoes. Probably not, unless Manolo Blahnik made special edition trainers. Anyway, I have new shoes, called Inov-8, to try tonight during my circuit training W.O.D. (workout of the day for you non-Crossfitters). Several of my friends have Inov-8's and highly recommend them, so I thought I'd give them a try. I wore them while running errands today, and they felt amazing. Support in just the right places. I will let you know what I think after my workout.

I got mine from Zappos because I am a VIP member (yeah!!!!) and get free 1-day shipping. As with all athletic shoes, there are tons of different colors to choose from, but I am partial to the pink.

Have a great rest of the day!

bracketology

BRACKETOLOGY - the study of brackets...of the March Madness type. March Madness is back, baby! After competing for months, 64 teams have made it into the infamous NCAA Tournament bracket (aka the end of the college basketball season). The same goes for the women's division, but I only follow men's. Sorry, ladies! This tournament will come up in most conversations you have between now and April 8th. Yep, even the barista at Starbucks will want to know who you chose for the Final Four.

Fun fact: do you know why it's called March Madness? It is because there are so many games going on throughout the country, usually during the same times, and usually in rapid succession. Sounds like madness to me.

Have you filled out a men's bracket? If not, get one on ESPN.com. Even if you don't know a thing about men's college basketball, it is still fun to do a bracket. Sometimes, the less you know, the better your results will be. Anything can happen.

My picks for the Final Four: Louisville, Gonzaga, Florida, and Indiana. 

Here's a hint of who I hope wins the National Championship title!!!!! I hope I did not jinx myself...

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dreaming of a new haircut for spring

It's time for a new 'do. I need a haircut to correct the last two bad ones.

Naturally, I turned to Pinterest for some "pinspiration"...

Now I need to make a decision and an appointment. Have a good day!

{long layers - love the color}

{medium-length with layers}

{shoulder-length bob}

greeña colada smoothie

Yep, that's "greeña" not "piña" colada. Would you believe me if I told you it tastes like the real deal (minus the rum, of course)? Actually, that gives me an idea! No, don't worry - I wouldn't dare diminish the health value of this smoothie by adding alcohol. Instead, I'll just listen to steel drums and envision that I have my toes in the sand while I drink it...

We've all seen and heard of these magic green smoothies. I find it's much easier to down a smoothie than to eat the ingredients separately - and it's easier for your body to digest because it's already mostly broken down by the blending process. They are full of pure nutrition, but the amount of vitamins you get depends on the fruits and veggies you use. Most fruits and veggies are high in vitamins A, C, & E. Green smoothies also provide an intake of alkalizing foods (to offset the acid) that helps restore the body to a balanced pH. There are thousands of different combos of fruits and veggies you can blend that will taste good; greeña colada is just one.

Note: it is very difficult to snap an appetizing photo of this drink. I have a greater respect for everyone out there who has successfully gotten a good one! I will keep trying, but until then, I will spare you.

Here is my favorite version of the greeña colada:

• 1c frozen pineapple chunks
• 1c coconut water
• 1 or 2 handfuls of spinach
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 banana
• 3 ice cubes

Blend ingredients until smooth and creamy. Add water if it's too thick or add ice if you want it thicker. 

Enjoy and picture yourself drinking it here...