Modern Living

It’s been 6 months

January 14, 2014 by Alyssa

So here’s the truth – I haven’t gone missing. I’ve literally just dived into life and a lot has happen in the last 6 months, making life much too fun to break for anything – including this blog!

But now that 2014 has rolled into town, life has slowed a tad, at least momentarily. And to bring you up to speed, here’s the cliff notes version of what I’ve been up to the past 6 months!

July

I got engaged! There were cupcakes, champagne AND a ring!

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August

I took a trip to New York, vacationed in Montauk (the Hamptons people, yeah, I’m that girl) and watched my best friend & college roommate marry her prince charming – also another great friend from college.

Biking in the Hamptons

September

Autumn rolled into town, the Texas heat became moderately tolerable and people actually wanted to visit us! This month, M<3 and I had a few New Yorkers visit and we played tour guides as we toted them around the great ATX.

We had to hit up obvious Austin activities – hanging on Town Lake and drinking Mexican Martinis.

October

This month I pushed wedding planning into high gear –

Venue – CHECK
Cater – CHECK
DJ – CHECK
Photographer – CHECK

Basically, I’ve been knocking this wedding planning thing outta the park.

BTW – did I mention, I’m having two weddings. One in India and one in Austin.

The one in India is thankfully being planned by my future in-laws, whom I met for the first time, along with the rest of my soon-to-be-family, during our October trip to India! This trip was to not only meet the family and celebrate our engagement but to also honor M<3’s parents’ 30th wedding anniversary!

November

It’s 2 months until the close of 2013 and M<3 & I believe we need to up our karma for the before twenty-thirteen becomes a thing of the past, so we decide to take in a foster dog from Austin Boxer Rescue. Meet Jack (aka Sean in the ABR world). He was a rock star and luckily we found him his forever home after just 3 short weeks.

This month also marked my first time cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Since we’re not avid turkey fans, we went the non-traditional route and I roasted a whole chicken instead. I also made a delicious homemade spread of cornbread stuffing, roasted brussel sprouts, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce (NOT from a can, thank you very much). And you can bet these were all healtified but delicious none the less.

December

Winter came into full swing and I went on a baking spree – gingerbread cutouts [and houses], a plethora of cupcakes, donuts, muffins, and a dozen different flavors of cookies.

Gingerbread House

Thank goodness I have a slew of coworkers and friends whom are more than delighted to indulge in my baking obsession!

December also brought my parents to town! For the first time they took the trip South to visit M<3 and I in Austin. We were also able to celebrate Christmas together for the first time in 3 years, they met Stella, checked out some Austin wedding related items [I bought THE
dress] and of course, they enjoyed some BBQ and tacos.

January

As midnight struck on January 1st, 2014, M<3 and I welcomed in the new year with a group of amazing friends, champagne, and of course – more cupcakes.

M<3 and I have also taken on another foster dog from ABR [whom sadly just gnawed on one of the dining room chair seats as I was writing this post]. Other than that little issue, Jefferson has been great so far and Stella enjoys have a friend around to beat up.

This month I’ve also continued rocking the wedding planning thing and we’re gearing up for our next trip to India at the end of February for our first wedding on February 28th.

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So that about sums up my past 6 months – which you can see has been a whirlwind of fun, excitement, and filled with amazing memories.

I’m looking forward to the next 6 months and hope to once again begin posting regularly. Except, with the encouragement of my friends & family, this blog will be changing a tad.

Content here will have less of an emphasis on my daily life and a little heavier emphasis on recipes that showcase how I balance my enjoyment for food with my obsession for health aka Healthified Recipes!

But no worries, some daily shenanigans and of course wedding related items will be sprinkled about when it feels right – because let’s face it, it’s hard not to talk about wedding planning and life here in Austin is just too amazing to not share with you all!

What all have you been up to while I was MIA?

Any recipes you want me to healthify? Just leave a link here and I’ll get to work recreating a healthier, tastier version!

Thoughts on Life

March 8, 2013 by Alyssa

Have you ever been so happy where you just walk around with a smile on your face? The other day I was walking out of the elevator at work and had the biggest grin on my face. All I could think was how goofy I look to others but for some reason I didn’t care. I knew if they asked me why I was smiling so large, my answer would simply be because I’m happy!

It’s strange, I had the same thought again this morning as well. It wasn’t even 7am but I was up and out the door with Stella. I watched her run ahead of me on her leash and wiggle her little stub of a tail. No one else was around and I was smiling – all to myself, just feeling happy!

All I could think about was how thankful I am for my life. I have an amazing boyfriend <3M! Lots of times you hear girls get together and complain about their boyfriends but truthfully, I have very little to whine about. We’re a normal couple, bickering when necessary but it never last long. He helps around the apartment, takes care of responsibilities, always does his honey-do list, and surprises me with sweet little somethings at random. I’m so happy to have him.

Then I have this little gremlin of a dog, who’s the sweetest thing one moment then tearing through the apartment with a roll of toilet paper or my shoe the next. But I could never stay mad at her. With this cute little under bite, huge personality, and sparkling eyes! I love that she’s energetic and it’s always been my dream to have a little boxer to walk with M<3. I wear my goofy smile on those walks with just the three of us too, repeating to <3M “This is what I’ve always dreamed!”

Honestly, writing it all down makes it sound too good to be true. It’s almost scary that 1) It’s REAL and 2) It could be taken away but I’m so thankful and lucky for these moments in my life.

How to turn your Girlfriend into a Sports Fan

February 3, 2013 by Alyssa

Your high-maintenance girlfriend, the one who gets a weekly mani-pedi, highlights her hair, and requires an hour to dress and primp to go grocery shopping, can be turned into a cheering, screaming, Sports Fan, rooting for you favorite team. The transformation only occurs when three key factors align:

1) A Winning Team

If you want your girlfriend to cheer on your favorite team, make sure your team is a winning team. Your girlfriend does not want to be dragged away from her favorite Real Housewives of New Atlanta Hills show to accompany you to the bar to cheer on a losing team.

If you’re team’s constantly losing then your girlfriend will probably never come to understand why you support them. She won’t understand why you commit so much of your time and energy to team when you’re bound to be let down by week after week. And the fact that after each loss, you mope around the house venting about what your team didn’t do right, only pushes her to further hone her ignore skills.

If your team can stand for improvement, then I suggest you find a new team or come to terms with the fact that your girlfriend will never be a Sports Fan.

Examples of Winning Teams:

2) Cute Clothes

Yes, I’m going stereotypical here but trust me, buy her the team clothes and she’ll eagerly begin supporting your team. If she’s able to get dressed up, wear a specific outfit, and put time and effort into coordinating her outfit and makeup to create the perfect combo of cute and “not too cheerleader-ish” then she’s no longer just watching TV, she’s attending an EVENT! A social event at that!

These clothes can range from a cute team scarf or hat, a well-fitted women’s shirt, or even a team jersey. Either way, as long as it’s EVENT appropriate, you’ll have more success in getting her to attend the game, match, or fight with you.

3) Hot Players

If she has to watch your team chase a ball for 90 minutes then the players better damn well be worth looking at. So set your jealous alter ego aside, understand that the chances of her actually meeting that good looking center fielder, star quarterback, or homerun hitter are slim to none and let her make a comment or two about “how cute” he is or his “tight little butt.” It’s a small price to pay to know that you’ll be able to happily watch the game on Sunday afternoons on the MAIN TV without a fight.

So, if you can find yourself a winning team, with good looking players and are able to purchase her a shirt and a couple accessories, I guarantee that your girlfriend will morph into a Sports Fan. At least a fan enough to sit through your games, cheer when they score, and curse when they foul. All we ask boys is that you treat us to a drink or two throughout the course of the game and promise to watch The Real Housewives of Wherever on DVR when we return home.

My personal transformation began as such:

A) Winning Team: Manchester United

B) Cute Clothes: Fitted Shirt and a Jersey of the Hot Player

C) Hot Player: Robin Van Persie

This magic combo has put a spell on me – eagerly awaiting Saturday morning games and happily volunteering to join M<3 at the bar to cheer and scream as a true Sports Fan.

NYC – The Extended Tourist Stay

January 1, 2013 by Alyssa

It’s been one month since I’ve left NYC and although while I was there, I loathed every moment of it, I’ve now had time to reflect on my life there and truly, it wasn’t all that bad.

Although I’m still ecstatic to be back in <3ATX, I’m glad I had the opportunity to live and work in NYC. I’m grateful for the friends I made there, the memories, and both the personal and professional experiences I gained. Some may say I didn’t really give it a shot as I was there less than a year but while I was there, I really tried to enjoy the NYC lifestyle. When I realized it just wasn’t for me I began looking at my time in NY as an “extended stay,” living slightly as a tourist – experiencing all that NY had to offer so I could say “I did it all!” And I do believe, I completed a great deal on the NYC Bucket List.

In no particular order, here’s a list of what I accomplished

– Navigating the subway (sometimes with the help of Google)
– Picking out jewelry at Tiffany’s
– Shopping on 5th Ave
– Eating true NY pizza (Artichoke’s)
– Eating at Mamoun’s (NYC’s first falafel house!)
– Touring NY’s famous cupcakeries
– Eating “chicken & rice” from a food cart (falafel & rice for me)
– Dining at Blossom (amazing vegetarian restaurant)
– Shopping at Chelsea Market
– Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in the City
– Drinking at McSorley’s, one of the nation’s oldest bars
– Shopping at Macy’s
– Visiting Seaport market district
– Purse Shopping in ChinaTown
– Dining in Little Itatly & eating Gelato
– Time Square and Rockefeller Center Madness
– Views from the Empire State Building
– Circus de Soleil at Radio City Music Hall
– Radio City’s Christmas Spectacular with the Rockettes (with Champagne in plastic cups!)
– Eating & Shopping at Mario Batali’s Eataly
– Visiting the MoMA (Museum of Modern Art)
– Rooftop parties with NYC skyline views

– Shopping on SoHo
– Flagging my own cab
– Working out in Central Park
– Running a 5K in Brooklyn
– Visiting Williamsburg & the Brooklyn Brewery
– Rats on the Subway & Leaping over cockroaches
– Cursing at, then acting like the rude, stereotypical NY-r
– Feeding the homeless
– Exquisite dining experience (Beauty & Essex, St8)
– Getting my first Blow Out (at Drybar on the Upper East Side)
– Crossing the Brooklyn Bridge
– Visiting Dumbo
– 4th of July Fireworks over-top the city
– Enjoying the NYC nighttime skyline from NJ’s Hudson River
– Taking the ferry across the river
– Visiting the WTC Memorial
– Fruit Carts
– NY Coffee
– NY Nail Salons for Manis & Pedis
– Seeing Carrie’s Sex & the City Apartment
– Visiting Monica’s apartment (from Friends)

Looking back, I feel a bit nostalgic about NY. I miss certain areas, I miss knowing I can hop on a train and be in the middle of SoHo, surrounded by tons of unique little shops or high end fashion. I’ll miss the amazing sushi and the best cup of coffee. And of course, I’ll miss a few specific friends (<3) but overall, I’m happy to have left with the memories.

Death Metal 101

September 4, 2011 by Alyssa

This weekend I voluntarily attended my first death metal concert. Surprisingly, this attendance has been a long time coming. <3M has a deep death metal love which I sadly, do not share. Luckily for me, he has un-begrudgingly put up with Top 40s themed car rides, acoustic centered dinner music, and even attended a few DMB cover band concerts and honky-tonk country performance.

It was about time I paid my dues to him and death metal music. Surprisingly, I know a bit more about the death metal music scene than I care to share since <3M’s obsession occasionally leaks into our everyday conversation and I can’t help but absorb some of it.

My first concert was set to be short and sweet and headlined by Flesh Hoarder. It was their 2nd performance ever and they were only playing a 30 minute set.

Prize awarded to anyone who can tell me exactly what this poster says

Flesh Hoarder sounded good to me, 30 minutes of head banging seemed like a great intro-concert.

Of course my first thought was “What should I wear?!” I knew I had to try and fit in a bit, so obviously my first choice was my Death Metal Girl top!

Sadly, it was dirty on the night of the concert so I had to go with Plan B:

A light black Express tank with a black sequined flower, rolled jean shorts, and some Aldo flip-flops. All accessorized with a sweet Bow necklace (that can translate from preppy to girly-metal rocker, right?), my Bud Girl bracelet (because being a beer girl is always cool) and a black Coach clutch to keep the monies and phone safe.

My other accessory for the night – earplugs. Just in case.

They were the cool, squishy moldable earplugs!

Now that I was dressed and accessorized I was ready for the concert at Red Eyed Fly. We got stamped as we entered. And grabbed a couple ShockTops to sip before the show..

It says HOWL, though I would have preferred it to have said HOTT

Heavy Metal Couple.

The venue was half inside, half outside and the vibe was really cool with a slight dive bar feel. The walls were decorated with band t-shirts from past bands that had played the venue.

I even saw a couple band shirts that I would wear!

I really liked that it was all wooden, kind of like having an outdoor concert on your back deck. Plus the deck over looked the dumpy part of the Colorado river that runs through Austin, which sort of reminded me of the Pelican’s Nest from home.

While we waited for the band to start <3M visited with his friend Mike, the Flesh Hoarder guitarist, and I I people watched – a favorite pass time activity.

So there I was, standing there in my Express shirt trying not to look like a tourist. I don’t think I stood out but I obviously didn’t blend in. What did stand out in the Death Metal crowd was my blonde hair – I swear I was the only one. All the other rocker chicks were dressed in ripped band shirts, had dark hair, and super smeared smokey eyeliner – a look I like to save morning after’s.

Peek-a-Boo! He’s surprised I’m actually there!

Sidenote: The part I like best about Metal fans, is that they are all so friendly to everyone – even me, the “outsider!” I also love that when <3M is out and wearing a band shirt, he’ll get random compliments from other Metal fans on his shirt. It’s like a secret club – kind of like what boat owners and bikers have, where they give each other a casual nod as they pass by one another.

Right at 9:30 Flesh Hoarder took the stage and did their half hour set. I really liked their 2nd song – don’t ask me the name because I haven’t a clue. But I liked the guitar in it.

There were also lots of drums and roaring going on. I wasn’t quite sure about the lyrics but it was still fun because the musicians are really talented. I might not love the music, but I really can appreciate their talent and their own dedication and love for Metal.

I love this pic. He’s not throwing the Longhorns symbol, but the Rocker symbol. It’s really cool to see the whole crowd with their hands in the air and their head banging all in sync. Honestly, I couldn’t help but bang my head slightly as well. The music drives the beat into you and as part of the audience, it was really just an automatic response.

Picture this as me but without my hand in the air and with only slight head movement.

Obviously, Metal concerts are known for head banging and moshing. Although I didn’t get to mosh, I was seriously impressed with the vocalist’s head banging talents.

Head on a string.

FYI: The head swingin’ was made popular by the Cannibal Corpse vocalist (Fact courtesy of <3M). I seriously hope the vocalist gets a chiropractic exam after performances because his neck looked like his bones had turned to gel in order to swing that smoothly. It was literally hypnotizing to watch.

Honestly, I liked the concert. I would go again, just to see <3M so happy in his element . And truthfully, I really enjoyed listening to the band once I knew their story. I liked that <3M knew so much about the band, their history, and the ins and outs of the Metal industry. It made the music so much more than what I originally believed to be drums and roaring.

I may never be a true Metal fan or ever listen to it on my own, but I’ll go to another concert or two. Maybe one day I’ll even earn myself a Death Metal Girl shirt and smoke up my eyeliner to be a true Rocker chick…even if it’s only for a night!

Spending Time with Mom…

May 27, 2011 by Alyssa

It’s weird, but even while I was at college, I’ve never spent more than 3 or 4 weeks away from my Mom. Now that I live in Austin, I have gone almost 4 months without seeing her and I never knew I’d actually miss her as much as I do. Just thinking about my Mom makes me sad and makes me wish I could be doing all those Mother-Daughter things we used to do together….Like baking and decorating cookies, going for walks with her little (FAT) dog Penny, crafting, or just watching country music videos on TV on Saturday mornings….

One way I feel closer to Mom is by sharing SPECIAL DRINK FRIDAY with her and just knowing that she’s having a special treat with me to celebrate the end of the work week and the start of the weekend makes me smile!

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Mom usually gets an Iced Capp from Tim Horton’s and I like to mix it up…sometimes Starbucks, maybe a Dunkin’ Donuts….or sometimes I may grab a frozen yogurt…because Special Drink Friday isn’t about an actual drink…It’s about treating your self during the work day on Friday…it’s the motivation of a treat on Friday that gets you through Monday to Thursday.

The other way I stay close to Mom is by baking and making cinnamon rolls especially reminds me of Mom because of the cool trick she taught me while cutting cinnamon rolls in order for them to keep their special spiral.

I made Blueberry Cinnamon rolls last weekend and it instantly made me feel close to Mom! (Recipe Source)

Mmm Dough! I’ know it doesn’t look beautiful but it’s really easy

to work with and pretty simple to make.

So I have a pretty stocked kitchen but one thing I don’t have is a rolling pin…which is a necessity when making cinnamon rolls and working with dough….Since I didn’t have a rolling pin, I improvised, with a wine bottle (And no, this wasn’t my Special Drink Friday drink….though it very well could have been)

Of course, it’s Shiraz (my favorite) on sale a Target <3 for $3.99 = STEAL! And it’s also a bargain when it comes to multi tasking as a rolling pin

As Mom says “I like to cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food!”

Rolled out, spread with cinnamon and brown sugar yumminess and

the sprinkled with blueberries!

So here it is, all rolled up….And the secret trick Mom taught me! You score out the cinnamon rolls, then you use a thin piece of thread to cut the rolls. It makes it clean and keeps the nice spiral. Plus, it’s fun to do! You just cross the strings and it makes the cut. This is definitely my favorite part of making cinnamon rolls.

Perfection after the cut.

All done, now into the fridge to rest and to bake in the morning…

These made the apartment smell wonderful! And they only take

about 25 minutes to bake up!

And now for the completed baked good….

Warm, sweet, fruity, and the best way for me to “bake” with my Mom…..Btw, these would also be a great substitute for Special Drink Friday!

Slacker…

May 20, 2011 by Alyssa

Yeah, remember when I said I had all these great New Year’s Resolutions and I was going to blog to help me stay on track……and some how after week number 2 I failed to ever post again?

Well…I blame it on “Life Happens”

You all should know by now that I moved to Austin, started a new job, was adjusting to my new home away from home, and then, moved again – still in Austin…but this time out of the G-H-E-T-T-O! And into somewhere nice, with pools (yes, plural!), young people, community drinking events and sporting leagues, and gates at the entrance to keep the freaks and creepers out. The only downside – the 2 flights of stairs I climb daily to reach the 3rd floor apartment. Hello fabulous thighs, calves, and booty!

So now I’m settled…mostly…the apartment’s decorated…somewhat…photos to come soon!

I’ve also made some friends – a group of girls who are fun and fabulous!

Mayank & I out to dinnr one night!

I’ve joined a kickball team and I am all signed up to start a summer sand volleyball league! I’m also having a blast exploring Austin – it’s cool restaurants, regional beers(!!!!), festivals, and outdoor offerings! I’ll share my adventures in time!

I leave you with a picture of the sunset on Lake Travis. Another thing I love about Texas – the views are amazing, even if it’s just the cloudless blue sky – absolutely breathtaking!

Oh…and about those resolutions….I’ll address those at a later date….

Happy 2011!

January 1, 2011 by Alyssa

Not a lot of people may know this about me but I love blogs. Mostly nutrition, vegetarian, and other health and fitness related blogs. I’m addicted to pretty much any blog involving those topics. Every morning I wake up, read blogs then I usually do it again before I go to bed at night. It’s a serious addiction…

Anyways, after 2 years of routinely reading blogs, I’ve been inspired to start my own and share it with whoever might be interested in reading it.

I’ll talk a little bit about everything – workouts, food, recipes, daily adventures, wine, media related articles I might have opinions about, music, movies, my friends, family….basically any every day thing that was interesting that I want to share with others. Feel free to comment or share your opinions about anything I post, it’s always up for debate! Also, remember this is a beginner blog so I’m sticking to the basic on formatting and what not until I get a better grip on the situation. And remember, it’s currently still under construction. If you have any helpful hints or suggestions please share them!

So on that note…..

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

As part of 2011 I’m doing something new and a complete first for me – setting a few personal New Year’s resolutions, and hopefully by sharing them with the rest of the world, I’ll be inspired to be held accountable for reaching my goals. So, here they are, in no particular order.

2011 Goals

1) Train for a 5K by my 24^th birthday. And hopefully, learn to enjoy running and pack on at least one additional race during 2011. (This is a big step for me. It’s not that I can’t run, it’s that I dread it but want to learn to love it. Usually I’m running and thinking “God I hate this.”)

2) Add a weight training regiment 1-2 times per week to my regular workouts .

3) Get re-acquainted with yoga and begin practicing at least once weekly, whether it be on my own or in a formal class.

4) Save 10% of my paychecks. I’m 23 years old and have never actually followed a budget or saved for anything. It’s about time I start to accurately regulate my finances.

5) Volunteer . I used to say my volunteering was donating blood, but really, we all know that’s not actually volunteering. And truthfully, I haven’t donated since I graduated from Geneseo in Spring 2009. So, in 2011, I want to start giving back and helping others. I’m not sure which organization I’d volunteer with – maybe Girl Scouts or something to help the environment. This goal is still up for suggestions. Anyone have any volunteer organizations they can recommend?

Okay, so those are my 2011 goals. They aren’t huge, they definitely don’t stretch my limits but I feel like they are achievable and sharing them, like I said, will hopefully help me to commit to them.

Wish me luck and Happy New Year!!!

What are some of your New Year’s resolutions? Do you think I’ll stick to mine? Or are you already waging bets on my failure?