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1 Juice, 2 Juice, Red Juice….

December 7, 2011 by Alyssa

Yesterday was the first day on the cleanse…

This was how my morning went …

6:30am Wake Up and think to my self “You’re not hungry, you’re not hungry….damnit I’m HUNGRY! Well, I can’t eat at 6:30 because that’s just way too early for breakfast and I haven’t even picked up the juice yet! Gotta wait til at least 8am.”

8:00am Pick up Juice and think “Got my juice! This is gonna be fun, man I hope the green juice tastes like the Wegmans Green Glory because that’s my favoirte!”

8:30am: First green juice down the hatch… “That does NOT taste like Wegmans…a bit too grassy but I know it’s good for me, I’ll drink it”

Then around 9:30am I had some hot water with lemon in it…

11:00am Red Juice Time! “Man I love beets but I hate beet-carrot juice…just drink it, drink your vitamins”

11:30am: This is where the effects of NOT eating kick in..or maybe it’s the overload of micronutrients because my head feels a little foggy and tight and my eye sights a bit patchy when I first standup…But it eventually passes

1:30pm Another green juice! Chug chug chug!

3:30pm Cayenne Pepper Lemonade “Whoa! This stuff is good, I don’t mind it at all!” It tastes like a kicked-up lemonade and not that spicy at all.

4:15pm: Revise my last statement, that Cayenne Lemonade is good til I get to to the end where all the cayenne fell.

After work, I hit the gym for some light walking on the treadmill, since I’m not supposed to be exercising on the cleanse.

6:30pm: Another red juice! “God I really hate red juice”

8:30pm : Cashew milk time! “OMG. This tastes like a melted smoothie, a bit cinnamony, sweet, creamy” LOVE IT!

– Does anyone know how to milk a cashew? Whenever I think of any kind of nut milk I picture someone literally milking a nut……(Don’t worry, I know you don’t actually milk a nut)

So day one evaluation: I didn’t mind it, wasn’t really that hungry at all but boy was I moody and the rage struck right around 5pm. It was the, don’t get in my way, don’t even look at me the wrong way type of rage. I was also a bit emotional all day but other that that I didn’t feel all that different and it wasn’t all that bad. Hopefully things will continue looking up for me! Other than that, my body isn’t feeling any different yet.

Juicing

December 6, 2011 by Alyssa

And no, I don’t mean hittin’ the ‘roids.

I mean THIS kind of juicing…

Fresh veggie and fruit juice kind of juicing. Beet juice. Carrot juice. Kale juice. Pear juice….Kind of juicing. Juice for 3 days straight kind of juicing.

BUT WHY?! You may ask? Well because I’m hoping to clean out my system and give it a good ol’ reboot and hopefully curb some of my cravings.

So here’s the plan: 6 drinks a day, 1 every 2 hours, for 3 days – no solid food – just water in between. If you want more details check this out – it’s where I got my juice and details the drinks a bit more. There’s also a detox blend thrown it (a take on the Master Cleanse) which has lemon, water, cayenne pepper, and cane syrup. At night there’s a cashew milk to drink which helps with satiety in order to sleep without hunger pangs.

Now what do I expect to get out of this? Well, I hope to cleanse by body of all the toxins that I put in. Yes, we all know, I’m a healthy eater but I’ve diverged a tad the past few months with sugar, (cookies, ice cream, and chocolate became a nightly dessert requirement) caffeine (1-2 cups a day somehow became enough coffee to equal 2 or 3 Starbucks Trentas – the café SUPERSIZE), and alcohol (a true lush, a wine-o, margarita lovin’, craft beer sippin’ regular).

On top of all that, I’ve been having horrible digestion issues that I can’t seem to find a trigger for. It’s a hot burning sensation in my stomach with striking pains that come and go, lasting for 2-3 days at a time.

After researching the detox/cleanse I found that it has the potential (keyword!)

1) To cure my cravings: be gone caffeine and sugar demons!

2) Clean out my toxins: buh-bye Splenda stockpile and unwashed veggie pesticides

3) Reset my body: fingers-crossed the abundance of nutrients will help get my stomach on the digestive fast track!

I know these aren’t guaranteed results but I have high hopes!

So check back over the next three days for my take on the 3 Day Cleanse and to see if I actually had the willpower to make it through it.

Google Maps can’t solve this…

December 1, 2011 by Alyssa

Once you leave college, it’s common to not have a set direction – especially this day and age with the economy and all…Besides, who can choose a set path when life continually throws detours every couple of miles….or at least that’s the way I’ve felt these past few weeks…months…

Remember in high school when you choose a certain future career which in turn leads you to choose your prospective college degree, then your college, your post-college plans, and ultimately plan your life at age 16….Well I sure as heck did all that and my destined plan at 16 hasn’t turned out half that bad except ‘til now…

Not that I’m complaining in the least! It’s not bad at all! I absolutely love my life, the people I’ve met, the experiences I’ve gained. But life sure as heck gave me more than just a couple detours, I fee like life landed me flat in a round about and ever since I’ve been spinning trying to get out on the “right” path‘

So which road do I choose and how do I decide? My paths include Austin, New York, and Rochester…..warmth, family, and adventure…..

Should I follow my ol’ stand by…

BTW: This quote, to me, is NOT about following your heart, it’s about making a decision that one is wholeheartedly committed to, a decision one will not regret in the future, a choice with consequences one is fully aware and prepared to handle, a choice made with one’s head held high and a decision one can completely and fully support when faced with opposition.

Or…

Do I do I play it safe and make the “financially secure, I might not be 100% happy, but life isn’t half bad, give it some time it might improve but yea, it sure as heck will be difficult the next few months,” kind of decision?

Some of you might say, follow your gut instinct but I’ve got news for you…it’s not always right, you’re usually too paranoid, overly naïve, or maybe you just have a stomachache. Check the article people.

I guess when it all comes down to it, I’m young and by nature, I’m more of a risk taker when it comes to life decisions (not when it comes to risking my life), and I feel that as each day passes my ability to navigate life without a set map is improving…I know I’ll manage just fine but it sure would be nice to have a road sign now to let me know I’m at least headed in the right direction….

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!

Austin’s Always Celebrating Something

September 2, 2011 by Alyssa

Since moving to Austin, I’ve noticed that every weekend there seems to be a different festival of some sorts happening. This weekend I was able to attend two very Austin-only festivals. These festivals are in addition to those that Austin is nationally known

SXSW

South by Southwest:

The two week long music and film breakout event.

This festival is where new talents are scouted, films are premiered, and where the latest tech companies reveal some of their social media wonders (FourSquare was introduced here).

I got to experience SXSW – at least the free no-name shows. It was fun to see all the different aspiring artists, the street performance, and be part of such a large festival.

The other nationally known Austin festival is

ACL

Austin City Limits. Another music festival that lasts 3 days and happens to be something someone (—–>> M<3) is greatly looking forward to this year.

These acts are more well known, not really up and comers, but more established artists. M<3 has a deep desire to attend this year in order to fight the crowds and watch his beloved Cannibal Corpse and Slayer perform. Disappointingly, I will not be experiencing this festival but I promise to bitch and complain about all the traffic jams caused by it.

Okay so now for the real festivals I attended this past weekend:

Austin’s Bat Fest

If you recall, we previously discussed Austin’s overgrown vampire colony. Only now, we get to celebrate the bat infestation by partying on top of the bridge which they call home….Nothing like a good day’s sleep with 5,000 festival goers stomping around above!

The festival had a few music performance, lots of festival food and drinks, and vendors selling a few too many Bat themed clothing and headgear.

A picturesque Austin sunset

Loads of bat taking off for their nightly blood sucking

“Sadly” I missed the bat flight during Bat Fest – but missing the flight also meant dodging the 110 degree heat and elbowing my way through sweat-soaked bodies. I plan to enjoy the bat flight while sipping a margarita from a distant restaurant.

Nightwalkers celebrating along SoCo bridge

This is me, with the Bat Cow.

What is a Bat Cow you ask? Honestly, I still don’t know. My basic understand is it’s a piece of art (Questionable, but yes, a piece of art). It’s a cow wrapped in bat wings and it was hung from the SoCo bridge. And now, it returns to the bridge every year during Bat Fest for vulnerable tourists and bat crazed fans to take photos with.

These are just two of the Bat Crazed fans I speak of. This lady had a fake bat in her hair and was overly excited to have me take a photo of it! Also, make sure you note her multiple winged tattoos adorning her body. She must be Bat Woman. I also witnessed many wannabe Batmans and their trusty sidekicks Robin at the festival.

I wonder who was watching over Gotham City while Batman was off visiting his Austin dwelling relatives…..

A few friends and I trying to keep cool

My last comment about Bat Fest – the fumes. And these fumes I speak of are actually bat droppings….It made the whole festival that much more pleasant. Nothing says celebration like sweaty bodies, stale beer, and hot bat pooh!

Hot Sauce Festival

Sunday we headed downtown in the 115 degree heat (no lie, the moving car’s thermometer said so!) to the Hot Sauce Festival!

This was literally a free Chips & Salsa event. We tasted lots of yummy salsa, some claiming to be FIRE hot.

Devil

Disappointingly, none of it was FIRE hot. The only thing Fire hot at the Hot Sauce Festival was the sun. Never in my life have I ever just been standing an dripping sweat. Maybeee it was the Hot Sauce, but more likely it was the sun.

There were lines everywhere

Lots of chips & salsa everywhere! I was in heaven, if you didn’t know already,

I eat salsa like soup

Just a couple Salsa lovers showing their true love for sauce and heat by patiently waiting in line. I probably would have enjoyed this festival so much more and even would have tried a lot of the homemade salsa in the huge sampling tent, if it wasn’t 115 out…..My suggestion to Austin is to take this festival inside next year!

Oh and for the record, I’m sure <3M and I were the only ones who attended the hot sauce festival without purchasing any hot sauce…but we did leave with a nice tub of Mint Chutney!

As for my weekend of Austin festivals, I think I’d prefer festivals with a bit less heat – otherwise I could deal with the bat friends and long lines. Can’t wait to see what Austin’s Fall and Winter festivals are like!

Truth Be Told

June 7, 2011 by Alyssa

It might appear that I have an obsession with cupcakes, but when I look back on it, I can’t quite pinpoint where this obsession came from.

This is the emergency stash of Cupcake Mints I carry in my purse incase I get a sweet, cupcake craving I need to immediately satisfy. Sadly, these taste more like marshmallows than cupcakes.

Truth be told, I was never really a fan of cake. Growing up, it wasn’t a dessert I tended to crave. I would usually eat a piece at a birthday party because it was a sweet, and because it was just plain there. Plus…cake at a birthday party is usually accompanied by ice cream – which I have always loved!

So I admit, I just hopped on the bandwagon when cupcakes became popular. Maybe I like them because they’re cute little miniature forms. Special and a single, portion sized controlled treat especially for me. Especially if I can customize them and make the cupcake of my dreams. Helloooo Dollop!!!! (I do miss you!) This dream cupcake would be a cupcake that’s super fudgy and covered in a jar of peanut butter with more pb flavors on top….kinda like this one!

Source

Anyways, now I’m in Austin and luckily I’ve been able to still satisfy my cupcake cravings. This weekend I was able to do by attending Cupcake Smack Down 3.0. M<3 went too and he was able to enjoy himself while I tasted some cupcakes because it was held at a local Austin brewery where some Austin based craft brewers sampled their beer – for FREE!

Here I am. Inside the brewery, all decked out with cupcake and beer. Who knew they’d compliment one another so nicely? I think that apron is cute. And The Cupcake Bar had a great display with lots of cute cupcake jewelry options.

The first cupcake Mayank and I split was a mini red velvet from The Cupcake Bar with vanilla frost and Nerds. I’m a self proclaimed dessert snob and I give this cupcake a 2.5 out of 5. The cake was a bit too dry for my liking, the frosting a bit too runny (though it could have been the heat) and the vanilla flavor was a bit lacking, it was more like butter flavored.

Moving on, next we enjoyed an ah-mazing! cupcake ball from Austin Cake Ball. I’m not quite sure how I had never heard of this company since diving into Austin’s cupcake world. But now that they are on my radar I’m totally in love. Plus their cake balls come in super cute tins.

How could you not smile receiving a tin of Cake Balls – perfectly portioned, chocolate covered cake and frosting, in an assortment of flavors? And they do have a ton of flavors.

They were also offering Root Beer Float, Red Velvet, Salted Caramel, & S’mores. M<3 and I shared the Mojito Cake Ball. Although, if I hadn’t been splitting I would have gone for Root Beer Float…<3M Thinks Root Beer tastes like vomit so we went with the next best thing – a mock alcohol flavored cake ball to pair perfectly with our beer.

It’s pretty right? It tasted amazing too. I don’t know if it was really mojito flavored but it was light and refreshing and reminded me of Key Lime Pie. I would highly recommend these Cake Balls as a treat to send off to someone. Especially because I believe they’d travel well in those awesome Cake Ball tins! I give it a 4.5 out of 5.

Now for the definition of Cupcake SMACKDOWN.

So the best part of the Cupcake Smack Down was that it allowed attendees to fire off a Cupcake Cannon at real people.

Seriously, you could shoot a cupcake at someone who willingly volunteered to have cupcakes splattered all over them. Of course, with a little urging from M<3 I participated in some cupcake firings.

The Cupcake Smackdown target and some Green Piggies too!

The poor cupcakes that were sacrificed for our shooting pleasure.

The deadly weapon itself. It was heavily guarded at all times. I mean, why wouldn’t it be? It has the potential to rein terror on the dessert world as we know it.

Locked and Loaded and ready to sprinkle the Green Little

Piggies with a cannon full of crumbs!

Here I am, the sharp shooter, the Cupcake Sniper. I may look sweet and delicious but really I’m fierce and unforgiving. Plus, I do it in a dress.

Get ready…….Aim…….FIRE!!!

I totally rocked this. I shot the guy right in his….SPRINKLES!

They told me that the gun aimed high, so I aimed, I fired….and I forgot to account for gravity. Luckily my target walked away with his sprinkles unharmed.

This was super fun and something I can’t help but brag about, especially because it was unintentional……Or was it…? *evil laugh*

The best part I believe is when the crowed winced for my target,

feeling his sprinkle pain.

Obviously, this isn’t my shot, but here’s one I captured of the target getting nailed in his bowl full of jelly. This was a fun event just to watch. People were taking it seriously, waiting to get their aim just right before pulling the trigger. Can’t wait for next year!

Lastly, in honor of all cupcakes, and to help celebrate mine AND Austin’s love for cak head to aDealio.com and buy today’s deal for Lick It, Bite It, or Both. $5 for $10 worth of what I believe to be Austin’s best cupcakes.

These are cupcakes I ordered from LIBIOB. They were a hit and the girls I shared them with loved them too. Besides, who wouldn’t love mini cupcakes with hot pink frostings and glitter?

So trust me, I’ve tried plenty of cupcakes since moving here to Austin and these really are the best this city has to offer. Plus, if you’re like I used to be and just eat the cake to get the ice cream…Lick It, Bite It, or Both also offers ice cream. So have your cake and eat it too….with a side of ice cream!

Hangin’ Around Austin

May 31, 2011 by Alyssa

One thing I love about Austin is that there is always something to do – checking out a festival, attending a sporting event, trying a new restaurant, or exploring Austin’s scenic views. The past couple weekends have been pretty busy, M<3 and I have ventured out and really seen a lot of Austin so here’s a peak at what we’ve been up to…

First…the Adult Beverage Tour…

Margaritas Galore

For some reason the beating sun and extreme heat always gives M<3 and I the perfect excuse to sample margaritas. Every restaurant in Austin has their own unique offering of margaritas and no matter what they’re always delicious!

I think the best part is the flavored specialty salts that they line the rim with! The yellow drink above had corn and pineapple in it and was rimmed with rose flavored salt. The other had cactus flavored salt. I’ve never truly loved Tequila but I think living in the South has already rubbed off on me, I’m lovin’ it now.

House Wine

This is one of my favorite places in Austin. M<3 and I had a wine tasting course here when I came to visit in December and this is our first time back since I’ve moved. They have great Sunday specials with half off glasses of wine = Great Wine for Not a lot of $$.

It has a huge selection, a great atmosphere, and it’s really relaxing. I can’t wait to go back and I’d love to take another wine tasting course. Surprisingly, the guy teaching the course was originally from Victor, NY. What a small world!

Ferrari Show

I pretty much forced Mayank to go to this show because I know how much he loves cars. Here’s a few snapshots from the show…

We also went to checkout a baseball game…The Round Rock Express. They’re the feeder team for the Rangers. We went with Mayank’s work friend Mark and his fiancé Stacy, they’re getting married next weekend!!! Can’t wait for the wedding.

Round Rock Express got their butts kicked by Iowa but it was still a nice game. My only complaint…I left sunscreen in the car and suffered because of it due to a small sunburn…My first burn since moving to Austin!

Guess the guy behind us was a bit bored by Round Rock Express’

poor performance?

Please don’t touch the cow.

High-Five the Mascot.

BTW – This ballpark also had a pool in it. You could splish-splash around the pool while watching the game…..Only in Texas

Saturday we finally went to Lake Austin and tested the water…

The water was actually pretty warm. It was nice to cool down in while chatting. The only problem I had…the bottom was a bit squishy and I am NOT a fan of my feet sinking into the muddy sand. Good thing I had my life raft (Mayank!) to hang on to and to keep my feet off the bottom. I also collected a few lake-shells and rocks that were really pretty.

A group of girls I met planned a picnic so M<3 and I went for the afternoon to catch some sun, eat some munchies and hang out… The girls also celebrated April & May Birthdays so there was cake!

And here’s a group shot of all the girls…The guys were a bit camera shy….

So there’s a little summary of what I’ve been up to these past couple of weeks…of course, there’s been a lot of undocumented pool & tanning time too..

Now, I have 1 day left before I start a new journey here in Austin…For now, I’m off to enjoy my last day of vacation….

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!

Come on in….

May 22, 2011 by Alyssa

….Let me show you around.

Sooo…our apartment isn’t fully decorated…but we have a great comfy living room and an awesome TV and coffee table which we totally take advantage of…

I mean, we surf the net, eat our meals, pay our bills, drink our morning coffee (Chair for M<3) , and watch hours of Netflix without leaving the couch. So it’s still in the “design phase” but here’s what the new place looks like so far…

Our comfy couch..that we are currently living on…

Mayank’s awesome TV…where he so sweetly allows me to watch Bravo, FoodTV, and E! I’m so happy to again be watching Top Chef and The Real Housewives of Whatever City Happens to Be On.

This is our tree top view. There’s actually a little reservoir/pond type thing out the window. And I can watch all the squirrels and birds…and spy on the joggers along the trail. We still need some patio furniture – but that will come in time.

This is the view from the living room into the kitchen. I’m working on doing a photo collage of all of M<3 and my family/friends. We just have to pick out photos.

Another view of the kitchen. I LOVE my spice rack (Thank you Heather!!!) And I’m so happy to have an electric oven again. I know a lot of people favor gas, but I grew up on electric and since that’s what my Mom used, that’s what I use (Like Mother Like Daughter!!!)

This is our little desk area. With lots of trinkets to decorate the shelves. There’s more to add there but like I said, the apartment is a work in progress.

Lastly, this is one quick shot of the bedroom. It’s still “under construction” but I love the bed spread (from West Elm – my favorite home store) and curtain. Also, I’m super proud of my self for hanging the curtain rod and curtains single handedly!

So that’s the tour. It seems small but it’s actually perfect for M<3 and I. We can’t even fill it…except for the closet…that we easily filled.

So far…I’m content, comfortable and happy. And THAT’S what is important. And, if you have any decorating suggestions or ideas, they’re totally welcomed!

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….

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

Mayank & I out to dinnr one night!

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