La Olla Mexican Cafe →

La Olla Mexican Cafe, located in northwest Tucson/Marana has been serving the community for 17 years. Owners Ken and Diane Gallardo are responsible for conceptualizing this thriving business. Their commitment to serving delicious meals is evident with their continued presence in the restaurant. Ken & Diane have been heavily involved in owning and operating the business from the very beginning. They were there to greet me on my first visit to their restaurant. 

The restaurant specializes in Mexican food with Sonoran flavors. Their busiest times are weekends and daily from 3pm to 6pm when they have happy hour. They often have wait times on Fridays and Saturdays. You won’t find this restaurant on any online ordering platforms. “We’re old school.” Explains Ken. Presentation and quality of the food are of upmost importance. They explain the best way to enjoy La Olla is to join them table side and in person.

My strategy was to let the professionals curate a dinner for us of their choice. Ken selected the Diablos Chicos for us to sample. Yellow pepper stuffed with shrimp, green onions & cheese wrapped with bacon, beautifully grilled, atop salsa crema, garnished with corn salsa & Anaheim crema. This appetizer was the perfect combination of savory, spicy, creamy satisfaction. This dish is the perfect introduction for anyone visiting this establishment. The Diablos Chicos will make you feel like you are in the right place.

Diane herself crafted the combination plate #1. This dish includes Carne Seca, Cheese Chile Relleno, and a garlic shrimp taco with rice and beans. Shortly after the first bite, I could see why this plate was selected. It has everything your tastebuds desire, the richness of the cheese, the unique flavor profile of the carne seca, the Sonoran richness of the green chili flavor and lastly the shrimp taco. Choices! A little Wonderland of variety all in one plate. The combination platters are perfect for the indecisive. It gives you permission to indulge in everything.

 After this many years in business, Diane expresses her creativity by curating specials. Diane’s Specials are cooked in small batches. “When they’re gone, they’re gone”. Diane says. Regular customers have come to look forward to her creations. It’s apparent Ken and Diane are invested and very much a part of the daily operations at La Olla.

The menu and restaurant they’ve cultivated has survived a pandemic and stood the test of time. “We’re going to do this until we can’t any longer”. Says Ken. As far as their children taking over one day? “Only if they want to”. They agree. Emphasizing that passion and drive are a large part of what makes La Olla what it is today. In 2024 La Olla Mexican Cafe won the Taste Of Marana Standout Award solidifying admiration and praise from their loyal customers. The beautiful brass trophy is displayed front and center, ready to be admired by all.

---

Foodie Bee Clam Chowder

It’s Election Day 2020. I’m holding my breath. I’m pacing. It’s like there is an imaginary weighted blanket on me. I need a project, something to occupy my day. I start watching “The Purge” then immediately decide that’s a bad idea. 

I need to cook. Today, I need the warmth, the comfort of a creamy hot soup. It’s comforting being in a kitchen when it’s alive. I also need some happiness in my belly, a comfort food. Something special.

Then it occurred to me, clam chowder. 

When I was  younger my mom worked half the year for a company in Monterey California. We’d go there for the summers and spend a few weeks with my brother and his wife. I remember one particular trip with my mom to Monterey. We went to the fisherman’s warf, we sat along the pier and had Clam chowder in these giant sourdough bread bowls. I remember the perfect weather and the sun warming our faces as we ate. It was heaven. My mom still talks about this clam chowder all these years later. 

The next time I had a great and memorable clam chowder, my husband and I were in Seattle. We shared a bowl in the rain from a tiny place in an alley near the pikes place fish market. This rich creamy stew has always had a special place in my heart. It’s like a hug in a bowl. I’m not sure if it’s because tensions are high or because we really needed this clam chowder today, but we decided it’s in the top 10 meals I’ve ever cooked.
For this recipe, I winged it. Try it for yourself. I invite you. 

Ingredients: 

1 leek 

1 whole yellow onion

2 cans chopped clams 

3 bottles of clam juice 

2 cans whole clams 

4 organic potatoes 

1 tablespoon of thyme 

2 cups of heavy whipping cream 

1/2 pack bacon 

1/2 stick of butter 

4 tablespoons of flour 

Salt and pepper to taste 

3 celery stalks 

2 green onions (for garnish) 

Cholula hot sauce ( at the end)

Small sourdough boules 

Or sour dough bread slices 

1. Chop 1/2 packet of bacon into small pieces into a pot. ( I use kitchen scissors and chop it into 1/2 inch pieces) let bacon cook/ brown. Add 1 whole chopped onion, add 3 celery sticks, chopped tiny. Add 1/4 leek, chopped, chop and add 4 potatoes with the skin. Sautée ingredients together in 1/4 stick of butter until everything is softened/ browned.

2. Add 3 bottles of clam juice and bring to a boil. 

3. Drain all juice from cans of clams into the pot and leave the clams aside until the end. ( you don’t want to over cook these, they’ll become chewy) 

4. Lower boil to slow simmer and mix in about 2 cups of heavy whipping cream 

5. In a Pan, you’re going to make a rue for thickening the chowder. (Don’t be intimidated). Begin by adding a tablespoon of butter and a ladle full of the chowder broth. Slowly add 4 tablespoons of flour and broth until you have a thick pudding like consistency. 

6. Mix rue into stew and stir, add canned clams last. Cook slowly, about 10 mins. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

7. Let the stew sit for 10 mins, serve with organic sourdough, top with Chopped green onions and cholula. 

8. Serve in mini sourdough boule or along with buttered sourdough. Bon appetite. 

Post Holiday Detox

Prior to thanksgiving, I’d been really watching what I ate and trying to lose a few pounds in order to fit comfortably into my wedding dress. Surprisingly, the dress had to be taken in a bit. No one is more motivated than a bridezilla. Here's the thing about me, I’m not a “moderation person”. Either I’m all in, or I’m not. If I’m not, I’m going H.A.M.

When thanksgiving and the wedding came around, watching what I ate went out the window and I happily indulged in wedding cake, tacos, french macarons, buttered pasta, lobster stuffing, pumpkin pie, tequila, wine. So. Much. Wine.

It’s time to reign it back a little bit. After thanksgiving and indulging, I’m sure all of us feel a little off, bloated, heavy and sluggish. It’s a good idea to listen to your body. Pretty sure mine is saying: “for the love of all that is holy, eat a vegetable and have some water”.

I start this whole post thanksgiving detox process with a couple of odd , yet essential things.

1. Charcoal toothpaste ( I like the Hello brand activated charcoal one, I got mine at Walmart, but I’m sure you could go fancier if you wanted)

2. Tongue scraper

Mind you, this is before I even have water in the AM. There’s nothing I hate worse than drinking anything before doing these two things. It’s just not right. With tongue scraping, you’re able to avoid reabsorption of toxins and bacteria into the body.

3.Dry Brushing in the shower for stimulating the lymphatic system

4. Hot Lemon/ Lime Water

Obviously, because caffeine is dehydrating you always want to water before you coffee. I aim for one water for every coffee. This is actually a challenge for me because when the weather is cool, I want nothing to do with water. There really is no greater feeling than sipping on an iced coffee first thing in the morning and have your dehydrated body hate you.

5. Coffee

Ok, I know this one is a must, so I’m not even going to pretend to be a green tea person. Although an Iced Matcha latte maybe? sure, but not straight green, and hot? and unsweetened? Just kill me instead. Use the hot, unsweetened green tea as my embalming fluid so it doens’t go to waste.

Anywho, for coffee in a detoxing sitch, ideally you should go black, but for the reasons listed above lets not. I do my coffee with a tiny amount of stevia and coconut milk. Canned Cream of coconut to be exact making this dairy free and providing healthy fat first thing in the AM. Dairy is a huge inflammatory food and anytime I’m detoxing I make it a point to stay away.

6. Breakfast

I like to start the detox morning with a hot bone broth, tons of lemon and a little pink himalayan salt. Liquids and electrolytes are key. I wait until I’m super hungry to eat. Ravenously hungry because when you’ve had sugar for days and days, your body will automatically crave sugar first thing. For me, eggs are always a good idea. Fried in a little coconut oil, even better. Avocados are also always a good idea.

I feel like this little morning ritual thing is something that can be and should be done daily but sometimes we forget about self care. Here’s a gentle reminder that anything that you do in the name of wellness is self care. -M

( Obviously I’m not a doctor/dietician/expert, these are just things that work for me.)

Cake Batter Coffee Recipe

So here’s the deal. This cake batter coffee is my new obsession . When I find something I like I obsess over it and I work on it to perfect it and find a way to make it healthy and nutritious so I can have it all the time. This coffee is loaded with healthy fats, anti-inflammatory spices, delicious cake batter flavoring. A little artificial flavoring never killed anybody, also I never knew such a little ingredient could bring me so much joy. If you know me , you know that Cake is my favorite food in the entire world. I have happy memories of birthday cakes, I love how cakes represent celebrations of life. Just give me all the cake and all of the cake related things. Scroll down to make your own cake batter coffee. Let me know what you guys think. - M

CAKE BATTER COFFEE

• 1/2 cup organic whole milk

• Steam in the microwave, then use a milk frother to whip the shit out of it. Add the following ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon of turmeric

• A dash of cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons of MCT oil Or heavy whipping cream

• 10 or so drops of liquid vanilla Stevia,

• 1 teaspoon of imitation cake batter flavoring

• Pour the hot coffee over the whipped mixture and voila. Cake Batter Coffee. Addicting. It just so happens to be sugar-free, low carb, keto, healthy for you; full of good fats and anti-inflammatory spices.
  

• ( optional). add whipped cream and sprinkles

The Carnivore Diet

I did a lot of research for the last blog on intermittent fasting. I was surprised to learn that intermittent fasting and the carnivore diet go hand-in-hand. Medical professionals like Shawn Baker, MD. and Dr. Jason Fung advocate components of this way of eating.

Benefits of the carnivore diet:

1. Mental clarity

2. weight loss

3. improved digestion

4. a simplified way of eating

5. Decreased inflammation ( the big one)

Day 1.

( hour 1 )

I’m already dying. I realized my morning coffee is without 2 vital components. Stevia and coconut milk. 1. No artificial sweeteners 2. Nothing plant based. I buy an iced black coffee and add a splash of heavy whipping cream. Zero stevia. I have a feeling HWC is going to be my bff this week. I also buy a rose gold tumbler to make this more exciting. It works. I’ve been fasting since last blog, so at hour 22 I have my first meal. On day zero, I slow cooked a rump roast for 8+ hours, it shredded to perfection and we made the yummiest tacos. On day 1, only meat. Nice and shredded topped with pink Himalayan salt, in a bowl with a fork. No lemon, no tortillas, no salsa. I’m just going to pretend I didn’t slow cook it in a porter beer with a 7.4% ABV ( alcohol by volume).

Day 2.

8am. Starving. This homemade cold brew with heavy whipping cream is not going to cut it. Suddenly, I remember there’s a donut in my fridge at work. I’m lucky enough to work next to a catering company and the owner brought over a Keto Low Carb Almond flour donut! It’s sitting in my fridge. It’s waiting for me. I don’t want to be rude. Since it’s “keto” I assume it’s made out of cheese or there’s cheese in it and that’s carnivore so. Breakfast.

For lunch, a huge bowl of leftover shredded beef. At dinner time my toddler decided he wanted pizza. I had to get creative with what we had. Oaxaca cheese, pepperoni skillet pizza for me. Mini pizzas on Organic toast with Raos Marinara on his. I suddenly remember I’m able to have cheese. I throw a few extra bites of cheese in my mouth. Day 2 over. I don’t know anything different yet.

Day 3.

I decided this was bullshit when I started making breakfast and the hubz requested a “breakfast sandwich”. I can’t eat that honey, and now neither can you. I suggested he join me in this carnivore way of eating by cooking eggs and shredded beef. No salsa, no hot sauce. “There’s got to be something we can add!” He comes back with a fist full of leftover bacon slices and goat cheese. Fine.

Later in the day, during house cleaning and chores, I scrub the tub in my bathroom and the soap suds remind me of whipping cake batter with a mixer. I’m done with this BS. I leave the cake batter and go into the kitchen just in time to see my hubby chowing down on some chocolate macadamia nut butter. A mouthful. Seriously?! I pop open a cucumber seltzer and it’s a good as cake. It’s sparkling water with only carbonated water as an ingredient so I’m deeming this acceptable. By 4 pm I notice I’m feeling pretty good and not hungry at all. I’ve occupied my time and haven’t given eating a second thought. One of the nice parts about the carnivore diet is knowing what you’re going to eat. It saves a lot of time and energy having that decision already made for the day. What’s for dinner? Meat. Lunch tomorrow? Meat. Billionaire Mark Zuckerberg wears the same outfit everyday for this reason. Less time and energy wasted on one decision.

Day 4.

I’m in a bad mood. Feeling weird, feeling off. What’s happening? I realize it’s 4:30pm and I haven’t eaten today. Whoa. A black iced coffee this morning, a few pepperoni and a handful of sharp cheddar cheese cubes. Less than a few hundred calories if you think about it. I need food, but I’m not hungry. I slap some burger patties in the skillet. I’m missing condiments. Ketchup, mustard, mayo, greens, chocolate croissants, ect. I’m satiated but I’m missing something. The hubby is “happy”. “ I could eat like this all the time”. The hubby then starts making an iced coffee, takes out the stevia and the coconut milk. Whoa cowboy. You can’t have any of those plant based ingredients. He’s shook. “What?!” Says Mr. “I could eat like this all the time”. I google carnivore desserts and actually come up with a recipe for carnivore cheesecake! There’s cream cheese, eggs and vanilla extract in it. Vanilla is classified as a spice, so it’s safe to use. I whip up a little heavy cream and stevia and cinnamon. It’s kinda satisfying.

Day 5.

Breakfast: coffee, heavy whipping cream over ice. No sweetener. 3 slices of bacon.

Lunch: 6 wings from Buffalo Wild Wings, plain. 3 slices of bacon.

Dinner: 2 eggs, fried in butter, with mozzarella cheese.

Mood: work stress 100% and emotionally craving sugar. Physically, I feel good. Satiated but as a foodie, a little bored.

Day 6.

Diarrhea all night long. Abdominal cramping, meat sweats. The works. My body and GI tract are officially done with this experiment. I know when to listen to my body and this is the time. I google “ carnivore diet side effects”. According to Dr. Google I’m eating too much fat. I sleep a few hours, wake up, make my coffee, add a splash of heavy whipping cream ( bad idea) and a dropper of liquid vanilla stevia. It tastes weird. I pick up my favorite Starbucks treat, bacon egg bites. Stomach: not happy. Still too much fat. 20 grams for the egg bites and a few more for my coffee. It’s easier to just have water at this point. I spend much of my day at work in the restroom.

I get home and decide it’s over and I need a vegetable. I whip up a creamy delicious pumpkin soup made with bone broth and spices. I add everything to it, turmeric, black pepper, tons of garlic and butter. The fragrant spices fill my senses, the hot spoon touches my lips, and the warm spiced liquid goes down smoothly. It feels right. I have 2 bowls, with a slice of toast smothered in tart goat cheese. This soup is the equivalent of chicken noodle soup when you have a cold. It feels, healing, and nourishing.

Conclusion:

This carnivore experiment was a learning lesson. It’s brought to light my dependency on sugar. In the couple of days my hubby joined me, It’s shown him his dependency on nightly cocktails. We can take this as an opportunity to make better daily choices. Although I enjoy the lower carb way of eating, it all comes down to balance. The answer always seems to be balance. I haven’t found it yet, but when I do I’ll be sure to let you know.

Intermittent Fasting

I’ve beed experimenting with intermittent fasting for about 3 months. Between intermittent fasting 4-5 times a week and evening swims i’ve lost a little bit of weight. I honestly feel a lot more focused during the day when I fast. That primal hunger urge keeps me focused and a tad on edge, in a good way. Like if a tiger tries to attack me, I’d be quick and I’d be ready. Tiger is going down.

Let me preface this blog by saying I’m not giving medical advice, and talk with your doctor about what options are best for you. This is literally what I did. I went to my doctor, had a check up, did the blood work and collectively decided on a plan. No, my doctor did not tell me to fast. He said find something you can stick to, everything in moderation, alcohol on special occasions ONLY and never ever drink fruit juice. True Story.

First and foremost I download the app called ZERO. ( Its free)

The app tracks your fasting schedule accurately and cheers you on with updates and countdowns.

My Fasting schedule is usually the 16:8, Fasting for 16 hours, eating window 8. There are other options, 20/4, 36 hour, circadian rhythm. 16:8 makes sense for me and my schedule but everyone is different.

During the eating window, I usually have 1 meal and 2 snacks, and a little dessert. This works out well because I don’t do well with restricting. I try and make my 1 meal pretty hearty and always include some veggies and if I can, I keep it relatively low carb. With the dessert, I try to not go too crazy, Halo top, raspberries and whipped cream, a couple of macaroons. Small and satisfying. Telling myself I can’t have dessert makes me want to hide under the bed and eat chocolate cake. Telling myself I can eat anything I want keeps me sane. This allows me to eat out with my family and have a couple bites of dessert guilt free.

During the fasting window, I’ll have 2 sometimes 3 cups of coffee. Now, the traditional intermittent fasting “rules” are only black coffee and water. I do it a little differently based upon research and trial and error.  

I will add a splash of heavy whipping cream and  sometimes a little stevia to my coffee. If this prolongs the fast, I think it’s ok. Mind you, theres no sugar in either of these, because of this, your blood sugar is stabilized.  I also drink 2 to 4, 40oz hydro flasks with ice cold water and a pinch of Himalayan Pink Salt ( for electrolytes and also appetite suppression). It has to be the pink himalayan salt, regular table salt does not have the same benefits and will not do.

If I’m staying away from dairy, or feel like an iced coffee, I will make the following drink:

Foodie Bitch Salted Coconut latte:

• Mason Jar ( filled with ice)

• Fill with cold brew/ cold coffee 3/4th of glass

• Organic Unsweetened coconut milk , the canned one.

  approximately 1/3 cup. Or splash it in freely to taste. (Obviously don’t go nuts)

  ( Costco sells the cans by the case

  6 for 10$)

• A few drops of vanilla stevia

• a tiny pinch of Himalayan Pink salt

Nutrition facts: Fat 12g, carbohydrates 2g, sugars 1g, protein <1g, sodium 35mg, potassium 100mg.

This is my secret weapon. I’m obsessed with this coconut latte. Because of the 2-3 cups of coffee in this, and the amount of healthy fat you will have zero appetite for hours. This makes intermittent fasting a breeze.

I read a book by Jorge Cruise called “The Cruise control diet”. In this book Jorge Talks about cheating the fast by incorporating things that don’t spike your insulin thus, extending the fast. These things are usually fat, Such as heavy whipping cream or “bullet proof” butter coffee. His theory being, fat is satiating and allows you to continue fasting for more hours. I try and stay away from dairy whenever possible because of skin issues, so I came up with my own version of dairy free “bullet proof coffee”. The Foodie Bitch Salted Coconut latte. It works!

The benefits of intermittent fasting include the following:

1. Weight loss

2. Anti aging properties

3. Reduces carb cravings

4. Promotes heart health

5. Lowers insulin levels

6. Improves brain health

7. Mental clarity and Focus

8. Improved sleep

9. Autophagy ( the big one)

Anything over 16 hours puts your body in a state of autophagy. In this state, the body is able to discard old diseased cells and make way for new ones to grow. It’s literally your body healing itself from the inside out within this 16 hour window. Research shows there are more benefits to extending the fast even longer. I am a beginner, the longest I’ve done is 23 hours. Im curious about attempting the 36 hour. Stay tuned.

In my experience, it takes about 2-3 weeks to acclimate to this way of eating. When first starting out, maybe take it easy, start on a weekend, a day when you’re able to lounge a bit. I was never a big breakfast person to begin with, but if you are its going to take some getting used to. Again, do your own research. Be your own guru, find what works. For me, this just happens to be it. I feel like i’ve uncovered a secret door/ pathway in my mind and body. It’s powerful.

GUEST BLOG by: Lady Lunching KETO Reset

Keto—it seems to be everywhere, right? It seems like everyone and their mother has created a social media platform dedicated to this new fad diet. But what the hell is it? If you’re reading this blog post in hopes of researching the science behind keto, or find a meal plan, then you’ve come to the wrong place. However, if you want to read about a personal story about how the Keto diet changed someone’s life then keep reading. 

First of all, if you follow me on Instagram then you know I’ve prided myself on eating whatever the hell I want. As much as this can be incredibly empowering, especially for a woman, I can admit that I might have taken that mentality to an extreme. As a food blogger, I am always in search of the best quality food; meaning, you will never catch me in a drive-thru. Because of this, I was under some illusion that I was healthy. Prior to my food blogger journey, I was always considered as the skinniest person in the room. My metabolism was equivalent to a roadrunner on crack! As the years went by I began to experience what everyone experiences at some point- aging. I’m a true millennial, folks; I could not fathom that my body would ever experience the effects of aging especially since I am perpetually “21”. Time went on and certain areas of my body became to grow and widen in ways I have never experienced. Let me make it very clear that although I felt some areas needed improvement, I was overall comfortable with my new body. However, I was not comfortable with the debilitating health concerns that came crashing in all at once. After experiencing extreme drowsiness, lack of sleep, body aches, and bloating for almost a year, I finally took a trip to see my doctor.  Needless to say, because of my stubborn ass, it took 3 doctor visits and 4 blood tests for me to finally admit that my health concerns were all connected to my diet. Shortly after, I stumbled into an Instagram rabbit hole, which became an all-day research on Keto.

Essentially, the Keto diet consists of a high percentage of fat and a low percentage of (net) carbs, and protein is in between. Once you stick to this meal plan for a few days, your body will enter a stage of ketosis. Ketosis is where your body has been reprogrammed to burn fat for energy rather than carbs or sugar. Y’all, I lost 8 pounds in one week! I was sleeping throughout the night, I had more energy, and I could finally see my ab muscles again- who knew I still had them?! Not only did Keto put my health back on track, but it also educated me on how much shit I was putting into my body. Food items that I thought were healthy turned out to be sugar laden poison! Plus, I get to eat all the bacon and butter I want- HALLLUJAH!

Keep in mind that I am not a doctor, so this diet might not work for everyone, but it worked for me. My favorite thing about Keto is that I don’t feel deprived. Sure, do I crave bread sometimes? Of course! But because I have retrained my body to crave healthy fats, I feel content with having a bite of bread rather than the whole damn loaf. Moral of the story is this: put your health and happiness first. The Keto diet helped me put my health as a priority, but you must have balance. You know ya girl can’t pass up a taco, occasionally!

So-Cal Feasting

We’re getting the hang of this whole family vacation thing. Pre baby, we would travel on planes, drink all day and dance the night away in concerts or pubs. Now, bedtime is 11pm at the latest, and good food is the priority. Guaranteed we’ll make it to the early bird special for waffles at Perry’s Cafe SD. Waffle me. We commence our fist vacation of 2018 with a trip to Old Town San Diego but not before making a stop in our hometown of Yuma. It’s not exactly home. It’s like an old boyfriend who you’re still cool with. Is there such a thing though? Here, I’m able to spend time with my high school besties and laugh about how ridiculous we were at 17. We dined at a local spot called “Takos and Beer” and were very impressed by the food, the presentation, the service and the salsas! For me, the condiment queen, if the sauces and salsas  aren’t good, you’ve lost me. I’m all about adding hot sauce, ketchup, mustard, soy sauce, salsa, or lemon to everything and anything. If we go to a Mexican restaurant and the complementary chips and salsa are bad, I’m going to assume the entire meal is mediocre. If you can’t be bothered to put out good salsa then how much are you really trying here? Takos and Beer had it all and we loved it!  We will definitely be back. 

In SD we spent time in the marina and little Italy. If actual Italy is anything like this, I need to go. ASAP. There was literally people speaking Italian in the streets, there was pizza, there was pasta,there were endless desserts, gelato and coffee shops. My new favorite place in SD is a place called Filipies Pizza Grotto.There are several in town, but we went to the original. Initially an Italian market this place has been in business since 1950! The restaurant is now run by members of the DeFilipis family. I love the history and charm of this place. The loyalty is written in the brick walls.  You have to walk through an actual Italian import market to get to the restaurant in the back. We order a margherita pizza, a clam linguine and a side of marinara sauce. Give me all the sauce! We washed it down with a 2012 Pinot Grigio.I also had my first cannoli. It surprised me. I always pictured a cannoli to be soft, like an egg roll with some sweet filling. I was wrong. It’s a hard cookie rolled up and  filled with sweet cream and topped with chocolate and pistachios. It was deliciously surprising.

The next day we enjoy an afternoon of Margarita tasting. We walk 1 mile to our dinner destination and have Margaritas along the way. We had everything from pomegranate Margaritas to jalapeño Margaritas. The winning margarita for me came from our favorite restaurant in San Diego. The Old Town Café. I ordered a cucumber margarita with organic tequila and added muddled jalapeños. Winner Winner, Carnitas dinner. We squeezed in a little kid time by taking the kiddo to Sea World. No, we haven’t seen the documentary. All I know is the kid ran around the splash pad, played with the sea otters and had a great freaggin time. 

I’ve been known to plan trips around food. It’s not unheard of for us to drive across state lines or across the border for a good meal.I talked the hubby into going to the beach in La Jolla solely for the purpose of visiting Sprinkles cupcakes. Along with my obsession for sauces, cake is always my number one dessert of choice. Cake is my homeboy.I’ve wanted to get married my whole life only so that I can have a four tiered red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. I’ve had a love affair with cake for a long time. Sprinkles gets it right. Every.Single.Time. It’s Magical. Each and every flavor tastes like happiness. It’s like somebody figured out a way to make a wedding cake in cupcake form. They only use the best quality vanilla. I know this because I’ve researched it. (Madagascar bourbon vanilla extract.)The obsession is real.They’re rich, they’re sweet. They’re literally perfection. Candace Nelson, the creator of Sprinkles Cupcakes opened the very first cupcake shop in the US in 2002. She’s a bad ass woman entrepreneur and the day she followed me on Instagram made my life.

We ended the trip with a couple of green juices and açaí bowls. A little Uber Eats hotel breakfast at our doorstep. Reset, detox time and damage control. It was almost serendipitous that I got home to a case of Apple Cider Vinegar shots from  the Compnay Vermont Village! Their company began in 1975 as a producer of gourmet high acid foods. Their specialty is apple sauce made with wild apples. In 1985 the company was sold to the employees and became a co-op. The company now belongs to a couple in Woodstock, Vermont. Apple cider vinegar is the cure all, great for detoxing and great after too much good food and too many drinks. The health benefits include rebalancing PH and alkalinity in the body. Amazing. It’s great for digestion, skin, hair, the benefits are endless! I’m a big believer in ACV. These single shots of apple cider vinegar are mixed with honey and fruit and taste amazing with just water! So far, I love all the flavors, but I am really in love with the blueberry. I’m thinking about making some ACV cocktails. Yum! They’re even coming out with activated charcoal, collagen and matcha blends. I’m excited. With their gourmet products made with love and their great customer service, they’ve made a customer for life. 

Before taking this vacation, we worked way too much and crammed in way too much. I ended up working 34 days straight. My hubby worked tons of days at home and on his business.Overworked, my immune system crashed and I had a cold for a week( ACV saved me).The learning lesson here is don’t do that again. Take time for yourself, take days off. Take vacations, plan vacations. Get facials, book massages. Pick up lunch, pick up a coffee. Sleep in, leave the laundry.Take days where you don’t do anything. Take time to hang out on the couch watching the Jersey shore reboot, read a book, throw on a face mask. It’s fine you’ve earned it, you deserve it. Practice self care, and do it with zero guilt. 

The Perfect Saturday

I haven’t had a Saturday Morning off in a long time. My Saturday mornings have been occupied with running Skinology, my new spa or making up hours at my 9-5. I am eternally grateful for the jobs I have and love but it’s nice to slow down . I am equally grateful for time off to rest and reflect. Saturdays are special, they feel like  a chance for opportunity and adventure. Endless possibilities. 

I prefaced Saturday morning with the trip to target on Friday night. I melted into an evening of endulgence with an easy dinner of fish sticks over cauli rice topped with guac and lime and chocolate hazelnut ice cream for dessert. Never go shopping hungry or hormonal. The new Magnum Ice cream pints are my dream come true. I can’t resist a chocolate hard candy shell. I knew they’d be good, but I never expected they’d be eat-the-whole-thing-good. It’s a mixture of ice cream and crushed hard chocolate shell in a spoonful. Dead, buried, done. I’ve found the equivalent of an ice cream soul mate. I’m waiting for a reasonable amount of time to pass before I can try the other flavors. 

The trip to target was intended for stocking up on a couple of things to make Saturday morning breakfast special for my hubby. I picked up his favorite, Grapefruit juice and my favorite, everything else. Again, no shopping when hungry! While I was thinking about his favorite drink, he was thinking about mine and came home with a 40oz Rosè I’ve been eying online. Now available at Tap and Bottle! I’m too excited to drink it right away. I will most likely stare at it and keep it on my bar for a few weeks until he bugs me about drinking it and accuses me of “hoarding”. I enjoy collecting pretty alcohol bottles and staring at them periodically. This drives him crazy because he doesn’t understand why I don’t just rip them open and drink them. I’d been saving a bottle of tequila we brought home from the Mayan pyramids of Yucatán for 2 years and this guy cracks it open and drinks out of it as I watch horrified. “It’s going to waste”, he rationalizes. 

Saturday morning breakfast turned out to be a Protein Power bowl I threw together. 

Protein Power Bowls: 

-1 cup cottage cheese  

- handful of chopped strawberries  

- 1 tablespoon chia seeds  

- 2 tablespoons shredded coconut  

- 1 tablespoon walnuts  

- 1/2 scoop chocolate protein powder  

450 calories, 49 grams of protein,22 grams carbs, 8 grams fiber

 We spent about 20 minutes browsing at the GoodWill before hubby rushed us out. During my drive by, I was able to pick up a reflexology book and an electric candle for the spa. In our efforts to attempt to live minimally, we’ve been really careful about what we buy and what we bring into the house. Hence the rushing. “You don’t need anything!” He’s right, I don’t, but who doesn’t love trolling for Knick knacks? 

For lunch we finally tried Pat’s Chilli Dogs. Pat’s is a Tucson institution and has been around for a long time. It was purchased by Carlos Hernandez, an employee of Pat’s in 1979. The Vibe here is vintage, cool and classic Americana. I imagine it hasn’t changed much since 1979. We ordered the fried shrimp, the chili dogs and fries. The food was delicious and greasy. The fries were pilled on by the pound. The perfect hangover food and quintessential Tucson. Calories, carbs, fiber? Unlimited. Most likely infinite. Food coma ensued. I’m not sure my conscience would let me come here more than once a year. 

Later that evening, I spent some time working  at the spa. I went in for a couple of appointments. This is my happy place. I am filled with delight and gratitude every time I step  through the door. I am reminded that I’ve accomplished one of my life’s greatest dreams. Becoming a business owner however, hasn’t been the easiest journey. In these few short months I’ve lost friendships and learned hard lessons. What I’ve come to realize is, not everyone will be happy for you when you’re breaking out of the normal. That’s been a tough pill to swallow. People will get upset because-“You didn’t tell me you were starting a business”. Or people will renege on a set contractual agreement just because. Not everyone will be a part of your journey. Friendships end, they change. Everything that’s happened has reaffirmed the realization that family is always everything and eternally above all else. 

I was really excited to come home to find my new book had arrived. We love reading books in front of Kingston because he’ll do the same thing. Monkey see, Monkey do. I Can’t wait to dive in. I don’t know too much about Gary V but I am a big proponent of motivational, self help books. It’s really all I read. No fiction for me, it feels like a waste of my time. I’d rather be learning and improving my mind. There’s also something special about holding a paper book, no E-books for me.

“How about a snack?” The hubz asks as we’re unwinding from the day. We grill a few hot wings and share some drinks while live streaming Coachella. We have our very own “no-Chella” late night happy hour in our living room with wine and wings as Kingston runs around and plays. I wouldn’t have it any other way. 

Bacon Lover goes Vegan

I never in a million years thought I would attempt veganism. What's the point? Who does that? Why?! Just enjoy your life! I've become a pro at eating a low carb ketogenic lifestyle. My meals consist of eggs, cheese, meats, tuna, nuts, Cobb salads and bacon. So much Bacon. With this diet I was successfully able to lose my baby weight but it gets old. One can only have so much meat. I've been eating Keto for about a year and I feel like it's time for a change. I figure you can't go wrong with eating plant based. It's vegetables! I'm diving in head first into the land of Vegans. Do I have to stop shaving my underarms and wear Jesus sandals now? In order to preserve my sanity, I will not be watching any documentary where they show slaughterhouses and and cows being lured to their death and shot between the eyes by air guns. It's too much for my cow loving heart to bear. I know this goes on. I understand how it works when we bite into our carne asada tacos and buger patties. I'm choosing to look away and remain complicit. Don't we all?

I was inspired to go Vegan after a conversation with a friend. She raved about her clear skin and flat tummy. Veganism seems to be making a come back as the new "cool thing". Upon further research I discovered more of the benefits of Veginism. There were articles and blogs to support decreased anxiety symptoms with cutting out animal product. This was enough for me to give it a try. I've had inexplicable high anxiety for the past month. One day, the anxiety was crippling enough stop me in my tracks and cause a panic atttack in front of people at work. I will do anything to naturally cure this. Xanax is not an option for this hippie girl. I am doing this to feel better. As I get older, wellness takes precedence over appearance. I need some mental and physical  zen in my life. With this experiment we are becoming overnight vegans. 

I was shocked when the husband was on board for the Vegan challenge. He was 100% on board, until it was Day 1. "what? We're starting today?" "this is happening now?" "Can I still have beer?" My own heartbreak came when I went shopping for breakfast on day 1. Our grocery store had a new selection of butter. Pure, creamy, delicious French butter. Normally we have eggs doused in butter and cheese for breakfast. I am also obsessed with all things French. I sadly put the butter down and picked up the vegan margarine. This is my nightmare.

Instead of focusing on what I couldn't have, I focused on the things I could actually eat. It's been forever since I've had a potato and years since I've eaten a banana! I also found out Oreos are vegan. Knowing I can have these little chocolate devils brings reassurance. In case of emergency, eat chocolate.  I knew day one, meal 1 had to be amazing in order keep hubby excited about being vegan. I put together potato and soy chorizo breakfast tacos topped with avocado and tomato salsa. We snacked on blue berry spinach smoothies, hummus and sweet potato crackers and I sipped on chamomile tea during the mornings. I meal prepped brown rice, overnight oats and potatoes for the week. For dinner we had micro greens topped with brown rice and lime. During my afternoon walks I began to have something similar to that of the "'meat sweats". I suppose this is my body detoxing of animal product? I've also had four trips to the restroom on day 1. 

Monday:

On day two I discovered Vegan junk food. Game over, I'll be a vegan forever. Upon further  research I discovered that foods that we all know and love are surprisingly accidentally vegan. Oreos are vegan. Fritos are vegan. Skittles are vegan.The right pastas are vegan. Foods that I haven't had in years. This just became exciting. For Monday night football I was able to enjoy chips and salsa, oven roasted cauliflower and kale meatballs.  The husband was able to grin and bear it when we discovered Coronas are also vegan. Apparently some beers are made with fish heads, gelatin and egg yolks.

Tuesday:

On day 3, I discovered that eating raw bananas for breakfast makes me a vegan! So easy to do. I also discovered my favorite lunch combination, Micro Greens and brown rice with Goddess dressing, lime and Himalayan pink salt. I've had this meal a few times and the hubs even had seconds. Dinner was a home made vegan pumpkin Mac and cheese. Energy has been pretty low lately so I incorporated vitamin B12 supplement as recommended.  

Wednesday/Thursday:

I noticed a decrease in my anxiety and clearer skin. I made sure to pack Vegan lunches for work to avoid temptation. I noshed on brown rice, roasted cauliflower, baby carrots and a little vegan junk food. If you've never had a complete cookie, try one. Vegan or not. They have tons of protein and fiber and good filling ingredients. This was my favorite meal when I was pregnant. Restroom trips have became very frequent, upwards of 3-4 times per day. A holistic doctor once told me that if you don't poop this many times per day you're "constipated". I remember thinking she was crazy, now I get it. 

On Friday, day 6, I woke up with no appetite. I usually eat first thing in the morning, so this is odd. I normally have a cup of coffee with stevia and milk every morning. In the name of anxiety, I've also cut out all caffeine this week. I wonder if my body is finally satiated because of all the nutrients that have been going in? Is this how it works?!  For dinner we had homemade brown rice and veggie rolls. Over dinner the hubs and I agreed this way of eating is not difficult. We agreed we can go another 7 days. "I'm not in dire need of a taco yet". He states. I went to bed on day 6 with zero anxiety and a belly full of vegan sushi. 

Saturday:

Day 7, I woke up with zero anxiety, and we made it a whole week! We started the morning with green smoothies. Bananas, peanut butter, kale and almond milk. I like to blend it for an absurd period of time until it's super smooth and frothy. What kale? This is Peanut butter dream. We spent the morning at the local oriental market browsing vegan products and looking for food truck ideas. They carry products from around the world. I went home with Indian spices, jack fruit and fresh sheets of Nori for more veggie sushi. I bought two bunches of bananas and peeled and froze them with plans to make vegan Oreo ice cream.

The 7 days of veganism were a learning experience. I realized we can commit to anything when really trying. I also realized how little vegetables I was eating. The husband is planning to be more conscientious of the things he eats now and incorporate more vegan meals but he's already planning his non vegan breakfast.There's a dozen fresh organic eggs and slices of jalapeño cheese waiting for him in the refrigerator. "Maybe I'll  try and be vegetarian next" he says. I really enjoyed the Vegan way of eating. I gained a pound, but I feel less swollen and bloated. My face is less red and my skin feels smoother. The most important change I noticed is the zero anxiety. Maybe it's because I cut out caffeine? Maybe it's because I added more fruits and vegetables? Either way, I'm digging it. I never thought I'd consider this way of eating permanently or at least 80/20. We toyed with the idea of eating meat maybe once a month in the future. I think any changes one makes for the benefit of good health is a good idea. Vegetables will always be a good idea. We will see what the future holds.On the way out of the oriental market, the crispy pork belly and roasted duck glistened under the warming lamps calling our names. We stood in front of them, stared, inhaled, then headed home to fresh lemon ginger shots. 

Big Money, Part Deux.

Last week was intense. I survived 1 whole week without spending money. Our pantry and refrigerator are still technically "full" but can I make it a second week? I think so. Challenge accepted. On Monday, ready with my over night oats, I headed to work with my lunch bag packed. I had meal prepped to the best of my ability for the week. We were also able to scrape together skillet Mac n cheese with the last of my organic heavy whipping cream. I add water to the carton a couple of times and shake it hard to be sure and get every drop. Normally, the heavy whipping cream goes bad before we can finish it. Not this time. 

On Monday night, Gabe began to ration our food. " I want a snack, but I want to leave enough food for the week". I laughed and assured him that eating one snack would be ok. We had late night corn tortilla quesadillas and Dragoon Ojo Blanco beers on the couch. The corn tortillas were imported from Mexico  by my thoughtful aunt, Tia Estella. We see her maybe once a year and she always comes bearing gifts. On her last visit she gave us a bottle of Mexican Brandy, tortillas and home grown jalapeños. We had three packs of these amazing Mexican corn tortillas in the freezer. Believe me, there is a difference.Tia Estella's generosity is unparalleled. The world would be a better place with more people like her. 

Tuesday:  

Overnight oats, quinoa and veggies on repeat at work. They're getting a tad boring but it's sustenance nonetheless. Last week we found a dusty old bike in the garage and sold it. I was able to barter with those $30 and bought a Cuisineart coffee maker and a waffle iron with that money! I found a woman online that buys out estate sales and sells  things for a profit. The Cuisineart coffee maker alone is worth $99. I Bleach it out and run vinegar through it and it's good to go. Advice: Always keep a lookout for online deals and don't be afraid to ask people for money off. Fruggle = borderline shameless. I'll just sit here in shame drinking my fresh brewed  coffee and eating my Belgian waffles. 

  When my car was out of gas and my baby was out of food I realized that not spending ANY money would be unrealistic this week. The rules changed to only the necessities. I got an amazing deal on organic baby food and Kingston is happy. The mortgage needs to be paid, the electric bills are pending. When I pay my credit card now, it's a different feeling. There has been a light switch flipped in my head. I pay this bill knowing there will eventual be an end and I will never have a credit card bill again. I am happy to make this payment.

For dinner, I found a fancy bag of flour and threw together a "gluten free"pizza. The bag of flour may or may not have been expired. What's one year of expiration if it's still sealed? Eh. The crust was something similar to that of old ,dried, cow rawhide only thicker. I figured I'd hide the crust by topping it with everything sitting in the  refrigerator. Even with the crust cleverly disguised it was an abomination, like a large "gluten free" frisbee. On the plus side, if anyone needs a good recipe for papier-mâché this is it. Piñatas for days. We were able to salvage the toppings by scraping them off and eating them solo. 

As the days went on, the meals got pretty creative. We found stashes of frozen Tamales in the freezer and topped them with molé sauce and queso fresco for a quick hearty dinner. As word spread about our "No spending" week people started volunteering food. For some reason, people are uncomfortable with me not shopping. I've gladly accepted my role as a moocher. Taking food is technically cheating of course but when your mom shows up with queso fresco you don't say no.  "It's for the baby". When your supervisor gifts you Tequila infused jam you don't say no. When your co worker gives you Paleo granola, you don't say no.  I'm happy to report the people around me are also being more concious of their spending habits. A couple of co workers vowed "no shopping this week". Misery loves company. Let's do it. 

Friday: 

We still hadn't grocery shopped, and I was  still scraping together meals from the pantry and the refrigerator. As I ran out the door for work, it became second nature to throw things in my lunch bag. I made a quick tuna salad and threw it in along with some granola bars and water. Packing my own lunch has  probably saved me about $30 a week. This is a habit I will continue to follow after this no spending challenge/experiment. I do have my eye on a Kate Spade lunch bag though.  Old habits die hard. 

The week of no spending turned into the $39 week because of gas and baby. Necessity. Normally, I would have spent this $39 on lunches for work. This experiment has made me frugal and conscious. I'm awake. Life isn't always supposed to be comfortable. Sometimes you have to bust your ass. Actually, you should always bust your ass. I've gotten comfortable living the Mommy life and working part time so I can be with my new born more,but as baby turns one, it's time to get back to it. He will appreciate it when he has a fully funded college fund. Since the experiment, I've transitioned from part time a full time schedule at work and even worked about 10 hours of overtime. Money in the bank.

 On the last day of the challenge, Gabe and I split one egg for breakfast, we're relieved it's over.  I don't think either of us will ever take little things like this for granted again. I look forward to having my own egg, maybe even two! We celebrated day 14 by going out for sushi and taking a trip to Costco.We purchased snacks and food for the week including nitrate free salami and fresh mozzarella. Very exciting. 

After these two weeks I've decided I'm officially breaking up with my credit cards. It's over, it's not them, it's me. It was fun while it lasted. According to Dave Ramsey, financial guru, you pay them off and close them ASAP. According to my best friend, Mr. " I don't need Dave Ramsey I have a Masters in business",  (as he snaps his fingers) you  keep them open and limit your use of them. I'm going with the bestie on this one, he's pretty much always right. Snap. Snap. 

Big Money. My week of ZERO spending.

I made the decision to not spend any money this week. I have a bachelorette trip coming up soon, baby's first birthday, hubby's birthday and the holidays coming up. I've also started listening and watching no non-sense financial guru Dave Ramsey. He tells it like it is, and a lot of what he says makes sense!  "If you can't pay cash for it, you can't afford it". Duh! Why hasn't this clicked for me before? Immediately I decide I need to pay off all my credit cards, and get rid of them. I will take joy in slicing them as soon as this goal is achieved. 

Dave Ramsey's first step in financial freedom is to save $1000.00. Start a mini savings account with this money for a rainy day. Step two,pay off any and all debt starting with the smallest debt, step three, start investing.In order follow some of these steps,I will not be buying ANYTHING this week. Normally, during the week, I spend money on Starbucks, McDonald's egg Mcmuffins, lunch at work and dinner items for the family. On occasion, I'll get pedicures, buy books, succulents, makeup and things in general that make me happy. I use my debit card, credit cards, basically the first one I grab in my purse with really no ryhm or reason. I need to be better about this. This week I will master Money. I went so far as to give the hubbz all of my credit cards and debit cards for the week. 

The hubbz was on board as soon as I mentioned anything about saving money. Together, we decided we would not shop for any groceries this week. We would use up everything in the house. We cleaned out the refrigerator and the cupboards and found things in there that will make great meals without needing to buy a single thing. There was a moment of great relief and hallelujah when I found two packets of frozen bacon. Immediately I shouted out "bacon! we are going to be OK, we're going to make it!"  Meal planning for this week just got exciting. Bacon makes everything better. 

We came up with a weekly menu in order to stay organized and came up with some pretty exciting and healthy meals for the week. I try my damnedest to follow a Low carb/keto diet and was able to somewhat abide by the rules of low carbing for all our dinners. 

Monday: For breakfast, I made coffee at work and used the creamers and sweetener there. No Starbucks necessary. I was disappointed when my breakfast yogurt was runny and expired and my "boiled egg" was raw! No breakfast then I guess. Then, like a greasy shining light, my co-worker Adam walks in with an extra egg Mc muffin from McDonald's for me. Budgeting loophole. Thanks doll. I usually remove both buns and have the egg and sausage only for low carbing purposes. Adam rolls his eyes and eats his muffins whole and drinks his large iced coffee. 

Tuesday/Wednesday: 

I became comfortable spending zero dollars and drinking coffee at work,I even brought my own mug to make it feel a little more special. Packing my own lunch was a must every day. In my lunch bag,I carry leftovers, Almond butter ( I eat it by the spoonful as a snack), cheese and whatever snacks I can find in my pantry. On Thursday, gabe walks in with a bottle of tequila and says "Oh, I forgot, I just wanted a margarita". He "forgot" about this no spending challenge I've been talking about every day.Sure. The reality of the weekend coming is setting in and I immediately decide I need to make a game plan. Idle hands are the devils spending playground. I'm having dreams about going to the mall, Costco, and Target this weekend. I actually don't want too much! I just want some Organic Strawberries and white bean hummus from Trader Joe's. Tampax Pearls would be nice too. My dedication to this experiment is so monumental that cardboard tampons are being used.  I don't know who buys these. I bought them by mistake and they've been sitting under my bathroom sink for about six months. Do these things expire?and who actually uses these?! If you're a woman, you know the struggle of fighting with these uncomfortable yet biodegradable little pieces of sharp angry cotton. On the plus side,I'm not only saving money, I am saving Mother Earth one period at a time. 

Over the weekend,I had figured out how to not only save money, but make money with 8 hours of over time at work. By Friday/Saturday the meals had gotten odd. Keto/Low carb was out the window. It takes money to be healthy! Our coffee pot broke mid week and we were able to go the week without it. This was a bachelor coffee pot that Gabe has probably had for the past 15 years.I sold an old dusty bike in my garage and made 30$ for a new one. Loophole.  By the weekend, the meals were getting real weird. Before work I filled my lunch bag with whatever I could find at home. I began to lay out my lunch to the dismay of my co workers. "what are you going to do with all that?" one of them asked. "I'm going to eat it and hope I don't get diarrhea". I respond as I ate my canned clam chowder and followed it with half a jar of peaches and a spoonful of almond butter. 

 During the week one of my coworkers gave me farm fresh organic eggs from her chickens coop and I've never seen anything more beautiful. I realized I've been taking little things like this for granted on all of my shopping spree's. A dozen eggs is normally nothing special until you can't buy them. I had been saving 2 eggs in the refrigerator for  a special Sunday breakfast. After this generous and beautiful gift it seems like the menu options are limitless. It's easy to take a little things like this for granted. This challenge reminded me that every single thing is a gift. Everything we have the pleasure of purchasing with our hard earned money should be cherished and will be cherished from now on. 

 I credit the successful week of no spending to a few things.  Staying home and going straight home after work every day was key in saving all the pennies. Meal planning and being prepared so you don't have to shop is helpful. Getting Gabe on board with the plan was the most important part of the whole thing. He was encouraging when the meals were terrible and was entertainment when the nights in were boring.

We celebrated the last day of the no spending challenge by spending $8 on a movie matinee at 11am. We experimented on lunch and dinner options for our food truck,The Blacktop Grill. Another spending loophole. We came up with a new menu option and called it the "BBC" the big bacon Caesar. This all beef, bacon hot dog is layed out on a pita flat bread and rolled up like a gyro/taco. Inside, there's fresh chopped romain lettuce, freshly grated parmasean cheese, Caesar dressing, slices of bacon and bacon crumbles on top. When we find a menu item that has that magic, we both know it instantly. The BBC has it. 

I ended the challenge and didn't feel the need to shop. I prepped for the week by raiding the refrigerator and making it work. I made over night oats with berries, bananas, peanut butter, vanilla, flax seeds and almond milk. I also found a big bag of quinoa in the cupboard and made quinoa and veggies for the week. Total cost for meal prepping, zero dollars. Learning lessons, Priceless. 

L.A. Woman

Our second trip with baby turned out to be a big,unexpected,random adventure. Random guests,random conversations,random learning experiences. Gabe invited a friend, so I invited a friend. A six year old God Child friend by the name of Dominic. Just me and four dudes.How exactly would life be with two little ones to take care of? Hard. That's how. After being blessed with the perfect baby, Kingston, we often wonder if we will get this lucky twice and if we are ready for baby #2? We began our 8 hour trek at 7 am and arrived in Marina del Rey, California at 7pm. Two children= lots of rest breaks, rest stops, snacks, and milk. Coffee was a must every single morning and Rosè was a must every afternoon. 

Pinks hotdogs was definitely on the top of the list for food. Located in La Brea,near Hollywood, this tiny little stand has been up and running since 1977. As regular hot dog eaters and makers, our hotdog standard is high. We were impressed with the large menu and the various topping options. I had a classic chili cheese dog with bacon strips  and french fries on top, Gabe had a pastrami dog with sauerkraut.Dominic had an onion ring and BBQ topped hot dog named "the lord of the rings"  that he absolutely loved. I am happy to report that pinks hotdogs are Blacktop Grill approved, two thumbs up. I can see why they are an LA must.

I've always wanted to visit the LACMA. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art has been on my bucket list for a long time and I was happy to finally check it off the list. Kingston and Dominic were lucky enough to see the works of Pablo Picasso, Mark Rothko, Andy Warhol, and Jackson Pollack.  I know one day they will appreciate this experience and this trip. For me, the LACMA brought back my love of art, and my appreciation for beautiful paintings and surroundings. The smells, the colors, the vaulted ceilings and being in the presence of greatness makes you feel as though it can all be inhaled and internally absorbed somehow.

We had lunch at the famous Trejos Tacos in La Brea. Here we dined on Jackfruit tacos, carne asada tacos, fried chicken burritos and almond milk,date sweetened Horchata. The restaurant itself is situated in a nice little corner with lots of outdoor shaded space. There was a line, as expected for any restaurant visited by Mr. Anthony Bourdain, but It moved quickly. We were in awe over the fact that Machete himself concocted a recipe that turned fruit into meat.Like some sort of biblical pork magic, the jackfruit is slow cooked and simmered in spices and pulled apart. The pork magic is then set on to a warm hand sized thick corn tortilla and topped with cabbage,lime, tomato, tortilla chips and green tomatillo salsa.

We spent the afternoon at The Grove. Fancy mall with a nice outdoor area for lounging on grass. There is also a large farmers market inside with fresh fruits,vegetables and French gourmet cheese and wine shops all over.Here, we were able to try the Insta-famous Sprinkles Cupcakes. As a connoisseur of desserts, I have to say these were amongst the best cupcakes I've ever had in my entire life. I had the triple cinnamon, and he had the lemon blueberry. They were perfection. I was half expecting the deliciousness to be all hype. We also made a stop in the French dessert shop Luduree. My life's dream is to spend summers in France. I feel as though somehow France follows me everywhere I go and this was another example of it. Blog posts from Paris coming soon. All in due time. They say I'm a dreamer...but I'm not the only one. 

It was interesting to expose Dominic to all different types of food. Witout hesitation or fear he tried Persian food, he tried Salvadoranian papusas, he ventured out and tried different types of seafood including calamari. It was a challenge convincing a six-year-old to try all these things but he did and I'm sure he was glad he did, If only for the tales of bravery he would get to tell.

Unexpectedly, Fourth of July was a hot mess. We somehow got lost on our way to the beach. Our hotel was situated .07 miles from Venice beach and inexplicably the navigation took us the scenic route about 6 miles through the Marina. We walked until it was too late to turn back. This isn't the first time the GPS has led us astray, and somehow I'm always in charge of the map. Perhaps someone with better sense of direction should navigate from now on? Just a thought. It was light out when we left our hotel . When we arrived in Venice Beach, it was just in time for the fireworks at 9 PM. We ran fast into the first restaurant we found, sat and had sausage and Margherita pizzas. We made it out just in time to watch the fireworks in Venice Beach. Nobody spoke as we sat there and watched the fireworks on the beach, our feet throbbing. The only one unfazed and un bothered was Dominic who was happy to play on the beach and smiled so big the whole evening. Give a kid pizza and a beach and he's happy. Simplicity. Nevemind the 6 miles we just walked in flip flops with no restrooms or water. We then proceeded to walk the .07 miles back to our hotel room. This was approximately 20 minutes, a short walk, still a silent walk.

The next morning we got on the road and headed back home to Tucson. We made a pitstop in San Diego so the kids could play on the beach and stretch out. Kingston fearlessly crawled into the ocean. I had to physically restrain him from leaping in several times. I had one eye on Dominic and one eye on Kingston the entire afternoon. I was fresh out of eyeballs. When gabe found us he declared "There you are, you blended in with all the soccer moms." I looked around and all the women and families around us looked really happy but also frazzled and stressed. Children were running all over the place. I think it was here I decided one baby is enough, I'd like to keep an eyeball on myself from time to time. The ability to be a mother is priceless and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I feel lucky and blessed everyday , but the ability to be with yourself and love your own time is ok too. 

The trip overall was an amazing one. I was excited to be able to show Dominic new things and help him become more independent and mature. I take the task of being his godmother seriously, and he is always in the back of my mind and in my prayers. My wish for him is that he grows up to have a happy, fulfilled, adventurous life. They say you choose God parents who you would like your children to be like. For me, it is an honor to be chosen. I will continue to show him the light. As for Kingston, we will continue strapping him into the car seat and taking him everywhere until it's become normal for him. He's our little traveling baby. 

Dragoon Love

 We have a lot of love for Dragoon Brewing Company. When celebrating their 5th  anniversary party, I am flooded with memories of girls night out, morning Baksana and beer, romantic date nights and our engagement party. We have been coming here for years and long before their grand expansion.

      Our first trips there were spent in the small tap room eating Indian curry quesadillas (made by the Twisted Tandoori food truck) and getting to know the staff. It was here that our food truck The Blacktop Grill transitioned from an idea to the big leagues becoming a full-blown profitable business. Dragoon was one of the first companies to take a glance at our menu and say "Let's do it" thus egniting the perfect collaboration of food truck and beer pairings. This is the reason Gabe has so much loyalty and love towards Dragoon. We grew with them as The blacktop grill heads into its 4th year.

I love the father and son seed Dragoon grew from and I envision the same success for my husband and son one day. In 2012 Dragoon began with only 2 beers, the IPA and the Stronghold Session Ale. These beers were backed by home brewed knowledge and education from the Vermont Brewers Guild. It's a lovely coincidence that the IPA is Gabe's favorite and the Stronghold is mine. 

 When planning a dessert in celebration of Dragoon's anniversary party I knew it had to be something special. Last year, the famous IPA lemon bars were a hit. This year, inspired by "Seis" Dragoon's Russian Imperial Stout, I went with "Seis" Russian Imperial Stout infused dark chocolate brownies with a goat cheese swirl. The hand whipped goat cheese and chocolate chips  added the perfect amount of tang. The notes of spicy rye, toffee, roasted malt and nutty flavor in the Seis scream dessert to me. Goat cheese is just plain sexy, there's something special about it. Goat cheese knows it's different, it knows people cherish it by the ounce. Goat cheese is confident, and confidence is sexy. Thank you to Dragoon for being consistent, welcoming, warm and comforting. We wish Dragoon many years of success, growth and good vibes. Join us in celebrating the achievement that is Dragoon Brewery today from 12pm-10pm. Get your Russian Imperial Stout/Goat cheese Brownies  from The Blacktop Grill. 

Engagement photo cred: The heart of Dragoon Miss Chelsea Blue, Photographer/website designer extraordinaire. 

www.chelseabluephotography.com

Sunday Zoo Vibes

Our Sundays are spent much differently these days. Pre-Baby, our Sundays were filled with sleeping in, movie matinees, morning drinks and chicken wings. Post-Baby, I'm up at 6 am and try to be as productive as possible.I like the idea of finding new and entertaining things for the family and I to do on our day off. 

Enter Reid park Zoo, built in 1965, 24 acres with a variety of wild life. The zoo is located  in Central Tucson.The park itself is available to host birthday parties, events and even weddings. We came here to imagine the possibilities of a zoo wedding. Jury is still out on this. The sexy giraffes are sure to take the attention from the bride. Just look at those 3 foot glutes.

One might think a 7 month old is too young for a Zoo, but Kingston was surprisingly alert and enthusiastic towards the animals. He enjoyed the leisurely stroll and behaved really well! His favorite animals were the meerkats, iguana and the elephants. Peacock roam the park independently. 

The admission price is $10.50 for adults and $6.50 for children ages 2 and over. I highly recommend bringing hats, water bottles and comfortable walking shoes. We walked about 4 miles this day. 

We worked up an appetite and had lunch at  Barrio Brewing Co. We strive to support local as often as possible. This brewery was started by a husband and wife in 1991 and has been open in its warehouse location since 2006. I hope one day our food truck The Blacktop Grill can have this level of success and expansion. I highly believe supporting local as often as possible will bring us good Karma and continued success. 

We got our Sunday chicken wings after all, 3 different types. We ordered the tequila lime, cayenne hot and the honey habanero. They were all equally amazing with the perfect amount of sauce and spiciness. We also had salads, I ordered the Lizzy salad with red bell pepper and gorgonzola cheese. The salad was fair, only because I ordered it with no honey vinaigrette in hopes of sparing myself the sugar and the carbs. My Wedding dress is in the back of my mind lately, damn you Vega Wang. Weddings make people crazy, and I am no exception. Next time I will definitely order the Caesar salad Gabe had. Life advice: Marry you someone who doesn't mind if you pick off their plate. 

I ended Sunday with a little grocery shopping for the week. I tried to shop as healthy as possible, but I still need to have my desserts and indulgences, diet or no diet. I picked up greens and proteins, nuts and dark chocolate and attempted to keep it as healthy and low carb as possible.I really like these Arctic Zero ice creams. They are low-carb /low-calorie and make you think you're having ice cream but without the guilt. Cake batter and snickerdoodle flavors were both really good. I will report back on the low-carbing. 

If all we did on Sunday was spend some family time together, eat some good food, and get ready for the week, I'd say our Sunday was a successful one. The Ceniceros family can find adventure anywhere. 

San Deezy

There was much debate about leaving baby and going on vacation. We can be free! Drop the baby off with grandparents, pass the Coronas. Will I survive without him though? Paranoid first time mom with a 6 month old? I don't think so, no, not happening.  We're parents now, let's make this work.With fear of missing out and anxiety, we pack up baby and load up my new car the "White Chocolate". I've named this car in hopes of getting closer to it. Before buying the "White Chocolate" I drove my single gal car a white shiny Volkswagen Beetle, I loved that thing. Together we grew and experienced life adventures. When baby and dog came, I out grew it. Enter, the "White Chocolate". 2017 Ford Escape, zero miles, also white and shiny. I should love it, I have to love it, it's mine, I own it. I'm stuck with it and it is no beetle. My first world privilege encourages my hesitation. 

Kingston's first road trip

The Chili Pepper Rolled Tacos, Yuma, Az  

We made a 6 hour road trip from Tucson to San Diego tolerable by spending the night in Yuma. Tip number 1, take breaks when traveling with baby and never be in a rush. Yuma allows time for rest, family and the best burritos in the USA. Rated, ranked,verified, tried and true . When in doubt, Always say yes to these burritos and rolled tacos. I highly recommend the Machaca burrito.

Old Town Cafe, downtown San Diego  

Cool guys 

First stop in San Diego is Old Town Cafe, Mexican restaurant in Downtown San Diego with huge menu and amazing skinny margaritas, two please! Gabe and his family have been coming here for years and now baby Kingston can share in that tradition .The carnitas plate and the chile rellenos are the go to here, don't venture off, don't try anything else. When I do, I find I am disappointed. We will still always go here because the señoras making fresh tortillas in the window are too sexy to pass up. I see you señora, big ups to the dying skill of hand made tortillas. Refer to "Ain't nobody got time for that".

Chile Relleno plate, Old Town Cafe  

Creme Brûlée, Downtown San Diego 

View from standard room, Paradise Point

Paradise point, San Diego  

We spend the evening at Paradise Point, a beautiful resort in Mission Bay. We're lucky enough to party in the Presidential suite, baby and all. Bill gates is rumored to frequent the resort and stay a couple of doors down. Let's put it on Bills tab. Drinks for days, Chicken BBQ pizza for days. What more can a Foodie ask for? Despite the glitz and the glamour of the resort, the best part was watching baby Kingston see the beach for first time. This is the priceless part, this is the stuff Bill can't buy with his billions. 

Babies first beach vacation 

Nanny Auntie Keren  

10$ Champage Bottles at Bayside Landing  

We were torn between having our usual SD fish tacos for breakfast and joining our friends for brunch at their recommended spot. In the end friendship won and we joined our friends at Bayside Landing Gastropub for Chicken and Waffles and Mimosas. Blueberry waffles, crispy fried Chicken, Mac and Cheese under fried eggs made it worth it. 

Chicken and Waffles with a side of fruit  

Peppered Mac and Cheese with fried eggs  

Swap meet finds  

We spent the afternoon getting 40$  massages by tiny ladies who walk on you and browsing used goods at the San Diego Swap Meet. If you haven't checked it out, do so. Here you will find everything from cheap sunglasses to organic fruit, to vintage toys. We cooled off with the new Starbucks Almond Milk Cinnamon Macchiato. I highly recommend it, it tastes like a liquid Cinnabon! 

We ended the weekend at our favorite sea food place, Blue Water Seafood Market and Grill. Here you can choose your type of fish, type of sauce and style of plate. We dinned on Ahi Tacos drenched in ginger butter, clam chowder and fried shrimp with a house made tartar sauce .There is always a line out the door here, and we stood in line for 15-20 minutes. The food here is delicious and fresh and very worth the wait. I'm never annoyed by lines when it comes to food.This is usually indicative of something good. I can always trust the Zagat, Yelp and Trip Advisor stickers on the doors. 

Ultimately, we figured out traveling would never be the same. We're parents now, baby is priority. If baby wasn't by my side, he'd be on my mind at all times. I'm excited to show him the world and see things through his little eyes. I know one day he will be greatful for these moments and experiences.We're looking forward to the next trip. Where to next? 

Brewery Baby Shower

People were surprised to hear about a Baby shower in a brewery, especially 60 year old traditional grandmas to be. The truth is, we are beer people and we love beer people. Before baby, weekly trips to different breweries were just part of the weekend itinerary. Holding this shower anywhere else would have felt wrong. Borederlands Brewing Co. was nice enough to host 100 of our closest family and friends. I love the rustic chic feel of this place and everyone loves the Horchata brew on tap. Yum. 

The cousins  

The wheels started spinning for a baby shower as soon as we found out we were preggo. These wheels however belonged to my cousins Nely, and Yaya. Letting the mom to be in on any decisions was out of the question. I hate surprises by the way, Im too curious, controlling and paranoid. In the end, everything was perfection and I learned to let go and relax a little bit. 

Piña colada filled naked cake  

Cake makes me happy 

Brewery table decor  

Table decoration, fresh baby's breath  

Besties  

Best party planners  

Besties  

College besties  

Because I'm 34 weeks pregnant and unable to enjoy brewery drinks, too much junk food, and fun in general, cake is all I have. My cousins know this and were sympathetic enough to let me chose this masterpiece.I loved the idea of a "naked cake". Limited frosting, rustic theme appropriate, 3 teired, filled with piña colada on the inside,decorated with fresh flowers on the outside.You know, nothing too fancy. The food was catered from one of the local Carnicerias; carne asada, beans, rice, salsa and guac. When informed of this, my mom proceeded to cook her own beans, rice, salsa and Birria " just in case". Mexica lady logic, " I don't know those people". a.k.a professional caterers/ long time business owners. Of course her food out shined anything the caterers could have made, they had no chance. None the less, everything was delicious and plentiful. 

Sister  

Daddio  

This sounds odd because we're about to give birth,but we are not baby people. I hate baby showers, I don't watch Disney movies.Children can feel my discomfort and become uncomfortable themselves. I know, terrible.I have a feeling it's all about to change in a few weeks. My baby bump feels like it's a natural part of me, always meant to be there. Although baby is the size of a pineapple, he doesn't feel heavy or out of place. He's comfortable, I'm comfortable and I've been lucky enough to have the smoothest pregnancy. It's like my body was saying, "you're 30,it's time". I suppose my clock was ticking without my knowledge. Thanks body. Baby bump lets me know when I need to eat by becoming nauseated and let's me know when I'm doing too much by becoming achey. I hear you in there, and I'm listening. 

We wanted our shower to be fun and non traditional, with beer. Mission accomplished. When registering and putting together a list of things needed I asked for help. At least 6 different people looked over the registry to make sure it was appropriate. Do people use diaper genies? Or nah? Of course the fam and friends with years and years of experience with children knew exactly what we needed. In the end the love, support, advice, and gifts were amazing and we are seriously blessed and lucky. This day was so special and full of love. Thank you all. 

Familia

Shower games  

Prom pose  

High school bestie  

Big sister Lima  

Baby gifts for days  

Bestie  

Love. 

Camping Virgin.

My boyfriend is a charmer. "It will be great", he said. With much  hesitation I agreed to camping/ Music fest in the middle of the desert; Quartsite, Arizona. I'm thinking, I'm four months pregnant and this is probably one of the last times we are going to be alone for a get away. I've never been camping, roughing it and Porta potties are not my idea of fun, but I am open minded and I love him.So there I go, pregnant, uncomfortable, hot and Ill equipped for camping. Will we die of heat stroke? What are the bathrooms going to be like? What are we going to eat !? The truth is,I did it for the greats. The greats of Spanish rock who only come together like this once in a life time. Los Caifanes alone were enough to motivate me to spend 3 days in Hades.

Caifanes at RockFiesta 2016. 

Campsite at RockFiesta, Quartsite, Arizona  

We arrived Thursday night to find my friend Ana had given up on building this elaborate "3 bedroom tent".  "Fuck this tent!" She texted me on our drive up. Great. No place to sleep. "Be careful with all the snakes", my mom texted right after. People or reptiles?One never knows with her. When we arrived we all worked as a team and we were able to build this "3 bedroom tent" aka one bedroom tent tall enough for standing room, I'll take it. Little did we know this tent would become a shower, a toilet, a sauna, a dessert oasis asylum. 

Gabe passing the time.  

I quickly figured out what the bathroom situation would be like.I have a fear of Porta potties and here I was forced to face my fear over and over again. I watched a guy climb out of one covered in human waste after being cut with razor blades all over his body in the Hills Have Eyes movie and I'm traumatized for life. I picture this everytime I see one. I have to look inside the toilet! Everytime. That poor guy might be in there in need of rescue. When the coast is clear, im able to squat, hold position and go without touching a single thing in the Porta potties. It's basically a form of Bikram Yoga/Tai Chi.

Porta pottie demonstration by Marcos  

The first 2 days the Porta potties were tolerable death. The second 2 days the porta potties were unimaginable disgust. There weren't enough of them to go around  so 6,000 people basically used them until they filled up to the brim. Picture it friends, chocolate dipped ice cream cone over filled in a cup. The guys joked about someone needing to stick their leg In there and push down the waste.The smell, gag central as soon as I opened the door. I couldn't even walk in. Right then and there I decided I would die of a bowel obstruction from holding it in for 4 days. R.I.P. Marielle loved and was loved. Ana decided that death wasn't an option and ran to the gas station to purchased a 5$ bucket and some trash bags. When you're pregnant, when you've been holding it in for 2 days, this is happening. This happened, for both of us. We are closer now because of it. The Porta potties ended up being quarantined towards the end of the trip. Yellow caution tape and all. 

Cheap flip flops 2$(broke our last day there).  

Solar powered charger, 25$ Amazon  

Ana, Me and baby. 

Watching Caifanes on our last night.  

With the exception of the Porta potties, we had an amazing time. Coming with Ana was the best decision ever, she's a mom and was ready with a stove, cooking utensils, snacks for days, chorizo and egg burritos every morning and even carne asada one night.In case of a zombie apocalypse, bring Ana. Is Ana secretly a doomsday prepper with a basement eqiped for natural disaster? I think yes. There were a few essentials that saved the day for us including solar powered phone chargers, portable stereo, flip flops. Everyone enjoyed cocktails in plastic cups and the pregnant lady had mocktails. Tequila was mixed with fresh lemonade on the hottest days.  I even got to enjoy a fresh coconut that had been on ice for 3 days. It was perfection. Thanks Miguel. I like this guy because he's the only person I know who would think to bring things like coconuts,raw vegan chocolates, blood orange Noosa yogurt and share them with the pregnant lady.

Virgin Paloma: Kiwi Lacroix,Squirt, and saladito over ice. 

Chorizo and egg breakfast by mama Ana.

Portable Bluetooth stereo, House of Marley 179$ 

Camping refrigerator. 

Snow cone, no flavoring. 10$ staying hydrated.  

Kettle corn, 6$.  

Lemonade 6$.  

Fresh coconut water at the campsite.  

Young coconut meat.  

Miguel, Marcos and Gabe at RockFiesta 2016. 

The nights were cool and comfortable.Much of the day was spent hanging around the campsite talking and bonding with each other. Lifelong friends with lifelong conversations. The conversations we were included in for the first time included the topic of parenting. What to expect when youre expecting from personal experiences. "If you're going all natural, be ready for a long ass labor" Marcos advised. Valuable, golden advice to be cherished forever. Together, we envisioned all of our children playing together in the future.These were my favorite moments. Never in a million years did I think we'd be thinking or talking about these things. The time with friends outweighed any negatives on this trip. This trip wasn't the most comfortable one we've ever taken. But it was worth it and I'd do it again in a heartbeat if only for this guy.

Ozomatli, RockFiesta 2016  

As soon as we left Rock Fiesta, we drove to the nearest dinner. Running water, AC and food! Fried fish and chips for me, pancakes for the guys. Best meal ever. 

Love,RockFiesta 2016.

Pregnancy Cravings

    Hi friends, checking in after finding out the craziest news ever. My New Years champagne toast was put on hold when me and Gabe found out we're preggo! We we're not planning or expecting this in any way shape or form. I'm a big advocate for free birth control for all women and stand with planned parenthood. Sometimes things are unexpected and meant to be. When the shock wore off we were able to transition into a stage of bliss and excitement. We're going to be parents?! It brings serious joy to my heart to think about all the great things were going to get to do with our kid. We both love to travel and dream of  creating a little one exposed to different cultures and lives. This kid will have more stamps on its passport than most adults by the time he/she is 5. Stay tuned! 

Appointment 1 of many to come 

    I've been trying to stay super green, holistic  and healthy during these beginning few months but it's been really difficult. I find myself craving things I never really ate before like pan dulce, Pickles, whole Lemons with saladitos, Mexican candy,every and all things Mexican! Am I allowed fried fish tacos? I am currently revolted by the thought of vegetables and been trying to sneak them in wherever I can. Green smoothie for life. Sure. But even these are getting old. 

Posole from Herraderos Market, Tucson,AZ  

Pan dulce ( sweet Mexican bread) and cold almond milk 

Took a trip to Herraderos Market and literally saw the baker taking the pan dulce out of the oven and rolling it in sugar and coconut. It was soft, it was sweet, it was warm, it was worth it.

Batch, Tucson, Arizona ( downtown Tucson) 

Spent another sweet afternoon at Batch, a donuts and whiskey shop. No whiskey for me, only Key Lime donuts and Mac and cheese. The boyfriend has been eating like pregnant woman himself. We've heard men get cravings, but lately have experienced it first hand. Fascinating. Let's everyone get fat together. ​

White chocolate raspberry donut, bourbon bacon Boston cream donut, and key lime donut

Raspberry goodness  

Bourbon bacon Boston creme  

Only milk for me  

Batch Mac and cheese  

Baby daddy.  

   Other than the cravings, pregnancy life has been pretty smooth for me.The level of exhaustion is real. Apperently when your body is growing another person, the life is sucked out of you. The body takes the first 13 weeks to build the placenta and this takes any and all energy out of your body. The energy is returning slowly and smoothly. I've stopped reading "What to expect when you're expecting" because frankly, it freaked me out. It's a giant list of things you can't do and what can happen if you do. No thanks. Let's wing it.

How to have the luckiest year ever...

There's nothing better than New Year's Eve. There's good vibrations running through out the day. Can you feel it?  A new year, new changes, new growth, new opportunity all right there ready for the taking. My mom always said the way you spend the new year sets the tone for how your entire year will go! What is more important than setting a perfect tone on New Year's Eve and even New Year's Day? My mom is so intense about her New Year's Eve superstitions  that she takes every January 1st off. Tradition says you should avoid doing any hard labor on January 1st because it will set a tone of too much work within the coming year. Makes sense. I decided to take January 1st off this year, let's see what that does.Along with this tradition, there are several more I try and follow every year, these are the traditions my family has been doing before I was even born. 

1. Wear red under wear on New Year's Eve.

This tradition is thought to bring love and keep love for the New Year. Last Year, I wanted to make certain there would be plenty of love in my life so I went ahead and wore red undies and a red bra. There's also the option of wearing yellow underwear to bring forth money and fortune into your life. Im happy to report I have the love, and have kept the love. Hey boo. I have also done the red undies for the past 20 years.Twenty plus years of red undies. Keep wearing them single ladies. Last year, I gifted a friend brand new red undies from Victoria's Secret in an attempt to get her to believe. Two months later she met the one. Now, whenever she doubts anything I say I have two word for her "red undies". 

2.  The Egg Thing. 

Sounds super weird. My family and I have done this since I was a kid. The egg thing is supposed to predict your future. Egg in water = Fortune Teller. Instructions: 

1. Take clear glass, fill halfway with water. 

2. Gently crack one raw egg into clear glass with water. 

3. Hide glass with egg in a dark place. 

4. Find egg in the morning and reveal your future. 

The egg will have morphed into a shape/shadow that indicates what the future will bring. Examples: a bridge, baby basket, Eiffel Tower, ladder. The ladder is a good one to get in your egg. This represents success. However, the family will undoubtedly freak out if you get a baby basket, crib, baby face or anything resembling a baby. Ay mira! 

3. Luggage.

This one is for attracting travel into your life. At the stroke  of midnight, take empty luggage and run around your house. One year we took this above and beyond and ran around our street. We traveled to Jamaica that year. This one is super fun and you will look crazy, but it's all in the name of Travel.

4. Grapes.

I've never done this one, but plan on doing so this year. At midnight, eat 12 grapes. Each grape represents each month of the year and brings luck to every month. I've even read about one wish for each month/grape. 12 wishes? I'll take them!

5. Midnight kiss. 

Self explanatory, just do it. Kiss a lover, friend, or frog. The midnight kiss brings love and solidifies love in the new year. 

6. Food. 

I've never given much thought to the New Year's menu until I began to research. Usually, on holidays I eat whatever I want whenever I want. Apparently, beef is out because cows stand still. Chicken or Turkey is out because they scratch at dirt for food. ( Thus bringing money troubles). Pork is the winner here, because piggies move forward and never look back. ( limited neck mobility).  

When researching luck and New Year's superstitions I realized  theres a million superstitions people follow. Open all the doors at midnight to let out bad spirits, blow horns at midnight to scare away the devil, pieces of gold in your champagne glass for money. If one attempts to follow them all they will go crazy. Frantic phone calls to my cousin from the grocery store about pork at 9pm proved this to be correct. People follow superstitions because they make them feel safe. Superstitions give us the ability to have some type of control in this psychotic world. If wearing red under wear makes us feel invincible, why not? Wear those underwear, eat those grapes, run with that luggage. Happy New Year!