My Otter Half

Want to spread some love on Valentine's Day? Here's a few fun-lovin' things for V-Day 2012!

Here is a sketch I planned on coloring before today, but life has been pretty crazy lately! For those of you who don't know, my dad went in for surgery last week for prostate cancer and is home recovering...so far, so good! The Bocks really enjoy kicking cancer in the tuchus.

Happy V-Day to all my loves...

Also, try this workout today if you want to feel the burn on this Valentine's Day! It is harder than it looks...and the girls are super-cute!

Another way to share the love today? Email Love Grown Foods today with your address (LOVE@lovegrownfoods.com with 'VDAY LOVE' as the subject), and they will send you (and your Valentine!) a free bag of their granola. Yesssssss.


Doing anything fun for V-Day? I am celebrating by eating chocolate and doing a Barre class and some yoga. ;)

xoxoxo

And congrats to all my Tone It Uppers who finished their 7 Day Slim Down today. You girls rock!

As for the Slim Down, today is technically my last day....but I have not been following the plan as closely as intended. Which is okay! I ate cleaner and more raw, but still had some diversions in the form of chocolate, Greek yogurt, wine, quinoa, peanut butter...and even with that, I still have a tighter belly and lost some bloat. The effects of this plan are amazing, and I can't even imagine what they are like if you actually stick to it for the week. After the first four days, I felt great and was ready to incorporate my carb-loves back into my life...plus, my workout routine is too intense not to. I will definitely do the Slim Down before my vacation in March, but for now, this mini-SD was exactly what I needed. <3

Empire State vs. Chrysler Building

NYC is magical....

(Source)

....even when you make a trip just to get away from it all.

I didn't know that was possible in New York, but we just had the best mini-getaway.

Our main mission: to not have any plans. To have no distractions. No temptations to "just run to the gym real quick" or  having roommates and doggies running amok. It was just the two of us, toting overnight bags and two bottles of champagne, two hours from home, with aspirations of ordering room service and watching the Food Network.

And that we did.

It involved the best "frickles" I have ever had.

Spinach and artichoke dip and a ridiculous(ly good) chicken burger with sundried tomato aioli.

And red wine.

Hey, reflection!

And thanks to his and hers iPhones (um, do they do everything?), we found a nearby jazz club once we decided to stop being lazy. Where I am pretty sure they thought we were someone we were not. Treated like royalty (it was super funny but super weird) and the owner wanted a picture with us...

I like his "JAZZ" pin...and not sure what is happening with our hair. Just roll with it.

Then we ventured back to the hotel, where we decided we should take advantage of the 24-hr access to the rooftop.

Where we proceeded to argue for a good twenty minutes + about which was the Chrysler Building and which was the Empire State Building.
(Does anyone else think of the song from Annie when they hear "Chrysler Building?")

(I may or may not have been wrong...)

A leisurely brunch after checkout in the morning before the mad rush of the Giants game...

Southwestern egg burrito and Bloody Marys. Duh.

Said goodbye to our friend the Empire State Building.

And came home to this guy.

We decided this shall be a "calm-after-the-holiday-storm" tradition....it was absolutely perfect and I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Already looking forward to next year.

But for now? Happy 2012...

I have huge aspirations to make this the best year yet. So far?

The Christmas Brat

Hello hello!

So the holiday season is finally winding down a bit. I had work today and yesterday, but tonight is my Friday...I have off tomorrow and Monday! Woo hoo!

As for my time in New Hampshire, it was amazing. I loved meeting so many people from both sides of Coop's family and some of his friends from home, and spending six straight days together only made me adore him even more.

Even if his wrapping skills are sub-par. ;)

He somehow wrapped a teapot for his mother...

After driving through 7 states to get there, we shared a room at his mom and her boyfriend's house with these guys:

I snagged some pretty sweet gifts....I was totally the Christmas Brat. I even made out in the White Elephant/Yankee Swap exchange. Even though I went third and got stuck with eggnog soap (!!!), the group ended up having two extra gifts at the end...the one bag I brought (three seasonal beers; Magic Hat Encore, Beach Haus Winter Rental, and Leinenkugel's Fireside Nut Brown, all dressed up in festive ribbons) and one other bag. So we swapped, and I got to keep my eggnog soap AND got a Dunkin' giftcard and a sweet Ninja Turtle pint glass.

Coop received some interesting gifts himself.

Bieber Fever!!!

Plenty of parties and houses were visited, we attended a beautiful candlelight service, and I even fit in a stretchy yoga class with his mom. We drank tons of red wine, visited a local brewpub, and noshed on eggnog, homemade gingerbread cookies, and the chocolate-covered pretzels/chocolate peanut butter Chex mix jars I made. And fresh New England oysters. And about a billion other delicious things.

Hedgehog Brown Ale & Crockett's Corner Oatmeal Stout!

We watched Chopped and Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives marathons late-night while sipping Sam Adams Winter Lager and snuggled in blankets while snow fell outside. Basically, it was winter heaven.

Coop's mom and aunt both hooked me up with awesome and totally thoughtful New Hampshire-inspired gifts. His aunt made a picture frame for me with branches from trees in the area.

A few of the New Hampshire thangs...

My self-proclaimed "bad gift giver," AKA Coop, totally threw me for a loop when he presented me with a gorgeous card that announced we'd be staying in Manhattan the weekend after New Year's for a relaxing mini-getaway, rooftop drinks and massage included. I think I'll keep him.

Then I came home to even more presents from my family.

The Holy Grail of Blenders!

Which I promptly used to create a Cilantro-Lime Glaze for the salmon and sauteed kale/spinach/mushroom/onion/bell pepp/roasted tomato dinner I pulled together last night (after a much-needed and missed gym sesh....I was literally going into withdrawal!).

Also got this from my daddy....

Flyers Winter Classic, baby!

And this book by a really great friend of mine and fellow Arizona VisComm alum.

AWFUL cell picture, but GREAT book.
And yes, I am using my own bookmark in it. Art kids, UNITE!

Joe Brown! My dad bought it for me and had Joe sign it and ship it to me! So special. Miss you mucho, Joe Bro!!! You can buy his beautifully drawn book, How to Catch a Ghost, here on Amazon.

Yeah. Total Christmas gift brat.

Best thing of all, though, was to be able to spend so much time with lots of people I love throughout the last few weeks. Gosh, I love the holidays.

Hope yours were just as wonderful and filled with love....and sweet gifts. ;)

xoxoxo


By the way, if you haven't checked out my Society6 shop yet, here is a link! It's a great online collective of amazing talent; artists can sell their work as prints, canvases, t-shirts, hoodies, laptop skins....and what I think is the coolest, iPhone cases and skins!

A Merry Christmas for All...

So things have been pretty festive/crazy around here.

Early Christmas dinner (since I will be in New Hampshire starting tomorrow...I was in charge of the appetizers! Recipes to come):

And a little gift giving. I got a certificate for a massage!!! My very first one (can you believe that?). And.....my Vitamix is in the mail as we speak. :) I am a happy girl.

Merry Christmas to meeeeee!

Yesterday I got my hurr did and was talking to the salon owner about how we sort of, kind of, secretly love all of this holiday hustle and bustle. Just wouldn't be the holidays without it. Of course, I still cannot wait for all of the cooking/baking/decorating/spending/running around to slow down a bit.

And I try to remember the reason for the season, as well as give back to others who are a little less fortunate. One of my favorite yoga instructors organized an amazing Karma Yoga session last weekend....it was a HUGE turnout and afterwards she was able to deliver over 30 bags of food to a local pantry!! Something good for your mind/body, and something great for others.
(Sidebar...just found out Jimmy Rollins goes to my yoga studio. Jus' sayin'.)

I also donated a Target gift card to my hair stylist's neighbors; a few houses caught on fire this week and the families suffered a lot of losses, although no one was hurt, thankfully. She is collecting gift cards and clothing in this time of need for these families. Awful events like that really put things in perspective for you, and help you to really appreciate what you have.

After some last minute wrapping and packing (and a BodyPump sesh), I will be heading to Philly for a chill night before leaving for New Hampshire tomorrow for a few days, where I will have to dress like this:

I am so excited! Definitely in need of a mini vaycay. I am all ready with some homemade gifts, white elephant gifts, my new camera, and my yoga mat...going to try to practice a little bit during the break. Hope I don't forget anything...if so, at least New Hampshire is tax-free! Woop woop. Gonna be a good time.

Oh! And the winner of the OXO Good Cookie giveaway is....Meghan!! Contact me with your address and I will get your package out in the mail!

I hope you all have amazing Christmases and Hanukkahs and Christmakuhs! xoxoxo

How do you like to give back to others less fortunate?

Any fun plans for the holidays? Traditions? Travels?