{Photo from Lindt used without permission but I don’t think they will mind.}
Can’t get enough of this dark chocolate bar with a dash of sea salt. The salt is subtle and makes every bite extra special. Crazy good. I get mine at Raleys.
Archive for March, 2010
Lindt – A Touch of Sea Salt Bar
Friday, March 26th, 2010Loving Choices
Saturday, March 20th, 2010
Lately, I’ve been feeling a bit confused about which problems should be addressed, and in what order, in my life. I sort of pinball between focusing on work, then health issues, then trying to get more joy in my life and then I come through the front door of our apartment and am met with dishes and disarray – “oh yeah… housework,” I sigh.
I read self-help books (to which I may have a slight addiction) and am reminded to practice self-care, eat fruits and veggies, put money in savings, do work I love, be creative, make time for my husband, etc… and it all becomes a huge list of things I have to remember but always seem to forget (or avoid). If I “plan my day in advance”, more things from the list seem to get done… but then I read some Eckhart Tolle and I chuck it all out the window to just “be here now”.
So my goal, for lack of a better word, for today is to put down the self-help books and just try to make the most loving choices for myself in each moment of the day. I don’t mean treating myself to a Leatherby’s hot fudge sundae (mmm, leatherbys), but rather, asking myself what would be the kindest option for me as if I were my own parent. Okay, I know, it’s a little self-help-ish… but sometimes it does help to reframe my thoughts in this way.
Hope you all enjoy the first day of Spring!
Some Light Entertainment
Tuesday, March 16th, 2010The weather is nice and you are stuck inside, trying to do your work but instead staring longingly out the window. Well, here are some ways for you to distract yourself while waiting for quitting time to roll around:
Luxe Home Swap – okay so you already know about these vacations where you trade homes with someone who lives in another country from watching The Holiday with Kate Winslet, but this site is like drooling central for looking at photos of pretty houses and daydreaming.
365 Secrets of Happiness – I follow this guy on FB and his posts on how to be happy are always charming, smart and (happily) brief.
The Naked Bee products – my friend bought me the Hand & Body lotion (orange blossom honey) and I have been in heaven ever since. 70% certified organic, paraben-free and phalate-free fragrance. I’m pretty sure you can pick some up at Sacramento Beekeeping Supplies on X street.
Steampunk Home – I had never heard of steampunk before this week, but now that I know, oh my goodness… I may have to steal my husbands collection of HG Wells books and get to reading. The Steampunk Workshop blog has a great tour of a couple in Massachusettes who restored their Victorian in steampunk design. It’s cooler than you think it’s going to be.
The Daily Connoisseur – this is one of my favorite blogs. You may not be into it, but I really like her calm, thoughtful posts about trying to live a more elegant life. She may have more money than I do, but I never get the sense that her lifestyle is unattainable or in any way eye-roll inducing.
Capitol Actors Theatre – a friend of mine is launching a new theatre group in town. Check it out!
Romantic Day Out in Carmichael (yes, really)
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2010
For partly financial reasons, we live out in Carmichael. Not really a hotbed of romantic things to do, but in an effort to save money and gas, I’ve been trying to come up with fun dates closer to home. Here are a few ideas for an inexpensive Saturday day out in Carmichael:
Breakfast at Lido café
The Lido is one of those hole in the strip mall places that actually has really good food. It’s small but they have a few booths and the wait staff are friendly. I got the cinnamon roll (which was raved about on Yelp) and it was very good, especially if you like yours really sweet. We also had the sausages which were banger-size and had a little kick to them, some toast and tea.
Soccer (football) at Ancil Hoffman park
Since my husband is English, we have fun kicking around the ball on the big open field at Ancil Hoffman, just after the entrance gate. More serious players can be found here on some days or around the back by the golf club… but we just like to dribble and steal from each other. Guaranteed to make you laugh like a kid and in our case, wheeze like old fogeys. Afterwards, you can take a nice stroll on the trail that goes around the park and Effie Yeaw nature center has a couple of good, short trails to the river. My only complaint about Ancil Hoffman is people don’t always leash their dogs.
Carmichael Library
We love our library and visit it all the time. Since the recession started, I’ve been to the library more times than in all of my previous years put together. We get movies, cds, magazines, books and childrens books (I like ‘em). Once a month they have a book sale, so that’s a nice little diversion as well.
Boulevard Coffee
A good spot for an afternoon pick-me-up is Boulevard Coffee on Fair Oaks (near Lido café). We ordered up some tea and sat at one of the cute indoor tables while reading the books we got from the library (don’t spill!). The place is kind of smallish so if there is a loud conversation going on, it can be hard to concentrate on reading. But it’s a great place if you want to have a romantic chat.
Thrift Town
It’s always hit or miss at this (like most) thrift stores. On recent visits, I’ve picked up cute thank you notes, an embroidered pillowcase, a shirt, books and a VHS tape. Watch for their 50% off all clothing sales if you really want a good deal. (not sure if that includes their vintage section or not)
For dinner, we usually head home and make something ourselves… it’s cheaper, healthier and frankly, there’s not a lot of cheap/decent places to eat in our section of Carmichael. Although I’ve been meaning to try Serritella’s again… I haven’t been there in years.
Hope you can use one or two of these suggestions next time you are in our neighborhood!
