lists!

All I want for Christmas this year is – obviously! – for this virus to go away and for everyone to see their families and loved ones. Duh. Screw the gifts.

Since we can’t have that, we’ll distract ourselves with some pretty things and shiny objects, shall we? I put together a little holiday wish list/gift guide for you, so we can all feel like it’s a regular old and boring Christmas around here (even if it’s not). You’re welcome.

I don’t know about you, but I love gift guides and wish lists this time of year. I love finding inspiration for gift giving and discovering new things that I had no idea existed. Some of these things on my list are things I own and love, some of these things are on my personal wish list. Maybe you’ll find some gift inspiration here, too.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13

1. Quite a few people asked me about my Chemex* coffeemaker this year (after I started posting my morning coffee routine on IG). The Chemex makes a truly delicious cup of coffee and I love, love, love it. One of the best gifts that I myself have ever received. Plus, they look so beautiful and minimalist that they make great kitchen decor (did you notice that they had a Chemex as a prop in old 90’s Friends episodes? Pay attention next time you watch a re-run.

2. I am not much of a purse-person. Yes, of course, I have purses, but I can also just use one of these canvas tote bags* if you ask me. Big, spacious, functional.

3. One great, and always appreciated gift (for runners) are new running shoes*. If you’re a runner, you know that these babies have to be replaced quite regularly.

4. An embroidery kit*. Because of course, I really need one more pandemic hobby.

5. Thermal underwear* because I like to stay warm and cozy. I love that this thermal underwear can double as a pair of pajamas.

6. One can never have enough cozy blankets*, amirite? I live for fuzzy socks and warm blankets during the winter months.

7. A California State Shaped Cutting Board*. I gave this to someone as a gift once and it was very well received. It’s a useful household item that also functions as kitchen decor and displays some state pride. What’s not to love?

8. I don’t own spurtles* (yet), but I’ve heard so many good things about them. I mean, they look like a kitchen item that can do many things.

9. Since we’re all stuck at home during yet another Covid Lockdown, a sun lamp* for the days when we don’t get outdoors seems like a really good idea. Especially if your house/apartment doesn’t get much natural light (like ours).

10. Can you believe we’ve been grinding our own beans for I don’t know how long and I never invested in a coffee canister? I always put the ground beans back in the bag/store canister, but you gotta admit, this coffee canister* is much prettier. I picked it up on my one-and-only World Market run a couple of weeks ago and I now want all the honeycomb-patterned items they sell at the store.

11. A new phone* (isn’t that on everybody’s Christmas list most of the time?) We’re definitely due for an upgrade. We’ve had our current phone for 4+ years.

12. If you don’t own a Lodge Cast Iron Skillet*, I suggest you put this on your wish list. It’s one of our most used kitchen items and a true game changer.

13. Last but not least, if in doubt, you can never go wrong with a gift card*. They are always very much appreciated by all.

What’s one of your favorite gifts you’ve ever received? And which item would you give to others over and over?

* #notanad. This is not a sponsored post. I have not been compensated by the brand or anyone else for linking the websites.

23: Six new products I tried & loved

November 23, 2020 filed under: good things, lists!, NaBloPoMo

I am doing NaBloPoMo this month. 30 blog posts in 30 days. Come join me. #nablopomo2020

1. I’ve started taking collagen supplements again. I used to take Vital Proteins Collagen, then stopped and now am getting back to it. I found Great Lakes Collagen* at Trader Joe’s. It’s a reasonable price ($9.99 for 10 oz) and I researched it and it seems to have a good reputation. It is tasteless and dissolves easily in my morning coffee, so I think I’ll be getting that one for now.

2.I enjoy a good exfoliating scrub (when I remember) and when I came across this Exfoliating Dry Brush*, I was reminded that I wanted to get one of those to use more regularly before getting in the shower. It’s the perfect size and I am enjoying it so far.

3. Someone on Instagram recommended this Ninabella®* Detangling Hair Brush. I have very fine hair that gets easily knotted and tangled up, which makes brushing very difficult, but this brush really makes a difference. There is noticeably less hair left behind in the brush, and it really detangles the hair gently without tearing out a lot of hair. Ninabella® is a German brand, but you’re lucky, it’s available to us here in the US through Amazon.

4. The last time I bought shampoo, I ordered this big a** bottle of shampoo from a brand that my hairdresser had recommended (remember the times when we went to salons? I haven’t been in ages!) and it took me forever to use it up. While I liked it, I have the type of fine hair that gets tired of the same shampoo and I need to switch it up every once in a while. I saw that the Purezero®* Shampoo was on sale at Target (the only place I shop for personal items in person right now) and since it’s a clean beauty brand without all the bad stuff, I gave it a try and really like it.

5. I also recently picked up Trader Joe’s Coconut & Shea Hair Mask*, which people have been raving about, and I can confirm: it smells really good and makes your hair smooth and soft.

6. It’s not a secret that I am a fan of Mrs. Meyer’s. We’ve been using their dish soap, laundry detergent, multi-surface cleaner, hand soap, and hand lotion for years and I always enjoy their seasonal scents, e.g. this Mrs. Meyer’s Orange Clove hand soap*.

Have you tried any new products lately? Share your winners!

* #notanad, This is not a sponsored post. I have not been compensated by the brand or anyone else for linking the websites.

September Link List

September 16, 2020 filed under: link love, lists!

I could just browse the Internet for hours on end, so many good things to read. Don’t you agree? Here are this month’s pickings.

Around the Interwebs

Climate change will force a new American migration, and we will see it in our life time. Scary.

Campsites around SF. Maybe we’ll go, sometime, when it’s safe again.

What coffee-brewing method makes the best-tasting cup? (I knew the pour-over was up there!)

Can’t put your finger on how you feel? Maybe The Feelings Wheel can help.

“How do you adjust to an ever-changing situation where the “new normal” is indefinite uncertainty?” Your ‘Surge Capacity’ Is Depleted — It’s Why You Feel Awful

This is why I really don’t want to get this: What young, healthy people have to fear from Covid-19.

For the love of mail.

Why some Americans refuse to social distance and wear masks. “The resistance to wearing a mask is not about public health; it’s about politics. […] The pandemic arrived at just the wrong moment — amid toxic politics, incompetent leadership, and fraying social bonds.” The saddest statement there is.

Famous sayings that don’t mean what you think they mean.

The movements that betray who you are. This was super-interesting.

Around the blogosphere

How to vote this fall. All you need to know to cast your ballot in (or before!) November.

Another dull quarantine weekend at home, Target, Chipotle, Home Depot, and our niece’s graduation party. Beware: satire, maybe. Chuckle and then cry, is what I did.

Gabrielle always tells it like it is. The consequences of your actions.

Trader Joe’s Fall Foods. Are you excited to try all the new seasonal items? I am not into everything pumpkin, but the rustic apple tarte and pumpkin spice granola bark look good!

Craftiness/DIY

Papercut Halloween House Lanterns. Is it too early to start preparing for Halloween? Well, bookmark these for later.

Ombre Paper Mobile (so pretty!).

These are so cute: Macrame Jar Hangers.

For my runner friends

How easy should your easy runs be?, that is the question.

How to treat and prevent foot blisters.

A timely read. Running in bad air quality and smoke. (I am opting for the spin bike right now.)

Deliciousness

Mushroom & Spinach Breakfast Skillet. All the things I love.

We made egg noodles with an adapted version of this Mushroom & Lentil Ragù and I recommend it.

Creamy tomato & pepper pasta. Mmh, that looks delicious!

Share a good link with me in the comments!

August Link List

August 21, 2020 filed under: link love, lists!

Yes, I’ve been coming across a ton of interesting reads again in the last month. Hope you enjoy!

Around the Interwebs

Remember how I said yesterday that people get “lulled” into a sense of security and then allow themselves to let their guard down? Here’s why I am still so cautious: I had COVID-19, and these are the things nobody tells you.

“In my social circles, I was considered among the least likely person to contract the disease because, basically, I abandoned the circles. I wore a mask everywhere. I followed all the rules, but a couple of weeks ago I didn’t follow my instincts. I briefly let my guard down. The coronavirus came out swinging.

The weekend before my symptoms appeared, for the first time in four months, I met friends for two dinners at two socially distanced patio tables. Nobody is required to wear masks at the tables, so I removed my mask when I sat, as did my dining partners, and we left them off during the entire time we were at the table.

I didn’t do anything that was prohibited, right? I was just following the rules, right? My guess is that I caught it there.”

Aren’t we all Michelle right now?

You can’t really argue with this anymore. How the pandemic defeated America.

How to actually change someone’s mind.

Aging is optional.

Pending Postal Master Changes could delay mail and deliveries. I’ve already noticed a slow down in deliveries, have you?

Get your flu vaccine!

This is an interesting article about mask wearing and social change.

This is tough for so, so many: The coronavirus shutdown through the eyes of the recently unemployed.

“Focus on outcomes rather than time spent in the office”. A Company’s New 2-Sentence Remote Work Policy.

What self-care means right now, according to experts.

An interesting perspective: One Legacy of the Pandemic May Be Less Judgment of the Child-Free.

Around the blogosphere

Cozy work from home spaces. (Show me yours?)

Under current circumstances, this is great advice: The #1 Way to Multiply Your Impact on the 2020 US Election.

How I slow down days.

I don’t care if Joe Biden was your first pick or your last, we need to elect him. 10 ways to get to work electing Joe & Kamala (hat tip @ Kate).

Craftiness/DIY

DIY Textbook and Notebook covers. I used to do that all the time back in school and college.

Plush Toy DIY

Creative quarantine crafts.

Paper quilling art. Remember doing this at school when you were bored?

For my runner friends

For the people in the back, repeat after me Laura: faster workouts are not better workouts.

How to stay safe when running.

The 8 post-run mistake you should stop making. Are you guilty of any of them? I’ve done a couple of those, not regularly, but sometimes. Here’s what to do instead.

Deborah shares her tips on How To Clean Your Running Watch. Have you cleaned yours?

How to recover after a long run.

Deliciousness

Arnold Palmer Popsicles? Count me in!

We’ve been staying away from Asian take-out recently, but I think I’ll try this when the next craving for Asian food hits: Thai Basil Sesame Cashew Chicken.

I see some Bacon, Cheddar, + Veggie ‘Sunrise’ Scones in my future.

A recipe for a lighter, fresher Lemon Tiramisu. Sounds perfect for summer!

Share a good link with me in the comments!

June Link List

June 22, 2020 filed under: link love, lists!

Not a surprise, a lot of links this month are related to the BLM movement and Coronavirus. Take it or leave it.

Around the Interwebs

If you only click on one link today, make it this one: Voter registration deadlines. Make sure you’re registered in your state!

It does not matter if you’re good.

Experts way the risks of 14 summer activities.

This is why we can’t let up. It’s been setting in on me that this is like a cycle.

Here’s how to discuss unconscious bias.

How to make this moment the turning point for real change.

A resource guide for anti-racism and being an ally.

When 511 Epidemiologists Expect to Fly, Hug and Do 18 Other Everyday Activities Again.

How to scorch a casual gaslighter.

How white women can use their privilege to end racism.

A 400-square-foot London loft.

These 6 minutes have stayed with me and I have “referenced” them in conversations.

Eight habits many would like to keep post-lockdown.

The virus will win.

Have you seen this Pandemic risk scorecard? I’ll definitely not be doing most of these things anytime soon.

Around the blogosphere

20 books to read about white privilege and being anti-racist.

What color is nude?

How I feel right now as a black woman.

The health benefits of turmeric. I’ve started taking it a month ago.

Craftiness/DIY

Mini Crochet Lamb Pattern. Cuuute!

15 paper leaves templates.

How to make a battery-operated outdoor light.

For my runner friends

How to increase your race pace. New runners are obsessed with their paces (I was one of them), but this post is really good, because it points out that you develop fitness over months and years, not days and weeks. It took me a few years to really see a significant increase in my paces.

4 research-back reasons why you should exercise for stress relief.

Running and hydration. Do you drink enough?

Is planking part of your strength training? Plank benefits for runners.

Deliciousness

That looks like the perfect BBQ side dish: Middle Eastern Fattoush Salad.

I am a fan of one pot meals, aren’t you? One Pan Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato and Spinach Tortellini.

I have sourdough discard and would love to try these sourdough pancakes.

Share a good link with me in the comments!

May Link List

May 27, 2020 filed under: link love, lists!

Around the Interwebs

Weighing your risk.

A science journalist explains how the Spanish flu changed the world

What most liberals don’t realize.

Inside the Flour Company Supplying America’s Sudden Baking Obsession (I knew why I liked King Arthur Flour, and in case you wanted to know why there is a flour shortage.)

This is the problem with thinking you know more than the experts.

What to Ask Instead of ‘How Are You?’ During a Pandemic.

That relentless brain fog you might be experiencing through this pandemic is called allostatic load.

Around the blogosphere

Have you heard from anyone surprising lately? I must admit, I’ve been reaching out to a couple of people that I’ve lost touch with. I was surprised that they popped in my mind when the pandemic started, but I also felt like this is a sign and as good as any other time to reconnect, so why not?

Steph lives inside my head, I swear.

Craftiness/DIY

DIY Wood Nightstand with Drawer. I wish I was more into – and had more space for – carpentry.

For my runner friends

What new runners really need to know. Need a good chuckle?

Magnesium for athletes. Do you get enough or take supplements?

Deliciousness

Jalapeño Chicken Salad Sandwiches. Sounds yummy!

We’ve made Salisbury Steak a couple of times. It’s so easy and good.

This sounds like the perfect summer dish: Caprese Prosciutto Farro Salad.

I’ll have one – or five – of these Almond Raspberry Cheesecake Bars, please and thank you.

Share a good link with me in the comments!

February Link List

February 17, 2020 filed under: link love, lists!

Around the Interwebs

A must read, if you care about the election 2020: the disinformation campaign.

Also, knock it the fuck off. Agreed!

What if there is no swing voter?

Yup! Lessons we learn too late in life.

There’s more than one way to age. How are you doing it? This is a fascinating new approach to understanding aging.

How to make hard life decisions.

How to Stop Wasting Your Life Watching TV and Do Something Worthwhile With Your Downtime. I’d like to state for the record that I watch very little TV (or stream shows), but I still found this article intriguing!

Why don’t people return their shopping carts? (Pet peeve of mine. Do you return your cart?)

We’re already throwing out very little food, but here are some good times on how to reduce food waste.

9 pieces of practical advice about bullying.

Around the blogosphere

How to raise gracious kids.

Age is nothing but a number. I loved this post by Angela and I couldn’t agree more with her attitude. I feel like I am in the best shape of my life.

The 8 dimensions of wellness.

As someone, who has never been on a diet, I am super-intrigued by this book: Why everyone should read Anti-Diet. I am not sure if I’ve been just lucky, or if I’ve always been intuitive about eating, and I clearly feel like I can’t have an opinion about dieting because I never really had to, but I also believe that intuitive eating sounds like a really healthy approach to food and well-being.

Craftiness/DIY

Make your own DIY dish scrubber.

A colorful DIY spring pom-pom garland.

That looks cozy! The Home Girl Crochet Sweater.

For my runner friends

The forgotten art of squatting. I actually find it comfortable and should do it more often while I can.

7 tips to succeed with morning workouts.

Your guide to fartlek workouts.

Deliciousness

The soup for mushroom lovers like me: Creamy Hungarian Mushroom Soup.

How to roast garlic.

Omenakakku – Finnish apple cake with herbs. Sounds delicious, Tobia!

Oven Fried Cajun Popcorn Chicken with Creamy Honey Mustard. These look so good!

Share a good link with me in the comments!

Things I want to do in 2020

January 27, 2020 filed under: goals, lists!

Go skiing (and snowboarding).

Guess what, I already checked that off my list last week when I went to Tahoe with some friends. Skiing is secretly always on my goals’ list. It’s a real shame that I live two hours from the snow and go so rarely. I want to change that. It’s hard to get up to the mountains, if your husband is not much of a snow person, but I am hoping to go once or twice more this season.

Travel this summer with my family

I might have mentioned it here before, but if not: my family is coming to visit this summer; my parents, my sister and BIL and the kids, and I am beyond excited. They’ll be here for about three weeks and we’re in the midst of planning another epic road trip together. I wish they could just come and I could host them at our place, but unfortunately, we don’t have the space and of course, they want to see more than Sacramento if they come all the way over here. So we’ll be traveling together quite a bit and I am sure it will be a blast!

Improve my fitness and break the 2 hour-mark in the half marathon.

Does this goal sound familiar? Yes, because I copied it from last year. I did NOT run a sub-2 hour half marathon last year, so it’s staying on the goals’ list. I also didn’t run three half marathons (as two of the three I was planning to run fell during the time when I was traveling to Germany), which means I only got one shot at setting a new PR and since the only half marathon I ran was San Francisco ( = hills) I knew it was kind of a long shot.

Run at least 600 miles this year.

I want to up my running mileage again this year. I ran 469 miles in 2019, but I would love to hit 600 miles again this year. This amounts to 50 miles per month. That should be doable, even if I throw in cycling and more cross-training.

Work on my Etsy shop.

If you follow me on social media, you might know that I own a shop on Etsy. Once upon a time, it was a little endeavor I started with my neighbor-friend across the hall, but she moved away, had kids, and eventually decided that she didn’t have the time to invest time in our little shop anymore. For almost a year, I contemplated what to do; close shop or continue on my own. I eventually decided that I didn’t want this creative outlet go. I’ll tell you more about that decision in a separate post.

Continue to invest in healthy living

I have a lot of fitness goals on my list here and along with this goes a focus on healthy living. I’ve started tracking food and macros this month, not to lose weight, but to be more aware of how I fuel my body. I also set myself a goal of drinking at least 60 oz of water every day, because hydrating properly has been an on-and-off challenge for me over the years.

One act of kindness every week.

I always try to be a nice person, but I am hoping to purposefully make someone’s day every week. It can be through offering a helpful hand, a sympathetic ear, heartfelt advice, or a simple compliment. It’s so easy to make someone’s day better by adding some positivity and kindness. Yes, it’s awkward sometimes to offer a compliment to a stranger, but every time someone has done it for me, it buoyed me up through the day and beyond.

Be intentional with my time.

This is nothing new. I always feel pressed for time, have so many competing interests. Sometimes, I am guilty of mindless scrolling on social media and when people tell me that they’ve been watching this show or listened to that podcasts, I sometimes feel left out or like I am missing out, but I want to focus on the things that interest me this year and not feel bad to not jump on every bandwagon.

Keep up with my planner/journal.

I’ve tried my hand at bullet journaling the last two years and it was an on-again-off-again love affair. When I was bullet journaling, I was doing it 110%, until I wasn’t and didn’t touch it for a couple of months. I hated these empty pages in between. So, for 2020, I bought a new, traditional planner and I am hoping that I’ll better be able to keep up with it this year.

Did you set any goals for 2020?

Around the Interwebs

Around the blogosphere

Craftiness/DIY

For my runner friends

Deliciousness

Around the Interwebs

Around the blogosphere

Craftiness/DIY

For my runner friends

Deliciousness

Around the Interwebs

Around the blogosphere

Craftiness/DIY

For my runner friends

Deliciousness

Around the Interwebs

Around the blogosphere

Craftiness/DIY

For my runner friends

Deliciousness

Around the Interwebs

Around the blogosphere

Craftiness/DIY

For my runner friends

Deliciousness

Around the Interwebs

Around the blogosphere

Craftiness/DIY

For my runner friends

Deliciousness

Around the blogosphere

Craftiness/DIY

For my runner friends

Deliciousness

Travel this summer with my family

Improve my fitness and break the 2 hour-mark in the half marathon.

Run at least 600 miles this year.

Work on my Etsy shop.

Read more than 27 books.

Continue to invest in healthy living

One act of kindness every week.

Be intentional with my time.

Keep up with my planner/journal.