Tonight's TJ meal

Penne Aribiatta with grilled eggplant and zuchinni. Those are 2 seletste dishes combined. Both the frozen section. Ready in 5 mins and good. 

TJ

If yA said TJ to me 10 years ago I might have thought you were talking about Tijuana, as that is how we referred to party town in college. However now, TJ means Trader Joe's! Sure I've shopped at trader joes for snacks and stuff but I never shopped there for food. You can thanks my roommate, bc every Sunday, we head to trader Joe's and we come home with some goodies. Here are some of our usuals/staples and cool stuff we've discovered:

Thai red curry with chicken (section: refrigerated ready to eat) 

I threw it in my pressure cooker with long green beans and asian eggplant. Viola: 

5 mins later and some white rice and fragrant and fast dinner is prepared.

Chicken tikka masala: Frozen section 

About 4 tiny pieces chicken, basmati rice, And lotsa sauce. This is a good  fast meal, for something I have no idea how to make.

Salads!

One of my favorite salad of thiers is thier chicken , argula, and couscous salads I always buy an extra bag of arugula for 1.99 and always add some in! Really stretches out my lunch.

Other good choices: Kale, chicken, cranberry salad; peanut chicken noodle salad. I save $ when I'm spending $4 on a salad instead of $10 eating out do lunch. 

Chicken salads

I like both thier regular chicken salad and this wine county chicken salad with cranberries. Both are good over salad or even rice (I know wierd).

Puttanesca with ground turkey and lemon peppper fettuccini

Yes all of those together! I love puttanesca and thiers out of the jar is pretty good. 

Tortillas, cheese, carnitas= tacos, quisidillasas for whenever

And that's it folks. I'm tired!

Baby seedless Concord grapes: this was a recent find of mine! I usually don't like TJ produce but this was good.

Fettuccini Alfredo w just grilled chicken: instant pasta yes yes 

hashbrowns:

And thier rectangular just like your favorite fast food place. 

Thanks TJ for making grocery shopping affordable. 

Things TJ needs:

Breakfast sausage 

July shenanigans

My lime crime lips and a freshly dipped watermelon Popsicle. 

I wanted to get balloons like this for my bday but forgot. Hah.

We went clubbing! 

The best and the most $$$ chamorro meal you will ever have. 

Strawberry pigigy!

Ferry building oysters!

Vegan Kare kare at Pampalasa, a new filipino restaurant in the SoMa area where Bayani is the chef at. 

Last drinks with Bebot and Tony. Best part when the old folks don't get it. "Why are people here? Why is the table like this? Look at the floor. It's unfinished. There's nothing going on." The bar had a penis statue which my auntie found amusing. 

We celebrated national tequila day. 

I was even envious of a ex-dudes body. AsiaSF. 

Iranian food at Lavash..

I even went to a toga party 

Had spam at Santa Cruz

Family family friends

I got to hang out with a lot of family this week. My auntie and uncle are in town and thanks to a flop in our communication, they were supposed to stay with me, but then they ended up staying in the city. I went to city almost every day this week. Marina and Russian Hill on Sunday, Mission on Tuesday, SoMa on Wednesday, Inner Sunset on Thursday, and back to SoMa on Friday. Saturday was Embarcadero in the morning, Mission for Dinner, and then SoMa for some dancing, Tenderloin for some late night eating. It's been fun and the best part was most of it was with family! There's a lot of love there. Sunday, we woke up a full home with all my nieces and nephew over and made breakfast, and then I headed out back to the Sunset area for some Twirl and Dip and Art at the deYoung.
There was a lot of good food. I went back to Lolinda for the 3rd time in 2 weeks. Revolution Cafe for some live music for a second time. I even went to AsiaSF, which I have not gone to in over 10 years! Definitely a San Francisco must. The good food continuted onto the weekend. We made a reservation at Pampalasa, a rustic Filipino place in the SoMa area where Bayani is the chef. everything was good! I liked the sotoghon soup. The broth was very rich and flavorful. Ukoy, which was battered and fried vegetables was perfectly crisp the way your favorite onion rings are. Pancit bihon was flavorful Fresh lumpia with a coconut crepe was light and refreshing. Sago with handmade tapioca. Desert of sweet tofu (taho) did not disappoint! appropriately named, the food is flavorful. Pampalasa (lasa = taste).
I had not planned it, but I ended up having dinner at Prubechu, currently the only Chamorro restaurant, and it is in the mission. I crashed my sister's large party as I ordered a la carte and picked on whatever the kids did not want to try. It was a lot of food. And after that some dancing. To end the might, Korean food, at COCOBANG, which did not disappoint. Sunday equalled more guam food redux. And a trip to the sunset area for shopping, food, and art. Time to sleep.

Sunday and currently in my 30s now

Turned 30 with a bang this year. I had an all weekend celebration and still some events planned for next weekend.

I tell people that my social life here, began shortly after the first birthday I had here. I had a slightly quiet birthday last year and we are all certainly allowed to have those in our lives, I spent it mostly  with family and reflecting, a couple weeks later, is when I planned my first social outing, and of course it was soo much food, and I took baby steps planning it, but it was fun in the end. Summer continued and so did the city outings, and me enjoying my new schedule, with my evenings free. 2015 brought on its new challenges, a new job that demanded more hours again, and me adjusting to that. I used to live for the weekends. I had a crazy social calendar, with most days of the week filled out, and I would send to friends, so they can plan theirs too. The last "free" weekend went out with a bang, I was able to spend it out of town with a friend up in the mountains, and before that a bachlorette weekend in Vegas. My work has a peak season, and when we started preparing for that, all hands were on deck, and even that very first weekend that I worked on the weekends, I had to cancel a weekend trip to Healdsburg with Itinerary planned. That trips remains to be unscheduled where I will have food, wine, and ice cream awaiting for me to try.

It's Sunday and along with Sunday comes the Sunday Blues. Usually thoughts like, "Why'd I'd eat so much?" or "Why'd I drink so much?" comes to mind. Tiredness and restlessness go hand in hand. Promises made to self. Schedule this appointment and that appointment.  Talk to the boss about this and that. Anxieties about work and relationships are pondered.

Anyway.. cheers to this week. I will try to post pics of my celebrating soon! It was a good birthday! I promise ya!

Current mood

my music. Not sure how unique my current taste of music is but I haven't found my "music" buddies. Friends I can go to shows with kinda thing. Sometimes I make it to shows alone. Like I did for Jenny Lewis and Likki Li, and I browse through the audience wondering about people lives, who they are, what's thier story.. Like the gentlemen that I picked up my tics from? Who is this gentlemen that works in law and buys Jenny Lewis tickets that he cannot make it to. Anyhoo. This is my current mood. Beirut. Postcards from Italy. Start there then listen to Nantes. And then.. The prostitute from Marseille. They have a show in berkeley. I hope to go. Also I did not get tog tab outsideland yics this year and there's actually quite a number of artists I want. Angus and Julia stone has been on my list for awhile now. Anyhoo. Here is Beirut. Can they be the band at my wedding? 

http://youtu.be/X61BVv6pLtw

Stress :)

I'm just a walking stress ball. You can ask me to do the simplest task and I can feel my body react to it. Have you seen that TED talk, "stress is your friend." Because nothing would get done without stress! This is true. But how do I change myself so I am not always freaking out. Hah. I don't know :)

What type of movies do you like?

Another date question. And my answer to that is unusual too. I say, "I like sad movies.Usually sad indie films. Dark comedies. Especially ones with a great soundtrack. " I'm not sure when I started liking them. Maybe it's because it's a reminder that everyone has their struggles. Love isn't perfect. Life is hard. Anyhoo. I don't have cable so my entertainment has been reduced down to my phone. Thanks goodness for Netflix, which I don't even always have time to watch. Anyway. Right now I'm in the middle of wAtching "happy christmas" with Anna Kendrick and lena Dunham (um yeah!) . It's about a dysfunctional baby sister coping with her just recent breakup, and she moves in with her older brother. She's irresponsible and can't even be trusted to babysit.(lol btw I've barely ever watched my kabillion neice's and nephews with the exception of Kylan, because well, he is like my lil' bro.) she goes out drinking and embarrassingly passes out on the hosts bed. I have not done that. But I've passed out in bars. U usually can't move me at that point. Anyhoo. I still have to finish the movie. Movie is kinda slow as you just watch her move through her new daily routine. 

Other good selections on Netflix right now is Chef. A divorced chef, forgets about his dreams, is pushed to remember it, with the help of ex wife and ex wife's exhusband (see sometjmes you got to let go out your ego). The filming is awesome. I took a friend to watch this movie and she was like "I'm never eating grilled cheese again. That's a lot of butter." I had the opposite reaction. Like what I want to go make one right now. Also the chef in the movie received training from chef roy choi (the korean food truck from LA. I mean chef roy choi has grown his empire to a much larger scale. But he has been credited with starting the food truck revolution. He's even restaurant a healthy fast food chain up her win the bay! Excited. )

France's ha, with Gretchen Hedwig (sp?) 20 somehing yo. Can't figure life out after she's done with college. 

Old boy. Which is an American remake of a korean movie. Crazy stuff! You must watch. Guy gets kidnapped for years and years and has no idea why. Be prepared to be traumatized. 

Silver linings playbook. Just by the name. There is a silver lining. Man is so devasted and obsessed with is ex who cheated on him. He goes insane. But there is a silver lining and power of dance. I love Jennifer Lawrence's lil back house with a dance studio in bottom. 

Thanks for sharing is good, but also painful and uncomfortable  to watch them go through thier addictions gweneth Paltrow is addicted to her healthy habits and mark ruffulo is a recovering sex addict.

Big fish. I like to watch it for the incredible love story (fables or not) that the father tells of his wife.

And then of course Drive because it's so LA. Mexican gangsters. Jewish mafia. Valley crimes. The Hollywood life. Plus I love the Moosic. 

Don't miss blue valentine. You watch  ryan and girl fall in love and out of love. And they can't help either. 

Do you dance?

Somehow that question has popped up in people's vernacular, as if the answer can possibly be no. I guess it can be. But usually my answer is along the lines of "yes. I kinda dance like a hippie" . Hah. Free spirit. Hands waiving in the air. I've attempted to dance. Growing up I took the occasionally dance class. Usually not getting too far, but at least trying. Anyway.. Have you heard of Kizomba? Very sexy dance of Angola. 

My eyes were glued. 

http://youtu.be/xkvlz7GnD6o

Is Guam Plan B?

Guam. That small little island I am from. I grew up there. Growing up, I always knew I would end up leaving. I think it just seemed like the thing to do. Both my older sisters did it. Summers were fun in the "states." My friends were all going. So off I went to college. College was hard, none the less. I struggled with the food, with making new friends, with how much more academically was expected from me. Throughout college I always wondered what I wanted to be when I grow up, and I was lucky enough to be given the education and the time to do so. Science classes, art classes, business classes, philosophy, writing, computer, and even fashion- I have explored. Alas my liberal arts education was not working out and I ended up in checkered pants and skull cap at Le Cordon Bleu. Well guess what, after my culinary education, I wanted my college degree, and I thought nutrition made a lot of sense, but in the end, I ended up with a food science degree, which was a better fit. Anyway, I just started working, and work is sometimes hard. I say this, but honestly, I am always beating myself up for not even working hard enough. And sometimes my brain spaces out to Guam. Is Guam plan B? Somewhere my brain day dreams off to, when life gets tough. The answer is yes. Why wouldn't living in warm weather, with beautiful beaches, and moving back home, sound like a bad idea? In the end though, my head always says  "nope nope can't do it."

Anyway. So I tell myself instead. Don't have a plan B. Be happy where I am at. Work hard. I will get where I want to be. Follow my gut instinct.

Let's hope I am not jinxing myself right now. Which I am totally scared I am doing!

Smart things I've heard today . . . QOTDs said by others.

Love someone who doesn't ask anything of you, and just loves you for you, because you are enough.

Sometimes I act in a way after I ask the question, "What would a confident person do?"

Five things

Five things I am grateful for:

1) My health. I can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch pretty well.
2) My body. Thankful for what it can do, how it looks, and it's potential to be stronger/leaner.
3) My car and gas, because how would I be able to get around!
4) The roof on top of head.
5) Good friends. Friends that will be for you in your good times and when you are at your worst.

Smoothies

So my $25 Hamilton Beach blender from Amazon ended up being so worth it. I really do eat 3 bananas a day. Not crazy 50 bananas and only bananas diet, but just that I feel better knowing I'm eating something wholesome for breakfast and that I am not starving when I arrive to work. I've been making a smoothie every morning.

Whats my usual recipe? 2-3 bananas, OJ or Grapefruit juice. I prefer Grapefruit juice, because I like the bitter flavor. I add berries, be it blueberries or strawberrys. I few ice cubes. Sometimes I will do half an avocado, some granny smiths, and maybe a lil spinach. I've also added mangoes. Yeah! It's a big breakfast! The best part is I don;t have to chew it, it just does straight down the hatch. I usually pack in old giant tubs of yogurt containers and I have a straw to go with it. I look crazy pretty much. It sounds like a lot of food in the morning, but think about it. You really think one banana is gonna hold you off until your lunch time? Also I feel energized and my brain loves that sugar it can run on in the morning. Also, it's really fast and easy to put together. Good luck!

Heart wants what it wants

Something about her monologue in the beginning in beginning feels so heartfelt. I can relate to feeling confident and feeling so great about oneself and then feeling completely shattered in a moment. It's crazy but true. You can be happy and on top of the world and the next moment that feeling is gone. 

The Balanced Life

I'm obsessed with food. Yeah? When I first went back to school, I thought I wanted to be an R.D. (Registered Dietitian). You see when I was jobless. All I did was work out 2x a day, eat really healthy, and be skinny. I was inspired. I probably thought I could do that for a living. Be a dietitian. That didn't work out. The stress of school (Organic Chem, BioChem, what?!) and studying caused me to overeat and then I left no time for working out. I also did not like the R.D. path which was training us to work with the ill, which is a great thing, but it was not my calling, especially considering my love for food for its pleasure, and considering how poorly I ate too. I ended up with my food science degree for several reasons. I think by that time I realized I was not into the whole R.D. thing. I was not interested in doing the 3 unit internship for it, taking the exam for it, or doing the one year long internship for it, going through the application process for it. I was supposed to be a double major actually, and at the time, because of budget cuts, the school made me pick one. Food Science or Nutrition. The choice was easy. Food Science. I didn't have to do that internship. I realized while doing my food science internship that I had a passion and interest for building food safety programs for businesses. And then I got my dream job at my dream company. I was be in charge of building the quality program for one of my favorite brands and products. It was set.
Anyway. This does not mean I am not chasing my dream of a balanced life. The one where I work, eat healthy, workout, take care of my mind, body, and health, while at the same time maintaining my friendships, spending time with family, and having a little fun here and there.
 I thought about it recently, and my life is pretty balanced. I do get to eat well, workout, I have a great job, and a comfy home, great friends, and my family is nearby too. But I'm not doing enough. My belly is still huge! LOL. I get asked if I am pregnant, maybe at least once year. My belly just likes to hang out. I remember noticing my belly was kind of round since I was around 9, and I guess over the years, that belly just keeps getting bigger and bigger. I do eat a lot though, so I can't act dumb, and pretend I do not know where this belly came from.
Anyway. I'm trying to change up my workout routine, specifically, I'm trying to incorporate some running, even if it is just once a week. I've been doing bar method for over a year now, and I think I need something a little more, to really get my blood flow going, not that bar method does not do that.
You know another thing I like to do is go bouldering. It sounds so strange. But I like it. It's scary, because if I let go, my brain thinks I might die. Bouldering is rock climbing without the ropes. In a bouldering gym, you follow a colored tape path called a problem, and when you make it all the way to the top, you feel that instant gratification of accomplishment. Your heart is racing. Your arms are sore. It's perfect.
So I got sore legs from running, sore arms from climbing. Perfect.
Anyway back to the diet thing. Cutting off comfort food would be difficult for me. I grew up in a home, that always had a a good hot meal waiting for me cooked by my father. Food is how I knew my father's love. Also, there's all these diet theories out there, and it's to figure out which one will work for you. Eating healthy is kinda common sense. Eat a lot of veggies? Eat a lot of fat (french diet, bullet proof), eat like a caveman, cut out carbs, cut out wheat, calorie ristrict, Ah! what to do?! what to eat!
Anyway I found this chick, Frelee, recently. I've been intrigued by her diet theory. Hers is raw vegan, and mostly fruit! Aka high carb! this sounded like a yummy diet. All the fruit i want! MmmmMMmm. SHe believes in mono fruit meals too. Meaning you eat one fruit, so your body and brain does not take a lot of energy digesting the food. She is also called the banana girl because she believes that bananas a a good fruit to do this mono diet with because a lot of us are low in potassium. Also, you have to eat ripe bananas! No green bananas. Ok? She got me fantasizing that I can too can be like Frelee one day.

Anyway,
Here is just one of her videos. I kinda just picked it randomly.

2015

End of the 1st month of 2015 and so many things on my mind. Continuous self improvement, the meaning/point of life, what makes me happy, what is important is all on my mind. I know this blog is called happy and fabulous hazel and for the most part I am happy and fabulous, but 2015, man, I would say probably hit me like a ton of bricks. Definitely a turning point or awakening and making me think of things I've never considered. I'm turning 30 this year, and I know it's so cliche to be wondering about life when one reaches this point, But I've definitely been doing it. Happy 2015 ya'll. We can do this. We will make it!

Wildest Moments

Fromt he outside everyone wonders why we try. Baby in our wildest moments, we can be the greatest. We can be worst of all. 

Broods

Burning bridges. Watch a couple struggle as they go back and forth if it's times to end or move on. 

http://youtu.be/0U48jwC8cZU

Chet faker

First song I've listened to that is Chet Faker was probably his cover of No Diggity. Which is a good cover. Listen to it. 

This music video is fun though. 3 girls on roller skates. I first tried roller skating not that long ago and I actually liked it. Some roller rinks can be quite a blast too. 

http://youtu.be/hi4pzKvuEQM

Moosic: Prayer in C

 Lilly Wood & the Prick  &  Robin Schulz. The video is fun. Watch it.

Lyrics

Ya, you never said a word

You didn't send me no letter

Don't think I could forgive you

See, our world is slowly dying

I'm not wasting no more time

Don't think I could believe you

Ya, you never said a word

You didn't send me no letter

Don't think I could forgive you

See, our world is slowly dying

I'm not wasting no more time

Don't think I could believe you

Ya, our hands will get more wrinkled

And our hair, it will be grey

Don't think I could forgive you

And see the children are starving

And their houses were destroyed

Don't think they could forgive you

Hey, when seas will cover lands

And when men will be no more

Don't think you can forgive you

Yeah, when there'll just be silence

And when life will be over

Don't think you will forgive you

Uptown Oakland

Not sure I've written about Dogwood yet. But it's been a favortie for good cocktails in the area. Tonight I had a Percy's elixir. It's gin, gentiane-Quina, and chinato. I don't know what the heck that all means. I'm just drinking it. It's the bartenders recipe. Is her name Percy? I have not figured that out yet. They even have the "best" grilled cheese in the Bay, so they say. Which I have had. And it is pretty good! They even have a deli slicer. That means they are serious.