Happy Hour No. 170
A MID-WEEK PICK-ME-UP OF FAVORITE PHOTOS, LINKS AND THINGS
// birthday treats
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Woke up to birthday treats that Dave had picked up from one of my favorite places, Gjusta. They, like many restaurants, are continuing to operate via pick-up and delivery, along with selling market goods, so don’t forget to order and continue supporting these businesses and their staff.
// Big blooms
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Ranunculus are always one of my favorite flowers, but I was especially blown away and enamored with the size of these ones that Dave picked up for me at the farmer’s market last week. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen ranunculus that are so big! I especially love how they look mixed in with some fresh chamomile and eucalyptus leaves.
// Something Bright
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More than ever before I’m trying to find joy in the little things, like this rainbow, that just happened to make an appearance over our street on St. Patrick’s Day of all days. Talk about timing!
// SIMPLER TIMES
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A moment snapped as the sun set, shortly after arriving to Big Sur for my birthday last week; it was a simple moment, before we were all stuck indoors, before our car was broken into, before half this outfit was stolen, before I no longer had any form of identification. And, while I could focus on the bad, I choose instead to channel this moment into one of gratitude and remembering all that I have to be grateful for at this time- memories from my birthday pre-craziness (more of which I’m sharing below), social media and technology to stay connected with loved ones, equipment to continue my workouts indoors, a business I can run from home, a W&D to keep my clothes clean, a refrigerator to keep stocked, joyful playlists, books to read, the delivery people that are continuing to get goods to people, the people keeping store shelves stocked and working even when people are losing their minds around them (and at the sacrifice of being able to buy items for their own families), the first responders that are continuing their jobs, the public service workers who are keeping society from totally shutting down, the people stepping up to help and assist, and the medical professionals who are keeping our entire world from crashing down around us. At a time like this, when things feel out of control, and it feels easier to choose anger and negativity, I prefer to focus on what I can actually control and choose to focus on the positive and the good instead. What good are you currently choosing to focus on? What are you thankful for at this time?
// Celebratory Dinner
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Can you believe we had somehow never been to the Nobu in Malibu?! Yeah, I can’t either. We finally went for my birthday dinner and let’s just say I’ve been forever ruined and will only accept bougie Nobu sushi from here on out!
// Baked goods
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Pastries not once, but twice, in today’s happy hour??! For the sake of my waistline, seems like this social distancing thing is quite necessary. But before we were stuck inside, we continued my birthday celebrations with more pastries (and the most insane croissant breadsticks OMG!) when we stopped at Bob’s Well Bread, a place that’s been on my list to go to for a long time, on our way to Big Sur. So worth the stop and already can’t wait to go back again! If you’re in Los Alamos, or driving by, be sure to stop!
// going green
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Between self-quarantining and all the birthday treats (as documented above) continuing to get in allllll the greens is more important than ever. We stocked up on kale (because it’s hearty and lasts a while, especially if you keep the ends in water), so I’ve been adding it to every smoothie and trying to have a small salad with most meals. Of course, a plain salad can get boring rather quickly, but even adding a simple topping, like a sprinkling of dukkah, is a great way to switch things up. Don’t forget to get creative and think outside the box to keep things especially interesting during this time.