European Adventure - Part 2: Paris

We took the Eurostar through the chunnel from London to Paris.  It was really a wonderful way to travel.  A nice, comfortable, modern train and with less than a 3 hour travel time it was a great way to transfer to part two of my trip.  I still had my dad along with me for the adventure. 

We arrived in Paris about 3 PM to slightly sunny weather but very cold temperature, about ten degrees colder than London.  We are staying in the Bastille area at a much better hotel in comparison to London with a bathroom big enough to walk around in and even a little mini closet!  For the short amount of daylight we had left we went to the quintessential Paris site, the Eiffel Tower.  I think the sheer magnitude of this structure blew my dad away and as it did me on my first visit two years ago.  The base of this structure is far larger than one imagines through pictures.  Despite the freezing temperatures, we decided to climb to the top.  We took stairs up to the first and second level (ground floor is level zero in Europe).  Then we took an elevator all the way to the very top.  There are fantastic views at all levels of Paris.  We stayed at the top as the sun set and the City of Lights began to illuminate.  This was a beautiful sight but also a very cold experience.

Eiffel Tower

 After making the trek down the tower and back to the Bastille neighborhood we hunted for a dinner spot.  For dinner we both ended up with steak frites, basically steak and potatoes and an amazing baguette that certainly hit the spot after skipping both breakfast and lunch that day. 

Our first full day in the Paris was mostly cloudy with a occasional sun peaking through but still very cold temperatures.   We walked along a farmers market of sorts stopping for croissants on our way to the metro.  For the record, croissants in Paris are a thousand times better than what you find in the states.  In the states croissants are doughy and soft.  In Paris, they are flaky and buttery and melt in your mouth.  Our first adventure of the day was the Louvre.  It was a bit different from what a remembered two years ago and the size of the museum is simply overwhelming.  We spent four hours in total and probably could have spent much more but wanted to save some daylight and rushed through several parts of the museum and skipped others.  We stopped to see the Mona Lisa of course along with other Renaissance works by Da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Mantegna, and Botticelli. 

From the Louvre we walked through the Tuileries Garden, impressive I’m sure in the spring and summer but rather drab in the winter, to the Place de la Concorde which marks the start of the famous Champs d’Elysee.  We walked down the avenue all the way to the Arc de Triomphe on the other end.   We even crossed under the street to stand under the magnificent arch.  We did not stay long however because the arch island left us exposed to the extremely cold temperatures.  We then walked around the Madeleine areas before walking all the way back to the Bastille.  That walk was likely one of the coldest experiences of my life.  For dinner we weren’t that hungry and ended up splitting two quiches and a tarte aux pommes (apple tart).  

Arc de Triomphe

  
Our second day in Paris was to be our adventure day out to the Palace of Versailles, approximately a 30 minute train ride outside the city.  This palace is known as the biggest and grandest palace in all of Europe and it is certainly easy to see why.  This palace is over the top in its grandeur from the vacation residences on site to each individual room’s décor.  The tour was a bit shorter than we had anticipated from such a residence and seemed to be over quickly.  The day was much to cold to do much walking of the vast gardens (we had a bit of snow falling in the morning).  We did tour the Grand and Petit Trianon palaces on site however.   After Versailles we stopped at the hotel before heading out to the area where your find the Opera for some more shopping and dinner.  For dinner we split the lasagna bolognese (a safety dish) with the riskier duck confit, a French classic.  I actually liked the duck confit better than the lasagna.

Palace of Versailles

 Our last day in Paris stood to be the coldest yet if that was imaginable.  We started first by heading to the Musee d’Orsay, most known for having the largest collection of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings, my favorite genre.  I have particular fondest for Renoir, of which they had several along with Monet, Manet, Pissaro, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Gaugin, and Seurat.  This was a wonderful museum, much smaller than the Louvre making it much more manageable and far less overwhelming. 

From there we walked along the Seine River to Notre Dame, which was unbeknownst to us celebrating its 850^th year!  This of course meant larger than normal crowds given the quickly dropping temperatures.   The tour of Notre Dame is free which gave us some shelter from the cold.  After our tour, we walked to the Latin Quartier for a lunch of baguette sandwiches and apples and to do some final souvenir shopping.  As the afternoon progressed, it began to snow harder and harder.  Eventually, we were forced to take the metro back to the hotel for the afternoon and only ventured out once for dinner in the Bastille area surrounding the hotel.  My dad had some beef and egg concoction and I had the traditional croque madame sandwich of ham, cheese, and fried egg paired with a glass of Sancerre (white wine).  It was good meal to end our Paris stay.

Notre Dame

 As we left Paris in the morning we walked out into a snow-blanketed city before parting ways.  My dad was to go back to London to fly home the next day.  I continued on my journey to my next stop, Nuremberg.  This stop in Germany is pure business, however, so don’t expect much in the way of pictures of updates.  I will likely resume again in Italy!

European Adventure - Part 1: London

The first part of my trip to Europe was a few days in London with my dad.  By the time we landed and got to our hotel is already late in the day so we didn’t really set out into the city until about 5 PM, right before the sun went down.  We are staying just across the Thames River from Big Ben and Parliament so that was the first thing we saw.  We got some great views as the buildings began to light up.  Then we walked over to Westminster Abbey and from there on to Trafalgar Square, which was hard to see given that it was dark already.  We decided to find an English pub for dinner.  For dinner I had a Carling beer and bangers and mash…pretty traditional British fare!  My dad had a cider and a meat pie…think chicken pot pie but with beef and ale gravy.  Given the jet lag and red eye were both pretty tired after that and headed back to what has to be the smallest hotel room ever!!  So tiny we have to squeeze our suitcases under the bed to get to the bathroom.

Big Ben and Parliament

Of course at 1:30 AM I found myself wide awake until about 5 AM so I clearly didn’t transition as easy as I had hoped given the lack of sleep on the plane ride over.  The next morning was a bit painful to get up and moving…but we had a lot to see and I wanted to get started.

Day two we were pleasantly greeted with beautiful sunshiny weather.  Only a few scattered white clouds in the sky.  It was certainly cold but quite a pretty day and not the typical London fog or even rain that we were expecting.   Our first stop was the Tower of London on the tube.  Unfortunately for us, we found that the line that runs along the Thames bank and hits all the attractions we wanted to see for the day was closed!  So that meant A LOT of walking.  I’m pretty sure we probably walked over 10 miles between our hotel and the Tower of London and back. 

On the way to the Tower of London we stopped for a view of St. Paul’s Cathedral was unfortunately closed due to Sunday services.  At the Tower of London we took an introductory tour with a Beefeater before exploring various rooms and towers including a peak at the crown jewels!   

From the Tower of London we stopped for some pictures of the iconic Tower Bridge before making our way across for some lunch on the way to Shakespeare’s Globe theater.  Unfortunately, we ended having to go back across to the Tower of London because we forgot our Palace Pass to get us into the other palaces on this trip.  After a stop at the Globe, which we opted not to tour given the cost, we walked along a beautiful waterfront path to Trafalgar Square.  This waterfront pass was filled with little restaurants and shops, a few museums, and dozens of bridges.

Tower Bridge

 Upon arriving at Trafalgar Square we stopped to rest a bit before heading into the National Gallery with a couple hours to spend before closing.  The National Gallery is magnificent museum especially the cost…free!  Absolutely a must see if visiting London.  The museum has very famous and recognizable works by Da Vinci, Monet, Van Gogh, and Rembrandt, along with hundreds of other wonderful artists.

At the point of utter exhaustion we made our way back to Westminster Abbey to grab some cash before a pizza dinner.  We stopped at the first place we could find to eat along the path to the hotel, which was a decent escape from the cold weather and a break for our tired feet! 

On our second full day in London, we started the day at Westminster Abbey, which provides a wonderful audio guide as you tour the impressive cathedral.  This place is just packed with monuments and tombs and sculptures on every possible surface, high and low.  Notable historical figures such as Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Queen Elizabeth I are all remembered here.

From Westminster Abbey we board the tube to head across the city to Kensington Palace.  This was a bit of a let down to be honest.  Apparently, only a small portion of this palace is available to tour and those areas a bit kitschy.  The reason is that this palace is still very much used as a residence by the royal family.  In fact, William and Kate recently decided to make Kensington Palace their primary residence.  Oh to be royalty with a choice palaces to call home….

After our tour we walked through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, stopping at few monuments here and there along our way to Buckingham Palace.  The parks are really quite wonderful and made me wish parks of that magnitude existed more in California.  At the opposite end of the parks from Kensington Palace is Buckingham Palace filled with people hoping for a glimpse of the queen.  We stopped to look and take a few pictures.  This place seems much bigger in person than in pictures.  

Buckingham Palace

 From there we simply went exploring some areas starting with Chelsea and a stop at Harrod’s department store.  After Chelsea we headed to Piccadilly Circus to explore the Soho area where we stopped for a dinner of the classic English dish, fish and chips!

The final day of our trip was set to be a bit of a venture out of Central London to Hampton Court, the home of Henry VIII.  Hampton Court was originally a residence of Henry VIII’s advisor, Cardinal Wolsey, but after his downfall Henry confiscated the majestic residence as his own.  It is here that Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn set up their court.  Several decades later, William and Mary of Orange moved in and renovated parts of the castle in a Baroque fashion.  This creates for two sorts of palaces within the castle reflecting different eras of the British monarchy.  This facility was quite spectacular to tour with insight into multiple British monarchies.  As an avid fan of the Henry VIII story, I found this most enjoyable to explore and will find this visit useful to reference in reading Philippa Gregory’s books.  

Hampton Court

After touring Hampton Court we headed back to Central London, straight to St Paul’s Cathedral where we joined for the evening choral song.  This was free experience that essentially got us into the cathedral for a look without paying the high tourist fee.  The song was quite something although a bit hard to understand, the sound was spectacular.  For our final meal in London, we had the last meal that’s an essential when visiting, Indian food.  I have often heard that London offers some the best Indian food to be found.  I think this was a bit of new experience for my dad but he was willing to give it a shot despite the somewhat foreign menu.  The meal was wonderful and spicy, the only downside being the small portions. 

In the morning it was off to Paris for the next stop on my European adventure!

Travel: Effectively Using Your Personal Item

The next step to an excellent packing job is effectively using your one allowed personal item.  Now this admittedly takes longer to master for some reason.  Not only does it have to be reasonable in size, no larger than a briefcase or backpack, it also needs to be something that you can easily carry and lift, easier said than done for someone of my size.

I have found that the best item to use is a backpack.  While it certainly lacks professionalism it is without a doubt the easiest to carry and can fit more stuff than other options. 

Here is my backpack for Europe

Contents:

MacBook Pro w/Cover
iPad
iPod
Travel Documents/Reservation Copies
Book
Notebook
Snacks
1 Pair of Jeans
1 Pair of Gloves
Messenger Bag
Sunglasses
Passport Cover
Coin Purse
Various small electronics
Business Cards
Umbrella
Noise-cancelling Headphones
Eye mask

It is possible to fit quite a lot into a backpack.  To top it off, I have a travel pillow that attaches to the outside of the backpack.  I will be able to move easily with this backpack will having all the most important pieces with me.

I find it always a good idea to have copies of all your reservations for hotels, trains, flights, etc on hand.  You never know when something is going to get lost.  I always prepay for these things to making it even more important to have copy.  Plus you definitely don't want to check these things in case your luggage gets lost. 

You'll obviously want a purse for the trip but when traveling in Europe, I find the messenger bag or cross-body bag as a safer option.  It makes much harder for someone to rip it off your shoulder.  To get around the one personal item rule, pack your purse inside your backpack.  I have done this with all different size purses just fine. 

When going on long flights like to Europe, I like to keep a pair of jeans in my backpack for easy access in the event I want to change.  Plus, in the event you can't carry on your big luggage and it ends up getting lost (this happened to Brianne on our last Europe trip...they made us check our carry-ons because they "ran out" of bin space and then lost her bag), you want to have something you can change into other than wearing sweats around.

I think that covers my packing advice for now....hope you find this helpful! 

Travel: THE Hardest Packing Job

As you may know, I travel a lot.  Both for work and for fun.  Over the last two and a half years I have mastered the art of packing a suitcase and even better not over-packing or worse under-packing.  I have a sturdy Samsonite roller with four wheels that fits the carry-on restrictions.  If at all possible I try to avoid checking luggage as it limits flexibility in making last minute changes to your itinerary plus you run the risk of the dreaded lost luggage.  I have been on many business trips where when faced with a delayed flight stuck on a layover in Denver, I tried to switch to an earlier flight.  If you have checked your luggage, getting on that earlier flight can be having to go back to the airport later if your bag ends up staying on the later flight.  Anyway, I digress.

Today I am leaving for a three week adventure in Europe.  This trip is a week-long business trip sandwiched between two weeks of vacation.  I have packed for many different kinds of trips but this is the most difficult type of the trip to pack for due to multiple factors all difficult on their own but when combined make for the hardest packing job EVER!

1. Length of Trip: Three weeks is a long time to be on the road and living out a suitcase.  I realize people often go abroad for longer but they likely aren't looking to live out of a suitcase and bring only a carry on.  That's right I'm bringing only a carry-on and my backpack.

2. Dual Purpose Trip: Business and vacation in a single trip means needing two types of clothing.  You need the professional business attire and possibly even uniform along with fun clothes for the vacation aspects, which I find rarely fall into work appropriate.

3. Weather: On top of needing two types of clothing and a lot of it to last three weeks, this trip is also taking place during the winter.  I will be facing temperatures ranging from 33 degrees to 62 degrees.  That's a huge fluctuation in temperature to prepare for.  Plus, cold weather is always harder to pack for because warm clothes means bulkier clothes.  Bulkier clothes take more space.

I have included pictures my carry-on suitcase to prove that I was able to accomplish the task of packing three weeks of needs into this bag.

Here is a list of contents:

2 Pairs of jeans
1 Pair of dress pants
1 Pair of leggings
11 Long-sleeve shirts
4 Sweaters
2 Work uniform polos
1 Sweater dress
1 Black cami
1 Set of pajamas
1 Cardigan
Undergarments
Flats
Vans
Slippers
1 Pair of gloves
2 Hats
1 Scarf
Toiletries kit
Liquids bag
Make-up bag
Curling iron
6 Plug adapters
1 Voltage converter
2 Wine Bubble Wraps
1 Duffel Bag

The key to fitting three weeks worth of stuff in a carry-on is to bring stuff that can serve multiple purposes.  This means basic tops and bottoms that can easily be mixed and matched including accessories like jewelry, scarves, and hats.  Also, bringing a minimum number of shoes.  I have my boots for the cold and rainy days I face.  My vans or tennis shoes for nicer, warmer days.  My flats can double as my work/tradeshow shoes and for a nicer dinner out.  If you choose to bring heels (which I could have easily fit into this bag) choose a versatile pair that be worn out or to work.  I find a simple black pump is usually best.

Some weird things you might notice in my bag: slippers, wine bubble wraps, and a duffel bag.  In all the traveling I do, I have come to appreciate simple things that can make the hotel stay feel more comfortable.  For me, that means always bringing my slippers in the colder months of travel.  I like to walk around in slippers and having these makes my stay more enjoyable.  The wine bubble wraps are these great little sleeves designed specifically to hold a bottle of wine.  I brought these along because I anticipate bringing some wine home as a souvenir and in the event I have to check these I would prefer not to end up with red wine all over my clothes.  I also brought a duffel bag because inevitably on a trip like this, I get to the end with these bags of souvenirs I somehow need to carry home.  Having an extra bag to carry these in makes this so much easier and more comfortable than cutting off the circulation in your wrists.  My duffel bag rolls up really nicely and fits into the crevices of the suitcase. 

Here are a other few tips that made this feat possible:

1. Roll your clothes.  I know this seems counter-intuitive.  I certainly didn't believe it when I first was given the audience.  But it works! It is possible to fit so much more into a suitcase when it's rolled rather folded.  You can stack up to three layers of rolled clothes in a carry-on by squeezing items together.  Start with the bulkier items and keep them on the bottom and build up.

2. Segregate.  I keep all the clothes on one half of the suitcase.  The other half is for everything else.  On the second half the suitcase, shoes go in first and add any toiletry bags between shoes if possible.  Then stack remaining toiletry on top of the shoes.  The curling iron or straightener acts as the divider and sits snugly between the two sides.

3. Use the nooks and crannies.  First use all the compartments.  I used the separate zipped compartment for my black slacks and sweaters.  I use this area for the nicer things I don't want to get wrinkled.  I use the zippered pocket for all my undergarments.  Don't be afraid to use the outer compartments for things like extra socks, gloves, scarves, and hats.  Second, use all the little extra spaces around everything.  I shove my dirty laundry bag, chargers, and outlet adapters into every little space I can find.  Let no space go wasted!

4. Wear or carry the bulky stuff.  My travel outfit for a long trip like this consists of a tracksuit.  This can double as a second set of pajamas or hotel lounge wear.  Plus the top half can be a lighter weight sweatshirt if needed.  Next I carry my big winter coat on board.  This doubles nicely as a blanket for those freezing planes.  The boots are the shoes I wear on board.  These take up too much space in a suitcase, plus my first stop is London....enough said

The next step is effectively using your personal item to fit everything else.  But I'll save that for another blog post!  Stay tuned...

Book/Movie Review: Perks of Being a Wallflower

A two for one post!! I read this book, Perks of Being a Wallflower, a few months back after beginning to see it pop up all over stores in anticipation of the movie release.  I originally came across this book back in high school.  It was a favorite of a friend, Ryan Dickerson.  Back in high school I was much more interested in Gossip Girl than anything that might be taken as serious literature.  I have noticed over the last few months that my taste is books is evolving and I decided to give this a shot...plus my friend Brianne had already downloaded in our Kindle app that she lets me freeload off.

Perks of Being a Wallflower is written by Stephen Chobsky.  It is a fairly short book under 200 pages I would say and its quick, easy read that keeps you intrigued.  It is set in the suburbs of Pittsburg in 1990s, think pro-Bill Clinton and tape deck era.  The story is about a high school freshman who is a bit of an outsider, a wallflower.  The book chronicles his quest to actively participate more in life.  However, quickly becomes apparent to the reader that Charlie suffers from some mental instability, the roots of which are not revealed until the very end.

This story provides a different view of high school than often found in Young Adult literature thanks to the narration from a very unique character.  This story also grapples with a lot of difficult issues including rape, molestation, abuse, drugs, and suicide.  It is certainly not a light read, but it is an easy one that you won't want to put down. 

The movie was released this past year and starred Emma Watson as a leading character.  This is probably the best film adaptation I've seen of a book.  It follows the plot of the book very closely and only veers in minor ways in the interest of keeping the movie under 5 hours.  The worst blunder is the failure of the film to develop Charlie's home life more, but I am willing to let that go in the interest of keeping the film to a reasonable length.  Perhaps the reason for this success has to do with the author of the book actually being the film director.  There is no one better than the original creator and imagineer of a story to bring it to life on film.

However, that being said I still pick the book.  Very rare is a movie better than a  book and in this case while the movie certainly does the book justice given inherent limitations, the book is still better So pick this book up for a rainy weekend and enjoy high school again through eyes of Charlie, the most unique high school freshman I've encountered.

Meal Idea: Turkey Lettuce Tacos

This meal idea helps curve some of those cravings for Mexican food, or rather the cheap substitutions that can be so addicting late at night.  I made this for dinner last night and I will be having leftovers tonight.  It is easy to make this in smaller portions by just cooking less turkey.

For this all I did was brown some 99% fat free ground turkey and then add taco seasoning and water for full taco flavor.  Once ready I served it under green leaf lettuce as a shell substitute.  Usually you find lettuce wraps done with iceburg lettuce but I'm really not a fan of the watery taste.  Plus iceburg lettuce has almost no nutritional value.  I think next time butter lettuce would be a better choice as it often hold a better shape.

I topped the taco with avocado, black olives, a sprinkle of chedder cheese, and some Frontera tomatillo salsa by man Rick Bayless.

I served with some fat-free refried beans and mexican rice for a full Mexican-inspired meal, although my boyfriend would probably shake his head at me for calling this Mexican food.

Restaurant Review: Firefly, Las Vegas

Last week I was in Las Vegas for the annual Consumer Electronics Show aka CES.  This is my third year in attendance as my company exhibits every year.  On my first CES trip, I discovered this place thanks to a customer and it is now a must-eat place for me on every Vegas trip.

Firefly is a tapas style restaurant.  If you have never had tapas, you're missing out! It's a Spanish style meal meaning "small plates."  The idea behind this style of cuisine is everyone orders a few small dishes and shares with the table.  This is a great way to try something new without having to fully commit to it.  The fear of ordering something awful at a restaurant and being stuck with it for dinner always keeps ordering on the safe.  With tapas, throw your inhibitions and hesitations behind because this is the perfect chance to try something a little bit new.  I love tapas style any time and anywhere but Firefly is at the top of my list. If only they weren't only in Vegas....

They have multiple locations in the Vegas area, but they have a location just a block or two off the Strip on Paradise Blvd.  There are many great things about this place including the extensive menu, the great prices (compared to most tapas restaurants especially in Vegas), and the quality of the food.

The menu has a million choices and I have had several of them and have not been disappointed. Some of my favorites are the Camarones a la Diabla (Spicy Shrimp) which I discovered thanks to a friend.  The Albondigas are also great but I'm not sure what the meat is, typically this dish is made with lamb but I can't be sure.  I also enjoy the Petit Filet.  It's a steal at only $10 and includes fingerling potatoes.  Its a small cut but you'll be enjoying so many other delicious things it won't matter.  The Firefly fries are a must for the table along a pitcher of mojitos!  The Ceviche is also an excellent lighter choice.  It is a quite good rivaling ceviches in California which for a short geography lesson is located closer to the ocean than Vegas.

I highly recommend hitting this place up on your next trip to Vegas but make a reservation as it is always packed!

Award Season Movie Reviews

So we are in the midst of the film award season between the Golden Globes and the Oscars aka Academy Awards.  I don't know why these are pretentious enough to have two names.  Every year I try to see as many award-worthy movies as possible.  It makes it more fun to watch the award shows if you've seen the films.  It's been a good year, better than last years for sure.  My list so far incluydes Argo, Zero Dark Thirty, Lincoln, Django Unchained, Les Mis, Flight, and a bonus and nomination-less Hobbit.  Still trying to fit in Hyde Park on Hudson, Silver Linings Playbook, and the Impossible before the big day which really means before my Europe trip.

Argo

Plot Overview: Story of 6 Americans who escaped from the embassy just before the Iran Hostage Crisis begins.  They take refuge at the Canadian ambassadors house.  The CIA needs to get them out safely and secretly during this hostile time.  They devise a plan to create a science fiction film as a cover story to get these individuals on a plane and home safely while all entry in and out of Iran is closely scrutinized.

This gets my vote for the best picture of the year.  And obviously the Golden Globes agree.  This film is also a nominee for Best Picture Academy Award.  Ben Affleck also won best director at the Golden Globes after a snub from the Academy.  Obviously a mistake.  This film was amazing and super intense!  I saw this movie late on a Saturday night and my heart was pounding the entire time.  This movie is gripping from beginning to end and while it's pretty easy to guess how it ends (otherwise they probably wouldn't have made the movie), you're on the edge of your seat the entire time.  There is a mix of big name actors like Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, and John Goodman, there are also plenty of nobodies that you kind of recognize but don't know from where.  Hint, American Horror Story: Asylum, Dazed and Confused, and Legally Blonde will get you started.

If you see no other movie this season, go see Argo.  You will not regret it!  Best movie I've seen in a while.

Django Unchained

Plot Overview: A bounty hunter buys a slave who can identify three targets after which they enter into a business arrangement.  Django works to buy his wife so they can live free together.

Well this is near the bottom for me but got a nod for best picture from both the Golden Globes and Academy Awards.  If you don't know, this is a Tarantino film.  And if you've never seen a Tarantino film, his movies are know for being bloody and violent and over the top.  If have you seen a Tarantino film, this is a WHOLE new level.  Insane amounts of blood and violence beyond a normal Tarantino.  If you didn't like Pulp Fiction or even Inglorious Bastards, you might pass on this film.  It's not for the weak stomached.  It was entertaining when I wasn't looking away and even funny at times, but its just hard to get past the violence and the overuse of racial slurs.

Flight

Plot Overview: A flight crash lands killing only 6 people on board (I say only because there was over 200 people).  After an investigation of the flight, the pilot is found to have been under the influence of alcohol and narcotics at the time of the crash.  He must now fight to avoid jail time while battling a substance abuse problem.

This is no best picture but Denzel Washington is nominated for best actor (Golden Globes and the Academy Awards).  His performance is typical Denzel, moving, strong, and emotional.  My boyfriend called this a 90 minute public service announcement.  It was entertaining but if you're already scared of flying I say skip this one.  It's a definite for a Denzel fan. 

The Hobbit

Plot Overview: Prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  This is also a trilogy, something I did not realize until we were 2 hours into the movie and the journey had barely begun. 

Clearly this was not award worthy.  Not sure what made Return of King a best picture candidate and not this.  Maybe its an aversion to the RealD 3D technology.  I personally really enjoyed this movie once I got past the fact this was a trilogy and I have to wait 2 years to see the end! See it in RealD for some great shots.  The cinematography does not disappoint following in the path of the original Lord of the Rings movies. 

Les Miserables

Plot Overview: This is a classic and often done in live theater.  This is the story of a man convicted for stealing bread to feed his family who upon release runs away to rebuild a life free of his past.  Throughout the movie he is hunted by an officer for running away.  During this time he adopts a young girl cares for her as his own until adulthood when she falls in love with a rebel fighting against the French reign.

So this is a musical.  And not a Grease variety musical, a every word sung musical.  My family and I did not realize walking in that this was 99% singing.  There were about 20 words in 3 hours that were not sung that's because it was only one or two words at a time.  This was a good movie and great story.  Some catchy music, but it was long.  You get used to the singing at some point.  I am so-so on this one, good story but probably not wouldn't see it a second time.

Lincoln

Plot Overview: This movie focus on final months of Lincoln's presidential term and life.  The Civil War is raging and the nation is pushing for an end to the war while Lincoln is pushing for passage of the 13th Amendment banning slavery and enforcing the Emancipation Proclamation.  This movie follows the politics and emotions beyond this tumultuous time.

The acting in this movie is phenomenal.  Probably the best acting all year.  I like Argo the movie better but the acting in Lincoln was far superior.  Daniel Day-Lewis is spectacular and makes you believe he is Lincoln.  He won the Golden Globe for best actor and is a favorite for the Oscar.  Sally Field was also extremely impressive as his volatile and mentally unbalanced wife.  She sets the stage perfectly for the insanity Mary Todd Lincoln became notorious for at the end of her life.  This is a must see, not only for the great acting, but also the depiction for such an important and defining moment in American history.

Zero Dark Thirty

Plot Overview: After 9/11, Osama Bin Laden becomes the #1 target on America's Most Wanted list as the terrorist behind the attacks and leader of Al-Qaeda.  The CIA spends years follow leads in search of Bin Laden through prisoner interrogations, torture, and secret intelligence.  As I hope everyone knows, Bin Laden was killed in 2011 after a secret operation in the middle of the night.  This movie follows the chain events that lead up to this time. 

This is another intense film and a must see this season.  I would put this as a mix between Argo and Lincoln.  The acting is great and Jessica Chastain is phenomenal.  This is also a hugely important time in American history and follows the political and government moves in this highly sensitive situation.  This movie is certainly intense, but less so than Argo.  Also there are some scenes of torture and violence but nothing to hard on the stomach.  Jessica Chastain is certainly deserving of the awards for this performance.  She does a great job of growing as a character throughout this film starting as shy, reserved, and even a bit scared and growing into a confident, strong, and forceful character.

So that covers my seen-so-far list of award movies.  I hope it helps your selections at the theaters this month.  Argo is a definite followed by Lincoln and Zero Dark Thirty.

The BCS: Two Duds in a Row

Well folks, college football season is officially over.  I wish I could say the ending of the season was a dynamic, exciting, well-matched national championship game.  But I can't.  Instead it was a poorly matched blowout with one-sided offense and way too many missed tackles.  I think many will argue that Notre Dame did not belong in the National Championship, blah blah blah.  But under the current system they very much did as the ONLY undefeated team in the country.  Whether some of those wins are controversial or not is a different story because in the end the record book gets marked with a W.  Some people argue their schedule was not legitimate or difficult.  I disagree.  They beat USC, a pre-season #1 team, Stanford, the Rose Bowl winner, and Oklahoma, Big 12 co-champion. 

I am no Notre Dame fan and I am certainly not a fan of the current system but as it stands currently, Notre Dame deserved to be there.  And let's face it, if Notre Dame had lost a game and we had no undefeated teams, just a handful of one loss teams, we would be looking at a repeat of last year.  Two SEC teams in the national championship.  And as Sports Illustrated pointed out last year, that's a game that all of America wants to see....except for the 85% of Americans who don't live in an SEC state.  Last year's game was a complete and total dud, not only was it a rematch of boring game to begin with, but one of the teams never even SCORED!  I struggled to keep my eyes open through that one.....

If Notre Dame had a loss, the national championship most likely would have been a Florida-Alabama match up.  And we all saw how well Florida played in the Sugar Bowl against Louisville.....(If you didn't, they lost).  The outcome would still have been Alabama as the National Champion. 

I don't know about you, but I am so exhausted of the SEC.  I saw only two impressive SEC performances in the bowl season...Alabama and Texas A&M (unfortunately), but the rest of the performances were far less than stellar.  And I thought this was supposed to be the best conference in the nation and here they are struggling against a very weak Big 10 conference.  I'm not convinced....one or two good teams in a conference does not make it the toughest conference.  You can find one or two good teams in every conference....

Basically, college football is a mess and enough with the SEC already! We get it...they're amazing and fantastic and can maybe even beat a low-level pro team....ya right.  We aren't buying it and it's time for an overall of the BCS system so real teams (Oregon) play for the national championship and can stick it to the SEC.  And no the new playoff system won't help much....

Meal Idea: Healthy Chicken Strips and Fries

I get cravings...crazy cravings for unhealthy junk food.  It sometimes can become difficult to avoid these foods when trying to eat healthy.  Thus, it becomes very important for me to come up with healthy alternatives to these food items.  One of these items (don't worry I will have plenty more of these ideas) is chicken strips and french fries.  Who doesn't love crispy chicken and greasy fries?!  I know I do. 

So I have come up with a healthier version of this favorite: Breaded and baked chicken nuggets or strips and spicy baked french fries.  Here's the recipe:

Healthy Chicken Strips

I ate half of it before I remembered to take the picture...oops!

Ingredients:

 

Italian bread crumbs
Panko
Parmesan cheese, grated
Black pepper
Cayenne pepper (optional)
Olive oil

Directions:

 

1. Cut skinless chicken breast into desired size.  Season with black pepper.  For extra spicy chicken strips (I told you I love spicy), also season with cayenne pepper.

2. Combine Italian bread crumbs, panko, and parmesan cheese together to form the dredge.  For spicy chicken add cayenne pepper to dredge.  Note: I always add cayenne to the dredge for a little bit of heat.  Seasoning the chicken with cayenne with make the chicken even spicier).

3. Coat the chicken pieces with olive oil and then coat in the bread crumb mixture.  Continue until all pieces are coated.  Spray the tops of the chicken with olive oil (I use PAM Olive Oil spray).

4. Cook chicken on a greased cookie sheet at 425 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  Then flip the chicken and cook for another 4-5 minutes.


Oven Baked Cajun Fries

 

Ingredients:

 

Russet Potatoes
Olive Oil
Black Pepper
Salt
Cayenne Pepper

 

Directions:

1. Cut the potatoes in strips.  Note: The skinnier the cut of the potato, the faster they will cook.  I also like my fries crispier as opposed to potato wedges.

2. Soak the potatoes in hot water for 15 minutes.  Then soak in salted cold water for 15 minutes.  Then lay out potatoes and dry with paper towel to absorb excess water.

3. Coat a baking sheet with olive oil and sprinkle salt, black pepper, and cayenne on the baking sheet.  Once fries are done soaking, lay out on cookie sheet and sprinkle the top with more salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper.  Then spray the tops with olive oil (again, I use PAM).

4. Cover the cookie sheet with foil and cook at 475 degrees for 5 minutes.  Then remove foil and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes, flipping half way through.  Be sure to keep an eye on the fries as they can cook differently depending on thickness. 
4. Cook the fries

Meal Idea: Chicken Stir Fry

So what's the different between a recipe and a meal idea? It's rather arbitrary but in my opinion a recipe is something you cook and prepare with lots of ingredients that you wouldn't eat alone as a meal but when combined create a dish.  A meal idea is things that are put together a complete meal but the components could be eaten independently. 

So this healthy meal idea is really simple and easy.  Plus it's easy to keep all these ingredients on hand for a last minute meal that doesn't require running to the grocery store.  All this meal requires is stir fry veggies, chicken, stir fry sauce, and optionally brown rice.

My stir fry dinner last night

Start by preparing the brown rice.  1 cup of rice to two cups of water and be sure to fluff the rice after it's finished cooking. 

Take a chicken breast and cut into cubes then season with black pepper.  Spray a pan with PAM.  I like the olive oil variety.  Cook the chicken over medium heat until cooked through. 

Then add as many stir fry veggies as you can fit in the pan.  I like Costco's frozen stir fry veggies best.  It has a better variety of vegetables than most stir fry bags and the vegetables always come out a vibrant color.  It's a big bag so it lasts multiple rounds of stir fry.

Once the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are cooked and hot, add the stir fry sauce.  I like the House of Tsang Szechuan Spicy Stir Fry Sauce.  It only has 25 calories per tablespoon.  A tablespoon is generally enough for 1 serving.  Plus it's a bit spicy which I always enjoy in my food.

Stir the veggies and chicken until the sauce is thoroughly spread throughout.  Then serve on top of brown rice for complete meal.

The whole process takes maybe 30 minutes at most and is super healthy. 

Recipe Time: Turkey Quinoa Chili

So as part of the healthy lifestyle I have really tried to reform the way I eat and watch what I put into my body.  I don't consider this diet.  I don't count calories or follow any weight loss rules.   I just try to aim for "whole" or non-processed, fast foods with low fat count and high protein content.  Protein is an important part of a diet when trying to lean out and tone up.  I hope to share some of my recipes and go to meal ideas that I use.  So here's the first one:

Turkey Quinoa Chili

I know it doesn't look super pretty, but it's chili and it's delicious!

So I found this idea online and made some modifications.  A suggestion: the recipe below makes A LOT of chili.  I might recommend halving or even quartering this recipe if there is only one or two of you.  I made the whole recipe and it made 12 servings of 1 cup of chili.  There's only two of us at most, often just me, so that means a lot of leftovers.  Good news is that this is totally freezable.  After I had my fill of chili for a while, I portioned out the leftovers into 2-3 servings in a ziploc sandwich bag.  Then I put the bags in the freezer for later use.

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground turkey
1 cup quinoa, uncooked and rinsed*
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can crushed tomatoes (28oz)
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 zucchini, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced**
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste

*If you have never used quinoa before it is a seed like grain similar to couscous in shape.  It has a very high protein content.  One cup of uncooked quinoa (becomes at least 2 cups after cooking) contains 24g of protein.  It is very important to wash quinoa before use!

**If you like heat, leaves the seeds.  Either way, I recommend wearing gloves when handling raw jalapenos.  The capsaicin is absorbed by the skin and can leave you with a strong burning sensation on the skin for up to 48 hours.  I learned this the hard way.  It's rather uncomfortable and once absorbed no amount of handwashing will help.

Directions:

1. Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender, and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes.  Once finished, be sure to use a fork or other utensil to fluff the quinoa.

2. Brown ground turkey until no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease.  Set aside. 

3. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, garlic, and jalapeno pepper. Cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. 

4. Add chili powder and cumin. Cook 1 minute more to release the flavor of the spices. 

5. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, zucchini, oregano, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Simmer until the bell peppers are tender, about 20 minutes

6. Once the red and green peppers are tender, stir in the quinoa, beef, and corn kernels. Return to a simmer, and cook 5 minutes to reheat. Stir in the cilantro to serve. 

Nutritional Info:

Servings: 12
Serving Size: 1 Cup
Calories (per serving): 271
Carbs (per serving): 34g
Fat (per serving): 7g
Protein (per serving): 19g
Fiber (per serving): 8g 
Iron (per serving): 19g

Give it try.  It's pretty tasty and very filling.  Plus it's healthy!

Embracing the Healthy Lifestyle

So this is blog post #2 of 2013, already better than 2012!  One of the changes I made in 2012 was embracing a healthy lifestyle.  In the past, I would have spurts of dedication to exercising or healthy eating but it was more of a fad for me than a commitment.  Over 2012 I became increasingly focused on living the healthy lifestyle.  It really started with the desire to improve my overall health and fitness and a groupon.  Yes a groupon.  I have a serious groupon addiction....

Anyway back in March I purchased a Groupon for a 6-week bootcamp in Mountain View.  I wasn't sure if I was going to like it or not but for $40 I figured I would give it try.  It meant getting up at 6:30 AM Monday through Thursday to make it to the 7 AM bootcamp class before work. This groupon turned out to be the best groupon I ever bought!  It was fantastic.  I loved exercising again for the first time since high school.  It didn't feel like a drag to work out because the class was fun and energetic.  It wasn't as nearly difficult to get up in the morning as I expected because I guess something about your friend asking where you've been the next time you show up motivates you to not be so lazy.

Fit for Life Solutions Bootcamp

I would highly recommend this bootcamp to anyone living in the Mountain View area! Tell Dan I sent you.  I think they also have other locations in the Peninsula and in Fresno.

This camp really emphasized that fitness is a lifestyle choice and not just an activity to add to your daily routine.  They also stressed that while exercise is very important, nutrition is even more important.  The healthy lifestyle and achieving the body you want is 80% food and only 20% exercise.   The trainers recommended logging food to check for nutrient and calories.  As someone genetically on the petite size, caloric intake hasn't been something I have worried about too much and I thought I don't need to track my food.  However, the trainers put more emphasis on tracking your daily intake of carbs, fats, and protein than on just calories.  I agreed to it and boy was a surprised to see how many wasted calories I had and how much I was lacking in key nutrients.

If you are interested in embracing the healthy lifestyle too, I highly  recommend tracking your food at least for a few months until you get into a routine.  I use MyFitnessPal.  It's a free online tool that allows you to add food from a database or add your own (you can even create your own recipe box with nutritional info) and then it calculates your daily goals for nutrition based on exercise and other personal data and then tracks what you actually intake based on what you input.

My Fitness Pal Food Tracker

When exercising and eating right, I have found that I have an increased amount of energy, something important for me as a non-caffeine consumer.  I feel better and I look better.  I hope to add more tips and recipes throughout the year about how I live my life.

Fail for Blogging in 2012

Well apparently last time I posted anything in here was February, and that was recapping my travel adventures of 2011.  Clearly, my blog was an utter and complete failure this year.  It happens, life gets busy.  There were lots of more trips this year, not all of them as cool as last year.  Here are the highlights:

Monterey Bay Aquarium - June

The Arch at Lovers Beach - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - July

 Boston Tea Party Ship - September

Vancouver Canada - October

Orlando, Florida - November

So I did manage to make it two other countries and accomplished visiting Mexico and Florida for the first time.  These were two of my travel goals for 2012. 

There were also a few other monumental moments and life changes that happened in 2012 starting with the birth of my second nephew, Logan Tate, then my move to Southern California, and finally with my brother's marriage.

Logan Tate at 5 Months - Born June 25, 2012

Some other highlights from 2012 include the Zac Brown Band concert, the Brothers of the Sun Tour featuring Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney, two Cal games in Berkeley, and the MLS Cup won by the LA Galaxy.  It was also Beckham's last game with the MLS.

Brothers of the Sun Tour - July

MLS Cup - December

I anticipate some exciting adventures and changes on the horizon for 2013.  I already have a 3 week trip to Europe booked that includes London, Paris, Germany, and Italy.  Hopefully I will be better at blogging this year too!