I heart Sunset!

So, yes, as you know, I heart the actual sunset....remember my travel book idea about the best places to watch the sunset around the world, oh yes, that will still happen, even if it's just a mini photo album of my own personal collection....but anyways, I digress :)...

The real reason I am posting is that I have to share how much I heart Sunset, the Magazine and Publisher. I'm not sure that words can truly express how much I love Sunset Magazine. Sometimes when I am reading it, I wish I could just jump into the pages and live in the spaces hey create! I know, I know, I'm 26, not 46, like the typical Sunset reader, call me a granny if you'd like, but I love it. Love the recipes, love the decorating ideas, and once I have my own house one day, I know I'll love the gardening part.

Kat and I at the entrance.

So, today, Kat and I spent the whole day in Sunset Land and let me tell ya, I was on cloud 9! Loved, it, absolutely loved it, everything about it. I didn't want to leave.

I got two free tickets for being on the Sunset Reader Panel and thought of Kat immediately, because she interned there. Kat also scored free tickets for the wine/beer tasting, which was even more awesome.

Posing with our free mugs, which we drank both beer and chardonnay from :).

The day was so perfect, it's almost creepy....We arrived at about 10:15 am, got a great parking spot and then bypassed the long lines to get our free tickets at Will Call and then just waltzed on in.

We spent the day touring the grounds, the vendor booths, test gardens, test kitchens, outdoor kitchens, courtyards etc. For a good 3 hours we camped out at the food/entertainment stage and watched a bunch of chefs cook up a bunch of yumminess.

Kat with our free Sunset bag, isn't it cute!

The seats where we camped for a couple of hours of cooking entertainment.

Our favorite Chef, Joey Altman---hilarious--good avocado tips!

Joey's dish, crab salad stuffed avocado....I can't wait to make it!

We made a chicken spice rub, aren't the colors pretty!?

All in all, it was a beautiful day, spent in a beautiful space, with lots of free food, free drinks, free admission and best of all great company!



I have got to say, this whole happening to land in Menlo Park (just a few miles from the wonderful offices of my beloved Sunset) thing is another one of those things in my life in the past few months that just kind of makes me stand back and have faith that someone upstairs knows what they're doing. I am falling more and more in love with the Menlo Park/Palo Alto area every day.

I believe in love....

Happy Friday!

I made a promise to myself
Locked it away deep down inside
Told my heart wed wait it out
Swore wed never compromise
Oh Id rather be alone
Like I am tonight
Than settle for the kind of love
That fades before the morning light

Silence stared me in the face
And I finally heard its voice
It seemed to softly say
That in love you have a choice
Today I got the answer
And theres a world of truth behind it
Love is out there waiting somewhere
You just have to go and find it

I believe in love, I believe in love
A love thats real, love thats strong
Love that lives on and on
Yes I believe in love
Yes I believe in love

You know what feels good?

Taking a BIG, DEEP breath.

At yoga last night our teacher had us breath in through our nostrils for 5 seconds and then release the breath out loud with a sigh. Try it, it's so refreshing! I was doing it during the day today, people probably thought I was crazy, but man, it feels so good.

melting away stress with a good run and yoga...

Been feeling a bit scatter brained lately....there are tons of changes going on at work; new boss, new responsibilities, etc etc all of which I am very excited about, but I have definitely let all of the newness and lack of familiarity get to me a little bit.

I have noticed during the day that I am not as present as usual and I feel a little bit more tense and anxious. I'll start one task and simultaneously start to think about what I am going to do to accomplish something completely different and then lose focus on what is right in front of me.

Today, I finally started to catch myself amidst the craziness, and consciously took a few deep breaths and gained a bit more focus back, and, it helped!

I went for a great run at the Dish after work and felt less sluggish than usual, although the hills definitely got to me today.

It was funny though, as I was gasping for air on the final hill, I thought to myself, I love this! Running makes me feel so alive.


I felt so good after my run that I decided to go to a yoga class tonight at the gym. The slow stretching was a good contrast to the run. I am loving yoga more and more these days. There is something so beautiful about yoga for me--it's so refreshingly different from the madness of basketball or the fast pace of a run. I love the mindset of gratitude and awareness that yoga cultivates and I am inspired by the flexibility, grace and gentle strength of those who are good at it. It's such a peaceful experience to be in a room with a group of people quietly stretching. There was one moment during class tonight when the lights were dimmed and everyone was sitting cross legged on their mats and their eyes closed. I of course couldn't resist peeking, but I am glad I did, because it was just such a serene sight to look in the mirror and see all these calm, relaxed bodies and faces. I wanted so badly to pull out my camera and take a picture.

Song of the day:)

I'm in love with this song at the moment...





I love Kate Voegele's version of Hallelujah....here it is....

Volleyball arms :)

Okay, so they just look like normal arms, I know, but let me tell you these arms took their fair share of volleyball beatings today---but what's a few bruises, broken blood vessels etc. in the name of a lovely Sunday afternoon playing Volleyball and stuffing your face with cherries, blueberries, potato chips and trail mix?

Shhhhhhhh!!!

Don't tell Rosie that I blogged about what a cool person she is, I think it would embarass her to no end, and I think in her eyes I am kind of cool, I've fooled her somehow, and I am not quite ready to relinquish that image :).

Truth be told--she is the cool one, I have never met a cooler 13 year old girl! I went to see her in her school play tonight and she was fantastic. I would post pictures, but I feel kind of protective of her and don't want to violate her privacy. But I just couldn't resist sharing how much fun it was to watch her play Ms. Nicholson in her school musical, the Nifty Fifties. I was laughing out loud and tapping my toes to the music throughout the whole thing!

And you know what was almost as good as the play? After the show, she asked her mom if she could ride home with me, and I don't know why, maybe it's some motherly instinct in me, but I just about melted. I know, I know, I am a complete sap. It was so fun to have some girl time with Rosie on the way home!