A Little Sparkle
Hey friends 😀 How’s your day been? Hope you’re having a fabulous afternoon.
I started my morning off with a muscle-y BodyPump class,
a smoooooothie
(almond milk, Sun Warrior protein and supergreens, frozen blueberries, cacao)
and got ready for a day of errands + a lunch date.
My outfit was nothing crazy (jean crops and a J Crew v-neck) so I added a little sparkle with fun accessories:
Tory Burch flats
and a new necklace from the gem show:
It was $16 and I am obsessed with it.
I met up with Megan for lunch at Blue Willow, which is my Tucson restaurant obsession of the moment.
They have so many veg options, delicious hummus, fresh-baked treats and blackened salmon that will make Jesus tap dance on your tongue:
It may have beat Longhorn for best restaurant salmon- it’s that good! I have no idea what they season it with, but it’s crunchy, slightly spicy and perfectly cooked every time.
Chatting with Megan was so much fun. She’s actually taken one of my classes before, so it was cool to put the puzzle pieces together! She’s a natural fertility method teacher, similar to what I’ve been following for over a year via Taking Charge of Your Fertility. Her blog has a lot of awesome info if you’re interested in learning more about natural fertility planning.-We already have plans to hang out again next week 🙂
After lunch, I shipped out the goodie packages to the giveaway winners and one for Lindsey for letting me crash at her house 🙂
Each giveaway package included: 
-a jar of TJs almond butter
-seaweed snacks
-crispy green beans
-dried mango (no sugar, nada- just mango)
-Larabars and Pure bars
-Dark chocolate with sea salt
-dark chocolate and blonde raw macaroons (made by yours truly)
After I got back from running errands, something had to happen.
Ballz happened.
To be real, I can’t live without almond butter anymore. According to the detox meal plan, I’m not technically supposed to have it for 4 more days, but I’m bringing it back early. I’ll be writing my 20 day re-cap post pretty soon, but I will go ahead and say that this detox has made me *hungrier* than I’ve ever been. I’ve been getting enough calories to fuel my activity levels (have not lost any el bees), but the fact that certain staples have been temporarily removed from my diet is making me want them more than ever. When this is all over, there’s a gluten-free cookie the size of my face and glass of wine with my name on it 🙂
I bought another quinoa product to play with:
Recipe inspiration!! I’m going to make detox-friendly cookies tomorrow (most likely including almond butter) 🙂
Well, I’m going to take Bella out (she’s been hyper today!) and then get some Indian food for dinner.
Have a lovely night <3
xoxo
Gina
Something to talk about: What’s your favorite non-wedding accessory?
Today’s tip: Stuck in a workout rut? Take your usual workout schedule and reverse it. For example, do what you planned to do on Friday on a Monday instead. For more tips on rut busting, check out *this post*
98 Comments
Leave a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
What a sweet goodies package the winners and Lindsay will get!!!
Love Tory Burch shoes! Those flats are super cute! Remind me of toms a little too!
Those Ballz sound AMAZING! I’m going to have to attempt to make them!You seem to be just as much of a nut butter and dark chocolate fan as I am, so I wanted to share with you a giveaway I’m having on my blog that I bet you would love. It’s for a box of organic, raw energy bars with–yes!–nuts and dark chocolate! 😉
http://www.thin-and-sweet.com/2011/02/raw-crunch-bar-review-giveaway.html
I don’t blame you AT ALL for bring back almond butter early. Nut butters were the hardest thing for me to give up during my detox… and the first thing I took a shamelessly big bite of when it was over!
I love those flats! What’s the name of ’em (or where did you purchase?), if you can recall? You look so cute and summery while we’re getting freezing rain. Though you didn’t talk about it in this post, your relationship with the Pilot is inspiring. I’m currently in boyfriend limbo, not sure if I should stay or go, and I’m thinking about what you said about finding the right guy who will treat you right. You’re very lucky.
http://www.polyvore.com/tory_burch_classic_espadrille_coconut/thing?id=15542169
hold out for someone amazing, i promise it will happen
I LOVE your flats. They’re adorable.
And, quinoa flakes are great. I like to do 1/2 quinoa flakes and 1/2 rolled oats when making hot cereal because they’re super creamy – just not as voluminous as oatmeal.
love the TB flats!!! my fav accessory is probably my RED kate spade bag i got on major clearance
Those flats are total hotness!!!
thanks 🙂
Just wanted to say how much I enjoy reading your blog! You seem so genuine and I always get such great ideas of how to change things up in the kitchen from you! PS I love the necklace!
thank you patrizia! 🙂
Your new necklace is cute! Congrats to the goody package winners. I want that mug that smoothies in so badly. I see it all the time at starbucks, but I never buy it.
That necklace is beautiful! 🙂
I like your new fashion posts to shake things up. Lately my favorite accessory is my gold/crystal drop earrings shaped like snowflakes from Sundance my sister gave me a couple of yrs. ago. We need to find out what spices are on that salmon.Yum.
LOVE a little bit of sparkle! Accessories are my FAVE!
Gina, your macaroon giveaway inspired me to make my own. (Because I’m starting to think I’ll never win yours.) Anyhow, they were awesome! No wonder you make them so often.
My brother used to work at a company where the entire company liked to share “sayings” and the funnier and more obscure the better. Here are some nice ones:
“Full as a tick.”
“I ain’t a one trick pony.”
There were many, many more. If it sounded like something someone’s Grandma would say or was very confusing it became a very favored reference. They would use these liberally in meetings.
Has the pilot shared some of the lovely military terms that fit so many situations? FUBAR and boondoggle are some classics.These aren’t sayings but they come in handy sometimes…
Karen
I think I’d just die if I had to eliminate nut butters from my diet! Good on you for holding out as long as you did :).
Ohhh I love the Blue Willow…when my sister was at the U of A, I would drive down from Phoenix and we would go for breakfast or lunch…soooo good! Score on the necklace..it’s super cute 🙂
I love that lindt dark chocolate with sea salt – in fact I stocked up on some the other day since it was on sale at Target.
Quinoa flakes? Never heard of them.
Those balls look good… I really need to start making some.
Love the shoes!
I love the necklace and the shoes!! Super cute!!
So, I’ve decided my goal is to win one of your giveaways! You always add the greatest things!! Love the shoes 🙂
I just found Megan’s blog the other day. Too weird to see her pop up here! The (virtual)world is a small place! Are you going to learn Creighton from her? My husband and I use it and love it so much. After reading your posts about birth control and your hormone issues, it seems like a great fit for you! I hope you keep us readers posted about what you decide!
yes, she’s going to start teaching me next week!
Yea! I am way too excited about this! I am an NFP dork 🙂 I takes a while to get the hang of it (at least it did for me) but stick with it and it’s second nature in no time. You will have A LOT to teach the Pilot when he gets back.
thanks for the todays tip! I went and read your rut-busting post and it had some nice tips! I didnt work out today because I was tired of the same-old-same-old (although rest days are still good!) but tomorrow I am going to mix it up alittle 🙂
LOVEEEEEEE THOSE shoes! where’d you find them!?
xo
My gluten free mother in law always makes chocolate chip cookies with quinoa flakes instead of oats and they’re soo good!! I highly recommended trying it!
I just felt the need to comment!!! I’ve been following (stalking?!) your blog for a while, and am in the process of starting my own.
I have to leave my first comment because I graduated from U of A and just moved from Tucson in May back to the East Coast (whyyyyy???). My stuff is still in storage there, and when I go back within the next couple months to get it, my top place that I NEED to go is Blue Willow!!! I lived right off of Campbell on Blacklidge, so close. It is one of my fave restaurants there…their breakfast is the JAM. I may hafta try that blackened salmon salad when I go there. Uh, YUM. Also, wish I knew about your blog when I lived in AZ for three years…Dance Trance? Why did I never know about this until I left?! But yes, love to relive my Tucson favorites when I see you went to some of my go-to spots!
aww, let me know when you come back to visit!