How nice is that?
[Said in my best Barefoot Contessa voice]
Socks that actually match:
(Just picked up a few packs at Target. At work it’s pretty much assumed that my socks never match, and then it got to the point where I was lucky to find two clean socks before leaving in the morning. Does the dryer eat them? Yep)
this romper:
(a gift to Liv from her Auntie Chele- I can’t even handle the cuteness)
some forgotten faves and new foodie finds.
I had to do a double-take when I saw this kombucha at Sunflower Market the other night.
Lavender! What are they trying to do to me?! I thought that Gingerberry was the kombucha of my dreams, but Lavender is now #1.
It has a bold, fresh flavor, but isn’t too strong.
Love, love these guacamole packs:
all real ingredients, and while homemade is obviously better, these do in a pinch when you want a quick dose of healthy fats. I also like that they’re pre-portioned out, because the big packs turn brown in the fridge once you open them.
Parfaits:
(with gluten-free granola (this one has way more fiber and protein than the usual suspects), goat’s milk yogurt, Sun Warrior and almond butter.
Cold herbal teas:
I love tea so much, but it’s definitely getting too toasty in Tucson to drink it hot. I’ll make the tea with hot water, place it in the fridge to chill overnight with lemon juice and Stevia already added.
Sauerkraut:
It’s especially amazing on sweet potatoes and salads. I have a tempeh sauerkraut grilled sandwich in my brain that I’ll have to make ASAP.
50 Shades of Grey?
(The Pilot came home with sweet potato fries to share- true love)
We’re having a wives book club, and at first I didn’t want anything to do with the book because I was sick of hearing about it, and then curiosity got the best of me and I wanted to see what the hype was about.
I just started it and can’t decide how I feel about it. For now, I don’t love it. At first I didn’t like Twilight, either, and we all know how that turned out 😉 The writing is atrocious -and quite a few of the phrases are dated, like “well I’m a monkey’s uncle”- and for now, it just seems creepy, not sexy. I’m also kind of over weak female leading roles. I’m all about some light-hearted fluff reading (Shopaholic series rocked my world, and all of the books by Emily Giffin) but I prefer sassy, smart, female protagonists. Maybe I should have downloaded Hunger Games instead?
We’ll see how it goes….
Hope you have a great day and I’ll see ya later on the Fashion page with a waterfall braid how-to.
Week of giveaways continues!
xoxo
Gina
Thank you so much for the amazing comments and blog love on my blogiversary <3 Made my day.
Have you read Fifty Shades of Grey?
Any newfound or rekindled foodie faves?
132 Comments
Leave a Comment
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
BABIES IN ROMPERS?!!!!! oh man.
You should FOR SURE read Hunger Games – I thought they were so weird when I first started reading but ended up being obsessed with them.
I completely agree. Katniss made me want to take up archery – but I’ll stick with zumba for now 😉
agreed!!! i still think it’s a horrid concept for a series, but they were amazing. i LOVED the characters, and i could not stop reading until the three books were all gone.
Reading the 2nd 50 shades book right now and although the writing IS HORRIBLE, I still can’t put it down?! Hah kind of agree with above comment that the author definitely isn’t writing from personal experience hahah… and doesn’t speak like a 20-something american girl, but somehow I’m still finding them a good light read!
I just can’t bring myself to read 50 shades of grey. I’m not interested it in the least. The Shopoholic series (and ANYTHING by Sophie Kinsella) rocks my face off. I’m completely obsessed, and that *may* be part of the reason my blog has the name it does 😉
I know your reservations for the Hunger Games were the violence, and I don’t typically enjoy violent books either but I ADORED the hunger games. Because it’s written for young adults it’s not that graphic so I didn’t find the violence all that bad.
I read all three 50 Shades a couple of months ago and liked it. My sister just started reading and likes it too! William-Sonoma has a make it yourself Kombucha kit; have you seen it? I like those Guac packets too and the baby hummus. Anything itty bitty to grab and go.
I read FSOG and giggled, some how I don’t think that’s the reaction the author was going for! Hunger Games is a great choice, I love the strong female heroine, who doesn’t need a man to rescue her, she can do it herself.
HAHAHAHA! I’m a monkey’s uncle! That almost made me laugh out loud in the middle of a meeting. Bahahaha!
I only recently discovered your blog and it’s quickly become a favorite. But today with the comment about weak female protagonists and the Emily Giffen love, I believe you have officially shot up to number one status. I could not agree more! Haven’t jumped on the Fifty Shades train yet, but I must admit I am curious…
To lose 30 pounds total to maybe make getting pregnant easier. I’ve already lost 10! 🙂
Oops – wrong page!
HAHA Gina thank you! I reluctantly tried FSOG after it was all my friends would talk about and thought the writing was terrible also! Of course nobody agreed with me, so I’m glad someone finally does! Love Liv’s romper, so cute!
I hear ya about the Fifty Shades of Grey – try to count how many times she write “reverie”. Seriously…why not change it up and say “daydream” or something!?!?!?! GAH!!
I haven’t read 50 Shades of Grey yet, but may I say that HUNGER GAMES WAS AMAZING !!! I liked the 2nd book best of that trilogy, and the third book the least, but LOVED the series overall !! Also the Millennium Trilogy was great !
I read 50 shades and did finish the trilogy although by the end I didn’t really want to. It gets very repetitive. Hunger games was very good. I suggest that next!
The Hunger Games is AWESOME, but I just read two books in a trilogy by Veronica Roth. The first is Divergent and the second is Insurgent. SO.SO. ADDICTIVE!!! Unfortunately, the third in the trilogy won’t be published until 2013. Definitely check both series out!
I agree with Leslie about the Hunger Games. I loved them and couldn’t put them down. AND I also loved the series by Veronica Roth. I wish I had not started it though because the wait for the third book might kill me. Both of those series have strong female leads that are not perfect- which I like because, well, who is? If you are looking for male lead check out the series called, The Maze Runner. It is another dystopian book with crazy twists and strong characters.
I’ve only read the 1st Shades of Grey and I was absolutely disgusted by the relationship between Christian and Anastasia. I’m sorry but it really bugs me that these books are getting so much hype. I’m not at all a fan of the weak/submissive Anastasia. Women need strong, positive role models. Not a girl who willingly wants to be submissive and lets a guy spank her. Definitely read the Hunger Games. I couldn’t put them down. Katniss is an awesome character 🙂
The Hunger Games trilogy was pretty incredible, IMO. And I am in love with sauerkraut lately, the hubby has even caught me eating it straight out of the jar a few times…
i ate up that trilogy in about a week, but more out of scandalous curiosity , rather than being immersed in a gripping plot…and by the second book, i was completely over the dull and weak female protagonist! made me quite annoyed to keep reading actually, i disliked both characters, but had to finish the books because i bought all three at once!
http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/35su24/
http://www.quickmeme.com/meme/3pgmr0/
🙂
those were awesome
I read 50 shades and it remains pretty creepy throughout. I’m not willing to read the other two. I spent most of the time with my mouth hanging open, in shock of what I read! haha
Definitely read the Hunger Games!!!
Can’t wait for the braid how-to!
I haven’t read 50 Shades… I hear A LOT of people talking about it, which of course sparks my interest, but I don’t know. It’s not really my type of book!
And I wish my stores sold the 100 cal. packs of guac! I absolutely agree… that guac is so good, but it browns so quickly! I have to seek out those packets. 🙂
Thank you, someone finally gets the horridness of 50 shades of grey, haha I do not like the book at all. I couldn’t even get through the first one. I definitely don’t get the sexiness of it, I’d rather not be reading about it. TMI? And I just can’t get past the writing. I’m definitely loving cold teas too. I usually never enjoy them, but this season is totally different.
Agreed- the Hunger Games is awesome. I didn’t want to like 50 Shades, but I did, ha!
I read all three of the fifty shades books and i really wish i had saved my money and read something else. It does have a bit of a shock factor going for it, but i can’t get passed how poorly it is written.
What exactly is Kombucha? I haven’t encountered it.
it’s a fermented tea beverage and is slightly sweet and fizzy. it’s a great source of probiotics, too
Where can I find it? Does Trader Joe’s sell it? Thanks.
Not yet but they should! Whole foods has it
Hi Gina! I am a long time reader, first time commenter. I have read 50 Shades of Grey Trilogy twice now! While I also find the writing weak and the repetitive words annoying, I loved the books overall. The second book is by far my favorite and Ana gets much more stronger as the books go on. It is definitely a book that you have to find interesting from the beginning or you will not enjoy it! 🙂
thank you so much for saying hi! glad to hear you liked them 🙂
Emily Giffin is my favorite author – and if you add her on Facebook/go to her book signings, you’ll see she’s an awesome person, too! Absolutely cannot wait for her new novel this summer. Also, I agree with everyone else about how fantastic The Hunger Games trilogy is. You won’t be able to put it down!
If you were a fan of the Shopaholic series, you may enjoy Sophie Kinsella’s newest book: I’ve Got Your Number. It’s hilarious….I can’t stop laughing as I read it. Also, Hunger Games is so great. I finished it in a few days b/c it’s that addicting : )
The hunger games trilogy is definitely worth reading. 50 shades? Not so much. I did read the first two and ordered the third, but I’ve lost interest and haven’t read more than a few pages. In the first book the author took a scene from Pretty Woman almost verbatim. The writing is just awful. The dialogue is so far removed from the real world. I doubt that 20 something women in England speak that way, nevermind 20 somethings in Seattle. as for the steamy parts, they can serve a purpose if your real life love life has gotten a little uh monotonous …my husband said it’s the best book i’ve ever read – lol!
hahaha agreed. my bf keeps telling me i’m reading a little too much 😉
I read all 3 50 Shades books and I definitely found them more creepy than sexy. I pretty much wanted to strangle Ana throughout. But the 2nd and 3rd books had a much better (relatively) story and weren’t too bad. The Hunger Games books are a million times better though! Read those!
I don’t usually jump on book trend bandwagons (I still haven’t read any Harry Potter or Twilight books), I did get sucked in to seeing the Hunger Games movie and loved the story so I ended up reading all three books (in a day each). They were super good and I think if you are looking for a strong female role, you will enjoy them.
I have no interest in reading 50 Shades of Grey,
i’m on the second gray’s book now, and i’m in it just to see where the plot goes. seriously, the author apparently had no access to a thesaurus while writing these. i’m so sick of reading that 1) someone gasps, 2) anastasia clambers in/out of the car/bed/helicopter, and his/her breath hitches. it’s intentionally supposed to be a riff on twilight, but i am just not digging it at all.
I love the lavender kombucha!! It tastes like a really nice bubble bath but in a GOOD way. Also reading 50 shades of gray and feel the same way…the writing is so painful. Love your blog!!
I started 50 S of G and couldn’t keep reading. I agree with you…creepy, not sexy. I enjoyed The Hunger Games.
I just started reading the Hunger Games. At first I was reluctant since I don’t like Twilight at all and even though it’s a completely different storyline it’s also Young Adult literature.
I finished the first one in about 6 hours and am now into the second one. I do have to say that it sucks you in and you just want to continue reading – especially the first one. However it is written for young adults and it shows. I personally don’t find Katniss very likable and the whole “who do I love story” is also getting a bit old by the second book. I don’t think I could read it if lets say it was written for adults with more depth to the story/ character development and gory details.
It is a also very easy read and good for an easy workout on the elliptical – I did almost an hour today and was so into reading that I forgot everything around me. Although I have to say some of it is because you keep reading because you’re waiting for something to happen…and then it doesn’t.
I’ve never heard of shades of grey though.
Read this hilarious review of 50 Shades of Grey:
http://foreveryoungadult.com/2012/04/06/my-safe-word-is-dnf/
It’s interesting that the books started as Twilight fan fiction. My friends and I call Twilight the “crack books” because once you start you have to read the entire series. Twilight is my guilty pleasure but I did get a little sick of Bella.
For a series with a more assertive heroine I suggest the Mortal Instruments series which begins with City of Bones. Or Divergent. The Hunger Games is a great series and pretty intense. All these are young adult books.
For an adult take on vampires and witches, A Discovery of Witches is AWESOME. It’s supposed to be a trilogy with the second book out soon.
Divergent is wonderful, as is the 2nd in the series Insurgent. I’d HIGHLY recommend A Discovery of Witches. The 2nd in the trilogy is coming out soon (July 10th) & I plan on re-reading the first so I can dive right into the 2nd one. It was that good!
I started reading the 50 shades trilogy without hearing much about it here in Australia, but noticing it pop up as a major thing in the US blogs I read. I was a bit taken aback at first and also felt they came across about creepy, but as I went further in I got lost in the love story. Despite her much criticised writing, I enjoyed that she didn’t skip any of the details which I find occasionally frustrating in novels. You get to a major showdown, the chapter ends and the next chapter starts well into the future and you’re left guessing what the characters might have said. I also enjoyed the characters’ honesty, a lot of novels that I read (similar to yours – Sophie Kinsella, Emily Giffin) there are misunderstandings galore which add to the entertainment of course, but the fact that the two protagonists in 50 Shades communicate very honestly, it feels more real yet you still get a good story out of it.
I think you might be pleasantly surprised! My baby is nearly 4 months old now and my husband is giving major props to this trilogy for giving him hope a second baby might be conceived sometime in the future haha. Enjoy it and try to forget about the repetition – how many times do you repeat favourite phrases? I do, so I didn’t think twice about the protagonist doing so. I found the second and third books better and I think the second was my favourite.
I also really enjoyed The Hunger Games trilogy too… aren’t we lucky to have such fabulous, varied stories to read in between baby books 🙂
I love the barefoot contessa, but I cringe every time she says “how easy is that?” 🙂
We love those wholly guacamole packs too, we get ours from costco!
she is the queen of rhetorical questions 😉
costco has them?! no way!!!
Hunger Games was so ridiculously good! I was late getting into it but it was awesome! Couldn’t put it down, also feel the same way about 50 shades I am so sick of hearing about it!
I started FSOG and just couldn’t get into it, so I quit after 3 chapters. I’m thinking of re-attempting it though. I’m obsessed with all Sophie Kinsella (and Madeleine Wickham- which is actually her real name! Sophie Kinsella is a pen name) books, as well as Emily Giffin (you know her new one JUST came out last week right?? I pre-ordered it for the kindle!). I also love all the older Jane Green books – Jemima J, Mr. Maybe, The Other Woman, Bookends. I recently read “Girls in White Dresses” and it was such a fun read!
For non-chick lit books, I’ve recently liked The Story of Beautiful Girl, Ape House (by the author of Water for Elephants), and Little Bee.
I also plan to try to work my way through this list very slowly! http://dailycandy.tumblr.com/post/10851187608/101-books-we-cant-live-without
For those Hunger Games fans (LOVE it)… if you’re craving another heart-racing heroine book, I recommend checking out Divergent by Veronica Roth. It’s the first of another trilogy and it unexpectedly totally sucked me in. I love book recs from my middle school teacher friend, who clearly gets them from her students haha.
Oh and if you aren’t on goodreads.com and you read a lot, then you should join!
50 Shades of Grey made me so angry, I couldn’t even finish it. (I do give props to the author for having the motivation to do something different in middle life, though… 🙂 ). But I agree, I didn’t like the fact that the lead female character was so weak – and it was a bit unbelievable that she was a college student who 1) has never been kissed, yet she is gorgeous, and 2) doesn’t own a computer. I didn’t like Christian from the beginning and he never warmed up on me. I just felt very disconnected from the characters and couldn’t relate in even the slightest bit. But the biggest thing for me was how badly written it was. I was very bored.
Not to mention the “steamy scenes” weren’t very steamy and actually made me laugh out loud at how awkward and childish those encounters were.
“and it was a bit unbelievable that she was a college student who 1) has never been kissed, yet she is gorgeous, and 2) doesn’t own a computer. ”
Get out my brain – you took the words right out of my mouth! What also killed me was that:
1. A 20-year old from Georgia, who now lives in Seattle uses exclusively British slang and
2. Apparently can only refer to her roommate by her full name. Seriously, did she ever just call her Katherine? I think “damn you Katherine Kavanaugh!” was used about 500 times in the first 3 chapters alone.
That being said, I still can’t put it down. It’s like a trainwreck that I can’t look away from. And I feel like if I paid for the book, I should just finish reading it.
You should totally read the Hunger Games though. Or Wither by Lauren DeStefano. Both have strong female characters and they totally sucked me in from the first chapter alone.
When I started reading 50 Shades, as when I started reading Twilight, I wasn’t expecting world class literature. There’s only one reason that book has become so popular and it’s called your libido.
I have actually heard of 50 shades, but I’ve fallen deeply in love with the Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole. It’s my dirty pleasure, I know they are goofy, but I love the witty humor of the characters and the mythology she put in. If you’re looking for a good book on tape, the guy who voices them (Robert Petkoff) is AWESOME
Hunger Games: SO GOOD. Fifty Shades: Amazeballs. No pun intended hehe. It’s tootally different than Hunger Games, but both are books you won’t want to put down. You’ll see 😉
If you are looking for strong female characters try Blood Red Road by Moira Young or Divergent by Veronica Roth. Both are fantastic and the first in a series. I also recommend The Hunger Games. I am a reading/LA teacher and it’s kind of my job to know good reads for the students! 🙂