What the Doc Ordered
Hey guys 
How are you? Hope you’re having a happy Monday.
Thank you so much for all of your good vibes and support. Your tweets, texts, emails, phone calls, virtual and real hugs mean more to me than you know. You can’t have good without the bad, and I feel like the next chapter of my life is going to be *really good*.
The past 24 hours have been crazy, but with everything going on, I still had an amazing night out with friends.
It was our unofficial lulu holiday party, so we went out to Opa, which is one of my Orlando favorites.
Dancing on the tables isn’t just allowed
It’s encouraged
We danced our little hearts out, then ended up at Howl at the Moon– a dueling piano bar.
I didn’t take any pictures, but you can use your imagination 
I enjoyed an extra dirty martini, and said my last “see ya laters” to all of my lulu friends. The good news is that I didn’t have any tears left after yesterday afternoon, so I didn’t make a blubbery fool out of myself. I’ll miss them like crazy <3
Jenny came back to the hotel and stayed with me and the puppies, then this morning, I met Erin for an Ashtanga class at Full Circle.
A thousand chatarungas, deep stretches and an uncomfortably long savasana? Just what the doctor ordered 
On the way back to the hotel, I stopped and grabbed a good grains bagel with egg whites, lox and capers:
Thank you, Einstein’s for being so generous with your salmon
There’s a lot to do today!
-laundry (at the hotel)
-Pick up road trip snacks (Larabars, hummus, veg, trail mix, almond butter, individual almond milks, water, dog treats)
-Take library book back
-Film 5-minute hotel workout
-Last Dance Trance class here!
I’m off! See ya tonight.
xoxo,
Gina
If you were driving across the country, which snacks and entertainment would you pack? The above snacks are for sure and I’m also going to get a couple of books on CD from Cracker Barrel and trashy celeb gossip magazines.
PS. Want some macaroons?? You can bid on some for an excellent cause *here*. I always throw extra goodies in the charity macaroon packages, too
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The next chapter of your life WILL be great! I love bringing granola bars, hummus and carrots and cut up fruit for road trip snacks.
where do you buy your individual almond milks???
i like the cashew, almond, dried cranberry packages from trader joe’s. they are just the right amount of salty and sweet 🙂
If your grocery store has an aisle with non-refrigerated nut milks you can usually find the individual sized ones there too. If they don’t carry them you can always ask them to.
What a fabulous sendoff. No matter how necessary a move is, it’s always hard to say goodbye to the people who have helped you along the way! But you always see the people that really matter again 🙂
I always bring dark chocolate on road trips…after hours in the car, it’s a little chunk of heaven!!
When I’m going on long road trips I try to bring some dried fruit, veggies like carrots, celery, bell peppers. I also love to have something with a little “chew” to keep me entertained on the drive so dried fruit or gummy bears work for me 🙂 Do you have an ipod? If so you should look into buying books off of iTunes, I’m not sure what the price difference is between Cracker Barrel, but I would imagine there would be a wider option. Then you can just plug your ipod into your car, but also have your books when you are at the gym, in the hotel etc.
Best wishes to you for a safe road trip!
That bagel is perfection!
I’m glad you had a great night with wonderful friends… the bad in life definitely gives us a barometer for how good the good really can be! xoxo
Definitely trashy celeb mags! I love those things.
For road trips, I like the single-serving Justin’s Nut Butter and apples. I also try to bring hummus and carrot sticks, water, and good tunes. I don’t like books on tape, so I make sure to pack plenty of CDs, though I also enjoy seeing what the local radio stations play. Good luck! I always admire your positive attitude in the face of uncertainty or upset.
No denying it: Celeb magazines are trashy.
There is also no denying that they are entertaining!
(I’m particularly fascinated with the “Teen Moms!”)
DVD’s, ovbiously for the one not driving. Hope you two have a Thelma & Louse good kind of trip.
I’ve been reading your blog for a long time but don’t leave alot of comments. (once in a while!) I wanted to tell you good luck with your next chapter of your life. I’m not on twitter so I don’t really know what you tweeted yesterday but based on your post it looks like your family that you were staying with kicked you out?????? How absolutely horrible. I can tell from your blog that you are a sweet, caring, thoughtful person and wouldn’t have done anything to provoke something like that so I wanted to tell you hang in there. I’m just shocked that family would do something like that to one of their own. Take care Gina and keep being an amazing person!
yes, that’s exactly what happened.
thank you for your sweet comment and thank you so much for reading <3
I would imagine your Pilot and the rest of your family is absolutely livid at how they’re treating you.
my pilot is the most mellow, calm man i’ve ever known and it takes a LOT to get him worked up… i’ve never seen him this upset before.
it is so inspiring to hear and see your positivity in light of everything going on. You’ve got to take the good with the bad, smile with the sad 🙂
im thinkin a pilot post would be well received especially now! happy days ahead, girl!
LOTS of water. When I drove from Minnesota to California in March, I found I wasn’t really hungry, but got really thirsty. Of course, what I _did_ eat were things like pretzels and smoked almonds, so that mighta had something to do with it! 🙂
Since we were driving along the old Route 66, we downloaded Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road,” which was fun. I also recommend comedy writers – David Sedaris is a great one. Nothing better than laughing your arse off in the middle of Oklahoma.
Trashy mags, Fitness/Lucky, some christmas music, and an iPod hook up so you can listen to all of your other music. Looks like you had fun last night despite everything- I love how positive you are! Have fun with all of your “lasts” and on your road trip!
you’ve already thought of some great road trip snacks. have you tried kind bars yet? i tried one for the first time recently, and it was delicious. not too bad on the nutrition stats either, but i’d make sure i looked at the stats before buying. it seems like some of their flavors are better than others as far as nutrition goes.
i’m so sad to hear that you’re having such a tough time lately. i hope your move goes well and that it’s the beginning of a completely wonderful new chapter for you. you definitely deserve it! good luck!
howl at the moon! there is one in the inner harbor in baltimore and when i lived there i use to love going! gossip mags for sure, and books on CD are always a good idea!
Yes! You’re making the cross country drive… I’ve done it twice now and LOVE it. Looks like the snackage you’ve got going is perfect. My only problem is with the amount of water I drink daily, I’m stopping at rest areas every time I see one. hahaha! I’m glad you’re feeling better- things are only going to keep heading in that direction, especially being so close to your family and the holidays! Happy last minute checklist 🙂
I believe some Kindle books come with a format that “reads” the words out-loud – you might want to check it out!!
Safe travels & best of luck on the next stage of the adventure!!
Things that make you go hmmmmm……I am really shocked that your fam kicked you out. Esp because a latin/spanish family is thicker than blood. Wow. That is very LOW for a family to do that esp with the circumstances (pilot being gone..you have enough to worry about) Im soo sorry though. Well now you get to go be with your mama and rest of your family. Well just like my fave saying goes “EVERYTHING happens for a reason. Something is better for you over the horizon”
Im excited to hear about your road trip! When i get back from my deployment we are doing the same thing…driving from South Carolina to my hometown in Cali for a vacay. Love road trips. I am interested to see what snacks you bring. I am starting to plan out our trip now. I have to since i have two kids. Plus we are hoping to get preggo when i get home 😀
Well we are all here for you….. **HUGS from afghanistan***
thanks girl <3
Your road snacks sound like the sort of ones I bring along for long drives. I’d also add fresh fruit to the list since it can be hard to find if you’re just passing through areas where gas stations are the only option for food. It might be a good idea to bring along your favorite teas and oatmeal since you’d be able to get hot water at gas stations.
Good luck with your move! It sounds like you’ve been having a tough time lately, hope it’s a million times better in Tuscon! You seem like such a nice girl with a big heart, and it must be hard enough with your Pilot away to have to deal with family drama.
things will only get better! Eager to read your post tomorrow though
have a happy and productive night tonight. take it easy, we’ll understand
You seem pretty much like the nicest, sweetest person ever and have been through SO much over the last few months. Stay strong, and I love your blog.
thank you, karolina <3
Are you driving to your new home and just staying in hotels along the way?
I would add fresh fruit (or canned fruit that canned in water… not juice!)
yup
I’m sending virtual hugs and good vibes for you long raod trip. I think you are a strong person with a big heart! I’l glad your mom is is coming “mom’s always make things better!
Looking forward to your next and best chapter!!!
Sounds like you had a good night last night with friends. 🙂 Snacks I would pack – dark chocolate, fruit and nut bars, and water. 🙂 Hope today goes well!
I always travel with really high quality dark chocolate. Its saved me when I have been on 12 train rides in Europe, about to cry in hunger and frustration in NYC, or overwhelmed by how truly expansive Montana is. I take a lot of more healthy stuff too but chocolate is a non-negotiable staple.
I also often travel for long trips with a “comfort book”. One of my favorites that I have read so many times that I can pick it up or put it down at any point but I find that its a little bit of something familiar when I am off in a new part of the world. I often travel by myself and its great for those occasional times when I really want to talk to an old friend but am screwed by time zones or whatever.
Sorry that your supposed family and living situation hasn’t been awesome. Life is too short to be unhappy or treated badly by people who are suppose to care about you. I really hope and believe that your next chapter will be better because you are making the hard but necessary changes to make that happen. Cheese alert: I really believe that we can make ourselves happy, sometimes it just takes a lot of hard work. Gandhi said to be the change that you want to see; I say be the happiness that you want in your life.
Now I have successfully procrastinated and am returning to my little whole in the library.
*hole*
I am not in law school or anything like that…
How long of a drive is it? Wish I could be more helpful, but I view long road trips as a free-for-all with gummy bears, chips, soda and other crap I rarely eat, which is just terrible because I’m doing nothing but sitting for hours!
Good luck with the drive! My husband and I like to play trivia games on long drives–he used to have Trivial Pursuit on his phone.
28 hours!
I love all the snacks you’ve mentioned, and definitely make stops to sit down and get “real food” even though it makes your trip longer. I always feel less cranky and ready to go after I take time to stop and eat a meal.
So glad you had an amazing night/morning! 🙂 I so admire how well you’re doing despite everything that’s happened lately… I cannot image being so strong, but I guess we all have to be strong when there’s really no other choice. <3 xoxo
My Mother always said that “things happen for a reason.” She said that during some of the absolutely crappiest points in my life and EVERY time she has turned out to be right. The universe has its own wisdom. Hang in there, keep your personal integrity. You and the pilot and the puppers will be fine.
Karen
Love goldfish – it is going to be my study snack for the next week! And gum is always necessary. Good luck on your road trip!
I love the salmon hanging out of the bagel!!! Stay fabulous!
I go on vacation for a week and so much happens =( I’ve been reading your blog for months (I love!) and really feel for you and the fur babies. Familia can be tough but I’m so happy your going to be with your Mami and your brothers. Good luck on this next chapter of your life, your Pilot will be here soon (I know, not soon enough!)
On long trips I tend to pack food in small quantities b/c if I bring a whole bag of nuts/chips/cookies, etc. I tend to just eat the entire thing without even realizing it.
Hope your drive goes smooth and can’t wait to hear about La Fitnessista en Tuscon!
I’m sorry you’re having a really bad few days, but just think how awesome it will be for you to be home!! ^_^
Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry for what you’ve been through. That’s horrible I just read your tweets.
The only suggestion I have is fruit. Good Luck!
Sometimes a night out with friends can make everything feel all better!! And I love books on CD for long car rides, I just finished Emily Giffin’s “Heart of the Matter” and I really enjoyed listening to it. (Cynthia Nixon reads it, so it reminded me a lot of Sex and the City):)
i’ve read the book and LOVED it, but think i’d like it even more if i were listening to cynthia nixon read it 🙂
Good luck with the trip cross country. And the next stage of your life. There’s nothing but possibilities now…
I’d definitely bring books on tape. Music is nice but that can get repetitive after too many hours.
Hang in there, Gina. Safe travels and excitement on your new chapter! Can’t wait to hear the details tomorrow!
Orlando friends sure know how to send a girl on her way, eh? Sounds like you had a blast with some great friends, girl 😀
Gina, love and hugs coming your way…yes the best is yet to come!! So sorry you had such a hard day yesterday. I think you should treat yourself to something chocolatey — just saying ;)) — for energy and overall mood enhancement. Have a safe trip!,
You are truly an inspiration and have an amazing ability to stay positive! I love your outlook on life and getting the chance to read about all your fun adventures!
I just wanted to wish you a safe journey. THings will be better for you I am sure. Take care of yourself!!
Hi Gina! I don’t often comment, but I love your blog 🙂 And my heart goes out to you (since I truly/creepily feel like you are a friend who I’ve never met) in light of what’s going on with your fam/moving situation. You seem like such an incredibly genuine, sweet, selfless person; things like this should not happen to people like you, or anyone, for that matter. Just know that everything will work out for the better (always does, in my experience!) and you’ll come out an even stronger, more resilient person. Best of luck beginning this new exciting chapter of your life with your fur babies and your Pilot (whether he’s with you in spirit/Skype or flesh). Hugs.
Hi Gina… Been a longtime reader (lurve your bloggy though! ) but haven’t commented up until now cause what’s happened to you recently has pulled at my heartstrings more than anything else. This summer, I was 5 minutes away from losing my little sister in a drowning accident, the guy I had been seeing went to Basic for the Air Force and then my big, fun but loving Italian family fell apart when my aunt had my grandfather arrested and sued him mainly in the name of greed and jealousy. Being able to never really see or talk to my cousins for who knows how long definitely upsets me. However, after almost losing my sister, It put everything else in perspective for me. In my attempt to make a long comment short haha, I’m just trying to say I can relate and admire the way in which you are handling this. I think you’re doing an amazing job of putting a terrible situation like this in perspective. The thing that helps me get through all this is the love I have for my own family and the love they have for me, because lord knows that’s been my only saving grace when everything else is going loco.
I think for you, having your lovely husband so far away from you, but knowing he loves you more than life, and being able to be with your own family now, is helping your outlook on the situation because though I’m sure you’ve shed a good amount of tears, you nonetheless have a very positive attitude. When I get depressed because of everything that’s happened, I always remember how much worse it could be and I don’t know if I could have the strength to live without my sister to tell you the truth. I remember that and it’s impossible to feel bad and be ungrateful that I get to live another day with all the love and happiness I do have in my life.
Continue to be positive and I know you’ll have the strength to get past these rough patches and I wish you all the luck and most importantly, happiness because you truly deserve it 🙂
Cuidate mi amiga! On a completely unrelated sidenote, I have a couple of pictures of your puppers saved in my Pictures folder because sweet baby jesus they are way too adorable. That was meant to be a compliment by the way and not a totally sketch revelation haha
we’re driving to arkansas from colorado in a few weeks…it’s all about the book on tape 🙂
I’m glad you’re feeling better Gina! For long road trips I usually pack Luna bars and baby carrots – the crunch factor of the carrots keeps me amused and if there’s salsa or hummus, even better! Oh, and Starbucks of course!
For roadtrips I do larabars, ab&j sandwiches, and carrots.
Best of luck to you on this next chapter of your journey!
I love to bring snacks that take a while to eat since my hunger goes into overdrive on road trips. i think it has something to do with the fact that I try to drink less so Im not stopping every 3 seconds.
Scott loves lox and bagels. That one looks like a winner!
And I can’t believe with ALL you have going on right now that you’re finding the time to make macaroons for the charity bake sale. You’re awesome to contribute like that! 🙂
Take care, friend. Be gentle to yourself during the next few weeks and with all the life changes (again) that you’re going thru!
🙂
Gina,
If you ever find yourself in the vacinity of Wisconsin and need a place to stay – my home is your home – and bring as many 4 legged family members as you want. As awful as it seems, everything does happen for a reason. Chin up my friend – good things will come your way. Oh yeah, bid on your macaroons – I’ve wanted some for so long! I don’t care how much it costs me!
Mo – I was just about to leave a comment and saw that you mentioned your from Wisconsin! What city? I’m in Milwaukee 🙂
I’m in Thiensville . . . about 20 minutes north of you (by Mequon/Cedarburg). I’m so glad you jumped in and asked!
Mo
Thiensville is really close! So great to ‘meet’ you on here! Do you have a blog?
Dear Gina,
I am long time reader of your blog, not a commenter or a tweeter person, and the main reason why I do not comment is that well I am busy having an office job, and also I don’t really like to just live a two words, if I say something – I mean it, your story made me feel very bad for you, following your blog for so much time created the concept that you are a very nice person, smart and dedicated, I little “weird” please don’t get upset I say this with the nicest intentions, I mean it looked weird to me when you took your Vita Mix with you on your honeymoon ?, but mostly why I am saying all this thongs is that every person will have something that someone else wont understand or agree with, all the individuals are very unique, even the ones from the same family, so that’s why we are calling it FAMILY, to understand each other, to stand for each other, help and do not judge, just enjoy each others company and be thankful for the people that love you. I think that your family did something terrible behaving with you the way they did, and maybe if you will forgive them after some time (I am sure you will, you seem a very kind person) never ever forget what they did to you, I hope, I really hope they read all this comments and feel mad, I am not mean, but I sure think they deserve to feel the same way you did!!!! And if you change your mind about Tucson, you can move to NY ? I can assure you I am a very nice host!
I have been to Arizona only once, in October. I made my fiancé a surprise and we went to The Phoenician in Scottsdale, I felt in love with Arizona, we would really like to move there, so have fun, don’t waste your tears on things that don’t deserve it! You have a lot of friends and your Pilot is with you no matter what! Take care!
Catalina
<3 thanks girl- take care, too! and get some one lucky duck ice cream, mmm k? :)