Workout Update

Since all I've been doing is writing about food, I thought I'd better post my workout update! So far so good! This is my third week of trying to go to the gym almost every day.

Last week: I can't remember exactly what I did. But I know I was at the gym.
Monday: cardio. and ran 7 minutes straight! Nice.
Tuesday: cardio
Wednesday: was a lazy bum
Thursday: 60 minute cardio with 2 pound wrist weights including 10 minutes straight running (without the weights)! yay! I remember this day only cause I pushed myself the most.
Friday: cardio
Saturday: um...does standing for 2 hours count?
Sunday: was a lazy bum

This week:
Monday: 45 minutes cardio. 100 variations of crunches. thanks to HY I made it to the gym. I REALLY did not want to go. I almost drove out of the gym parking lot to go home.
Today: Going swimming. I even brought my leg weights for the pool. I'm sure I will pass out as soon as I get home.
Tomorrow: Will take power pump. Need to pump some iron!
Thursday: Will do cardio in the AM since Dina will be here in the evening.
Friday-Monday: Dina will be here! I may have to forgoe the gym. I will have to incorporate physical activity somehow.

Weekend Update

On Friday Mark and company took me and HY to Father's Office. FINALLY! After all of Linn's raving about father's office, I finally got to go. Although, I have to admit that I did want some ketchup with my burger and sweet potato fries. What's wrong with ketchup on my food? Nothing! And there was an obnoxious amount of beer choices which was nonetheless - totally awesome. Would definitely go back just for the beer. I had a something noir. Weird name for a beer. Sounds like a wine. It was a dark beer but very light tasting and a little sweet.



The office burger



Sweet potato fries

On saturday morning we volunteered to pack food boxes for children's hunger fund. http://www.chfus.org/

We went to Pacoima which is north (I think. Far.) Which we were told was the projects, but it didn't look like the projects at all! LA is weird like that. Don't judge a book by its cover.

Interesting little story. I stopped by starbucks in the morning to get us some coffee. I threw out some old drinks that were in my car in the trash outside. While standing in line I saw a homeless person go through the trash and took out my half full mango smoothie from the day before. He opened the cap, smelled it, tasted it, and then threw it back. I guess it was very rotten. It was a really horrible and sad sight. I wanted to do something, but I didn't know what. I don't really know what to do when I see homeless people. It was something that I needed to see before going to pack food boxes to feed people who don't have any food. It was a true testament to what these organizations do. So when I got to the warehouse, I had more of an understanding of how me bagging pasta would impact other people. When you pack food boxes or help at food banks usually you go because you want to do something good. You want to volunteer doing something. And usually you casually do some labor work and laugh with friends that you go with. But in the end, the food that you are boxing up is really helping someone out there. I need to incorporate this into my daily life.

Lots of pasta bagged.

Great success!

Afterwards we were spent. But headed to ktown to get oil changes for both our cars and tried some dongchimee gooksoo. Very refreshing for a hot hot day. California tempature is really crazy. First we were in the valley - 93 degrees with the sun scorching. Then ktown - 83 degrees. As soon as I hit santa monica - 72 degrees and foggy.

I knocked out. Then got up at night to head out to Mike and friends' Bonfire at huntington beach that we crashed. Driving to OC was like a roadtrip. Wow - far. But it was really relaxing. Even got to see Rob and his peoples afterwards.

Usually HY and I try to check out a new brunch place every weekend. So on sunday we went to Cafe Dana on Montana. At first it took us about 20 minutes to order because nothing on the menu really sounded that appetizing. Finally we decided to share the smoked salmon plate and the house scramble. Both delicious! I love pumpernickel with cream cheese and lox and I was really craving eggs because I love breakfast food. Perfect combination for brunch.

All in all it was a pretty eventful weekend thanks to some new and old friends.

Foodies Unite

Michi! you will appreciate this post. John! Don't read this post.

I only have a very small handful of friends that like to splurge on a great meal with me. And one is DINA! Who will be arriving in LA this thursday.

Now...the foodie in me finally gets to come out and explore the best of LA's cuisine! There are so many places I want to check out. But with the limited time that we have, I had to cut down the list.

1. BOILING CRAB! The fun begins with boiling crab on thursday night in Garden Grove.
http://www.theboilingcrab.com/

2. CAFE FIRENZE! On friday we will head all the way up to Moorpark for lunch at Fabio's restaurant! (Fabio from top chef that is. Yes the hot italian guy) Just so the drive isn't wasted, we will stop by camarillo on the way back. (If it's on the way back because my geography skills basically suck)
https://www.cafefirenze.net/

3. STEFAN'S AT LA FARM! Friday's dinner will be at Stefan's restaurant in Santa Monica. Yes the bald finnish guy from top chef. Is he finnish?
http://stefansatlafarm.com/

4. CRAFT! Sunday night we will head to Tom Colicchio's restaurant. Ok it's not Craft in NY, but whatever. Same Craft. =D
http://www.craftrestaurant.com/craft_losangeles_style.html

5. GORDON RAMSAY AT THE LONDON! Monday night before Dina's flight out we will have some awesome french food by Hell's kitchen star!
http://www.gordonramsay.com/gratthelondonwh/

Also on the list is Boa's steakhouse in SM and Mario Batali's restauarant Osteria Mozza. I also want to check out Jar. My goodness too many. But I think the above 5 are good for now. Next tuesday you will see an awesome foodie post full of pictures!

Also Susan is tentatively coming Oct 17 and we are also planning to have an LA foodfest! That will be more of a hunt for the best hole in the walls.

October will be a great foodie month. But of course, I will be pumpin iron hard core inbetween!

Eatz Flight to India Cooking Class

Every morning I wake up and find my mailbox full of semi junk. Daily Candy is one of my daily semi junk emails. I say semi junk because I subscribe for the emails, but usually they don't review anything that's worth checking out. But one morning Daily Candy reported on EATZ! It's a cooking class and they were offering a 2 for 1 deal. I persuaded Hye Young to take the class with me. There's an assortment of cuisines to choose from, but we ended up going for Indian.

On monday night, Hye Young and I ventured off to West Hollywood to this cute little house to take our 3 hour EATZ cooking class!

The decor was very rustic and welcoming and our cooking area was set up very nicely.

On the menu:

- Cucumber and Mint Raita
- Garlic Naan from Scratch
- Chat Masala Chicken Skewers
- Green Cilantro and Peanut Chutney
- Spicy Chicken Coconut Curry with Basmati Rice
- Rose-Tinged Rice Pudding
- Wine: Sauvignon Blanc

Here are our Chat Masala Chicken Skewers:

We skewered the chicken

Then brushed on the secret sauce we made.

What a pleasant sight

Our burner was kind of on the fritz so we couldn't get a nice browning at first.

We topped it off with chat masala.

And then...EAT IT! DELICIOUS!

Garlic Naan!! LOVE NAAN!

First you have to make the dough and let it rise for half an hour

Then we minced up garlic and here is HY kneading away.

Use the mushroom technique

Then we put it on the pan and brushed on loads of butter

On both sides of course!

Spicy Chicken Coconut Curry:

First sweat the onions with tomato paste

Add coconut milk and curry powder. YUM

And add chicken stock

boil boil boil!

Then add chillis, chicken, tomatoes, cilantro (ew) and let simmer!

Green Cilantro and peanut chutney:

We didn't get to make our own chutney, but just watched our teach. I HATE cilantro, but this was good. You throw everything into the food processor and then pulse!

Cucumber Mint Raita:

We had to make a group Raita too. Our teacher used greek yogurt instead of regular so it would be thicker. Then added cucumber and some other stuff. yummy.

Then FINALLY...we got to eat it all!!!

Rose-tinged Rice Pudding:

We made this as a group too. Of course Miss sweet tooth gobbled it up and took some home! It was really good. It consists of basmati rice, coconut milk, rose water, and Cardamom.

Two great up and coming chefs after eating our creations in the little outside area!

And here is Hye Young's new friend

A little review of the experience:

We were here from 7-10:30. After work, gym, and then heading over to cooking class, it was an exhausting night. But in the end, it was fun.

The class:

The class was more like a party. There was lots of wine. I don't think I learned that much. I could have followed a recipe on my own. But when would I ever decide to make everything we made on my own? Probably never. I would recommend this as a date or as a girls night out with a big group. I do not recommend this to learn how to cook. The teach kept looking at the recipe. That's a strike in my book. But personality wise, she rocks. Would I take this again? I think I would, but not anytime soon. Maybe in a few months.

The food:

The food turned out just ok. There was nothing amazing tasting. Actually, the flavors were all very toned down. Nothing tasted very Indian. I think this was partly because our teach passed the ingredients to us or threw it in our pot. So we couldn't taste and add more of things. At the end we kept adding more and more salt to our curry cause it didn't taste right. It needed more curry powder and more coconut milk, but we didn't have that at our disposal which was disappointing.

I think the best part of the night was, yes, eating, but more meeting some cool people. It was interesting how everyone there was in a different field of work. It was a big change from DC's govt contracting world. LA is so diverse.

As Alton Brown puts it...Here's to good eats!!!

Take the Streets

I learned another new term this week. Take the streets.

Streets? Not, take local. Not, take the back roads. But, take the streets.

This adds to the new lingo I've been learning these days. I've also learned

Blackout

Shitshow

Nbd

Workout Recap

Keeping up with my workout and food logging here goes.

Friday: Went swimming for 40 minutes. HY looked really bored so we didn't make the 1 hour mark. Nonetheless, I got home, ate dinner and could not move. I passed out at 8pm on a friday night. I don't know what it is about swimming. I love it and when I am swimming laps it's so fun and I feel like I can keep going. But afterwards, I am totally beat to the point where, unless I seriously force myself to move, I'd prob fall asleep sitting straight up on the couch.

Saturday: Went to the Palisades gym overlooking the ocean. 10 minutes on the treadclimber. 25 minutes on the treadmill. 30 minutes on arms. I ran for 5 minutes straight on the treadmill. Berry berry proud of me! woohoo. And I think I pushed myself a little more on weights. I could definitely feel the burn and on sunday I was sore.

Sunday: I did nothing. I was totally out of commission from going out sat night. Oops. I keep forgetting that my body cannot handle that anymore.

This week was supposed to be the beginning of my 1200 calorie eating and hitting the gym in the AM. Because I basically slept all day yesterday I couldn't fall asleep at night! So no AM workout today. And I'll be home really late tonight, so that means no AM workout tomorrow. I will do an AM workout on wed or thurs. But i will definitely still be hitting the gym after work today.

And again my excuse of being out of commission on sunday, I never made it to the grocery store. This morning's breakfast is 600 calories. SHOOT! that's half my calories. I stopped at starbucks instead of coffee bean to get my americano cause I wanted to go through the drive thru. And starbucks had a big ad for PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE! I LOVE pumpkin anything! Why oh why! Pumpkin reminds me of fall, probably my favorite season with Halloween and thanksgiving. And not having fall weather here, it made me want it more! So I got a grande non-fat pumpkin latte with no whip. 260 calories. I am such a sucker. But...it was SO GOOD! I don't regret having my pumpkin spice latte today. I rarely get those kind of drinks, and it was just oh so delish! And then I just went ahead and ordered a turky bacon sandwich. Which I didn't eat yet. Maybe if i eat half for breakfast and half for lunch, I can still make my 1200 calorie mark for the day! UGH!

How many pieces of clothing is sufficient?

To go along with the new workout routine, I decided to revamp my closet and apt. My place is a mess. I realized that I have way too much clothes.

Here is closet #1. Play clothes.

Here is closet #2. Work clothes and coats. note that this closet also goes in further on the right and left.

Here is another 9 pairs of pants I need to get altered.

I still have one trunk full of sweaters that I will probably never wear here in California. I also ended up donating 3 garbage bags of clothes. When I left VA 6 months ago I also donated 3 huge bags of clothes. I own a ridiculous amount of clothes. Yet, I still feel like I never have anything to wear. I don't even want to get into my shoe and bag collection. I can't seem to get rid of enough even when I try to do some spring cleaning. I'm trying to get to the point where I can fit all my belongings to 2 suitcases. I just can't let go yet.

Negative 20 pounds gets me Nobu Omakase

I needed new motivation to hit the gym again and eat healthy. The bane of my existence. When I think of the gym or eating a salad, it gives me an ulcer.

So I bet johnny boy for a 200 dollar meal. A person that is.

Now I must once again log my healthy eating and gym habits.

This week was my warm-up week. Meaning, try to get back into the gym groove. Needed to gain some endurance and feel good

DONE:
Monday: 40 Minutes on the treadmill at different intervals.
Tuesday: 5 Minutes on the treadclimber (new contraption, I think I might go on this more often). 20 minutes on the treadmill. 20 minutes working on arms. 10 minutes on abs.
Wednesday: 30 Minutes on the treadmill. 20-30 Minutes on legs.
Today, Thursday: Will do Jack. Just cause.

TO GO:
Tomorrow, Friday: Plan is to do laps for 1 hour.
Saturday: Plan is to go on the treadmill for 45 minutes at the Pallisades gym staring at the Ocean.
Sunday: Plan is to do jack again. Do all my healthy food shopping.
Will also clean house all weekend reorganizing so that will also be a form of burning calories =D

Food!
Ate whatever I felt like. And will also eat whatever I feel like till Sunday.

NEXT WEEK!
Monday - Friday
-Laps for 30-45 minutes every morning before work to get that metabolism going for the day.
-Cardio and weights after work with Miss HY or an evening workout class.
-Tennis one night with Annie hopefully =D
-eat 1200 calories a day.
Saturday
Treadmill watching ocean at pallisades again
Sunday
Do Jackity Jack!

WEEK THREE!
We'll see how week two goes.

What goes on in our subconscience

source

I chat with Niders every day through our work communicator. Today she mentioned something about a Praying Mantis and someone freaking out. It reminded me of the time I woke up and realized I squished a scorpion inbetween my fingers in my sleep. I don't know how Nida's story associates to my story, but that is what came to mind. A baby scorpion bit me on my leg and I squished it in my fingers. This all happened in my sleep. I'm sure I woke up the second this all happened. I ran to my mom with the scorpion still in my fingers saying I was going to die from scorpion poison. Hahaha..that is SO what I would do. We had to call those poison control people and basically they were laughing at me. Not blatantly, but definitely in their heads. My leg did go numb though.

I wonder what goes through our subconscience. I wonder how I automatically grabbed the scorpion and squished it. Is this pure survival? I wonder what cool things people have done without even knowing it. Aren't sleep talking stories the funniest?

During sophomore year I roomed with sillyooj in the dorms. For maybe about a month, every night around 3am she would push herself up onto her elbow, sort of face me, and do this laugh. EVIL laugh. And then plop her head back in the pillow. but she was SLEEPING! same time, same thing EVERY NIGHT! It totally freaked me out. I wonder what she was thinking. Maybe she was plotting to sabatage me in some way and would just be laughing at me every night for not know what I was to come to endure. Luckily, I am still here and have not been hurt by Miss Sillyooj ever in my life. That I know of...

Metrodad made me cry today

http://metrodad.typepad.com/index/2009/09/dear-andy.html#comments

Hits home on so many levels.

When do we get this in California?

Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Remembering 9/11

Gathering at Tucson Electric Park to create a human flag as a tribute to those lost in 9/11. In 2001, the girls and I wore blue and went to Tucson Electric Park. We are in the bottom middle of the blue square of the flag. This was also later put on a billboard in New York. source

Today is the “National Day of Service and Remembrance” which was established by President Obama and Congress. I decided that I must create a post for today because I had to be reminded by Jungeun this morning that today was 9/11. On the way to work I heard nothing on the radio about 9/11. No tributes or anything. I don't understand. I am hoping that I was just listening to the radio at the wrong time. Not one person in the office has even mentioned 9/11. Every year on 9/11 in my old office, people would talk about how they looked out the window of our building and saw huge black clouds of smoke from the attack on the Pentagon. And everyone always talks about where they were, what they were doing, and who they lost on that day. Today, not one mention. Is this really a hippie state?

It has been 8 years since the most devestating national event of my lifetime thus far. Every memory of that day, week, month is very vivid. Not that the most improtant thing isn't the tragedy that fell upon the nation that day, but something I remember greatly was Lee Greenwood blaring Proud to be an American on every station. I cannot think of any other moment in my life that I actually did feel proud to be an American and felt insanely patriotic. That week, it seemed like there was no distinction between race, color, gender, religion, the rich, the poor, etc. We were all just Americans. That was the only label we were putting on ourselves. All people thought about was, 'how can I help.' It's amazing how one tragic event, brings people together and makes you think 'maybe we COULD all get along.'

There's so much to be said about that tragic day, yet there is nothing to be said at the same time. Nothing that can change the past. Only things that can honor those who gave their lives to something unexplainable. I just want to thank everyone who is serving this Country right now. Thank you and God Bless you.

Patience is a Virtue...

...that I don't have.

I've started to realize how impatient and frustated I have been getting. I have always been one to get annoyed quickly when people are late or things are not done quickly. (Not that I am always on time. I don't know when it started, but I started to plan on being late because everyone else is and I hate waiting with a passion). But these days, it's ten-fold. I can't stand running errands because I don't want to wait in line. I hate valet parking all the time (a normalcy in LA) because I don't want to wait for the car. I hate work because I can never finish my things waiting on other people. I reflected on the reasons why I have been feeling this urgency all the time. I came to the conclusion that I am not less impatient, but I am slower to adapt to my surroundings than ever before.

After taking many many courses in my undergrad and masters on 'adapting to change' in a corporate environment and management skills necessary to incorporate change (blahblahblah), I finally realize why it's so hard to implement process improvements in the work place. As you get older, you really do start hating change.

Ok I digress. That last little thought has nothing to do what I am talking about. Just making a point that I am getting a little older. I just can't welcome new things into my life as well as I did before.

The westcoast lifestyle is so much more relaxed than the east coast. I am being nice when i say relaxed. cause really I just want to say slow and lazy. I am actually the one that needs to relax and I just can't. If you go to the store, the cashiers are slow and chit chat a lot with their coworkers or people in line making your wait time even longer. One guy at the gas station was on the phone...an obvious unimportant conversation with his friend...and he told me to wait! The customer! ummm...interesting. I cannot say that I was not annoyed. I walked into a restaurant/bar to get something and the two employees there were just talking to each other in an empty restaurant and not asking if I needed any help while I was blatantly standing in front of them staring. Seriously? Come on! Everyone loves to small talk too. Wherever you go. Opening the door for you, standing in the elevator, standing in line. I H A T E small talk. I don't care about your life and I'm pretty darn sure you don't care about mine. I will never see you again, I don't need to know your favorite color. (This is so un-christianly. Please pray for me. no joke). This type of attitude also flows into my work as well. But I won't divulge on those details. All I have to say is...where is the work ethic!? Is it just me? I always feel like I am in a rush. And since everything around me is even slower, I feel even more rushed and get even more frustrated.

I am a lazy person. Which is a bad trait. Is that even a trait? I won't pick up the shirt on the floor, unless it's cleaning day. I won't wash the dishes until there is at least 10 dishes in the sink. I like to sit on the couch and watch TV. But when it comes to work I am spot on and always meet deadlines no matter what. I don't complain to my bosses and never ask for an extension. I also expect the same from everyone else when it comes to their job, even those in the service industry. Only because the way you live your life is your own. The way you do your job always affects other people, whether it's negative or positive.

People here just take life as it comes. They enjoy chatting strangers up. Speed, or time for that matter, is not really an issue. Will I ever be able to get used to this? Probably not. But I need to just calm down and accept this new lifestyle or I will give myself another ulcer.

God...please give me patience. I need it.

Ja Myung Go

aka Princess Jamyung. Every monday and tuesday night, from 10-11, the korean channel airs Ja Myung Go. It even has subtitles for everyone who wants to watch it. I am obsessed with it. It is the ultimate love story. Two half sisters, both the daughters of a king, fighting over a prince from a neighboring kingdom which has now taken over Nanknang, the princess' kingdom. Action, drama, romance, I love it! Which princess will prevail? Jamyung (in blue), or Lahee (in orange). Usually I root for the heroine (Jamyung), but for some reason I feel for Lahee. Unloved, used, fighting for what she longs for. But given that it's yet another kdrama love story, I am 100% sure that Jamyung gets the guy.