pat your weave

I've expressed my feelings about DIYs before, but in case you missed it, let me refresh you. I think DIYs are awesome during the planning and supply purchasing phases. But once the actual D-ing starts, I tend to lose interest. Unless the projects are 30-seconds or less, they are normally too long. I like to think of myself as an excellent DIY delegator. But not so much an executor.

Courtney and Ashley, on the other hand, tend of have a higher skillset and level of patience for such projects, and, being ever so inclusive as they are, allow me to participate in their craftiness.

This weekend was no exception.

Saturday, Ashley busted out in a rocking necklace, which, it turns out, she made. Yep. She rules.

So, Sunday afternoon, we thought we'd try our hand at finger weaving. She turned t-shirts into yarn (for real) and then let us use it to make bracelets. Apparently a lot of little kids do it, so Ash thought we could handle it. I had a few struggles, including a loss of circulation for pulling too tightly and not unweaving at the right time, and having to start over once (or twice), but all-in-all, I'd say the task was a success.

And, as your DIY delegator, I feel it my duty to provide instructions. So check out V and Co's tutorial, which is exactuhly how Ash taught us to make them, and go forth with braceleting vigor. It's your charge.

sweet&salty

There's something so satisfying about a contrasting experience.

Sweet & salty.

Heat blasting, car windows down.

Or in the case of this weekend: Las Vegas to Colorado.

After three days of total stimulation during my first trip to Vegas, capping it off with a long weekend in Denver and letting the fresh air, big sky and mountain views wash over me was the perfect sweet&salty way to travel.

Of course, the sweetest of all of it was having Court and Ash alongside me. It was such a great way to kick start the holiday season. We  spent lots of time outside, with walks and trips to the park, made great food, got the very rare Biber-sister manicure (nail care doesn't come easy to this group), indulged in Starbucks holiday drinks, expolored Ash's new town, Littleton, and all-in-all, just had an amazing time together.

 

Thank you, Ash and Jose, for being amazing hosts! I cannot wait to visit again soon!

ah ha, bluebird.

So I didn't just binge organize last weekend. I also crossed #9 off my bucket list: breakfast at Ria's Bluebird.

I've heard mixed reviews about the place when it comes to the experience altogether - slow service, attitude from the waiters - but the one thing I've never heard people waiver on is the quality of the food. And the people are right; the food was phenomenal.

I went with three friends, Christina, Taylor and Phi, and it's safe to say we were all wildly satisfied. I had eggs benedict with a squash cake and it was amazing. Also, our waitress was really sweet, so no complaints there either :)

Now just a few bajillion bucket list itmes to go. Let's do this ATL...

Happy Friday!

image via my instagram

unveganed // veganed

Remember in July when I confessed I'd been living vegan? Well, here we are again.

 

Only this time it's the opposite: I'm unvegan. I called it off a couple of weeks ago. It wasn't quite getting me where I'd hoped and I also just couldn't get my protein fix. You can only eat so many almonds, nahmean?

 

Also, my body just wants eggs like every day. Meat and cheese were actually easier to steer clear of than I expected. But eggs. Man oh man. A tofu scramble isn't scrambled eggs and there's no two ways about it.

 

I did, however, learn a lot of positive things from the adventure. I used to always need meat for a meal to feel complete, but now I can be satisfied with beans as my base. I have also fallen madly in love with vegan pancakes and like them even more than regular pancakes.

 

So, if you're looking to dabble in a little veganism, enjoy:

 

Mix:

1 cup almond milk

2 t. apple cider vinegar

4 T ground flax

1.5 cup flour or oats

3.5 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

2 T honey

.5 cup water

3 T canola oil

.5 t vanilla

 

I tried subbing pumpkin for the oil a few times and actually preferred them that way. However, it makes them a lot more dense and less pancakey.

 

 

Also, I'm a chef's worst nightmare, because I don't follow recipes at all. Those are the recommended measurements, but I was pretty liberal with the oats. The only thing you really need to follow are the vinegar and salt ratios, because those give it the pancake taste.

 

I topped with raw almond butter and honey, then ate them for breakfast almost exclusively for the last five months. I'd make a big batch on the weekend, then freeze and toast throughout the week.

 

Oh the joys of being vegan! Happy health, all!

 

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