Tag: California

• What I Learned in California

  Posted at 5:00 AM by Brittany, on November 15, 2016

  As I recap my recent travels to California this past week, I’d like to share my latest learning’s. Knowledge is power after all. Here we go.

  1. Shoving all your stuff into one medium sized back pack while traveling makes the transition from one state to another SO.MUCH.SMOOTHER. I’ve been using this bag for week longs trips for a few years now. Minimalism = less stress.

  

  2. Driving on the freeways of California are not nearly as terrifying as I anticipated. I even managed to keep up with the locals. 80 is the new 60.

  3. California continues to KILL IT with the vegan eats. If I were a rodent I would never leave the dumpsters behind the below restaurants.

  

  Peace Pies – San Diego

  

  Peace Pies – San Diego

  

  Native Foods – Carlsbad

  

  Native Foods – Carlsbad

  

  Choice Superfood Bar & Juicery – San Diego

  5. I love Washington. This isn’t new, but I’m always reminded when I travel away from my home state why I love it so much. The fresh air is unbeatable. Thank you trees, keep trapping toxins in your trunks.

  6. I learned what the Santa Ana winds are. Aka abnormal heat waves. Running at 7:30pm, in the dark, and it was 80 degrees!

  

  7. I’m not as anti social as I thought. I made a gaggle of new friend this weekend. It was swell. This helped me appreciate my alone time when I got home. #recharge.

  8. Trails in California are not like trails in Washington. They have their own kind of uniqueness, but nothing compares to the peaks in my area. Tried to hike multiple (baby/under 2k’ elevation) mountains, but due to above mentioned Santa Ana, fire warnings were high.

  Managed one adventure in the mountains to watch the sunrise.

  

  

  9. Toilets are not always porcelain. I went to a restaurant with all black toilets and they made my bum feel extra fancy. Pinky up.

  10. Running on the beach is no joke. No joke at all. I’m no road runner, but my pace slowed from a 10min/mile to a TWELVE minute mile (and some change) once I found my feet in the sand. Was great.

  

  11. Two more people told me I look like Ashley Judd. Puts my tally over ten people now. I’m thinking about quitting my job and moving to Vegas to be a stand in wax statue for Ashley.

  12. I really, really, really don’t like makeup, but I do like fancy hair. Being a bridesmaid means you get fancy hair and ten pounds of make up. I had more make up on my face in one night then I typically have in one year. I’m still washing it off three days later.

  

  

  

  

  More wedding photos and shenanigans to come. 

  Q: Fancy hair, or fancy face? Definitely hair. I really want to chop mine off so it’s short like these photos. 

  | 61 Comments Tagged Ashley Judd, California, Hiking, Running, Vegan, Wedding

• All Hallows’ Disney

  Posted at 10:00 AM by Brittany, on November 13, 2015

  Halloween has come and gone, but it seems fitting to share my Halloween adventures on Friday the 13th. I’d cue the spooky music, but my Halloween wasn’t spooky at all.

  

  For as long as I can remember Halloween has been one of my favorite holidays. I’m not one for dressing up, and parties aren’t my thing, but Halloween has always solidified the change of summer to fall and fall is my favorite season.

  

  

  It’s also no secret around here that I’m a big Disneyland fan, and ever since I ran my first half marathon through the park a few Septembers ago I knew I had to get back during October. It just so happened that Disney recently had a birthday too.

  Happy big 6-0 Disney. ❤

  

  

  I’ve seen the park decked out in pumpkins, but the one ride I had never experienced was the tricked out Haunted Mansion. Each year the ride shuts down during September to prepare for a Nightmare Before Christmas theme.

  This year I decided to go ON Halloween to get the full experience.

  

  

  

  The mansion was total sensory overload. I loved it.

  

  

  The sun was hot (bizarre sensation at the end of October, my PNW brain couldn’t quite compute), but the only long line was the first ride we went on.

  

  The only mountains I conquered while in California.

  

  This post is nothing more than an excuse to share my photos, my excitement, and the joy that comes with the magic of Disney. Even the bathroom signs are fun.

  

  

  

  You risk long lines when going on a holiday, but this year I was able to check another adventure off my bucket list, which made it all worth it.

  

  Next adventure: Mickeys Halloween Party, costume and all!

  

  Q: Have you been to Disneyland around the holidays?

  

  | 48 Comments Tagged California, Disneyland, Explore, Halloween, Vacation

• LA Eats

  Posted at 9:10 AM by Brittany, on November 10, 2015

  To be honest my latest trip to LA wasn’t very food oriented.

  I know…and no I’m not sick.

  

  I made it a point to try a few “firsts” starting with a trip to Spitz for their unbelievable falafel. I’d walk to LA just to eat that ball of fried chickpea goodness again. Plus I got to stuff my face while meeting new people. This girl is a gem.

  As for the treats (aka life as I know it,) the only planned pit stop was a visit to a bakery, and ohhh boy did I visit. Erin Mckenna’s Bakery was formerly known as Babycakes, which I had a negative experience with many moons ago. I’m not one to hold grudges, so I gave them a second chance.

  This was a good move on my part.

  

  I got chocolate all over my face with those treats, I had zero shame.

  Another local discovery was a post run acai bowl, $11 worth of fruity goodness. I’m glad the bowl was good, because my interaction with the cashier was less than stellar.

  “Does your granola have nuts?”

  “We have gluten free oats.”

  “OK, but does it have nuts?”

  “It’s gluten free.”

  “NUTS ARE NOT GLUTEN SHOW ME THE GRANOLA!”

  I digress…

  

  I spent more time making food than I did exploring new to me places, and I was OK with that. After a trip to a California pumpkin patch (which is nothing more than a plot of land with hot sun beating on your face and pumpkins placed atop hay, sorry CA, WA has you beat here) a new recipe was created with a white pumpkin.

  

  

  I also found my future tiny home, which was cool.

  

  

  White pumpkin pie, recipe to come on Gigi’s blog next Tuesday.

  

  Cooking food and making videos.

  In all reality I didn’t eat out a lot because I spent all my money on one banana at Disneyland. It’s OK Disney, I forgive you for your overpriced produce.

  

  Most expensive banana known to man.

  I then spent 1/3 of that on a banana twice the size the very next day.

  

  Gotta love amusement park prices. Hanger makes you do crazy things.

  Q: Would you pay $2 for a small banana? I’m not proud of this.

  

  | 54 Comments Tagged California, Explore, Food, LA, Vacation, Vegan

• Streets of LA

  Posted at 8:15 AM by Brittany, on November 5, 2015

  I can’t help but think back to this time last year when I was engulfed in Chemistry. Fall is my favorite season, yet 3/4 of my free time was dedicated to that class. Last fall flew by without so much as a hello, so this year I made it a point to enjoy each and every changing leaf.

  

  Not LA.

  This fall is flying by just as fast, but in a much more enjoyable way. I had a great trip to Ohio in September, just came back from California on Sunday (visiting this girl,) and am off to Arizona in just a month and a half.

  This is how I prefer spending my fall months.

  

  November means Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and I must admit I do enjoy the extra joy that comes from this month of celebration. I’m thankful for my adventures with Gigi last week, starting with exploring the streets of LA.

  

  

  I was able to explore the land by foot each day, which as most of you know is my favorite way to explore. This allows me to see things I’d typically miss.

  Like a gaggle of black cats painted on a wall.

  

  I had a handful of great runs, two of which ended at my “new favorite” California coffee shop – Alfred {Coffee + Kitchen}. When their slogan is “But first, coffee” you’re in good hands.

  

  

  

  As a drip coffee lover I was happy to discover Alfred Coffee uses their own blend, with the help of Stumptown. I also appreciated the price on this cup of coffee, although I did find over $2 in monies during my few days of running.

  

  Their brew is called Alfred, sometimes simple is better.

  

  This is real life, from ONE run.

  The $$ I found payed for at least one cup of coffee. That’s a win in my book.

  

  LA is a fast paced city, which I could never see myself living in, but it allowed me to slow down and appreciate my time away from “real life.”

  

  Sorry mom and dad, this was too good not to share.

  They also have a solid grasp on living in the moment, at least according to the streets.

  Q: Have you been to LA?

  

  | 62 Comments Tagged California, Coffee, Explore, LA, Run

• What I Learned in LA

  Posted at 4:08 AM by Brittany, on September 18, 2014

  I’d like to dedicate this post to my homegirl Gigi, without her this post would not be possible. A fantastic host and friend, she drove me all over the place in order to satisfy my sweet tooth, and my Disney obsession. Mad love for you G. ❤ ❤

  Here’s what I learned on this trip to LA:

  1. Local coffee costs the amount of a small child’s root canal and despite being really cool, (personal pour overs that resemble a 9th grade science experiment, cool beans.) $5 for a drip coffee resulted in trips to Starbucks for the rest of my trip. $1.90 drip coffee is more like it.

  

  In all reality though the pourover I got from Coffee Commissary in West Hollywood was fantastic.

  2. Vegan and gluten free bakeries are just as abundant, if not more popular here than in Seattle. I felt right at home in this aspect. Breakaway Bakery takes the cake (pun very much intended) for my second favorite treats. The Bearded Lady will forever have my heart at the top.

  

  Java Chip Cookie, Maple Donut (OMG divine), Oatmeal Cranberry Cookie, and a Chocolate Cinnamon Cupcake. I wasn’t excited at all…

  

  Also delicious was Rising Hearts Bakery in Culver City. I balanced this bakery visit with a trip to Cafe Gratitude right before. I eat green so I can eat three desserts at once.

  

  Grain and Veggie Mix, Carrot Cupcake, Chocolate Whoopie Pie (UNREAL), and a Coconut Oatmeal Chai Creme Sandwich. Balance is bliss.

  3. Blog friends make the BEST friends. Never have I discovered such a perfect group of people to spend my time with. Gigi and I had such a great time together, and if stripping down for a couples massage upon first “meeting” in real life doesn’t scream best friends, I don’t know what does.

  Side note: my back is a wreck and I have knots for days. Help me, I pay in cookies.

  

  4. Starbucks green tea tastes better when consumed out of a Disney Parks cup. Real talk.

  

  5. The LA farmers market sells nut butters that are so good you will be willing to spend double on them in order to ship them to your house. I brought a carry on bag, and in order to avoid the possibility of the airport throwing my beloved jars away I mailed them to myself.

  

  Not my photo, because mine are still in transit from CA to WA. Patiently waiting for my fruit and nut spread AND pistachio butter. Yes..pistachio. Click this photo to visit the website!

  6. Disneyland is better when littered with pumpkins. I can’t think of anything better than combining two of my favorite things: Disneyland + fall/Halloween = pure bliss.

  Disneyland photo explosion in 3…2…1…

  

  

  Starbucks Mickey Cookies!

  

  CliffsNotes version of this post – I eat a lot of sugar (currently on a week long detox because…balance?), I love exploring new places through coffee and food, I open my mouth much too wide for photos much too often, Disneyland is the happiest place on earth, I’m obsessed with pumpkins, and I have the BEST friends a girl could ask for. Life is good.

  

  Q: What’s your favorite ride at Disneyland? If you haven’t been, please tell me why. 

  

  | 69 Comments Tagged Bloggers, California, Coffee, Disneyland, Starbucks, Vacation, Vegan

• Balance

  Posted at 11:27 AM by Brittany, on September 12, 2012

  There’s been a lot of running talk on these streets lately, and for good reason. I just finished my first half marathon and am still jazzed about it. (And thank you all for your kind words on my half marathon post!) In order to live by my favorite word, I need to balance this blog with a post dedicated to some food! While I was in California I went on a last minute trip to LA (GIGI I LOVE YOU I’M SORRY!) I had my heart set on trying some of the famous cupcakes made at Babycakes NYC. I have been DYINGGG for a good cupcake, and being vegan tends to limit the options.

  

  This place is 100% vegan so I just haddd to try their goods. Driving around LA was sketch..I mean..SKETCH. There were transients everywhere and I was having a hard time imagining a cute cupcake shop in the parts I was driving through. Fortunately the location I made it to was less sketchy than the first. Once I arrived I was shocked by the prices..$4.75 for a cupcake the size of my pinky toe?! Then my hawk eyes found a two for one deal on day old cupcakes. Two cupcakes for $4.25…deal.

  

  Red velvet and Vanilla banana

  Visually I was not impressed. How hard is it to make the icing look nice? Foul number one. Texture was that of a muffin..UGH. All I wanted was a MOIST, fluffy cupcake! These cupcakes sucked, and were NOT worth the money. They flavor was mediocre, but my biggest complaint was the density of the cake. I could have made these at home for $0.25 each. Fail.

  

  Thankfully I found a cheap vegan restaurant that saved the afternoon.

  

  I shared a Pineapple “chicken” burger, and a Seitan wrap. Both of which were deeelicious, and the bill was a whopping $14.

  

  

  
  So. Good.

  That night I then feasted at the Spaghetti Factory to carb load for my half marathon. I got up the next day, ran 13.1 miles, went to the hotel to get cleaned up..and set out to find some more food. This is about to be my favorite part of this post. Prepare yourselves. After the run, I was walking like a wounded wildabeast. I was emotionally hurt from the cupcake experience the day before, and I was desperately needing something douched in chocolate.

  In order to prevent cramping or muscle tightening, we went to walk around some shops to keep the movement in our legs going. It just so happened we went back to whole foods for some more PB. This is where I saw it, the most magical sight I have ever laid my eyes on. The most gorgeous vegan cupcake with a simple, but CLASSIC icing job.

  

  

  The icing to cake ratio was perfect..simply perfect. The cake was MOIST, chewy and tasted just like a naughty grocery store cupcake! THANK YOU WHOLE FOODS! I have been gawking at these pictures for a week now, I just can’t stop thinking about this cupcake. I am lucky the closest WF is over an hour away, or I would purchase one daily. The moral of the story is, if you find a shitty cupcake don’t give up hope..just go to WF!

  

  Q: What’s one experience you’ve had with recently with food that left you with disappointment on your face and pain in your heart? Sorry Babycakes, your muffin cakes aren’t for me.

  

  | 29 Comments Tagged Cake, California, Food, Half Marathon, Running, Vegan, Whole Foods

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