Shoes, Bags, and Books

When a pair of high heels or a hand bag catches my eye, I can't contain myself. Being the only daughter in my family, people think I should be influenced by the manly environment my brothers give. However, my mom did a pretty good job of raising me into a girly and preppy young lady. Now, don't think I'm a spoiled brat. I'm pretty much the complete opposite. I work and save up money to buy the things I want, and I also search for deals and bargains wherever I go. When you find a sale that's at least 50% or more of the original price, it's so exciting! I bought all of the pieces below on pretty amazing deals. This was my first time purchasing a Kate Spade bag which I am completely enamored with. If you haven't noticed, I am so obsessed with Michael Kors as well. Finally, fashion and accessories are nothing without a little brains, hence the books. 

{The cutest Kate Spade handbag found on sale at the Premium Outlet Chesterfield Mall in St. Louis, Missouri. I can already picture myself wearing this on a night out with friends when I don't want to carry much with me.}  

{A beautiful navy blue Michael Kors handbag I bought at Marshalls in St. Louis, Missouri}

{Being the book worm that I am, most of my baggage consisted of books.}

10,000 Cupcakes Barnes and Noble

If I Stay Wal-Mart

The Alchemist Barnes and Noble

The Book Thief Barnes and Noble

Four (A Divergent Collection) Wal-Mart

{Gorgeous high heel booties in a beige/creamish color. I bought these on 45% sale at ALDO at West County Mall in St. Louis, Missouri.}

{Small gray Michael Kors clutch. I bought this on sale at Marshalls in St. Louis, Missouri. This is perfect to fit credit cars, some money, your phone, and a lip balm on a quick grocery trip or frozen yogurt stop.}

{Last, but not least, my gorgeous pink, beige, and gold pink clutch I bought on sale at ALDO at West County Mall in St. Louis, Missouri.}

Healthy Dancer Life

Being a dancer requires commitment. It is very easy to fall into extremes when you have so much pressure on your shoulders. You have to be skinny, yet strong. If you get too skinny, then you're all wrong. If you gain a few pounds, then you're all wrong. A dancer will never please others. A dancer must only please herself. 

I had to learn this the hard way, sadly. When I was in eighth grade, I felt totally insecure about myself. I had acne all over my face, I was a few pounds over weight, and I had people always telling me "no, no, no", which only worsened the situation by adding to the stress on me. I broke down one day and felt like running away. My mom, my hero, intervened and took care of it. She gave me the love I needed right at that moment, and she taught me that I was stronger than what I gave myself credits for. I visited a nutritionist and a dermatologist and with effort and commitment, I reached a healthy point. I lost about 25 pounds, and all of my acne faded away. People noticed that I looked so differently, both inside and out. I started feeling more confident, liking people complimenting my body and feeling my hip bones stick out. 

Slowly, slowly, that became my obsession. I was obsessed with everything that I put in my body, and continued to lose weight. There was a point during this period in which I felt like I could not eat a slice of pizza without feeling bad about myself. And then I would eat about five slices of pizza and not eating for a long time and I would go to sleep to not feel hungry. I lost my menstruation, and it took my mom saying the words "you might not be able to have kids" with yet another doctor across from us to wake me up from my state. Once again, with the help of my mother and professionals, I learned to love myself regardless of what people say or think about me. I have gained weight in a healthy fashion and my confidence has risen from the ashes. I've learned to love what I eat and find a balance between treating myself and taking care of myself. Even my general health has improved; my hair, my skin, and my immune system has strengthened. 

This summer, with the month of intense ballet training I decided to take, giving my body the energy that it needs has become very very essential as well. I want to share with you a day's worth of a close enough healthy ballerina lifestyle. 

1. Start by making a grocery list. I like to plan out a list and separate things according to categories. This is what I often look for.    

Fruits/Veggies: lettuce, baby spinach, carrots, celery, cucumber, tomatoes, onions, brocoli, cauliflower, pears, peaches, blueberries, bananas, strawberries, grapes, cherries

Protein: chicken, shrimp, turkey ham, hummus

Dairy: eggs, lactose free milk, almond milk, greek yogurt

Fats: peanut butter, avocado, olive oil, white chocolate covered pretzels, granola bars, pastry crisp bars

Carbs: cereal, whole wheat bread, pita bread or pita chips, rice, tortillas, potatoes, pasta (If you watch your servings, these don't have to be whole wheat, but it's always a better option.) 

Other: instant coffee, splenda, chamomille tea, condiments, salt, spices, Preggo pasta sauce, etc. 

2. Plan ahead and vary your food! 

A day of a full 6 small meals a day during a day of summer intensive for me looks like this: 

Breakfast: a cup of milk, a cup of cereal, and fruit

Snack: a granola bar or pastry crisp bar, coffee

Lunch: a whole wheat turkey ham and cheese sandwich with mustard, lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, carrots or celery, any fruit (vary your fruits and veggies) 

Snack: any fruit or veggies with hummus

Dinner: any protein (shrimp or chicken) with a side of any carb (mashed potatoes, rice, or pasta), and boiled veggies

3. Go all out. 

My teachers at the intensive keep reminding us to dance like we are on stage always. I always try to give my all into my dancing. A dancer leaves her heart and soul out on the floor. A dancer experiences an inexplicable passion with her dancing. Don't be afraid to go all out and shine. Push yourself to your limit and pay close attention to details. 

4. Be cautious and take care of yourself.
I have been experiencing a sharp pain in my hip flexer for a while now. I know it is because I am not used to such heavy excercise on a daily basis. Each morning before dance I rest with this heat on the part of my body that is in pain. Every night I repeat the same routine. I also take Ibuprofen if the pain is too much for me. Don't neglect your injuries, no matter how little they are. A blister can be deadly, I know that from experience. Also, don't forget to rest. Your body needs to charge batteries at least with 8 hours of sleep a night.

5. Treat yourself! "Is it Friday, Saturday, or Sunday yet?" I ask myself. 

Feel free to treat yourself with the things you like. You deserve it. You worked for it. Now, do the things that make you happy. Everything in an excess is bad, so be wise and enjoy the little things in life! 

Jilly's Cupcake Bar & Cafe

After about more than a month of not posting anything on my blog, I now feel compelled to catch up with you, my dear readers. I apologize for my not so leisure. The reason for me abandoning you is completely valid. I have spent about forty hours a week dancing my heart and soul out. This summer I decided to take a ballet summer intensive for the first time in my life. Let me tell you, dear readers, that I do not regret a single second of this one month long experience. Sweat, blood, and tears have driven me into becoming a more experienced ballerina. 

However, I cannot go on until I write a single blog post about my new obsession. Go figure, I am obsessed with yet another thing. It is my love for sweets and desserts that has started this guilty pleasure. As it just happens that my brother lives about a block away from only the most amazing (and only one, I believe) cupcake shop in the St. Louis, Missouri area where I am residing. So here it goes. Enjoy, sugar lovers. 

{My first weekend in St. Louis, Missouri, my brother, his roommate, my dad, and I visited Jilly's Cupcake Shop (for my dad and I's first time).}

I ate the top left cupcake, Bee Sting

Cake: Vanilla

Filling: Honey Lemon Curd

Topping: Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting, Toasted Almonds, White Chocolate Bark With Crushed Lemon Candies

My dad ate the top right cupcake, Raspberry Lemon Twist

CAKE: Lemon Cake 

FILLING: Raspberry Jam 

TOPPING: Lemon & Raspberry Cream Cheese Icing Swirl, Multi-Colored Sugar, Fresh Raspberry and Candied Lemon Peel

My brother ate the bottom right, Missylicious 

Cake: Vanilla

Filling: Vanilla Whipped Cream

Topping: Pink & Green Vanilla Buttercream

My brother's roommate ate the bottom left, Chocolate Thunder

Cake: Chocolate

Filling: Dark Chocolate Ganache

Topping: Milk Chocolate Buttercream, Vanilla Buttercream, Chocolate Shavings, Chocolate Bark

{The second time around, it was just my brother and I on a little cupcake date.} 

I had the cupcake on the left, Twisted Pink Velvet

Cake: Pink Velvet

Filling: Caramel

Topping: Cream Cheese, Caramel Buttercream & Pecan Praline

My brother had the cupcake on the left, Strawberry Lemonade

CAKE: Strawberry/Lemon Swirl

FILLING: Strawberry & Lemon Whipped Cream

TOPPING: Strawberry & Lemon Buttercream, White Chocolate Straw and Lemon Candy Wedge

{The third time around I went for a simple yet savory classic.}

24-Karat Carrot Cake
Cake: Carrot (made with walnuts)
Filling: Vanilla Whipped Cream
Topping: Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting, Toasted Coconut, White Chocolate Shavings & 24 Karat Gold Dust

Little Things

Summer has finally come. The long days of incessant brain activity, stress, and school drama have finally come to an end. Now, I say, it is time for staying up late at night, waking up whenever I wish to wake up, testing and tasting a thousand different recipes, going out, and having fun. My summer began way earlier than planned. It so happened that I was excempt from ALL of the final exams, which meant that I had every right to skip the last three days of school. Oh, the perks of being a nerd. I would not consider myself fully a nerd, for I definitely have a social life outside of the classroom and text books (hence,the story of my life on this blog). But now that I can forget about all of that crap, these are my plans for the summer.

•  Working out
• Reading
• Blogging
• Baking, cooking, and eating
• Cleaning out my room and my closet
• Learn to drive
• Keep learning French
• Travel

{A mid-morning snack: Homemade Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with a warm cup of coffee. Follow the recipe and then just add about 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips.}

 

{Organizing my closet with all of my handbags. I did the same with my heels but I did not take a picture. You can also hand your bags on a hanger behind a door. I followed Emily's tips on organizing closets.}

{Tong's Thai Cuisine- My new favorite restaurant in town. This was the second time I ate here, and I ordered an appetizer of Summer Vegetable Rolls. The best part was the Peanut Sauce on the side.}

 

{I can finally say I have the luxury to eat breakfast while still laying in bed watching TV. This is heaven. --I had a Yoplait Light Strawberry Yogurt, a peach, strawberries, I Classici Del Mattino cookies, and coffee--}

{Tickets for the Maleficent premiere. Ironically, I loved the movie but hated the ending.}

{This morning I tried a new recipe for these Polka Dot Brownies. The recipe called for regular milk chocolate chips, but I decided to top them off with white chocolate chips instead, and they are simply marvelous.}

To St Louis and Back

Three days are never enough for a weekend, let alone a trip to another country. Last week my family and I packed our bags and hopped on a flight to the beautiful city of St. Louis, Missouri. The reason? My genius brother's graduation from college. The trip was full of delicious indulgences, lots and lots of shopping, and family quality time. Seeing my brother (and my uncle who lives in D.C. popped in the picture too) for three days was not enough. Living thousands of kilometers away is definitely hard. You miss so much of each other's lives, moments like an honors reception at school or a ballet recital where you're the lead role...*sigh*. So when we are finally together, we make the most out of our time. 

{Possibly one of the best restaurants in St. Louis. Mcallister's Sandwiches, Soups, and Salads. I ordered half a berry pecan salad and half a "The Veggie" sandwich and the most amazing strawberry lemonade.}

{Almond milk cappuccino at Picasso's} 

{The most beautiful vintage coffee shop in Main Street. Picasso's (if you've watched The Voice, you'll know that Caroline Glaser began to sing in this place} 

{Walgreen's finds: Yogurt covered pretzels, Yogurt covered raisins, and possibly the best white chocolate ever--Lindt's white chocolate truffles}

{The St. Louis Ballet} 

{Shopping for all of the pretty equipment a ballerina needs}

Pineapple Jam Crumb Bars

The end of the week comes around and all you wanna do is lay back and enjoy the last 24 hours before you have to begin a new round of school drama, homework, tests, early mornings, and late night study sessions. My go-to thing to relax and get away from the world is baking (and running, dancing, playing the piano, painting from time to time, watching shows, and...yes, I like to organize stuff, hence my OCD). So, today, I was eyeing my new prized possession. A 127 recipe book with everything you need to and want to know to succeed in a kitchen with an oven. I read through the ones that caught my attention, and this one Jam Crumble Bars was one of them. Although the recipe called for raspberry jelly and pecans, I didn't have any of these two around in the kitchen, so I had to improvise. I grabbed a jar of the best pineapple jelly in Honduras (an old lady from Guinope makes it) and skipped the pecans and added oatmeal instead (weird, I know, but tasty). This was so, so easy to make! And I have so many ideas for what kind of jelly to use in the future that would make them so distinct in their own way (strawberry jelly, apple jelly, apricot jelly, or even grape jelly).  

Pineapple Jam Crumb Bars

Makes about 9, 1" bars

(Per 1 bar: 133 calories, 5.3 (g) Fat, 20.6 (g) Carbs, 1.2 (g) Protein)

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/8 cup oatmeal
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup pineapple jam (the recipe called for blackberry or raspberry jam but any kind is fine!) 

Directions: 

1. Preaheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil
3. In food processor (I used an electric mixture) blend flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, baking soda, and cinnamon.
4. Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse crumbs and when pressed, holds together
5. Add about 3/4 of the mix to the bottom of the pan; reserve the rest for later
6. With a spatula or a table knife, spread the jam evenly on the dough
7. Crumble the rest of the dough on top
8. Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until it starts to golden
9. When cool, lift foil out of pan; peel foil away
10. Cut and serve! (I wonder what they would taste like if served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Hm... maybe next time.)

Spring Break in Paradise

The place to be during Spring Break (or in my case, Semana Santa) is the beach. You only get seven days. To breathe. To get away with sleeping 'till late, eating whatever and whenever you want, wearing your bathing suit instead of actual clothes, and running around barefoot everywhere. That was my Spring Break. My family and I decided to travel to the paradise of Roatan in the Bay Islands of Honduras. Traveling with your 50ish old parents is not always fun, but for my benefit, my 24 year old brother, his 21 year old girlfriend, and my 22 year old cousin came along. We left on Wednesday and spent the rest of the weekend on the island. It was my first time there, and I am resolved that I would definitely go back in a heart beat. We stayed in a condo in a small neighborhood called Key Hole Bay. The house was fully equipped with everything from olive oil and spices to board games and books. It was like I had lived there my entire life. 

I spent most of our time leisurely hanging around the beach, the pool, and the house deck with Allegiant on my hand. My cousin and I even jogged 3 miles on the beach to explore our surroundings. My brother, his girlfriend, and my cousin even took me out to my first night club...I practically sneaked in because I'm not old enough for an ID. I've never enjoyed a beach this much, I think. 

{The view from my room's terrace on the condo}

{I know, I know, I just never stop baking. Classic cheesecake with a side of kiwi (when there are no strawberries to make a syrup, you just have to improvise)}

{Roatan has crystal clear water and a sky with all the shades of blue}

{This was my first time banana boating as well. What a rush!}

{The neighborhood's pool was designed to image an "infinite pool" headed towards the ocean} 

{Nothing better than a cool pina colada with a cherry on top (am I the only one who thinks that looks like a heart?)}

{The view of the Bay Islands from the sky. Honduras has the second biggest coral reef in the WORLD. Heck yeah, I'm proud.One of the most beautiful sights you'll ever see.}

{The mini private beach on the neighborhood. The sound of the waves crashing could make me fall asleep in seconds}

{Fruity, healthy breakfast with a view}