hot, Hot, HOT!

It is HOT  with a capital BLEH in Boston right now. I consider myself a southerner at heart and the heat to be a friend, but not this kind. It’s sticky and so still – no wind for relief. Bring on those summer storms! We need to cool off!

1. My first thing that I’m grateful for will definitely NOT cool things down, so beware those without AC because it’s about to get a lot steamier…

That’s right ladies, I saw Magic Mike with a group of gal pals! I would have been in line on the first day it came out, but alas, I was in Maine. So I saw it the week I came back and boy was it worth the wait just to see them dance. Channing Tatum may be referred to the Beyonce of men – the way he moves his little body makes women happy (in their pants). The story line was awful and didn’t go well with the stripping, but there was stripping (without their pants) sooooo….  And one thing’s for sure: if Channing and Matthew weren’t in it, it definitely would have been a bust (in your pants). Needless to say, it got a standing ovation (in my pants).

2. Secondly, this weekend was all about being outside and embracing the summer weather (however hot it may be). Roomie R and J and I went on an adventure on Saturday. Our plan was to find a beach, but a hangover and a little extra sleep made us find something a little closer. We stumbled upon a lake outside of the city to cool off and catch some rays. The water was perfect to wash off the alcohol  hard day’s work. There will definitely be more trips here during the short summer months!
Sunday was spent lounging on rafts in a friend’s pool about an hour outside of Boston. Seems like there is no water but the Charles River in Boston, and no one wants to go in there….We ate a ton of junk healthy foods and even got in some much needed movie watching exercise! (Side note, I actually did try the water weights but they befuddled me so it ended up more like an awkward splash dance.) What a productive day 😉 Not much sun, but still a wonderful time hanging with some favorites!

3. As most of you know, I’m new to the adult world and very unsure (read: freaking the f*ck out…) about what I want to do with the rest of my life. This is a very trying time for anyone: I’m literally still getting used to not being in college which stinks, and then deciding whether I want to stay or leave doesn’t help the stress levels. My most recent life course involves going back to school to get a masters in occupational therapy. The more I think about it, the more I get excited about my new prospect! It combines everything I want in a career: working with people, health promotion, and anatomy/physiology. Do you guys know any OTs or know anything about the job or have school recommendations? Obviously, I have a lot of research to do so I can’t wait to get started!

4. Dinner tonight with M and D! M knows just what to make for a hot summer meal. Tonight, we grubbed on turkey burgers stuffed with cheddar cheese, arugula with honey mustard dressing and avocado, and a curry quinoa salad with nectarines. I know, it sounds too good to be true! Recipe can be found on her blog: Meg’s Food Reality.

My favorite part was the quinoa salad – the sweetness of the nectarine went so well with the curry. YUMM!

After dinner, I got needy and “suggested” we make a cake! M and I drove 2 minutes to a super market to get gluten free cake mix along the with accoutrements and got to work right away. As the cupcakes cooked in the oven, we watched Rizzoli and Isles….well M watched and I screamed and gasped because I’m a wuss. Here is the finished product, including M’s homemade icing:

ommm nomm nomm

They were thanking me for the request by the end of the night 🙂

5. And last but certainly not least, I found out I’m bunking with this beast for the weekend:

LUUUUNA!

M and D are out of town for a few days and I’m taking their wonderful pup Luna for the weekend. I seriously can’t wait – I’ve always grown up with at least 3 dogs, so I really miss a dog’s company. We’re going to have a girl weekend together. Can you say babe magnet?!?

You stay classy, San Diego! (haha that movie makes me happy!)

 

Friends, Fruit, and Food

Sorry about the lack of post yesterday. I thought I was on my deathbed (excuse my dramatic statement – being sick brings out the drama in me). I couldn’t eat or drink anything because my stomach was too upset, and really, there is nothing worse than not being able to eat because I looooove eating. I woke from my nap with a fever from being dehydrated and called on my Boston-mom/best frand to save me with some crackers and Gatorade, and save me she did! That’s why she is first on my happy list today:

1. M and D, and of course their pup Luna. I have never met more caring, fun, hilarious, passionate, and smart people before. EVER. I have known M and her family since I was born – our families vacation together in the middle of nowhere Canada. She has lived in the Boston area for almost 10 years now, so when I moved here in August of 2011, she and Dave took me under their wings. It’s almost like they are my Boston parents! We have dinner together at least once a week where M teaches me some new gluten free recipe secrets and D teaches me something new about the gossip section of Yahoo! news. I owe a lot to these wonderful people 🙂
M used to be my babysitter as a kid, and never lost her talent because she was pretty much babysitting me last night. Nothing cures a sicko like a pull out couch, a Matthew McConaughey movie, electrolytes, and pasta! I can’t tell you the number of times I heard, “Drink more liquid please”, “One more piece of watermelon”, or “What can I get you”. I told her I was here to tutor her in how to be a mommy when that day comes, and she’s definitely going to pass. She and her hubs are going to be the cutest, most loving parents! You’re welcome, you two 🙂

This is how good I look with a temp of 101. Luna is such a good nurse!

2. Nice weather in Boston. Living in New England has its perks and downfalls like everywhere else, but there should really be a disclaimer about the weather here: Beware of bipolar weather. Last week, we had 5 days of cold, dreary rain – that kind of weather really gets you down. But I gotta tell you, when the weather is nice, Boston is like a drop of sunshine on the tip of a kitten’s nose. Picture it. This weekend has been B E A Utiful…..and I’ve spent it inside in my bed. But I’m sure someone enjoyed it!!!! (looking at the positives here…)

3. Mastering the folding of a fitted sheet. This may sound silly but have you ever actually gotten a fitted sheet to look like it did when it first came out of the package!?! I mean really, high schools should teach this shit. I felt really proud when I got my fitted sheet, flat sheet, and two pillow cases in the case that they came from. My night was a good one 🙂

4. Fruit smoothies. There is nothing like a little somethin’ sweet, fruity, cold, and delish on a summer (late spring) day! Roomie made me and my future roomie a delightful smoothy today that really filled me up and gave me that little something sweet I need after just about every meal. And it was soo simple! All it had in it was:

• frozen strawberries
• banana
• ice
• almond milk

How awesome is that? And super healthy. Thanks Rooms 🙂

5. And lastly, I always enjoy an almost empty supermarket. When I go shopping at the MB for my weekly groceries, I leave feeling exhausted, rushed, and almost fluent in 5 different languages. Don’t get me wrong here, I looove the MB because it’s prices are so low I can almost justify getting my fourth pair of summer heels! But I decided to mix it up tonight and headed to the Star Market. It was pretty much empty and I had more than enough time to check out each and every kind of plum, cottage cheese, and organic frozen chicken fingers (they didn’t have my kind 😦 ). No crowded aisles, no people in the veggie section, and no throng of people waiting in line at the deli. I like my grocery stores the way I like my men: untaken with great service. Ooowwwww oww

Hope this weekend was a happy one 🙂