Kicking As*

Recently, I have come to a realization that I can not keep eating a pint of coconut ice cream five nights a week, and need to incorporate a little bit more vegetables in my diet, as a cup of tomato soup really doesn't count.

I researched for something I can do frequently that is close by and fun.
I am lazy so I knew that I needed an instructor, and I can't be driving for an hour in traffic because that alone would discourage me to keep going. Also, many places I have tried (Pilates, barre method type of gym, etc.) offer a beginner's rate for the first month, but then it is expensive to continue on further.
I like to take private session for Pilates and they can be anywhere between $85 and $125 a session.

My answer = all women's kickboxing gym that is 10 minutes away, that has a 10 class/$100 package at all times, and the owner always has a sale -- all with an excellent review on Yelp.

The first class is free, so that was perfect for me to try it out.

The past couple of weeks, I can honestly say I have had the most fun working out. 

I actually look forward to going there, I put my workout clothes out the night before like a kid. 

smoothie

Kickboxing is.....stress relieving, fun, whole body workout and I love that I am not trying to compete with anyone for attention of the instructor, as the class consists of about 15 ladies, and we often work in smaller groups.
We jumprope, do a lot of cardio, which I wanted, and then we box for about half the time we're there.
I have continued my Bikram Yoga, but I wanted to do something different, and now this is a perfect addition to my physical activity.

As a result of the workout I have been doing, I am drinking about 3 to 4 liters of water everyday (about 100 to 135 oz.), and after my workout I stop at an organic juice place that shares the parking lot with the gym, and have been drinking their "green juice." Talk about detox!

handwrap

Another great thing -- I have been a night owl all my life, staying up till the wee hours, and this changed my daily routine as well. 

The class starts at 9:30 in the morning, so I get up an hour before at 8:30, make my protein smoothie, clean my place then I head out. 

I am sore everyday, but I am so happy that I have finally found my gym!!

50 things about me - revised and updated -

1) My biggest pet peeves: whistling, answering text with "K" and misuse of the words "your," you're," "they're," "there," and "their"

2) I hate flakey people

3) One word to describe myself - without a doubt -- loyal. I will go to the end of the earth for someone I care about.

4) Fave color - purple, fave flower, Iris

5) Fave quote - "You are exactly where you are, doing exactly what you should be doing" ~ author unknown

6) Second fave quote - "It is astonishing how short a time it takes for very wonderful things to happen" ~ Frances Hodgson Burnett

7) Etsy.com is my new addiction and my favorite website is theberry.com

Charlie

Marshmallow (a.k.a. Maro)

8) My kitties Marshmallow (a.k.a. Maro) and Charlie are my life

9) I love baking, and I love gifting them - I have a whole basket of ribbons, bags and boxes to decorate my creations with when giving them to people

10) Espresso and red wine are both necessities in my life

11) I love Bikram Yoga

12) I am a homebody, perfectly happy being home.

13) Comedy is very important in my life. I am always looking for new up and coming comedian and checking out new comedy acts.

Sense of humor is so subtle and complex.
I have had my darkest days be brightened by humor/comedy and am always mesmerized by it. 

14) I LOVE baseball. I made a plate of chicken wings for myself to enjoy while watching the playoffs 2 years ago. I was a frat boy in my previous life

15) My biggest accomplishment thus far - getting over the hurdles life has given me without holding grudges and not being bitter

16) My goal as a flight attendant -- to be the name that everyone is glad to see

pic courtesy of Victoria's Secret

17) Customer service is a subtle mixture of care, timing, reading your clients' needs a step ahead and artful display, and not everyone can do it, or do it well.

18) If I wasn't in aviation, I would like to work with animals full time.

19) I love writing, I take classes online at UCLA and it is my oasis, my outlet. I feel better when I am creative. (I also blog on www.upgrd.com)

20) I am not a make up junky but have collected a healthy amount of make up items and my fave brands are Tarte, Urban Decay and NARS.

21) I am a gloss-a-holic, I never wear lipstick, just lip glosses.

22) When I am alone in my hotel room or my place, I listen to music on my iShuffle and dance around :)

23) I make my own Thai iced coffee at home so I can have a gallon of it in one sitting if I wanted to!

24) I would like to buy three things if I save enough money -- a Dyson vacuum, a stand alone Kitchen Aid mixer in raspberry color, and a new laptop (Mac Air) -- all in one day!

25) I love vintage Barbie, Hello Kitty and pink/purple/lavender -- a theme for my phone, iPad cover, etc.

26) I am a buffalo wings connoisseur. 

27) My fave cuisine though, is Korean and Italian, but I am also an pho addict.

28) I love acoustic guitar music - I think it is so romantic

29) I love buying cards with inspirational quotes and framing them

30) I love the cold, anything over 60 and I whittle like a lettuce

31) I eat banana and avocado every day and drink coconut water

32) My favorite body part - my smile

33) I am very picky about flats -- there is a difference between "good" flats and not so great ones. My go-to is Tory Burch, "Eddie" I have 6 pairs.

34) I don't really like wearing high heels - but will so for special occasion, and if I know I can sit down soon

35) All of my friends I have I can consider to be BEST friends and have known them for at least 10 years. I only make friends with people I trust and can be in my life fully and ones I respect. It's all or nothing for me. 

36) I actually love writing cards still and do so for my grandma once a month.

37) I have volunteered with animals since 2007

38) My personal anthem: Alicia Keys "Girl on Fire"

39) My parents are my rock 

40) Being in private aviation has humbled me in ways I never thought it would. Going in I thought it may turn me in to a snob, but it actually worked out the other way -- and I am glad

41) Biggest compliment for me would be "you are a warm person" 

42) I can only wear accessories on my left hand/wrist

43) I only use one kind of pen -- Pilot G-2 in 10 or 0.7 

I always have one (or five) in my purse!

44) I have had some of my writings published by some high profile blogs and websites (under a pen name) and have had good reviews. One comment I received was that I should write a novel. I could not have been more proud.

45) I don't understand anything about football...nor do I really care

46) I have the worst eye sight, the worst hearing ( I watch TV with captions) -- however my sense of smell will beat any K-9.

47) I think Victoria's Secret should have an Asian Angel :)

48) For someone who has never lifted her finger to do anything more complicated than sending a fax, this past year when I set up my scanner/printer/copier/FAX and built my own IKEA furniture, I felt like I have moved up a level in being independent

49) I am afraid of heights and am claustrophobic

50) In the past few years I have learned to let go of what I can not control and let things fall where it will and have trust in life.


For more of my daily pictures, follow me on Instagram!
User name: LAskygurl

Chasing the Sun

When the sun doesn’t shine
On the path that you are on
And you're walking in the shadow of your soul

There are many words you want to say
But silence it surrounds you
Every time I close my eyes
I see your face

I’m chasing the sun until I run out of time
Cause here in the dark the light that you shine
Is making me blind

Keep chasing the sun until I run out of this life
Let love surround you
Let love surround me

Now time stands still
Every time I close my eyes
My memories will not fade
Will not fade to grey

As I lose my consciousness I feel release
Letting go of all the fears that haunted me
Time is frozen through divine intervention
As I close my eyes I’m sinking into bliss

I’m chasing the sun until I run out of time
Cause here in the dark the light that you shine
Is making me blind

Keep chasing the sun until I run out of this life
Let love surround you
Let love surround me

Lyrics and music by:  Matt Darey & Aeron Aether Feat. Ridgewalkers – Chasing The Sun 

pic courtesy of tropicalsailing.com

Coffee Addict -- Part 2

I love Thai Iced Coffee, and have always wondered how I can make them myself.

Thanks to Google, a two minute research have made me aware that a mere $4.00 investment at a local Thai market would give me gallons of this sweet goodness.

Oliang powder is a blend of soy beans, corn, and coffee bean.

It runs about $3.00 at any Asian market for about a pound, and you also need a strainer, which I bought for 99 cents at the same place. 

You need about 2 TBSP of this Oliang powder per one serving (10 to 12 oz.) so you will be able to make A LOT of ice coffee with just one bag. 

Here is how you make this concoction:

Oliang Powder

Boiling Water

Strainer I bought at Thai market for 99 cents

Straining (do it three times)

Sweeten to your liking -- with sugar and condensed milk

finished

Add creme and enjoy!

Note: once you empty the strainer of the used powder, wash with ONLY water, do not use soap.

Coffee Addict -- Part 1

Caffe Bello

I am a coffee lover, and I do love a good espresso.

Recently I found a fabulous little cafe in West Hollywood that serves the best coffee I have ever tasted in my life; and I've had coffee in many many places.

Caffe Bello is the name and I can not express how GOOD this coffee is.

I have gone in so many times, that when they see me come in, the baristas there smiles and asks if I want my 'usual.'

Caffe Bello -- inside

My "usual" -- two espresso shots with hazelnut syrup topped with cream

Afternoon coffee time

My other thing I have been doing recently is making my own Thai Ice Coffee at home to enjoy whenever I want to.

Tutorial will be coming up in my next post.

Caffe Bello address:

8719 Santa Monica Blvd
West Hollywood, CA 90069

Sparkly feel

I am not too big on holidays.

Being in aviation, most of the time I was working on the actual holiday or the day before/after.

However, lately I have been very interested in the sparkly polishes and make up items that adds just a touch of festivity to your day.

MAC "Hundred Degrees" Illuminizer 

Essie Polish "Play Date" "Golden Nugget" "Set in Stones" "It's Genius"

Physician's Formula Highlighting Powder "Warm"

 

Glittery eyeliners

Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush sparkly shadows to put in inner corner of your eyes

NARS "Night Clubbing" 

From the Hills of Hollywood...

I have been quite consumed in my life this past calendar year, and I have put my blogs (my other blog is http://upgrd.com/blogs/thoughtsfromthesky/) on the back burner.

One of the things I focused on while being absent (aside from working as well as taking some writing classes) was to look for a place of my own.

Since moving cross country a year and a half ago, my living situation changed 3 times -- mostly due to making hasty decisions on a whim.

First two places I lived in just didn't agree with me (and of course they were things you notice about 5 days after you move in) though I was very lucky to have been on month to month lease for both places; I was able to get out of the situation fairly quickly without penalty of any kind.

However, the third one was a year lease and I regretted signing it the first week I moved in.

From that day forward, it was a drag.

Not having your own oasis to come home to can do a number on your mind, and your self esteem.
It is hard to live in a place that you just don't care about.
Getting out of a lease would have been expensive and since I was in a transitional phase with my career, I had to put the notion of having my own apartment on hold till my lease ran out.

Finally, starting in the fall, I started to do my research.

Looking around, there were few things I had in mind.
Since L.A. is so big, when looking for a place you have to have in mind exactly where you want to be, otherwise you would be looking forever -- options are limitless.
Do you want to be by the beach? Or up in the hills? Budget? 
For me, having an awesome pet sitter who only can go so far for her service limited my options in a good way.

Since I have two very active boy kitties, I wanted to have enough space for them to play around.

After looking for few one bedrooms, I inquired about a studio that was available in Hollywood Hills.

Bingo.

Even though it is a studio, it is a very sizable place. Pricing, parking situation (covered and gated), location, all was there.

Not everything is finished as there are few pieces I wanted to purchase, but just a snippet of my new gorgeous sanctuary.

Beautiful view from my balcony

Kitchen

Just a sneak peek

Bar stool at the kitchen counter

Froggie in the shower

My jewelry display

My Barbie Art