California, Here We Come!

Our vacation is finally here! For a week, we'll be spending time in these wonderful places:

I am so excited! I'll share pictures when I get back. Until then, I hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend!

Top Shape Ticker

 Thanks to everyone for their well wishes while I got my heart tested out. Turns out it was all in my head and my ticker is fine :) It was comical to walk into the cardiologist office and hear the older people say "She is in the wrong office, she is too young and skinny to be in here!"

After getting an ultrasound of my heart (how cool to see it on screen) and a stress test (which I aced), the doctor said my palpitations and such were just benign, common occurrences and that I'm good to go. Happy news!

What did I want to do immediately afterwards? Eat a hamburger. Typical...

Summer Swap

The wonderful Krysten at After "I Do" put together a fabulous Summer Swap recently. I got paired with the lovely Kim at Our Life...Unscripted and she sent me a great package of summer must-haves!

My package included:

• Summer kitchen towels
• Avon shower gel
• A mini-planner
• Handmade jewelry
• A package of notepads
• A magnetic notepad
• A damask candle

I love everything in the package and can't wait to use it! The towels are already on display in my kitchen. Thanks to Krysten and Kim for a great swap :)

New Death Cab For Cutie Album Streaming on NPR

If you're a Death Cab for Cutie fan like myself, then you'll be happy to know that NPR is streaming their new album "Codes and Keys" on their First Listen site. I'm not sure how long the free stream will be up for so listen soon and get ready for the album to release on May 31!

In other news, my holter monitor is off and tomorrow I will be doing the stress test and sonogram to finish all my tests and get my results. Wish me luck!

Heart Check-Up

I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

I started a little late today because I had an appointment this morning with a cardiologist. It's nothing serious, but I get palpitations and skipped beats every now and then and I wanted to get them checked out before our vacation.

My EKG was normal, as was my blood pressure, and they fitted me with this nifty gadget for the next 24 hours:

On Wednesday, I am getting a sonogram of my heart and a stress test done, so hopefully everything turns out well. Then, I will be off to Cali!

Yosemite

One of the stops during our California trip is to the majestic Yosemite National Park. The other 3 people I am traveling with have been there but they couldn't wait to go back and I can't wait to see it myself.

I just finished the book The Yosemite by John Muir, who was the foremost expert of the park in his time.

His book is amazingly descriptive and detailed and covers every aspect of the area. He describes all the waterfalls, species of trees, mountains, and wildlife beautifully and learned to live among it all for 10 years.

After finishing his book, I was more ready than ever to see everything he described and take a million pictures of it all. I love that our trip is a mix between trendy and fun San Francisco, relaxing Sonoma, and adventurous Yosemite.


Have any of you ever been?

NYX Cosmetics Sale Controversy

I don't know if you've heard about it over the interwebs, but NYX Cosmetics is in a heap of trouble with their consumers.

They had a 12 Hour Mega Sale on Sunday where all of their cosmetics were $1.20 on their website. This isn't the first time they had done a sale like this; they are known for their $1 sales on selected items. Apparently, so many people were excited about this sale that they crashed the website. The website was down almost the entire 12 hours and even the extended 12 hour period NYX gave customers to try again. A lot of people were upset that they couldn't access the site or checkout the items already in their basket.

According to Phyrra, NYX's customer service was awful to people calling, emailing, and posting on Facebook. They deleted posts, then cut them off all together. After the sale ended, they offered people the chance to email for a coupon offer, but the offer was 50% off, not $1.20 like the sale.

Needless to say, NYX has alienated a large group of customers and fans who are stating on their blogs that they are boycotting the brand until they make it right.

I have heard of big sales on cosmetic websites and crashing every now and then, but this is the worst I've ever seen. I also tried to access the website and couldn't even get a home page. It's a shame, as I really like NYX Cosmetics; I've claimed that their Champagne and Caviar eyeshadow palette is better than Urban Decay's Naked. I think they did handle this situation all wrong and I'm not sure if I'll buy their products until an apology or make-up sale comes out.

What do you think about this situation?

My Weekend in Pictures

 I saw Bridesmaids Friday night and it was hilarious! I highly recommend it to all ladies.

 I participated in the Miles for Moffitt event and ran a mile in 9:46

We took the dog we are sitting (Yoshi) to the dog park and I thought this was a great photo op.

This was my Sunday... laying around reading about Yosemite with Yoshi

How was your weekend?

Book Review: Lost in Shangri-La by Mitchell Zuckoff

Title: Lost in Shangri-La; A True Story of Survival, Adventure, and the Most Incredible Rescue Mission of World War II
Author: Mitchell Zuckoff
Publisher: Harper
Book: Hardcover, 400 pages
Buy: Amazon

Synopsis:   
           On May 13, 1945, twenty-four officers and enlisted men and women stationed on what was then Dutch New Guinea boarded a transport plane named the Gremlin Special for a sightseeing trip over “Shangri-La.” A beautiful and mysterious valley surrounded by steep, jagged mountain peaks deep within the island’s uncharted jungle, this hidden retreat was named after the fabled paradise in the bestselling novel Lost Horizon. But unlike the peaceful Tibetan monks of James Hilton’s book, this Shangri-La was the home of Stone Age warriors—spear-carrying tribesmen rumored to be headhunters and cannibals.

          But the pleasure tour became an unforgettable battle for survival when the plane crashed. Miraculously, three passengers survived—WAC Corporal Margaret Hastings, Lieutenant John McCollom, and Sergeant Kenneth Decker. Margaret, barefoot and burned, had no choice but to wear her dead best friend’s shoes. McCollom, grieving the death of his twin brother also aboard the Gremlin Special, masked his grief with stoicism. Decker, too, was severely burned and suffered a bloody, gaping head wound.

         Emotionally devastated, badly injured, and vulnerable to disease, parasites, and poisonous snakes in the wet jungle climate, the trio faced certain death unless they left the wreckage. Caught between man-eating headhunters and the enemy Japanese, with nothing to sustain them but a handful of candy and their own fortitude, they endured a harrowing trek down the mountainside—an exhausting journey into the unknown that would lead them straight into a primitive tribe of superstitious natives who had never before seen a white man–or woman.

          Drawn from personal interviews, declassified Army documents, personal photos and mementos, a daily journal kept between the crash and the rescue effort, and original film footage, Lost in Shangri-La recounts this incredible true-life adventure for the first time. Mitchell Zuckoff reveals how the determined trio—dehydrated, sick, and in pain—traversed the dense jungle foliage to find help; how a brave band of Filipino-American paratroopers, led by a dogged captain, risked their own lives to save the survivors; how the Americans would be protected by and eventually befriend a noble native chief and his people; and how a cowboy colonel was willing to risk a previously untried rescue mission to get them out.

Review: 
           I was asked if I would be interested in reviewing this book and after reading the synopsis, I was immediately intrigued. After receiving it, it didn't take me long before I was hooked. From the very beginning, the book piques your interest, regardless if you're into war stories or history. I learned many things I never knew about World War II and the United States' placement of soldiers in New Guinea.

           Following the three survivors through this harrowing tale of crashing in a remote area of the island was inspiring. No matter how many friends they had lost, they were determined to move on and get rescued. They befriended the natives, who had a bad reputation back at camp as being cannibalistic and violent, and they soon made fast friends. On the other side, you also read about the soldiers back at camp trying to come up with ideas on how to find and rescue people in such a topographically difficult area of the country. Neither side gives up and it makes for an intense read.

          I enjoyed the book from beginning to end. I thought it was amazing how the author, Mitchell Zuckoff, was able to track down survivors and relatives to get the stories and photographs that grace these pages. The photographs in particular are really special, because they were taken as it all happened; from before the crash, after the crash, during the survivors time spent with the natives, and the rescue. It was also great to read about all the people involved after this heroic rescue took place.

          What amazed me most about this book was that it's one of those stories that you've probably never heard of before, but, after reading it, you can hardly wonder how more people don't know that this event took place. It seems like it's out of a carefully thought out novel, but it really occurred, and it really inspires. The fact that the survivors and rescuers still had a sense of humor while this happened is hope-inspiring and it truly is one of the best books of the year. I give it 5 stars.



Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the publisher in order to create this review. The opinions expressed are of my own. Thank you to Trish at TLC Book Tours.

Cardigan Fever

Because I have Cali on the brain, one of the staple items I will be taking with me will be cardigans. It's a great way to layer up without putting too much on and, with the right cardigan, you can really dress up or down any outfit. I bought a cardigan from Banana Republic that I love and found some other great ones on sale on their site.

Embroidered open-placket cardigan - $34.97

Merino ruffle trim striped cardigan - $44.99

Long-sleeve open cardigan - $64.50

Scalloped ruffle open cardigan - $69.99

Ruffles and beads cardigan - $79.99

Do you own a bunch of cardis?

Weekend Fun

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend! My grandparents didn't realize that Mother's Day is a big going out day so we tried to show up at Olive Garden at 6:30 and was told the wait would be an hour and a half. Needless to say, we ended up going back to their house and eating fried chicken. You never know what's going to happen at my house :)

Earlier this past weekend, we got a new buddy who is going to be staying with us for the next week.

His name is Yoshi and he is staying with us while his parents are having fun in California. He's a Shiba Inu and, so far, he is doing well, except he isn't really eating but everyone says he'll eat when he gets hungry enough.

Saturday night, Carmen hosted a Siete de Mayo party and it was a blast. I had fun helping her create decorations for it and she really made it festive-looking!

I made those blueberry mojitos I talked about earlier and they were a hit! We also hit a handmade pinata and I got away with 3 dollar bills, some candy, and a mini bottle of tequila.

How was your weekend?

What Is Your Television Style?

My husband and I probably have what some consider to be an unhealthy relationship with our television/DVR. If you looked at our scheduled recordings, we record somewhere between 1-4 shows a day, which usually means a good 2-4 hours of television watching a night.

In having a relationship with my television, I've also had my feelings hurt more times than I can say. Who has started watching a brand new show only to see it snatched from under you?

The saddest example of my memory... October Road

When this show started a couple of years ago, I started watching and immediately loved it. I thought the main guy (Bryan Greenberg) was so cute and the cast was well chosen. They took my heart along for a ride for two years before the bigwigs at ABC decided to cancel it and leave it hanging with no ending. I might have shed a tear... I can't remember.

A show I did start watching immediately, and one that is doing very well for itself, is The Big Bang Theory.

It immediately appealed to the science nerd within me, and ended up being one of the funniest shows that I watch. Since Jim Parsons has won an Emmy, it's future looks promising.

For other shows, however, I waited for them to establish themselves among audiences and awards shows before I "jumped the bandwagon". Shows like Grey's Anatomy, Lost, and Mad Men were ones I had to catch up on through dvds, but I knew their chance of cancellation were slim (Lost doesn't count since they ended the series on their own terms).

So, do you like to dive into a brand new show and hope it stays afloat, or do you wait to see how it does before you get into it?

Blueberry Mojitos

As I hinted at on my Twitter, I picked 3 1/2 pounds of blueberries yesterday morning. That seems like a lot but after freezing and eating some, I am left with just enough to make a delicious breakfast and a great cocktail. I'm also growing mint in my backyard, and it's getting big, so what better way to combine the two than with mojitos! Try making this tonight for Cinco De Mayo or this weekend at whatever fiesta you attend :)

Blueberry Mojito

Ingredients

• 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
• 5 mint leaves, plus 1 sprig for garnish
• Crushed ice
• 4 ounces unsweetened blueberry juice
• 2 ounces white rum
• 1 ounce club soda
• 4 to 6 fresh or frozen blueberries for garnish

Directions

• Put the lime juice and sugar in a highball or other glass. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. 
• Add the mint leaves and crush or muddle them against the glass with the back of a spoon or a muddler. 
• Fill the glass with crushed ice. 
• Add the blueberry juice, rum, and club soda, and stir vigorously. 
• Drop the blueberries into the glass. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Enjoy!

What To Wear and Do in San Fran?

Do you remember last year when I asked for recommendations for my trip to NYC? Well, this year I'm heading to the opposite coast and I need more of your advice!

I have never been to California and I know the weather is completely different from Florida. We will be spending 2 1/2 days in the beautiful San Francisco at the end of May and I want to be prepared!

The biggest wardrobe rule I've read is to layer. Apparently, the temperature can change drastically and having layers prepares one for any type of situation. Thankfully, I have some cute cardigans and jackets to bring, as well as some great scarves.

I also read that comfortable shoes are a must. This isn't like NYC where you just walk endlessly on level ground; San Fran has crazy hills that will really challenge my hamstrings and glutes, and as much as I'd love to wear heels, I'd rather not fall on my face. So, flats and boots will probably be my shoe staples in the city.

So, any other advice for me? Any food or entertainment recommendations?