Small Ode to Grapefruit

I seriously can't get enough grapefruit lately. I get mine from Trader Joe's and they are UNREAL. Sour, sweet, juicy, and the most magnificent deep coral color. I've been having half for dinner and taking the other half to work for breakfast in the mornings (mainly because my lunch pack for work doesn't fit the entire fruit).

Not only is grapefruit delicious and gorgeous, it's so good for you. It increases your metabolism and it has a lot of water content. It has vitamin C to help ward off disease (as do most citrus fruits)... and did I mention it's delicious? Grapefruit's also very low in calories and high in antioxidants. It's been proven to lower risks of colon cancer and kidney stones. Pretty nifty, huh?

For many people, grapefruit is too sour to eat straight-up. Yes, straight-up. Some people sprinkle sugar or honey on their grapefruits, which is completely acceptable. Others make juice out of it or chop it up as part of a fruit salad. Whatever floats your boat. Just try it. You'll love it.

How do you like to eat grapefruit?

xo
Toni

Don't Judge a Book by its Publication Date

Is it just me or have you ever felt like you were being unfairly judged because of your age? I feel like I am constantly being told that I am too young to do something I want to do or too old to act a certain way (since when is public dancing so frowned upon?!). In my opinion, age is pretty irrelevant. With age does not necessarily come wisdom or maturity. Being young doesn't necessarily mean that you're ignorant or endlessly energetic. I'm pretty sure the only guarantee with age is that the older you are the more wrinkles you have on your face, and even that can be corrected with a good hit of Botox every now and again.

Truthfully, in our current society our age determines a lot. For example, a child normally goes to school when they are 4 or 5, not when they "seem ready or able to learn". This, along with other things of course, is probably responsible for the fact that many kids have a hard time keeping up in class. In the same manner, age determines when we can drive, when we can drink, when we can work, and even what kind of insurance we get. 

The premise is that the older we are, the better decisions we make. I'm not in any way advocating handing the keys to a 5 year old, but I am saying that I have seen a few people driving in a way that is not much better than what a pre-schooler could muster up from sitting on top of a stack of books on the driver's seat.

Having been recently initiated myself into the 21+ group, I thought that the seemingly endless wait for 21 would be the last time that age was an issue. If I can go into any bar I want, I can do anything I want... right? Wrong. In fact, it's quite the opposite. Now that no doors are closed to me by the law, it means that I have to close them myself. I have to choose if I want to "act 21" and go out all the time and celebrate legal debauchery or if I want to go to bed early and be rested for work tomorrow like most working-age people do.

I am too young to be married, too young to have kids (as you can see from this blog, that is something I think about a lot and really the time in my life I'm most excited about), and too young to know what life is meant to be about. I am too old, however, to be carefree and think about the future in a "whatever happens, happens" kinda way. In essence, I'm too young to be taken seriously but too old to not care about being taken seriously. It's true, and it's awkward.

Sometimes age can be an advantage, too - especially youth. I would be lying if I said that I never used the fact that I am young in order to get a favor or get out of an awkward situation by "playing arrogant" (that sounds better than playing dumb, right?). Sometimes I like that I have this tool, but often I am offended when I am treated this way. I'm pretty smart. I did my homework for 16 years and kept my eyes and ears open in between assignments. So, yes, I do know what you mean by "budgeting" or "strategizing".

Does everyone feel like this at 21? I don't know. I think that compared to many of my peers I'm a bit calm and pretty focused on the later rather than the now. I try really hard, I'm a fast learner, and, even though I have the spirit of a giddy 6 year old girl, I want to be known more for my brains and my ideas than my wrinkle-free skin and perky 21-year-old boobs. But you wouldn't know that by looking at my ID.

Have you ever felt unfairly judged because of your age? Do you use your age to your advantage in any way?

xo

Toni

Everything in Moderation

First Shock Top of the New Year!

Like most of the population, I'm starting the new year with a resolution to tweak my eating habits to include more healthful food and increase my weekly workout to be,well, more than once weekly. It's hard though sometimes to remember that, as my boyfriend likes to say, any lifestyle change is a "marathon not a sprint". 

The truth is, going on a strict, restrictive diet or working out until you puke every day is not healthy and is hard to maintain. Plus, everyone needs a little chocolate or a whole night spent vegging on the couch now and then. It's good for the soul.

Beyond food and exercise, I believe that people should strive for balance and moderation when it comes to work, socializing, and having time alone. Now, here comes the tricky part. Once balance is achieved, it may mean that you are not "The Best" at any one thing. No, you cannot be the most successful business woman in the world, the fastest marathon runner, and the life of every party. 

You can, however, work your hardest to have a fulfilling career, work out regularly to stay in shape, look good, and be able to handle challenges, and still enjoy a nice cold beer on New Years Eve... and maybe a few other times throughout the year. This may be controversial, and maybe not everyone would think that this is the best way to go through life. Some people might even call it "settling". But for me it seems to be the best way to enjoy a little of everything in this one short life that we have.

No, I haven't gotten quite to the perfect balance yet, but my resolution for the New Year is to increase my fitness level, eat a little healthier, and try and figure out what to do with the next chapters of my life.

How do you find balance? What are your New Years resolutions?

xo

Toni

Two Thousand and Twelve

source: Tigermag.com

Happy New Year! It's been two days since I got back from the most amazing trip to New York and Boston, and I'm already missing it terribly. I saw all the sights, including Times Square Ball Drop (I'll show some of my own pictures later once I get around to unpacking!), walked through all the beautifully lighted streets, and most wonderfully ate ALL the food. 

What makes the food in New York so good? Why are slices of pizza, bowls of pasta, and fresh sandwiches even more delicious on the east coast? While I ponder this, unpack, and get ready to start work and keep posting longer and more interesting posts than this, here is a non-inclusive list of some of the most delicious things I ate and drank on my trip. Many, many pictures to come. 

• Fresh pretzel with olives and feta cheese
• Pizza with crumbed chicken and broccoli
• Mediterranean grilled cheese with feta cheese, tomato, and basil
• Clam chowder in a bread bowl
• Lamb meatballs with yogurt and cucumber
• Blueberry Beer
• Mixed drink made from vodka and ginger beer
• Cranberry sangria

What was the best thing you ate over the holiday break?!

xo

Toni

The Time Has Come - - Ready?

Oh my. It's here. Done with school, FOREVER. It didn't really hit me until I got all my grades this morning and sort of realized that I was disappointed to pass all my classes. Yes, I graduated with a GPA that earns me High Honors, but it's the end of an era that I really, really enjoyed. 

Next week is vacation time in New York City then Boston then back to work full-time. Is this the real world that everyone's been talking about? The real question is - am I ready?! Part of me feels ready, but another big part of me does not. 

I guess when I think back at my 16 years of schooling, I realize how much I have learned and how much life I have experienced. I was always kind of a nerd, and even though I got quite the rush from buying new pencils, erasers, and notebooks, it was all the lessons outside of the classroom that I will cherish the most. Through my interactions with teachers, friends, family, awkward moments, stressful times, and heartbreaking incidents, I grew up to be who I am now. While I'm sure that in the years to come I will have to rethink the important things I think I've learned, these are a few of the lessons I hold closest to my heart as a new (!!) graduate: 

Banana Cream Pie - - Example of #11

1. No one will ever love you as much or as unconditionally as your family.
2. Knowing how to work under pressure (aka procrastinate) is a good quality to have.
3. Nothing is certain but change - cliche I know, but so true. Don't count on anything.
4. You are always going to be most successful if you are doing something you love.
5. Don't tell anyone you love them until you really mean it. It's not a word to be wasted.
6. Get involved. Be active in your life. In school this is sports, student council, etc. In life, well, I'll keep you posted.  
7. Don't take anything too seriously, even yourself.
8. Organization is the most important tool.
9. Don't burn bridges because you'll never know when you need to turn back.
10. Believe in yourself even if nobody else does. If you find someone else that does, hold onto them.  
11. Always enjoy the sweets that life has to offer.

What is the most important lesson you've learned so far in your life?


xo
Toni

Warmth

Turkey Cupcake

So, here I am back in my little loft in college after an amazing Thanksgiving weekend spent with family, friends, and unbelievable food. Yes, I need to work out twice as much this week to just break even, but it was worth every sweet, crunchy, salty, crispy bite. The best part, though, and the part that really made leaving so hard this morning was the warmth.

With only two weeks left until my 3.5 years of college classes are over forever, I can't help but wonder why I still feel more comfortable at home. But then I realize that that's where my family is, where my boyfriend is, and where I can lay on the couch in my pajamas until noon. School is where I have to go to work, do my homework, work out as much as possible, and try and stay social and relevant to my friends. Home is warm, school is cool, and the older I grow the more "warm" I want in my life.

I think this warmth is one of the main reasons that everyone loves the holidays so much. The warm drinks, warms soups, warm blankets, and warm cookies are just a complement to the warmth that we feel when we are surrounded my love and happiness. Now that Christmas is less than a month away, holiday season is in full swing and I hope that everyone can find a few moments to slow down from their busy, cool lives for a moment of true happiness and warmth. 

Even though ideally I would like to spend every weekend around all the people that warm my heart, this isn't always a possibility. That's what's so great about food, though! Sometimes a smell can evoke memories of home, helping you feel closer even if you are hundreds of miles away.

So, here is a list of my "Top 10 foods That Make Me Feel, Literally and Figuratively, Warm":

Warm colors make a beautiful sunset

1. Hot Black Tea with a Splash of Milk

2. Chicken Noodle Soup

3. Vegetable Soup

4. Pasta with Tomato and Basil Sauce

5. Hot Chocolate

6. Chicken and Vegetable Pie

7. Mashed Potatoes

8. Warmed, Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies

9. Scrambled Eggs and Sausages
 

10. Warm Milk with a Touch of Honey

... What would you add to the list? What makes you feel warm and comforted when your family is so far away?

xo
Toni

Life Less Seriously

One of the most important skills I've acquired in college, besides how to procrastinate with the best of them and how to remove myself from situations I find less than appealing, has been the ability to take life less seriously.

Of course, there are times when serious occasions knock at your door, such as deaths and injuries and financial crises. Most of the time, however, we just live our daily lives, planning for the future and, for lack of a less-cliche term, sweating the small stuff.

One of my favorite examples of taking my own life less seriously is last Halloween. If you refer to the above image, you can see that I dressed up at a fairy. What you can't see is that I stayed at home with my mom, dressed like this, and spent a few hours giving candy to children from the ages of 2-12.

I live in a college town where Halloween is, to say the least, a HUGE deal. The gym is heavily attended, costumes are strategically planned to ensure maximum skin-exposure, and, undoubtedly, drama ensues. This goes on for at least 3 nights. If I had to listen to a "oh my gosh. my fake tan is dripping because I tried on my slutty-santa costume and this is my last Halloween here and it has to her PERFECT" one more time, I was going to explode. So I went home. And dressed up as a fairy.

Other examples include being realistic about the GPA I want to graduate with, and not trying to make friends just to say that I have friends. I like the people that I like, and I like spending a bit of time alone. Many people stress about their popularity and would coin me, perhaps, a "loner", but I don't think that's true. I have about as many good friends as I do fingers, and I choose to enjoy my time with them when I get it instead of constantly overexerting myself to be as social as possible when, quite frankly, I would rather be watching F.R.I.E.N.D.S. with a bowl of oatmeal.

That brings me to my next point - food. I try to eat as healthy as I can on a regular basis. I try to workout as much as I can to stay healthy and to allow me some extra calories. However, it is NOT worth stressing about counting calories. In fact, stress causes weight-gain (and wrinkles), so rather trust your body to tell you what and how much you need. Don't freak out about the extra cookie. You know you loved it, so what?

Like everything, life requires balance. Balance the serious with the less serious, and leave yourself room for silliness, cookies, and TV, because they are all wonderful. 

How do you avoid making life too serious?

xo

Toni