-----> Plastic California <-----

Golf Gapper at the G2 Golf Center

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 18:45:00 +0000

I have fallen in love with golfing, which maybe one reason I have fallen out of blogging. I got my start about a year and a half ago at the G2 Golf Center. It was a great intro to golf, and Jenni Martin offers some amazing coaching aided by state of the art technology. Check her out on FOX40 below, and if you are in the Northern California area, or are willing to travel to improve your game, consider a visit to the G2 Golf Center!

Foodie Penpals April Reveal

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 06:01:00 +0000

Wow, I cannot believe another month has passed by. I have a week of Overnight Oats recipes in the works, which I hope to start posting soon!

I got a cool foodie penpals box from Hannah, a non blogger. I sent my box to Courtney over at A So Called Runner! Follow her on twitter @courtneyfo.

Here is my whole box, cool postcard included. My penpal didn't even know I collect post cards, so even better :)

When I opened the box, I was probably the most excited about the Tasty Kake, which is a fresh baked pie. The flavor I was sent is apple. YUM. OOEY GOEY inside too.

Surprisingly, I wasn't a huge fan of the pretzels. I liked that they were salty, but I am more of a soft pretzel at the baseball game kinda girl.

I got a great box from my penpal! Snacks, drinks, and even bath salts! Thank you so much Hannah for putting in the effort to make a great box.

If you want to participate in Foodie Pen Pals next month here is some information about the awesome program that Lindsay over at The Lean Green Bean has set up.

-On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.

-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!

-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!

-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)

-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month.

-Foodie Penplas is open to US & Canadian residents. Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We've determined things might get too slow and backed up if we're trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa. So, I'm going to keep two separate lists and match US w/ US and Canada w/ Canada!

If you’re interested in participating for March, please send an email to Lindsay at theleangreenbean@gmail.com and include the following information:

-Your full name

-Your email address

-Your blog name/address

-Your twitter handle (if applicable)

-WHETHER YOU ARE A US RESIDENT OR CANADIAN RESIDENT. - this is SUPER important so you get on the right list!

You must submit your information by March 4th as pairings will be emailed on March 5th!

***PLEASE NOTE: if you send an email, you WILL GET A RESPONSE within 48 hours. If you don''t....please re-send your email or contact Lindsay via Twitter (@LeanGrnBeanBlog). Last month we had a few emails get lost as spam so we're trying to avoid that!

Pat Summitt, An Icon

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 21:11:00 +0000

I just wanted to do a quick link up of a great article on Pat Summitt that Heather Hogan wrote. Back in 2009 I wrote a post congratulating her on her 1,000th career win. I still cannot believe all that has unfolded in the past year or so. What a strong woman. Icon. Role Model. Please go and read Heather's very moving article and the comments to follow. I don't think we will see another coach, male or female, rise to such notoriety and stardom, or be beloved by so many (opponents included).

Foodie Penpals March Reveal!

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 14:45:00 +0000

This is my second month participating in the Foodie Penpals program. You can see my first post about it here. I think I am still as excited about it this month as I was last month, and I will be participating again in April!

This month my box came from North Carolina. Follow my sender, Lyndsay on twitter and on her blog.

So I requested something "local" and was rewarded with dried apple slices from a local farm! They were so good. The only thing I received that I remains and I haven't yet tried is the BBQ sauce. I am so looking forward to nicer weather so I can break out the grill and use it.

The popcorn is something I have been eying at Trader Joe's. I had no problem finishing the bag, but the popcorn absorbs the moisture from the toffee & chocolate and is not a crunchy as I would have liked. I probably wont buy this on my own, but was glad to put my curiosity to rest.

My favorite thing in the box was these Special K Chocolate Pretzel bars.

At 90 calories, they are too good to be true. Such an amazing sweet/salty snack. I will definitely be stocking up on these when they go on sale.

All in all an amazing box :)

If you want to participate in Foodie Pen Pals next month here is some information about the awesome program that Lindsay over at The Lean Green Bean has set up.

-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!

-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)

If you’re interested in participating for March, please send an email to Lindsay at theleangreenbean@gmail.com and include the following information:

-Your full name

-Your email address

-Your blog name/address

-Your twitter handle (if applicable)

-WHETHER YOU ARE A US RESIDENT OR CANADIAN RESIDENT. - this is SUPER important so you get on the right list!

You must submit your information by March 4th as pairings will be emailed on March 5th!

Mother's Day 5k!

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 19:01:00 +0000

Some of you may know, one of my ultimate fitness goals is to complete a Sprint Triathlon. You may also know the thing that has kept me from the race is the running portion. In order to eventually meet this goal, I have decided to train for the Mother's Day 5k in early May. I have decided to go with an Online training program, Up & Running Online. (Also see the snazzy badge on the right sidebar). I decided this was best because I can do the running whenever I want (as opposed to when the fleetfeet group or some other one meets). Plus I am an internet junkie.

I am still doing #GoOrGive, despite a February Hiatus! The training will be an excellent way to get my 10K steps in too :)

I decided to run Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays, which gives me some leeway on the weekend if I need to make up a run. Also, I usually have plans on the weekend, and so it will be nice not to have to worry about getting up early to "make time" for my run.

Here is my "Running Diary" from my first training session:

Overall, I am counting this workout/run as a success! With daylight savings time here, it was dark out when I started, but I got the benefit of seeing a gorgeous full moon.

Things I am proud of:

1. I got my butt out of bed at 6am and drove to the park to start my workout in a balmy 40 degrees F (4 degrees C for all the Euros in the group!)

2. I was prepared: I input the workout into RunKeeper; I picked out my outfit the night before; I make an electrolyte water mix and put the waterbottle in the fridge; I planned the route and reviewed the workout; and I set my alarm

3. I reviewed the workout 4 times or so, and with the help of RunKeeper, was able to do the whole thing w/o stopping.

4. When it came to the actually running part, I ran .3 of the .6 mile! and then fastwalked the rest.

Things I want to improve this week:

1. Figure out a better way to run with my iphone/keys (any good ideas?)

2. By my 3rd workout, the last of this week's series, I would like to be running the full .6 of a mile

3. Stay consistent/don't be afraid of the looming rain in the forecast!

Workout for today = CHECK!

Foodie Penpals February Reveal

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 17:56:00 +0000

So - I decided to join my love of food and love of letters/postcards/written mail. Through twitter and the blogverse, I discovered Foodie Penpals!

This month the person I received my wonderful box from was Rachel of Passing Daisies out of Ohio!

I could not be happier with my experience. It was so fun to shop for my penpal, and to receive such a well put together box on my door step!

My favorite item of the bunch:

I had never tried these, and even though they are sugar coated, they don't make your tongue raw like sour patch kids! I started eating them as soon as I got them out of the box, but then saved them for our evening movie plans. The movie, Safe House, and the candy, were a hit!

I also got a ton of cool drink items:

The mix of tea bags in a mason jar was an awesome idea that I might be stealing for an upcoming foodie pen pal!

On-The-Go Snacks:

I really love the Fruitzio freeze dried fruit. There is a ton in that pack and only 100 cals - for the win! I also got a super cute valentine and a ton of fun suckers :) Perfect for February!

Hearty Snacks:

I already love seaweed snacks, but I had never tried this brand, so it is good to know I universally love them. The Snyder's were also an existing favorite, and you can never go wrong with trail mix!

All in all I was so excited to get my first foodie pen pal box, and Rachel did not disappoint!

The person I sent my box to does not have a blog, but here is a portion of the email she sent me:

"I wanted to write when I was able to try everything. I absolutely love that you can go right outside and pick some fruit off a tree. I don't know if it was just in my head, but the oranges tasted much better than the ones in the grocery store. :) I was excited to see the Justin's peanut butter products. I always wanted to try them and now I will be able to. The ostrich meat stick peaked my interest. The one time I was in CA, we went to an ostrich farm near San Diego. I do have to say it was pretty tasty. The fortune cookies & roasted seaweed were very good. I love seaweed snacks and it was great to be able to compare different brands. Truthfully, I wasn't a huge fan of the bin-bin rice crackers which surprised me but my friend loved them. I'm looking forward to trying the See's candy and the TCHO candy bar. I haven't had a chance to try to jam yet but can't wait to. I really need to get to the store to buy bread. :) I think my favorite is the chocolate toffee pistachios. They rock! I'm trying not to eat a whole lot at one time so they will last longer. :) You definitely have a lot of tasty food in your area. Thank you so much for sharing it all with me."

I really wanted to send local products, so I am glad she enjoyed it. I had trouble sending a "full" box for $15, so I am glad the oranges were a hit since they were free for me to send!

If you want to participate in Foodie Pen Pals next month here is some information about the awesome program that Lindsay over at The Lean Green Bean has set up.

-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal!

-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)

If you’re interested in participating for March, please send an email to Lindsay at theleangreenbean@gmail.com and include the following information:

-Your full name

-Your email address

-Your blog name/address

-Your twitter handle (if applicable)

-WHETHER YOU ARE A US RESIDENT OR CANADIAN RESIDENT. - this is SUPER important so you get on the right list!

You must submit your information by March 4th as pairings will be emailed on March 5th!

#GoOrGive Month 2, Wk 1 Update

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:38:00 +0000

Hi All,

I know this is coming a bit late, but things have been a bit hectic.

I wanted to update you on my progress. With the help of some friends and loved ones both in real life and on the interwebs, I did much better last week than any other week in the month of December!

I only missed my challenge 1 day last week, and frankly I was spending time with a friend from out of town so it was worth it. Two days last week I went on walks late at night (after 9pm) to ensure I got my 10K steps. Luckily I had some good walking partners, and it made it that much easier.

Also, on Saturday, my girlfriend and I walked about 2.5 miles round trip to brunch! What an easy and fun way to get my steps in on the weekend! Are there places in your routine where you could walk to a location rather than drive?

So far this week I am off to a good start. I am hoping I can keep it up through the weekend.

I have also joined the #plankaday movement and have increased my plank time by 20 seconds!

Until next week...

#GoOrGive January 2012

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 03:40:00 +0000

Well, I wanted to give a quick update about #GoOrGive.

My December effort was less than stellar for a variety of reasons, which all come down to the fact that I wasn't quite ready to really get back into the grind of fitness and health. Don't get my wrong, parts of it I love, but it is something I have to work at. It doesn't come easy, or naturally to me.

All that said, I did not meet my goals of both going to the gym and reaching 10,000 steps on 16 occasions in December. As a result I owed the Make It Safe Project $80, which I paid. :) On a positive note, what is sure to be my poorest effort will benefit a great organization. I also have some books to donate, so hopefully I will get around to mailing those out soon.

In doing some self reflection, I have decided to post weekly how I did, it gives me a visual reminder of how much I owe and I think having to publicly (is anyone even reading this?) admit I missed more than a day or two in a given week will keep me on track. I also have an awesome new twitter accountability partner from the #livewellNOW/Fitfluential twitter crews. I hope both posting weekly, and having some daily encouragement will keep me on the right track.

Now, for the January charity: Planned Parenthood. This one was picked by my best friend, (I am taking suggestions for future months) and I think it is a good one, especially in a political climate where it is getting harder and harder for women to get the services they want and need. Instead of donating to a local chapter, I am going to donate to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, because it makes the lawyer part of me happy inside.

Go Or Give December Organization - Make It Safe Project

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 06:31:00 +0000

The first charity I have chosen for Go Or Give is the The Make It Safe Project. This organization was started by a 14 year old girl named Amelia Roskin-Frazee. Now, the fact that I'm a lesbian bookworm makes this months choice seem like an easy pick, but it goes beyond that.

I heard about The Make It Safe Project from a link on twitter and subsequently found these two news stories here and here (you can find more press and interviews here). It came on a day when I was seriously questioning whether there was any humanity and compassion for one another left in the world. Really I was having a crisis of hope. Then, out of nowhere comes this story about a young woman who was full of hope. Hope that people can change; that LGBT people won't always be treated as less than; that LGBT teens would stop killing themselves if they could just feel a little less alone. I also think founder Amelia Roskin-Frazee and I share the belief that books can change you.

I can pin point major turning points in my life around literature and I can only hope my donation to this more than deserving cause will get a book into the hands of an LGBT teen struggling somewhere and be the turning point in their lives.

I will also be donating some book along with the cold hard cash. My shelves runneth over.

If you need to request books for your school, or would like to donate, do so here.

As far as the GO part of Go Or Give - today was a challenge. I had a packed day, as I was getting sworn in and am now officially an attorney at law (just waiting for that stinking bar number)! I did finally reach my 10,000 steps around 9:30pm, which is less than ideal, but I'll take it.

Have my gym clothes all laid out for the morning, so that is progress too. As Dory would say, "just keep swimming, just keep swimming."

Go Or Give

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 06:38:00 +0000

I started my fitness journey nearly 4 years ago, January 15th, 2008. I was a high school athlete, but to be honest, aside from the skill related to my sports I knew nothing about nutrition or gym training. In 2008 I was working for a public university and had the opportunity to go to a free health evaluation where my cholesterol was tested and I was weighed, etc. I didn't really see myself as unfit, despite my recent purchase of size 18 work pants. I weighed 195lbs all through high school, even while playing tennis in 100+ degree heat. I maintained my sub 200lb weight all through college. But, then I found myself in a sedentary job in the middle of winter where I used the cold as an excuse to take the bus the 1 mile to work rather than walking it. My wake-up call came that day when I weighed in at 208lbs. Passing the 200lb mark was the wake-up call I needed.

I ended up joining a gym I love, and desperately miss to this day. I was a faithful 7am bootcamper every day for nearly 8 months until I started law school in a new city (the one I still reside in). My transition to law school and a new city went smoothly, but over the last 3 or so years my fitness journey was severely derailed.

I took a trip to New York to celebrate graduation and taking the bar. On that trip I decided to dust off my pedometer and bring it along to see how many steps/miles we were logging in the city. Since my return, I have continued to use it, and it has become painfully obvious that I once again find myself in a sedentary job. I love my job as an attorney, law school debt and all, but I primarily sit in front of a computer or in front of clients. Over a two week test period I logged less than 2000 steps on average during my work day. Wow.

Part of my failed fitness journey has been my (mis)fortune to have discovered my dream gym on the first go around. I have looked far and wide and have not been able to duplicate my experience. I am convinced that the style of training, intensity, camaraderie, and general badassery only exists in one place: Albany, CA.

So, since I wont be moving back there any time soon, I decided to make a list of the things I loved about my old gym where I was successful in losing 36 pounds in 8 months:
- Focus on lifting weights/practical applications of strength training
- Variety
- Consistency
- Friendship/Sense of Community

Other things that kept me on track:
- It was expensive (missing on day of bootcamp was like $30)
- I knew people would be asking me the next morning where I was the day before
- I logged all my food on fitday on my computer throughout the day
- I checked mizfit's blog every morning for inspiration and wisdom

Some of the things I know to be true are that fitness is hard work, it can be fun, but often it is not something I am looking forward to. I have failed to do it "on my own" many times. I need to make it a routine. I have not found that fitness buddy that might make a difference for me and keep me accountable. I let people around me enable me. I need a penalty of some sort for not sticking to my goals. At my old gym that came in the form of a monetary penalty as well as friends not letting me off the hook for skipping.

Out of all of this self analysis, I think I have come up with a plan that will work for me.

I am going to call my program Go Or Give (aka #GoOrGive). Essentially, I need to go workout, and if I don't my penalty will be in the form of a $5 donation to a charity. I chose $5 because it is an amount that will add up, but it also won't bankrupt me, and it is about the cost of a latte these days, so I will have to skip the latte if I skip my workout (which will probably be beneficial anyway). I will donate at the end of each month. I want to donate at least $20 to each chosen charity, so if I have been on track and have not reached $20 by the end of the month, I will donate the $20 regardless. I will feature my charity of choice at the beginning of each month (taking suggestions via twitter and email), and will link to them on the side of my blog through the month. The nice thing about this is that people can modify this to work for themselves, you can easily chose to put your penalty $ in your savings account rather than donate to charity if that is what you chose. You can chose $1 or $10 per penalty, whatever you think will work for you.

The Goals:
1. Complete a 30+ minute work 5 out of 7 days (gym, yoga, cycling, etc.)
2. Walk 10,000 steps a day regardless of it being a heavy workout day or not

There are a few other things I want to try to work on as well, but these are over time. I know I cannot fix everything at once.
1. Drink at least 64oz. of water a day and only 1 cup of coffee
2. Make one protein smoothie a day
3. Get back into Kettlebell workouts
4. Do one unassisted pull-up (big ups for Bartendaz)
4. Try running again

As far as how I will keep connected, and keep it fun, my partner recently bought me and UP Band by Jawbone which will allow me to track tons of stuff on my iPhone including my sleep, my steps, food, and other goals. I can also connect with other UP Band owners, which including my friend, mom and boss. I am committed to reconnecting in a serious way with the blog world and drawing support and inspiration from the fitness community. I will also be tracking my progress on twitter via #GoOrGive.

Go Or Give Launches tomorrow: Dec. 1, 2011!

Broadway Yay

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 04:36:00 +0000

While I wanted to wax poetic about how amazing Other Desert Cities is, I do not have the time to do it justice. Instead, I will link you a photo of my signed playbill and you can imagine what a fangirl moment it was for me to meet Rachel Griffiths, Stockard Channing, and Judith Light. Now of course I could go on about these women all night long, but that is an ode better suited for my other blog (see right sidebar if interested).

Here is a link to a great review if you are so inclined. If you can't get to New York to see this play, you can buy the script on amazon. There are also rumors it has been optioned for a film. That would be delicious. The end of Brothers and Sisters may have been the best thing to happen to Rachel Griffiths. I think this role may even top her long stint as Brenda on Six Feet Under!

The Inspirational MizFit

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 06:44:00 +0000

I really just wanted to link to one of my heroes both in fitness and in life. The Miz is always full of positive energy. One of the many keys to her success: Consistency!

Read one of her best blog posts to date about mainting weight loss, i.e. balance. Also, one for the ages about setting goals. Her goal post was an awakening for me because setting fitness goals is WAY DIFFERENT from how I set and have been successful with my own life/career goals.

Plus you can follow her on twitter @mizfitonline and on facebook :)

Oh, and did I mention she is a Fila model?

Much Love :)

The Wonders of Ashland, WI & Neighboring Towns

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 13:55:00 +0000

I spent a glorious week in Ashland, WI doing a mix of all of my favorite things: reading, outdoorsing, watching TV/Movies, and eating! What a perfect vacation.

I flew into Duluth, MN, which actually was not a bad flight and we were lucky enough to see some tall ships. We just caught the tail end of the Duluth Tall Ship Festival of sorts. We saw 4 tall ships leaving, which also meant we got to see the Duluth aerial bridge open.

Click the festival link above for more professional pictures

While we were in Duluth we went to Fitgers - a shopping center, and most importantly brew pub. I had a Wild Rice Burger, apparently one of the staple crops of the area and it was AMZINGLY DELICOUS! Sadly due to jet lag and a momentary lapse in judgment, I have no pictures. But, trust me, the place is spot on.

Stacie indulged me on both our trips to and from the airport in my recently discovered obsession with Custard Ice Cream. We stopped at Culver's on the way to Ashland and I got a concrete mixer. It was good, but the hot caramel defeats the "concrete" nature of the item. On the return to the airport I made a much better choice and got Vanilla Custard on its own, then once we heard what the flavor of the day way - Mint Explosion (Mint Custard, Oreos & Andes Mints) I had to try that as well.

Ashland, WI - located on the shores of Chequamegon Bay, Lake Superior

Colorado Winter

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 02:41:00 +0000

In case you didn't know, I went to Colorado over winter break. I am just now getting around to posting pictures. Enjoy :)

View from my aunt's house b4 the sun came up...

As the sun comes up, a little to the left and below the first picture.

Loved all the bikes in the snow, but the pizza delivery bike is my favorite.

Love license plates. Love the hot chocolate from this coffee shop.

The gingerbread version :)

My dad walking down main street, the essence of the town.

Who needs a stroller?

Amazing 5 foot+ ice sculptures at the ski mountain lodge

Those were the highlights, the snowstorm on the way to the airport in Denver was def. a low point.

Threatened Masculinity or Just Insecurity...

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 02:22:00 +0000

If you haven't heard about or noticed the new "no homo" phenomenon, and even if you have, watch the video below. I find this new trend disturbing. This video is amazing though.

Bakesale Betty’s + The Roller Rink

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:12:00 +0000

I have previously posted about Bakesale Betty’s here. But really, it's just that good.

Sadly, strawberries are not in season and you cannot procure the delectable strawberry shortcake right now. However, Betty’s is never a shortage of goodness.

On my last visit I finally made it there early enough (during the lunch hour) to get one of their famous fried chicken sandwiches:

It didn’t disappoint. Even though it looks like a hard baguette, it was actually very soft and nicely contrasted by the crunch of the chicken and the coleslaw. Plus, I added hot sauce of course!

I also got some pumpkin pie and gingerbread cookies since strawberries are out of season. The pumpkin pie was SO good I had my friend bring me some on his most recent visit from Oakland.

Took a bite before I took the picture ;)

I don't know if you can see the middle, it's soft but not quite gooey.

To make sure the weekend wasn’t all food indulgence, I went to the roller rink with my best friend. I wanted to start rollerblading again so last year I bought some used ones off craigslist for $15 instead of the $80ish for new ones. Good thing since this is the first time I’ve actually used them since the purchase!

It was great to get back into it on a hardwood floor rather than the often harsh and bumpy pavement. Better yet I will be all ready for Ice Skating in the park. Have to build up the much needed ankle strength!

Funny observation: Kids don’t look when they peel off the roller rink because they don’t drive! My friend and I kept looking left and right like we were merging and changing lanes. 5 year olds are more likely to cut you off or fall in front of you, so that was something to get used to.

Pescadero, CA

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 01:28:00 +0000

An old co-worker told me about this great hostel just south of Pescadero, CA, which is itself just south of SF an hour. Pigeon Point Lighthouse and Hostel is indeed awesome. It's a hostile, so, keeping that in mind, there are a few perks here. Location, location, location. They also have a hot tub you can reserve for 30min. increments that looks over the ocean. It was fabulous. After a failed attempt to stay at the hostel last year for my girlfriends' birthday, we planned ahead and were able to book a private room for my birthday this past July.

The hostel is right on the ocean, and the only downside to the whole trip was the windy, cold, foggy weather. I guess you can't expect too much on the pacific coast, but it was the end of July so we were hoping for sun!

The lighthouse itself is a tourist spot, and the grounds are gorgeous.

I had never seen a plant like this. It seemed to be of the cacti family more than of the rose family.

Once we left the coast and headed about 3 miles inland to Pescadero, we were met with warmth and sunshine from both nature and the towns people.

The girl and her goat are actually leading you to the Pescadero goat farm and cheese shop, Harley Farms. You can buy some amazing artisan goat cheese and pet the goats. Also, when we stopped in, they informed us that they had just got their license to start making goats milk ice cream and were preparing to bring it to market. That is enough to get me back to Pescadero next summer.

The main drag in Pescadero is less than a quarter mile long, but there are some gems to be found. The mexican place inside the gas station makes amazing quesadillas. Fresh baked olallaberry pie and bread can be found at Arcangeli Grocery Co./Norms Market. Finger-licking-good BBQ in a picnic setting, can only be found on the weekends at the Pescadero Country Store. Gorgeous furniture and gift purveyors line the street along with a ton of cyclists and tourists. In a town so small, you are spotted straight off, so just enjoy it, the town has embraced itself as a tourist stop. Overall, it was a fabulous weekend on the coast.

Having explored and noted the highlights, I can't wait to share this with family and friends as a relaxing day trip next summer. Look out for my next post on the kiteboarding we witnessed a little further south.

Kiteboarding @ Waddell Beach

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 01:19:00 +0000

To be clear, I wasn't kiteboarding. I was just lucky enough to get some pictures of the guys that were.

This beach and popular kiteboarding spot is south of Pescadero, CA about 25 miles, but before you get to Santa Cruz, CA.

The kite is in his backpack and he is carrying the pump to blow up the frame of the kite.

Prepping to hit the waves. Getting the kite up is often a two person job.

One of the few but smart guys wearing a helmet.

Going old school...

Windsurfing

Yet, harmony on the water. This shot only captures about 1/4 of the surfers out there.

Vote for this Lesbian short...

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 04:10:00 +0000

and others as part of Netflix's Find Your Voice competition!

2008/2009 TV Round Up - The year of the FBI and The Wire alums

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 22:17:00 +0000

I have to say I probably wouldn’t have managed law school without my dvr. I finished my first year (more on that in a later post) and managed not only to keep up with most of my favorite shows but I took on some new ones. To see some of the shows I watch, check out my previous post.

I have to say I am disappointed that NBC’s Life was canceled. Not only is Det. Reese played by Sarah Sashi incredibly hot in her cop get up, Det. Crews played by Damian Lewis was one of the most dynamic and interesting characters a cop show has seen in a while. Ultimately I think this show played out too slowly for American audiences seeking instant gratification or at least a lot of flash bang to keep them interested.

Compared to my original list - see earlier post linked above - I only had a few minor mishaps. Mid-season my dvr crashed, thank you Comcast for continuing to give me refurbished pieces of crap. It recorded an episode of Trust Me in 1 minute installments until it deleted everything else and crashed. The two shows I was “saving”, or more realistically hadn’t had a chance to catch up on, were Lost and Gossip Girl. I’ll have to catch them over summer because I was pretty much SOL after losing half the season of both and wasn’t in the mood to watch it online nor did I have the time. I also did not take on the new show Cruso because I wasn’t that interested.

My favorite shows this year are all newbies:

First, my absolute favorite this year was J.J. Abrams’ Fringe. Not only does it star the amazingly beautiful and talented Anna Torv as Agent Dunham and Wire alum Lance Reddick (Det. Daniels) as Agent Broyles but Joshua Jackson makes his return to the small screen as Peter Bishop. Fringe aired on Fox with limited commercials in each episode keeping a fast pace and suspense high. Knowing next to nothing about science lets me buy into this show and really enjoy it. Fringe centers around an FBI task force set out to figure out the who/what/why of a bunch of recent attacks on citizens of the fringe science variety. This is a show worth watching from the beginning and the investment had an excellent payoff with an information and answer filled season finale. See a review here.

My lack of knowledge in the science arena also helped me enjoy CBS’s Eleventh Hour based on an English series of the same name. Dr. Hood, played by Rufus Sewell, is a consultant to the FBI with his own protective detail. Each episode is a new case for Dr. Hood to unravel and a chance for him and his protective detail Rachel Young, played by Marley Shelton, to get to know each other better. They forge a bond throughout the season that becomes brother/sister like by the end and I hope they continue to explore this dynamic.

I absolutely loved FX’s Son’s of Anarchy that aired in early fall. This show followed a motorcycle gang that could be modeled after the hells angels. They deal in arms but are good people and complicated characters. I can’t wait for its return.

The Beast, Patrick Swayze’s new project is gripping. Airing on A&E, both Swayze and newcomer Travis Fimmel delivered a gritty performance that could only be broadcast on cable. As undercover operatives for the FBI they live in the shadows and I can’t wait to go on their next adventure. This show also features Wire alum Larry Gilliard Jr. (D’Angelo Barksdale) as Ray.

One of the newest shows around, Southland, fills the slot of the departed ER. Female creator Ann Biderman has brought us a cop show we can really love. It reminds me a lot of NYPD Blue. The cop drama follows a group of 4 beat cops, a squad of detectives and 2 homicide detectives. The cinematography is excellent, it follows the beat cops on the calls they get, both bogus and life threatening. The newest member of the squad, officer Ben Sherman, is a standout character played by OC alum Ben McKenzie. The pacing is perfect. There is a good mix of politics, personal drama, cases, and street work to make this a great cop show with a viable future.

Keep a look out for Summer TV and post 1st yr. of law school debriefing...

Children's Books Become Movies - Money Makers?

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:55:00 +0000

I'm not sure if it is purposeful but certain types of movies all seem to get released around the same time. Most recently I remember a group of crime thrillers all released with in a month of each other: Pride and Glory, Body of Lies, and Righteous Kill.

Recently the box office has seen great success with children's movies: Chronicles of Narnia, Bridge to Terabithia, Nim's Island, and Race to Witch Mountain. Not to mention the monster hit that is Harry Potter.

Trend or not, I am SO excited for children's book turned film, Where the Wild Things Are:

Spring Break!

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 14:03:00 +0000

So I'm in D.C. for spring break, a much needed one I might add. Anyway, enjoy the awesomeness that is Portia De Rossi. How I miss Ally McBeal!

Marriage PSA
by whowantscandy

On a different note, go here for a thoughtful tribute of sorts to Natasha Richardson.

Scrabble Nation

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:34:00 +0000

(A sample of one of my crazier boards, so stacked a lot of tiles at the end were unplayable)

The Scrabble application on Facebook has a history. The concept was first brought to Facebook in the form of Scrabulous sometime around 2006, I believe. It swept Facebook for a good couple of months before Hasbro caught on and threatened to sue. Shortly thereafter Scrabulous disapeared and the next craze hit. Tetris maybe.

Recently, Hasbro released its sanctioned/sponsored version of Scrabble and it is probably a bigger hit than the first time around.

My entire section is obsessed, and for mostly novice players, law students are damn good.

I got my first BINGO (where you use all your tiles = 50 bonus points, for a 149 word score!)

"Patented" down the right side using two of the "double word" score tiles.

What an exciting play, fitting that it was a Property related term. Seriously though, I need to kick this scrabble addiction and refocus on my studies. Maybe after the next game :)

Open Letter to Candace Parker

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 17:35:00 +0000

Candace,

I love you, I really do. But seriously woman, are you crazy?

You are young, fabulous, famous, and coming off an amazing couple of years. 2 NCAA titles, #1 draft pick of the WNBA and then Rookie of the Year and MVP, the first ever to receive both honors in the same year. Plus, a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. The Sparks really did have a chance at the title too. I couldn't wait until your second season, with hopes that Michael got the point guard position straightened out…it was a great opportunity to push your game and the league further into the spotlight.

Come to find out you thought it would be a great time to go and have a baby. Seriously? Now?

I don't know what your plans are, and I can understand you have been under tremendous pressure to succeed since high school and earlier, but if you don't want to play, don't.

If you want to have a great career, wait 10 years and then have a kid. Didn't you see what a great example Lisa Leslie was, and she is on your team, didn't you talk to her? It just doesn't make any sense to me. If you can explain this craziness, I would appreciate it.

Much Love,
A fan

For other commentaries see here, here, and here.

Summitt Does It!

noreply@blogger.com (plasticcalifornia) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:27:00 +0000

Pat Summitt reached 1,000 career wins yesterday. The is the most wins EVER by a coach in college basketball, men's or woman's (the next closest is Bob Knight with 902 wins, he is currently retired but rumors are he might be coaching again soon). She has been the head coach of the Tennessee’s Lady Vols for 35 years, and has won eight national championships along the way! With a recent contract extension, she will be in action at Tennessee until 2014 with many more wins ahead. Congratz.

Other people singing the Summitt Love