Merry Christmas Eve

Happy Christmas Eve! Greetings from Santa Cruz. 

(Check out this post for some Santa Cruz vegan food review from the last time I was here - Saturn Cafe is a gem.)

This year, for the first time ever, I'm not spending Christmas at home in Oregon. I'll see my family next week, but this year for Christmas I'm with Fiance and a large group of my future in-laws. It's the first time I've met this side of the family, and there's quite a few names to remember, but John briefed me with a family tree before we arrived, so I'm doing all right. We're having fun and I feel welcomed like part of the family. 

This past week we've had quite a few stops and activities.

We started in Loma Linda with the end of my OB/Gyn rotation. It's a relief to be done because the hours were long, but I did all right and liked it more than I thought I would. Still going to be a pediatrician though, definitely haven't changed my mind.

Then we went to John's parents' house in San Diego and spent some time with his family. 

We decorated a tree.

And this is Panda. He's precious.

We also went to Irvine for a night, Jamba juice oatmeal and the Carrot Karma smoothie. We did all our Christmas shopping while we were there, so now we're ready. Bring on Christmas. 

On the way up to Santa Barbara we stopped for lunch at Nature's Grill in Ventura. It's the same as Natural Cafe in Santa Barbara, and I got the vegan version of the Buddha burrito. It was enormous, but I saved half for lunch the next day.

We also stopped and dropped my ring off at Van Gundy's - the jeweler John purchased it from, and we got it sized and polished. It's now as shiny as when he first gave it to me. AND it fits. I thought my ring size was 6 - it's 4.5. For the past 7 months I've been wearing a ring snuggie and now no more - it's wonderful. 

My friend Bri had a baby in September and we got to meet him finally when we arrived in Santa Barbara. He and I got along great. I promise not to steal him, I'll just be a good aunt. 

There was also Thai food - Tom Kah soup. 

And Backyard bowls - no trip to Santa Barbara is complete without it. Hot oatmeal bowl (they make it with in-house cashew milk) with agave, strawberries, blueberries and walnuts. 

We found this in Ventura when we went to pick up my ring. It tasted like those chocolate oranges you get at Christmas, but better. And more reasonably sized - I was never able to stop eating those big orange ones before I felt sick. 

We did some cliff walking at Shoreline park in Santa Barbara. 

THIS is the best vegan pizza of my life. From Pizza Guru in Santa Barbara - this is the White House with vegan white sauce and Daiya. It also has sundried tomatoes and artichoke hearts. I ate half and saved the leftovers.

These are the Cowboy Cookies from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar. They have coconut, chocolate chips, pecans and oats. They might be my favorite from the book so far. 

And the next day brought us to Backyard Bowls again - this one is the Island Bowl, a blended Acai berry base with granola, fruit and coconut topping.

Lunch yesterday was the leftover pizza, and dinner was veggie pizza from Woodstock's here in Santa Cruz.

And now you're all caught up. Happy Christmas.

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This morning I went on a 10 mile run. When I got back I couldn't feel my hands, but it was pretty fun. I left in the dark but looped back around in time for sunrise over the ocean and it was really beautiful. 

We're not sure what the rest of the day will hold, but it's Christmas Eve with family, so it will be good. 

And Merry Christmas to my other family - see you in a couple days!

What I Ate Wednesday: In Santa Barbara

Happy Wednesday friends!

This is my first official participation in the What I Ate Wednesday (WIAW) party (check it out at Peas and Crayons!), though often my posts tend in that direction, and I have been known to do a Thorough Thursday or two. It's much more fun all linked up to so many other people.

Breakfast (8:30 am): Backyard Bowls' oatmeal with strawberries. If I'm in Santa Barbara for more than a day, it seems like I usually make it to breakfast here. Boyfriend got the Berry Bowl, more of a smoothie in a bowl with granola/fruit topping.

Snacks (3:45 pm): 1 square Lindt 90% Cacao Dark (okay, that is dark, but awesome, thanks Arisa!), a fuji apple, Starbucks Vanilla Roiboos Soy Tea Latte - a date with my lovely friend Bri. 

Dinner (7 pm): Leftover Pineapple Red Curry with Brown Rice from Your Place on Monday night. 

Did you notice? Yeah...Lunch is missing. I don't know if it's the fun of vacation or my ridiculously delicious breakfast or a substantial dinner last night, but I just didn't get hungry. At all. Until my snacks close to 4, and even then it felt like I was forcing it on my stomach. I feel great, not sick or anything, some days are just weird like that I guess. 

Extras: This. Hydration is important. Bonus points when it's so dang delicious. 

Your turn! What'd you eat today?

Stay Sane, Take a Vacation.

Or: Obama in a Coffee.

I was talking to a good friend on the drive back from Santa Barbara this afternoon, catching up, and when I started to discuss school, he told me I sounded exhausted. Maybe it's because I was an hour into a drive in the afternoon and who isn't exhausted with southern California driving? But more likely, it's because when I talk about school, I sound exhausted, whether I actually feel that worn out at the moment or not. The work to come overwhelms me and sometimes shows in my voice.

The point is: We all sometimes need a vacation. Though I sounded exhausted, I am in fact feeling pretty rested and ready for the next 2 crazy months while I study hard and take Boards. I'm glad I took this 4-day weekend.

Here's a couple highlights:

1. Saturday breakfast: Backyard Bowls.
Boyfriend and I used to go out to breakfast lots of places - then I became a vegan and started cramping his style. By nature of the standard recipes for lots of breakfast foods, I pretty much can only eat oatmeal and fruit at most mainstream restaurants, and some have it already made with dairy milk, so it's a challenge.

Enter: Backyard Bowls. They have breakfast bowls, smoothies, and Acai bowls, and they make their own plant milks and source locally.

Saturday I had the Hot Oatmeal with Blueberries and Agave, Boyfriend went for the same but with Strawberries and Brown Sugar. I've also had the Hot Quinoa, which was good, but I just really love oatmeal.

Creamy steel-cut deliciousness with nuts and raisins. 

2. We checked out a new coffee shop on upper State Street called Vices and Spices. [Check it out here.]

It was rather tiny, full of interesting jewelry, and completely hopping with people. There were also herbs and teas both available by weight, as well as a full selection of coffee and tea drinks. Boyfriend got a Decaf English Breakfast Tea Latte. I didn't try it because he chose regular milk, but he said it was great. 

I also found a perfume I loved - Tokyo Milk No. 12, Gin and Rosewater. I didn't buy it, but I may add it to my post-Boards celebration shopping wishlist. I just now decided to make said list. Yes, this will be the first item. 

The best part? They had a lot of pretty standard coffees, but wait, what's that on the left?

Obama! Kenya, Indonesia and Hawaiian. 

I thought it was pretty funny.

Seeing miss Kelsey Quinlan was another high point in my weekend. I wish she didn't live so far away, but she's visiting Santa Barbara and I feel very blessed have been able to be there at the same time. 

Workout highlight: 12.5 miles this morning with Boyfriend. Well, sort of with Boyfriend. He runs much faster and I don't like it when he goes my pace because I feel like I'm holding him back, so he'll run ahead and then wait a bit for me; it's like we visit each other intermittently while we run. Anyway, 12.5 miles covers a rather large amount of Santa Barbara, you forget it's not really that big. We went from Montecito up to the Mission and up State a bit more, then back down all of De La Vina for a jog by the Ocean, Bird Refuge and home. My legs were really tired but it was gorgeous.

There was also some very fun cooking experiments done this weekend, but I'll have to put it in another post as there are studies calling me just now. 

So coming up: 

An easy variation on Veganomicon Potato Enchiladas

Post Punk Kitchen Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles. 

I hope you all had good weekends and that no matter what you feel ready for the new week.