The weekend was great! I took an extra day off so I had a four day weekend and go back to work in the morning. I will have a lot of work cut out for me. Lots to get done in three days.
I managed to try a few new foodie places this weekend. No wonder the scale is yelling at me. I tried Nopalito after wanting to for the past couple of years. It was tasty and fresh trendy mexican food. I'd go back but it didn't fulfill that craving for artery-clogging refried beans loaded with melted cheese and Spanish rice. Hmmm, this is probably why the scale is screaming at me. I've been having really unhealthy cravings lately. Chicken and waffles anyone? The next foodie place I tried was Bar Tartine for brunch. I had buckwheat speatzle with trumpet mushrooms and fried eggs. Yum! I really need to try this place out for dinner. And lastly, Tanpopo for ramen. Probably the best ramen (except for NY) to date. Ugh, I think I better load up on fruit and veggies this week.
I watched two movies. The Iron Lady which was fantastic! Seriously...don't walk...run and see it. I didn't know very much about Margaret Thatcher but the movie was enlightening and Meryl Streep seriously did a fantastic job. She was very deserving of her Golden Globe this past weekend. I also saw Hugo in 3D which was different than I expected but very good all the same.
In between all the eating and movie watching, I fit in a 4-mile hike around the city and nursed a sore back. I also went to a restorative yoga class that then did wonders for my aching back and made me realize I really need to start up with the yoga already. At least with the restorative classes until I can build up the stamina for the 90 minute vinyasa yoga classes. 90 minutes of fast paced asanas can really kick you in the ass when you're out of shape.
Today, I went to a photo shoot. I had bought a deal for the hell of it and with the intention to get some new, fresh photos of myself. I don't really like having photos of myself taken so this required a lot of self peptalking. But I did it and I am hoping I have a couple of decent photos. I'll find out in a week. But I think the little ego boost was being asked out on a date by the photographer. I'll wait to see how the photos come out first! But it was nice to just be asked out at random in a real life situation instead of the annoying online dating scenarios I've placed myself in.
In between, I've stitched some on Sadie's stocking and it's really coming along. I'm hoping to be finished by the end of the week or the weekend at the latest.
I don't feel like taking it off the scroll bars to take a full photo but that will come soon with the finish! The bottom section is my favorite with the little village and the tiny sheep grazing in the meadow.***
So I said that when I reached 200 followers, I would have a little surprise to celebrate and ring out the Year of the Bunny which ends on Sunday. Here is a terrible photo of a sneak peek.
The prize will be a finished pincushion and floss tag which will happen when I finish the above. I stitched iStitch Sew a Brown Bunny last year hence the 2011 already stitched on it but will leave it in since 2011 was in fact, the Year of the Bunny. It's been stitched on 40 count Antique White (or Ivory) Ricamo with CC Secondhand Rose and Cocoa Bean. I'm hoping to use IHSW to do the finishing but please don't be upset if you are the winner and it takes me a bit longer to finish and send it on. I will find a couple of other goodies in the stash to send along as well.
To enter:
1. Please comment,on this post only, saying you want to be entered;
2. Be a follower or regular commenter;
3. Do not post about this on your blog as it's for regular readers and followers;
4. Tell me what your favorite candy is!
Easy Peasy! I will draw a name on Sunday, January 22nd after 5pm PST.
Ok, time to head to bed and prepare for a crazy end of week.
Until next time...
The prize will be a finished pincushion and floss tag which will happen when I finish the above. I stitched iStitch Sew a Brown Bunny last year hence the 2011 already stitched on it but will leave it in since 2011 was in fact, the Year of the Bunny. It's been stitched on 40 count Antique White (or Ivory) Ricamo with CC Secondhand Rose and Cocoa Bean. I'm hoping to use IHSW to do the finishing but please don't be upset if you are the winner and it takes me a bit longer to finish and send it on. I will find a couple of other goodies in the stash to send along as well.To enter:
1. Please comment,on this post only, saying you want to be entered;
2. Be a follower or regular commenter;
3. Do not post about this on your blog as it's for regular readers and followers;
4. Tell me what your favorite candy is!
Easy Peasy! I will draw a name on Sunday, January 22nd after 5pm PST.
Ok, time to head to bed and prepare for a crazy end of week.
Until next time...
40 comments:
Oh, looks wonderful!!! Congrats on 200 followers, I would love to be entered in your draw! My favorite candies are a tie between SweetTarts and Rockets (which I'm pretty sure are called Smarties in the US!).
Thanks for the chance to own a finish by Valerie :)
I think the whole eating thing is down to it being January. I reckon we all want to lay down fat stores in the winter. I always put weight on at this time of year, my body seems to need more food. Talking of which, my favourite sweetie is Cadbury's Crunchie bar.
Hi (she says frantically waving!)
Sounds like you had a great food fest, and sometimes you do have to treat yourself.
I would love to be entered in your giveaway (pretty please) and my favourite candy is...erm...there are too many, erm...I suppose if I had to choose just one..it would be Riesens (OMG they are so yummy).
I had the best houmous, sun blushed tomatoes and ciabatta on monday night - it was beautifully accompanied with cocktails!
hello dear, i am from south africa..my name is cucki..i am your new follower and i will visit you now more often..
your blog is so sweet with beautiful stitching..
congratulations for 204 followers..me your new friend now..
big hugs from me..
love cucki xx
Congrats on reaching the 200+ followers! I'd love to be in the draw please - favourite candy is Kit Kat :-)
Your stotcking is looking lovely!
your stitching if lovely. Perfect for our spring. Congrats on the two hundred followers and on the potential date. It can remember spontanious date requests way way back in my life rofl. Perk you up for week if I remember rightly!! Favourite sweets...err...jelly sweets (haribo) or chocolate with nuts in...appropriately rofl
It sounds like you've been having a great time! Mexican food--yummmmm. I hope things work out with the date!
Love the stitching! Your stocking is coming along so nicely. Your pincushion-to-be-is fantastic, too. Favorite candy for me is definitely Good & Plenty!
Did you wear your dress for the photo, the one that you bought last year that is retro looking?! And got asked out by the photographer....I'd be giving myself a big High-Five if I were you! I'm so happy for you :)
I love the stocking and I love the contest :) Please enter me, I'm a follower, mum's the word and plain Hershey's chocolate bar is my favorite, I'm a simple girl. ;) Have a great life!
Hey Valerie!
Sounds like a great weekend. Thanks for the movie info. It helps quite a bit. Seems like there is not enough time to get to them all. Also hardly any of the movies like Iron Lady come to my small town :( There is no ramen in this town either :) Oh well that what vacations are for. I really like big city vacations where I have access to all those different things.
The stitching is beautiful. You are making good progress.
Please enter me in your giveaway and of course any type of chocolate. Have a great week!
What a great long weekend you had, Valerie! The movies and restaurants all sound very worthwhile. And a date with the photographer? You just never know, do you? Nice progress on your stocking and the bunny piece is adorable!
Congratulations on your new followers--it's always fun to see a new one pop up, isn't it? Favorite candy? Definitely chocolate covered raisins!
HI Valerie,
Love four day weekends and yours sounds like it was awesome. Lovely stitching on the stocking.
Please enter me in your generous giveaway, my favourite candy is Ferrero Rocher chocolates.
Hugs, Kaye xoxox
Oh definitely enter me in the giveaway! You're so sweet to do it! I so enjoyed hearing about all the restaurants. I'd love to have foodie overload. And wow, so great that the photographer asked you out! Are you going on the date? Hope so! Hope you like the pics too. I want to see Iron Lady sometime -- thanks for reminding me. Hugo too. Your stocking is looking good too!
Your long weekend sounds so wonderful! Mmm, spaetzle - I need to make some!
Great giveaway, and since I was born in a year of the rabbit, long, long ago... please count me in!
As for dating the photographer, what have you got to lose?? I remember a post (or two) about not-so-great dates with guys you'd met in more and also less conventional ways, so why not give this old-fashioned meeting and request a chance? You've got nothing to lose other than an afternoon or evening.
Can't wait to see your photos. How nice to be asked out on a date.
Lovely progress on Sadie's Stocking. It's so sweet!
Food: YUM!
Yoga: OUCH!
Stitching: Gorgeous!
Being asked out on a date: Woo-Hoo!
I am a regular reader but unfortunately don't comment very often so I won't enter your giveaway.
I do hope your back is quickly on the mend. I too have back problems but I think if I tried yoga I would end up in traction! :o)
Oh, yes, please enter me in the giveaway! I would love to receive anything handmade by you! How cool to be asked out by the photographer! Life does hold some surprises in store for us. My favorite candy...Sweetarts. And especially around this time of year when they are in the shapes of hearts and ducks and bunnies!
Oh, please enter me in your sweet bunny design give away. I signed up for the Hermit weekend for the first time too, and hope to make some headway on my projects. Congrats on 200+.
Bobbi
Forgot my favorite candy...M&Ms...or anything chocolate!
Bobbi
I love your stitched piece and would love an opportunity to win it. My favorite candy--Pecan Turtles
I think that eating in January is just a continuation of eating for the holidays - it's almost like once you start over the holidays you don't bring your head up until the end of January. And Ramen in NY - you will have to tell me where!
Your bunny piece is so cute!!!! I'd love to be entered into your giveaway. Congratulations on reaching 200 followers!! Favorite Candy - Heath Bars and Black Licorice or just anything in chocolate works!
So glad to hear happiness in your posts again. I know how hard things can be at times.... Just be patient and the right thing will happen at the right time. (At least that is what I've been telling myself lately!)
As for your giveaway, congrats on 200 followers! Of course, I would love to be entered!
I've been trying to stay away from candy becuase I've been trying to get rid of those last few nagging pounds. Still, a girl has to indulge every now and then. My favorite candy as of late is Chocolate Covered Pomagranate Seeds. (Oh yes, there is such a thing! I just found out about them over Christmas and now I'm addicted.) I also love chocolate covered rasins. Ok, let me be honest....any chocolate (without coconut) will do.
Oh....and please don't tell anyone about the four boxes of Girl Scout Cookies I just ordered!
Congrats on reaching 200 followers Valerie. Glad you enjoyed your long weekend and good for you getting some photos taken. Every year I tell myself DH and I will have our portrait taken but it's yet to happen. Glad you liked The Iron Lady - I want to see it. I do remember Margaret Thatcher more since I'm older than you, and Meryl Streep is always fantastic in everything.
Woo Hoo! The photographer asked you out! All that food hasn't settled anywhere too badly, I'm thinking :)
My daughter met her husband on Match.com-so it works sometimes.
Please enter me in your drawing-I'm a loyal follower/reader/lurker, but don't comment much. I love Mr Goodbar :)
beautiful pictures ..
bisous de France
All the foodie places you ate at sound really great. We have a yummy hole-in-the wall Mexican place here. Their refried beans are the best! It's inexpensive and the food is so tasty.
Nice progress on your stocking. Congrats on the 200 followers! Yay. As you know, I've been a long time reader and follower for years. So include me, please ☺
I hope your photos turn out. I'm sure they will. We're our own worst critics. Trust me... I'm a photographer, too. I did headshots for all the employees of my "old" (pre-merger) company and I heard the same story. "I never take a good photo... etc, etc"
You have been busy over the weekend!!!! There seems to be so many good movies out lately, I can hardly catch up!!!
I'm sure your photos will turn out super, since the photographer wants to ask you out~~ ^^
Congratulations on reaching 200 followers!!!!!! I would love to have something made from you~~ My favorite candy is dark chocolate!! Yum~~~~
I can relate to wanting to eat those good comfort foods in the depths of winter. Why can't New Years resolutions take place in May or some other months that's not in the depths of winter.
I used to live in SF (2001 - 2005) and reading your blog is like a peek at an old friend. I miss the city and the fog and the baseball and the food and the tourists and the busses and all that crazy randomness that makes up SF.
I would love to be considered for your wee draw. The WIP is so very lovely!
kaysrandomworld.blogspot.com
kaysrandomworld@gmail (dot) com
Lovely progress on the stocking.
Wonderful that you were asked on a date, was e nice? Will you go? Questions....Questions lol
I'd love to enter the giveaway, I was born in the year of the rabbit 1963. Your stitched piece for the giveaway is stunning.
Val! Your stocking is coming along GREAT! I wish I had someone new in the family that I could stitch a SB stocking for! they are just gorgeous!
I would love to be counted in on your giveaway, if you consider me a regular visitor. thanks :) Congrats on 200+ followers
Sounds like you had a wonderful weekend! And wow, getting asked out by the photographer ~ had to laugh when you said you'll have to see how the photos come out! Your stocking is coming along ~ love the colors. Congrats on the followers! Count me in on the giveaway chance ~ I love chocolate!!
It sounds like a fantastic weekend! Except for the hurting back - hope it's all better now.
Hello??? What did you say to the photographer? You can't leave us hanging like that! :)
so cute Valerie! I am a regular follower. Sorry I don't always comment when I should, but I always love looking at your blog! Congrats on reaching 200 followers! That is wonderful
Ooooh, congrats on the potential date! Hope your photos turn out lovely!
I would love to be entered in your giveaway. I'm an RSS follower via GoogleReader. I'm not really much of a candy eater, but I guess my favorite would be either Reese's PB cups or Almond Joy candy bars.
I would love to be entered in your giveaway....Congrats on making 200!! Favorite candy hmmm...Junior Mints!
Oh why did you have to talk about food???? LOL! It sounds like you've had a lovely week. Having one's picture taken is probably a great way to make you feel good about yourself! Let us know if you take the date or not ;o)
Your stocking is looking lovely. Ohhhhhhh....I'm loving this pin cushion already ;o)
Please enter my name and I am a stalker! Favorite candy? That's got to be a hard one. Candy or chocolate? If candy...Swedish Berries :o)
Congrats on the followers, Valerie.
Ooooh, I wanna see those pic, k? I bet you look gorgeous. :D
Stocking is coming along beautifully. Happy finishing during IHSW!!
I don't usually enter giveaways, but for something stitched by you, hell yeah!! Favorite candy? ermm........ I don't like sweet stuff. LOL!
gorgeous stitching
Congratulations on reaching 200 followers! I would love to be entered in this. my favorite candy is Reese's peanut butter cups.
Love the Stocking - It is done with some beautiful colors :)
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