Garden of Life Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

A few months ago, while restocking on my protein powder, I ordered the Garden of Life Extra Virgin Coconut Oil on vitaminshoppe.com.  I have heard all kinds of great things about coconut oil, as I'm sure you have as well.  Vitamin Shoppe has web special for this brand for only $8.97 with 5 star reviews, so I bought it to try.

I had never used coconut oil before, but I've read that many people have found it to be a great aid for weight loss, I'm talking like pounds just melt off.  It's also supposed to help lower cholesterol, and not to mention you can use it as eye cream or hair conditioner.  I guess it's like a magical oil?!  I had to try it for myself of course.  I've been actually using it to cook just about everyday for 2 months now.

I was really surprised when it first arrived that it looked just like a candle!  I seriously thought they sent me a candle instead, until I realized vitamin shoppe probably doesn't sell candles.  When you open the jar, it looks like this:

This is the solid state, but it melts extremely fast.  And when it does it becomes a very clear, colorless liquid.  When it's in its solid state, you can use it as a spread.  I actually LOVE the way it tastes as a spread on a slice of bread.  It's so much better than butter!  Sometimes I use it on a rice cake or something as a snack so I can get my carb and fat intake at once.  When I use it to cook, it doesn't become greasy at all, and it provides a very mild coconut flavor.  It's so mild that you may not even notice, depending on how much you use.  I have cooked chicken and baked fish with it, both are very good with it.  I sometimes even give some to Whiskey.  I figure it could be like an egg which makes his coat shinier.  He might love it more than I do!  Every time I open the jar in the kitchen, he can smell it no matter where he is in the house, and he runs over and sits next to me hoping that he will get some too.  He's not like this with any other type of food!

You can refrigerate it or just leave it in the cabinet.  I find the texture to be too hard when it's refrigerated, so I leave it out.  It's been really warm lately, and when we don't have AC on during the day, the oil turns into liquid even while sitting on the shelf.  Then it turns back into the solid form overnight.  Lol.  Whatevs.

As far as weight loss properties go, I don't think I've seen any.  But I did notice during the first few weeks of using it that I was hungry a lot more often than before.  So maybe it was revving up my metabolism a little.  I can't be sure.  Either way, I was struggling to eat more fat, so I'm happy to add this to my diet.  I know it sounds weird, but when you try to eat healthy, it is actually hard to get enough fat intake.  The whole "fat is bad" thing is such a dated idea from like 30 years ago.  Fat is essential, especially for women, as it is very beneficial for the joints and skin.  There are studies that have shown that even saturated fat, which has a bad rap, helps lower cholesterol and chances of heart disease.  I would like to eat around 70 grams of fat a day, so sometimes I need to have two servings of this oil a day to meet my quota.

Here's the nutritional information on it:

It basically has only fat and nothing else.  You can calculate it yourself since 1 gram of fat = 9 calories. 14 grams X 9 = 126 calories which is basically what the calorie amount is stated as.  

Anyway, I have tried using this as eye cream.  It's very very very moisturizing.  Basically you only need to use a tiny bit of it and it will stay on your eye area all night.  I thought it was a bit too much and didn't want to get it on my pillowcase so I don't use it much.  I haven't used it as hair conditioner though -  I am quite happy with my Bumble & Bumble conditioner!  But since it's super moisturizing, I would guess that it would probably do a good job.

So I am pretty used to using this as my main cooking oil now and I will probably continue buying it.  At 8 bucks it's totally a good deal because it lasts pretty long!

Anastasia Tinted Brow Gel & Sephora Collection Professional Clear Natural Mascara

I bought the Anastasia Tinted Brow Gel from Sephora about a month ago, before I went on vacation, and I've been using it everyday and loving it!!  I bought the second darkest color, called espresso.

The tube and applicator look just like a mascara.  It is super easy to apply - you just brush it onto your eyebrows.  I was surprised at how natural it looks!  Even when I think I may be putting on too much, it still looks much more natural than using an eyebrow pencil.  It darkens the hair instantly, and fills the sparse areas in between without making it look like a painted on block.  When it dries it hardens a bit and keeps the eyebrow hair in place.  It's really the perfect product for me and I can't believe it's taken me so long to find it!  I used to use an eyebrow pencil and then a clear gel on top.  Now I've simplified it into one step, it looks better and it saves me time.  What more can I ask for?  This product costs $21 but I think it will last a long time.  Each time I just take it out, use one side on one eyebrow, and flip it over and use on the other one so it doesn't take much product at all to achieve the desired effect.

The other product I bought which has been working really well for me also is the Sephora Collection Professional Clear Natural Mascara.  

It actually works as a clear eyebrow gel too I guess, but I have not used it for that.  I still have my lash extensions on, and if you've ever had lash extensions then you would know that after a couple weeks, some lashes start flipping over and curving downwards instead of up, or left and right towards all kinds of other directions.  I cannot say how much help this product offers for my extensions.  After putting it on, it really keeps the lashes where they are supposed to be all day long until I wash my face again.  And it even curls my extensions visibly.  I don't know why it took me so long to think of getting a clear mascara to solve my problems, but I used to just use my regular black mascara which causes build up for the extensions, and covers my purple lashes.  So this is another product that has been making my life much easier and it's only $10 which I can see will last a loooooong time.  The only downside I'd say is that if multiple coats are applied, it tends to clump lashes together.  And, the applicator is not the greatest because the end of it does not stop the mascara from coming out so you always see a gulp at the end which can build up around the opening of the tube over time.  But these are really minor issues considering how happy I am with it otherwise!

Sunday Funday Is Back!

I missed the couple weeks of Sunday Funday posts since I was out of the country, but it is back in full force this week!  Hehe.  I felt like I had to get back into the routine right away, so I went back to the gym the day after I landed.  The plane ride seriously bloated me like a fish.  But I'm happy to report that I got back to pre-vacation weight after a couple days of working out and eating well!  I guess it was just all water weight after all.  =)  I actually feel like all the muscles I've added through weight lifting really increased my metabolism.  Not to mention it feels so great to be in shape when I was out climbing ruins all day.  I was not sore for a single bit the whole entire 2 weeks!

Anyway, so I've had a pretty good workout week this week.  I actually started a new weight program with my husband since I am done with mine.  It's a program that he got from a bodybuilder years ago, and it is actually very similar to the one from New Rules of Lifting for Women.  It consists of supersets and it focuses on primarily one main muscle group a day.  So I think I will do it for a few weeks and see how it goes before venturing onto New Rules of Lifting for Abs!

Monday 7/9
What I did:  A class that consisted of half running/sprinting and half pilates.

What I wore:  Lululemon No Limit tank in flash, with indigo Ebb & Flow crops and New Balance Minimus Road shoes.

After getting back from like 100 degrees to 85 degrees, I felt I needed a jacket as to/from!  So I wore my Principle jacket hehe.

Tuesday 7/10

What I did:  Weight training, focused on shoulders.

What I wore:  Lululemon Cross My Heart tank in silver spoon, with matching Wunder Grooves and Adidas adizero adios 2 shoes.

I also went back to work on Tuesday, so I took a picture of my work outfit as well.  I wore my new shirt that I bought in Greece, which I haven't had a chance to write about.  Paired with my Tahari Sara skirt, Express belt, and Nine West Ambitious pumps.

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Wednesday 7/11 - I took it off the gym as a rest day, but I also took a photo of my work outfit with a new shirt from Greece!  I had a good day of shopping there.  I wore this shirt with my white Express Wide Waistband Editor pants, and my Ivanka Trump Pinkish pumps (even though for some reason I was wearing black ones in this picture).

Thursday 7/12

What I did:  Weight lifting, this time focusing on biceps and abs.

What I wore:  Lululemon Hot Class tank in coal/purple crush, with Run:Passion crop in power purple.

I also took a picture of my work outfit as well from the same day.  Here I wore my Express sleeveless shift dress with a light gray cropped cardigan over.

Friday 7/13 - Was planning on weight lifting again but I was so tired!  I think I was still kind of jet lagged, because I went home and fell asleep by like 9 pm, and slept for 13 hours!  Haha.

Saturday 7/14

What I did:  I went to boxing class and had such a hard workout!  I think my boxing instructor had it out for me for reals.  I almost died, and I really did start seeing stars after one particular round of one-on-one session with him.  I'm so sore today I can barely move... even laughing hurts!  

I also went to play beach volleyball for a couple hours afterwards, which might not have been the best idea in hindsight.  Now on top of everything, my forearms are sore too!

What I wore:  My new Lululemon swiftly racerback in pow pink light, and Run A Marathon Crop.

I took my new Modern Vintage High Heel Wedge Sandals out for a spin last night when we went out to dinner and drinks for a friend's birthday.  They were actually very comfortable even though the platforms are so high!  Definitely passed the test.  I wore them with my Forever 21 dress that I bought before I went on my trip.  I had totally forgotten about it!

I really love these shoes, they go with everything!  My outfit today worked with them too.  I wore my Abercrombie Kirstie shorts and my panda going green shirt.  =)

So needless to say, I did not workout today like I had planned to.  I'm just so sore!  I would love to go tomorrow but we'll see!  Usually second day soreness is even worse...

Modern Vintage High Heel Wedge Sandal

I bought the cutest Modern Vintage platform wedge sandals from Gilt when I was in Turkey, and had the box waiting for me when I got back.  I was so excited, because these are so cute and just what I need!  Not to mention they were on super sale for only $49, down from the $295 retail price.  That meant that there was no return allowed so I had to hope that the size fits!  The description actually mentioned that these run half a size large so I bought a size 6 (I'm usually a size 6 or 6.5 in most brands).  I was so relieved to find that they fit perfectly!

I love that these sandals have 3 different colors that compliment each other.  The colors are actually called sand, date, and gold.  They are made of super soft leather, the sole feels very cushiony and they feel pretty comfortable on despite the fact that they are 4.5 inches high.  It also helps that the platform is 1 3/4 inches I guess.  I actually don't normally like super high platforms, especially when you can see it in the front.  But I like these.  They make me super tall!  And they will go with pretty much everything which is always a plus.

Three Pow Pink Tanks from Lululemon!

I am back in LA!  After almost 24 hours of travel time and like 5 crying babies next to me the whole flight, I am very glad to be back in the comforts of home.  I know I was only gone for 2 weeks, but for some reason it feels like I've been gone for a very long time.  I dared to weigh myself when I first got home on Sunday, and I almost had a heart attack because I was 10 lbs heavier!!!  But by this morning I had lost 7 of those, so I guess I am up net +3 lbs which is much more acceptable considering how many gelato cones I had.  It's amazing how bloated a plane ride can make you!  I feel much better now, and I went back to work today where I retrieved my Lululemon package that I ordered while I was in Greece.  When I opened the package, it was like a pink explosion in my face!  I ordered 3 tanks, all in pow pink.  I love this color.  It's a great neon pink, and goes well with my new awesome tan!

So I ordered the cool racerback which I am definitely keeping.  The only pink cool racerback I have is bubbulicious which is a much lighter pink and nowhere close to this one.  I think this is what's been missing in my life.  I hope it doesn't bleed though.

I also ordered the Swiftly Racerback in pow pink light.  I was thinking of keeping either the cool racerback or the swiftly racerback, but now I am pretty sure I will be keeping both.  Pow pink light, especially in swiftly material, is quite different from pow pink in luon.  Definitely different enough to justify keeping both (or so I tell myself).  Also I've been meaning to get a second Swiftly Racerback anyway since I love my pink mist one.

Maybe this picture shows the color difference a little better, although I think the Swiftly Racerback looks even lighter in person than the photo shows:  pow pink cool racerback on the left and pow pink light swiftly racerback on the right.

Lastly, I ordered the Wandering Yogi Halter:

I like the neck strap detail and one of the back straps is braided which is cute too:

I love the halter style and the fact that the neck can be tied and adjusted to whatever feels comfortable to me (I usually have issues with neck strap being too tight with Lululemon halter tanks).  But there are a couple issues I have with this tank (I ordered it in my usual size 4).  1) I feel like the back goes down too low and is rather impractical - I would probably only use it for casual wear if I kept it.  2) The inner bra (the usual tannish color) kind of shows on top when you put it on normally and you have to adjust the chest to hide it.  3) The back straps don't stay in place (they kind of twist and turn however they feel like) and are a little tight on me which creates kind of a pinched look that I hate.  But otherwise I actually really like the look of this tank.  But since I'm already keeping the other two in the same color, I will most likely return this one.

Here's what it looks like on me:

The back is also curved and very long, it covers my butt.  I would rather have it be a couple inches shorter.

If not for the fit of the back straps, I think I would be more tempted to keep this tank.  I just feel like it would really bother me the way the straps twist and turn.  The top two straps like to overlap each other too.  And I really don't care for the back fat look.  I do think the straps are cute looking as a design detail, but I would actually rather just have the back of the tank come up to where the straps are and that way it would not show as much skin, which is like the whole entire back.

But 2 out of 3 isn't bad at all!  I'm very happy with the racerbacks.  =)

Greece!

I've just returned to Athens from my 5 day cruise of the Greek islands. It was a pretty tight schedule! Looking back, we should have probably only gone to 2 islands or so, but we wanted to see everything. I am actually really not a fan of cruises, but this one wasn't bad at all. The water was very calm for the most part so I didn't even feel boat sick.

The day excursions are such a ripoff though! They cost about 60 euro for basically just transportation from the port to some touristy destination on each island. I'm proud to say that we are savvy enough travelers that we just exited the port and found ways to get to places ourselves. That includes from renting a car to taking the bus. So I feel very smart. :D

I think I would agree with the general assessment that Santorini is the most beautiful island - the Oia village in particular, where all the post cards come from. Although Mykonos is very beautiful too and is right on the water vs a cliff. So if I were to go back, those are the two islands I would choose. But of course other than shopping, eating, and generally hanging out, there really isn't much to do on either. I like relaxing vacations but get bored after about 3 days of doing nothing.

Anyway, here are some photos of Mykonos, where it is famous for the windmills. And yes, it was very very windy there! But we watched an amazing sunset.

Santorini:

I also went to Rhodes, Patmos and Crete. I thought Patmos was kind of a waste. There is a monastery on top of a hill and that's it. Rhodes is a very large island where we rented a car and drove about 45 minutes to Lindos, where there is yet another acropolis on top of a hill that you can get to by climbing or a donkey ride for 5 euro. There are so many donkeys in Greece I swear. They are so cute with their big flappy ears! The view on top of Lindos is very pretty, because you can see the beaches underneath.

Back in the town of Rodos, there is an old town which is the oldest inhabited medieval town in Europe. It's all full of touristy shops and restaurants now though. So you'd have to imagine what it looked like without all the crap.

We went to see the Knossos palace in Crete which was very exciting because it was Minos in Homer's Odyssey! One of my favorite books in high school. Yeah yeah, I was (am still) a nerd. But of course due to fire and earthquakes throughout the years, what remains today are only the basic foundations of what it used to be. I still found the atmosphere very charming though, since it is situated in a lush green area about 20 minutes outside of the city. We took a bus there for 3 euro round trip per person. :D

Back in Athens, we finally get to relax in a coffee shop. It actually probably only takes a day to see everything in Athens. Before I came, I was warned that Athens is dirty and gross and I would not like it. Well, it is pretty dirty with trash and graffiti everywhere. Not sure if it's due to the current economic condition or what. But when you venture into some less touristy areas, there are nice restaurants and cafes. I guess it is kind of like LA in a way that it's an insider city. You will not like it if you don't know where to go. We just asked different locals working at restaurants or whatnot about their suggestions. But of course a trip to Athens can't be completed without a going to the Acropolis and fighting the crowd.

I've been very happy with the food in Greece. The prices are pretty decent too. Definitely cheaper than I thought. You can get these huge gyros for 2.5 euro just about anywhere.

And almost every restaurant has Greek salad which is amazing. It's so simple too, so I'm totally bringing it home. It's got cucumber, tomato, olives, peppers and feta cheese. Sometimes capers too. It is so so good. I've been eating one everyday so far!

Oh yes, water here is also readily available and cheap. There are all these newspaper/snack stands all over the country on every block, where you can get a 1.5 liter bottle of water for about 1 euro. I need 2 of those a day to stay hydrated!

So my vacation is now pretty much over. I have one more day tomorrow with a day trip to Delphi and then heading home on Sunday! I am never ready to go home at the end of any vacation but I do miss the comforts of being home, with close access to my wardrobe, cell phone service, car, and Whiskey! I guess he's causing havoc at the friend's home he's been staying at. Destroying flower beds, garage doors, and trapping her cats under the bed. He's very high maintenance. Can't wait to see his cute little face though! I hope he hasn't totally forgotten us!

Istanbul

I spent a few days in Istanbul and find it to be such a great city that I wish I had a few more days! I think it is a great mix of the east and west. When you look at the view of the city, you see all the red roofs that I think are so representative of European cities. Then you have all these beautiful mosques and old Sultan palaces mixed in. Of course the city itself is situated on two continents - the European side and the Asian side. The population are Muslim, Christian and Jewish. It really is a unique place!

I really don't think I've seen anyone in full on burkas before Istanbul. They are so mysterious that I find myself staring at them trying to take a peek at their faces when they lift them up briefly to eat or readjust. Got caught too, haha. But mostly I was wondering to myself how they could walk around in 90 degree sun with full on black coverups. I was already dying in my little dresses or tanks! Speaking of clothes, I was a bit worried about dressing appropriately for mosques and such. But turns out, most places have wraps or head scarves set aside for visitors so you can put them on before entering and it wasn't an issue at all.

We stayed at a party area called Taksim that is literally 24/7 nonstop. Our hotel was pretty much on top of clubs and bars. We would wake up at 7ish in the morning, look out the window and people were still partying! It is pretty crazy and I am already way too old for that. Coming from California where all the bars and clubs have to shut by 2 am by law, it is a very different schedule for us.

All the major sites of the city are very close by each other which is great for tourists. You can walk from the famous blue mosque to the grand bizarre in less than 10 minutes. By the way, I didn't find the grand bizarre to be too special, since every shop was selling the same thing and I always feel like I'm getting ripped off even if I bargain it down from their original price! It's kind of a stressful experience when everybody is trying to talk to you and get you to go to their shop. Same as restaurants in Istanbul. Some people are so persistent that they won't let you go! I had one guy who held my hand and tried to force feed me desserts! My hubby is not much help in those situations. He just watches from afar and laughs at me. Humph... But I think it would be lots of fun to go to Istanbul with girls only, as you can probably get lots of attention! Everybody calls you beautiful angels and tells you they love you... Hahaha. And of course there are some very good looking Turkish men too.

Food in Turkey is good, I had lots of kebabs and casseroles cooked in clay or stone pots. I noticed that people eat very carb heavy there and a lot of people are overweight. I tried hard to eat more protein but it's difficult when they give you all kinds of yummy bread and rice with your meal! Amazingly though, I am not doing too bad. Bottled water is so so cheap in Turkey that I've been hydrating myself pretty well too.

Ok I feel like I've written way too much. So I am going to stop now. Here are some pictures though! I am now in Athens so I am sure I will have more to write about later. :)

Famous blue mosque:

Smoking hooka on bean bags!

Turkish coffee: