My Whole30 Experience

It's been pretty quiet around here for the past month, and of course there's a reason for that. I've just finished the last day of my first ever Whole30. I'll let you read as much as you want about it here, and if you're interested in learning even more, I highly recommend this book. The basic philosophy is a 30 day challenge or reset to change your approach to eating. The following sums up what my last 30 days have looked like:

It's definitely been a challenge, but it's also been one of the smartest things I've ever done. I first heard about the Whole30 from reading Carrie and Danielle's blogs, and decided to give it a try. I won't wax on about how much it changed my outlook, but I do think it really highlighted certain aspects of food and eating for me. First of all, do you know how many products contain sugar?! It's staggering and shows up in some unexpected places. By far, the hardest thing for me to adjust to was drinking my morning cup of coffee without the addition of raw sugar. After about a week, though, it was fine and I didn't even think about sugar or grains. I've come to enjoy a splash of canned coconut milk and appreciate coffee for its own flavors. Here is my little bulleted breakdown:

• The key theme for me during my Whole30: preparation. I planned out meals for the week every Saturday and then went shopping for the entire week. It pays off in the long run. This isn't a plan where you can just grab something on the go when you're in a jam. It takes some thought.
• Shop local and seasonal. I tried all sorts of new vegetables and recipes using foods from my farmers' market. I cooked a lot and used up leftovers.
• Find a couple of staple snacks that you can rely on in a pinch. I'm on the road for most of the day for my job, so I don't always get to sit down and enjoy my lunch. I did my best, but it just isn't feasible for me every day. I packed lunches and would snack on some cashews or almonds, or if I was really in a bind, a Larabar (a flavor without added sugar).
• Eat breakfast daily. Do not skip this step.
• Don't be afraid to try new things. Cook from scratch so you can control the ingredients. I made roasted tomato soup from whole tomatoes several times. I tried roasted brussel sprouts (!!!) and liked them. I was really creative and even though my boyfriend didn't do the Whole30 with me, he was happy with all of the new menu items!
• Enjoy the money you'll save by not eating/drinking out for a month! Seriously, though, there are tons of physical benefits (better sleep, clearer skin, more energy), but it was nice to lay low for the month and not worry about going out.
• Don't worry about what every one else thinks. I gave up on trying to explain what I was doing to people because they looked at me like I had seven heads. Do it for you and your own well being.

I'm not going to lie, I'm really looking forward to going out for a sushi dinner and glass of wine on Thursday night (something I used to enjoy weekly), but this 30 day challenge was eye-opening. I don't think I'll ever go back to unnecessarily adding sugar to coffee or other foods and I really don't need cow's milk. I'm perfectly happy with the almond or coconut varieties. I plan on continuing to shop local and buy the highest quality poultry, meat, and seafood that my budget will allow. I'm enjoying the benefits of the challenge, such as the sound sleep, slimmer silhouette, and lack of intestinal turmoil (the past 30 days dairy-free confirmed the fact that I most likely have a dairy allergy). I really encourage everyone to try this, even if it's just for a few weeks. I promise that you will feel better and see results. In the mean time, I'm definitely looking forward to indulging in a couple pieces of Halloween candy tomorrow!

And now back to my regular blogging!

What's new with you?

  

Annual Crab Feast + More Photos From Home

One of the greatest 'final hurrahs' of summer vacation last August was a crab feast with friends and family. This year, we decided to do it again, and so a new tradition has officially been born! I have really started to appreciate the Chesapeake Bay crabs because we can't get them up here in New England. The menu was kept pretty simple: steamed crabs, bruschetta, and a new crostini recipe I wanted to try with burrata, thinly sliced fresh figs, a drizzle of honey, and a sprinkling of toasted hazelnuts. I can't wait to experiment with more crostini toppings. They're as fun to make as they are to eat!

Steamed crabs hot and fresh from the waterfront. 

Giving Emily's chocolate chip cookie recipe a whirl for dessert.

Toasted and chopped hazelnuts that topped crostini.

Fresh figs that were sliced and put on top of creamy burrata + drizzled with local honey.

Baguette ready for slicing.

Crostini in the making.

Jackson tried crabs, but really loved the watermelon.

"It's SO juicy!"

Mom prepping flowers for the table.

Wooden utensils from Sprinkles in Georgetown.

Sticky s'mores cupcake.

Cinnamon-sugar cupcake (my favorite!).

Around DC: Teak Wood

One of my favorite things to do when I visit DC is to check out new restaurants, bakeries, bars, and boutiques. I rely heavily on my sisters and Tiane to steer me in the right direction, and last Friday, my sister Austin did not disappoint. She took me to Teak Wood, a great sushi and Thai spot in Logan Circle that she frequents with coworkers. Sometimes I'm weary of restaurants that try to do too much (Chinese/sushi/Korean bbq), and usually prefer those that do one thing exceptionally well. Teak Wood manages to do the Thai/sushi fusion beautifully. The restaurant itself is colorful and detail-oriented, with almost antique-like buddhas all over. It has an upscale feel, but also retains its neighborhood charm. I thoroughly enjoyed my lunch and of course the company. 

Thanks, Austin!

Menus presented in wooden booklets.

Laminated sushi menu with a wax pencil to place your order.

Monogrammed plates with elaborate script.

Vegetarian spring rolls with chili dipping sauce.

Shredded green papaya salad (one of my all-time favorite dishes).

Mexicano roll + tuna tempura roll + tuna nigiri.

Mexicano close up: yellowtail, jalapeno, avocado, cilantro, tobiko.

Chopsticks and soy sauce dishes.

The food presentation was so clean and pretty!

Restaurant entrance.

Plants and Other Projects

There have been lots of DIYs happening around here. I feel like with summer right around the corner, the porch has been the focal point of my efforts. I started by sprucing it up with a cute iron table and teal chairs set and planted a few pots of fresh herbs. So far, I've managed not to kill basil, mint, and cilantro. They're actually bright green, thriving, and fully edible! I also have a strong affinity for succulents, and have been pinning away creative ideas for terrariums and little displays with them. Over the weekend, I took a cue from the Beautiful Mess blog (so many cute ideas over there!) and prettied up some plain old terra cotta pots for my new succulents. It was a super quick and budget-friendly way to add some fun decor to the porch. Plus, I'm happy to report that M and I have enjoyed dinner al fresco three times this past week. See, there are so many benefits to revamping the porch! Now I'm on the hunt for some fun paper lanterns or little strings of lights for nighttime ambiance.

What have you been up to?

DIY terra cotta pot painting on the porch

acrylic paint + foam craft brush + miniature terra cotta pots

first, add a coat of white paint as a base

then, paint the rest (or part) of the pot a different color; allow to dry completely

fill the pot with some pebbles at the bottom, then top with soil and succulents

the pale yellow pot is my fav!

citrus fruit for fresh squeezed margaritas

bright orange ranunculus from the farmer's market

I love how perfectly symmetrical they were when they began to bloom!

juicy watermelon that went into a salad with feta cheese and mint

leisurely Sunday brunch at the Armsby

trying a bright lipstick for the first time-Spellbound by Cover Girl

Wait, It's May Already?

Life has been busy lately! I had so much fun on my little weekend solo jaunt to New York City last weekend. I survived a great barre class at Exhale Spa, did tons of walking around the city and through Central Park, and met up with a friend who recently moved from Chicago. Jessica's bridal shower was a great celebration and I loved being able to hang with her close girlfriends before the wedding next month (already!). The group ventured out to the Standard's biergarten on Saturday afternoon, where I could have continued people watching for daaaays. I was super diligent about packing my camera, but somehow forgot to put the battery back in it before heading out, so I was only able to snap some iPhone photos. Oops! I need to get better at remembering to actually use my real camera. 

This past weekend was spent enjoying a little Cinco de Mayo action, grilling on the porch (steak fajitas), and finally meeting up with Lauren (for mani/pedis + cocktails), who was in town from DC. I only wish the weather was warmer. I'm ready for more spring-like temps and less rain! 

What about you! How was your weekend?

favorite new polish combo: Chanel's nouvelle vague + gradient glitter

remnants from Saturday's homemade margaritas using this recipe (which was so good!)

late takeout sushi lunch on Friday (sashimi is my fav!)

pretty packaging + tape from Anthropologie

minty fresh watch and neon bracelets for warmer weather

Stickygram

Have you heard of Stickygram? It's such a great idea and easy company to work with! They take photos from your Instagram feed and turn them into little 2" x 2" magnets. I just placed my first order last week and was shocked to find them at my doorstep yesterday afternoon. I first heard of Stickygram through Photojojo, who posted about them on their photo feed. There's usually some sort of coupon code that you can use to get a discount, too, and shipping is always free. It's a fun way to actually have something tangible from all of the photos you take.


The hardest part for me was narrowing down my choice of pictures--I wanted to turn them all into magnets! You can use the code 'helloandroid' for 15% off until the end of April. Have you tried Stickygram yet?

Follow Stickygram on Instagram and follow me while you're there (xotaylor)!

Special Delivery: Birchbox

After seeing countless bloggers post about their monthly Birchbox, I finally broke down and added my name to the wait list. Tiane got her first Birchbox last month, and the $10 seems worth it for a few fun beauty goodies and the anticipation of a monthly snail mail surprise. I probably waited less than a month before I got the e-mail prompting me to subscribe, and I went with the month-to-month option so that I can cancel at anytime. I was so excited to see that little pink box in my mailbox Saturday afternoon, plus miniature anything is somehow more exciting and cute! My first Birchbox contained the following:

-Befine skin care sampler
- Color Club turquoise nail polish (how did they know I'm obsessed with nail polish?)
- Juicy Couture Viva La Juicy perfume (which I've tried before and love!)
- June Jacob Perfect Pumpkin Enzyme Polish (probably the product I'm most looking forward to testing out
- Show Stoppers designer fashion tape

All in all, it seems like it was worth the money. I'm already super excited for next month's Birchbox because it's a Gossip Girl theme! Do you have a subscription to Birchbox now? What's been the best product you've gotten? I want to know what else I can look forward to receiving!

Interested in trying Birchbox? Sign up here!

Life Lately...

There's been some serious downtime around here since returning from San Diego. Between the time change and getting back into the work routine, my weekends have been reserved for leisurely brunches, walks in the fresh springtime air, and catching up on my favorite blogs. I've also been trying to tackle some of the recipes that I've been pinning for months. Among my new favorites: Pioneer Woman's cold brewed iced coffee (liquid gold, if you ask me), Taza's puffed pancake (which I've been justifying as breakfast during my 40 days of no sweets + alcohol), and the best homemade salsa ever. Seriously, I am not exaggerating when I tell you this salsa comes together in under 5 minutes and will make your taste buds incredibly happy (and leave you craving a frosty margarita). Make all three recipes and tell me they're not amazing.

How have you been enjoying these springlike temps?


puffed pancake right out of the oven


...and with a drizzle of real maple syrup


home-brewed iced coffee (in its sludgy mid-brew state)


fun, springy polishes


my favorite orangey-coral hue by Chanel