Mexico City...CDMX

Well we have arrived! After a LONG day of traveling and nearly missing our connecting flight in Guadalajara, we arrived at out super cute hostel Massiosare. Very eclectic, full of beautiful murals and lovely quotes, and a quaint rooftop terrace. Of course we were starving and wandered until we found tacos and tacos and tacos. We had 11 between the two of us, but who’s counting? They were so delicious and so cheap, we both ate for $3.85! One melatonin later, and few crazy dreams, we reluctantly crawled out of our bunk beds and stuck to our plan of a morning workout. We decided to do a quick run as a way to also explore Parqué Mexico in the Condesa neighborhood; beautiful, lush, and full of one of my favorite things, DOGS. Mexico City in itself is super busy, smoggy (our lungs are pretty fiery), and congested, but the parks add a bit of respite and quiet. Side note: We noticed on our run that while CDMX is a big city, its still pretty clean! We had to be careful not to slip on the side walks covered in soap suds…

Next we headed off to Pujol; and if you love food you may have heard of it, and if you don’t know what is, its pretty incredible. We were a bit nervous when we arrived that we wouldn’t be allowed in considering everyone was wearing suits and heels; I think if we had been there for dinner service we would have been turned away. When you’re traveling for two months, heels don’t make the cut! Where was I? oh yes, Pujol… the service was excellent, the food was flavorful, beautiful, and delicious. If you are able to get a reservation here (a couple months in advance), I would recommend giving it a try; the experience is lovely and price DEFINITELY reflects that. After a 6 course meal, and two glasses of wine, its safe to say we are in a food coma. It’s 8:30pm and we are already in our pajamas. Plan for tomorrow: Utilize the subway and bus system to get to Teotihuacan; the ancient pyramids; that should be an adventure in itself!

FYI, the pictures below of the food aren’t the greatest; I was kinda scared to even take them!

Mural in the common area

I couldn’t agree more, one of my favorite characteristics

Parque Mexico

Menu at Pujol

Street Snacks

Street Snacks

Sea Bass Ceviche

Octopus

Cauliflower fried in chicken fat

Wild Herb Papadzul

Mole Madre, Mole Nuevo

Coffee Tamal

Mushroom Cake

Three Days in Portland

Whew! I survived July! As you know, July was a packed month, and I'm just now getting around to tell you all about my mini adventures.  First up is my quick three days in Portland: I ate and drank my way through downtown, Clinton/Division, and Alberta St, and went on a beautiful hike. If I were to write about each thing I did, my fingers would be raw, so I'll just stick to the highlights:

• Catching up with friends: Now this is obviously not Portland specific, but I was able to meet up with a few friends while visiting and it definitely made my trip special; some I hadn't seen for a long time and some I see all the time, but sharing experiences or being introduced to new ones is almost always better with friends! 
• The International Rose Test Garden: Located in the beautiful Washington Park, a lovely green oasis in downtown Portland, The Rose Test Garden is a huge public and free garden that tests and grows hundreds of varietals of roses! I am not a huge rose person but it was highly recommended by TripAdvisor and every other website I googled.  When Mel and I arrived we were both pretty shocked at how big it was, the amount of roses, how well kept it was, and how much we enjoyed looking at these flowers that are not necessarily our favorite.  The colors, the smells, and the company were all pretty perfect. I definitely recommend a visit; I am not a rose person and I enjoyed myself...and did I mention it was FREE?
• Holocaust Memorial: Next we took a SHORT 5 minute walk to the Holocaust Memorial. I always find myself so humbled by these memorials.  This memorial was centered around quotes from survivors of one of the darkest times in our World's history.  Reading each and every one of them made me feel sad, sick, and grateful for the life I have.  All of our "problems" for the most part pale in comparison to the horror these humans endured. "All of us children were crying for our parents. A guard came over to us and yelled, 'Stop all your whining! See that chimney, see that smoke, smell that stench in the air? That is your parents.'"
• Clinton/Division Streets: A nice quiet street with tons of restaurants, bars and breweries. This was an easy place to stroll and eat, and stroll, and drink, and....well you get the point! With all of the food and drinks, it was nice that there wasn't a sense of congestion or rush.  We stayed and chatted at a wine bar for what felt like a couple hours, and no one was rushing us out.  I definitely recommend this area if you want to explore the culinary scene as well as the unique breweries and bars.
• Salt & Straw: This was recommended to me by Carolyn, and I am so happy I stumbled upon it WITHOUT a line! Apparently a line free S&S is essentially unheard of.  Luck was on my side, and I'm so grateful.  They have traditional and unique ice cream flavors that are amazing! My choice: a split scoop of lavender and olive oil.  Yes olive oil. Don't ask questions, just go to one of their west coast locations... 
• Cruze Room: This place was pretty amazing.  Located on Alberta St., this taco shop is anything but traditional.  They essentially put a meal on a corn tortilla; fish and chips, vegan mac and cheese, and so many amazing flavor combos.  So what did we do? We ordered one of each.  Yes, 15 tacos to share, which was more than enough, but so worth it! They also infuse house made liquors and have a fun cocktail list too. 
• Last but not least, we went on a beautiful hike.  This was probably my favorite part of our whole trip.  Eating and drinking anywhere you go is essentially, well, eating and drinking! Getting out of the city (about 20 min) and being active in the lush greenery was refreshing. The hike was easy (thanks Kim!), pretty, and the perfect way to see all Portland has to offer.  I am always wanting to hike, and for whatever reason, find bad excuses not to.  It felt really great to get moving, catch up with our friend, and appreciate the simplistic beauty of nature.

Overall, Portland has everything you expect from a big city without having lost the chill, laid back, west coast vibe.  There is so much more to do, and I barely scratched the surface.  If you are looking for a quick weekend trip that won't stress you out and overwhelm you, Portland is the perfect place.  

Packed...and NOT Just for Portland

Wow! Talk about busy! Initially when I broke my wrist, I thought to myself, “Well, I suppose I will have a lot of time on my hands.  I can relax and blog, and enjoy not working.” Well, I’m DEFINITELY making the most of my time, but I wouldn’t describe it as relaxing. I have definite FOMO, along with the tendency to think there are MANY more hours in the day than 24. I like to think I’m living life to the fullest but at what price?  Now don’t get me wrong; I am having A LOT of fun and quite frankly have no room to complain, BUT since this is my blog I will allow myself a moment to be completely and unnecessarily whiney, I’m EXHAUSTED. This morning my alarm went off at 4:30 am to catch a flight to Portland, and the first thing on my mind foggy, sleep deprived mind was, “You never should have done this. You need to practice better self-care. You are exhausted.  You tossed and turned all night and got maybe 3 hours of sleep. You have not had more than 4 hours of sleep a night for the last 5 days.” I wish I could say lesson learned but it’s a WIP (work in progress). 

So what have I been doing? June was pretty mellow, but July is JAM packed.  I started it off by heading to my hometown of Modesto for a family BBQ, and headed from there to Lake Tahoe to see Old Dominion and Kenny Chesney with my friend and cousin. I’ve seen Kenny  a few times, and I was pretty unimpressed this year. Next I was headed LA for a couple days to visit friends, flew back and headed straight to a BBQ competition in Petaluma which was BLISTERING hot (still cooler than that So Cal heat wave though), but still a nice time with Meghan and my brother in law. Finished that night off with seeing Won’t You Be My Neighbor which was FANTASTIC. All I can say is Mr. Rogers was a pretty incredible person and definitely reminds me to be a better person; more understanding and kind. The Next day I headed to a Giants game with my mom.  We took the Ferry into SF and had a delicious meal at Marlow (head to Picky Petaluman to read the review) before heading into the game.  It was really nice to spend some time with my mom; especially since she was able to double as a commentator and the Giants TMZ source for me; I feel like I know ALL about the players now! Yesterday was a day spent doing some chores and trying to track down my next contract for work, and now I am here at the airport! Whew! Are you exhausted after reading that? I am…

As I mentioned I am headed to Portland.  I had initially expected my trip to be a quick solo trip, but out of nowhere, my college roommate and friend messaged me inviting me to visit her since she had just moved to….PORTLAND! Next thing I know, my friend from Modesto and my friend from SD tell me they will also be in in Portland while I’m there, as well as Meghan flying tomorrow to meet me! Talk about perfect timing.  Considering I have NEVER been to Portland, PLEASE leave me some comments if you have any recommendations on stuff to do!

Maisy and O

Kenny and OD in Tahoe

Big Brad

Met him in Mexico and CMP!

BBQ competition

PC: MegHan

Giants with Jan

Not the greatest lighting, but we got free hats and an amazing view!

The rest of July is pretty packed as well; I am home for one day and then headed up north for a mini 3 day road trip to Mendocino, the Red Woods, Calistoga, and many sights along the way.  The next day I head back down to LA for 3 days and then hopefully I am back to work for the week before heading to Mexico for a bachelorette party! Wish me luck because I will need it.  And come August, I am turning into a “No” person; “No” to my own need to constantly be on the move, and “yes” to self-care…but like I said, it’s a WIP!

Carnival for a Cause

This past Saturday brought not only the sweltering heat, but also a delightful and refreshing charity event, Carnival for a Cause (CFC). CFC, a family friendly event benefitting Carousel Fund, "...an organization dedicated to assisting Petaluma families with children who suffer from a catastrophic illness," was held at The Block in downtown Petaluma.  Besides giving back, my favorite part was the reasonably priced ticket; $35 for unlimited beverage tastings from local vendors and 100% of profits going to CFC. CFC also offered free admission for children with the purchase of an adult entry, as well as a bounce house to keep them busy! Kids are burning off some energetic calories while parents are consuming them in the form of adult beverages, all while listening to some live music. If I could have changed one thing, it would have been 15 degrees cooler; I STRONGLY dislike the heat and the copious sweat the comes along with it...and trust me, there was plenty! However, despite the sweat inducing weather, I grabbed my bestie and an Uber, and headed to The Block.  

Having spent countless hours in the downtown area exploring the culinary scene, I was curious to see how The Block never popped up on my palatable radar (shame on you Yelp!). When we arrived I was immediately excited by the casual laid back vibe;  outdoor picnic tables accented by red umbrellas and a criss crossed canopy of stringed lights accompany an outdoor pizza oven where you can watch your pie (we went with the cheese and jalapeño) while sipping on an ice cold brew from the indoor tap room. I enjoyed the pizza and beer so much I never even made it to the food trucks! I think this could be my new favorite place to kick back, relax, watch a game (TVs in the tap room) and explore a variety of foods.  If you can't tell, I'm already checking my calendar for when I can return, sans heat...Thursday...

Henry

Live Band

Ice Cream Tasting!

Mingling with Bryan and Mike

BOOCH CRAFT!!!

According to the FB event page, there was supposed to be 30ish breweries and wineries offering free, unlimited tastings; honestly, I didn't see that many vendors there, but then again, I only made it through 3 tastings! Must have been a mix of the heat and an empty stomach because two tastings in we were both feeling a bit buzzed! Buzzed or not, I KNOW good people and good drinks when I find them, and CFC was the perfect place to mingle and make some fun memories, all while giving back...#winning. Win #1: Henry...a four legged furry friend who was sweet, calm, and roaming around like he owned The Block. Win #2: Drake's Brewing Co...while I enjoy a brew from Lagunitas, its become a bit redundant, so Drake's was a refreshing addition to my beer card.  The hazy IPA was cold, quenching, flavorful, and exactly what I needed to power through the 90 degree weather. Definitely going to plan time to head to their Dealership in Oakland and explore ALL they have to offer, thanks Bryan! Win #3: BOOCH CRAFT.  Now this is only #3 because I saved the best for last...

I LOVE kombucha! And Kombucha with high alcohol content just makes sense.  Booch Craft is delicious.  With three flavors (I LOVED the grapefruit blend) that are refreshing and crisp, theres no wonder when you take your first sip you would never even think it has as much ABV as an IPA! Not only are you getting the health benefits of kombucha, you are also getting a buzz with low sugar and calorie content.  This is seriously going to be my new go to beverage, especially in this heat! I highly recommend checking it out! (Side note: My nickname growing up was Boochie (thanks Kristin)...coincidence? I think not.)

Overall, CFC was in my opinion, a success.  Good food, good people (and pup), good drinks, but most importantly, a good cause.  A cause that not only helps families in need, but brings a sense of connection and community in a time where there is such division; talk about winning...

National Selfie Day... Unfiltered

Yesterday was National Selfie Day...why "selfies" need their own day is beyond me.  I hate selfies, they make me feel so uncomfortable, probably because I am not photogenic and rarely ever look at myself and think, "Wow! You look so good! grab your phone, make an awkward face to make your lips look bigger and post it, because everyone needs to see just how hot you look right now!" However, as I scroll through my Instagram account I find that I am in the minority; its hard...actually nearly impossible, to scroll and not see countless selfies. But these aren't just basic selfies, these selfies are filtered... not once, not twice, but maybe even three times! I know, you must be thinking, "wait a second Megan, you mean to tell me people don't naturally have butterflies flying around their heads, or deer ears?" Well, brace yourselves because that is EXACTLY what time telling you.

Now don't get me wrong, I myself am guilty of filtering... for a time I got caught up in how much better a good filter can make EVERYTHING look..especially me! Filter once and it becomes an addiction...it's so easy, one swipe and suddenly your skin tone is perfect, blemishes are gone, your eyes are bigger and brighter...so why would I NOT filter? Why would I want to post a picture of me that shows the reality of being human...freckles, redness, uneven skin tone, tired eyes, crooked smile, disheveled hair? At some point you get conditioned by social media, caught up in the comparisons of your flawless friends and their filtered perfection. 

Comparing ourselves to each other is nothing new, we do it without even knowing.  Now, not only are we comparing ourselves to each other, but it is an unrealistic version; an unattainable standard.  Why do we feel so uncomfortable showing our true selves? What are we scared of? Social media was supposed to be a way of connecting and giving insight into our lives; but it has turned into an attention seeking mechanism used to boost confidence and measure self worth. "How many likes did I get?" "Who is going to comment on how hot I look in my (filtered fake) picture?" "If I don't filter this picture, what will people see?" "What will they say?" Somewhere along the way we became uncomfortable in our own skin, uncomfortable in the reality of being HUMAN and REAL. 

Now am I saying I will never use a filter again? Absolutely not.  I enjoy a fun filter and I guarantee I will again use the "pretty" filter for a flawless look, but it is my hope that by filtering a little less, we can get closer to being more real and more comfortable in our own skin.  At the end of the day, when all your make up is off and you look in the mirror, that is the REAL YOU. The you that is beautiful... beautifully unfiltered.  

I was encouraged by MegHan to post a selfie for national selfie day.  Like I said, I hate selfies but I decided to post an unfiltered selfie with the #WokeUpThisWayChallenge. The hope of this challenge is to bring awareness to everyone's natural beauty.  Did I feel comfortable posting this? No. I could look at the make up free, unfiltered selfie and find all the imperfections that make me feel vulnerable, but instead of focusing on my insecurities, I chose self acceptance and self love.