FAQ

Fashion:

Q: What are your favorite brands?
A: I love a lot of designers & brands for a number of reasons – Their runway shows, the artistry behind their designs, the presentation and feel of their work, the way their pieces make me feel when I put them on… But when it comes to brands that consistently produce clothes that I can see myself in my top picks would be: Alice+Olivia, BCBG, Rachel Zoe, L’Wren Scott, Kate Spade, Victoria Beckham/Victoria by Victoria Beckham, J.Crew, Diane Von Furstenberg, Milly, Roland Mouret, and on the vintage side I adore Chanel, Halston, Dior, & Givenchy. This is not to say that I exclusively wear high-end designers I’m just listing some designers that I love. I also couldn’t live without Zara, Asos, Topshop, Banana Republic, BCBGeneration, Forever 21, Mango, or H&M.

Q: Who are your fashion inspirations?
A: My personal style runs towards classic designs so I would choose Givenchy’s muse Audrey Hepburn or Princess Grace Kelly to be my Fashion Fairy Godmother. However, there are a number of modern ladies that I keep an eye out for on a regular basis. Gwyneth Paltrow, Charlize Theron, and Cate Blanchet all have great poise and always look polished and well put together. Eva Mendes also has great style, I love how her pencil skirts and dresses suit her perfectly. And I would say that my current favorites on the red carpet are Diane Kruger, Zoe Saldana, Rosamund Pike, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Amber Heard, and Olivia Wilde.

Q: Where do you like to shop?
A: I love boutiques and supporting local, hippie, and eco-conscious designers, and will happily provide more information about great San Francisco shops like Eco Citizen, Annabella’s, Belle Cose, The Factory & Sarah Shaw if you’d like. But for more choices, sizes & colors nothing can beat a department store. I like Bloomingdales, Nordstrom & Saks – They all have great websites, selections, and return policies. Other online stores that I like are ASOS, Piperlime, Topshop, and J.Crew. When my work wardrobe needs refreshing you can usually find me at BCBG, Zara, or Banana Republic.

Oh, who am I kidding. Zara is my second home! 🙂

Q: What’s your work uniform? Weekend uniform?
A: I usually wear dresses to work – black, blue, and prints primarily – in wrap or sheath silhouettes, or a pencil skirt with a sweater or shell/cardigan combo. I change my shoes, purse and jewelry most days and usually lay everything out the night before. My clothing choice on weekends is dependent on my plans, the season, and my mood. During the winter you can usually find me in slim pants with boots – either tucked into knee-high or over the knee boots, or paired with booties – and lots of layers. I LOVE winter accessories so I’m always wearing gloves, scarves, hats, or ear muffs, and trying new outerwear. During the summer I’m in either a dress or Capri/cigarette pants and a top. I love to get dressed up and consistently overdress – personally I’d rather be overdressed than underdressed so I’ve come to terms with this!

Food:

Q: If you HAD to label your dietary choices, what would you call yourself?
A: Gun to my head – God forbid – I would say that I follow a mostly vegan, high raw, gluten-free diet subject to French fry & potato chip binges. Quite a mouthful, right? I don’t like labels, as I previously said, because of the restrictions that they place on your habits. I eat to feed my body and nourish my mind. I try to make healthful choices, I buy organic, free-trade and local produce and products whenever possible, and I read labels when eating processed foods. But at the same time I indulge my cravings and cater to my moods. And I’ve never been known to say no to a glass of vino!

Q: Your diet sounds very restrictive, what do you eat?
A: So much! I was diagnosed with gluten-intolerance in 2009 and IBS in 2011 and have slowly been educating myself and applying that knowledge to my restaurant and grocery store choices, as well as to my cooking. While I do enjoy eating out, there is always more flexibility when I cook. A standard weekday usually includes at least the following, plus snacks when needed:

– 1st Breakfast: Smoothie {either veggie or fruit based}
– 2nd Breakfast: Fresh berries
– Morning snack: Sliced fruit w/ nut butter or almonds
– Lunch: Soup, huge salad, or veggie sushi w/ brown rice
– Afternoon snack:  Veggies w/ hummus or chia seed pudding
– Pre-Dinner: Crudités or juice pulp crackers with hummus
– Dinner: My mid-week dinners range from baked sweet potatoes w/ sautéed veggies to quesadillas {corn tortillas, daiya & spicy salsa} to tofu scrambles to homemade Indian food to mini polenta pizzas.
– Snacks: I’m a big fan! Apples w/ sunflower seed butter & cinnamon sprinkled on top, mixed nuts, chia seed pudding, corn-thins {puffed corn cracker/flatbread discs} w/ almond butter & slices of banana, kombucha, larabars, raw revolution bars, dried pineapple slices, homemade trail mix and pretty much anything that I can dip into hummus or nut butter…

*Note: This is not everything that I eat, the above is merely intended to give you an idea of the sorts of things I consume. I will go into more details about full meals, daily habits, recipes & caloric/fat intake at a later time.

 
Q: Do you get enough protein?
A: This is, without a doubt, the question I get asked the most. Without climbing onto my soapbox let me simply say YES! Quinoa, brown rice, beans, lentils, legumes, tofu, tempeh, nuts, seeds, nut/seed butters and, in smaller amounts, vegetables and fruits, are all excellent and easily digestible sources of protein. Additionally there are protein supplements that are quite nutritious and tasty, including whey, soy and hemp protein powders (read the ingredients as sensitivities to dairy and/or wheat will affect your choices). My personal favorite powders are Sun Warrior (raw, vegan sprouted brown rice protein) and Vega’s Complete Whole Food Health Optimizer &  Natural Plant-Based Performance Protein. You can also check out my post on plant-based protein sources here.

Q: Where do you shop?
A: I’m a big fan of Trader Joe’s and go to Real Foods for more specialized products. And while I prefer to support local health food stores, Whole Foods is a great option when I’m traveling.

Q: What do you drink?
A: LOTS of water. Coconut water. Green tea. The occasional espresso. Kombucha. Almond Milk. And when called for, wine or whiskey!

Fitness:

Q: What kind of athlete were you? What were your injuries? How does that play into your current fitness choices?
A: I competed in gymnastics, volleyball and diving between the ages of 6 and 19. The injury list is fairly extensive so I’ll merely state that a lower back injury ended my collegiate diving career and is what affects me most today. After hours in doctors’ offices, being sidelined from a sport that I loved and chronic pain for years it was a big decision for me to begin working out again. I waited nearly eight years from when I stopped diving to step into a gym again, and another year after that to talk myself into going for a jog. I’m still very aware of my back and focus on my core during my workouts and runs, but am grateful to be able to say that I have not suffered any trauma to my original injury.

Q: How do you stay in shape?
A: I run once or twice a week, take the occasional Pilates class and try to visit the gym 3 to 4 mornings a week. I walk as much as I can, which in San Francisco is a pretty good workout in itself, and I get outside whenever the opportunity affords itself. I’m also a firm believer that laughing burns calories and strengthens stomach muscles – especially if it’s over cocktails!