Links You’ll Love
Health & Fitness:
Packing lunch during the week is a great option to save money and make sure that you’re getting a healthy, nutritious meal mid-day to keep you going. I like to do some work in the kitchen during the weekends to prepare for the week {Sunday Prep}, you can also get some killer tips from Choosing Raw – Monday’s Lunchbox.
Thinking about jumping on the treadmill or elliptical for some cardio and neglecting the machines and weight racks are you gym? Think again! I’m a huge advocate of not only changing up your gym routine on a regular basis but of foregoing machine cardio for walking and weight training. If you don’t believe m just read this piece from Natalie Jill Fitness: Only WEIGHT and INTENSITY Will Change Your Body – You HAVE to lift HEAVY if You Want to Lean Out and Change Your Body!
Fitting in a workout is a MUST during the hectic holiday season – It reduces stress, gives you some much-needed alone time, produces endorphins, and keeps you healthy & fit so you can enjoy the holiday festivities with your friends and family. Regardless of whether you have an hour or 15 minutes available, or if you even have time to make it to the gym – Make time!
- HallowLEAN Hill Workout from The Fitnessista
- Total Body Tabata Home Workout from Blonde Ponytail
- Easy Interval Plank Workout from Purely Twins
Fashion:
I love the old Hollywood, film noir feel of killer black & white photographs. The subjects somehow always manage to appear chic and timeless, regardless of the year, the pose, the style of their clothes… I just can’t get enough and neither can A Fashion Friend – It’s Better In Black & White.
Have you ever been tempted to run off to Paris so that you can live a fashionable, glamorous life? If the answer is yes, you probably shouldn’t click on these links because you will most likely run off to Paris to live a fashionable, glamorous life.
As you may know – I adore stripes – Whether they’re the traditional nautical variety for Spring or demure pinstripes for the office. So why not take this fabulous print into the Fall season as well? Harper’s Bazaar definitely agrees – Shop the Street Style Look: Summer’s Stripes for Fall.
Are you a jeans girl? There are so many varieties this day in age there are almost endless choices when you head into a store and start to peruse their denim department. 70’s flare, wide-leg, cropped, skinny, cut-off, distressed, boyfriend, boot cut… Check out Love Me Jeans for some serious denim inspiration and worship – What’s your favorite pair?
We’ve all had the rule “No White After Labor Day” repeated ad nauseam over the years, but is this a rule for our grandmothers and not for our generation? Well The Man Repeller is making quite the argument against this rule with her fabulous photographs from Nolita – Accent In White.
Links You’ll Love
Health & Nutrition:
Sometimes going to the gym sounds like the worst thing in the world. Sometimes the weather is awful when you were dying to go for a run. Well if you have a set of dumbbells (or you could easily use a kettlebell or weighted bosu ball) you can tackle this rainy day workout!
I’m always on the lookout for new and exciting smoothie recipes so when I was browsing Organice Your Life and saw this Raw Green Coconut Shake recipe I was thrilled.
Don’t think you have time for a full workout? Why not try this Women’s Health Get Fit In Only 15 Minutes: Skinny Jeans Workout which includes the very important squats & lunges or FitSugar’s BOSU Circuit Workout.
In the mood for something sweet? Or do you want a treat for family or friends that’s healthy as well as tasty? Check out the super healthy and oh-so-simple Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies over at Peas And Thank You or
I always get excited when I can add a fun new recipe to my rotation of favorites. Something quick, easy, and delicious. Well, if you’re like me, you’ll want to try Choosing Raw’s Curried Quinoa & Aduki Bean Patties – They’re savory and filling, and easily adapted based on the ingredients you have on hand, a home run in my book.
Fashion:
Whenever I want a dose of inspiration one of my go-to websites is WhoWhatWear – From Style Stalker posts to reviews of new collections to street style breakdowns, they’ve always got you covered – Styling Tips For September.
Street style is a fun and evolving part of fashion and fashion blogging and I’ve been enjoying the pictures online for ages – From bloggers to fashion insiders to models to celebrities. It’s a great way to get inspired or to see what’s trendy and hot right now. And with four Fashion Weeks coming up, it’s time to give it a closer look – A Street-Style Primer For The September Shows. Or check out one of my favorite model street style blogs out there for up to date shots from the shows – Altamira: Models Off Duty.
The accessories are probably my favorite part about dressing for Fall and Winter. Scarves, gloves, hats, outerwear… Swoon! FabSugar agrees – Best Fall Scarves 2012: It’s a Wrap — Shop the Best Layering Scarves For Early Fall.
I love vintage-inspired styles and loved this post on finding some great pieces that are perfect for Fall and fabulously retro – Finding the perfect 1970s shoulder bag.
I’m a bun girl through and through so I was excited by all of the buns on the runways for Fall. If you’re of a similar mind, check out Harper’s Bazaar’s The Return Of The Bun or Best Celebrity Top Knots: The Fun Bun Hall of Fame.
Links You’ll Love
Health/Fitness:
Are you getting back into the kitchen after a busy Fall? Want to make more home cooked meals and stay out of pricey restaurants? Want to eat healthier food? Here are some tips & tricks of the trade to get you back into the kitchen and up to speed.
- How to Roast Veggies – From Hungy Hungy Hippie
- How to Roast Garlic – From OhSheGlows
- How to Build a Meal Sized Salad – From Choosing Raw
- How to Get Started – From Choosing Raw
- How to Peel a Butternut Squash – From Healthful Pursuit
- How to Cook Tofu – From Hungy Hungry Hippie
Spicy Chipotle Shells & Cheez from Happy Healthy Life – I’m making this as soon as humanly possible, I love recipes that use chipotle and I love mac n’ cheese!
Are you intimidated by Kettlebells? It might be time to face your fears – 7 Reasons to Try Kettlebells Now & The Super Slimmer You Haven’t Tried from Prevention.com. You can also read about my experience and check out some beginners exercises with them here.
In the mood for some winter comfort food? How about red enchiladas? How about healthy red enchiladas? Thought so. 🙂 Hungry Hungry Hippie has you covered!
Fashion:
Ready for a gorgeous Winter Wonderland? Check out Tatler’s Russian-themed spread over at TLo. I LOVE the way they styled the Armani (pictured above) – you can’t even tell that it’s the same dress!
Kate Bosworth’s Mulberry look at a recent Chateau Marmont event was picture perfect, low-key elegance with a hippie twist. Army green dress, studded pumps and an adorable boho twisted hairstyle. FabSugar covered the look here and WhoWhatWear covered it here.
You may not think of Heidi Klum when you think of budget shopping, but the Project Runway host has some tips to share.
Jessica Hart Debuts Her Capsule Collection with Pencey – Seriously cute dresses and easy separates that can be thrown together for breezy, summery looks. Soft fabrics, floral prints, fun cuts – See the collection here.
Do you love headbands, graceful updoes, chic pony tails? WhoWhatWear has some great Holiday Hair Accessoriesto help you create the best looks this holiday season, or you can check out Fashionology’s 7 Holiday Hair Ideas Straight from the Runways.
MCLV’s Gift Giving Guide
The holidays are stressful enough without having to worry about what to get who and last-minute scrambling to come up with creative ideas. So in the spirit of enjoying the holidays rather than worrying about them, I’m here to bring you a brief list of suggestions for your friends, family, co-workers and party hosts.
Fashion-minded: Do you have someone in your life who lives for fashion? Whether its your sister, best friend, mother-in-law or boyfriend who likes to stay up to date on the trends, here are a few ideas for their holiday gift.
- Magazine subscription – Style.com, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Vogue, Vanity Fair… Easy for you & much appreciated by them.
- A manicure, pedicure or spa treatment – The holiday’s are stressful for everyone so why not treat your loved ones to some much deserved pampering?
- One of my best friends got me the greatest birthday gift the year before last, something I highly recommend for anyone who loves their clothes and wants them to keep them in perfect condition. A handheld garment steamer!
- Winter accessories are fun to pick out and the perfect gift for the gals, guys or kids on your list – From girl’s knit gloves and boy’s fleeces to women’s hats and men’s scarves.
- Some fashion books that I highly recommend are Nina Garcia’s Little Black Book of Style and The One Hundred, Parisian Chic: A Style Guide by Ines de la Fressange, Style A to Zoe by Rachel Zoe & Influence by the Olsens
- Gift certificates for great stores like Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus & Barney’s – Tip, make sure that the gift certificate can be used online if you’re not sure whether they have access to the store in question in their town.
Fitness-minded: If you have a friend or family member who loves their gym time and is always looking for a new and exciting workout or sport to try out, here are some ideas to please them for the holidays.
- Check out Groupon, PopSugarShop, LivingSocial & similar sites for deals on gym memberships, fitness classes and workout gear
- Gift certificates are always appreciated since the recipient gets to pick out exactly what they want, try LuluLemon or Nike to make them squeal!
- A BPA free water bottle like Klean Kanteen, Lifefactory or Nalgene
- A Yoga mat, Pilates set or barbell/kettlebell sets
- Workout videos are a great choice since you can find one for virtually ever type of workout – Jillian, dance workouts, Pilates, weights, yoga… So many choices!
- An eco-friendly tote to carry his/her things to the gym/grocery store/office is versatile choice as well – Try Green Girl World, World of Good or EcoBags.
Foodie friend: We all have them in our lives, the people who absolutely live for their food & wine. They always know the best restaurants to go to, always shop at the greatest stores and always serve up the most gorgeous spreads for their guests.
- Wine Club – This is a pricey gift, but a great one if you feel like splurging for a wine lover. A couple organic vineyards to look into are EcoVine Organic, The Organic Wine Company & Benzinger.
- Cooking class – This is something that I’ve always wanted to do but have never gotten around to, so if your friends are anything like me, they’ll be thrilled by a gift that gets them out of their apartment and doing something that interests them.
- A food basket or “food of the month” club
- A beer making kit like this one is perfect for someone who likes to get their hands a little dirty for a fun weekend project.
- Gourmet coffee & a cute mug is a great gift for a coffee lover, especially if they’re an office worker since it’ll brighten their mornings!
- Cookbooks like Alice Water’s Chez Panisse Vegetables, Sarah Matheny’s Peas and Thank You: Simple Meatless Meals the Whole Family Will Love or Alicia Silverstone’s The Kind Diet are great choices for friends and family who are looking to eat a little healthier this upcoming year (and let’s be honest, who isn’t?)
Host/Hostess Gifts: I usually keep a handful of host/hostess gifts around during my busy social seasons so that I don’t have to run out at the last-minute when I could be putting the finishing touches on my outfit for the evening instead.
- Flowers/potted plant – I love white arrangements (baby’s breath excluded – of course) so I prefer bouquets featuring white tulips, lilies, posies & peonies. If I’m taking a taxi or train to get to the party I like to get a potted plant since it’s a bit more durable for the journey.
- Wine – A bottle of wine or port is a timeless and easy to carry thank you gift. I love to support California vineyards and keep bottles of my favorites on hand for just this sort of occasion, if you’d like some Sonoma suggestions I highly recommend Sojourn, Eric Ross, Valley of the Moon, Benzinger & Audelssa.
- Cheese cutting set – I received this as a gift from my Aunt and absolutely love it, it’s both beautiful and functional.
- One of my favorite gifts to give is the Vinturi Wine Aerator – It’s always a success, trust me!
- Diptyque’s scented candles in a sweet little bag are another nice choice, they’re elegant and simple.
Enjoy your shopping trips and be sure to hit LIKE on MCLV’s Facebook page so you can get all of the great sale alerts that I’ll be posting later this week!
My Personal CrossFit
This past weekend I suffered through an introductory CrossFit session with my boyfriend as the slave master. Since neither gasping for air nor achy muscles are conducive to photograph taking, only a few pictures were taken.
The scene of the crime, American River CrossFit in Sacramento.
I was so optimistic and full of hope before we started…
The session began with an introduction to lifting form and basic weightlifting apparatuses. First on the docket?
Kettlebells!
Despite their unassuming name and demeanor these little “bells” are, in my humble opinion, quite evil. Saturday’s workout included goblet squats (which I think should be renamed goblin squats, but I digress) and kettlebell swings. After learning the basics of these two exercises, I was given the following warm up:
3 rounds of:
- 3 burpees
- 6 Goblet squats
- 9 Kettlebell swings
The next portion of the workout was devoted to mastering back squats, which according to my back squat-obsessed boyfriend, are the most important exercise to include in your workouts.
* Note: Ladies, if you’re worried that working with weights will add unwanted bulk to your frame, please don’t be. Weights are a great way to not only stimulate your metabolism, but are key in staving off weak bones and diseases like osteoporosis. Here’s a great article that walks you through the benefits of weights and may help alleviate some of your fears – Everyday Paleo: Women and Muscle.
So after working on my form – chest up, chin up, knees in line with feet – I was given a mini back squat workout of 3 rounds of 10, squatting just the bar. The suggestion (I use the word “suggestion” loosely as this was essentially a demand) was to incorporate back squats at least twice a week going forward, Mondays 5×5 & Wednesdays 3×10.
Next up was pull ups. SHUDDER. So I realize my pull up fears are somewhat unfounded, but hanging from that cold metal bar always manages to suck out my confidence. I’ve been practicing on the Gravitron at my work gym, but was informed Saturday that negative pull ups are actually the best way to prepare your body for this exercise, which entails jumping up to the bar and slooooowly lowering yourself down. After a handful of pathetic pull up attempts and half a dozen negative pull ups I practiced kipping with a band, the small chest forward swinging motion definitely helps you to capitalize on your momentum to complete the pull up.
And was I done after all that? Nope… That was, apparently, all just a warm up. Next came the following short circuit workout:
3 rounds of:
- 30 jump rope single jumps
- 20 box jumps
- 10 squatting wall balls (8 lbs/10 feet)
I was red-faced and shaking with muscle fatigue by the end of this torturous hour, which sadly was only a fraction of how I would come to feel in 24 hours.
Was the workout intense and exhausting? Yes. Am I sore? Yes. Am I concerned that my boyfriend hates me little bit because he did that to me? Yes. Am I counting the days until my next attempt? ABSOLUTELY.
Moi Contre La Vie 