My coffee this morning was insanely delicious…I am officially addicted to this Godiva stuff!
I also had a really great yogurt mess while making some phone calls to the east coast. Three years later and the time difference still throws me off!
I cleaned for a bit in an attempt to have a productive morning! My kitchen was fairly spotless but now it’s a mess again of course. Making lunch at home on a Monday made me SO HAPPY. It’s so much easier to eat a delicious and healthy meal when I have time to COOK one. Usually I am scrambling around in the morning to pull something together, so it was awesome to take my time and make exactly what I was craving. I had lemon pepper seasoned chicken, broccoli, and half a baked acorn squash that I salted and then stuffed with baked cinnapple cubes. The salty/sweet combo was OFF THE HOOK!
After lunch, Julia and I took Kate the Dog for a long walk down by the beach. We parked in Santa Monica and walked down and through Venice Beach. The crowds were out in full force! It was an amazingly gorgeous day.
Getting a big slobbery kate kiss
The two kates
Shutters on the Beach
Coffee Bean for energy!
Mural
Shops
Beach
Bike path
We walked for over three hours and my legs were total JELL-O by then! Getting into the car was heavenly. Julia blasted girly music and we sang along at the top of our voices. It was one of those afternoons 🙂
I was so hungry when I got home! Katie Jo came over and I made quick & easy killer sandwiches. The woman baking bread at Whole Foods suggested a rosemary garlic baguette, which I topped with portobello mushrooms, onions, red peppers, and a sprinkle of light mozzarella cheese. I’ve been planning to make these portobello sandwiches all week and they definitely didn’t disappoint! Half a piece of corn on the cob made the perfect side.
Plus dessert 🙂
Having a three day weekend was awesome! I’m thinking we might need to institute a national 4-day work week, no?!? I will just work harder those days, promise!!
Three Things for Monday
- Made a Coldstone stop with Julia but didn’t order anything. I didn’t even take a bite of hers! My willpower is making an impressive showing this weekend 🙂
- Took a 3 hour walk
- Remembered I used real hearty-style bread to make my sandwich so I skipped the usual “insert carb here” dinner side
Right now I am munching on a little bowl of watermelon and wondering why I’m going to bed so late again! My boss is in Europe this week so work should be a little low-key. The new girl starts tomorrow though!! Our team is so small — I really hope she is cool and fits in with the awesome vibe we’ve got going on now. Hope everyone had a great Memorial Day weekend!!
Cooking with Kate 
May 26, 2009 at 9:53 am
You are so lucky to live in LA and be so close to great places like this 🙂 You girls look so happy and enjoying the sun!
May 26, 2009 at 11:44 am
Everyone seems to be making portobello mushroom sandwiches/burgers lately, they look so good! That Godiva coffee looks and sounds amazing as well, I’ll have to give it a try. HAve a great day!
May 26, 2009 at 12:31 pm
I agree that every weekend should be 3 days long! Two days is simply not enough time.
May 26, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Love your beach pics! When I lived in LA I was in a sweet little apartment in one of the beach houses just south of the pier. I used to run by shutters every morning.
May 26, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Gorgeous pictures of the beach!! You guys are having some awesome weather!
That dinner? Oh my gosh – I want!! Same with the Godiva coffee 😉 Yum!
May 26, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Santa Monica is my FAVORITE southern California location! My family lives there and my favorite thing to do is just wander the promenade and run on the trail on the beach! It is always so gorgeous and not as congested as LA LA, ya know?!
May 26, 2009 at 4:35 pm
AH i need to get up there more, love venice and SM!! I have been reading but so swamped, and I think you look totally gorg, but i totally support your goals and you are doing so well with your plan and if i’m in a rush i just scroll to your 3 things b/c i love them!!! xoxoo
May 26, 2009 at 5:31 pm
KATE! I love this post. The sunshine, the great pictures, the delicious food…You seem so frickin’ happy and I adore that! I think these positive changes you’re making are really doing something for your spirit! Not that you were downtrodden before, it’s just that these last posts are simply radiating! A three-day weekend may have something to do with that, too 😉 I hope your first day back at work isn’t too painful!
May 26, 2009 at 8:04 pm
mmm I love those coffee bean and tea leaf blended drinks!!! Better than Starbucks frapps I think.
May 26, 2009 at 8:14 pm
im so in love with LA just based on your pictures! if only they could get a public transportation system in there.. id be right there!
May 26, 2009 at 10:29 pm
YES!!! more long weekends would definitely rock!! How cute that you went dog walking…i wish i had a friend who owned a cute dog!! 😀
I am also loving your mushroom sandwich!! I totally had a portabello mushroom wrap today!! SO GOOOOOD!!!!! 🙂
May 26, 2009 at 11:35 pm
Oh wow, what an awesome tasty time! I need to try adding mushrooms to sandwiches!
May 27, 2009 at 2:32 am
Blue nails! Those are HOT.
Stuffed squash is the best but I’ve never tried stuffing it with sweetness. That sounds oh so deelish.
And I LOVE long walks! I just went on a long one tonight but it wasn’t nearly 3 hours. It is the BEST feeling getting to sit DOWN after walking for hours on end though haha