fast food review: noodles & co

I had the Japanese Pan noodle bowl. It was actually really good. I am always nervous to try things like that because I am afraid I will go into a sodium-induced coma. It was quite salty, but I loved it.

One gripe: I called to place the order so my friend from work could go pick it up...and the man was way too chipper. You would have thought he was getting paid by the exclamation point in his voice. I don't understand how anyone is that excited about noodles. But, hey, good for him!

I LOVE Saint Louis...

...today and always! So proud to have been born and raised in this AMAZING city.

amazing gorgonzola dip

I love making dips...they are so easy and it is fun to come up with a new creation. Last weekend I "invented" a new one to try when my BFF Tinabells came over. Here is what you will need:

1 package of cream cheese (NOT LIGHT!)
1/3 cup of sour cream
1 cup of gorgonzola crumbles
1 cup of chopped green onion
salt and pepper to taste

Start with melting the cream cheese for about one minute in the microwave. Then add the sour cream and mix. Add about a half teaspoon of salt and pepper. Then add your chopped green onion. Finally, stir in the gorgonzola crumbles. Put dip in the fridge for about 2 hours. Then serve!

I used sliced gala apples and pita chips to serve with this dip. I love gorgonzola, which is a blue cheese from Italy that is soft and had a bit of a "bite" to it, but you can also use regular blue cheese. This was a totally random group of ingredients, but it turned out delicious. I wouldn't use light cream cheese, but you could definitely swap the sour cream for a lighter version. Same with the gorgonzola. I think it would also be good with dried cranberries in it, but I didn't have any at my house.

So delicious! I made it again last night when my family came over to watch the world series game. GO CARDINALS!



Next up with my recipe sharing is my friend Mimi's famous oatmeal bars with mixed preserves. Get excited!

toms + grass cutting = bad combination

Last night I cut my grass. I have a tiny, tiny yard so it usually only takes about fifteen minutes. I decided to do it right when I got home from work, so I was still in my "work clothes", which are super casual. I usually wears jeans, comfortable shoes and sweaters. Alas, yesterday was no different. I was wearing my navy TOMS, which probably look awful on me, but they are so comfortable and no one is complimenting my fashion sense on the streets of StL anyway. I kept them on to cut my grass. They are now navy blue with bright green streaks. The same thing happened to my topsiders a few months ago, though they were super beaten up already.

When, oh when, will I learn?

finally fall!

...and I definitely need these bad boys for my job as a field social worker!



source: LLBean, $69

Which one will you feed?

An Old Cherokee Tale of Two Wolves

One evening an old Cherokee Indian told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, ‘My son, the battle is between two ‘wolves’ inside us all.

One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.’

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: ‘Which wolf wins?’

The old Cherokee simply replied, ‘The one you feed.’

BUT, if all else fails:

I would settle for the Chanel bag only.

30 by 30

So, I know I am only 23, but I have decided to make a list of 30 things I want to do by the time I turn 30.

30. Learn to drive a stick shift
29. Go to Europe
28. Meet someone that I can stand being around for more than 5 minutes
27. Marry that someone from #28
26. Stop drinking diet coke
25. Get licensed as an LCSW
24. Take the LSAT and apply to law school just to see if I can get in
23. Buy a brand new, zero-miles driven car
22. Take my parents on vacation
21. Buy a Chanel bag
20. Try to enjoy caviar
19. Take a photography class
18. Be less materialistic
17. Stop gossiping
16. Drink more water, less white wine
15. Jump out of a plane...ok maybe not
14. Make a turkey on Thanksgiving
13. Donate my hair to Locks of Love
12. Buy a bike
11. Buy a house
10. Enjoy being by myself
9. Tell people I love them more
8. Eat more vegetables that I don't like (brussel sprouts, so gross)
7. Meet someone famous
6. Become more outwardly friendly
5. Adopt a dog (times three?)
4. Take a vacation on my own
3. Start a family
2. Read War and Peace
1. Live more simply

XO