Pictures from the Spring 2014 Fish Women's Night Out

Thank you to everyone who joined us at our Spring Women's Night Out at Mariners Church in Irvine last Friday. What a wonderful evening! The Fish puts on two WNO events a year, and the tickets are absolutely free--the next one should be happening in October, and I hope you can join us. The nights are a mix of music, a speaker with an encouraging message, and a boutique hour with shopping and free food! The above pic is my boss, Chuck Tyler, me, Lindsey McCaul, and Nichole Nordeman.

Hanging in front of the check-in table with Rachel from our Fish Street Team.

Lindsay got a standing ovation after sharing about the last moments of her father's life and singing a song she wrote for him called "One More Step."

We are so grateful for wonderful sponsors like 31 Bits that make events like Women's Night Out possible! That's me with Julie from the company.

Jenna from Mariners and our Fish Promo Director Katie wore necklaces from 31 Bits! Their jewelry is made by women in Uganda who roll bits of paper into beads and turn them into beautiful creations. Through this, they are able to earn a living and support themselves and their families. Fashion for good!

Christy from The Baguetier in Huntington Beach brought some wonderful sweet treats for the ladies, many of them gluten-free goodies!

Me with Andy from Vein Clinic of California...

...and Jeanette and Diana from Cookie Lee jewelry!

Nichole Nordeman writes these beautiful and sensitive songs, and then she gets on stage and she is so funny and just cracked everyone up! She also shared about how hard it was for her to let go of being in control after her son was born, which I think really connected with everyone there who has struggled with being a parent. She then sang a great song called "Brave," which was inspired by her son!

It was so great to meet listener/ friend Jolene, who interviewed me for a school project. She wants to go into broadcasting--YAY!

It's always nice to see my friends from Mariners: Shelley, Jenna, and Royce...

...and Pamela, who runs the promotion department for our sister stations KKLA and KRLA. KKLA is doing a similar event in Pasadena on 4/11, which you can find out about here. And Holly Wagner, who was our speaker, will be at the KKLA event!

A Self-Guided Tour of Five Historic Los Angeles Buildings Designed by John Parkinson

Hi! My first guest blog is up at Vintage Shopper! It's a self-guided tour of five gorgeous and historic buildings in Los Angeles designed by famous architect John Parkinson, like Union Station. You can check out out here; happy touring!

My Interview with Vintage Shopper is up!

  I was so honored to be interviewed by Lav at Vintage Shopper! I talked about the book that my friend Cori and I have coming out called From the Corner of Hollywood and diVine,  some of my favorite Old Hollywood spots in Southern California, and which famous cowboy used to keep a cow on the terrace of the Sunset Tower Hotel back in the day. And, if you have ever thought about writing a book, there are some things in there that might inspire you to get started. You can read it here!

Sleep, Sesame Oil, Smoothies, and Sprouted Bread: 20 Feel-Good Tips (Part 2 of 2)

Last week, I listed ten things I encouraged my family to add in to their lives to help them feel better. I think it is always easier to make changes if we focus on what we are getting, rather than thinking about being deprived. Here's the rest of the list that I sent to my mom and sister, full of all kinds of good stuff. Enjoy!

11. Add in raw, organic, cold-pressed olive oil and coconut oil. And not only are they great with food, but you can use them on your skin as a moisturizer! Plus, most cats love coconut oil--my son lets Lily and Barkley lick a little off of his fingers.

12. Switch from peanut butter to any other kind of raw nut butter. Most peanuts have mold (not the kind you can see) on them, and can be toxic. Try switching to raw almond, cashew, or macadamia nut butter.

13. Switch to sprouted bread, like Ezekiel Bread. A quick and easy snack is to toast a slice, and then add coconut oil and a little sea salt. Yum!

14. Dry brush your skin with a stiff brush before you shower to get your lymphatic system going. Start at your ankles and brush up in the direction of your heart, and then start at your hands and brush toward your heart.

15. Eat some prunes. I don't believe this requires further explanation.

16.  Switch to unrefined sea salt  instead of regular table salt. You can also find dulse in a shaker at most grocery stores; it's a seaweed that gives food a salty flavor, and a good source of iodine.

17. Add some fresh raw garlic to food. If you're not feeling well, increase your intake. One interesting way to get some garlic into your system is to take the pit out of a medjool date, peel a garlic clove, stuff it in the date and eat.

18. Use carrot sticks, celery, or jicama instead of chips with salsa, guacamole, and hummus.

19. Wrap avocado in a piece of raw nori seaweed, add sea salt and olives and some hummus or guacamole, and then roll it up and eat it like a burrito.

20. Switch to sprouted grain pasta, or try some gluten-free pasta. I make an easy sauce for this by melting some grass-fed butter or Earth Balance butter (I get the soy-free sticks--it's a vegan butter), adding minced raw garlic, and then sprinkling with sea salt.

Here's to you feeling GREAT!

Sleep, Sesame Oil, Smoothies, and Sprouted Bread: 20 Feel-Good Tips (Part 1 of 2)

 I am so proud of my mom and my sister, who have been making lots of changes in their lives lately to get healthy! My mom even started off her exercise program with walking while pushing a cart around her local Wal-Mart for hours, which gave her a safe place to walk at night and something to hang onto while she was working on her balance. Knowing that I've done lots of research and study of nutrition over the past few years (after my son got sick at a young age), they asked me to share some tips for healthy things they can incorporate into their lives. And now, I'm sharing them with you, too! The main thing to keep in mind as you look at this list is that the focus is on adding good stuff into your diet and your life, not depriving yourself.

1. Green Smoothies. Combine bananas, mango, or berries with a little water and a few leaves of Romaine lettuce or Swiss chard (take it off the stem) in the blender. The fruit cuts the "green" taste! The less water you add, the thicker it will be.

2. Sleep 11p-7a. Or, even better, shoot for 10p-6a, as the hours before midnight are more restful. In fact, if you've got a lot to do, go to bed as early as possible and then get up super early and do your work then, rather than in the evening hours. Bonus: You'll feel like you're already ahead by the time the rest of the family wakes up!

 3. Movement. Try yoga, stretching, and walking. Even doing little things like taking the stairs instead of the elevator throughout the day or walking to see a colleague down the hall instead of sending an email really add up. I've even seen free yoga and stretching classes offered through the LA Public Library!

4. Clean water.  If you are able to get some kind of filter system for your house, faucet, or water pitcher...do it! There are so many toxins in regular tap water that this can make a huge difference for your health. And don't forget about the water you are bathing in and showering in (and breathing in) in the bathroom--a tub or shower filter is a great investment.

5. Visit farmers markets and sample the goods. You can often find some wonderful deals on produce, and it is also nice to talk to the folks who are growing the food. Many farms are not certified organic (which is expensive to do), but they don't use chemicals on their crops, opting for organic methods like ladybugs to keep away pests. And when you're eating local, the food is fresher and more nutritious. Plus, there is usually some fun, free entertainment going on!

6. Give yourself a warm Sesame Oil massage. Grab some sesame oil (look for the organic variety, since your skin is absorbing what you put on it--definitely avoid the toasted oil), pour into a small glass container that you can place in a larger container of hot water, and when it's warm rub it all over. Let it sit for a few minutes and then hop in the shower.

7. Switch to raw honey (but NEVER give this to babies or children). Raw honey has not been heated, so all of the vitamins and enzymes are still intact. I put this in my tea, spread it on bread with coconut oil and a sprinkle of sea salt, and put it in hot water with raw apple cider vinegar to help soothe a sore throat. You can also use it on a cut, as raw honey has antiseptic properties!

8. Walk barefoot on sand or grass. Kick off your shoes and stroll around (check the ground for sharp objects) and see if you don't feel better!

9. Try some raw chocolate, known as cacao (pronounced kuh-COW). Or, look for an organic chocolate bar with at least 70% cacao content. Most commercial, regular chocolate is full of sugar and chemicals, while the raw stuff has tons of antioxidants.

10. Switch to tea instead of coffee. Or better yet, give up caffeine totally! In addition to spiking your blood sugar and making your heart race and exhausting your adrenals, coffee is usually heavily sprayed with pesticides. And decaf can have even more chemicals that are added during the process to remove the caffeine, btw. To help you make the switch, you can get some loose (unsmoked) Yerba Mate tea to put in a French press, which will be stronger than a little tea bag.

Part 2 is coming next week!

What healthy swaps have you made in your life? Let me know in the comments!