Boston recommendations?

Photo via Google

It seems like I was just packing for Charleston, but here I am writing a packing list for my upcoming trip to Boston! I'm visiting a friend from college who I haven't seen in a year or so and I am beyond excited. The last time I went to the Boston area was to visit colleges…so it's been a while.

If you've been to Boston or if you're a Bostonian, please share some places I should visit, things I should do, and where to eat during my weekend stay!

P.S. This is another busy week, several group projects due and work projects going on - plus packing!

Eating in ATL {Tassili's Raw Reality}

My brother has been raving about Tassili's Raw Reality for a long time. He called their Spicy Kale Wrap "one of the best things he's ever tasted." So I had to make a trip and taste some of Mama Tassili's food for myself. It's in the West End area with convenient parking options.

The urban restaurant serves only vegan and vegetarian foods, so everything is very healthy and clean!

I went with my parents and my brother and we all loved our food. My dad got a mile kale salad.

My mom and I got mild kale wraps. And that was the best kale I've ever had! The wraps are HUGE - so a half portion is enough for the average person. Although my brother eats an entire wrap after a heavy workout.

My mild kale wrap has fresh kale, soy mayo, avocado and tomato all in a whole-wheat wrap.

View the full menu here. And, they're open late on weekends! 

Perfect place for a healthy late night meal :)

I'm always talking about the need for more healthy "fast food" places, and Tassili's is definitely a healthy option. The founder is super friendly and motivated to show people how healthy food can be delicious. I'm really happy I made it to this spot during my meatless month. And I can't wait to go back for another kale wrap - yum!

See other places I eat in Atlanta.

What's your favorite vegan or raw meal?

Spring Break in Charleston, SC

I guess you could say I love Charleston, SC. 

This past weekend, I went to Charleston for the second time in two years, and it's not super close to Atlanta. Last year, I went as my graduation trip with my family and had a really good time! And this year, I went with my boyfriend who has family in Charleston - also a really great time :)

Besides the beautiful southern homes, I also love everything about the area (beaches/islands, good food, warm weather, city, college campuses, history, southern hospitality, shopping, and did I mention good food?). It's just a really fun city, no matter what your interests or your age.

It did get a little chilly during the weekend, but we still spent a good bit of time walking around downtown. I love The Battery - a huge body of water with a view of bridges, homes, and downtown Charleston.

We also had dinner at one of Charleston's most famous restaurants, Husk. 

I ordered a salad appetizer and a catfish dish for my meal, it was pretty good! Their menu changes twice, daily. So it's always a different eating experience. I want to try lunch at Husk next time we go.

And, be sure to check out the preserves cabinet (upstairs) when you go to Husk. I want one of these in my house!

On Saturday, we went to the beach at Isle of Palms, and it was so pretty! 

Our time on the beach was relaxing, and a much needed break from the work I do in Atlanta.

We had lunch by the marina, yum! And, I had this Arnold Palmer Cocktail (Sweet Tea Vodka + lemonade), can't wait to make this over the summer!

The salmon & grits I had for lunch at the marina was a definite highlight of the trip!

So, overall it was a very special & much-needed weekend and the best way to end my Spring Break. It's been understandably difficult to adjust back into school/work mode, but I'm getting there. I'm heading to another state next weekend, very excited!

Have you been to Charleston? Or, where are you going this spring/summer?

P.S. This means crossing another item off my 23 to-do's list!

Salmon & Apple Gorgonzola Pizza {pescatarian meal}

So this happened last night. During class yesterday, I admittedly spent a few minutes on Pinterest and discovered an apple and gorgonzola pizza that looked delicious. I definitely could have gone with the recipe I found, but you know me - I like to mix things up. So I added salmon to my dish…and made two pizzas - one with red apple slices and one with green apple slices. Both ended up tasting so great, and I will never think of pizza the same again. I'm obsessed with this Salmon & Apple Gorgonzola Pizza!

Here's the step by step guide/recipe and ingredients 

(remember, this is for 2 pizzas - cut the ingredients in half for just one pizza)

Step 1 | Caramelized Onions

I put a dime-sized drop of olive oil in a skillet and added in half of a chopped sweet onion. Then, I added one teaspoon of brown sugar, one teaspoon of worcestershire sauce, and sprinkled some black pepper.

Step 2 | Prep the Toppings

After rinsing everything…

I chopped up two handfuls of  spring mix (spinach would work well too)

Chopped up the green apple and red apple

Chopped up 1/3 of the red pepper

Step 3 | Season & Bake the Salmon

Last week, I discovered and purchased a bag of frozen salmon fillets at Target ( there are 6 in one bag and it was around $10, really great deal!)

So in a pan, I added olive oil to prevent sticking

Then placed two defrosted salmon fillets in the pan

I then sprinkled the salmon with Italian seasoning, parsley, and black pepper

Then, I added on Mango Salsa (you can find this at the grocery store for under $3 and it makes everything so tasty!)

Then, I baked the salmon for 30-45 min. at 400 degrees

Step 4 | Add on the toppings

I used a pre made crust (because making crust from scratch would have been too much for a Monday night!). While my salmon baked, I started adding on the toppings to the pizzas (the red apple pizza first, then the green  apple pizza).

Step 5 or 6 | Add the cheese

Self explanatory, but I practically covered the pizza in Gorgonzola cheese, then sprinkled in some Feta cheese. I also added some Mozzarella cheese at the very end.

Step 5 or 6 | Add the salmon

Once the salmon was ready, I took it out of the over and used a spoon to break it into smaller pieces. I also did this to make sure there were no bones in the pieces I added to the pizza.

A healthier version of this pizza would be cheese free and would look like the photo above :)

Step 7 | Bake the pizza and enjoy!

And this is how it looked coming out of the oven.. #YUM

I baked the pizza at 400 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes then let it cool for about two minutes.

I couldn't wait to cut a slice!

I added some Green Goddess dressing to the side for dipping.

Oh, and did I mention my roommate made her infamous Greek Salad to go with our pizza?! Perfect combo. See that salad recipe here.

This was such an easy meal that didn't take long to prepare! And my roommate agrees it was very tasty and something new :)

Ingredients for 2 pizzas:

2 pizza crusts

2 small tubs of Gorgonzola cheese

1 small tub of Feta cheese

1 pack of Mozzarella cheese

2 salmon fillets 

1 sweet onion

2 apples (one per pizza)

1 bag of spring mix

1 red pepper

1 small tub of Mango salsa

Black pepper

Brown sugar

Italian seasoning

Parsley 

Olive oil

Worcestershire sauce (optional)

Green Goddess salad dressing (optional)

Featured on {The Other Side of Paradise}

I just got home from an unbelievably amazing weekend in Charleston, SC (more details to come!).

But I wanted to share a blog post feature that fellow blogger, Eesh, from The Other Side of Paradise did on me. She is super sweet and I really enjoy her blog. So I was honored that she asked to share my story and my recent jewelry design with her followers. Thanks, Eesh!

Check out the post here and let me know what you think!

Live your dreams bracelet {Carolina Clover}

I've done a post sharing an awesome Carolina Clover item before, but this time is DIFFERENT. For months, I've been working with Carolina Clover to design this beautiful "Live Your Dreams Pearl Bracelet," and it's finally finished and available for purchase!

Getting to this final stage of a product that I was pleased with and Carolina Clover was pleased with was an exciting and useful experience. I basically learned how a new product comes to life in a big monogramming company like Carolina Clover. And, I have learned more useful information regarding partnerships, designing, and business skills. I witnessed every step of the building and design process and it all started from some sketches I designed on a notepad.

You may be wondering how this all happened to begin with?

  I took a chance. I had worked with Carolina Clover before and loved their company's mission and products. One day I was browsing their site (online shopping), and I saw a bracelet that I liked…but wished it had some features that it currently didn't. That same day, I received several compliments on an old bracelet I had with an inspirational message. I loved the bracelet, but it was starting to get too old to wear and I was ready to replace it. Then I had an idea to contact Carolina Clover and ask them if they'd be interesting in working together for me to design a bracelet for them, combining (the pearl bracelet, an inspirational message, some glitz).

And guess what? They said yes!

I have always dreamed of designing my own jewelry and clothing, and I always see items in the store that I would love to tweak just a little bit. So having the opportunity to design for a company I love and respect was a tremendous honor and dream come true.

A little while back, I asked for viewer feedback on a list of inspirational messages and "LIVE YOUR DREAMS" was one of the most popular picks! So the first bracelet design is the Live Your Dreams Pearl String Bracelet, and I am obsessed. Since I received my final version of the bracelet, I've been looking at it and realizing how great it feels to have dreams and then go after them. I am living my dreams and this bracelet reminds me of how that is the best way to live - adventurously, courageously, and unafraid of rejection. And I know this inspirational bracelet will speak to other women as well.

If you love this bracelet as much as I do, you can order one for you or yourself here :)

P.S. This means crossing an item off my 23 to-do's for year 23!!

P.P.S. There are a limited quantity of these, so order yours quickly before they're gone! Thank you for your support!

In case you missed it...

This week is going by incredibly quickly (probably because it's my Spring Break). But it's been a really fantastic week thus far, and I'm headed to Charleston, SC in a few days! I've been doing some photo sessions, some schoolwork, packing, and planning for 3 special birthdays that are today! 

Happy birthday to my incredible boyfriend, my amazing best friend, and my wonderful big brother - 3 of my favorite guys all born on the same day :)

Here are some of my favorite recent things from the Internet!

47 Stunning Photographs of People from Across the World
I was so mesmerized by these images, especially everyone's eyes!

2048 - (an extremely addictive, fun game!)

Confession: I played this for 30 min! It's so addictive. My high score is 4368, see if you can beat that!

The "T" was stolen from my school's Tech Tower

This was a big deal yesterday. The last time someone stole the T from our school's notable building was about 13 years ago. They've since added high security measures, yet some student managed to steal the T from one of the sides of the tower. The campus police later recovered the T and the student was apprehended, yikes.

Image via AJC

77 Mind-blowing Facts

Seems like lots of you enjoy fun facts as much as I do. You'll love this!

Ban Bossy

This campaign to empower female leaders has been spreading like wildfire. Most women in leadership have probably been called bossy, just because of their gender. Check out what the campaign is doing to decrease the stigma of women leaders for young girls.

5 things you should do during an interview

I'm so happy that last week's post on 5 things you should do BEFORE an interview was so helpful! I know it's a popular time for college/organization/internship/job interviews, so I'm happy to share some helpful hints for how I approach interview situations.

Once you're in the interview room, there are some important things to remember to ensure your interview goes as well as possible.

5 things you should do during an interview

1. Shake hands (firmly) and make eye contact

When you enter the interview room and have the opportunity to shake hands with the interviewer(s), you should absolutely take it. This helps you make a personal connection with that person before you even start speaking. And they can judge you from your handshake. A weak handshake sends bad vibes and doesn't make the great first impression that a strong handshake can make.

During the interview, make eye contact with the interviewer(s) and let them know you're confident enough about what you're saying to look them in the eye.

2. Speak clearly, at a normal pace, and at a strong volume

This one is so important. I've been the interviewer in several interviews where the person mumbles or talks so quickly that I cannot understand what he or she is saying. Even if your answers are great, if they're not understandable, they are useless. Before the interview, practice responding to questions in a normal conversational volume, at a normal pace, and be sure your words come out clearly.

3. Give personal examples, show them who YOU are

If the interviewers are interviewing multiple people for this position (which they most likely are), there's a large chance that they've heard the same type of responses over and over again. Of course good answers to questions will be similar, but they get old for an interviewer after being repeated over and over. The best way to combat this challenge is to give your good answer and compliment that answer with a personal experience. Your answer should be so personal and uniquely about you that the interviewer(s) will only hear that answer once and they will remember your answer. This is another reason why I look back on my involvements/experiences before an interview - it makes it much easier to recall experiences that relate to my responses.

4. Listen

When you're not speaking, listen. Sounds simple, but it's easy to ignore the interviewer(s) comments or questions if you're planning and thinking in your head. Interviews are formal conversations that require both great listening skills and great responses. It sometimes helps to repeat the question as the first part of your response so you make sure to actually answer the question being asked and prove you are listening.

Example: Interviewer asks - What leadership quality do you possess that would make you an ideal candidate for this position?

Example response: One leadership quality I have that would make me an excellent candidate for this position is…

When you have to ask the interviewer(s) to repeat the question, it throws off the momentum of the interviewer and makes it seem like you cannot follow directions easily. Listen carefully the first time.

5. Smile

 Want to know a secret? 
Smiling is the best thing you can do during an interview or really anytime you're speaking to another person. Smiling helps you to relax, feel better about what you're saying, and it makes the people you're speaking to feel better. Anytime I feel myself about to get nervous or thinking too hard, I smile and it all comes together.

Good luck interviewing! 

Cheap pescatarian meals {part 2}

Today is Day 15 of eating like a pescatarian, and it's still going really well! I even got my mom some food from Chick-fil-A without having a breakdown & craving some chicken. I'm really enjoying this fast of meat, and getting creative in the kitchen. Here are some of my recent meals (including that top photo of some incredible salmon I made).

I reenacted the blueberry balsamic herb crusted salmon I made a while ago, and paired it with a brown rice + veggie pilaf.

Find the recipe for my blueberry balsamic herb crusted salmon here.

I added fresh avocado and lime cream on top of the salmon. The veggie & rice dish includes (brown rice, white mushrooms, carrots, avocado, and fresh spinach).

Words can't explain how delicious this was.

I have fallen in love with black bean burgers, and I love how I can quickly make them at the start of the week and eat them for the next few days. These burgers include (fresh spinach, cilantro, black beans, whole kernel corn, white onions, mushrooms, brown rice, black pepper, and curry). Then, I topped each burger with a slice of tomato and pepper jack cheese.

Really versatile, really delicious, really easy.

I cooked a pot of brown rice to last throughout the week, and for lunch one day I topped it with these fresh veggies (carrots, cucumber, and radishes).

I've started mainly cooking veggie noodle pasta (servings of vegetables in the noodles). I sautéed onions, mushrooms, avocado, black pepper, and lemon juice in a skillet and then added it to these veggie rotini noodles, amazing dinner!

I had this bun less black bean burger with some sweet potato fries for lunch one day, really filling!

On top of brown rice, I added black beans and corn. Then, I added green salsa and carrots and drizzled some honey on top. This was the perfect quick lunch before I headed to class.

I've been super impressed with the meals my boyfriend has been making as he eats like a pescatarian this month as well. These fish tacos with rice, brussels sprouts, and potato wedges look like a really great meal! 

What's your favorite pescatarian or vegetarian meal?