Not Shopping & February Wrap Up

San Francisco from my roof

As of Feb. 3, I was done shopping. That day I bought some more workout clothes (since I have been working out more frequently and hate doing laundry) and flip flops (to replace my 3-yr-old pair that broke recently), and realized, there's just nothing else I need to buy. Taking a cue from le nife en l'air and zero waste home I figured I would institute my own shopping fast and wait until at least April to buy new clothes. I certainly have plenty of items in my closet, and I've spent the past year building a more cohesive and versatile wardrobe, so here's the time to use it, right? Well I've already been tempted to get new items (that I'll definitely use), but I'll see how these two months go.

So what else have I been doing besides not shopping? Somewhat related, I read The Clutter Cure article in the NYT, which starts exploring why it's so trendy to de-clutter and to be more minimalist (hint: it's deeper than just combating materialism). At work, I'm moving to a new team, which means I'm moving to a new desk... so I am getting rid of some old clutter and decorating my new space! It also means, work-wise, I'm kinda pulling double duty right now, what with training the people who will take over my former assignments as well as learning my new ones. The transition period is almost over, though, so soon I will be fully entrenched in my new job.

In addition to Pilates, I started doing TRX workouts... If you think planks are easy, just try them with your feet hanging from straps. I have always been the kind of person who needs to switch up the workout routine or else boredom kicks in. TRX and Pilates have been good complementary workouts. And the endorphins boost is worth the soreness.

This month I also got to:

• catch up with former classmates
• celebrate an early Valentine's Day at a San Francisco restaurant named after a New York town
• say farewell and best wishes to work friends moving on
• experience Mardi Gras (again) in Nola to celebrate an old friend's birthday, and 
• watch a lacrosse game on a beautiful day with good friends (we were all there cheering on the team my husband coaches... and they won!).

So that was February. A short, but full, month.

 

delicious burrata & octopus salad from Dobbs Ferry SF

Mardi Gras in Nola

My first Mardi Gras in New Orleans was in 2007, and I was pleasantly surprised that it was way more than the hot mess on Bourbon Street that the festival seems to be known for. It's more like a city-wide block party with good food and drinks, and fun parades with elaborate floats, costumes, and marching banks. And after a couple more visits, New Orleans has become one of my favorite cities in the country. I went back for Mardi Gras weekend this year, and I learned that yes, I am definitely eight years older and no, my body cannot take three straight days of partying anymore. But I could still appreciate the fun spirit in the city while attending the parades and parties! Here's some photos:

showing off my parade swag!

A Home You Love

I love interior design blogs, and I'm turning 30 later this year, so when this Domino post caught my eye, I had to check it out: Things every girl should have at home by 30

As with many must-have lists, you have to take online life advice with a grain of salt. I happen to have most of the items, but I don't necessarily agree with all of the ones on the list, such as...

San Francisco Architecture

I've always liked the unique architecture around San Francisco. I'll always love the classic Victorian homes and earthquake cottages, but there are some zany designs out there that just add more character to the city. When I first arrived, I saw a building in SoMa with furniture attached to the outer walls, like they'd been thrown out the windows... turns out it's a work of art that required more than 100 volunteers. Here's a couple fun buildings I've seen recently while wandering around the city:

Folsom Street

Hayes Valley (couple blocks from the Aether shipping containers)

(Reminds me of a cheese grater)

Urban Hiking

I always love seeing the Golden Gate Bridge peeking above the city landscape. (View from Buena Vista Park)

That hill in the distance is mine :) (View from Corona Heights Park)