Tuesday Tidbits

A few updates on life lately...

The Flat White:  I have a new favorite afternoon treat from Starbucks... The Flat White!  Dumb name, I agree, but this latte-like deliciousness is made from ristretto shots (bolder and more concentrated than typical espresso shots) and smoothly-folded "microfoam" steamed milk for a velvety yet light treat.  It contains only 130 calories for a grande size (with skim milk), and with 12 grams of protein it's also a great post-workout treat!  Cheers!

Vivofit:  I got a Garmin Vivofit watch for Christmas and I am absolutely in love with it.  It tracks the number of steps I take each day, calories burned, miles walked, and how close I am to my goal for the day.  I can then sync it with my iPhone app and track my progress.  My favorite feature is that it tells me when I have been sitting (or standing) in one place for over an hour, so it's time to go for a walk!  I already walk a lot at work (usually close to 3 miles each day just at work alone), but I feel even more motivated to take a few extra walks each day.  My personal goal is 10,000 steps per day, which has been fairly easy so far!

Winter Hiking:  I took Kua and her doggie boyfriend, Sam, up to the mountains on Saturday for a hike and playtime in the snow.  It was a gorgeous, sunny day!  We surprisingly encountered very few people, so I was able to enjoy all the winter sounds -- snow falling from the branches, birds chirping in the distance, and two woodpeckers!  I hope we get a few more inches this week so I can use my snowshoes this season.

Time to Commit to a Half:  I had so much fun traveling to Nashville and Moab for my Half Marathons last year, but this year I think I want to check out some local races.  Now is the time to start planning out my spring races and getting back into training mode!  This is a great site for finding races by state: HalfMarathons.net.  There are quite a few options in Albuquerque!  Who wants to join me??

National Readathon Day:  This Saturday (January 24th) is National Readathon Day, where readers unite around the nation in support of books and literacy.  Many states have specific events scheduled (see this link for details: Readathon 2015).  Unfortunately there are not any events in New Mexico, but I do plan to participate by reading from 12 to 4 p.m. local time, along with other reading nerds across the country! 

Gillian Flynn:  Speaking of reading, I just finished reading Sharp Objects, my third of Gillian Flynn's books (after Gone Girl and Dark Places).  Talk about DISTURBING!  Flynn is such a genius with her complex characters, haunting plot twists, and dark, ominous topics.  These three books are very different, but all of them involve disturbing incidents in small Midwest towns.  All of them are also the types of books to keep you up all night.  I highly recommend any of these for anyone looking for an unforgettable thriller.

Winter Brew:  This Friday is Santa Fe's annual Winter Brew Fest!  We have gone to this event every year that we've lived here.  I used to not be a beer person at all, and would end up being the DD at any beer-focused events, but I have really grown to enjoy and appreciate different types of brews!  I especially like supporting local breweries and learning more about the process.  My all-time favorite New Mexican beer (so far) is Marble's Double White, but I have really been into Pale Ales lately and I look forward to seeing what new flavors are featured this week!

That's all for now!  Stay tuned for a New Mexican recipe, an update on our home buying process, and some winter hiking and skiing pics!