LAUREN LIVES

Another month has come and gone! And without further ado, here is March’s Lookback:

READING:

 Continuing on with my “One Book A Month” Resolution…

This month I finished The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. While I enjoyed this book quite a bit, it did drag on a bit for me. It’s just a really long book that felt really long. The storyline is awesome and the writing itself is beautiful, but I felt as if it could have been just a liiiiiittle bit shorter…

I also read A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman. It takes place in Sweden and is about an old grumpy man named Ove who doesn’t have much left to live for. But when new neighbors move in, he starts finding a new purpose in his life. I loved this book. I laughed a lot, I cried a lot…I thoroughly enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone. It’s an easy-read, but overall just an enjoyable story.

 

PLANNING:

We hit the “One Month Til Our Wedding!” countdown this month! So we are now in the midst of planning all of the smaller details of the day – like music lists, wedding vows, and escort cards!

 

WATCHING:

 This month I reached the Series Finale of Scrubs, and I’ve got to admit – this show has jumped to my favorite television show of all-time. I love the relationships between the characters and the lessons that come with each episode. Also, how many shows can you think of that have you laughing for the first 20 minutes, and then leave you drowning in your own tears for the last five? Genius.

My neighbor, Laur, and I also went on one of our Laur Dates to the movies to see the new Beauty & The Beast this month, and we loved it! It stayed so true to the original and was a great escape into a world of nostalgia for an evening. Emma Watson was incredible. I totally recommend going.

 

COOKING:

 This month, Alex and I hosted our World Cup Dinner Night on St. Patricks Day, and I made my mom’s Corned Beef & Cabbage recipe! I made about 6 and a half pounds of meat and split everything up into two crockpots. If anyone is interested in the recipe, let me know because it is super simple! My mom used to make this dish for us probably once a month growing up, and it’s one of my very favorites. We also had some Guinness-infused chocolate cupcakes for dessert and learned some Irish Dancing moves from our friend Hayley, who is a World Champion Irish Dancer!!

I also have a previous post –> here on some chicken lettuce wraps that we made from Chrissy Teigen’s cookbook, Cravings.

 This month we also celebrated “Pi Day” (which is homage to the mathematical symbol of Pi, 3.14) at work! Everyone was asked to bring in a pie, and Alex actually shocked EVERYONE and made this gigantic Snickers Slab Pie, which turned out to be so popular that it was completely gone by the end of the day! I think everyone was really impressed that he whipped this thing up by himself (I honestly did not help at all!), because I received so many comments from people telling me how amazing it was! It’s moments like these that make me love him more and more each day 🙂 You can find the recipe –> here for your next Pi Day!

We’re also looking for any good Pressure Cooker recipes or recipe books out there! Any recommendations ??

EATING:

 We tried out a new little restaurant this month: The Green Temple, in Redondo Beach. It’s a vegetarian restaurant that boasts farm to table organic dining, fresh squeezed organic juices, and vegetarian and vegan cuisines. We had scheduled a date night and Al told me that he was taking me somewhere new, and this is where we ended up! The food was delicious and deceivingly very filling (we were both stuffed by the end), but the atmosphere of the little restaurant is my favorite. There is both indoor and outdoor seating, but the outdoor seating reminds me of a little shady cove of plant-life, with a beautiful fountain sitting right in the middle. It’s a great little getaway for lunch or dinner 🙂

We also tried out The Corner House Cafe in Hermosa for breakfast, in our never-ending pursuit of eating at all the little diners in the world. Their gigantic fresh muffins are unparalleled.

 

DRINKING:

 Since I spent a weekend in Sonoma this month, a lot of wine has been consumed! I brought a couple of bottles home with me and have been holding onto them for just the right occasion 🙂

Additionally, I have been drinking a ton of coconut water this month. I like it because it has a little sweetness to it, but is packed with electrolytes and a ton of other great nutrients for your body. If you workout a lot, it’s a good alternative to super-sugary sports drinks. There are lots of studies out there about the benefits of coconut water, but for me, I find that if I’m feeling dehydrated, it’s a quick way for me to start feeling normal again. My favorite brand is Trader Joes, but if you don’t have a TJ’s nearby, the Zico brand is also good!

 

CRAFTING:

 This month I finally finished my large weaving! I’ll be posting it in my Etsy shop this month, but right now Alex and I have just been enjoying it in our own home J

I also stopped into Joann Fabrics with a gift card and bought two different fabrics – one was for a simple floor-length beach cover-up, which I have been wearing a ton lately. And the other was a cute striped linen fabric with anchors on it! I experimented and created my own tunic top, which I love, and have since then bought another yard of linen to make another one! I think these are great Spring wardrobe staples, and I’ll be posting a How-To on my blog this month.

 

GOING:

 I wrote a post earlier this month about our weekend spent in Sonoma County for my Bachelorette Weekend. Other than that, we’ve been staying local! Alex and I spent an afternoon downtown in both the Fashion District and Arts District, with plans to check out the new “The Bloc” downtown this upcoming month. We also spent an evening bowling with our neighbors in Torrance!

 

LISTENING:

 John Mayer’s The Search for Everything: Wave One and Wave Two have been on repeat this month. James Bay everything (especially his acoustic stuff) has been really hitting home as well.

My favorite song this month is Catch & Release – Deepend Remix by Falco Van Den Aker and Bob Van Ratingen.

Another fun playlist I’ve been listening to is the complete Scrubs soundtrack. The music in that series is seriously so. good. The last song in the season 8 finale, “The Book of Love” by Peter Gabriel hits all the feels, man. (Gavin James also has a sweet version of this song).

 

CELEBRATING:

 Pi Day, St. Patricks Day, Bachelorette Weekend, and one month until our wedding!

 

FEELING & LOVING:

 I’m combining these two categories because the end of this month has been especially hard on us. We had to say goodbye to our little man, Biff, this month and it has not been easy. For anyone that has or had a pup in your life, I’m sure you can relate to just how much they weave themselves into our lives. Biff was my baby. He made my early days out here – when I didn’t have any friends yet – feel full. We’ve spent every single day together, and no matter what I was doing around the house, I knew that he would be right there next to me. Laying on my weavings, pressed up against me while I read, sitting at my feet while I cooked, or just staring at me from under the table as I watched tv. He would be plopped outside on the grass as I worked out, and he always had the biggest smile on his face everyday when we went on our walk. Dogs are such unique animals, in that if you’re around, they don’t have the ability to be sad. They are there everyday to greet you when you get home with the same excitement and energy, without fail. We are their lives, and in time, they become ours. I know that, in time, the pain will become less and less, but right now Alex and I are taking the time to heal together and to just miss our little man. To this day, I don’t know how he packed such a large and beautiful personality into such a small body.

On that note, Alex and I have felt so much love from all of those in our lives who have – and even those who haven’t – met Biff. From daily text messages and phone calls, to handwritten cards and flowers and gifts, it makes everything a little bit easier to know how much little Biff was loved by everyone. I don’t think there’s ever been another pup quite like him. I feel especially thankful for our neighbors, because they too, were Biff’s family, for keeping Alex and I busy during such a hard time. We are so very thankful to have such incredible people in our lives. To anyone with a special pup in your life, squeeze them just a little bit tighter tonight, because they deserve all of our love.

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xoxo