Progress

The bedroom is painted, and it looks so much better/fresher/brighter than the dreary green that it once was. It's amazing what a new coat of paint can do for a room.

A peak at the two tones of grey (sorry for the bad lighting- winter doesn't lend itself well to taking good photos).



I'm still deciding on bedside table lamps, and plan to pick them this week. A few of the contenders:

This Pablo "tube top" lamp also comes with a charcoal base and white shade, which I think would look nice-











I'm also still deciding on window coverings and a new duvet. Since when did duvets get so expensive? The ones I'm looking at are $275.00. Yes, they're high thread count and well made but....
I just might bite the bullet and order one if I love it enough.

Hopefully I'll be able to show you the finished results soon! So stay tuned,
and please let me know if you have any opinions about the lamps~

-Tuesday

The Bedroom Re-Do, and Why Change Is So Hard For Me

Time is really flying. How did it all of a sudden get to be December??
I hope you're all enjoying the nesting phase of early winter. Even though the rain, cold, and ice can get to be irritating and maybe depressing, there's something very comforting about donning the warm clothes, hats, scarves, and drinking hot beverages numerous times a day.

With more time spent inside, I finally decided to get moving with the bedroom re-do that I've been wanting to do now for, Oh... about two years. The problem with me is that when I want to make some kind of change in the house, I'm so overwhelmed by choices and indecision, that it's hard to get it started. I spin my wheels looking at design photos online, thinking about paint colors, styles of lamps, which duvet cover to get. I drive myself crazy. I've always been like this though.

It all stems back to childhood, and a very nice (but somewhat traumatic) day for me. My parents took me and my sister and some other kids to a big park. We rode the merry-go-round, and then went to the snack stand for ice cream. I couldn't decide between an actual ice cream cone, or a popsicle. My seven year old brain hurt, trying to decide which would make me happier. The thought of being disappointed overcame me. Well, everyone else got an ice cream cone, but I picked a popsicle. We sat down to eat them, and I took a few gingerly licks, as I gazed at everyone else eating ice cream. I tried to relish the popsicle, but it all of a sudden hit me that I made the wrong choice. I really wanted ice cream. Who knows why this felt so traumatic to me at the time, but I completely broke down and cried. My mom, always wanting to please me, told me that it wasn't a big deal, and got me an ice cream cone instead. But that feeling of making the "wrong" choice has somewhat haunted me ever since. I know.. call in the therapist!

Anyway, back to the bedroom....
Here are a few photos that have inspired me ....






I love this website, and spend a lot of time oogling over the homes. Don't you love to see into other people's houses? I especially love the San Francisco posts, since I love that city so much and grew up near there.

I'm drawn to light grey, possibly with pops of color thrown in, so that's where I'm going with my bedroom re-do. The walls had been a moss green, with the trim a slightly darker green. I've grown to be really sick of that color. So far, we've got the upper part of the walls painted, and I think we'll get started on the trim this weekend. I need to pick out new lamps, new window coverings, and a new rug. I think I'm narrowing the choices down. I don't want to take too long deciding, because I want it all to come together quickly. Then I'll show you some before and after photos.

Now, go make yourself a warm cup of tea or coffee and get cozy.
It's one of my favorite things to do.

-Tuesday

Summer Recap

Sad to say, this summer has been so full (of the good, the hard, and the challenging) for me, that I haven't posted much to Tuesday at Eleven. I started my new job in full force at the end of June, which has proven to be much more than I imagined it to be- more exciting, and more challenging. It's pushed me to the outer limits of my body and mind. It's like I picked the exact job that gets right at the very things that I've been working on... the things that I've been wanting to improve.. such as better organization and taking my understanding of the body and how it works to a new level. This job doesn't let any of that hide.. I have to face it head on, and it hasn't been easy. Not to say that it hasn't been gratifying. I've never had a job that I felt so proud of. I've never wanted to work so hard to perfect what I do.

Pilates studio, where I teach classes:





Another big event this summer was my sister's wedding. It was beyond beautiful. You know how weddings are- there's so much build up before them, and then they're over in a blink. But this celebration lasted all weekend. We were at a bed and breakfast by the river, and I soaked up every minute of it. After all, it was my sister's wedding (she's my only sibling) and it was also the only "vacation" I've had all summer. It was so nice being in a beautiful location with extended family, focusing only on "big" things in life like love.



I did start a new book (which I'm almost done with). It's Barbara Kingsolver's "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle." As you know, food is a big issue in my life, and I love reading books about food. This one is about a family's quest to eat only locally or home grown food for one year. It's opening my eyes to some new ideas about food processing and consumption. Very interesting.



My good friend Erin gave me this book for my birthday in August:



I'm super excited to try some vegan recipes.


For my birthday I requested (and got) some sprout making supplies. I tried one batch in a sprouting bag. they came out okay, but I'm not sure if I love the bag method. I'm going to try the jar method next. I'll let you know how it goes. I LOVE sprouts, but am always nervous to buy them in the store because often they have bacterial contamination. They're so healthy.. full vitamins and nutrients, since they're a very "alive" kind of food.

Seeds Soaking:



I hope you've had a fulfilling summer.
In a few days autumn will be here.
I love this season.

Vegan Footwear

I got a new pair of vegan shoes yesterday...
You might notice that they're somewhat similar to the Fluevogs that I posted about last time. However, these were only 13.00. I couldn't pass them up. They're higher than I've worn in a while, and surprisingly comfortable. I wore them today when I went out with my mom and sister to do some errands, and I wore them out dancing tonight....

New Additions

It's been a little quiet here at the Tuesday home front. The last couple of months have been exhausting mentally and physically, with my training at the pilates studio. I'm happy to say though, that things are settling down now. I'm teaching 7 classes a week and doing personal one on one pilates training with clients as well as one on one appts. in the weight room.

The studio I work at is very upscale, and the owners like us to have a professional yet funky/hip look. So, I've recently bought some new work clothes including these two tops from Urban Outfitters:




I've been liking drapey tops lately, and I've been happy with both of these. I wore the grey one to a work bbq the other night and got a few compliments on it. I love the shoulder cut-outs of the black shirt.

I also have my eye on a few other (non work related) items.

These Fleuvog sandals.. hey, they're on sale for only 65.00. You can't get Fleuvogs for that price. There are only a few sizes left, and 6 1/2, my size, is one of them. I think they'd look nice with a skirt or shorts. They're 3 1/2 inches high.. higher than I'm used to wearing, but a little height might be fun for my 5 foot two inch little self. Fleuvogs are known for comfort, so I'm not too worried about them being uncomfortable.




I'm drawn to plaid, and the red shirt is kind of cute, though I'm not 100% sure about it. The Black one was 58.00 or so, and is now on sale for 19.99. I think that's a sign that maybe I should get it. I like it more with the strings tied in front in a bow.





I have a feeling you'll be seeing more style posts here soon ......

Eight Is Great, Tuesday Edition

I've been tagged by the lovely and talented Bonnie Rue at Good Girls and Geeks.. to take on the "Eight Is Great" challenge.

8 things I Am Looking Forward To:

-finishing my pilates training
-painting my bedroom (well, not the process, but having it done)
-Getting my new shirts from Urban Outfitters in the mail
-Going to see my sister this weekend- finally getting out of town!
-relaxing bbqs with family and friends
-having more time to cook and garden
-reading a good book
-summer fruit, esp. watermelon, blueberries, and mango

8 Things I did yesterday:

-took a nap from 12-2
-bought new sandals
-went grocery shopping
-listened to a lot of music
-went to the vitamin store to buy vitamins, but they were closed
-talked to my mom about an awkward situation at work
-spilled a drink all over my desk, down the wall, on my papers. And I cried.
- ate some new non-dairy ice cream sweetened with Agave.


8 Things I Wish I Could Do

-fly in an airplane without having a panic attack
-pace myself better, and not get anxious about things as much
-be more organized
-sleep in on the weekends- I always wake up by 7:00 no matter what time I go to bed
-change a few things that happened in the past
-be more bold/assertive at times
-start and finish a number of projects around the house that I've been wanting to do
-find a way to really help someone, or a family in need


8 Shows I Watch:
(this is hard, because I hardly watch t.v. I just watch the following SOMETIMES)

-What Not To Wear
-Regis And Kelly ( I know.. stupid, but there's something about the "New Yorkness" and "morning routine" of it that I find compelling.
-Some cooking shows
-Moving UP
-the odd documentary
-*hides head* American Idol
-and,........ I really don't watch t.v!

My Article is Up!

Is it true?

I've been away from my blog for almost a month!

I do have a very good excuse though.

You see, I've been living, breathing, and sleeping pilates. I've been in intensive training for a couple of months, and it will go on through the end of this month, when I start teaching my own classes. I don't know that I've ever been so busy that I basically have to schedule it in to run to the bathroom, but I'm now very familiar with that level of busy.

Annnnd, in the midst of all this, I took on a writing assignment for Venuszine. I knew that I really shouldn't try to write an article while trying to stay afloat in the sea of training delerium, but I couldn't pass up the opportunity to interview and write about one of my fave artists, Ashley Goldberg.

I'm more than happy to say that I finished the article, I like how it came out, and it's up on Venuszine.com. Ashley likes it too, so she told me in an e-mail, which makes me want to giggle with glee.

Go take a peak

When It Rains.....

Well, I've been in intensive pilates training for the last few weeks, and it's getting even more intense. My supervisors want me ready to teach by JUNE 29th. We're talking all three levels of "introductory" classes, plus advanced classes. At the same time, I'm in training to work one on one with pilates clients using pilates apparatus like the "cadillac." It's all a LOT to take in. Luckily, I'm fascinated by it all, and eager to learn it. And, the last 12 years working in the fitness industry really has helped make this new learning process easier for me.

I also found out today that I have a new writing assignment for a magazine I write for! What timing. It's due May 22nd, so I'll have to spend many evenings writing. It's on kitty genius or Ashley G, an amazing artist that I've loved for a few years now. Lisa got me one of her original paintings for my birthday year before last. I'm so excited to write about her and her partner, Drew. It's one of those situations where I feel like I know her already, from reading her blog, etc. I'll probably do a phone interview with her, which will be fun.


My Original Ashley Goldberg Painting:


PEOPLE-
I am entering serious CRACKDOWN PRODUCTIVE mode!
Here we go.
Bring it on.
Maybe I need a drink :)

cheers,
-L

Hallelujah

Watch this video. Turn up the volume.
It might make you cry.

Lisa and I went to see K.D. lang. We bought the tickets months ago. She had seen her once before in Vancouver. I'd never seen her, and in fact, I haven't been all that familiar with her music. Sure, I knew who she was, and knew a few of her most popular songs. Lisa told me that seeing her live was incredible, and she was so right.

We sat right up close to the stage, and let me tell you, it was truly a transforming experience for me. First of all, I haven't been to all that many live concerts that were of this caliber. K.D. was humble and funny, but most of all........ my god..... her voice. You want to hang onto every single note and not let it go. She has such incredible range and inflections. So rare. So pure. It made me feel a thousand poignant things about life. That's what good music does.

This is one of my favorite songs from that evening, though it's from a different concert of hers. She has such passion, and it cuts right to your core. It makes you realize that true perfection of any kind doesn't have to be presented in a fancy way. It comes across effortlessly when allowed to.

What's In A Name and Cell Phone Madness

You might wonder where the name "Tuesday@Eleven" comes from. For one thing, I have a slight fascination with people who are named after days of the week. It just seems cool. Although, recently I met a "Sunday" who completely rubs me the wrong way. We'll just overlook that one. Also, when I can, I like to make appts. on Tuesday at eleven. It feels like a comfortable day and time to me. Do you have a day or time of day when you like to do things? If you think about it, you might see a pattern there.

Today at eleven I was at a Vorizon store waiting to speak with a customer service person. It was really busy, and I had to wait about a half hour. I had just come from the gym and was tired and hungry. I stood stiffly against the wall, watching the other disgruntled customers who were also waiting. I HATE dealing with cell phone issues.. what a long, dreadful, painful process. We got new cell phones about five weeks ago, and my son has had problems with his ever since. He used his own money to buy a fancy $155.00 touch screen phone. The first one he got went wonky for no apparent reason. The screen was flashing and spazzing out. So, they replaced it for free. The second one did something similar, and then the third one got water damaged in some mysterious, unknown way. He swears that he didn't get water on it. I have no idea. I just know that I wish I had bought the five dollar a month insurance so that we'd only have to pay fifty dollars for the phone I got him today, instead of 140 something dollars.

The woman who helped me at Vorizon explained that there was really nothing they could do but offer me a one year special deal, with a rebate. Water damage isn't something they take lightly. Originally the phone was 400, but marked down to 289, plus the 50 rebate, plus 40 off because my partner gets a government employee discount. I still have to send in my rebates for the first phones we got.. I should get 50 back per phone, and I have to send in the rebate for his new phone. Who can keep track of it all?? Yeah, cell phones are supposed to make our lives easier, but they've made mine way too complicated.

I hope your Tuesday was a good one.

Better Spaghetti

Helloooo,

It's been a while since my last blog post. New job+ adjusting to working more hours is still in effect, and has me running around a bit ragged lately. I'll be posting more soon, but for today, I want to talk again about food (one of my favorite subjects, if you haven't already figured that out). When I'm under stress, I tend to not be able to eat much. I've lost a few pounds since I started this new job. It often feels like my stomach is in knots. But when I get hungry, I'm starving! I also don't have as much time lately to think about/shop for/and prepare meals. So, I'm trying to find easy and healthy things to make quickly at the end of the day when I'm tired and hungry. Recently, I came up with this for dinner, and it was so good. It's like spaghetti, but made with the grain quinoa instead of noodles. It's really healthy (quinoa has good protein in it). If you haven't tried quinoa yet, I highly recommend it. It's light, has a nice texture, goes with a lot of other foods nicely, and is packed with good nutrients.


QUINOA SPAGHETTI:



This dinner should take under a half hour to prepare. Quinoa cooks really quickly. I make it like rice.. about one part quinoa to two parts water. Let it boil, then reduce to simmer with a lid on it. Takes about 10-15 minutes to cook. Make any kind of pasta sauce that you like. I used organic sauce and added ground turkey meat. Steam some asparagus, or any other kind of veggie that you like... oh, and don't forget to add some cheese on top of your spaghetti. I like fresh grated parmesean or even feta.
Enjoy.

You've Got To Make Room

The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind.

I left my old job that I had been at for nine years, and started my new job. Getting this new job was truly a case of projecting what I wanted, moving towards it, and getting it. I'm kind of amazed how it all happened.

As you may know, I took three months off from my previous job to take a break from teaching aerobics, and also to "make space" for something else to happen with my career. I knew that I wanted to stay in the fitness field, but I needed a change. I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to have happen, though pilates interested me. I just knew that I felt ready for something else, and if I continued doing what I had been doing, I wasn't going to find something else.

My previous supervisor then offered me a job teaching pilates in June, which I accepted. It would mean training with the woman who teaches it, and maybe getting more training on my own ( very expensive, out of town training). But I was willing to do it. It seemed like a move in the right direction for me, even though I'd still be working for them, and I kind of wanted to change that.

But then the owners of the pilates studio that I've been taking classes at asked me if I'd come in for an interview with them. They were interested in hiring me. I went to the interview, and the next day they offered me a job. I took it, and have been in training since. The great thing is that these people are truly experts in the field, and are going to train me and two other new employees for free. In addition to teaching pilates, I'll also be doing personal training/wellness coaching. My first client is tomorrow afternoon. I've been doing personal training for about six years, so that part is falling into place easily for me, with just a little training that I had this morning.

I'm grappling somewhat with the fact that this new place is a for profit, whereas my previous job was a non-profit. There's a big difference in the clientele. There's a big difference in the price. But I really like the philosophy and approach that is at the heart of where I work now, and that's so important to me.

I need some new gym clothes, since most of what I have right now is older, and some of it doesn't even fit very well. I ordered four tops and one pair of leggings to get me started, including these.... though the first one I got in black, not blue.





Off to relax the rest of the evening away... maybe I'll take a walk- it helps me to unwind.

I hope your week is off to a good start.

Savor Slowly

I've been wanting to do more reading lately, and the other day, I ordered this book from Amazon. It's so nice to have a good book to fall into bed with. it's written by the creator of the wonderful food blog, Orangette. And, having had an extremely hard week involving getting a new job (more to come on that later) I treated myself this afteernoon to a nice cup of coffee and chocolate covered organic cherries.



It's important to make good use of our relaxation time, right? Starting a new job has certainly made me realize this.

Did You Say Tofu?

I'm trying not to eat much meat lately, which makes getting enough protein a little tricky sometimes. So, last night was tofu night. I threw this meal together, and it was more than delicious. All of the flavors fit so well together.. that's why I put it all on one plate!




Healthy And Easy Vegetarian Dinner

Menu:

-soft tofu with onions
-mashed sweet potatoes with feta
-herb salad with vinaigrette


I don't have an exact recipe for the tofu since I made it up based on the memory of a dish that I used to love from a Korean restaurant.

Basically, you slice up some onions and sautee them in oil (olive or sesame, or both). Add cubed tofu. Add some kind of tomato-y base. I actually used some organic ketchup, of all things. The sweetness worked well in this dish. I also added some rice vinegar and a little chili powder for spice. You could use hot sauce instead of the chili powder. Red pepper flakes would be great too.

Slice sweet potatoes, and steam them. Then mash. I leave the skin on for more vitamins and fiber. Add a generous amount of feta on the mashed potatoes (SO GOOD). You don't even need to use butter...

Add a nice little salad, and you have yourself a quick and very nutritious meal.

I'm definitely going to be eating this more often.

The Right Dress At The Right Time

I went to a 60's theme party on Saturday, for an old family friend's birthday.

There was a band at the party, and the tunes were very familiar to me since I grew up with parents from the hippie generation. The music of the Beatles, Carol King, Cat Stevens, and Bob Dylan, was frequently heard at my house. We lived in Oakland, CA- so close to Berkeley, the hippie epicenter of the Bay Area.



This party was one of those occasions when I needed something very particular to wear, and I happened to have just the right thing. Don't you love it when that happens so effortlessly?! The dress that I wore happened to be in my "give to Goodwill bag," but I snatched it right out, and it worked perfectly. This was actually the first time I wore it. I bought it at a second hand store years ago, but it has hung in my closet all this time. I just haven't found the motivation to add it to my daily outfit mix. It's a mini dress- very mod, 60's-ish.

For the party, I added tall black boots and white tights, a generous application of black liquid eyeliner on the upper lids, a small berry- red belt under the bust, and the look was complete.

Now I'm envisioning wearing this when the weather gets warmer, sans tights, with a strappy shoe.

I think my Goodwill bag will remain one dress lighter.

Balancing Act

I've been taking pilates twice a week for the last ten weeks. My mom also takes pilates at the same place that I do. I was talking to her on the phone last night. I said that it didn't seem that in this whole ten weeks the instructor has emphasized that we are doing abdominal strengthening exercises. It's been all about finding balance in our bodies, and sure, we've used our abs somewhat, but it hasn't been the emphasis. It seems that in other pilates classes I've taken, there's been much more focus on the abs. My mom said that in the next level class, it gets much more "abdominally challenging."

Today I went to class, and the instructor said that now we are really going to begin using our abs, as we might have expected to in pilates. All that we've been doing so far has prepared us for this. It's taught us how to engage our abs correctly, how to breathe correctly with the exercises, how to have proper form, etc. I'm just a little surprised at the pace of this class. Don't get me wrong... I'm all for knowing about correct form and alignment, especially since I'm going to be teaching pilates soon. It just seems that I've spent $400.00 dollars so far on these classes, and maybe a little too much time has been spent going over the same things for ten weeks. On the flip side of that, it's surprising how easy it is to have "bad" form, and how it does take quite a bit of repetition to make that brain to body connection on good form.

I talked to my supervisor about coming back to work (my three months off ends at the end of March). She offered me a positon teaching pilates in June. I deliberated over it for a day, but there really wasn't much to think about. I've been wanting to do this, and it's a great opportunity, so I'm in! It's really good timing for me. I'll be a little sad to give up my Monday step and sculpt class, but I think a change is needed. I'll still be teaching dance aerobics, which prompted me to listen to music and dance around the house yesterday.




I think I've had just a little too much time on my hands lately, too much time in the house, and not enough social interaction. That leads to thinking too much, and depression can set in. Getting back to a routine will be good. It's all about balance, isn't it- balance in our bodies, and balance in our lives. You can definitely feel when something is "outa whack."

I'm A List Maker

Can you believe it's March already?

I feel spring lurking right around the corner, and it feels really good.

Here's a list about what I did today:

- Went to an 8:00 dentist appt. (cleaning) and did some corresponding with an editor from Venus magazine this morning.

-Went to pilates at noon. We had a sub, and she was more chatty than our regular teacher (kind of fun). I embarrassed myself a little though. We were doing the "downhill ski" which works your legs and glutes 'till they scream at you. As we were all doing the exercise, I said to the instructor "I see why you have nice glutes." Then I turned a little red, I think.

-Cleaned the bathroom, did some laundry.

-Took Alex across town to the orthodontist to fix a loose wire.

- Made a quick trip to the grocery store.


I guess my day was a little mundane, but it's been productive. Tonight I'll indulge in my guilty pleasure, American Idol, and maybe I'll work on a couple of little projects.

I hope your list from today was a good one, filled mostly with positive things.

Photography Friday #4

And so we come to the fourth Photography Friday. I think I'll make this the last one for a while. I might do another photography series at some point though.

I hope you have some weekend plans that you're excited about. We're having "everybody order something from a restaurant night" at my house tonight. We do this every so often. We all tend to like to order from a different restaurant, so we spend an hour or so running around town, getting each person their order, and then come home and eat together. And L.C. and I may (possibly) go to a dance tonight. Happy Friday......

And the photos for today.....

Two Cookies



San Francisco Architecture







Walk The Yellow Line

Sometimes It's Okay To Eat Baby Food

It seems like lately, my sweet tooth is getting sweeter. I generally try not to eat a lot of refined sugar. But I'm craving a little bit of something sweet with my tea or coffee a couple of times a day. It does make sense- there's something very comforting about a warm drink with a little treat. And because I've been all for finding little pleasures and indulgences in my day, I'm trying to find healthy sweet things to have at these times. Sometimes I have a nutrition bar with my tea or coffee. Sometimes I have a little bit of chocolate. Yesterday I got a box of organic maple cookies. I occasionally get these, and though it might seem a little weird, they're toddler cookies.

Why would an adult want to eat a toddler cookie? Well, these are quite healthy, and just the right amount of sweet. And check out these nutrition perks: they're organic, wheat free, dairy free, salt free, no saturated or trans fat, and fortified with vitamins and minerals. Oh, and did I mention that they're DELICIOUS? The only problem is that if I let myself, I could eat the whole box in one sitting. But that's always an issue with cookies, right? Portion control is key, folks. So have your cookie, and ENJOY it. It's good for you.



Wtih a nice cup of English Breakfast tea, with milk and stevia

Photography Friday #3

The weeks are flying by. I can't believe it's Friday again. It feels like spring here, and I hope it does where you are also.

Photographs of the day:

My Table This Morning {look at that sun} With Flowers Left Over From Valentines Day



Jars On The Kitchen Counter



Mini Jade On The Sill



There's Not Much Better On A Chilly Afternoon Than Home Made Chocolate Chip Cookies And Coffee



Yin/Yang



Observed While Taking A Walk