Southwest Roadtrip: New Mexico

 I just returned from 6 days on the road through the desert, and although that may not seem like a lot of time, we managed to pack quite a bit in! So here is a summery of our trip through New Mexico and some of our recommendations!

Centerpiece of the Museum

Our first big stop was Roswell. It's crazy to see a town take its entire identity from an even that happened in 1947. (The only other place we could think that is sort of like this is Salem, MA) The UFO Museum provides info about the event and general history of UFO sightings across the world. It provides a good background, as long as you're willing to skim. You could easily spend an entire day there, but I wouldn't, there's so much else to see!

So much info!!

Around the museum there are heaps of tshirt shop and stuff. Most are all selling the same stuff, and then there's the Alien Zone. This place fully embraces the corniness of the alien sightings. The front of the shop is a store and for 3 bucks you can go in a seperate place full of alien scenes that you can take pictures with: experimenting on aliens in the lab, drunk alien BBQ, alien on the toilet, etc. It's definitely a must see after the museum!

Secret gem: The Human Society Thrift Shop. In town here are heaps of curated vintage stores, but there is something so much more satisfying about digging through racks of duds to finally find something awesome! I came away with a garbage bag full of clothes for under 4$.


What to eat:
Honestly I didn't' have high expectations for food in Roswell, but I was delightfully surprised! Both of our meals here were great! First we went to Big D's Downtown Dive for lunch. The food was super yummy and fresh an imaginative. Reportedly it was on Diner Drive ins and Dives, but I couldn't find any evidence of that, either way, deliscious!
For dinner we went to Lemon Grass Thai. Yes, we all thought it was a bit insane to try Thai food in NM, but again we were pleasantly surprised. It was on par with my favorite Thai place here in San Diego. Crazy find and so worth it!

 The next morning we were off! Back to Arizona with stops along the way. Basically our idea was, we're gonna have to make backroom stops, why not make them fun!
Stop 1: The Fox Cave. An Old mine now converted into a giant gift store/ roadside attractions. The store is built into the cliff-side, which is pretty awesome, and they have gems from all over the world, along with local turquoise jewelry. One of the best parts are the giant sculptures outside: a pair of 20 foot tall hands, dinos, aliens, cowboys. Bonus points for having a super nice backroom.

Chillin in the cyrstals

Stop 2: Pistachioland. We saw this giant pistachio on the  side of the road and knew we had to stop on the way back! bonus points for having a sample bar where you can try all of their pistachios.

Stop 3. What Sands National Monument. This place is positively unreal. Southern New Mexico is basically a craggey open landscape, and then all of a sudden you come upon these stark white sand dunes, the feeling is surreal.I could have spent all day here climbing the dunes and letting the sand run through my fingers. Any description beyond this would only cheapen the awesomeness of this place. I can just say: if you have the chance, Go.
* credit to by boyfriend Gabe who first told me about this place*

Details on Designers at bottom of page

Sampson the Camel: therapy animal during the week, hilarious sight on the weekend

Stop 4: Adobe Deli. All of the credit for this goes to Diana. We were all hungry making the long drive from White Sands to Tucson and she put in the effort to find a unique place for us. After a drive in the middle of nowhere we arrived at a giant building at the end of the lane, and the parking lot was packed. This place is literally covered in decor, and most of that decor is stuff that vintage pickers would die to get their hands on: taxidery, road signs, hats, old hunting stuff. The menus are sassy and suddenly everyone has southern accents. I loved this place. As a capstone to our day of oddities it just emphasized how many awesome things there are as long as you put in the extra effort to look around you.

This is how they bring you your ribs...

And with our bellies full it was off to Arizona!
I'll post highlights of our trip soon, along with a video of our travels.

If you want to check out more shots from our trip, check out my instagram: @beckapalter

 Body Suit: Little Black Diamond
Sunglasses: Knockaround

Banana Bread Muffins

The cloudy weather made me wanna bake so I jumped in and made some super awesome banana muffins! I ate quite a few hot out of the oven so I would say they're pretty great!
These are gluten and lactose free! Low FODMAP, those with fructose sensitivities should be careful since they're ripe bananas. So enjoy with much less fear for your tummy!!


Ingredients:
2 c Gluten Free Flour
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
4 Eggs
2 c Mashed Banana (~4 ripe bananas)
1 c Sugar
1/2 c Unsweetened Applesauce
1/3 c Oil (Canola, coconut, whatever you please)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract


Directions
Makes roughly 2 dozen, or 2 loaves

1. Combine Flour, Baking Soda and Salt in a small bowl. Mix well.

2. Combine Eggs, Bananas, Sugar, Applesauce, Oil, Vanilla in Large bowl. Mix Well.

3. Stir in dry ingredients until just mixed.
4. Fill Muffin tins half way.

5. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes (or 55 for a loaf of bread)

BONUS- Drop a mini peanut butter cup in the middle of each muffin

6. Enjoy!!

Sweet Treat for Valentines weekend

Ingredients

• 1 Zucchini, grated (2 cups)
• 4 T melted butter (I used earth balance)
• 1/4 cup Oil (I used coconut oil)
• 4 ounce Plain Yogurt (roughly 2/5 cups)
• 2 Eggs
• 2 T Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated Sugar
• 1/3 cup Shredded Coconut* optional
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose or whole-wheat pastry flour (FODMAP followers Trader Joes Gluten Free Flour)
• 1/2 t Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder 
• FOR GLAZE:
• 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
• 2 tsp + water

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease 8 x 8 square pan, or if you don't have one of those (like me) split the batter between 2 bread pans!
3. In medium bowl, add zucchini, eggs, melted butter, oil and yogurt stirring to blend.
   
4. Blend in sugars, coconut, and extracts.
   
5. Slowly add in flour, baking soda, and baking powder blending until incorporated.
   
6. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes.
   
   
   
7. To create glaze: add confectioner's sugar, water and almond extract together in a small bowl. Whisk to create a thick-soup consistency adding more water if needed. Drizzle over cake. Add Sliced almonds if desired, but make sure the add them fast so they can stick to the icing before it hardens.
   
   
   8. ENJOY!!

Why I Yoga

Kaitlin Van Photography, back when my hair was short.

     Yesterday I got an email notifying me that I have been at my current yoga studio for 2 years. I've been wanting to write about why I practice for a while now, and this seemed like a pretty good sign that I should.
     Practicing yoga is the one "selfish" thing I do for myself. In almost every other aspect of my life the motivation behind my actions are to help someone (or some creature). Yoga is only for me.
     During the hour I have in a class I don't have to worry about whether other people are comfortable, or if there's anything more I can be doing. I just get to breathe and do what feels good inside of my own body.

      I first began my yoga practice when my mom offered to take me to a yoga retreat with her about 5 and half years ago. It was incredible but I didn't really "get" it. I liked how I felt strong and flexible but I didn't see how this was any different than dance or any other physical activity.

      It wasn't until 2 and a half years ago, when I was working a full time job, that I realized the true benefit of yoga (at least to me).  In my job I was giving all of myself every day. Anticipating another person's needs, working to make them comfortable and happy every minute. This hour gave me the freedom to only care about myself. If I do every challenging pose, great. If i sit in child's pose for 45 minutes, great. It's all about what my mind and body need that day.
    Yoga has pushed my to find my edge, to know when to breath and most importantly, that it's okay to put myself first sometime.

Also, If you're in San Diego and looking for a studio, come practice with me at Pilgrimage of the Heart!

New Year, Newish You

 

     Every year we each make our own  resolutions and goals for the new year, and I'm sure you will see heaps of lists about what you should and shouldn't do in the new year. Drink more water, eat more tacos, go plant based clean vegan, buy higher thread count sheets, whatever. And some of those may apply to you and others may not, so here is a piece of advice that I think everyone should follow in the new year: Try Something New!

     I don't mean a variation of something that you already know how to kind of do. I mean something that you have never done before. There are enough pinterest boards and YouTube tutorials out there to jump in the great unknown, so do it!

A few months ago I saw a couple embroidery hoops at an estate sale and remembered that embroidery was something that I always thought I wanted to do, but has never tried. And instead of talking myself out of it, or doing research, I just went for it (granted it was like a 4$ decision, so if it went terribly, it wouldn't be the worst thing).

 

 

 Here are some things I've learned since teaching myself how to embroider a couple months ago:
1. It's okay to be bad at stuff. It's okay to be awful at stuff. "Sucking at something is the first step to becoming sorta good at something." -Jake the Dog
2. Other people are better than you at stuff, and it's all good. Don't look at other peoples work to compare yourself; you've just begun, you're not supposed to be great. Just because someone else is better than you doesn't mean you should stop doing what you're trying to do.
3. Any little improvement is a win. Celebrate a little when you learn a new stitch, or can remember what warrior 1 looks like, or when you can finally mix paints to get the color you want. You're starting at the bottom so any step up is pretty awesome!
4. Challenges are great and you're great. Keep working and improving and struggling!

Solid Advice from Tracy Jordan

  Also, challenging your brain with new tasks is key to lifelong neuroplasticity and brain health, so that's always good.

Get Festive

 So jump in this new year with 2 inexperienced feet! Try something new! Dream big! Go Crazy!

My favorite piece so far, a gift for my mom

PS- Most of these are for sale on Narts and Crafts!

Ayesha Curry and Shaming Women into Modesty

Before this weekend I might have taken Steph Curry's wife's advice on fashion, raising adorable children, and finding hunky awesome men, but thanks to her tweet on Sunday, that has all changed. 

 @ayeshacurry "Everyone's into barely wearing clothes these days huh? Not my style. I like to keep the good stuff covered up for the one who matters *crying laughing emoji*"

and later

"Regardless of if you like my 'style of clothes' or not (which I don't care) please do not tear down and degrade women... not cool peeps"

Here's the thing, you just tore down and degraded women, check yourself before you wreck yourself.

 

Statements like this always frustrate me, but for a long time I had trouble articulating why. So I'm going to try to explain with the "modesty movement" is a load of misogynistic crap designed to get women to fight each other, rather than fighting The Man.

First, by saying this, people are also basically saying that a women's body is always on display and the way you dress is an representation of what you want members of the opposite sex to do to you. And it's not a far leap from there to say "did you see how she way dressed? she was asking for it".

Now don't get me wrong, some clothing does have specific purposes,(ski jackets, cleats, yard work gloves) but they don't relate to how anyone should treat you. Women who wear short dresses do not want to engage in sexual activities with every person that sees them in that dress. And to suggest so is just dumb. Men don't have this pressure to constantly be "on point" so that society will value them, so why are we doing this to women?

 

Second, my body is not for consumption by someone else. Why would you say that your body is for "the one that matters"? Isn't your body for yourself? A container made of flesh and bones to carry your soul through life? My body isn't here to serve anyone's purpose but my own.

 

Third, basically this says that a woman's best qualities are her tits and ass. Are you covering up your ambition? your compassion? your ability to inspire and motivate those around you with your blazer and scarf? No. Personally I think that is truly the "good stuff".

 

So basically I want to say, dress modestly if that's what makes you comfortable, but you shouldn't have to dress modestly because of what man (or other judgmental women) may think of you.  And if you happen to find yourself being a judgmental fart, take a step back and remind yourself that you have probably worn something that someone else didn't like and that doesn't make you any less of a human.  These are your sisters, so stop judging, start listening and Smash the Patriarchy.

Shop Small Lil Gifties

This year I've decided that I'm going to shop small as much as possible, but I always seem to have trouble deciding on little gifts for friends. So I created this little list of gifties that are all under 20$!!
 Socking Stuffer? Boom. Secret Santa? Pow. Friends gifts with low prices limits? Kablow!
There are heaps more small brands out there, but I chose companies that I have a little connection to so I know you'll be getting good stuff! So inject a little local love into your holiday cheer and check out this gems!

Lil' Gifties

1. Balm Bay: Awesome sugar scrubs and bath bombs! (Use code BECKA15 for 15% off your order!)
2. Richer Poorer: I love socks, so you know I've got a discerning sock palate. I especially love their active wear socks, but check them out and I bet you'll find a perfect pair for everyone on your list! (50% Off with the code "VMFF50" on full-priced goods)
3. Pricklie Pear: I was fortunate enough to win a necklace from this designer, and I love it! She stamps her own metal shapes down in SLO!
4. Meraki: These gorgeous earrings are from the east coast, but I love them dearly! They're made by a college friend of my sister. They're better than most similar earrings I've seen, and they're less expensive!
5. Onyx Exchange: I am not a perfume girl, but I'm madly in love with Onyx's solid perfumes. They're so natural and subtle, so you won't get an Axe style cloud. 
6. Whole Apothecary: My favorite item is their roll-on slumber stick! It's like falling asleep in a lavender meadow.
7. Narts and Crafts : We all have that friend that "just wants a card" or a nephew that wants a gift card, but you wanna wrap it in something special. Natalie makes incredible handmade cards for any occasion, or any food pun. (spoiler alert, yes she's my sister, and her cards are great!)
8.  Often Wander : I am super picky on candles, most are too fake smelling or burn out too quick. These are (dare I say it) perfect. Sarah uses essential oils so all the scents are real and fresh. The soy candle burns slow so you get max amount of hours with your yummy candle. Extra bonus? They're made right here in San Diego!
9. Rebecca Eichten : I love these prints! They're a perfect blend of old school botanical prints with a little whimsy. No matter what type of quintessential plant you want in your life, Rebecca has a gorgeous watercolor of it: cactus, fern, staghorn, they're all gorgeous!

In addition to ordering on their websites, there are heaps of holiday markets happening where these vendors will be out and about! Check out their social media pages for updates on where they'll be and where you can meet a real life artisan!