Coconut Water + Coffee = Heaven

Coco Cafe

I went to Whole Foods the other day just because I heard that they were sampling the new beverage Coco Cafe. It is equal parts coconut water and coffee so it hydrates while it energizes. They added a splash of milk and it tastes delicious! I might start replacing my morning coffee with this new drink or just mixing my own coffee with some VitaCoco.

Little Japan

Tanmen with Chicken

A trip to Santa Monica could end up taking you all the way to Japan! Walking up and down Sawtelle amongst the variety of noodle houses, Asahi Ramen looked the best with tons of happy guests slurping through huge bowls of fresh noodles. The gyoza, pork fried rice and yakisoba was excellent. I want to go back and try more soon.

Green Tea with Chocolate Sauce and Mint Chocolate Pieces

Blockheads Creamery around the corner from the noodle house makes a dessert that they call Snow Cream which is a combo of shaved ice and ice cream. It is delicious and looks like delicate layers of snow on the slopes.

Windy Dancer

frye shoes, william rast pants, h&m jacket, aritzia top,
essie ballet slippers polish

It was the windiest day that I have experienced in a long time in Los Angeles. The gusts were so strong that the wind would actually hold me up and support me when I leaned into it. On the other hand, I was nearly knocked over several times by it's power when standing against it.

Julie Rader has said that yoga mimics life, so when the elements were tough and pushing against me, I made sure to press on and push back! I managed to hold this pose for just long enough to get an exhilarating windy twist on my King Dancer.

nataraja asana - king dancer pose 

Nitrates vs. None

Saint Patrick's Day calls for a traditional Irish Dinner including corned beef and cabbage. When looking for the best type of corned beef, you should read the contents on the label and not just the price.

Trader Joe's No Nitrates Uncured Pre-Seasoned Corned Beef at $4.99/lb

VS.

Reuben Brand Corned Beef Cured with Sodium Nitrate from Fresh and Easy at $.99/lb

The bio chemist weighs in:

Sodium nitrate is present in many cured meats. When digested, these nitrates can form compounds called nitrosamines. These nitrosamines can latch onto DNA and cause problems which can then increase your risk for many types of cancer.