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| Farmers Market, Laguna Beach |
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| On may way to the market |
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| Yummy strawberries |
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| Chicken tamales and salsa |
Team Clarke in OC, California. A Brit-Swede Combination
10 March 2012
Farmers Market
Started this absolute gorgeous Saturday with a trip down to the farmers market in Laguna Beach. Now THAT is a nice market. MUCH nicer than the ones here in Irvine. And best thing: bread. Nice spelt and other kinds that we like. Not spoilt with bread around here. Once in a blue moonwe find some we like. Bought some nice big strawberries, salsa, avocados and chicken tamales.. So much fresh stuff there, fish, empanadas, veggies, pasta. See the blue sky in the background, what a day!
We will definitely be going there more often! Gavin was being good and went to Barry's while we were at the market, well done hon! Especially since he had to go to work today, grrrr. Not happy about that at all.
08 March 2012
Baby Swim
Emily was such a trooper this morning in her first baby swim class. She wasn't bothered about the water at all, not even when I dipped her under the water. Such a water baby!
They do baby swim classes several times a day at the Waterworks here in Irvine, one class (20 min) costs $ 17. Not cheap. Overall, there are lots of choice here when it comes to different activities. We have also signed up for a play and sing class for 0-6 monthsat Gymboree. First class is free, after that it will be a whopping $ 74 a month.
Feeling truly blessed there are so much to do here and there is so much choice of activites. There are plenty of nice, clean parks, trails to walk, pools to play. And then if you are willing to pay, baby swim, play groups etc.
Can't help thinking about the day when I go back to work. Here it would be no problem: childcare is expensive but it is available. In Germany, it will be difficult. Not many kindergardens around for under 3 year olds, hard to find child minders...A lot less child friendly.
They do baby swim classes several times a day at the Waterworks here in Irvine, one class (20 min) costs $ 17. Not cheap. Overall, there are lots of choice here when it comes to different activities. We have also signed up for a play and sing class for 0-6 monthsat Gymboree. First class is free, after that it will be a whopping $ 74 a month.
Feeling truly blessed there are so much to do here and there is so much choice of activites. There are plenty of nice, clean parks, trails to walk, pools to play. And then if you are willing to pay, baby swim, play groups etc.
Can't help thinking about the day when I go back to work. Here it would be no problem: childcare is expensive but it is available. In Germany, it will be difficult. Not many kindergardens around for under 3 year olds, hard to find child minders...A lot less child friendly.
05 March 2012
Sad Baby
Emily not me. Not her jolly self today, Woke up early (5.30) crying, and she has been either crying or sleeping all morning. She falls asleep after a few cuddles, then wakes up crying in a panicing way and even after she stops crying the big under lip remains. Normally she sleeps for around 20 minutes in the morning but today she has been down for at least 1,5 hours and inbetween she has been sooooo sad.
Hopefully she will be back blowing raspberries soon! Her favourite hobby, it seems like.
Good news: -21 kg! Plenty more to go. I am following Olga Rönnberg's stomach exercises and http://www.mammafitness.se and http://blogg.mama.nu, she is truly a great source for motivation. Stomach exercises twice a day, bootcamp (30 min on the tread mill with inclines, 30 min on the floor with weight, rubber band, ball etc), cardio barre and power walks should help to lose the remaining 20. Kilos. Not pounds. Sigh.
Hopefully she will be back blowing raspberries soon! Her favourite hobby, it seems like.
Good news: -21 kg! Plenty more to go. I am following Olga Rönnberg's stomach exercises and http://www.mammafitness.se and http://blogg.mama.nu, she is truly a great source for motivation. Stomach exercises twice a day, bootcamp (30 min on the tread mill with inclines, 30 min on the floor with weight, rubber band, ball etc), cardio barre and power walks should help to lose the remaining 20. Kilos. Not pounds. Sigh.
Birthdays..
Yesterday was a day of birthdays...First, my dear husband turned 36, still a spring chicken! Then Stella from the Swedish school turned 1, so this turned out to be quite a busy day.
The morning started with a visit to the bootcamp, ouch, now that was a proper hangover I got from the champagne so it felt like the longest hour ever. Made it home afterwards after drinking nearly a gallon of water.
Drove down to Newport Coast to Stella's birthday party where we stayed for a few hours. Very nice! Great weather and great people, a truly nice afternoon.
For Gavin's birthday dinner we had booked a table at Javier's (where else?!), Emily was at her best behaviour as usual (though our plan to enjoy dinner while she was sleeping did not quite work out). Where they may not serve the best Mexican Food, they definitely serve the best Mexican Seafood. Lobster enchilada, crab tacos or stuffed pepper with shrimp, always great choices. And since it was Gavin's birthday and also because we couldn't find any parking straight away..we were cheeky and went for the valet parking.
Sunset
The cosiest Mexican restaurant we've ever been to,
The morning started with a visit to the bootcamp, ouch, now that was a proper hangover I got from the champagne so it felt like the longest hour ever. Made it home afterwards after drinking nearly a gallon of water.
Drove down to Newport Coast to Stella's birthday party where we stayed for a few hours. Very nice! Great weather and great people, a truly nice afternoon.
For Gavin's birthday dinner we had booked a table at Javier's (where else?!), Emily was at her best behaviour as usual (though our plan to enjoy dinner while she was sleeping did not quite work out). Where they may not serve the best Mexican Food, they definitely serve the best Mexican Seafood. Lobster enchilada, crab tacos or stuffed pepper with shrimp, always great choices. And since it was Gavin's birthday and also because we couldn't find any parking straight away..we were cheeky and went for the valet parking.
Sunset
Saturday Fun
Finally, the sun has returned again! Whohooo.
Gavin went to the bootcamp at 8.30 am as usual and as soon as he got back I drove down to South Laguna for my appointment at the Brow boutique.
On my way down, see the nice blue sky!
Since it was such a nice day on Saturday we decided to drive down to Corona del Mar to grab some lunch and take a walk. Corona del Mar is a neighbourhood in Newport Beach and it has some quaint village shops.
Driving down to Corona del Mar, see the ocean ahead of us
Corona del Mar. We ended up walking for over an hour until we decided to go back to the Plaza where we had parked and enjoy some lunch at the first restaurant we had passed :)
Last week was OC restaurant week and I thought I wasn't going to be able to enjoy it, we were lucky that the Tommy Bahama Grill was part of it, $ 15 for a three course lunch and Saturday was the last day!
Pina Colada cake for afters
And some vino. First glass of wine in 12 months. Oh my, was I tired afterwards. Very yummy though. Gavin got Shrimp coconut, Chicken sandwich and lime cake. Not a shabby choice, either.
While Emily is still too young to enjoy any of the food, she enjoyed to be out and about again. Since Tommy Bahama is not just a restaurant but also a shop, there was also some shopping done before heading home again. Of course!
The evening ended in style with some champagne, Richard Flinaux, from the box we shipped from Germany. We rented a movie from apple TV, In time. What a bunch of crap. Missed the end as usual, 2,5 glasses of champagne put me right to sleep. Justin Timberlake played the main character, Olivia Wild his mother...it could have been a great story but, na, rather weak if you ask me. I really have started to like Apple TV, I wonder why this market is not so big in Germany (where shops are closed on Sunday, even video shops!!). Netflix, Apple TV or Cox our cable TV provider..so easy to rent a movie these days. I can barely remember the times you actually had to walk to the shop, rent the DVD, if it was available, and then return it on the following day.
Or back in the day in Sweden where we not only had to rent the VHS but also the video box since he had no video recorder. Ohhhh NOW I am feeling old.
Gavin went to the bootcamp at 8.30 am as usual and as soon as he got back I drove down to South Laguna for my appointment at the Brow boutique.
Since it was such a nice day on Saturday we decided to drive down to Corona del Mar to grab some lunch and take a walk. Corona del Mar is a neighbourhood in Newport Beach and it has some quaint village shops.
Last week was OC restaurant week and I thought I wasn't going to be able to enjoy it, we were lucky that the Tommy Bahama Grill was part of it, $ 15 for a three course lunch and Saturday was the last day!
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| Kobe Beef Slider as a starter, fish tacos for main |  |
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And some vino. First glass of wine in 12 months. Oh my, was I tired afterwards. Very yummy though. Gavin got Shrimp coconut, Chicken sandwich and lime cake. Not a shabby choice, either.
The evening ended in style with some champagne, Richard Flinaux, from the box we shipped from Germany. We rented a movie from apple TV, In time. What a bunch of crap. Missed the end as usual, 2,5 glasses of champagne put me right to sleep. Justin Timberlake played the main character, Olivia Wild his mother...it could have been a great story but, na, rather weak if you ask me. I really have started to like Apple TV, I wonder why this market is not so big in Germany (where shops are closed on Sunday, even video shops!!). Netflix, Apple TV or Cox our cable TV provider..so easy to rent a movie these days. I can barely remember the times you actually had to walk to the shop, rent the DVD, if it was available, and then return it on the following day.
02 March 2012
Hello Sun
Glad surprise to see that the sun is back today, just in time for the weekend, yay! And we are expecting some weather, nice and hot. Apparently it will get close to 80 degrees F, (82 F is 28 C). Hurrah! Now it is time to make some plans!!
Today will be a very chilled day after been out and about all week...we are just getting ready to go out for power walk number 1. Feeling a wee bit tired since Emily woke us up at 5 am this morning....first time in weeks she's done that and let me tell you, I am not used to be woken up that early any longer. Funny how quick one get used to sleeping. 2 months ago we felt blessed sleeping till 4 am. Now 6 am feels human. But 5, oh no, we have left that time behind us.
Tomorrow will be a bit of running around again. Barry's bootcamp for hubby, brow boutique in South Laguna for me. Tidy up. Perhaps hit the gym or go running in the afternoon (scale is stuck again, soooo tired of starring at it).
On Sunday we are invited to little Stella's first birthday party (must not forget to buy birthday gift tomorrow) which will take place in a park in Newport Beach, should be fun! And the weather will be perfect!! But first things first and I will squeeze in a visit to Barry's in the morning. It is also my dear husband's birthday on sunday and I need to make some plans..do we go out for dinner? Make a cake? Take out? (Take out is the new treat for us, so much easier since we have Emily).
And oh, I think I have found the perfect hair dresser here. Finally, third attempt and $185 later (plus tip!). Bellagio Salon & Spa in Newport Coast. Fancy fancy.
Today will be a very chilled day after been out and about all week...we are just getting ready to go out for power walk number 1. Feeling a wee bit tired since Emily woke us up at 5 am this morning....first time in weeks she's done that and let me tell you, I am not used to be woken up that early any longer. Funny how quick one get used to sleeping. 2 months ago we felt blessed sleeping till 4 am. Now 6 am feels human. But 5, oh no, we have left that time behind us.
Tomorrow will be a bit of running around again. Barry's bootcamp for hubby, brow boutique in South Laguna for me. Tidy up. Perhaps hit the gym or go running in the afternoon (scale is stuck again, soooo tired of starring at it).
On Sunday we are invited to little Stella's first birthday party (must not forget to buy birthday gift tomorrow) which will take place in a park in Newport Beach, should be fun! And the weather will be perfect!! But first things first and I will squeeze in a visit to Barry's in the morning. It is also my dear husband's birthday on sunday and I need to make some plans..do we go out for dinner? Make a cake? Take out? (Take out is the new treat for us, so much easier since we have Emily).
And oh, I think I have found the perfect hair dresser here. Finally, third attempt and $185 later (plus tip!). Bellagio Salon & Spa in Newport Coast. Fancy fancy.
01 March 2012
Busy Week
Been a very busy week, I must say. Just got back from the airport where I dropped my mum off. I am completely exhausted ( I am sure she is feeling the same)!!
We went to LA on Monday and lovley Robertson Blvd and did some shopping at Kitson. Some really cute baby stuff. Stopped by at the Grove for some lunch and did some quick shopping at Citadel outlet on the wayhome. Emily was an angel as always! Finally found some new sport tops at the New Balance shop and a new sports bra. Why do American sport bras suck?? You know, the ones you have to pull over your head and once you are really sweaty, they kind of suck into your body and you can barely get it off you again. Beats me. Anyway, $ 44 later, I have found the traditional, European one which is a normal bra style.
Went to cardio barre last night, http://www.cardiobarre.com/index.php, it was very different from the other class I went to, different and much better! Much more like ballett and gosh, was I waching this morning. Only in America: the instructor welcomed and introduced me to the whole class, making sure who the disorientated newbie in the corner was...great! Half way through the class she shouts, "great job Jane" and continues, "ladies, you are amazing, soo beautiful"..Naja, needless to say, I did not feel amazing nor beautiful when I saw myself in the mirror, barely recognized that chubby, red face at first!
We went to LA on Monday and lovley Robertson Blvd and did some shopping at Kitson. Some really cute baby stuff. Stopped by at the Grove for some lunch and did some quick shopping at Citadel outlet on the wayhome. Emily was an angel as always! Finally found some new sport tops at the New Balance shop and a new sports bra. Why do American sport bras suck?? You know, the ones you have to pull over your head and once you are really sweaty, they kind of suck into your body and you can barely get it off you again. Beats me. Anyway, $ 44 later, I have found the traditional, European one which is a normal bra style.
Went to cardio barre last night, http://www.cardiobarre.com/index.php, it was very different from the other class I went to, different and much better! Much more like ballett and gosh, was I waching this morning. Only in America: the instructor welcomed and introduced me to the whole class, making sure who the disorientated newbie in the corner was...great! Half way through the class she shouts, "great job Jane" and continues, "ladies, you are amazing, soo beautiful"..Naja, needless to say, I did not feel amazing nor beautiful when I saw myself in the mirror, barely recognized that chubby, red face at first!
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