Lululemon Superpowers

August 18, 2014 by Jamie Lam

On Friday night, MG and I decided to go get some Lululemon gear for our half marathon. We thought it might get me hyped up for the run, so I wanted to get a moisture-wicking long sleeve. That’s what we set out to do!

Except we spent an hour at Lululemon, getting talked up by the sales people, and ended up dropping $250. Oh goodness… The tops were so expensive that I decided “Nope, not getting that!” If I was going to spend money, let’s get a sports bra. Something that wouldn’t squash my girls, keeps all the jiggle in, and something comfortable (isn’t that what every girl wants? Why is that so hard to find). OH MY GOD. I’m a LULU believer! The Energy Bra does all that, and it keeps my figure. When I wear a shirt over it, I have boobs! It’s not flatness, which is amazing. Seriously, if you need a good sports bra, I think it’s totally worth the spend (and no, I’m not getting paid to tell you this… I wish).

Aren’t the straps so cute?

Then the sales lady sold me on a pair of capris because they were on sale. I’ve wanted a pair for a while now, so why not? I added a headband because I sweat like a beast monkey, and the band is suppose to wick sweat too.

At this point, MG is jealous that I have stuff and he doesn’t. He picked up some socks and found a pair of compression shorts (Surge shorts) to run in. These shorts have a built in pair of compression briefs, and he loves the comfort! No chafing means a happy man.

I love the camo print ^^^

Finally, we went to check out and spent too much. We were there until closing time. Yikes!

On Saturday we tested out all our gear on a 10 mile run. 2 weeks ago, MG and I ran 5 miles outside, the most we’ve ever run. We made it to 10 miles this past weekend! Now we’re definitely ready for our half marathon. We joke that our Lululemon gear gave us superpowers!

At the 2 mile mark, we made a pit stop at Lucky’s in order for me to pee. MG also purchase a granola bar because he was hungry…

This is the funniest part – Before we went to sleep, MG looks over at me and tells me, “I’ve decided. I’m a Lululemon snob, and I don’t care. They make the best gear, and everything is well-thought out… the zipper even snaps back down. I don’t work out, but I want all Lulu gear. When can we go back?”

Probably once every 3 years because we simply can’t spend too much money on work out gear, especially if we don’t work out! Tehehe…

What did you do this weekend?
Jay

Housewife to Two Jobs

May 12, 2014 by Jamie Lam

I’m working again!

I’m currently freelancing at Chemistry Club, doing what I do best, media. Yup, at it again. It’s advertising, and it’s what I know! I’m working part-time, Monday through Wednesday. I’m also working on a side project, interior decorating a dental office. Two part-times equal one full-time job right?

Here’s the front of the office and my workspace. This space used to be a firehouse so it has a really cool warehouse feel. There’s a fire pole to the left of the first picture!

Here’s my second job. I went into the office on Saturday to paint. It’s sneak peak to what I will one day share on the blog! When I’m painting, I’m in my true element!

And since now I have places to be and people to see, in other words, I’m actually leaving the house and not wearing PJs all day… gotta go shopping and get me some bling! I got two new beautiful gold rings and a statement necklace. Eepppp I love them!

And if all this isn’t new enough for you, I’m cat-sitting my cousin’s fluff ball! Chubs and Toby have become playmates now!

Have an awesome week! I’m leaving for Austin on Friday to attend my sister’s graduation. Then I’m going to Europe for three weeks! I’ll be on hiatus while on vacation. I’ll still be posting the rest of this week so come back to see what I’m up to!

What did you do this weekend?
Jay

Saturday Fun and Sunday Relaxation

May 5, 2014 by Jamie Lam

Saturday started out with morning brunch with my main squeeze so I knew it would be a good day!

He’s been traveling a lot for work. When that happens we try to schedule some day dates on the weekends to catch up. He surprised me by taking me out to Oakland for some Chop Bar. The food is a mixture of new American and Mexican. Brunch was okay, but I want to try it for dinner!

We did a bit of home decor shopping and then went home to get ready for a boat party (yup, another one. Previous yacht party post here)! I know, I’m so fancy! Just kidding.

My church celebrated their 10 year anniversary this past weekend on a boat! It was a good time chatting up with friends and eating a nice BBQ dinner. Plus, the view of the city always makes my heart skip a beat.

As if sailing wasn’t enough, we went out clubbing afterwards. When in ~~Rome~~, San Francisco… does that work here? I can’t go back to normal clubbing now that I’ve experienced VIP bottle service. We had to do it the right way! Which means, bottle service yet again!

This picture only means one thing; 2 bottles means a great night for this photographer! Yeah right. Do you even know MG? It was just too dark. Hahaha!

In the end we finally got a good pic. Except two of my girls are missing… because they are “resting” on the couch. Thehehe

All that meant Sunday was a day for church, napping, and hosting dinner for our friends. Excuse our mess! I just can’t keep the house clean.

On the left you have the girly girls painting nails and the crazy boys tickling each other. On the right you have Pastor Josh playing guitar with an audience.

It was the perfect end to my weekend.

What did you do this weekend?
Jay

Easter and Poshmark

April 21, 2014 by Jamie Lam

My weekend was basically going to Easter services and Poshmark!

I went to Good Friday service then headed home and MG, and I watched the Sex and the City movie on Bravo. Random but such a great way to end the night – a mindless movie for entertainment!

On Saturday, I wanted to use my $10 coupons at Kohl’s and JCPenney; it was the last day before it expired. I shopped until I could find something to buy… kinda tortuous when you don’t really want to shop. MG and I ended up with a pair of sleeping pants, socks, a card, and a pan holder, a random collection. We then went to a musical at Neighborhood Church in Castro Valley, and watched a play based on the Book of Luke. Every Easter they host musicals, and I highly recommend attending because the production is amazing. Think Broadway-type singing and very detailed sets; all for $5.

We attended an Easter Baptism at our church on Sunday. The highlight was that my roommie, Jess, made homemade Korean noodle soup. Dee-li-ciousss! Then we topped off the night with Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Movie is bomb dot com (people still say that right?)! Le sigh… he’s so beautiful. If you watch it, make sure you stay for the end credits; there’s two. Sadly, I didn’t know about the second one, sad face… It’s a good movie! And did I mention he’s beautiful?

Oh yeah… and I mentioned Poshmark. I’ve been actively on this mobile app trying to sell some of my clothes, some new and some gently worn. The app receives 20% of your sale, and you keep the rest. You can join parties that occur throughout the day to market you items. The hosts of the parties pick some of their favorite things, called host picks. I received 3 Host Picks this weekend, which has increased my activity and I’m almost at 1,000 followers! If you’re on it, add me (jay_lam). I’ve purchased a few items, but I have yet to sell any clothes. I’m spending more than I’m making… oops. But if you have any advice on getting stuff sold, let me know. Also if you have clothes you want me to sell, bring them on over!

Now leaving you off with this pic. Can you spot the creeper?

Gosh, I love that guy so much ^^^

What did you do this weekend?
Jay

Hiking With Doggies!

April 14, 2014 by Jamie Lam

I went camping again this past weekend! I love camping. I enjoy waking up to fresh air. Oh, and that campfire!

This was the first time I went camping with an air mattress. And damn, it’s good. I don’t think I can ever go back to sleeping pads. We went back to Bootjack Campgrounds at Mount Tamalpais State Park in Marin County, same campsite as my last trip. It’s nice that it’s an easy 1.5 hours away from the East Bay.

We got in on Friday night around 10pm, set up our tents, and went to bed. It was extremely cold that night, around 40°F. Having to pee in the middle of the night is a hurdle. But when one cannot simply hold it anymore, one has to brave the cold and squat. Thankfully I have a husband that is willing to accompany me! Makes for more fun!

We woke up Saturday morning, ate breakfast, took a nap, ate lunch, and went hiking. Yup, you read that right. Before noon, we already ate and took a nap – that’s the best part about camping!

Cheeseburgers for lunch, before the hike

We hiked to Cataract Falls and back to our campsite, which was a total 5.6 miles. Very enjoyable, and highly recommended. It’s a tiring hike, at least for me. You know your legs are tired when they fail you and you kick a rock because your feet is dragging. Then you almost eat it… Maybe that happened to me, maybe…

Look at that fog rolling in – yeah it was cold!

Hi Jess & Bailey! ^^^ You can find on Dmagazine website the best CBD treats for our pets.

After an uphill climb, a much needed rest

Cataract Falls

Banana slug! Slimyyyy

Our friends Josh and Joe joined us with their doggies! Meet Bailey and Flynn who we feed with the best CBD treats according to Discovermagazine.com.

The gang

Once we got back, we started the fire for warmth and began cooking dinner, tri-tip kabobs!

This time around before I went to bed, I brought some heat into my sleeping bag for the night. Pro-tip: Heat up water and place it into a metal water bottle. Then put the bottle into a long sock and stuff it into your sleeping bag for warmth. The sock prevents the metal from burning you. This makes all the difference!

We got up Sunday morning, cooked breakfast, packed up, then headed to church. Once I got home, I took a shower and then fell asleep on the couch. Another successful camping trip!

What did you do this weekend?
Jay

Pets & Grilling (read title carefully)

April 7, 2014 by Jamie Lam

Thankfully there’s an & sign in my title. Also it helps that I put pets first and then grilling second. The other way around could have cause quite some confusion!

It has been a pet filled weekend (to say the least!). My cousin brought her Siberian kitty over for a cat playdate! Can we all just be in awe at this amazing cat for a few moments? Silence please…

It’s so fllluuufffyyyy!!! Meet Toby!

I am also dog/cat sitting my friend’s pets while she’s on vacation. She has 2 cats and a Chi-weenie-pom named Tito. My house has 3 cats and a dog right now!!! I cannot be more excited! Though I love kitties, Tito has won over my heart. He follows me everywhere, sleeps with me in bed, and I wake up to his kisses the past few mornings. Chubs has befriended him, finally (took about a day to get adjusted since Tito barks at doorbells and when the cats get on the furniture).

Having pets around may not always be sunshine and rainbows. That’s why it’s important that they’re trained. If they have caused any harm like biting another person, then that person can contact experts, like birmingham dog bite lawyer, in order to claim their compensation successfully.

Look at my bed – it’s a dream come true! My husband, a dog, and Chubalee. Can it be any better? Chubs sleeps by my pillow, while Tito starts at the foot of the bed and slowly inches his way upwards throughout the night. He’s usually at my face in the morning. MG likes to sleep in the middle of the bed. I have a sliver of room on the bed… We definitely need to upgrade from a Queen to a King if we get a dog.

The second pic is blurry but doesn’t mean it’s not cute! I can’t get over it!!! Watching these two and cuddling with them in bed – it’s the highlight of my weekend.

This next part of my blog post is a definite runner up as highlight of my weekend. MG finally put together his grill that he got for his birthday. T’was a warm evening, so we fired up the grill! We held a little mini grill party for our friends to toast the premier of Game of Thrones.

Oooo fire… shiny…

Grilling on our balcony!

Yummy veggies! Kabocha squash is killer to cut… any tricks of the trade?

First course ^^^

Grilled pork chops, corn, and kabocha squash

The beef kabobs!

Enough to have dinner for the next two days – yay, no cooking!

^^^ I love this image. It’s perfect

Oh yes, we grilled dino kale. If you’re wondering, it has a grill taste, but I still prefer baking my kale. Worth a try though if you love kale chips! Now for dessert:

Grilled pineapple, because yum!

What kinds of things do you grill? Any recommendations for my next go-around?

What did you do this weekend?
Jay

Lazy Weekend

March 31, 2014 by Jamie Lam

How was your weekend?

Weekends are typically so busy so I cherish those rare ones where I can sleep in. Saturday started out with sleeping until 10am and going to the local farmer’s market. I stocked up on my veggies so I can make more juice (Yay, we’re still juicing!). Then I finished watching True Detective. If you want to chat about this series, let me know! It’s a little too twisted for my taste but nonetheless great writing.

The best part of my weekend? Dinner at Holly and David’s house! They hosted us for a little apartment-warming, and I couldn’t ask for a better dinner!

Restaurant Sign

Dinner settting ^^^ so pretty!

Deliciousness – everyone gets a crab!

Thanks to Chef Holly and Sous Chef Mickey

On another note, my friend has two adorable cats and one dog. They have all been coming over for fellowship group on Wednesdays at my house. Look at this animal lover here!

Tito on the left sleeps like a hippo!

I groomed the cats and was able to get a bunch of loose fur. With that, MG and I started to needle felt with fur (don’t judge, I know you’re jealous).

My two boys needle felting

Basically, sculptural needle felting is poking at a piece of wool until the fibers are condensed and tangled. From there you form a three dimensional shape simply by poking at the piece of wool. Use your imagination! With my friend’s cat fur, I was able to make this:

Hehehehe! I’ll need to practice more until I can start taking orders but not too shabby for my first project right? Tehehe Can’t wait to give this to my friend Jenny and to see her reaction!

I just finished watching The Walking Dead series finale (OMG I need more!). And now I’m watching Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 2 (Thanks ABC Family for having another marathon). Epic ending to the weekend!

Come back for some fun recipes this week!
Jay

Weekend Round Up

March 24, 2014 by Jamie Lam

This weekend was a relaxing one!

On Saturday, MG and I went to a friend’s BBQ pool party in San Jose. High of 75 and the perfect sunny day! It was so nice to lay out by the pool and get my tan on! I’ve been a pasty pale girl this whole winter, but I was able to get a bit bronzer this weekend. Look how beautiful the pool is at my friend’s apartment. With cabanas all around, I almost felt like I was in Vegas!

On Sunday night, we celebrated my father-in-law’s birthday (and MG’s). Here are my adorable March birthday boys! Happy birthday to the both of you!

Just a few other tidbits:

Last week we were airing out our sleeping bags (fyi, you should always do this), and Chubs had the time of his life playing in the bags, perhaps it smells like the outdoors. He also loves fabric, so it was his playground. I caught my little dumb dumb playing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVuFjT6Qerc

This video makes me laugh every time!

Also I miss my two fatties that visited me two weeks ago (my sister Katie and her boyfriend, Baldwin). I wish they were still in town.

We call this the otter pose ^^^

Sister, sister!!!

What did you do this weekend?
Jay

MG turns 36!

March 17, 2014 by Jamie Lam

This past Sunday was MG’s 36th birthday!

He came back from Los Angeles after a weeklong work trip on Friday. After a one night rest at home, we set out to go camping on Saturday morning. My sister Katie and her boyfriend, Baldwin, are in town. They’ve been camping in Texas once before and didn’t love it, but it’s nothing like NorCal California camping! Amirite NorCal people?

We drove to a new campsite called Bootjack Campgrounds at Mount Tamalpais State Park in Marin County. This campsite was established in 1920s and closed 1969 because of overuse. But it’s been reopened as of this year! It’s a first come, first serve site, and it was available for us! Thankfully most of the sites were actually empty. We decided to set up shop right next to a running creek so we could hear the stream when sleeping. With some lunch in our stomach, we went hiking on Old Mine Trail, which was a 1 mile hike to a scenic spot called The Bench. It overlooks the Bay and Stinson Beach, and in the far distance, my beloved city of San Francisco.

After the view, we hiked back, finished setting up our sleeping bags, and took a well-needed nap. I have the most comfortable naps when I camp – maybe it’s the fresh air. But they are awesome!

After waking, it was time to build the fire, which I think is still the best part of camping. The firewood made me a hungry girl so I started dinner around 5:30 (I’m such a g-ma!). Camping always means eating well. Don’t ever tell me that food isn’t part of camping. As MG says, “food makes every situation better.” And camping is no different. Garlic fries, mushrooms, grilled corn, and steak for dinner. Can’t ask for a better meal! And obviously smores is on the dessert menu. Wouldn’t have it any other way!

Katie picked some flowers for our dinner table!

Uh huh! ^^^

Thanks Chef Ming ^^^

After meals, we washed our cookware in the “magical fountain”

My infamous inside out smores!

We stayed up poking at the fire until 11pm. And there was this huge slug hanging out with us by the fire. We named her Daisy. Say hi!

MG and I woke up in the morning and watched the sunrise then made breakfast. Another epic meal – corned beef hash, toasted english muffin, sunny side up eggs, bacon, and tangerine juice. Yum! And this breakfast concluded the camping trip.

Beautiful view to wake up to!

It was another successful trip (though I forgot my wine opener, darn)! And I’m pretty sure Katie and Baldwin enjoy camping too now!

I love camping! Few reasons:

1. I love waking up to fresh air. It makes every sleep a well-rested sleep. Even if I wake up a few times in the night, I still wake up feeling refreshed.
2. I love peeing in the woods. I feel like a free woman! TMI? Never on this blog!
3. Campfires. No details needed.

Happy birthday my love. I hope you enjoyed your birthday celebration (even though I love to camp and you don’t, and that’s my favorite cake and not yours).

Seriously, best cake – Berry Chantilly from Whole Foods ^^^

What do you do to celebrate your birthday? Do you have some recommended camping spots? Please share!

What did you do this weekend?
Jay

Brunch at Home

March 10, 2014 by Jamie Lam

March means Spring is here. March also means it’s Mg’s birthday month! One of my best girlfriends also shares this birthday month too! As you can imagine there’s tons of eating and splurging that goes on in March.

This past Saturday, I decided to cook brunch for the birthday boy and girl. Such a fun thing to do! Brunch in an intimate environment, save some money, and eat home cooked food. On the menu was crab cakes benedict, apple smoked bacon (from TJ’s, best bacon evarrr!), hash browns, fruit, and mimosas. Delicious and oh-so-filling!

^^^ My sweet centerpiece. Holly’s present in the middle, with a gorgeous daffodil. Perfect for Spring!

Holly and David

The Lams

Birthday girl ^^^ Happy birthday Holly!

My sweet Mingus ^^^

Here’s my crab cake recipe so that you can have your own brunch at home. It’s a classic recipe, without any fluff, just a lot of sweet, pure crab meat.

Ingredients:

16 oz jumbo lump crab meat (You can purchase for $15 at Costco)
1 egg
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/4 cups breadcrumbs (I used my homemade breadcrumbs, instructions here)
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup green bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions for crab cake:
1. In a large bowl, mix together the crab meat, mayo, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, breadcrumbs, onions, and pepper. Beat the egg and pour it into the crab mixture. Combine well. Then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place into the fridge for 20 minutes.
2. High heat to heat up a large pan and add butter. Once the butter is melted, turn the heat down to medium, and place 1/3 cup of crab mix onto the pan. Shape each patty to your liking.
3. This next part is all about patience. Leave the crab cake on the pan for 5-6 minutes, until golden brown. Then very carefully flip each crab cake and cook the other side for 5-6 minutes. Set the cakes aside and let it cool for 1 minute. It’s ready to eat!

Directions for crab cake benedict:

1.To make hollandaise, whisk 4 egg yolks and 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice together until light in color and fluffy. Mixture should thicken and double in volume. Use a mixer if you have one! It’ll make it easier. Melt half a cup of butter and let it cool but not solidify. Prepare a double boiler, pour in the egg yolks and continue whisking rapidly. You do not want your eggs to cook. Then slowly pour in the butter to the egg yolks – do not stop whisking! Add a pinch of cayenne and a pinch of salt. Once the hollandaise sauce is thickened and warm, it’s ready!
2. Toast an english muffin, then spread butter onto the muffin.
3. Now combine your ingredients – first the muffin, then the crab cake, add a poached egg, and a spoonful of hollandaise sauce. Brunch away!

So much food! As you can imagine, we had food comas afterwards. We tried to fight it by walking to the local farmer’s market, but once it hit 3pm, it was nap time.

What’s your favorite brunch item? And also tell me your favorite brunch restaurant (because I may need to go check it out).

What did you do this weekend?
Jay
—–
Original hollandaise sauce recipe

Jay's Cup

the beauty of grace is that it makes life not fair…

Tag Archives: weekend

Lululemon Superpowers

Housewife to Two Jobs

Saturday Fun and Sunday Relaxation

Easter and Poshmark

Hiking With Doggies!

Pets & Grilling (read title carefully)

Lazy Weekend

Weekend Round Up

MG turns 36!

Brunch at Home