Pantry Overhauls Here I Come!

I realized that the things I love the most are healthy food, fitness, and helping people. I have read and researched extensively about various "healthy" foods and diets. I was even 100% raw vegan for a year. Since this is my outlet to manifest my dreams, hopes, and desires here's what I am working on...I am a Health and Wellness. I specialize in Pantry Overhauls. I clean all the unhealthy crap out of people's fridges, cupboards, and pantries and teach them how to stock it with the healthy staples that will energize, shed pounds, and promote a healthy active lifestyle. I can, also, customize this makeover based on Blood Type. In addition, I personalize meal and fitness plans based on ideal and realistic goals.

For more information, please contact me at 617-276-7952 or email emarti03@yahoo.com.

I will travel
Group and Corporate discounts available

Will Travel for Mangoes, Part II

Its official. I'm heading to Belize!!! Nine days after posting Will Travel for Mangoes, I was introduced to John, a man whom recently purchased 200+ acres in Belize. In September, I will be flying to Belize for a few days to meet with the Chief of Police of Belize City and oversea the planting of John's personal orchard. Did I mention that this property is a mile from the beach and there is a mango tree growing in the front yard? Boy, this stuff works and works quickly!!! This girl is so happy!!! Best day ever!!!

Will Travel for Mangos

I recently read the The Secret and am slightly obsessesd with it. For all you naysayers, I say, "pshaw!" Take a moment to evaluate your life. Are you happy? Do you have everything you want? Are you living the best day ever everyday? I digress because this is not my point. My point is that I'm convinced that I can make anything that I want to happen happen. To test this theory, I am openly disclosing my 2 deepest desires of the moment. 1) I want to be an international jet setter. I want to be paid to travel from one exotic country after another, having adventure upon adventure. Who doesn't? 2) I want to sit on a beautiful, peaceful, pristine beach, with a vast clear blue ocean in front of me. I want the largest pile of fresh, delicious mangos (picked by either myself or a handsome local). I want to peel each one with my bare hands, the juice running down my arms to my elbows. That first bite of mango will be the sweetest, juiciest I've ever had in my life. I will cherish every moment and only stop when I'm full. So that's it. Those are the 2 things I want more than anything in the world. Pretty simple. Life is about experiences, not material possessions.

The true test is to see if, when, and how this will unfold itself. If anyone out there is reading this and can contribute to my dream in anyway shape or form, I would be greatful and appreciate you more than you know. I am extremely competent (though a poor speller), very happy and positive, I clean up nicely, I love life, I have years of experience in the following, retail and restaurant management, teaching culinary classes (with a focus on raw food and homemade endurance sports foods), pilates, yoga, running, chess. I have a BS in Engineering Pyschology (aka Human Factors, ergonomics, anthropometrics). Resume available upon request.

Life's a Peach: A Perfect Day at Marburger Orchard

Perfect days are few and far in between. Fortunately for me, friday was one such day. The weather was perfect, cool mid-90's (for Texas in the summer, that's cool). Puffy white clouds populated the sky. Adventure was in the air.

Ryan and I left Austin around noon and headed to Fredericksburg for a much anticipated peach picking extravaganza. I clapped my hands like a wind up monkey with cymbals and fez the entire way, exclaiming how excited I was. At the hour mark, I questioned the validity of driving so far to pick fruit you can very well pull over to any of 100+ stands and buy. Of course it was. The photo ops of the Hill Country drive, quaint antique shops and precious roadside stands only served to add to the experience.

Our destination was Marburger Orchard. After meandering down a few small raods, we came upon a beautiful orchard with a view of the Hill Country in the distance. I did not feel like I was in Texas. It was as if I had been transported to the hills of France, it was that pituresque. I eagerly hurried to the stand to obtain my peach picking gear. Donna was awaiting us (see above picture). I will never forget her. This woman eminated nothing but warmth, knowledge, and genuine love for this orchard and these peaches. Her face was dotted with sunkissed freckles (almost rivaling my own). The thickness of lines and creases of her skin reflected the hours she spent amoungst the trees.

The group of new arrivals gathered in front of her as she gave the 5 minute version of how to pick the perfect peach. Its all in the color and softness. You're looking for a rich orangey yellow. The red results from exposure to direct sunlight and has nothing to do with ripeness. Anything green, don't bother. All the peaches were free stone peaches which means the pits are not connected and are easily removed. The locals eat peaches by sticking their thumbs into the top and split the peach in half. By the end of the day, I perfected the art. After lots of research taste testing all five varities of peaches, I opted for the Dixieland. With our 1/4 bushel cardboard box in hand, away we went. I was nothing but over joyed and in my happy place.

All veteran fruit pickers know the first rule of picking 1) Eat until you're full, then start putting fruit in your basket. That is exactly what we did.

I have to run...work awaits me...I will finish shortly

Nike, I Heart You

If you told me a year ago, even a month ago that I would be sporting a pair of Nike running shoes on purpose, I would say, "Pshaw!" When you think running shoes, you think Asics, New Balance, Mizuno, Brooks. Having grown up in the 90's, I forever associate Nike with Air Jordans, basketball, and a fierce "Just Do It" campaign. Being the pretensious Alt/Indie girl I was, Nike was not a label I associated with. That is until this year...

I love running. I love numbers. I love graphs. I love making excel spreadsheets. When Nike and Apple became bedfellows and birthed the Nike+iPod, I was both ecstatic and dismayed. Yay! I can track my distance, my time, my pace, my calories burned, set my power ballad (which bounces back and forth from Eminem's Lose Yourself and Kanye West's Stronger [lame and cliche, I know. I am open to suggestions and even more, mp3 files]). I set personal goals and beat them! I challenged friends and beat them too! It made me excited to run. I couldn't wait to lace up, sweat it out, get home and upload. Before my eyes, I saw the visual and numeric representation of my run. And it was good. The only downside, wearing Nikes. As I said before, pshaw. I did what every other Ascic wearing runner would do, I ordered a shoe pouch. And that's what I've been doing until this month.

The Human 10k Race is Nike's ode to the Olympics. This race will take place on 8.31.08 in 25 cities around the globe. For this gigantic race around the world, Nike is sponsoring a 6 week training run program in the 5 US cities participating, NYC, LA, Chicago, Portland, and Austin. Since I live in Austin, that's the only one I care about. I'm convinced that it is by far the coolest of the five, and not just because I'm there. Ok, well a little bit. But because Austin is a runner's mecca. The training runs take place 3 times a week for 6 weeks. Its a varitable chose your own adventure. First, you decide which shoes you want to test out, Traix, Pegasus, Vomero, Victory, Zoom Elite. Second, you pick either the new Nike Sportsband or Nike+ipod. Third, you decided between a 3 or 5 mile run and anywhere from a sub 8 min/mi to a 12 min/mile. You can also opted to walk. By my calculations thats 100 (5 shoes x 2 products x 2 distances x 5 paces) different combos to try every time. Too bad there's only 18 runs. You are rewarded and sabatoged for your efforts with delicious food and beer, followed by a raffle of free Nike gear. Did I mention that all of this is free? That's free running, free product trials, free food, free beer, and even free music (depending on which run you tend)!!! What more could a new girl in town want? I get to run a run I would run anyway, meet tons of new people, and socialize for FREE? How cool is that? All I have to say is, Nike, I heart you.

The details:

Saturday 8am Starbucks at 24th and Nueces
Tuesdays 7pm Guerro's on S. Congress (live music)
Thursdays 7pm Six Tap Room w. 4th St

Get there half an hour early to register, pick out your gear, and stretch.