Over Christmas, I spent a fantastic week in Hawaii. I had a great time, but one downside was that my cell phone died. I don’t know if it was all the rain, or just the fact that my phone was 3 years old, but the screen went crazy, then the buttons froze and that was it.

It was really frustrating not having a phone on the rest of my vacation, and then when I got home I had to wait a little longer, to see if iPhones for Verizon would be announced at MacWorld. When they weren’t I headed to Verizon to see about a replacement phone, almost two grueling weeks after mine broke. I liked the LG Venus, which is no longer available, and I also checked into a cute purple Motorola, but decided it was overpriced based on the limited features it offered. In the end, I went with my first choice: the LG enV!

I’ve wanted one for a few years, and I was able to get a really good deal on it. Verizon sells the phone in black and maroon, and I opted for the black one. I’ve had it for almost a week, and I’m really enjoying it. It has great sound, and the full QWERTY keyboard is really convenient, both for texting and adding contacts. I may upgrade to the iPhone one day, but for now I’m happy with my enV!

Did anybody catch the most recent (1/5) episode of Gossip Girl? Blair has the enV in maroon! Does this mean I’m on top of technology fashions?

On Friday, I spent the day with two friends, driving around the Atlanta metro area and having a great (and mostly healthy) day. 

Our first stop was Life Grocery in Marietta, which is a fantastic health food store that has a lot of raw items, supplements, traditional health foods, and a cafe. I picked up some delicious coconut cream pie Larabars, four new supplements (MSM, Hawaiian spirulina, Klamath Lake blue green algae, and zeolites), a copy of Get Fresh! magazine, and the best Kombucha I’ve ever had. I opted for High Country’s goji berry flavor, and it was very palatable: not too vinegary, and no strands of Kombucha floating around. Plus, it comes in an amber jar, to further protect the living cultures from light damage.

Our next stop was Phoenix and Dragon Metaphysical Bookstore in Sandy Springs. This has been one of my favorite stores for years; it’s packed to the brim with all sorts of cool stuff: cards, stickers, books, herbs, crystals, calendars, tarot cards, figurines, statues, pagan tools, essential oils, jewelry, and more. There are also psychic readings, a Japanese garden, and two store cats, Amber and Sage. We stopped there because my Wiccan friend needed to pick up some supplies, and while I was there I browsed chakra decals, mala beads and bracelets, yoga clothes, and Buddhist and Hindu statuary. It’s always fun to hang out at P&D.

After the bookstore, we made a quick detour to the mall (which included an unfortunate stop at Starbucks; I can’t resist the pumpkin bread!) and then headed to dinner in Buckhead, at a neat restaurant called R. Thomas Deluxe Grill. R. Thomas has a really varied menu: there’s traditional diner fare like waffles and eggs, but there are also raw food and vegan selections. I tried the Crazy Trails Salad, which turned out to not be my cup of tea. I didn’t care for the dressing, so it wasn’t a good choice. However, my friend really liked it and took it home, so at least it didn’t go to waste. I’m still proud of myself for trying something new, and I definitely want to go back (for the fresh juices and raw truffles if nothing else)! 

Our final stop of the day was supposed to be Sevananda, a health food co-op in Little Five Points. Sevanada is a really neat little store and has great prices. Unfortunately, by the time we finished eating, it was dark and we were sleepy, so we decided to postpone that excursion for another day. All in all, we had a great time, and even though we drove all over the city, it was worth it. Next time you’re in the Atlanta area, check out some of these great spots.

Wow! I can’t believe it’s a new year already! It’s seems like just a few days ago that I was ringing in 2008! And what a year 2008 was! I traveled to Singapore and Bali twice, and also visited Thailand, D.C., and just came home from a fabulous trip to Hawaii! I also quit a toxic job, which has been a huge stress reliever. But 2008 wasn’t all good news. I have struggled with health issues all year, including thyroid problems and a mysterious 20-pound weight gain. I’m hoping to address those issues once and for all, and this is the perfect time to resolve to change. I don’t generally like resolutions that are about deprivation; these almost always lead to failure. I prefer positive resolutions; focus on the “I will” instead of the “I won’t.” So, while I am seriously trying to cut back on sugar, my official 2009 resolution is this:

I resolve to have better health, wellness, and fitness at 30 than I did throughout my 20s.

I turned 29 in November, which means I have just under a year to reach this goal. Here are just a few of the ways I’m hoping to accomplish this:

• drastically reduce my sugar intake
• up my intake of raw foods, particularly leafy greens/green juices/green shakes
• be more vegan–I eat too much cheese!
• move my treadmill inside so I can use it frequently
• do yoga at least 3 times a week
• spend time in the sun (when the weather improves)–not enough to burn, just to soak in a little sunshine goodness and vitamin D
• explore and possibly implement the dietary recommendations in Gabriel Cousens’s Rainbow Green Live-Food Cuisine
• add more supplements/superfoods to my diet–I’m interested in MSM, zeolites, E3 Live, spirulina, bee pollen and many more!
• purchase a rebounder and start bouncing
• do some detoxing/cleansing, both physically and mentally (fasts, cleanses, colonics, etc.)
• daily dry skin brushing
• regular massages
• spend some time meditating

I’m sure there are more things I will add as I start this journey, and there may be some that I remove, depending on how they work out for me. We’ll see–I’ll keep you posted on my progress!

The Pierces–Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge. I first encountered The Pierces when they performed on a season 1 episode of Gossip Girl, and then later in web ads for the TV show Dexter. Comprised of sisters Catherine and Allison, The Pierces are a New York-based IndyPop duo, and this CD is solid. It has a sense of cohesion, without all of the songs sounding the same. They do feisty (the track Boring) and pretty (The Power of…) equally well. And I love the haunting use of calliope on the song Secret.

Regina Spektor–Begin to Hope. I had never heard of Regina Spektor until her song Fidelity started popping up everywhere. I heard it on TV, I heard it in Singapore…and it’s great. It’s so bubbly and happy that I had to check out the rest of the CD. I’ve only had it about a week, but so far I really like it. I also like that her website highlights the cool part of her name: ReSpekt.

SohoDolls–Ribbed Music for the Numb Generation. I got hooked on the song Stripper (which, interestingly enough, was also featured on Gossip Girl, in Season 1’s Victor/Victrola, which was the best episode of the season). I love the dirty, electronic Brit sound, which kinda reminds me of Elastica. I’m still getting into it, and hoping the rest of the CD has the same gritty vibe.

Britney Spears–Circus. Although not as good as last year’s Blackout, Circus has a couple of good songs. Womanizer, Circus, and Kill the Lights are all good dance tracks and have made their way to my exercise playlist. Ironically, despite her supposedly improved mental health, this album seems less cohesive and more schizophrenic than Blackout.

Wah!–Love Holding Love. I’ve been feeling really disconnected from the Spiritual lately, and I needed a fun, upbeat, New Age-y CD. I like the pop twist on traditional mantras. This one is good for yoga, taking a bath, journaling, or just hanging out.

Are you familiar with MBT sneakers? They’re those funny-looking (and expensive, they run about $250) shoes that are designed to keep you fit as you walk. MBT stands for Masai Barefoot Technology, and the premise behind the shoe is that it improves your posture and gait and reduces joint stress, while simultaneously activating the butt and thigh muscles. I think the name stems from research done on the Masai tribe of Africa; they’re a semi-nomadic tribe, so I guess they know a thing or two about walking, and evidently the shoe mimics their barefoot gait. Anyway, MBT shoes made a splash on the fitness industry, with celebs like Debra Messing endorsing their effectiveness. 

Naturally, the success of the MBT has spawned an entire new shoe category. Victoria’s Secret sells the Walkstar sandal, which is much more affordable ($49.95), and in my opinion, a lot cuter. It makes the same basic claims as the MBT shoe: reduced joint pain, greater muscle activation and tone, and improved posture.

And finally, there is the Shape-Up Shoe, which I keep seeing on those weird advertising pages in the back of magazines. Again, we have the same fitness premise, this time in a truly ugly sandal. These are the least expensive ($39.99), but they might also be the cheapest, if you know what I mean. In addition to the flip-flop, they also come in Croc style and a very weird boot. To be fair, I’ve never seen them in person, so they might be great. They just seem funny to me.

I’ve never tried any of these fitness shoes, but I’d like to. I’d definitely go the VS route; I like the look and the price is right!