L:  Do you have a personal mantra (in general or right now)?

F:  I have been reading Dr. Junger’s new book Clean Gut.  In it, he tells an ancedote that ends in a lesson of “Don’t worry. Don’t hurry.”  Ever since I read that, I find myself thinking it or saying it out loud. It is mostly a reminder to slow down.

L:  What have you learned after your first week on the job?

F:  I have learned a lot. Most importantly, I would say that I never truly realized the value of having a strong community of liked minded people around you. Everyone that I work with is more awesome than the next. It makes a huge difference to be around people who are nice and share your same goals.

L:  What’s the best meal you’ve eaten recently?

F:  When Julie was in town we made an intuitive meal which consisted of a shaved brussel sprout salad with lemon and avocado, sauteed red cabbage with balsalmic and homemade, gluten-free breaded chicken tenders. It was fantastic!  Honestly, I can not get enough of home cooked meals.

L:  What’s the last song you listened to?

F:  Oh man, Teddy and Kelley (our brother and soon to be sister-in-law) showed me this nutso video by Diplo. I used to listen to Diplo all the time and after seeing this crazy video I am hooked on the song.

L:  What do you do if you can’t sleep?

F:  I have started to sleep with a sleep mask. I feel like a reality tv star or something, but I try to have the room as dark as possible, not to eat close to my bedtime and have the best most, relaxing wind down – slowly easing into bed.

F:  What is your favorite thing about summer in New York?

L:  That it can go from this…

…to this, in one day.

F:  What is your favorite yoga pose and why?

L:  Probs gotta go with the double D.  For real though, at this point I might say headstand, mostly because I continue to be amazed I can still do it.  And it still feels good.

F:  What is your favorite thing you have purchased lately?

L:  I locked myself out of my apartment the Friday before Memorial Day.  Luckily I got back in within a few hours but the in-between time was mostly spent outside on a gross and cold rainy day.  Later that night I decided to make an evening of going to Whole Foods and accidentally spend close to $9 on bulk dark chocolate covered almonds.  They’re gone now but it was a happy accident.

F:  Are you reading any good books?

L:  Sadly, no.

F:  Have any new podcast recommendation for my morning commute?

Did you listen to this episode of On Being?  I’m really getting in to this podcast overall.  This one, Whale Songs and Elephant Loves, is also phenomenal and I’d love for you to listen to it.

Lauren is the question master this week, so looks like I have some answers for you!

L: What trait do you most like about yourself?

L: How do you keep up with the news?

F: I mostly listen to NPR.  Honestly, I don’t really like the news, so I keep my exposure to it at a minimum.

L: What’s your favorite style trend of the moment?

F:  I am pretty into the turban trend. I know it’s a bit last year but peeps in Los Angeles are sporting them. I use a bandana and make it into a faux turban sometimes. I think it’s fun.

L: Do you have a bike?

F: Nope, but I am in the market for one. I really miss being able to walk everywhere in NYC.  In LA, you get the feeling that you could bike a lot if you had one.

L: What’s something you’ve learned over the past few days?

F: I am on day 24 of my 40 day mental detox. It is about subtle mental shifts toward creating greater happiness. I have learned that when you make someone special (especially yourself) you create an unrealistic imbalance in your relationships. It is awesome to see everyone as equal.

L: Do you think it’s funny that we pose these questions to each other every week?

F: I think it is funny, however I like it. We usually ask each other questions that we wouldn’t actually ask each other directly when we are talking on the phone. It keeps me updated on things that I care about in your life. Plus, I miss you.

Lauren is the question master this week in our “Coast to Coast” series. Looks like I have some questions to answer.

F:  What have you been making in your kitchen?

L:  A mess.  Ha.  Sorry, I couldn’t resist.  Actually some friends stayed in my apartment when I went to Cleveland for Easter.  As a thank you, they left me a refrigerator full of groceries (as well as flowers and Girl Scout cookies – all such a treat!).  It inspired me to start making one big fruit salad, and one dry green salad to eat throughout the week.  So far, so good.  I also made a spinach/gruyere/mushroom/onion frittata that is pretty delicious.  Big moves over here.

F:  What the best clothing item that you have purchased lately?

Mom and I went on a major shopping spree when I was home.  The whole experience was completely, and shamelessly gratifying so it’s hard for me to pick one favorite.  Instead I’ll just say that sometimes it feels really good to update your look.

F:  What purse have you been rocking?

L:  See above.  One of the things I came away with was a new black purse.  It has a long shoulder strap and lays pretty flat.  It’s been good because I don’t carry around nearly as much unnecessary stuff as I usually do.

F:  Have you been practicing yoga? Where?

L:  I had been having the hardest time getting back into a regular yoga practice, which is annoying because after every yoga class I take, all I can think about is how much I love yoga.  As of this weekend, I think I’ve set myself back on a good path, with a welcomed variety in the classes I’m doing.

F:  What are you going to do this weekend?

L:  I don’t know yet.

Bonus: Do you miss me?

L:  Always.

Lauren is the question master this week, which means I have some things to share.

Q.  What’s your favorite aspect of your new apartment?

A.  More than anything, I love that I can make my own meals. I have been “on the road” as it were for almost a year and it feels amazing to finally be in my own home. I am loving having my own home again – down to the food I put in my body to the clothes I wear to express myself.

Q.  Do you have a good dinner party recipe/meal recommendation?

A.  Well, you all saw my citrus salad from Saturday. However, the BEST dinner party I ever threw was a pizza party. I had each guest bring their favorite topping and I provided the dough and sauce (both homemade). It was a such a great icebreaker and everyone was full!

Q.  I know how much you like asking other people questions.  What’s an answer you recently got from someone that surprised you?

A.  If you know me, you know that I ask a lot of questions. Since being in a new place, I need to tone down the questions I have when I meet people because I have so many. I just want to know immediately, “Are you happy?!”  I have come to realize that those questions can be really intense for people sometimes.

Farrell sent me the following questions to answer for this week’s Coast to Coast post. This is what I had to say to them:

1. Since I know you always have an interesting one, what is your desktop background?

I still have the vintage sports team photo I mentioned in this post up as my background. However, I’m about ready for a change and am debating between going back to my previous background:

Julie Mehretu’s “Mural”

or changing it to this photo, which I’ve also posted before, but may love too much to see it there everyday, if that makes any sense:

photo by Rikki Moye

2. Do you think of yourself as an artist?

Yes, I do. I’ll probably have more to say about that at some point down the line but for now, thanks for asking.

3. Have you been juicing or drinking green smoothies?

Unfortunately not and I miss it.

4. What is something that has inspired you this week?

I’ve been listening to back to back episodes of the “Design Matters with Debbie Millman: 2009 – 2013” podcast.  Aside from having super inspiring guests, I find Debbie Millman’s interview style to be incredibly inspiring.  I don’t know anything about her but her questions are both passionate and smart; I just have this feeling that she would be an amazing person to be around.

5. What are you looking forward to the most right now?

Spring & summer!