Working off stress

This year started off rocky at work.  I feel extremely overworked and exhausted.  If it continues this way for the next couple of months, I will age 10 years too soon.  My solution? Work-wise, no idea.  I guess I just have to be more vigilant and conscientious even more than I have been.  I need to be systematic but also keep myself educated.  A tall order, but a necessary one.

Stress-wise, working out has been very helpful in keeping me safe.  Again, thanks to classpass, I have been adding newer workouts to my schedule just to keep it fresh.  This past month, I have tried new classes and have given old ones another chance (I'm looking at you Bikram).  So far, my favorite has to be Fit Rxn NYC.  I have only taken two classes so far but I always look forward to booking the next one.  The classes I have taken there are TRX Mash-up and 30/30.  Of the two, TRX Mash-up is definitely more intense.  I was sore for two days after this class and I haven't been sore from a workout since November 2014.  Definitely not for the faint of heart or the weak-willed as my wrists could barely handle the work but I got through it and I feel more bad-ass because of it.  30/30 is a spin/TRX combo, not as intense as the mash-up but still a good work-out (didn't make me sore at all).

This coming week I have signed up 2 strength classes, yoga and cardio.  I like having a balanced workout week.  Before I incorporated yoga into my workouts, I felt tired all the time.  With the addition of yoga, I feel more relaxed and am starting to get more flexible.  I have also fallen in love with boxing and kickboxing and even bought gloves.  These classes are added into the mix once or twice a week - my favorites are Title Boxing and Kickbox Haus.  I also try to take a barre class once a week - my favorite is FlyBarre.  No matter how many times I've done this class, it always leaves me sore.  A great core workout and never gets boring.

Working out 4-5 times a week has given me a more zen state of mind when it comes to my job.  The time I spend working out is my "me time", where I spend about an hour on just me and nothing else.  There's the added benefit of getting stronger and more fit because as the saying goes, "Summer bodies are made in the winter".

How do you guys destress?  xoxo


#classpasschallenge #passthehappy

Bye 2014, Hello 2015

I saw this post on Instagram so I thought I'd post it here.  I did mention that I like lists.

Looking back at 2014:
My favorite experience: trip to Croatia and Istanbul
My biggest accomplishment: graduating with a Master's from Columbia University. Yay me!
My favorite place to visit: Costa Rica.  I loved Croatia but I think Costa Rica stole my heart.
The best meal is: one shared with family and friends.
If I have a free day, I like to: run errands because unlike before, I only get two free days a week.
My favorite book: Unfortunately, I didn't really read much this year.
My favorite movie: I didn't see a lot of movies this year either but Guardians of the Galaxy was fun.

Looking ahead to 2015:
I want to continue to work out at least 3 times a week.
I want to try to eat healthier (less processed food), do yoga once a week
I want to stop being too cynical.
I'd like to visit these places: Thailand, Peru, Paris....too many to list
My goals for this year: grow some more balls (esp at work), work on strengthening my left arm

And because it's the start of the year, we should all start with a blank slate.  Or a blank space per Taylor Swift.  Happy New Year!!  xoxo

Travel Bucket List Update

If you "follow" this blog, you might deduce that I love to travel.  I love discovering new places, eating lots of new food and knowing more about different cultures and their ways of living.  Because life is not always how we want it to turn out, I decided to make a travel bucket list - places I'd love to visit before I die. This is not in any particular order - more like the order they popped into my head.  I haven't researched any of these places as extensively as I usually do so this list is not set in stone.  Regardless, these are where I want to go for now.

1. Canary Islands
2. Maldives
3. Thailand
4. Santorini (ok, all of Greece)
5. Italy - Positano, Florence, Rome, Venice, Vatican City
6. Siem Reap
7. Forbidden City in China
8. France - Lourdes, Paris,
9. Costa Rica March 2014 (yay!)
10. Peru
11. Argentina
12. Spain - all over, not just Barcelona and Madrid
13. Croatia - September 2014
14. Morocco
15. Mauritius
16. South Africa

Where shall my feet take me in 2015???

xoxo

Recap of 2014

Time goes by so fast, sometimes it takes some quiet time to think about the past year to even remember most of that has happened.  I'm a fan of lists so I thought I'd sum up my year with a few lists.

Highlights:
1. Finishing school and graduating with a Master's degree.
2. Traveling to Croatia and Istanbul with a crazy friend who made it extra fun
3. Starting a new career (still undecided if this should be here)

Best investment: (it's really a toss-up)
1. Trip to Croatia and Istanbul
2. Classpass

Biggest expense: Trip to Croatia and Istanbul

Trips I took: (in order)
1. Puerto Rico with my brothers
2. Costa Rica with my girlfriends
3. Anaheim for ONS Congress
4. Los Angeles for my cousin's wedding
5. Croatia and Istanbul with crazy Jen B.
6. Los Angeles for Christmas

Now let's see if I can break up the highlight reel by month.

January - trip to Puerto Rico with my brothers
February - degree conferral
March - trip to Costa Rica
April - took and passed the boards, yay!
May - ONS Congress in Anaheim, with a side trip to San Diego; Graduation, YAY!
June - Mimi's wedding
July - renewed my passport; discovered hot yoga at Modo (thanks Sam!)
August - Mount sinai paperwork; shadowed Chelsie at the end of the month
September - lots happened this month. Started of the month traipsing around Croatia and ended the trip in Istanbul. Came back to the US to finish my last two days with NYP (sad).  Started a new job at Mount Sinai a day later.  I'm exhausted just thinking about all that happened this month.
October - birthday month! Yay! Also started using class pass more this month.
November - getting hammered at work; tried anti-gravity yoga for the first time
December - still getting hammered at work; discovered my love for boxing; about to surprise my mom for Christmas (I'm her present!!)

With a few more days left in 2014, I have less than a week to make more memories!!

Take care world.  And Happy holidays!!

xoxo

New Job

I have been at my new job for almost two months now.  Specialty Coordinator is my official title.  If someone asked me what I actually do, I couldn't even begin to describe it.  Is that weird?  I work with a surgeon.  She's pretty intimidating but she's great at what she does.  People always ask me if I like my new job.  To be honest, I can't really tell.  Some days, I'm extremely busy absolutely no time to even eat or pee. And other days, I'm super bored with nothing to do.

The great perk about this job is that the hospital qualifies me to apply for the loan repayment program.  Granted, of course, that I stay for two years.  If I actually get approved for the loan repayment, it just might be worth it for me to keep this job.  Who knows, in two years, I just might learn to love it.

Do you like your job?  XOXO

Croatia + Turkey - a synopsis

Just got back from vacation and I'm already having withdrawals.  To think that this trip almost didn't happen.  We were originally supposed to go to South Africa this year but a picture of Plitvice Lakes sold us on Croatia.  Istanbul was an extended layover because we flew with Turkish Airlines.

Traveling through Croatia was like a dream, a step into the pages of a fairytale.  Walking the streets of Istanbul was like stepping through the pages of a really well-written and well-illustrated history book.  Although the trip was exhausting, it was well worth it.  This trip is definitely one for the books.

Hvar, view from The Top Bar 

Hvar, view from the Fortress 

Dubrovnik, view from "The Red Keep" 

Dingac, Peljesac Peninsula 

Istanbul, inside Hagia Sophia

Istanbul, Topkapi Palace at night

Istanbul, inside Hagia Sophia

Istanbul, grounds at Topkapi Palace

I would definitely go back to Croatia.  Maybe visit other parts and stay a bit longer in Hvar.  As for Istanbul, or Turkey for that matter, it deserves a separate trip all on its own.

Has the travel bug bitten you yet? XOXO

Where to Eat Update

Remember this post?  Well, I'd like to cross Talde off that list.  Ate there, loved it, would like to go again...  As much as I'd like to write a full review, I didn't take any pictures (surprising, I know) because I gobbled everything up as quickly as I can shove food in my mouth.  Best thing I ate? Probably the Blue crab fried rice.  Runner-up would be the chicken wings.  I also like the pretzel dumplings but it was a tad too salty.  Again, I wouldn't mind having a repeat of that foodgasm.

Now I really wish I had taken pics.  XOXO