Wednesday, October 29, 2014

3 'Spook-tacular' Halloween Treat Ideas!

Hey everyone! Today I have for you 3 spooky halloween desserts perfect for the upcoming Halloween which I can't believe is already tomorrow :0 They are all (well most are..) quite simple and you will probably have all of these ingredients at home which is great and saves a lot of time. Plus, these three delicious treats are halloween-themed and look super cute so would be great if you are having a bake sale, going to a Halloween party or just want to get into the Halloween spirit ;) I decided not to take pictures of every step here because I figured you probably know how to mix ingredients...so instead I will include an ingredients list, instructions, and the final product pictures. I hope you find this post useful and possibly even try out some of these creative treats.

These cookies are sugar cookies dropped in circles and decorated to look like spider webs! So yummy and I think a lot more creative than just cutting out shapes.

Ingredients:

Instructions:

  1. Follow the steps on the back of the bag for sugar cookies from a box; however, if you have plenty of time feel free to click on the link and follow the cookies from scratch!
  2. Drop cookies onto pan a few inches apart
  3. Place in oven at around 180 C or 375 F for 8-10 minutes or until center looks slightly firm
  4. Frost the entire cookie with the white frosting
  5. Place black/brown frosting in a Ziploc bag sealed tight and make a small cut at the corner of the bag
  6. Draw three circles spaced out on the cookie with the frosting
  7. Take a toothpick or other sharp tool and drag through the circles in 'cross' shapes. Drag vertically down, horizontally, and then diagonally (if needed-depending on the size of the cookie)
  8. Place in fridge for 20-30 minutes until cooled & ENJOY!








My graveyard brownies are embracing Halloween's true meaning-The Day of the Dead.

Ingredients:

Instructions:

  1. Prepare brownies as instructed
  2. Bake in oven at 180 C or 375 F until a toothpick inserted comes out clean from the center
  3. Frost entire pan with the chocolate frosting
  4. Cut white chocolate into small squares
  5. Using the same Ziploc bag technique, write out the words R.I.P onto each tombstone
  6. Stick into brownies up-right or lay them down
  7. Add in an optional green M&M for a 'grass' effect. You can also crush up some M&M's and sprinkle them around each grave. Cool in fridge & ENJOY!









These are probably my favorite of the treats presentation wise and were actually put together by my mom! They are a bit more difficult so help is advised ;)

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons butter

  • 6 cups Rice Krispies Cereal

  • 1 bag of regular-sized marshmallows (4 cups mini mallows)

  • Tootsie Rolls

  • Green M&M's

  • Orange food dye

Instructions:

  1. Grease pan to make sure it is ready to dump the Krispies
  2. Melt butter in a saucepan
  3. Add marshmallows and stir until fully combined
  4. Remove heat; pour in cereal and combine ingredients together
  5. Add in orange food coloring and stir
  6. Pour into pan (warning: very sticky!)
  7. Press firmly into the pan with your hands to squeeze the cereal together
  8. Form each square into rolled-up circles with your hands
  9. Place one tootsie roll & M&M into pumpkins for extra decoration
  10. Let sit for about an hour & ENJOY! P.S: Avoid putting these in the fridge because they will harden up!


I really hope you guys enjoyed this special Halloween post! This sunday I will be posting what i wore on halloween and some pictures from the night-btw it is not really celebrated here in Switzerland so will not be that extravagant :)

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Fall Haul + Outfit Pairings!

Hey everyone! So this week has been pretty crazy so I ended up only posting the haul. However, since I promised 2 posts this week, next week I will be posting TWO halloween-themed posts on my blog. Since todays post is a video there is not much to say except that it is a haul for the fall season and there are also three outfit pairings at the end of the video using some of the clothes I purchased. Thank you so much for viewing this post today and I hope you enjoy :)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5Iioa66V6A&feature=youtu.be  

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Running Stretches (pre & post-run) + Tips

Hey everyone! I am finally sharing a fitness post with you today about one of my favorite forms of exercise: running! 2 years ago I never thought I would be a runner, especially not long-distance, but here I am today with a new passion towards it. It definitely took a lot of hard work and determination to convince myself over the years to keep up my running and on those days when I didn't feel like moving, to get up and go for a run. Afterwards, I would also feel so great knowing that I got my run in and took a step in the right direction. If you want to be a runner but don't know how or where to start, start by going outside or even on the treadmill just 2 times a week and going for a walk/jog. A great way to begin long-distance running/building up your endurance is to mix light jogging into walks. Continue this pattern of walk, run, walk, run and soon you will feel yourself being able to run longer and taking less walking breaks in between. An important step to keep in mind when beginning this long process is to not get angry at yourself if one day you feel really slow or can only jog for a couple of minutes. It all takes time and some days are going to be better than others. Also, just running won't get you very far and you will find yourself starting to plateau at a certain distance and pace. This is because you should also be doing another form of exercise and strength training to build up your muscles required for great and easy running! This can be either swimming, dancing, walking, biking, etc! Lastly, don't forget to add in some stretching with this plan to keep your muscles loose and prevent injuries.


This brings me to the topic of todays post: stretches! I am going to share with you a variety of stretches that you should complete before and after your runs. A very common mistake made when people stretch before runs is they think 'stretching' just means static, slow stretches. However, before your run you should be doing more of a warmup including dynamic stretches to get your body warm and prepare your muscles for the hardships of a long run. So basically how it goes is: pre-runs=dynamic stretching and post-runs=static stretching! Let's begin with a circuit of dynamic stretches to complete before you begin a run. It is super important to take the time to do these stretches even when you think they seem pointless because you can seriously pull a muscle or injure yourself-especially with running because it is so much pounding on your body. This circuit is super quick and takes literally 8 minutes or less. Each exercise should be done approximately across a long strip of ground either in your house or outside. It doesn't matter too much how far you do the exercise but how well you are completing it. Also, remember that these should not be rushed through, you should be doing each one with control and precision it's not meant to be a cardio warmup!! PS: my whole running outfit is from Nike :)

Dynamic Stretching: Pre-run

1. Walking Lunges




TIP:

Make sure your knee is always parallel to your ankle and not bending over it!


2. High Skipping Hops


In the picture I am not off the ground because I wanted to show you the correct form, but make sure you are pushing off the ground and exploding up into the air with energy and control.



TIP:

Remember to be jumping HIGH off the ground not straight forward and low. You should always have a straight back and engaged core throughout this dynamic stretching exercise.


3. Side Hip Taps


This next exercise looks kinda complicated, but basically all you're doing is lifting one leg up-bent with your foot to the side. Then, your opposite hand touches your opposite foot. You should be working towards having your foot in line with your knee and hip-level, without bending your upper body forwards/backwards. The only part of your body that should be moving throughout this exercise is your legs!



4. High Knees


Driving forward in a run keeping your back straight and lifting your knees up to your chest. It should take longer to get to the other side so don't rush it by throwing yourself forward and just barely lifting your legs. It was hard to catch me in the full high-knees position but the second image shows what it should look like better :)



5. Butt Kickers

Similar to high knees except this time the movement is reverse and to the back!




6. Walking Toe Touches

Keep your heel on the ground and your toe lifting towards the sky. Make sure your legs are both completely straight-if this means you can't touch your toe then reach for your knee!





7. Side Stretch (to help prevent stitches while running)!

Basic stretches to the side reaching out and keeping your arm behind your head. Finish with a stretch to the sky to open up all your muscles.




Static Stretches: Post-run

1. Achilles Pull Back

Stand with your hands facing a wall or just anything to hold onto. Move your feet away from the wall so that your heels aren't touching but your legs are still pressing straight and into the ground. Bend one knee feeling a deeper stretch in the opposite achilles. Repeat on the other side and then once more with both knees bent.




2. Side Lunge

Lunge out to the side, hold for a couple counts and then turn the foot that it is straight, up towards the sky in a flexed position. This will give you a more thorough stretch in your inner thighs.





3. Front lunge




4. Toe Touch (Parallel and Wide)

Reach for your toes 5 times. Each time take 3 deep breaths, during each exhale try to reach further down towards your toes feeling the stretch in your hamstrings.





5. Hip Crossover

Stand to the side with one hand holding onto something for support and balance. Take the leg that is closest to the wall and cross over your knee similar to the position in the 'side hip taps'. Then bend the bottom knee down; you should feel a strong stretch on the side of your crossed over leg.


Proper Running Form Tips

  • Keep your arms a little less than 90 degrees and make sure your back arm is pressing past your body

  • Your hands should be clenching lightly in a fist, rather than squeezing or letting them droop to the ground

  • Try running lightly on your toes rather than pounding down with flat feet wasting energy

  • Don't lean too far forward or back, keep your body straight with a slight bend forward for speed
 


I really hope you guys enjoyed this running post! Let me know if you want me to possibly create a training plan for beginners working up to a 5k, 10k, etc! Thank you guys and stay tuned next week for hopefully another double-posting week consisting of a haul and an exciting halloween-themed post :) 🎃

BTW: I know the first paragraph looked long and you probably thought it was just one of my lengthy introductions telling you about the post...but this time I would really take the time to read it because I share with you my thoughts and also a lot of tips and helpful information to you about becoming a runner!

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Croatia Travel Experiences 2014!

Hey everyone! Currently I am on October Break which (for my U.S viewers) is an 11-day holiday we get; to either travel, visit family and friends, or just take a well-deserved relaxation at home! This year we traveled to Dubrovnik, Croatia and it was so amazing-probably one of my favorite places I've visited due to its great uniqueness. Now, when I say 'uniqueness' I mean that usually when I travel to new places I can always link that destination to another city I have been; however, in Croatia it was so different and beautiful than any other place I've traveled to. In Dubrovnik there is a wall with 'gates' separating 2 sectors of the old town. The old town is quite small and is the main central point in Dubrovnik, located on the crystal clear waters of the Adriatic Sea. The floors on the streets in the old town really fascinated me. That's quite an odd statement, but they were limestone and felt so smooth and cool while walking. Also, no cars are allowed in that part of the town so there is no distinction between side walks and streets making the atmosphere very relaxed and peaceful.

Not only does Dubrovnik have beautiful, rocky beaches, a historical old town, and is where all of 'Game of Thrones' is shot, but the weather is perfect. It is always sunny and warm but not to the extreme of feeling gross or sticky. Overall, I really liked the 'Mediterranean vibe' in Croatia and found it was the the perfect getaway for swimming, relaxing, trying new things, and tanning of course :) Over the course of our stay here we: chilled by the private beach at the hotel, toured the old town + walked along the walls and enjoyed the breathtaking scenery, swam in the infinity pool at our hotel with views of the ocean, went sea kayaking + snorkeling, and took a boat onto a haunted island where we spent the day chilling with peacocks. Below I will share with you some pictures from our excellent stay in Dubrovnik, it is quite difficult explaining to you how unique and gorgeous this place is so I thought I would let the pictures do the talking.

Day 1: Travel & Beach ✈️ 🌊


There were no direct flights from Zurich->Dubrovnik so we stopped along the way in Serbia for a couple hours and then made our way into the beautiful islands of Croatia! It was only a 2 and 1/2 hour flight in total which was nice and short.


Here are some pictures from the beach at the hotel where we were staying. The sea was so clear, refreshing and warm especially with the sun's rays shining down on us!





In case you're wondering...yes I am wearing a top it's just strapless so hard to see 😂





My swimsuit is from Hollister and my sister's is from Victoria's Secret :) In the evening we strolled around the streets and ate dinner at a steakhouse followed by delicious gelato for dessert! 




Day 2: Relaxation Day at Hotel (Beach + Gym) and Night Out in the City

Today we decided to take a day off at the hotel's beach! It was super sunny and the ocean felt amazing. After soaking up the sun for several hours and a lunch by the beach, my dada and I headed off to the gym for a bit. I did some running interval training since I am participating in a 10k race soon!!









Exploring into a cave...




Swimsuit: Abercrombie (featured on my July Faves post)





Night out in Dubrovnik: Italian dinner + fro-yo!








Day 3: Sightseeing!

We began today with a local tour guide who took us around the old town describing the history and facts about Dubrovnik a little more in depth to us. Then, we walked all the way around the walls which showed us some pretty spectacular views and there were actually homes and even a school inside the walls! Whilst walking along the walls we stopped at a little juice café and got a super tasty fruity drink to sip along the way.



Trying to balance on a little ledge...if you can then it means you will find 'true love' ;)


White t-shirt: Zara Floral shorts: Abercrombie Coral bra-lette: Aerie







Walking along the walls! It took about an hour and a half with short stops to complete the entire circle.






















We look very happy here 😂





Day 4: Kayaking + Snorkeling

Today we went on a 3-hour kayaking tour in the sea! Halfway through the adventure we stopped at a little beach cove to eat lunch and do some snorkeling! It was so cool and we were under this little cave inside! Of course today the waves were a lot stronger making the kayaking challenging but worth it and overall a more memorable experience.














✌️✌️






Feeling accomplished :)


Day 5: Island Adventures

So originally we had planned to take a boat out to this island where we would spend the day touring the island and relaxing at the only sandy beach in this area...but then we woke up to our first day of bad weather: rain!! Back to bed we went followed by a breakfast and walk into the town. Once there, we decided to take a different boat onto Lokrum Island just for a couple hours and then head back to the hotel to relax. The island was nearly empty and was a bit creepy because there have been many haunted stories about this particular island! There were also peacocks roaming free all over. Anyways, after we walked the whole way around we had a quick pizza lunch that got cut short due to a scary peacock invasion and the next boat coming in to take us home ;)
















Photobombing her hipster photo shoot :p



Day 6: Travel Home

Well nothing exciting today! We packed up our bags and headed to the airport for a sad journey home. I will definitely miss Croatia and it has been such a memorable vacation with my family. I hope you guys enjoyed looking at some travel pictures from a new and exciting destination and maybe some time in the future you will visit here. I would recommend coming in either September or October because there are way less tourists and it's still as hot as in the summertime. Thank you for reading and stay tuned Sunday for another post! <3