BestieTalks

Archives for May 2018

How to Stay Fit While Traveling

by 10 Comments

Exercise During Vacation

We get it. No one wants to exercise during vacation. Taking a vacation usually means some rest and relaxation. However, giving your body five or more days off can completely throw you off your fitness regime. A tip I like to use is “workout without working out.” Explore your destination by walking (if available). You can knock out some miles by walking from shopping spots to restaurants while enjoying a new city. Be adventurous! Do something fun and active. Take a dance class that might be native to the area. Whitewater rafting is an exciting way to see some of the most beautiful scenes while enduring an adrenaline rush. Rent a bike to see sites while feeling the wind all around you. Go on a hike, do some rock climbing if you’re really up for the challenge. Have fun; you’re on vacation! Familiarize yourself with the active life of your destination and don’t be afraid to try something new. Groupon has lots of deals for different destinations. Look ahead to plan and pack accordingly.  

Making Smart Eating Choices

Traveling can be a blessing and a curse when it comes to food choices. Maintaining a balanced diet can be tricky, but if you make an effort, it will pay off. I always pack some snacks and a few apples to keep in my bag. Airport food is not the healthiest or cheapest, so I make a habit of bringing my own snacks. When you get to your destination, it is also smart to make a stop at a grocery store. Pick up some of your favorite foods that you eat regularly and take them back to your Airbnb or hotel room. Cooking for yourself instead of always eating out will help you make smarter meal choices. Even if it’s only one meal a day, it will make a difference in your wallet. We travel and rent AirBnb quite often and always end up doing a lot of the cooking ourselves. It saves time and money!

Of course, it is okay to indulge in some tasty food while on vacation but remember to take everything in moderation. When traveling for work, it can be challenging to stay on a food plan. Eating out with clients and coworkers makes it hard for you to stick to what you usually eat. If you have to go out to a restaurant, it is okay to opt for a salad or a veggie based dish. You don’t always have to go for the huge steak and mac & cheese. Remember moderation! Whenever I am out of town/state for work, I Always stop at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods and stock up on my usual healthy snacks and lunches. Eating healthy while traveling can seem inconvenient but being bloated and feeling like crap is also inconvenient, so you gotta pick your battles.  

Traveling Repercussions

Traveling is one of our favorite things to do, but it’s no secret that it can take its toll on your body. Staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water is crucial. I tend to suffer from bloating while traveling which is why I always bring a Ziploc baggie of magnesium with me.

Magnesium! Highly recommend!

Magnesium is excellent for sore muscles, a good nights sleep and keeping you regular. If you drink some every night before bed, you will find that it’s extremely helpful while on the road. Check out one of my favorite brands here. It’s also smart to bring along some of your normal vitamins. If you drink protein shakes bring along a few servings of that as well. Traveling doesn’t need to take you out your routine. Make an effort to bring along the essentials that make you feel good on a day to day basis. Don’t you want to feel just as good while on vacation right?  So make an effort to incorporate your regular routine into your vacation. 

It’s easy to forget to drink enough water while traveling. But, it should be made a priority ALWAYS!

Travel, Stay Fit, Eat Well, and Have FUN!

Vacation is all about taking a break. However, you should never take a break from your body. These few simple additions or adjustments will make sure you stay on the right track while still enjoying your vacation. The world is your playground! Now go travel, stay fit, eat well and have fun!

What do you do for fitness while on vacation?! Please share your tips/tricks!

4+
Wanna Share This Talk?

Grizzly Fest 2018 Recap

by 7 Comments

BestieTalks does Grizzly Fest!

All Access Passes!

This year, Jess and I got to experience Grizzly Fest together! Over the span of just 48 hours, we had such an epic, unforgettable weekend in my hometown of Fresno! This year’s Grizzly Fest line up was filled with hip-hop, reggae, indie and rock musicians that took place in a brand new location at Woodward Park. My husband is a founder of this fantastic festival, and this event is a full family affair. Therefore, Jessica was a part of that and was put to work right along side of me and my hospitality duties. Having all access passes allowed us to see and be apart of everything that was going on. Now that the festival is over, we wanna give you a rundown of our experience.  

Friday, May 18th

Day 1. We arrived at the festival by 9 o’clock AM and began to prepare the artist trailers. Who would have known filling trailers with snacks, drinks, and chips & salsa could be so damn fun with your bestie?! As we go from trailer to trailer, it starts becoming so real. All this hard work from my husband, his best friend Aren, and the whole Grizzly fest team is finally coming together for a kick-ass event! 

Jess and I have this positive natural energy about us that bursts out of our pores! As we float around backstage and throughout the festival grounds, we’re sharing smiles with everyone and asking them if they need any help with anything. We were happy to say that we got EVERY TASK DONE that was assigned to us! From finding specific liquor for artists, bandanas for Jhene Aiko or beer runs for the Grizzly Crew; we got the job done! Our motto for the weekend was “there’s nothing we can’t do!” and we truly lived by that. 

Unforgettable Experiences

We were kept busy for a lot of the performances, but on Friday we made sure to be front and center for Jhene Aiko. We hung out backstage and watched her walk from her trailer to the stage before we moved to the pit. At one point during the performance, I looked around to see that it was just me and my bestie in the pit. We were front and center in front of Jhene singing our hearts out together. Halfway through the show security came and got us and I immediately thought that we were being kicked out. But, nope. We were being brought on stage to dance with Jhene Aiko! The moments before they told us to walk on stage our hearts were pounding and tears of joy were creeping up. We danced on stage in front of thousands of people with an artist we admire. 

 

That moment is something that is indescribable. The feeling of doing something like that with your favorite person is a memory that will never fade or will ever be able to be replaced. BESTIE GOALS!

Nas came out in an all red velour tracksuit looking hot! During his performance, Nas took a moment to bring attention to the school shooting tragedy that happened that day in Texas. We did a moment of silence, and I found that super appropriate. Thousands of people all silent at the same time in remembrance of those that were lost. Super moving. Next up was Foster The People. Foster The People had the biggest crowd of the night by far. They rocked the stage, and it was a great ending to day one of Grizzly Fest.  

Saturday, May 19th

Day 2. Since we knew what to expect, we were able to arrive about an hour later on day 2. This time, we decided to wear our BestieTalks shirts and bring some stickers to pass out. Before getting to Grizzly Fest, we make a stop at Starbucks for breakfast sandwiches and a tea (neither of us drinks coffee). Upon entering, a woman came right up to us and began asking us about our shirts. She wanted to know where to buy one LOL. We explained they were to represent our blog and I described what our blog is about. She was so enthusiastic and said she was going to tell all of her students about BestieTalks! That kind woman was the start of a long list of people who loved our shirts and showed us and BestieTalks so much love!

After filling all of the artist trailers with food, gifts, and refreshments, we wandered around the festival before the gates opened. We mingled with vendors, and the energy was already so infectious. Gates opened at 2 pm and people flooded the park excited to see their favorite musicians. Grizzly Fest was filled with positive vibes and was truly a peaceful event. Food, drinks, music, friends and family, all made for a fabulous Saturday.

 BestieTalks Enjoys The Vibes

Snapped a pic with Fashawn after his amazing performance!

To start the evening off right, we went backstage to watch local Fresno artist (and close friend) Fashawn perform. Standing on stage watching the crowd gather and sing along was an amazing thing to witness. Fashawn no doubt brought the energy that was needed, and you could see it and feel it by hearing and watching the crowd. While we were standing on stage watching him perform we turned around to see Sage The Gemini who gave us a big smile. Every single artist we crossed paths with were just so down to earth. There was not an ounce of hate at Grizzly Fest. The rest of the afternoon was filled with the same high energy and incredible performances.

Unforgettable Memories

The final act of the night was Snoop Dogg. Every single person was excited as fuck for Snoop, including us. For Snoop’s performance, we again made our way to the front of the stage and stood in the pit with our husbands. Within the first few minutes of Snoop’s show, he noticed us and tossed us his blunt that he was smoking. My bestie caught that shit, and best believe we kept it after we hit it a few times! LOL! A blunt for the West Coast Godfather Snoop?! Are you serious?! MIND BLOWN!!!

BestieTalks and Jess’s husband G made the news! This was taken during Snoop’s performance!

The combination of being so close to the stage that you could feel the bass vibrating and both Snoop and Kurupt pointing at us and interacting with us was a moment we will never forget.

Ray’s husband and co-founder of Grizzly Fest, in the pit!

A lot of artists perform but never really see their crowd, but this wasn’t the case with Snoop. He made it a point to make sure that we knew he saw us and we made sure to let him know we see him too! Those moments standing alongside our men while singing our hearts out is something that will stay with us forever. 

Grizzly Fest 2019 is already underway and best believe that we will be there to do this all over again! Join us next year for this amazing event!

 

5+
Wanna Share This Talk?

Summer Sangria Recipes

by 8 Comments

Pairing Up The Perfect Cocktails

Summer and sangria just go together! Hot days at the beach or by the pool call for a refreshing cocktail. We teamed up with a fellow blogger name Trisha Brumley to bring you some amazing sangria recipes. These recipes are perfect for Memorial Day, 4th of July or any of the many hot days that are ahead! We hope you enjoy! Cheers to Summer!

Sangria Recipes

With summer right around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about backyard barbeques and pool parties!! When I think of summer, I think of delicious summer cocktails! I like to come up with Holiday inspired cocktails that bring just a little more fun to your summer get-togethers. The main ingredient I love to use with all of my summer drinks is WINE! I’m not a big fan of liquor so I like to use wine to spice it up a little bit.

The first thing to know about using wine to make a summer drink is that you do not have to spend a ton of money on the wine since it’s going to be used with other ingredients. Using fresh ingredients with your cocktails will also bring a nice touch of brightness to your drink.

My FAVORITE summer drink is Sangria! Am I right? Sangria is such an easy way to bring a little something different to your parties. There are 3 main ingredients to any Sangria,

  • 1 bottle, 750 ml, of inexpensive Red or White Wine
  • 1 ½ cups of Fresh Fruit
  • 2 cups of chilled Sprite or another carbonated beverage if you don’t like Sprite

So, let’s get to it and make a Fun Memorial Day Sangria. I think I’ll call this one

Stars & Stripes Sangria

 Ingredients:

  • 1 750ml bottle of inexpensive white wine, chilled
  • 1 20oz bottle of chilled Sprite                          
  • 1 cup strawberries
  • 1 small navel orange sliced
  • 1 large red apple
  • 1 cup of blueberries

Directions:

  • Combine the white wine and fruit into a pitcher and let it sit in the fridge overnight, or at least 4-5 hours. For the strawberries you can cut them in quarters, the orange will need to be sliced while keeping the peel on. The blueberries will just need to be rinsed off and then added to the pitcher. For the apple, since this is a Memorial Day cocktail, you can slice the apple take off the skin and cut it into fun star shapes to add a little Holiday flare!!! You will want to reserve some of the fruit so you can serve it as a garnish to your drink. Something like the above picture would be nice.
  • Once you have all the fruit cut up, add the fruit to the pitcher of white wine and put it in the fridge so it gets nice and cold. This will also give the fruit a little time to infuse into the wine.
  • When you are ready to serve your Stars & Stripes Sangria, you will want to put the ice in the glasses instead of adding the ice to the pitcher. We don’t want our delicious drink to be watered down. As you pour the wine, leave a little room so you can top it off with a splash of the chilled Sprite. The Sprite will sweeten it up a bit and give a bubbly taste!

You can find cute Holiday themed glassware and straws at Target or the Dollar Store.

Now if white wine is not your thing, or you just want to have a variety of drinks for your guests, you can make a Red Wine Sangria. I think I’ll call this one

Simply Summer Sangria!

Ingredients:

  • 1 750ml inexpensive red wine
  • 1 20oz bottle of Sprite Chilled
  • 2 cups of fresh fruit – oranges, lemon, strawberries & blueberries

Directions:

  • Cut the fruit first so you can combine it with the wine. For the oranges & lemons, you will want to cut them in slices. For the strawberries, you can cut them in quarters so that they don’t turn into mush.
  • Once you have all the fruit cut up combine it into a pitcher along with the wine. You will want to let it sit overnight or at least 4-5 hours so the fruit can soak up the wine!
  • You can hold back a little bit of the fruit so you can use it as a garnish.
  • Once the wine has had a chance to chill you can get ready to serve it. Just like the recipe above, you will want to pour the ice into the glasses instead of the pitcher so that the ice doesn’t melt and water down your Simply Summer Sangria! Nobody likes a watered down Sangria!!
  • After pouring the Sangria in the glasses you can use some of the fruit you held back as a garnish. Leave a little room in the glass so you can top it off with the sprite.
  • The last and most important step is to………Enjoy your Sangria and sit back and relax!

In general, white wine would be served with lighter dishes like salmon or scallops and red wine would pair nicely with meats such as steak or chicken. Either of the above Sangria recipes will go great with any of your favorite barbecue dishes.

***Extra Tip*** If you don’t want to make Sangria but you still want to serve wine, you can freeze some green grapes and add them to any glass of white wine. It keeps your white wine cold and adds a little fun to your glass of wine!

Cheers!

  About the Author:

My name is Trisha Brumley and I love all things WINE!!! My husband and I have traveled all over California and Italy trying some of the best wines in the world! We are currently working with a premier wine club to bring amazing wines to your door each and every month! If you would like to get in touch with me or learn about the wine club, you can email me at trishabrumley@trishabrumley.com or visit my website at http://trishabrumley.com/

3+
Wanna Share This Talk?

Activities and Events in Your Community

by Leave a Comment

Now is the Time!

Seasons have changed and the weather is great! Having such nice weather gives more opportunities to do outdoor activities and events. Most communities offer tons of things to do around this time of year when it begins to warm up. Even if you don’t live in a big city, you may have a nearby community that holds events and activities that you can attend.  You’d be surprised to see what fun things that have been popping up. I encourage you to go out, try something new and fun, and meet some new people in your community.

How To Find Events

Beer and Yoga in a local brewery, count me in!

So, now that you know that there are many communities out there that host fun activity; I am going to tell you how to find them. The internet and social media are great uses of marketing for events. This is where you will find most advertisements for fun activities. Advertising and marketing your event online is both beneficial to the host and the consumer. The host gets to see the analytical side of things and keep track of RSVPs and payments they may receive in advance. The consumer gets the information at their fingertips and is sent reminders, information, and details about the event. The list I have put together is in no particular order. Please, take a look and start planning to attend one near you!

Ways to Find Events Near You

  • Your Local News Paper– Yes, newspapers are still around. Some host still takes ads out in newspapers so, it could be a good place to look.
  • Eventbrite.com– This site is used exclusively for events. You will be able to search for events based on location, name, or activity, and even reserve and or pay for your spot. It is a great site to browse, create, and promote local events.
  • Groupon.com– Groupon is a great place to find events at a discount. Here you may be able to find outdoor concert tickets, whitewater rafting adventures, and so much more. Make sure you read the fine print about dates you can use your voucher.
  • Facebook.com– This link takes you straight to the event page on Facebook.  The event page will tell you the name of the event, the host, where it will be, how much it cost (if there is a cost), and what to expect at the event. Here, you can also pick if you are interested in the event, going or maybe. Once that is marked, you will be sent updates and reminders.
  • Google.com– On Google, you can literally type in “events near me” in the search engine and events will pop up that are near your location.
  • DoStuff– This is an app that is dedicated to helping you find things to do. They currently list events for North America’s 20 largest cities. Event recommendations and maps make it easy to find your event and you are able to create your own profile and add it to your personal calendar.
  • HeyLets– HeyLets is a community driven app where people that have been to the place or event are able to add their own pictures of the time spent there as well as feedback and comments about the event. You can also make a wish list and get alerts about events that go with your interest.
  • Yelp– Yelp is a one-stop shop. It gives all the details you are looking for and provides reviews from real people. Yelp is used worldwide and they too, conveniently have a great app. 
  • All Events in City– This is a great website and app that gives you a complete rundown of what is going on in your city. You can browse through concerts, exhibits, meetups, food events, festivals, sports and so much more! They have events from over 300,000 cities in the world so, you are bound to find something you like, in a city near you.

Now Go Do Something!

We have an awesome local Baseball team that has super fun eventful games and we are the triple-A team for the championship Houston Astros!

Now that you know exactly how to find something to do, put it on your calendar, invite some friends and do it! This is an awesome way to support and be active in your community, while also having an enjoyable time. I encourage you to try something new and meet a few new people. I promise you it won’t disappoint!

Let us know what you do to be apart of your community and how you find out about local events.

4+
Wanna Share This Talk?

An Apology Card Without an Apology

by 7 Comments

No Return Address

I received a card in the mail with no return address.
I didn’t need to open it to know who it was from.
I let it sit unopened for months, unsure if I wanted to read it or not.
That big red envelope full of unknown words from someone who I don’t know anymore.
It’s been so long since we have spoken that you can imagine my surprise when this card showed up at my door.
A card with no return address that opening it almost felt like a test.

I received a card in the mail with no return address.
Sending this card is so typical of you.
No call, text or email but a random Christmas card?
I guess just calling me up was too hard?
Hiding behind pen and paper with intentions so unclear.
I didn’t know what to expect or what emotions it would cause.
A card with no return address that instilled hesitation, not fear.

I received a card in the mail with no return address.
I finally opened that big red envelope and, the familiarity of your handwriting swept over me.
Your words glossing over our history as I read that you miss me.
You congratulated me on graduating and getting married as if to let me know that you have kept up with my life.
I didn’t need congratulating what I needed was an apology and the fact that there wasn’t one cut through me like a knife.
I received an apology card without an apology.

I received a card in the mail with no return address.
Even if I wanted to respond, I have no way to contact you.
You sent me a card that I’m still trying to understand.
A card with no return address as if leaving you with the upper hand.
You said your life isn’t right without me in it.
A red card filled with words written in black ink that depicts the time that you have had to think.

I received a card in the mail with no return address.
I’m writing you this knowing you might never see it.
I made room in my heart for the words in your red card to sit.
I want you to know that I’m no longer sad, angry or bitter but that an actual apology would have been better.
I’m left with this red envelope that is tattered and worn, resembling our relationship that couldn’t weather the storm.
I received an apology card without an apology.


14+
Wanna Share This Talk?