There are many things to do outdoor that doesn’t involve eating out or shopping.  You can hike, bike, hit the waterway, camp overnight, or just relax and enjoy flowers in bloom.  The best place to help you find these great outdoor spot would be Weekend Sherpa.

I consider myself extra lucky to be living in California,  there are many different types of terrain in just one state.  Just a short drive away is the Pacific Ocean.  And to the east is Lake Tahoe and the  mountains.  And yet there are still many more places I have yet to discover.

Nice photo of Alamere Falls by Leon Turnbull.

Here are some I would like to see.  Have to pack a good lunch and get out the hiking shoes!  First stop is Alamere Falls in Point Reyes - 4 miles (8 miles roundtrip) hike to the coast.  I don’t know if I can make this one since last time I hiked 4 miles I was sore for days!

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I am one of those people that never use up all their cell phone minutes.  Unlike Cingular, my plan with Sprint does not have minute roll-overs.  When I think about it, the Sprint plan was costing me way too much (per minute).  So it was time for a change or a new cell phone plan.

So when my contract was up (on a 2 year agreement) I decided to find other alternatives to saving on my cell phone bill.

I’ve heard mixed reviews about the pay as you go phone plan.  Some people who tried it never stuck with it for too long.  I think the concept is OK, but there are no free phone promotions here.  The phone isn’t too expensive, depending on which carrier you use.  Sending text messages cost about 15 cents, which could really add up.  And remembering when to refill the minutes (when they expire) are really more of a hassle.

Then I decided maybe I can live without my cell phone for a while - see how that goes.  This way I just make people call me on the land line instead.

It was time to cancel my service.  The first person I talked to at Sprint transferred me to another department.  It must have been the “customer retention” department.

The customer service representative told me that he didn’t want to lose me as a customer.  He said he could offer me a good deal if I decide to continue with the service.  The new plan was $10 for 240 minutes plus 1,000 text messages.  And no new contract (extension) necessary.

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A few years ago I saw this amazing flower growing in northern California (Target shopping center in Cupertino).  I didn’t think it was a native tree since it looked like it belong somewhere in the tropics.

The large tree was one of the most amazing tree I’ve ever seen.  Starting with the trunk, which was covered in spikes.  And the flowers were what really caught my eye.  The flowers looked just like big orchids or maybe lily flowers blooming all over the tree.

Photo of the Kapok flower and spike trunk from Martin LaBar via Flickr.

There are many different varieties of the flowers, from small white ones to these large bright pink.  These delicate looking flowers are hardy enough to last on the tree for several weeks.

Well, I am now happy to say I’ve found out it’s called the Kapok tree.  Other names include the Ceiba or Silk Cotton tree.  Many thanks to the University of British Columbia’s botany department.  The university has a great website fill with information on various plants.

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It’s that time of year for me to get another hair cut.  I can usually tell it’s time when my hair is long enough for a pony tail.  My usual request is the short layered bob, which is pretty simple and conservative.

It’s especially a good look for those that want a more polish and sophisticated image.  As we can see with celebrities like Paris Hilton and Katie Holmes after they chopped off the long locks.  Of course I’m not saying that it’s worked that way for me!  Bad hair days are still very unpredictable.

Michelle Williams, Summer 2008. Getty Images.

Here is one actress that I think also looks much better with shorter hair.  Short hair styles aren’t usually recommend if you have a round face.  But Michelle’s hair has texture and waves, so it works out fine.

In the first photo above, Michelle looks very happy.  In the second, she reminds me of the 1930s film star. Even the Flapper look, very vintage.

If you want better results with your hair stylist, here are the top 5 tips from prohaircut.com.  I find them to be very true!

1. Don’t Cross Your Legs. Believe it or not, — it skews your posture, so don’t cross your legs when you sit in the stylist’s chair, otherwise, your cut could be uneven once you stand up. Instead, sit up in the chair, legs uncrossed.

2. Bring Pictures. The biggest hair disasters arise when your stylist doesn’t understand what you want. Pictures will help convey your message. Better communication, better result.

3. Be Realistic. You may love a cut on a celebrity, or a magazine model, but keep in mind that your hair may not be the same texture or your face may not be the same shape as hers, or, the cut won’t look the same on you. Ask your stylist for variations appropriate to you.

4. Show With Your Hand. Don’t tell your stylist how many inches you would like to be cut, show your stylist with your hand where you’d like your hair to fall.

5. Surprise Yourself. Sometimes, an unexpected urge to go a new hair cut style you have never thought about, it might be just perfect for you! So, surprise yourself!

A few years ago my hair stylist decided to give me the “inverted “bob.  It’s like the short layered bob but it’s shorter in the back and longer in the front, kind of angled haircut.

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Summer is almost here and I am thinking of summer sandals.  I have a simple sandal by FloJos that have lasted me years.  It is well stitched and the footing feels nice on your soles. It’s more like walking barefoot since it’s so light.  I think the idea of walking barefoot is actually good for you.

One sandal that is like barefoot walking but with more muscle load (as the company described) is the Fit Flop.  They are suppose to help you tone your body while you are walking.  They are available at Macy’s for about $50.  I am really thinking of getting one.  I hope these Fit Flops aren’t just marketing hype!

Here is what the company has to say about Fit Flop:

Benefits:  FitFlop. Get a workout while you walkTM.  FitFlop sandals are biomechanically engineered to help tone and tighten your leg muscles while you walk in them. Studies at the Centre for Human Performance at LSBU show that normal walking in FitFlop sandals(1) can help:

- increase leg, calf and gluteal muscle activity,
- improve your posture,
- mimic the gait of barefoot walking but with more muscle load,
- improve muscle tone.

FitFlop sandals wearers have also reported relief from plantar fasciitis, heel spurs, chronic back pain, sciatica, osteoarthritis, RLS (restless leg syndrome), scoliosis and degenerative disc disease.

Wow, that is a big claim!  Marcia Kilgore is the personal trainer turn beauty guru behind this idea.  She is the founder of Bliss Spa in NYC and the creator of Bliss Labs cosmetics.  Her line, Soap and Glory is available at Target and easily assessable to everyday shoppers.  I have only tried these little samples of Bliss Labs shampoo and soaps you get free at hotel.  They are good products.  Actually there are so many good products out there (beside Bliss).  But this post is about the sandals, not the beauty products.

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I am not a big fan of bottled water.  Especially considering how some of these bottled water or nothing more then filtered water being prepackaged into a bottle.  And being that it’s plastic and not very biodegradable, is also another thing that bothers me.  If anything should be in a bottle, at least make it a glass bottle.

Plastic bottles leech out toxins to your body.  Plastic bottles end up in landfills and don’t break down easily.  Plastic bottles end up in the ocean.  Glass is much better, glass can be recycled.  Drinks bottled in glass don’t have that plastic tinge taste.

There are many good selection of bottled glass drinks that I’ve seen the Asian markets but not in the American market.  One that stands out is pure young coconut water.  I would much prefer these drinks over the typical (and sugar loaded) drinks such as Pepsi, Coke, and even Snapple.  It’s all really disappointing.

Coconut water is great and a much better choice as (an isotonic) sports drink as well, compare to Gatorade.  Coconut water has no cholesterol and contains natural sugars and salt. Coconut water is high in many vitamins and minerals, especially potassium. The most important nutrient found in coconut water or milk is lauric acid. Lauric acid is believed to have antimicrobial properties and is found naturally in mother’s milk, cow milk, and goat milk.  As mentioned from my previous post here.

My favorite brand of bottled young coconut water is Taste Nirvana from Thailand.  It beats drinking Coke or Snapple.  I like how the glass bottle is packaged and design too.  The top cap reminds you, “Happiness in a bottle.”  A 9.5 oz bottle is about $1, which is a reasonable price.  Also glad they use natural cane sugar instead of high fructose syrup (like many American drinks).

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I’ve never seen this plant before.  But it’s suppose to be a native Northern California plant.  I will have to keep my eye out for them now.

“Coast Silk-tassel”, photo from hortulus of flickr.  I love how the tree looks like it’s draped for a celebration. Flowers that dangle are just one of my favorite kind of flowers. Maybe it’s because it reminds me of earrings on a plant.

Name: Garrya elliptica ‘James Roof’
Common name: Silk-tassel bush

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Just found out about this free offer.  A nice treat for the kid in all of us.  And better for the little ones too.  Enjoy!

Stone Cold Creamery:

To join our birthday club, simply click on this link and create a My Cold Stone account, which allows you to tell us when and how you’d like to hear from us. In addition to receiving a coupon for free ice cream on your birthday, you’ll also be able to receive other great promotions, special offers, and coupons.

Baskin-Robbins:

Sign up here and you’ll get your FREE ice cream email five days before your birthday. You’ll also receive a discount on a birthday cake.  Catch a deal on your favorite cakes and treats from Baskin-Robbins by opting to get special offers and coupons all year long.

I haven’t been to Stone Cold Creamery or Baskin-Robbins in a long time.  I don’t mind packaged ice cream (from the grocery store) as long as the ingredients are good.  None of that hydrogenated oil stuff!

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I grew up watching many educational programs on PBS and am very thankful for them. Even now, I will try to catch the good programs on PBS when I get the chance. The latest show I saw was Nova’s, “Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives“. Somehow that show has been on my mind even long after it’s over.

The show was not just about science.  It’s the story of Mark Everett and his journey to learn more about his father.  Mark (also known as E) is part of the indie rock band - the Eels.  Mark never got to know too much about his father.  He was only 18 when he lost him.

Mark’s father, Hugh Everett III, considered to be a brilliant scientist who came up with the radical “many worlds theory” of quantum mechanics.

My father never, ever said anything to me about his theories. I was in the same house with him for at least 18 years but he was a total stranger to me. He was in his own parallel universe. He was a physical presence, like the furniture, sitting there jotting down crazy notations at the dining room table night after night. I think he was deeply disappointed that he knew he was a genius but the rest of the world didn’t know it. - Mark Everett.

Other family tragedies soon followed Mark later in his life.  Including the loss of his only sibling (a sister) and then of his mother.  Despite the family tragedy, I think he turned to his music and found the silver lining of it all.

You can also sense that he has a good heart and a healthy sense of humor.  The show is more then just about science, it’s about family, understanding, and finally acceptance.

Well, you have to have a sense of humor.  It came from my family.  That was how we communicated. Nobody never said “I love you” or anything like that.  It was more jokey sarcastic family, that was how we communicated.

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Sometimes I think I have too many books and not enough space for them.  So every year I try to get rid of some, but then I get newer ones.  Someday I may just go digital, it would save trees and save me space too.

The local used bookshop that I usually go to trade books are OK.  You don’t get much money from it, but you get store credits toward other used books. The prices aren’t so good, it’s about 30% off new books.  And I haven’t been able to find what I wanted there either.

I guess I could donate them to charity shops, but then I’m not so sure if someone would actually want the books.  It would be nice if someone had actually wanted my books, then I would know it went to a good place.  Just sentimental about certain things sometimes.

In the meantime, I just found out about BookMooch.  It’s a community for exchanging used books.  BookMooch lets you give away books you no longer need in exchange for books you really want.  Sounds like a good idea!

Just visit BookMooch for more info.

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