The Not "Quite" Skinny Enough, Pretty Enough, Talented Enough Actress.

30 Day Vegan Challenge: Day #5

I didn't cheat on my challenge today...but I feel like I did!

Today was wedding menu design day! With our cocktail hour we get a ton of food options. Some I get to choose myself and some are already included. I had pre-chosen as many vegetarian "ish" things that I could....but my event coordinator pointed out that there was not a lot of options for meat eaters. I felt peer pressured into adding more meat! Even though this is MY wedding (and my fiance's) I want my guests to love the food and have an amazing time. At least 75% of my guests eat meat! So in addition to our carving station, cold cuts, sesame chicken, sushi bar....there will be chicken piccata and kielbasa. Kielbasa is pork. That's a pig! Innocent sweet little piggies are going to die for my cocktail hour and I'm feeling like this challenge is so hypocritical!

  

http://modernfarmer.com/2014/03/pigheaded-smart-swine/

 

30 Day Vegan Challenge: Day #4

Day number four and I haven't had any problems with maintaining a vegan diet. Probably because my diet leading up to this challenge was 90% vegan based on the teachings from different books I've read and different lectures/interviews with nutritionists and doctors I've listened to. But, I was thinking about my childhood/young adult eating habits earlier today and reminded how I've done a 180 positive change nutrition wise since my youth! If I still ate the same way as I did when I was in my teens I'd probably have severe health issues! 

I was living in Los Angeles "attempting" all the fad diets: Slim Fast, Atkins, Grapefruit Diet etc. when a girlfriend turned me onto THIS book:

 

 

This book opened my eyes for the first time to how harmful a typical American diet can be. She writes about the hormones and puss in cows milk. She explains what all the chemicals and additives in canned and other preserved food can do to you. And for the first time I had a better understanding of how much sugar I was ACTUALLY having even though I wasn't eating sweets. Because of her, I started reading labels and I saw how much High Fructose Corn Syrup was added to EVERYTHING! Marilu changed my life. I've read 100's of books and seen many documentaries on the same subject since...but every couple of years I re-read this book because it uses a common sense approach to diet and lifestyle...and while it doesn't advocate a 100% vegan diet it definitely doesn't promote meat!

30 Day Vegan Challenge: Day #3

I was really nervous about my vegan challenge today because it was my first day at the mercy of other people for food. I went to a friends place to work on a film! Said friend was such a gracious host he prepared a veggie burger on gluten free bread for me! Then later on I grabbed a vegan burrito (pictured below) at this amazing hole in the wall Mexican place next door to his apartment! I expected to go hungry today and instead I have a full belly! Success! 

30 Day Vegan Challenge: Day #2

One day in and I almost cheated! Almost!

I had these vegan marshmallows at the apartment but Gary ate them all so last week I ran to Whole Foods and picked up some more. They were a different brand but it was lunchtime and Whole Foods was looking like the apocalypse so I kinda just grabbed a box and made a run for it!

Well yesterday I was craving some sugar so I grabbed a marshmallow, took a bite, and just before I was about to swallow I saw the ominous words: GELATIN on the back of the box!!!!

For those of you who don't know...this is what gelatin is: 

"a substance derived from the processing of animal collagen. Commercially, this is most typically obtained from cattle hides and bones and pigskins."

Who woulda thought an innocent sugary white looking marshmallow is made by causing pain and suffering to the animals?

I spit that thing out like it was full of bubonic plague! From now on I will be way more weary of ingredient lists!

For more information on gelatin you can check out: http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/2012/06/the-processing-of-gelatin/

Well Hello GORGEOUS!

Meet my new lover! Zyflamend! For the past three weeks my back has been a hot inflammed mess. There were one or two days in which I could barely get out of bed. In my convalescence I started to watch documentary after documentary on Netflix about health and healing. I also started youtubing videos and reading different articles on line. The main ingredient that was talked about repeatedly as having a huge healing affect on inflammation and all arthritic conditions is Turmeric! So, I limped my way to Whole Foods to grab some suplemments and left with the highly recommended Zyflamend, which contains not only Turmeric but nine other ingredients that reduce inflammation! I've been chowing down on this stuff for about a week now and I feel SO MUCH BETTER! So, the lesson of the day, if you are rocking the inflammation, I would go out and buy yourself a bottle of this bad boy! 

ON BEING FIRED!

I just got fired from my cocktail waitressing job of 3 weeks! No specific reason was given. I worked in a theater and the show sales have not been that good and the house has been rather empty so they most likely didn't need all of us. But the negative part of me is screaming: "You got fired because you are an epic failure!" I must admit I am not the best cocktail waitress. For one, I don't really drink often...so when people ask about different alcohols...I just stare back at them cluelessly. Also, when handling peoples credit cards and money I tend to go super slow on the computer so as not to charge someone for something they didn't purchase. But, I was always early for my shifts and offered to help out with the bar setup etc. I am glad I do not have to go back to this job and push something I do not believe in on people. But I don't know how I am going to pay my upcoming bills. And I can't help but have a bruised and damaged ego. 

I have been listening to a lot of Joel Osteen lately. He is a preacher. I am not religious but I think Joel is an extremely positive person and I like what he has to say. I know that for this situation he would say: "Do NOT put a question mark where God has put a period." Meaning, stop asking "Why?" The point is, I was fired. I learned from this job that I despise waitressing...even in a theater setting. I was inspired by the performers I saw and that is what I am taking from this experience. Period. Time to move on to the next.

My very first video blog!!!!

Hey Everyone!!!!

Sorry it's been awhile but I've been working like a crazy girl! Please watch my very first video blog and see how much I love my new juicer!

 

 

Dear God: Please Never Let Me Wait Tables Again!

At the time I booked my first national tour, My Little Pony Live, I was working as a Cater Waiter in the Los Angeles area. I remember when I gave the company my notice and in my bedroom, alone, I threw my hands up in the air and in a very Scarlett O’hara manner claimed: “As God Is My Witness I Will Never Wait Tables Again!” After touring for over 2 years I decided to make an exception to my vow for Hooters! I had frequented Hooters on the road with my tour buddy’s…plus although it’s a waitressing job, it has definite good sides that no other restaurants have. I was able to sit and chat with my customers, and it was decent money for not too much brut work. When school got too crazy I took out a student loan and hung up my orange shorts. Pretty soon my bank account began to dwindle and I was forced to get a part time job again. I didn’t want to go back to Hooters because I’d have to retrain, and also, I felt too old and fat to work there. I applied to all the local chain restaurants and ended up at one with the initials O.G. The past few months at the OG have been pretty hideous! I’ve never worked so hard in my life and been compensated so little. I normally consider myself a decent waitress but keeping up with the flow of unlimited soup, salads, and breadsticks when the kitchen is so far away from most of the table sections was just too much! Plus memorizing and being able to describer a huge menu full of food that I do not believe anyone has any business eating is extremely difficult for me to upsell. Not to mention the fact that we are expected from our managers to give fine dining five star service to cheap, trailer park trash esc clientele.  Bottom line is, hideous job and very little money. My last day was scheduled to be today but despite being flat broke I traded in my shift with another waitress at the restaurant. I feel free…and I booked a day of SAG background work for tomorrow with my car, so I am not feeling as guilty about giving up the cash for today. My financial situation is very precarious right now but once again I am throwing my arms up in the air and BEGGING the Universe to realize that dues have been paid and it’s time for me to work solely a performing artist!!!!

 

 

 

Average OG tip!