As the days roll on here in California, I’m really starting to feel more and more like I’m back in college. Let’s go through the checklist, shall we?
- I’m far away from home
- I have a part time job
- I just bought a new dictionary yesterday
- Facebook is taking over my life
- my typical uniform is jeans (circa 2004) and a sweatshirt
- I eat ice cream out of plastic wine glasses
- I search for nickles and pennies under my car seats to pay for Starbucks
- I eat way too much canned soup
- I do lunges across my house to stretch out my jeans
- I use my neighbor’s washer and dryer
- I’m broke 98% of the time
- I drink a lot of wine
- I have a big paper due….but this time instead of 500 words it’s 50,000 words.
Yep. Except this time my paper isn’t being graded by my favorite cute professor…instead it’s going to be for sale at Barnes and Noble next Spring. Hmph!
How was your humpday???! Mine was pretty uneventful but I’m counting down till tomorrow!
I love besties. And cocktails by the river….clearly.
This morning I had a pretty good/intense strength workout at the gym. Here was the routine:
5 minutes on elliptical to warm up
2 sets of tricep overhead pulldowns, 15 reps per set, 50 lbs
3 sets of lat pulldowns, 12 reps per set, 50 lbs
4 sets of walking lunges with medicine ball
4 sets of “flying leap squats” (and by this I mean you physically jump across the room, landing in a squat position each time. trust me on this one)
3 sets of hamstring curls on stability ball
3 sets of bicep curls, 12 reps per set, 10 lbs
3 sets of shoulder raises, 12 reps per set, 10 lbs
2 sets of assisted pull-ups, 60 lbs assisted weight, 15 reps per set
=30 minute workout
Showered and got ready at the gym then snacked on yogurt and almonds on route to work:
Like I said, I’ve been eating a lot of canned soup lately! It’s COLD outside!
Another new and delicious Amy’s!!! I added 1/2 cup black beans to this before I heated it up for a little extra kick of protein power and it was perfect. + leftover (you guessed it) kabocha on the side and an apple.
Luke was a love and hung out with me all day at work!
And, on my break, I ran to Cafe Gratitude and picked up a Yerba Mate latte with steamed almond milk. It was divine!
And an Honest Foods bar! This one was really hard and actually hurt my jaw though……odd.
So, for those of you that were wondering about the shipping for the Michel Schlumberger holiday catalog, it IS indeed FREE……however, that means free GROUND SHIPPING. If you choose fedex or “receive my package in 2-3 days”, it will charge you a discounted shipping rate. Also, the promo code of “jenna” is strictly for tracking purposes….everything in the catalog has been significantly discounted as is. Just FYI! 
My day ended with us all sitting in the tasting salon, drinking Malbec. Typical.
Would you even believe I ate soup again for dinner??!
This is leftover homemade split pea soup with half an ezekiel muffin in it. It was peeeerfect on a chilly night like tonight!
I tried to write a little after dinner but then my sweet tooth started to kick in and I rationalized baking cookies because I have friends coming in town tomorrow….AND I really wanted to test out this new mix that the awesome people over at Kodiak Cakes sent me to try!!!
I usually stay far away from cookie and cake mixes but since I adore their pancake mix, I wanted to give this a try. I’m SO glad I did!!!!! The ingredients in this mix are simple and wholesome…..only 100% whole wheat flour, oats, dark chocolate and cane sugar…nothing weird or unusual. And all you do is add butter and an egg. Simple!
There are some days when a girl just needs a cookie and ice cream. That’s all. Today was one of those days.
This hot, gooey (whole wheat!) cookie is topped with mocha fudge coconut milk ice cream, which I am thoroughly convinced is God’s gift to the freezer department. Swooooooooon!
Speaking of swooning over food, guess who got invited to go to CHEZ PANISSE next week???!!!! Yep, I will making the trip down to Berkeley on Tuesday night and couldn’t be more excited. What to wear…what to wear???!!!! I may or may not have been perfecting a Chez Panisse outfit for, like, the last 10 years. 
SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, time to go be collegiate again and put my clothes in the dryer next door then work on my “paper”.
Have a restful evening!
{ 93 comments… read them below or add one }
I can TOTALLY relate to you on the whole “college” thing! Something about living alone really far away from home makes us revert back, and honestly, ice cream tastes WAY better eaten from a wine glass anyway!
Your list is making me miss college! I would add “You never get enough sleep”, but it sounds like you’re treating your body much better than I did when I was in school; I lived on pizza and Diet Coke!
Can’t wait to read your Chez Panisse review!!
That’s funny, I remember carrying my laundry down to the laundry room every week and having to space out a few a hour to do nothing but wait for laundry to be done. Oh college days. I wish I lived in my hoodie and jeans!! I will find a job where that is the dress code.
Chez Panisse! YAY! How exciting is that?? Can’t wait to get a full report on the eats! I would be ecstatic! Have you planned your menu yet??
Good thing college was fun – a little recreation sounds like fun at all. At least you have a neighbor’s laundry to use…I still have to go to the laundromat.
haha your life sounds like fun, I LOVED my college days
Chez Panisse, I am so so excited for you!!!!
Where can you find that yummy cookie mix?? I’m not sure that I’ve found it around my area. The cookies look great!
What an interesting looking dog! I’ve never seen one that looks like that before.
What an interesting looking dog! I’ve never seen one that looks like that before.
Oh. My. God.
I am almost jealous of you, but actually… what would I do with my life if I got to go to Chez Panisse? I’d have nothing else to aspire to!
lol, now I miss college…. and wearing hoodies every day! What a cute dog : )
Ah college
the good life. You know… if you’re going to be drinking copious amounts of wine, you may want to document it 
http://bit.ly/5nX2ig
I can’t wait for college!!! Those cookies look delicious
Your list just cracked me up. Thank you. And your cookie + ice cream made me drool just a little. Darn it. The fact that you get to go to Chez Panisse… lucky!!! Have fun and eat well!
Chez Panisse is actually very rustic-it’s like being in an elegantlog cabin. It’s so cozy, with low lighting, and no music in the background. And, it’s Berkeley, so they are not fussy about clothes there. I went for my 23rd birthday and was dressed to the nines…you can go either way, all dressed up, or more understated. I still have the menu placard from the meal…fabulous. Have fun!
haha, i was born and raised in kodiak, alaska where all the bears are!
isnt chez panisse your dream restaurant to go to?? how cool and exciting!
That cookie mix sounds awesome — I’m always disappointed by all the fake stuff in cookie mixes, so I’d love to give this one a try! That dog is ADORABLE, by the way. Can you give him a big hug for me? Have fun with your friends, and don’t worry, it’s ok to feel like you’re still in college.
Maybe I am clueless, but what does “circa” mean?
You’re super cute. I love your “college” list.
I am so jealous about Chez Panisse. Seriously, girl…your bucket list is getting smaller by the day! =)
Definitely go with elastic waist pants!!!
oh ma gahhhhh
so freaking jealous!!!!! my bf is an engineer in berkeley but he *refuses* to take me there. he says its too hippy.
I will live vicariously through you!!!!! so jeal!
have fun with your friends tomorrow!
xo
I TOTALLY had the same experience with an Honest Foods bar this weekend. Same flavour.
It was dry. And stale. And the taste and usual aroma wasn’t there. It was just plain old horrible.
To be honest, it would make me think twice before buying one again. Not unless they fix whatever issues they’re having!
Please tell me you squeezed in some time to watch Top Chef tonight…or do you already know how it ends
?
If you have some time before dinner, you should definitely explore the Berkeley area; there is so much good food to be had! I’m a student at Cal and I’ve been reading your blog since I first started school a few years back. It’s crazy to think you were living on the East Coast just a short while ago and now you’re here writing about Chez Panisse, which is practically in my backyard (I run past it several times a week)! Are you going to the Chez Panisse cafe (upstairs) or restaurant (downstairs)? I’m glad to see you’re enjoying the Bay Area!
Ooh, I’m super excited to hear about your visit to Chez Panisse. I’m from Berkeley, and I interned as a pastry chef there last summer.
Sounds about right for college life
haha I loved the list!! Especially the part about the lunges. So true. And squats
YOU ARE SO LUCKY TO BE GOING TO CHES PANISSE!!!!!!! Enjoy each and every bite mama!
Hooray for Chez Panisse! I wasn’t a foodie when I went there years ago so the experience was lost (though we had an amazing Opus One wine – I remember that). Can’t wait to hear all about it!
AHHHH SOOO JEALOUS YOU’RE GOING TO CHEZ PANISSE!!
I lived in Berkeley for 4 years and fit most of the college descriptions especially the broke 98% of the time so I never went
Can’t wait to read your review and see pictures!!
cute college comparison
Your cookies look delish!
Are you eating upstairs or downstairs? I ate at the cafe tonight! I have a friend who works there. Overall, dress is pretty casual compared to other fine dining spots. No need to break out the black dress
So glad you get to experience it!
Am reading ‘Four Hour Workweek’ Tim Ferriss–excellent/whole new way of conceptualizing a lot of things, including time/money management. ‘College list’ amusing…Suze Orman would say, ‘Write down all weekly expenses then extrapolate each to yearly cost and figure out what could have purchased with that. i.e. $3-4. a day on designer coffees is approx $1,000 a year….or a whole lot of cool J Crew stuff that lasts for years.
Your book will be a best-seller and you’ll have tons of dough. Maybe someone will give you a copy of ‘Guerrilla Marketing for Writers’ for Christmas and a year’s subscription to ‘Money Magazine’…along with a Mac Pro! I hit Whole Foods today to pick up the 365 Almond Butter you mentioned the other day. Forgot that! But…speaking of $$$. :-0 Not a good idea to go into WH w/o a list!
Chez Panisse!!!!!!! man you have hit the holy grail. unbelievable jealous. which makes me wonder…have you read Ruth Reichl’s books you would love them! They are all amazing.
GAH, so jealous of Chez Panisse!!!!
yum yum, those cookies look fab! and that dog is awesome – what kind is it?? so unusual-looking!
sounds like you’re having a ton of fun! i’m so jealous of your trip to chez panisse. alice waters was here in rome last week and i MISSED HER! she stayed for thanksgiving at the american academy in rome, apparently. bummer. enjoy!
Can;t wait to read about CHEZ PANISSE!
That doggy is adorable.
I also kept half of my daily eats in the glove compartment of my car in college. I would dodge to my car in between classes to scarf down some nourishment (usually some sort of protein bar and fruit).
Your dessert looks outstanding! What brand is that ice cream? AN Yerbe Matte latte sounds like the most divine afternoon pick-me-up.
Ha! Sounds like college to me
Have with your friends!
hey!
I hope u r having a great day so far. I loved the collage list, really funny! I also <3 coconut milk ice cream hehe. Glad to hear u r having a great time with your friends, u 2 r really cute!
Congrats on the invite!! Can’t wait to see the recap.
hahaha the lunges across the house to stretch out jeans, thats fabulous! i still do that and not in college anymore
But I do remember having lots of canned soup! I try to have a little more homemade now but still have my beloved amy’s!
that cookie is WHOLE WHEAT?!?! too good to be true!
Yeah, I want to go back too. I feel the same way sometimes.
)…and yet – your happy.
It sucks – the Holidays are coming and I’m busy day and night…7 days a week! So…when am I supposed to get any ‘shopping’ done?, baking?…Xmas Show Watching !! Oye – too much going on in my head right now…
If you like Holiday Poems – check out my Blog – yes – it’s my LAME-O non-creative side.
Jenna, you are inspiring me to really try with the Writing thing. It’s something I’ve always thought about – but keep on failing or floundering with – or going back to square one. Just starting a Blog was a big step…but that doesn’t make money for a living
I also like that everyone is in awe and ‘jealous’ of you – haha – but still life is life – you still don’t have a washer/dryer, your still broke, you still struggle to find time, you can’t run (right now
That says alot about character.
The coconut milk ice cream on the cookie looks divine. Think I’ll be recreating that real soon
hahahah. It does sound like you are in college…majoring in..AN AWESOME LIFE. haha. so cheesy. Drink it up (meaning the soup and wine) and have fun tomorrow!
hahahah. It does sound like you are in college…majoring in..AN AWESOME LIFE. haha. so cheesy. Drink it up (meaning the soup and wine) and have fun tomorrow!
Lol that dog looks like a little man! Hilarious. I also feel like I’m back in college only wearing jeans all the time.
Have fun with the girls today
I’ll be there in t-minus less than ONE MONTH WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Ice cream is my go-to dessert…I probably eat to way too much…oh well, it’s worth it
Hey Jenna– favorite cute English professor at CofC– Joe Kelly??
I loved him
And hey– I WISH I was back in college! Those were the days!
Aww, Luke! Too handsome
Good luck with your “paper” – you’ll rock it out, I know it!
Chez Panisse = FABULOUS!! Dress up for sure, haha.
P.S. – sorry about Facebook taking over, since I’m sure I’m contributing to that, haha **hides in shame**
haha yep – those are definitely all qualifications for “college student!” You got it down
Nice workout at the gym!! Way to squeeze it in before work, girl! Those cookies look wonderful. That was very erm, thoughtful of you to make them for your guests! hehe
Have a great day, and hooray for going to Chez Pannise!
I would love to find a place in MA that offers steamed almond milk for your coffee. Enjoy the visit with your girlfriends.
Those cookis look awesome
50,000 words? Wow! Best wishes for your writing process! I look forward to reading your book once it comes out.
Amy’s is incredible, I’m hooked on the lentil soup right now.
Oh, and soup is totally awesome… No shame in having it for two meals in one day!
1) omg I had never heard that lunges across the room will help stretch out jeans!! thanks for the tip! My size 10s are too big, but one of my 8s (stretch material) desperately needs stretching out. I successfully stretched out the other pair of 8s by wearing them for like 2 weeks w/o washing (a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do)
2) awesome workout – I love doing 30 min strength workouts – killer
3) I baked last night too! ‘cept I made VEGAN chocolate chip cream cheese brownies from Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s Vegan Cookies cookbook. They are just as decadent as they sound and trust me when I tell you that the cream cheese tastes exactly like NONVEGAN cream cheese brownies would taste!
yummmmmmmm I didnt touch them either – I had a lick last night when I tried to cut them too early and they weren’t hard. and I had another lick this morning when I realized I didnt cook them enough – yum yum!
Love the list! I thought I was the only one who did lunges in my jeans to stretch them out
Oohh the searching for coins to pay for starbucks and the living off of soup definitely sounds like my life right now. At least there’s some fun and adventure in it! I’ve fallen in love with Amy’s soups.
I’ve totally done lunges to stretch out my jeans before!
I hope you have a great time with your friends
Loved this! Hey, we’re allowed to pretend to still be in school while we’re in our 20s.
LOVE the list! You pretty much described my life to a T…oh college!
Lol, I’m in college and I think you way more fit the description than I do
Luke is one cool pup! Glad your friends will be there soon!
Enjoy!
That list is too funny! Back in college, my makeup bag lived in the car… and it does again now, too
What kind of dog is Luke? He’s gorgeous and has such an odd face….
hahaha, love that list!! i am all about the jean lunges :O)
Oh wow yummy looking cookies!
Check out my blog – new giveaway and workout songs!
http://katiechangesforkatie.blogspot.com/
Katie
Cafe Gratitude?! I LOVE that!
Are there seriously hand-written gratitudes written on each cup?? That’s amazing.
And WHAT! Whole Wheat Oatmeal dark chocolate cookie mix!??! THAT IS AMAZING!!!
Congrats on your dinner invite, I remember you being excited about standing outside a couple weeks ago, how fun that you get to actually eat there!
hahaha! sometimes i feel like my husband and i are college roommates (but totally in love!) i think that’s “young adult” life!
Such a true list!!
I love the list
. i cannot wait to read your review of Chez Panisse – you sound beyond thrilled. Enjoy every bite!
That dog is so precious!!! I love the name of that coffee shop too- Gratitude? Perfect!
Love your list…it reminds me of college for sure! I miss having a little more downtime to hang out in sweats. Not that you’re not busy! Haha. Those cookies look fantastic, too!
Oh I still do lunges to stretch my jeans out…nothing wrong with that.
Congrats on Chez Panisse! I am sooo jealous!
Love reading your workouts! I’m a total workout geek and like to see what moves people are doing
Hm. I have a “real” job and have to pay for coffee with nickels too…
Ummm yep, I might be in college too!
Haha the best part is the lunge/stretch out jeans move. I think every girl has perfected that. Haha.
Oh Gawd, please tell me that’s Purely Decadent Made with Coconut Milk Mocha Almond Fudge, so I can start licking my screen. It’s my favorite new indulgence!
haha i love how you feel like you are a college student, too funny! those cookies with ice cream look soo good and soup is the perfect meal on chilly days!
jenna
Okay, your list was cracking me up!!! I loved it…and it is ALL true! Thanks for making me smile!
Your list is perfect! I’m still in college, and yep, all of that totally applies. ESPECIALLY being broke 98% of the time… Good times! haha
Also – you should do a video of your “flying leap squats.” They sound hard… and pretty funny.
ooooh those cookies look great! They wouldn’t last long in our house…….
haha i LOVE the jean-stretch manouvre! I have CERTAINLY engaged in such a manouvre once or twice (aka lots of times!)
I just discovered coconut milk ice cream and think I’ve found heaven! I’ve only tried the vanilla- so good!
Great post! I love that purple dress
. Still can’t find coconut icecream but I’m hoping to find it in Hawaii while I’m here!
Awesome post!
1] LOL about the lunges to stretch out your jeans
2] the yerba mate with steamed almond milk sounds to die for…what place offers almond milk!!?? nice!
3] SO cool about getting to go to Chez Panisse. I got to meet Alice Waters about 1.5yrs ago! She was speaking in Charlotte, NC and had a book signing. She actually talked to me for a few minutes because I told her my thesis topic was on “food + architecture”…she gave me a few book recommendations and told me if she wouldn’t have chosen to be a chef she would have been an architect! Can’t wait to hear about your meal
OMG that bowl of ice cream & cookies looks DIVINE!!!!!!! I’m totally with you on the soup thing too, I love it in the cold months!
I miss college!!
My last honest foods plank was extremely hard- I wonder what the deal is?
MMMMMmmmm…those cookies look so good!
Have a fabbo day. I anticipate tons of wine, chocolate, and giggles.
Soup is my favorite food, so I can totally rationalize eating it 2, if not 3 times a day!
And I could also TOTALLY rationalize drinking malbec after work everyday too.
Have fun with your roomies this weekend!