Hi Reader!

Today's cover photo is from several years ago when I first started getting really into backpacking and all things outdoors. The section below had me reminiscing and going through old photos, so it felt appropriate to include. 😊

I hope November is treating you well! Let's dive right into this week's newsletter.

Adventures

It's been a season of local adventures for me and I've been loving it. Funny enough, it's a throwback for me to the times that I used to travel to California to explore around here. It's easy to forget that I moved here to have access to all the incredible nature I used to drive 20+ hours or fly to see!

In the spirit of early adventures, I wanted to share some tips I put together around choosing your first trail. This list was originally meant for backpacking, but these points are also applicable to me now as I choose local adventures to stay active, even in this slower season.

🥾 Don't go mile chasing. It's great to feel accomplished after completing 20 miles of hiking in one day, but it's not at all necessary. I can be reluctant to go out on "easy" hikes, then I remind myself I'm not trying to prove anything to anyone. I'm just trying to reconnect with nature and move my body.
🗣️ Check recent reviews. This serves a few purposes. You'll learn of any closures, trail conditions, water source levels, and the overall feel of the trail. I consider my local adventures little gifts to myself, so I want to make sure I'm not going to get stuck at in the parking lot unable to hit the trail.
🤩 Find an epic view/waterfall/alpine lake. This also isn't completely necessary, but I like to treat myself to a gorgeous view if I can. It's my way of rewarding myself for getting out there, especially when it feels hard to make the time or get up early and make the drive out.
Regardless of where I go, I always focus on being in the moment and finding beauty in the nature around me. Even the least "scenic" trails are filled to the brim with wonderful things to admire. ✨

See the full list on the blog here or in video form here.

Shoutouts

My shoutout this week goes to Rachel Pu (@rachelpuu) because her page is inspiration, yet relatable. She goes on some of the most epic adventures, but her personality is so low-key that following her feels like keeping up with a friend.

And, she feels like the type of creator I'd love to be friends with in real life. I also enjoy the combination of outdoors and running content she shares because I've been on my own running journey and get bursts of motivation from her posts.

Munchies

Trader Joe's has been a frequent feature in my Munchies section and they are back this week. If you haven't yet, you have to try their frozen kimbap.

Kimbap is sorta like the Korean version of roll sushi, but instead of raw fish, you'll find combinations of various vegetables, eggs, mushrooms, and meat, usually beef. This is all wrapped up with rice in a sheet of seaweed.

The Trader Joe's version is totally vegan-friendly and features "an assortment of sauteed greens, crunchy root vegetables, and crisp pickles around a base of braised tofu." They tend to sell out fast, so keep checking back if you aren't finding them!

You can microwave them, but I prefer to heat them from frozen in a non-stick pan with a little sesame oil. Cover the pan while cooking to ensure they heat all the way through and flip them when lightly golden. Top with toasted sesame seeds and serve as an easy meal or side dish.

On My Mind

Since moving to Los Angeles, I've maintained a handful of close friendships from Seattle, but with nowhere near as much communication as I had with them while I lived there. I've also made some new friends through mutual connections and hobbies down here.

I'll be the first to admit I'm not great at staying in touch with my friends. 🫣

It's easy to come up with excuses. They live too far away. We have different schedules. Our interests don't exactly align.

I'm coming to realize that during the times I feel lonely, it's not because I don't have enough people in my life, it's because I'm asking too much of the people I do have.

While I'd love to live down the street from all my best friends that are always down to do exactly what I feel like doing, whenever I feel like doing it -- that just isn't realistic. I'm learning that simply spending time with people whose company I enjoy (and who hopefully enjoy my company) is more than enough.

There are some friends who will never go backpacking with me, but make the best boozy brunch partners. Some friends are too busy with (and tired from) their work and kids to go clubbing on a Saturday night, but can squeeze in a 30-minute Zoom catch-up session. And some friends aren't interested in trying the hottest new restaurant, but will happily have a cozy movie and snacks night with me at home.

One thing I've learned from the more socially thriving folks in my life is that it's better to accumulate a bunch of small interactions than to have a few bigger, planned outings each year. A friend of mine was trying to date during an especially busy time in her life. She told a "match" that she couldn't fit a date into that week and could only manage a quick neighborhood walk. He ended up joining her while she ran some errands nearby and grabbed coffee. They ended up in a long-term relationship. 💕

This is something I'll be working on, so don't be surprised if I ask you to join me on a grocery run, gym session, or Zoom call in the near future. 😋

Reading

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón is about a young boy named Daniel, whose father brings him to a secret library to pick out a book he will protect throughout his life. He chooses The Shadow of the Wind and learns the book holds a strange past and now someone is trying to burn every copy of all the books written by its author.

I loved parts of this book and found others slightly annoying. The conclusion was rushed with the overarching storyline of the mysterious author being revealed through a super long letter. I wish there was more showing and less telling for the final parts. There's not a whole lot going on for vast portions, but the story is written well enough that I was happy to be along for the ride anyway. I give it 4 stars out of 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Check out all my book reviews on Goodreads if you want to see what else I've been reading!

Everything Else

Since I started rock climbing almost three years ago, I completely stopped doing my nails. This was a huge change coming from someone who used to obsess over growing my nails and giving them a fresh coat of paint nearly every week. 💅🏼

It stopped being worth the effort since I knew they would immediately chip when I went climbing and I didn't like the look of paint on my super short nails.

With the stress and constant rushing of recent life, I've been more intentional about incorporating self care into my routine and taking time to do things I enjoy just for the sake of it. For me, putting on a fresh manicure is a nice step away from the busyness of life to focus on myself.

I've been trying out semi-cured gel nail strips as an alternative to regular nail polish to see if it would be able to withstand my active lifestyle and tons of dish washing. So far, so good!

I've had my first set on for over two weeks and it has only gotten one tiny chip from climbing. I've even cut my nails after some growth and they held up perfectly well under my nail clippers, which is mind-blowing.

If you're interested, heyhae is the first brand I tried. Since I keep my nails so short, I'm able to cut each strip in half and get two uses out of them.

I'm still not completely sold on how my short nails look painted, but it's been fun experimenting and getting back into this form of self care I once loved so much. 😌

Thank you for reading and I'll catch you in the next one ✌🏻

Happy adventuring,

💚A