A few months ago, I had to have muscle and nerve conduction tests due to numbness and tingling in my arms. Fortunately, they didn’t find anything major wrong with me. I was sent to a physical therapist who helped me stretch and relax my tight neck and back muscles, and the unusual sensations have mostly gone away. (Thanks Elsa!)
The electromyogram test was fascinating. (more…)
Fresh chai cake
When my friend Jeanne got back from two years in India, she taught me to make chai. This year, since Jeanne was back in LA for a vacation that coincided with her birthday, I got the idea to make a chai cake, which she ended up helping bake. I found this recipe for chai cake with honey ginger cream, which was apparently the cake of the month for an online baking club at one point, and is therefore well documented in various cooking blogs. I decided to make the cake according to the instructions, but instead of the suggested tea bags, use loose tea and fresh spices according to the proportions Jeanne had shown me for authentic Indian chai.
I went to Costa Rica in the rainy season on purpose. It was green and lush, and I was glad I went ahead and bought suitable clothing to keep me warm and dry. I was willing to go ahead and buy some outdoorsy clothing, because much of Los Angeles social life revolves around exercise. It’s common to go straight from the beach, mountain hiking trails, or a yoga class straight to a nice lunch; I do so all the time. So I knew if I could find athletic apparel that was cute, well-priced, and fit properly, I would wear it regularly.
The “fit properly” part of the equation was the challenge. I’m petite: I’m fairly short, and very small-boned. I want to look like a stylish girl, not a fleece-covered blob. It took a lot of trying things on to figure out what brands would work for my narrow shoulders and short arms, and my low height when I wear flat shoes or sandals. I now have some idea what will fit, which makes shopping faster and means I might be able to take advantage of things like online outlets. I figured I’d share this information for others who find themselves in the same situation.