Author Archives: ihearttheatx

Things I am Hearting–April

It seems as a creature of habit it can be hard to write/share about new things I like (I heart). March seemed to fly by, but over the past few weeks I have tried some new things and wanted to share with you a few items I am currently hearting once more. I even had a friend text me, “Umm have you tried the brownie at Snap Kitchen?” And yes, yes I have….so here we go, this month’s rendition of things I am currently “hearting”…

(heart above from recent trip to Portland Oregon found off Hawthorne St.)

GLUTEN FREE BROWNIE @ SNAP KITCHEN!

It’s not the first time I have written of Snap Kitchen. I am almost ashamed that I just got to the “1000 point marker” that is how much I eat it. It is “healthy” (that adjective seems controversial these days so I will leave the quotation marks around it), convenient and portioned, what’s not to love? Did I mention tasty as well?! So this month, I heart Snap Kitchen’s Gluten Free Brownie. Yes, that’s right. I said gluten free. Am I gluten Free? Hell no. But this little morsel of chocolate is tasty. Is it low calorie? Not really. Is it low fat? Nope. It is just the right amount of chocolate when you want something sweet after a meal, but it’s “cleaner” than something you’d get out of a package and has a few grams of protein!. If you do not like coconut-you will not like these. But I am telling you, give it a try.

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES-I HEART YOU!

This past week/weekend I met a friend I hadn’t seen in over a year and a half. I flew SW (Southwest) one way to Portland, Oregon, met her there, then we went one-way (direct) to San Jose and one way (direct) back to Austin. After traveling in Australia and NZ a few months back I now realize the importance–and how much better I feel-when the flight attendants were NICE and understanding. When the people you have to deal with at your gate/on your plane are pleasant it instantly makes me pleasant. During all my flights there wasn’t one grumpy flight attendant (even at 6:30am) and they were sarcastic and funny. For example during our take off when they go over the TSA safety regulations one of them said, “A reminder to put your carry-on bags under the seats in front of you. Ladies that goes for you and your designer purses-they need to go on the floor not in your lap, it will be ok, we know they are fake anyway.” And “There are 50 ways to leave your lover but only 6 ways off this plane…” They make the monotonous part of flying a little bit entertaining, and we were always on time, in fact-a few minutes early, bonus! I also don’t mind the boarding/no first class thing they have going on as well. Which reminds me, when we were boarding, one of the flight attendants said, “Now boarding Group C, Group C stands for Center Seat” Indeed it does. Thanks Southwest.

And lastly…don’t hate me, but I am going there.

I HEART MALTI-POOS! — More specifically, my new dog, Molly. (#goodGollyMsMollyMaltipoo is her hashtag-yes. I have a hashtag for her, naturally).

(Above: Molly filthy after playing on the kickball fields)

I love dogs in general and can’t remember a time growing up that we didn’t have a dog (or two). After 2.5yrs without my black lab Jack (who I adopted when I had moved to Kansas City). Jack is in Doggy Heaven…no, not deceased. He is living with my dad and another lab, roaming free in fields daily and eating steak and eggs or bacon grease atop his dog food with endless rides in the back of a truck and lots of belly rubs. So, literally: Doggy Heaven with “Grampy.” Since I don’t run outside as much as I used to and admittedly enjoy not having dog hair on every article of clothing I own; I sprung for a low-maintenance dog that doesn’t need at least an hour of exercise a day and one that doesn’t shed. (Plus picking up poop the size of tootsie rolls ain’t so bad either!) I work from home a little bit more right now since she is a puppy, but it hasn’t been too bad taking her places either. Molly has gone to inspections, showings, kickball games, my workouts, a photoshoot, house warming parties and yes, even the dentist with me (where she slept on my feet the whole time). She plays well with others, loves all, and naps frequently. It most definitely wasn’t hard to find a dog sitter when I went out of town. When I first picked her up from the woman I bought her from, she told me “She is the most outgoing one in her litter and she just loves to eat!” If that isn’t a perfect match. I don’t know what is.

(more Molly cuteness below)

Above: Molly kissing her “cousin”-I don’t think he was a fan.

Above: Molly with Halo on a photoshoot.

Above: Molly playing tug with Rainey.

Above: Molly compilation of her first week with me.

Molly with inspector Tim, and the seller’s sweet dog, Bella.

Molly meeting her first cat. Confused at first, then she was feisty and wanted to play.

As usual thanks for reading my blog about nothing. I at least hope you try the brownie (for those of you with a Snap Kitchen near you). Stay tuned for next time as I chat about getting adult braces-ay yi yi.

Things I am currently Hearting: The February Edition

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So last month I told you three things I was currently “hearting“…yes, liking, but since I have this mini obsession with taking photos of hearts AND my username and blog title is iHeartTheATX I am tying it all together….Interestingly enough this month most my items are food (weird).

So what am I currently hearting in February? Easy…

1. iheartSnapKitchen!

As someone who is on the go, and admittedly not the best or most creative chef, I am super diggin’ healthy yet tasty dishes from Snap Kitchen. I have also tried to recreate some of their items. I know people always claim that these pre-packaged healthier meals are “so expensive” BUT compared to what I get when I go to Whole Foods I think Snap is a bargain (plus I know exactly what is going into my body–calorie, fat, protein wise, which I don’t when I do the WF salad bar). They have a few convenient locations for me AND if you think about it–Spend $10 at Chipotle for a bowl-way more fat, way more calories, or be satisfied with a gourmet like healthy dinner with a few calories to spare. I put mine on a place when I eat them at home so I don’t feel like I am just eating on the go out of a plastic bin-if you’re feelin’ fancy. #itsasnap

Some of my favs from Snap Kitchen: Naked Chicken, Scottish Salmon, Ginger Glazed Chicken & Salmon, Naked Beef, Goat Cheese and Egg Scramble, Goat cheese and Beet chicken salad….I could go on.

This Here is my attempt at the roasted cauliflower from the “Naked Chicken” dish.

Onto the next one…

2. iheartQuestBars!

One of my trainers at my gym had talked about these protein bars and then I saw a huge display of them at HEB and decided to give them a try. I am usually weary of any kind of “health bars” because they are usually either: packed with sugar and artificial ingredients or taste like cardboard. My fav flavors: chocolate chip cookie dough and Orceo, but they have many others to choose from. Yes there are carbs, but 21g of protein and 1g of sugar, gluten free, 17g of fiber and they taste good. They are like my dessert and until I get really tired of them or someone tells me they cause cancer, I am going to keep eating them.

3. iHeartGeniusScan

I love technology. And this week was a busy one between several clients and houses and inspections. I use DocuSign quite a bit, and my tech-savvy and non-tech savvy clients tend to love it, but want to share with you an app I use quite a bit. I can take photos of invoices, bids, notes, etc without running to the office to make a copy or scan, but rather take a photo-then it will process it clearly, I can tag it and email it to my clients or party in need and save it in DropBox. So if you need an app like this, you can find it in the App Store.

Anyway, that is all I got for this month, open to suggestions always of new things to try from food, to apps, restaurants to stores etc.

We are creatures of habits but I try and keep an open mind.

How Dating is like Buying Real Estate in Austin Tx (a seller’s market)

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So, I have been meaning to write this blog for a while…each time I sell something I can associate it with dating in a way. And while I have been trying to cut down the dating blogs…well it is inevitable and apparently you people like reading it (at least that’s the feedback I get) so hear me out!

I also heard from a friend (after I told him my next blog idea) that Deb (Jason and Deb on 101X recently talked about this on their podcast). Dammit! She stole my idea! Or maybe I am not original, either way…here we go…

How Dating is like buying Real Estate in an Austin Seller’s Market.

The older you get the pickier you get.
- You have dated enough people to know what you can and cannot be with. ( So, you can’t date a short, messy Liberal who doesn’t have ambition). Same goes when home buying, you have lived in enough houses to know your must haves and deal-breakers. (You need more cabinet space in the kitchen and a bigger yard, but not East of Lamar– got it)

Do you have enough to offer?
- You see the one you want, look over from your friend circle at the bar, smile, and make eye contact, give ’em that; Hey I would totally be ok with you walking over here and making conversation look, BUT they don’t respond well. Perhaps you lack that initial physical attraction they need. You’re blonde. They like brunettes. Same as a house: It’s cute! It’s perfect! It’s remodeled! But your offer just isn’t strong enough and you get beat out by another attractive (higher price, more money down) offer.

Coming to the Market Soon!
- “I hear ___is having problems with ___, probably be single in a week, trouble in paradise…” says your office mate. You get excited, now here is a good one that you really like! You wait a bit before you make any moves—be cool. Be subtle…Boom. Taken. In real estate you put a “Coming Soon” sign in the yard, you call on it ASAP, you see it two days later when you can finally make time…Boom, already under contract. Sigh. The good ones go off the market quickly.

If only…
- After you date a few people you sometimes wish you could combine all the features to make the perfect significant other! (“He is so nice and good to me, if only he was as funny and tall as my ex.”) That’s equivalent to when you see the remodeled house of your dreams with the pimp master shower and awesome backsplash with cute kitchen island… in the ghetto… surrounded by sex offenders… next to a crack house. IT’S NOT GOING TO WORK.

What’s the catch?
- “Meet _____, educated, ambitious, funny, attractive, successful, happy, works out…” (I could go on–all the buzz words that make you attracted to a person. BUT they have been single a while. “Wait how many years since their last relationship?! What’s wrong with them?” Same with a home. You see the photo of only the outside and 60 days on market, two backed out contracts, “there must be something wrong with it, it’s been on the market so long…SKIP!”

Slim pickens…
- The older you get the circle seems to get smaller and smaller of people you’d actually be willing to go out with, everyone starts to have children around you, getting married, and you are enjoying life doing “you” but slightly on the desperate (or what I like to call “open minded”) side where you accept dates with those you’d never really pictured yourself with…or perhaps doesn’t quite meet your “checkboxes“–but hey, you ain’t getting any younger!! That’s like 2012 as the articles start to float around “Austin next best city...” for this and that, says Forbes…everyone moves here, traffic worsens, restaurants improve and now: there is nowhere to live! You start looking in places you’d never thought you would end up. You increase your budget. You search further out in neighborhoods you used to complain about your friends living in (“they live so far!!”) Over paying for 900sq ft for a home…in the ghetto…surrounded by sex offenders next to a crack house. “But it’s remodeled and this area is getting hot!” you say.

Anyway, perhaps you can relate, perhaps you can’t but hopefully you liked the read. As a real estate agent I do have to add that sometimes I feel as though I am breaking up with my clients after their home closes. No more weekends and evenings spent together. No more guiding you through your lost-ness (of home buying ha). No more riding around in cars, complaining about traffic together. No more criticizing paint colors of homes. No more listening to your wants and needs and trying to understand you. “I miss you, Saturday afternoons aren’t the same without you.” I send them monthly postcards and e-newsletters of their neighborhood stats like an ex sends a text when I hear “our song.”

Anyway, that’s all I have right now. Hope you enjoyed, and as always-thanks for reading! ~Ashley

What iHEARTtheATX is currently “Hearting”

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I recently have taken my personal posts out of my old website and kept that more business-related…since not all my clients want to read about my thoughts and bad dates….so here we are-a new website for all 4 of you to read my random thoughts.

Soooo, with that, (and my new year’s goal to write more) I am attempting to try and write at least once a month about the things I am currently liking err “Hearting” (because it sounds more catchy with my website domain).

What is @ihearttheatx currently Hearting????

1. IheartCGArena–This has been my gym for going on year 2 and it is expanding. Why I love it?:

CG Arena (aka Camp Gladiator, which also has multiple boot camp locations) is super duper close/convenient to me (even though you always have to turn around since it is on the access road-who cares). How I end up a few minutes late to some classes is beyond me, (actually it isn’t I am habitually a few minutes late). They have diverse trainers and members, good class times that fit the 9-5ers, the early-birds, the stay-at-homers and people like me who make their own schedule! Tons of variety too! From pilates to boxing, to sprint workouts to kettle bell and strength centered work outs there is something for everyone…literally, everyone. From beginner users of the 3lb dumbbells to athletes who want personal training sessions I am super happy to see the same faces (and accountability) and get a great workout burning 600-800 cals per class. Thanks CG!!!

PS Saturday 1.24 they are holding a re-grand opening as they have expanded, so you can try a ton of their classes. New added weight machines, class fitness rooms and child care.

2.IheartNothingBundtCakes

Nothing Bundt Cakes is this adorable cake place has a few store fronts, and so many variations of cakes. I am happy to recommend them for baby showers (we did lemon and chocolate for a friend’s shower) And this past year I gave all my past clients Nothing Bundt Cakes for Christmas (well I paid a teenager to drop them off at their doorstep, but I did make all their Xmas tags and hand-write notes!!) And when people text me “Thank you so much they were so delicious” it brings me great joy. Try it! You don’t even have to pre-order they have them ready in the store and you can buy the little mini ones for a catering of many people or something.

3.IhearttheTownLakeBoardWalk

The new Board Walk. Yes I know it is not called Town Lake any more, it is Lady Bird Lake, but it makes me so happy the board walk is in with plans of Waller Creek to develop. Not that I am an avid runner, but I’ve been running the trail since college (2003 to be precise, when I started to train for my first marathon). When we had to do the 10mi or 6mi loop (from MoPac), I ALWAYS dreaded the East side. Not that it was scary (ok it is scary running on Riverside as the cars go by super fast) but it was scarce. As soon as I would get to the part of the trail East of 35 I always questioned if I was going the right way and if there was a rapist lurking in the shadows. Still a little work to be done by the Longhorn Dam, but it is SO MUCH BETTER than what it was. Also–everyone has the infamous skyline photo from the Lamar bridge, when there is a beautiful skyline views from the boardwalk now! If you haven’t checked it out, I highly recommend. If you don’t want to do a loop or take too long I recommend parking on the street by Lake Shore (off E. Riverside) by the apartments and heading West. Great views and a nice walk over the water. I look forward to when Waller Creek will be finished up as well.

You’re welcome.

Stay tuned for next month’s of what Ashley is currently Hearting.

(As an FYI this was not a paid endorsement-I wish I were that cool)

Ashley’s Top 5 Dating Moments of 2014

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A few of you have asked me why I hadn’t blogged about dating in a while, well…when you read the below you will see why I take breaks in the dating world haha. That, and I have been busy. But being that it is a new year and there are tons of countdowns and lists (people love lists) I decided to blog about my Top Dating moments of 2014. People–I can’t make this shit up.

Bring on 2015!!!

5. The time I left in the middle of a drunken date who invited his friend along on our date.

Once I went on a date and the guy got really, really drunk, invited his friend to join us, who then met us at J Black’s for dinner (after the first bar and a few drinks). Then sat with me, then sat with his friend, sat with me and sat with his friend…going back and forth of watching sports and eating with me. I didn’t know what the hell to do. He ordered me a vodka red bull when I told him I wanted a water and it was the first date I have ever left in the middle of. Amen.

4. The time the guy insulted my clothing within first 5 seconds of meeting.

I went on a date and when I picked up the guy (because he didn’t want to wait at the restaurant we had originally picked-despite it being a Friday at 7-and I was in my car still so I picked him up on the way to somewhere new). When he got in the car his first words were: Are those your pants? Me: Yes, they are printed leggings, they’re in right now (chipper mood). Him: Are they pajama pants??? (puzzled and judgy) Me: No, they’re leggings, girls wear them all the time (less chipper mood now). Him: Well I hope they don’t make those for guys. Me: (annoyed severely) Well, they don’t so don’t worry about it. The date should have ended then, because it just got worse.

3. The time the guy brought his “fail save” on our date.

One time I went on a date to Red’s Porch (Despite telling him I wasn’t drinking during the weekdays, he still insisted on me meeting him there, and I think he had already started early at Plucker’s). So I did. We chatted and sat at the bar, somewhat watching TV. About 40min. into the date and chatting, he turns to the guy on the other side of him and says, “Ashley meet Mike, Mike meet Ashley. Mike is my fail save in case my dates suck.” Speechless. Completely speechless. Does this mean I was sucking? Or was he just tired of ignoring his friend? Never saw him again.

2. The time the guy didn’t stop talking about himself

I once had a date where me, YES TALKATIVE ME could barely get two words in. The guy really, really liked talking about himself and his career and how he knows everything about sports and he is a nice guy. Fact: Guys who are nice guys NEVER have to say “I’m a nice guy.” They just are-and you pick up on it. The best part of this date was the fact he was bragging he was a collegiate athlete (who only played freshman year and injured himself his sophomore year) and his GPA was a 2.5. Wow, you sure know how to impress a girl, tell me more about your ATM Corpus days. (No, I am not knocking his college or the fact he played sports-that’s great, but is that really something to brag about on date one?) Pro: He did pay for our date and that rarely happens.

Drum roll please…..(the suspense) and the #1 Date moment of Ashley’s 2014 was this.

1. The time the guy said my hands were big…and then some…

The same guy as moment #3 (surprise, surprise) was on a roll that night. He noticed my knuckles had marks on them. I explained that I did kickboxing and recently got new gloves-leaving my knuckles bloody, I realized it was unattractive but not much I could do. He then grabbed my hand and picked it up to compare with his. “Wow you have big hands.” He said. (and I do). “Those would make my dick look small.” Date over.

IHEARTTHEATX

Just a 30 something female writing about her thoughts and life in Austin Tx.

Author Archives: ihearttheatx

Things I am Hearting–April

Things I am currently Hearting: The February Edition

How Dating is like Buying Real Estate in Austin Tx (a seller’s market)

Ashley’s Top 5 Dating Moments of 2014