Hi, I'm Shelley

I can be summed up in four words: an exercise in opposites. My personality is like my hair: quirky and a bit all over the place. My mega pursuit in life is nailing what my purpose on this big, bad ass planet is and how I can most meaningfully spend my time here. One little hurdle: I'm interested in everything from Asparagus to Zuchini (truly, I love both of those things). I would like to be a personal training, interior decorating, restaraunteur-ing, wine-making, CEO of do-good'ing and happy making. Alternatively, I wouldn't mind being a blissed out, enlightened goddess who moonlights as an ass-kicking rock chic. I like to think of myself as a trailblazer who is looking for her GPS. Also, I love people. If you want to chat, shoot me a line: shelley.fasulko@gmail.com. Some other stuff you probably ought to know about me:  

My nicknames include the following: Smells, Shells Bells, Suzie, Fi-fi, Doodle, Little Ear, Hot Mess, Boops, Hoots, and Dorothy (a.k.a. Dot).

I love to cook. I identify way too much with this video. I have the appetitie of a truck driving man beast which has led me to get creative about how I can cook sinful, delicious but healthful food that doesn't turn me in to a TLC obesity special. I have the motto that I'm not the greatest cook, I just practice a lot, try very hard and put a lot of heart in to it. You'll read A LOT about food and recipes if you stick around this blog for long. And for whatever it's worth, I've never met a potato I didn't like. Baked, roasted, french, hash... In heaven I will sit in a giant baked potato cloud and eat potatoes all day (and drink wine and have a cheese and meat platter at my disposal as well).

Exercise and music are the two closest things I have to a form of organized religion. They both are inextricably linked with my daily life. Nothing gets me more fired up than discovering a new tune or band I haven't heard before or coming up with a new strength training program.

Random things I'm obsessed with include owls, the color robin's egg blue, nail polish, anything boho chic, candles and/or twinkly lights, old houses, extra dirty vodka martinis with fancy olives, getting sucked in to random sporting events on tv (e.g., bowling tourneys), reality tv and celebrity gossip, eastern religion/philosophy, my record collection, ironic animal themed-clothing (think bedazzled tiger t-shirt)... I could go on and on...

Asian Steak and Spinach Salad & Sweet Potato Hash

Q: If I could be one meal what would I be?
A: D'uh. Meat and potatoes.

Tonight's menu was a healthy take on my all time favorite food genre, meat & taters. This steak and spinach salad recipe I pulled from the archives and remembered why it had been a staple in my recipe arsenal awhile back. As for the sweet potato hash I was really excited to try this one out. And let me tell ya, I was not disappointed. The hash was super simple, super tasty and with a minor modification on the bacon (subbing in turkey bacon) it was a healthy and pretty (color galore!) side. So here's the scoop on the recipes, you'll see my notes on any need to know info. and/or alterations.  

HIIT You Are The Devil

Alright, alright, I finally bit the friggin bullet and forced myself to do some HIIT intervals on the treadmill today. Guess what? I hated every second of it just as much as I anticipated I would. Guess what else? I think that means it was working. Let's back it up by saying I'm subscribed to Oxygen magazine, I wait for Muscle & Fitness Hers with anticipation every other month, I peruse Women's Health and Shape and I read fitness-related blogs and web sites every damn day. I know what HIIT is. I hear about all the benefits it reaps a gal. I hear how it's less time, more benefit. I hear how it breaks plateaus. In short, I know it's all the rage and evidently it's really good for your fitness regimen. True story: I've been avoiding it like the plague. Why? I have no idea other than maybe I wasn't really up for the challenge of going at "100%." What the hell does 100% even look or feel like?

DCFC Has A Death Grip On My Heart

Before Ben Gibbard got snatched up by that Zooey Deschanel - who I'm convinced is posing as sweet as apple pie, but truthfully is a mega bitch - he was endeared to a million others of us who thought no one could ever understand what went through our brains when we returned to our hometown for a visit; what we pondered sitting in the passenger seat on a dark drive; what we felt in our chests when sharing a smoke on a front porch with an old flame, except for Ben. Then Zooey came along and I'll be honest, I was worried Ben would lose his bittersweet and knife sharp lyrics and his general optimistic cynicism on life and love.

I'm woman enough to admit when I'm wrong, Zooey didn't ruin Ben. He's still got it and "You Are A Tourist" and "Underneath The Sycamore" off Death Cab's latest offering, Codes and Keys, is proof positive of that. I have had these bad boys on repeat for days now. Sink your teeth in. Let Ben remind you over and over and over again that we're all screwed up and isn't that oh so lovely.

Contact me Shelley.Fasulko@gmail.com

If You're Going To Lollapalooza Be Sure To Wear Some Feathers In Your Hair

Anyone who knows me well knows that I'm obsessed with birds. Particularly owls and peacocks. In addition, I will buy just about any accessory or clothing item that has a feather incorporated in some way, shape or form. Want to know what is REALLY blowing my mind? The featherlocks hair extensions I've seen all over the interwebs lately. Holy hell, this has me written all over it. Do you mean to tell me, there is a way to make my crazy mop top even more crazy and feathered fabulous? Sign me up. I don't need to know the cost, I must have them. Let's disregard the fact I have a corporate 9-5 gig. I'll hide those bad boys in my hair somehow, but I absolutely must get my hands, or locks, on a few of these extensions. I mean, if they're good enough for this guy...