Stuff done:

• Ironing out the last kinks on the iPad and iPhone version of my vegan cookbook. This is rad. Totally rad.
• Working like a madwoman to get the word out there. I’m planning and thinking about all the options and possibilities. Trying to make a solid plan. That’s half the work done! as well as writing copy for various releases.

I’m grateful for:

IMAGE SOURCE: wikimedia.org

• The incredible birthday gift I got from my family. They all pitched together and gave me a Canon 60D. It’s amazing and I can’t wait to get time to spend a day in the kitchen, creating new recipes and working on my food photography. (and I’m incredible grateful for my family as well of course!)
• Progress and response in terms of the vegan cookbook project. I’m blown away by all the kind comments, reactions and responses! Wow!
• My friends. I’ve tried to work on the wellness factor of my life and incorporated a bit more social time time to my life. Since it makes me feel good to be with my friends. So I’m really happy that I have such fab friends. That understand when I emerge myself inside a cocoon of work and get all seduced by reaching goals that I don’t hang out with people for 6 months. I’m so lucky that they are still there for me.

Things that made me smile:

• Lunch-meeting with publisher. They are so much fun. And it’s such a rush to sort out the last details and polish the book/app to perfection.

A challenge:

• Time. I wish there where more hours in a day for everything that I want to do and achieve!
• Still no internet – trying to suffice on uploading stuff through my phone or by running to places with an actual internet connection to download stuff. Ridiculous!

Stuff done:

• Final testing and proofing of the book for iPad!
• Artwork for a logo.
• Exiting scheming and planning meetings with my publisher, with an added bonus of sunshine. I’m so exited I could burst!
• A first glance of the version for iPhone. It’s rad I tell you!
• I’ve worked on my vegan newsletters and my photography skills
• I’m re-reading “the jelly effect” – to improve my communication skills

I’m grateful for:

• All the sleep I’ve gotten this weekend. I’m slowly starting to feel more like my bright, positive self again.
• My friends. Getting to reconnect with old ones, and see some of my lovelies this week. I’ve missed socializing and it’s a big building block in my life for increased balance and wellness.
• Vegan Future sharing my vegan recipe newsletter
• All the kind comments and all the positive feedback I’ve received from the selected few that have seen my vegan cookbook for iPad so far.

Things that made me smile:

• The large bouquet of flowers I received on Monday from my co-workers in the office at LBi Sweden and the jolly good singing. Who knew my colleagues could sing so well Everyone who knows me, knows that I looove flowers. (I’m really grateful, you guys are so sweet!)

A challenge:

• My internet provider at home. They keep f*cking up my connection, I’ve been without internet for days again. Trying my best to get emails send and stuff done through my phone (not ideal!). On the flipside, I guess my bill will be less for next month as well

I stayed at:

Luxor, enjoyed the pool area. Totally OK hotel.

Most memorable bar:

Chandelier at the Cosmopolitan. Loved it. You sit inside a 3 floor high glittery chandelier and sip cocktails in the most extravagant setting. I want my future house to look like that. Loved it!

  Lovely, sparkly people <3

Clubbing:

Marquee (great DJ’s) at Cosmopolitan.

Surrender at Encore (Danced to Bassnectar DJing! woop, woop!)

Eat:

Jaleo – they have a separate vegan menu, great service and knowledgeable staff. Of all the places we ate at, this was the place with the best food and service.

Hussongs Cantina – also apparently the place in Mexico that invented the Margarita. They have a huge separate vegan menu and serves traditional mexican food with Daiya “cheese” and Gardein strips. Although I’m a bit hesitant about “mock meat”. I find it hard to eat due to the look and texture of it. I don’t like vegan food looking like meat.

Burger Bar - they have a burger named vegas vegan made of portabello mushrooms. I had that with guacamole and their sweet potato fries. It was yum!

Bartalotta – at the Wynn. I chose this for the setting. I’m so happy we got the table outside that I wanted. However my honest opinion – better cocktails and setting then vegan food.

• All the hugs I got when I got back into the office.
• The copy of my book/app that I will do final testing on. To cool!
• That I unexpectedly got to hang-out and catch-up with one of my friends who lives in Ireland in Gothenburg and meet new people. Yay!
• My family traveled a long way to celebrate me. I got my moms delicious vegan birthday cake, pressies, love and the happy birthday song
• My little sister bought me the cutest earrings in the shape of little hearts. Heart symbols happens to be something special to me. Not many people know that.
• Sunshine. Even though it’s sooo cold in Sweden still, at least the sun shines.

Let them eat cake! My moms vegan birthday cake. It’s sooo good!

Heart shaped earrings from my sister. Love them

Most beautiful orchid that I got from my family. It’s quite exquisite.

Where to eat Vegan:

Gracias Madre – Mexican vegan cuisine. I had the enchiladas and a lime and coconut cheesecake for dessert paired up with a soju Margarita. Divine! (Note: Gracias Madre change their menu to accommodate for seasonal produce)

The Plant Cafe Organic - they have approximately 4, if not more spots around the city. Great for lunch and juices. I’ve sampled almost everything of their menu and I love the grapfruit and avocado salad, the green juices and the vegan cheesecakes

Source - delicious pizzas and starters.

Millenium – fine dining. I’ve yet to visit this restaurant. It’s on my wishlist.

Herbivore – this is great for lunch. If you want to experience BBQ food with Daiya “cheese” this is the place to go. However I don’t think the food is more then OK.

Sidewalk juice – they have at least two spots in the city. They got loads of yummy juices and green juice options. I tried a green mean juice with kombucha. They got a plethora of other juices which you can mix with kombucha for additional health benefits, (or buzz )

Dosa – south indian cuisine (I love it!). Just ask for the vegan menu and you get a wide selection of dishes to choose from. They have two locations in the city. I recommend the location on Fillmore because it’s a stunning venue to enjoy your food in.

Drink:

Samovar - offers a stunning selection of high quality teas and small dishes inspired by both Japanese and far east culture.

Sight Glass – have the almond-milk cappuccino with or without vegan pastries.

View - have cocktails with the best view of the city at the Marriott hotel

Smugglers Cove – for delicious exotic cocktails with fresh flowers. The best tikibar ever. (well I have only been to one )

Do – ideas for adventures:

• Hang in Dolores Park.
• Visit the Exploratorium at Pier 15.
• Go for a Hike along Lands End.
• Visit Baker Beach.
• Enjoy the street-art.
• Visit Farmers Markets – at San Francisco ferry plaza or Civic Centre.
• Do some urban exploring, just buy a map and walk around, turn a corner and embark on a new adventure
• Enjoy a block or street party, they seem to happen on Sundays during a certain period in SF.
• Go for a walk at night along the Embrakadero and watch the lights on “the other” bridge.
• Visit the Japanese Garden in Golden Gate Park.
• Get a mani-pedi.
• Get your hair styled.
• Go to the malls early in the morning and get free facials or make-up lessons.
• Have breakfast in the park. Any park, as long as it’s not taken over by hobos!

I’m back. However I got incredibly sick traveling back to Sweden. Once I came back home I crashed and burned and I have now been nursing a cold and fever for the last few days. I’m starting to feel more of a human today, so I look forward to get back on track in the next few days.

I think I’ve over done it for a few months, as well as my trip was awesomely action packed every single day. I had a few hours in Las Vegas where I got to relax at the pool with a cocktail. But hey, now I’m 30 and much wiser

I’ll share tons of photos and both San Fransisco and Las Vegan travel journals as soon as I have some more strength.

Johanna, Henrik, Sara, Rika, Doni, Blake and all you other fabulous people that I met – thanks for an unforgettable 2 weeks.

Love,
V

I’m on my way to San Fransisco. I’ve been working for 3 months straight, for 7 days a week on creating magic and beauty. It’s time to re-boot, recharge to reach new heights. See you when I get back

I thought I would only do these weekly round-ups during the vegan cookbook project. But since we are not done yet, and the work will continue afterwards, once we are done with marketing etc. I’d thought I continue the weekly round-ups. Besides, I like doing them and it’s a great way for me to be able to look back at my life later J

This week was hectic! My upcoming trip, being back full-time in the office and trying to work on the book at the same time. Not to mention that you who know me personally knows that my personal life is in a bit of shambles at the moment. I’m going through a separation and after 6 years, an engagement and shared household and life. That’s never easy.

In terms of the book, I’m proof reading texts and recipes and editing. It takes a lot of concentration and focus.

For this week I also want to highlight something perhaps a bit unusual and that is the sacrifices I’ve made. I’ve received some comments and questions on “how do I even find the time” etc  to do this. And if you take something on and want to achieve something – usually something else needs to go or take a step back for a while.

Sacrifices so far:

• Money – I’ve worked part time, which means a quite significant pay cut.
• Family – I haven’t had time to see them. I had coffee with my mom twice when she was over in the city I’m in at the moment.
• Friends – I have had sporadic lunch while in the office, otherwise for the past 4 months soon, I’ve had no social life.
• Time off – the initial plan was for me to have Sundays off to recharge. That didn’t happen. I’ve worked 7 day week, including Easter with this vegan cookbook project, or in the office. I took one day of last Sunday to be able to pack my bags and do preparation for the 2 weeks I will be in the States. That’s all for the last 3 months.
• A clean flat – nop. Hardly even had time to wash my clothes. I applied the batching principle on this one.
• Co-habitation – which means, having to live together with someone you are no longer in a relationship with in order to pay the bills and rent.

I don’t complain. It’s been magical. But since people ask – it takes some sacrifices sometimes.  Including emotional ones.

This week has been a lesson in patience, that’s for sure.

Not only did I choose to skip on going up to see my family over Easter to prioritize finalizing as much work on the book as humanly possible since it’s taken more time the expected. Unfortunately things didn’t work out and I didn’t get what I needed the most to work on (cest la vie – I wasn’t able to foresee that) and I was alone over Easter missing my family and my sisters birthday.

To add to the destitute I’ve had no friggin internet for days. I finally got it back TODAY after 5 days!

I always try to think how I can get forward and further with my work even though I have roadblocks, but this time there was nothing I could do about it. Except to wait and see what else I could get a head start on.

We are all doing our best – it’s going to be awesome when the book is finally out. But the most stressful thing for me – and what makes me freak out -   is that I’m back to full time at my day job and wont be able to be as available for this project as I’ve been before. My heart is really in this and I want it to be the best book ever, not only because it’s my baby but also for the rest of the lovely people I’m working with. I want to see this succeed.

What else? there was a fire on Easter Saturday close to my building and I was up at 7 in the morning preparing small bags with dried fruits in small bags with purple bows – did I get any kids knocking on my door? No, not a single soul. (In Sweden kids hand out Easter letters and get candy, dressed up to small witches and wizards).

And without internet, I was not able to work on the website for Elegantly Vegan, I was unable to get further with this as well.

I’ve felt incredibly frustrated and sad this weekend, a bit depressed to be honest missing my sisters birthday and family time. On Friday morning I was so sad I had to go running at gym. Good thing is I ran like a bad ass biatch.

My goodie bags for the children that never came knocking

But I try to focus on the positive. So here is my cone to balance up the crap:

• I got three recipes published in Pinto Magasin, together with three photographs I’ve taken to accompany them.
• I learned the hard way to take responsibility for my own choices and that I need to balance my life a bit more when it comes to seeing both family and friends and not prioritize work before them so much. Even if I do, it wont always work out.

• Elegantly Vegans Facebook page now got over 100 fans already and I have not even had time to promote the page yet! I’m so grateful for all the support! It really means the world to me. Thank you! <3
• I got the cutest gift from my friend Sarah. She also helped me snap some bio images for me to use that looks more professional then the self-snaps I’ve taken with my iPhone.
• I’m penciling in a long weekend at my moms house up north in May. I need family time. It’s a priority.
• I got the opportunity to do my recipe newsletter for April. It’s both delicious and good for ya!
• Sarah teached me how to smile with teeth.
• I got some gym and walking time. This ass is getting in good shape.

Smiling with teeth, for someone who used to have braces, it’s not something I like to do. This is one of the photos I wont be using, I just liked it because its blurry and I smile. (Sarah takes much better photos then this when I goofed around!)