Weekend on the West Side

I definitely relish the weekends we have together here - because they don't come often enough. That is thanks to working in the Hospitality industry - open 24/7, 365 days a year - yay.

So when I saw that I actually had a Saturday off, I was ecstatic. We got to sleep in—well, let me rephrase that—Chris slept in, I slept till about 8:45. I honestly can't sleep any later. Once my body gets the 7-8 hours it needs, I'm good to go, literally. My body just naturally wakes up. I would have to say that I am definitely my dad's daughter in that aspect(among many). My day, still to this day, will be up at the crack of dawn. Doesn't matter what time he went to sleep, he is up to get his day started. Thanks dad, I like it this way too :)

I am also a big breakfast person. So I always love being able to stay home and fix breakfast for us. On the menu was homemade Huevos Rancheros—Christopher loves anything Mexican. I have to tell you , they tasted great! AND - he had breakfast in bed. I'm the best.

I put some left over turkey I had in the slow cooker, along with my recipe for Turkey Chunky Chowder so it would be ready for us when we got back.

We ended up spending the day in Lahaina (one of our top fav places here). We love shopping on Front Street. Yea, it's pretty much safe to see that we both have a shopping problem- which isn't good. Seeing as how that is the only thing we really spend money on here. Well, that and eating out. We have a blast going in to the real surf shops here. It by far was a tell-tale sign of the things we use the most here: Chris bought new Reef sandals and I bought a new Billabong swim suit. That's pretty much what we use the most here. Oh, and the day before, Chris was there with his family and bought a swimsuit for himself, too.

It's so weird to see how our wardrobe has changed. We honestly spend out time in shorts, swimsuits and flip flops, or "slippers" as they call them here- I do not like that word BTW. But I think we like the way it is right now.

Then of course, we had to eat lunch at Cool Cat's "Best Burger on Maui for 7 years in a row." Ironically, I had a mahi mahi sandwich, which was so flaky and moist- satisfied my fish craving. I eat their burgers all the time, I like to switch it up. Chris on the other hand, does not. "Why get something else, when I know what I'm going to get is good." We're SO different! I love to switch it up. But we balance each other - that's why we work so well, in case you were wondering.

Next, was beach time at Ka'anapali. It was such a pretty day, considering it had been raining like cats and dogs the last couple of days. Nothing like, beer in the hand, sun on our faces and crystal clear water to swim in. I tried to meet up with my cousin, Carla, but we always miss each other. Maybe next time.

Time to head home. The whole day was amazing. And even better - I didn't have to fix dinner. It was waiting for us. Thank you Hamilton Beach Slow Cooker. We even had the leftovers tonight and it tasted great.

I love weekends like this. I love spending time with my husband doing things we like to do. I love knowing we are making the most of our weekend/time/free time here.

Why can't I be off every weekend, or at least a Sat or Sun? Can all our weekends be like this?

Did you make the most of your weekend/free time?

A New Year, A New Us

Well, it's the 5th day of the new year and 2011 has started out pretty good.

We had an AMAZING 2010 - best of all I got to marry my best friend and got a great set of in-laws in two awesome sisters and a cool brother! Our wedding was the highlight of 2010 for us and we still can't thank everyone involved for making it truly the best moment in our lives.

We can only hope and pray that 2011 will be just as great, if not better. As everyone is making their New Years resolutions, here are the things we are looking forward to and will be working our butts off to do.

Exciting events lined up for 2011:
1. I am working on getting my Nutrition and Wellness Certification from AFPA (I am super excited!)
2. Chris gaining even more press and awards for the great work he is doing as MauiTime Art Director
3. Chris and I partnering together for lucky11studios.com to bring my PR background to Lucky 11
4. Great health for family (mom and dad!), friends and us
5. Starting the next phase of our life
6. Traveling to new places
7. Paying off Chris' car
8. Chris' brother, Cody, graduating from high school!
9. Learn how to surf
10. For me to get a full time job

We have been so blessed and lucky with everything and everyone in our life. So, thank you to everyone, especially our families, who have continued to support us in all our endeavors.

Instead of setting resolutions you probably wont keep - make a list of things you hope to accomplish this year. I promise, you will so much better.

2011 will be amazing!

What are your goals for 2011?

Study: Women are Unhealthier Than Ever

"Overall, the nation is still so far from the Healthy People and related goals that it receives a grade of 'Unsatisfactory'," the report said. "In none do women enjoy overall satisfactory health status."

Yep. that would catch my eye, too. But the question is what are we as women doing to keep being healthy? A lot of women, people, for that matter may think it takes a lot or "I just don't have the time" to be healthy. Which is completely false. All it takes is a little bit a knowledge and a want to continue to live a healthy lifestyle.

Click here to read the article more in depth.

Test: "Making the Grade on Women’s Health: A National and State-by-State Report Card"

Major points:
- More women are obese, diabetic, and suffering from hypertension than they were in 2007. - More women are testing positive for chlamydia (which can lead to infertility) - Fewer are being checked for ovarian cancer, and more are admitting that they've had five or more drinks in one go within the last month. - Part of the problem, the report points out, is that nearly 1 in 5 women between the ages of 18 and 64 are uninsured, and it's difficult to get adequate care without health insurance.
What have you done today to be healthy? When was the last time you went to the OBGYN or general doctor for a yearly exam? When was the last time your mother or sister or best friend went?

Your health comes first. If we're not healthy, then we can't take care of those around us who may need more help then we do. Continue to live your life and be healthy!

Healthy Holiday Food Guide

With the wonderful holidays behind and currently upon us, I am always looking for healthy alternatives to the holiday staples you will undoubtly see at the office parties, neighbor's get-togethers and friends shindigs. Read on to get in the holiday mood the right way and fit into that LBD or those skinny jeggins with booties; whatever occasion is in your holiday future.

Mixed Nuts or Olives? PORTION CONTROL
Olives - have the healthy monounsaturated fats like olive oil, which help lower cholesterol.
Nuts - also high in monounsaturated fats and a good source of fiber.

Soft or hard cheese?
Though all cheese is high in fat, soft cheese tends to have less fat and fewer calories. A one-ounce serving of Brie(soft) contains about 94 calories; while one ounce of Gruyere(hard) has 117 calories

Pigs in a blanket or mini quiche? I am a sucker for the mini quiche!

"Both are high in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium" but quiche is the lesser of two evils gaining calcium from cheese, protein from eggs and nutrients from the veggies. The piggies are likely to be processed food and the mini quiche may be high in sodium from the crust, so please limit one :)

Roast beef or ham?

RB is less processed, contains half as much saturated fat and has 3X more iron and high in vitamin b. But both are a great source of protein - just eat sparingly.

Sugar cookie or gingerbread cookie?

Sugar cookies have about twice as many calories thanks to all the butter(no thank you) also high in saturated fat. But the GBread cookies are empty calories. If you can't resist the cookie jar, like always, one is better. Don't be a cookie monster!

Cocoa or egg nog?

"Eggnog and cocoa that is made with real milk both have lots of calcium, about 300 milligrams in eight ounces. But eggnog, as the name implies, also contains eggs and sometimes heavy cream and brandy, which translates into about 300 calories and 12 grams of fat in a five-ounce serving." Enough said. Just make sure the cocoa isn't the instant made one which contains less protein, calcium and flavanoids (which help prevent arteries from clogging - always a plus.

Candy cane or chocolate kisses?

The candy cane is just pure sugar and has no nutritional value, but it lasts longer which will keep you away from the sweets table (we can hope, can't we?) A candy cane contains about 55 calories and no fat, while five chocolate Kisses contain 127 calories and seven grams of fat.

But, if you must indulge your sweet tooth and take the chocolate, make sure they are the dark chocolate ones which contains the excellent flavanoids mentioned earlier.

Think you can make the smarter decision when you visit your next par-tay? Yes, because you are informed now! All it takes is a little bit of knowledge and I promise you wont be giving yourself a hard time the next day or kicking your own butt at the gym to run off those extra mini quiches you ate.

ENJOY AND HEALTHY EATING!!

PR and Special Events Coordinator at Your Service

Currently, I am a Public Relations and Special Events Coordinator whom recently partnered with my husband Chris Skiles, award-winning Art Director for MauiTime to bring my PR and Marketing expertise to lucky11studios.

If you're looking for a fresh PR spin on your new company, need help building a brand from the beginning, need to update your current marketing materials (when was the last time you took a look at that company bio or mission statement?), or creating the next big event in your life or company.... I am available for your needs. Partnering with lucky11studios, you also get the best of both worlds as we can complete all of your design needs. Need a new logo? Having trouble mastering that fact sheet in INDESIGN? Let us know.

I also currently freelance for MauiTime writing bar and restaurant reviews. Check out my reviews here.


MY BACKGROUND
While working as the PR and Special Events Coordinator for Pennino and Partners, a PR agency in Texas, I coordinated all social media marketing efforts for WorldFest Houston International Film Festival, significantly increasing audience attendance and implementing their first social media campaign which is still in use today.

My first project with CORESTAFF Services, I secured media coverage with major news outlets including ABC, Associated Press, BBC, Bloomberg Business News, BusinessWeek, CNN, National Public Radio, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and many other local and national business media outlets. I also assisted them in achieving their media outreach goals by 100 percent.

My experience also includes public relations and media writing; social media marketing; securing on-screen media appearances for clients; developing marketing materials for publicity programs; client sponsorships and recruitment; planning, staffing and hosting media at events; planning special events; building relationships with reporters and pitching major news outlets.

For any questions, comments or to get a quote on your next project please send a message to sabrina.dreyer@yahoo.com. For your design needs, send a message to lucky11studios@gmail.com or find us on Facebook! With reasonable rates, project-to-project basis and no long term contracts, we will find a price right for you and your needs.

Look forward to helping you on your next project!

First Sunday of Advent

Today marks the first Sunday of Adent. Advent is a perfect time to pray and invite Jesus into our lives - it's the weeks leading up to Christmas and Christ's day of birth. The joy of Christmas is not the same as the happiness we might experience giving and receiving presents, gathering with family and friends for special meals or listening or our favorite carols and hymns. "The wonder and the joy of Christmas is knowing our Savior came to free us from sin and death, so that we might have a share of the very life of God, now and forever. "

Whatever your religion is, whoever you might believe in, take some time this Advent to give thanks to the one who truly matters (who ever that might be in your life).

Being a Sunday school teacher in the past, I always remembered how fun and excited my sister and I would get planning our Advent activities for the kids. It was our time to teach them what Advent means, how to prepare our hearts for the Lord, Christ's birthday and how to use the special wreath with three purple and one pink candle. "The purple candles in particular symbolize the prayer, penance, and preparatory sacrifices and goods works undertaken at this time. The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, when the priest also wears rose vestments at Mass; Gaudete Sunday is the Sunday of rejoicing, because the faithful have arrived at the midpoint of Advent, when their preparation is now half over and they are close to Christmas."

I was so excited to go to mass and celebrate the first Advent Sunday. I can't thank God enough for the blessings he gives to me and my family everyday. This Advent is another reason to be thankful for Him and His many blessings! I am going to be incorporating special blessings and Advent scripture readings this seasons. What will you be doing?

Have a wonderful Advent and Christmas Season.

101 Best Things To Do To Your Body

This title had me at "best things." I am all about eating right, exercising daily and basically trying to live a healthy lifestyle. So I try to immerse myself in as much as I can to learn more and more about how to do so.

This Women's Health article has easy tips, tricks and suggestions to start implementing now. When you have a few minutes, read it. I promise it you wont regret it. Click here to start reading what you can do now!

ENJOY AND HEALTHY EATING

One Year Ago

This wont be a long entry. Just a reflection on the past year here and with my job at The Grande Wailea.

November 11 marked one year since I have been at the hotel. I am thankful to have a job right now and grateful for the many people I am meeting. I have realized that I like the hospitality industry a lot. But that comes as no surprise to me, because I love being around people and feel comfortable interacting with high-level clients as well as guests at the hotel. There have been some highs and lows, but I am proud of the way I have been handling things. It shows a lot about my character, the strength I have and that you must have a thick skin to work in this industry - that's probably true for most any job out there.

Chris and I had no idea we were going to be moving out here in the short amount of time that it happened. We had goals for ourselves when we moved here, and I'm proud to say we have accomplished most all of them. One was getting me a full-time PR job. We quickly realized that wasn't going to be an option here. As most of the job opportunities here are with the resorts, and there are no PR agencies here - I don't even think people here know the meaning of PR/marketing. It can be a hard concept to grasp :) I am thankful for the background I have and the amazing mentor I had, Laura Pennino of Pennino and Partners. I wouldn't be as confident in my PR background if it wasn't for her and her amazing leadership role she took with me.

But I have lots of exciting ideas and hopefully some new projects in the works. So stay tune and we look forward to what God as planned for us next.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Where were you a year ago today and have you completed the goals you set out for yourself?

My Eating and Diet Regime

I usually get asked this question a lot "How do you stay in great shape?" "What do you eat?" Especially with the holiday's coming up, it is important to make the right decisions when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle.

Well here it is folks - all my secrets! But really, there are no secrets. It's just a matter of choosing the right foods (protien and fiber-rich foods vs sodium and sugar filled catasophes) and exercising at least 30 mins a day.

It's always important to get a good nights sleep, at least 7-8 hours. If your job or day-to-day schedule doesn't allow that many, try this little tip: try going to bed at least an hour earlier every night then the previous night. You'll be getting plenty of zzzz's before you know it.

A very great quote to always remember "Eat more often and you'll avoid binging at lunch and dinner" Each mini-meal should have a good comboniation of protien and fiber: It takes longer for your stomach to digest, which keeps you fuller for longer.

With a little help from my wonderful Womens Health and Eat This, Not That

Breakfast: Since you may not have a lot of time, mix protien and quality carbs " when protein is included in a meal, not only does it help prevent overreating at other times of the day, but it also sustains energy levels and improves concentration"

110 calories: latte with reduced-fat milk

200 calories: 1 cup reduced-sodium cottage cheese with fresh peaches and cinnamon

250 calories: Any-way-you-like-it egg on a whole-grain English muffin with melted cheese

300 calories: Peanut butter and reduced or no sugar jelly on whole-grain English muffin (my go to favorite! Dont like English muffin, go for whole grain toast)

300 calories: scrambled-egg burrito with turkey suasage and salsa

Morning Snack: Since the calorie and sodium-ridden vending machine snacks may surround you during the day, buy only what you need and keep a stash at your desk: string cheese (buy the big pack at Costco), granola bars(not the Nutri Grain or Nature Valley, please! they are filled with sugar and HFCS and have no nutritional value) or trail mix.

80 calories: string cheese (me and Chris' favorite!

100 calories: hardboiled egg with a handful of grape tomatoes

275 calories: 2 or 3 small handfuls of trailmix

300 calories: slice of whole-grain bread topped with peanut butter and banana (if I know it might be awhile for lunch or till I have time for my morning snack, I usually have this has my breakfast too) the protien from the peanut butter keeps you full!

Lunch: Be careful here, if you've already had a heavy calorie breakfast, keep lunch light. Remember it's about balancing out your calories compared to how active you are.

175 calories: Canned tuna with balsamic vinegar on whole-grain crackers or bread

350 calories: Half an avacado, sliced, or 1/2 cup prepared quacamole with tomator and onion in a whole-grain pita

400 calories: 1/2 cup of hummus with roasted veggies

400 calories: Small ham, turkey or roast-beef and Swiss wrap with veggies and mustard, in a whole-wheat tortilla or you can have it on a sandwich and try leaving off the top slice.

Afternoon Snack: say to yourself "No candy that the assistant has!"

160 calories: Reduced-fat Cheddar melted on apple halves

175 calories: 5 Laughing Cow cheese wedges

250 calories: 1 cup reduced-fat yogurt

260 calories: Apple, pear or banana smeared with peanut butter

350 calories: 1 cup each fat-free milk and frozen yogurt blended with a spoonful of peanut butter

Dinner: The key words here are portion control! The majority of restaurants now serve on a much larger plate, therefore giving you larger amounts of the food, which you don't need. "Portion control is crucial, whether you're looking to control weight, manage blood sugar, or maintain energy levels."

275 calories: 3 or 4 large handfuls of greens sauteed in olive oil with a handful of walnuts and 1/2 cup of raisins

300 calories: 6-piece sushi meal with a cup of miso soup (so yummy!)

325 calories: Buffalo burger topped with coleslaw, onion, and tomato

350 calories: Quesadilla made with a small corn or whole-wheat tortilla, cheese, beans, shredded chicken or lean ground turkey, onion, and jalapenos, dipped in salsa

400 calories: Slice of pizza toped with cheese and ground beef or ham

550 calories: Lentil, minestrone or tomato soup with a grilled-cheese sandwich on whole-grain bread

550 calories: 1 cup pasta tossed with ground turkey breast, black olives, diced onion a drizzle of olive oil, and 1 1/2 tablespoons crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

Evening Snack:

150 calories: 5 cups Jolly Time light microwave popcorn sprinkled with hot sauce and or 1 tablespoon Romano cheese; 1 cup rice pudding; 6 or 7 strawberries dipped in yogurt and drizzled with chocolate sauce; 1 cup cocoa made with skim milk

175 calories: Sliced sweet potato(with skin), tossed in olive oil and baked

200 calories: Root-beer float with 2 scoops frozen vanilla yogurt; 2 handfuls olives

275 calories: 2-ounce Snickers bar

ENJOY AND HEALTHY EATING!!

808 All Day

Here is my second restaurant review!

Food & Drink
808 Bistro
808 All Day - Popular sandwich guys try out a bigger location and a whole new menu
by Sabrina Dreyer


808 Bistro
2511 S. Kihei Rd., Kihei
Open 5-9pm daily
879-8008

You probably know Josh Richardson and Mitch Edwards as the guys behind 808 Deli, the popular little sandwich joint next to Fred's/Moose's on South Kihei Road. Now they're branching out, moving into the spacious confines formerly occupied by the now-defunct Greek Bistro. The new venture—dubbed 808 Bistro—is good enough to lure patrons away from the long wait for Taco Tuesday at Fred's.

808 Bistro has open-verandah seating with modern, sleek wooden tables and nice sunset views. Once seated, you're served toasted bread and exemplary creamy pesto butter. Appetizers run the gamut: baked crab dip, buffalo shrimp with gorgonzola cream dipping sauce, Johnny Wellington, smoked salmon and steak kabobs.

There were three in our party, so we opted for the crab dip, served with a toasted baguette, and the Johnny Wellington. The dip was rich, with the shrimp flavor standing out the most. Though it paired well with the crunchiness of the baguette, I preferred the dip by itself to let all the flavors come through. Meanwhile, the Johnny Wellington—lamb in a puff pastry served with tzaziki (yogurt and cucumber) and mint sauce—was delicious. The lamb was cooked to perfection and paired perfectly with the tzaziki sauce.

Richardson suggested the Maui Cordon Bleu—herbed panko-crusted chicken breast stuffed with ham, Swiss, spinach and a fresh pineapple glaze. The ham, Swiss and spinach complemented the juiciness of the chicken, but it could've used more of the pineapple glaze. We also tried the mahi mahi, served with jasmine rice and vegetable du jour with a choice of three sauces; we selected the restic tomato buerre blanc. Fish: flaky and cooked perfectly. Vegetable du jour: delicious, sautéed veggie sticks. Sauce: creamy and ties it all together.

Finally, we sampled the New York Steak, served with bleu cheese apple gratin and vegetable du jour. The steak came medium rare and was accompanied by a balsamic vinaigrette mushroom reduction. It was one of the best sauces I've tried on Maui—and I'm not usually a fan of mushrooms.

For heart-healthy foodies there are a variety of soups (the carrot, coconut curry sounds the best) and salads. Have a sweet tooth? How does lilikoi cheesecake or sorbet sound? Macadamia nut gelato? Sweet Hawaiian bread pudding?

During dinner, I spoke to a couple that has been to the restaurant three times since it opened (808 Bistro is only three weeks old). I asked them what brought them back. "It's like eating at a gourmet restaurant at half the cost," they said. They also praised the staff, and even said they liked the current BYOB policy.

Richardson and Edwards personally visit each table with a smile; you truly get a sense of the owners and the restaurant. "It's about the atmosphere," Richardson said. "We greet everyone, serve excellent ingredients and bus tables ourselves. Everyone leaves happy." Sabrina Dreyer, MauiTime