About Me
My name is Katie – I’m a twenty-something living in Sacramento, California. After I graduated from college (Proud UCSB Alum — go Gauchos!) in 2010, I found myself back home and settling for an unpaid internship. Working part-time allowed lots of time for reflection and finding new interests…I spent hours watching Food Network and jogging around my parents’ neighborhood, and I tested out recipes on my parents for dinner most nights of the week. I also finally shed my Freshman 15 in the process!
A year later, I scored a job and started my plan to move out. Since then, I’ve started playing dodgeball, entered recipe contests, and even run a 5K! This blog has taken me places I never thought I’d go when I moved back home after college (including Park City, Utah!).
I love traveling (I studied abroad in France for a year), and trying new food and beers. Giada and Ina Garten are my spirit animals. I love vegetables…yep, I’m that person. I hate tomatoes (unless they’re from the Farmer’s Market or my dad’s garden) and raisins, but little else. I work in politics and am a bit of a news junkie.
To stay physically (and socially) active, I play dodgeball and kickball in a social league…even though it’s gotten me injured a few times. I’m also a runner, and after nearly 3 years I’ve learned to love it. When I started this blog, I was running 2 miles a couple of times per week. Now, I’ve run two 10ks and am training for my first half marathon. The story of my healthy lifestyle is always evolving!
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About the Blog
Here, I chronicle my attempt to live a healthy lifestyle, despite my 9-5 job and limited budget! I like to follow the 80-20 model: I aim to eat 80% clean and healthy and 20% indulgent. Occasionally, I share workouts I’m trying, fitness goals, or training plans for upcoming races. I’m not a professional and this isn’t a weight loss blog, though I believe my tips could help anyone looking to get healthy and fit! Especially if you’re a busy young professional like me.
I also love sharing recipes I’ve tested out in my kitchen. I only eat meat a couple of times per week, so I tend to cook a lot of vegetarian meals. While most of my meals are healthy and plant-based, you better believe you will never find me turning down anything involving cheese, wine, chocolate, or avocados 🙂
I hope you’ll follow me using any of the social media buttons on my sidebar! If you have any questions, comments, or requests, feel free to shoot me an e-mail!
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Katie,
I’m writing a cover story for the Sacramento News & Review on young adults living back at home with their parents after failing to find good jobs/housing etc in the current economy.
My editor forwarded your blog to me. Can you contact me? I’m hoping to interview you for the story: my number is 916 558 1598.
Thanks,
Sasha Abramsky.
WHOOO Gaucho Pride!!!
Congrats on being freshly pressed! Your blog is adorable :] I feel you! I am currently in the just-graduated-and-desperately-seeking-employment stage. But good for you for landing those jobs 🙂 keep up the great work!
It’s such a tough place to be! Thanks for stopping by!
Great blog! Love the step by step homemade tomato sauce! Got to try it out!
What freaked me out tho, is I’m also a blond ‘Katie’ (Kat generally) who has her own T-Man (Tommy) lol, we also love to cook from scratch together!
You guys are super cute! 🙂
That’s too crazy! My Tristan can hardly whip up a stir-fry from scratch, but he’s learning. He is a great sous chef if nothing else 😛
Hi Katie! I found you on Bevcooks comment site. I see you use WordPress too. I am new with WordPress and trying to get my blog up and running. Can you tell me how you added your “Follow me on Pinterest” button? I can’t get it to paste. Is this a widget on your theme? I may need to change themes, as I like my things on the side bar. Thanks and you have a great blog! 🙂
Hi Tracey! All of my “follow me” badges were created with the Text widget, which allows you to add custom HTML. If you go to this site on Pinterest, it will give you the custom HTML needed to add a badge: https://pinterest.com/about/goodies/
Thanks for stopping by!
Oh, thanks so much! I will check it out! 🙂
Oh yes! thanks so much, it worked, yay!!! One more question for you if you don’t mind. How are you able to file you recipes under your recipe page? I have been playing with this for hours and can’t figure it out. Thanks again! you have been a big help!
All those links on the top of my site are “Pages” I created on the Dashboard. I just manually enter my recipes when I post them by using the page editor that allows you to create links 🙂
I’m glad someone knows this! Thanks! WordPress has alot of features and it’s alot to figure out and learn when trying to get up and running. Thanks again Katie! Have a great Day! 🙂
Thanks for the follow Katie!
What a cute About section – you have made me MISS my Northern Cali home and crave both wine and a night in playing board games 🙂 I ALSO like your URL. A lot!
Hi there! I absolutely adore your blog and just came over to say hello 🙂 I’m from Southern California and LOVE SB! I am currently in Northern California for school and have talked with a couple other bloggers about meeting up some time! If you are interested, feel free to reach out 🙂 californiaendlesssummer@gmail.com
Hi Katie,
Your first post just appeared on Urbanspoon! Check it out:
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/36/402452/restaurant/Central-Oak-Park/Sacramento-Natural-Foods-Co-Op-Sacramento
I encourage you to claim your blog, which allows you to add a picture and change some settings. The blog photo shows up next to your posts wherever they appear on Urbanspoon. Here’s how to claim:
– Make sure you’re logged into Urbanspoon
– Go to your blog page on our site: http://www.urbanspoon.com/br/36/9587/Sacramento/Blonde-Ambition.html
– Click “Claim your blog” in the left sidebar
After you submit it, we may contact you to verify your claim. Check your spam email folder if your claim hasn’t gone through in a day or two. You’ll also find some interesting badges and widgets on your Urbanspoon blog page – look in the right sidebar.
If you have any questions, please contact me via email.
Thanks,
Greg
http://www.urbanspoon.com
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greg(at)urbanspoon(dot)com
I nominated you for the Liebster Award! Thanks for being so awesome 🙂
http://haveyourcakeand.com/2012/12/02/liebster-award/
Hi! You had left a note on brown eye baker about margarita slush! I so need this recipe! This so has to be made for camping this year!!! Please send the recipe to jules.delle@gmail.com
Thanks Jules
You mentioned something about dodgeball, do you play on the XOSO league? I used to play kickball on the WAKA league- but have since retired the party, I mean, sport 😉 PS I lived in Santa Barbara a year after college (went to Cal Poly SLO) and loved the area! But couldn’t afford it! And found my way back to Sacramento, as did you it sounds like. Looking forward to following your yummy recipes!
Yes, I have been playing Xoso dodgeball for almost 2 years now! I’ve heard good things about Waka too 🙂
Yay, another NorCal blogger. I love your pink and orange blog theme, too 🙂
Adorable! Just found your blog and love it. Will absolutely be following 🙂
I’m a new follower, but I really like everything about this blog so far 🙂
Kisses from Tokyo xoxo
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I nominated you and your blog for a Liebster Award! Check out how to accept it — I hope you do! XOXO ❤ http://betterlatethannever4happiness.wordpress.com/2014/04/12/the-grammy-for-bloggers-minus-the-red-carpet/
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Hi Katie!
I just found your blog and I’m loving it. It’s great to meet other bloggers living in Sacramento! =)
Love your blog, Katie! I have really started my own lifestyle blog and have been discovering more to add to my reading list – I really enjoy your variety of posts!
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