Whoo is that girl I see?

“…staring straight, back at me….”

PLEASE TELL ME YOU GET IT.

Disney’s Mulan?! Yes, no? Well, I am a child of the 90s.

For those of you who don’t know me, let me introduce myself.

My name is Alexis, and many people call me Lexi or Lex. I want to share my love for food, health, wellness, and cooking with you.

I grew up in San Diego, California, followed by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo (aka Cal Poly SLO) to get my bachelors of science in Anthropology and Geography, with a minor in Biology. Straight after that, I moved up to the great city of Denver, Colorado. There I studied medical anthropology and received my Masters of the Arts in Anthropology. This finished up about a month ago after working hard on my Masters thesis, which looked at millennials in alternative work arrangements and how their employment status impacted their food choices.

Whats Medical Anthropology, you ask? It is similar to the field of public health; more specifically, it looks at the intersection between biology, culture, and power as it relates to the medical system and health.

I am 23, almost 24, and am in a transitionary time in my life. I am currently back at my parents’ home in San Diego, applying for jobs (in San Francisco) while also preparing for a little (second) post-grad traveling. If you’re wondering why I would leave the WONDERFUL city of Denver for the expensive city of San Francisco, I don’t blame you. The thing is, I am dating a wonderful human being, who is also my best friend… who lives in San Francisco. And after two years of long distance, I am overr it (not the boy, just the distance). So I decided that I would begin my career over there. Plus, the majority of my undergraduate peers live up there, and two of my younger cousins. I can’t wait to see my old friends more often. I am a family girl and it really is going to be great living near some family, and being a bigger part of my cousins’ lives! The downside? Leaving Denver and all of the killer people I met there. They rock. Oh and the Denver food scene? I’ll miss that too.

But change is life, is it not?

…. I say this as if I don’t get bouts of anxiety about it all the time. Even today. I try to accept change and the unknown with grace, but unfortunately, that area is still clumsy.

My blog began as a food Instagram four years ago when my diet was transitioning from a normal western diet to a primarily “paleo” diet. The reason for this shift is based on a few things: my brother’s IBS symptoms, one of my best friend’s Crohns disease, my Mom’s sudden interest in holistic nutrition, and finally my own studies of biological anthropology, general biology, and evolution.

The paleo diet is essentially grain free without legumes, soy, refined sugars, and rancid oils, with plenty of vegetables, some fruit, and lots of humanely raised & quality proteins or animal products. The ‘primal’ diet includes dairy; which is something I don’t have a lot of but still enjoy. And I drink alcohol. No, it isn’t good for you, but I try to get the best stuff within that realm. Most of my gluten comes in the form of an occasional beer, otherwise I’m almost completely glutenfree.

I will mention that it is impossible to have an actual “paleolithic diet”. Is it ironic that the phrase ‘paleo diet’ kind of drives me up the wall?! 1. the foods that we eat have been naturally/artificially selected, along with our own bodies. So even though I do follow a “paleo” or “primal” diet most of the time, I am not sure I agree with the terminology as it is misleading. 2. This isn’t a diet. It’s a lifestyle. I don’t feel like I’m depriving myself because I’m not anddddd that other stuff is gross to me now! But back to the imperfections of the paleo diet… Heck, research shows that Neandertals (a close relative of modern humans) even ate legumes! So let’s not get crazy about hard lines and rules, ok?

But essentially less processed is better, across the board, and the less pesticides, the better. It isn’t always easy or available though, and that is an important thing for all ‘food bloggers’ to recognize. You can’t just always go get your $15 organic smoothie after your $45 workout in your $70 fancy workout clothes. Some can, most can’t. No hate either way. I suppose it’s Instagram that makes many of us think that is the norm (Don’t worry, it still isn’t!).

I have been working on posting recipes and blogging the past year about food… but since life changes, so will this blog space. For the next couple of months this will be my space to share food stuff, talk about my food in my travels, and the adjustments to my food loving life that will come with starting a full time job… once I find one. I am even toying with the idea of creating a cook book. Ambitious? Maybe. But I am really considering it. I love love loveee to cook! It is my favorite hobby… it is my canvas… my really, really, delicious and often chocolatey canvas. And I hope that by sharing my love for health and cooking (and how important their linkages are), I can get others to love it (or appreciate?) it too. Because at the end of the day life is so important, making current health and long term health of paramount importance.

So blog I will.

Get ready for the following topics: Travel, food (duh), fitness, my lack of extreme care for fashion, inability to do hair, and anthropology!

So for now, I will give you some fun facts about me. Pleasee shoot me an email if you have any questions or suggestions for me and my blog / insta / life (HA!) ?

(Well apparently I’m asking strangers for advice, that seems healthy. But then again, isn’t that what happened in “The Alchemist”?)

FUN FACTS:

From age 5-16.5 (and kind of still), I wanted to be a paleontologist.
I think I am made up of coconut, cauliflower, spinach, and chocolate.
I’ve gone cage diving with Great White Sharks, and now am dying to swim with Whale sharks
I’ve been to more separate countries than separate states in the USA
I used to hate coconut as a child
I have been doing yoga (mostly hot yoga) since I was 16
I am the oldest of 3 (have two younger brothers)
Red wine over white wine, every time
I lived in Madrid for 4 months
I have double-jointed shoulders
My biggest pet peeve is food waste
I was in a sorority in college
I love theatre and the performing arts… but never manage to see any movie… ever.
My music taste ranges from James Taylor and U2, to Eminem and The Lumineers, to ADTR and Muse, to Sam Hunt and The Neighbourhood. I love it allllll.
My humor is strictly puns and Dad jokes. Sorry not sorry!!!

If you’re still wondering who the eff I am, here is some photographic evidence.

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Well folks, (oh btw, I NEVER say folks out loud. I felt that you needed to know) thank you for letting me indulge in introducing myself a little. I am sure you were allllll so very curious *sarcasm****. Seriously though, I am feeling super awkward and embarrassed about sharing things. Lets be honest. If five or 500 people read it, it still is nerve wracking, putting yourself into the interwebs. But, apparently to share my stuff with the world, I have to also share myself (?). Thats what all the cool kids are telling me, at least.

*Cool kids may or may not also include my mom.

Have a wonderful first week of June, and I will talk to you soon! Back to job applications….

Best,

Alexis

Ps. I have some additional info in my “About” and “Resources” page, if you’re curious for more!