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IN: Travel

San Luis Obispo: Healthy Things To Do In America’s Happiest City

July 8, 2019 By Melanie 2 Comments

San Luis Obispo Travel GuideHi friends! I don’t know about you but it seems like June went by in a blink of an eye. This is mostly due to various events, two different trips, and moving to a new apartment. Now that July is well under way I’ve found that I can finally pause and play catch up. If you have been following my adventures on Instagram you’re well aware of my June trip to San Luis Obispo, California. (And if not you can see the highlights under “SLO” HERE). It was so lovely to partner with the kind folks at Share SLO, the city’s tourism agency, to experience all the healthy options the city offers. In fact, I couldn’t think of a better way to spend my golden birthday than in the Golden State with my husband by my side! 

If you’re looking for a fun weekend getaway, look no further. San Luis Obispo, known fondly as “SLO” by the locals, is a true hidden gem. Known as “America’s Happiest City,” you can find SLO nestled along California’s Central Coast in-between San Francisco and Los Angeles. If huge farmer’s markets, breathtaking hiking trails, and delicious food and wine is your thing, you may want to bookmark this for later. ๐Ÿ˜‰ 

The following list is based on our experience and the awesome itinerary we were able to follow over the course of 3 days. There are obviously so many other awesome spots that we didn’t get to venture to and I have a feeling we’ll be back someday to partake in the rest. 

Where To Stay 

Madonna Inn San Luis Obispo

MADONNA INN: Bay and I had the pleasure of staying in this quirky, eclectic hotel and it was honestly SO fun. Open since 1958, the Madonna Inn has 110 uniquely designed guestrooms all with different themes. We stayed in the “highway suite” which features a fireplace, balcony and rock shower place. 

Photo from MadonnaInn.com

The hotel offers plenty of experiences like horseback riding, rental bikes, easy access to hiking trails at Madonna Mountain, a beautiful pool and more. 

As far as dining options are concerned, many people come to Madonna Inn solely for their food! You can have dinner at the Gold Rush Steak House which features pink circle booths, chandeliers and loads of faux flowers. Or for something a little more understated, you can opt for the Copper Cafe and bakery. There’s also a fun cocktail lounge that serves up the classics alongside more “Instagrammable” options like the Pink Cloud cocktail. 

Top photo from MadonnaInn.com

Where To Eat

Farmhouse San Luis Obispo

Downtown San Luis Obispo offers up a plethora of farm to table restaurants. Organic and locally sourced ingredients are of high value to the majority of businesses and is something we greatly appreciated. Below are a few places we had the pleasure of visiting but plenty others caught our eye! 

Farmhouse Corner Market: Right outside of the beautiful SLO airport sits a newly opened and super instagrammable restaurant and organic market! The breakfast is quite delicious (albeit the small portion size) but it’s really the colorful decor that captured my attention. On one side sits the vibrant, yellow restaurant that offers plenty of grab-and-go or sit down options. On the other is the colorful market place featuring local artisan products, a homemade ice cream bar and adorable flower market. I could see this being an awesome place for an event or for a quick stop for ice cream before hitting up the nearest beach.   Copper Cafe: Located inside the Madonna Inn, this charming little diner is the perfect place for a quick and delicious breakfast or lunch. I highly recommend ordering a side of danish pastries as the baker is seriously top notch. Just like the rest of the hotel you can expect funky decor, colorful goblets, and super friendly service. 

Novo Restaurant: Featuring global cuisine and a stunning ambiance, this was one of our favorite spots for dinner! We sat on their Creekside Patio and the crisp air and market lights all led to a very romantic vibe. I highly recommend ordering the Indian Vegetable Curry and a glass of one of SLO’s many local wines. 

SEEDS:  If you’re looking for something nutritious look no further. SEEDS offers up toasts, salads, smoothies and more, all featuring ingredients sourced from local vendors. I think I would have been quite happy with anything on the menu but I opted for the “Greens 4” (pictured below) and “Smoothie 7” (banana, coconut water, pataya, and pineapple). Both were so satisfying and exactly what we were craving after biking around downtown.  

SEEDS san luis obispo

Big Sky Cafe: If giant salads, polenta fries, vegetarian chili and ahi tuna tacos sound like your jam then you will love this local eatery. The restaurant is very spacious with high ceilings and a pleasant open feel. Bonus: there were so many great vegetarian (and pescatarian) friendly options on the menu! 

Granada Hotel and Bistro: In need of a romantic night out? This bistro really stole the show with their delicious array of small plates, yummy cocktails (even zero-proof options) and thoughtful wine list. My absolute favorite dish of the entire trip was the seared scallops on top of a turnip cake and garnished with cucumber salsa! I’m seriously still drooling whenever I think of it. 

What To Do 

There’s no shortage of things to do in the SLO area! If you’re looking for spas, salons, or fitness studios, I highly recommend downloading the MINDBODY app. You can easily manage all of your appointments in one place while discovering all the hot spots that SLO has to offer. 

San Luis Obispo #ShareSLO hiking

Hiking: 

One thing is for sure, SLO has some seriously beautiful scenery and the best way to see it is by hiking. If you’re staying at the Madonna Inn then the “M Trail” at Madonna Mountain is probably the best option for you. It’s a very easy 1.9 mile hike and shouldn’t take long to get to the big “M” on top. We sadly didn’t have a chance to check out the others but there’s an awesome roundup you can check out HERE. 

Self Care:  

Let’s be real, every vacation is instantly made better with a little “treat yourself” moment. My husband and I loved our joint acupuncture session at Zen Den SLO. This hidden oasis makes acupuncture affordable and accessible in a cozy community setting. Acupuncture itself is a great way to help treat jet lag, muscle soreness, headaches and other ailments that you may be experiencing during your travels.

If acupuncture isn’t your thing, I definitely recommend booking a facial at Spa Collective. The facials are all customized to fit your individual skin needs and the owner, Lindsay, was extremely sweet and knowledgeable. Bonus: All the products used were natural and organic. It was such a wonderful experience and I left with glowing skin and a relaxed mind. 

Spa Collective SLO

Farmer’s Market and Festivals: 

The downtown SLO Farmer’s Market is quite a spectacle! Not only is it absolutely HUGE (it spans 6 blocks) but it also features the best food from local restaurants, tons of fresh produce, flowers, and lots of entertainment. We had such a fun time just strolling up and down the long street and taking in all the sights and smells. 

We happened to be visiting during one of SLO’s many wine festivals: Roll Out The Barrels. It kicked off with Barrels at the Plaza right across from the famous Mission in the heart of downtown SLO. This festival featured samples of delicious food and wine from the area’s many restaurants and vineyards. There was live music, a photo booth and plenty to eat and drink. We had such a wonderful time and would highly recommend buying a ticket if you happen to visit next June! 

My Favorite Part:   

Since I happened to be visiting SLO during International Yoga Day, I was honored to be asked to teach a yoga class at MINDBODY’s HQ. I know this isn’t the norm and probably won’t effect your travels, but it was such a cool experience and something I wanted to highlight in case they offer more public classes in the future. Yoga and wellness is definitely a big priority in SLO and that is something that I personally love. 

I hope you all enjoyed this roundup of healthy activities from my trip to San Luis Obispo! Be sure to check out #ShareSLO for more hot spots and ideas before you book a vacation. 

Happy travels! 

Please note: This post was created in partnership with Share SLO. As always, all opinions are my own!

Filed Under: Travel

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Erin Roullard says

    July 15, 2019 at 2:12 pm

    There is SOOOOOOOO much cool stuff here!!! As a SLO Native, I found several new spots to hit! Thank you!

    Reply

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    July 16, 2019 at 3:49 pm

    […] learn more about Mel Torres, check out her most recent blog all about her travels through the Happiest City in America. Be sure to also follow her on Instagram, […]

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New Meet Melanie

New Meet Melanie

Hi and welcome to Headstands & Heels! I’m Melanie — a Digital Strategist turned Wellness Entrepreneur, certified yoga instructor (RYT 200), dog mama, and content creator based in NYC. I hope to encourage others to follow their dreams and cultivate a healthy, balanced lifestyle filled with mindfulness and positivity. ๐Ÿ’• Send me a note at: mel@headstandsandheels.com or Read More

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This is your sign to pack yourself a picnic and en
This is your sign to pack yourself a picnic and enjoy some quality time outside! โ˜€๏ธ After a very gloomy and cold winter, Spring always feels like an awakening here in NYC. Not to mention with #EarthDay right around the corner, itโ€™s even more of a reason to enjoy the warm weather, sunshine, and all things that Mother Nature has to offer! ๐Ÿ… ๐Ÿฅ’ ๐ŸŒฟ
 
One of my fav things nature gives us is veggies and Iโ€™m obsessed with how @dirtkitchensnacks has turned them into a yummy snack! Not only are their Air Dried Veggie Crisps super convenient, crunchy, and delicious but theyโ€™re also made from upcycled veggies (surplus or imperfect) that would have otherwise never left the farm! This means less food waste and more veggies for me and you to enjoy. ๐Ÿ‘ 
 
I love supporting brands that are doing awesome things for people and the planet and think you all will love them too! ๐ŸŒŽ ๐Ÿ’•
 
They have 3 different kinds of Veggie Crisps to choose from and you can find them online: grape tomato, blushed bell pepper, and zucchini. ๐Ÿ… ๐Ÿฅ’ Which veggie is your favorite? #DigInWithDKS #Sponsored

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The lights are so bright but they never blind me. ๐Ÿ’ซ #DateNight

2 years after saying โ€œI doโ€ and it feels like
2 years after saying โ€œI doโ€ and it feels like it was just yesterday. โค๏ธ Our first anniversary was spent in lockdown last year {Swipe for a bts} and today Iโ€™m getting vaxxed ๐Ÿ’‰. It feels like weโ€™ve come full circle and Iโ€™m so ready to celebrate with a dinner in the city tonight and a pretty big adventure to come ๐Ÿ˜Š. Love you, @bayphillips.

Give me all the iced coffee and a paintbrush and I
Give me all the iced coffee and a paintbrush and Iโ€™ll be one happy gal ๐ŸŽจ๐Ÿ„๐ŸŒธ. 
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Itโ€™s been a gloomy day in the city and I woke up with an itch to put all my whimsical, colorful dreams on paper. Swipe to see the enchanted forest landscape and the BTS of how it came to life. ๐ŸŒฟ๐ŸŒผ 
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Thereโ€™s a beauty that comes with the stillness of painting. For an hour or two the whole world melts away and itโ€™s just me, the paper and my brush. ๐Ÿ–Œ Showing up with no creative expectations has a way of making me feel limitless, and in many ways itโ€™s the most mindful exercise and expressive form of self care I can do. ๐ŸŽจ๐Ÿ’• 
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I hope you jelly beans have found your own quiet, creative moment this weekend. I promise itโ€™s the best way to unplug and reset ๐ŸŒˆ  #selfcaresunday

Iโ€™m gonna file this under cutest healthy cookies
Iโ€™m gonna file this under cutest healthy cookies Iโ€™ve ever made! ๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿข๐Ÿ’• These vegan matcha & tahini cookies are fun to create and are guaranteed to make your tastebuds do a lil happy dance! 
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Theyโ€™re a little sweet and nutty with a crispy outside and chewy inside. Bonus: creating the turtle shapes reminded me of playing with playdoh! (Talk about a throwback)
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Iโ€™m going to test out and share several #EarthMonth ๐ŸŒŽ inspired recipes over the next few weeks, so stay tuned! 
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You can find this recipe on @veggiekins blog. ๐Ÿข 10/10 would recommend for cuteness + a healthy treat that makes you smile๐Ÿ˜‹. #HealthyDesserts

๐“๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ž ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐Ž๐–๐„๐‘
๐“๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ž ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐Ž๐–๐„๐‘ ๐ข๐ง โœจ๐œ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ฒ.โœจ
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Good things rarely come easy in life and they definitely donโ€™t come quickly. More often than not, it boils down to a very underrated behavior called consistency. 
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So what does that look like? It means: 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
๐Ÿ”ธChoosing to ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฎ๐ฉ even when youโ€™re not feeling motivated
๐Ÿ”ธ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค over and over even when it doesnโ€™t seem like anything sticks
๐Ÿ”ธ ๐‚๐š๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐ž ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ ๐จ๐š๐ฅ๐ฌ even when progress is slower than you would have liked
๐Ÿ”ธ Holding yourself accountable and ๐ญ๐š๐ค๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐š๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ฉ๐ฌ one day at a time till you cross the finish line
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
Everyone hypes up motivation but the truth is there will be MANY days where you are unmotivated. Where you find yourself to be tired, frustrated, and impatient with lack of results. 
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But thatโ€™s where the real magic happens friends. When you can show up consistently for yourself โ€” in all aspects of your life, you WILL achieve your goals. ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
๐’๐จ ๐ค๐ž๐ž๐ฉ ๐ ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ . 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
On days when you feel like quitting, remind yourself of your why. Give yourself space to rest and then get back in there and keep trying. ๐Ÿ’ฏ 
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Iโ€™ll leave you with this quote: 
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โœจ โ€œ๐ˆ๐ญโ€™๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ž ๐๐จ ๐จ๐ง๐œ๐ž ๐ข๐ง ๐š๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ž ๐ญ๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ก๐š๐ฉ๐ž๐ฌ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐ž๐ฌ. ๐ˆ๐ญโ€™๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ž ๐๐จ ๐œ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ.โ€ ~ ๐“๐จ๐ง๐ฒ ๐‘๐จ๐›๐›๐ข๐ง๐ฌโœจ
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{๐Ÿ“ธ: @mikohafez}

Happy Easter๐ŸŒธ , beautiful humans. He is Risen!
Happy Easter๐ŸŒธ , beautiful humans. He is Risen! โœจ 
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Today Iโ€™m celebrating Godโ€™s eternal love for us and the resurrection of my Savior, Jesus Christ . โœ๏ธ The past 13 months have been full of challenges, discomfort and practicing patience through the unknown. Iโ€™m grateful that through it all, God has brought so much good into our lives and continues to guide us in the direction of his plan. ๐Ÿ’• 
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โœจItโ€™s a comfort to know that after the darkness, there is always light.โœจ
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Even if you donโ€™t celebrate, I hope youโ€™re having a wonderful weekend filled with love and hope for beautiful things to come. ๐Ÿฅฐ  #HappyEaster { ๐Ÿ“ธ: @winilaophotos}

Lookinโ€™ for a super simple & sweet Easter treat!
Lookinโ€™ for a super simple & sweet Easter treat!? ๐Ÿฃ These 4๏ธโƒฃ ingredient HEALTHY chocolate pb eggs are for you! 
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Iโ€™ve seen these knockoff Reeseโ€™s eggs all over Pinterest and used the recipe by @ambitiouskitchen to make mine. ๐Ÿ’• {SWIPE FOR A CLOSE UP}
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Recipe:
๐Ÿ”ธ Mix 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter with 1 tbsp maple syrup and 2 tbsp coconut flour 
๐Ÿ”ธ Scoop onto parchment paper and form/flatten into egg shapes 
๐Ÿ”ธ Freeze for 1 hour 
๐Ÿ”ธ Melt dark chocolate in small bowl and dip PB eggs 
๐Ÿ”ธ Freeze for 5 min and top with drizzle of white chocolate and sea salt 
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Store them in the freezer till ready to eat! ๐Ÿ’• Happy Easter Weekend everyone ๐ŸŒธ #MelsMeals #healthydesserts

๐ŸŒฑ Just a little @cocokind chlorophyll face mask
๐ŸŒฑ Just a little @cocokind chlorophyll face mask and chillll Q&A session because there are lots of new friends on here! ๐Ÿ’•
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Since I canโ€™t believe I hit 30k followers (and 25k on TikTok!?) I thought a little โ€œabout meโ€ and fun fact sharing was in order! ๐Ÿ’•โœจ
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๐€ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ž ๐š๐›๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ž
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๐Ÿ”ธ Hi lovely humans! My name is Melanie and I created this blog 5 years ago to share my wellness journey and healthy, positive lifestyle + connect with likeminded people such as yourself. ๐Ÿ˜Š
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๐Ÿ”ธ I currently live in NYC with my husband, @bayphillips, and our two rescue pups @chipandnina 
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๐Ÿ”ธ I graduated with a BS in Marketing and have been working in the social media/digital marketing space for 8 years!! 6 years in corporate marketing for tourism and global beauty brands and 2 as a full time wellness blogger 
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๐Ÿ”ธ I went through a 200 hour yoga teacher training course a few years ago and have been teaching online and at various branded events ever since ๐Ÿ’•. Hoping to teach at a studio once the world is back to normal 
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๐Ÿ”ธ Personality traits in a nutshell: Iโ€™m a Cancer โ™‹๏ธ, ENFJ and Enneagram 2w3 
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๐Ÿ”ธ I am a Christian and my faith is super important to me. I have a whole blog post called โ€œConfessions of a Christian Yogiโ€ if youโ€™d like to read more 
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๐Ÿ”ธ Things I love that youโ€™ll probably see a lot of on here: painting ๐ŸŽจ, reading ๐Ÿ“–, my pups ๐Ÿถ, clean & cruelty-free beauty products๐Ÿ’…๐Ÿป, cute activewear ๐Ÿ‘Ÿ, low impact workouts ๐Ÿง˜๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ, yoga & meditation, food that makes me feel good ๐Ÿฅ‘, matcha ๐Ÿต, colorful home decor ๐Ÿก, self care ๐Ÿ›, and houseplants ๐Ÿชด. 
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I hope you stick around and we can get to know each other!! 
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๐ˆ๐ง ๐Ÿ๐š๐œ๐ญ โ€” ๐ˆโ€™๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐ž ๐ญ๐จ ๐ก๐ž๐š๐ซ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐  ๐š๐›๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ!! Where are you from? Whatโ€™s your fav kind of workout? What do you do for fun? Plz share away! ๐Ÿฅฐ #SelfCare 
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Special announcement: Iโ€™m officially a @CaliaByC
Special announcement: Iโ€™m officially a @CaliaByCarrie Brand Ambassador for a 2nd year and I couldnโ€™t be more thrilled to continue sharing their amazing clothes and accessories with you!! ๐ŸŽ‰๐Ÿ’• As a brand, #CALIAByCarrie is all about helping you to โ€œ#ChooseYouโ€and take that extra time for self-care -- which of course is a theme I can 100% get behind, especially this year. ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿป
 
They have some super pretty pieces for Spring, including this matching set in the color Confetti Dot Sea Fog! ๐Ÿฅฐ Iโ€™m obsessed with the high waisted fit, subtle color block and hidden pocket details. ๐Ÿ‘‰๐Ÿผ Swipe to see how it easily goes from a workout to coffee run (or barre to brunch!) and head to my stories to shop the pieces. 
 
Canโ€™t wait to share more!! ๐ŸŽ‰ Would you like to see more styling photos like this series? Let me know! ๐Ÿ’•#CALIAByCarrieUnderwoodPartner #StayThePath

๐ŸŒฑ PINK & GREEN SMOOTHIE ๐ŸŒฑ {Swipe for the rec
๐ŸŒฑ PINK & GREEN SMOOTHIE ๐ŸŒฑ {Swipe for the recipe} 
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This day totally got away from me as Iโ€™ve been playing catch up with work, but I did have a chance to make this super pretty dragonfruit smoothie and wanted to share!! ๐Ÿ’•
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
I originally was hoping the colors would layer on top of each other but I added too much liquid ๐Ÿ˜…. Even so, the combined flavors were delicious and sooo tropical, plus those pink swirls and drips were everything! 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
SAVE the recipe and give it a try! ๐Ÿฅฐ #greensmoothie

A very Spring weekend in the city. ๐Ÿš• { Swipe fo
A very Spring weekend in the city. ๐Ÿš• { Swipe for ๐ŸŒธ blooms} My dad and brother flew up to visit so I spent these past few days unplugged and fully present. ๐Ÿฅฐ 
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I didnโ€™t capture all the moments but it was a weekend full of really delicious food, great views ๐ŸŒƒ , lots of games, about 40K steps ๐Ÿ‘Ÿ and somehow an entire season of Survivor. 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
Feeling very happy and ready to take on the week. ๐Ÿ‘๐ŸปWhat is one fun thing you did this weekend? #SpringinNYC


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  • Introducing a product into the marketplace comes with an inherent carbon footprint, whether it be in the form of wasteful packaging or environmentally harmful production practices. During an age when thousands of new startups surface every year, every business now has a moral responsibility to seek out sustainable ways to offer their products. Thankfully, we have these 10 sustainable brands to lead the way. #ethicalfashion #slowfashion #ecofriendly #zerowaste #zeroplastic #ethicalbrands
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This is your sign to pack yourself a picnic and en This is your sign to pack yourself a picnic and enjoy some quality time outside! โ˜€๏ธ After a very gloomy and cold winter, Spring always feels like an awakening here in NYC. Not to mention with #EarthDay right around the corner, itโ€™s even more of a reason to enjoy the warm weather, sunshine, and all things that Mother Nature has to offer! ๐Ÿ… ๐Ÿฅ’ ๐ŸŒฟ
 
One of my fav things nature gives us is veggies and Iโ€™m obsessed with how @dirtkitchensnacks has turned them into a yummy snack! Not only are their Air Dried Veggie Crisps super convenient, crunchy, and delicious but theyโ€™re also made from upcycled veggies (surplus or imperfect) that would have otherwise never left the farm! This means less food waste and more veggies for me and you to enjoy. ๐Ÿ‘ 
 
I love supporting brands that are doing awesome things for people and the planet and think you all will love them too! ๐ŸŒŽ ๐Ÿ’•
 
They have 3 different kinds of Veggie Crisps to choose from and you can find them online: grape tomato, blushed bell pepper, and zucchini. ๐Ÿ… ๐Ÿฅ’ Which veggie is your favorite? #DigInWithDKS #Sponsored
The lights are so bright but they never blind me. The lights are so bright but they never blind me. ๐Ÿ’ซ #DateNight
2 years after saying โ€œI doโ€ and it feels like 2 years after saying โ€œI doโ€ and it feels like it was just yesterday. โค๏ธ Our first anniversary was spent in lockdown last year {Swipe for a bts} and today Iโ€™m getting vaxxed ๐Ÿ’‰. It feels like weโ€™ve come full circle and Iโ€™m so ready to celebrate with a dinner in the city tonight and a pretty big adventure to come ๐Ÿ˜Š. Love you, @bayphillips.
Give me all the iced coffee and a paintbrush and I Give me all the iced coffee and a paintbrush and Iโ€™ll be one happy gal ๐ŸŽจ๐Ÿ„๐ŸŒธ. 
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Itโ€™s been a gloomy day in the city and I woke up with an itch to put all my whimsical, colorful dreams on paper. Swipe to see the enchanted forest landscape and the BTS of how it came to life. ๐ŸŒฟ๐ŸŒผ 
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Thereโ€™s a beauty that comes with the stillness of painting. For an hour or two the whole world melts away and itโ€™s just me, the paper and my brush. ๐Ÿ–Œ Showing up with no creative expectations has a way of making me feel limitless, and in many ways itโ€™s the most mindful exercise and expressive form of self care I can do. ๐ŸŽจ๐Ÿ’• 
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I hope you jelly beans have found your own quiet, creative moment this weekend. I promise itโ€™s the best way to unplug and reset ๐ŸŒˆ  #selfcaresunday
Iโ€™m gonna file this under cutest healthy cookies Iโ€™m gonna file this under cutest healthy cookies Iโ€™ve ever made! ๐Ÿฅฐ๐Ÿข๐Ÿ’• These vegan matcha & tahini cookies are fun to create and are guaranteed to make your tastebuds do a lil happy dance! 
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Theyโ€™re a little sweet and nutty with a crispy outside and chewy inside. Bonus: creating the turtle shapes reminded me of playing with playdoh! (Talk about a throwback)
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Iโ€™m going to test out and share several #EarthMonth ๐ŸŒŽ inspired recipes over the next few weeks, so stay tuned! 
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You can find this recipe on @veggiekins blog. ๐Ÿข 10/10 would recommend for cuteness + a healthy treat that makes you smile๐Ÿ˜‹. #HealthyDesserts
๐“๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ž ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐Ž๐–๐„๐‘ ๐“๐ก๐ž๐ซ๐ž ๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐Ž๐–๐„๐‘ ๐ข๐ง โœจ๐œ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ง๐œ๐ฒ.โœจ
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Good things rarely come easy in life and they definitely donโ€™t come quickly. More often than not, it boils down to a very underrated behavior called consistency. 
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So what does that look like? It means: 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
๐Ÿ”ธChoosing to ๐ฌ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐ฎ๐ฉ even when youโ€™re not feeling motivated
๐Ÿ”ธ ๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค over and over even when it doesnโ€™t seem like anything sticks
๐Ÿ”ธ ๐‚๐š๐ซ๐ฏ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐ž ๐Ÿ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ ๐จ๐š๐ฅ๐ฌ even when progress is slower than you would have liked
๐Ÿ”ธ Holding yourself accountable and ๐ญ๐š๐ค๐ข๐ง๐  ๐ฌ๐ฆ๐š๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ฉ๐ฌ one day at a time till you cross the finish line
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
Everyone hypes up motivation but the truth is there will be MANY days where you are unmotivated. Where you find yourself to be tired, frustrated, and impatient with lack of results. 
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But thatโ€™s where the real magic happens friends. When you can show up consistently for yourself โ€” in all aspects of your life, you WILL achieve your goals. ๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป
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๐’๐จ ๐ค๐ž๐ž๐ฉ ๐ ๐จ๐ข๐ง๐ . 
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On days when you feel like quitting, remind yourself of your why. Give yourself space to rest and then get back in there and keep trying. ๐Ÿ’ฏ 
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Iโ€™ll leave you with this quote: 
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โœจ โ€œ๐ˆ๐ญโ€™๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ž ๐๐จ ๐จ๐ง๐œ๐ž ๐ข๐ง ๐š๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ž ๐ญ๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐ฌ๐ก๐š๐ฉ๐ž๐ฌ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐ž๐ฌ. ๐ˆ๐ญโ€™๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ก๐š๐ญ ๐ฐ๐ž ๐๐จ ๐œ๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ฅ๐ฒ.โ€ ~ ๐“๐จ๐ง๐ฒ ๐‘๐จ๐›๐›๐ข๐ง๐ฌโœจ
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{๐Ÿ“ธ: @mikohafez}
Happy Easter๐ŸŒธ , beautiful humans. He is Risen! Happy Easter๐ŸŒธ , beautiful humans. He is Risen! โœจ 
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Today Iโ€™m celebrating Godโ€™s eternal love for us and the resurrection of my Savior, Jesus Christ . โœ๏ธ The past 13 months have been full of challenges, discomfort and practicing patience through the unknown. Iโ€™m grateful that through it all, God has brought so much good into our lives and continues to guide us in the direction of his plan. ๐Ÿ’• 
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โœจItโ€™s a comfort to know that after the darkness, there is always light.โœจ
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Even if you donโ€™t celebrate, I hope youโ€™re having a wonderful weekend filled with love and hope for beautiful things to come. ๐Ÿฅฐ  #HappyEaster { ๐Ÿ“ธ: @winilaophotos}
Lookinโ€™ for a super simple & sweet Easter treat! Lookinโ€™ for a super simple & sweet Easter treat!? ๐Ÿฃ These 4๏ธโƒฃ ingredient HEALTHY chocolate pb eggs are for you! 
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Iโ€™ve seen these knockoff Reeseโ€™s eggs all over Pinterest and used the recipe by @ambitiouskitchen to make mine. ๐Ÿ’• {SWIPE FOR A CLOSE UP}
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Recipe:
๐Ÿ”ธ Mix 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter with 1 tbsp maple syrup and 2 tbsp coconut flour 
๐Ÿ”ธ Scoop onto parchment paper and form/flatten into egg shapes 
๐Ÿ”ธ Freeze for 1 hour 
๐Ÿ”ธ Melt dark chocolate in small bowl and dip PB eggs 
๐Ÿ”ธ Freeze for 5 min and top with drizzle of white chocolate and sea salt 
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Store them in the freezer till ready to eat! ๐Ÿ’• Happy Easter Weekend everyone ๐ŸŒธ #MelsMeals #healthydesserts
๐ŸŒฑ Just a little @cocokind chlorophyll face mask ๐ŸŒฑ Just a little @cocokind chlorophyll face mask and chillll Q&A session because there are lots of new friends on here! ๐Ÿ’•
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Since I canโ€™t believe I hit 30k followers (and 25k on TikTok!?) I thought a little โ€œabout meโ€ and fun fact sharing was in order! ๐Ÿ’•โœจ
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๐€ ๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ฅ๐ž ๐š๐›๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฆ๐ž
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๐Ÿ”ธ Hi lovely humans! My name is Melanie and I created this blog 5 years ago to share my wellness journey and healthy, positive lifestyle + connect with likeminded people such as yourself. ๐Ÿ˜Š
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๐Ÿ”ธ I currently live in NYC with my husband, @bayphillips, and our two rescue pups @chipandnina 
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๐Ÿ”ธ I graduated with a BS in Marketing and have been working in the social media/digital marketing space for 8 years!! 6 years in corporate marketing for tourism and global beauty brands and 2 as a full time wellness blogger 
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๐Ÿ”ธ I went through a 200 hour yoga teacher training course a few years ago and have been teaching online and at various branded events ever since ๐Ÿ’•. Hoping to teach at a studio once the world is back to normal 
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๐Ÿ”ธ Personality traits in a nutshell: Iโ€™m a Cancer โ™‹๏ธ, ENFJ and Enneagram 2w3 
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๐Ÿ”ธ I am a Christian and my faith is super important to me. I have a whole blog post called โ€œConfessions of a Christian Yogiโ€ if youโ€™d like to read more 
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๐Ÿ”ธ Things I love that youโ€™ll probably see a lot of on here: painting ๐ŸŽจ, reading ๐Ÿ“–, my pups ๐Ÿถ, clean & cruelty-free beauty products๐Ÿ’…๐Ÿป, cute activewear ๐Ÿ‘Ÿ, low impact workouts ๐Ÿง˜๐Ÿปโ€โ™€๏ธ, yoga & meditation, food that makes me feel good ๐Ÿฅ‘, matcha ๐Ÿต, colorful home decor ๐Ÿก, self care ๐Ÿ›, and houseplants ๐Ÿชด. 
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I hope you stick around and we can get to know each other!! 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
๐ˆ๐ง ๐Ÿ๐š๐œ๐ญ โ€” ๐ˆโ€™๐ ๐ฅ๐จ๐ฏ๐ž ๐ญ๐จ ๐ก๐ž๐š๐ซ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐  ๐š๐›๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ!! Where are you from? Whatโ€™s your fav kind of workout? What do you do for fun? Plz share away! ๐Ÿฅฐ #SelfCare 
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Special announcement: Iโ€™m officially a @CaliaByC Special announcement: Iโ€™m officially a @CaliaByCarrie Brand Ambassador for a 2nd year and I couldnโ€™t be more thrilled to continue sharing their amazing clothes and accessories with you!! ๐ŸŽ‰๐Ÿ’• As a brand, #CALIAByCarrie is all about helping you to โ€œ#ChooseYouโ€and take that extra time for self-care -- which of course is a theme I can 100% get behind, especially this year. ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿป
 
They have some super pretty pieces for Spring, including this matching set in the color Confetti Dot Sea Fog! ๐Ÿฅฐ Iโ€™m obsessed with the high waisted fit, subtle color block and hidden pocket details. ๐Ÿ‘‰๐Ÿผ Swipe to see how it easily goes from a workout to coffee run (or barre to brunch!) and head to my stories to shop the pieces. 
 
Canโ€™t wait to share more!! ๐ŸŽ‰ Would you like to see more styling photos like this series? Let me know! ๐Ÿ’•#CALIAByCarrieUnderwoodPartner #StayThePath
๐ŸŒฑ PINK & GREEN SMOOTHIE ๐ŸŒฑ {Swipe for the rec ๐ŸŒฑ PINK & GREEN SMOOTHIE ๐ŸŒฑ {Swipe for the recipe} 
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This day totally got away from me as Iโ€™ve been playing catch up with work, but I did have a chance to make this super pretty dragonfruit smoothie and wanted to share!! ๐Ÿ’•
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
I originally was hoping the colors would layer on top of each other but I added too much liquid ๐Ÿ˜…. Even so, the combined flavors were delicious and sooo tropical, plus those pink swirls and drips were everything! 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
SAVE the recipe and give it a try! ๐Ÿฅฐ #greensmoothie
A very Spring weekend in the city. ๐Ÿš• { Swipe fo A very Spring weekend in the city. ๐Ÿš• { Swipe for ๐ŸŒธ blooms} My dad and brother flew up to visit so I spent these past few days unplugged and fully present. ๐Ÿฅฐ 
โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €โ €
I didnโ€™t capture all the moments but it was a weekend full of really delicious food, great views ๐ŸŒƒ , lots of games, about 40K steps ๐Ÿ‘Ÿ and somehow an entire season of Survivor. 
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Feeling very happy and ready to take on the week. ๐Ÿ‘๐ŸปWhat is one fun thing you did this weekend? #SpringinNYC
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