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By Amy Zhang January 9, 2018 in Lifestyle, Wellness 6 Comments

What to Do When You’ve Caught a Cold

As I mentioned yesterday, I’ve been dealing with a bug for the past few days and am finally starting to feel better. I used to get sick ALL THE TIME and could never figure out why. Turns out what you do when you start feeling even the slightest bit under the weather goes a long way in nipping a cold in the bud or easing the symptoms. These days, the minute I start feeling a little off or the slightest tickle on my throat, I go into full on (slightly psycho) preventative mode. Personally, I would so much rather take it easy for a few days and nurture my health rather than be out of commission for an entire week. While there’s no cure for the common cold, there are some things you can to do take care of yourself and get better ASAP.

How to get over if you’ve caught cold:

+ Cancel Your Social Plans

The first thing I do when I feel a bug coming on is cancel all of my social plans. I hate flaking, but when you’re sick, rest is the best thing you can do for your body! Also, your friends don’t want to get sick!! For some reason it took me years to actually do this. I’d feel a tickle in my throat and still go to my hot yoga class after work and then meet up with a friend for dinner after, only to wake up the next morning completely wiped out and unable to function for an entire week. When your body starts acting up, it’s telling you to stay home and get as many zzz’s as you can – this is the only way you’ll get better as quickly as possible! Staying in for a few nights and taking care of yourself is always worth it!

+ Try Various Cold Remedies

Next, I load up on all sorts of different remedies. A pain reliever and decongestant goes a long way to relieve body aches and pains and a stuffy nose, and cough drops always help as well. I also like to load up on Vitamin C packets and tons of tea. My favorite at home concoction is honey, lemon, ginger, and cayenne.

+ Incorporate the following immunity boosting ingredients into your diet:

Chicken soup – turns out there’s some truth to this old wives tale!
Echinacea + zinc – all natural supplements that boost your immune system.
Garlic – specifically, RAW GARLIC. Raw garlic has been shown to have some cold fighting benefits and is overall SO good for you. If you’re not sure about eating raw garlic, try adding it to soups or spreading it on toast. I usually mince a raw clove and eat it with a spoonful of honey (a little I trick I learned from the internet). Your significant other will LOVE you for doing this.

+ Drink up if you’ve caught cold!

I cannot get enough fluids when I’m sick. I always make sure to drink tea, warm water with lemon, bone broth/chicken noodle soup, and juice. You can totally make your own juices and smoothies at home, but when I’m sick that’s usually the last thing I want to do. In LA, there are so many juice bars that make it easy to get all of the nutrients and boosters you want in a beverage. I always make sure to pick up a WELLNESS SHOT (varies from place to place, my favorite contains lemon, ginger, cayenne, oil of oregano, garlic extract, and echinacea). My favorite places in LA to get a smoothie or juice when I’m under the weather:

Beverly Hills Juice Company: get a shot of ginger, E3 live, wheatgrass together and stock up on the Apple Lemon Triple juice for a boost to your immune system. If you’re looking for something with a little more substance, I LOVE their Banana Mana shakes (with apple strawberry coconut or carrot coconut juice).
Earth Bar: I especially love the Amazon Immunity + Radiant Skin smoothies when I’m feeling sick. These are filling and easy to drink even if you don’t have much of an appetite. Their fresh green juices are amazing for a boost of vitamins and nutrients as well, and I always make sure to order a double Cold + Sinus shot.
Kreation: tons of locations around LA with some of my favorite cold pressed juices and made to order smoothies. They also have a variety of “wellness shots” for anything you need.

What are your favorite cold busting tips? xx

By Amy Zhang January 5, 2018 in Lifestyle, Recipes 4 Comments

Boozy Hot Chocolate Recipe

While the east coast is getting bombed with snow and cold weather, we’re still enjoying warm weather over here in SoCal. I used to hate it when my friends from Southern California would rub the good weather in my face all winter long when I lived in Chicago, but now I totally understand the sentiment that seasons are overrated. But regardless of where you are right now, it’s technically still winter, and that means hot chocolate season! I tried my hand at making hot chocolate and the verdict around the house? It tastes SO much better than the packaged powders. Of course, I had to make a boozy hot chocolate recipe as well in this case. Not surprisingly, chocolate goes well with alcohol, and it’s officially one of my new favorite winter drinks.

How to make boozy hot chocolate + some variations

If you’ve never tried an alcoholic hot chocolate recipe in the winter, you’re missing out! Making boozy hot chocolate is easy (make hot chocolate and add the alcohol of your choice), but there are some different variations you can take with the recipe to suit your personal tastes. Of course, the easiest thing to do is mix pre-made hot chocolate mix with milk or water, and then add booze or liquor, but what’s the fun in that? If you’re feeling a little extra, you can make homemade hot chocolate, which tastes SO much better. There’s nothing better than a mug of hot chocolate during the cold weather months!

Ingredients for easy boozy hot cocoa:

+ Chocolate to melt (I prefer semi-sweet, but it’s really up to you!)

+ Milk of your choice (non-dairy is ok!)

+ Booze of your choice (suggestions: whiskey, rum, bourbon, red wine, peppermint schnapps)

+ Mini marshmallows

+ Cinnamon

Directions:

Luckily, this recipe is so easy to make! All you have to do is warm up the milk of your choice in a small saucepan (you can microwave it too if you’re in a pinch) and slowly whisk in the chocolate until it melts. Make sure the milk does not boil! Once the liquid is smooth and creamy (like, you know, hot chocolate), you can pour into a mug, add powdered cinnamon or crushed cinnamon sticks, and stir in the alcohol of your choice. One part alcohol to four parts hot chocolate is the ratio I usually work with, but you can adjust up or down as you prefer. Top with lots of mini marshmallows and whipped cream or the garnish of your choice and drink up!

Variations:

+ Add sugar or honey to taste if you prefer a sweeter drink

+ Toast your marshmallows and rim your mug with chocolate syrup and graham cracker crumbs for a S’mores hot chocolate

+ Add nutella for an extra indulgent drink

Other tips for making boozy hot chocolate: make for friends (how cute would a hot chocolate bar be for a winter themed party?!) and serve with copious amounts of marshmallows in cute mugs. Sit back at an outdoor fire pit (so perfect for après ski!) or in your pajamas at home for a movie night. Make for dessert or an everyday treat. Enjoy and follow me on Instagram! xx

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By Amy Zhang January 3, 2018 in Lifestyle 10 Comments

Finding Motivation & Inspiration to Achieve Your Goals and Crush the New Year

Happy New Year, everyone!! Is it just me, or is there an inspiring energy in the air this week? I have been loving all of the motivational posts and quotes I’ve been seeing on social media and around the internet. The energy has been palpable so far… I walked back into my office yesterday and it seemed like everyone was glowing, motivated, and all around on fire. I love that type of energy in the environment around me! I don’t know about you, but I find it’s easy to ride a wave of motivation & inspiration when everyone around you is setting goals and working hard on achieving them.

You might remember my New Years Resolutions. I’m really trying to bring some of my visions to life this year, and there’s no better time to start than now. I thought I’d kick off the year’s first post with all the things that inspire me to keep pushing towards my goals (even when the going gets tough!) and will hopefully do the same for you. I find that finding motivation and inspiration around me is so important to keep going, no matter what my goal is.

As much positive energy there is in the air right now, inevitably by the time the end of January rolls around, most people will be onto the next big thing. If this is the year you’re set on achieving your goals, it’s important to play the long game and stay focused for longer than a few weeks. For me, this year is about cultivating a vision around growth and intention. Knowing my worth and and continuing to work on myself, my career, and my side hustle.

Finding Motivation and Inspiration to Achieve Your Goals and Crush the New Year | by The Luxi Look

Inspiration comes and goes. There are some days I wake up so ready to take on the day and tackle my to-do list. Then there are days when all I want to do is lay in bed and binge watch TV (and I definitely allow myself these days!). Again, I’m a huge believer in the long game – small, consistent changes and actions add up over time and give you the results you want over time. It’s impossible to be completely fired up and motivated ALL DAY EVERYDAY (if that’s you, please share your secrets!) – and that’s not what I’m advocating for at all.

Some of my favorite quotes that inspire me all have a similar theme – the belief that you have control over your life and have the power to make positive changes and accomplish your goal. Of course there is always an element of luck in life, but rather than feeling sorry for yourself or wishing you had different circumstances (which is out of control), why not focus on the things that you can control?

What inspires and motivates you?

Where do you go to find motivation and inspiration? I’m sharing some of mine below:

+ The people in my life.

Invest in people who care about you and your personal growth. Having a mentor in career and life is so incredibly important when it comes to stay laser focused on a goal, knowing when to deviate, and learning how to deal with setbacks. I owe so much to the ones I have in my life.

+ Motivational and inspirational podcasts.

As you know, I am such a sucker for a good podcast. The ones that never fail to inspire me? How I Built This, Ted Talks, and Girlboss Radio with Sophia Amaruso (< I love Sophia Amaruso and find her to be SO inspiring. Regardless of what you think of Nasty Gal, listening to her podcast you can tell she learned so many lessons from her mistakes and is growing as an entrepreneur).

There’s something incredibly inspiring about listening to successful entrepreneurs and people share their stories and talk about how they got to where they are. These make my long commute to work fly by : ). One question that is always asked on How I Built This that I absolutely love – how much of your success do you attribute to luck vs. your talent and hard work? The answers vary, but most of the entrepreneurs interviewed on the podcast acknowledge the element of luck (being in the right place at the right time), but also give themselves credit in being able to take an idea and turn it into something greater.

+ Books.

Every year I set a goal to read a certain number of books, this year is no exception. It’s always a balance between the latest fiction and nonfiction best sellers and recommendations from friends. I always try to include some inspirational and motivational books in my reading list. Some of my favorites from last year: You are a Badass, Option B, and Grit. (< definitely want to do more book posts this year!)

+ Blogs.

There are so many inspiring people on the internet just living their everyday lives and crushing it. One of my favorite series right now – New York Magazine’s How I Get It Done.

+ Motivational Quotes and Positive Affirmations.

I keep a list of some of my favorite motivational quotes on my Pinterest and in my iPhone notes and daily journal. These remind me to keep my eyes on the prize and focus on myself and my goals. I find affirmations to be incredibly powerful – not in their ability to manifest change or growth out of thing air, but in how they constantly remind ourselves of our goals and intentions. One thing I’m trying this year is setting a daily calendar alert with a positive, goal-oriented affirmation.

+ Meditation.

I find I’m able to think more clearly and stay more focused when my mind is rested and calm. When I feel tired or unmotivated, I make sure to get some extra sleep and spend more time looking inward – the combination of hot yoga with meditation almost always does the trick and gets me back on track ASAP. I’m a huge believer in the mind-body connection and swear that when I take care of my body, my mind follows.

What is your motivation and inspiration to crush it this year?

What inspires you to keep going? Some of the best advice I’ve received – start early and start now. Excited to share more with all of you this year!

xx, Amy

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By Amy Zhang December 28, 2017 in Lifestyle, Style 12 Comments

Coming for You, 2018 – How to Set & Actually Keep Your New Years Resolutions

New year, new me. Every year around this time, we start thinking about new years resolution. A new year signifies a fresh start, a new chance to be a better person. Most of us like to think that when the clock strikes midnight, we’ll begin working on our new and improved self. Maybe this will be the year you finally reach your health and fitness goals. You might put more time into your career, or focus on spending more quality time with the people you care about. No matter how big or small your resolution is, when it comes down to it, how determined are you to follow through?

What happens to most new years resolutions?

The truth – not much. Most of us are completely guilty of setting lofty resolutions, only to forget about them come February. Apparently only 8% (!!) of people keep their new years resolutions. Some of the reasons? Overly ambitious goals, getting thrown off by setbacks, and losing motivation. Um, not too promising, right?

What’s the point of even setting a new years resolution, then?

Even if statistically most resolutions fall to the wayside, there’s still some benefit to setting them, especially if you’re goal oriented. A fresh start can happen any time of year, but something about January 1 just feels right for most people. It also depends on how you like to look at things – I tend to be more optimistic, so I still set resolutions. Let’s face it – we all have areas we could and would like to improve in. Why not use a new year as a chance to take a stab at making ourselves better?

How to set better new years resolutions:

My new approach – have a vision rather specific goals. The reason? Goals can lead you down a narrow path, and we often underestimate how much our goals will change over the years. On the other hand, a vision is broad, which allows us to explore more opportunities and remain more open minded.

This year, I’m trying to focus on themes that I can revisit throughout the year, regardless of the time of year. In the past my goals have very specific (i.e. exercise X times per week, read X books per month, etc.), but this year I really want to focus on cultivating a broader vision vs. such specific goals.

So, how do you actually keep your resolutions?

+ Focus on small, actionable changes. Take your “big resolution,” and distill it into something small you can work on daily.

+ Create a mantra – something you repeat and think about daily. Set a reminder – a daily alarm, a calendar note, journal – that brings your resolution and vision to the front of mind every day.

+ Force yourself to be accountable. Tell people you feel close to, join a group of like minded individuals with similar goals, and place yourself in an environment where not only do you feel like you can’t fail, you won’t want to because of the support group you have in place.

My new years resolutions:

+ Be more present and spend more time offline. This is something I started doing the last few months of 2017, and the single thing I’ve found most beneficial to my mental and emotional well being. Going offline, unplugging from social media, and staying off my phone when in the presence of other people is one of the biggest things I want to focus on in the new year. This isn’t always easy when you’re a full time content creator – but I’m not. At the end of the day, striking a balance between capturing the moment and living in the moment is something a lot of millennials seem to struggle with. Anyone else with me on this one?

+ Quality, not quantity. This one is hugely important to me – learning to say “yes” to things that matter and no to the things that are not. Being more selective with my time and energy. Basically, making sure that everything I do is done with intention.

+ Enjoy life – this might sound silly, but between balancing work, blog, life, & everything in between, sometimes you forget to take a step back and just enjoy the life you’re living. A lot of us try to focus on gratitude and appreciation as a resolution, but how often do we give ourselves permission to have more fun?

What are your resolutions?

xx, Amy

jumpsuit: flynn skye | bag: who what wear | shoes: similar | sunnies: ray-ban

planner: box of style | jewelry: luv aj

By Amy Zhang December 14, 2017 in Lifestyle, Style 7 Comments

Holiday Gifts For Your BFF

There’s nothing better than surprising your BFF with the perfect holiday gift. I’m super excited to be sharing some of my all-time favorite gifts for friends today! There’s nothing wrong with a gift card (especially if you know she’s particular about what she wants), but getting her something more specific is meaningful and shows you care. Whatever her hobbies and interests are, there’s sure to be something she’ll love below.

The best holiday gifts for your BFF

For beauty lovers

For the girl that’s basically a beauty guru – gift her a new kit or product she’s sure to love testing.

Laura Mercier Velour Extreme Matte Lipstick – this is a great stocking stuffer or little gift she’ll love! Ideal for carrying on the go in your daytime purse or evening clutch. I really love how rich and luxe the formula is, and you can never go wrong with a rich matte lip color!

The Perfect Bite Set – Bite makes some of my favorite lipsticks, these mini lipsticks are easy to carry and double as a moisturizing layer for your lips as well. How cute is the red tin for the holidays?

Deborah Lippmann Bed of Roses Set – neutral/nude shades that work on every skin tone.

Fresh Sugar Lip Suite Set – better than your drugstore chapstick. Hydrating, luxe, and tinted just enough so you can get by without applying anything else. These are forever a staple in my bag, and every friend I’ve gotten them hooked on can’t live without them!

Ole Henriksen Advent Calendar – how cute and festive is this little skincare advent calendar? Jump start her new year with your brightest, most glowing skin yet!

For health nuts

Gifts your health + wellness junkie BFF will love.

Dry Shampoo Set – when it comes to dry shampoo, there’s no one product fits all! This sample set will ensure she can try a bunch of different kinds before finding the one that will earn a permanent spot in her gym bag.

Touche LA Leggings & Sports Bra – because who doesn’t want to look cute while they sweat? This is one of my favorite new workout clothing lines of the year, everything is SO comfortable, flattering, and performs well for any type of workout.

Skidless Yoga Mat – a must for any hot yoga lover. You can never have too many of these for your practice!

Adidas Ultraboost Sneakers – comfortable and chic both on and off the street.

Gym Bag – Lululemon gym bags are so well designed, they have compartments and pockets for everything you could think of. And, they last for years!

For home decor enthusiasts

Your friend that has the chicest home and lives for HGTV.

Moscow Mule Mugs – these look chic on any bar cart and work for so many different cocktails, not just Moscow Mules! Also, how pretty is the rose gold?

Mid Century Planter – chances are she’s pinned this planter on her Pinterest board somewhere. It works with any type of indoor house plant!

Marble Fruit Bowl – use it to hold fruit, or any decorative trinkets. Marble accents work with any decor scheme!

Agate Cheese Board – you can never have too many cheese plates. These agate versions will stun at any dinner party.

Le Labo Candle – one of my favorite fancy candles – the scent is unlike any other candle out there and makes a great hostess gift any time of year.

Faux Fur Throw – warm and cozy, perfect for an evening at home watching a movie.

For jet-setters

The girl that’s always on the go will love a gift that is travel inspired.

Aesop Jet Set Travel Kit – aptly named, your friend that is running out of room in her passport for stamps will truly appreciate luxurious travel sized products.

Kiehl’s Hand Cream Trio – love the travel sized version of this ultra hydrating hand cream, especially in the winter months.

Silk Eye Mask – nothing says “Do Not Disturb” on a long flight quite like an eye mask. This silk version won’t mess up your lashes, blocks out the light, and is a red eye essential.

Glossier Balm Dot Com Trio – you can never have enough balm dot com. Now she can have a tube in every travel bag/purse.

Away Carry On – it’s not a bad idea to invest in high quality, durable luggage. This is a great gift idea for anyone on your list that you’re looking to spend more on. They’ll love and appreciate this for years to come.

Passport Holder – something nice to protect and hold one of her most prized possessions – her passport.

What are you getting for the girls on your list? Happy shopping & happy holidays! xx