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Jen A. Miller Consulting

Category: The Single Diaries

  • Farmer’s Market Summer Salad

    Farmer’s Market Summer Salad

    The Perfect Summer Salad for Your 4th of July Feast

    summer-salad
    Our favorite summer holiday is swiftly approaching and we’re busy prepping for the fun. For me, no matter what plans I have, two things always stay constant with my Fourth of July festivities fireworks and food. Since I have no business getting anywhere near the former, I like to turn my attention to the latter.

    At the beginning of the year we invited all of you to join us in crafting your vision board.  One of the focuses of mine, was to spend 2014 working on my craftiness and creativity. With that in mind this past Sunday, I headed to the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market, camera in hand, with two goals in mind. The first– to scout out some fresh ingredients for a summer salad recipe I could recreate for the Fourth of July weekend festivities. The second–to practice my photography skills with the DSLR camera I’ve been slowly learning to use.

    As you head into this week, I also have two goals I’d like to pose to you. First, give this summer salad a go. Summer is the perfect time to shop for seasonal produce so make it your own by adding whatever fresh ingredients you find at your local market.  Even if you aren’t a whiz in the kitchen, you’ll have a crowd-pleasing dish on your hands if you simply stick to great ingredients. Second, take a look back at your vision board and remind yourself of the goals you set for the year. We’re over half-way through 2014 so it’s a good time to check in.

    Read on for a few tips to perfect your take on the perfect farmer’s market summer salad.

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  • Guilt Free, Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies

    Guilt Free, Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies

    A Low-Fat Twist on a Classic Favorite

    gluten-free-chocolate-brownies
    It’s the weekend (yay!) and while we’re supporters of kicking off your shoes and letting loose, we don’t want to abandon our healthy eating practices all-together. That’s why this weekend we’re delivering you a recipe for  gluten free chocolate brownies that you can indulge in guilt free. With a recipe as healthy as this one, there’s no deciding between desert and that glass of wine. Turns out you can have your cake (er brownie) and eat it too! Read on for the recipe and get your weekend started on a delicious and nutritious foot.

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  • Thoughtful Single Girl | Are You A Good Listener?

    Many of us consider ourselves good listeners, but what exactly does that mean?

    PHOTO: Pinterest.
    PHOTO: Pinterest.

    In a world of constant “communication,” we are losing our ability to slow down and pay attention. We think conversation is a two-way street merely because anyone with a social media account can have a voice. We are encouraged to form our own opinions, and we often do that in a matter of seconds; is this interfering with the essential skill of listening?

    After some practice with meditation and reading a great book on spirituality, I reflected on what it means to listen. I started to notice the lack of it within group conversations: speakers aren’t being heard… people are simply waiting their turn to talk. It’s one thing to be a great conversationalist—someone who can carry on an interesting verbal exchange and keep the other person engaged—and it may be another thing to be a great listener.

    When a friend is going through a tough time (a loss in the family, a rough period at work, a break-up), being heard is especially important. We are quick to jump in with our opinion, our advice, our words of wisdom. However, what she may really need from us is simply an ear and a shoulder. If her situation immediately reminds you of your own, you may need to ask yourself: am I listening, or am I just waiting to talk?

    Before you allow the wheels to start turning in your head, consider the following.

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  • What I Love About My City | San Francisco

    What I Love About My City | San Francisco

    San Francisco-born Nini Gueco tells us why she never tires of her City by the Bay

    PHOTO: Quoc Ngo.

     

    Welcome back to What I Love About My City—a series in which our favorite single girls dish on everything from the best places for a single girls weekend to the secret spots only the locals know about. If you’re thinking about moving or just planning your next trip, we’ll fill you in with all the essential details on the cities our crew knows best.

    Over 30 years in San Francisco, and Avant-Barre‘s founder Char “Nini” Gueco has a palpable love for this fair city. Born in the City and raised in the Peninsula, Nini stayed in the Bay Area to attend Santa Clara University where she graduated with a degree in Accounting. Travel opportunities happened domestically through work (her first career move was as an accountant with a big 4 firm) and internationally through dance (she was a premier soloist with Likha Pilipino Folk Ensemble), but she always made her way back home to the Bay. I had the privilege of meeting Nini 27 years ago when I was born her second sister, and she’s one reason I cannot wait to make the move back this summer. After hearing what she had to say about San Francisco, I found a few more reasons to add to my list (one of them is Avant-Barre’s brand new SoMa studio that opens today).

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  • How to Pack for Your Summer Vacation

    How to Pack for Your Summer Vacation

    5 Steps to Help You Pack like a Pro

    how-to-pack

    Summer is here and my guess is that many of you have plans to soak in the sun with at least one vacation. To help you get to and through your trip hassle free, we’re sharing our guide to packing like a pro. Whether you’ll be gone for 1 week or 1 month, this 5 step plan will help you figure what and how to pack for your trip.

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