Welcome to Blueberry Smiles where I share the bits and pieces of my everyday, sometimes chaotic, but always usually happy and love-filled life. It might be my latest adventure in the kitchen, a story about my thinks-he’s-human dog, a new exercise pursuit, a burst of positivity or gratefulness, or simple adventures in life and love.  Whatever it is, I hope this blog makes you smile.

I’m Rebecca, living in San Francisco with my amazing boyfriend and adorable puppy.  By day, I run a nonprofit program that helps homeless kids, but in my non-working world, I love yoga, swimming, hiking, baking, photography, my dog, the beach, cheering for my Ironman boyfriend at his races, and chocolate ice cream (always in a cone!)

I’m a fifth-generation San Franciscan, which makes me a true Californian…though only on paper.  SF is a mecca for healthy eating and exercise, and it’s so much fun to discover all the healthy living-ness that this city has to offer. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that Napa/Sonoma and amazing wine tasting is just an hour away!  I grew up here, went to the east coast for college, but have been back for a while (for good? possibly…).

Food:  My California roots have made me appreciate fresh fruits and veggies (as well as ample time in the sun.)   I love to cook and experiment with new recipes, as long as there’s someone to help me eat them.  I also love to scour odd grocery stores or farmer’s markets for interesting new foods.

I feel best when I eat fresh, unprocessed, real foods, and try to do so 85% of the time.  My kitchen is always stocked with fresh veggies, quinoa, organic fruits, fish, and sweet potatoes. But don’t be fooled, I the other 15% is filled with chocolate ice cream, red wine, and any kind of baked goods.  I struggled with obsessing over what I ate for way too many years in the past and am happy to have a much healthier view of foods.  It’s all about balance.

Fitness:  I’ve always been active and while I have run a few races, I’m typically more into hiking, swimming, tennis, and yoga than running these days. I tend to change my mind pretty often and start a new  fitness pursuit, so we’ll see.  With a busy work and personal life, fitting in quality of exercise is often a challenge and I work hard to try to find a balance.  Some weeks are better than others.

Life: Charlie, my 3-yr old pup is my weekend side-kick and we often spend the weekend hiking or hanging out at the beach.  He’s happy, curious, and very, very communicative and I feel so lucky to be his dog-mom.

Ironman Supporter:  My boyfriend is training for his second Ironman and supporting someone training for a race is an adventure on its own (check out my post on Carrots n Cake).

Extra Smiles:  Blueberry Smiles is also about looking on the bright side.  About appreciating the small things.  About finding something extra to smile about.  And about being grateful for what we have.  I have so much to be thankful and grateful for.  And I’m using this blog as a way to count my blessings and to find extra small things that make me smile.

I’ll try to post something from that day that made me smile or that I was extra grateful for.  Doing so helps me look for things in my everyday life, to see them more than I see the negative frown-y things.

Why Blueberry Smiles?  Truth, I just liked the name.  But it ended up having more meaning for me too.  Bueberries are these tiny berries, but each one is jam-packed with nutrients, creating a sweet burst in your mouth that is good for your taste buds and good for you body.  That’s something to smile about.

Thanks for visiting!!