From cooking and writing about food on her food blog, to mastering a DIY project, to running or hiking, this Shoestring Warrior is winning at the hobby game! Meet Laurie, a Shoestring Adventures Ambassador and an Associate Executive Director! She has been living in San Diego for over ten years and recently participated in the Cotopaxi Questival Adventure Race.

She laughed her way through the city for 24 hours and discovered areas she never knew existed!

Laurie is a wonderful addition to the Shoestring Family and we’re excited to have her as an Ambassador in the San Diego area! Learn more about Laurie in our interview below and check out her food blog, Glaurieous Dishes and on Instagram, to learn what she’s been cooking recently and to get some fresh ideas for healthy dishes this winter season!

Shoestring Warrior: Laurie Ganz

Hometown:

Chatsworth, CA

Current Location:

San Diego, CA

Profession:

Associate Executive Director, SDX

What are your passions outside of work?

I love staying active whether that be going to the gym, taking a yoga class, going for a run or hiking. I also love to cook and have a food blog – Glaurieous Dishes.

I love anything crafty and DIY projects.

Whether it’s painting a new piece of art to hang on my walls, sewing some pillows or making wall shelves out of popsicle sticks, Pinterest is my favorite tool for inspiration!

Tell us about yourself!

I was born in Los Angeles but moved to San Diego in 2005 and love it. I currently work for a non-profit planning events and love that I get to help so many people through our events and networking opportunities.

How would you describe your level of camping experience?

I camped a lot when I was younger as I was in Girl Scouts, but haven’t done much camping as an adult. I love tagging along on other people’s trips as long as they have the needed gear, ha! Glamping is also great! 😉

What inspired you to start Glaurieous Dishes?

I’ve always loved cooking and family and friends had been telling me for years I should have a blog, so I finally did it. I wanted a place to be able to share my healthy dishes and try and inspire others to cook more and eat healthier.

When you get invited to a potluck or host a dinner party, what’s your favorite dish to prepare and why?

I usually end up making a healthy dessert. Something like healthy brownies or gluten free cookies. I also make a really amazing mango-avocado salsa.

Subscription-based companies that send food to homes across America are a new player in the food industry. What are your thoughts about the meal kit industry?

I’ve never actually tried one since I cook so much myself and enjoy coming up with my own recipes, but for people who have never really cooked, it seems like a great option. Everything is already picked for you and you’re provided with instructions to make it easy for anyone.

You recently completed Cotopaxi’s Questival adventure race. What is your fondest memory from the race and what did you find most challenging?

I never imaged I would have so much fun doing Cotopaxi’s Questival.

It was 24 hours of fun, adventure, and stepping out of my comfort zone.

My fondest memory was going to Rocky’s and shooting a scene from Anchorman with my two teammates. We could barely get through the scene without laughing and everyone at the bar was certainly enjoying our entertainment. The most challenging aspect was scheduling out our 24 hours and trying to complete as many tasks as possible. I would highly recommend Questival to anyone! It was so fun, you get to see parts of the city you’ve never explored and meet other fun Questival participants.

Which Shoestring Adventures trips have you completed?

I have not been on any of the trips, but have gone on a hiking Meetup and just co-led my first hike earlier this month. I’ll be planning more hikes with Shoestring Adventures Trip Leader Canyon and our next one will be in January!

What advice do you have for women on finding their adventure community?

Don’t be afraid to go alone and try something new!

Find a group that sounds like they do activities that you enjoy and just show up! If you don’t like it, you never have to go back. But you won’t know until you try.

Now that you’ve been on a Shoestring Adventure, can you tell us your favorite memory?

I love the fact that so many strangers come together and become friends almost instantly.

From the beginning you already have the same interest in hiking, so it’s easy to feel comfortable and relate to everyone.

Where’s your next adventure?

I’m hoping to go to Boston or Chicago in the spring.

The perfect s’more? (if you don’t like s’mores, what’s your favorite campfire dessert?)

I’m a total weirdo and I LOVE burnt marshmallows. I purposefully catch them on fire, blow it out, eat the char and then repeat. Everyone thinks I’m weird but I just love the flavor. I just eat the chocolate on the side! 🙂

Photos © 2017 Laurie Ganz