Yasso- The FroYo, Not Bart.

Attention dessert-lovers! 

Usually, every night before bed, I bake myself a delicious Quest bar. (I also have a tendancy to pick on frozen bananas, peanut butter puffins dipped in peanut butter, and top said Quest bar with even more peanut butter…when all is said and done, it’s super low cal, honest…)

But I am also a BIG froyo and ice cream fan. I’m all about mint Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches, but those can be expensive, especially in Manhattan. I’ve been dying to try the new Yasso frozen GREEK yogurt bars, and when I saw the Sea Salt Caramel ones at the store for only $5 (for a box of 4) I decided to treat myself.

100 calories and SO CREAMY! With a gooey, caramelly center. It’s really hard to believe these are only 100 calories. I was expecting the consistency to be weird, like Arctic Zero or one of those other low-calorie, mainly protein powder based “frozen treats” but this was pretty damn close in texture to a real ice cream bar. And the flavor was delicious.

Yes, there’s sugar and some not so great ingredients, but every once in awhile, I think these are a great dessert! I’m hooked, and can’t wait to try more flavors.  There’s lots! Chocolate fudge, mint chocolate chip, dark chocolate raspberry, peanut butter cup, raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, vanilla bean, mango and coconut! They range from 80-130 calories. So I can still eat my frozen bananas, peanut butter puffins and peanut butter by the spoonful. Everybody wins. 

Nutmeg State (Connecticut, Duh)

Why yes, I did have a wonderful Friday/Saturday in Connecticut two weekends ago, before my Fitness Friends Sunday, thanks for asking!

I had been a really bad friend to my Connecticut peeps, and it was time to suck-it up and hop on Metro North for a ridiculous fare and get my butt to the Nutmeg State.

It was a summer Friday, so after sprinting through Grand Central, I made a 2:30 train and Melissa picked me up in Milford. We had some time to kill, so naturally, we hit the mall. 

Shockingly, we were able to control ourselves and didn’t end up buying anything unnecessary.  Because really, as much as I can try to justify it, any article of clothing I buy at this point in time is unnecessary. My exploding closets and drawers are proof of that.

Next it was off to our old stomping grounds, Hamden, to pick up some of that oh so classy champagne to make it a true celebration of our reunion. $5 Andre. Poppin’.

We arrived at Allison’s apartment and I leaped into her arms. Then I made myself food. Typical. We got ready, chatted, Melissa “erased my face” aka did my make-up just like the good old Quinnipiac days, and we headed over to Town Walk to Nicole’s apartment where we popped the champagne and drank some delicious beer (obsessed with UFO grapefruit and raspberry… and Redd’s). Then it was off to New Hay Hay.

Of course, I graduate college and New Haven gets an awesome tequila bar named Geronimo’s, with a menu containing 12 different margaritas! I was so pumped to try it out. I perused the menu before even getting to Connecticut, obviously, and I definitely need to go back for their quinoa stuffed pepper at some point…

My friends are L0SAHS (yeah, you heard me guys) and ordered two pitchers of the strawberry basil margarita, when there were so many better options on the menu! The strawberry basil was verrrrry sweet and fruity- delicious, but reminded me of a daiquiri, not a margarita.  

Throughout the night I was able to try two others. First was the Santa Fe (1800 silver tequila, triple sec, pineapple and cranberry juices and fresh lime). This one was super smoky tasting, which no one else liked, but I did because it was something different.  I also tried another one- all I know is it had jalapeno in it and was spicy and it was delicious. I’m not a fan of spicy things, but jalapeno and tequila just go so well together.

The vibe of this place was awesome. It wasn’t too crowded (maybe because colleges weren’t back in session yet) and the crowd was fun but not crazy and annoying. The spiral staircase was a little tricky after 3 or so margaritas, but it kept things interesting.

No night out in New Haven would have been complete with some drunk food- pizza, to be exact.  We walked across the street to BAR where my dreams came true and I accomplished a bucket-list item…their mashed potato pizza! First of all, can we talk about the fact that a slice of their pizza is actually like 3 slices of pizza? SO GIANT we were in heaven. 

(Ok, so I'm not the world's best drunk food photographer...don't hate)

The pizza there is super thin crust. 

Complaints- b

ecause the crust is so thin, and loaded with mashed potatoes, cheese and bacon it got a little soggy. That being said, I liked that these toppings were paired with a thin crust because I didn’t feel AS guilty while eating it. I didn’t appreciate the fact that they absolutely burned the shitttt out of the crust though. The crust is the best part! And it was virtually inedible because they burnt it so badly. 

To a group of 20-somethings who had been drinking all night, this stuff hit the spot. But overall, I think the execution could have been better (and maybe it is done better, when the pizza-makers know they aren’t feeding groups of 20-somethings who have been drinking all night!) I’m still a fan in general of the idea of mashed potatoes on bread with cheese and bacon. How can you not be?  It’s like the best of Ireland, Italy and ‘Merica all in one.

The cab ride home made me so angry, because cabs in Connecticut charge ridiculous amounts of money. I’m still grumpy about it.

Somehow, I woke myself up the next morning for my scheduled long run. My plan said 16, but I was hurting and I had told myself that if I could bust out 12 miles after a night of drinking, I would be proud of myself. My shins had been bothering me, and I was mentally preparing myself to have to stop early. It's harder for me to cut myself a break than it is to push through pain. But after running on shin splints for months and winding up with a stress fracture and on crutches for a month, I know that I need to be smarter. SO I set off on the Farmington Canal trail not really knowing what to expect.

(My friend's apartment is literally right on this trail! So convenient!)

At the start, I felt great. I wasn’t hurting as much as I had anticipated, and I started thinking ok, 12 is definitely doable, and I shouldn’t completely rule-out doing 16. I kept running, knowing that no matter how many miles out I made it, I had to still make it back. After a stop at a deli to use their bathroom, I had to really push myself to make it to the end of the trail at the 7 mile mark. I turned around, intent on making it to 16 at this point. I got back to my starting point at 14 miles and planned to do a mile in the other direction and then back to my friend’s apartment. Miles 1-14 had been pretty good. Sure there were stretches where I questioned if 16 miles were going to happen, but for the most part I was cruising along- the weather was absolutely perfect, I never needed my music, the trail was flat for the most part, and I was thinkin’ thoughts and trying to enjoy. But those last 2 miles- 100% mentally and physically exhausting. Every joint in my body was aching and I knew I was basically crawling along at a snail’s pace. But I finished. And after being prepared for a disappointing 12 miles- being able to finish 16 felt great. Except then I started thinking about the fact that on October 5, I’ll be expected to feel like I did after those 16 miles…and then run 10 more.

That thought is a lot to handle. And so I’ve kind of been pushing it to the back of my head.

I got back to Nicole’s around 11 and quickly showered and went with her to pick up a bagel from Breuggers. I was tempted- but being from Long Island and NYC, I know better than to trust chain bagels ;) I knew I would be disappointed. So I just stuck with getting a McCafe and eating the oatmeal I had packed for myself when we got back to Nicole’s.

Allison came over and we headed out to Nicole’s apartment complex pool. HOORAY! Sun! Something I have NOT had enough of this summer. It was lovely laying out and talking. And then Jon joined us! And he had gotten a new phone! No more BlackBerry. Crazy.

Nicole and Allison did their ice bucket challenge, Melissa came back from her MBA orientation (congrats!) and we grilled up some eggplant and hot dogs and I did my nails before being dropped off at the train station to head back to the city.

I definitely can’t let it go that long without seeing those 4 again! Thank you for a great mini vacation, friends! You’re the best!

Fitness Friends, Sunday Funday Edition

In November, I will be volunteering at the New York City Marathon, handing out water to runners at the Mile 22 station. I can’t wait! I thought I would get some practice handing out water to people running past me at exceptionally fast speeds, while testing out my cheering skills.

That, and JackRabbit was offering $10 in store credit for every hour of volunteering at last Sunday’s Battle of Brooklyn in Prospect Park. Running ain’t cheap, and I’ve had my eye on a pair of compression sleeves for quite some time. And should probably get a fresh pair of kicks before my marathon. And I want a Sparkly Soul headband. And water bottles. And maybe just oneee more pair of spandex, with a butt pocket? Yeah. Needless to say, that store credit was mighttttty tempting. But in all honestly, I was also just excited to spend time at a race, around runners, and JackRabbit peeps who are an overall great group!

So that’s why I woke up super early on Sunday morning to sit on the 4 train for an eternity with David to get to Prospect Park by 7:15 a.m. 

(I may have been tired, but I think this guys morning was a little rougher...)

I got my volunteer shirt (Ok, the free shirt was ALSO an incentive!) and met up with my friend Nick before being sent over to water station numero dos (the best hydration station of the day, obviously).  

There were 6 of us there during the race and we got to wear awesome hats.

Some runners are really good at grabbing water on the fly. Others, not so much.

It was so fun though! Lots of people thanked us for being there, or had a funny little one-liner for us as the ran by. It was also great because the Battle of Brooklyn is a 10-mile race or relay, taking racers for 3 loops around Prospect Park, so we got to see faces over and over again. By the end of the 10 miles, we were like best friends.

I also got to see some November Project and JackRabbit friends run by, which was nice!

The weather was meh most of the morning, cold and rainy but then the sun came out and warmed us as we tried our best to get rid of the water to random runners out in the park. It was hysterical how excited some of them got that they were being offered water.

(Cloudy, yet sunny? You're pretty, Prospect Park)

I am a fan of volunteering at races, and can’t wait for the marathon!

Afterwards, we headed back to registration to sign out and I left with some awesome JackRabbit Battle of Brooklyn pint glasses and a whole buncha bananas. 

Then it was time to head home for a quick nap before #BetterThanBedtime with November Project. Tina, Jackie and I had decided to go as donuts because, why not?

(Will run for donuts!)

The theme was Noah’s Ark and everyone’s costumes were supah cute- but especially the tigers and composition notebooks. I looked a fool in my donut crop top and crazy socks, but what else is new? 

(Lookin' gooood)

We ran 4 miles to get to the secret location. Along the way, we ran through Central Park and a street fair where one stall offered us free hot dogs! Seriously regret not taking them up on that offer. I was so proud of my friend Tina who ran her furthest distance ever that night! :) Sweaty hugs were in order.

(YOU DID IT TINA!)

The run ended at Park Avenue Tavern where the good times rolled. Everyone I have had the pleasure of meeting through this group makes me smile- they are fun, enthusiastic, kind, badass, hysterical and inspiring. We’re a pretty good looking bunch too…

(Tribe leaders and a donut pyramid)

For some reason, at 10:30 p.m. I decided I didn’t feel like being sweaty on an air conditioned subway train so I just ran home instead. Ended up getting in my 6 miles for the day, after all! Hoorah!

Sunday was a fabulous day filled with fitness friends! 

(Sunday Funday, earned!)

Restaurant Review: Bluewater Bar & Grill (Rhode Island)

I took it upon myself to make a reservation for 22 at the Bluewater Bar & Grill while on my family vacation in Barrington, Rhode Island. (I have been called the Little Nazi when it comes to food plans, after all).

The whole famalam showed up to the Bluewater Bar & Grill after a couple solid hours of pregaming (that wasn’t just my sister and I, right?) and were promptly seated at two tables in a back corner of the restaurant. We’re a rowdy bunch, and luckily, the place wasn’t too crowded at 7 p.m. on a Monday night. 

(Cousin selfie!)

I immediately fell in love with this place when I looked at their drink menu and saw that they made a version of my summer-cocktail obsession (besides margaritas, which is my year-round obsession). Here, it was called the Kinky Gin Fizz- made with Gin, St. Germain, Kinky Liquer, basil syrup and grapefruit. 

(mmmmm)

The entire cocktail menu sounded delicious though, and I sampled everyone’s drinks and gave them a thumbs up ! Especially because they were served in mason jars, which ups the trendy-factor at any restaurant. My grandma ordered the Raspberry Truffle Martini which was just about the most decadent, deserty cocktail I’ve ever had (3 Olives Raspberry vodka, Chambord, White Godiva liquer and whipped cream in case you want to try to recreate it…and then send me some).

My sister and I, along with our parentals, devised the perfect plan for our meals. 2 appetizers and 4 meals, no repeats, because that’s just a waste.

As an appetizer, my sister and I ordered the shrimp and avocado wontons. If you know us at all, and you perused the menu, you would have known that we couldn’t pass these up. 

Avocado. All day, every day. Also served with corn, cilantro butter (uhm, yes) and red pepper aioli. 

(Avocado and Shrimp Wontons)

When they came out, they weren’t what we were expecting. More taco than wonton, but that didn’t really matter to us. Wontons, tacos- both are generally fabulous when filled with shrimp and avocado. These were bursting with both, and very tasty, though they could have used a little salt or additional seasoning of some sort. It’s rare that food is a little too bland for me, because I can eat almost anything with zero salt or pepper.

My parents got the Prince Edward Island Mussels appetizer with shallots, pancetta and Dijon cream. I love mussels.  These were good, though the combination of the pancetta and the cream broth was a little overwhelming salt-wise.

Shout-out to the other table for ordering the fried calamari that was spicy and delicious! Lovin’ those hot pepper rings.

For dinner, my sister and I, as is our usual attack plan, ordered two meals to split between us.

First up, the panko-crusted Chatham Code with artichoke hearts, calamata olives, yellow tomatoes, asparagus, lemon caper butter and wild rice. Deeeeeeee-licious.

(Yum, yum in my tum- Chatham Cod entree)

If it were me putting the meal together, I probably wouldn’t have included artichoke hearts, capers AND olives because that’s a lot of salty veggies, but hey, I love them all and it wasn’t overpowering so cheers to that. The cod was cooked perfectly, flakey and mild and yummy.

But by far the superior entrée was the seared sea scallops with summer squash, baby spinach, pearl cous cous, smoked bacon cream, and blueberry gastrique. 

(Hello, you beautiful seared sea scallop dinner!)

First of all, sea scallops are probably one of my favorite types of seafood. These were big and tender and sweet and cooked really well. The presentation was great. The texture of the pearl cous cous was my second favorite part of the meal. The first was the blueberry gastrique.  Yes, I had to look up the term gastrique. It’s a sauce with caramelized sugar, so like essentially crack. That’s blueberry flavored. That tastes amazing on sea scallops, apparently? This entrée was the bomb.com.

My dad the Crab Cappellini- lump crab, snow peas, corn, mascarpone and a spicy plum tomato butter. I was shoveling this in my mouth AFTER fully finishing my sister and I’s meals. It was that good. Or I am that fat. Either way.

(Crab Cappellini)

My mom ordered a special- seared tuna with a wasabi baby spinach salad. A lot of people loved it, but to me, it wasn’t anything special and I don’t love the flavor of wasabi so I could take it or leave it. 

(Tuna special that night- perfect for the ladies, but left my poor uncle a little hungry)

Of course, there was no way my grandma and I were missing dessert, despite being stuffed. She is definitely who I blame for my gigantic sweet tooth! I almost cried when we learned that they were out of the fried banana caramel cheesecake. But then we ordered the mixed berry tart (blueberry, blackberry and raspberrry compote baked in a warm pastry shell and topped with a brown sugar crumble, served a la mode with raspberry glaze) and all was OK in the world.

Weirdly, this was addictive to me, despite my usual chocolate obsession.

(Couldn't stop eating it)

The second dessert we got was the epic Ghiradelli Brownie Sundae- a warm chocolate chip fudge brownie piled with vanilla ice cream, chocolate syrup, fresh whipped cream, shaved dark chocolate, pistachio dust and a chocolate pizzelle.

(Now that's a damn brownie sundae!)

Yup, got my chocolate fix to go along with the mixed berry tart.

The addition of the pistachios was great and that brownie? SO MANY CHOCOLATE CHUNKS!

This place really hit it out of the ballpark. There menu had something for everyone- and there were certainly many things I was sad I didn’t get to try. Grilled avocado and crab salad? Lobster roll? Wild mushroom ravioli? If only my stomach were a bottomless pit (though sometimes, I swear it is).

Beyond the delicious food, expansive menu, great presentation, and lovely interior, Blue Water Bar & Grill had phenomenal service! Our waitress was SUPERB. So friendly, knowledgeable, funny and easy going considering the large party that wasn’t exactly calm.

My one complaint is that they seemed to be running out of a lot of different things- the scallop special, a few different desserts, etc.

But overall, I would highly recommend Bluewater Bar & Grill to anyone living or vacationing in the area! 

Confessions of a Missed Training Run

Last week and this week of marathon training has been HARD.

Forget the happy go lucky Facebook statuses about beautiful 16 mile runs. Forget the cheerful Instagrams from my 6:30 a.m. workouts. Yes, I love those moments. But overall, training is damn tiring and I am certainly not perfect. This is my first time training for a marathon and I’m still trying to find my way.

So I need to confess. I woke up this morning when my alarm went off at 5 a.m., stood up, and OUCH. My legs were really unhappy with me. My quality time with the foam roller has been seriously slacking. It’s summer and it's hot out and while I know I should wear my compression socks to bed, sometimes I just don’t feel like it damnit. Stretching takes time and is boring. Yes, I admit that these are all things that I am consciously deciding to skimp on, and I shouldn’t be. For these reasons, I was sore as all hell this morning (those Grotto steps at Gracie Mansion are no joke, people).  

I had been planning on running 9 miles alone in Central Park. It was dark out. I was tired. My body is exhausted from two consecutive weeks running over 30 miles. I know that teaching your body to run despite being tired is all part of marathon training, because I’ll sure as hell be tired at some point during a 26.2 mile run.

But not having Tiffanie or November Project waiting for me outside of my dark and comfy apartment, not having that helpful motivator called accountability, combined with absolute exhaustion and soreness convinced me to crawl back into my bed.

I reset my alarm for 6:00 a.m., telling myself that I would at least get in a quality loop of the park- closer to 6 miles than my prescribed 9, but better than nothing.

As I crawled back into bed, my legs seized up in cramps. Uhm, ow? Was it a sign I should just skip today’s run? Or was I just looking for an excuse? These are the things I asked myself as I dozed back off.

Alarm goes off at 6:00. Why, why, why? Typically, I have no problem hopping out of bed when my alarm goes off.  Overall, I’m one of those annoying morning people. So on the mornings when I feel this sluggish, I try to listen to my body, clearly telling me that it’s not feelin’ rested. But I had a happy hour planned for tonight, and a beer pong tournament, and I wanted to be able to eat nachos and chicken fingers and potato skins at the bar knowing that I had gotten a solid run in!

“Well, maybe I’ll just sleep a littttttle longer, get out on the road by 6:45, and at least get in 3 miles. Seriously, I need at least a little cardio before work or the day is going to drag.”

Alarm re-set for 6:30. Doze off again.

Alarm goes off at 6:30. This run is just not going to happen, and I finally need to admit it to myself. I’m disappointed. This isn’t like me. When I know I have to get something done, when I know that I have 9 miles to run, I do it, no questions asked. I’ve skipped a morning run before, but only because I knew if push came to shove I could get it done after work. This morning, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to make it up later.

Anyone out there have any words of wisdom? 

An Old Flame

I write a lot about food and fitness, but you may not know that at one point, my passion was musical theater. No, no, no. I do not sing and dance (except when I’m home alone or driving). But I was 100% certifiably obsessed with Broadway from middle school through my undergrad days. It all started when my aunt picked a random show for my family to see back in the winter of 2003 (holy hell, feeling old). That show was Wicked, with the original cast. And when Idina Menzel belted the final note in Defying Gravity, my 8^th grade self sat in the Gerswhin Theater and cried. 1) Because it was so incredibly amazingly perfect and 2) Because I thought the show was over (it was only intermission). I was hooked.

I spent the next few years addicted to Broadway message boards, getting to know the OBCR (Original Broadway Cast Recordings, duh) of countless shows, knowing casts and understudies and following my favorite actors’ solo music careers, etc. Then I found Spring Awakening and, well, the obsession was somewhat embarrassing, looking back.

(Remember Picnik? Yeah, like I said. Embarrassing)

I spent the majority of my high school weekends seeing musicals, collecting playbills, getting autographs and pictures with the cast at stage doors, etc. I've probably seen well over 50 Broadway productions at this point. 

As my knowledge grew, so did my desire to somehow make this magical world of theater I had discovered a part of my career. I was determined to be the next Ben Brantley of the New York Times (he's a theater critic, if ya didn't know). I spent all of my college days as a Journalism major committed to this goal. Any research paper I could base on musical theater or the Broadway industry, I did. I minored in theater and was physically ill before each monologue I had to perform. But I sucked it up and did it because it was a required class and I wanted that theater minor! I landed an internship writing for BroadwayWorld.com, the first message board I had joined all those years ago.  

(True Story: I showed up on move-in day my freshman year, and the RA had decorated our door with playbills! I took it as a sign that I was gunna like it here. Annie lyrics, anyone?)

When I took a PR elective during my junior year, I started questioning things. Did I really want to be a journalist? This type of writing seemed much more natural to me. And I loved theater! Wouldn’t I be better off in a job where I convince the world of all the things the theater has to offer? Yes. And so my goals switched, and I had an incredible internship with The Publicity Office, home of the press agents who handle long-running Broadway shows like Phantom of the Opera and Chicago.

After graduation, it was off to graduate school in NYC. Sure, I could have gone to a more prestigious program somewhere else. But New York City, home of the Great White Way, was the only place I wanted to be to make my dreams come true.  I continued to base any project I could on Broadway and theater, writing my thesis on the strategies used by theater publicists (pretty damn proud of that 40-something page paper, too!)

But looking back, I realize that from the moment I decided to make Broadway my job, it has become less and less a part of my life. I can no longer rattle off facts like I used to. I don’t go to concerts just because the person performing is a Broadway actor. I’m lucky if I go to a show once every 2 months. And I LIVE in New York City! It’s a strange, sad thing and I would really like to change it.

Last week, on my fourth attempt, I won tickets to see If/Then – meaning I once again witness Idina Menzel belting her face off on a Broadway stage. 

(My girl, Idina!)

So many feelings came flooding back and I realized that even if I may not be as “obsessed” as I once was, or spend every spare cent I have on show tickets, it doesn’t matter.  Because when I AM lucky enough to experience a beautiful Broadway moment- I feel exactly the same way I did all those years ago.

I'm not really sure what the point of this blog was, except that theater is really such a huge part of who I am, I felt like it deserved to be acknowledged on this blog. 

Oh, you want a little review of If/Then? Sure! Given the reviews, I wasn't expecting much from the actual production. I was expecting it to be great simply because Idina Menzel was going to be singing. And don't get me wrong, that was phenomenal. But the story itself was also pretty strong, with an interesting concept carried out in a coherent way, when it easily could have become a huge headache. The supporting cast was alright and the set was pretty freakin' cool. My go-to measure of how much I enjoyed a show is "Did you leave the theater humming the music?" And yup, I totally did. And I also spent the next day in the office listening to the OBCR.  Oh, and I cried during it! 

There really is no business like show business. 

(Here some stuff I worked on while in school, if you're really bored or really into theater or just a stalker...)
http://backstagebeat.tumblr.com/
http://offoffonline.com/?author=2798

22 Family Members, 1 Beach Mansion

Last week, I got to take Monday and Tuesday off from work to enjoy a long weekend at a beach mansion in Rhode Island with 22 family members. Yes, 22. Thanks to my wonderful grandparents, almost every summer the entire family manages to get together for an entire week. It’s pretty damn impressive, and always an incredible time.

(Go big or go home!) 

I’m the first grandchild to grow up, go to college, get a job and move out (look at me, following that oh so typical life-path). That also means that I was the first family member to have to say, “Sorry guys- that stuff called vacation time that you all have because you’ve been employed for years, or because you’re a teacher, or a student? Yeah, I don’t have that yet." It was a lot harder than I thought, hugging all 22 people goodbye and knowing that they still had 5 days left together, making memories that I wouldn’t get to be a part of. But I'm still incredibly grateful for the 3 days I got to spend with everyone! I mean, look at this view!

(Beautiful sunset the first night we got there, though nothing beats the sunsets at my beach on Long Island!)

Something that was far too exciting to me was the fact that our house was a quick 1 mile away from a beautiful running and biking trail! I had 10 miles scheduled for Sunday, which I was able to do with views of water and other nature-y things.  I also got to explore the area a little bit, and found the restaurant I would eventually make the executive decision was going to be the location of our big 22-person dinner out!

(Are you sick of these pictures yet? Good, me neither.)

Monday morning I headed back to the trail for my scheduled 8 miles. Tuesdays I usually take a spin class, but since I was in Rhode Island, I had to improvise. That improvisation meant donning a High School Musical helmet and riding my little cousin’s bike (complete with sparkly streamers) for 8 miles on the bike path. Certainly wasn’t expecting it to be as much of a workout as it was!

[I know that you all want a picture to be inserted right here of me and my wonderful bike/helmet but I am sorry to inform you that there is no photographic evidence that it ever happened.] 

Let’s see, what were some other highlights from the trip? A trip to the Daily Scoop, since I cannot turn down homemade ice cream. Especially when they had flavors like Banana Peanut Butter Cup and some Heath Bar concoction (that’s what I ordered, and the serving wasn’t skimpy!) I must say though, my sister’s smoothie was not so delicious.

Leave it to Mitch to discover a week’s supply of clams while at the beach. Thanks to some male bonding, we feasted on raw littlenecks, baked clams, and clams on the grill. KILLER!

(Baked clams for daysssss)

(Thank you Dad!!!)

My bagel-intake skyrocketed in those 3 short days- and I could never decide if I wanted sweet or savory, so this is what my breakfasts often looked like- a little bit of cinnamon raisin bagel with PB&J, and a little bit of egg bagel with cream cheese and lox. Normal, right?

(All about the lox) 

(Eggs, bacon AND lox? Sure why not)

(Sweet vs. savory bagels- I have some problems)

There were lots of good times spent playing can jam, badminton, What If, and Cards Against Humanity (yes, the family that is comfortable enough to play Cards Against Humanity together is a rarity). Along with my personal favorite, beer pong and flip cup.

Maybe my favorite part of the weekend were these little nuggets! I wish I got to see them so much more, they are simply the cutest.

(My Hoolie and Claire Bear)

I am so lucky to have such an incredible family, all made possible by these wonderful, wonderful people. 

(Nanny and Popsicle- simply the best. LOOK AT THEM. TOO CUTE!)

I am so glad I got a few days to relax, soak up some sun, and spend time with the people I love most. 

(Ah, livin' the life)

(We clean up nicely)

SoulCyclin' with Infatuation Nation

This morning, I took the plunge and attended my first SoulCycle class.

I’m not sure why it felt like a big deal, but it did.  I’ve been taking spin classes for over 2 years now, and everyone knows about SoulCycle. There are the SoulCycle faithfuls, who pour money into classes and apparel and talk about the “pack” mentality as if it’s a life-changing experience. There are SoulCycle wannabes, who wish they could afford the steep price tag for classes on a normal basis, but settle for taking a ride on a special occasion or far less frequently than they’d like. There are those in the fitness world who downright reject SoulCycle and its practices, citing poor form and more attention on a spectacle than actually getting in a quality workout. Then there are those that are intimidated by SoulCyle because of the fancy lingo and the “skinny bitches” (I hate that term) that pack SoulCycle studios across Manhattan. It’s kind of crazy how divisive SoulCylce can be in the fitness community. A quick Google search brings up articles with headlines like, “Joining the Cult of SoulCyle” and “I’d Rather Sell My Soul Than SoulCycle.” Then there is me. Who is still trying to decide where I belong on this spectrum.

So let me tell you about my experience.

I follow this amazing food blog online and on Instagram. They’re called The Infatuation and I trust them a whole heck of a lot when it comes to advice on restaurants in this fine city. When I went to Chelsea Market and had no internet, I was freaking out that I couldn’t look-up which taco they recommend at Los Taco No. 1 (thank god it eventually loaded and I got to experience the glory of the carne asada corn taco). 

(Thanks for the pro tip, Infatuation!)

Why do I trust them so much? I’m not sure. But it could have something to do with their writing style, which makes me laugh out loud when I read their reviews. I mean, they have literally written the line, “Calexico’s Lower East Side location is basically the grown up version of your favorite fast food joint, only here you can pollute your body with margaritas instead of Baja Blast.” They just make the most relatable references.  You know these guys are just like you. And you feel like you can depend on them.

So when they partnered with SoulCycle and announced that they would be offering free classes for their followers- I JUMPED for joy. The first time I tried registering, I got a sad email saying that all the bikes had been filled. But fortunately, they’re offering a bunch of different classes! And the second time I emailed them, success! I ran around the house my family was renting for vacation in excitement that no one quite understood. I’m going to get to try SoulCycle for FREE with other people who love food as much as me! 

(SUCCESS!)

I dragged myself out of bed at 5:45 a.m. on Friday, walked the 2483902 miles (really .7) to the 6 train, rode the 6 train for a half hour to Bleecker Street, walked 234280 miles (really .9) to the West Village SoulCycle studio and walked up to the door.

(An early, but beautiful morning!)

You walk in and BAM lockers. I’m used to a gym where the locker area is completely separate, so that was a little weird. The two women working at the desk were like superheroes getting the huge lines of people checked-in quickly. They were somehow simultaneously helping like 7 people. I was told to find my name on the list and initial it, but I wasn’t on the list. My stomach sunk when I was told that I was on the waitlist. What?! I got a confirmation email, which is why I had traveled an hour before work to make the class! I needed my endorphins gosh darnit! The woman told me to hang tight and assured me I would get a bike. So I got my complimentary smartwater (hooray!) and shoes and put my stuff in their high-tech lockers (you program it yourself, so you don’t actually need to bring a big bulky lock with you).

As promised, they started calling people from the waitlist and told me to go downstairs to bike 10. I get down to the studio and someone’s on bike 10. Luckily, one of the great staff ran upstairs and came back and told me to take 18. Then, she helped me get set up on my bike. Yes, I’ve taken many many spin classes but when it’s a new type of bike I like to have them help me out. That, and this is only my second time clipping in with spin shoes, and I’m pretty terrible at it.

I didn’t love the seats on the SoulCycle bikes, but throughout the ride they got more bearable. My handlebars felt pretty low, but SoulCycle really focuses on your core, and the lower the handlebars, the more of a core workout you’ll get. So that was OK with me- because abs.

The actual studio was a lot like most studios- dark with lots of bikes. There were three candles lit at the front of the room. Some inspiring quotes on the wall. Standard. 

(Eh, not sure about this stuff)

Our instructor (I can’t believe I forgot to make a mental note of her name) was energetic but not completely over the top like I’ve heard some SoulCycle instructors can be.

Things I liked:
-Although I realize there is some debate on its effect on form- I do like spin classes that feature sections on arms, abs, etc. In this class, our instructor had us do pushups, tricep pushups, oblique turns, crunches, and a song using the small 2 lb. weights stored in the back of each bike. We did some bicep curls, shoulder presses, tricep extensions, etc.

-I am a fan of the famous SoulCycle “tap it back” where you go from third position, to tapping your butt back onto the saddle, back to third. Kind of like jumps. It got me into the music and engaged my core. And again- abs. I want them.

-The lighting in the room is awesome. Much like Cyc’s studio- the light system is attached to the instructor’s little DJ station and the different settings can really have an effect on how you feel during each song.

-You cannot deny that you feel pampered at this place. Upon checking in, I got a piece of gum. I went to shower afterwards- and the bathrooms are fully stocked with razors, shaving cream, moisturizer, face scrub, etc.

Things I didn’t like:
-The instructor barely focused on resistance at all. I feel like in all of these trendy spin studios, everyone is flopping around their saddle, pedaling 189234 miles per hour. I’m all for light resistance and sprints being used in a class- but I like it to feel intentional. 30 second interval sprints after a long 8 minute hill makes sense in my head. But I feel like the rides designed at SoulCycle and studios like it, don’t think in the same way that other instructors I’ve had think. I like the instructor to explain to me how the resistance should feel- whether they refer to how heavy it is based on a scale of 1-10 or through description.

-For some reason, I feel like I just cannot mimic the way that people in these types of classes spin to the music. They look like their dancing, while I look like I’m riding a bike. Who is right?

-Before the last song of the class, the instructor had some inspiring speech about getting through this hill together and coming out stronger. Then she blew out the candles and dimmed the lights. It felt a little forced to me. I’ve had a similar experience at Cyc, where they shut off all the lights for the last song- but I feel like the intention there was to just let yourself go, give it all you had for the last song. I liked that mindset a lot better. No offense, but no, these people around me really aren’t helping me push through this last stretch. MY quads are doin’ the damn work.

-There is only one shower in the whole place? Luckily, I skimped on stretching (I know, I really shouldn’t be doing that..) and was only second in line for the shower. But there were at least 5 girls waiting after me.

-Had I been paying for this, I would not have liked the $35 price tag.

-I’m still getting used to clipping in and it’s still not the most comfortable thing in the world for me.

Bottom Line:
I still don’t feel like I fully belong in classes like this, despite having the utmost confidence in my athleticism and over-all fitness. I kind of like that. It’s different, and it’s challenging, and I leave sweaty. SoulCycle really highlights the reason I fell in love with spin classes in the first place- the dark room with the loud music, losing myself in endorphin-fueled cardio. The addition of weighted songs and crunches is overall a big plus for me. That being said, I am not completely head over heels for SoulCycle in the way that most people are. I can take it or leave it, and be just as content at a New York Sports Club spin class that focuses on form and hills and interval training. Yes, the lights and the sound system and the fancy bathrooms are nice every once in a while at studios like SoulCyle. But I will continue to go only when I have a chance to go for free or as some sort of special.

Next, I really would love to try Flywheel because I feel like the monitoring system is going to get me HOOKED.

In the meantime, back to Tuesday morning rides with Victoria at NYSC :)

(NYSC works for me!)

True Life: I Love Margaritas

So, looking through my pictures to remind myself what I still need to blog about, I came to a realization.

I drink a lot of margaritas.  Which is no surprise considering I have an entire section of my bucket list dedicated to them. So instead of individually reviewing each one in a separate post, I’m just going to write one big tequila-lovin’ entry about the many margs I’ve sipped this summer.

A recent discovery is Calico Jack’s Cantina in Murray Hill.  Every day, they have $3 margaritas (on the rocks or frozen) until 6 p.m. And the best part? If you order a drink- you can ask for chips and salsa and they’ll give them to you for free! 

(Delicious margaritas and FREE chips and salsa? Game on.)

Other best part? They use ROSE’S LIME JUICE – which is of course, the key ingredient to any quality margarita.  I’ve already been there three times in three weeks, so it’s safe to say they have my full support.  Plus, their playlist is usually killer AND Lady Gaga bartended there back in the day.  Rumor has it they have beer pong sometimes too.  So pretty much, I may end up becoming a regular.

While I have only positive things to say about the margaritas at Calico Jack’s, I was disappointed by the pitcher at Mexican Radio.  I had heard great things about this place, but at $50 a pop- so not worth it.  I was also excited to try the stuffed plantains there, and while they tasted good, they were nothing to write home about.  Sorry Mexican Radio, I won’t be back. 

(Unimpressive food and drink)

But somewhere I WILL go back to over and over again, is Blockheads and MotherBurger (they’re owned by the same people, along with Benny’s Burritos) for their Mexican Bulldogs.  Usually, I’m against frozen margaritas.  But these frozen margaritas are lethal and cheaper than ordering one on the rocks.  Add a floating shot of tequila and a Coronita? Your night is sure to be fun. And at $9 for bulldogs and $4 for frozen classic flavor margaritas, the price is certainly right.  

Although I don’t usually expect much from the food at these types of places, on my last visit I ordered the Vegetable Mother Bowl (salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, carrots, red onion and chick peas topped with a veggie burger) at MotherBurger and it was surprisingly delicious! 

(Eat all the chickpeassssssss)

(Fun night = guaranteed if you're drinking MotherBurger/Blockheads Mexican Bulldogs!)

The margaritas at El Rio Grande are some other level shit.  While they aren’t the absolutely tastiest margarita I’ve ever had, they more than make up for it with their potency.  I am ashamed to admit that after just half of an El Rio Grande Margarita (served in the classiest of plastic cups), I was all, “Whoah, time for some chips and salsa.”  Luckily, El Rio Grande is another one of those fabulous bars bestowing their patrons with complimentary chips and salsa.  And with drinks this lethal, it’s a damn good thing! El Rio Grande has a plethora of fun flavor choices- from lychee to prickly pear and everything in between. They’ll do any flavor either frozen or on the rocks (but since it’s the same price, I’ll judge you if you don’t get yours on the rocks).  They only downside to this place is the steep price ($12 per margarita) and lack of happy hour specials.  But the fact that you can be outside on their patio combined with the fact that you realistically only need one or two for a more than sufficient buzz, makes it totally worth it.  

(I’m convinced they use roofies or grain alcohol in these margaritas.  It’s what gives them their fluorescent glow!)

(Margaritas taste better outside. Proven fact.)

Though I drink a margarita pretty much anywhere I go, none will every compare to a margarita homemade by my dad.  Mitch’s margs = everything.  His secret? Rose’s Lime Juice and Grand Marnier.  Trust me.  Or trust Mitch. 

My parents went to a party recently where the centerpiece was a GIANT martini glass.  Because my sister’s 21^st birthday was coming up, and because my parents are awesome, they brought it home and my dad proceeded to make the world’s most epic margarita.  Truly.  Look!

(Bigger than my face!) 

(Like mother, like daughters! We love our tequila!)

Sadly, I can’t have Mitch’s margs every day.  So I will let you all know my favorite margarita in NYC (though I’ll never stop searching).  Bamboleo’s on Bleecker Street, a tiny, unassuming Mexican restaurant with a grand total of about 5 bar stools, serves $5 margaritas from 4 – 7 p.m. every night and they are GREAT! 

You don’t go there to meet other people, since it’s usually pretty empty, but if you want a solid margarita, get your booty to Bamboleo’s.  I own one of their t-shirts.  The bartender recognized my voice on the phone when I called to make a reservation on my birthday. Pro tip: like them on Facebook for a free tequila show.  You’re welcome. 

(The only place to start my birthday celebration!)

Restaurant Review: Mesa Grill Las Vegas

I’m really lucky, and get to go on a lot of fun trips for work.  At the beginning of this summer, I got to eat and drink for a couple days and nights in Vegas, baby! Somehow, I didn’t leave with a stomach the size of Caesar’s Palace.

The first night I was in Vegas I got to meet up with a friend from graduate school who was in town for a work trip as well.  We thought it was so funny that after months of trying to meet up for brunch or dinner- this is where we were finally able to make plans together! She knows I love food, so she was kind enough to let me take the lead on choosing a restaurant.

(Finally reunited, on the other side of the country!)

I was so overwhelmed with choices.  There are seemingly endless dining possibilities on the strip. Although I had eaten at Mesa Grill in New York many years ago, I couldn’t really remember it, I love margaritas, the menu looked delicious, and Bobby Flay is usually pretty good in my book (I had also just been to Bar Americain with my parents in New York, so I thought it would be a good comparison!) Mesa Grill in Caesar's Palace it was.

(Winner, winner!)

Of course, I started with a margarita.  It wasn’t a standout, but it was a pretty solid marg. 

(You needed this picture, right?)

I had read a lot online about Mesa Grill’s blue and yellow corn muffins (QU Bobcat colors!) and was super excited for them after the corn bread at Bar Americain.  After eating them though, I think I liked the corn bread at Bar American better than these muffins! There was some other delicious bread in that basket though and I am guilty of doing a little carbo-loading pre-dinner.

(Go bobcats!)

For an appetizer, I ordered the tiger shrimp and roasted corn tamale with cilantro sauce. Oh boy was this good.  Anything with corn is a go-to for me when it comes to Bobby Flay (the corn cake my dad had at Bar Americain convinced me of that). This tamale was delicious.  I’m not a tamale expert- in fact, this may be the only tamale I have ever eaten…but it made me a fan of tamales!

For an entrée, CORNmeal crusted chile relleno.  Stuffed peppers are kind of an obsession of mine.  My dad makes a mean traditional stuffed Italian pepper, I make a mean quinoa black bean stuffed pepper, and I’m in love with the stuffed pepper from V-Note that I ate earlier this year.  That being said, Mesa Grill’s chile relleno stuffed with roasted eggplant, manchego cheese, sweet red pepper sauce and balsamic vinegar held its own! It was a little overly cheesy for me (I know, I know- there’s no such thing as too much cheese) but the cornmeal crust added an interested touch to the dish and I was certainly digging the eggplant.

(Presentation points, big in my book!)

While I was a fatty and ordered an appetizer and entrée and devoured every last bite, my friend ordered the chicken and black bean quesadillas, barely touched them, and I helped her ensure they were finished.  They were a pretty basic quesadilla.

Overall, I really enjoyed this meal.  My mom’s complaint after eating at Mesa Grill in NYC was that everything was too spicy- and our waiter did say that the menu items in Vegas had to be taken down a notch for that reason.  So I am happy to say that my mouth wasn’t on fire after my meal.

I also liked that this menu had TONS of things I would love to try- so I may be back for more one day!

(Goodnight, Las Vegas)

Restaurant Review: Sacred Chow

I had yet another Groupon for a vegan restaurant that I got to use for a meal in the Village (I miss it there oh so much!) Sacred Chow specializes in “organic, vegan, Kosher and ethically produced foods).

It’s nothing fancy inside, just a cute little place with a few tables and one waitress working. 

The menu has a bunch of different options, from tapas, to sides, to paninis, salads, soups, etc. As someone who likes to try a lot of different things, I was instantly drawn to their 3 tapas for $19 deal (though I’m not sure how much of a “deal” this really is).

I had read a lot about their “nama gori” which is made in-house.  Nama gori was apparently invented when a Japanese tofu maker accidently dropped his tofu in the snow walking home one night.  The next morning, he went out and found it frozen. After thawing it out, the consistency had changed, and he was a fan! Instead of the typical texture of tofu, nama gori, tofu that’s been frozen and defrosted, is chewy. 

Despite doing my research on nama gori, I didn’t end up trying it on my trip to Sacred Chow.  Instead, I chose the following 3 tapas: 

1. Green Tapas- simple broccoli, collard greens and kale topped with their homemade Dijon sauce. 

Looking back- I’m not really sure why I was lame enough to choose this as one of my options. It was literally greens.  Clearly, I was trying too hard to be healthy that night.

2. Roasted Black Olive Seitan- Filleted & soaked in a rosemary marinade, then slow-roasted in a cornmeal spice blend until crunchy, chewy and tender.  Topped with steamed collards and a Dijon drizzle.

The waitress had highly recommended this tapas, and so I gave it a chance. Further proof that seitan is not my favorite (one day I’ll accept this and stop ordering it). Just like the description said, it was certainly chewy, which is what I don’t love about it. It wasn’t very crispy though.  But it was full of olive taste (a little overly salty, but that’s to be expected with olive-based dishes) and the Dijon sauce was good (I am a full-on honey mustard lover).

3. Root Vegetable Latkes with a date butter

This was also recommended and boy am I glad it was.  Basically, crispy, crunchy, incredible root vegetable waffles with a sweet date butter that was to die for.  My friend also loved these, but I was a brat and barely shared.  While the other two tapas were a bit of a letdown, these came out of nowhere to become one of my favorite things I’ve eaten recently.  Clearly, I had been trying to be healthy that night (I mean, I ordered broccoli and kale when I could have ordered smoky home fries). So part of me was like “Ah crapppp” when these golden, fried waffles came out on my plate. But as soon as I took a bite, the “Ah crappp” turned into, “Screw it, these are phenomenal!”

(These are my three tapas. See those things that look like waffles on the left? Yeah, they're root vegetable latkes and they are AMAZING!)

My friend and I also split a single tapas- the Indonesian tempeh,  because as much as seitan doesn’t impress me, I always loooove me some tempeh! This was served with warm kimchi and Russian dressing and was like a delicious Reuben salad! Thumbs up!

(The lighting here wasn't ideal for food pictures...sorry!)

As an entree, my friend ordered the soy meatball panini, which came on toasted ciabatta with smoky home fries.  The bread was crispy and delicious, but overall, it was just a pretty standard sandwich with some potatoes.

Overall, I think that Sacred Chow is a little on the pricey side for what you get. That being said, I would make a return trip to actually try their nama gori and to eat more of those root vegetable latkes.  I want alllll the root vegetable latkes.  And date butter.  Dates are a fruit, so it’s healthy, right? 

Restaurant Review: Blossom on Carmine

Before I jetted off to eat like a fatty in Las Vegas and Philadelphia, I had a few Groupon’s at healthy places that I needed to try before they expired.  The first was Blossomon Carmine- which made me really nostalgic since it was basically across the street from my old apartment on Bleecker St. that I miss so much!

Blossom on Carmine is super cute inside, and I am kicking myself for not knowing it existed when I lived so nearby! Not that I could have afforded to eat there on a regular basis.  Those were the days of $1 beers and pizza.  (Ok, if we’re being honest, my wallet says it’s still the days of $1 beers and pizza.  My taste is what begs to differ).

Blossom on Carmine is owned by the same people behind Blossom in Chelsea, Café Blossom on the Upper West Side (reopening in September) and V-Note on the Upper East Side (which I have already reviewed on this blog).

I was excited to try this place after an exception experience at V-Note. Like V-Note, Blossom on Carmine is a vegan restaurant- a lifestyle that I’ve been giving some serious thought to! If I could have Blossom provide my 3 meals a day, I would have made the switch already! The website described Blossom on Carmine as having “delicious, varied small plates meant to be shared and enjoyed with wine and cocktails.”

Luckily, my friend and I are pretty great at agreeing on what to order, and I love shared plates. We started with the eggplant lasagna small plate and the housemade marinara and daiya mozzarella created pretty convincing lasagna! The sauce was a little thin and soupy for me, but it made up for it with a solid taste.

(Eggplant Lasagna)

Next up for the small plates was the gnocchi. This was killer! This roasted pumpkin and sweet potato gnocchi, sautéed kale, golden beets and a sage cashew cream had me ready to say goodbye to dairy forever.  The gnocchi, besides combining potato and sweet potato which is always yum, was perfectly crispy on the outside with a fluffy middle. 

(YUM sweet potato and pumpkin gnocchi!)

A great thing about Blossom on Carmine is that they change their menu with the seasons, to ensure they’re using veggies that are in season! Currently, the menu features a green pea gnocchi with sautéed leeks and pea shoots, fennel, truffle butter and a cashew cream. Since I’m not a huge fan of truffles or fennel, I’m so happy I got to experience the heavenly pumpkin and sweet potato gnocchi.  I mean, it came with beets and kale too.  What more could I have asked for? 

For our large plate, we had a little more difficulty choosing.  Eventually, we settled for the picatta- pan seared seitan cutlets, lemon/white wine/caper sauce, truffle mashed potato and sautéed kale.  The more I eat at vegetarian and vegan restaurants, the more I’m coming to realize that I’m not the biggest fan of seitan’s consistency.  It’s a little slimy, or something? That took away from this dish for me, but the taste was pretty delish, and I always love mashed potatoes (and luckily they weren’t truffle-y at all). 

(Ok, this doesn't look very appetizing)

As a side, we went with our go-to…brussels sprouts! We’ve sampled a lotttt of brussels sprouts, and Blossom on Carmine’s, served with garlic and shallots, were just OK. 

(Sproutz)

At the end of the day, as a non-vegan (at least for now), I wouldn’t come back here without a Groupon.  It’s pricy for the amount of food you get, and I was only really impressed with one of the dishes (that gnocchi was damn good!) Usually, I wholeheartedly support the notion that vegan and vegetarian food is just as good as any other food.  But in this case, the seitan picatta had me missing chicken just the tiniest bit.

That’s not to say that the flavors here weren’t excellent. And if you’re vegan, I would definitely check it out.  But so far, V-Note still gets my vote (hey, that rhymes)!

  (*Also, take this review with a grain of salt- I ate here a pretty significant time ago, and am only writing the review now!) 

Restaurant Review: David Burke Fishtail

I have been reading menus and reviews non-stop in an effort to make the most out of this summer’s NYC Restaurant Week and so far have had 3 stellar experiences.

My fist trip was to a late lunch at David Burke’s Fishtail on the Upper East Side with two friends, because let’s be real, the more people you go with, the more items on the menu you can try!

(Three people = three apps!)

I had heard a lot about David Burke’s restaurants, and any place that specializes in seafood is right up my alley.  David Burke has a ton of restaurants in New York City, including David Burke Kitchen and Burke in the Box (located in Bloomingdale's). He’s also got restaurants in
Chicago and Foxwoods Casino.

With 3.5 stars on Yelp and 4 on OpenTable, and a menu that had me going back and forth on what I was going to order, I was really excited for this place. We got there and I instantly loved it.  It’s one of those New York City restaurants where you walk in and you feel like you’re someone for eating there.  That sounds ridiculous, and snobby, but whatever.  For me, food tastes better in an airy, well decorated, bright, fancy atmosphere.

As far as service was concerned, our waiter spilled an entire glass of sangria on my friend, mispronounced gazpacho, and generally seemed uneducated about the menu.  But he was really hot, so we were able to forgive him pretty easily.

We got three different appetizers. I ordered the lobster scramble and oh my word, it was such a huge serving! Typically, restaurant week servings are pretty tiny, but not this! I legitimately could have eaten this as my meal and been satisfied.

(Lobster scramble)

The lobster scramble was FULL of lobster that actually tasted like lobster, along with lots of fresh veggies, a tomato fondue sauce that was creamy and delicious, and a brioche toast that was phenomenal for soaking up my friends’ gazpacho.

I really want to come back here for brunch just to get the lobster scramble again.

Fishtail, from what I gather, kind of has a thing for lobster.  Every Sunday they offer a $40 prix fixe brunch called Lobster Louie, with all lobster-based dishes.

So naturally, one of my friends went with the other lobster appetizer and ordered the lobster dumplings.  The presentation was awesome, with the little claws sticking out so you could eat your dumpling like a little lobster lollipop.  I only had a small bite, but these weren’t anything spectacular to me.  They were a solid little lobster dumpling though.

(My dumps, my dumps, my lovely lobster dumps)


Unfortunately, they were out of the other appetizer we wanted to try, the pastrami spiced smoked salmon with horseradish crème fraiche, mustard oil and watercress pancake.  So my other friend went with the other seafood option and got the gazpacho with crab salad, avocado and cilantro.  It was verrrrrry tasty, and that’s coming from someone who in general, isn’t a fan of her soup being cold.

(Gazpacho!)

While the appetizer selection was a little stressful, there was really only one entrée that anyone was interested in, and that was the grilled salmon.  One of my friends decided it would be silly to get three of the same thing though, so he ordered the steamed black bass that had a $7 supplementary charge.

The salmon dish was right up my alley and had so many of my favorite things! Red quinoa tabbouleh, hummus, giant grilled artichokes (which was probably my favorite part of the meal) and za’atar spiced naan. The za’atar spiced naan were actually just pita chips, if we’re being real.  And the salmon was a little undercooked/slimy, but overall, the dish was awesome. And the presentation was spot on, which always adds to the experience!

(MMMMMMMM!!!!)

My friends black bass looked beautiful on the plate, and tasted delicious too.  It was much more flavorful than the salmon, though I liked everything that came with the salmon better.  The black bass was served with green onion miso, chili, grapefruit and cucumber slaw, grilled spring onions and lotus chips (crunchy, salty and delicious).

(Presentation adds so much!)


At this point I was stuffed (again, lobster scramble = huge portion!) But I have the world’s biggest sweet tooth, so it was inevitable so I would stuff myself to an uncomfortable level by eating every last bit of David Burke’s incredible desserts. I had read online all about the cheesecake lollipop tree, which is meant for two people, so we ordered that first and foremost.

It came with 9 different cheesecake lollipops! 3 each! So sweet, so delicious, so rich, so fattening, so great. And I’m not even a big fan of cheesecake! The most interesting part of this dessert was the bubblegum whipped cream that it was served with. I don’t like bubblegum, and I don’t really understand where the idea of bubblegum whipped cream with chocolatey cheesecake pops came from, but it was certainly unique and tasted EXACTLY like bubblegum.

*My friend said if you eat dark chocolate with bubblegum the bubblegum disappears in your mouth- just in case you’d like to try it out.

(Awesome desserts!)

Shockingly, I passed on the peanut butter and jelly mousse bar because I had read that it wasn’t very peanut buttery or jelly-y for that matter.  Instead, we went with the salted caramel and roasted peach parfait and oh dear lord am I glad we did.  It was incredible. There was a little pot of salted caramel to pour over the parfait that was pretty much like crack.  And the ginger oat crumble on top? Also crack.

I was a huge fan of everything I tried here.  The atmosphere, the presentation and the food all were spot on, in my opinion.  And for the price, it was an absolutely steal.

If you visit David Burke Fishtail, which I recommend you do, make sure you take some of their peanut brittle on the way out! If you’re like me and like things that are almost sickeningly sweet, you’ll be a BIG fan.

Bravo Fishtail, you set the bar high for the rest of my Restaurant Week!

Nike Training Club

A friend inviting me to go to the Nike store for Nike Training Club gave me the extra push to get my butt there for the first time.  I had heard about it through social media, and was pretty excited because a) it’s a boot camp type class, which I love b) it’s outdoors and on a ROOF and c) it’s completely free!

I got to the Nike store and the front was set up with a bag check and you could even opt to take the class in a pair of Nike’s to try them out! Which I did, of course.

As it got closer to the time class was supposed to start, they took us up in the elevator to the roof.

Then, the waiting began.  6:30 came and went and it didn’t seem like things were about to start anytime soon.  Punctuality and schedules are kind of important in my book, so this didn’t sit well with me. 

Eventually, the instructor, arrived, looking like a perfect, Nike model. We spread out to warm up and I started to realize just how crowded this rooftop had gotten.  75 people? We pretty much did not have sufficient space for the jumping jacks we were supposed to be doing.

After the warm up, she split us into groups. Which took forever. She then tried explaining all the stations to 75 people.  Which took forever. And was highly unsuccessful. I probably knew what she said to do at only about half the stations. After a lot of standing around and being confused, it was time to start.

I took the class awhile ago, so I’m going to do my best to remember the stations. We stayed doing each one for about a minute or two before rotating.

• There was a little ramp on the side of the roof, which we lunged up and side stepped down. Good in theory, but it was super cramped with people going up and down at the same time.
• Jump squats. Ouch. Got my heart rate up, got my legs burning, got lots of reps in = successful station.
• Step ups on a bench. Our group decided to do a little leg lift action at the top of the step up for an extra challenge.  Thumbs up crew.
• Incline pushups against the bench. Again, felt the burn!
• Partner chest press weird things that I was highly incapable of doing but I’m pretty sure were the reason I was super sore the next day, so I guess they were alright?
•  Speed skater jumps – I’m a fan
• Russian twists – also a fan.

Then we took a break and by a break I mean it was time for a challenge- first partners to 20 burpees – pushup, high five each other, pushup, high five each other, jump up. Killer. We kept high fiving the wrong hands. We settled on regular burpees because we’re cheaters.

Then we went through the stations again with some modifications- backward lunges, decline pushups, sit ups, etc. The final challenge was 100 mountain climbers and then we took a sweaty group picture and were done!

Had NTC not been so crowded and a slightly better organized, I would certainly be there every week.  It’s a great way to meet like-minded fitness fanatics and it’s a well-designed circuit workout, if you’re able to do it continuously without having to stop all the time to listen for directions or wait for 75 people to get themselves situated.

Restaurant Review: Vegetarian's Paradise II

Vegetarian Chinese comfort food. That’s how I would describe Vegetarian’s Paradise 2, where I went with my roommate and his boyfriend to use a Groupon that I had bought. I had read a lot about their “chicken” fingers and so we all split an order of them. I hadn’t had fried food like that in a while, so they were delicious, but eventually gave me a horrible stomach ache.  The texture was a little strange, but that’s understandable since they weren’t actually chicken.

For dinner, I ordered two entrees and brought half of each home with me. I had the stuffed zucchini and one of the chicken dishes that came with a bunch of different vegetables and brown rice. 

(Stuffed zuchinni)

("Heavenly Chicken with Mixed Vegetables" wasn't that heavenly)

Overall, nothing here really impressed me. It didn’t taste healthy or fresh and the sauces were all super fake tasting. I did like my roommates orange chicken, but again, it was doused in sugary sauce. I'm really surprised by it's high ratings on Yelp.

If you couldn’t tell, I wasn’t a huge fan, and I doubt I would ever take another trip here. It’s a strange little restaurant too- pretty dingy and cheap looking inside. Sorry Vegetarian’s Paradise 2, you didn’t do it for me. 

bRUNch

Ask any New Yorker how they feel about brunch, and they will tell you that it is sacred.  I loved brunch before, but now, I have a new obsession: bRUNch.

Myself and two friends from JackRabbit had an amazing morning last month when we woke up, met at the store, ran 7 miles over the bridge to Brooklyn, and had a lovely brunch at the cutest little restaurant on Bedford Ave. Then we took the train back together!

I’m seriously considering starting a bRUNch club…destination runs to fabulous brunches in all the boroughs. Who is in? 

Summer is Gov Ball, Yankee Stadium & BBQ

So I obviously run and eat and workout. But sometimes I do other things. I mean, after all, I do live in the greatest city in the world and there is no lack of new experiences to be had. 

Over a month ago now (I'm really behind on this whole blogging thing), I had a fabulous reunion weekend with my friend Morgan, who goes to med school in Kansas City. A friend from work had been given two VIP passes to this year’s Governor’s Ball that he let Morgan and I use on the first night of the festival. 

I'm not really a huge music festival kinda gal, but it was such a fun night! After work we went back to my apartment, had some drinks, and walked over the footbridge to Randall’s Island. It was so strange seeing it all set up with stages and people everywhere, since I’m used to running around it early in the morning and only seeing little kids playing soccer…not full of half-naked intoxicated and high 20-somethings. 

(Thank you, stranger, for capturing this great action shot!)

We headed over to one of the stages where my friend knew the band playing and it was awesome because we could go in the separate VIP area that was less packed and closer to the stage. We also had our own bathroom trailers and bars which was clutch. Without that, I probably would have been miserable. As it was, by the end of the night I just kept saying, “How do people live here for 3 days essentially?” My head was pounding and I definitely had a second-hand high. 

(Hooray for VIP!)

We drank some stackable wine and a Redd’s (mmm), wandered, chatted with drunk 18 year olds, caught Outkast, and stumbled into Fairway at 11:50 right before it closed to grab some dinner. 

(I like my beer to taste like apples)

(We shook it like a Polaroid picture) 

It was a really fun night, especially because Morgan and I hadn’t hung out in so long! I would have liked to try some of the food trucks there, because they have an impressive list, but maybe next year. 

(Tacos make everything better)

We woke up the next morning and I forced Morgan on the group run…proud to say she made it the 11 miles to Yankee Stadium and back!

Next, we ambitiously got our butts to Brooklyn for Smorgasburg. I’ve been trying to try something new every time, except then I went and couldn’t say no to Chickpea and Olive. That beet slider is just too damn delicious to deny. So to make myself feel at least a little better, I didn’t get the same slider- I went with the Polka this time! And again, it was heavenly. 

Seriously, you all need to eat one of these beet patties, I don’t care if you’re not a vegetarian! Don’t wanna hear it. Of course, my friend and I finished our day with, what else, a Goodwich from The Good Batch. World’s best ice cream sandwich. Bar none. And I’ve had some phenomenal ice cream sandwiches!

At this point, Morgan was questioning how I normally run a long run Saturday morning and then have a day full of activities- she was ready for a nap and I was bringing her to a barbeque, sorry Morgan!

My friend from college had a bunch of friends over for a barbeque at his sister’s apartment in the Upper West Side and when I got there, I was so excited because LOOK! SHE HAS A LITTLE BACKYARD! GRASS! 

(Grass angels > Snow angels)

I was so excited. It was great seeing everyone, playing beer pong in the middle of the city, barbequing…it was just fabulous. Such a fun weekend! 

(That's truly the sight of summer!)

Operation GET YOUR BUTT IN GEAR

So the other day, I realized something slightly disconcerting.  My first marathon is less than 70 days away!

Ok, so the realization was more like fantastically horrifying, considering I haven’t run more than 12 miles in quite some time.

And that training schedule I had made myself? It looks lovely hanging at my desk, but I don’t remember the last time I actually did what it said.

So my friend Tiffanie and I decided last week that it is GAME TIME. She’s running the New York City Marathon in November (for Hope for the Warriors,

help her

!), so she’s got a few weeks more than me to prepare, but we both needed a serious re-commitment to training.

We’re aiming to run 7ish miles two mornings every week together before work. And trust me, we are far from the only people out there in the park at 5:30 a.m.  

Then there’s Saturday long runs with JackRabbit, my Tuesday spin class, Wednesday November Project, a rest day somewhere, and trying to keep up on my weight training.  I know I should get some yoga flowin’ in my schedule too.

So it was with my recommitted mindset that I set out on Saturday’s Yankee Stadium run with the JackRabbit crew.   We had done this route a couple weeks ago, so I knew my way and felt comfortable leading the pack. I wasn’t very chatty on the run, which I felt kind of bad about, but it was more of a solitary running kinda morning I guess.

It never fails to crack me up how confused people in the Bronx are by a large group of people running.  Half of them are convinced we’re running the marathon.  The other half just yell at us to “GO! FASTER!”

For those of you who would like all the intimate details of my run, I had the lovely experience of getting my period around mile 6. Yep. That happened.  Luckily, I had supplies with me.

Not much else to comment on for the run, except that mentally and physically I was feeling good, and hoping to do more than the planned 11 miles.  I felt like I had

at least

a half-marathon in me that morning (I had even changed my party from Friday night to Saturday night to ensure a hangover free long run on Saturday- look, I’m getting so mature and responsible!) I was scared that I would make it back to the store, get my water (it was SWEATY out there) and then mentally feel like I was done.  But since I was the second one back, it made it easier to drink my water, start Map My Run, and head to Central Park to see what more I could do.

The longer I ran, the more I wanted to get my mileage UP. I couldn’t hear Map My Run, so I wasn’t positive how far I had gone, so I just kept going. A bridle loop and two reservoir loops and back to my apartment. 6.36 miles. And the Yankee Stadium route had come to just over 12 miles.  Meaning, I had reached 18 MILES! The last six weren’t very pretty. They were slow. And everything hurt. And they had me thinking, “I’m going to do this + 8.2 MORE?!” But I did it. And now I feel so much more confident that I can get through this training, do a 22 mile training run, and cross that finish line after 26.2 miles on October 4.  

(8:47 pace, OOOOF)

I got back to my apartment, opened up my yoga mat, grabbed the evil foam roller, and could barely move for the next half hour. 

The only thing that motivated me was the fact that I neeeeded food. I then took an hour long nap, and didn’t even feel guilty about it because it wasn’t that nice out anyway.

(Lion mane)

So I guess my lesson has been learned. If you want to be able to run 18 miles, you should probably not drink your face off the night before a long run. (Notice I said my lesson was learned, not that I would actually heed this advice on a regular basis). But I’m glad that I had made it up in my mind to make this run a good one and did what I needed to do to make sure it actually happened. 

High fiving myself, sorry. 

November Project- JUST SHOW UP.

Perhaps one of my favorite things in this world is FREE FITNESS.  Whether it’s my running group, the Nike Training Club, at home workouts or a free trial at a gym- I am all about proving that you can be in shape at not spend thousands of dollars! And lucky for me, NYC is just BURSTING with free fitness groups.  I swear, I discover a new one every day.

So it’s kind of amazing that it has taken me this long to #JustShowUp for November Project, which meets every Wednesday morning at 6:28 a.m. at Gracie Mansion (I am a fan of their punctuality). I can literally roll out of bed at 6:15, jog over, and be enveloped in a million sweaty hugs from this crazy awesome fitness family.

The first time I came to #WakeUpTheSun with November Project, it was a little intimidating. I’m not the world’s biggest hugger, and meeting new people isn’t my strength. But everyone was SO friendly, and I definitely have found that fitness-freaks like me have a special bond.

The first morning I went was “PR Day” where we basically ran “mansions” (laps around Gracie Mansion) and saw how long it took us to finish a certain number of them.

Everyone has shirts (#GrassrootsGear) and everyone is enthusiastic and motivating and badass. We start each morning jumping up and down and screaming “Fuck yeah!” I’m not even kidding. We are called a tribe. And our leaders? So inspiring- not to mention fucking hysterical. 

And I got to meet Ali, whose blog I have been following for a while now, and who works at my most favorite place- JackRabbit! The next morning I showed up, my friend Salim from JackRabbit was there! The fitness community in New York City is kind of crazy that way. November Project even has a special vocabulary and traditions and I’m all about that spirit-y stuff. I was hooked from the start!

(Look, I have lots of new friends!)

Every Wednesday, they announce the location for Friday’s workout- and I’ll admit, I’ve been lazy and only made it to one- on the Fourthof July! We met at Grand Army Plaza decked out in our patriotic workout gear and did a bunch of fun stuff like suicide relays and leaping over people planking.

Wednesday’s workouts are usually running-centered, with loops around the park alternating with different exercises like burpees (ugh), pushups, planks, tricep dips, lunges, etc. Not to sound like a snob, but one of my favorite parts about November Project is that these guys are no joke. The workout is hard, and you will be pushed! But it's also a great social atmosphere, and you laugh and smile while you're getting your butt kicked.

And did I mention there’s a photographer who stealthily captures you looking badass? Yes.  There is. And I’m vain, and I love checking Facebook every Wednesday afternoon to see if there’s a shot of me.

I’m pumped because tomorrow, we’re meeting at Randall’s Island and I’m finally going to have my own #GrassRootsGear. If you read up on November Project, it’s a really amazing story, and thinking about it always gets me pumped to set my alarm early. These people are SO dedicated- sometimes running over 8 miles just to GET to the workout. And November Project is in 17 different cities already!

Thank you to my friend Tina for getting me involved in this awesome group. Everyone reading this- we want YOU to join us! Just show up!

(Ayyy)

Restaurant Week: Summer 2014

It’s Restaurant Week in NYC!  Or should I say, “Restaurant Almost-Month.” The summer restaurant week runs from July 21 through August 15- and I’m about to drop a sizeable chunk of change to try some restaurants that I couldn’t normally afford.

But with over 300 restaurants participating, it’s no easy task deciding which places you’d like to tackle.  Here are some questions you can ask yourself to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck, while also ensuring a worthwhile culinary experience (sounds fancy, huh? It is).

(This was my friends entree at David Burke's Fishtail. So pretty!)

Is there a big difference between the lunch and dinner menus?
At some restaurants, the lunch menu, which is $25 for three courses, is identical to the dinner menu, which is $38 for three courses.   You do the math. Often, the lunch menu is offered until 4 p.m., and with the amount of food you get- it’s definitely possible that you could pull an “80-year-old in Florida” and make it your dinner.

Save the Restaurant Week dinners for places that either don’t offer lunch, or offer a lunch menu that you’re just not feelin’ (But I’m telling you, the lunch menu is almost always very similar.)

Am I getting the goods?
Sorry, but I’m not dropping $30 on a lunch if my best appetizer option is a kale Caesar salad and the best entrée is some chicken with vegetables. You can keep your “assorted gelatos.” But anywhere giving me seafood options, lamb, duck, creative desserts, etc., I’m all in.

Will I actually experience the restaurant? 

Are they actually offering signature dishes from their typical menus? Or are they offering lame dishes made “special” for restaurant week? If there’s a dish you’ve been dying to try at a place, but it’s not offered on the restaurant week menu- save the trip, and splurge on that special entrée you’ve been eyeing.

Can you eat here another time for around the same price?
If this is a restaurant you can typically afford anyway, don’t go during restaurant week.  I usually look at their price rating on Yelp or similar websites.  If they’re a $$$$ restaurant- the chances I’m treating myself to a night there without it being restaurant week are very slim.  But $$, I can manage on my own at a later date.

Do they have regular prix fixe menus?
If the restaurant offers a prix fixe year-round, and it’s affordable, save it, and go to a restaurant without a regular prix fixe option.

A few more tips:

• It’s also important to consider whether or not you plan on drinking, how much the restaurants cocktails typically go for, and if you are a dessert person or not.  If you would rather get a cocktail or two and not order dessert, maybe the prix fixe restaurant week option at that particular restaurant isn’t for you.
• Be adventurous- don’t make reservations at 4 Italian restaurants or 3 different sushi bars.  Chances are, the options, given the smaller menus, will be very similar among restaurants with the same cuisine.  So why not try sushi one night and Indian the next? You live in NYC, the options are endless.  Get out there and try new things!
• Take notice of supplementary charges on the restaurant week menus- a lot of times, signature dishes will cost an extra $7-$12!
• If you're like me, and love Instagramming your food- #NYCResaurantWeek is giving away gift cards to the best pictures! Get your X-ProII on and arrange those plates!
• Plan ahead, and make reservations.

What are my plans for the remainder of Restaurant Week, you ask?

Dovetail, mas (la grillade), Tamarind – Tribeca, Lure Fishbar. And I went to Fishtail on Sunday (review to follow!)

Leave me comments if there's any other places I NEEEEEED to try :) And happy eating!