The Fitness Update & 12 Favorite Moments

Perhaps you've noticed that I haven't been writing about running a whole lot. Or, at all, lately. 

That's because I haven't been doing a whole lot of running. When I do run, this is usually the conversation in my head: 

"You shouldn't run, your shins hurt." 
"You can you run, you don't have any injury at the moment." 
"You shouldn't run, don't push it, you want to run another marathon in the fall." 
"You need to go for a run for the sake of your mental sanity." 

At which point, I go for a run. 

Running for me isn't all about the physical act of running - it's a mental happy place and a huge aspect of my social life. Sure I can always wake up and go to the gym on Saturday morning - but I miss nothing more than consistent Saturday morning long runs with friends around the park followed by brunch.  

At the moment, I'm not training for anything - it seems that I'm on a constant loop of "terrible run," "painful run," "slow AF run," "randomly amazing run" with no insight about how to make the amazing runs more common. 

I'm currently registered to run the NYC Marathon in November, but recent work developments make it likely that I'll need to defer. I'm toying with the idea of a Hartford or Suffolk County Marathon earlier in the fall, but not making any decisions for now. 

All I've got on my race calendar is the Ragnar Relay this May - which I'm pumped about! I'm also pretty nervous, because I feel like I'm severely underestimating how difficult it's going to be. I need to really start upping my mileage if I want to run 22 miles over the course of 48 hours on little to no sleep. (We are looking for more people to join our team - please comment below if you're interested!) 

I'm also considering whether or not I want to attempt an Olympic tri this summer - of course, I'm petrified about the prospect of swimming a mile in open water. I've been going to the pool every once in awhile and I swear I somehow manage to get slower every time! 

I've been in a bit of an exercise funk - with no goals to motivate me. I'm on the lookout for my next big challenge, but it just hasn't presented itself yet. 

Since this update thus far has sounded very down in the dumps, here are some of my favorite fitness moments over this winter season that I never shared on the blog. 

1. Turkey Trot 

In 2015 I ran a turkey trot on Long Island all by my lonesome. I hated every second of it, and swore I would return for revenge. 

Considering I was certainly not in any racing shape, I gave up my plans for revenge and instead, finally convinced family members to join in the fun! Running a race with my little cousins, with turkey hats, was amazing! It wasn't fast, it didn't feel great, but I spent Thanksgiving morning doing one of my favorite things with some of my favorite people and for that I was #Thankful. 

2. Deck A Day Challenge 

This is the third year that I've done the Deck a Day Challenge - completing a Deck of Cards workout every day from Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve. I look forward to it every year, and though this year I had quite a butt-kicking at the start, by the end I felt strong and in much better shape. The best was doing some of these with Abby at NYSC! (Along with our personal spin class featuring Aida and Hamilton). 

3. Run & Swim & Brunch 

One morning, Abby and I went for a run followed by a mile swim. I never would have done both of these things back to back without her, but we managed to make it fun - and followed it up with a delicious meal at the new Upper East Side Dig Inn featuring an ALMOND CLOUD. 

4. The Run Where I Cried 

I've only had one of these in recent memory, and it was a December morning where I reached the top of Harlem Hill and felt like I had reached the top of Mount Everest. My legs felt strong and I had zero pain other than fatigue. I thought this was a turning point, and though it didn't end up to be the start of a wonderful running streak, it did leave my happy all weekend. It was a 9 mile run at an 8:25 pace but I felt like I had just run a Boston Qualifying marathon. 

It was during the Ted Corbitt 15K which my friend Erin was running. I joined her for awhile, ran with my friend Kayla for awhile, and waved to many friends out in the park. It's my favorite way to spend a morning.

5. Bluepoint Brewery 10 Miler 

This is always one of my most favorite days of the year - and this time, we made a weekend out of it! 6 of us rented an Airbnb for the weekend and after a broken train, made it to Patchogue where we had dinner at That Meetball Place and woke up for the best race of the year. 

Abby and I stuck together step for step throughout the race, and everyone stayed step for step with me on the dance floor afterwards. Many beers later, and a visit from MY SISTER, we made it back to the Airbnb and woke up in the morning for a quick run and bagel breakfast before heading back to the city. 

I hope this tradition continues because its the best. I ended up running around an 8:30 pace. 

6. Busch Stadium Workout 

While I was away for work in St. Louis, I had the chance to workout in one of the clubhouse gyms at Busch Stadium. I cranked up the tunes and enjoyed myself wayyy too much. Does everyone else get excited by an empty gym? 

7. Abby's First Bike Ride! 

Callie and I got to join Abby for her first bike ride on her new road bike and it was wonderful. I took my first clipped-in ride by myself and fell right into a puddle of mud while people in the park looked at me with confusion. I am happy to report that Abby did much, much better than me! 

8. Batting Practice at Dodger Stadium 

This isn't just a favorite fitness moment, this was one of the cooler things I've EVER done. My coworkers and I had the chance to play ball at Dodger Stadium on a gorgeous January evening in LA and it's something that I will never forget. And yes, I hit the ball!

9. More CP Loops 

If you haven't realized, it doesn't take much to make me happy - another Saturday morning spent in Central Park with friends - chatting, running, sun shining - longer than I had run in a long time (10 miles)! 

10. Partner Workouts

Having someone to workout with while I'm on the road is HUGE in keeping me motivated to get to the gym. In Pittsburgh, my friend Sabrina and I made a bunch of kick ass workouts to do together in the gym - she even got me to go to a hot yoga class that I ended up loving and I got her to for a run with me! The workout we created using the rower was KILLER but pretty awesome if I do say so myself. 

11. BRICK 

I landed in NY after a loooong time away for work and after a 2 hour nap ($2 tequila shots are dangerous), made my way to my happy place - Central Park. It was a ridiculously warm day for February and I did 3 loops on my bike...we had been separated for so long! I got home from my bike ride and wished I was still outside, so I decided to go for a 3 mile run too. Why not? 

My best friends Abby and Callie are amazing and training for a Half Ironman, and their Strava feeds inspired me to go big or go home. I loooved it. 

12. NP_NYC 3 Year Anniversary 

In March, November Project turned 3 years old and the amazing co-leaders, John and Paul, handed over the reins. I was really glad that I got myself up for the 5:30 a.m. workout and got to see the changing of the guard. November Project has made NYC feel like home to me - it's the reason I can walk around the Upper East Side and run into people I know, it's the reason I've seen so many beautiful sunsets over the East River. It's the reason running marathons and ultramarathons and IRONMANs doesn't seem impossible. It's the reason I have so many amazing best friends (and the reason I keep finding roommates for my apartment!) 

La Jolla Cove DIY Full-Body Workout

Slowly but surely, I'm seeing the cities and sights of California. Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose and now, San Diego!  

All quick trips, but I've been fortunate to have the world's best tour guide in San Fran and San Diego. Emily made sure we stuck to my jam-packed itinerary and crammed a TON into the 48 hours. 

By far my favorite part of the journey from Los Angeles to San Diego was our afternoon spent exploring La Jolla Cove and creating a workout as we took in the stunning views of sea lions, rainbows, cliffs, caves and the sea. 

Next time you're taking a road trip and don't have access to a gym and think you don't have a second to spare to sneak in some sweat - use some of these moves to stay active wherever you are. Whether it's La Jolla Cove or somewhere else, use your surroundings as inspiration - you don't need fancy machines or equipment. Here's what I came up with at La Jolla: 

LOWER BODY

Romanian Lunge

Single Leg Bench Squat 

Walking Lunges

Step  Ups

Lateral Bunny Hops

Plank Leg Lifts

UPPER BODY 

Bench Push-Ups

Plank Shoulder Taps

Tricep Dips

CORE

Seated Knee Tucks

Mountain Climbers

Russian Twists

Where to Eat in DTLA

Some cities are more accommodating than others to visitors that are trying to eat healthy on the road. Whether you’re traveling for work or pleasure, Los Angeles is a city with endless dining choices – many of which focus on fresh, light, nutritious dishes. 

I was happy to travel to the west coast for 12 days in the middle of winter – determined to eat my way through the land of acai and poke bowls. Here are 9 spots I enjoyed on my trip.

Café Gratitude

This all-veggie all-organic hot spot has been on the top of my foodie bucket list for quite some time now, and it was the first place I went after arriving in California (after a quick sweat-session at Rise Nation…) Café Gratitude first popped onto my radar via Instagram – it’s a favorite among bloggers like @shutthekaleup.

We happened to go during Dine LA, the Los Angeles version of New York City’s “Restaurant Week.” We opted for the Dine LA menu, which allowed us to choose 2 dishes for $20 each. We only ate about 50% of the four dishes we ordered – not because we weren’t hungry or didn’t like it – but because it was an extremely generous amount of food for $20!

Brussels Sprouts

These were maple miso glazed and while they were perfectly fine, they were nothing super special. I’m always a fan of Brussels, but I still think the best I’ve ever had were at Bareburger. This could also be due to the fact that I ate them after having previously biked 30 miles and cried because I was so hungry and didn’t want to walk to the restaurant (true story).

Chili Bowl

Wow. Wowowow. This was so hearty and flavorful and the crumbled jalapeno biscuit was killer. This is the kind of dish you can make your meat-eating friends try and then say, “SEE! Eating vegan doesn’t mean giving up on filling, delicious meals!”

The chili was loaded with red beans, tempeh, sweet potato, avocado, and more.

The only thing we were a little unsure about was the dollop of what looked like whipped butter on top. It was actually a cashew sour cream, and though I tried to get on board with it, it just wasn’t my thing.

Pad Thai Kelp Noodles

This was a lighter dish than the chili and I loved the texture of the kelp noodles. If you’re in the mood for a cold dish but don’t want to go the salad route, I recommend ordering this.

Kelp noodles are smothered in a delicious Thai almond sauce with carrots, red bell pepper, kale, teriyaki almonds and sunflower sprouts.

Mole Abuelita Enchilades

I think this was my favorite of the 4 dishes. If I hadn’t known, I never would have guessed that these enchiladas had no meat or cheese in them. I was again blown away at how satisfying these were – with real authentic Mexican flavor to boot.

The dish is comprised of black beans, grilled Portobello mushrooms, braised butternut squash, avocado, Mexican coleslaw, esabeche and an amazing cashew queso fresco. I love cashew “cheese.”

When our waiter delivered our food, he gave us the “Question of the Day” which was “What inspired you?” My first reaction was, “This is a little too hippy-dippy for me, let me eat my food in peace” but, when in LA…

Emily and I actually discussed the question when the waiter walked away and I’m glad we did – it was an interesting topic. I first said that nature inspires me – watching sunsets is my favorite thing in the world – but I also loved Emily’s answers of traveling and seeing people we care about achieve their goals.

Another feel-good aspect of Café Gratitude, other than the name itself, is the fact that the menu items are all inspirational words like Ecstatic! Dazzling! and Humble! When the waiters bring you you’re food, they deliver it and say, “You are Dazzling,” “You are Lucky.” Thanks, hot hipster waiter, I know I’m Smokin’ ;) 

Next time I’m at Café Gratitude, I definitely want to try some of their refreshing sounding juices and elixirs like the pineapple, pear and ginger juice or the heavenly sounding smoothie with coconut cashew ice cream, almond milk, cacao nibs, almond butter and vanilla bean. KK.

Baco Mercat

I read about Baco Mercat on The Infatuation and was intrigued by their signature item, the “Baco” – part taco, part sandwich, part flatbread and 100% created by chef and owner Josef Centeno.

I also loved the rest of the menu – with a focus on small plates great for sharing and inspired by cuisines from across the globe.

This was the second restaurant in LA to tell me and my friends that we were ordering too much food – but the three of us did a solid job eating the following dishes:

Ricotta Fritters
honey, lemon zest, dill

None of us were impressed with these, sadly.

The Toron Baco
Oxtail hash, cheddar tater, horseradish-yogurt

The original Baco contained crispy pork belly and beef carnitas with caraway pepper sauce and salbitxada according to Baco Mercat’s website – but the Toron Baco is now the most talked about and for good reason! This was DELICIOUS and though I don’t really know exactly what oxtail hash is, I would gladly eat it again and again.

Double Mushroom Coca (Crispy or Chewy Flatbread)
Shitake, Crimini, Fontina, Chili Flakes

We opted for the crispy flatbread, and this was mushroomy masterpiece.

Caramelized Cauliflower
Pine Nuts, Mint, Garlic, Sumac Lebni, Chili

I always love cauliflower, and while this wasn’t over the top amazing, it was delicious as cauliflower always is – especially when paired with pine nuts!

Blistered Okra
Tomato, Fenugreek, basil, lebni, sesame

We were shocked at how much we loved this! There were a lot of different flavors in it, and after some research, I found out the Fenugreek is full of health benefits like reducing inflammation, improves exercise performance, and promotes milk flow in breastfeeding women! It’s also a key ingredient in many Indian curries. 

Caesar Brussels Sprouts
Pecorino, anchovy, garlic, croutons

This was served as a shredded Brussels Sprout salad and tasted exactly like a Caesar Salad!

Hamachi Crudo
Abkhazian spice, avocado, hash brown, crème fraiche

We all agreed that this was probably our favorite dish of the night – so light yet so flavorful! The Hamachi melted in your mouth!

Mainland Poke

My secret weapon when I’m traveling for work is ordering delivery to my hotel room using Postmates. Room service usually takes forever, is super expensive, and doesn’t have a ton of options (especially healthy ones).

Postmates, on the other hand, will deliver directly to your hotel room door (at most hotels) and there are SO MANY OPTIONS. Even restaurants that don’t offer their own delivery allow Postmates drivers to pick up food for delivery. 

When in California, I knew I needed to eat some poke – a raw fish salad originally from Hawaii. From Mainland Poke I ordered a 3 scoop bowl with baby greens, kelp noodles, Ahi tuna, salmon, octopus, avocado yuzu ponzu, cucumber, edamame, mango, seaweed, sweet onion, tobiko, black sesame and red sea salt. Basically, everything you could possibly put in a poke bowl – I ordered!

It was delicious and light while still incredibly filling. Everything tasted fresh and it was great as delivery because it didn’t need to be kept warm! 

Mas Malo 

We headed here for a big group dinner knowing that it was a favorite among some of our staff. 

Four Salsa Flight With Chips 

The four flavors were burnt habanero cream, fresh tomatillo, warm chocolate mole and fresh pico de gallo. It was a great spread, but little did we know, we missed the opportunity to order Mas Malo's famous off-menu "chewy chips" that my coworker had been raving about! 

After devouring multiple baskets of chips, we realized that our counterparts at another table were chowing down on chewy chips. once bite and we were hooked and had to order a round for our table too! These half-baked tortilla chips are seriously crack and you can't go to Mas Malo without ordering them! 

Guacamole 

Solid - with pomegranate seeds for a fruity punch! 

Sauteed Cactus and Onions
White Wine, Butter, Cilantro

We didn't know what to expect eating cactus, but it just tasted like a green vegetable - and what doesn't taste good smothered in white wine and butter? 

Roasted Squash
Squash, Dry Chili, Piloncillo

What's piloncillo? It's unrefined cane sugar - so this side dish was essentially dessert. YUM.

Carnitas "Al Pastor" 

For my entree I opted for the NorCal pork shoulder with achiote paste, pineapple juice, guacamole, and sour cream. I'm a sucker for fruit with my meat, especially when it comes to Mexican food. This was very tender and flavorful, though not that best Al Pastor I've ever had. I was so full of chips at this point, that I enjoyed the pork with the side salad instead of making tacos with the tortillas they served me. 

Tres Leches Cake 

This was wildly underwhelming - the only good part was the lower portion of the cake that had been soaking in the cream. Otherwise, it just looked pretty. 

Churros 

These were alright but they were mainly a vehicle for the decadent chocolate dipping sauce. 

Rawberri 

This was another Postmates order on a night I wanted to stay in - it's no shock that I was craving avocado toast and an acai bowl, and thankfully, Rawberri was able to deliver exactly that! 

Wild Bowl 

I went for the medium, and it was a perfect size. I was also shocked that when it came, it wasn't a soupy mess. It wasn't super thick, but there was granola, bee pollen, blueberries, strawberries and bananas so I was very happy! 

Avocado Toast

When it came to the avocado toast, it wasn't great because the toast was a little soggy, but at least it came on Ezekial toast! It also had quite a bit of kick to it with the chili flakes! 

Hoke Poke

Another day, while laying by the pool, I was simply too lazy to get up and get food. So again, it was time to call on Postmates to provide me with a poolside poke bowl. This time, from Hoke Poke. I opted for a small bowl with citrus kale, cilantro, cucumber, edamame, mango, Ahu Tuna, avocado, wasabi peas and a side of the Citrus Thai Basil Sauce.

I barely even needed the side of sauce because everything was so flavorful. My favorite part were definitely the wasabi peas!

This bowl was delivered with chopsticks only, so I struggled a bit to eat it, but felt very authentic ;)

True Food Kitchen

One night we took a bit of a drive to Santa Monica for another healthy-chain I’d heard a lot about. True Food Kitchen is a healthy, seasonal restaurant with a menu that’s constantly changing based on what is in season and fresh.

When the three of us looked at the menu, it was heaven. There was truly not one thing on there that we weren’t intrigued by.

We started with a round of drinks. I opted for the Ginger Margarita. Though I’m not usually a fan of tons of ginger, I’ve been drinking it more in my homemade smoothies and couldn’t turn down a margarita with honey and elderflower liqueur! It was delicious and refreshing with a definite ginger bite to it.

Our waitress informed us that many of the dishes we were planning on ordering were sold out for the day – but it didn’t stop us from ordering am incredible line-up of things to share!

Grilled Fish Tacos
Avocado, Greek Yogurt, Cilantro, Pickled Onion, Anasazi Bean, Cotija Cheese

These were such a pleasant surprise. I wasn’t expecting such a great taco from this place, but they were spicy and delicious.

Butternut Squash Flatbread
Butternut Squash, Smoked Onion, Organic Kale, Vegan Almond Ricotta, Dried Cranberry

That vegan almond ricotta was KILLER and I never would have guessed it wasn't actually cheese! Something about squash and cranberries is just THE BEST. 

Chioggia Beet Bruschetta
Vegan almond ricotta, amaranth, arugula, pomegranate molasses

More vegan almond ricotta, more happy taste buds. This was one of my favorites! The toast was a crunchy, crumbly texture that I really liked and I was a big fan of the amaranth sprinkled on top. 

Spicy Panang Curry
Organic potato, long bean, bok choy, carrot, thai basil, coconut shrimp broth

This certainly had some spice to it! We got the chicken version, but there were still lots of veggies too which I liked! I'm not a huge chicken fan - most of the time it's boring and dry to me - but this wasn't dry at all and was drowning in flavorful curry.  

Charred Cauliflower
Harissa tahini, medjool date, dill, mint, pistachio

Is there anything in this dish that isn't something I love? NOPE. Who knew that witha little bit of Mediterranean flavor and a hint of African, you've got yourself a delicious cauliflower dish!?

Herb Hummus
Greek salad, feta, grilled pita bread

Unlike most of the other dishes at True Food Kitchen, which were GREAT - this hummus was just very middle of the road. 

Lemonade 

Lemonade is by far the best airport restaurant in the entire universe. There, I said it. It's only competition is the World Bean in JFK that served avocado toast AND peanut butter banana toast. 

But I digress. Lemonade is a health food chain with different locations throughout California. They are a quick-service, health-food restaurant offering build your own meal options including seasonal sides, salads, proteins and delicious lemonades! The stars of Lemonade are definitely their vegetable sides which rotate based on what's fresh and in season. 

Every time I go to LA I'm PUMPED to build my own plate of delicious salads like Roasted Broccoli with ricotta cheese and Champagne Vinaigrette, curry cauliflower and lentils with pomegranate seeds and sweet potatoes! Don't forget the protein - citrus poached salmon fillet with whole grain mustard sauce. 

We decided a lemonade with vodka was necessary pre-flight, and I went with the sugar-free rosemary something or other with vodka - I honestly didn't really love it - probably because it was lacking sugar! They looked pretty though! 

Broken Spanish 

One of my best friends from NYC happened to be in LA for a work trip at the same time I was, and we go to grab dinner together at a popular restaurant in the downtown area where we were both staying. 

I first read about Broken Spanish on The Infatuation - which is one of my most trusted restaurant review websites. They made the claim that, "Broken Spanish in DTLA is not fixing Mexican food. It's putting it on a level we never knew existed." With that GLOWING review - I added Broken Spanish to my list of "must-trys" before leaving LA. 

Broken Spanish was very nice inside and the wait staff were great. I appreciated that Erin trusted me and gave me full reins to order what I pleased.  Though the waiter warned us that it was going to be a lot of food, I went full steam ahead with the following plates:

Seasonal Tostada
Habas, Pea Salsa Verde, “Little Lamb,” Carrot Escabeche

This had a very vinegary taste to it, but was light and refreshing despite sitting atop a fried tortilla. I was a big fan of the carrot escabeche ad pea salsa verde in particular! This was definitely the "healthiest" tasting dish of the night. 

Chile Relleno
Poblano, Potato, Kale, Lemon, Soubise  

YUMMO. Erin and I both really enjoyed this - what is there to dislike about a pepper bursting with cheesy potatoes? 

Tamale
Lamb Neck, King Oyster Mushroom, Queso Oaxaca

The waiter was raving about how amazing their tamales are - so it seemed like a no brainer to order one loaded with mushroom and lamb, two of my favorite things. Unfortunately, we were really underwhelmed by this. The tamale itself was very dry, and though the lamb on top was tender and saucy, there wasn't enough to make up for the blandness of the tamale. 

Camote
Sweet Potato, Pig Tail, Trompa, Chile de Arbol, Verjus

Sign me up for any and all things sweet potato! This was probably the least sweet-potato-y sweet potato dish I've ever had. I can't quite put my finger on why, but I really didn't enjoy it very much despite being a little sweet and a little savory. Apparently, this dish was named one of the bet dishes of 2015 in LA. While I'm all for sweet potatoes having their moment, I just didn't really get this dish. And it wasn't particularly appealing looking either. Not to mention the fact that i ate pig tail...

Carnitas
Lamb Shoulder, Kabocha Squash Escabeche, Pomegranate Salsa

This meat was very tender, but not my favorite - something about the texture and consistency. I also didn't love the cold, vinegary squash escabeche. 

I left Broken Spanish pretty underwhelmed. I had been expecting an EPIC meal and it was just a good meal. 

Throwback Fitness Throws Down

A Mario Bros. mural covers the walls, instructors wear polos and whistles around their necks, and students store their belongings in cubbies. All signs point to middle school gym as you remember it in the 80s and 90s – but the workout you get at Throwback Fitness is much more intense than a game of middle school pickleball – and even more fun. 

THE STUDIO

Throwback is a small studio within an office building. It’s lacking a proper locker room and showers if morning workouts before the office are you jam - I had to make my way over to New York Sports Club before going to the office.

That being said, the studio itself is spacious enough and jam packed with equipment like rowers, medicine balls, kettlebells and dumbbells. 

THE CLASS

Throwback offers two main classes - Strength/Power and Endurance/Speed. I've now taken both - and they are pretty much as their names imply. Leaving Strength/Power I felt strong and leaving Endurance/Speed I felt like I had gotten in a good cardio workout. Regardless of the particular class you pick, the workout is split into four sections – a warmup, Phys Ed, homework and recess, keeping with the theme of the studio. A little kitschy? Sure - but it works. 

Warm-Up

I've now taken three classes at Throwback Fitness and each time, class started by introducing ourselves and answering a quick question about ourselves - favorite game show (Figure It Out), Favorite Famous Animal (any monkey) and Favorite Cereal (Peanut Butter Puffins). After intros, the warm-up always incorporates exercises into some kind of game.

In Throwback Fitness Questions you had to perform 8 shoulder taps followed by 8 alternating lunges before you could ask a yes or no question to our instructor, Java, to figure out which celebrity he was thinking of.

We did this for three minutes, successfully guess Oprah Winfrey, Donald Trump, and Steve Harvey while continuously completing our shoulder tap and lunge reps.

In another warm-up we performed a series of exercises before being allowed to fire a foam ball at the little army men lining the top of the ceiling beam (harder than it looked). 

And in my last class, we played "Musical Medicine Ball" - traveling around the room performing high knees, butt kicks, etc. until the music stopped. The people left without a medicine ball were sent to the rowers for 100 meter row penalty before joining back into the game. 

Phys Ed

In Strength/Power, "Phys Ed" was the main strength portion of the class. We split into two groups and completed the following sets of exercises for 3.5 minutes, 4 times for a total of 14 minutes.

A
14 American KB Swings
14 Spiderman Push-Ups

B
14 Bent Rows
14 Megatrons (One handed snatch + lunge)
7 Squat Thrusts

In Endurance/Speed, the "Phys Ed" section is where you use the rower. I'm frustrated every time I row because I look over and see people rowing at a 2:15 pace and I'm struggling to hit 2:45. But it certainly provides a challenge and raises the heart rate! 

In both Endurance/Speed classes I took, the rowing portion was down with a partner. While you row, your partner completes a circuit of exercises (10 cannonball push-ups, 16 kneeling up/down squats, 20 bicycle flutterkicks). Either you row until your partner finishes the circuit or your partner repeats the circuit until you've hit a predetermined distance on the rower. 

At the end of Phys Ed, based on the number of meters rowed, a first, second and third place team is announced. 

Homework

This section is a 3-4  minute core-interlude. For example:
 
:30 Left Side Plank/:30 Left V-Ups
:30 Right Side Plank/:30 Right V-Ups
:30 Hollow Hold/:30 Tuck Ups

Another class, we did a 3 minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) of: 
12 Medicine ball sit-ups
12 Medicine ball roll-outs
12 Medicine ball Russian twists

Recess

The last part of class, recess, is where the group is split into two teams for a competition. In my first class, Recess was a relay race. Each time had 4 people lined up in a row, doing a different exercise. As one person finished 6 laps of a bear crawl, the group shifted to the next exercise. Each time you finished 20 reps, you grabbed a flag. The team with the most flags at the end of the 5 minutes was the winner.

1 Arm Dumbbell Overhead Squat – I couldn’t do this for my LIFE. I’m determined to work on these!
Reverse Lunge to High Knee
Sit-Ups
6 Bear Crawl Laps – These kill me every time! Why is bear crawling so hard?

Another time we played corn hole! Every time you completed 7 push-up jacks, 9 tuck ups and 11 frog jumps, you got to throw the beanbag. Let me  tell you - something about starting your day with corn hole really just sets you up for success.

Class always finished with both teams lining up and high-fiving and "good game"-ing and my first class, we also made a group Boomerang. 

After my first class I wasn't 100% sold on Throwback, but by the end of my 3 classes there, I found myself really enjoying it. 

THE INSTRUCTORS 

I took a class with each of the three main instructors - Java, Brian and Ryan and can honestly say that they were equally wonderful instructors. They were thorough but quick in their explanations of some complex exercises/games and super motivating and positive throughout class. Java may win for best class playlist though!

WHAT I LIKED 

I liked that Throwback used a number of complex exercises in their classes. Instead of sticking to isolation exercises, there were tons of compound moves that targeted multiple body parts at once to make Throwback a true total body workout. 

The option to choose between a class geared more towards cardio or strength is something that I think more studios should implement. 

The community vibe at Throwback is great - the instructors call almost everyone by name, and as the newbie, they were very encouraging and made an effort to learn my name as well. I also loved that during the rowing portion of class, they would continually walk around the room and let you know how many meters you needed to catch up to the front of pack - it definitely kept me from phoning it in when I got tired. 

The class manages to be just the right amount of competitive. The games motivate you, but don't get so intense that anyone would feel "bad" about their performance. 

Another aspect I like is that there are challenges that go beyond the people you're in class with - there is a Throwback Fitness-wide system for earning gold stars and completing different challenges that regulars get really in to! 

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE 

In my first class, my opinion of the "games" was that they were too gimmicky - but by the end of three classes I figured out that they're designed so that you can make them as intense or as laid back as you want. 

My one complaint was that the studio was SO HOT AND SWEATY. That, coupled with the lack of showers, made me feel pretty bad for the people around me on the subway to work. 

THE RUNDOWN

THE STUDIO - 6

The studio itself is fun to look around, with all the 80s posters and paraphernalia. Plus, as I mentioned, there's a ton of equipment packed into the space and a lot is possible.  

Lacking however are the additional amenities offered at many other boutique fitness studios. 

CLASS SIZE - SMALL

There's been about 10-12 people in each class I attended, which was a perfect amount. It never seemed too crowded, though 3 or 4 more people and it might have started to feel a little cramped. 

SWEAT SCALE - 7

Both Power/Strength and Endurance/Speed were pretty damn sweaty! The way these workouts are set-up, you can push it to the limit and get a killer workout, or if you're having a meh day, take it a bit slower. 

FUN FACTOR - 9

Throwback is a great time, and that's it's appeal. Not only are you getting in a great workout, but you're doing it in a fun atmosphere - led by the great instructors at Throwback. 

AMENITIES - 4

This is where Throwback falls short. 

COST - $$$

A single class at Throwback will cost you $32, which seems a little high for what it offers. I had bought a 3 for $30 package on Black Friday, and they also offer 2 classes for $19 for first-timers, which I highly recommend checking out! 

THE BOTTOM LINE

You could go to a class like Tone House or Barry's and get a KILLER workout. You could go to Mile High Run Club or Swerve and kill it at cardio. But Throwback is the option for the days you just want an all around good workout - to not kill yourself, and to thoroughly enjoy your workout! 

I'd add this to my list of "You Should Try It!" (I should actually make this list at some point...) 

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: 

Upper Eats Side: Blake Lane

After years of construction and waiting with trepid anticipation – the 2nd Avenue Subway Line has finally opened its doors at 3 new stops along the Q line. Things are looking up for the many millennials living in Yorkville.

But the 2nd Avenue Subway isn’t the only new thing bringing a smile to the faces of twenty-somethings on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Trendy new restaurants and bars seem to be springing up left and right.

Blake Lane is one such restaurant – opening in November and quickly becoming a popular spot for both brunch and dinner. I first heard about Blake Lane when a friend tagged me in a picture of their perfectly Instagrammable brunch dishes.

Served in a cute, airy space on 3rd Avenue, Blake Lane is the type of place you’d expect to find in the East Village or Brooklyn – full of Lululemon clad weekend warriors gossiping over coffee as they Snapchat their avocado toast (I hope no one finds offense to this – as I am 100% one of these people...I just might be wearing Old Navy workout gear).

In fact, I came here after a particularly amazing 9 mile run one weekend, with a friend who was visiting from LA. I resembled the heart-eyed emoji as I sat down and looked over the menu – full of dishes I wanted to sample.

Luckily, my friend and I agreed to split a few different things.  I appreciated the mix of hearty options along with light, refreshing choices that made me feel like I was back in California ordering acai bowls and poke on the boardwalk.

(Speaking of California...here's a picture from my recent trip to La Jolla - more to come!

Brunch At Blake Lane

Poke 

Wild Tuna, black rice, avocado puree, mango, cucumber, sesame seeds, nori

This was our favorite part of our meal and it might have had something to do with the artful smear of avocado puree that was so visually appealing. Or the fact that everything tasted so fresh!

Acai Bowl

Banana, cashew butter, marinated berries, granola

A so so acai bowl – I wouldn’t necessarily order this again when there are better bowls in the city and a ton of other options on this menu.

Squash Toast

 Kabocha, onion, Aleppo pepper

Branching out from avocado toast, Blake Lane also offers squash toast and a nut toast with cashew butter. We opted for the squash toast which had a really great flavor, but threw me off a little because it was served somewhat cold. I think I would have preferred this warm and on freshly toasted bread!

Beverages

They have a pretty extensive morning beverage menu. I ordered an Americano but there were no sugar substitutes – organic sugar cubes only (a rolled my eyes a bit at this one, I will admit).

Emily ordered a acai limeade that was on the sweet side and I was really intrigued by their Hot Cocoa served with cayenne, cinnamon, date and sea salt or their Golden Mylk made with almond milk, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, date and sea salt!

Dinner at Blake Lane

When I visited for dinner after my kickboxing class a few weeks ago, Blake Lane was bustling. Where I had felt totally normal in athleisure on a Saturday morning, I felt a little out of place waltzing in on a Thursday night in my sweaty clothes – oops!

Again, we tried a bunch of different dishes and I might have liked them even more than brunch! That being said, the cost was a lot more of a hit to my wallet ordering off the dinner menu!

Roasted Beets

Grapefruit, shaved onion citrus vinaigrette, mint

While I like all of these things on their own, I wasn’t completely thrilled with the combination. It felt like they just threw a bunch of on-trend ingredients together for the hell of it.

Broccoli

Cashew butter, chili oil

Loved this dish – the broccoli could have been charred a bit more, but the cashew butter was absolutely delicious! I could have drank a cup of it.

Tuna Tartine

Yellowfin tuna, broccoli salsa verde, Aleppo pepper

The waiter recommended this, and it ended up being one of our favorite items! Definitely recommend! It was so fresh and filling!

Chicken Lettuce Cups

Warmed spiced yogurt, herbs

Lettuce cups can be a bit bland, but these were full of flavor!

Courgetti

Spirazlized squash, basil pistachio pesto, roasted tomato, avocado, poached gulf shrimp

Personally, this was my favorite! I’m a sucker for pesto using alternative nuts (did I really just say that?) because pine nuts are so expensive – and I will definitely be taking a stab at my own pistachio pesto one of these days! The dish came with 4 good sized shrimp and the roasted tomatoes were a great finishing touch. 

Out Of The [Kick]Box Haus

There are only a few fitness fads that I haven’t tried, and a handful that I’ve tried and just haven’t really enjoyed (Barre – ow! Yoga – ugh! Zumba – womp!) 

There are no fitness fads that I’m not willing to give a shot (still need to make my way to a “flirty girl fitness class,” aerial yoga, trampoline and trapeze!) Even if I look like a spaz and make a fool of myself, it’s only for an hour!

Feeling like a total spaz was par for the course during my first boxing class at Work Train Fight – but the challenge fell into the land of “motivating” instead of “demoralizing” (which is how I felt attending a step class full of 60+ jazzercisers before I walked out of the only class I’ve ever quit).

Since then, I’ve taken a few classes at NYSC at have found them to be pretty enjoyable. My arms are always so sore the day after a boxing class and I love that feeling of “OH SHIT I did WORK yesterday.”

So I thought it was time to throw some legs into the mix and attend a kickboxing class – an intimidating idea for someone with little to no coordination when it comes to things that require choreography.

After looking around at some studios, and really wanting to use the 2nd Avenue Subway – I came across The Kickbox Haus on the Upper East Side. Not only did they offer kickboxing, but fusion classes with kettlebells!

I talked to studio owner and instructor Michelle and it sounded like a pretty challenging class – so I signed myself and a friend up and hoped for the best.

THE STUDIO

Kickbox Haus is a very small studio with about 10 punching bags set up in very close proximity. There’s really nowhere to put your things – I had to shove my winter coat, boots and backpack behind my punching bag which was odd but worked out fine.

It’s $5 to rent gloves.

THE INSTRUCTOR

Michelle was teaching our class and she was full of personality and energy – she gave lots of instructions and soon we were set up by our bags with kettlebells of varying weights and a mat to get started with some glute and core work. 

THE CLASS

The bulk of the class alternated between kettlebell exercises and bag work.

Michelle is extremely qualified to teach all about kettlebells – a piece of fitness equipment that’s typically misused. She was very adamant about proper form for kettlebell swings which was very helpful. Kettlebell swings tire me OUT, man. I eventually got the hang of them, but 30 seconds straight of kettlebell swinging is no joke.

We also worked on some cleans and I was a little less graceful with those – banging up my elbows, shoulders and wrists pretty well in an attempt to get the kettlebells into the racked position.

My favorite part was the bag work – incorporating not only jabs, crosses, uppercuts, hooks etc. but straight and roundhouse kicks. We did a ladder with roundhouse kicks that sounded simple, but by the time I was up to 10 kicks I was beat!

WHAT I DIDN'T LOVE & WHAT I LOVED

My favorite and least favorite part of the class was actually the same thing – Michelle took a lot of time after each set/exercise to explain what was coming next.

As someone taking my first kickboxing class and still new to Kickbox Haus, I really appreciated the in depth instruction and attention to form and proper technique. That being said, my heart rate kept coming down during the instruction, and if I were a regular I would have been irritated by all of the talking!

The periods of work were hard, don’t get me wrong – but the class overall could have felt like a much better workout if the moves had been explained at the beginning of class and then we powered through them all with less rest.

I still left feeling really glad that I had attended – and wanting to add kickboxing (with an actual bag) to my regular workout routine – as well as using kettlebell swings in more of my DIY gym workouts. They’re a great power+strength+cardio exercise!

The Kickbox Haus offers a variety of classes in additional to kickboxing and kettlebell – there’s TRX training, Muay Thai, American Boxing, and more.

If you’re looking for real training and instruction on proper technique I highly recommend taking a few classes at The Kickbox Haus.

Just bear in mind – there are no showers or changing/locker rooms – it’s a small space with the bare minimum. 

Travel Guide: Portland, Maine in 72 Hours

Portland, Maine. 

When you first think of this small northeastern coastal city, you may conjure up images of summer beach days and sleepy nights on a porch swing under the stars. And that's totally valid. Maine is full of gorgeous beaches and cozy cottages with wrap-around porches. 

But the East Coast Portland can claim some other stellar accolades like being named one of GQ's Coolest Small Cities in America.

And though the jury is out on whether or not Portland actually has the most restaurants per capita than any city in the U.S., it has earned a reputation as one of the foodie-destinations in America - being named Bon Appetit Magazine's "America's Foodiest Small Town" in 2009 and being named one of the top twenty on The Huffington Post's list of "Americas Best Food Cities" in 2014. 

And HELLO, Matador Network named Portland, Maine the best craft beer city in the WORLD. The WORLD! 

Picturesque foliage, small-town vibes, cute shops, restaurants galore, craft breweries and a strong coffee culture - Portland, Maine was the absolute PERFECT place to spend a Halloween Weekend out of crazy NYC. 

3 days in Portland was the perfect mini-getaway and the long weekend was packed with SO MUCH FOOD and fall happiness. Keep on reading for tips on making the most of your 48-72 hours in this perfect little place! 

FRIDAY LATE NIGHT EATS

Boda | very thai kitchen and bar 
671 Congress

Upon arrival in Portland we immediately set out from our Airbnb for a quick walk up the block to Boda, a restaurant on Congress St. with a late night menu. 

Despite it being 10:30 p.m., there were tons of folks eating in the mood-lit, rustic space with an open kitchen. 

We grabbed a seat at the bar next to a very Maine-looking-lumber-man who was very friendly. Many people at Boda seemed like regulars, which is always a good sign. 

The price was certainly right for Boda's late night menu, with plates ranging in price from just $4-$10! Abby, I don't think we're in Manhattan anymore!

COCKTAILS

We each tried one of Boda's creative cocktails. I wish I could remember which I ordered, but my memory is failing me. I do remember that Abby got the Thai Basil Tom Collins, because it was super basil-y! And what I also know is that the bartender at Boda really did "craft" our cocktail. There was zesting happening. 

HOMEMADE CHIPS

The special "chips" of the night were pumpkin flavored, instead of their usual lobster chips. However, Abby and I were a little confused by them. They were satisfyingly crispy and crunchy, but the flavor was certainly not pumpkiny. I didn't like the taste much at all, though I kept finding myself reaching for more anyway.

KANOM-KROK QUAIL EGGS 

Kanon-Krok are a traditional Thai dessert - essentially coconut-rice pancakes. They're made in a specific indented frying pan called a khanom krok pan- which is where the name comes from for this Quail Eggs dish. Each individual egg comes served in one of the pan's indented sections. 

These eggs were DELICIOUS though the concept of eating an entire egg in one swift bite took some getting used to. 

The whites were perfectly crispy and the yolk was just the right amount of creamy-drippy. Paired with scallions and soy sauce, these Quail Eggs had the perfect Thai flair to taste far from "just eggs."

BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Fried and seasoned, these were delectable. However, a lot of places do a similar serving of sprouts.

SHRIMP SKEWERS

Our unanimous decision was that these shrimp skewers, served with a spicy garlic lime dipping sauce, were the most flavorful dish of the bunch. I could have easily eaten 10 more skewers.

DESSERT

The last part of our Late Night Eats on Night #1 was a trip to the nearby gas station for a pint of Talenti . This was a fabulous decision despite needing to interact with some extremely inebriated locals. 

SATURDAY MORNING LONG RUN

We headed out early for an 8 mile run and despite a few wrong turns at the start, ended up looping the scenic Back Cove.

At the end of our run we took a little break to check out an adorable farmer's market before a pretty brutal uphill climb to our Airbnb. We were short a few tenths of a mile, which, as Type A runners, meant looping the block a couple of times until we hit a nice even 8!

SATURDAY MORNING BRUNCH

Silly's  
40 washington ave.

With my appetite worked up (let's be real, I wake up with an appetite fully worked up regardless) we headed toward Silly's Restaurant for a good old fashioned brunch.

This place was an absolute hit with the group - the food was just greasy/diner-y enough to prepare for a day of brewery and bar-hopping but not too over-the-top for a group of girls who try to remain somewhat healthy.

The eclectic decorations perfectly toed the line between kitschy, cute and odd - hello Gingerbread man and woman salt and pepper shakers!

Though we passed on imbibing at Silly's they had killer Bloody Mary and Mimosa options. The weather was crummy, but on nice days they have an adorable outside seating area too. 

DEMI BACON BOWL 

We considered the "bowl of bacon" but the "serious commitment" menu description discouraged us. The smaller portion was still plenty and it was SO crispy without being burnt. 

BERRY ME IN IT 

This was a breakfast flat bread smothered in Peanut Butter and topped with sliced bananas, warm berries and pumpkin pie spiced granola. I don't think I need to say more. 

As a group, we agreed on the impossibility of deciding between sweet & savory at breakfast time - so this dish served as satisfaction for our sweet teeth!

THE EGGANATOR SCRAMBLE 

3 eggs scrambled with Silly's apple wood smoked pork, cheddar cheese, fresh tomato, bbq sauce, jalapenos and bacon with home fries. 

The best move of the brunch, in my humble opinion, was ordering a side of honey mustard for the home fries, which were more like beautifully crisped potato wedges. I pretty much drank an entire cup of honey mustard by the end of the meal. 

THE VEGANATOR SCRAMBLE 

The vegan version of scrambled eggs, this scrambled tofu was loaded with veggies like onions, peppers, mushrooms and broccoli along with more home fries, salsa and vegan spicy sauce. 

SATURDAY MORNING STROLL 

We walked around a little to work off our brunch, stopping into some cute stores and bakeries as we we ambled around. Shoutout to Lori's Natural Market Place, for indulging these city-dwelling health food freaks who went up and down the aisles talking about different products without actually purchasing anything. 

Two Fat Cats Bakery
47 India Street 

We stopped in this shop that specializes in pies pies pies and ate with our eyes. 

Standard Baking Co. 
75 Commercial Street 

This was an impressive bakery - they had TONS of different breads, pastries, cookies, etc. and it was packed with people. The best part? Free samples! 

SATURDAY AFTERNOON BREWERY-CRAWL

As I mentioned before, Portland is PACKED with breweries both big and small. There were a few that we managed to check out on Saturday - and while we could have spent dayssss brewery crawling, I think the amount that we fit into our schedule was perfection! 

Foundation Brewing Company
1 Industrial Way #5

Foundation was my type of brewery! Flights, tons of IPAs and picnic tables - we happily posted up here for awhile and played a few card games while enjoying our brews. 

My favorite part was that to order your flight, everyone gets a cute little dry erase board and then your flight is filled in that order, so you always know which you're sampling!

Naturally, I chose 4 IPAs - the Epiphany, Venture, Afterglow and Wanderlust. It was interesting to see if I could tell the difference between a Maine IPA, American IPA and a "Hoppy Farmhouse." 

While I would have liked Foundation to have some board games, had the weather been nicer, it looked like they had a fun outdoor area with a food truck and corn hole. 

Foundation Brewing Company is open to the public Wednesday - Saturday from 12:00PM - 7:00PM, Sunday from 12:00PM-5:00PM and Monday from 12:00PM-7:00PM. They offer tastes ($2/4 oz sample and $4/10 oz sample), flights ($8/4x4oz flight), tours and growler fills. 

Allagash Brewing Company
50 Industrial Way

Allagash Brewing Company is one of the largest brewing companies in Maine and specializes in wheat beers. Unlike the tasting room at Foundation, Allagash offers the full-on tour experience - for FREE! (They recommend reserving a tour ahead of time, which you can do on their website). 

Tours tend to fill up, so be sure to book yours in advance on their website. 

I really enjoyed this tour (although that could have had something to do with the fact that I had already enjoyed an entire flight of IPAs). 

Since it was Halloween weekend, there were candy buckets along the tour route along with a free sample of their top selling beer - Allagash White. 

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the Belgian-style wheat beer, which usually isn't my preference. 

The one thing that really excited me during the tour was our guides explanation of an experimental beer using CARROT SUGAR. I was a few beers deep, and audibly gasped while using my outdoor voice to announce, "I LOVE CARROTS!" I interpreted everyone's look of confusion as, "They must not have heard me," and again exclaimed, "Sorry, I just really love carrots!" 

Sadly, there was no carrot-sugar beer on the tour, and I spent the remaining half hour drafting a note in my phone with all of the beer-related puns I could come up with for future Instagram captions. I was absolutely cracking myself up with gems like

Sitting on the dock of the IPA 

Sippin' on Belgian and juice 

Yeast Mode 

Hoppy Campers

At the end of the tour we found ourselves in a room FILLED with barrels of beer. We got to try another 5 or so - but just a heads up - if you go on the tour, you won't be able to buy beer in the tasting room afterwards. Some law about how much they're allowed to serve you. 

The samples were delicious, though very rushed. 

On our way out, we noticed some signs saying  "Hot Chocolate" and "Donuts" - pointing the way to a creepy door. We naturally followed them, snuck into the door, and found ourselves in a haunted house-esque scenario. But despite the creepy mannequins and people dressed up like zombies, the promised donuts and hot chocolate were provided. 

We stocked up and made our way to the tasting room/entrance and the fact that we weren't allowed to purchase any more beer was A-OK with us considering we had a feast of donuts to enjoy. 

(Also, I couldn't figure out how exactly the bartenders in the tasting room would know we had been on the tour - I think you would be fine to buy a beer post-tour!) 

Shipyard Brewing Company
86 Newbury Road

We entered the Shipyard Brewing Company via the store and were immediately sucked in to their many glasses, stickers, koozies, bottle openers, etc. I ended up getting a glass that I absolutely love! 

Next we hit up the tasting room where I enjoyed a flight of fun-flavored beers with some fruity notes along with a super barrel-aged boozy beer. My favorite was the Little Horror of Hops. The place was hoppin', but I was sad that there were no board games! Luckily, I had come prepared with my own deck of cards.

If you're in town mid-week, Shipyard offers full brewery tours fo FREE and they include a flight and 10 oz beer. You should reserve ahead of time on their website.

Urban Farm Fermentory
200 Anderson Street 

When we'd had our share of beer, the tasting tour didn't have to come to an end because Portland is also home to a tasting room for kombucha, cider, mead and gruit (a beer style using little to no hops). 

The space was super cute, with couches that we got nice and cozy on. 

I absolutely LOVE kombucha, so it was fun to get to try inventive flavors. It was also my first time trying mead, which I didn't love. I did like some of the ciders, though! 

SATURDAY AFTERNOON SNACKS & DINNER 

Eventide Oyster Co. 
86 Middle Street

This is one of the most popular spots in Portland, and from my research, I knew to expect a wait no matter when we tried to get in. 

We opted for a very late lunch in the hopes that wait times would be lower, and it was somewhat successful. We waited around 25-30 minutes for a seat at the counter by the bar.

The reason I had insisted on waiting to eat here was for a taste of their famous lobster roll - a unique brown butter version served on a pillowy, buttery bao bun that melts in your mouth. 

I sort of expected to be disappointed by the hype, but was blown away by the flavor. Luckily, we had only ordered 2 to split among the four of us, otherwise I would have been tempted to eat 5. 

We also sampled the fried oysters with thai apple slaw, mint and tumeric but the lobster rolls were definitely the stars! 

I would say it was worth the wait, and recommend going during non-peak hours.

Union Restaurant
390 Congress Street

The great thing about being in Portland, was that we could afford a ~fancier~ dinner experience without breaking the bank. 

We were in love with Union Portland from the first time we saw their food on Instagram - and from the second Abby read about their sweet potato based dessert. 

Housed in the Press Hotel, Union Restaurant offers innovative American dishes using fresh local ingredients. 

Shaved Butternut Squash Salad 

Chopped Kale | Frisee | Pumpkin Seed Sorghum | Smoked Maple

Tasted just like fall! 

Crispy Brussels Sprouts 

Walnut Aioli | Charred Lemon | Extra Virgin Olive Oil

I've had better, but these were pretty flavorful.

Cast Iron Spoon Bread 

Pork Rillette | End of Season Tomato Jam Thyme

This was my first time trying spoon bread, and I was a big fan! Not really shocking considering the fact that I love cornbread! 

The rillette I was a little more iffy about. I don't particularly like my meat in paste form. 

Pork Loin Chop 

Cider Brine | Celery Root Fondue Brussels Sprouts | Chestnut Honey

Though we loaded up on appetizers and sides, we did split one of the entrees. We chose the pork because it didn't include any ingredients that people were opposed to. 

BOK CHOY 

Bok Choy | BlackVinegar | Soy Caramel

This was a little strange to us. 

SWEET POTATO ICE CREAM 

Molasses Cremeux | Brown Butter Powder Pate Brisee | Burnt Marshmallow

Abby, the sweet potato queen, was more than excited to find this on the menu. It didn't taste overwhelmingly of sweet potato, but it was deliciously sweet! 

CHOCOLATE AND ESPRESSO BAVARIAN 

Orange Fritter | Hazelnut Mexican Hot Chocolate Sauce Orange Powder

Chocolate overload in the best way possible! 

Another positive thing about Union was their cocktail menu! Delicious sounding drinks using some of my favorite flavor combinations like tequila, lime and ginger. 

The food at Union was solid and fresh and the atmosphere was nice. I will say that we were definitely the youngest clientele in the restaurant. 

Bonus? Before our reservation we got to watch a pretty crazy fire show outside city hall! 

SATURDAY NIGHT CAP 

The Snug 
223 Congress Street

Each booth at this perfectly-homey-divey-feeling bar creates a private little nook which was a perfect way to end the night. This isn't a fancy place, but its a great place to low-key chill. 

And the beer list got a thumbs up from me - love Long Trail! 

SUNDAY MORNINGS = COFFEE & DONUTS (AND SMOOTHIE BOWLS...) 

Bard Coffee
185 Middle Street

Portland is packed with coffee destinations, and while it's not my specialty, I appreciated the tasty Americano and the vibe inside of Bard Coffee. It was bustling on a Sunday morning, the staff was friendly, and their espresso machines were just the right amount of intimidating to give them some serious coffee cred. 

Blake Orchard Juicery
19 Exchange Street

What better way to tell your body, "Sorry for all the beer" than a fresh smoothie bowl? None. 

We were so excited to find this spot and when we walked down the stairs into the somewhat hidden shop, we were greeted by an impossibly delicious sounding menu. How does one choose between so many options? 

There are tons of add-ins including housemade peanut butter, shredded coconut, bee pollen, grain-free-granola, hemp seeds, etc. 

The space was small but cute, with tons of little Polaroids and a couch to sit on while we waited for our smoothies. 

It took quite awhile to make the smoothie bowls, but when they were finally ready all was forgiven because they were beautiful and delicious. They were just the right consistency, filled with goodness like homemade almond milk and fresh fruit, and beautiful to boot. 

I also have an obsession with letter boards like the ones from Letterfolk that I included on my Holiday Gift Guide and thoroughly enjoyed using the one at Blake Orchard for a quick little smoothie bowl photo shoot. 

The Holy Donut
7 Exchange street, 194 park avenue 

It's no surprise that I needed to make a stop at The Holy Donut to try their potato-based donuts. 

The line was out the door on a Sunday morning and the smell was heavenly. There were tons of choices, and luckily most flavors were still available by the time we arrived around 10:30 a.m. 

We tried a variety of flavors, including the one made with sweet potatoes! The sweet potato ginger glazed was unique but for the most part, you couldn't tell that the batter for these doughnuts used Maine potatoes! 

I thought they were delicious - not to mention really photogenic! We snagged a space along the counter and dug in! 

I was surprised at how delicious the dark chocolate Maine Potato cake tasted - especially topped with coconut! The Holy Cannoli filled doughnut was a sugar bomb in the best way, but the Chai was disappointingly bland. 

Overall, this donut shop impressed me- I would definitely make a return trip! 

SHOP TILL YA DROP 

You've had your caffeine, you've gotten some nutrients, and you've had your fair share of sugar - what's next? SHOPPING in the stupid-cute shops on Exchange and Market streets. Below are just a few that we stopped in - but you could spend hours wandering the shops! 

CHRISTMAS NOEL
57 EXCHANGE STREET

I got the world's prettiest avocado ornament here. I think Christmas ornaments are a great thing to collect on your travels. When you decorate your tree every winter, you can reminisce about all the places you've been. 

I might have failed at buying a Maine-related ornament, but I will certainly love my glittery avocado ornament for years to come! 

PAPER PATCH
21 Exchange Street

Pretty paper, pretty cards, pretty journals. 

ZANE
41 Exchange Street

Some cute women's clothes and accessories for decent prices. 

COASTAL MAINE POPCORN CO. 
43 Exchange street

SO MANY FLAVORS! And free samples, too! Of course, I had to buy myself a bag! I fell in love with the rosemary & thyme! 

CITY GIRLS GET OUTSIDE 

Portland Head Light and Fort Williams Park
1000 Shore road 

I remember this being a particularly pleasant Uber ride - though everyone we encountered in Maine was super friendly. 

We were like kids in a candy shop as we oohed and ahhed at the fall foliage. When we pulled up to Fort Williams Park and the Porland Head Light, we were beyond excited to get out and explore. We walked around the cliff, took tons of pictures, and eventually settled onto picnic tables where we were completely content to sit and stare out at the water - agreeing that all of our favorite places were near the water. For me, watching a sunset at Cedar Beach will always be my happy place. But looking out at Portland Harbor on a brisk but sunny fall day with friends was pretty high up on the contentment scale. 

bite into maine 
Various locations 

The satisfaction only grew when we stopped by the Bite Into Maine food truck - which we happened to catch on their last day of the season. Their lobster rolls are highly regarded one of the best in Maine, and we decided that even though we were full - we could manage to split one, New England Style of course. 

It was well worth the somewhat steep price for a few bites each because it was brimming with lobster and not overly doused in mayonnaise. 

Definitely the cherry on top of our trip to Cape Elizabeth. 

SUNDAY NIGHT DINNER 

Lolita
90 Congress street

Our last group dinner was spent at a cozy little Mediterranean restaurant called Lolita, featuring a wood-fired grill that gives the entire space a warm, comfortable feeling. 

The menu was great for sharing and we got to taste a ton of different items. The lighting wasn't ideal for pictures, but was great for enjoying good food and good wine. 

Lolita takes pride on where they source their food from as well as simple preparation - letting the food speak for itself - my favorite part about the Mediterranean cuisine. 

TOASTS AND POTS 

We went for the 3 for $10 option on this portion of the menu, and I really enjoyed both the Tunisian Carrot Puree and the Roasted Eggplant. 

SMALL PLATES 

The Moroccan Lentil Soup with turmeric and cilantro impressed the group while the much anticipated Ricotta Gnocchi with poached carrots failed to live up to expectations. We also ate the Mezze Platter and I went HAM on the labneh. 

LARGE PLATES 

We also split the Grilled Game Hen served with Brussels Sprouts, sweet potatoes and chorizo and it was absolutely delicious! 

DESSERT

This group of girls are never one to say no to dessert - and we ordered both the warm milk + house baked cookies and coconut pudding with pistachio which was, in my opinion, KILLER. 

To think, I used to hate coconut. 

SPEAKEASY SUNDAYS

BRAMHALL PUB
769 CONGRESS ST. 

Bramhall is just hidden enough to constitute as a speakeasy - though it's not too difficult to find. On our way there, we had a phenomenal Uber karaoke session before descending into this dimly lit space specializing in creative craft cocktails. 

While it took awhile for us to attract the attention of a custom-clad waitress (it was Halloween weekend, remember), the cocktails were flavorful and unique. I opted for the Satan's Lawn Chair - made with Tequila Blanco, Honeydew Melon, Genepy Des Alpes, Lava Tincture, Lime and Mint Garnish. 

Perhaps more impressive than the drinks are the daily homemade Rice Krispie Treat specials. They must have known I was coming, because the flavor of the night was peanut butter! We demolished this and I absolutely loved it - it was so light and somehow not overly sweet - while really tasting like peanut butter. 

MONDAY MORNING MILES

REVE Cycling Studio 
559 Forest Ave. 

From our Airbnb, I was able to run to REVE Cycling and enjoy a class in this beautiful, airy and sunny studio. 

While the bikes weren't the newest things I've seen, the rest of the amenities were wonderful, the staff were friendly, and the class was refreshing return to spinning without all the bells and whistles of studios like Flywheel, Swerve, etc. Just cycling - plain and simple, which I can appreciate every now and then. 

After class, I ran around since it's the best way to explore a new place! I stopped at a bunch of stores as I went, including CHART Metalworks, also featured in my Holiday Gift Guide. 

I had such a nice morning slowing meandering my way around the east end and eventually back to my Airbnb - taking pictures and enjoying the sights and stores along the way. 

ONE LAST MEAL 

MI SEN NOODLE BAR
630 CONGRESS ST. 

I was on my own to explore on Monday, and after spinning and running around site seeing I had worked up quite an appetite. 

Not normally one for Thai food, I had a strange craving for noodles and made my way to Mi Sen on a whim. I ended up absolutely LOVING the Beef Khao Soi special that I ordered - a noodle bowl with the most tender meat I've ever had! [Slow-cooked beef in a rich and creamy curry served with egg noodle, garnished with crispy noodle, red onion, scallion, cilantro, lime and a side of pickled lettuce]. I ate every last bite along with the deep fried taro rolls which were delicious as well. 

Since eating at Mi Sen, I've had Thai about 6 or 7 times which is more Thai than I had ever previously eaten in my life. I definitely recommend a visit to Mi Sen, especially if you're in Maine during the colder months. It was so satisfying. 

LAST FEW SHOPS 

Before heading out, I wandered the shops on Congress Street and actually liked them more than the popular Exchange/Market Street area. 

There were fun second-hand clothing stores, a store full of socks, and a used bookstore that I could have wandered around in for hours. The area seemed young and hip, and I was glad that I stumbled upon it before heading home! 

FINAL THOUGHTS 

I couldn't have asked for a more perfect weekend getaway from the city. There was great food, great drink and the great outdoors! 

I would definitely come back for another trip to this perfectly-sized city. 

What do I need to do next time I'm in town?? Leave your recommendations in the comments and let me know if you end up using any of my suggestions on your trip to Portland!

 

 

 

Three Years of Doughnuts: Donut Stop Me Now

Just getting this doughnut list up to date! 

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Posted January 6, 2017

I thought it was time for an update on the doughnut chronicles! In the past year, I've experienced some INSANELY delicious doughnuts - from the London Fog filled doughnut at Glory Hole in Toronto to the Gooey Butter Cake Donut from Strange Donuts in St. Louis - doughnuts continue to be my mission in every city!

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Posted June 3, 2016

What came first, the doughnut or the doughnut hole? 

You would probably be inclined to answer doughnut, but in fact, the term "doughnut" was first used to refer to what we now know as doughnut holes. Doughnuts entered the American lexicon in 1809 in Washington Irving's History of New York: 

An enormous dish of balls of sweetened dough, fried in hog's fat, and called doughnuts, or olykoeks.

If you're anything like me, you've struggled to decide whether or not you should type doughnut or donut. You've probably wondered why the heck there are even two different spellings to begin with. Same. 

I did some research and the spelling "donut" first appeared in the late 1800s as a contraction of the original "doughnut." It wasn't until Dunkin Donuts was founded in 1950 that the alternate "donut" spelling became more popular. 

Still, "doughnut" is the preferred spelling so I suppose I should stop being lazy and opt for all 8 letters when I'm writing about these delicious desserts. 

Why the weird discussion? Because today is NATIONAL DOUGHNUT/DONUT DAY in the US and unlike many of our random food holidays, it turns out that this one has some historic importance. Actually, 75+ years of history! 

National Doughnut Day began in 1938 as a campaign by the Salvation Army to remember those in their ranks who served doughnuts to American soldiers stationed in France during World War 1. Around 250 volunteers traveled to France to provide baked goods to Allied troops - doughnuts were an instant favorite (those Allied soldiers had good taste). These women who volunteered eventually became known as the "Doughnut Dollies."

In honor of this special holiday, go to one of the many chains participating with free donuts and other perks. And read on for a round up of the many doughnut shops I've reviewed. What are you waiting for? Start that doughnut bucket list today! 

Psycho Donuts

San Jose, California 

Doughnut Plant 

New York, New York 

Oh, 2014 pictures...

Dough Loco 

New York, New York - CLOSED 

Flex

New York, New York 

Dough

New York, New York 

Glam Doll Donuts

Minneapolis, Minnesota 

Stan's Donuts

Chicago, Illinois 

Glazed & Infused 

Chicago, Illinois 

Union Square Donuts

Boston, Massachusetts 

Voodoo Doughnut

Austin, Texas 

Gourdough's Donuts

Austin, Texas  

Habit Doughnut Dispensary 

Denver, Colorado 

The Doughnut Project 

New York, New York 

Official review to come, but I. LOVE. THEM. because they are so unique and not overly sweet!

Underwest Donuts

New York, New York 

No official review- but I was a big fan of these guys! They operate out of a CAR WASH but there donuts are cakey and delicious with a good glaze to dough ratio!

Doughology

Lynbrook, New York 

No official review but I love that these are cute and little so you can try lots and lots! And they're customizable too!

The Cinnamon Snail

New York, New York

Paula's Donuts

Buffalo, New York 

Nibble Inc. 

Troy, New York 

The Donut Shop

Old Forge, NY 

The Donut Shop has been around for 50 years! They make old fashioned donuts - offering just plain and cinnamon sugar. Not my favorite, and not exciting, but still addictive-ly sweet and satisfying after a 3 mile run!

Huron Mountain Bakery

Marquette, MI 

I wasn't a huge fan of these donuts - I didn't enjoy the taste of the dough or the fillings and frostings. 

Pharaoh's Donuts 

St. Louis, Missouri 

These weren't anything to write home about by any means. 

Dunwell Doughnuts

New York, NY 

Gotta admit - these vegan donuts are my least favorite of the heavy-hitters in NYC. I'm just not a fan of the dough's flavor! It could be because they're vegan and not what I'm used to. But for people unable to eat a traditional doughnut - these come pretty damn close! 

Strange Donuts

St. Louis, Missouri 

WOW. I was absolutely blown away by how much I loved these donuts and they are hands down some of my favorites EVER. 

After 23 days in St. Louis, I finally had a half dozen Strange Donuts delivered to me (and only me) at the stadium. While I don't know exactly what each of them was, I can give you a pretty good idea of what I sampled. 

I loved Strange Donuts so much because they were cake donuts, incredibly most, with super sweet glazes. The flavors were simple but the dough was incredible! 

Gooey Butter Cake Doughnut  

This was unreal. Tied with the Tres Leches doughnut from Doughnut Plant for all time favorite cake doughnut ever. The powdered sugar on top was the finishing touch on doughy perfection - sweet, but not sickeningly, with a slight citrus hint! 

Glazed, Glazed with Sprinkles 

The vanilla cake paired with the melt in your mouth glaze made me a fan of what I would normally consider "lame" doughnuts. 

Chocolate Glazed 

I think I preferred the vanilla cake, but the chocolate cake had the same moist consistency with good cocoa flavor! 

Butterfinger 

If you're a chocolate fan, this should be your order. Chocolate cake, chocolate glaze, sprinkled with Butterfinger crumbs and injected with some extra frosting in the middle for good measure! 

The Holy Donut

Portland, Maine 

These donuts are made with POTATOES in the dough! I really enjoyed these, and there were TONS of flavor options. I wanted to love them MORE, because there's a SWEET POTATO doughnut, but they didn't break the top 3 for me. 

They are definitely worth a visit if you're in Maine though, and I highly recommend the ginger glazed sweet potato donut!

Sidecar Doughnuts

Costa Mesa, California 

Donut Bar

San Diego, California 

Peace, Love & Little Donuts

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 

Rise Biscuits Donuts

Raleigh, North Carolina 

East Main & Main - Port Jefferson, New York

Long Island is finally get involved in the doughnut game!

Dilla's Delights - Detroit, Michigan 

Banana pudding cake donut, HOLLER! 

(*Adorable donut earrings from my coworker!)

Blackbird Doughnuts - Boston, Massachusetts 

Citrus old fashioned! GET IT!!!

Kane's Donuts - Boston, Massachusetts

This was Kayla's introduction to doughnut tasting and I was so happy that she got totally into it with me. We started with one - but that was just a lie we were telling ourselves. 

Dough - Tampa, Florida

More than anything, what I appreciated about Dough was that they gave me the opportunity to have a ridiculous doughnut photo shoot with my friends portrait mode. And the fact that their creme brulee dooughnut was ridic. 

La Donuteria

Barcelona, Spain 

Taking this show internationally!! 

Carlson's Donuts & Thai Kitchen

Annapolis, Maryland 

Crunch Donut Factory 

Las Vegas, Nevada 

Doughnut Vault

Chicago, Illinois 

Glory Hole Donuts

Toronto, Ontario 

The Earl Grey. Incredible.

#BLESSED - and always taking new reccomendations! 

YOUR TURN: 
WHAT DOUGHNUT PLACES DO I NEED TO ADD TO MY BUCKET LIST? 
WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE DOUGHNUT SHOP? 
DO YOU LIKE YOUR DOUGHNUTS FLUFFY OR CAKEY? 

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The Perfect Gym Bag for Working Women Exists!

Months ago, I wrote a blog post about the best gym bags to take working women from their apartments, to the office, to the gym, to happy hour and beyond. It seemed like the perfect bag might not exist, but one thing was certain – this wasn’t a problem I was facing alone.

Each month, my post about gym bags is consistently my most viewed page on Peanut Butter Is My Boyfriend.

I thought it was time to talk about the bag that I ended up purchasing 6 months ago – to shout from the rooftops that the Lo & Sons OG bag is near perfection, and has been my every-day bag every day since I bought it.

To recap, the Lo & Sons OG Overnight Bag met many of my requirements. There’s a shoe compartment, a laptop sleeve, it’s perfect for travel since it slides onto suitcase handles, and it has the look of a professional bag instead of a gym bag.

The OG Overnight Bag is full of compartments to keep things organized. There really is a spot for everything. By far my favorite part is the zippered section for my shoes. They slide in easily and stay completely separated from my clothes. Plus, if there’s ever a day I don’t have a pair of shoes in my bag, the pouch rolls up inside the bag to create even more space.

There’s a padded laptop holder for the days I head to a coffee shop to blog, pen compartments, zippers galore, and even a built in key chain.

Did I mention the little feet on the bottom so I can place it on the floor of the subway or train and it doesn't get dirty? 

Here’s what I fit in it on a daily basis.

Apartment to Gym to Work

Most mornings I wake up and go to the gym. To give myself some extra time to sleep, after my work out, I shower and get ready at the gym instead of going back to my apartment before heading to work.

On those days, I fit everything I need to get ready for the day in my OG bag.

• Outfit – Bottoms, top and shoes for the day!
• Makeup – The red pouch contains all my makeup that I use daily.
• Toiletries – The little black zippered pouch has things like floss, toothpaste, band aids, tweezers, etc.
• Brush
• Deodorant
• Food – A Tupperware, snacks, gum, etc.
• Water bottle
• Headphones
• Resistance Bands
• Lock
• Wallet
• Planner

Apartment to Work to Gym

On the days I head to the gym after work I have even more space in my bag since I don’t need my makeup and toiletries. I just throw my sneakers in the shoe compartment, add some makeup remover pads and head out the door.

Apartment to Airport 

When I travel for work, the OG bag is the PERFECT carry on. The back of the bag unzips and allows me to slide the bag over the handle of my suitcase so I don’t even need to carry it on my shoulder. And it fits perfectly under my seat.

The padded laptop sleeve and other section perfectly hold notebooks, folders, and other work things that can't get crinkled. 

I also love that the OG keeps it shape even when it’s empty.

Bottom Line

When I originally wrote my blog post about finding the perfect gym bag, I shied away from the OG because of the price tag. But now that I’m the proud owner of one, I cannot say enough how worth it it was!

Plus, if you have some patience and check their website frequently, Lo & Sons does have quite a few sales. You can sometimes find the OG bag for up to 40% off!

The ONE thing the OG doesn’t have that some gym-goers may miss is a dedicated water bottle sleeve. But I never have trouble standing mine up inside – the bag is plenty tall!

So there you have it – what I think really might be the perfect gym bag for the working woman! And no, Lo & Sons didn’t pay me to say nice things about them! It’s really just a product that I think deserves the praise! And I think YOU deserve a bag that fits all the shiiiiit we ladies carry around on a daily basis! 

Photos from Lo & Sons

12 Gifts That Don't Suck: 2016 Holiday Gift Guide

I don't know about you, but I absolutely LOVE giving gifts. There's no better feeling than figuring out the perfect present to bring a smile to the face of a friend or family member that you love. 

Gift giving isn't always easy - and if you're doing it right, it takes some time and effort. The saying, "It's the thought that counts" really is true, people. 

So many gift guides that I peruse during the holiday season seem so uninspiring. A $50 Kate Spade keychain tassel? A marble rolling pin? So impersonal and over the top. 

In my opinion, the perfect gift strikes the perfect balance between practicality, usefulness, indulgence and uniqueness. 

Here are some of my favorite finds that might make the perfect present for someone in your life this holiday season (along with savings galore and even a giveaway!)

1.) Homesick Candles 

$35

Do you have a friend who grew up in a different state or moved away from home? These candles offer unique scents based on different states. I think these are simply adorable.

2.) The Curated Carrot 

$11-$50

If you have a friend who can get behind ~essential oils~ then this is a unique gift that keeps on giving. Fill these gorgeous pieces of jewelry with essential oils and reap the benefits whenever you're wearing it!

The Curated Carrot offers a variety of oil diffusing necklaces, bracelets, earrings and keychains. 

And from now until December 16, when you spend $20+ at Curated Carrot and use the code PBBF10, you can receive 10% off your order!

3.) Chart Metalworks 

$85-$200+

Is there a specific place close to your friend or family members heart? Are they really into all things nautical? Chart Metalworks makes beautiful jewelry using nautical charts and maps. 

Not only are there pre-made pieces on the website, but you can work directly with an artist from Chart Metalworks to create a piece of jewelry with any location you can imagine! 

Aside from bracelets, necklaces and earrings, Chart Metalworks creates belt buckles, wine stoppers, money clips, key chains, bottle openers, cuff links and more so you can create a gift for anyone.

4.) Lo & Sons 

$275-$294

A year ago, I wrote a post about my search for the perfect gym bag. A bag that could go from my apartment, to the office, to the gym, to happy hour, to a coffee shop, to the airport. I ended up buying the Lo & Son's OG Overnight bag and it CHANGED MY LIFE. If you have a friend who often looks like a bag lady, or just a friend who always has a jam-packed schedule, this bag could change her life too. 

5.) Book Of The Month Club

$45-$150

I'm not a huge fan of monthly subscription programs - I've been skipping deliveries on Blue Apron every week for a year, essentially. But one that I can get behind is a subscription that gifts you with one new, hardcover book each month of the year. 

I have a friend who absolutely adores this monthly service which allows users to pick between a variety of book offerings each month. 

Since starting Book of the Month Club, my friend has loved almost all of the books and many of them have become quite popular!

There are many different plans, including a 1-month plan, 3-month plan and year plan. 

6.) Witty Tea Towels 

$5-$30

Giving the gift of a dish rag might seem a little odd, but not if they're cute and clever enough to bring a smile to someone's face as they slave away in the kitchen or do their dishes! Whether they're a celebrity chef or microwave master, everyone needs a dish towel. Plus, it's an interior design piece as well. 

Here are a few of my favorites - I really like food puns, if you couldn't tell! 

The Decal Shoppe Inc. - Now through Friday, you can save 10% on your purchase from The Decal Shoppe Inc. with the code PBismyBF10
A2D Creations
Sudds and Stuff
Kings Custom Design
Moonlight Makers - You can get 20% off your purchase at Moonlight Makers when you use the code PEANUTBUTTERBOYF at checkout!
The Neighbogoods - From now through December 20, get 15% off your order from The Neighborgoods using the code PBISMYBF

And are you ready for some MORE exciting news? Jill from Kings Custom Design will be giving away towel sets to TWO lucky winners! See the end of this post for more details and your chance to win! 

7.) Stamped Utensils

$16-$25

Alright, this might sound even odder than dish towels, but I am in love with these personalized utensils from Etsy! Have an ice cream loving friend? One who eats oatmeal every morning? One who smears butter on everyyything? They need a stamped utensil dedicated to their favorite dish. 

If none of these clever little utensils remind you of your special person, then you can also custom design your own.

These are great because they're something that most people wouldn't spend the money on for themselves, even though they might really want one (OK, I'm talking about myself here, clearly!) 

8.) Erin Condren Lifeplanner

$55+

The other day, my group of friends and I had an extensive group text conversation about our favorite planners. If you've got some type A friends and family members who are constantly busy and still like to write things down instead of depending on their iPhone calendar, consider giving them one of the best-rated planners on the market - the Erin Condren Lifeplanner.

I'm so excited that there is going to be one sitting under my Christmas tree this year (thanks Mom & Dad!) 

The best part is how customizable it is. I know I like a vertical layout - and it's so easy to make that choice while creating your own Lifeplanner. There are tons of fun accessories you can add on as well. 

And if you use this referral code, you'll get $10 off your first order! (And full disclosure, I'll get some credits on the Erin Condren site as well!) 

9.) Misheard Lyric Glasses

$14.50 

When my friend brought these glasses to my attention, I couldn't stop laughing! These are more of a funny gift, but everyone uses glasses, right? 

My personal favorite is: 

This is the dawning of the age of asparagus

10.) Letterfolk Letter Boards 

$50-$250

I think these vintage letter boards are the coolest idea for interior design. They would look great in a kitchen, living room, foyer, bedroom, or even at someone's desk! 

These boards can be used for quotes, menus, lyrics, to do lists, blogger photograph props, parties and a million other things.

I love following Lettefolk on Instagram, too. Their pictures are so visually appealing with great quotes. 

11.) Eat Healthy Designs Punny Shirts 

$5-$50

Like I said - I love nothing more than a good food pun, and my friends seem to share my sense of humor. I can think of a handful of friends who would love nothing more than to enjoy Sunday brunch in a shirt reading, "Everyday I'm Brusselin'." 

Eat Healthy Designs has tons of cute, clever, culinary, chic cotton tees and tanks. And as the creator of Peanut Butter Is My Boyfriend, I think it's about time I treat myself to the "Peanut Butter Is My Spirit Animal" shirt, yes? 

I also really love their food pun pencils! 

Save 15% when you use the code PB15 :)

12.) Punderdome: A Card Game 

$20

I'm smitten with this idea for a board/card game - you get two completely unrelated cards and need to come up with some sort of pun relating the two! 

Games like Cards Against Humanity, 5 Second Rule and Balderdash are my favorites - they're funny and creative and often leave me crying tears of laughter.

Buy this for your friend who entertains regularly and have them break it out at the next girls night! 

To be eligible to win a set of tea towels from Kings Custom Design, please subscribe to my email list below! You should also sign up because 2017 is the year of the PB IS MY BF Newsletter - or at least it's a 2017 resolution ;) 

Then, leave a comment telling me your most genius gift idea this holiday season and I'll pick two lucky winners!

Feelin' So Fly Like AG6

AG6 is Asphalt Green’s fitness class that uses new technology to create a light-up workout experience that’s one of a kind - according to the marketers, at least. 

THE STUDIO

AG6 takes place in one of the buildings that’s part of the Asphalt Green complex on the Upper East Side. There’s not a dedicated locker room and changing area for the AG6 studio, and instead, participants are asked to wait in the lobby until it’s time for class. There are two bathrooms in the actual studio where you can change if need be, but showering after class would prove to be problematic if you aren’t an Asphalt Green member.

AG6 is open to the public, even if you don’t have an Asphalt Green membership. A little more thought and planning in terms of convenience for those folks would be appreciated.   

The class takes place in the dark, but each of the 7 stations have lights that glow and blink and flash and change colors throughout the 45 minute session.

THE CLASS

The class is high-intensity interval training and we rotated through each station 3 or 4 times. The first round was 30 seconds at each station but after that, we went for a minute at each.

The last round, our instructor gave us the option of going back down to 30 seconds but I loved that myself and another girl said LETS DO A FULL MINUTE. Getting our money’s worth, right?

Station A

We did T-pushups with a weight – with our feet on a bosu ball! It not only worked your chest and shoulders but KILLED your core trying to stabilize for the entire minute.

Station B

We stood in front of a wall with 9 circles. We sprinted up to the wall and tapped the glowing circle – which signaled the light to move to a different circle. Using hand eye coordination and speedy reaction time, we had to hit 4 circles before back-peddling to the starting line and running forwards to repeat for the given amount of time.

Station C

Resistance bands around our ankles, we pivoted in the squat position, moving up and down a line on the ground and trying to stay low with our legs spread wide.

Station E

We used circles on the ground to step out for diagonal lunges while double-shoulder pressing two kettlebells over our head.

On subsequent rounds, we added a kettlebell deadlift to the mix.

Station F

We used gliders on a slippery portion of the floor to do an IMPOSSIBLY difficult mountain climber variation where one foot was on the glider and the other was elevated. Yeah, I don’t know either. I wanted to weep every time I was at this station.

Station G 

With a mat under our knee, we pulsed in the lunge position with a shoulder press, alternating legs every 10 reps.

Station H

This was a cardio-focused station that changed each round – but always included some suicide sprints or pushing a heavy plate down the grass portion of the floor. When we were asked to double hop while pushing the plate, I thought I was going to casually tip over and die.

THE INSTRUCTOR

Our instructor was a little all over the place when he explained some of the stations – he’d change his mind about what we were doing which made things a little confusing.

The plus was that he was incredibly encouraging and motivating with super high energy throughout the class. Also? He played Dark Horse by Katy Perry which is my all-time favorite song to sweat to.

WHAT I LIKED

One of the things I liked most about this class was the fact that everyone taking it was incredibly nice. It had a great community feel, and most people in the class were clearly regulars. At the end of class, we all high fived and said great job – which is definitely not something you get at a place like SoulCycle.

The other thing I loved was that even though there were clearly people of all fitness levels participating in the class, the moves weren’t dumbed down – they were CHALLENGING.

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE

I was actually motivated by the lights for the part where you run to the wall and hit the different targets, but for the most part this “state of the art technology” didn’t really seem to contribute much to the class at all. Sure, it looked cool and set the mood, but it didn’t provide any metrics, statistics, or challenge to the class which was disappointing. Our instructor had informed us that some of the technology was acting up – which was the second time I was told that when trying to come in for a review.

It doesn’t seem like the most reliable technology. That being said, it was still a great, challenging class. I just wouldn’t come if you’re only excited about feeling like you’re in a real life video game like some of the advertising suggests.

THE RUNDOWN

THE STUDIO – 6

As I mentioned before – there are no real facilities for those who don’t belong to Asphalt Green. The studio itself is of course, pretty cool – with its black lights and stations built into the ground and walls. It’s also very spacious.

Something to note about AG6 is that their class schedule is limited – so be sure to check their website to see when AG6 classes are offered!

CLASS SIZE - 7

There were only about 10 of us in the class, which was great. That being said, with three people at each station, some of them were a little bit cramped – especially the one where we were pushing plates.

Sweat Scale – 7

This class was definitely a challenge and definitely left me sweaty and sore the next day.

Fun Factor – 8

It was a unique class and the technology helped to keep things fun with flashing lights, changing colors, etc. But the best part was that the class was engaged and supportive.

Amenities – 6

There are two large restrooms easy enough to use as changing rooms before class, but there is nowhere to shower (at least that I was made aware of).

Cost - $$$

Standard for NYC, a class at AG6 costs $35 for non-members and $25 for Asphalt Green members.

Bottom Line

I wasn’t as impressed with this technology as I expected to be after reading articles about its ability to tap into an athlete’s “6th sense.” It seems there’s a lot of other studios doing more with metrics than AG6. Sure, working out in a dark room that flashes and blinks and changes colors was cool, but at the end of the day it seemed a little gimmicky. Luckily, the exercises and workout spoke for themselves and provided a challenging class for a great group of people. 

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Photo Credit: Asphalt Green

La Pulperia Excels at Cocktails and Seafood on the UES

People like to rag on the Upper East Side – but as someone who has lived in the ‘hood for three years, I’ve gotta, say it has improved BIG time recently.

There are tons of new restaurants and bars, along with the long-time neighborhood favorites. 

I was recently tasked with choosing a restaurant for myself and 8 family members on a Sunday night. It actually ended up being my father’s suggestion to check out the Upper East Side location of La Pulperia (there is another in Hell’s Kitchen).

La Pulperia has been around on the UES since September 2014 and is named after the general stores found throughout South America. La Pulperia’s menu features food from the many different countries of Latin America, and our waiter talked us through each section and its inspiration.

The seafood-heavy menu features pastas, crudos, a raw bar, tacos, salads and more.

But we started with drinks, naturally.

The Drinks

The Smoky Room

I ordered The Smoky Room which was hands down the best cocktail I have ever had in my life. That’s no exaggeration – I have put a great deal of thought into whether or not to make this claim and The Smoky Room deserves the title. House mescal & Milagro with passion fruit puree, fresh pomegranate juice and agave nectar are the ingredients that make up this cocktail. Though the description sounds fruity – I promise you that “smoky” is not a misnomer. Somehow, this drink is simultaneously fruity, tropical, and smoky! Our waiter explained that they torch the drink to create the smoky flavor.

El Chilango

By the end of the night I had also tried the El Chilango, courtesy of the bartender, and it was also an incredibly impressive drink full of flavor. These drinks seriously blew me away. The El Chilango is made with Rancho Alegre Tequila, Cointreau orange liquor, tamarind nectar and a piquant Habanero & salt rim. Talk about sweet and spicy.

The Food

We ordered guacamole for the table which was good, but nothing special.

My parents and I split three different entrees.

Spring Salad

Farro, parsnips, beets, feta cheese, cherry tomatoes, butternut squash and an orange maple vinaigrette

We ordered ours with salmon that was cooked and seasoned perfectly. This salad was a grain salad, which I didn’t necessarily expect, but also didn’t mind. It was hearty and filling and full of fall flavors.

Lobster & Baked Egg

Fresh Maine lobster, frame baked egg, herbrs, crema de blue cheese, fresh cream, truffled scented toasted bread

This was soo rich, creamy and decadent – especially once the egg broke open and the yolk mixed in with the cheese and cream. There were big chunks of lobster and somehow, it wasn’t overpowered by everything else going on in the dish.

Las Tablas 

Perfectly grilled proteins accompanied by 5 seasonal “cazuelitas”

We ordered the “pulpo” or octopus along with the 5 seasonal sides which I can’t remember now (I believe there was a potato salad and grilled broccoli rabe). All I know is they were tasty and fresh and the octopus was tender and not at all chewy – just the way I like it!

We even managed to make a few family members try to octopus and they were shocked at how meaty and un-fish-like it was!

Dessert

Never one to pass on dessert, we ordered two and were surprised when a total of 4 shower up at the table. Obviously, all of them needed to be sampled.

My least favorite was the flan and my favorite was the tres leches cake!

Vibes

La Pulperia is a gorgeous restaurant inside – with a MASSIVE bar. There’s tons of space, and it’s beautifully decorated.

Our meal at La Pulperia ended up being one that won’t soon be forgotten by my family – thanks not only to incredible food but incredible service, incredible cocktails – dancing, shots, meeting the chef, and more. It was truly a night to remember and I can’t wait to head back to this fun spot for happy hour!

La Pulperia UES has happy hour Sunday – Friday from 4 pm – 7 pm and all day on Mondays. They also have a Ladies night on Tuesdays (5 pm – 7 pm first drink free) and Live Music on Mondays (7 pm Brazilian Jazz) and Wednesdays (7 pm Flamenco Night).

Us hanging with our new friend the Chef!

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Fitness With Felons: A Review of ConBody

As I entered the nondescript door on Broome Street for my first class at ConBody, I immediately heard the drill-sergeant-like count bubbling up through the stairwell. I could only imagine the blood pumping, muscle-burning exercises that were accompanying the “one-two-three-four-ONE-one-two-three-four-TWO” being shouted by multiple voices.

As the doors of the elevator opened to the basement fitness studio, the voices were louder and more intimidating. I stepped into the waiting room and immediately noticed the jail cell door separating me from the studio where ex-con Shane Ennover was leading a small class.

 BEHIND THE BARS

The story behind ConBody is perhaps its most intriguing quality. It doesn’t promise any advanced equipment, crazy class formats, team competitions or fancy metrics. Instead, it promises results based on a method developed by creator Coss Marte while he served his prison sentence.

That’s right, the founder of ConBody was in prison for 7 years after running a drug ring in New York City starting at the age of 13. Overweight and out of shape, doctors warned Coss that he wouldn’t last much longer in prison if he didn’t do something about his health.

He used his time incarcerated to drop 70+ pounds and when he got out, he beat the recidivism odds by creating a business out of his workout plans.

Coss’ workouts involve no equipment other than your body and require minimal space as well – they were created in a 9x6 prison cell after all.

 The genius in ConBody is the fact that they offer not only in-person boot-camp classes in their studio in Manhattan, but they stream workouts to customers all over the world – and those customers can perform the entire workout using the space of a solitary yoga mat!

Founder Coss isn’t the only ConBody instructor who has served time. In fact, all of the studios’ trainers have spent time in prison, or have close family members who have been to jail.

THE CLASS

The class takes place in a small room with a matted floor – no shoes allowed! The only equipment are the four walls (used for wall sits and wall walks) and bars for pull ups.

The class size is small, with around 10 people in my morning class. There’s nowhere to hide and our instructor, Shane, didn’t let us half-ass anything!

Shane kept the class moving in an extremely organized way, explained everything, and kept great count (with the classes help). There was a huge variety of bodyweight exercises – both cardio and strength focused and it was a great reminder that you don’t always need a ton of fancy equipment to get in a great workout.

Jump lunges, bear crawls, pushups, mountain climbers, wall sits, burpee broad jumps and more kept the class moving and interesting. The 45+ minutes flew by with a killer ab sequence at the end that had me clutching my stomach!

THE STUDIO

As I mentioned, the studio isn’t huge. There aren’t a ton of bells and whistles but that’s to be expected from a studio that’s “prison-style.”

Though there aren’t locker rooms – there is one shower that you can sign up for when you get to the studio. But it could end up being quite a wait despite the 5 minute time limit.

BOTTOM LINE

The story behind behind ConBody is inspiring, interesting and unique. I think my favorite part of my experience at ConBody was speaking to Shane after class and hearing about the garden he now has at his house on Long Island. He took vocational classes during his incarceration focusing on horticulture.

It’s inspiring to see fitness giving people hope, community, health and a second chance. I think fitness provides that to many people – not only ex-prisoners – and time and time again it’s a great way of connecting people from all walks of life.

If you want to learn more about the amazing story behind ConBody, check out some of these stories written by major news sources:
The New York Times
NPR
Ted Talks
Elle
Inc.
The Wall Street Journal

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Six Superfoods' Rise to Culinary Celebrity

I recently had the chance to guest write for the Rhythm Superfoods' blog. The topic was for me to choose, and as I thought about what I'd like to write, I kept coming back to the idea of a "superfood. "

We know that superfoods are, well, super, because of their next-level nutritional stats. But the protein content of Greek yogurt and the antioxidants in acai alone aren’t enough to catapult these health foods to mainstream fame. So how exactly did difficult to pronounce foods like quinoa and chia become trendy terms on every restaurant’s menu and everyone’s shopping lists?

Here’s the story of six superfoods’ rise to culinary celebrity! (You can read this over on Rhythm Superfoods' Blog as well, and check out their delectable snacks! They're one of the things I always have on hand for traveling!)

1.) Kale

Kale is kalin’ it. “Kale Salad” is synonymous with healthy, delicious and trendy. But how did kale surpass spinach, chard and other nutritious leafy greens in popularityWhat started as a strange-looking garnish is now widely regarded for its high fiber, magnesium and folate contents.

In 1996, a poem dedicated to kale was published in the LA Times. After that, a slew of media “hits” by kale slowly introduced it to general public. This included a recipe by Martha Stewart, Whole Living dubbing it a “powerfood,” Gwyneth Paltrow making kale chips on Ellen, and in 2012 Bon Appetit named it “the year of kale.”

A fascinating article by Eve Turow of mindbodygreen traces kale’s rise in popularity to Oberon Sinclair - a PR professional who was dedicated to growing the green stuff’s reputation – going as far as creating the fake “American Kale Association.”

The stats are impressive. Kale sales jumped 50 percent in just 4 years! What a world we live in where we can eat kale brownies, kale ice cream and of course, kale chips.

2.) Greek Yogurt

Just a few short years ago, Greek yogurt wasn’t exactly a highly-regarded dairy dish. Greek yogurt was seen as the chalky, chunky, thicker cousin of typical yogurt and people weren’t singing its praises.

But things started to change after Hamdi Ulukaya bought an abandoned yogurt factory in upstate New York and developed the recipe for Chobani – first introducing it to a small grocery store on Long Island in 2007.

Chobani quickly landed two national grocery store accounts (Stop & Shop and Shop Rite) and quickly captured the market. It’s thought that Greek yogurt first grew in popularity thanks to upper middle class women who thought that it was “purer” and “simpler” than regular yogurts – plus its exotic connection to Greece was appealing. Greek yogurt, the more expensive type of yogurt, was in some ways seen as a status symbol.  

Now, Greek yogurts like Chobani and Fage are the Greek Gods of ‘Gurt – sales have skyrocketed as people point to its higher protein content and more filling nature.

According to The Atlantic, in 2006, Greek yogurt was a $60 million industry in the United States. By 2011, it had become a $1.5 billion business. 

3.) Quinoa  

Maybe you, too, mispronounced quinoa for a good long while before figuring out this protein-packed grains true name.

Quinoa hits a trifecta of health benefits that has helped it become a mainstream whole-grain.

1.     Quinoa is gluten free. For a few years now, sales of gluten free foods have been surging due to increased awareness about Celiac’s disease as well as the (widely debated) potential health benefits of a gluten-free diet.

2.     Quinoa is a nutritionally dense “superfood.” 

3.     Quinoa is a complete protein, containing all 9 essential amino acids.

Quinoa first started making its way into people’s vocabulary as far back as 1913 when The New York Times named it one of 400 “charming botanical strangers” that would be introduced to the US by the Department of Agriculture.

For a while, it remained hidden on health food store shelves. But in 2008, Oprah Winfrey ate quinoa as part of a 21-day cleanse. Around the same time, more mainstream stores like Costco, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods began to carry quinoa.

As quinoa imports began to rise, the United Nations decreed 2013 the “International Year of Quinoa.”

 

4.) Chia

How did chia go from sprouting in ceramic-character-shaped-containers for children to being a health-food staple?

An interesting case study from American Marketing Association looks at how this super-seed went “from pets to protein powder.

Marketing played a large role in making the public aware of chia seeds’ many nutritional benefits. They’re full of fiber, protein, antioxidants, calcium, phosphorous, manganese and omega-3 fatty acids. Joseph Enterprises first made chia seeds popular as the hair in head-shaped planters. The Chia Pet launched over 35 years ago but now, Joseph Enterprises also sells raw chia seeds as a health supplement.

A huge boost to the visibility of chia was the publishing of the book Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall in 2009. The book explains that chia seeds were used by Mayans and Aztecs as a snack that sustains energy.

The Chia Co. was the first brand to reach those consumers who were interested in chia, but didn’t purchase the raw seeds because they weren’t sure how to use them. They created the Chia Pod, a pre-packaged chia pudding. More pre-packaged chia products continue to hit the shelves, including Mamma Chia’s bottled beverages, bagged granolas, and pouched chia “squeezes.” 

Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia is now a booming business in the US and now included on many mainstream menus and on grocery shelves in many prepackaged products– used in pudding, crackers, cookies, cereals and more.

5.) Acai

Acai berries are vibrant little guys hailing from Brazil. The Global Healing Center lists 12 major health benefits of acai berries – among them, heart health, skin health, immune boosting, and improved mental function.

The “acai bowl” trend started in places like Hawaii and California, where acai berries were used as a smoothie-like base and topped with granola, fruit and other toppings to create highly-Instagrammable breakfasts.

But there’s more to the story if you do some digging. How did acai bowls get from Brazil to the US? According to an in-depth article by The New Yorker, it was all thanks to two brothers, Ryan and Jeremy Black and their friend, Edmund Nichols, who first experienced an acai bowl on a trip to Brazil and vowed to bring the trend to the States. They went on to become the founders of Sambazon – which now produces a variety of acai products.

It wasn’t easy to introduce a difficult-to-pronounce berry from the Amazon jungle into the food-vocabulary of always suspicious consumers – but after being featured in the best-seller “The Perricone Promise: Look Younger, Live Longer in Three Easy Steps” and a spot on Oprah, the Black brothers were in business and soon Sambazon was being featured in People magazine.

6.) Beets

Who would have thought that beets – a bulbous root – would become so popular? But here we are, with beet references abounding in popular culture. Who remembers the cartoon Doug and the rock band, “The Beets” performing “Killer Tofu?” And who doesn’t know that Dwight Shrute from The Office is a beet farmer? A trendy tee shirt reads, “Beets Don’t Kale My Vibe.”  

And according to an article from The Daily Meal, beets were the hippest food of 2016.

Low in calories, sodium and fat, beets are high in nutrients like folate, manganese and betaine.

And as Rhythm Superfoods knows – beets make great chips! It’s the newest snack in their line-up of famous superfood snacks!  

Body Space Fitness Delivers Solid Strength & Cardio Classes

After reading about Body Space Fitness on one of my favorite blogs, Kayla In The City, I knew I wanted to check it out and review it for myself.

Founder Kelvin Gary's boutique fitness studio first specialized in semi-private (small group) training and personal training sessions but has recently expanded it's offerings to include various group fitness classes.

Torn between Body Camp and Metabolic Burn, I made a last minute decision to take the two classes back-to-back. One at 5 p.m. and the next at 6 p.m.

Read on to find out if I survived - and what I thought of the Body Space Fitness!

THE STUDIO

Body Space Fitness is super nondescript from the outside. When you open the door on the 5th floor of a building, you're already in the thick of things - with kettlebells being swung, sleds being pushed, and medicine balls being slammed all around you.

Though the space itself isn't extremely large, it is packed with functional training equipment. There's not a stationary machine in sight - something that I absolutely love. There's an entire area where clients can get stretched out and rubbed down, an ALTER-G TREADMILL, and the main work-out floor complete with sandbags, medicine balls, TRX, sleds, kettlebells - they've got it all.

Classes take part on the back half of the "turf" and while things got a little congested during the Metabolic Burn Class, the workout is expertly designed and executed to make things run smoothly and for the space to be shared effectively.

It's as if the instructors are performing choreography in the way that they explain circuits and exercises, set stations up and dismantle them, and keep things flowing.

You can take a virtual tour of the studio on their website!

THE CLASSES

BODY CAMP FORMAT

On Body Space Fitness's website, they describe Body Camp as a "55 minute, strength based class in a small group setting features stations of functional exercises designed to sculpt lean muscles."

100% accurate description.

The class was comprised of a warm up followed by two different strength circuits.

WARM UP

I loved this warm up. Lots of agility/cardio exercises to get the blood flowing. There were only 6 of us in the class and we did high knees, caterpillars, lateral shuffles, karaoke, and more including a few torturous moves with the resistance bands around our ankles.

CIRCUIT ONE

We performed each exercise :42 ON | :18 REST for 3 rounds.

RFE Split Squat - Fancy terminology for "Rear Foot Elevated" Split Squat. These are more like lunges and we performed them hold a kettlebell (weight of your choosing!)
JB Slam - "Jam Ball" (Medicine Ball) Slams
TRX Hamstring Curls- These bad boys BURN and I struggled to do them for the full :42 seconds, especially with proper form (hips UP)
SB BO Row - Sand Bag Bent Over Row (There were tons of different weight options!)
1/2 Knee DB Press - Kneeling shoulder presses with dumbbells

CIRCUIT TWO

Again, we performed each exercise :42 ON | :18 REST for 3 rounds.

KBDL - Kettlebell Deadlifts! I appreciated the fact that the instructor, Dean, came around and encouraged me to up my weight. It's always nice when an instructor pushes you!
V-Ups
Lateral Box Step Up
SB FS - Front squats with the sandbag!
Floor Chest Press

THE INSTRUCTOR

The instructor, Dean Sheremet, was absolutely the best part about the class. He took this from just a circuit workout to a great group fitness class.

He was encouraging, enthusiastic and extremely helpful in terms of describing the format of the class, demonstrating each exercise, challenging people individually, offering advice on form and was also a great DJ (hi, Spice Girls!)

WHAT I LIKED

I loved that you could make this workout as hard as you liked based on the weights that you chose for each exercise.

I thought it was a great mix of leg and arm exercise with abs thrown in their as well. None of the exercises were too difficult to get the hang of, but all really effective!

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

For some of the exercises, I wanted to challenge myself by going up in weight - especially since this is marketed as a strength focused class. But I found :42 seconds was a long time to perform a strength-based exercise with heavier weights. With the interval set at :42 seconds, it's clearly a more high-rep scenario which means lower weights.

It would be interesting if the amount of time you performed each exercise changed throughout the circuits so that you could experiment more with "going heavy."

METABOLIC BURN FORMAT

Described on their website as their "cardio and endurance based class," Metabolic Burn promises to be "filled with high intensity, calorie burning, low impact exercises using a wide variety of toys such as, but not limited to, sleds, battleropes, ViPRs, sandbags and Airdyne bikes. This class, focused more on endurance than strength, gets your heart rate up with 40 second intervals where you do the most amount of reps possible in the allotted time."

THE WARM UP

We did a lot of the same things for Metabolic Burn's warm up as we did for Body Camp. I like this kind of warm-up because it's not static stretching and actually warms you up- I was definitely breathing a little heavy by the end of it!

EXERCISES

We performed the following exercises for :40 seconds with :20 rest as we rotated to the next exercise. We completed this circuit 4 times.

Single Arm Kettle Bell Swings
Sand Bag Shoulder Press - You essentially lifted the sandbag from one shoulder, up and over your head, to the other shoulder. It was deceptively difficult!
Burpee Bear Crawl - Bear Crawl to the front of the turf, burpee, bear crawl backwards to the wall, repeat. I looked like a total spazz doing the Bear Crawl.
TRX Rows
Lateral Shuffle With Resistance Bands
Medicine Ball Jack Knifes
Sandbag Shoulder Squats - Starting with the sandbag on one shoulder and switching it to the other halfway through
Lateral Medicine Ball Throws

As you can see, these exercises were much more cardio focused than Body Camp.

The class finished a a 5 minute "Cardio Blast" where we performed the following exercises for :30 with a :12 rest - 4X through.

Hand Release Push-Ups
Crab Walk
Rope Squats

THE INSTRUCTOR

Nicole Bunyan taught Metabolic Burn and she was great! Supportive, attentive and great at keeping things moving. She had a more difficult job than Dean in terms of keeping things organized since there were so many more people in the same tiny space.

Nicole gave some great tips on form - like keeping your nose pointed up at the ceiling during the medicine ball jack knifes.

WHAT I LIKED

To be fair, Metabolic Burn is just more my style. I like the cardio aspect of classes like this - I like feeling like I'm going to die in a pool of my own sweat because I'm a freak.

I also realllllly liked the fact that a lot of these exercises are low impact. My shins have been bothering me a lot (shocker) and not having to be constantly jumping yet still getting in cardio was great.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE

There wasn't anything I didn't like, really! I didn't love love love it, but it was a very good class all around.

THE RUNDOWN

THE STUDIO - 7

What the studio lacks in space and "sparkle" it makes up for in phenomenal functional training equipment, cleanliness and organization. They pack a LOT in the space that they have - and it's all things that help get their clients a killer workout.

After speaking with Kelvin, he explained that they've had some growing pains since incorporating group classes. They're working on expanding and after some renovations, the space should be a lot more conducive to all that Body Space Fitness has got goin' on.

CLASS SIZE - SMALL

Body Camp was a teeeeeny class with only 6 of us. It was great, and we got tons of attention from the instructor because of it.

Metabolic Burn was larger, but in the grand scheme of fitness classes, 12 is still a small class and allows for lots of personal pointers.

SWEAT SCALE - 7

Both Body Camp and Metabolic Burn are the type of workouts that are as hard as you make them. It really depends on how hard you push yourself! I made it through 2 classes without feeling like I couldn't go on - but I also didn't go balls to the wall during Body Camp knowing that I still had another class coming up!

FUN FACTOR - 7

This place had good vibes, great instructors and jammin' tunes. As I changed and got ready, the class prior to Body Camp was RILED UP about something - it sounded like a competition of some sort. My point is, people are happy and having fun here which makes a workout a lot more pleasant!

AMENITIES - 6

They aren't out of this world but they have everything you need. Including a hair dryer in the locker room so that you don't need to lug one in your bag!

I will say that when I got out of class, every single locker in the locker room was being used!

COST - $$$

Unfortunately, this is just the cost of a boutique fitness class in NYC - $32 a pop. But if you're a ClassPasser, you can sign up for classes at Body Space Fitness!

This is the kind of fitness studio that I love. They care about putting together a quality, total body workout that is well designed and not just about having people do burpees until they puke for the sake of it.

They offer a ton of different services, classes and packages and are filled with the type of functional equipment that's most effective (in my humble opinion).

Every time I go to a studio like Body Space Fitness and have wonderful instructors like Dean and Nicole, I'm tempted to cough up the money and time to get my personal training certification!

Definitely stop by BSF if you're looking for a great workout that will leave you in a good mood.

I Will Be Better.

When Donald Trump was elected President, I was surprised to feel the tears that sprang to my eyes. I didn’t expect the flood of emotions that suddenly sent me into the fetal position on my living floor. I didn’t expect to feel so small. So helpless. So scared.

As the initial numbness wore away, I felt overwhelmingly powerless and vulnerable as a woman. Donald Trump’s comments throughout his campaign have made entire populations of American citizens feel inferior. Until recently, I was idyllically unaware of how “less than” another person’s words and actions could make me feel based simply on the fact that I am a woman.  

Women learn to deal with demeaning looks and comments so often that it becomes second nature for them to brush them aside.

When these comments come from friends who are “just kidding” or men we are dating or from strangers on the street – we are conditioned to ignore it. To not take it to heart. To tell ourselves, "They don't mean it."

What we are really saying is, “It’s OK.”

When we refer to disrespectful and disgusting comments as “Locker Room Talk” we are saying, “It’s OK.”

When we joke, “at least he was good looking,” after a catcall from a stranger we are saying, “It’s OK.”

And if one good thing has come out of my past 48 hours of personal mental turmoil it is that I am no longer content to send this message.

It is not OK.

I am not powerless and I am not small.

And I have found comfort in the idea that I am not the only one who will use this moment in our country’s history to commit to being a better, stronger, more vocal role model for others.

To be a better person, to be a better woman, to be a better American.

I will be better.

In the next four years, a woman will not be representing our country. But we as women can still demand respect.

In the next four years, men may not answer our calls for equality. But we as women can still support each other relentlessly.

In the next four years, the leader of our country may work to keep us from feeling empowered. But we as women are powerful.

As individuals we are powerful. As mothers and daughters and sisters and friends and wives we are powerful. And together, we can persevere.  

I am intelligent. I will remain educated, seeking information and continuing to learn because I am lucky to have that opportunity.

I am fair. I will always keep an open mind and be willing to listen to multiple points of view on issues that are important to this nation.

I am wise. I will no longer live in an echo chamber, surrounded only by those who share my opinions and beliefs. 

I am fallible. I will admit when I am wrong, I will ask for help, I will ask questions, I will listen.

I am beautiful. I will fervently remind my friends and fellow women that they are beautiful and they are so much more than a number on a scale or a gap between their thighs.

I am meant for more. I will work hard to no longer waste mental energy on appearances – I refuse to believe that the less space I take up on this earth, the happier I will be.

I am in control. I will never again let a man make me feel as if his feelings come before my own, no matter how much I love him.

I am supportive. I will try my best to eliminate words like slut and whore and bitch from my vocabulary. I will treat all women with the same respect that I demand from others.

I am a role model. I will volunteer my time to ensuring that young girls feel empowered to dream big, to know they are beautiful and capable.

I am strong. I will view obstacles as opportunities and challenges as chances.

I am powerful. I will move my body because I love my body – not because I hate it.  

I am vocal. I will speak up when I hear or see things that are offensive and wrong. I will not stay silent when inappropriate things are said under the guise of a “joke.”  

I have a voice. I will not downplay my beliefs or convictions to appease any man.  Apathy is not attractive.

I have a purpose. I will pursue my passions and push boundaries. I will challenge myself and others to be the best version of themselves.

I have girl power. I will be proud to be a woman and I will do my best to spread the message that first and foremost women must support each other before we can expect support from men.

I have faith. I will continue to look forward to the day that a qualified, experienced woman will be voted into the White House to lead our nation and to represent all Americans.

I have pride. Despite the current state of our nation, I am proud to be an American.

I am proud to be from a country that sets itself apart from other nations thanks to 239 years of the successful peaceful transfer or power.

I am hopeful that we as individuals really do have a voice. That our democracy ensures that one hateful man is not more powerful than the good, kind, honest citizens who take this opportunity to vow to be better, more caring, conscientious humans.

I find extreme comfort and inspiration in these words from Hillary Clinton:

“If you live long enough, you realize that so much of what happens in life is out of your control. But how you respond to it is in your control.”

I am proud to be an American.

I am proud to be a woman.

And I am proud of myself, and everyone else, who uses this day as a chance to respond with the message:

“I will be better.” 

Everything You Need To Know To Create Your Own Killer Workouts

Nothing is worse than getting yourself up and out to the gym only to arrive with no idea of what you're actually going to do.

If you're not signed up for a class, it can be hard to put together your own workout. Do you want to focus on a specific body part? Do you want to do cardio? Total body? HIIT?

A lot of people are overwhelmed by the idea of working out with no structure - no instructor telling them what to do. But it really isn't that difficult to come up with your own killer workout.

Knowing some general workout formats can be a big game changer - once you have some go-tos in your back pocket, it's easy to mix and match exercises and plug them into the formula.

Once you pick the workout format, you can populate it with exercises for a certain muscle group, total body, body-weight exercises or weighted exercises. You can gear the workout towards a certain piece of equipment, like the TRX straps or kettlebells.

This summary of some standard workout formats is the first step to self-reliance at the gym. No more depending on class schedules or suffering through dull instructors. No more feeling overwhelmed when you aren't taking a class. You can get in a sweaty workout all on your own, I promise.

Simple Rep-Based Circuit 

Format: 
Pick 4 Exercises
Pick a Number of Reps
Repeat 4 Times Through

A simple circuit is what I usually use for strength training a certain muscle group. Because it's based on reps, I like to use weighted exercises. Depending on the number of reps you decide on, make sure you keep the weight challenging - you should justttt be able to finish the reps with proper form - it shouldn't be easy! 

Example of a Shoulder Circuit

10 Reps Dumbbell Shoulder Press
10 Reps Front Plate Raise
10 Reps Lateral Dumbbell Raises
10 Reps Front Plate Pull

Repeat 4X 

Example of a Leg Circuit 

12 Reps Side Lunges with Dumbbell
12 Reps Sumo Squat and Press with Kettlebell
12 Reps Jump Squats
12 Reps Glute Bridges with Plate

Repat 4X

Simple Time-Based Circuit 

Format:
Pick 4 Exercises
ick a Length of Time To Perform Each Exercise
Repeat 4 Times Through

While I tend to use a simple circuit for strength-training, there's no saying you can't throw together a timed circuit as well - this is a great option to get in some quick cardio using body-weight exercises if you don't feel like using the treadmill, elliptical or stationary bike. 

Example of a Cardio Focused Timed Circuit 

:30 High Knees
:30 Butt Kicks
:30 Mountain Climbers
:30 Burpees

Repeat 4X

You can always challenge yourself to repeat the circuit more than 4 times if you're up for it! OR string together a few different circuit. You might do a cardio timed circuit in combination with a shoulder simple circuit and a tricep simple circuit to incorporate more muscle groups into your workout. 

Tip: When you're strength training, try to pair chest exercises with tricep exercises and back exercises with bicep exercises! 

Tabata

Format:
Choose 1 Exercise
Perform the Exercise Hard for :20
Rest for :10
Repeat 8 Times

Tabata workouts don't sound too difficult on paper, but I promise they'll get your heart rate up! They're a way to create a High Intensity Interval Training workout - otherwise known as HIIT! 

While 1 in the tabata format takes 4 minutes and ensures sweat - you can also string together a few different exercises, completing each as a tabata, to create a killer workout. Again, you can choose to do this based on a specific body part or total body depending on what exercises you choose.

Tabata workouts tend to work best with little to no equipment - body weight exercises are best! Pick 5 different exercises and you've got yourself a super-sweaty 20 minute HIIT workout. 

Example of an Ab-Focused Tabata Workout: 

Exercise 1: Plank Ups 
Complete :20 on, :10 rest 8X Through (4 Minutes Total)

Exercise 2: Russian Twists (Weighted or Unweighted) 
Complete :20 on, :10 rest 8X Through (4 Minutes Total)

Exercise 3: Diamond Sit Ups
Complete :20 on, :10 rest 8X Through (4 Minutes Total)

Exercise 4: Leg Lowers
Complete :20 on, :10 rest 8X Through (4 Minutes Total)

Exercise 5: Mountain Climbers
Complete :20 on, :10 rest 8X Through (4 Minutes Total)

AMRAP 

Format: 
Pick Around 5 Exercises
Assign Reps To Each Exercise
Choose a Total Workout Time
Complete As Many Rounds of the Exercises As Possible in the  Designated Total WorkoutTime

I'll be honest, this isn't one of my favorite formats - but it is super effective and great if you're looking for a benchmark workout that you can use to track your progress in the gym. 

AMRAP workouts are used in Metabolic Conditioning training (MetCon). It's basically a way to get in your cardio quickly by going reallllly hard for a short period of time. It's high intensity all the way through, but it's over fairly quickly! A typical length of time for an AMRAP is anywhere from 10-20 minutes. 

Example of a Total Body AMRAP 

10 Burpees
10 Push-Ups
20 Sit Ups
20 Mountain Climbers
Complete the Above Circuit As Many Times Through As Possible in 16 Minutes

You can also complete an AMRAP workout by choosing just 1 exercise and completing as many repetitions as possible in a given period of time. 

Example of a 1 Exercise AMRAP 

Complete As  Many Burpees As Possible In 10 Minutes

Using the same AMRAP routine once a week and tracking how many rounds or reps you're able to finish in the given period of time is a great way to measure progress. AMRAPs are also nice because they allow you to rest as necessary. 

EMOM 

Format: 
Choose 3-4 Exercises
Set A Number of Reps Per Exercise
Pick A Total Length of Time
Start a New Round of The Series of Exercises At The Top Of Every Minute For the Designated Length of Time

This one's a little harder to explain as a specific formula, but it's quickly become one of my all-time favorite workout formats! It's very popular in the world of crossfit, but I promise it's not that intimidating once you get the hang of it! 

To put together an EMOM workout, choose 3 or 4 exercises with a set number of reps and completing each mini-circuit one time through within 60 seconds. The trick is, you need to start over at the top of each new minute. So if you manage to finish in :45, you've earned yourself :15 before starting from the top. If you finish in :55, you'll only have 5 seconds to rest!

It's up to you to decide how many minutes you'd like to do an EMOM workout for, but for ones where I'm repeating a mini-circuit, I tend to go for 10 minutes. It's hard! 

Example of Total Body EMOM

For 10 Minutes:

8 Medicine Ball Slams
6 Burpees
4 Diamond Sit-Ups

Complete all three exercises in succession at the top of every minute for 10 minutes.

Make sure you're challenging yourself. You shouldn't be finishing the exercises within :30 circuits. If you find that's the case, up the number of reps or add another exercise to the succession. 

Pyramid Workout 

Format:
Increasing Weight, Length of Time or Reps Per Exercise
Followed by Decreasing Weight, Length of Time or Reps Per Exercise

There are a ton of different ways to put together a "pyramid" workout that can work for either HIIT or strength/weight training. 

For strength/weight training, you work your way up the pyramid by raising the weight while lowering the number of reps you're performing. 

Example of a Bicep Curl Pyramid

Round 1: 15 Reps With 5 lb dumbbells
Round 2: 12 Reps With 7.5 lb dumbbells
Round 3: 10 Reps with 10 lb dumbbells
Round 4: 8 Reps with 12.5 lb dumbbells
Round 5: 6 Reps with 15 lb dumbbells
Round 6: 4 Reps with 20 lb dumbbells

You can also set up a pyramid workout by performing bodyweight (or weighted) exercises for increasing, and then decreasing, lengths of time. 

Example of a Timed Pyramid 

:15 Rest Between Each Set

Set 1 :10 Squats
Set 2 :20 Squats
Set 3 :30 Squats
Set 4 :40 Squats
Set 5 :30 Squats
Set 6 :20 Squats
Set 7 :10 Squats

Yet another option is to make up your pyramid workout with an assortment of exercises. 

Example of Multi-Exercise Pyramid 

55 Jumps Lunges
45 In & Out Crunches
35 Push-Ups
25 Star Jumps
15 Burpees
15 Burpees
25 Star Jumps
35 Push-Ups
45 In & Out Crunches
55 Jump Lunges

You can either rest as necessary, or for :15 in between each exercise. 

Ladder 

Format: 
Decreasing The Length of Time or Number of Reps for Each Exercise Every Round

Unlike a pyramid workout, a ladder workout just goes in one direction. You can either work up the ladder or down the ladder. It's up to you how many different exercises you choose to include in your ladder. 

Example of an Upper Body Ladder

10 Dips
10 Push-Ups
10 Plank Shoulder Taps
10 Inch Worms

:15 Rest

9 Dips
9 Push-Ups
9 Plank Shoulder Taps
9 Inch Worms

:15 Rest

8 Dips
8 Push-Ups
8 Plank Shoulder Taps
8 Inch Worms

:15 Rest

7 Dips
7 Push-Ups
7 Plank Shoulder Taps
7 Inch Worms

:15 Rest

6 Dips
6 Push-Ups
6 Plank Shoulder Taps
6 Inch Worms

:15 Rest

5 Dips
5 Push-Ups
5 Plank Shoulder Taps
5 Inch Worms

:15 Rest

4 Dips
4 Push-Ups
4 Plank Shoulder Taps
4 Inch Worms

:15 Rest

3 Dips
3 Push-Ups
3 Plank Shoulder Taps
3 Inch Worms

:15 Rest

2 Dips
2 Push-Ups
2 Plank Shoulder Taps
2 Inch Worms

:15 Rest

1 Dip
1 Push-Up
1 Plank Shoulder Tap
1 Inch Worm

You can also do a ladder workout based on time. 

Example of a Time-Based Lower Body Ladder 

:60 Squats
:60 Left Leg Lunges
:60 Right Leg Lunches
:60 Glute Bridges

:30 Rest

:50 Squats
:50 Left Leg Lunges
:50 Right leg Lunges
:50 Glute Bridges

:30 Rest

:30 Squats
:30 Left Leg Lunges
:30 Right Leg Lunges
:30 Glute Bridges

:15 Rest 

:20 Squats
:20 Left Leg Lunges
:20 Right Leg Lunges
:20 Glute Bridges

:15 Rest 

:10 Squats
:10 Left Leg Lunges
:10 Right Leg Lunges
:10 Glute Bridges

Deck of Cards Workout 

Format: 
Assign An Exercise to Each Suit
Go Through The Deck, Performing Each Exercise For the Amount of Reps Specific By The Card Number
(Jacks = 11 Reps, Queens = 12 Reps, Kings = 13 Reps and Aces = 15 Reps) 

This is such a great workout format, and one that I continually use when I'm feeling uninspired. It's so easy to cater a deck of cards workout to a specific body part, though abs is one of my favorite body parts to target with this format. 

This keeps you moving and the time flies by! 

Example of an Abs Deck of Cards Workout 

Diamonds: Diamond Sit-Ups
Hearts: Bicycle Crunches
Spades: Toe Touches
Clubs: Leg Lowers
Jokers: :30 Plank

Say you pull an Ace of Spades: Perform 15 Toe Touches
If you pull a 7 of Hearts: Perform 7 Diamond Sit Ups

Go through the deck until you've completed all 52 cards. 

*In case you're wondering, you'll perform each exercise a total of 106 times!

 *There's also an app you can download so that you don't need to use an actual deck of cards! 

Happy workout creating! Let me know your favorite workout format - I'm always looking for a way to mix things up and keep things interesting at the gym. There's nothing worse than a workout that is boring! 

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Huffington Post's CEO Sweats and Speaks at SWERVE

When I returned to New York City after a month in Toronto, I was ecstatic. Not because Toronto wasn't a great city - but it isn't home. 

Thrown back into the hustle and bustle of city living, I immediately set about filling up my calendar with plans. Social plans, blog plans, fitness plans, family plans. But one thing I've really been craving is learning. I miss being a student because I miss the mental stimulation that comes from lectures and note taking and critical thinking. 

Living in a city as culturally rich as New York, I've realized that there's absolutely no excuse not to seek and gain more knowledge. I can complain about missing class and research papers and guest speakers - or I can make it a priority to find opportunities to learn. 

Boozy brunches and nights that don't end until the morning are great as a twenty-something living in Manhattan. But I don't want to look back on my time living in this incredible city and feel that I didn't experience the full-scope of what it has to offer. 

So I'm here to suggest to you a wonderful event series that every business-savvy, fitness-loving, twenty-something should do their best to check out. The Speaker Series at SWERVE. 

This event was the trifecta of things I am constantly seeking:

Fitness, Food & Learning

SWERVE is by far my current favorite spin studio in NYC. Every time I take a class I'm reminded of it's amazing amenities, incredible instructors, meaningful metrics, satisfying smoothies - I could go on and on with the alliterative accolades.

For the past four months, SWERVE has hosted a speaker series which gives you the opportunity to take a class, drink a smoothie, and listen to a guest speaker "whose journey shows the value of embracing uncertainty and relentlessly pursuing a goal." All for $40. 

Cue the endorphins and inspiration. 

The Class 

Challenging, motivating and sweaty as usual. I somehow ended up with close to my PR score despite not having been to SWERVE in months! I credit the amazing riders around me who were absolutely crushing it and our instructor Erin who made the entire room feel like rock stars. It was impossible not to let it push me (and my legs) past what I expected. 

The Smoothie 

Before the ride, the entire class was allowed to choose between the Purple PB, Kalin' It and Iced Matcha smoothies. They were lined up along the bar and waiting for us when we finished class. 

SWERVE's smoothie bar is K-I-L-L-E-R and I even go for breakfast sometimes without taking a class. This was my first time trying the Kalin' It smoothie and it was wonderfully sweet despite being very green. 

My favorite is still the Skinny PB. What I love about the smoothie bar is the fact that all of the nutrition information is listed on the menu! 

Talk with Jared Grusd 

This was the highlight of the event, for sure. For 45 minutes the CEO of the Huffington Post talked to the group about his career in a way that was so down to earth, so real, and so engaging. 

Jared Grusd's career has included positions at some pretty notable companies - Google, AOL, Spotify and now, The Huffington Post. NBD. 

Throughout the night I found myself nodding along with points that he made about navigating career choices and decisions.

His answers weren't always what you'd expect from a CEO, and I thought I'd share some of the major points that he made during the talk and subsequent Q&A (because I took notes, obviously!)

Risk and Reward

FOR THE FIRST PART OF HIS CAREER - HE DIDN'T REALLY TAKE A LOT OF RISKS 

Finishing undergrad and going to Law School wasn't really a risk - it was a safe option for someone who wasn't sure of what they wanted to do with their lives. 

First attempting to go into entertainment law because of connections in LA was another safe move. 

It was refreshing to hear Jared admit that sometimes, taking the safer route really is the best option. He didn't spin some fairy-tale story about taking tons of risks and gambles that catapulted him to the top. 

But Jared's story did include some big decisions and opportunities. The first real "risk" came when he jumped off the corporate ladder he was climbing (in the world of law) and went down a few rungs to start over at Google. At the time, it wasn't a guaranteed success story, and meant a pay cut. 

AT A LOT OF COMPANIES, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE CLIMBING A LADDER. THE PROMOTIONS AND PAY COME AT JUST THE RIGHT TIMES TO MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU CAN'T GET OFF. 

But there's nothing preventing you from starting over somewhere new if it means the potential for new opportunities that will eventually get you further. 

People Are Important

BUT HE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE ANY MENTORS. 

The fact that Jared so readily admitted that he didn't have a mentor throughout his journey was a little jaw-dropping. Sure, it's nice to think that we'll have someone to give us eye-opening wisdom and hold our hand down our career paths - and maybe some of us will be lucky enough to find that. But we're also capable of figuring things out on our own. 

That being said, now, Jared says the most important thing when it comes to being a successful CEO is authenticity and creating a solid team. To do that it's important to

KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES AND SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE GREAT AT THE THINGS YOU AREN'T GREAT AT.

While building that team, Jared looks for people with an "X-Factor" because, 

"I'M REALLY ATTRACTED TO AWESOME PEOPLE." 

Passion

He then told a story that I absolutely loved, which involved a woman's "X-Factor" being her homemade guacamole which she competed with at fairs and festivals. 

When I hear "X-Factor" I usually think that I don't have anything to "WOW" people with. No insurmountable obstacles that I've conquered or stories of bravery and leadership. 

But as Jared spoke and gave examples, he made a great point. It's about showing that you have a passion. 

PEOPLE WITH A PASSION OUTSIDE OF THEIR JOB ARE ACTUALLY BETTER EMPLOYEES. THEY WORK HARDER BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND HAVE TIME TO PURSUE THOSE PASSIONS.

Jared himself is an IRONMAN and triathlete and while that might sound like a hobby to some people, it proves a lot about someone's personality when they pursue challenges and have passions. Even if those passions are guacamole. 

Real Talk 

I loved that Jared was so honest in his answers. When asked how to go about changing a bad company culture, his answer was

YOU'RE PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE YOUR COMPANY CULTURE. 

Instead, there are some factors to consider when deciding whether or not you want to stay despite a less than ideal work environment. 

AM i RESPECTED BY MY BOSSES AND COWORKERS? 

Jared's biggest pet peeve is bosses who treat their subordinates as if they have all the power and control. 

DO I HAVE THE RUNWAY AND ABILITY TO GROW HERE? 

AM I FAIRLY COMPENSATED FOR MY WORK? 

Realistically, it's hard to find a job that fits all three of those criteria. Satisfy two, and you're doing pretty well. Only achieve one, and it might be time to start thinking about whether or not it's what you really want. 

When It's Time to Move On 

This was my personal favorite part of Jared's talk - when he explained why he decided to leave his job at Google to work for AOL. 

By his mid-twenties he had reached a position at Google that he had assumed he'd spend his entire career seeking. 

Many would sit back, buy a set of golf clubs, and ride out their days until retirement. 

But I identified with the part of Jared that thought, 

i'm not stimulated. this is an amazing company and it would be amazing whether i am here or noT.

So he left for a place where his contribution would be felt - a place where he could test himself and where he needed to "create momentum from nothing." 

Look Where Nowhere Else is Looking 

Jared's two biggest tip for success was

find value in places that no one else is finding value 

To be successful, you cannot accept the status quo. You need to constantly be searching and seeking and looking for solutions and ways to solve problems that no one else is paying attention to. 

He credits his growth at Google to this concept of finding a slightly better way to change a light bulb. 

I left the Speaker Series at SWERVE feeling ready to conquer the world, my career, an IRONMAN - I wanted to do it all. These were just a few of the points that Jared touched on in his talk - I learned a ton more about his personal story and career as well. 

It's crazy what some inspiration, motivation and thought-provoking conversation can do for you. 

I highly recommend SWERVE's Speaker Series and look forward to seeing who they bring in next!

 

 

 

Boozy Brunch With An Asian Flare at China Grill

China Grill is a really good restaurant in Midtown Manhattan - a section of New York City that is devoid of anything truly great as far as dining experiences go. 

I've reviewed China Grill's dinner for the blog - creative Asian fusion dishes meant to be shared family-style - and recently checked out their brunch with my grandparents. I was pleasantly surprised, and thought the world deserved to know about this hidden brunching gem between Central Park and Times Square. 

Oh You Fancy, Huh?

Here's the thing  about China Grill. It's gorgeous inside. The ceilings are tall, the wait staff are dressed up, there's a beautiful bar and open kitchen. The moment you step in, you feel like you're somebody. You feel like you're a little bit fancy, or at least a little bit fancier than your typical boozy brunch spot where you and your friends eat greasy breakfast burritos and guzzle down mimosas made with  $5 champagne. 

The point is, China Grill feels classy. And what twenty-something doesn't like feeling classy on a Sunday morning?

A La Cart vs. Prixe Fixe

If you're doing brunch at China Grill - you're probably going to want to order from the price fixe brunch menu because ordering a la cart just doesn't really make a lot of sense financially. 

You could order an entree for $19 plus a Bloody Mary for $14 (~$40 total once you factor in tip)

OR

You could choose an appetizer and an entree ($26) and go the unlimited booze route ($16 for endless mimosas or Bloody Mary's) for a grand total of around $50 once you add tip.  

$10 gets you an additional appetizer AND as many drinks as you want. Do the math, people.

The Appetizers

If you're with a group, you're going to want to make sure you aren't doubling up on the appetizers. Instead, order one of each and you'll get to sample them all! On my visit, we got to sample the following:

Green Tea Donuts 

Because once in awhile, it's OK to eat dessert first! These bad boys have a distinct fried-dough flavor that is delectable, while not exactly screaming "Green Tea." It's OK though, because once you dip your fried dough ball into the plum jam - you'll be hooked. This stuff is sweet, tart and refreshing! (Comes with 5 doughnuts)

Crispy Eggplant & Burrata With Miso Glaze 

I liked this more than anyone else - probably because the miso paired with the crispy eggplant wasn't a typical flavor combo. But I for one loved the nutty, umami flavor of the miso glaze paired with the light, refreshing burrata. (Comes with 4 pieces) 

Crackling Calamari Salad 

This is one of the best dishes on both their dinner and brunch menus and it is MONSTROUS. It can easily feed 4 or 5 people with a decent amount of salad AND squid. The calamari is perfectly battered - not too much but still perfectly crispy. Spritz some fresh lime on top and this is a killer salad. 

Chicken Thigh Skewers With Toasted Peanut Sauce

Whoah baby. What sounds like a pretty boring appetizer is actually pretty phenomenal thanks to chicken that is SO GOSH DARN TENDER. The peanut sauce is the cherry on top. (Comes with 4 skewers)

The Entrees

Yes, after feasting on all of those appetizers, I still had room for an entree. 

Sesame Jumbo Lump Crab Benedict With Grilled Asparagus

Eggs Benny goes from drab to...CRAB with this take on the brunch classic. Absolutely overflowing with crab meat, this was a winner! 

Yuzu Cream Stuffed French Toast With Lemongrass Caramel Sauce & Mixed Berry Compote

Talk about a sugar overload. This was super sweet, but oh so beautiful! Just look at it! This French Toast is TURNT. 

Yuzu is a citrus fruit and you can really tell when you get into the center of the french toast and reach the yuzu cream. It's a little overpowering, but balanced by the sesame! 

I don't know if I could eat this as my entire meal, but a few bites after my Benedict certainly satisfied my sweet tooth! 

Other entree options include a pork belly scramble with potato hash, bacon and egg fried rice and a wild mushroom omelet with goat cheese and spinach. 

The Booze

This is a boozy brunch spot after all, so let's talk about what really matters - the dranks. If you're a Bloody Mary lover, you are in for a treat with China Grill's 4 specialty Bloody Mary's. Ranging from tequila to vodka to bourbon - there's a Bloody for everyone! 

And most importantly, these Bloody Mary's come with built-in appetizers. They're the best for both your taste buds AND your Instagram account. 

I went with the Deviled Bloody Mary which came with a skewer loaded with not only celery, greens, cucumber and celery but a Wasabi Deviled Egg! Oh, and instead of tomato juice it was CARROT JUICE based. Yum. 

You Should Go.

More positives about China Grill as your next brunch spot? The service is phenomenal, it isn't super crowded, there's space to bring a group, it's centrally located and the presentation of each dish is superb as evidenced by the above pictures. 

My 10 Favorite Healthy Snacks Perfect For Your Carry-On

When I travel, the precious space in my carry-on is at least 50% dedicated to snacks. Is there a fear of being without snacks? I have that. 

Packing healthy snacks is the biggest way to avoid ordering fries from McDonald's or a sub-par doughnut from DD with your morning coffee. Planning and preparation are the biggest keys to making healthy choices! 

The following snacks are one that I often find in airports and frequently purchase during my travels. They've all been taste-tested and approved by ME. Obviously, packing vegetables and fruits is another great snacking option, but for now, we're going to focus on those pre-packaged products that are easy to shove in your overstuffed carry on. 

Happy, healthy-ish travels!

1.) Epic Bars

High In Protein
Low In Sugar
130-200 Calories
Keeps You Full
Sweet & Savory

I have a serious obsession with Epic bars. Ever since I discovered them at the Bear Mountain North Face Endurance Challenge my bags have been constantly stocked. Whenever I see them on sale at Whole Foods, I scoop them up by the handful. 

In fact, they've almost entirely replaced granola bars for me! A lot of granola bars on the market today are very high in calories, carbs and sugar and even though brands like KIND are made with real ingredients and healthy fats, their nutritional make-up isn't always what I'm after. 

Epic bars on the other hand are full of protein while staying low in carbs, sugars and calories. My favorite Epic bars are the ones that incorporate dried fruits so that you're getting the perfect balance of sweet and savory! 

Though portable meat snacks (which my roommate and I lovingly refer to as "meat bars") might sound strange at first, I promise they're a great well-balanced snack. Some Epic bars have up to 15 grams of protein which will help keep you full for longer than a lot of the carby-crunchy granola bars. 

2.) Wilde Snacks

100 Calories
Low in Sugar
High in Protein
Keeps You Full
Unique Flavors

If you can't find Epic bars, these are my second choice for next-level meat-snacking. Like Epic Bars, these aren't exactly jerky, but they're - well - meat protein bars! It doesn't sound appetizing, I know. But with flavors like Sweet Thai Basil, Turkey Cranberry and Peach BBQ, you can't tell me you aren't at least a little intrigued. Wilde Snacks feature beef, bison, turkey and chicken. 

All of Wilde Snacks' bars are 100 calories with between 10-11 grams of protein, 5 or less grams of sugar and less saturated fat than most of Epic's bars! They're a little smaller than an Epic bar, but still completely satisfying - especially because each bar has ingredients like quinoa, flax and chia seeds to keep you feeling full! 

A plus? I really like their packaging. 

3.) Rhythm Superfoods Kale Chips

Satisfies Your Chip Craving
High in Vitamin A
Protein & Fiber To Keep You Full

I've talked about these bad boys before on the blog, but they remain one of my favorite flying treats. And did you know they're now available at Starbucks?! So easy to find these days, which is great considering how delicious they are. You'll never be tempted to go for the Doritos again (unless it's Superbowl Sunday - then you must eat lots and lots of Doritos, it's a fact). 

Their Cool Ranch flavor is probably my favorite, but all of their kale chips are flavored using all natural ingredients like tahini, lemon juice, dill, etc. 

One thing to keep in mind is that they aren't the best option for shoving in a bag seeing as they're pretty delicate. Once kale chips get all crunched up, they're not as satisfying. Kale powder << Kale chips. 

4.) Biena & The Good Bean Roasted Chickpeas

Crunchy
Sweet & Savory Options
Fiber & Protein To Fill You Up
Low In Sugar
Low in Calories  

Don't make me choose between these two brands please, because both are doing an amazing job bringing roasted chickpeas to the masses! For years I've been roasting chickpeas and coating them in cinnamon and other fun spice combinations but no more - I let Biena and The Good Bean do the work for me because I'm lazy and they do a better job anyway. 

Roasted chickpeas are one of my all-time favorite snacks because you can go sweet or savory, they're crunchy, healthy and super filling. 

I love sprinkling The Good Bean sea salt roasted chickpeas on top of my salads (croutons are so 2000) and eating the Biena honey roasted chickpeas by the handful could honestly satisfy my sweet tooth as a dessert. 

My one tip is to buy the smaller, pre-portioned packages otherwise you might end up at your destination realizing you've polished off an entire 5 serving package (not that I'm speaking from experience...) 

5.) Dang and Prana Coconut Chips

Delicious
Satisfies Your Sweet Tooth

I first fell in love with coconut chips when I tried Prana's unique flavors at the vegetarian food festival in Toronto. Unfortunately, they aren't (yet) in the US. 

However - I was hooked on the sweet, unique texture of coconut chips and needed to find a way to get my fix! Enter Dang. 

These are more on the indulgent side of the snacking scales. Since they aren't particularly high in protein or fiber, they won't keep you full and satisfied like some of the previous options. But they are certainly a better option than other sweet treats you'll find at the airport. 

Just be aware that they are sugary and high in saturated fat - although coconuts are known for their lauric acid content which is a healthier saturated fat that could potentially help with weight loss. 

6.) Purely Elizabeth Granola

Sweet
Crunchy
Lower In Sugar

Most of the time, granola is code for "sugar." But I love buying Purely Elizabeth's pre-packaged double portion granola because I don't risk way over-eating and it adds a sweet, crunchy boost to my yogurt! 

Yogurt is my go-to breakfast food and adding Purely Elizabeth granola is a guilt-free way to make it feel indulgent. 

The pumpkin fig flavor only has 6 grams of sugar in 1/3 of a cup which is unheard of for granola! 

7.) Angie's BOOMCHICKAPOP and SkinnyPop Popcorn 

High In Fiber to Keep You Full
Sweet & Salty
Crunchy
Low Calorie
Low Fat

I will take a bag of either brand anyyyyy day for one of my most favorite healthy snacks on the go (and on my couch). 

Popcorn is high in fiber which means that it keeps you full and it's low in calories, sugar and fat! 

I will admit - I have a tendency to go for the kettle corn varieties which are higher in sugar and calories - but it's stopping me from buying a Snickers bar so I'm fine with it! 

Each brand has a ton of different flavor options including sea salt, kettle corn, white cheddar and even dusted dark chocolate! 

8.) Justin's Peanut and Almond Butter Single Serve Packets

Healthy Fats
Protein
Delicious
Keeps You Full
Satisfies Your Sweet Tooth

I have a confession to make. I still eat Skippy peanut butter and I'm not crazy about all natural PB. I'm not obsessed with Justin's - even though the entire healthy food blogosphere is gaga for their products. But I know it's healthier, and I'm trying to get on board!

All-Natural or not, I am obviously never found without peanut butter close by. You might be surprised to learn that I do not, in fact, travel with an entire jar of peanut butter. In lieu of a tub of PB, I opt for the single serving packets of Justin's when I'm traveling. These can be added to oatmeal or lathered on toast, rice cakes or bananas. It can be used as the dip for carrots, apple slices and celery.

But all the cool kids are just eating it straight from the packet. 

9.) Quest Bars 

Flavors Like Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Low in Sugar
High in Protein
Low in Carbs
Keep You Full
CHOCOLATEY

Try as I might to move on from Quest bars, I keep coming back to them. I don't even love the flavor - but there is something familiar and satisfying about them and therefore, I usually bring a few on each trip. 

If you've somehow survived the past 5 years without hearing about Quest bars, they're protein-packed bars with dessert-like flavors that are low in sugar and carbs. 

But I have to be upfront - more and more I'm reading that Quest bars aren't as great as they appear based on their nutrition facts. You need to read the ingredient list to find the fake fiber, artificial sweeteners and processed protein sources. 

10.) Superseedz

High in Protein
High in Iron
High in Zinc

Gourmet pumpkin seeds? Yes. 

These are a wonderful bit of crunch to add to your salad, yogurt or oatmeal. Or again, go ahead and eat them straight out of the package. 

For such tiny little seeds - they pack a powerful flavor punch with all natural seasonings like maple sugar & sea salt, tomato Italiano, super spicy and even curry. 

Superseedz are packed with more than flavor though - they've also got a ton of protein (up to 9 grams per serving) and zinc. Zinc is huge for your immune system, and when you're flying and traveling and getting run down your immune system can use all the help it can get! 

So there you have it. 10 go-to snacks for healthy traveling and happy taste buds. Just wanted to throw it out there that none of these companies paid me to say nice things about them - I genuinely enjoy all of these products! 

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