Restaurant Review: Blossom on Carmine

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

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

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

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

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

(Eggplant Lasagna)

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

(YUM sweet potato and pumpkin gnocchi!)

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

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

(Ok, this doesn't look very appetizing)

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

(Sproutz)

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

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

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

Restaurant Review: David Burke Fishtail

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

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

(Three people = three apps!)

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

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

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

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

(Lobster scramble)

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

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

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

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

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


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

(Gazpacho!)

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

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

(MMMMMMMM!!!!)

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

(Presentation adds so much!)


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

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

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

(Awesome desserts!)

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

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

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

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

Nike Training Club

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Restaurant Review: Vegetarian's Paradise II

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

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

(Stuffed zuchinni)

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

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

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

bRUNch

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

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

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

Summer is Gov Ball, Yankee Stadium & BBQ

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

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

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

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

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

(Hooray for VIP!)

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

(I like my beer to taste like apples)

(We shook it like a Polaroid picture) 

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

(Tacos make everything better)

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

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

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

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

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

(Grass angels > Snow angels)

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

(That's truly the sight of summer!)

Operation GET YOUR BUTT IN GEAR

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

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

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

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

help her

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

at least

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

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

(8:47 pace, OOOOF)

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

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

(Lion mane)

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

High fiving myself, sorry. 

November Project- JUST SHOW UP.

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Look, I have lots of new friends!)

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

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

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

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

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

(Ayyy)

Restaurant Week: Summer 2014

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

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

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

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

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

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

Will I actually experience the restaurant? 

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

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

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

A few more tips:

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

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

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

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

Review: Two Tablespoons

Food markets, fairs and festivals in New York City are so wonderful. Entire streets blocked off for all different types of food vendors. Typically, I’m completely overwhelmed.  But when I visited Madison Square Eats, for once, I knew exactly what I was there to get! A vendor called Two Tablespoons- specializing in making delicious vegetarian food with organic and locally sourced ingredients. 

(Lovely setting for a food festival!)

I had been following them on Instagram for a while, and salivating at their colorful, fresh looking pictures on an almost daily basis. It was time to see if Two Tablespoons could please my taste buds as much as it pleased my eyes.

I ordered my food to go, and for the entire 45 minute trek back to my apartment, my stomach growled and I SO BADLY wanted to be that person eating on the subway. But I persevered and waited until I could sit outside on my roof with fresh spring rolls and salad. Ahhh, perfection.

(Look how colorful!)

First, I had the Lentils, Beets and Goat Cheese spring roll- filled with lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, beets, lentils, goat cheese and a citrus vinaigrette.  Wow. Everything was so fresh, and how can you beet eating something with all of these beautiful colors? (Did you catch my pun?) I’m a sucker for goat cheese, and paired with the pop of citrus vinaigrette, it was a wonderful combination.

The second spring roll I ordered was the Corn, Coconut and Curry Sauce. This one was filled with lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, corn, quinoa, pickled onions, coconut, almonds and curry sauce.  I loooove anything curry, so I was a little disappointed in this roll because the curry flavor was lacking a little bit. But overall, it was delicious and fresh!

Lastly, I ordered one of their glass noodle salads.  I chose the Lentils, Market Greens and Masala Dressing (again, love Indian-inspired flavors!) At first, it looked like a giant pile of lentils. But once I mixed it up, I saw the delicious glass noodles, carrots, onions and capers mixed in with the lentils.  It was a little bit of lentil overload after the lentil, beet and goat cheese spring roll, but still, delicious.

If I had to choose, I would definitely say the lentil, beet and goat cheese spring roll was my favorite part of this meal, but everything was delicious! I definitely plan on ordering from them again before they leave their current site, Broadway Bites in Greeley Square.

I’m dying to try their other menu items!

Biggggg thumbs up to Two Tablespoons. Not only was it healthy and delicious, but the price was right. 2 spring rolls are just $7.50 and let me tell you, they are filling with the lentils or quinoa! You can also try one of each spring roll for just $10! That’s less than a Chop’t salad! The small salads are only $5.50 and a large is $10. The two spring rolls + small salad were PLENTY to eat and I even had some leftover that I enjoyed with lunch the next day.

I will certainly be following them wherever they set up shop! It’s the perfect summer meal. 

Drunk Food Confessions: Guac Guac Guac Everybody!

I'm starting a new feature on the blog- where I come clean about all of the ridiculous food I decide it's OK to eat while drunk. 

I would like to publicly acknowledge the fact that recently, in one weekend, my friends and I ordered 10 guacamole burgers from Jackson Hole. Which is a record, even for us.

The Jackson Hole menu was drunkenly opened after many drinks and many rounds of Cards Against Humanity. And as people started making suggestions, my friend grabbed the menu back and declared, “You’re all getting GUAC BURGERS. You’ll thank me."

And we did.

(We also may have gotten chicken parm and an egg sandwich. Because drunk cravings cannot be ignored.)  

Queen of Hearts

Usually when I’m playing cards, I’m drinking. But recently, I’ve switched it up a little bit. My new favorite type of workout for days that I’m not concentrating on certain muscles or cardio is the deck of cards workout. It’s such a great way to mix things up, keep yourself interested, keep your body guessing, and you can make them as difficult as you want.  

The first one that I did was a couple of weeks ago. For the most part, I used Pumps & Iron’s Cardio Deck of Cards Workout, with a few tweaks.

Here’s what it looked like:

Clubs- Push-Ups/Renegade Row

Diamonds- Jack Jump Planks

Spades – V-Up Crunches

Hearts – I altered this, because I was doing the workout outside and didn’t have a treadmill.  I did :30 high knees, :30 butt kicks, :30 jumping jacks, :30 pretending to jump-rope.

The number = the number of reps (aces are 11 and face cards are 10). 

(Pictures taken from Pumps and Iron!)

I had planned on doing another circuit routine I found online after this, but by the end of the deck, I was poooooped! And it took a while to complete!

This weekend while I was home, I got to go to my old gym for my absolute FAVORITE class- Boot Camp! The instructor, an old family friend, is super intense and puts a lot of thought and effort into each workout, which I love.  This week, she had a deck of cards workout planned! We partnered up and every group of two got a deck of cards to try to complete before the end of class. 

Clubs – Box Jumps
Spades – Pike-Up/Push-Up on the medicine ball
Diamonds – Sprints
Hearts – Weighted lunges

For this deck of cards workout, Jacks were 11, Queens were 12, Kings with 13 and Aces were 14! A joker meant you had to go through all four exercises doing 14 reps.

Good stuff! 

Ramblings of a Runner

A few weeks ago at the last minute I decided to go to the USQ Tuesday social run. It was a gorgeous day, and someone had chalked the route (someone from the store goes out and draws chalk arrows around the city for us to follow!) I love that, because then I don’t feel like I need to stay with the group because I don’t know where I’m going (my navigational and directional skills are poor at best). I was wearing my Nike’s, not my running sneakers. But it ended up being one of those runs where I was close to tears at how amazing it felt. I. was. flying. I wish I had had a watch because I reallllllly want to know what my pace was. I’ve never felt so fast in my entire life. It was nuts. I finished so far ahead of everyone else that I felt kind of bad. I was totally in the zone, didn’t want to talk to anyone, just wanted to sprint and sprint far and fast, and I did. And it was amazing. The other night I ditched the group too because I was in a bad mood and needed to run it out on my own. It’s crazy how much like therapy it can be for me.

It got me thinking about my running preferences and how much they can change on any given day. Most days, I love running with other people. I love the camaraderie and I love the conversations that take your mind off of whatever happened that day (or the fact that you’re sucking wind up a hill). 

(Hooray to running with friends) 

But some days, I need to just run alone and mull things over in my head without anyone else around. Just me and my sneakers.

And then there are the days that I NEED to run with someone. Usually, these are my long runs or early morning runs.  I will admit, sometimes I dread a run.  There, I said it. I don’t like admitting that. I like to think that running is my happy place, and training for this marathon is going to be sunshine and rainbows because I love running, right? Yeah, well.  Sometimes I don’t feel like waking up at 5:15 to run 12 miles before work. Why do it then? Because without fail, if I do it, I feel better afterwards. I need to accept the fact that training is going to feel like work at times.  Hard work. But I’ve read enough marathon recaps to know that if I can successfully cross that finish line after 26.2 miles, all of those miles thinking, “This sucks I want to stop” will be distant memories.

I also know that I’m going to have plenty of runs where I need that friend to be waiting for me at 5:30 so that I don’t shut off my alarm and go back to sleep.  And I’m going to need that friend who says, “Just 3 5Ks left and we’re done!” And I’m going to need that friend who says, “Pick it up Wolman, I know you can do better.” And I’m also going to need that friend who says, “Don’t be stupid, you’re going to hurt yourself.”

Another big thing I’ve noticed about my running preferences recently is that I haven’t worn headphones in ages! I’m either with people talking or running alone and thinking- and both of those things require no music! I still like to have music during a race in case I need it for that extra added “umph” but for the most part, I think I’m a music-free runner now. 

And those are my runner-ramblings for now. 

A New Foodie Happy Place

I have found my new foodie happy place. Smorgasburg is my first true love. But sometimes, it’s not the perfect day for lounging outside while eating delicious food. Sometimes, it does this annoying thing where liquid falls from the sky and makes me sad.  And sometimes, it’s not the weekend (I know, ew, right?) So when it’s not a beautiful Saturday or a beautiful Sunday, it’s a relief to know there’s somewhere else I can go with an overwhelming number of incredible food options that I eventually need to try.

Chelsea Market.

Probably the coolest building I’ve ever been in. You need to check it out. If you are somehow not enticed by the amazing food I’m about to tell you about, you should still go just to walk around and see the inside of it.

My friend and I went and did a lap (complete with all the free samples we could get our hands on, which was a lot) while contemplating how on earth we would make a decision about what to eat. It was like all the NYC food blogs I read had taken their top picks and plopped them into one building. Every place I passed I felt like I had read about. 

(Overwhelming number of options!)

We decided that instead of us each picking what we wanted for lunch, we should pick two things we both wanted and split them so we each got to try two things- teamwork at its best.

I was so happy that we both wanted Beyond Sushi, because I cannot tell you how long I have been DYING to try it. We got a combo which came with a roll and two single pieces- we got the fiesta roll, a mango piece and a tofu piece. We found a place to sit next to a cool fountain thing and I began to photograph the shit out of my beautiful vegan sushi rolls. I mean, look at it.  This stuff is art. Tasty, tasty art.  

There’s not much description I can think to give except happy taste buds. So happy. It came with some orange saucy thing in a little squirt container and I pretty much doused each of my pieces in it. Soy sauce shmoy sauce. Unnecessary with fresh flavahs like these.

Next it was time to get our taco on at Los Taco No. 1.  I’ve read a lot about these guys- one from Mexico and one from California- promised to be one of the most authentic tacos in the big apple. I spent forever waiting for Immaculate Infatuation to load so I knew which taco to order- I trust those guys big time, and if they tell me the way to go is with a carne asada corn taco, you better believe that’s what I am going to order. 

(Menu = unnecessary when you have The Infatuation as your guide!)

In hindsight we both should have gotten our own instead of attempting to split it. 1) Because it was a very messy endeavor and 2) Because half of this taco was NOT ENOUGH. 50 of these tacos would not be enough. It is impossible to ever have enough of these tacos. Upon first biting into this taco, I’m pretty sure our eyes may have rolled back in our heads. The sounds we were making were probably concerning to people. It was very close to a sexual experience we were having with this taco. We couldn’t get over how amazing this taco tasted. What do they put in it? Crack. Go get yourself some Los Taco No. 1 now. What are you waiting for? Go.

The only way to finish off a lunch of sushi and tacos is with some raspberry Ample Hills Creamery ice cream right? Oh yeah. I had a coupon for a free cup from filling out a survey on Chelsea Market’s Instagram so we split a small cup to top off our adventure. It was ice cream. It was yummy. 

Chelsea Market, I have only scratched your surface. We are going to be great friends. 

Thank You JackRabbit!

In exciting, running related news (some of you out there may think that’s an oxymoron) I have updated my sneakers! An expensive but worthwhile venture.

I was back and forth on whether I wanted to buy my shoes online or in the store at JackRabbit. I could find them much cheaper ordering online, but I have such an appreciation for JackRabbit and all they do for me and other runners in New York City that I decided $120 on a pair of new shoes was a price I was willing to pay as a token of my thanks to them.

If you think about it, I owe them much more. They have provided me with:

-A running group that I can participate in for free, in multiple locations in the city, almost every night of the week.

In a typical week, I run at the UES store Monday, USQ store Tuesday, choose between UES and USQ on Thursday, and long run at UES on Saturday morning. If I wanted, I could also run UWS and Brooklyn runs.

-New and exciting routes that I never would have discovered on my own.

Wake up in the morning and don’t feel like doing the same boring loop of Central Park? That’s ok, I now know how to run to Randall’s Island for a tour.

Brooklyn over the Manhattan Bridge? Easy. You can run to Yankee Stadium? Sure you can!

 -

Friends.

And in New York City, sometimes a nice, normal friend with similar interests is a lot harder to find than you might think.

-Knowledge.

This goes along with the friends and running group. It’s crazy how long you can talk about running related things, and how little I knew when I first started. Cadence? Splits? PR? My mind is now filled with running lingo. How do I make my IT band stop hurting? Running friends to the rescue! “You need a foam roller!” “A foam what? Ow, fuck.” I can sleep in compression socks but never compression sleeves. Got it. CEP are the way to go, medical grade bitches! See, I sound smart, and it’s thanks to JackRabbit!

(Thanks for introducing me to this torture device...)

-Other Fitness Related Awesomeness

. A free spin class at the trendy new Cyc studio in David Barton Gym that would usually cost me $30? Heck yes I’ll be there! Oh, you’re going to give me armfuls of free OatWorks smoothies afterwards? Sweeeeeet. Free yoga? Free HIIT workouts in the park? The chance to sample and run with a new GPS watch? A free gel for every Saturday long run? (Those things ain’t cheap, people). Through JackRabbit and people I’ve met there I’ve also had a chance to run for people in a NYRR 4-miler and in the Brooklyn Half Marathon! 2 tech shirts! 2 amazing days! 2 PRs! Oh, did I mention once I got two free pairs of UnderArmour underwear for the day we ran to Times Square to participate in breaking the world record for most people in their underwear? They’re super comfy underwear too.

(OW OWWW ;)

-Beer and Burgers.

Yes, JackRabbit has even provided the new Jack to Jack running group with pitchers of beer to celebrate a hard 3 miles through the park.

They are that awesome. And their monthly Shake Shack runs? Free shake or beer or beverage of choice (and the first week, they let us order WHATEVER WE WANTED TO EAT TOO).

So although I say it all the time, THANK YOU JACKRABBIT.

Let’s go back to my exciting story about new shoes, shall we? We shall.

It was definitely time to replace my Guide 6’s. A lot of non-running friends have been asking how I know it’s time to get a new pair and I can’t really give them an answer except that I just KNEW my sneakers were dead.  My legs were hurting more than they should for the miles I was doing, my calves were tight. The time had come to say goodbye to my blue and pink babies.

I had been out on a few runs recently in my Nike’s (bad for my shins but they were unplanned runs, sorrrrry legs) and actually loved how light they felt. So when I had John helping me figure out what to buy, I told him:

-I’m looking for something lighter

-I had a stress fracture

-My shins sucks

-I’m a 7.5

Things I also should have said but didn’t:

-I’m probably only going to pick a pair of sneakers if they come in pretty colors…

John brought out 3 different pairs and said they were each lighter but still supportive enough for my problematic legs. The first were an orange pair of New Balance. I ran a little on the treadmill in them and they felt pretty good. John said I was running fine in them, my right leg a little more wonky then the left but nothing to worry about (yes, I just used the word wonky, one of my gran’s specialties).

Second were a pair of Mizuno’s I’d been eyeing because they are SO PRETTY. Like, look at these. But sadly, they had a weird cushiony front piece that my big toe was mashing into- John said a lot of people complain about it. And I ALWAYS end up busting my toe through the top of the shoe as it is (another way I know it’s time for a new pair) so those weren’t going to work. So sad, because they were beautiful.

Third was a pair of Brooks that I loooooved the feel of.  They were like hugs on my feet.  They felt snug in a good way.  But they were ugly, and had the least amount of cushioning and support.  John explained that that also meant I would have to replace them a lot more frequently, which I can’t really afford.

That’s when I asked, “Can I try on the Guide 7’s?” D’oh.

Of course, when I hopped on the treadmill in the Guides, my feet were like oh, yeah, that’s right- because they’re what I’m used to. And they come in pretty colors. And last more miles. But they aren’t really “new” for me and they definitely aren’t lighter! But, as I am a creature of habit, and scared to make changes especially when it comes to running given my track record with injuries, I bought myself another pair of Guides. Here they are, ladies and gents, my new kicks: 

Restaurant Review: Bar Americain

I typed this blog entry as I flew across the country to Las Vegas for work. It has been a crazy month or so, both in my personal life and at work. I haven’t had nearly the time I wish I had to dedicate to writing, hence the complete lack of posts.  But I haven’t forgotten about PB Is My Boyfriend, and I am not quitting on it! I’m determined to keep this blog kickin’ and in order to do that, I need to keep going out in the city, exercising, finding new workout groups, eating delicious food- it’s hard work, but someone’s got to do it, and I’m up for the task. Since I last posted, I have done SO MANY fitness and food related things that I can’t wait to eventually write about…in time I hope to be caught up and back on track.  So where to start?

How about the night out at Bobby Flay’s Bar Americain with my parents- not my usual healthy fare, and not my favorite, but it had its high notes. We had planned to go to Momofuku’s Times Square restaurant, Ma Peche, but last minute decided that since we were out to celebrate my mom’s birthday, we should probably go somewhere that we knew she would like.  Plus the a la carte style of Ma Peche was a little daunting. I was crankily asserting that Times Square is THE worst place in Manhattan to try to find a seriously good restaurant, and calling Gato every 5 minutes to see if they had any last minute reservations available because I WILL get there one day, but in the end Bobby Flay’s other restaurant, Bar Americain, is where we decided to go.  Overall, I was pretty pleased with the choice.

The night kicked off to a good start when the bartender was able to make my favorite cocktail, stolen from China Grill, the China Blossom- St. Germain elderflower liquor, gin and grapefruit juice. A+.

Then, the bread basket contained CORN BREAD. I have a strange love for cornbread, and this cornbread was crispy and buttery- thumbs up.

(Corn bread STICKS)

Our waiter totally suckered us into an unplanned appetizer when he said, “Would you like some chips?” The bread hadn’t come out yet, so we thought he was offering complimentary chips.  My dad, whose been there before and had their potato chips, said we HAD to try them anyway so it was fine.  The homemade chips came out and while I didn’t think they were anything special- the blue cheese dip that they’re served with is another story.  Holy yum. 

(Magical, artery clogging cheese dip)

My dad eventually asked for the recipe and it’s something ridiculous like blue cheese, another type of cheese, heavy cream, butter- it’s basically a clogged artery in the form of cheese dip but it was the creamiest cheesiest most delicious thing. We all had to restraint ourselves from just eating spoonfuls of it. Every time the waiter asked to clear it away we were like absolutely not.

We also ordered two appetizers, though I’m sad to report, I wasn’t a fan of either of them.  The first was a crab avocado tower thing (crushed avocado, blue crab, hearts of palm, hot mustard and trout roe to be exact). It’s really hard writing reviews of restaurants to long after the fact, because a lot of the details are hard to remember.  I can’t remember specifics, just that  there was some taste in this appetizer that wasn’t doing it for me- usually I’ll just eat stuff because it’s there, but this I was able to just stop eating because I really didn’t like anything about it.  Weird, considering there’s not many seafood and guacamole dishes I’ll say no to. Maybe the problem was that it was bland? I don’t know. Either way, eh.

The second was an escargot appetizer that my parents made me promise I wouldn’t say anything bad about in my review because they assured me that it was incredible- they loved it (happy guys?)  I won’t say anything bad except that there were definitely truffles used in this- and I hate nothing more than that taste, so this appetizer was also a no go for me.

(Pat and Mitch promise it was delicious)

For dinner I ordered the lamb entrée, because I love lamb, and it came with carrots and quinoa!! The meal was lamb loin with a pinot noir barbeque sauce, charred carrots, quinoa and mint. Sadly, to me, the lamb was fatty, though my dad insists that it wasn’t fatty, just poorly cooked.  The veggies, sauce and quinoa were tasty though. 

In hindsight, I would have enjoyed my mom’s meal much more- she ordered the special of the night which was fish that had a delicious black bean sauce and avocado…I ended up eating a bunch of it! 

(Momma did well with her choice!)

My dad got the rabbit, so I got to try bunny for the first time, HA. I really liked it, it was like delicious dark meat chicken. My favorite part of dinner was the corn cake that came with my dad’s meal. I don’t know how to describe except it was a crispy flaky little pie filled with creamy delicious corn. I ate the entire thing. 

I also had made my parents order a side of sweet potatoes au gratin. Mmmm cheese and sweet potatoes how can you go wrong? This was also delicious. 

So overall, the highlights of the meal were my mom’s fish entrée, my quinoa, the sweet potatoes, and that dreamy corn cake! I wish I could have combined all of those elements to make my own entrée but, c’est la vie!

For a midtown restaurant, Bar Americain is good. For a New York City restaurant, it’s average. I will say that it’s a really spacious, pretty restaurant and the service was excellent.  The food left something to be desired for me, but there were definitely standouts that made the meal worthwhile. Bobby Flay, you’ve done alright with Bar Americain, but my hopes are much higher for the night I finally get a table at Gato! 

But by far the best part of the night was the company :) 

RUN BKLYN

I’m a two-time half-marathon finisher! I ran the Brooklyn Half this past Saturday, hooray! I will now tell you all the deets, which you may or may not find incredibly boring.

Let’s start with the Brooklyn Half pre-party at Pier 2 near Brooklyn Bridge Park.  I absolutely dreaded going to this ALL DAY Thursday.  It was rainy. It wasn’t exactly warm. I knew at some point I still needed to get in 3-4 miles.  JackRabbit was running to the packet pick-up at 7, but then what was I going to do after work for 2 hours while I waited? Why did I have to go allllll the way to Brooklyn to pick up my packet, gosh darnit?! I was cranky. Luckily, the pre-party was on their A-game and as soon as I emerged from the subway in the faraway land of Brooklyn, there were people with signs directing me all the way to Pier 2 (and I say all the way because it was a TREK!)

Once I got there, my mood improved because runners! Music! Free samples! I started to get in the spirit.  The view was AWESOME! Had it been a nicer night, and had I been there with a group of people, I definitely would have loved to stay, had a drink, eaten some Chickpea and Olive, and enjoyed the music.  

(Alright, fine, I'll get in the spirit! SMILES, ready to run 13 miles!)

Instead, I did a lap by myself, sampled some Nuun (EW, tastes like medicine), got a free ZogSports shirt, picked up my packet, and was on my way back to Manhattan after snapping a few pretty skyline pictures.

Friday night before the race, as I wrote about, I ate atSouen.  I picked out my clothes, packed my bag check bag, and was asleep around 10:30.  My alarm went off at 5:00 (yes, ew is right), I got dressed, stretched, rolled and was out the door by 5:30 to meet my friends at the subway.

(The joys of running races...) 

 

It was SO awesome seeing just how many of us crazy runners were up at 5:30 a.m. making the trek to Brooklyn. 

We got off after about a 45 minute subway ride and started to make our way to security and I ate my nanner.  Security was annoying, because everyone had to take their phones out, take their watches off, etc. but hey, better safe than sorry! The line moved surprisingly fast.  But then it was a HAUL to get to bag check.  We just made it before it closed!

Then it was time for the portapotty lines.  Worst. The corrals were super cramped, I was freezing since I had had to put my jacket in my bag at the bag check, there was no room to stretch, and we had about a half hour to stand around.  

(Having company in the corals DEFINITELY helped!)

Luckily we were able to sneakily make our way up a bunch of corrals, which definitely helped because we were able to cross the start line around 7:55- if we had stayed in our corral it would have been MUCH later.

The first couple of miles through Prospect Park were stressful because we were trying to keep up a quick pace but at the same time, the path was super crowded.  Tiffanie, Rory and I were trying our best to stay together and navigate through the crowds.  Eventually, we got into a groove and I tried to look around a little to enjoy the view.  I had expected far worse hills during the park portion of the race, but really there was only one around mile 5 that was challenging.  It was also around there where the “Uh oh…I’m definitely going to need to stop for the bathroom” thoughts started to creep in.

By mile 6 I was forced to tell Tiffanie and Rory to enjoy the rest of the race, but I was going to need to stop.  I had hoped I would eventually catch back up to them, but it never ended up happening. I went to the bathroom, and mentally prepared to run the rest of the race alone (and without Tiffanie’s Garmin!)

Somehow I missed the mile 7 marker, so the jump from 6 to 8 was a HUGE mental help.  At mile 8 I had my espresso Gu, NOM. Unfortunately, at mile 9 nature called and I had to stop AGAIN! Both times I got to a portapotty I had to wait for someone ahead of me, too.  So frustrating.

Miles 7-13 were flat, wide, straight and pretty boring to be honest.  I had used music from 7-10 but decided that for the last 3 miles I would take the headphones off and enjoy the final 5K.  I wasn’t really pushing to finish at a certain time, and knew I had to come in somewhere around 1:50:00 for my friend. 

(Let's finish this thang!)

Then there was a sign for 800 meters and the street got super filled with people cheering us on so I thought “Oh, this is the final sprint” (Actually, I thought, “What the eff, I don’t know what meters mean!!!”) and started to push it.  Well, 800 meters isn’t THAT short of a distance, folk.  Then there was a sign for 400 meters and next thing I know, I’m on the Coney Island pier with the ocean next to me and sand under my feet (yeah, the boardwalk was sandy and I was super scared someone was going to wipe out!) I sprinted to the finish and bam, second half marathon complete in 1:46:50. Hoorah! And I got my first race medal!

(Yas!)

I got my banana, bagel and powerbar (uhmmm, MINT COOKIE, HECK YES!) and made my way to the baggage pick-up.  I found Tiffanie and Rory (they had finished at 1:46:00, awesome job guys!) and then found out that the truck with my bag in it had been in a car accident and no one knew when it would be able to get there- joy! So Tiffanie and I tanned and stretched and eventually, my bag arrived.

Next, we made our way to the subway to get to the JackRabbit after party so graciously hosted by Alex! On the subway, my stomach started feeling like absolute SHIT and I really thought I was going to throw up.  We got to Alex’s and I ate some delicious eggs with veggies and sausage on an English muffin :) 

(Post-race noms! Thanks Alex!)

Then, Tiffanie started to feel sick! We just couldn’t win! So we decided that since we still had a long journey back to the UES, we should probably leave. So we ate and ran, without even having a beer! Such a shame.  But probably for the best considering it took us 2 hours to get home!

I was so happy for a shower, carrots and hummus and a NAP (in my awesome Brooklyn Half technical shirt that I’m in love with!)

That night, it is really disgusting the amount that I ate (and drank, oops).  I’m a little embarrassed to show this to the world but uh, yeah, check out this quad of food I decided I was entitled to for running 13.1 miles!

(Froyo, guac and chips, pizza, lamb over rice.  Heaven)

Overall, I had a great time running the Brooklyn Half (although had I not had Tiffanie and Rory with me, I probably would NOT be saying! Thanks guys!) It’s so funny how during races, you’re tired, you hurt, you want to stop sometimes, and then when it’s all over you’re like “THAT WAS AWESOME WHEN DO WE DO IT AGAIN?!” I definitely want to run another half sometime in the near future- with a new goal time of 1:45:00 or faster!

Souen: Restaurant Review

On Friday night, I went for a healthy macrobiotic dinner to fuel up for the Brooklyn Half Marathon that I would be running on Saturday morning.

I’ve read a lot about Souen, but didn’t know much about the whole macrobiotic diet.  According to handy dandy Wikipedia, someone who adheres to this type of dieting believes that grains are a staple food, supplemented with vegetables.  They try to avoid processed or refined foods and most animal products.  Meaning that the entire menu at Souen consisted of vegetables, soy products like tofu and tempeh, and seafood. No meat here! Souen is also all organic. They have three different locations in the city (Union Square, Soho and the East Village).

The menu was a little overwhelming, because it’s pretty freaking big! We decided to split an appetizer and chose the sweet potato tempura roll.

When it arrived, we both looked at each other a little confused.  Sweet potato? Why is there nothing orange in this? We’re still not really sure why, but we are sure that this was a waste.  It was super boring.  Oh well!

For dinner, after a lot of back and forth, I finally settled on the tofu squash.  I would have liked to order it with the tempeh instead of tofu, but for $3 extra- no thanks!  It was SO delicious though.  It comes with a bowl of brown rice which I mixed into my plate of sautéed tofu, squash, onion, carrots, nappa greens, broccoli and snow peas in an incredibly tasty miso tahini sauce.

I cleaned my plate.

My friend ordered the tempeh parmegiana and I think I may have liked this even more than my squash tofu (although it’s a tough call- both were really great!) 

It was a deep-fried tempeh cutlet with whole wheat-crust cooked in non-tomato marinara sauce, served with yam salad and a side of steamed vegetables. The steamed vegetables and yam salad were both kind of bland, but the tempeh with WHATEVER they made the marinara sauce out of- killer!

The prices here aren’t terrible either, and the portions are large.  There’s no way I needed to eat my entire meal- I easily could have saved some for lunch the next day.  I’m excited to come back here, because I definitely want to try the $10 macro plate (steamed greens, vegetables, brown rice, hijiki seaweed, beans and homemade dressing) and their corn bread with apple butter!

I think it’s incredible when restaurants are so delicious and so dedicated to being healthy and wholesome.  I wish I could convince everyone to eat like this and it makes me sad when I tell people about amazing meals I’ve  have and they automatically tune me out when I say it was a vegetarian or vegan or macrobiotic restaurant.  That tempeh parmegiana was just as delicious as any piece of chicken parm you can find me.  And the stuffed pepper from V-Note that I had awhile back- easily comparable to a pepper stuffed with chop meat. Give it a try people! I promise, you’ll feel better when you eat like this and your taste buds will still be SO HAPPY! 

(Gluten-free, vegan, macriobiotic- don't let these phrases freak you out! EAT IT)

Strength/Cardio Circuit du Jour

I had mentioned that when I was home, I did a little circuit training in my backyard.  It’s a circuit I’ve done about 3 or 4 times now, so I thought I would share it with you- because I really like it, and because it’s from Jillian Michaels’s so it’s gotta be pretty legit, right?

I found it in Shape magazine, which I usually just read for fun and don’t take too seriously.  But again.  Jillian Michaels.  That woman is for real.

The circuit goes a little something like this (Hit it, I always tried to be the flyest kind on the block…Aaron’s Party anyone?):

First, Strength.
30 seconds of plié squats with a tricep extension (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IMojeBbOUn8)
30 seconds of deadlift rows (http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/videos/m/34713615/dead-lift-row.htm)
30 seconds of push-up press (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-eGCkjMtWE)

Do these three exercises in a row with no breaks. Repeat once before moving onto the next section!

Second, Cardio.
30 seconds of sprinting in place
30 seconds of jumping rope

Again, repeat this circuit before moving on to the next. I’ve modified this part and usually do a combination of high knees, butt kicks or jumping jacks instead of running in place!

Lastly, Abs.
30 seconds inchworm (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSp0z7Mp5IU)
30 seconds rotating plank tuck (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1GLCBjqrd8&list=TLsQeOGLQ_qac)

Same thing, do each other these twice.

Congrats, you finished the circuit. Rest for a minute and do it 2 more times!

I like this because you can make it as easy or as hard as you want by upping the weights, etc.  It takes around 21 minutes to complete, and hits all the main muscle groups while keeping your heart rate up with the cardio! Thanks Jillian Michaels!

Catch-Up

Let’s chat. I don’t really have anything specific to talk about, but I haven’t posted in a few days so I’ll ramble and getchya caught up on my oh so exciting life!

My birthday! Was great. I spun in the morning, I ate at Little Beet for lunch, and then, my friends and I celebrated seis de mayo! Mexican food and tequila are two of my favorite things, so this was perfect. 

(Everything I need in life) 

I went to the bar that makes my all-time favorite margarita (Bamboleo’s on Bleecker- go!), ate guac, caught up with friends, and then went to Esperanto in the East Village for Taco Tuesday! $12 for 3 tacos and a drink! Can’t beat that! Speaking of things that can’t be beaten…me, at beer pong that night.

(Thank you friends!!) 

WINNER! I actually won something! I guess the edible flower that Dig Inn posted on their Instagram (arugula, bam!) and I won a free lunch! Soo exciting since I absolutely love them!

Wedding?! The first of my friends from high school is officially married! Craziness! I had SUCH a fun time, she looked absolutely amazing, and everything was perfect- I wouldn’t expect anything less from Gabby! 

(How beautiful is she?!)

(How well do we match?!) 

(How great is this view?!)

I impressed my entire table with my ability to clean my plate. Cocktail hour, salad, entrée, dessert tasting plate, wedding cake, ice cream bar, and candy goody bags. Not to mention the open bar. Heaven.

(Are you surprised I took a picture of the menu? Because you shouldn't be. I ordered the sea bass! Mmmm)

(I LOOOOVED this salad! The lettuce was WRAPPED IN A CUCUMBER SLICE. There was cheese IN MY GRILLED PEAR! There were CASHEWS!)

Longest Run! My furthest distance has gone up once again! 15 miles on Saturday morning! Over the Williamsburg Bridge, through Brooklyn, into Queens and back to Manhattan.  It was a GREAT run despite the blisters I now have.

1^st “Party” at my apartment happened on Saturday night and it was really nice catching up with people I haven’t gotten to hang out with in a long time! Also found my new go-to bar in the area. Also ate a lot of chips and salsa!

Sunday I decided “3 hours of sleep is fine.” Woke up, got my butt to Long Island and surprised my momma.  It was a gorgeous day! After some errands I got to tan on my deck with this beautiful homemade salad:

(Little bit of everythang- spinach, kale, zuchinni, carrots, raisins, strawberries, peppers, beets, feta and balsamic!) 

After falling asleep for a little I did some circuit training in my backyard and went for a walk to my grandparent’s house with my mom. 

(Me and momma's sneakers have the same color scheme!) 

(My grandparent's backyard is soo pretty!)

Then, my dad made us my favorite cocktail (grapefruit juice + gin + St. Germain) shrimp cocktail and an incredible dinner of lamb chops and cous cous with walnuts and asparagus! 

Then we went to my aunt’s house for my little cousin’s birthday and I ate 2 giant pieces of ice cream cake because I just can’t get enough sugar…ever.