Six Sunday Links After Billy Joel at MSG and Penn State v. Michigan Football Game

The weeks are just flying by and it's starting to make me feel a little panicked. In less than a week I'll be headed home for Thanksgiving and a few days after that we are off to Austin, Texas where Peter and I will be running the Decker Half Challenge despite my <10 weekly mileage totals these past few weeks.

My Google Map has been populated with about 100 points of interest - restaurants, hiking trails, bars, music venues - but one of these days we need to sit down and build out an actual itinerary. Because I like plans and organization and I want to leave Austin feeling like we conquered it! But I know I can't micromanage every second of our trip because spontaneity and exploration can be the best parts of experiencing a new city. 

Life has been passing by in a blur because I've settled into a routine that doesn't leave much room for deviation.

• Monday - Work, Leg day at the gym, swimming lesson 
• Tuesday - Spin, Work, JackRabbit 6-Close 
• Wednesday - November Project (or lately, sleeeeep), Work, JackRabbit 6-Close 
• Thursday - Spin, Work, a night to go straight home and c-r-a-s-h into bed 
• Friday - Some type of workout, Work, Home to put some laundry in and clean up the mess that my apartment has become throughout the week before, typically, falling asleep without doing anything crazy. 
• Saturday - Attempting a run  before starting the day
• Sunday - Being a lazy bum, grocery shopping, cooking for the week (this week I made SPLIT PEA SOUP that came out so so good #humblebrag)

This weekend and these next few weeks, that routine will definitely be shaken up which is exciting and also a little overwhelming. 

When you're reading this on Sunday I'll have just had a very busy weekend, which I'm sure was super fun and super exhausting. 

Thursday night I went to see Billy FREAKING Joel at Madison Square Garden. 2 years of requesting tickets through work finally paid off and I got to see and hear The Piano Man live. Holy cow. 

Fun fact, a man from my hometown leads an awesome Billy Joel cover band and now plays IN Billy Joel's real-live touring band. Dreams do come true, people! 

And then Friday morning Peter and I headed to Happy Valley to rent a house with his college friends (eek, meeting friends, hope I'm not too embarrassing) for the Penn State/Michigan game and my first ever tailgating/college football game experience! Hopefully I survived the cold temperatures.

Traveling back on Sunday and not having time to prepare myself for the week is giving me slight heart palpitations I'm sure but the good news is it's a 2 and a half day week until I'm home cuddling with my puppy and getting ready to eat allllllll the Thanksgiving noms. 

Oh right, and that Turkey Trot 5 miler I'm running on Thanksgiving morning!

So, let's get to the links so I can get to Billy! (I'm writing this Thursday on my lunch break~) 

This week there aren't six Sunday links. There's 4. Because the Internet this week was full of things that I, quite frankly, don't want to address on this blog because they are too big and scary and sad and complicated. 

1. From Billy Joel Tribute Band to the Real Thing

Like I said - a man who graduated high school with my aunts and uncles now plays in Billy Joel's band, tours with him and has NEW YORK TIMES articles written about him. Pretty awesome. And I hope to one day see his tribute band, Big Shot, perform on Long Island!

2. Self-Promotion

I wrote this review of a one-man show I saw 2 weeks ago. It was funny and you should check it out! 

3. All The Light We Cannot See

Oh my lawwwdy please read this book. Put it on your Christmas list and buy a copy for the reader in your life. I devoured it in 3 days despite the 540 pages. 

4. Dad Holds GoPro The Wrong Way All Vacation

I can seriously sympathize with this poor dad, who thought he was filming the sights on his trip to Vegas but was really filming his face. 

#nailedit #goproPRO

This past weekend while I was home, I started to try out my own GoPro and it is NOT EASY and it made me feel really old and technologically inept. There's no screen to see what you're filming unless you connect it to your phone using Wi-Fi...a process that took me far too long to figure out using the 2 BUTTONS on the whole damn camera. Oy. 

YOUR TURN
Tips for me on using a GoPro?? 
Book recs? 
What's the last concert you went to? 
How do you handle a change to your routine?

Apparently I have a lot of questions. 

 

Do You Have An 'Unhealthy' Relationship With Food?

I’m beginning to think more and more that it’s almost impossible for anyone in today's society to have a “normal” relationship with food – whatever that means.

For a long time I was under the impression that there was something wrong with me because occasionally, I would experience feelings of guilt related to the foods that I chose to eat. But newsflash:

We've Been Taught to Feel Guilty About Food

If you look at the messages we receive every day – it’s really no wonder that we have these thoughts from time to time, or more often than that. Most likely, these feelings of guilt didn’t just arise out of nowhere one day after eating a pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. We have been taught to feel guilty about eating certain foods. 

A teacher never stood in front of our classrooms and told us, "You should feel guilty if you eat this this or this." But after days and weeks and months and years of small, subtle messaging from the media, our peers, etc. many people (women AND men) find themselves frustrated with their relationship with food.

Recognizing These Feelings of Guilt

We all have weekends where a cocktail at brunch turns into some beers to watch the game which turns into ordering nachos which turns into margaritas and guac and a trip for some ice cream to top it all off (please don’t tell me that’s just me!)

Have I gone to bed on days like that and thought, “Ugh – why do I have no self-control? Why did I do that?” Yes, I have. Then, I realized those weren’t the healthiest thoughts to be having.

There are tons of articles written about removing the guilt and shame we associate with food. We recognize that phrases like “earn that cake,” “guilt-free doughnuts” and “cheat meals” promote an unhealthy relationship with food.

It’s great that we’re recognizing the need to stop feeling bad about ourselves based on what we eat. That we are more than the calories we consume. We are not our diet decisions. 

Guilt  Leading to More Guilt?

But I fear there’s a new problem. Now, when people recognize that they’re having these types of thoughts – they’re also thinking, “I’m bad. I shouldn’t be thinking these things. I shouldn’t feel bad about my breakfast. I shouldn’t feel guilt about my side order of fries. Why can’t I stop these thoughts and feelings? What’s wrong with me?”

It’s a tiring and seemingly endless cycle.

1. Eat something delicious – be it fried, fatty, carby, loaded with sugar etc. –
2. Find yourself thinking, “I shouldn’t have done that…that was bad…”
3. Realize, “Why am I getting so down on myself just because I ate something that I think tastes good and I wanted to eat?”
4. Think, “I can’t stop these feelings of guilt about what I eat. What’s wrong with me?”
5. Repeat.

I wish I could offer you advice on how to make it stop but I don’t know that I can.

You Are Not An Anomaly 

What everyone can do is remind themselves that so many people, day in and day out, have thoughts like this.

Just like eating the doughnut doesn’t make you “bad,” having feelings of shame and guilt afterwards doesn’t make you “bad” either.

Yes, the goal should be to eradicate the connection between your self-esteem and your food choices – but it won’t happen overnight and it won’t be easy. In the meantime, give yourself a pat on the back for at least being self-aware enough to acknowledge those guilty feelings.

When those guilty feelings arise, don’t stomp your foot and pout and say, “I don’t want these feelings! I just want to eat my donut!”

Accept that the society we live in today makes it almost impossible to eat carelessly and thoughtlessly.

Resolve yourself to working on it, acknowledging it, and trying to get to the root of it.

Don’t get down on yourself because you’re unable to kick that twinge of guilt when you go for your second slice of cake.

And most importantly, don’t ever think you’re the only one at the party that’s fighting with their thoughts while taking another forkful.

YOUR TURN
Do you sometimes feel that you have an "unhealthy" relationship with food? 
What types of phrases surrounding food get on your nerves the most? 

Pumpkin Spice Rice Krispies Treats

With the arrival of Starbucks' controversial red cups it seems the world has forgotten about all things Pumpkin Spice and moved on to peppermint, eggnog and everything Kris Kringle. 

But hold on, people! We haven't even made it to Thanksgiving!

Last weekend I whipped up these seasonal treats using brown rice cereal and coconut oil to make it very ~clean eats~. And hey, I tried to keep the marshmallow usage to a minimum with some honey for "glue." 

These came out fantastic and fall-y, if I do say so myself, thanks to the addition of vanilla extract and cinnamon - and my special "frosting" of course. 

I'm no baker, but these were super simple, super quick, and were a hit at the "Pumpkin and Peppermint" party. 

Let me know how if you give them a try! 

Six Sunday Links and a Trip to Long Island

This week's Six Sunday Links again come to you on Monday because this weekend I went home to Long Island and was way too busy eating and sleeping to blog. 

Friday night I went out with my parents and sister for dinner at Orto, a restaurant in our town that's been around awhile but I've never been to. 

The menu was FULL of things I would have loved to try. But alas, decisions had to be made. We ordered the sun dried tomato tapenade to go along with our bread - perfectly doughy with a crispy crust. 

We split two appetizers - a mix of different seafood in a creamy lemon sauce and the butternut squash ravioli which was so rich, savory and perfectly al dente. The spinach served with the ravioli was clearly fresh and cooked perfectly to maintain it's flavor. 

I ordered the skate entree - served with pureed cauliflower, bok choy, walnuts and a brown butter sauce. The skate was crispy but a little on the salty side and the cauliflower puree was delectable. 

For dessert, we ordered the donuts - obviously. They weren't stellar, but that didn't stop us from eating them. 

Orto is definitely worth a trip if you're out on the Island - they have affordable prixe fix menus and allow you to bring your own bottles of wine - though they have a full bar. There's something on the menu for everyone! 

Saturday morning I woke up for a run. Ideally, I was aiming for 10  miles to feel confident going into the Decker Half Challenge in Austin. But, my shin has been bothering me and I hadn't run in an entire week - so as I left I told my dad I would probably be gone for around 4-6 miles. My first mile was 8:20 and my shin wasn't bothering me so I sped up, going to 8:12 and then 8:00. 

Can anyone explain to me how an 8:00 mile can feel really hard, and then suddenly, I'm running 7:45s and feel 10X better? It's like the curse of the first 3 miles - always so torturous! 

Sadly, the great feeling of that 4th mile didn't last and soon I was seriously struggling. At mile 6 my IT band started to act up and I stopped at Starbucks to use the bathroom and feel bad for myself. I still had at least 2 miles to home and I wasn't going to reach my 10 mile goal. 

All week I had been feeling tired and unmotivated - it's not like me to just say, "Meh. This sucks, I'm stopping." But that's what I did last Thursday when my alarm went off and I skipped the gym. And when I again skipped the gym during my lunch break. And again when I didn't go to the gym after work. And that's what I did when 6 miles felt hard. I mentally checked out and threw in the towel. 

Although this time, my IT band was seriously telling me to stop. I jogged another mile to get closer to home, called my sister, and had her pick me up. 

I did some crafts during the afternoon, read my book (All The Light We Cannot See - go get it, NOW!), attempted to figure out how to use my GoPro and watched the sunset at my beach. 

That night, my grandparents came over for a delicious meal cooked by my talented father. Artichoke bottoms stuffed with escargot as an appetizer and pasta with shrimp, scallops and peas for dinner. I'm so spoiled! 

And of course, Nanny bought SNICKERS BLASTED ICE CREAM for dessert. 5 of us managed to kill a quart of ice cream. 

Sunday morning I woke up lazily, met a friend for coffee, browsed at Marshall's (need cute black booties, help!) and devoured a bacon egg and cheese on an egg everything bagel. 

I took a nice nap on the couch before it was time to take the train home, grocery shop, and get ready for the week. 

Playing with my GoPro on the LIRR.

Alright, alright, enough about my weekend.  Here are the links: 

1. Woman With Terminal Illness Runs Her Last Marathon 

I definitely didn't make it through this article without crying. 

2. Why Writers Run

I can definitely relate to this article! And it also makes me want to take my writing more seriously. I say all the time I'm going to write a book one day - but yet, I never get myself to sit down and start it! 

3. Alanis Morisette Updates 'Ironic' Lyrics

I thought this was HYSTERICAL. 

4. I Am Not Black. You Are Not White. 

Powerful. 

5. The New Cool Girl Trap

I thought this was very interesting. 

When J-Law speaks out against the Hollywood pay gap and says, “I’m over trying to find the ‘adorable’ way to state my opinion and still be likable! Fuck that,” she is both giving the middle finger to the establishment, and also performing a different kind of likability.

6. Dad Shaves Beard, Scares Baby

This killed me. So cruel but so hysterical. Parenting goals.

Accepting the Social Media Comparison Trap

The more prolific social media becomes, the more prone we all are to the comparison trap.

You know what I’m talking about. Scrolling through your Instagram feed and getting down on yourself because you failed to make a filtered to perfection protein pancake breakfast dripping with homemade coconut-oil chocolate sauce with a side glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice that you picked off your very own orange tree.

You’re on the subway, feelin’ ready to conquer the day after a great 3 mile run in Central Park. You open that favorite app of yours and suddenly, your 3 miles seems like it wasn’t good enough amongst peers who busted out a casual 15k before 8 a.m.

As I’ve written about before, I think it’s so so important for us to realize that the people whose posts are making us feel inferior are likely going through the exact same thing every time they scroll through their feed.

No one is safe from this trap.

There are lots of articles out there about how to steer clear of this unpleasant and perhaps dangerous psychological pattern and I think they’re really well-intentioned. I read them and I feel ready to open Instagram free from self-judgement. 

But that lasts about 2 seconds.

I also know myself, and I know that there’s no way in hell I’m breaking my Instagram habit.

So instead of trying to figure out a way to avoid it completely, I have a different suggestion.

I suggest accepting the fact that some days we will be more susceptible to this kind of negative self-judgment. Some days we will compare ourselves to others in a way that gets us down. And quite frankly, I think that’s OK. I think that’s normal. I think that means we are human.

I also think there will be days where we are able to see that negative self-talk coming on and we will have the ability to sidestep it. We will tell that picture perfect breakfast:

“I know you were taken with a DSLR camera with a pretty background and perfect lighting and my handful of dry cereal eaten on the walk to the subway tasted GREAT thank you very much.”

There will be days where we see someone accomplishing something inspiring before 8 a.m. and instead of beating ourselves up about it, we will say, “Damn, that’s badass – good for so and so. Maybe tomorrow I’ll start my journey to unassisted pull-up greatness too!”

Accepting that these are both completely normal reactions will help us to acknowledge and accept our feelings on any given day.

The last thing you need to do when you’re comparing yourself to someone else because of something you saw on social media, is to get down on yourself FURTHER because you aren’t “enlightened” enough to avoid the comparison trap entirely.

So remind yourself that you’re human and cut yourself some slack. 

#SquashGoals - Your Guide to Winter Squash

Although there's nothing stopping you from eating squash all year long, it seems to be featured most prominently in the fall - when it's easiest to find at grocery stores and is considered "in season." 

Once you cut up a squash and toss it in some olive oil - you can throw it in the oven, roast it for anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour and boom - tons of delicious options for main dishes or sides. It's so simple, so quintessentially fall - and so delicious and nutritious to boot. 

But with so many varieties of squash - how's a girl (or guy) to choose? If you're like me, you choose based on which is the cheapest on the day you happen to be doing the grocery shopping. But, some of you may have a different priority system when it comes to food shopping. Like say, flavor, nutrition or how easy it is to cook. 

Square are extremely versatile and can be used in a million different types of cooking - some you may not even think of! That's why I'm here. To open your eyes to the wonderful world of winter squash. 

*Excuse the poor image quality as I take a few images from my Instagram account way back in the day when my food photographer skills were, well, you'll see. 

1. Kabocha Squash

AKA: Japanese Pumpkin

Characteristics:

Kabocha looks like a squat, dark-green pumpkin with some lighter green stripes. The inside is a dark yellow-orange. It closely resembles a buttercup squash, but you can tell them apart because a kabocha squash's base point out, not in. 

Flavor:

A kabocha squash is extremely sweet, even sweeter than a butternut squash and the texture is like a mix between a sweet potato and a pumpkin. It also has a nutty flavor. You can eat the rind of a kabocha squash, making it extremely easy to throw in the over for roasting. 

Nutrition: 

One cup of cubed kabocha squash contains 30 calories and is packed with beta carotene. 

Interesting Fact About Kabocha Squash: 

In some cultures, it is revered as an aphrodisiac! 

Recipe: Kabocha Squash Pudding

This might be a little out of left field - but check out this awesome recipe from Running With Spoons for a Kabocha Pudding! The great thing about squash is it's so versatile - it can serve as a sweet addition to a meal or be completely savory. 

To roast kabocha squash, follow these easy steps. 

2. Butternut Squash

AKA: Butternut Pumpkin 

Back in the day, I used butternut squash to create butternut squash and spinach spring rolls!

Characteristics: 

A butternut squash looks a little bit like an elongated pear - a skinny neck with a bulbous base. Light yellow-tan in color, the inside of a butternut squash is dark yellow-orange. 

Flavor: 

In many places, a butternut squash is used interchangeably with pumpkins. It can be roasted, pureed, grilled or served with sweet toppings like cinnamon and nutmeg. 

Nutrition: 

Packed with fiber, vitamin C, A and E, manganese, magnesium and potassium. 1 cup of cubed butternut squash contains 63 calories. 

Recipe: Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

Recently, a friend made a bangin' pumpkin macaroni and cheese. This recipe for butternut squash macaroni and cheese from Two Peas and Their Pod sounds incredible and I love that it includes the best part of any mac and cheese - it's all about the crispy breadcrumbs on top!

To roast a butternut squash, follow these easy steps - and remember, you can make your squash glisten with whatever oil you choose - it doesn't need to be coconut oil! 

3. Acorn Squash 

AKA: Pepper Squash or Des Moines Squash 

Last fall, a made a butternut squash stuffed with quinoa, spinach, sweet potato and avocado and topped it with cheese and walnuts. Maybe a little overboard on the ingredient list. 

Characteristics: 

This one's easy - it looks like an acorn! You should try to choose an acorn squash that's green. Once it start to turn orange, it means that the skin is likely to be tough and fibrous. 

Flavor: 

Acorn squash is one of the more mild squashes which makes it a great vehicle for stuffing it full of delicious ingredients. 

Nutrition: 

Full of dietary fiber and potassium, 1 cup of acorn squash contains 56 calories and will keep you feeling full! 

Recipe: Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, this stuffed acorn squash recipe from In It 4 The Long Run serves as an excellent dish if you're trying to please vegetarians in the family! What I love about Georgie's recipes is they never include a ton of crazy ingredients - keeping the cost low and prep time quick! 

To roast an acorn squash - cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, coat the flesh side with oil, and roast flesh-side up on a baking sheet a 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes. 

4. Spaghetti Squash 

AKA: Vegetable Spaghetti 

Spaghetti squash with chicken, broccoli, peas and sundried tomatoes!

Characteristics: 

A spaghetti squash ranges in color from ivory to yellow to light orange depending on the levels of beta carotene. The most amazing part of spaghetti squash is what happens when you take a fork to the inside of it! It unravels into strings, very similar to spaghetti. 

Flavor: 

Spaghetti squash is very mild - making it a great alternative to pasta - it can be dressed up with a variety of different sauces and toppings. 

Nutrition: 

1 cup of spaghetti squash contains around 42 calories. 

Recipe: Garlic Spaghetti Squash with Herbs

This spaghetti squash recipe from A Pinch of Yum is perfect for a cold fall night when you are craving a hefty bowl of pasta. It's hearty and comforting without the extra carbs and calories.

And this recipe is one I've made for my family in the past. Though they refused to say it was better than pasta, they did give it a thumbs up!  The combination of peas, broccoli, sun-dried tomatoes and chicken make this such a nutritious and filling meal! 

To roast a spaghetti squash cut lengthwise and scoop out the seeds before coating with olive oil and salt. Fill a baking sheet with a shallow layer of water and palce the squash cut sides down. Bake at 375 degrees for around 40 minutes or until the skin is easily pierced with a fork. 

If this is your first time attempting to scrape the flesh out of a spaghetti squash (that sounds extremely violent) check out this video! 

5. Delicata Squash

AKA: Sweet Potato Squash 

My food photography has changed in the past year, thank god. Here is a bed of spinach with quinoa, roast sweet potatoes, parsnips, peppers, ions and DELICATA. 

Characteristics: 

This winter squash looks the most similar to a summer squash - a long, skinnier tube with a light yellow coloring. When you cut a delicata squash into "C" shapes, it has pretty scalloped edges! 

Flavor: 

The consistency of a delicata is similar to a sweet potato though its flavor is more earthy. It is creamy and soft and the skin can be eaten. 

Nutrition: 

Full of vitamin A, 1 cup is 80 calories. Bonus - it's low in carbs and high in fiber to keep you full!

Recipe: Pesto Delicata Squash Quinoa Bowl

Check out this amazing autumnal bowl by In It 4 The Long Run featuring delicata squash, pesto and quinoa. 

When I first saw delicata squash, I fell in love with how pretty the slices looked on a roasting sheet. So how do you roast a delicata? You're welcome. 

I must say - discovering both kabocha and delicata squash this fall has been a total game changer. I found myself grabbing pieces like they were candy - only I didn't have to worry about accidentally eating the entire tupperware! 

So pretty, right?

A Few More Things About Squash

• If you're looking to make a recipe that calls for pumpkin - look to buy a sugar pumpkin. These have the most classic pumpkin taste. 
• A Sweet Dumpling Squash can be substituted for sweet potatoes or pumpkin while a Carnival Squash can be substituted for acorn or butternut squash. 
  For a super sweet squash, go with the Red Kabocha. 
• Another fabulous thing about squash is you can easily store it for a long period of time without it going bad! Most squash are fine sitting out on your counter for well over a month! 

YOUR TURN
What's your favorite squash? 
Do you have any recipes you'd like to share? 
Do you prefer squash in sweet or savory dishes? 

Six Sunday Links November 8 - Avocados, Running and Singing

I did a whole lot of nothing today and it was wonderful. Sleeping in, bagels and watching Unbroken were the only things I had to worry about. In fact, Peter even picked up the bagels so I didn't have to move. 

Yesterday was an extremely productive Saturday which is the reason I didn't stress about being rendered completely useless by this morning's hangover. I just can't hang anymore. 

Saturday I was up and running by 8:15 a.m. and successfully ran 8 miles - my longest run in 6 months. It’s still unseasonably warm and I was able to take in Central Park’s foliage in a t-shirt and shorts.

I did laundry, cleaned my room, cooked, caught up on some work and set out to meet up with a professor and friend from graduate school for brunch at The Upsider.

Next was a “quick” stop at TJ Maxx just to have a look around. Of course I left a little poorer. I also found a genius creation that I’m going to need to find in my size - gloves with a pocket in the hand! That way when it’s winter and I’m big and puffy in layers and a jacket I can slip my metro card right in my glove! Genius.

I got home, got ready and then it was time to party. We had so much fun at a friend's birthday party - I forget how fun it can be to just dance it out in the basement of some bar. 

I'm a little sad thinking about the start of another busy week - but before we get to Monday morning - links! (Or, wait to check out the links until you're sitting at your desk Monday morning and procrastinating the start of any actual work). 

I snapped this picture on my Saturday morning run!

1. Dating In Your Twenties is Like Eating an Avocado

Anyone who can legitimately write an article with this title, and make some compelling points along the way, is wonderful in my book! 

2. Running In The Rain

I still remember one of the first times I ran in the rain - it makes you feel like such a badass. It usually means you're the only one out there, no one to dodge, no one to clog up the sidewalks. This is one of those videos that makes you want to go out and be awesome. It's supposed to rain this week - so before you resign yourself to running on the treadmill, watch this video. It might change your mind. 

3. How Salad Can Make You Fat

A very interesting article about how making healthy choices often encourages us to make more unhealthy choices throughout the day. 

4. Lin-Manuel Miranda Freestyling on Jimmy Fallon

If you don't know who Lin-Manuel Miranda is - I DEMAND you watch this video. He is an incredibly talented musician, singer, writer, lyricist and actor. I first fell in love with his work on the Broadway musical In The Heights and his newest musical, Hamilton, is taking the world by STORM. People really think it might be the best musical EVER. I have yet to see it but I think it's even higher than Book of Mormon on my "must see" list (also, Fun Home!). 

5. Kelly Clarkson and Josh Groban sing Phantom

Two of my favorite voices in the history of the world - Josh Groban and Kelly Clarkson. Singing. Together. I die. This has been on repeat allllllll week and probably will be again this week. 

6. Sport Has Not Learned About Periods

Definitely an interesting idea that periods are the "last taboo" in sport. After that woman ran a marathon while on her period, opting to go sans tampon and letting the blood flow freely, it's definitely a topic that's appearing more often in the media.

Anyone have any thoughts? I personally am lucky to not face any serious challenges to my running while I'm on my period. I get pretty bad cramps, but actually find that exercising can temporarily relieve the pain. That being said, I would 100% like to avoid ever running a marathon or big race while on my period. Tampons moving around, feeling bloated, tender boobs bouncing up and down for 26.2 miles - no thank you! 

I apologize for the poor word to picture ratio. But I am le tired. 

YOUR TURN
How was your weekend? 
What's your hangover cure? (Light blue Gatorade for me!) 

Race Recap - Haunted Island 10K and a Cheating Accusation

This weekend was Halloweekend and if I’m being completely honest, I was way more excited about this little race called the New York City Marathon that happened on Sunday despite Halloween landing smack dab on a Saturday - every college student and twenty-something’s dream. 

Up until this year, Halloween was something I got pretty into. It was an excuse to get friends together, put a lot of planning into my outfit (which can be fun sometimes), eat a lot of candy (fun always) and consume large quantities of alcohol.

Looking back through Halloween pictures of yore makes me feel somewhat nostalgic (except for the year I was in a walking boot with a stress fracture and couldn’t do much of anything) so I’ve assembled a quick trip down memory lane.

But while those Halloweens from the past were fun and all – this year the main focus of the weekend was on racing and running.

Friday night I apparently discovered that the key to a successful race is a giant Two Boots whole wheat pizza with basil, eggplant, mushrooms, onions and artichokes with a side of pesto. Also, red velvet cupcakes and Haagen-Dazs ice cream. 

Clearly, I was taking this race extremely serious with my fueling strategy. This was to be my first race in over 5 months and I went into expecting a humbling experience and a good indicator of where I am at speed-wise.

Two friends from Connecticut got in around 10:15 that night and we stayed up chatting for a while, so it wasn’t the most sleep I’ve gotten before a race, but still a solid 7 hours.

My favorite socks by Under Armour: "Speed Don't Lie." My favorite race shirt from my first marathon and my favorite shorts by Saucony.

I made myself some peanut butter, banana and honey toast with a cup of coffee and definitely did not stretch or foam roll like I promised myself I would.

The journey to Roosevelt Island was an easy one and it was a gorgeous fall morning – crisp and cool but warm in the sun. And I was wearing my favorite color-coordinated outfit. The Halloween race was put on by NYC Runs and they offered both a 5K and a 10K. Everything was well-organized and I loved that it was a smaller race. Tons of people were dressed up and there were hardly any spectators – which meant I got to be front and center as Allison and Kait finished their 5K.

Not a bad morning for a 10K.

Once I congratulated them, Allison held my bag while I shed my layers and went for a little warm-up jog. Instead of helping me feel warmed up – I went into a slight panic due to completely numb feet. Luckily I managed to wiggle my toes enough so that by the time I was at the starting line, they had regained feeling. What I didn’t manage to do before I got to the start was that oh-so-important pre-race poop, which I was afraid would end up being an issue for me.

With a really official, “Pretend this is a gun – on your mark, get set, BOOM!” we were off.

The course was two loops with a few wonky little “go down this side street and then make a U-turn at the end so that we can get the right distance” portions – not my favorite type of course but what was awesome was that the course was flat as a pancake! And again, the weather was perfect for racing AND we got to go along the water for a portion of the race which is always pretty.

I tried to start out conservatively but that’s never my specialty. My Garmin informed me that my first mile was a 7:12 and I knew I would be in serious trouble if I kept that up. Luckily, two runners on my right were chatting about how they were going to try to run 7:30s which sounded much more realistic. I creepily paced off of them for the next 3 miles. Around mile 4 I told them they were officially my pacers like a total weirdo and when they asked if I had a goal I said no, but my PR is a 7:19 pace. The man who was clearly better at math than me said that I should think 7:18s and I could definitely get it.

So I pulled away and spent the rest of the race trying to keep two other women slightly ahead of me from getting too far out of reach.

I was feeling wonderful which was such a nice surprise and I was also scared that at any minute I was going to regret running 7:20s. But I just tried to enjoy the strength I was feeling in my legs. There’s something about racing that I just love. I’m a competitive person, and I can say all I want that I’m not there to “race” a race, but without fail once I’m out there – it’s on.

Up until mile 5, it was all about competing against myself. Setting a new PR, proving that I CAN still run fast after months of feeling “meh.” Proving that my work on strengthening my legs and hips has paid off.

And then, something happened.

The woman who I had been trailing the entire race turned around and said, “You better tell them you cut a corner.”

“What?” I asked , completely dumbfounded.

“You cut that corner. You were behind me and then you pulled up ahead.”

In my head, I was thinking, “Uhhh, yeah, it’s called a race and I passed you at some point…”

I thought back over the race and was still genuinely confused so I asked her, “When are you talking about?”

“Mile 3.5”

She sounded so nasty and so vindictive that I really didn’t know how to react.

“Well I’m not trying to win or anything so go ahead!” I yelled.

I was so upset – this has never been my experience with runners and the running community especially at a Halloween run. This woman was dressed up for God’s sake! And I had been planning on complementing her at the end for a really well-run race and for looking great doing it!

Then I got a little pissed.

“Happy Halloween to you too!”

Then, I started thinking that maybe she was doing this as a way to mess with my mental-game. Which is a game that two can play.

“You know, I was going to compliment you on a great race and tell you you looked great doing it. I think you’re just scared I’m going to beat you.”

Ooops.

It just came out.

And as soon as I said it, I regretted it. Because I just gave her all the fuel she needed to kick my butt and I had also given myself a lot more motivation to beat her.

A minute before I had been happily cruising to a PR and now I was scared this race was going to end a lot differently. With me angry and beaten down by this bitchy Wonder Woman.

I got a little teary. In my mind, I had let her take this race away from me. I had let her get in my head and suddenly I was no longer just racing for myself. I was racing to beat her.

But it is what it is – now I knew there was no slowing down that last mile. I stayed close behind her, sure not to pull ahead and give her something to chase.

Luckily for me, I could tell she was fading. I probably could have gone faster overall if I wasn’t playing a strategy game with her, which is frustrating to look back on. But hauling-ass the second I saw that finish line and leaving her in the dust felt damn good, I won’t lie.

And I still managed an 8 second PR – which was 2347293748 X more exciting to me.  

Of course, she immediately went to the race director who pulled me aside and asked if I had gone around the lighthouse two times. Yes, I most certainly did because I vividly remember the amazing volunteer stationed there who jogged in place the entire time and said, “I’m still going with you!” I thanked her for being out there both times I passed.

I told the race director that I totally understood if they had an issue giving me an award and he said they would look at the splits and that would make it very obvious if I had cut any corners.

Apparently, the clock told them all they needed to know and I received my plaque for 2nd place female ages 20-29.

My plaque matched my shirt!

And Wonder Woman got hers for first place female ages 40-49. Which she more than deserved.

She ensured that I finished with a major kick at the end – which is my favorite way to cross a finish line, so for that – I thank her. I legit blacked out those last 100 meters so THANKS ALLISON for these baller pictures.

NYC Runs had lots of candy, fruit and bagels afterwards along with a fun costume contest. It was a great way to spend Halloween and I even got to take the Roosevelt Island tram for the first time on our way home! It was anticlimactic but still a nice change from the underground subway.

The entire rest of the weekend was spent drinking and eating to celebrate Halloween and the NYC Marathon. There were Bloody Mary’s, nachos, brownies, Chipotle ($3 on Halloween, duh!) ciders and obviously 16 Handles (twice).

Congratulations to everyone who took on the five boroughs on Sunday– it was a beautiful day and I loved getting to give a giant hug to some of my favorite marathoners at the after party!

I know runner's are crazy, but come on!

Essena O'Neill Quits Social Media - It's Not "Real Life"

Last night as I scrolled through Facebook, I stumbled across a link about a former social media model who had announced she would be deleting her accounts and focusing her energies on speaking out against an industry that she says is “not real life.”

I think that on some level, we all know that social media isn’t entirely “real.” As you scroll through your feed, you are looking at the highlights of someone’s life – the moments that they want featured. Not only that, but pictures never tell a full story. Especially pictures that have been cropped, posed and filtered.

From the time she was 12, Essena O’Neill began amassing followers on Instagram and Youtube. By age 18, the Aussie had half a million followers on Instagram and more than 200,000 subscribers on YouTube. Brands paid her anywhere from $200-$2,000 dollars to post photos with their products.

A few days ago, Essena announced she was done with social media – she went back and deleted most of her photos from Instagram but kept a few.  She edited their captions to reveal the truth behind the Instagram.

There are many people who will say Essena’s actions are just a way to gain even more attention for herself – after all, she’s already been contacted by places like Good Morning America and The Today Show. But after scrolling through her Instagram and reading her recently edited captions I was incredibly moved by a few in particular.

The topics that Essena is shining a spotlight on are important ones and they don’t just apply to people with thousands of followers.  ere are 8 images I found particularly powerful. They made me stop, and think and I hope you will too. 

8 Things Essena O'Neill's Re-Captioned Photos Make Us Think About

Why Are You Posting This?

Often, a caption on Instagram is the least telling piece of information. While Essena's original caption was about her skirt - her edited caption reveals what most people probably noticed when they looked at the picture - her toned stomach and tiny waist. And surprise surprise, that was her real reason for sharing it. Before posting on Instagram, we should probably stop for a second and think about our intentions. And if those intentions are completely self-absorbed, maybe we should give our post a second thought. 

How Much Time and Energy Our Youth (And Our Own Generation) are Wasting on Social Media 

This made me so very sad. I look at myself, in my mid-twenties, and know that even I spend far too much time caring about social media. Far too many times each and every day I scroll through my Instagram feed instead of calling a friend to say I miss them or using my brain to think about something important. And I didn't grow up with this. Instagram came around when I was in college. Yet today, elementary school girls and boys aren't passing notes in class and playing kickball at recess - likes and followers are what they are focused on and it is only going to get worse as they get older. I can't imagine if my 11 year old self had images like this to compare myself to on a daily basis. I really can't, and it makes me so sad for these kids that grow up thinking this is what they have to aspire to. 

The Insecurity That Comes From Placing Your Identity in Physical Features

Essena's caption in this photo may not make a ton of sense - how can someone who looks like that claim to be insecure? 

But to place your self-worth and your identity in something as artificial as your body typically means that you are lacking confidence in who you are as a person - you are insecure in your worth as a person on a much deeper level. 

To wake up in the morning and base your self-worth on a line down the middle of your stomach is to feel that that's the only reason the people around you approve of you. And it is to constantly fear what will happen if that body changes. Which - for a 16 year old girl - it undoubtedly will. 

Why Are We So Hungry For Other's Approval?

Essena admits that the photos she posted were painstakingly perfected to garner approval from faceless Instagram users. 

Tell me I'm not the only one who has joked with a friend about needing to get to at least 11 likes on Instagram so that the number appears instead of usernames. How sad is that, really? 

Maybe if we all stopped staring at our screens and complimented the real live people standing in front of us, they wouldn't feel so hungry for validation on social media. Tell your bus driver when she's having a nice hair day. Compliment a coworker on their outfit. We should care more about these genuine words from people more than we care about quasi-friends double tapping a screen as they sit on the subway to let you know that your #tbt caught their eye. 

Candid Moments Are Far and Few Between

When is the last time someone took a true "candid" picture of you? I hate to admit it, but I am incredibly guilty of setting up these "carefree" looking moments. 

"Take a picture of me doing a headstand on the beach!" is a lot different than having fun doing a headstand on the beach only to later find out that your friend happened to snap a picture. 

"Do it for the insta" is a real thing that we really say. How about we just do the things we love because we love to do them?

Why Are We So Obsessed With How We Look? 

That's a rhetorical question because, of course, this is a huge topic that our society continues to struggle with. Advertising, eating disorders, restrictive dieting and excessive exercising - these topics are inescapable today. 

We are still talking about them because they aren't easy to wrap our heads around. There's no quick fix for these societal struggles. We are told to be body-positive, to love the skin we're in. We are told that "strong is the new skinny."

On one hand, seeing girls who are proud of their bodies is wonderful. But there's a fine line between someone who has worked hard and is proud of what they've accomplished to someone who is terrified of losing their toned stomach. There's a fine line between fitness imagery that inspires and fitness imagery that promotes unrealistic goals and unhealthy habits. 

We Need to Reassess Our Goal-Setting

As Essena's re-captioned photo illustrates - this should not be anyone's goal. Yes we all want to look and feel our best but why not try making your goal 10 push-ups in a row without stopping instead of, "more defined shoulder muscles." I promise you - nothing about your life will change when you have a six-pack. But something will change when you find something you love doing - like crossfit or training for a marathon. Something will change when you meet new people while enjoying that new activity. Something will change when you compete in your first crossfit competition or run your first marathon. You will gain a way to handle stress, you will gain confidence, you will gain a new outlook on life. And somewhere along the way, maybe your physical appearance will change. But that's not what the focus should be. 

There's Always a Story Behind The Smile 

They say that a picture is worth a thousand words. But a posed and forced smile is almost always hiding the real story. 

Really think about these things. 

I'm not expecting us all to go delete our social media accounts and swear off Instagram forever. 

But I do think these things deserve some serious thought. I, for one, was disgusted at some of the things I've posted in the past and have removed some photos from my Instagram.

There's no need to perpetuate feelings of insufficiency among beautiful, smart, charismatic, funny women because they don't own the same material things as you, have the same physical appearance as you, or spend as much time in the gym as you. And even more importantly, there's no need for you to feel like you're better than anyone else for any of those things. 

Restaurant Review: Bluestone Lane

Oh avocado toast, how I adore you.

Let me count the ways.

Well actually, there’s too many to count.

I love you all the ways.

I love you with feta.

I love you with chili flakes.

I love you with a splash of lemon or lime.

I love you on whole wheat toast.

I love you on white bread.

I really, really love you on Balthazar Bakery bread.

This is what I discovered last week when I took a trip to Bluestone Lane for my lunch break.

What is better than an avocado toast enjoyed outside in the sunshine on a beautiful fall afternoon with friends? Not much.

Bluestone Lane is one of those Australian café’s that keep poppingup around the cityand thanks in part to the popularity of their avo toast, they just opened their 6thManhattan location (bets as to when the first Brooklyn outpost opens its doors?)

Each location’s offerings vary – and each location is also unique in its architecture and design. Apparently, the new Upper East Sidelocation is quite the site to see! 

However, we Midtown-lunchers headed to the Bryant Parklocation, which is situated in the glass Grace Plaza Pavilion on West 43rd St. and 6th Ave.

This place gets busy, and it seems as if almost everyone is there to order avocado toast. I can’t comment on their coffee, because $5 is a little steep for this McCafe drinking gal, but word on the street is that Aussies know their caffeine. Plus, they add scoops of vanilla ice cream to some of their drinks – something that I fully support.

Though busy, the staff at Bluestone Lane put love & care into their avocado toast – nestling it in a little brown box before sprinkling it sweetly with whatever toppings you choose.

At Bryant Park, the “standard” avocado toast comes in at $7 and includes avo, lemo, salt, pepper, chili flakes and olive oil. Feta, cherry tomatoes and prosciutto can all be added for an extra price – and $10.50 will get you the whole shebang.

Strangely for me – usually a lover of toppings – I decided to opt for the plain Jane. I was not disappointed!

This Balthazar toast is seriously incredible. Soo full of seedy-goodness.

The savory avocado mashed with olive oil benefits from the burst of citrus, pop of chili and bam! of salt.

I’ve finally put it together that I, personally, am a fan of the Avocado SMASH as opposed to avocado toast.

(The whole she-bang - beautifully photographed by Kaitlin over at California Endless Summer

What's the difference you ask? Avocado toast usually implies sliced avocado, while avocado smash is more of a mash. 

This isn’t surprising coming from a girl who loves her guacamole and used to cut her corned beef, cabbage, carrots and potatoes into little pieces before mashing it together with mustard. True story.

One of these days, I hope to make it to another one of Bluestone Lane’s locations – preferably their sit-down outpost, the Café Collective, so I can order this delicious avocado smash with a POACHED EGG.

Because if you like it then you shoulda put an egg on it. 

Six Sunday Links; Swagger & Sass

Six Sunday Links didn’t happen last week because I was busy celebrating my Gran’s 89

th

birthday in Florida! Seeing her so irregularly now, when she used to be 20 minutes down the road, is incredibly hard – especially when I think about the fact that she’s living in a nursing home and only getting older.

There are moments in life that you know you’re going to want to remember. As they’re happening, you try to make a mental note of all the little details, scared that one day they’ll slip from your memory. You want to live in the moment but you’re already concerning yourself with what’s going to happen when that moment becomes the past. Maybe that’s why I took so many pictures! I tried soaking up the invaluable family time – it’s not very often that my mom’s side of the family gets to spend time together. We ate, we drank, we caught up – I tried my very best to coax the crew into getting a little sappy by sharing some of our favorite memories.

We also celebrated the fact that my cousin and his wife will soon be welcoming their first baby into the family. Gran’s going to be a great-Gran (she already is the greatest Gran, though!) I was sure to buy baby Emma her first NHL onesie. She’s going to look fabulous in it, even though it’s slightly masculine looking. Whatever, gender neutrality is all the rage these days, isn’t it?

In total I spent 20 hours traveling between Friday and Monday, but it was well worth it for moments like this:

Despite having off on Monday to fly home, the week seemed to last forever. But here we are at another Sunday. Instead of using your brain cells to think about the coming week (ugh) – how about checking out these six links? I think it’s a quality batch -  heavy on my own personal commentary. 

The Rise and Fall of Trading Spaces, theHome Design Show That Ruled the World

These days, I very rarely watch TV. Peter and I have made good progress on The Office (I know, I know – I’m behind) and for a while I was binge-watching Orange Is The New Black like it was my job. But lately I haven’t been able to make a commitment to the hour-long episodes. Sorry Piper, it’s nothing personal. 

It seems the only time I am truly a couch potato is when I’m visiting my parents on Long Island. And when I’m there – I’m all about the HGTV. Love It Or List It and House Hunters are my absolute favorites and my mom and I have no problems re-watching episodes that we’ve seen 20 times. But when I saw someone post this article on Facebook I took a total trip down memory lane, remembering the hours spent watching the original home makeover show from TLC –

Trading Spaces

. I’ll never forget the sleepovers where we stayed awake until 5 a.m. watching reruns. I’ll never forget the episode where Hildi makes one couple's room look like a circus tent.

This article blew my mind by pointing out that Trading Spaces premiere

15 years ago

. Whoah. This is a long read – but a fascinating look at the life of the show, which was a precursor to many of today’s reality shows. And did you know that host Paige Davis played Roxy Hart in Chicago on Broadway?

 How Sports Gave Me Swagger 

First off – yes, I’m a subscriber to Lenny, Lena Dunham’s new feminist newsletter. Now that that’s out of the way, let’s talk about director Gina Prince-Bythewood’s (Love and Basketball) contribution.

When I re-read this article to write about it, I started highlighting which quote I wanted to start with. I highlighted the entire first paragraph. It’s like that standup comic who makes fun of girls studying for finals who go highlighter-happy in the library. Totally me. [Totally don’t remember the comedian.]

So, if you’re really not just going to click the link and read the article (it’s worth it, I promise!) here is at least the first paragraph. I have a feeling that, like me, you’ll identify with a lot of it and want to keep reading.

I am shy. I also have a big ego. Practically speaking, that means everyone is looking at me, and it makes me uncomfortable. Actually, "big ego" has a negative connotation. I'll say "healthy ego." Which, sadly, for women, still has a negative connotation. We aren't supposed to have an ego. It's unseemly. It's arrogant. It's not ladylike. Serena Williams was called cocky when she said she wanted to be the best in the world. Well, what the hell is she training so relentlessly for, to be the 37th best in the world? (No disrespect to the 37th best in the world.) A poster of Serena in mid–epic scream should be required on every little girl's bedroom wall so they can be reminded daily how beautiful it is to be a badass.

This reminds me so much of a conversation I’ve had multiple times with my mom since getting into running.

Me: “I’m REALLY frustrated that I’ve lost so much of my speed.”

Mom: “Well why do you care about being fast? Just do it for fun.”

Me: “Because I know I can be better, and I found something I’m actually pretty good at, and I want to improve.”

Yes, I know I’m not going to be winning any races. But that doesn’t mean I can’t acknowledge that I’ve worked hard to improve my speed and endurance and that I am always training to beat the runner I was the last time I raced.

But, like Gina Prince-Bythewood – sports have played a major role in my life – teaching me to always give it my all. To leave everything out on the court, the field, the track, etc. Sports has taught me that if I settle, I’m really only cheating myself.

When I was on the field, I was never told to "slow down." No one ever said, "Don't be so aggressive." I was told to "run faster," "bemoreaggressive," "play harder," "go after it." So I did. And it was the most natural thing in the world.

These lessons translate into so many other aspects of a woman’s life – and I think that fitness in general, even if it’s not organized sports, can really help improve confidence and give ladies out there swagger. Which is sexy.

Amy Schumer’s ‘I’m Sorry’ Skewers A CultureThat Makes Women Apologize Constantly

So, I watched this video and I laughed. Another Amy Schumer video that perfectly captures some of the ridiculous things us ladies do…before becoming completely over the top.

But after I finished laughing, I started thinking. Because a few weeks ago, I got angry at someone. They did something to tick me off, yet at the end of the conversation I texted, “Sorry.”

We’ve all done it. And we’ve probably all been on the receiving end as well. A “sorry” text that clearly doesn’t actually indicate remorse. Well this time, the person on the receiving end called me out and told me not to apologize if I didn’t mean it.

When An Apology Is Anything But

So why do we do it? Why are we constantly saying “Sorry?” This article from the New York Times was SO intriguing to me and brings up tons of interesting points. That “sorry” text that I sent – it was actually the complete opposite. It was basically a text saying, “You did something that annoyed me and by saying sorry, I’m really trying to prove that I

shouldn’t

have to be apologizing to you.” And we wonder why sometimes, the things we say aren’t received and responded to in the way that we want.

The First Person To Run A Marathon WithoutTalking About It 

Let’s get a little less serious with this next link. I was

cracking up

at this video – which is such a sassy satire on marathon runners. I am SO guilty of this. And I also have zero intention of changing my ways next time I’m training for a marathon, PS. NO SHAME.

So You Want to Write a Food Blog

Another hysterical satire – this time about food bloggers. Gosh – runners and foodies – aren’t we just

the worst?

 At least we can laugh at ourselves!

Quinoa is excellent for every meal because its texture is a reminder that life can’t always be smooth or digestible.

I LOVE that people have been sending me interesting articles that they think would make for a good Sunday link – keep them coming! (Erin, Jess - yours will be coming up one of these Sundays for sure, loved ‘em!) 

Iron Chef Forgione Welds Familiarity and Originality

To step into Iron Chef Marc Forgione’s namesake restaurant is to be immediately transported out of Tribeca and into a space reminiscent of a twenty-something’s Pinterest page, where rustic barn weddings are all the rage. A dining room as open as Marc Forgione’s is rare in a town where diners are forced to convince themselves that crammed is “quaint.” The spaciousness suggests that your bill will be helping pay the rent, but it’s worth it for the rustic-chic accents and possibility of brushing shoulders with a Tribeca denizen like Beyoncé or Taylor Swift. What also makes a trip to Marc Forgione’s worth the extra dough? Refined dishes with complex flavors and service that make you feel like a somebody, even if you’re not quite sure what to do when they present you with a finger bowl.

First to be brought to the table were a pair of perfectly puffed potato rolls, butter-glazed and gleaming with a sprinkle of black sea salt on top. They’re best when cut open and smeared generously with the whipped chive butter.

Complimentary bite-sized samples were small in size but big on flavor. Smoked halibut’s bold taste was toned-down nicely when sandwiched between two crisp slices of cucumber and warm everything bagel balls filled with vegetable cream cheese were topped with the perfect pop of salt and onion.

Despite possessing what I consider a sufficiently sophisticated palette, I have yet to reconcile my taste buds with truffles. It was refreshing to see an upscale restaurant with a menu almost entirely void of these trendy fungi. Forgione doesn’t lean on this over-used ingredient to create enticing dishes full of flavor. Instead, he relies on his training in American, French, and Asian cuisines to craft an inspired 

menu made up of basic but expertly employed ingredients.

The Chili Lobster starter is fashioned after an Asian crab dish which Forgione takes to the next 

level. Sweet lobster knuckles and a rich creamy claw sit atop a spicy chili broth with hints of both 

Sriracha and soy.

You’re left wishing there was more lobster to bathe in the broth, but luckily the thick slabs of Texas 

Toast are a perfect vehicle for sopping up the remaining soup.

A cornerstone entrée at Marc Forgione is the made-for-two Chicken Under a Brick. The whole Bell and Evan’s chicken is served deboned in a skillet sizzling with pan drippings and demanding to be Instagrammed.

The chicken is moist with sufficiently crunchy skin and accompanied by Yukon potatoes cooked to crispy perfection. The spuds soak in savory pan drippings that are flavored with capers, butter, thyme and rosemary. The greasy goodness is healthified with some greens –broccoli rabe with a bitterness that’s nicely undercut by the surrounding flavors. Last but not least are the fried onions which add the extra oomph.

There’s something on the menu to appeal to every person in your party but limited enough to ensure it’s perfected. Starters range from Kampachi Tartare to Parmigiano Reggiano Agnolotti while entrees run the gamut from scallops with bone marrow croutons to a well-touted T-bone.

Surrounded by exposed brick and well-worn décor, a meal at Marc Forgione feels special yet comfortable and encourages one to stay for a few extra minutes, finishing a cocktail and being treated to next-level services like a coat check for your leftovers. That’s right, when you’re here, you’re too special to have your table cluttered by a take away bag.

Marc Forgione

is located at 134 Duane Street and serves dinner from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday– Saturday with brunch on Sundays from 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. followed by supper from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 212-941-9401.

What's Next on My Fitness Journey?

During a cold, wintry long-run last February, my friend Rebecca and I ran together for a few miles in Central Park. My foot was giving me problems, we were dressed in 20 layers to stay warm, and we very quickly fell into an easy conversation that helped distract us from the general unpleasantness of an outdoor run in February. 

The topic of conversation? Food. I had found my culinary-counterpart. We bonded over our love of all things epicurean – and since then I’ve come to the conclusion that no one can make eating look as life-changing as Rebecca. Just look at her with this Pepe’s pizza. Is she not making you want to hop on Metro North for a slice 

right now?

(I don't make it look as believable) 

Anywho, since then, Rebecca and I have bonded over things besides food – one of those being fitness! Like me, sometimes (lots of times) Rebecca likes to lift heavy things. I love that she knows MUSCLES ARE SEXY. And let me tell you, her gun show is the best in town.

Recently, we both started to do Kayla Itsine’s 12 week “Bikini Body Guide.”

I’ve explained in previous posts

that originally, I thought this program would be no big deal. I mean, it’s called the “Bikini Body Guide.” How legit could it be? It sounded like just another trend that would over promise and under deliver. But as I wasn’t able to run at the time, I figured I would give it a shot.

Shit that shit was hard.

Leg day? I would be sore for at least 2 or 3 days afterwards.

Kayla Itsine’s guide isn’t anything revolutionary. She’s taken a bunch of standard strength and cardio moves and put them into an easy to follow plan – it’s short but high intensity. You WILL be dripping in sweat by the end.

As someone who generally despises any and all jumping exercises – this was especially challenging for me. If I never have to do another jumping lunge in my life it would be too soon.

I was loving Kayla’s BBG for a while. And then I started running again. And suddenly the 3X a week commitment on top of trying to run 18 miles a week, swim and fit in yoga got to be overwhelming. I wasn’t looking forward to the workouts anymore and while the leg and ab routines were awesome, my arms weren’t feeling challenged.

Not usually one to quit things, especially fitness-based things, I pretty un-guiltily just…stopped…

After a solid 8 weeks of completing all the workouts, I had had enough. I felt a little bummed. But I also felt excited to be running again, and that off-set any “You’re a quitter” thoughts that I was having about cutting Kayla’s BBG short.

Last week at November Project, I got really excited when Rebecca arrived and I got to run with her for 2 miles. And again, we totally bonded over the conversation topic of choice– Rebecca’s statement of, “I’m just kind of confused on my fitness journey.”

DING DING DING!

Exactly how I have been feeling! And since that run together, I’ve been thinking about it even more. I’m feeling a little lost on my fitness journey so I’m going to try to write it out to gain some clarity.

I’m not training for a marathon.

 The fall marathon I thought I was going to run as an attempt to BQ – that most definitely didn’t happen. I've been a little sad lately watching everyone around me planning for and running their long runs – especially when it’s so beautiful out!

Do I want to run a spring marathon? I still can’t decide. I trained for Pittsburgh over the long winter months last year and it was hard. I know Peter will be an amazing source of support if I decide to do it again, but I just don’t know if I have the motivation right now for 7 a.m. alarms when the thermometer is in the teens. Then again – I want that BQ. The weather for spring marathons is beautiful. What else am I going to do all winter? So – the jury is still out.

I have been slowly increasing my weekly mileage and so far so good – except that it's still frustrating that I feel like I'm having a fast, strong run - putting in a ton of effort and left completely gassed after 4 miles - yet my pace is so. much. slower. than a few months ago. I know I need to be patient, but I may or may not have cried on a rock in Central Park after Saturday's run. I used to wake up and run the 6 mile loop at a 7:50 pace pretty consistently while training for Pittsburgh. Saturday, it took every ounce of energy to run 4 miles at 7:58. Grr. 

I

do

have a few running-related goals to work towards, however.

I just signed up for the NYC Runs 10K on Roosevelt Island on Halloween! I want to be excited, but I know the reality of how much speed and endurance I’ve lost in the past 5 months is going to hit me like a ton of bricks when I cross this finish line. At the 2014 Scotland Run 10K, I threw down a 45:23 – 7:19 pace.  Yikes.

I plan on running a new Turkey Trot this year – a 5 miler near my home on Long Island. My official 5 miler PR is the Poland Spring Marathon Kick Off which I ran monstrously hungover last fall – so we’ll see if a 7:45 pace is something I can top.

With our upcoming trip to Austin, Texas planned – my 4

th

half marathon is on the calendar. The Decker Challenge is a hilllllly course that I’m not expecting to PR, but hoping to feel OK running. It will be my longest run since May’s Brooklyn Half Marathon if/when I cross the finish.

Ted Corbitt 15K is the last NYRR points race of the year – and since I’ve been unable to race as a member of November Project’s team yet, I want to be out there running! It will be a PR no matter what, as it’s a new distance for me.

Last but not least on the calendar (for now) is the Blue Point 10 Miler – which was an AMAZING race I ran last winter. This year it will be even better since I will hopefully have friends to drink with after. By then, who in the world knows what my pace will be like – but I don’t anticipate it being easy to beat last year’s 8:13 pace. Time will tell!

Focusing on these shorter distance races will be different for me and I’m hoping it eases me back into running/racing/going fast and then if I decide I want to go far – we’ll see about that spring marathon. I have another month or two to decide.

Strength Training

has not being something I’ve been focusing on a lot – but I do really love it! I love going to the gym and coming up with my own circuits focused on certain body parts – waking up in the morning and knowing within a minute, “Oh yeah right, I did triceps yesterday – definitely worked!” Marathon training makes it really hard to spend a ton of time doing much besides running. And it makes it really reallllly hard to spend any time at all focused on arms. I’ve come to accept that I need to include one day a week of leg strength training to keep my hips and glutes strong. But in the next few weeks I hope to incorporate some more abs and arms as well, despite the fact that I’m not still following Kayla Itsine’s guides.

If anyone has fun strength training ladders/HIIT/Tabata/etc. that they’d like to share, please do!

Triathlons

are something I’ve been super gung ho about for a few months now. I started saving, I started researching bikes, I started bothering people with a million and one questions (sorry everyone). I spent $80 on shoes for spin class that I have yet to attach the cleats to. I started swimming once or twice a week. And now, I’m signed up for swimming lessons once a week.

And suddenly – I don’t know if I want to do a tri.

Oops.

That’s not true. I know I want to do a tri. I think I would like it. Maybe love it. That “Iron Man” challenge is definitely still in the back of my crazy mind. But I just don’t know if right now is the time. Triathloning (yes, it’s a word…) is

really really expensive

.

I just booked a flight to Austin for a 6 day vacation and half marathon and it’s probably going to end up costing me less than a bike would cost me. Not to mention the $200 entry fees, a wet suit, and the tons of biking things I’m sure I don’t even know about yet.

So, jury is also out on whether or not a tri is in my future at the moment -  but I do still plan on stopping at a bike store to get myself fitted so that I can properly stalk Craiglist for a used bike in my size. Doesn’t hurt to keep my eyes open!

And in the meantime, I’ve found that swimming is a nice new challenge and I’m looking forward to finishing this 8 week course and keeping a weekly swim in my fitness repertoire.

Yoga

continues to bore me for the most part – but I

do

notice a huge difference when I go twice a week as opposed to, you know, thinking my body will magically be fine without zero stretching. So, I’ve been trying to be consistent with that!

Unfortunately, writing all of that out didn’t give me any real clarity on why I’m feeling kind of “meh” at the moment – why I can’t seem to figure out what I want to put my energy towards.  

But maybe the moral of this incredibly long blog post isn’t, “Figure out what your next challenge is” or, “Figure out what muscle you want to develop next!” Maybe the moral of it is that I’m going to accept the fact that sometimes, we don’t know exactly where we’re headed. 

If there’s nothing calling to me right now, maybe it’s because physically or mentally I need to take a chill pill. Or maybe the lack of direction is making room for something else to unexpectedly turn up – roller blading, that field hockey league I’ve been wanting to join, trapeze school? I’m keeping an open mind and not ruling anything out. 

Some days it makes me a little antsy. Without a calendar to tell me how many miles I need to run on Saturday morning, who am I?! Answer: still Lauren.  

And sometimes, for a lot of fitness-loving ladies and lads – I think that’s harder for us to believe than it should be.

So listen up. I’m talking to you and I’m talking to myself: If you’re ever feeling a little down because you feel “lazy” without a big shiny goal – stop.

Stop scrolling through your Instagram and getting down on yourself because you aren’t preparing to run a marathon. Stop scrolling through your Instagram and getting down on yourself because you aren’t spiritually moved by downward dog. Stop scrolling through your Instagram and getting down on yourself because you didn’t do a WOD at the box this morning.

Maybe you enjoyed a walk through the fall foliage. Or a jog. Or a giant picnic. Maybe you dragged yourself to yoga because you know you needed to stretch your calves. Maybe you hope to never use the term WOD in your life. Maybe you slept in.

 As long as we are moving our bodies in ways that feel good and right for us in the moment, and letting them rest when they want to rest, we shouldn’t feeling anything but appreciation.

Appreciate that we’ve found ways to move and be active that we genuinely enjoy. Appreciate that we’ve realized endorphins really are like drugs. Appreciate that fitness is a great way to connect with your body – to know when it wants to move and how it wants to move and when it wants to rest.

To know on the day that you’re signing up for a marathon that you are ready to commit to it.

To know on a certain day that you can go that extra 100 meters in the pool.

To know on a certain day that you are definitely not going to make it to that spin class you signed up for.

To know on a certain day that the time has come to train for your first tri.

To walk into the gym ready for a tricep workout only to get there and see tthe TRX machine is empty and you feel like doing some back exercises instead.

I loved that Rebecca referred to it as her

fitness journey

.

No two people’s journeys are going to be the same. Some days your journey is going to be awesomely downhill and wonderful and fun and some days or weeks or months it’s going to be slow going. Then there are those forks in the road where you’re not quite sure what’s coming up next.

It’s allllll part of it. 

So instead of getting down, embrace it and keep your eyes open for the moment when your next goal appears on the horizon. And when it presents itself, you give that goal your all.

Six Sunday Links on Monday

This Sunday was spent cheering on friends running the Staten Island Half Marathon and celebrating their 13.1 miles with beers in the sunshine at Flagship Brewery. I'd say my first visit to Staten Island was a success! And I am beyond happy that we're still getting a fair share of sunshine and warmth - it's amazing how much cheerier I am when the sun is out! 

I was sad watching all the runners yesterday, and sitting around afterwards while everyone discussed their race and I couldn't contribute - but I'm happy to report that last week I ran 24 miles total! 

(I've been consistently going to Friday's NP workouts and we've had so pretty fabulous views!)

Since Six Sunday Links didn't happen - now you get them on Monday! 

1) 

Baked Apple Roses

- This is definitely something I want to whip up this fall.  It looks so impressive, yet simple! Not to mention delicious.  

On Friday, I hosted a fall food themed potluck at my apartment and oh boy did I overeat! I couldn't help it, my friends are such talented chefs and everything was delicious. Kaitlin made a kale salad with chickpeas, butternut squash and a Tahini dressing. She even got fancy and massaged the kale. Kayla made maple walnut green beans and Rebecca cooked a delectable pumpkin mac and cheese! I made

sweet potato/black bean/quinoa chili

that was super easy and, I thought, super delicious! I will definitely be making this again one of these nights - the perfect thing to cook on Sunday and have all week long!  I also added some of my new favorite ingredient to the chili - nutritional yeast! A little salty/cheesy boost! 

I also served some goat cheese with apple slices and Pepperjack cheese, PUMPKIN TORTILLA CHIPS from Trader Joe's that are

phenomenal

,

Harvest Salsa

that's also pretty good, and guacamole! 

Steph created these beautiful caramel apple jello shots, Sam and Sara provided  wine on wine on wine and dessert was Melissa's apple crisp (+ vanilla ice cream, drool) and Kayla's pumpkin brownies! 

Fall cooking is wonderful. 

2)

Confidence with an Asterisk

- This article made me feel the feels.

3) I don't remember where I found this exactly - but it's kind of genius! I've been struggling with my boots falling all over the place in my closet. Now, where do I purchase pool noodles in October? 

4)

Keep Austin Weird 

 Monday of last week I realized I had 6 vacation days to use before December 31. I started Googling flights and thinking, "Hm, where can I go in December?" New Orleans, Charlotte, Arizona, and Denver were all considered until I landed on Austin - cheap flights, an awesome city, and warmer than New York in December. Plus, a half marathon on the dates I was looking to go! I messaged Melisa and Peter and by Friday night our flights and AirBnb were booked. I am so excited to explore this city! 

5)  

35 Brilliant New Books

- I perused this list awhile ago and just finished reading one of the books on it

The Heart Goes Last

. It was...interesting. I didn't LOVE it, but I also couldn't put it down. 

"A married couple trying to stay afloat in the midst of an economic and social collapse join The Positron Project – which guarantees them a home and a job for six months of the year. On alternating months, they must leave their home and function as inmates in the Positron prison system. Once their month of service in the prison is completed, they can return to home. At first, this doesn’t seem like too much of a sacrifice. But with each passing day, Positron looks less like a prayer answered and more like a chilling prophecy fulfilled."

6)

Read this wonderful post

written by a wonderful human being who I am so proud to know! 

(This is my friend Liysa and she is BADASS)

*I met Lolo Jones last week.

Happy Hockey Season! A Few Words.

The day has arrived...the 2015-16 NHL season officially kicks off tonight, 114 days after the Chicago Blackhawks won their 6th Stanley Cup on June 15 on home ice. 

An impressive feat, no doubt - but I would just like to remind everyone about the Islander's reign, winning 4 Stanley Cups in 4 back to back seasons. Sure - it was a couple, er, 15, years ago - but it is still impressive. And likely never to be accomplished again. 

What we

do know

 is that the Islanders will never win another Stanley Cup in the Nassau Veteran's Memorial Coliseum on Long Island - because tomorrow night they open their first season played at Barclay's Center in Brooklyn. 

I have a lot of feelings.

Inevitably, when I tell people I'm an Islanders fan, they ask what I think about the move. The first thing that happens is my brain floods with memories from the coliseum. Sure it was slightly hideous, but it was home. 

(And the sunsets were beautiful!)

I've been going to Islanders games at the coliseum since before I can remember, but I still remember the first time I knowingly attended an Islanders game. My dad told me we were going to eat dinner with my mom at her work, so imagine my surprise when we walked inside the coliseum! My first response was, "But won't Mommy be sad we aren't eating dinner with her?" 

There were the games watched from suites that my dad got through work. You would think I would feel like a queen sitting up their in the catered cubes - but I always complained that no one up there cared about hockey. I wanted to be down in the bleachers, in the mix with

real

 fans. 

I wanted to be jumping up and down trying to catch a shirt blasted out into the crowd by the ice girls - even though I knew they were all XXXXLs that I would never wear. I wanted to be taking pictures with Sparky, and staring up mesmerized at the ceiling as the blimp floated around the rafters, dropping down gift cards to lucky fans. I wanted that moment when my face appeared on the jumbo tron, or they released streamers into the crowd after a playoff win. 

I got all of those things on memorable nights where I stayed up far past my bedtime - indulging on Dip n Dots and wondering what my dad found so appetizing about the damn peanuts. 

There was of course the raucous fans around me yelling things I wasn't allowed to repeat - instead we constantly told the Islanders to, "WAKE UP AND SMELL THE COFFEE!"

If there was anything I learned being a young Islanders fan in the 90s it was to remain loyal. As a 7 year old, there were nights I was convinced my personal presence in the coliseum was causing the Islanders to lose. Would I ever experience that joyous win? Surrounded by fellow passionate fans? 

Down 7-1 with 2 minutes left in the third period, I would beg my parents not to make me leave - I needed to stay with my team until that final buzzer...you simply never knew what was going to happen! Hockey was unpredictable, exciting, thrilling, fast and furious. 

Countless games later and the place continued to feel more and more like home. I knew the chants, I knew the familiar sound of the organ. I knew that no matter where I was sitting, I'd likely be able to move down a bunch of rows and even if I couldn't, the view was great from everywhere. I knew the bathroom lines were going to be horrendous. I knew that if the team scored 3 goals I'd get free chili from Wendy's the next day. I knew

Goldie - the man who was

always

 there

. 

Mainly, we were there for games, but I also attended American Idols Live concerts, Disney on Ice shows, maybe a Josh Groban concert...not to mention my 6 year old glee at watching an exhibition gymnastics show from the Gold Medal winning Atlanta Olympic team. 

Last season, each trip to the coliseum got a little harder as the end drew near. The night I got to work at the game collecting content for social media - up close and personal with the players and building -was a night I will certainly never forget. 

I'll also never forget this epic pre-game, crammed in a hotel room with so many people who mean so much to me. The rain kept us from tailgating in the parking lot, but I'll hold those memories forever as well. 

When the end of the season arrived, I didn't shed a tear as I expected that I would. Perhaps because I was satisfied with that final season at the coliseum. I had experienced another year of memories, the team had performed well, and I had gotten to say my goodbyes. 

Perhaps I won't shed that tear until reality sinks in tomorrow night and the puck drops on a difference sheet of ice. 

But, whenever someone brings up the Islanders moving to Barclays, the first thing I need to make clear is: 

I will miss the coliseum. 

A lot of other people

have echoed this sentiment

more eloquently than me

, but I needed to add my personal take on it. 

Six Sunday Links

Here we are already at another Six Sunday Links. Before you drag yourself out of bed for laundry and grocery shopping and all the other chores you couldn’t bear to do on a Saturday, check out these articles, videos and photos that entertained me this week.

1) 

I am beyond obsessed with these Amy Schumer videos – which point out major issues with women’s self image/body issues/dieting/exercise etc. in a completely HYSTERICAL way. 

I'm So Bad

 "

“I ate a ball of mozzarella like it was a peach.” 

Nutritionist 

"I can tell by looking you're not the least you can be."

Compliments 

 "Little? I'm like a size 100 now. Anyway, I paid like $2 for it, it's probably made out of old Burger King crowns. I look like a whore locked out of her apartment."

        2)

I just read about comedian Kevin Hart and the surprise 5Ks

he is organizing across the country! It’s really great to see a celebrity using his status to get people up and out! I loved his quote: 

        “I have a platform where I can motivate and inspire," Hart said. "What better way to do that than running? Running is something that everybody can do, all over the world, regardless of race, shape or size. It brings people closer together."

    Couldn’t agree more, K. Hart! 

3) I was SO BLOWN AWAY by this article.

50 Ironman distance triathlons in 50 DAYS?!

If this doesn’t become a book, I’m going to be SO disappointed.

4) Anthony Bourdain is planning to open a GIANT food market on Pier 57 that dwarfs Chelsea Market. It will be modeled after an Asian street market – meaning it will be open all hours with tons of interesting stalls. Sometime it’s a little ridiculous the number of food-focused spaces there are in NYC. Between Smorgasburg, Flea Markets, Eataly, Chelsea Market, City Kitchen, Brookfield Place and outdoor spaces like Madison Square Eats and Penn Plates – I think it takes away from the excitement of them when you can now get an Arancini Rice Ball not just at Smorgasburg but at about a million stalls around the city. But it doesn’t seem like a trend that will be slowing down any time soon – so bring it Bourdain!

5)  This movie trailer really piqued my interest! Burnt

6) Last but not least, a friend posted this photograph titled “Generational Differences” and it really made me stop and think for a minute. Before returning to Instagram on my phone…No but really. It’s a pretty strong image, especially after that “sorority girlsat the baseball game” fiasco this week. 

Anything you think I should check out, please share :)

Friday Funk

Happy Friday to y'all!

I should be smiling - lots of great things happened to me this week. But it's cold and rainy and there's a hurricane coming and for some reason I just feel super BLAH.

I'm not sore. I don't have any "injuries" per say. I just have zero motivation or energy and everything feels achy - like I have the flu minus the cold symptoms. So I'm not really sure what's up.

I do know that I failed at completing all 3 Kayla Itsine's workouts this week for the first time in 7 weeks. I did legs on Monday and Abs/Arms on Tuesday but Abs/Cardio? I did the first 7 minute circuit this morning and then I quit. Yep - complete honesty. I was feeling grumpy and lazy and achy and I laid down on the floor and I tapped out.

I'm trying to give myself some grace. It's very unlike me to get started in a workout with a plan and then not to follow through. I'm trying to give myself the benefit of the doubt - listening to my body which is very clearly saying, "WE DON'T WANT TO DO THIS. We want to lay in bed and binge watch Orange is the New Black!"

I get it body, message received. In a few short hours we will be home spending quality time with Piper and the crew.

So here are a few reasons why I should turn my frown upside down.

1) Tuesday's run felt pretty OK which is all I'm really asking for at this point. I let my brain get a little carried away, and somewhere around mile 2.5 I decided, "Ok, you're wrapping up 5 miles with a sub 8:00 pace." While that may have been totally do-able 4 months ago - it is certainly not realistic at the moment. And you know what? Instead of feeling really discouraged by the actual pace I finished at - I felt satisfied that I had pushed myself and gotten in a run at a solid effort - no phoning it in, no saying "I'm slow now so it doesn't matter." The past few weeks getting back into running, it's been really easy for me to settle for a slow, easy, casual run just because that feels comfortable. But Tuesday's run pushed me outside of my comfort zone which in turn gave me a much better mindset for the rest of the day.

2) Wednesday I challenged myself again - with the goal of swimming a total of 1 mile at the gym. Though it definitely wasn't continuous, I accomplished my goal!

3) I GOT A GOPRO and my Instagram game is going to go WAY up ;)

4) The running store won a Brooks contest and I get a free pair of sneakers. I'm excited to try out the Pure Flows! I know, I know - they're neutral and everyone in the world tells me I should be running in a stability shoe. But both sneakers I trained for Pittsburgh in were neutral sneakers and I made it through relatively pain and injury free - so I'm just going to keep on keepin' on that neutral flow. For now.

5) Peter and I's Date Night this week was my first time seeing an IMAX movie in about a million years. I'm pretty sure the last time I went was in high school to see Harry Potter. We saw "The Walk" about Philippe Petit who walked a high wire that he illegally rigged across the Twin Towers. I thought the movie was really well done, Joseph Gordon-Levitt was great and now I MUST read the book ("To Reach The Clouds").

6) I had a dream last night that I actually remembered when I woke up- which is very rare for me. In the dream, I was just doing Greek things on Paros Island (where I took a 3 week photography class back in 2011). It made waking up a little bit harder, but it was nice to take a few minutes to remember what an amazing opportunity it was to visit Greece. It was also a reason to spend some time flipping through the pictures in my (Facebook) albums and remind myself to make an ACTUAL physical photo album of my pictures. 

Speaking of pictures - I used to be so so interested in photography, and I've been missing it. Taking my DSLR out is usually a pain in the butt but I DO still try to some ~artsy~ pictures with my iPhone. I liked these two that I took this week. They're kind of boring on their own - but as a little mini "pop of pink" series I like 'em.

7) Last week I discovered the joys of picking a salad theme and stickin' to it when I created an Asian-inspired salad. This week, I went for Greek (hmmm, wonder if that's why I had the dream about Paros?) It was pretty damn delicious if I do say so myself - I had it Monday, Wednesday and Thursday night - and still have ingredients to make one more salad tonight! 

Here's what it had:

Peppers

Carrots

Sundried Tomatoes

Plum Tomatoes

Olives

Feta

Cucumber

Chick Peas

Sprouts

Spinach

Balsamic Vinegar for dressing 

One day I'll figure out the proper leaf to topic ration but until then, I will continue to essentially eat bowls of salad toppings. 

8) Avocados exist and were 99 cents at the grocery store this week. I've been digging half an avo mashed with feta, chili flakes, sunflower seeds, sundried tomatoes, olive oil and sea salt! 

9) I got free coffee for National Coffee Day AND my box of Quest bars was delivered - although I've already eaten half of them... (did everyone see they have PUMPKIN PIE QUEST BARS for a limited time? I mightttt need to order a box!) 

10) New snack alert! 2 new snacks this week. The first was an idea from

Georgie at In It For the Long Run - nut butter dates! 

 I didn't make mine as pretty as fancy as hers - all I really did was dunk a date in peanut butter and call it a day -  but it was delicious and sweet and satisfying after my run and before I had time to sit and eat a real breakfast! The other snack was this DIY Kale Chip bag - in theory it's great - open the bag, pour in the olive oil, bake, voila! In execution - the chips still came out a little soggy. But texture aside, I dressed them up with some sea salt and NUTRITIONAL YEAST (cheesy, mmm) and they were pretty bomb.com. 

In other news, I'm really trying to make this blog more than just a running account of my life.

I really enjoyed writing Wednesday's post

and was happy with the feedback!

I've been brainstorming some other post ideas - but if anyone has any suggestions or anything they'd like to see on PB is my BF - please feel free to share your thoughts :)

In the meantime, here are some blogs that have been really inspiring me:

arunnarounddlife

Just The Elevator Pitch 

The Real Life RD

In It For the Long Run 

Any other favorite blogs I should check out? 

Small Talk

I’m convinced I’m an ambivert – but regardless of whether or not I’m an introvert or an extrovert, one thing I know I am is awkward when it comes to small talk. Friends tell me I’m not awkward, but a) that’s because we’re friends and I’m not awkward around them and b) even if I’m somewhat successful  in not coming off as awkward – I feel awkward when I’m forced into small talk.

Recently, I’ve been kind of sort of most definitely obsessed with this blog called Just The Elevator Pitch. You kind of sort of most definitely NEED to check it out. You’ll be hooked and probably never have time to come back and read my blog, but that’s a chance I’m willing to take because Nicole’s blog is just that damn great.

Anywho – she came up with a genius way of figuring out, “AmI Good At Small Talk?”

Going into this exercise, I am fully expecting that answer to be a big fat nope. How am I going to find out? Going through the Google Trends page to see what the most searched topic of each of the past 30 days was. And seeing if I know anything about it at all.

 Facebook Privacy 

        Unfortunately, my newsfeed has been overrun with people under the false assumption that anything they put on the internet is private. I truly question the collective intelligence of our society when trends like this pop up. And I’m shocked that across the country, “Channel 13 News” is discussing these “changes” to Facebook’s privacy policy. Because where I’m from, I’m pretty sure that channel 13 is PBS and all they’re showing is Arthur and Curious George. 

        Mars

        I know now that boys are not from Mars. And that Mars Bars are quite delicious. I’ve also heard the news that there’s water on Mars.

        Lunar Eclipse

        As my dad texted me on Sunday night, telling me I HAD to look out my window and look at the moon, I had a sudden moment of sadness when I realized if I got out of bed and looked out my window – all I would see were buildings.

          iPhone 6S 

        Why people think it’s fun to stand in absurd lines on the day new Apple products are released I will never know – they do know there is such a thing as pre-order right? Then again, I spent hours at the local Borders to get my hands on Harry Potter Books the second the clock struck midnight. So who am I to judge?
 Thursday Night Football
 My football knowledge leaves much to be desired. 
 Autumnal Equinox
 I don’t know what it means scientifically except that my favorite season is over and it’s going to get cold out. And also that when engaging in small talk – it’s best to avoid talking about the weather unless you want to seem seriously inept.
 Scream Queens

        I got nothin’. A Google search (ironic) informs me that it’s a movie – I’m not a movie person. Which would be the perfect small talk topic in many situations. Bummer.
 Autumnal Equinox 
 #1 Trending Search twice in a week? Still not something I’d bring up at a party.
 Emmys 2015
 I don’t go to the movies and I don’t have cable – so my ability to discuss things in the world of popular culture is extremely limited.
 Alabama Football

        I got nothin’.
 Zoey 101 

        Hey, I know what this is! No clue why it’s a trending topic though…not to mention that if I were to bring this up in small talk in would almost certainly result in awkwardness.  
Denver Broncos 
Can we just get hockey season started?
Republican Debate We watched the first one as a fun family vacation activity, but the second one – no thanks.
Snapchat Update 
YES! I could definitely sustain a conversation about the new Snapchat selfie filters for a solid 5 minutes. I would also mention that I recently captured an EPIC video for my Snapchat story which involved a biker SCREAMING at a cabby.
49ers 
Sheesh. Whatever happened to baseball being America’s favorite pastime?
NFL Scores 

        I’m done.
 Mayweather

       No.
 Serena Williams 

        Serena Williams is a BEAST in the best, most badass way possible. So she lost. She’s still epic.

        9/11
 I think we all could have a conversation about where we were on September 11, 2001.
 NFL Scores
 Original.
  Stephen Colbert 
 An incredibly talented guy that I wish I watched more of. I had the chance to attend a filming  of Colbert Report a few years ago, and it was definitely an awesome experience!
 Ohio State Football
 Yawn.
 Venus Williams 
 If my sister beat me at tennis, I wouldn’t be a happy camper!
 Alabama Football 
 Oy.
 Serena Williams 
See above – she’s epic.
 Tom Brady 
Deflate Gate 2015? I didn’t follow it, but I’ve obviously heard about it. I don’t live under a rock.
 Frontier Airlines
 I book travel for people at work, and this airline comes up in my searches every once in a while. I have no idea why they are a trending search topic though – which probably means I don’t skim the homepage of the New York Times often enough.
 Google logo History 
Every now and then I’ll take note of the Google logo on the homepage and take a second to appreciate the creativity. Other days I’m like, really? That’s what you’ve got?
US Tennis Open 
One day I want to buy a skort and go to the US Open. I went to tennis camp when I was younger and my mom played in high school and wanted me to follow in her footsteps. I wasn’t awful, except that field hockey was during the same season. So, sorry Mom! But tennis is fun. And fancy. And I like when it gets some love. (Get it, love?)
Miley Cyrus 
YES. Let’s chat about Miley, shall we?

So I think the moral of the story is that if anyone tries to bring up football during small talk – it’s going to be a very awkward conversation. Same with any movies and likely television as well. Which, apparently, is what everyone is the world is Googling in their free time.

I can discuss Miley, Snapchat filters and how annoying it is when people post the Facebook Privacy status.

Good thing my weekend plans involve my best friend’s birthday, quality time with my sister and limited interaction with strangers.

And maybe I should watch some football. 

Are You "That" Girl?

She holds a fancy Starbucks drink in one hand while the other masterfully flips through the pages of the latest book from the New York Times bestseller list. “That” girl. A Michael Kors bag is perfectly perched in the elegant space between her wrist and her elbow and her outfit looks like it was thrown together effortlessly despite the fact that it could be featured in the pages of Vogue. Her Essie manicured nails are perfect  - not a chip to be seen. “That” girl. Straight from your Pinterest board.

How did she juggle her morning coffee, her book, her purse and her metro card to step through the subway turnstiles like she was walking down a runway? How does she only have one small purse to get through the day, while I’ve felt like a bag lady since the second I moved to Manhattan? Because she’s “that” girl. A different species from you entirely, right?

Her hair is long and gleaming in the early morning sun and she’s outfitted from head to toe in Nike gear. This season’s newest fashions, of course. She looks like her morning miles in Central Park should be used in a commercial. “That” girl.

She’s floating, and girls and guys alike can’t help but follow her with their eyes as she makes the rolling hills of Central Park look like an enjoyable amusement park ride instead of a pain in the ass. “That” girl is who you will never, ever, manage to be – right?

We’ve all seen these women, and chances are you’ve asked yourself, “How do they do it? How do they make it seem so easy? So natural?”

Each and every morning I try to figure out how to somehow read my book (very rarely is it a New York Times bestseller – more like something I’ve pulled from the shelves of the New York Public Library), answer text messages I’ve failed to respond to, and get my metro card out from its Vera Bradley change purse. The change purse which resides in my backpack – not a Michael Kors purse that sits perfectly in the crook of my arm. But what does sit in the crook of my arm is a reusable bag filled with my food for the day – since I definitely can’t afford $12 Chop’t salads and $10 fresh squeezed juices every day. Adding a morning coffee into the mix? Heels? Impossible.  I’m just not “that” girl.

When my alarm goes off for a run in the morning my hair resembles a rat’s nest and I’m likely wearing Old Navy or some other running apparel I’ve managed to get on clearance for less than $20.

But this morning during my run I had an interesting thought. “That” girl ran by and I thought, “Does she know that she’s the object of envy?”

And you know what I realized? She probably has no idea. She probably groaned when her alarm went off too. And maybe her Uncle Bob works for Nike and gets all her pretty gear for free. And chances are her legs are burning up those hills just like everyone else’s.

And then my next thought was, “Oh my GOD. What if people look at me and think

I’m

making it seem so easy? Could I possibly be “that” girl in someone else’s eyes?” And honestly – yes. Any one of us can be. Because we all have admirable strengths and qualities and we all have days when we’re rockin’ it. Our outfit is on point. We aren’t a bag lady for once. Weeks of yoga has made it possible to make the commute in wedges instead of your Saucony’s. Weeks of hard work have paid off and Harlem Hill is a little less torturous. In those moments, we can unknowingly become “that” girl to someone else.

If someone saw me running up Cat Hill this morning, chances are they didn’t give me a second thought. But I was pushing the pace past Engineer’s Gate and my shorts were pretty cute – so maybe for a split second someone compared themselves to me. Without knowing anything about me.

“That” girl that you see in the morning and use to put yourself down and make yourself feel inferior – is probably doing the same exact thing. And she’s probably no different than you. With good days and bad days – confident days and days she isn’t feelin’ so hot.  

Are there girls that walk around

knowing

they are the shit? Yes. But those aren’t girls you really want to strive to be, are they?

Instead, take a little comfort in the fact that you 

don’t

feel superior. You can’t imagine someone looking at you and thinking that you’re one of the ones that have your shit together. 

We can’t imagine being “that” girl. But chances are that whoever we look at and put on a pedestal – feels just as insecure at times as everyone else.

So yeah,

we’re all “that” girl.

But seriously, there has to be a better way to juggle all my shit in the morning... 

A-Z Survey

I feel like I’m in 8

th

grade filling out a survey about the last boy I kissed and what my last sent text message says ("Mkay"). I guess the things we consider entertaining as 13 year olds don’t really change that much – who is up for a game of MASH? I’m really curious as to who I’m going to marry and whether or not I’ll live in a mansion, apartment, shack or house! Took this survey from

Ms. Kaitlin

. Here we go.

A — Age: 

25. Officially in my “mid-twenties.” I prefer being a “twenty-something.”

B – Biggest Fear: 

Birds. Nope – no traumatizing story. I just really, really, really hate birds. Pigeons are definitely the worst, followed closely by seagulls. Something about them sends panic through my body – I’ve screamed, cried and run, causing a general scene, when confronted with pigeons in the city. The sound of their wings makes me want to puke. My biggest fear is that one is going to fly into me.

C – Current Time: 

8:30 a.m.

D – Drink You Had Last: 

I’m currently drinking tea because I need to hydrate but I’m always freezing !

E – Easiest Person To Talk To: 

My sister. Anything I would write in a diary, I know I could also say to my sister. Which is so ironic, considering she’s the person I tried my hardest to hide my password journal from back in middle school. If you had told me when we were younger that we would one day be best friends, we both probably would have cracked up. Actually, I’m almost positive that our parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles told us exactly that as we were growing up – and we certainly didn’t buy it. But without a doubt, my sister is my best friend.

F – Favorite Song:

 Oh damn. Choosing a favorite anything is hard for me, but a favorite song is nearly impossible. It’s so dependent on my mood! Not to mention my taste in music is allllll over the place. One song that I could listen to on repeat for hours is Fire and Rain by James Taylor. Another is On My Own from Les Miserables. I’ve also been known to listen to a LOT of Ke$ha. Recently, I’ve been listening to a lot of folksy stuff. But favorite at the moment let’s go with Missy Higgins,

any

song. Seriously need to see her in concert, ASAP.  

G – Grossest Memory: 

My first thought was a recent weekend at a NYRR race when I went to use a portapotty and…really wished I hadn’t. Let’s just say I found a way to hold it.

H – Hometown: 

Small town Long Island.

(Also home to the most incredible sunsets)

I – In Love With:

 So many things! And I’m so lucky that my life is so full of things and people that I love.

(Definitely love all these things! Except rain. I do not love rain.)

J – Jealous Of:

 I try not to be a jealous person, but it’s a natural reaction sometimes. I guess I would say I’m jealous of people who are super fulfilled by what they’re doing – whether it be their careers, their side projects, their volunteer efforts, etc. There’s a lot that I want to accomplish one day – and sometimes I feel like I’m in a constant state of, “One day I’ll do this…One day I’ll do that.” Sometimes it feels like I’m waiting for there to magically be more time for me to do all the things I want to do – despite knowing that the only way it’s going to happen is if I

make

the time. I also know that all those people who seem completely fulfilled and accompli

shed have things that they are putting on hold too. I guess the important thing is that I at least

have

goals and aspirations, right?

K – Kindest Person You Know: 

I’m lucky to know so many incredibly kind and generous people that I don’t think I can name just one. Cop out answer, but whatever.

L – Longest Relationship:

Peanut Butter and I have been very serious for a very long time.

M – Middle Name: 

Michelle – which is also my “last name” on Facebook, so sometimes people think it’s really my last name.

N – Number of Siblings: 

1 younger sister – see above – best friend, drop dead gorgeous and legitimately the funniest/strangest person that you’ll ever meet. 

(Totally normal)

O – One Wish: 

More hours in the day.

P – Person You Spoke To On The Phone Last:

 My dad – he gives me all the important information like, “Tonight is a full moon and super moon and blood moon and a lunar eclipse.”

(He's a pretty funny guy, fabulous chef, and knows SO MANY THINGS)

Q – Question You’re Always Asked: 

Usually it’s about my job – “Oh my God do you LOVE IT?!”

R – Reason To Smile: 

Monkeys. Just look at a picture of a cute monkey. I bet you smile. Another reason to smile is how #blessed I am in so many ways. Everyone complains , but I’m so lucky that if I really stop and think, my life is pretty damn great.

S – Song You Last Sang: 

Probably the theme song to Orange Is The New Black since I CANT STOP WATCHING.

T – Time You Woke Up: 

6:15 a.m. for some Kayla Itsines leg day – ouch!

U – Underwear Color: 

Blue with some sort of pattern.

V – Vacation Destination: 

I REALLY want to go hiking out west!

W – Worst Habit: 

Biting my lips, probably. I also have a tendency to get really worked up and passionate about things and not even realize that I’m being sassy/controlling/obnoxious/argumentative. I’m trying to work on that one…

X – X-Rays You’ve Had: 

Teeth, shin, foot/ankle

Y – Your Favorite Food:

 Don’t make me pick – I love all food! Except licorice and truffles.

(But guac is definitely up there on the list!)

Z — Zodiac Sign: 

Taurus. I don’t consider myself particularly stubborn but, people close to me may disagree?

Pick one (or a few) and share your answers!