Katie's Visit Recap

Over this weekend, my friend Katie visited from Chicago. On Saturday I was extremely boring and just walked around Central Park with her since I needed to rest for Sunday's half-marathon. Before our walk, I did a brief 1.8 miles taking it slooooow through the park.

It's been so grey lately, but the reservoir is still beautiful! 

After our walk, Katie left to meet some friends for brunch and I took a nap then headed to the NYC Half Expo with Sourabh. The expo was across the street from Penn Station and was a disaster zone since it was St. Patrick's Day weekend. So many drunk people in green!

If you follow me on Instagram, you saw my bib picture. Love that they had a Times Square backdrop since that was the coolest part of the race!

I dropped by the Generation UCAN booth to say hi to Lora and pick up a few more packets of protein-enhanced UCAN. I've experimented with this "superstarch" a bit to fuel for runs but only a half packet. I'm going to try a full packet for a long run this weekend I think and will update more then!

Just chillin' with Meb. NBD. We're definitely running at the same pace. 

I ended the evening with a pasta and shrimp dinner before heading to bed at 9 PM. And then not being able to get to sleep until after 11 PM and waking up multiple times. Not great for race day. Oh well...

My one decent race photo. Need to work on cute race posing, clearly. 

After the half-marathon, my cheer squad (Sourabh, Katie, and Hana) and I had brunch at Peacefood Cafe and then I napped. Damn those early AM starts for big races! We ended the day by having dinner at one of my favorite NYC restaurants, Alta. It has great small plates, great cocktails, and great service. Sourabh and I bring everyone there when they visit!

Monday was the day that Katie and I had planned to do the most touristy things. We visited the 9/11 Memorial and Battery Park so she could see the Statue of Liberty, but at that point we turned to what she was really interested in: food. There's a reason we're friends.

Awkward pic over lunch? Why not.

We had lunch at Momofuku Noodle Bar. I highly recommend this place if you like ramen, pork, buns, or just good food. Basically, you should go there. We split the fried oyster bun and turnips (the turnips were AMAZING and had such a crazy mix of flavors that worked so well), then she had a pork bun and I had the ginger scallion noodles. So much deliciousness. I wish the Lower East Side weren't so far away!

Momofuku Noodle Bar

We meandered from the Lower East Side to Gramercy where we explored Eataly and then picked up doughnuts at Doughnut Plant to take back home. Yes, post-race feasting extended to Monday. I got back to the healthy eating on Tuesday, but it was important to me to just enjoy Katie's visit. Check out the doughnut plate we put together...

Mason wants some. Don't worry, he didn't get any.

We couldn't quite get through all of them, even with Sourabh's generous help, but the remainders mysteriously disappeared while Sourabh was doing the dishes. Hmm.

That evening we headed back downtown, after I napped again because I am prematurely 60 and need afternoon naps apparently. We met up with Stephen, a friend of Katie's for drinks at Lillie's. Both Stephen and I started discussing the amazingness of Gramercy Tavern, realized it was around the corner from where we were, and decided we had to take Katie there.

The delicious Orange Blossom cocktail. So much deliciousness in a champagne flute. 

I got to eat at quite a few great restaurants over the summer while at my firm, and Gramercy Tavern stood out as one of my favorites, so it was fun to head back and try a few more dishes. Katie and I split the baked clams and a Brussels sprouts dish. Both were amazing.

We all decided to split two desserts, since Stephen and I recalled how good the desserts were there. The waiters brought us an extra one, complimentary! Chocolate pudding, cheesecake, and apple pie. These aren't my favorite desserts normally, but Gramercy Tavern's versions are amazing.

I got back to lighter eating on Tuesday, after Katie headed back to Chicago. I am still trying to lose a few pounds, as I wrote a while ago, but it has to fit in with living a normal life. Since I'm not going on spring break, Katie's visit was kind of my "vacation," and I wanted to make sure she got to enjoy lots of fun NYC eats.

If you're in NYC, what's your favorite restaurant or food? How do you get back to healthy eating after a trip or staycation?

Class Review: Uplifting - Cardio w/ Steph Nieman at Uplift Studios

Last night, I went to one of my favorite NYC fitness studios: Uplift Studios. Uplift is revamping their class schedule, moving to two kinds of classes only, Cardio and Strength, and I was invited to try one of them before they're offered starting on Monday, February 18.

The Strength class is similar to the original Uplifting class, but according to Melissa, who I chatted with briefly after she took the Strength class, the short cardio intervals are less integrated with the strength sections now.

Here's the Strength class description from Uplift's website:

Uplifting-Strength incorporates dumbbells, resistance bands and your own body in order to build strength and power—two of a woman’s most powerful assets! In this strength-training focused class, you’ll work each muscle group to fatigue with longer timed intervals before moving on to the next. To build explosive power (and to keep calorie burn high!), Tabata-style cardio intervals (i.e., 20 seconds of intense work followed by 10 seconds of active recovery for 8 rounds, or 4 minutes straight) are incorporated throughout the workout, including a high-energy cardio “finisher” to leave you feeling exhilarated, accomplished, and strong.

I arrived in time to catch a sneak peek of the class, and it looked like the typical kickass Uplift class, with each exercise being timed by a clock counting down at the front of the room.

Uplift's new Strength class

Since I've taken the original Uplifting class several times, I wanted to try the brand new Cardio class that Uplift is introducing:

Uplifting-Cardio is a music-infused full body rhythmic bootcamp. This workout challenges all major muscle groups by alternating cardio and strength intervals. The cardio will utilize fun combos of plyometrics and other high-energy movements while the music motivates you to push it to your limits. The strength portion will use light dumbbells, body weight, and anaerobic intervals. Be warned—this class is infectious!

The class was developed by Steph Nieman, who previously was at Barry's Bootcamp and Flywheel. When I asked her why she decided to come to Uplift Studios, she said that while she loved the beat and rhythm of spin classes, she had started to become bored with sitting on a spin bike.

Steph wanted to create an athletic, rhythmic cardio class that incorporated strength concepts of a bootcamp-style workout, without turning the class into a dance class that required students to learn choreography.

Well, mission accomplished, Steph. I had no problem following along this high-energy class that had students woo-ing along with Steph as she pushed us, bouncing around the room and motivating us to push through the six high-energy intervals.

The last interval, a high-jump requiring you to (try to) get your knees up to your elbows killed me. I could barely get my knees up to my hips. Apparently I need to work on that...

Steph and me

Multiple Rate Your Burn reviews mentioned Steph's tininess. When I got to Uplift and met her, I was like, "What? She's not that small..." Her personality and charisma in class was enormous and filled the room. Then I saw this picture and realized that she is, actually, quite diminutive. (In comparison to me, leaning forward -- why do I always do this in pictures? It makes me look like a giant person.)

Enough of my giant head. Back to the class. One thing I loved was that the exercises were set to the beat of the music. I am extremely music-conscious on classes, and being able to do things to the rhythm of a song motivates me and makes the class a lot more fun.

By the end of class, I was soaked in sweat. Everyone else was, too, so it wasn't just me being a sweaty beast. The cardio portion is for real; I was breathing heavy for much of the class. And the strength portions, despite using lighter weights, still lead to muscle fatigue because you're doing them in combination with high-energy plyometrics intervals.

As for those who can't handle high-impact exercises, rest assured, Steph started class by mentioning that she had modifications for every exercise, and she followed through by showing a modification for every single high-impact exercise.

the lovely founding mothers of Uplift, Helena, Katie, and Leanne 

As always, wine was set out after class, one of the most fun aspects of Uplift. They really stress the social aspect of fitness, which is something I love about the studio. I got to know my fellow sweat-ers as we sipped wine and chatted with Steph and the Uplift ladies.

For those curious about the changes, it seems that Uplift is trying to create a more uniform experience. Classes are offered on alternate times. For instance, Monday mornings and Tuesday evenings are Uplifting - Strength and Monday evenings and Tuesday mornings are Uplifting - Cardio. This means that you could go to Uplift at the same time every day and get in both strength and cardio workouts throughout the week. 

I'll certainly miss some of the old classes, like the Warrior Fight Club boxing-yoga hybrid, but I really enjoyed the Uplifting - Cardio class, and it looks like the Uplifting - Strength class will be a terrific strength workout.

love these ladies

Bottom line? Uplift has always been a fun, feminine environment where you can get a kickass workout and have fun. While the class offerings are changing, the classes will still be tough and awesome, and the atmosphere will still be fun and indulgent. 

The Facts:

Length - 55 minutes
Cost - $32 (first class is half-price)
Location - Flatiron (24 W 23rd Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues, second floor)
Skill Level - Anyone! While the class is tough, modifications are given that can fit any skill level.

Weekly Goals & Workout Recap: arch pain and playing tourist in your own city

This weekend was so much fun. One of my oldest friends is in town for a job interview and made it a four day trip so that he could explore New York because he'd never been here before. That meant I spent the weekend being a tour guide, which I love to be, and even doing some NYC activities I'd never done before.

Noah and I have been friends since we were in the same 6th grade class. This visit is the longest we've seen each other since after my freshman year when I was home for 2 months over the summer. Otherwise it's a day trip when we're both in Washington or a quick coffee before one of us flies away (he went to undergrad in San Francisco and just rocked his first semester of law school in Sacramento).

Noah is a rockstar and was down to run 3 miles with me on Saturday after flying overnight to NYC. I was going to do my long run with the Lululemon Run Club,  but after snowfall the night before I was nervous about ice (and I'd only gotten 5 hours of sleep because Sourabh and I were up late cleaning -- oops). We ran around the Reservoir then hit up a few more touristy spots.

also, he's wearing shorts. whaaaat.

Like the Guggenheim! Noah is a huge architecture buff (I've been learning things as I lead him around the city) and wanted to see it. We also ran past the Met then jogged along the Great Lawn so he could see the great skyline views from there.

We relaxed and recharged that afternoon before going to one of Sourabh and my favorite restaurants in New York, Alta. We've been there at least 10 times and always enjoy ourselves. Great food, atmosphere, and drinks! We went to a sports bar to watch the Knicks lose badly to the 76ers (thank goodness they won last night or else I'd be really worried), then headed back home to hang out and watch a movie.

Since we didn't get to bed until nearly 2 AM, I decided to postpone my long run till Monday so that I could spend all day Sunday sightseeing with Noah. First we went to the 9/11 Memorial, which I hadn't seen yet.

The space is really beautiful and it's hard not to get contemplative as you look at the fountains and see the names of those who died on 9/11. It's a lovely memorial and I'm glad I finally saw it.

brrrrr. it's cold.

Next we walked to Battery Park so that Noah could see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Once he'd gotten the requisite picture with the Statue of Liberty, we walked up to SoHo and grabbed lunch from Chipotle (cheap lunches for the win).

We ended our day by going to Rockefeller Center by way of Grand Central Station.

I walked through this every day last summer on my way to work, and it was easy to forget how gorgeous the space is. I loved seeing it anew with Noah.

We ended up on the Top of the Rock at the exact right time. The sun was setting so the city looked extra beautiful. Despite the cold, we walked around all three levels of the Rockefeller Center's observation decks to see every corner of the city.

It was a fun two days of playing New York tourist.

Unfortunately, I came down sick with some kind of stomach virus last night and I am extremely bedridden, so Noah has to venture out by himself today.


Weekly Workout Recap

My goals were almost all met this week, except for one 3 mile run (due to arch pain) and the long run (moved to Monday, which I think is fine because I completed last week's long run on this week's Monday). I also only did one strength workout, but I added planks and push-ups to multiple runs.

Monday: 7 mile long run. My muscles were still very sore from the previous Saturday's strength workout and subsequent overnight plane ride with no sleep, so it was a slow run, but I felt great the whole time. If I'd been able to move my legs with less pain I think the pace would have been quicker, too! Made sure to foam roll and stretch after. Ended the day with a 2:00 plank for Abs By April.

Tuesday: 7x400 for speed work, 4 miles total! I had to work all day so I completed this week's prescribed speed workout on the treadmill. I warmed up for 1/4 mile at 9:30 and took a 1/4 mile for recovery between each interval at 10:00. My first interval was 7:47 and got down to 7:13 for the last one. I think I could have started faster, but I'd never done 7x400 before--only 4x400--and wasn't sure how much I'd have left by the last one. Cooled down for .5 miles at 10:00 for 4 miles total. Ended session with 2:10 plank, 25 push-ups, then stretched and foam rolled in my apartment.

Wednesday: Spin class with Beth at Flywheel UWS. She was a sweetie and came across town to spin with me! Also spent 30 minutes doing my yoga flow for runners and foam rolling, along with a 2:20 plank.

Thursday: Unplanned rest day. I'd meant to run 3.5 miles on the treadmill after work and class, but I got up to the gym in my building and had such intense arch pain in my right foot that I couldn't run. I was extremely upset and tweeted about it, freaking out that it could derail my training. Immediately got amazing responses back because my runner friends are awesome. (Pretty sure the arch pain was due to wearing heels at work on Tuesday and Thursday -- wearing flats from now on and hoping that and the foot massage I got Sunday will cure the arch pain!) Went to my apartment and foam rolled, and still got in a 2:30 plank.

Friday: 4 miles on the treadmill at a steady pace. Felt some arch discomfort but nothing so bad that I couldn't ignore it, and it didn't increase with the mileage or pace, and Saturday didn't bring worse arch pain so I don't think the pain is due to running. Finished with foam rolling and my record for this week, a 2:45 plank!

Saturday: 3.25 easy miles with Noah around Central Park. So much fun to share my favorite place to run with one of my favorite people! Minimal arch pain on this run and the rest of the day.

Sunday: Yoga for runners flow and easy strength session comprised of lunges, squats, push-ups, planks, and one-legged deadlifts while watching the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Clocked out with a 2:00 plank. Also walked roughly 3.5 miles around NYC and got a 15 minute foot massage to try to improve arch issues.


This Week's Goals:

Hoping arch pain doesn't get in the way of any more runs, and I want to rededicate myself to strength training! Also, can this stomach virus go away quickly? I'd be very happy about that.

Priorities: continue to foam roll and make sleep #1 on my list of things to care about. Did not get enough sleep last week and it clearly showed since I had a harder time dedicating myself to non-running workouts as the week progressed.

So these are the workouts I want to do this week:

• 1 long runs (8-9 miles)
• 2 short runs ( 1 3-miler and 1 4-miler)
• 1 tempo run (40 minutes -- going to treat the 4 mile Gridiron Classic race my tempo run!)
• 2 strength workouts
• 2 yoga practices
• 1 spin class if possible

Are you running any races this weekend? Do you like having visitors so you can play tourist where you live? 

Christmas Trees, Cookies, and Exams

Friday was a day full of getting errands done since classes are over and, after presenting my group project, I just have a 6-page double-spaced paper to write to finish my term. I was going to do speedwork, but Thursday's double workouts left me way too sore! A full hour of core work and an Uplifting class at Uplift Studios can do that to you. (Seriously, I can barely get out of bed or pick things up off the ground)

So Friday turned into a day for GSD: getting stuff done.

my view as I walked to the subway after Thursday night's Uplifting class 

While I'm basically done with my term, Sourabh is not. I've mentioned before that this year we are both law students. We were both admitted to Columbia Law our senior year of undergrad. Actually, our admittance letters came the same day -- it's the only time I've ever jumped into his arms out of excitement. We were poor college students, so we celebrated by buying a mini bottle of champagne and a mini chocolate cake. Ultimately, he decided to defer for two years and work in order to gain some real-world experience, while I went straight to law school.

Now, I'm the wizened third-year and Sourabh is the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed first year! Since you interview with firms in August after your first-year (trying to get a summer associate position that typically leads to a full-time post-graduation offer) it's the first year grades that really matter, so I've been feeling really anxious for him. Sourabh had his first exam on Friday, and I barely slept Thursday night I was so nervous! (He thinks he did well -- fingers crossed until January when grades come out)

gifts for NYCares Dear Santa letters!
(Pro Tip: the post office said the best way to mail weird-shaped items like a basketball is to wrap them and put a mailing label on the wrapping paper!)

I wanted Sourabh to have something nice to come back to after taking his exam, so after doing laundry, tidying up the apartment, and buying gifts for my NYCares Dear Santa letters, I went to Whole Foods and bought a small Christmas tree! It's actually the first time we've had a Christmas tree, even though we've lived together for three years. Since our parents always have trees, we just never got one, but this year I decided that needed to change. I might be a tiny bit obsessed with it, as my Instagram feed shows.

Christmas tree + Instagram = dangerous

The tree was only $19.99, and I bought lights, a garland, mini ornaments and a Chihuahua ornament (!!!) for only $15 at CVS. That seemed like a great deal by New York standards!

I also decided to bake some cookies for Sourabh and try out the coconut oil I purchased. After he got back from his exam, we spent our Friday night munching on these amazing cookies, catching up on our Thursday night shows, and admiring our twinkly little Christmas tree.

Quasi-Vegan Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies 
(adapted from Heidi Kristoffer's delicious recipe on Shape.com)

I ended up using Ghirardelli chocolate chips and a regular egg instead of the vegan substitutes, but kept the cookies dairy-free by using coconut oil instead of butter. I also had no brown sugar (it hardened from disuse, apparently) or spelt flour, so I had to use white sugar and regular flour. They still turned out delicious! I'm definitely going to make them again with the proper sugars and flours.

Whatever you do, do not substitute butter for the coconut oil. I really, really loved the different taste these cookies had without the butter.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup vegan white sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 egg (see original recipe for egg replacement)
1 cup spelt flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegan dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper or spray with canola oil.

2. Mix coconut oil and both sugars using a hand mixer in a mixing bowl. Blend until creamy, about 2 minutes. Beat in vanilla and egg (or egg replacement) until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients slowly until well blended. 

3. Stir in chocolate chips by hand.

4. Drop by heaping tablespoon onto the cookie sheet about 1-2 inches apart. 

5. Bake for 15-17 minutes, until edges are lightly browned. Place baking sheets on wire cooling rack for a few minutes, then transfer cookies onto wire racks to cool completely.

Step 6. Enjoy!

Have you baked any holiday cookies yet? Share the recipes, please!
When was the last time you were really sore?

Goals & Weekend Update: Friends and Fitness

I had such an amazing post-Thanksgiving weekend, full of old and new friends and lots of exercise, that I want to recap it before laying out my goals for this week and how I did on last week's goals.

Weekend Update
I spent Friday being lazy and watching movies, doing some yoga, and getting dinner with a friend and seeing Lincoln. The movie was really good, but what stood out was Daniel Day Lewis (of course). His performance as Lincoln didn't seem like a performance, it just seemed like Steven Spielberg had conjured up Lincoln for his movie. There's no way it's not going to be one of the 10 Best Picture nominees next year! As for Black Friday shopping, I can't decide if it's awesome or terrible that my only Black Friday purchases were Knicks gear and exercise-related. I picked up a running water bottle from Athleta since the fountains around New York are shut off for the winter, and I'm excited to receive my first Oiselle purchase soon! I ordered the runfinity scarf and a long-sleeved run tee. I'll update with my thoughts when I get them.

On Saturday, I took a wonderful Uplifting class with friends from my firm, Lauren and Hana. It was so great to get back to Uplift Studios. It had been too long! I hadn't taken a class with Michelle in quite a while, and she did a great kickass interval-based class. Hana loved the studio and we were all exhausted by the end.

Michelle had an amazing playlist with some terrific mashups that had me searching SoundCloud for more mashups. I ended up finding a ton that I'm so excited to run with in the coming weeks.

After hanging out at Uplift catching up for a bit, we parted ways and I headed uptown to meet up with Abby and join her on her first post-marathon run. We kept a slow pace since she was just a tiny bit sore from, y'know, Boston qualifying at the Philly Marathon on Sunday. In her first marathon. No big deal. (In case you don't know, Boston qualifying is a huge goal for runners around the world, and many runners work for years and are never able to achieve it)

We ended at JackRabbit Sports -- they were having a big Black Friday (weekend) sale that we wanted to check out. I picked up a pair of Brooks for only $50! I needed a pair that gave me greater support for over-pronation so finding a pair of Brooks for such a low price was really exciting. Beth met us at JackRabbit and we met up for brunch and drinks. New discovery: grapefruit mimosas are delicious. It was so great to sit down with some fellow running-obsessed friends and chat for several hours, and I loved getting to know both Beth and Abby better.

it's gotten SO cold, but Central Park is beautiful as always

I can't lie, today was kind of rough. In the best possible way. I had already committed to taking a Refine Method class with Lynette today and wasn't about to cancel on her, but when Holly Rilinger posted on Facebook that she was leading a Nike Training Camp session on Sunday morning for free, I knew I had to hit it up. So it was a double day, despite already being pretty tired from the Uplifting class on Saturday.


The session at Nike was amazing. Holly was a fantastic instructor, which I would have expected given her spin class, but one thing that I really loved was how sports-oriented the workout was. Holly is a former pro basketball player, and I felt like that came through in how she led the workout and started it -- team cheers on three, lots of partner-oriented work, and even a basketball-style shuffle around the room. We did two 10-exercise circuits by time, doing each exercise for 1 minute, and there was extra core work in between the two circuits. I left Nike and walked through Central Park to Refine Method, feeling tired but energized in that great way you feel after an amazing workout.

the Sunday morning crew!
(source)

I was left exhausted, but today was amazing. When the first jumping jacks started at Refine, I wasn't sure I could push through, but I did. I was able to put in real effort and almost perform as well as I would have at a normal class. I loved pushing myself to my absolute limits and seeing how far I could go.

But um... I'll be doing some less intense strength work this week. Because my legs are gone.

Last week's goals
Here's how I did last week:
• 1 spin session (done and loved it!)
• 3 strength training workouts (ended up with 4!)
• 3 runs for at least 15 miles (only got two runs and 10 miles in)
• 2-3 yoga practices (1.5 - a bit with my trainer and one video practice)

Goals for this week
This week's goals:
• 1 spin session
• 3 runs (2 speed sessions, 1 long run of 8 miles including a race!)
• 2 yoga practices
• 2 strength sessions


How was your Thanksgiving weekend? Any fun Black Friday purchases?

P.S. My trainer Amanda went to Haiti recently to teach yoga to children there. She's written an incredible series of posts about her time there: part 1, part 2, and part 3. Give them a read if you have a few minutes and want some inspiration!

I am so thankful

I love that Thanksgiving is a day to reflect on everything that is wonderful in our lives. I feel so lucky and blessed to have an incredible number of things that make me happy. Since I don't want to write a Tolstoy-length novel, here are just a few things for which I am especially grateful.


Running. I started running last year, but I didn't start running outside much until this year. Finding my love of running has made me so much more aware of and thankful for the strength and capability of my body. It's made me have a much healthier body image and it's given me an easy way to ensure peace of mind. A run never fails to make things seem brighter. It's also made me love New York even more -- seeing its beauty while running is a constant reminder of how much I love this city.

my favorite running path in the city, the Reservoir Path in Central Park

New running/workout buddies. I've already made so many new friends through this blog and Twitter. It's wonderful to be able to chat and encourage other crazy runners. Long runs are much more fun with company! And it's so fun to make friends who aren't in law school (not that I don't love my law school friends, but I'm sure they'd be the first to admit that getting outside of law school is a good thing).

I would never have gotten up at 6:45 AM this morning to head into Central Park if Beth hadn't thought of making our own Turkey Trot. I got to meet some awesome ladies (and Ashley's husband, Bo!) and run on a beautiful day. Nothing makes you more grateful for your health than seeing how strong your body is at it powers you up a hill.

Beth, the mover and shaker of today, and me
(source)

with our medals after a successful Turkey Trot!
L to R: Shannon, Beth, Ashley, Liz, me and Nicole
(source)

My amazing friends. I have some pretty spectacular friends. Some I don't see that often and others I see almost every day at school, but I am thankful for every single one of them. Their support and humor keep me sane. My friend Lena came over to eat lunch with me and chat while I cleaned up for our Thanksgiving dinner yesterday, and even helped make medals for the Turkey Trot! I promise I repaid her in chocolate.

the medals -- these may be the proudest accomplishment of my life since I'm not normally crafty!
(source)

Katie. It's rare for me to go a day and not email silly thoughts or ridiculous stories back and forth with Katie, my undergrad BFF. She not only puts up with them, she encourages them. For example, receiving three emails with my deep thoughts on Jeremy Renner's SNL performance last Saturday did not make her block me. She is the smartest person I know and her strength and resiliency continually amaze and inspire me. And she's a fantastic cook and baker, so you should follow her cooking blog!

on a too-rare visit to Chicago

I have a job. It's not exactly the most welcoming economy for new graduates right now, so to not be thankful for this would be downright ungrateful. To know that I have a position waiting for me when I graduate is such a huge relief. And I'm even luckier that I loved working at the firm this summer. Corporate law firm life entails long hours, so liking my co-workers will be huge. I made some great friends over the summer and can't wait to see them when I return next fall.


My family. They are warm and supportive and wonderful. Also very silly and sometimes infuriating and that's why they're my family and why I love them. Instead of telling me my idea of skyping with them during their Thanksgiving dinner was weird, they loved the concept of having me (virtually) there at the table.

my sister, dad, and my sister's boyfriend. mom was just off-camera to the left

Whenever I sit back to reflect on my life and its trajectory--going from a tiny town in the middle of rural Washington State to law school in New York City--I cannot help but credit every success I've had to my parents (and a lot of amazing luck). I love them to pieces, even though I'm not that good at showing it all the time. I look forward to a day when we live closer together and don't have to skype on Thanksgiving!

The boy. I celebrated Thanksgiving with Sourabh on Wednesday night so that he could go to his family outside the city and I could skype with my parents today. I made some mashed potatoes, stuffing, roasted brussels sprouts, and salmon stuffed with crab (I don't eat meat and he doesn't like turkey anyway so this was a perfect, indulgent choice).

our dinner -- it doesn't look as good as it tasted, I promise

Being students together again after two years of having totally separate tracks is fun and means we get to see each other a lot more. I feel so grateful for this time together before I start working crazy hours next fall. I've already been awfully sappy about him in my post about our anniversary weekend, so I'll just conclude by saying that I love him so much and having him in my life makes every good moment better and every bad experience less painful. Every day that I get to wake up next to him is a good day.

smiles on the London Eye 

What are you thankful for today (or every day)? 

My Favorite Things: Starbucks edition

Quick Weekend Update
I had a nice weekend of exercise and catching up with friends from out of town. I also got a glorious 11 hours of sleep Saturday when someone super sweet suggested that he sleep on the couch with the pets so that nothing could disturb me for an entire night (I'm a light sleeper, so our pets tend to wake me up fairly frequently, and it's been rough lately).

there was still snow on the ground on Friday!

After a gorgeous 5 mile run on Friday, I got myself gussied up and we headed down to meet friends from undergrad at a new restaurant on the Lower East Side, Cata. I was really surprised by how much is already up and running, since I know how many areas of Staten Island and most of the Rockaways are basically still a disaster zone. However, the Lower East Side appears to be mostly recovered, and restaurants there could very much use your support! Subways aren't 100% but it wasn't much of a hassle to get down there after we checked service alerts to know what subways weren't running normally.

(source)

If you like tapas, you'll love Cata, which has really great Spanish small plates. Also a huge range of gin and tonics (not my drink of choice so I stuck to a glass of cava). After a delicious dinner, we saw a stand-up show at the Upright Citizens Brigade, dropped by a bar to watch the last quarter of the Knicks win against the Mavericks (4-0 to start the season! Go Knicks!), then caught a late showing of the new James Bond movie, Skyfall. It's a fun action movie, and really beautifully filmed, but guys, the plot... I'll just point you to Vulture's attempt to break down the evil genius's plan. Obviously that's part of the whole Bond franchise -- ridiculously convoluted evil plots -- but this one especially was ridiculous.

dark restaurant = ghostly me

After too few hours of sleep, I met up with my friend Hana who was visiting for the weekend. Our plans were unfortunately changed because we couldn't get to the early class we planned on due to subways not running as we'd expected. Still, it ended up nicely since we got to have a long lunch at Le Pain Quotidien. We were seated across from some ladies talking about how lucky their friend was for marrying the man she did, because if she'd married some other guy she'd be pregnant with the baby of someone unimportant, and how terrible would that be? I just have to preserve that conversation for posterity, because... really? Really?

the interior of the Barry's Bootcamp Tribeca location
(source)

Anyway, after lunch we tried Barry's Bootcamp. My feelings basically mirror Hana's, which is why I'm just going to link to her review. I think I'd go back occasionally but don't see it being a major part of my fitness routine. I didn't have an "instantly in love" feeling like I did with Uplift Studios, Strala Yoga, or Physique 57.

My Favorite Things: Starbucks!
I love Starbucks. I know, a white blonde girl who likes Starbucks? How original! But I do, I love Starbucks. They have a magnetic pull on me. Whenever I'm out walking Mason with Sourabh and I see one, it's like a force field pulling me in to spend $5 on a cup of soy milk in a cute cup...

But seriously, I love Starbucks for more than their fancy drinks and holiday cups. In fact, I don't even like the fancy drinks all that much (but I DO love those holiday cups). My favorite part of Starbucks is actually the fact that I can reliably get something healthy there when I'm rushing around or traveling. Running errands and need a snack? Pick up a KIND bar and banana. Starbucks has really stepped up their healthy food options in the past year, and these are some of my favorite picks.

Starbucks Perfect Oatmeal

"hearty, 100% whole-grain oatmeal"
(source)

I love oatmeal. Starbucks has oatmeal. Enough said? Ok, well not quite... it's important to note that if you add all the toppings, the 140 calories quickly climbs up a lot higher. However, this is a great breakfast option because who doesn't have a Starbucks close by? Perfect if you're leaving for an early flight or slept past your alarm (because you totally budget in time to make yourself breakfast every morning, right??).

Protein Bistro Box

"cage-free egg, white Cheddar cheese, honey peanut butter, multigrain muesli bread, apples and grapes."
(source)

I always like putting together a plate of different items when I make lunch for myself, so this basically does the job for me. Lots of protein, healthy fats, whole grains, and some fruit make this a nice lunch option. And at 380 calories, it can definitely serve as a small lunch.

Goat Cheese and Garden Veggies Bistro Box

"vegetable medley served with goat cheese, tzatziki dip and cranberry almond crackers"
(source)

This one is better as a snack than the protein box, given that it's 220 calories and wouldn't be super filling. I generally don't eat much dairy, but I make an exception for goat cheese because, well.... if you like goat cheese, that's self-explanatory, right? (And if you don't, who are you??)

Spinach & Feta Breakfast Wrap

"a wheat wrap filled with cage-free egg white, spinach, feta cheese and tomatoes."
(source)

I got roughly four hours of sleep last night because I was up reading Gone Girl. Crazy addicting (also, crazy people). Good vacation read for sure. Anyway, I just wasn't up for making myself lunch, so I grabbed one of these on the way home from my morning class. I love these as a warm, filling small meal. At 290 calories, it's perfect paired with a piece of fruit.

Roasted Vegetable Panini

"roasted zucchini, eggplant, and red peppers with baby spinach and provolone cheese on focaccia bread"
(source)

This is probably my least favorite of the things on this list, just because it's white bread and the cheese can feel a tad bit gummy. However, it's still tasty and is filled with veggies, so it's a good option for when you're craving a sandwich for lunch. And at under 350 calories with 13 grams of protein, it should keep you pretty full!

REMEMBER TO ENTER MY GIVEAWAY FOR SANDY RELIEF!!

What's your favorite Starbucks food or drink item? 
Have you tried Barry's Bootcamp? What'd you think?

I love fall in Central Park

That's all.

Cheribundi Review & Giveaway + Sandy Fundraiser

I am SO excited to announce my first giveaway and fundraiser! Read on for a review of cheribundi's delicious tart cherry juices and a chance to win a 12-pack -- and to help victims of Hurricane Sandy!

Cheribundi
After my half-marathon, my quads were very sore. Two loops of the Central Park road and its many, many hills left them destroyed. I tweeted at cheribundi, asking where I could find their cherry juice, and they were very helpful, telling me exactly where in my local Whole Foods I could find their products. I snagged one, loved it, and thanked them for their help.

The reason I was looking for tart cherry juice was that, according to health studies, tart cherry juice is "an excellent and natural way to help minimize muscle soreness." (source) For particularly strenuous exercise, it should be taken both before and after the event that is likely to cause soreness.

A few days later, cheribundi reached out and asked if I'd like a case of all their flavors to review. Um, free delicious cherry juice? Yes, please! About a week later, it arrived at my apartment. Unfortunately, I was still stuck in Washington State due to Hurricane Sandy, so I couldn't get my hands on the juice until I got back on November 1.

I immediately started trying out the different kinds of juices. I've mentioned before that I don't like to review things that I don't like. If I am offended by a shop's service or find a workout to be dangerous in some way, I would likely mention it, but I'm not going to dedicate a post to putting down a product, gym, or store simply because I didn't like it.

With that said, I was so happy that I honestly liked all of the juices and could happily write a review of cheribundi's products.

Here's what cheribundi has to say about its products:
Our proprietary juicing process, which was developed with Cornell University, bottles all of the good nutrients of tart cherries rather than boil them away. The phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals in cheribundi will keep you feeling great and living life to the fullest. After our cherries are harvested, they're processed gently so that when you drink cheribundi it's like eating the cherries straight off the tree. Our juice is never from concentrate, cheribundi is all-natural and orchard-fresh tasting.

Our Tru Cherry juice packs fifty cherries into a short 8oz bottle. (We know because we counted them.) From there we add just enough water and apple juice to make it palate-perfect. Of course, to create the benefits of Skinny Cherry we decrease the cherries slightly and sweeten with natural Stevia. To get the benefits of Whey Cherry into a bottle, we add whey protein.

Our tart cherries are harvested at the peak of ripeness to capture as much of the bright cherry color as possible. They taste better and have more powerful phytonutrients than other superfruits. That includes the trendy pomegranate, the acai berry, grapes or blueberries. Rich with nutrients, tart cherries can help you recover from exercise, sleep better, and in general, live life to the fullest because you feel better. The Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity rating for cheribundi is higher than other juices - that means our juice has a better ability to absorb and neutralize free radicals.

The Review

This is my favorite of the cheribundi flavors. It's 130 calories of deliciously sweet and sour tart cherry juice. There's a bit of apple juice to cut the sourness of the cherries, but it's purely cherry and apple juice.

I also really liked the Skinny Cherry, although its taste is not quite as intense; it's 65% juice because it uses stevia to naturally sweeten and water to cut the calories to 90.

 

I love a good ginger kick in my juice, so I also am a big fan of the ginger cherry juice. Again, it's 100% juice -- cherry, apple, and ginger juice. I love the spicy edge that the ginger adds to the normal tang of the cherry juice.

This protein-enhanced juice is a great post-workout drink since it adds protein for muscle building to the muscle recovery benefits of tart cherry juice. The drink is slightly grainy tasting because of the whey protein, but the tastiness of the cherry juice compensates for it.

Confession: I don't love chocolate. Don't get me wrong, I can get down with a great flourless chocolate cake, and I'm never going to turn down a fudgy brownie (I will, in fact, inhale it), but chocolate isn't my favorite flavor ever. So I just didn't love this drink. The cacao adds a nice depth to the juice, but it still has that slightly grainy taste that the whey cherry has without the benefit of 8 grams of protein. If you're a chocolate lover I'd try this one out, but for me it just wasn't my favorite.

I have definitely noticed less muscle soreness since I started drinking these. Call it the placebo effect, but it seems to be working! Plus, they're a great natural dessert because I love the sweet and sour taste as a close to my meal.

The Fundraiser
The recovery from Hurricane Sandy is ongoing. The destruction was horrific and very, very real. I know we tend to think the news media overplays things in order to gain viewership, but having seen candid photos from friends and fellow bloggers, the devastation in many areas was absolutely terrible. If you've read posts from bloggers like Megan or Ashley, natives of Staten Island and New Jersey, respectively, then you know how bad it is. Our fellow citizens need our help.

I've donated to a local organization and the Red Cross, but I would like to give more to support Hurricane Sandy victims. I feel so incredibly lucky that my little New York family escaped Sandy unscathed.

After speaking with Megan and Ashley, I settled on two local organizations to which I'll donate the proceeds of this giveaway. I am going to donate half of the total amount raised to the Stephen Siller Foundation, a local Staten Island organization, and half to the New Jersey Relief Fund.

The Giveaway
Cheribundi has generously offered to give another pack full of their delicious juices to the winner of my giveaway, so you can taste the different types and decide on your favorite as well. Here's how the giveaway will work:

• (1) You get one entry simply by commenting on this post and answering the question, "do you have a favorite pre- or post-workout snack or drink?"
• (2) You can get one additional entry if you tweet about this giveaway and comment with your tweet and Twitter handle here.
• Please tweet: "I just entered a #giveaway to win a 12-pack of @cheribundi from @jensbestlife and helped donate to #SandyRelief http://bit.ly/YL8M4m"
• (3) You can help, too!! You'll get extra entries for donating to my fundraising page!
• 1 additional entry for donating $5
• 2 entries for donating $10
• 3 entries for donating $15
• 4 entries for donating $20
• 5 entries for donating $25

Here's how you're helping just by leaving a comment and entering the giveaway!

• I'll match each entry dollar for dollar, up to $50 for the first 50 individual entries. 
• My parents have been kind enough to agree to match this amount, for a maximum donation of $100 from us. 
• REMEMBER: you can still enter if there are more than 50 individual entries. I simply won't match your entry with $1.

Please note -- the beneficiary is "me" because I cannot split the funds between two organizations otherwise. Rest assured that I will donate half the funds to both organizations and will post a screen cap of the donation receipt once I make the donations so you know nothing shady is happening.

The winner will be randomly chosen after the giveaway closes on November 14, 2012, giving you a week to enter!

Question: do you have a favorite pre- or post-workout drink or snack?

I was not compensated for this post by Cheribundi. I received only a free pack of their juices to review. All opinions are my own.