My Week of Dinners
This week proved to be a very busy one for me. Three dinner dates, two nights of babysitting, a Dawson's Creek marathon, and a random pizza night with Quattro. I figured I would take this opportunity to document my week of dinners.
Sunday
Nick and I had taken the opportunity to spend the day together. Quality time has proven to be hard to come by lately between our work schedules and various life events. After running a few errands, Nick suggested we go out for dinner. We decided to stick with what we know since it was an impromptu date and set on Chili's. Naturally, we started with the bottomless chips and salsa. For my main course I enjoyed the Mango Chile Chicken dish. I highly recommend to anyone who is looking for a light but delicious meal.
Monday
It had been quite some time since I enjoyed the company of these two ladies. We were coworkers at my previous place of employment, though we've kept in touch over the past year and a half. Liz had been craving sushi so we settled on her and Caitlin's favorite spot. Caitlin ordered four different rolls for us to share. They were all delicious. We ended the meal with a piece of green tea cheesecake for three.
Tuesday
Since I was able to enjoy two nights out in a row, I figured I should settle on something a little lighter and full of greens. I prepared a salad full of vegetables and topped it with a baked piece of chicken.
Wednesday
Sabrina, Jamie, Joyce and I try to have a night out together every month or so. We like to pick restaurants with different cuisines each time. This month we tried German. There is a mom and pop restaurant in the area we decided to try. I don't really think my choice was particularly German, but it was good either way. I had a center cut pork chop with an apple glaze accompanied by a twice baked potato.
Thursday
Another night in after eating out. I chose to make a chicken wrap with lettuce, cheddar cheese, and ranch dressing in a habanero tortilla with some carrot sticks on the side.
Friday
With Nick being out of town for a car show, Friday was my night in with Quattro. I decide to make an old favorite recipe of mine. A pear, caramelized onion, and gorgonzola flat bread. You can find the recipe here on the blog.
Saturday
My cousin Laura and I were huge fans of Dawson's Creek back when it still aired on TV. Saturday was a night for us to hang out, catch up, and enjoy one of our favorite teen soaps. We did order take out but I thought this was much better to share. Laura brought the cake. It was a vanilla cake with peanut butter frosting topped with crushed up Reese's Pieces. She even decorated it with our initials, JAG and LOB. It...was...delicious! Perfect way to round out my week of delicious meals!
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Happy Birthday Mom!
I know everyone says this about their own mothers, but mine really is one of the strongest and unselfish people I know. Between working her day job, serving the people of her village as Mayor, and keeping tabs on her four kids who are all over the East Coast, I would say she has a lot on her plate. Despite all of that, anyone who knows her is aware of her caring and giving nature. She will be by your side at the drop of a hat in your time of need. She will talk to you on the phone for hours on end just to keep you company. I want to thank her for all that she does for me and our family! And for being someone to aspire to.
This past week I was able to enjoy the sunny, warm weather on the Gulf Coast of Florida. Friends of ours were married last weekend on the beaches of Longboat Key. It was a beautiful wedding with their closest family and friends. Unfortunately I was unable to attend the wedding due to the fact I was in a wedding myself in New York. However, I joined everyone the day after and was still able to spend time with friends and the newly married couple.
The week consisted of about twenty or so of our friends and family relaxing on the beach, witnessing breathtaking west coast sunsets, and just enjoying the company of each other. It truly was a great vacation. So great that we all decided it should be an annual occurrence for the gang to get together and make a trip down to Florida.
Now of course there was lots of eating involved. That typically happens while on vacation. Diet and exercise go out the window. Why not? We were indeed on vacation! Anyways, I figured I would share with you a few of my favorite spots that we dined at.
1. Joe's Eats & Sweets
Bradenton Beach, FL
I had been here once before during a previous visit to Bradenton. As soon as we drove by the rainbow colored building and realized just how close it was to our condo, I made it a mandatory destination during the upcoming week. Joe's is a delicious ice cream shoppe right off of Historic Bridge Street in Bradenron Beach. They make all of their ice cream on site, along with many other delicious confections (chocolate dipped Oreos and cheesecake to name a few). The first night I devoured a large chocolate dipped waffle cone full of chocolate peanut butter fudge swirl ice cream. The second visit I went with my old stand by of mint chocolate chip, also in a chocolate dipped waffle cone. Both of these treats were delectable. I highly suggest you pay this fun beach side shoppe a visit.
2. Sage Biscuit Cafe
Bradenton, FL
We were lucky to have this little treasure within walking distance of the condo we stayed at. The immediate group that stayed with us found ourselves here on a daily basis for breakfast. It is a quaint little cafe tucked into a strip mall. They offer outside seating if you wish, inside seating is just as nice. The staff is super friendly and very accommodating. What put this place over the top was their delicious fare. As a whole, we tried almost everything on the menu throughout the week and not once were we disappointed. Their trademark item is, as you would guess it, their sage biscuits. In one way or the other they can be incorporated into your meal. Whether as a base for a salmon eggs Benedict, a side to go with your Mediterranean egg skillet, or as part of the main event in the sage biscuits and gravy. Sage Biscuit Cafe is a must if you are staying in the Bradenton area. Just over the bridge on Cortez Road. You will not be sorry.
3. Bella's Italian Cafe
Tampa, FL
Towards the end of the week we drove two of our friends to the Tampa airport. We were more than whiling to taxi them to their destination, especially since we would be able to pay a visit to the restaurant we had been craving since we booked the trip. On a previous trip to Tampa for another wedding weekend, Nick and I came across this little Italian eatery by just searching through Yelp. We left more than satisfied. Nick had chosen his old stand by of tortellini Alfredo. I however wanted to try something new. My attention was immediately drawn to the pear sachet dish. It is simply a little pasta pouch filled with cheese and pears. The sachets are then tossed in a saffron cream sauce and peas. It sounds so simple, but it is absolutely delicious. The sweet pears mixed with the rich saffron is unlike anything else. Since our first visit, we had been dying to go back. We took this opportunity of being in the Tampa area to return to Bella's and of course, all ordered the pear sachet dish.The staff here is also very friendly and the atmosphere is relaxing. We sat on the outdoor patio during this visit which allowed us to people watch while waiting for our meal. If you are ever in Tampa, pay a visit to this restaurant and order the pear sachets. It will blow your mind. You can also take a nice walk along the little streets to the shore afterwards to enjoy a beautiful bay side sunset.
Today I wish my mom and day of relaxation. To brush away her worries about others and focus on herself. Nobody else deserves that more than her.
Happy Birthday Mom!
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Sunshine, Friends, and Food
The week consisted of about twenty or so of our friends and family relaxing on the beach, witnessing breathtaking west coast sunsets, and just enjoying the company of each other. It truly was a great vacation. So great that we all decided it should be an annual occurrence for the gang to get together and make a trip down to Florida.
Now of course there was lots of eating involved. That typically happens while on vacation. Diet and exercise go out the window. Why not? We were indeed on vacation! Anyways, I figured I would share with you a few of my favorite spots that we dined at.
1. Joe's Eats & Sweets
Bradenton Beach, FL
I had been here once before during a previous visit to Bradenton. As soon as we drove by the rainbow colored building and realized just how close it was to our condo, I made it a mandatory destination during the upcoming week. Joe's is a delicious ice cream shoppe right off of Historic Bridge Street in Bradenron Beach. They make all of their ice cream on site, along with many other delicious confections (chocolate dipped Oreos and cheesecake to name a few). The first night I devoured a large chocolate dipped waffle cone full of chocolate peanut butter fudge swirl ice cream. The second visit I went with my old stand by of mint chocolate chip, also in a chocolate dipped waffle cone. Both of these treats were delectable. I highly suggest you pay this fun beach side shoppe a visit.
2. Sage Biscuit Cafe
Bradenton, FL
We were lucky to have this little treasure within walking distance of the condo we stayed at. The immediate group that stayed with us found ourselves here on a daily basis for breakfast. It is a quaint little cafe tucked into a strip mall. They offer outside seating if you wish, inside seating is just as nice. The staff is super friendly and very accommodating. What put this place over the top was their delicious fare. As a whole, we tried almost everything on the menu throughout the week and not once were we disappointed. Their trademark item is, as you would guess it, their sage biscuits. In one way or the other they can be incorporated into your meal. Whether as a base for a salmon eggs Benedict, a side to go with your Mediterranean egg skillet, or as part of the main event in the sage biscuits and gravy. Sage Biscuit Cafe is a must if you are staying in the Bradenton area. Just over the bridge on Cortez Road. You will not be sorry.
3. Bella's Italian Cafe
Tampa, FL
Towards the end of the week we drove two of our friends to the Tampa airport. We were more than whiling to taxi them to their destination, especially since we would be able to pay a visit to the restaurant we had been craving since we booked the trip. On a previous trip to Tampa for another wedding weekend, Nick and I came across this little Italian eatery by just searching through Yelp. We left more than satisfied. Nick had chosen his old stand by of tortellini Alfredo. I however wanted to try something new. My attention was immediately drawn to the pear sachet dish. It is simply a little pasta pouch filled with cheese and pears. The sachets are then tossed in a saffron cream sauce and peas. It sounds so simple, but it is absolutely delicious. The sweet pears mixed with the rich saffron is unlike anything else. Since our first visit, we had been dying to go back. We took this opportunity of being in the Tampa area to return to Bella's and of course, all ordered the pear sachet dish.The staff here is also very friendly and the atmosphere is relaxing. We sat on the outdoor patio during this visit which allowed us to people watch while waiting for our meal. If you are ever in Tampa, pay a visit to this restaurant and order the pear sachets. It will blow your mind. You can also take a nice walk along the little streets to the shore afterwards to enjoy a beautiful bay side sunset.
Monday, November 4, 2013
It's a Mexican Fiesta!
Upon returning to my house, we figured we should keep up the active part of our day. We completed a mini yoga session to relax our minds and bodies. This was a great way for us to get ready for the festivities ahead.
The theme for the evening was Mexican. Theresa mixed up 4 or 5 different flavors of margaritas. She even made a dessert marg with frozen yogurt and tequila! For dinner, I made fajitas with a corn and black bean salad on the side. Sarah provided the snacks of tortilla chips, guacamole, and salsa! We really went all out. The rest of the evening consisted of delicious drinks, tasty food, and hilarious games. Theresa was even so gracious as to provide an "authentic" piñata for us to break open.
We rounded out the evening with a late night showing of one of our favorite Hollywood box-office hits...Pitch Perfect!
Sunday, November 10, 2013
My Week of Dinners
I figured I would make this topic a monthly occurrence. It seems that once a month I have an overload of dinner events in one weeks time. This is a perfect opportunity to share with all of you and document it for my own memories.
Monday
Nick and I had his uncle and family over for dinner the night before. I haven't made my own spaghetti sauce in quite a few years. I figured this was a great time to break out my old recipes and see what I could concocked. After a few twerks, I think I came up with a pretty decent sauce. To go along with the sauce I made turkey meatballs, spaghetti, and Caesar salad. Of course I made too much, so we had the leftovers for dinner on Monday night.
Tuesday
This week was Deirdre's night to host. I must say, she hit this one out of the park. She kept an autumn theme to her meal by making roasted pork with an apple topping, sweet potato hash, and sautéed green beans. We finished the meal with a sour cream apple pie. Every last bit of it was amazing.
Wednesday
Sabrina, Jamie, Joyce, and I had our monthly dinner date. There is a local Italian chain that opened up a new restaurant in the area. We decided to try out the new location. To start we had Italian nachos which consisted of fried ravioli noodles, Italian sausage, Asiago cheese, and various other toppings. It was actually quite delicious. For my main course I had tortellini with mushrooms, tomatoes, broccoli, and hot peppers. This was also very tasty, but boy was it spicy!
Thursday
I had been having a very long and difficult week at work. Nick was aware of this so he decided to cook me a dinner of grilled cheese and tomato soup. There is something so simple and enjoyable about this traditional childhood comfort food. Being the lover of spicy food that he is, Nick decided to add in jalepenos to his sandwich.
Friday
Nick's parents had the family over for dinner to spend some quality time with their relatives from out of town. We had homemade broccoli and sausage pizza, cheese pizza, shrimp scampi, and various other snacks. Unfortunately I was so wrapped up in conversation I forgot to get a picture of my meal. But trust me, it was Nick's dad's cooking, so it was delicious.
Saturday
Every few Saturdays I bartend for the day at a pub in my parents town. You really can not go wrong with any of the food they serve. However, since the past week had been full of carbs for dinner I stuck with a greens salad with grilled chicken, walnuts, gorgonzola, and balsamic vinaigrette. Again, I was busy serving customers so I was not able to get a quick picture of my meal. But I am sure you can picture it.
Sunday
Today we celebrated Nick's grandfather's 80th birthday. Most of the extended family went out to a local Italian restaurant. It was a very nice afternoon of good food and family time. Nick and I shared a small caesar salad, which sadly had a tad too much garlic. My meal however was delectable. I had rigatoni and chicken in a spicy tomato sauce. And of course you can't forget the birthday cake. Yellow cake with strawberry filling and whipped cream frosting. MmmmMmmm!
Monday
Nick and I had his uncle and family over for dinner the night before. I haven't made my own spaghetti sauce in quite a few years. I figured this was a great time to break out my old recipes and see what I could concocked. After a few twerks, I think I came up with a pretty decent sauce. To go along with the sauce I made turkey meatballs, spaghetti, and Caesar salad. Of course I made too much, so we had the leftovers for dinner on Monday night.
Tuesday
This week was Deirdre's night to host. I must say, she hit this one out of the park. She kept an autumn theme to her meal by making roasted pork with an apple topping, sweet potato hash, and sautéed green beans. We finished the meal with a sour cream apple pie. Every last bit of it was amazing.
Sabrina, Jamie, Joyce, and I had our monthly dinner date. There is a local Italian chain that opened up a new restaurant in the area. We decided to try out the new location. To start we had Italian nachos which consisted of fried ravioli noodles, Italian sausage, Asiago cheese, and various other toppings. It was actually quite delicious. For my main course I had tortellini with mushrooms, tomatoes, broccoli, and hot peppers. This was also very tasty, but boy was it spicy!
Thursday
I had been having a very long and difficult week at work. Nick was aware of this so he decided to cook me a dinner of grilled cheese and tomato soup. There is something so simple and enjoyable about this traditional childhood comfort food. Being the lover of spicy food that he is, Nick decided to add in jalepenos to his sandwich.
Friday
Nick's parents had the family over for dinner to spend some quality time with their relatives from out of town. We had homemade broccoli and sausage pizza, cheese pizza, shrimp scampi, and various other snacks. Unfortunately I was so wrapped up in conversation I forgot to get a picture of my meal. But trust me, it was Nick's dad's cooking, so it was delicious.
Saturday
Every few Saturdays I bartend for the day at a pub in my parents town. You really can not go wrong with any of the food they serve. However, since the past week had been full of carbs for dinner I stuck with a greens salad with grilled chicken, walnuts, gorgonzola, and balsamic vinaigrette. Again, I was busy serving customers so I was not able to get a quick picture of my meal. But I am sure you can picture it.
Sunday
Today we celebrated Nick's grandfather's 80th birthday. Most of the extended family went out to a local Italian restaurant. It was a very nice afternoon of good food and family time. Nick and I shared a small caesar salad, which sadly had a tad too much garlic. My meal however was delectable. I had rigatoni and chicken in a spicy tomato sauce. And of course you can't forget the birthday cake. Yellow cake with strawberry filling and whipped cream frosting. MmmmMmmm!
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Keep Calm and Play On
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| Image found off google. |
I have been kicking a soccer ball around since the age of five and haven't stopped since. I played in a recreational league throughout my youth. Once I was old enough, I was a part of a travel indoor and outdoor team. By the time I had reached high school, I had already been playing for 10 years. However, I will never forget how nervous I was for try outs the summer before my freshman year. Coming from a very small elementary school put me and my childhood friend at a slight disadvantage. The girls coming from the junior high already knew everyone trying out. The coaches already knew some of them as well. We prepped over the summer by attending soccer camps during the day and running in the evening. Our hard work paid off because we both made the freshman team. To top it off, our team went on to have one of the best seasons yet. I continued playing through my junior year. Unfortunately, an injury I obtained from rowing crew didn't allow me to play all throughout high school.
Post high school graduation I knew I was not going to play at the college level especially since I attended a Division 1 school. I was not ready to "retire" yet though. There is a local indoor soccer facility that runs several different leagues of all ages, genders, and skill level. I joined a woman's league to start out. This team consisted of the girls who I had been playing with all throughout my life. Eventually, The Gym Class Heroes were formed. This team was coed consisting of a mixture of friends and family. We had people who had never played soccer in their life and others who have been playing for years. It didn't matter though. We were there just to have fun. The team continued on for several more years. People came and went. Today, there are only two of us from the original team still playing. We play in the mens league (myself being the only female) and now go by Above Relegation. It's pretty funny though because those who are on my team now I only know because of soccer.
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| 2009 Gym Class Heroes Team |
Soccer is one of those things that will always be a part of my life. Even when I am no longer able to play, I would love to try coaching again at any age level. And though I am far from the best player on the field, I love to play. The competitive nature is a great stress releaser plus its a great means of exercise. It really is one of the highlights of my week. I hope to continue playing for many years to come.
Side Note: I tried getting a team photo after our games tonight, but everyone was so tired and ready to go home after two long games I was unsuccessful.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
My Week of Dinners
Another busy week has come and gone. I swear, this happens to me at least once a month. I am jam packed with activities and outings. I can't complain though. Makes for great time with friends and family...and of course an an excuse for a blog post! So here is how my past week went.
Monday
We had been overloaded with leftovers from Thanksgiving. Instead of eating more turkey and stuffing, I decided to make some homemade mac and cheese. You really can not go wrong with the ooey, gooey deliciousness of baked macaroni and cheese. I like to use crushed up oyster crackers and bread crumbs to make for a crunchy topping.
Tuesday
This week was my week to host girls night. I prepared one of my "leftover concoctions" of turkey bolognes and paired it with caesar salad and italian bread. It was a great way to use up the last of the turkey in a non traditional leftover kind of way. We then proceeded to eat an entire bowl of Christmas M&M's. I'm telling ya, there is just something about the red and green M&M's during this time of year that really warms you up inside.
Wednesday
This week I had my monthly date with Joyce, Sabrina, and Jamie. This month we decided to try Greek. We went to a delicious restaurant in the area. So we could try a little bit of everything, we decided to share a bunch of appetizers. We had everything from octopus, spanikopita, to various dips with pita bread. For dessert we had my favorite...baklava. We also enjoyed a delectable treat of what essentially was fried dough with a hershey kiss in the middle. Every last bit of the meal was amazing.
Thursday
The night of Friendsgiving the group of us decided we wanted to attend the Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert together. So we purchased 11 tickets to have a night of Christmas fun. Before the show we all met at a local restaurant for dinner. Unfortunately, I was busy chatting so I forgot to take a picture of my meal. But I had a delicious Mediterranean style veggie wrap with onion rings. Nick enjoyed a Bacon Cheddar Chipotle Burger. He admitted that it was one of the best burgers he has ever had.
Friday
Nick and I were tired from the weeks events. We ran some errands and just stopped at Subway for a quick meal. I stuck with my old stand by of a 6 inch turkey sub with provolone cheese, lettuce, tomato, cucumbers...and for a little kick, banana peppers. I topped it off with honey mustard dressing. Always a good, lighter meal.
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| Please note the photo bomber. :) |
Saturday
Every so often I spend the evening with my little girlfriend Maeve. This time we went to see Frozen, Disney's latest movie. It was actually very cute. I am partial to Disney movies though. The Little Mermaid, Beauty & the Beast, The Lion King...all classics. Maeve had eaten before we went to the movie...plus we of course had snacks. So for dinner I just made myself some pasta with peas and parmesan cheese. Light and delicious.
Sunday
It seems that for all of the major holidays I have given my mom tickets to a show of some sort for the two of us to enjoy together. For her birthday I let her pick a Christmas show. She chose the Symphony's Miracle of Christmas concert. It was great. It really got me in the holiday spirit. Afterwards we went to the restaurant I used to work at which is right down the road from the theatre. On Sundays they offer a prefixed three course meal. To start I had corn and crab fritters. As my main course, I enjoyed the Chicken Paroma. This used to be on the menu way back when I first started working there but had since been removed. It is a spicy chicken parmesan dish with angel hair pasta. Delicious! I ordered pumpkin pie to go for Nick to enjoy.
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
It's The Holiday Season!
This past week and a half has been a whirlwind of holiday activities. From shopping and wrapping to Christmas parties, it has been non stop. I have been so busy, I have not even had time to sit down and write about all of the activities. So here it goes...
Wednesday the Girls Night crew had our Holiday Dinner. We have made it a tradition to go to this little Italian restaurant in the area. The food is always delicious, the atmosphere is cozy and festive, and the service is always great. We also partake in a little Secret Santa. Just as last year, I gave to the same person who was giving to me. Too funny! I also gave the girls a little hot cocoa kit to enjoy during the cold winter nights. (Thank you Pinterest!)
Friday I hung out with my little girlfriend Maeve. We continued our holiday tradition of creating a gingerbread house. We have been showing off our design skills since 2009. I do have to say though, this year is by far the best yet. We really have expanded our creativity...well Maeve has expanded her creativity and taken over as lead designer. The rest of the night we played checkers and watched the classic Christmas movies: Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer and Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. It was a perfect evening!
Sunday I hosted a Cookie Exchange Party at the house. It's really just an excuse to get together for the holidays and eat a bunch of sweets. We had a wide variety of cookies to share...red velvet truffles, lemon ricotta cookies, peppermint white chocolate covered Oreos, sittin' pretties, Nutella biscotti, and peppermint patty cookies. All very, very delicious! We enjoyed a pomegranate-lime white wine spritzer along with a few other snack foods as well. It was a lovely evening to share with some of my closest girlfriends.
Cara is in town to see her mom for the holiday. So last night, Cara, her husband, Liz, myself, and their mothers enjoyed a lovely dinner, gift exchange, and an intense game of Scrabble. Liz made one of our favorite holiday desserts, Italian Rainbow Cookies. I ate quite a few of those. It's always nice just hanging out with your oldest friend, catching up, and eating good food.
The festivities continue on tonight with a party at Nick's parents, immediately followed by a party at my aunts.
I hope you all have a happy holiday, wherever they take you!
Saturday, December 28, 2013
2013: Year In Review
I feel like we say this every year..."Where did the time go?...Can you believe we're coming into a new year already?" 2013 has come and gone just as quickly as years past. A lot happens over the course of twelve months however I wanted to take a moment to reflect on those events that I found most important.
Watching Quattro grow throughout this past year has been amazing. When we first picked him up in Buffalo, NY just over a year ago, he was a mere 8 pounds. Today, he weighs in at over 80 pounds! We watched him grow as a puppy involving many sleepless nights of potty training. He attended Puppy Training and graduated. He grew through his "awkward teenage stage" with his giant ears and small head. Today, he is a handsome and strong young dog. Though he still has some growing up to do, both physically and mentally, he has become a part of our family. I feel that the first year of his life was the most important and involved the most change. That is why this stands out as one of the top events of our past year.
July 2013 marked one year of owning our house and we finally were able to move in. After months of renovations we were able to call the house our home. It is a wonderful feeling to be able to enjoy a place that we put so much work into. Though there is a lot more to do, as with any house, the transition we've made is incredible.
One of my dear friends, Cara, was married this past October. Over the course of 2013 we celebrated with two bridal showers, a bachelorette party, and a wedding. I was very honored to be a part of this very important moment in Cara and Chris' life. We were able to celebrate their marriage throughout the year with all of the different events which made it that much more special.
In late October, after Cara and Chris' wedding, I met up with Nick and company down in Florida for a little vacation. It was really our only extended vacation this year since we had so much going on with the house. It was a great week of sunshine, relaxation, and good friends.
The twins graduated in May. Michele completed her four years at The College of Holy Cross with a degree in English and Women's Studies. Melissa completed her four years at Villanova University with a degree in Chemistry. I could not be more proud of my younger sisters. The stayed focused on their school work but also made sure to enjoy themselves. They both made lifelong friends and memories along the way as well.
Here's to many more memories to come in 2014!
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
27th Year: The Year of Me
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| Photo found on Pinterest, original source unknown. |
This week I celebrated my 27th birthday. Most people my age always complain about how "they are so old!" I am not one of those people. This statement actually drives me crazy. We are just starting our lives people! This is the time for us to start our careers, our families, and do things we've always wanted to do. Don't age yourself and give up already.
Sticking with that statement, I have decided that my 27th year will be a year all about me. Last year and years in the past I have not focused so much on myself. There have been more important things in life that I have needed to focus my energy and attention on. However, now I can work on myself.
I. Fitness and Health
This past September my company released a program for a small percentage of it's employees. Luckily my sister, who also works for the company, noticed this and we were able to get in as two of these people. The program was titled The Billion Step Challenge. They issuedFitBits to each of the employees who qualified. The purpose of the program was to reach one billion steps as a group in 90 days. This encouraged me to keep track of my activity and health. I wanted to be sure to complete an average of 12,000 steps a day to reach my personal goal of one million steps in those 90 days. I also decided to be more in tune with my meals and calorie intake. I had been using the MyFitnessPal app for quite some time, but I was not as strict as I should be. This program gave me more motivation to do so. Between my increase of activity and creating a more balanced diet for myself I was able to loose over 15 pounds in those 90 days.
Going into this year I want to continue with my new lifestyle. My goal is to continue with my balanced diet and activity. I want to incorporate strength training for toning, as well as, yoga for posture and flexibility. I am the healthiest I have been in a long time and I want to continue onward into my adulthood.
II. Blog
I started this blog just over three months ago. I have enjoyed sharing my thoughts and ideas with all of you. My goal for the next year is to build my network. I want to revamp the website esthetically and continue posting fun and exciting ideas. This project has been a great hobby for me. It has been a way for me to document my life for not only my followers, but also for myself. I find myself from time to time looking back on older posts. It is a fun way to reminisce on things I've done and created.
III. Well-Being
To sort of tie this all together, I want to improve upon my overall well-being. Webster's dictionary defines this as a state of feeling happy, healthy, or prosperous. We have already discussed the health aspects. I will also focus on the things that make me most happy. This can be done by surrounding myself with those who support me, care for me, and most of all, make me laugh! I want to try new foods, participate in new activities, and visit new places. Overall, I want to do those things that are best for me.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
My Week Of Dinners
Even though this was the first full week after all of the holiday madness, it was still decently busy.
Sunday
Sunday was a very lazy day, just as Saturday was. This kind of weekend was needed after the holidays though. I decided to make one of my easy go-to meals for Nick and I...turkey tacos. You really can not go wrong here. For toppings I had shredded cheddar cheese, salsa, sour cream, chopped lettuce, and of course turkey taco meat. I typically pair it with some variation of Mexican rice, but I decided we could just have chips and salsa. Plus, this left room for homemade caramel corn during our movie.
Monday I celebrated my 27th birthday. Nick told me he was going to take me out to dinner but kept the location a secret. We ended up going to The Macaroni Grill which used to be an old favorite of mine back in high school. My friends and I would go there every year on my birthday and I always created my own pasta bowl. It had been quite a few years though since I had been. Nick remembered me telling him this story so he decided it would be nice to go back like old times. This year I enjoyed a Caesar salad and Eggplant Parmesan.
Tuesday
This would have been Girl's Night for me, however I had plans to hang out with my little girlfriend. She had already eaten dinner when I arrived so I made myself a flat bread. They had all of the ingredients to top it with roasted chicken, peppers, and cheddar cheese. It was delicious. The rest of the night was spent playing game after game of Uno Attack!
Wednesday
One of my favorite nights of the month is my Girls Night out with Sabrina, Joyce, and Jamie. Not only is it great company and conversation, but these girls like to eat just as much as I do. We always try a bunch of different things to share. This month we chose Thai cuisine. There is a fairly new restaurant not far from my house. To start we had edamame and "crusty crab" bites, which were very similar to a crab rangoon. Now my main course has a funny story. I had ordered the Mango Chicken, thinking I was going to enjoy a mango chicken curry dish. However, unbeknownst to me, there are two dishes on the menu with similar names. Instead I had the Orange Mango Chicken entree. I felt bad sending it back so I decided to stick with it. Luckily, it was still very delicious. For dessert, I was the FIRST ever in the restaurants three or four month history to enjoy the Banana Roti. I would describe it as being similar to bananas foster. The bananas were wrapped in a pita-like bread and drizzled with a grand mariner caramel sauce. It was paired with coconut ice cream. Everything was delicious!
Thursday
Since Nick wouldn't be home until after 7:00 and I had a soccer game at 8:00, I decided to have my leftovers from my birthday dinner. It was just enough since I had only ate half the first time. It was also just as delicious as the first time.
Friday
I decided to have a little get together with friends for a birthday party. Nick and I had a quick dinner of veggie burgers and fries. I was too preoccupied getting things together before our friends arrived that I forgot to take a picture. I laid out snacks for everyone to enjoy including spinach dip, buffalo chicken dip, and meatballs.
Saturday
The morning was spent making the cutest little cupcakes for my girlfriend's daughter's birthday party (post to come soon). At the party, I enjoyed plenty of snacks and small bites. Since I filled up at the party, I wanted a lighter dinner so I heated up a bowl of Nick's dad's corn chowder. It's always delicious. After Nick came home we enjoyed ice cream sundaes and a movie.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Richie & Cassie's Wedding
Last weekend we celebrated the union between two of our good friends, Richie and Cassie. These two have been together for a number of years. Richie proposed last year over the holidays. Since then, I have helped Cassie with a lot of the little details being sure she had everything taken care of for their big day. The couple had also asked Nick to photograph the wedding. So between the two of us, we were able to get some really beautiful shots. The snowy white back drop was perfect!
Their dog was so cute all day. I took quite a few pictures of him. But I think this one is my favorite.
One of my favorite things about the wedding was the photo booth. This idea has become very popular at big events. It's a great way for your guests to have fun and be silly. Plus, as a bonus, the couple is able to keep a copy of each photo strip as a scrap book. That way they do not miss anything! You can also double it as the wedding favor for guests...something they will actually enjoy!
Congratulations to our friends! I'm so happy we were able to be a part of this special day. I wish them a lifetime of happiness and love.
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Let's Get Fit
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| Image found on Pinterest. Original source unknown. |
As I have previously mentioned in my "Year of Me" post, I have been focusing on becoming more lean and toned. This all started back in September prior to my friends wedding and our Florida vacation. I had a goal of losing 8 pounds in 4 weeks. This turned out to be a lot easier than I thought! Mostly because the first week I lost about 7 pounds of water weight; though it gave me motivation to continue. I cut back on my excessive snacking, cut out the 3-4 Lindt truffles I was eating a day (insert face of shame here), and was just more conscious about what I was eating. I took advantage of the myfitnesspal app on my phone to keep track of what I was eating each day. You are also able to add in your exercise to calculate your allotted net calorie intake. I'll admit this was tough, especially during the holiday season. I did allow myself a cookie here and there, but overall I feel I created a normal routine for myself. To date I have lost 17 pounds and dropped a full pant size! I never thought I would see this early high school weight again. I was able to conquer each milestone by making an overall "lifestyle change." People laugh at me when I say this, but I swear it works! Changing your overall lifestyle and way of eating has better long term results than crash dieting. There are loads of articles, books, and websites out there that can help each and every person get started. You just have to do it, jump right in!
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| Example of a Barre Boot Camp exercise. Image found on Pinterest. Original source shown. |
I am really happy with the results I have seen so far. I have set new goals for myself to give me something to work towards. Bathing suit season is just around the corner and I'll be ready! After all, summer bodies are made in the winter!
Monday, March 3, 2014
My Week of Dinners
Another busy week behind me. I enjoyed a few dinners out, some home cooked meals, and some delicious treats as well.
Sunday
Thursday
Friday
Nick and I just celebrated our three year dating anniversary. We decided to take a little weekend getaway as a gift to each other. We toyed around with different locations but settled on New York City. Neither of us had ever spent the night in the Big Apple so we figured this would be a great opportunity. I came across the Grand Hyatt hotel which is located right next to Grand Central Station. This was perfect since we would be taking the train right into Grand Central. The Grand Hyatt ended up being the perfect location for all of our planned destinations.
After settling into the hotel, we decided to go for a little walk around. Like any other city we venture to, Nick wanted to check out the Apple Store. New York's store is pretty impressive looking for those who have not seen it. It is essentially a giant glass cube with the store underground. The place was packed! We just scooted around the store for a few minutes but headed out fairly quickly before Nick got the impulse to purchase something. Central Park is right across the street from the store so we headed over there for a little stroll.
For dinner, I had made a reservation at Mario Batali's restaurant Lupa. It's a cute little Italian restaurant. Nick enjoyed the Bavette Cacio y Pepe and I had the Ricotta Gnocchi with Sausage and Fennel. Both of our dishes were delicious.
Max Brenner's was a must for our dessert stop. I love chocolate. Dark, semi sweet, milk...any kind, I love it. So this was a no brainer. Luckily since we were only a party of two we were seated right away despite both floors being completely packed. Nick ordered the salted caramel milkshake. I, of course, ordered the chocolate pizza topped with bananas and peanut butter. And yes, I ate the entire thing. Please do not judge.
Sunday morning we ended up enjoying breakfast at Pershings Square which was not even a block from our hotel. Nick had the belgian waffle with fresh strawberries. I had blueberry pancakes and fresh squeezed orange juice. We both agreed that nothing can compare to fresh squeezed orange juice.
After breakfast we ventured to Nick's favorite spot in the city, B&H Photo. It is known to be one of the biggest photography stores in the world. And let me tell you, by the number of people that were browsing, you could tell it's quite popular. We tested out a few lenses, you know, just to tease Nick a bit. Then, oddly enough, I ended up purchasing my very own DSLR body. In the past, I had always used Nick's since he has two of his own. However lately I had been toying around with the idea of getting my own. They sucked me in and I purchased a preowned 30D for a great price.
To end our weekend, we had a quick lunch at Giuseppe's pizza before heading back to Grand Central. We had a wonderful weekend getaway with lots of delicious food, sight seeing, and QT.
Sunday
I believe I have mentioned before how my mom and I like to see various shows and enjoy a nice dinner out together. Typically I have bought tickets to some show for a gift. This time though my mom bought them just for fun. We saw Sister Act the musical. It was very good! Entertaining, funny, and all of the actors had great voices. After the show we decided to try an Irish pub near the theatre to get ourselves into the St. Patrick's Day spirit! I enjoyed a pastrami-corned beef sandwich. It was very similar to a Reuben, though it had pastrami and Cole slaw. Tasty!
I decided to make a crock pot meal since Nick had to work Monday night and I had to go out of town for a work meeting. Turkey Chili is one if my favorite crock pot meals. Enjoy a nice hot bowl with a buttery piece of corn bread (or 3) and you're good to go! Find the recipehere.
Tuesday
I arrived home from the business trip just after Nick left for work. So for dinner I enjoyed leftovers: a stuffed pork chop, carrots, and of course apple sauce. After that, Quattro and I snuggled on the couch and enjoyed a few of our recorded TV shows.
Wednesday
This marked my monthly dinner date with Joyce, Jamie, and Sabrina. This date was extra special as we were celebrating Jamie's birthday! We let her decide on the restaurant and she chose a Japanese location half way between all of us. We had been here before for hibachi but this time we sat at a table for sushi and cocktails.
I feel that every time I plan on this post I end up hanging out with my little girlfriend Maeve. She and I spent the night playing old boardgames and watching The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle movie. Maeve had eaten before I arrived so I had a small meal of leftover chicken curry and rice.
I had asked a few of my friends to meet out for drinks and snacks Friday evening. Since it was so last minute, only a few could make it. The bar was packed so we decided to grab a table and ended up having a lovely impromptu meal. I enjoyed these amazing risotto fritters and a flat bread with mozzarella, shaved Brussels sprouts and pancetta. For dessert I had a beautifully displayed "Snickers" martini.
Saturday
I worked a full days shift at the bar on Saturday. I ended up having a late lunch that was pretty filling. Sabrina came down to visit for a few hours and brought us each our own pints of ice cream. Yes, I had half a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream for dinner. And it was delicious.
Monday, March 24, 2014
A New York City Getaway
Max Brenner's was a must for our dessert stop. I love chocolate. Dark, semi sweet, milk...any kind, I love it. So this was a no brainer. Luckily since we were only a party of two we were seated right away despite both floors being completely packed. Nick ordered the salted caramel milkshake. I, of course, ordered the chocolate pizza topped with bananas and peanut butter. And yes, I ate the entire thing. Please do not judge.
We headed to Time Square later that evening. The place was buzzing with people. There were loads of characters walking around taking photos with tourists. We stopped in the M&M store because again, I love chocolate.
Sunday, June 15, 2014
Happy Father's Day
Since my parents purchased their camp up in the Adirondack's, there have been very few weekends Dad has not spent up there relaxing. He loves the peacefulness and fresh air the Adirondack's are known for. With that being said, we could not think of a better way to spend Father's Day than up North with the family.
We started with a game of golf at a small course about twenty minutes from camp. Though I personally ended with one of the worst rounds since my first swing, we still have a good time.
After golfing we headed back to camp where Mom had prepared a delicious lunch. It started with enough steamers to feed a small village. We also enjoyed a strawberry and romaine salad, grilled chicken, corn on the cob, and deviled eggs. She also had strawberry shortcake for dessert but as you can imagine, I was quite stuffed. We took a stroll down to the lake to walk off the above mentioned meal and then I was back on the road.
Of course Buddy was there to keep us all company and to celebrate Father's Day with his best friend.
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