Maybe it’s gorgeous weather we seem to be having (on every day except the weekend), or maybe it’s the ever-thicker layer of pollen on my car every morning, but it’s DEFINITELY springtime here in the Triangle! Who knows, maybe soon I’ll be bringing back No-Pants Wednesday soon! But, in the meantime, I figured I’d mention a few of my favorite (and not so favorite) parts of spring.
Grilling weather, baby!
The Good: Ahhhh grilling season. Though my apartment complex doesn’t allow grills on our property, they have a few by the pool. And let’s face it: food on the grill tastes MUCH better than anything coming from my George Foreman.
STFU
The Bad: Hey, morning glory…. Shut up. I’m trying to sleep. Or cook. Or watch TV. Or read. And there you are, outside my window, yammering away like you’ve got something important to say. Unless you’re giving me tips on filling out a March Madness bracket, I don’t care.
So fresh and so green
The Good: Salad time! Salads, I think, are just meant for warm weather. And, come spring time, I just wanna throw away my “comfort foods” and chow down on piles of fresh veggies, black beans, salsa, and greens! MMmmm.
DIE, DEVIL SPAWN!
The Bad: Just like their birdy friends, the bugs decide it’s time to play. I saw this little monster-sized spider outside of my office this morning. My hand’s there for perspective, but I didn’t wanna get too close to it. Attacks and all.
Color me excited!
The GREAT: Colorful outfits!! I know that some people rock out their colors all year-round, but I tend to don the darks during the winter months. NO MORE!! Bring it on, sundresses. I’m ready for you.
My old nemesis
The Bad: Then again, with the sundresses inevitably comes the massive amounts of shaving that need to be dealt with on a more regular basis. When the gams come out, so do the razors.
A small price to pay, right?
Sweet treat
THE BEST! Free Rita’s Italian Water Ice. Because if you grew up in Delaware or the Philly area (or both!) you know that the first day of spring means ONE THING: A Free Regular Water Ice from Rita’s! Luckily, few folks in NC know about this delight yet, so I didn’t have to battle high school gangs for my cup of tasty.
And if you call it Italian ice in front of me, try not to be too offended by my exaggerated eye roll.
Ah, the morning after St. Patrick’s Day. The birds are chirping (which I can’t stand), the green food coloring is starting to fade off my hands, and the desire to make something productive out of my day is doing battle with the wish to never leave this couch. It’s been a busy week with a quick trip home to Pennsylvania and little to no time to blog. But now, on a foggy Sunday, there’s no better time to whip up a Six Pack Sunday post!
1. BYOB(lue)
Blarney Beer
Fun tip I learned last year. If you wanna drink green beer on St. Patty’s Day, but don’t wanna chug the swill that most bars are shelling out with green in them, bring your own blue food coloring. A drop or two in a golden ale or lager, and VOILA you’ve got a beautiful green brew without having to force down warmish Natty Light that’s neon green. A tasty Harp Lager in Raleigh’s Moore Square was just what I needed on the sunniest St. Patty’s Day in recent history!
2. Might as well fact it, you’re addicted to Judd
Nice guns, Ashley
Is anyone else watching Missing? I have only just started, but I already know I’m a fan. With my luck, this probably means the show will be canceled in less than a season, but fingers crossed other folks get in on this trend. I sense it’s a similar idea as the film, Taken, which is pretty much my favorite action film of all time. And it has ASHLEY FRIGGIN JUDD as the lead! Ever since watching Double Jeopardy with my mom as a little one, she’s been a favorite leading lady, but I haven’t seen her in anything too exciting since High Crimes. I think this type of role (ex-CIA, serious badass mother trying to find her son who was lost or taken in Rome!) is meant for her. Knock on wood that my notorious bad luck with new shows won’t rub off on this one.
3. Help a Sister Out?
Contest is over BUT thanks to y’all who voted!
If you’re reading this post, chances are you’re on Facebook sometimes, too. If you could take a quick second to “like” this picture of tasty beer ingredients from my visit to Big Boss with NC Girls’ Pint Out, I could win VIP tix to World Beer Festival! I know there’s not really much in it for you BUT I’d really appreciate it.
Here’s a hilarious picture/caption of Tyler Zeller, instead!
What a catch.
4. Brunch and Beers!
Better than Christmas?
This is most of the tastiness that we had for our St. Patrick’s Day morning party at my friend, Andrew’s house. Since I’m still going strong on the Pescatarian Lent, I brought a French toast casserole to deal with not enjoying the tasty Chick-fil-A biscuits. I also whipped up some pistachio cupcakes inspired by the most delicious one I enjoyed from Glen Mills’ new Whole Foods!
I wish all brunches came with Guinness.
5. Seafood at a Steakhouse
I promised myself that I’d never be “that person” that goes to a steakhouse and doesn’t order the steak. But when your mom mentions that all she wants for her special birthday dinner is Alaskan King Crab, you make it happen, no matter where you’ve gotta go.
Luckily, we found them at Sullivan’s Steakhouse in Wilmington, DE. Mom got her Alaskan King Crab and I was in for a treat of my own.
Seafood Heaven
My dinner was total perfection.
Pan-seared mahi mahi over sauteed spinach with “crab-stuffed shrimp” (which basically translated to butterflied shrimp surrounded by tender crab meat. I couldn’t even finish it (though I only left one crab-stuffed shrimp) but it definitely gave me faith in steakhouse seafood. I’m a believer.
6. Celebratory Sushi
Get inside of me.
After an early flight on Thursday morning, following a fantastic (albeit brief) visit home, the last thing I wanted was to go home and cook for lunch. But it was my coworkers last day in the office, and I also had to celebrate a little bit. We got sushi at Shiki in Durham and it was fantastic! Scallops, tuna, avocado, I totally splurged and got some special rolls I’d never tried before.
What was I celebrating?
I got into grad school!!
I applied to four programs and, though I’m still waiting to hear back from three, I was accepted into one of my top choices!! I’ll definitely be moving back to Pennsylvania sometime this summer because next year, though I don’t know where yet, I’ll be a student again!!
I can’t wait for this next step in my life, and to move back to the North. There’s a lot left to do in NC before I go (Triangle Bucket List, anyone?) but it’s a great feeling, like a weight off my shoulders, knowing there’s at least one program that wants me as much as I want them!!
I may actually go and celebrate a little more with a trip to the mall/bookstore.
Again, I’d deeply appreciate any “likes” on my Facebook photo!
Did you make any tasty green treats for the holiday?
You know when you live in a small town and when new things come to town (3D films! PF Changs! New iPads!) everyone loses their shit and invades and it’s a mob scene?
Well, I experienced it firsthand yesterday, in Glen Mills, PA (my hometown!) And it was EXCELLENT!
Even the SOAP was welcoming!
As of Wednesday, March 14 at 10 a.m., the doors of Whole Foods opened to the residents of Glen Mills, and the residents responded accordingly. That is “en masse”. I decided to dress to impress for the special occasion.
Oh, you fancy, huh?
Well… actually, I was dressed for an all-day interview but, once that was over, I rushed home to invade Whole Foods. And, while the aisles are lined with amazing and tasty foods, and the fresh pasta station is BALLER, let’s be honest. I only had eyes for one spot:
Brrrr....
I like my beer-rooms like I like my closets: temperature regulated and walk-in.
In case you don’t know Pennsylvania alcohol laws (What?! You don’t?!) most “beer stores” sell beers by the case. And you can buy some six-packs at bars, or “licensed retailers”. But basically, finding beers for sale in numbers less than 24 isn’t always easy.
Enter: Whole Foods.
I believe they’ve gotten around the laws by having the “Brew and Brau” pub inside of the market. This little pub could be my new hangout (at least until 9pm, when it closes for the night). Serving up local coffee, beer, wine, and selling pub food to nibble, this little niche in the store is the JAM! Just imagine, doing half your shopping, then needing a beer. I wonder if you could park your cart for a pint-break.
Samples and Pimento cheese?! who could say no?
I spoke for a little to Rick from Yards Brewing Company and Jack from Prism Brewing Company about how excited I am to have a spot near my family home to buy and drink good, local beer (while trying samples of their tasty brews). In fact, I’ll admit, being as spoiled as I am in North Carolina, living near dozens of local breweries and being able to drink exclusively local drinks (though I don’t), I wasn’t expecting there to be as active of a brewing scene as I learned there is in Pennsylvania!! I can’t wait to try more beers nearby.
I took my mom out for her birthday, and decided we needed to try it out. I enjoyed a Ginger Mango IPA from Boxcar Brewing Company and nabbed mommy some blush vino.
Note the tasty nibbling bar snacks in the background.
The whole scene was very surreal. Seeing shoppers outside, enjoying drinks inside, having the opportunity to grab a six-pack if we wanted (we couldn’t, I was headed out in the morning). But the beer was tasty (and fresh), the wine was apparently delicious, and the company (my mommy) was the best.
For dessert, I figured I should enjoy something from WF, to celebrate the opening (excuses, excuses).
While I was DEEPLY tempted by their beautiful, pristine white coconut cake, I went a different route, inspired by my recent enjoyment of LocoPops pistachio ice cream.
Pistachio Vanilla Cupcake, don't mind if I do.
I think I want pistachios in all of my desserts from now on, forever.
To sum it up: Glen Mills welcomed Whole Foods with open arms. And open tummies. And open livers. And I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
NC Whole Foods: Take note. GET A BAR INSIDE OF YOU, STAT!
At least I can still buy beer in gas stations…
What’s your favorite local/secret spot that you’d never think to get a drink?
I’ll be spreading this (not-so) secret all over the place.
Ok, I’m sorry, I kind of hate myself for the title of this post. But, more importantly, I think it’s hilarious, especially when the word “dooty” is used in any type of writing, so hopefully you’ll bear with me and stick it out to enjoy the REST of this week’s Six Pack Sunday!
1. Ask and You Shall Receive
Oh goodness, I can’t thank the Twitter world enough!! On Friday, I was a little bit at a loss. I knew that I wanted to bring treats to my little sister’s volleyball tournament this weekend but a) I’m not a baker and b) I was low on time. After rocking out an awesome Zumba class with Sierra, the queen of Triangle blogger workouts (check out the link for an adorable picture of our height difference), it was already 7:30 and I had to make dinner AND whip up some good stuff. I asked the internet, and y’all DELIVERED!
I'll snicker YOUR doodle!
Kelli suggested the Snickerdoodle Blondies from My Baking Addiction, which were UNBELIEVABLE! They were so delicious, I had no idea what to do with myself other than wrap them up to bring the goodies to the girls before I ate them all myself. The other hit (which admittedly looked like poop, so I didn’t photograph them) was courtesy of Kaitlin’s recipe for No Bake Cookies. Peanut butter, chocolate, oats? Impossible to go wrong, especially when cooking for teenage girls!
The only change I made with BOTH recipes was replacing the vanilla extract with almond extract. That’s my personal touch to MOST recipes, primarily because I like the taste and, if I don’t wanna eat my own creations, who would?
Every single crumb was eaten (I definitely helped with that) and the girls and parents alike were enamored with my creations! THANK YOU to everyone that suggested recipes, I was so stoked with the results!
2. Not Now, Wool E.!
That's BULL!
Wool E. Bull, the Durham minor league baseball team’s mascot, made a visit to the Raleigh Convention Center to watch some volleyball. Don’t let the smiling girls fool you, they were SO annoyed as he was trying to give high fives in the middle of the GAME! There’s a time and place for everything (and every bull). This was neither the time, NOR the place. Sorry, Mr. Bull.
3. Dress to Impress
Always fierce, always winning spring fling queen
One of the terms used most frequently to find my blog is “What to wear to pure barre” which all stems from my Pure Barre Breakdown post Here’s my advice: wear something cute, but make sure it’s comfortable! At the studio I go to (occasionally, not regularly, as I’m not loaded enough to afford the classes in addition to my gym membership), there are mirrors all over. So I definitely do my best to try and look put together. In my opinion, when you look good, you feel good, or at least you don’t think about it. I was rocking my new Lululemon shirt (which I got on sale when I picked up my FAVORITE LEGGINGS EVER that actually gave me the courage to post my first tummy picture on the blog) and one of my favorite pairs of leggings from Nike. I hate to say that clothes make the (wo)man, but it was definitely my favorite Pure Barre class ever. I’m not saying it was JUST because of the outfit… but it didn’t hurt.
4. Heavy Dooty
Maybe I’m watching too much TV lately, or maybe just too many kids’ channels (I love cartoons), but I’ve been seeing THIS commercial on a lot, lately.
At first I didn’t pay any attention to this commercial, but then I paid some. And I was like “Wait. WHAT?”
Are these kids pooping in their diapers, and then being judged on it?
What?
Poop, there it is, indeed.
5. Meat Free Meal at The Pit
The one bummer of the weekend was a trip to The (legendary) Pit in Raleigh…. Not because it wasn’t tasty (it was TOO TASTY) but because, as per my Lenten sacrifice, I’m not eating any of their specialties right now. No NC BBQ, no pulled pork, no beef brisket, no pimento BLTs… But I made it work.
This appetizer could be breakfast, dessert, and dinner for the rest of my life.
Up first? Pumpkin skillet cornbread served with maple butter. I split this with my dad and sister, but could’ve easily devoured the entire skillet (even if the skillet was full sized). Warm and crumbly, every bite was balanced with the right amount of spice and savory cornbread flavor. The maple butter was (literally) the icing on the cake. Divine.
Fried EVERYTHING!
Since I wasn’t eating meat, as I enviously eyed my sister’s pulled pork, I ordered myself a fried catfish platter. Healthy? No. Delicious: A-YUP!
Fried catfish with remoulade sauce (which was described as spicy, but wasn’t actually very spicy at all) and sides of hush puppies, a biscuit, sweet potato fries, AND fried okra.
Fried food OVERLOAD! I saved half of the catfish and the biscuit for later, but pretty much demolished the rest of the plate. The sweet potato fries were crispy and even better dipped in some ketchup and/or remoulade. The fried okra, a rare indulgence, wasn’t slimy at all, and the seasoning was light but still salty and savory. I didn’t even need dinner that night (except for the blondies).
6. Cocoa Mole: The Horchata of Beer
Worst beer shot ever? Sorry. Focusing on the drinking.
I had the pleasure… Nay, the JOY of trying New Belgium’s Cocoa Mole spiced ale on Thursday. My Untappd description? “Amazing. This is so delicious I don’t know how to deal with life.”
This beer was spiced, it was rich, and it was delicious. Described by the brewery:
Say Hola to a spiced up ale full of cocoa and ancho, guajillo, chipotle peppers. But don’t fear the heat, because plenty of caramel and chocolate malts bring a smooth, complex flavor to our Cocoa Molé. Scents of cinnamon when poured will have you saying, “¡Olé for molé!”
I felt like if Horchata (cinnamon rice milk) had a beer cousin, Cocoa Mole would be him. I want to bathe in this beer (or maybe just keep drinking it. Bathing in it could get gross, fast.) Cinnamon, chiles, good carbonation, and not so heavy that you felt like you could chew it, this is the kind of dark, complex beer that I love to find. It had that mouthfeel that made you want to keep drinking it, and I couldn’t stop smelling my glass. Served at Rockfish out of a gorgeous New Belgium goblet, I couldn’t have asked for a more enjoyable Thursday night beer choice as we planned our St. Patrick’s Day agenda.
The past week was fantastic, and the upcoming one is going to be incredibly busy, exciting, and intense. Mid-week trip back to PHL, St. Patrick’s day on Saturday (YES! WEEKEND GROWNUP HOLIDAY!) I’m tired just thinking about it… But I’m definitely NOT complaining.
Anything exciting for your upcoming week?
What’s the craziest fried food you’ve ever had? Or at least the tastiest?
Lentils are dirty. If you’re going to use them, rinse the heck outta them. And then, if you’re me, after you cook them, rinse them again. Gross.
Despite wolfing down many during camp lunches, I don’t really remember what Sloppy Joe’s taste like.
I know that Sloppy Sams taste great.
Unlike the whole Soy Chorizo situation, I didn’t seek out this recipe to replace some sort of meat that was missing in my life. I just saw a recipe online, and figured “I have good memories of Sloppy Joes, right? Lots of camp memories, lots of laughter at the old lady in Billy Madison, let’s do this thing.”
Alas, I didn’t don a sexy lunchlady outfit for y’all. But I found a great recipe! Then I changed it to fit my needs.
2 cups chopped tomato One can fire roasted tomatoes, and a handful of fresh tomato
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 cup ketchup a liberal squirting of ketchup, but I didn’t measure it out
1 teaspoon mustard powder RATS I didn’t have any, I wish I did
1 tablespoon chili powder (then more because I’m a spice monger)
3 tablespoons molassesTomatoes are already sweet, why add more sweetness?
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
salt and ground black pepper to taste
4 hamburger buns, splitWhatever bread you have!
Cheese and jalapenos for topping!
Makes about six servings!
Directions
Combine water and lentils in a saucepan; season to taste with salt if desired. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, cook onions with the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until the onions have softened and turned translucent, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes (and can of tomatoes) and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, ketchup, mustard powder, chili powder, molasses and Worcestershire sauce; simmer 5 to10 minutes until thickened.
Drain lentils and reserve cooking liquid. Stir lentils into sauce mixture, adding cooking liquid or water as needed to obtain the desired “sloppy joe” consistency. Serve on buns toasted wheat breadwith a sprinkle of cheese and some jalapenos!
I enjoyed the HECK out of this!
De-LIGHTFUL!
I also sprinkled a bit of cheese on top and, next time I’ve got em, I’ll add some jalapenos (pickled or fresh) on top for a little heat.
I will say, though, this recipe makes enough for about 6 servings. Now I have a Simba-sized tub of leftovers.
How about THIS?!
Consider me Rafiki!
That ought to tide me over (had to check on that phrase, I never know if it’s Tie or Tide) for a while.
Dessert was what I like to call The Friend Killer.
DESTROYER OF LIVES!
It may look like just a banana with some peanut butter to YOU but, to me, this is basically a weapon. In college, two of my the people I was closest with (and one that I continue to be close with, since he’s my boyfriend and all) were deathly allergic to these two ingredients (one to bananas, one to nuts). If I’d eaten this around them, they’d basically both go into anaphylactic shock and die.
Well, when the friends are away, the Jordan will play…. with her food. I may or may not have “Pew Pewed” holding this banana like a gun a few times, before eating it. Normal.
(No friends [or enemies] were hurt during the writing of this blog).
Back to work!
Are you allergic to anything? Especially food?
When I was younger, I was allergic to eggs…. but clearly that’s faded. Nothing else, other than that. I guess I’ll just have to keep eating random foods until I find something.
We’re all lucky that my keyboard allows my wrists to rest on it because, after today’s workout, my arms weren’t feeling up to much action. In fact, I think my brain was also a little wonky post-workout… Hence my ridiculous tweet upon my return to the house.
I promise, that made sense in my head. Translation: Sore arms are about to become jelly. Then, I’ll just have to be a jellyfish.
Right?
I don’t know.
The point is, it was a SOLID day at the gym! I was having major workout ADD, and couldn’t decide what I wanted to do. Solution? DO IT ALL!
A Hodge Podge of working it!
I hit up the group fitness room at the gym for a 5pm CX Worx class. CX Worx is a “revolutionary core workout” by Les Mills that is choreographed to some cool jams and lasts about 25-30 minutes. I’ll do a more serious post about this one day, but, to sum it up, it tears your core a new one.
At 5:30, the always-crowded Body Combat class was scheduled. I fended off the dozens of newcomers in the room to secure myself a spot and, as always, after only a few minutes, I was drenched in sweat. It’s such a killer cardio workout but, I’ll be honest, sometimes I get a little bored just punching and kicking for a full hour. Time to switch it up!
CIRCUIT TRAINING! The last 30 minutes of my 1.5 hour workout were spent with a new trainer, Jessica, doing circuit training with medicine balls, steps, mats, and ViPR tubes!
ViPR Tubes, racks on racks! (click image for source)
These hollow tubes of various weights and sizes do some SERIOUS damages on your shoulders as you’re flinging them around, lifting them, throwing them, rolling them, or jumping around them. Though I’ve only just tried ViPR training for the first time, I know that this is definitely a hardcore workout and, if there are any other free classes offering them (they’re normally $15 a session), I’ll definitely sign up.
With all the punching, planking, ViPR-ing, and pushups, my body was furious with me. I decided to suck up to it with a special meatless treat.
Taco Pizza with Soy Chorizo!
(Hilarious bonus: Russ realized that the name of the product, Soy Chorizo, translates to “I am sausage.” His response?
No, you’re beans, not delectably ground up little piggies.
Bahaha.)
All the good stuff
With a base of (what else?) Trader Joe’s whole wheat pizza crust, I layered on lots of salsa as the “sauce” and decided it was time to try this Soy-rizo out. After reading the directions (which explicitly state to REMOVE the casing before cooking it) I removed the heck out of that casing. The faux-meat bits crumbled out of the plastic(?) casing and into my frying pan. It smelled so good as it was cooking and I knew I was in for a treat (despite my initial fears that soy-whatever would be lame and nasty).
I also fried up some red onion, sauteed some spinach, and added some avocado bits (which should be a topping on anything/everything) and a lowfat mexican cheese blend. Pre-heated?
Don't worry cheese, I'll melt you soon.
And then, about 14-18 minutes later (I just kept checking for a golden, crisp crust), I pulled out a molten pie of cheese and fake meat.
You're so money, and you don't even know it.
This “meat” MADE the pizza! It had a great amount of spice, the texture wasn’t off-putting at all, and while I didn’t bite into it and think MEAT I did bite into it and think “Man, I wanna take another bite.”
Soy chorizo, I wanna put you inside of all my dishes. Salad, maybe an omelet, enchiladas? Why not? And, for $1.99 a tube, that’s a bargain if I’ve ever seen one (and I have. They’re all I seek out.)
Have you ever tried a vegetarian/vegan replacement for something and found yourself pleasantly surprised?
I love this and I’m a huge fan of the Morningstar Hot & Spicy breakfast “sausage”. Mmm.
Sundays always taste much better after order has been restored. I’m speaking, of course, about the infamous UNC-Duke rivalry and the amazing game I was lucky enough to watch last night. Order in my apartment… still working on that (it doesn’t NOT look like a clothing explosion in my living room). Whatever, I’ve got more important things to focus on. Namely: Six Pack Sunday!
1. Shameless Around Freebies
On Saturday, thanks to the reminder from Goob over at Hey It’s Free (my go-to source for freebies in the world), I strolled over to Auntie Anne’s to join about 35 of my closest friends total strangers in a line for a free Auntie Anne’s pretzel. I have ZERO problems waiting in lines for things like this… Sure, they’re normally less than $3 and definitely something I’d buy for myself if I wanted. But you know what tastes better than a $3 pretzel?
I agree with this wrapping.
A $0 pretzel. I simultaneously wish that free pretzel day was every day, and thank my lucky stars that it is but once a year (I think.)
You better believe a delicious, warm cinnamon pretzel was my carbtastic lunch. Mmmm hm.
2. Seafood Risotto Should NOT Be Cooked in a Bag
You gave it the ol' college try...
While I was at Whole Foods last week, I picked up a package of Seafood Risotto with BARRAMUNDI (the sustainable seabass). From the folks at Australis: The Better Fish, it was a classic case of desperation for a tasty, simple meal I could whip up at home in no time.
It was…. disappointing. The smell as it was cooking was pretty solid, but the texture was mushy and lumpy, and this whole pack was a little low on actual seafood inside of it. Thumbs down from Jojo, won’t make that mistake again.
Anyone wanna make some risotto with me?
3. Fan Fashion!
You know what’s great about dressing up for watching a sporting event?
This photo won me a covershoot for Italian Vogue and an exclusive contract with ING Modeling
When you’re a lady, all this really translates to is “Don oversized jersey. Yank up leggings. WORK IT!”
I was obviously channeling #35 Reggie Bullock whilst cheering my face off at the game. I think it was important, and I hope he felt my dominating presence in Durham all the way from Carrboro.
4. Splenda =/= Sugar
Post-win, I avoided the standard “Rush Franklin Street” that I normally enjoy in order to end the night sober and un-singed (UNC fans are fond of the traditional “leaping over bonfires” after a big win. It can get dangerous). I headed over to Melissa’s house as it was early, still, and figured I’d help her whip up some chocolate meringue cookies she learned about in Runner’s World. Only I’m pretty sure replacing the sugar with Splenda was a bad decision, because these don’t look like ANY meringue cookies I’ve ever seen…
Rats.
Not sure how thick those are? Here’s a better shot.
Oops
Yeah. Paper thin, brown disks doth not a cookie make. Back to the drawing board…
5. When I say Tar, you say HEELS!
Killer Crowd!
I’d love to say that I met up with a bunch of buddies to watch the game but, honestly, I just showed up at a bar and knew that I’d meet a zillion UNC fans, and it’d be a guaranteed blast, no matter what. I was right.
I hit up The Station, a hipster haunt in Carrboro that I spent my undergraduate career avoiding in favor of dancing to 90s music. But, on gameday, with a giant projector and men rocking Luchadora masks and jumping on tables to shout cheers, I couldn’t have chosen a better location. And even though I only knew one of the zillions that made up the crowd, by the end, I felt like everyone was bonded together by our uniform of Carolina Blue and our love of those Tar Heel boys. It was magical. Made even more magical by halftime gummy bears…
Gummy Fuel!
Oh, you don’t know about gummy bear halftime? It’s only the most magical of all edible halftime shows.
6. Swimmer’s Eyebrow
Today, after a little over a mile run(!!) I knew I had to get in the pool for a little while to ease those aching bones. Though my years of swimming as a youth taught me a LOT about swimmer’s ear (one of the WORST infections to plague any swimmers… if you’ve experienced it, you know it’s hell), I experienced something today that I don’t think I ever realized also plagued swimmers.
TRAPPED!
Yes, swimmer’s eyebrow. It happens when one or both of your eyebrows becomes trapped in your swim cap, despite having donned it countless times before…. I eventually managed to release the brows from their pink prison, but I know they’ll never fully recover.
I’ve been feeling like a queen, lately. It could be the amount of time that I spend in a robe bathrobe or the fact that I set up all my ugly dolls in a row to watch me as I prance about in one of my four tiaras, but it’s probably the delicious foods that I’ve been preparing and then gobbling up in a very un-royal fashion. For lunch today, I enjoyed the finest Indian food that Trader Joe’s had to offer.
My fancy office plate really ties the meal together
Channa Masala and Biryani Curried Rice from Trader Joe’s, random leftover piece of flatbread fromm Target, and a bed of baby spinach. Tonight, I recreated a smaller version of the Baked Coconut Shrimp that I mentioned in last week’s Six Pack Sunday and a side of roasted peppers and asparagus.
I already fear peeing later.
Another thing making me feel like royalty? Well, they’re no glass slippers but…
Zig tech, baby!
My new kicks came in the mail! I actually currently rock another pair of Zigs that Ryan gave me last year for Christmas, and love them. When I saw them on RueLaLa on sale, I couldn’t resist. I haven’t decided to start using them regularly yet, but I’m just excited to prance about in them. They feel a little heavier than my current sneakers, but also more secure, so it seems like the shoe fits!
Also in the mail? My Lollihop box! Lollihop is was a monthly box you pay a nominal fee for and, like a Birchbox you can eat, it’s filled with deluxe samples of healthy snacks! Apparently this month was the last one that they’re going to send out, so you can’t get in on this action… but I figured I’d share my snack haul (none of which I’ve actually tried yet, so I can’t give any deets).
Boxed and ready for consumption.
This adorable box packed with snacks included the following:
While I may not have wanted to buy full sizes of all these products, I can’t wait to make my way (my edible way) through the products I get to try! I’ll share any of the hits/misses.
What’s a product that you’d love to try, but you’re nervous to spend money on a full-sized package?
I was actually hesitant to try goat cheese and it wasn’t until I got a coupon for a free sample that I realized how tasty it was. Now I actually spend my money on it!
Have you ever tried a savory nutrition bar like the Journey Pizza Marinara bars?
Here we are again, Oscar Sunday’s rolling on the TV and I am wearing sweatpants by Schoolhouse and a crew neck sweatshirt that’s about 4 sizes too large for me. I was going to wear my white cape, but Gwyneth was borrowing it this weekend. Oh well.
You know what I did today? I spent 4+ hours in Barnes & Noble reading The Girl Who Played With Fire and playing on my Nook. Ah, to be young and lazy. As the first available seat was near the children’s section, I nabbed it as fast as I could. There’s a lot going on in that kids section, but this was definitely the craziest spotting:
What in the world is in that BAG?!
If you look closely, you might be able to tell…. that is a snack bag filled with bacon.
Is this what the new moms are carrying around now instead of Cheerios and fruit roll ups?
Noted.
2. Baked Coconut Shrimp
Joy in a dish
Jess from How Sweet Eats always has the best recipes. Her recipe for Coconut Baked Shrimp was no exception. We didn’t have time for the salsa, but we whipped up a side of garlicky kale, it was meant to be. Make it. Eat it. Be happy. That’s all.
3. Mustachio Bash(io)
Cute, yes?
This Tuesday, I learned that drinking beer would be a LOT tougher with a mustache. I don’t know how all those beardy brewers do it.
I’ve been seeing these commercials all over the place. And the end phrase is what gets to me. “Kids LOVE Cuties, ‘cuz Cuties are made for kids.” Wait. I thought they were a fruit. They’re MADE for kids? Does anyone else imagine these mad scientists genetically engineering fruits to convince more kids to eat them?
I mean… I guess whatever it takes, but still. [EDIT: I looked up some info on these Cuties, and it seems legit and not some lab-made fruit… but I’ll still be cautiously suspicious for a little while.]
5. A Tender Farewell
Goodbye, my lover... goodbye, my friend.
Yes, the coconut shrimp are great. But on Tuesday (the fattest Tuesday), I celebrated my last meat-eating day pre-Lent with a roast beef sammy at lunch and an unbelievably tasty dish at Tyler’s Taproom.
As described by Tyler’s:
Drunken Pork Belly: Fresh pork belly braised in beer, crisped to perfection then topped with house-made bourbon BBQ sauce, coleslaw, and pickles
Wow! This was outstanding! The pork belly was so tender (hence the tender farewell. HA GET IT?!) and I even enjoyed the pickles and slaw. I basically licked the plate clean.
As for the pescatarian update, I’ve found that, for the most part, it’s not too tough. But when there are free samples around, or after a few drinks, the temptation goes up. I don’t THINK I’ve slipped yet, though there was one freebie that I wasn’t sure of after I’d tried it. I didn’t go back and check, but it’s a work in progress. I just have to keep reminding myself, and to stay faithful.
6. Boozy Snow Cones?!
Hooray!
Martha Stewart, you brilliant bitch, you strike again. Alcoholic Snow-Cone Syrups? YES! Anyone wanna have a snowcone party this summer? Or spring?
Or Thursday?
Better go do my first costume change of the night (translation: was my face.)
I’m a fairly confident lady. I have confidence in sunshine. I have confidence that my adult acne will keep me getting carded well into my late 20s. But I also have confidence that, with the right attitude, you can look any which way and still turn heads whenever you walk into any room. Even at my lowest of lows, I still walked with my head held high, chest out, and rocking the good posture my mother taught me that us tall girls tend to forget when they’re in a crowd of tiny princesses, at least out in public.
We all have our private moments, the times when we don’t feel 100% about ourselves. We can get down on our looks, and that’s never a good feeling. Those moments can seem way bigger than the confident ones. I remember the first time I spotted stretch marks on my stomach, and Ryan consoling me as I cried my eyes out, hating the mirror that revealed my flaws. I remember the time that my best friend told one of our mutual buddies that I had big eyebrows, not knowing I was within hearing distance. I still accidentally over-pluck with that memory in mind.
But I also remember the glorious moments that can always block out the bad ones. I remember the time a fellow called me a blonde paradigm (WHAT a compliment!!) I remember the way Ryan looked at me when I walked out wearing the dress I wore tomy cousin’s wedding. I remember prancing around at the shore, tan and beach blonde, without a care in the world. And now, as vain as it sounds, I have a new memory to add to the list.
That one time that I felt like a fitness GODDESS in my new pants.
Fierce, yeah?
I want to save this on my computer forever. Who’d ever think that I’d be my OWN fitspiration? Maybe it was just because it was a perfect Saturday morning, without a care in the world, and I was headed to BodyJam for a killer workout. Maybe it was the delicious pescatarian week I’d had. Probably, it was the new Lululemon “Astro Wunder Under Crops” that my mom picked up for me when we were in DC this weekend. But I just felt like a million bucks.
The workout class was fantastic, a solid BodyJam with lots of fun tracks and moves not unlike Jagger.
Brought to you by the letter A for AWESOME!
I decided to keep the party going in Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods… My haul was epic.
Boxes and Barramundi!
Walking out of Trader Joe’s with a box kind of makes me feel like a badass.
So many frozen fishies!
Indian Goodies!
I kept my headphones on through all the stores, dancing my way through the aisles, and though my lunch was a basic egg-salad salad with spinach, eggs, carrots, green peppers, I predict my next few meals are going to bright, festive, and fishy. Just the way I like it.
Ok, I guess if I want to shower, I have to take these crops off… drats.
Chime in! Let’s get vain… What’s making you feel gorgeous today?
Food, Sweat, and Beers 