#CampCampbell: Tasty Traditions

November 25, 2014November 25, 2014 / foodsweatandbeers / 1 Comment

Two PhDs, a yarn expert, a circus performer, blogger, and a lawyer walk into an apartment….

Nope. Not the beginning of a hilarious joke (YET! Accepting any takers.) But it was the beginning of a night filled with some of the most interesting and inspiring ladies that I know (well, at least those that live in Philly. Maybe I’ll try to scoop some more distant buddies next time).

I don’t know if I’ve ever mentioned it before, but I’m a member of a lovely network of women organized by Campbell Soup called Camp Campbell. It’s made up of women 18-34 who are passionate about food. Change makers and tasters and movers and shakers. Apparently, I qualify as one of those, so when they reached out to see if I wanted to host a fall dinner, I jumped on the opportunity. I invited a handful of inspirational women in my life, and we went back and forth with what to eat from the ingredients sent over. Although I received a generous box of Campbell family products, when I described them to the ladies, one option came out as clear.

Taylor ogles the spread

PIZZA PARTY!

Prego Pizza Sauce, unknown to me before delivery, is part of the family often known only for their soups (and like…. a bunch of other brands. Learn something every day, right?)

PREGO: Not just for pasta anymore!

Almost all the other stuff was brought and supplied by my buddies. And we were fully loaded. Prego, pesto, two crust types, sausage, salami, roasted vegetables, cheese far as the eye can see, spinach, pine nuts. SUCH GOURMET, am I right?? Not only are we inspirational. We keep it classy. Since my dear friend Susan let me bogart her home for the evening, I played cook.

Chef BoyarJay

Pizza a plenty

And Ame brought the treats.

Ame’s got dessert covered (she also brought the Snickerdoodles)

Despite most of the photos, though, the night was not only about pizza…

I mean, it was a lot about pizza.

Since Thanksgiving is right around the corner and kicking off the holiday season, we decided to share some of our favorite traditions. From singing with wine to rotating hosts of Thanksgiving dinner to choosing who brings the novelty butter (you guys haven’t LIVED until you try some turkey-shaped butter) to putting together Thanksgiving hoagies the next day with all the leftovers, it wasn’t surprising that some of our best holiday memories revolve around food.

Since two ‘zas is never enough

But here’s the thing. Although I was provided some choice ingredients courtesy of Campbell’s, and I deeply appreciate that, the best thing that came from the night was not the food (despite the fact that the brussels sprouts pizza was off the chain).

The MVP(izza)

The best part was the promise of a new tradition. These are women that I know from different walks of life. School, work, friends of friends. And they all came together, by my invitation, to dine. To dish. To gossip and reflect. And then, at the end, we were like “Wait. This was great. Let’s do it again around Hanukkah!”

So we will.

Sure, anyone can be a girl who grubs… but we’re going to be ladies who latke. And that can be our new tradition.

Wahoo’s Fish Taco Comes to Philly!

November 18, 2014March 2, 2015 / foodsweatandbeers / Leave a comment

Gwen would totally love these tacos…

The first CD I ever bought with my OWN money (hilarious to think what a big deal that was growing up) was a Reel Big Fish album titled Turn the Radio Off. I have distinct memories of hearing these ska tuneskies and experiencing this uncontrollable desire to mosh with sweaty strangers. As I was about 10 years old at the time, I can’t say I followed up on that urge, but I always had this dream alterna-life where I was a Cali beach babe, maybe a hybrid of Hawaii hottie Kate Bosworth a la Blue Crush and Gwen Stefani. Other than a brief stint in during Halloween 2011, I can’t say I really embody this imaginary persona. But there’s a new spot in Philly that might let me live that dream, if only through my eats.

Wahoo’s Tacos, California’s premier fish taco joint, has somehow found their way to Philadelphia (specifically 3180 Chestnut Street). Recent graduate of UPenn and current employee in University City, I’ll let you know that few things excite me more than a new lunchtime opportunity nearby. And when I had the chance to check out UC’s newest West Coast transplant last weekend, I had no choice but to joyfully attend and snap photos when I wasn’t stuffing my face.

The story is nothing new. Just your standard Bro meets bro, one of those bros meets taco guru at snowboarding events, taco spot inspires bro, bro brings delicious taco spot (and guru) to City of Brotherly Love. We’ve all heard it, so I won’t bore you. But let’s get to the good stuff. The vibe is super Cali cool, skater and surfer and all that jazz.

Too cool, right?

Rad.

The menu is simple and all about freshness. I learned that they literally only keep one small freezer in the back (for fries and onion rings). The rest of the stuff is straight up never frozen. Proteins, vegetables, slaw… All about that.

How is the food, you may ask? Well, luckily, I was able to try a bunch! (Though feel free to scan the menu yourself.)

Quesadillas and chicken taquitos!

Wahoo bowl and a delicious Big Wave Golden Ale

Can we just get on a new level about that spicy fish and that crunchy slaw? I really feel like slaw is what’s MISSING in my taco/burrito/bowl life.

Nachos topped with chicken, steak, and all the fixins!

With a full bar, some tasty brews on draft, and totally reasonable prices, I am certain this location is going to rock. But what really blew me away was the love that these two Philly owners, Bill Van Gilder and Jeff Mattes, seem to have for their franchise.

Pictured with Wing Lam, one of the original cofounders!

FESTIVE RIBBON CUTTING!

Listening to them speak about their new business is like hearing someone talk about their child. I can say that, having met one of Bill’s little ones….

Can’t say no to this face, right?

So come for the tacos…. stay for the atmosphere, the incredibly flavorful slaw, the taquitos, and maybe you’ll get lucky and stumble across the absolute cutest little Wahoo Mascot.

It’s a new addition to the Philly food scene that I will welcome with open arms. And an open mouth, waiting for spicy fish.

Healthy Inside, Happy Outside

November 11, 2014November 10, 2014 / foodsweatandbeers / Leave a comment

in my attempts to get this whole Jan1 Challenge underway, I knew I needed to make sure I wasn’t just focusing on the superficial. Sure, just about anyone can reduce their caloric intake and pump iron/sweat it off at the gym. But what about what’s going into my body? And how am I treating it otherwise?

One of Claire’s mini-goals during our kickoff was to avoid couch sleeping, and make sure she got to bed for a night’s rest. And one of my goals as of late has merely been “get a full night’s sleep”. I’ve found that when I go out during the week, or when I’m eating my meals late at night, getting to sleep is a challenge. And staying a sleep is damn near impossible (oof. After that trip to Australia, I was a combo of jet lag and regular crazy. The bags under my eyes had bags. A veritable luggage set…)

out like a light

Lately, though, through getting some early workouts in and feeding my body exactly what it needs, I’m enjoying 8-9 hour sleeps (a new record) without mid-evening wake-ups. And a trip to Eviama Life Spa this Sunday showed me a whole new way of looking at keeping my mind and spirit in good shape.

(photo stolen from Philly Loves Fun)

Spas aren’t something I normally treat myself to. Maybe I’m a cheapskate. Maybe I prefer THINGS over pampering. But typically, when I #treatmahself, it’s more about the food and the drink and the stuff than the self. And maybe it’s time for a change on that front. Luckily, Eviama really brought their A-game.

Bubbles and bites

I know I was talking about more than just food, but let’s talk about the food and drink for a minute. As this event was a Sip and Spa Brunch, it wouldn’t be right to ignore the food and drank! Of course, I couldn’t help myself and indulged in a mimosa… but then I switched to sparkling water, so happy they offered a few different options. There were organic yogurts, gluten free crackers, more vegetables than you could shake a stick at, and all the foods were labeled for anyone with dietary restrictions. Love it.

We were offered the chance to enjoy “mini sessions” to try the spa services and, when I saw the words “Kansa Wand” I was… intrigued.

Promise, this photo is SFW

Kansa Wands, made with wood bases and copper/tin metals, are used on the face to “enhance health and strength, increase energy, and relieve stress”. After some essential oils were rubbed on my face, the wand was rubbed onto my face with repetitive long strokes and circles. Allegedly, this works to detoxify and works on the “subtle electrical system”. It was brief, though, so I can’t say I felt fully detoxified. But I felt relaxed, and the circles around my eyes especially were refreshing as that’s not exactly a place I focus much energy on during my day-to-day. I have no photo, but I felt as if I were glowing afterwards.

We had a great little talk with Jill Hoffman, a Naturopathic Doctor, about how your skin reflects your lifestyle. Definitely going to agree there. She highlighted the importance of real food, restful sleep, limiting sugar, and regular breathing and relaxation. These are all things that seem like common sense… so why don’t I do them? Life gets in the way. But the point of NOvember is making sure I say NO to the parts of life that might not be best for my body.

I’ll admit, after a trip to Australia and an upcoming one to New Orleans this weekend, getting an Eviama service is unfortunately not in my budget. It’s a high end spa with all natural, green focus and, though I’m a high end kinda gal… I’m balling on that post grad-school budget. Maybe if I came across some splurge bucks, I’ll hit them up… Until then, I treated myself to a brow wax.

For $5.

Baby steps to that inner peace and tranquility that comes from regular Kansa Wandings and natural sea salt scrubs, right?

Tennis (Lessons), Anyone?

October 28, 2014 / foodsweatandbeers / 2 Comments

I’ve been an athlete my whole life. It’s something in which I take pride. Whether manning the goal in peewee soccer games (easily distracted, I wasn’t too great at this position and was known to wander from my post), flunging my way down the strip during fencing, or (my favorite) blocking the spike dreams of shorter, less awesome girls on the volleyball court, sports have always given me a thrill, a team, a purpose. And while most of my athletic endeavors these days tend to be off the assorted courts and in group fitness rooms or the occasional steps of an art museum, I think that the athletic aspect of a person doesn’t ever truly fade away.

So when someone from MyTennisLessons.com reached out to let me know about their site (which allows users to book tennis lessons with all sorts of different instructors based on distance, cost, experience, etc) and offered me a chance to give it a try, the competitive juices started flowing, and I immediately said yes. Sure, my hand-eye coordination at the ping pong table isn’t too great, but I’m long. I’m strong. I’m basically a Maria Sharapova in the waiting… Bring it on!

So what do I do with this thing?

The process of booking a lesson was incredibly simple, and the user-interface of the site is basically fool-proof. Put in your zip code and you’ll get instructors from your area, as well as suggested courts close to you. Luckily, I live right down the street from one of the public courts in Philly, so before I knew it, it was time for my (very first ever in my whole life) tennis lesson. I invited my mom along for moral support and we hit the court.

Talk about 15-LOVE HER!

I’ll say this right there: Lesson 1 showed me pretty quickly that, regardless of your past experience with sports, the tennis court isn’t a place to be proud. If you’re anything like me, you’re going to make mistakes. You’re going to swing and hit the ball out of the “containment area”. You’ll hit it into the net. You’ll hit it into your mom (THAT WAS ONE TIME!) And sometimes, you’re gonna swing and not hit it at all.

I mean… almost?

Tennis uses parts of your body that are different from almost any sport I’d ever participated in before. Oddly enough, the sport it reminded me most of was fencing. The short bursts of energy, the closed stance. The fact that you’re using a tool as an extension of your body.

I like this one because it actually looks like I may have connected with the ball!

It was initially a little disheartening to not be instantly great at something. That said, I had a pretty fantastic instructor. Nick, my instructor, took a special trip out to Philly (as his normal radius is a little closer to where I grew up around Delaware County, PA) to help this first-timer learn the ropes. It was obvious that he was a total professional, coming armed with rackets, a super sweet set of tennis whites, and enough balls to let me go a little buck wild with the occasional POWER SWING. Patient and experienced, Nick spoke in a way that even someone who had never watched a match would understand. That someone was me.

MOTHER DAUGHTER DOUBLES!

The coolest thing about the site, I think, is that you can read reviews from previous lesson-takers. This makes sure that you’re getting the ideal experience, and you can choose not only someone who is convenient to you, but someone who has been vetted by other folks. There seems to be instructors for everything from a beginner to someone who really wants to step up their game.

Little close to the net… but look at that focus!

It was really exciting for me to eventually, over the course of the hour, start to connect with the ball, and play a little tennis with my mom (who’s been playing for years now and basically showed me up the entire time). I can definitely see myself hitting the court again (and, come on, who can resist rocking those little skirts?!)

If I were trying to get into tennis shape, I would absolutely use this service. I also think it would be great for people who are trying to get their kids into a sport but might not know where to start.

Thanks, Nick!!

So, I guess what I’m trying to say is… if anyone needs a mixed doubles partner, I might not be your first choice. But if you wanna see a 6’1” gangly gal flail wildly with racket in hand, and periodically put together a solid volley… well, after my first lesson, I’m ready.

I totally look ready. Right?

Halloween Hullabaloo

October 23, 2014 / foodsweatandbeers / Leave a comment

I have a favorite holiday. It features warm weather, fireworks, grilled meats, cocktails on the beach…. and maybe my ideal color palette consists exclusively of red, white, and blue.

That said, and unfortunately for us all, Independence Day is just that…. a day. So while I have zero qualms chanting “U-S-A” in mid-February, the rest of the country may not be as prone to shout it back (this could mean they hate America, but that’s neither here nor there). Luckily, come autumn, while I mourn for the end of my favorite season, I can rejoice that another season is on the horizon.

A season that is the Holy Grail for every semi-professional theme partier. A chance to pull out all the stops. Where the cream based makeup flows like water…

NoLibs Zombie Crawl 2013

Where visits to Joann Fabrics are not only frequent but fruitful.

Togas totally come in teal

The hair is molded like clay.

Walking into spiderwebs…

And just about any interpretation of a costume is tolerated… dare I say, embraced?

I’m a zebra. Duh.

Halloween tends to last anywhere from 1-3 weeks, and this year should entail 3-4 costumes. Potential Halloweek(ish) plans range from Yelp Events to house parties to theme parties to handing out candy to sick children. And this is the kind of time that I train all year for…. Now the real question is, do I shake my tail feather while Making Time? Do I whiskey-a-go-go to Trestle Inn to viva Brazil? You KNOW I’ll be Zombie Crawling through Northern Liberties the night before Halloween… But the next night, should I geek out at Tattooed Mom’s while getting Emojional?

Decisions, decisions

The world is my oyster. Or at least Philly is my clam rocking an oyster costume….

Time to get shucking.

Cage Matches and Wine Bashes

October 20, 2014October 19, 2014 / foodsweatandbeers / Leave a comment

I’m known for making a big deal out of things. My birthday tends to be more of a birth-week/month, I treat theme parties with the type of fanfare usually reserved for Halloween, and I treat Halloween with the type of reverence that is usually reserved for Bacchanalian feasts. But you know what I didn’t really make a fuss about?

The fact that I went to Australia for 9 days. Many of my friends didn’t even know I was going until SURPRISE I was already there. And perhaps I’ll share more about this epic journey later…. but I will say that my last meal on my 15.5 hour flight, while tasty, didn’t get any points for presentation.

Thanks, Qantas, but let’s leave it to the professionals. In this case, the Kitchen and Bar staff of one of my favorite spots in the city, Alla Spina. About a day after I returned from Oz, incredibly jet-lagged and totally unexpected, I stumbled (almost literally) into one of Alla Spina’s legendary Cage Matches. With limited seating (I think capped around 20) and reservations only, ranging from about $65-75, these epic meals pit cooks from different restaurants in the Vetri family, or different sections of the same resto, or brewers, or really…. anyone that’s been longing for a grudge match against each other. I’ve gathered there tends to be a theme (in this case, sort of an autumnal vibe) and some ingredients. Our meal focused on 4 ingredients: Apple, short rib, pumpkin, and brussels sprouts.

My kinda meal.

There was also a boozy beverage paired with each course, in this order: cocktail, beer, wine, and the “wild card”. This was an edible adventure, and every course was more delicious than the last. Well, until the end, when I felt about stuffed enough to just tip over and roll down the stairs.

From upper left corner clockwise: Savory goat cheese tart with bacon and brussels, Braised short rib (for some ungodly amount of time) with parsnip hazelnut puree, smoked pumpkin gnudi with beef broth, and pig head terrine with apple cider and duckfat, served with a radish apple salad.

Housemade pita stuffed with brussels sprout hummus, lamb merguez (OMG!) and yogurt dressing served with a brussels pistachio soup of some sort, pumpkin chocolate chip cookie with pumpkin ice cream and STUPID tasty hot buttered rum, short rib surf and turf tartare (served with an Asian pear bellini), and some absolutely unreal pudding that I sort of remember in a dreamlike sense, without detail, only sensations.

And if you’ve not been to a cage match, do yourself a solid and keep your eyes glued to the Twitter. I would absolutely describe this as a “must try” event for Philly foodies.

Speaking of Philly “musts”, if you’re a wine-o in this fair city, you’ve got a lot of options. As a beer-o (oh, nope, that’s a horrible term I’ll never use to describe myself with again), my experiences are limited, but when I was invited to Pinot Boutique to celebrate their 8th Anniversary, I couldn’t very well say no…. And thank goodness I didn’t! Though it was only about 18 hours before my Australia trip began, I rolled up with my dear friend Susan to sip vino at Pinot!

Located in Old City, conveniently by the 2nd Street MFL stop, this spot’s got every goodie that a wine-lover could want, from charms to decanters, glasses to kitschy napkins, bottle stoppers to this crazy pouring spinner thing that was like a Russian Roulette of Wine. I don’t know, again, I’m not an expert… But the folks at Pinot are, so I left things in their capable hands.

I’ll admit, I spent my fair share of time canoodling with the one beer table present (old habits die hard), but hands down the COOLEST aspect of the evening was pairing wine with two Philly favs: Cheesesteaks AND soft pretzels.

I won’t give away the secrets, but if you wanna check out a taste test like this on your own, they even have classes now and then…

While I can’t say that I’ve gone over to the dark side (would that be like…. a full bodied Malbec?), I have more than a few friends who prefer their fermented beverages to be of the grape variety. And since Pinot Boutique now also SELLS wine…. well, I’ll definitely know where to point them.

Rise and Grind: The November Project

September 21, 2014September 20, 2014 / foodsweatandbeers / 4 Comments

As long as I can remember, I’ve been a morning person. Sure, I rely heavily on naps, but when it comes to being up with the sun, I’m all about it. That said, when my buddies began raving about this workout “thing” they did on the steps of Philly’s Art Museum, I was initially intrigued and then immediately lost all interest upon finding out the start time was 6:25 in the morning on a Wednesday. See, it doesn’t really feel like “morning” when the sun’s not up. Don’t tell that to the Project November folks!

But if old dogs can learn new tricks, I certainly could wake up at (UGH) 5:30 to see what the fuss was about. I hopped on my bike, scooted up to the Art Museum, and was shocked to find not only a healthy mass of people BUT a feeling of excitement in my heart for this crack-of-dawn sweat sesh.

Sun’s not out. Guns still are.

If you’ve never heard of the November Project, that’s probably because none of your friends are doing it. Because I can pretty much guarantee that, if they are, they’re talking about it. Probably all of the time. From their website:

November Project™ is a FREE fitness movement that was born in Boston as a way to stay in shape during cold New England months… Our members vary from Olympic medalists, professional athletes, marathoners, triathletes, current and former collegiate athletes all the way to complete fitness rookies and recent couch potatoes just looking to kickstart their healthy life choices. If you think that you’re not fit enough to join the group, stop thinking and come see what the fuss is all about.

So I did. Luckily, I wasn’t alone in this insanity, and managed to rope a few buddies in for the fun.

Brother and I, moments before we hit the steps running.

Part of the reason I was so excited to check out this November Project is because my friends that do it…. they’re like FANATICS. Seriously, I feel like the term “cult-like” has negative connotations but… you get it. They wear branded shirts, they call the entire group “The Tribe”, and there’s this genuine pride and love for the movement. That’s the kind of thing I love, so I couldn’t stay away forever.

After a little pump-up session with the group leaders, we did some a suicide run using the landings of the steps for “stops”. And the rest of the workout, I’ll let November Project Philly speak for themselves:

we threw a few decks at the bottom of the stairs, ran the stairs and flipped cards at the bottom. Face cards required finding a buddy, running up the steps and squat jumping to the Art Museum door, Aces required finding a buddy and sprinting the loop, all other cards were a standard push-up/squat deck workout followed by running the steps.

HIT THE DECK!!

Look at us go!

And the view wasn’t too bad, either.

Oh, hey, there’s my pal Susan!

It wasn’t easy. For this non-runner, running up and down steps, laps around the steps, and generally all running is…. less than ideal. But the energy was contagious and these fitness fanatics kept a smile on my face…. most of the time.

Photo Credit to the November Project blog!

But then…. I felt great. I went into work sweaty and smiling, and though I didn’t rush back on Friday to join them again…. I kinda think I’ll be making a habit of setting that alarm for Wednesday mornings….

FIRST TIMERS!! WE DID IT!!

(Author’s note: Immediately after work, I rushed home and took a nap.)

Nacho Average Blog Post (Get it?)

September 9, 2014September 11, 2014 / foodsweatandbeers / 1 Comment

I’ve been on a kick lately. Sometimes I get on kicks. Sometimes those kicks involve watching 4 episodes of Dating Naked followed by 4 episodes of Married at First Sight (Summer TV options got my like woe.)

Sometimes those kicks are actual kicks, courtesy of BodyCombat and Kickboxing.

Lately, it’s been…. a Nacho Kick.

I’ve inadvertently found myself on the hunt for Philly’s best nachos and, while that hunt hasn’t come to a close yet…. it’s had some pretty tasty (and a few meh) stops along the way.

Come along, folks. Join me on a crunchy, meaty, melty, cheesy journey.

Let’s just start with the meh and work our way up. Lucha Cartel.

Meh, I say.

The Lucha Nachos from this Old City staple are touted as “crispy corn tortilla chips, sliced jalapeños, monterey jack & chihuahua cheeses topped with pico de gallo, guacamole, and crema for $10. We tacked on refried beans for $2 and chicken for $4 for a total of $16.

Call me old fashioned, but a nacho order that doesn’t default with beans AIN’T A NACHO TO ME!!

Maybe it was a busy night, but the nachos came out room temperature, borderline cold. We complained and were given a second order, but my nacho steam was a little lost seeing lifeless lumps of frijoles and chunkless guac. Sure, we ate most of em…. but these aren’t the nachos of my dreams. I’ll leave it at that. Don’t worry, the next 3 were.

Hello there, lovahhhh

Enter Sancho Pistola’s. Because you can’t spell Nachos without Sancho. And their description is on-point:

really expensive cheese, crema, tomato, refried beans, cilantro, jalapeno, and onion.

Throw in a little chicken tinga (this is not a suggestion but an ORDER) and you’re in for the most delightful, wild, tinga-taste party. Even distribution of toppings, the onions were PICKLED Y’ALL!! This was my dream nacho. The little squirt bottle to the upper left contained, not ketchup, but a spicy creamy sauce. Oh baby. Do yourself a solid. Get here during happy hour for 1/2 priced nachos. But don’t worry, they’re full of flavor (that’s like a sentence my dad would write. I’m cool with it.)

Khyber Pass… Don’t pass on the nachos! (more dad jokes)

Pardon the semi-lousy picture. Including the aggressive hand of my buddy Stephanie. This was taken during Philly Beer Week at one of my all-time favorite spots, Khyber Pass. Their nachos, clocking in at $14 for a large with added BBQ pulled pork come complete with tortilla chips, jack cheese, green tomato salsa, and sour cream.

I realize, now, they don’t have beans on them. But I’ve had them countless times and have never missed a bean. Must say something about the heavy attention paid to the rest of the toppings. The pork is really what shines, here. That, and the fact that they have enough incredible craft beers on hand to drown a horse.

(Sidenote: I don’t condone the drowning of horses. Save a horse, order nachos.)

But sometimes, I don’t wanna trek out to Old City or Northern Liberties. Sometimes, I just wanna stick close to home for some comfort food. Mostly on Sundays. And definitely from Sidecar Bar and Grille.

Oh. Yeah.

These nachos, though.

The deal of the century on Pork Me Sundays, for $7 ($10 normally) you get an epic portion of chips covered in braised pork (or chorizo…. but I go braised), queso caribe, chihuahua cheese (made with REAL chihuahua? Jury’s still out), black beans (PRAISE BE), jalapeños, and served with sour cream and pineapple-tomatillo salsa.

These were some of the first nachos I tried in the city, and I just can’t quit them. I will request these nachos in my final week of life, and continue to invite anyone I know here just so we can “split” nachos (don’t mind me greedily hoarding the beany-cheesy ones).

But really…. I’m still on the lookout for the nacho order to end all nachos.

So you tell me… what’s your dream nacho plate covered in? inquiring minds and all that….

Just Call Me a Fly Girl

July 11, 2014 / foodsweatandbeers / 1 Comment

I’ve got a bone to pick with whoever wrote that song about flying through the air with the greatest of ease. Maybe it’s just envy of the man on the flying trapeze…

I have no issues with heights. I thrive on adrenaline and love a new adventurous way of breaking a sweat. So when I was given a chance to try out Mary Kelly Rayel’s Fly School Circus Arts in Northern Liberties, Philadelphia, I figured I’d grab life by the…well, the bar.

If you’re yearning for a way to kiss the sky WITHOUT jumping out of a plane, have a spare $60 bucks, and wanna test out that arm strength, look no further. Two hours may seem like barely any time, but after hardly any time “learning the ropes” if you will, it’s time to ascend.

I’ll be honest: my first attempt, I BLEW IT. I lost my grip on the bar and fell into the net, basically shaving my face against the rough ropes. It wasn’t pretty. It was scary, and unexpected, and jarring.

But, as they always say, life’s too short to let a net-burn slow you down. I climbed back up. I repeated to myself “Just hold on. Just HOLD on.”

And I did.

Wow, what a rush. Your body feels weightless for a moment at the top of your swing, and you can almost forget you’re ground-bound.

Your next “trick” is scooping your leg’s up so that you can hang by your knees. Easier said than done, but I somehow managed. And, unlike Carrie Bradshaw in Season 5 (you like that reference? Flashback Friday), I was able to let go. And just let it all hang out….

This might be one of my favorite photos of me of all time. For all you ‘grammers, an experience like this is RIPE for the photo opps.

Anyway, after 5-6 passes, I attempted one catch. That said, my hands were so shredded and blistered that, just as I did on my first attempt, I hit the net running (ok, flying). This time involved a lot less face-grating (though a lot more hand-shredding) and I knew I needed to call it a night.

Despite the sore hands and arms, and the almost-laughable videos of these attempts (no, you won’t be seeing THOSE failures), I intend to head back to FlySchool for another attempts. Maybe with a few more callouses, and after a few more pull-ups…. but that said, you don’t have to be an Olympic weight lifter to have a great time. I managed 3-4 insane passes, including my very favorite, a backflip! A little harder to photograph, but here’s a shot on the descent (I felt like a dizzy egg baby afterwards…)

You leave high on heights, and SURPRISINGLY ravenous. An excellent full body workout without knowing it…. Now I know why all the ladies flocked to that man on the flying trapeze. I bet he had excellent abs…

Thanks so much to Mary Kelly and her funky bunch for hosting us! Can’t wait to see y’all again!

Oh, and those sexy chalk marks all over my pants?

Just another perk of the process.

Getting Crabby at the Piazza

June 25, 2014 / foodsweatandbeers / Leave a comment

I don’t get out to Northern Liberties nearly enough. There was a time, deep in my LivingSocial heyday, when I was out once or twice a week, helping with Beer Fest or setting up a BBQ in Liberty Lands Park or hanging out with my friends’ puppies. But then that ended (a moment of silence for the loss of the best part-time job of all time…) and all of the sudden I found myself a No-NoLibs-er. Well, that’s all about to change.

My baby brother Somers, self-proclaimed Philly Sports Fanatic who’s been suffering in DC for the past several years (who is actually like…6’4” and towers over me now) is moving to Philly! Specifically, Northern Liberties. If this isn’t cause for celebration, I don’t know what is. And, lucky for me, the folks at Crabby’s Café and Sports Bar felt the same, inviting a handful of us Philly folks out for some crawfish sucking, claw-cracking, mollusk munching fun in The Piazza last week.

Philly PR Girl Kate laying down the deets

Unfortunately, I had volleyball game that evening, so cocktails and craft beers were not in the cards (though it did appear that they had a nice selection of beers on draft, and were pouring these “Happy Crab” cocktails that looked like neon KoolAid and apparently was a boozy treat.) But volleyball couldn’t stop me from chowing on the eats presented to us in the best fashion possible: In themed waves, with giant sheets of paper covering the tables and an endless supply of paper towels. I love a spot that not only tolerates messy eating, but encourages it.

Luckily, bibs were provided

We were given trays upon trays of crabby fries, sweet potato crisps dusted with powdered sugar (why don’t more restaurants do this?!), and my favorite, Crabby Wings!

They wouldn’t reveal what made these wings so crabby, but they had a distinct taste that separated them from your typical buffalo wing (which they do offer). My guess is fish sauce, but the jury’s still out. Well, I do appreciate some mystery in my meals… There was no mystery in these mussels, though.

I feel sorry for the folks who didn’t spend a LOT of time getting up close and personal with these bad boys. Marinara mussels, served with crusty garlic bread (and, unfortunately, plastic forks… kind of cheapened the experience for me) were perhaps my favorite course of the meal. But we can’t forget the coup de grace: The Seafood Boil.

LOBSTAH! Crawfish! Clams! Corn! Sausage! Everything but the kitchen sink. Except that it sort of looks like it is served in a kitchen sink, so I guess that doesn’t hold.

**Everything IN the kitchen sink.

I opted to sit at the “spicy” table, but honestly, wasn’t too burned out by the spice factor. I think that, even despite the Vietnamese influence on many of the dishes, they try to make it palatable for folks. Those lobster claws were elusive on the meat front, and we managed to break not just one but two claw-crackers during our meal. Luckily, they made for great photo props.

I had to dine-and-dash a little early to skitter off to volleyball, but was excited to see Crabby’s is doing a handful of big events this summer, including a Luau Party July 19^th (pig roast!), a Crawfish Boil August 9^th, and a Clam Bake September 13^th. If you’re starving for some seafood and sports and suds in a relaxed setting…. Well, I think you couldn’t pick a better spot than Crabby’s.

Food, Sweat, and Beers

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