lunch

Hai St. Kitchen US: Rollin’ and Bowlin’

/ foodsweatandbeers / 1 Comment

What does a newly graduated Master do with all that free time (until, of course, I have to start actually working in June?

Well, there have been a few things. I’ve been napping… a lot. There have been happy hours and puppy visits and Game of Thrones (books and show… Getting real wild over here.) But there’s one pretty cool thing that comes with all of this time: the ability to queue up with Philly’s finest foodies for a chance to fall in love at first bite courtesy of the new Hai Street Kitchen.

Lots of Options

Lots of Options

Get this: Hai St. Kitchen decided to generously offer a free entree to folks the day before their official “Grand Opening”. Super great minus one tiny little fact:

Hell hath no fury like the a Center City lunch crowd lured by the word “FREE”. 

Initial reports touted an opening time of 11:30am, running until 3pm. I ambled over around 11:45 to a line that wrapped around the block. Luckily, I had a fully charged phone and nothing but time…. And very perked up ears to overhear the gossip. Apparently, Genji, a Philly-based sushi company that rocks out the wholesale sushi scene thanks to a hookup with Whole Foods, has one Hai St Kitchen location in the UK, and this is the first venture in the US.

The concept is pretty basic, and reminiscent of Chipotle. Almost to a T…. except instead of a tortilla, all your rice and fixins are wrapped inside of some nori. Yup, basically a seaweed burrito. That’s very appealing to me…. but also, very appealing to a zillion other Philadelphians. I waited for about an hour and a half, largely due to the fact that they opened a little later than intended. Luckily, there were snacks on hand.

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For about 2 hours, the corner of 18th and Chestnut/Ranstead was the free food capital of the city, with samples from Sabra (hummus and salsa) and some Snapea Crisps (WOW!! These are insanely delicious) and hydration from Boxed Water (it’s water in a box. I don’t know.) We also had plenty of time to look over the menu.

I was torn between a few options.

Sumo Steak: FLANK STEAK, BLACK PEPPER TERIYAKI SAUCE, ROMAINE, SAUTEÉD ONION, RED CABBAGE, ASPARAGUS

Slammin’ Salmon: TATAKI SALMON, SPICY GOCHUJANG SAUCE, ROMAINE, CUCUMBER, PICKLED MANGO, RED ONION

And after watching folks in line come back with their little cardboard tubes, and salivating for just over 90 minutes, it was my turn.

 

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Appreciate the natural, and you can tell from the look of things that they’re fresh. Here’s a SUPER COOL ACTION SHOT of my sushi-rito being made:

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If you’re wondering “are those pickled mangoes?” you have a great eye for pickled fruits. And yes, they are. Finally…. it had arrived.

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Cardboard tube chock-full of goodness. But the real test comes from the taste….

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Pretty solid shot considering it’s an iPhone picture…. That salmon was just on-point. But the real star was the spicy gochujang pepper sauce. I don’t know really what that means…. but I think I want it all over everything I eat from now until forever. They offer a “crunch” option which included fried garlic, fried shallots, or yucca chips. I went for fried shallots but, honestly, didn’t taste any crunch. And truly, that’s the only thing that I felt was missing. A crunch. But I loved the texture of the nori roll, the rice was full of flavor from all the other ingredients, and  pickled mangoes: damn.

I’ll be back soon. Because I love a novel ‘rito wrap.

Skinnylicious and Zumba-tritious!

/ foodsweatandbeers / 10 Comments

Hey hey folks, we made it to Wednesday!

Since I’m in the office for lunch, today, no No Pants Wednesday for me today…I enjoyed a few leftover chips and bread from our office holiday party for which, true to fashion, I was the only one that dressed up.

Old habits die hard.

Oh well, I think it was obvious that the holiday spirit was in everyone’s hearts as we ate our way through a MASSIVE catering by the Cheesecake Factory.

I normally steer clear of the giant Factory, known for it’s ENORMOUS portions and frying everything from zucchini to macaroni and cheese.  And I’ll admit, yesterday during lunch, I definitely over-indulged a little bit.  But by choosing a very healthy option from their “Skinnylicious Menu”, I managed to not feel too bloated after enjoying some of the shared appetizers (spinach artichoke dip and Tex Mex egg rolls).

I even had enough for a hearty dinner made of delicious leftovers.  Folks, I present about 2/3 of the Skinnylicious Grilled Salmon and Vegetables!

Skinnylicious!!

I scoped out the Skinnylicious Menu and found a bunch of (reasonably priced) healthier options and small plates that I think will definitely come in handy the next time I head to the Cheesecake Factory.  It was delicious, even reheated, and the (likely less-than healthy) dipping sauce on the side made everything even more tasty, creamy, and flavorful.

As for the Zumba-tritious…. well that’s gotta be the sore, sweaty feeling I felt after a particularly intense Zumba session at the gym!  There were actually 4 Zumba instructors in the class, though only one was the instructor, and, for some reason, I tend to get competitive when I feel like there are skilled folks in my group fitness classes.  Or if there’s a very tall lady, or a pregnant women. I don’t know, it’s a bad habit, but it’s the athlete inside of me and wants to win.

Luckily, since EVERYONE wins when we Zumba, I left feeling great.  I also left thinking about the most recent Zumba classes I’ve taken.  And I think I realized that, even though it’s supposed to be a “Latin dance inspired cardio workout”, I always prefer the songs that are less of a samba and more of a chance to dance like a crazy person.  So, in case you’re looking for a fun (short) dance party playlist, these are my three FAVORITE Zumba songs to dance to!

1. Jai Ho – The Pussycat Dolls

With a sweat-blasting pony step, sexy hip swirls, and Bollywood inspired moves, this song’s beat and tune always get me working harder/better/faster/stronger.

2. Waka Waka – Shakira

This official song of the FIFA World Cup always makes me want to kick a ball into a net, rip off my shirt, and show off my killer bod a la Brandi Chastain.

HECK YES, WE'RE THE WINNERS!

In the video, it’s very apparent that Shakira’s hips don’t lie, and the African chanting lend themselves so well to the lyrics:

You’re on the frontline
Everyone’s watching
You know it’s serious
We’re getting closer
This isnt over

If the little kids jumping all over the place in the video don’t inspire you, clearly you have no soul.

3.  Country Girl (Shake it for Me) – Luke Bryan

I think my family would disown me if they knew just how much I love country music. Clearly, my parents should’ve never let me go to school in North Carolina (oh, and falling for a Mississippi boy… I’m a walking cliche).

This song makes me wanna sweat the heck out of my achey brakey heart, eat some fried catfish, and grab some boots.

Mostly, I just look good in a cowboy hat.

What’s your favorite song to Zumba to?

Or, if you don’t Zumba, what’s your favorite song to workout to? That one tune that makes you push harder than anything else?

TYT Featuring a TST

/ foodsweatandbeers / 9 Comments

Gooooood afternoon, friends!

So, apparently, with my Treat Yo’ Self Six Pack Sunday, I made a bit of a SMFP (Social Media Faux Pas).  APPARENTLY, the real trending phrase that all the cool kids (on Twitter) use is #TreatYourselfTuesday.

Don’t I just feel like Amber walking into the party wearing Cher’s exact same outfit.

Yup, definitely that outfit.

Oh well, the real moral of the story is that you should Treat Yourself EVERY DAY!!  Then, we all win.

Today, I decided to treat myself with one of my very favorite sandwiches.  It’s called The TST (Tuna, Spinach, Tomato) and it’s a grown up version of my favorite sammy as a little kid.

Big Girl Lunches for Big Girl Things!

Those three little nibbles on the left of the sammy aren’t actually because I always  nibble three bites of bread before making a sandwich (that’d be an irritating and time consuming habit), but because my bread of choice, the Arnold’s Healthfull Nutty Grain (a new favorite!! 80 calories, 5 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fiber per slice) was far too big for the office toaster.

Little kid Jordan would’ve had her tuna sammy on white bread, stuffed with some Doritos for crunch. And while putting Doritos on a sandwich is a trend that will NEVER die with me, it’s not exactly the healthiest option, so, in this case, spinach and tomato provided just the right texture mixup that I needed.

Here’s another habit that I picked up as a little kid that hasn’t changed in all my years.

How many nibbles does it take to get to the center?

I always like to bite around the sandwich (or slice of pizza… or French toast… or breakfast sammy) and save what I designate as the “Best Bite” for last.

Luckily, in some cases, every bite is the best bite.

In those cases, all bets are off.

How about you?

Do you like to eat the best part of your ______ first? Or save it for last?

Healthy Living Summit Weekend: The Eats

/ foodsweatandbeers / 8 Comments

As well received as my Healthy Living Summit Cocktail Party recap was, I decided to hold off on a recap of day two until I have time to fully devote myself to a complete writeup of the Saturday sessions.  However, that doesn’t mean you should miss out on everything.  And who doesn’t like food posts?

Before my trip, I wanted to enjoy a tasty little treat, so I whipped up my traditional pre-flight beer and snack!!

Weyerbacher Hops Infusion? Don't mind if I do.

Turkey and Cheese and Lettuce on a sandwich thin! Beer! Carrots! The best.

I also did my best to eat the rest of the spinach before I left.

I felt like a straight bunny, nibbling on leaves. But it got the job done.

At the home of Ali, we whipped out all the stops (aka the baked goods):

I promise, we didn't eat all of this. Some. Most. but not all.

Let’s just say that it was a bit of a smorgasbord.

Wawa: The stuff my dreams are made of...

For dinner:

  • Wawa Shorti with Roast beef, cheddar cheese, light on the mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion, salt, pepper, oregano. I always get this when I go to Wawa. It is like a second nature, entering it on the touchpad.
  • Wawa Diet Raspberry Iced Tea

Can someone PLEASE explain to me why there is no raspberry iced tea, diet or otherwise, to be found in North Carolina? I can’t even get the Snapple kind…. If you know where to get some, PLEAES email, call, text, or tweet me. ASAP. This is not a joking kind of request. This is so heartfelt I feel it deep in my heart.

The highlights of the cocktail party food were already shown, minus one: Philly Cheesesteak Empanadas. I didn’t take pictures of these, because I was shoving them down my gullet. Imagine a philly cheesesteak. then fry it.

You get the idea.

Breakfast in the morning was sponsored by Attune Foods, and featured mostly a wide array of their cereals, fresh fruit, hardboiled eggs, and yogurt.

Pineapple. Cereal. I forgot how delicious real milk was, especially from Lehigh Valley.

Oh. A pluot. I had no idea what this was until I bit it.

I could’ve eaten the lunch for days.

Roasted veggie sammy, caprese salad sammy, cous cous and chickpeas, and Perrier. Oh, you fancy.

GIANT ups to Great Harvest bread. Which filled my belly totally and heartily.  The mozzarella was so creamy, and the onions in the cous cous…. ooh, girl.

Snacktime was not really my favorite, but I partook because who don’t want no free foods?

Cinnamon raisin nut butter = the poo. So take a big whiff. The hummus was a little watery for my liking... oh well.

To be honest, though, there was a much more important meal waiting for me at home, after the summit. Something I’d been seeking out since I arrived in Philly.  The holy grail of Philly cuisine.

We belong together.

I went a little off the beaten path with the Buffalo Chicken Cheesesteak and was rewarded handsomely with spicy, cheese, chickeny goodness.  Something about the rolls up North, they just know how to do it right.  And, even though it wasn’t in empanada format, it was at least as (if not much, much more) delicious.

What’d you eat this weekend that was delicious? 

Do you have any favorite foods/drinks from growing up that you can’t get now wherever you live (due to a move or [gasp!!] someone stopped producing them?)

Football. Football. FOOTBALL! (oh, and Friday.)

/ foodsweatandbeers / 11 Comments

TGIF! (I know I said that about T[hursday] too, but really, I’m thankful for both days.)

Today, since I woke up, I couldn’t get my mind off of the lunch from Wednesday.  The creaminess of the melted provolone, the crunch of the Roma tomatoes, I wanted it all in my belly.

Well, Jojo gets what she wants:

Sandwich of Dreams

I knew this was going to be tasty from experience, but honestly… it exceeded my dreams.  Eggy, spinachy, crunch, and soft it was perfect all around.

On the side was a little bag of veggies that I should’ve included in my What’s I’m Loving post from yesterday.

Bird's Eye Steamfresh Asian Medley

It’s got a great amount of seasoning on the veggies without overpowering their natural flavor. AND it’s got BABY CORN!  You know… like regular corn, but smaller.  Can’t beat it.

For dessert, a Vita Top with some PB:

Whoah, PB is saltier than I remember

Unlike some most of the bloggers I read, I’m not a huge nut butter fan, so whenever I do indulge in a little Peanut/almond/cashew/whatever butter, I’m surprised by how salty it is.  This sweet and salty treat, sort of like a Reese’s Cup, hit the spot, regardless.

But honestly, that’s just a puff piece about my lunch.  What I want to talk about, and what I’ve been thinking about a LOT lately is….

COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON!!

I’ll admit, I may not always love to watch sports.  In fact, more often than not, sports on TV just bore me to tears (my apologies to the beau, and any future sons I may have.)  But college football isn’t just about sitting in front of a tv and yelling and throwing remotes and scrambling to try and find the batteries because the remote hit the wall and muted when you threw it.

College football, to me, is a romance.

It’s not about stats, it’s not about touchdowns (well, for some folks it is), and it’s not about whether or not your football players get 395 parking tickets (woops, UNC).

This is college football:

A sea of Carolina blue (photo credit to my buddy, Shog.)

It’s tailgating, partying, and cheering your team on with thousands of your closest friends total strangers who bleed the Carolina blue (or Ole Miss red and blue… or Penn State blue and white…. or anything like that) that runs through your veins a little bit faster on game days.

Paint up or SHUT UP!

While UNC is definitely a basketball school, football will always hold a special place in my heart.  My first year of college was spent on the UNC Varsity Fencing Team (yeah, I thirsted for the bloodsport) so football games translated to a chance to scoop frozen lemonade out and sell it to drunk fans who made jokes about how cold our chests got (wish I had my fencing weapons to fleche their knickers off) (bonus points for fencing terms.) It wasn’t really until my junior year that I was able to partake in the joy that is…. college football season.

A dream come true

At my fraternity house, we’d sell out the parking lot, grill meat (and veggie burgers…. we had a disproportionate amount of vegetarians in my fraternity… then again, we were also called the “hippy frat” so maybe not), and day drink.

MIMO TIME!!

And, by dating a fellow that went to one of the most fun football schools in the nation, I also got to see how they do it down in the deep south at Ole Miss:

”]I can not even patiently wait for football season, in the hopes to maybe even go to a game (haha, you’ll notice that through this post, I didn’t really talk too much about that. Now you see where my priorities lie.)

But really, going to a game, shaking your pom poms [literal ones, not chest, you pervs] in the face of an opponent obnoxiously, and cheering in unison with the entirety of your fan base…. there’s nothing like it.

Though I graduated from UNC in 2009, during football weekends, I feel like I’m a student again, right there with all the other tailgaters, rabble rousers, and Tar Heels.

I can’t wait for the foods, the shouting, the 6am wake-up calls for the noon games, the hooplah, the tiny Tar Heel face tattoos, the smell of grilled meat, the shenanigans I’ll get in with my fellow brothers and sisters, young and old…. I just can’t wait.

Oh yeah. And the beer.

 Are you stoked for college football season?  And who’s your team of choice?

No Pants Wednesday!

/ foodsweatandbeers / 26 Comments

Hello friends!

Just whipped up a DELICIOUS meal of breakfast for lunch.

Ome-LET ME AT IT!!

In this little number was:

  • 3 egg whites, one egg yolk as the base
  • Sauteed spinach
  • Banana pepper
  • Reduced fat Mozzarella cheese
  • Fresh basil (from my own plant!)
  • Pizza sauce

After eating a tasty homemade pizza last night, I was not ready to let the pizza party end quite yet.

I rounded out the meal (and my sweet tooth) with a Vita Top in Dark Chocolate covered with a little dollop of some Harris Teeter branded caramel delight.  The only reason I “splurged” on the Vita Tops (which are normally a little outta my price range, read: $5.69 for a 4 pack) was because they were BOGO at the Teeter. Hard to say no to a BOGO….

Chocolate... ice cream... pizza plate. Totally appropriate.

In other news, a lot of you have been asking (haha not even one person has asked this, but I wanted to talk about it. I always wonder when bloggers post this whole “a lot of you have asked… wondered about _____” if that’s true or if they just felt like chatting about it.  The world may never know)…

What I meant to say is: I felt like talking about why I always drive home for lunch.  Part of the reason, of course, is the fact that I can whip up delicious treats like eggs and sauteed spinach and grab my own ice cream. But the real reason is the following:

PANTS! (ugh these ones are looking a little loosey goosey, I promise they look classy IRL)

I hate wearing pants. I really do. I think there was a span of 3 years, before I made my Glorious Transformation (aka lost 40 lbs), when I didn’t wear pants. I wore dresses, skirts, leggings, and athletic shorts…. but I avoided pants like the plague. Mostly that reason was due to the desire to not wanna jump up a size. But now that I’m at a size I’m comfortable with…. I still hate em.

So every day, at lunch time, I sweep myself home for a brief, shining lunchtime. The very first thing I do….

VOILA! HAPPY NO PANTS WEDNESDAY!

And for that period of time, while I’m making my meal and writing my blog post…. the pants of the workday are gone. GOOD RIDDANCE!  So even though the title of this post is No Pants Wednesday…. for me, it’s always No Pants day.  And I like it like that.

Do you like pants?  If not, GET EM OFF! (unless you’re in public, don’t cause a ruckus, y’all)

Where do you eat your lunch? At your desk? In a conference room? Out in some restaurant?

I tend to avoid eating out during lunch, mostly to save money (but also because most of the time, I’m too busy wearing no pants to wanna be out in public.)

The 61 Hour Wedding Whirlwind Weekend: Rehearsal Dinner at Monterey Bay Fish Grotto

/ foodsweatandbeers / 8 Comments

Hey all! Made it through Monday, unscathed.

Another day, another DELICIOUS lunch!!

So hot and steamy!!

On the menu today:

  • Steamed broccoli with some cajun seasoning on it for spice
  • Flatout wrap in Light Italian Herb containing: a fried egg, some fat free cheddar, a piece of turkey, spinach, and salsa
  • Diet Lime Pepsi (not pictured)

Still struggling to get enough sleep, but had a great time last night at Carolina Ale House so it was worth it!!

Back to the good stuff.  In case you missed it, check out the Wedding Rehearsal Recap of Caitlin.  After we finished up at the Chapel, and having only nibbled on some healthy snacks it was obvious that most of us were STARVING! Luckily, on the agenda was the Rehearsal Dinner at Monterey Bay Fish Grotto on Mt. Washington.  This spot was way up high (we’re talking so high your ears may pop in the elevator up), but offered up a most beautiful view of the city, so I’ll take the trade-off.

City of Steel, City of Bridges

I was glad to finally meet up with Ryan, who’d been enjoying the scenery (read: bed) at the hotel.

Hey there, studly boyf! I missed you!

In typical beer brat fashion, I started pestering our waiter(s) about their beer selection.  I, of course, was immediately read off a lengthy list of light lagers (ooh, beer alliteration!) reminding me of that post I wrote about Women and Craft Beer.  I gave him a quick head shake, and asked what other beers they had (wink wink… let me at the good stuff!)  I was rewarded for my persistence with an ice cold bottle of Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, one of my very favorite IPAs.  Ahh…. that’s what I was talking about.

The menu for the night was promising, and I was excited at what I saw:

So many options!

I went with a Roti grille style Salmon, marinated in Teriyaki sauce, chargrilled and topped with a honey lime glaze.  Also, I ate both my and Ry’s salad (I’m a salad disposal, basically).

Complete with fried wonton strips and an asian dressing!

Served with another Dogfish Head, veggies, and a very moist and flavorful wild rice mix

It was UNBELIEVABLY delicious, and I cleared the plate completely.  We’re talking not a grain of rice on the plate.  I was hongry (that spelling is intentional to describe just how hungry I was. I promise.)!

While we were waiting for the food to come out, though, we noticed a very strange trend in the gentlemen in attendance.  I’ll precede this by saying there was no formal dress code for the meal.  Yet, here’s what we got:

The groom and friend looking dapper.

Fellows chatting it up.... noticing the trend yet?

At this point, I was freaking out.

HOLY MACKEREL EVERY SINGLE BOY (3 exceptions) WAS WEARING VARYING SHADES OF BLUE BUTTON DOWNS AND KHAKI!

Yeah, I know. I wonder if they got ready together like we did… probably.  It was a very hilarious realization, at least to me and my tablemates (some of them were participating in the uniform).

I finished the meal off with (probably 2) more Dogfish Head and this delightful slice of cheesecake:

Mmmm peach accents. Heavenly!

Thank goodness my dress was very forgiving, because I was stuffed to the brim.  Luckily, we had Lindsey’s beau, John, to drive us back to the hotel where we crammed our VERY full bellies into the backseat.

Cozy, guys? (Photo credit to Lindsey!)

I fell asleep relatively early, thank goodness, because the next day was CAITLIN’S WEDDING DAY!

Stay tuned for the next post where I talk about the PRIMPING at the salon (aka maybe my favorite part of any experience ever.)

What would you have for your rehearsal dinner (or, if you’re married, where did you have your rehearsal dinner?)

Is your tummy full just reading this post?

Mine is… but I think it’s due to lunch.  I guess it’s back to work for Jojo!

Catching my Unicorn

/ foodsweatandbeers / 15 Comments

Back to reality. ugh.

Driving away from the shore last night, I tweeted the following:

Leaving the shore feels a lot like what I imagine splitting your soul into a Horcrux or two.

Seriously, though, it breaks my heart every time, and the only good part about riding on that bridge away from where my family and heart is would have to be knowing that I’ll be able to come back again.  Maybe not for another month…. but I’ll be back.

At least the view's nice...

Lunch was actually a very warm welcome to reality, today, as I whipped up a random sort-of omelet (my omelet flipping skills are abysmal, at best).

Hey, appearance isn't everything!

Inside this eggy wonder:

  • 3 egg whites (and a teensy bit o’ yolk that escaped my clutches)
  • black beans
  • a bit o’ turkey
  • reduced fat mexican cheese blend
  • sauteed peppers
  • Frank’s Red Hot Sauce (original. don’t mess with the classic.)

Not too shabby.  I used a few Tostito’s Scoops to give a little crunch to the combo, and voila!  Basically as gourmet Mexican as Mez in Durham.

In other news, there was an amazing thing that happened this weekend other than silly hennas and perfect bike rides.  My mother presented me with this:

Heart palpitations when I see one of these (the box, but maybe also the Harry Potter book)

She had obviously read my recap of my amazing Nordstrom experience, but we also talk about Nordstrom on the reg.  We’re both kinda Nordy Girls (a term I just heard of and loved and will now use constantly whenever I can.)  So when she heard about the bag of my dreams, and saw the 4 picture messages I texted her… well, the way she explained it was this,

This is from your Ami and Buzz. Those were her parents, my grandparents. They had 8 children, and weren’t Daddy Warbucks rich, but they fully believed that if you saw something, and you loved it, and you thought about it all the time… Even if it was a little out of your financial reach, you should just get it.  You only live once, and it will be worth more than money if it makes you that happy.

Even more beautiful than the shiny Nordy box.

Inside was the Oryany Leather Flap Satchel from Nordstrom in Chocolate.  The exact bag that I’d described to my Nordstrom stylist as “my unicorn” in the sense of being out of reach (at least financially and for my budget).  The salesgirl responded with, “OH! because you love unicorns?”

No.(though I do, and used to collect them and still have a bunch.)

But that statement makes me sure that you’re meant to be at Nordstrom focusing on fashion instead of creating metaphors for handbags.  Leave that to me.

The bag of my dreams! (Next to the boy of my childhood dreams!)

I wasted no time in filling all the numerous pockets and compartments, then prancing around my room with it on.  It can fit my calendar, my Kindle DX, my wallet, phone, camera, lipgloss, lady stuff (yeahhhh, you know, like tampons and Chick Beer or something), a notepad, and I don’t even know what else because it’s not full!! It has two straps that close and a lock, so I feel like my stuff is very safe, and the handle on the top can transform it into a fashionable briefcase-esque bag.

It’s perfect.

A HUGE thanks to my tiny baby mommy, and (of course) Ami and Buzz, the woman and man who instilled in her a love for her children that always has her going out of her way to make their dreams come true.  Even if those dreams are unicorn bags.

Say Yes to the Dress (and the Bride!)

/ foodsweatandbeers / 18 Comments

Howdy friends, and happy Monday!  I’ll admit, Mondays are always rough, especially when they start off with a surprise meeting, but c’est la vie!  I rewarded myself for a productive morning with a delicious salad of epic proportions:

Greens make me feel like a lean, mean, machine!

Today’s salad consisted of:

  • Romaine lettuce
  • Half a GIANT green pepper
  • 2/3 of a small tomato
  • Reduced fat mexican cheese mix
  • Black beans
  • Salsa

It is was DELICIOSO!!  I wolfed it down like a ravenous were-Jordan.  And now, onto the topic of the post.

My Best Friend’s Wedding!

My dress looks exactly like this.

No, definitely not the movie.  THE REAL LIFE THING!!

My dearest friend, Caitlin (of Chicaito, her new blog!), who I’ve known officially longer than I have not, is marrying her college sweetheart and they’re starting a beautiful life as husband and wife in Chicago.  When Caitlin asked me to be one of her Maids of Honor, it obviously wasn’t even a question, and I feel so honored to be a part of her magical day and all the things leading up to it!

Last month, we gathered in her hometown for the Bridal Shower and Bachelorette Party in Philadelphia.

Bride to Be Cait and her Co-MOHs Breanna and Jordan

It was an excellent weekend, and a great way to meet some of the bridal party who I’d never met before.  Caitlin and I have been friends since FOREVER, but as we went to college 470 miles apart, we only got to see each other now and then during the past 6 years.  We never lost touch, though, and every time we’re together, it’s just like we’re teenagers dancing at the All-Camp Dance at Camp Tockwogh.

That'd be our wedding photo... if Eamonn weren't in the picture, of course!

I will admit, I never knew what was involved in being a Maid of Honor, and it’s a whole lotta stuff that I’d never imagined. Who knew how many ways you could organize cupcakes on a table for a shower, or how many peen shaped accoutrements ther were for the bachelorette party.  Not I!

Luckily I already had 4 tiaras for her to choose from...

All those hours of saying yes to marathons of Say Yes to the Dress, though, and the hours of looking at bridal sites are about to come to a head, as the nuptials are in less than 2 weeks!!  I’m so excited to be a part of the big day, and you know I’ll be there with hankies in case she cries, a tiny sewing kit (that I will have no idea how to use) if she rips her dress, and a shot of vodka to get the party started.

That being said, getting prepared for the big stuff (standing next to her at the altar, giving a speech at the reception) is started to make me a little nervous!  I haven’t given a big speech in a while and, as someone prone to tears, I really don’t wanna lose my cool and start bawling in front of a bunch of loved ones and strangers… I still feel like I’m that teenage girl getting ready to send her besty off to be with another best friend!  I know no matter what happens, Caitlin will be happy and she won’t hold it against me if I break down into tears, but I just wanna make her day as special as possible!

Do you have any advice on how to be the best MOH in the world? 

Have you ever been in a wedding?  What was it like?

Whatever happens, I know we’ll have fun…. because honestly, when don’t we?

Microwave Titration: Office Hardships

/ foodsweatandbeers / 12 Comments

Here’s the thing: I dont remember much about high school chemistry class.  My teacher’s name was Mrs. Arensberg, my friend has a seizure in the middle of one class, and we did an experiment with titration.  Just because I remember that I did that experiment, I couldn’t tell you what titration means.  I vaguely recall, though, that it involved messing with one beaker, and then another, trying to get the right balance of fluid into a bigger beaker.  My chemistry major whizkid boyfriend is going to hate this post so much.

Titration is not.... you can't just make up definitions for.... nevermind.

Yup, just call me Jordan Nye the Science Guy. (Fun Fact: I met Bill Nye when I was in college, he visited UNC.  Less Fun Fct: He was a total asshole.  Seriously, not nice at all.) 

That’s all beyond the point.  What I’m getting at, is that the act of adding some from one beaker and some from another always sat with me as how titration works. And I feel as though, every day I use the microwaves at work, I’m doing my own little chemistry experiment.  Only, instead of trying to balance liquies from two beakers, I am trying to balance out the power of two different microwaves in the office.

In the red corner, we have this little gem:

Heater of all foods good.

This microwave is the jack of all trades. It can toast, it can nuke, and it does it all without burning anything.  My food always emerges hot, not crusty, there are often treats on top (such as chocolate chip cookies or chocolate frogs like I saw yesterday!!)  It’s a beautiful thing to walk over there, and my popcorn never stinks up the office by burning.  Sometimes, when I’m waiting for my popcorn, I do wallsits by this microwave.  I love it.

Then, in the blue corner, we have this eyesore:

DEMON MICROWAVE!

This. Microwave. Sucks. It turns frozen meals into hard as rock, inedible blocks, it burns the living daylights out of popcorn, and I constantly have to change the length of time as well as the power level.  And on those rare occasions when I am cooking a veggie patty in one, and want to make steamed veggies in the other… I have to choose which gets the demon (or wait 8 minutes to eat instead of 4). 

 
Today, the Morningstar Grillers Chik’n Patty had the shame of being put in the demon.  I had to watch it like a hawk and, even still, the edges got a little burnt/crisper than I usually like.  Despite my best efforts, it was not my finest work, but I avoided the great Lean Cuisine Rock that happened in 2010 (seriously, I couldn’t pull the enchilada from the rice… it was bad.)
Salvaged meal

Chicken patty slathered in laughing cow blue cheese and Frank’s Red hot (A favorite sandwich combo of mine)! The vegetables, of course, were perfect.  Corn, carrots, peas, and green beans.  I rounded things off with a sugar-free jello cup, and I get a feeling I’ll be sneaking over to that beautiful microwave of treats to sneak a cookie… or the head of that frog!!

Until then, I’ll leave the titration to the beau.  I’ll take care of everything else… especially of looking classy.

Don’t worry. I got this.

What’s for your lunch today?

 
How are the facilities at your office when it comes to whipping up a tasty meal?