Ga-Ga for Greek

Move over Pinkberry, there is a new type of yogurt in town!  Growing up, I used to eat yogurt sporadically; it was okay, but not my favorite.  Then I was introduced to Greek yogurt, and haven't turned back since.  Almost every morning you can be guaranteed to find me at my desk with Fage or Chobani in hand.

I went to Greece last summer and had the most amazing Greek yogurt I could imagine, and have been trying to find something comparable ever since.  FINALLY, I found it in The Yogurt Culture Company that opened  in Midtown earlier this week.  The store offers fresh traditional and Greek yogurt, both in skim or whole, as well as frozen yogurt.  The pure fruit purees are made from 100% fruit and contain no preservatives.  So, those of you who like to add a little sweetness to your breakfast can do it in healthy way.  Once you have the yogurt and purees, you head over to the toppings section where they offer a variety of fresh fruit, organic granola, roasted nuts, and other novelty toppings.  At $6 for a cup, it's a little on the expensive side, but worth an indulgence every now and then.  The Yogurt Culture Company has truly brought a unique idea to the city, with Chobani right on their heels.  They are opening up a similar type of store in SoHo soon and I can't wait to check it out.  Since I found the Greek flavor from Mykonos, all I need now is the crystal clear blue waters, a moped, and white buildings then I'll officially be back in heaven!

Semi-Charmed Kind of Life

I didn't get a chance to post about last weekend and I've been dying to get it all out.  It was a doozy, so if you can't handle reading through my novel {I won't take offense}, check out the pics and links for highlights!

All my faves from around the country came to the Big Apple for a fun-filled time.  Lyss and Shmey made an appearance representing my ATL besties, and Brodsky for the IU-ers.  I couldn't have been more happy.  The weekend jump started with a romantic dinner at Balaboosta with Kurbs and Lyss in the L.E.S.  I had been for brunch with Hill a few years ago, and its still one of my favorites of all time.  I was anxious to try dinner and, boy, it did not disappoint.  From the hummus, to the burratta, to the eggplant crostini, one thing was better than the next.  Even though we were stuffed, we made a trip around the corner to Rice to Riches.  The one stop shop has tons of different flavors of rice pudding + toppings.  Baby Gitter loved it, as did the three adults.  After divulging in the delicious sweetness, we headed over to Canal Room to check out "Saved By the 90s: A Party with the Bayside Tigers" to celebrate Meryl's birthday.  They didn't have the vocal dazzlings of Zack Attack or Jesse Spano {"I'm so excited...I'm so excited...I'm so....scared"}, but who wouldn't love a show where you can dance to the tunes of No Doubt, Third Eye Blind {hence the blog title}, and Backstreet Boys.  I had flashbacks of our days at Holcomb Bridge, in this version though I was not taller than all the boys or sporting braces.  If you are ever looking for something to do, I suggest you check out the Tigers or their 80s counter parts, Rubix Cubes.

Saturday we did what any crazy New Yorker would do in the middle of a heatwave...walked around the steamy sidewalks and blistering sun.  Luckily, we found solace in a few stops along the way.  First, we headed to Fatty Cue in the West Village for some soulful southern/asian cooking and watermelon mimosas.  LW, Jenny and I all got egg dishes and the muesli, while Lyss and Brodsky got the brisket hash.  The restaurant is better know for its dinner, but I thought the brunch was also noteworthy.  We followed brunch up with a street fair, a visit to the Chelsea Markets pop up designer shops, and a picnic on the West Side highway for some much needed relaxation.  After we cooled down, I took Lyss on the usual Saturday 5th Avenue shopping run, with a final stop at Angels for some amazing foot massages.

Not skipping a beat, Lyss and I then headed to the West Village to meet Meryl and her sister for her birthday dinner at The Place in the West Village.  I hadn't heard anything about it before going, but had walked by it on my several recent trips to Lovely Bridal Boutique.  The restaurant offered an intimate setting, with a cave-like design, dim lighting and romantic tunes {some of the time, at others they played bar mitzvah music}.  We all split the gruyere and green onion risotto, chicory and frisee salads, and me and Lyss got the vegetable filo pie for our main.  It was all fantastic, topped off with some of the most delicious pistachio ice cream I've ever had.  After dinner we headed over to The Park for some cocktails and beautiful scenery.

Sunday was a big day of birthday celebrations for Meryl.  We started the day off with brunch at Locanda Verde in TriBeCa.  Next to Balaboosta, this is another favorite brunch spot that I've ventured to in the past.  This time we tried things I hadn't had before and it has officially moved to the top spot as favorite brunch.  The meal started out with fresh made foccacia bread and sheep's milk ricotta with honey.  For our main Shoney and I split the fritatta, Lyss got "Manhattan's best" pancakes {said the waiter; but he might be right, they were incredible}, and Meryl got the egg crostinis with the most delicious side salad.  If you haven't gone there yet, you should make your reservation immediately.  Act fast since the reservation line opens one month-to-the-day before and book up immediately.  I'm still hoping to get my foot in the door for dinner.

I'm always looking for unique ways to experience New York, and I especially wanted to do something special for my visitors.  So for Meryl's birthday, Lyss and I got her tickets to The Accomplice.  We had absolutely no idea of what to expect.  Even now it's hard to explain the experience without ruining the fun of it.  In short, it's an interactive scavenger hunt around lower Manhattan {they also have a Village tour}, where you encounter various actors who help you with your assigned mission.  We were taken from the South Street Seaport, to the Brooklyn Bridge, through Chinatown and Little Italy, and finally the L.E.S.  Our group was never quite sure what to expect, who was an actor or who was real {this is New York after all, where several men with squirt guns could just be a normal people}, the detective in all of us were as happy as could be.  The entire thing took about two and a half hours, with wine, beer, and snacks provided throughout the journey.  The show/game/tour would be a great team building activity for any corporate event or a fun way to celebrate a birthday.  A definite must see/do!

After we said our good-byes to Meryl, Lyss and I headed uptown to Rosie Pope.  For those of you who aren't avid Bravo watchers, she has a show called Pregnant in Heels, and, after Lyss, is one of the most adorable mommys.  Naturally, we had to make sure my favorite mama-to-be got to see Rosie's store and all the adorable clothes, most of which I wanted to buy myself.  After we got our fix of fashion and Jelly Bellys, we met LW, Bri and Jared at Cafe Mogador in the East Village for some of my favorite cous-cous and greek salad in the city.  If you are in the need for some European ambiance and amazing, no-fuss Mediterranean food, make your way here.  Of course no Sunday night, or trip to New York, could be complete without a trip to 16 Handles, the Kardashians, and some late night Artichoke Pizza noshing.

It was an amazing weekend filled with all my favorites: my best friends, yummy food, and good ole NYC.  Life is bueno!

FFF's "Super Granola"

My friend Tara, a.k.a. "Fun Fearless Foodie", was raving Saturday about a granola recipe she made.  Never one to sit on a yummy recipe for too long, especially one coming from the only chef I know, Sunday morning I was revving up the oven and baking away bright and early.  I used a slight variation of her recipe {different nuts and dried fruit}, but  as she says, you can use whatever combination you are craving and it's sure to be delicious.  The recipe is especially great because it's all natural and contains no refined sugars.  I brought it into the office to share, and it was a hit amongst all the picky eaters.  Click here to follow Tara's NYC foodie excursions.

"Super Granola" the Fun Fearless Foodie Way

Ingredients: 
4 cups organic rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped
1/2 cup raw walnuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup raw cashews, roughly chopped
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup flax seeds
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1/2 cup organic coconut oil
1/4 cup almond butter
1/4 cup organic pure honey
1 1/2 cups dried fruit (I used craisins, apricots, and goji berries)

Directions  

(Yield: 8 cups)

1) Line a sheet tray with aluminum foil and brush with a light coat of coconut oil.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2) Add the dry ingredients into a large bowl and toss.

3) In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, almond butter, and honey.

4) Pour the oil mixture into bowl of dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until coated evenly.  Keep stirring until all the oats are coated.

5) Spread the granola mixture onto the prepared sheet tray, making sure it is in an even layer.

6) Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove and stir the granola, this will ensure it browns evenly.  Return to oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until it is golden brown and toasted.  The grains will be slightly soft.  Keep an eye on it to make sure nuts don't burn.

7) Break up with your spatula and allow to cool.  Once cool, stir in dried fruit.

8) Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated to preserve freshness.

TA-DA..

The Final Product

Additional note: We started a chia seed experiment in our office by planting some of the seeds from the granola to see if we can grow our own little chia pet.  I'm excited to see what happens, but will be a tad concerned if something I've been ingesting over the last year will also grow in grimy soil and a lil NYC sunshine.  I'll report back later on the outcome.  

Will it grow?? Cha-Cha-Cha-Chia

Lizzzz Lemon Loves Lentils

 If you don't understand the reference in the title, then you must check out the Oprah "30 Rock" clip here.  It will have you giggling, or at the very least spontaneously shouting "Lizzzzz Lemon" like me and LW.  Anyways, I'm sure Oprah would have added the recipe I cooked up last night, thanks to Kara Shelby's recommendation, to her favorite things list {had she not decided to get greedy and start her OWN network}.  The recipe was quick to make and filling {two of my most important requirements}.  The dish can be served steaming hot, room temperature, freezing cold, you name it - it works.  Perfect for those summer BBQs.  

LEMONY LENTIL SALAD W. ASPARAGUS & SPRING HERBS
INGREDIENTS
1 cup of pre-made steamed lentils, rinsed
1/2 pound of asparagus, trimmed
1/8 cup of chopped almonds
4 scallions, white and light-green parts only, finely chopped
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

Zest of 1 lemon

3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon of flaky sea salt

3 tablespoons finely chopped dill fronds

1/4 cup of mushrooms 

* The original recipe called for walnuts instead of almonds, crumbled feta, and parsley.  Kara and I both used different ingredients from what it called for, and enjoyed, so use whatever your heart's desire!

 

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large pot fitted with a steamer basket, bring 1 inch of water to a boil.  Place the asparagus in the basket to steam for 5 minutes.  Run the asparagus under cool water, then slice into 2-inch pieces and set aside. 

2.  In a medium saucepan, heat the rinsed lentils with the EVOO for 3-4 minutes.  Add the almonds, scallions, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, mushrooms, dill and salt. 

3.  Remove from heat.  Plate.  Enjoy!  

 

  {FOR DESSERT: Fresh berries and lychees}

Crispy Quinoa

Big Girls Small Kitchen offers quick go-to recipes for the working New Yorker {obviously it can be for any busy mom or working girl, but the small kitchen stipulation may not apply}.  Absent the fact that I love the witty title of their blog, I'm always intrigued to make one of their easy, healthy options.  Tonight I finally took the plunge.  Though it pains me to say it, since it comes from my least favorite chef, "YUM-O".  I added my own twist to this recipe, subbing the wild rice with quinoa and throwing in some steamed kale.  Everyone should get to their kitchen and fire up that stove pronto!

Quinoa with Crispy Mushrooms, Craisins, Toasted Almonds + Kale

Ingredients
1 cup of Quinoa
About 1/2 cup olive oil
10 ounces white mushrooms, wiped clean, trimmed, and cut in 1/4-inch slices
2 cups of kale
1 clove garlic, minced with 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup dried craisins
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

In a large, heavy pot bring at least 2 cups of water to boiling. Salt it well. Reduce to simmer and add the quinoa.  Cover, stirring occasionally, until water has evaporated, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the mushrooms: heat a heavy frying pan (cast iron works great) for about 3 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, then add the sliced mushrooms in a single layer. You might have to do this in more than one batch. Sprinkle with salt. Cook for 2 minutes, then flip the mushrooms (as best you can – I don’t expect you’ll flip every one on its own). Cook another two minutes, then scrape out into a bowl. Add another tablespoon oil and repeat with remaining mushrooms if not all the slices fit the first time.  

Next, add two tablespoons of water to the frying pan, add kale and cover to steam until bright color. 

To make the dressing, combine the minced garlic with the honey, vinegar, and mustard. Whisk to combine. Slowly drizzle in 1/4 cup olive oil while whisking until the dressing is emulsified. Taste for salt.

In a serving bowl, combine the quinoa, mushrooms, kale, craisins and all but a few of the almonds. Add about half the dressing. Toss well, and taste to see if you’d like more dressing.

Garnish with the remaining almonds. Serve cold or room temperature.

All Hale Kale

After a short hiatus, kale has made its way back into the kitchen at 5D.  Just before I left work yesterday I stumbled upon the below recipe.  I've been wanting to try the Trader Joe's version for sometime, and knew this was just what the detox doctor ordered after a weekend full of eating.  The salad was made in less time than it took for my rose petal face mask to dry, and is filled with an abundance of nutrients.  What else could you ask for?

Kale, Cranberry, Chickpea, Edamame Salad

Ingredients

Dressing
3 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely minced or crushed
3/4 teaspoon dried Italian herb blend
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Salad
4 cups finely chopped Tuscan kale, ribs removed (this is about 4 ounces of kale)
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2/3 cup dried cranberries, such as Craisins, soaked in boiling water to hydrate
1 cup edamame beans, cooked and cooled
Mint
Basil
A few carrot shreds (if you have them, for color)
Garnish: Cherry Tomatoes

Instructions

1. Add all dressing ingredients to a large salad bowl and whisk until combined.
2. Into the bowl throw the kale, chickpeas, cranberries and edamame. Mince a handful of mint and a handful of basil leaves and toss them in, along with some carrot shreds, if available.
3. Toss salad well to combine, and garnish with cherry tomatoes.
4. Serves 6 as a side salad, or 2-3 as a main dish for kooky kale-lovers (THAT'S ME)

AFTER

BEFORE

Yerba is Buena

Last night I went to dinner at Yerba Buena on Perry Street with some of my faves.  The restaurant offered a special Passover-friendly menu for those of us steering clear of chametz.  The last time I went here was for Hannukah, so it seemed only fitting to continue the tradition.  Yerba is well known for having fantastic cocktails, and the highlight was, surprisingly, the passover friendly Sabra Margarita.  Of course you can't go to the restaurant without getting the guacamole, this time around it was served with matzo.  We all shared some delicious side veggies and their signature salad.  I love the atmosphere of the restaurant, the Latin American and Spanish influence of the food, and of course the company.  If I had to flee Egypt I would bring with me my friends, Google Glasses, and the Peruvian corn.

Nom Nom Nom

Even though there is only two more days left of Pesach, it's better late than never to get your Kosher for Passover fixins'.  Here are other restaurants around the city offering Passover menus:
Abigael's on Broadway
Colbeh
Joe Doe
Telepan
Toloache

Now it's off to Washington DC to celebrate the future JPP!!  See ya'll next week xo

And These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

Happy Friday!  In honor of this beautiful day here in NYC and being that the weekend is upon us, I thought I'd share my top ten things that make me smile and lift my spirits. Not in any particular order...

1. Soul Cycle.  I know people say that it's a cult and if so, hand me the cool aid.  The reason why I love working out so much is because its an opportunity to take time for yourself, listen to music, and let everything go.  Soul Cycle takes all of these to the extreme.  There's nothing like it.  For 45 minutes you put the pedal to the medal and rock out.  Soul Obsessed is right.

2. Coffee Bean Chai Tea Latte. Over the last year I've gotten really into chai tea.  Most recently I tried it from Coffee Bean's new location on the UWS and it definitely makes me smile.  Whether in winter or summer, hand me a steaming cup of this sweet treat. 

3. Breaking Bad (and by extension Aaron Paul). Thank goodness for Shay for introducing me to this show.  There is no better show on the planet.  Aaron Paul is pretty nice to look at as well.

4. Running on the West Side highway. I usually only get to the make the trek once every other week or so but when I do, its worth every step.  The views by the water and landscapes along the path are beautiful, and nothing makes me love NYC more than when I get a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty from Battery Park.

5. Reading in Union Square.  It's no secret that I love me a good book and become easily engrossed.  Union Square during the spring/summer has a wonderful ambiance, and, more importantly, phenomenal people watching.  The West side highway is also a good second option.

6. Live Music.  Whether it's jumping around to the tunes of Avicii on NYE or having a glass of wine while listening to the lesser known talents of Mikey Wax with Jess,  no matter the show, I'm ready and willing to hit up a concert with friends.  It's likely that I will be obsessing for weeks. Or at least until the next concert.

7. St. Simons and Spanish Moss.  Pretty much just being in St. Simons, Georgia, where my parents have a house, means that I'm already in my happy place. Driving down Fredrica Rd. and being surrounded by all the gorgeous spanish moss really brings it home.

8. Magnolia Bakery Banana Pudding. This. is. the. best. dessert. ever.  Since there is a location in Grand Central across from my office, we have it at nearly every work function.  It also comes in a dangerous individual size.  A perfect combination of my favorites, bananas and vanilla wafers.

 9. Grey Dog Cafe.  In a city with so many restaurants, I don't often like going to the same place.  Grey Dog's is probably one of my very few exceptions. With four locations around NYC, you can often find a line out the door on Saturdays and Sundays.  Trust me, it's worth the wait.  The menu is vast, the coffee is delicious and the atmosphere yields an uncanny relaxation and homey feel that can't often be found in such a busy city.

10. Lululemon.  It may sound weird that a clothing company could be one of my favorite things but their innovative ideas have no bounds.  Their clothes are all expertly designed, flattering,  and comfortable.  Their stores offer free yoga classes and massages.  Their blog offers limitless advice on running, meditation, and self help.  I love Lululemon's emphasis on the importance of positive thinking by exercise.

It's quite often that on a Saturday afternoon you can find me leaving the Lululemon store after my Soul Cycle class, having worked off last night's Magnolia banana pudding, walking to Grey Dog's with chai tea in hand. Hope your weekend is filled with all of your favorite things!

Haynes Holiday Ho-Ho-Ho Down

Unfortunately with work, I wasn't able to go on our usual beach trip this winter.  Thankfully, my amazing family all came to me to spend the holiday season in NYC!! We had a great time. Everyone arrived on Thursday, the sibs all stayed with me while my parents were at the Waldorf uptown.  When they got in, we headed straight to Toloache outside of Time Square.  This restaurant was recommended by Hillya (checkout her blog here) and she definitely got it right!  Everyone loved their meals and the margaritas were delicious.  After a quick dinner, we headed over to Broadway to see Promises, Promises starring Sean Hayes and Kristen Chenowith.  I didn't think that the musical was anything special but I loved Sean and Kristen.  Sean had his "Just Jack"moments and even forgot some of his lines, but made a joke about it later which was a great.  I've always loved Kristen, I think I was one of the only ones who watched Pushing Daises when it was on ABC.  Day One ratings: Toloache - 3.5 stars; Promises Promises - 2 stars.

Friday morning we went to brunch at Good in the West Village.  I've been wanting to go here for a while, so it was a perfect time to check it out given that it was pretty quiet in the city.  Us girls got the mushroom, spinach and gruyere omelet, Bloody Mary's and were ready for the fun to begin!  The ambiance was a cozy cafe type of feel which paired well with its comfort food menu. After brunch we headed up to the High Line.  The High Line was originally built in the 1930s for freight trains running over Manhattan and runs from Gansevort to 34th street (though it's not completely open yet).  The landscape, although not in the dead of winter, is gorgeous and provides a beautiful view of the river and West side.   If you haven't been, I suggest you check it out.  Our next stop was heading up to Rockefeller Center to check out the Christmas tree.  I'm not a fan of the tourist traps but it's always nice to see a holiday symbol of the city. If you dare to subject yourself to it next year, I would suggest going at night to see the lights as well.
We walked from Rockefeller down to Bryant Park to check out the holiday markets and ice skating rink.  The holiday markets here paled in comparison to the vast array of options at the Union Square markets, but it was more spread out and nicer booths which was refreshing. The ice skating on the other hand was ridiculous.  The rink was much bigger than the one in Rockefeller but there was a 2 hour wait and with the inflated prices, I'd much rather stick to dry land.  Let's be honest, with my track record, it's safer that way anyways.  After Bryant Park, we head back down to Union Square, walked around those holiday markets, stopped in at Max Brenner so Laura could get some hot chocolate, and stocked up on groceries for our Christmas feast for Saturday night.


Friday night we went to dinner at Emilio's Ballato in SoHo.  I stumbled upon this restaurant when I was reading an article from Time Out New York about the best restaurants of 2010. This place has been around a long time and was still on the list, so I thought it was worth a try and I'm glad we did.  It is a classic Italian restaurant with the waiters, food and ambiance all contributing to the authentic dining experience.  If you are looking for a romantic hidden gem, this is the place to go.  Day two ratings: Good - 3 stars; The High Line - 2 stars, points taken away for the lack of greenery; Bryant Park skating - zero stars; Emilio Ballato - 4.5 stars.

Saturday morning we had brunch at 2nd Avenue Deli, my mom's favorite spot.  It has all the typical Jewish deli trimmings, pickles and coleslaw for appetizers, matzoh brie, and chocolate soda shots to wash it all down.  It was a nice way to kick off Christmas day in the city.  After brunch, we headed over to look at the Macy's Christmas Window Display.  I have never really taken the time to explore this area (another tourist trap I loathe) but it was neat to see and read about the history of the tradition.  The company spends all year putting together the display, and given the detail and intricacy of the artwork, you can tell that it paid off.  Desperate to escape the frigid cold we walked over to the Ace Hotel and got Stumptown coffee and relaxed for a bit.
After we finally thawed out, we went to Union Square to do the typical Christmas day movie viewing.  Sara and Laura opted for Little Fockers while my parents, Ben and I went and saw The King's Speech.  I may have missed something in the fifteen minutes where I had dozed off, but I didn't think the movie was as spectacular as the review had made it seem.  Don't get me wrong, it was a great movie, but I felt that the story could have been told in an hour as opposed to two.  The rest of the night was spent cooking up our feast, drinking wine, and playing some Trivial Pursuit.  Day three ratings: 2nd Avenue Deli - 2 stars; a cozy hotel, coffee and photo shoot - 3 stars; The King's Speech - 3 stars; kicking the family's butt in a board game - priceless.  




We woke up Sunday in excitement at the sight of flurries greeting the city.  These flurries slowly turned into many hours of snow, and BAM the 2010 NYC Blizzard had made it's home in Manhattan.  Once our tour to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty was canceled, we quickly decided that bowling would be a warmer and equally enjoyable activity.  We headed to Bowlmor and hid from the piercing cold.  After a few rounds of bowling we walked over to Eataly in Madison Square Park, and walked around Mario Batali's extravagant Italian market.  This 50,000 square foot space in the heart of Flat Iron is home to restaurants, desert stands, wine bars, produce, culinary supplies and more.  Its interesting just to walk and see all it has to offer even if you aren't looking to buy anything in particular.  After perusing all the fresh pasta and live octopus we could handle, we headed back to my apartment for some relaxation, board games and Inception.  For dinner, I insisted that everyone try my favorite pizza place so we ordered in Posto and everyone was introduced to my love for Shroomtown, which I've mentioned in a previous post.    Day three ratings: Bowlmor - 5 stars for winning the first round, 2 stars for coming in second to last in the second round; Eataly - 3.5 stars; thin crust pizza and truffle oil - 5 stars; Mom losing her camera in 3 feet of snow - zero stars. 

Fortunately for me, my family's flight the following day was canceled due to the snow so I still had one more day with everyone.  Unfortunately for me, I still had to work :(  Being that I was only one of four people that showed up in a department of thirty, it was a pretty busy day but I was finally able to meet up with them late in the afternoon.  The sister's and I treated ourselves to a mani/pedi treatment and then we went to a bar in the UES to eat and watch the Falcon's game.  It was an extremely relaxing and fun way to end what was a great family trip.  


Overall rating of the Haynes 2010 NYC Holiday Extravaganza: 5 Stars and I'm so sad it's over :( 


**Laura was interviewed by a station in Atlanta about being stuck in NYC during the blizzard, check out the interview here!

Turkey Tales

Last week it was back to HOT-lanta for family, fun, friends, football and food.  I won't bore you with every detail of the five days but here are some highlights.

It's always hard to find a restaurant that offers a lot of healthy vegetarian variety, especially in a city that is known for its fried chicken and Waffle House greasy goodness, but I found TWO! When I got in on Wednesday I met Meryl and Joel at R. Thomas, which describes itself as "funky burger joint with a little healthy California flair", and funky and full of flair it is.  Greeted at the entrance with cages of tropical parrots, the twenty-four hour restaurant itself is a covered patio with lush gardens and bright colors.  I only had time for coffee at my first stop of the trip, yes I went twice, and opted for the Blue Moon latte, no it did not contain the beer.  They had ordered the quinoa bowl and flax seed chips, both of which looked delicious.  The second time around I got the omelet as well as the privilege of seeing the real R. Thomas and dining with some flying birds.  My only complaint is that I didn't know about this restaurant during high school as I chowed down late night on beignets next door at Huey's.  The second treasure I found was Top Flr in Midtown, located on the quaint Myrtle street a few blocks from Piedmont Park.  The restaurant offers a chique and romantic interior, a delectable tofu entree, and tasty sides (burnt mac n' cheese and shaved brussel sprouts were my favorites). 

Another highlight of the trip was taking a class at Pure Barre Buckhead with my sister.  The pure barre technique is a recent phenomenon in the exercise community, combining weights and ballet bar with quick isometric movements, its popularity has risen because its low-impact, tones and creates a lean look.  Though the company has yet to open a studio in Manhattan, there are several studios that provide a similar work out like Physique 57 and Bar Method. I felt awesome after one class, it flew by and was a great workout.  My friend Jess has been taking Physique 57 classes for a while and I think I might have to join in from now on!

Beyond a doubt the best part was spending time with family and friends.  It's always great to catch up with old friends, and this time around we got to spend quality time with ones we hadn't seen in years.  We took a trip up to the our family friend's lake house in Gainsville, which is a nice escape when my idea of nature is limited to a twenty block radius known as Central Park.  To sum up my trip, I am thankful for: my mom's cooking and loving heart, my dad's cheesy jokes and Cosby sweaters, passing sobriety tests, my siblings (everything about them), CatchPhrase, slipping on leaves, having a sister equally as klutzy as me and having matching scars, Jake Gyllenhall but not his new dirty movie, trivia at TJ's, SEC football, HUE leggings, Target, cognac and fireplaces, SoundHound and satellite radio, Jenny, deers and having an amazing place to call home.  Things I'm not thankful for:  6 a.m. flights.  I. am. beat.

Before:                                                                  After:

Hope ya'll had an equally wonderful Thanksgiving!!