SWEAT = SUCCESS

Where to begin?

2012-02-26T20:14:00.000-08:00

It has been almost three weeks since I last posted. HOLY. GRAD SCHOOL. SMACKDOWN.

In short, on top of my usually crazy class/ homework/ scene rehearsal-load, I'm also in a show that opens in three weeks! I've been pulling a lot of 13 hour days at school, plus my 2 hour-round trip commute, plus any attempts at working out, and HOMEWORK.

I miss you all terribly.

Please accept this photo recap of the past three weeks- I have so much more to fill you in on!

Our days are long, and our breaks are few and far between. They usually involve shoveling snacks into our faces while running to the bathroom and simultaneously filling up a water bottle. You'd be impressed at what I can get done on a 5.

A quick bite to eat before seeing a pretty terrific production of Look Back In Anger at the Roundabout! LOVE me some free tickets, thanks to a professor!

School cafeteria food when I forget (or run out of time) to pack a lunch!

Packed dinner while running lines- eating any other food out of a Talenti jar is just... disappointing.

This orange peel is in ONE PIECE- my cast-mate Django taught me that. Impressive, eh?

You know things are getting crazy when I bust out the sumo-turd-hair-pile.

My scene partner, Patrick, and I, working hard at a rehearsal for Tennessee Williams' Summer and Smoke. We're Grad students. Take. Us. Seriously.

In the audience at the college's play reading series!

Tofu and blackbean scramble.

Egg-less and flour-less pancakes with peanutbutter, bananas and honey!

Alma Winemiller (me!) and John Buchanan (Patrick) getting ready to present our scene from Summer and Smoke.

The weather here in Brooklyn has been ALL OVER, but cold or warm, my hood is gorg.

I live in Little Russia- this is how I blend...

Ducks, pigeons, gulls and swans living in harmony.

Completely un-retouched. How crazy does that water look??

Tea at my nabe's coziest little Turkish cafe- Masal.

If Joe's really good, I usually let him eat a sugar cube or two.

OH HAI BAKLAVA. YES, I'LL EAT ALL THREE OF YOU. I thought you'd never ask.

Green tea and line-learning- I've got a monologue that spans about six pages in the beginning of this show- holy moly!

I 'splurged' on a $12 pedi and did my homework while sitting in the chair. My technician kindly offered me a People magazine, but homegirl's gotta multitask!

I picked up a super cute bikini at Target while running errands for school! On sale! Wahoo!

Rocking my scarf babushka-style on my way to assist at this AM's auditions.

Despite the past three week's craziness, my workouts haven't been terrible... I haven't been logging them or keeping track in any quantitative way, but I've had some great incline runs (Tough Mudder doesn't care if you're busy) and some killer strength workouts.

I'm proud I've been squeezing in some fitness- it keeps me sane. This may or may not have something to do with the fact that my pants come off 1/2 way during my show and don't come back on. More on that later.

Back to the Grind and a New Training Plan!

2012-02-07T06:54:00.000-08:00

Sunday afternoon I hopped on a train and headed back down the Hudson.

There are some landscapes that are ingrained into your fibers and very much a part of you.

I feel that way about the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers. Just thinking about them makes me feel at home!

It's back to the grind, nutritionally, for this girl. As you saw in my vacation recaps, we at DECADENTLY! I don't take any of it back, but man, it threw me for a loop!

Protein oats with PB fit the bill nicely.

Before Christmas, I picked up this bag of Pumpkin Spice Fall In Love Coffee- it caught my eye because I noticed that they donate a portion of the proceeds to improving the lives of their farmers. Fair trade and practices that benefit coffee growers are VERY, VERY important to me. I'm happy to report that buying this coffee satisfies both your conscience AND your taste buds! :)

In other news, I received some RoC Retinol samples as a Klout perk- I started using it last night- I'll let you know my thoughts once I've worked my way through the two tubes they sent me!

TOUGH MUDDER TRAINING LOG

I eased my way back into training with a 3 mile run yesterday, with the incline on 3. I'll be doing A LOT of incline work, as Tough Mudder VT is on... a mountain... Tonight will be a 4 mile run with 3 incline and some upper body work.

I have a strange aversion to swimming for fitness. It's REALLY bizzare. I'm a fish- you cannot keep me out of the water, but something about doing laps back and forth sounds so horrifically boring to me. There's some swimming in the TM, though, so I'm assigning myself AT LEAST one swim this week.

And now- off to school! Today is my "day off", but I'll be on campus from 11-9. The agenda looks something like this:

-Individual meeting with program head

-Lunch meeting with classmate

-Graduate Theatre Organization Meeting

-Meeting with the director of my upcoming show

-Rehearsal with scene partner

-Rehearsal for a directing student's scene that I'm working in

-Gym

Does anyone else's "days OFF" look like this? Jeez Louise.

My Weekend at Home and the Sparkly Soul Giveaway Winner!

2012-02-06T21:02:00.000-08:00

My weekend looked a lot like this...

Thanks to this kid.

That would be my baby sister, Courtney. She competed for the title of Miss Fulton County this weekend, so I came home to support her (and be her hair/ makeup slave, natch).

The weekend was made doubly special by the fact that my middle sister, Kieren, was the outgoing Miss Fulton County 2011, and was celebrating the end of her 7 year run in the Miss America Organization.

2010 was my last pageant year, officially making me an old, retired person.

We all were up with the sun on Saturday to get Courtney ready for her interview. This was always my favorite part of competing- in a ten minute private interview, you have the opportunity to introduce yourself to the judges, field their questions and talk about your platform issue- which was truly my raison d'etre in pageant-land. I'm an arts-in-education advocate, and I loved utilizing my titles to help facilitate dialogue about education reform. Kieren focused on helping to bridge the information and support gaps for at-risk students who want to go to college. Courtney is advocating for awareness and activism against teen dating violence. I. Am. Proud.

Momma slapped the car magnets (used in parades) onto Kieren's car for one last spin!

I got to work on hair/ makeup.

Ready for interview! (her- not me- obvs)

And off Kieren and Courtney went!

Courtney returned to find the apartment crown-i-fied.

And momma got to work on some oreo brownies for the bake sale. Holy moly.

We spent the afternoon relaxing, and before we knew it, it was showtime!

All of the girls looked beautiful in the opening number! Courtney sparkled in an adorable sequined cocktail dress that may go missing from her closet the next time I'm home.

Kieren joined the girls and began her last evening as Miss Fulton County 2011!

She talked with the emcees about her year and her journey in the Miss America system.

Onstage question was next! Courtney was asked if she thought that drug-testing should be mandatory in high schools. She very eloquently asserted that she felt drug-testing should be mandatory for students who seek out leadership roles and represent the school, like athletes, but that it should not be mandatory for all students.

Kieren came back to the stage to perform the talent piece that she performed at Miss NY this past summer. Our family grew up Irish step dancing (this was also my talent when I competed).

And then- SWIMSUIT. Courtney killed it.

Followed by talent! Courtney began bellydancing years ago to mix up her dance training.

Her talent presentation was stunning!

Last but certainly not least- EVENING GOWN!

Courtney was absolutely stunning in her purple-chiffon evening gown!

Poised, elegant and graceful.

As the scores were tabulated, it was Kieren's turn to say good-bye.

I gush over my sisters a lot, but sometimes I can't find the words to accurately express how honored I am to be related to such talented, passionate, hardworking and persevering women.

My honorary brother-in-law, Shawn (they've been dating for like a trillion years- we grew up with him around- it counts) made this AWESOME video documenting the ladies' preparation for the pageant.

And then- awards!

Courtney tied with Jessica for Congeniality, carrying on the Sheridan tradition. Kieren has won congeniality in EVERY pageant she's ever competed in except one. True story. We're a congenial bunch.

Courtney was named as the 1st Runner Up and won a $2000 scholarship! I could not be more proud!

My friend, Colleen, took the title. I've known this girl for a lonnnnnnngggg time, and she's grown so much since I first met her. She'll be a wonderful Miss Fulton County!

My awesome friends joined me at the pageant! Extra crowd support is always a good thing. :)

And yes- Jarred is making fun of my pageant pose. Hater.

Courtney was greeted by her supporters! Our Aunt and Uncle are two of our biggest fans!

I caught up with some pageant pals! :)

My dad and step mom congratulated Courtney. I tried to crop my dad's arm out of this picture because he's executing a ridiculous pose, but it didn't work. Photoshopping won't make your parents normal. Checkmate, Dad.

I'm not sure if Courtney's boyfriend's matching was intentional or not...

Sisters!!!!!!!!!!! Kieren, Courtney and I were re-united with our sistas from another missus! We met these girlies and their awesome mom through pageants and have been tight for years. Love these kiddos.

We get crazy sometimes.

The lady behind the Sheridan sisters- my momma! Most of our shenanigans wouldn't be possible without her. At least- most of the worthwhile ones.

This is why we're always smiling in pictures...

Welcome to the retired pageant girls club, Kinzie!

A former pageant director made this dinosaur for Kieren. AMAZING.

The TRUE RANDOM NUMBER GENERATOR HAS SPOKEN. And now... the winner of the Sparkly Soul Giveaway!

#2!

Congratulations, Ann! Email me your shipping info and the colors you'd like (one wide, one thin)!

Thank you x 1,000,000 to everyone that entered! For the month of February, Sparkly Soul is offering readers a 15% discount! Use the code: FITFLUENTIAL at checkout!

More fun giveaways are on the horizon- stay tuned! :)

OH SNAP.

2012-02-06T06:45:00.000-08:00

GIAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNTTTTTTTTTTSSSSSSSSSSS!

Can you tell which of us is from NY? :)

Longer post coming later, including the winner of the Sparkly Soul Giveaway!

On today's agenda: Speech class, Chekov rehearsal, Director meeting, Tenn. Williams rehearsal, gym, homework, blog.

Check back later, pals!: )

My Rematch with (TOUGH MUDDER) Destiny

2012-02-01T04:19:00.000-08:00

Allentown, PA- May 2010. This happened.

Englishtown, NJ- November 2010. This happened.

Mt. Snow, Vermont- May 2011. This happened.

My first-ever migraine.

I put on a tough face for my boys and signed in/ got marked...

...but when the time came, I sent them off on their own and slept off the beast while they KILLED Mt. Snow- one of the toughest of the Tough Mudders.

Last night, I registered for a rematch.

May 6th- 2012. This will happen.

Bring it on, Mt. Snow.

Turning to Kettlebells to Ease Back Pain

2012-01-31T18:03:00.000-08:00

Hey pals! I'm in the middle of a paper writing frenzy, but I wanted to share with you this awesome article my

trainer, Ellen Stein, forwarded me today, about my beloved kettlebells! Check it out! :)

January 26, 2012, 12:01 AM

Turning to Kettlebells to Ease Back Pain

By ANAHAD O'CONNOR

Stephanie Diani for The New York TimesA kettlebell workout may be just the thing to ease back, neck or shoulder pain.

Kettlebells, cast-iron weights that have been used for centuries to train Russian soldiers and athletes, appear to be a promising therapy for back and neck pain, new research shows.

Although many people with backaches and other pains shy away from weight lifting for fear of hurting themselves, studies show that strength training can reduce pain and prevent reinjury. While most research has used traditional weight training exercises, researchers in Denmark set out to study whether a kettlebell workout offered therapeutic benefits to back pain sufferers.

The weights, named for their resemblance to a tea kettle with a looped handle, began showing up in American gyms about 15 years ago and have gained a popular following among exercise buffs looking for a quick full-body workout. Unlike traditional weight training, which typically focuses on lifting exercises, a kettlebell workout requires both swinging and lifting of the weights, which for beginners can be awkward and difficult to control.

In a study published last year , the Danish researchers recruited 40 pharmaceutical workers, mostly middle-aged women with back, shoulder and neck pain, who were randomly assigned to either a regular kettlebell workout or a control group that was simply encouraged to exercise. The first group trained with kettlebells in 20-minute sessions two to three times a week for eight weeks, according to the report, published in The Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health.

At the end of the study, the kettlebell exercisers reported less pain as well as improved strength in the trunk and core muscles, compared with the control group. Over all, working out with kettlebells reduced lower back pain by 57 percent and cut neck and shoulder pain by 46 percent.

The study’s senior author, Lars L. Andersen, a government researcher in Denmark, noted that workers who spend much of the day sitting are particularly vulnerable to back, shoulder and neck pain because they develop tightness and weak spots along the posterior muscle chain, which includes the muscles running from the lower back down to the glutes, hamstrings and calves. Kettlebell workouts strengthen the posterior muscle chain, and the increased blood flow to the back and leg muscles also may lessen pain by reducing the buildup of lactic acid, the authors wrote.

While isolation exercises like curls and presses have their benefits, kettlebell movements recruit multiple muscles and teach the body “to move as one unit,” said J.J. Blea, a certified kettlebell instructor and an owner of Firebellz in Albuquerque, one of the top kettlebell gyms in the country.

Because kettlebells can be difficult to control, it’s important to learn proper form from a certified instructor or a kettlebell class at a gym. The cornerstone of the kettlebell workout requires the exerciser to swing the kettlebell between the legs. In the Danish study, women started with a 17.5-pound kettlebell and men with a 26.5-pound kettlebell.

“When you’re doing a swing, you squeeze your quads, you squeeze your glutes, and you squeeze your abs,” said Mr. Blea. “By squeezing these muscles, you protect your back. It creates power, and it increases strength.”

Kettlebell training is also surprisingly aerobic. A study by the American Council on Exercise found that a 20-minute kettlebell workout burns about 21 calories a minute , the equivalent of running at a six-minute-mile pace.

And Now, Back to our Regularly Scheduled Programming

2012-01-31T08:08:00.000-08:00

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL! FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL!

Ahh... now I feel better. :)

Today is the first day of my second semester of grad school. I cannot believe at the end of this semester I'll be halfway through my graduate degree! Ayayayayya!

I thought I'd catch you up on the past week, as I've been preoccupied with recaps from Hawaii and the NYC Blogger Playdate!

GROCERIES. I know. They excite me too!

Joe and I haven't bought meat in almost six months. Neither of us are vegetarians in theory, though our diets usually flop between vegetarian and vegan when we prepare food for ourselves at home. Joe made an announcement a few months back that he didn't want to buy any meat unless it was hormone free and cage-free/ humanely raised. I complied, but this meant that the meat we were allowed to buy was usually a lot more than I was willing to pay, so we came home without meat week after week. I really didn't miss it, but when these cage-free, hormone-free, vegetarian cuts went on sale, we stocked up and popped them in the freezer. We eat meat so infrequently now that they'll probably last us the entire semester, but I'm ok with that.

I baked some drumsticks, glazing them with some TJ's Fig Butter and served with sweet potatoes and broccoli. A much needed detox after our delicious but RICH week of Hawaiian fare.

Continuing on with the clean eats, Joe whipped up some bangin' chocolate oatmeal protein pancakes. I need to force him to write out the recipe. I'm pretty sure it's simple, and these babies were sooooo gooood.

Most of this week has been spent locked in my house, doing homework and prepping for the first week of school.

I was VERY ready for a night out on Sunday.

My upstairs neighbor, Nicole, invited us to sushi, and I couldn't refuse! We went to Chikurin to grab a few rolls.

On our way home, we grabbed some boba tea! :) Mmmm.

After begging and begging and begging, Joe finally brought me Wafels & Dinges' special wafel of the month- mascarpone cheese with strawberries and crumbled biscoff cookies! :)

I particularly love it when he stops at the farmer's market on his way home. Blue potatoes, goat cheese and rosemary on a focaccia? Yes, please.

On the fitness front, I've been doing some Daily Burn workouts, throwing around the kettlebells and going for a few short, easy runs. My back has been a bit tight, and I've been away from training, so I'm trying to ease myself back into things.

AND NOW- off to school! I have a meeting this afternoon followed by a Speech class! Wahoo! :)

Don't forget to enter the SPARKLY SOUL giveaway!

It's Sparkle Time! Sparkly Soul Review and GIVEAWAY!

2012-01-30T14:36:00.000-08:00

I think a little sparkle goes a long way, and a lot of sparkle goes an even longer way! :)

I spent several years with a near-permanent rhinestone fixture on my head as Miss Brooklyn and Miss Greater NYC, but those days have passed. Recognize the hottie with me in this pic from my recent Hawaii posts? It's my pal Inga, who currently lives in Honolulu. She likes sparkles, too.

I've traded my crowns for some new head bling!

As a FitFluential Ambassador, I was recently offered the opportunity to try out two Sparkly Soul Headbands. I selected a thin band in black, and a wide band in silver.

I've been extremely pleased with both!

My thin, black Sparkly Soul band got me through this insane kettlebell workout without budging an inch!

I took the silver one on a test run, and matched it with some sparkly leopard print leggings!

Sparkles and animal print? G-L-A-M-O-R-OUS.

Watch the video to see how it did on my run through Manhattan Beach!

GIVEAWAY

Sparkly Soul will send one lucky reader TWO headbands (one thin, one wide) in the colors of their choice!

To Enter (leave a separate comment for each entry with a valid email- up to 3 entries per person):

-Leave me a comment telling me which color(s) headbands you'd pick!

-Tweet- @keeliesheridan is giving away @sparklysoulinc headbands on Sweat = Success! http://bit.ly/zg498X

- Leave me a comment using the word "Sparkle" on my Facebook page!

I'll announce the winner on Monday, February 6th!

Happy Sparkling! :)

*I received this product as a free sample from Sparkly Soul. I was not otherwise compensated for this review. The opinions expressed here are my own.*

Tagged by Tenecia!

2012-01-30T09:31:00.000-08:00

Awww snap- Tenecia from Boobs, Barbells and Broccoli shouted me out on her 12 Questions Survey. Thanks, T! How'd you know I was looking for a distraction from my homework? :) P.S. If you don't already follow Tenecia's blog, you're missing out- Girlfriend is shredded and sassy!

If I got an email with these questions, I'd delete it immediately, but I get GIDDY with delight when I'm tagged for these things in blog land.

1) You must post the rules.
2) Post 12 fun facts about yourself on the blog post.
3) Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post, then create 12 new questions for the people you tagged.
4) Tag 12 (or so) people and link them in your post.
5) Let them know you've tagged them!

12 Facts About Me

1) I hate mayonnaise. I've mentioned it a lot recently, but it can't hurt to say it again.

2) I'm an iced coffee addict. If you know me at all, you know that.

3) I love training legs!

4) I have a list of things to learn that is approximately one trillion miles long. Currently, it includes: breakdancing, chess, Gaelic, parkour, sewing, piano, html, butterfly stroke, tea making, pottery, burlesque performance and using my DSLR well.

5) I have two sisters and four stepsisters. That's 7 girls. My poor dad.

6) I am happiest when I'm in the water. River, lake, ocean, pool, bathtub... I'm a fish!

7) I love being a student. I would be a professional student for ever and ever if that was an actual job title.

8) I am a procrastinator, but I always end up doing my best work under a tight deadline.

9) I'm VERY SLOWLY working my way through the ACE personal training manual- I hope to get certified once I'm out of school!

10) I didn't change my last name when I got married.

11) I love spicy food.

12) I grind my teeth a lot. It's bad. I wake up with headaches. Oyyy.

Tenecia's Questions

1) How do you like your eggs? Any way you'll make 'em. EXCEPT raw. Or in mayonnaise. See above.

2) Favorite movie quote- "Don't dream it, be it." -Dr. Frank, Rocky Horror Picture Show

3) Last book you read- "The Need for Words" by Patsy Rodenburg

4) If you had $500 to spend on whatever you wanted, what would you buy? Fitness gear, theatre tickets, books, and a few train tickets home!

5) What's your "go to" recipe? Oatmeal, eggs or a smoothie!

6) What concert(s) will you be going to this year? None planned yet, I should get on that!

7) Favorite candy- Candy Corn/ Candy Pumpkins.

8) What is the best piece of advice you've received? Define yourself by the work you do, not the circumstances you find yourself in.

9) What was the first job you ever had? Babysitting!

10) Do you untie your shoes before you take them off? Not unless I absolutely have to.

11) What is your best feature/body part/characteristic? My eyes/ my smile!

12) If you could learn to do anything, what would it be? Everything. See above.

My Questions

1. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?
2. What do you want to be when you grow up?
3. What's your least favorite food/ beverage?
4. If you could only do one physical activity for the rest of your life, what would it be?
5. If you were reincarnated as a dinosaur, what kind would you be?
6. What is your favorite dish/ meal to make?
7. Name your favorite childhood memory involving food!
8. Who inspires you?
9. Who is your favorite artist (musician, painter, actor, poet, sculptor... any medium)?
10. If you had $10,000,000 to give to charity, which charity(ies) would you give it to?
11. What is your idea of a perfect day?
12. What's your favorite inspirational quote?

I tag:

Katie at Healthy Diva Eats

Toni at Running Loving Living

Aubrie at Drunk on Opportunity

Katelyn at Chef Katelyn

Ashley at Freckles and Spice

Nancy at Living the Dream

Laura at Joyful Shimmy

Juliette at Finish Your Broccoli

Meredith at Dare You to Blog

Jen at Mom's Gotta Run

Genevieve at Caffeine and Procrastination

Stephanie at Ms. Composure

MUAHAHAHA- I've given you the blog version of a chain email, and if you don't repost, you'll have six trillion years of bad luck and the person you have a crush on will marry your best friend in one week. Or not. No pressure. :)

Sorry! But not really.

NYC Blogger Playdate- January 2012- Kettlebell Kickboxing and Buddha Bodai

2012-01-29T11:42:00.000-08:00

I feel like I've been run over by a truck, in the best way possible. My EVERYTHING is sore. And happy.

Kettlebell Kickboxing very graciously offered the NYC Bloggers a free, private class to experience owner Dasha Libin's exciting and comprehensive new fitness fusion.

From their website:

Kettlebell Kickboxing™ is a one-of-a-kind FEMALE only method developed by fitness & martial art expert Dasha Libin, MS,NASM-PES, NASE. Kettlebell Kickboxing™ redefines the body by combining the sleek and deadly motions of Muay Thai with the power and strength of Russian kettlebell training, creating a NON-impact 60 minute total body scorching class. Burn 1,000 calories – getting Long & Lean at the same time.

This high intensity workout combines classic kettlebell moves with kickboxing, martial arts and self-defense movements, broken up by plyometric bursts and a KILLER floor series that focuses on the core.

Kettlebell work focuses on complex movements involving large groups of big and small muscles, challenging stability, balance, strength and cardiovascular endurance. The addition of kickboxing gives more dynamic and explosive options, keeping your body guessing and constantly engaged!

I have a history with kettlebells, so most of the moves felt pretty natural for me. Our instructors were very good at giving specific and easy-to-follow direction to help those without KB experience. We were all happy pools of sweat on the floor at the end! :) This workout leaves no muscle untouched!

Our gorgeous, strong and sexy group!

@freckleandspice - Freckles And Spice
@RebeRoad - REBEats
@Sproutandpea- Sprout & Pea
@bkforkandspoon- Brooklyn Fork & Spoon
@AubrieF- Drunk on Opportunity
@_ErikaLeigh- Shoes, Shirts and Other Sh!t
@fitnessnyc- Fitness NYC
@dareyoutoblog- Dare You to Blog
@lschwech- Laura from Greatist.com
@kellyannefitz- Kelly from Greatist.com
@tonee78- Running, Loving, Living
@finishurbroc- Finish Your Broccoli

Thank you so much, Dasha, for having us! I will DEFINITELY be back for more! :)

Kettlebell Kickboxing has a DVD coming out soon- join their mailing list for updates!

By sheer coincidence, I had planned the January Blogger Playdate in Chinatown during Chinese New Year.

The streets were full of revelers!

Trudging through the throngs of people to get to our restaurant was a workout in itself!

It's the year of the dragon!

I would NOT want to be the person who has to clean all of this up...

Our party of 7 settled in to a table at Buddha Bodai immediately- they very graciously accommodated us, even though we didn't have a reservation.

This vegetarian restaurant has a trillion options! Their menu is huge and everything looks delicious!

I got the steamed veggie dumplings (I'm a dumpling freak)!

I also ordered a bowl of Curried Vegetable Noodle Soup.

From L to R: Myself, Toni, Ashley, Aubrie, Colleen, Meredith and Erika.

(Fun Fact- there are four Fitfluential Ambassadors in this picture including myself, and three of us are wearing our awesome Sparkly Soul headbands- giveaway coming soon!)

The NYC Blogger Playdates keep getting bigger and more exciting! I'm so grateful to everyone who helps make them a success! Email or Tweet me for details on our next event!

Check out our past events:

September 2011- Hot Yoga
October 2011- Yoga Vida
November 2011- Five Points Academy Kickboxing

NYC BLOGGER PLAYDATE!

2012-01-28T08:51:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post this AM, pals! I'm off for today's NYC Blogger Playdate with Kettlebell Kickboxing, followed by lunch at Buddha Bodai! We have an awesome group of some of NYC's best fitness, lifestyle and healthy living bloggers attending today's event!

If you'd like to join us for a future meetup, or if your business is interested in hosting the NYC Bloggers, check the page for contact details!

Recap comin' atcha tonight!

Hawaii Day 6: Loco Mocos, Lanikai Beach, Nu'uanu Pali Lookout and Korean BBQ!

2012-01-27T21:51:00.000-08:00

We went light on dinner the night before, so when we woke up on day 6, we were HUNGRY BEASTS.

Fortunately, help was (literally) just around the corner.

Good to Grill serves up some serious breakfast fare at pretty reasonable prices.

The Kalua Pig Breakfast Tacos were absolute perfection- crispy potatoes, soft, fluffy eggs and the most savory, tender pork you'll ever bite into on a grilled flour tortilla.

This behemoth is called a Loco Moco, and it's a truly formidable breakfast opponent, even for the hungriest diner. Fried rice topped with an egg, two char-grilled hamburger patties and gravy. I didn't care for the gravy, but everything else in this dish was spot on. Joe and I split the breakfast tacos and ate 1/2 of this beast before wrapping it up to bring home.

The hubs had been feeling under the weather, so Inga and I deposited him at her apartment and headed out for some thrifting!

I'm sure you're not surprised, but if you're ever looking for a TRILLION used Hawaiian shirts, thrift stores in Hawaii are where it's at!

Hawaiian shirts, sun dresses, sandals, flip flops and a fur lined coat. ...wait a second... One of these things is not like the others...

Matt picked Inga and I up after our shopping trip (I didn't end up getting anything) and we grabbed Joe and headed to the gorgeous Lanikai beach!

The waves are gentle, the sand is white and powder soft, and because it was a bit overcast when we went, the water was pretty empty. Neither Joe nor Matt nor Inga were up for a swim, so I went in alone! :)

PSA: No matter HOW certain you are that your quadruple-lined white swimsuit will NOT be transparent when wet, test it in your shower before you leave home. Seriously. I discovered my bottoms were see-through while in the water, alone, out of shouting distance of my friends. I had to flag Joe down to bring a towel to the water, and since he wasn't swimming, he lent me his trunks!

Crisis averted!

And back into the water I went!

Swim trunks are fun, ya'll! And comfy. WHY do women wear bikinis, again?

Though they refused to go swimming with my, my enthusiastic cheering section fully supported my water-frolicking (ignore Inga's expression- I swear she was having fun).

Poor Joe- such a trooper. He put on his game face, but he was feeling pretty icky. You could probably tell that from the double-sided nasal tampon he fashioned for himself out of a tissue to keep his nose from leaking all over his face. I wish I could say this was the first time he's done this. Or the second. Or the tenth.

Even on a windy, overcast day, this beach was a pleasure to visit!

On our way home, we stopped at the STUNNING Nu'uanu Pali Lookout.

Breathtaking, literally. In 1795, Kamehameha I's army conquered the island of Oahu by driving 400 of Kalanikupule's soldiers off the edge of this 1000ft cliff, uniting the Hawaiian islands under his rule.

It's really quite enjoyable, when you're not being pushed over the edge.

We spotted these crazy roosters as we left the lookout. The seemed to be looking for a fight, so we drove away...

Every cloud has a silver lining, and every overcast day in paradise has it's rainbow!

We showered up, made ourselves presentable and headed to dinner.

Forgive the phone pictures- I left my memory card in the card reader.

Sidorak is a Korean BBQ known for their $19.99 all-you-can-eat BBQ special.

I take the "all-you-can-eat" offering as a personal challenge. That's probably not the healthiest way of looking at it, but there you go.

All of the banchan were bangin'. Fresh and tasty.

The meat was the main event, though. I was pleasantly surprised with the quality across the board. We tried EVERYTHING. Literally. Short rib, ribeye, seasoned short rib, tripe, brisket, tongue, bulgogi and BBQ chicken. I'm pretty sure we ordered seconds of almost everything. Joe tagged out first, followed shortly by Inga. Matt and I ran in the last leg together, finishing almost an entire round by ourselves.

Team big kids, FTW.

My clothes STILL smell like BBQ, but it was so, so worth it.

Sh*t Healthy Living Bloggers Say

2012-01-27T18:52:00.000-08:00

In case you hadn't seen it yet, my Fitfluential pals and I had some video fun. :)

I'm at 3:38.

If you're an HLB (or a regular person with HLB tendencies), which of these do YOU say?

Hawaii Day 5: North Shore

2012-01-26T20:37:00.000-08:00

Can you see why I never wanted to come home?

I woke up to this view EVERY morning.

We got on the road early on Saturday. First order of business? Breakfast!

Nanding's Bakery in Waipahu is famous for their Spanish Rolls. Holy. Friggin. Moly. Melt-in-your-mouth-epicness. They're a little sweet, a little salty, a little buttery, and A LOT amazing.

Their cinnamon rolls are pretty spectacular, too.

We headed north for some touristy-but-still-fun deliciousness at the Dole Plantation!

Pineapple Dole Whip. Awwwww yeahhhh....

Did you know they have a peacock? Neither did I!

Admittedly, when Inga asked if I knew how pineapples were grown, I said no, but guessed from a tree. Joe guessed they came from eggs. Neither of us would have ever imagined that they grow straight up from the ground on stems!

For the low, low price of $0.50, you can send a pond-full of Koi into a masochistic frenzy with a handful of fish food.

I mean, honestly, Koi? You're embarrassing yourselves.

We actually felt sort of bad as they slammed their bodies against the side of the pond wall to get the pellets... I mean, we were FEEDING them, so it can't be that wrong, right?

Fun photo-ops are free!

The gorgeously maintained grounds are pretty impressive.

I think the Dole Plantation is definitely worth a stop- it's one of those "spend as much or as little as you want" attractions- you could take tours or do the banana maze or buy tons of pineapple products if you're so inclined, or you could stroll through, buy some ice cream and enjoy the lovely grounds and gorgeous views of miles and miles of pineapple fields.

We were itching to swim after being turned away from beaches all week because of a bunch of super-lame jellyfish, but we stopped at the North Shore Country Market in Haleiwa first!

This market was very small- maybe 10 or so vendors- though I hear there are more in the summer. We sampled some delicious starfruit, and Matt and Inga picked up some Ice Cream Bananas.

These bean sprout samples were delicious!

We passed a gorgeous wading pool on our way to the farmer's market, and doubled back to visit this breathtaking spot!

Though it wasn't clearly posted, I'm pretty sure this spot is called Shark's Cove.

It's protected as a part of the Pupukea-Waimea Marine Life Conservation District. "Take only pictures, leave only bubbles!"

Follow Joe's advice for beach safety! Hydrate! It seems counter-intuitive to be chugging water AND swimming in it, but your body needs constant hydration to regulate temperature, especially in the unforgiving sun!

Slather on some SPF! It amazes me how many people don't think they need to put sunblock on when they're swimming because they're in the water. Huh? What? Water = reflective surface = amplified sunburns. Get with the program!

If you have them, wear soft, rubbery water shoes or fins- the sharp coral can cut your feet, but hard-bottomed sandals can harm the marine life. I went in barefoot because I didn't have water shoes with me. I was VERY, very careful and avoided major injuries.

Wade in slowly and stick to the sandy spots to avoid walking on the coral.

Having a 'Little Mermaid'-moment (or two, or three) is normal. I mean, you're in a friggin' cove.

Give your camera with your new telephoto lens to your bestie, and get some faboosh paparazzi-at-the-beach shots. "Keelie Sheridan spotted frolicking in Shark's Cove with mystery lover!"

When we were there, the water ranged from knee to over-my-head deep, but it was all pretty gradual. There were several snorkelers flippering around (shh... yes it IS a word) and we saw several beautiful fish splashing about. The pool fills up when hit with big tides creating a bit of a current, but mostly, it's a calm and gorgeous place to splash about.

You'll no doubt have worked up an appetite after your swim, so towel off, make a half-hearted effort to de-sand yourself (you will not get it all off, so don't get too invested), and head down the road to Ray's Kiawe Broiled Chicken.

Huli-huli chicken is char-broiled in the back of a flatbed and seasoned with... ummm... paprika? garlic? salt? pepper? brown sugar? a combination?

Joe and I split a whole chicken, chopped...

...and split a side of pineapple coleslaw.

We hopped back into the car and drove until we found a small marina. There was an old comfort station with a porch looking over the water, so we spread out our feast, kicked off our shoes and dug in. The chicken was moist, savory and finger-lickin'-good. (I will probably never use that phrase again, but it's really appropriate in this context.) As you may or may not know, I have a sworn-blood-feud-styled hatred for mayonnaise. It affects me weekly. I. Hate. Mayonnaise. But I can't lie, I could have eaten this entire tub of pineapple coleslaw myself. I'll be attempting to recreate the recipe with a vinegar base soon- keep your eyes peeled.

This guy pretty much sums up the vibe for the afternoon. We found him sleeping on the stairs at the comfort station. Even the animals are chill in Hawaii.

Bellies full and bodies rested, we took in the view one last time before adventuring on!

Waimea Beach is popular. If the parking lot is full, continue up the road, pull over and follow the path through the trees. It gets steep- mind your balance!

In the summer, the water is relatively calm, and there's a huge rock with a 5ft or 18 ft jump-off!

But in January, at high tide, the waves are angry and HUGE! The lifeguards made an announcement that rock-jumping was off limits for the day, and at several points in the afternoon cautioned people to remove their children from the shore and either swim out deep or get out of the water for the big waves. The ocean don't play, homies. If you're not an extremely strong swimmer, stick to wading and don't go deeper than your knees. You'll still get knocked around plenty, trust me.

After getting tossed about by the waves and soaking up some sun, we headed back into town, stopping at Ailana Shave Ice in Waikiki to cool off.

Ailana's offers both the standard artificial flavors and their own blends of natural, homemade flavors!

My partners in crime all went for traditional two-flavored bowls, but I had my eye set on the Azuki bowl.

Azuki beans, mochi, sweetened condensed milk and ice cream hidden in the middle. Out. Of. This. World.

Hawaii Day 4: Liliha Bakery, Makapu'u Point and Hawaiian Iron Chef- Boys vs Girls

2012-01-25T19:58:00.000-08:00

I am an Asian bakery freak. There, I said it.

Liliha Bakery (no longer located on Liliha St.) opened in 1950, and has been making Hawaiians very happy for the past 62 years.

In addition to the bakery section, there's also a diner counter open 24 hours (except Mondays, when they're closed) serving up traditional diner fare. When we arrived at approximately 9a on a weekday, it was PACKED.

Decisions, decisions...

We decided to get a bunch of different pastries to share!

From Top L (clockwise) a butter roll, a garlic, ham, bacon and cheddar roll, an ensemada, an Azuki malasada, coco puffs and a cream puff.

We added in a Green Tea Roll- how could we not? :)

Is it just me, or do these kimono clad cookies look more than a little like Cartman? Adorable, nonetheless...

We took our treats outside and enjoyed them in the parking lot! :)

This savory Garlic, Ham, Bacon and Cheddar roll was chewy and really flavorful!

The Green Tea Butter Roll was also quite good- the Green Tea flavor was VERY, very mild.

I LOVE CREAMPUFFS! These remind me of the ones I used to get in a bakery in my hometown. The shell was the perfect consistency- soft and slightly chewy, and the custard filling was divine!

The star of the batch for me was this Adzuki malasada. Adzuki stuffed anything makes my heart sing. These deep red beans are traditionally sweetened and frequently used in Eastern Asian and Himalayan cuisines.

This ensemada was decadent. Delicious, but definitely a once-in-a-while treat. You see that gorgeous looking frosting? It's butter. Just butter. Dipped in sugar. Oh, my arteries.

Their classic butter roll was very nice- can you tell? ^

The Cocoa Puffs, for which they're famous, were awesome. A dab of chantilly frosting tops the chocolate pudding stuffed pastry in a delicate, rich and all-around-sexy way.

Matt and Inga had some DMV excitement to sort out before we could go cruising around in their sweet convertible, so we headed to the Ala Moana Center (their DMV is in a MALL- WHAT?) to kill time while they waited in line. Naturally, coffee was involved. I really enjoyed Island Vintage's iced coffee- strong, bold, flavorful and AWESOME with soymilk.

I've never been in a Lupicia store before- I think I'm in love! Holy tea! There are approximately one gazillion varieties, several of which are made exclusively in Hawaii.

I can't go into too much detail about what I got since my purchases may or may not have been souvenirs for family members who may or may not read this blog. :)

Once we were squared away with the DMV, we hit the open road!

We hopped on 72 and headed east.

Convertibles are hands down the best way to get around Hawaii...

...especially when your guides are as awesome as these two...

Our first stop was a pull-off about 1/4 mile down the road past the Makapu'u Lighthouse Trail entrance.

We spotted this painter working his magic with the rocks, shore and water. I could have watched him paint all day!

Obviously it's a premo photo shoot spot!

Need a really adorable and romantic photo completely ruined? My hubs is a pro!

The view of nearby Makapu'u Beach. Small, quiet, beautiful.

This hike is sort of out in the middle of nowhere, but fortunately the Makapu'u Beach has a comfort station located just up the road (heading North). Hooray for bathrooms! And awkward photos.

The hike up is only a mile, but it's pretty steep. Napping in the car is preferable, for some.

Read the signs, yo! Informative AND entertaining. "Pec Slap" is now a part of my daily vernacular, even when I'm NOT whale watching.

You could easily stop every 100 feet for a photo. The hike would take FOREVER, but I wouldn't blame you.

Inspiring scenic lookouts abound!

Don't forget sunblock! There is absolutely zero shade on the trail.

If you're lucky, you may spot a mongoose! No doubt, this guy was going to meet with his pal the honeybadger to hunt snakes!

The vistas get more and more breathtaking the higher you climb.

Go all the way to the top. It's worth it.

Photobomber strikes again...

Views like this make me want to dance...

It seems like hikers have taken to carving on the cacti along this trail, which is a bummer. I can't lie, though- this one made me laugh.

Mind the Dip (baby, Dip).

You will probably be pretty hungry after you've finished. Continue North on 72 for 3.5 miles and jam on some plate lunches at Keneke's.

An odd combination of roadside restaurant and lean-to chapel, Keneke's serves up traditional Hawaiian style plate lunches with a side of Bible verses.

The inside of their shaded outdoor eating area is literally covered with Bible verses, mostly of the hell and brimstone variety... with a few exceptions, of course.

If this is your thing, you'll be in Heaven (pun intended). If it's not, you'll hardly notice your surroundings as you plop your face into a plateful of warm goodness.

Joe and I split a Shoyu chicken plate...

... and a Kalua Pig plate. The portions were extremely generous and the food was outstanding.

We were hoping to take a dip at nearby Kaiona or Kaupo beach, but our plans were once again thwarted.

Jellyfish are jerks. These warnings were posted on Waikiki beach on our first day- it seems the jellies were dominating the southeastern coast, as they often do for a few days after the full moon. Lame.

Have YOU ever had a shirtless Hawaiian man hack apart a fresh coconut with his machete for you to drink?

First- drink up!

Mild, fresh and cool!

Share with someone you love!

After you're done drinking, have your friendly coconut salesman chop yours open so you can chow down on the coconut innards! When it's fresh, they're slippery- almost the consistency of oysters!

We drove back into town and headed to Honolulu's Chinatown to shop for ingredients for our cooking challenge!

I love shopping in Chinatowns (NY's is pretty great, as is Chicago's, and Philly's...)

The ingredients are always exciting!

There were Chinese New Year decorations everywhere!

Inga slurped a papaya smoothie and I loved on my avocado lychee smoothie with boba.

We visited a grocery store to supplement our market finds and then got to work!

Hawaiian Iron Chef: Boys vs Girls Official Rules

- The secret ingredient must be used in every dish.

-Each team must make an appetizer, entree and dessert.

-Purposeful inclusion of ingredients the other team HATES results in disqualification.

-Judging will be as objective as possible and dishes will win by consensus.

Our secret ingredient? Lilikoi- aka passionfruit. There are multiple varieties.

This pile + a pork loin = Team Female's ingredients!

TEAM FEMALE APPETIZER: Sweet Potato, Kabocha Squash, Lilikoi and Coconut Soup

TEAM MALE APPETIZER: Bacon Wrapped Scallops with Lilikoi Chutney

TEAM FEMALE ENTREE: Roasted Pork Loin and Long Beans with Lilikoi Sake Reduction.

TEAM MALE ENTREE: Pork Loin in a Red Wine reduction with Lilikoi and Toasted Almond Quinoa.

TEAM FEMALE DESSERT: Lilikoi, Hawaiian Orange, Mango and Guava Sorbet

TEAM MALE DESSERT: Nada. We all were exhausted and passed out after our sorbet.

I think that makes Team Female the winners by default. :)

Have you ever done an Iron-Chef style cooking challenge?

Hawaii Day 3: Down to Earth, Waiola Shave Ice and the Honolulu Farmer's Market

2012-01-25T11:51:00.000-08:00

After two days of delicious but HEAVY food, we were all craving something a bit lighter when we woke up.

Down to Earth fit the bill.

I visited their hot bar for a non-breakfasty but still quite delicious serving of veggie curry, rice and tofu.

Joe chowed down on a Blueberry Cream Cheese Scone.

Inga had an acai bowl.

After breakfast we strolled around the neighborhood looking for some caffeine. Are you noticing a pattern? :)

Glazer's Coffee served us iced lattes in place of iced coffee, but we got cute Betty Boop glasses so we didn't mind.

We worked up a sweat on our way home, so we stopped to cool down a few blocks from Inga's apartment.

Waiola Shave Ice is a staple in Honolulu.

A close cousin to the snow cone, shave ice has a decidedly more delicate texture and a significantly more interesting flavor selection!

Joe went with the Blue Hawaiian and POG (Passionfruit, Orange and Guava).

Inga opted for Banana Cream and Cotton Candy.

I jammed on some lilikoi (passion fruit) and haupia (coconut). Holy. Moly.

Waiola also houses an interesting little shop with a pretty decent selection of Chinese-influenced sweets and snacks.

We took our snacks outside and enjoyed them at the kiddie table.

Shave ice is surprisingly filling, and not too terrible, nutrition wise- it's essentially just water, with a bit of sugar in whatever flavoring you choose.

Later that evening, we headed to Ono's Hawaiian Food for some island-style deliciousness.

"Ono" means 'delicious' in Hawaiian, which is why there are SO MANY restaurants named Ono!

Kalua pig is a really juicy, slightly smokey shredded pork.

Poi- is the traditional starch in Hawaiian cuisine. It's mashed taro root, and you can dip ANYTHING in it.

The Lomi Salmon tasted a lot like a salsa ceviche.

And then... there was laulau. Holy. Crap. DELICIOUS. Pork wrapped and steamed in taro leaves.

Pipikaula tastes like jerky!

The combination plate was DEFINITELY enough food to share.

We finished with some haupia- sort of like coconut Jello Jigglers with a slightly more dense and less slippery texture. These tasted like coconut rice pudding! Delicious!

Later that evening, Inga and I strolled down to the Waikiki Farmer's Market.

We picked up some gorgeous local produce!

Hawaii Day 2: Diamond Head, Nickie's Cafe and Side Street Inn

2012-01-21T23:56:00.000-08:00

We rose with the sun on our second day in town and set off for an adventure.

We headed uphill toward Diamond Head Mountain, passing tons of gorgeous flora, fauna and scenery.

The residential streets in this part of Honolulu remind me a lot of parts of Puerto Rico.

We needed a caffeine stop, so we hit up Bogart's Cafe on Monsarrat Ave.

I had a pretty darn delicious iced coffee, made all the more exciting by this Superman Mug.

Joe chowed down on an acai bowl and Inga had a breakfast burrito. Both seemed happy with their choices, though the prices were a bit steep for breakfast.....

Inga wasn't feeling well, so she headed back to her apartment and Joe and I continued up the hill in search of the Diamond Head trailhead.

The view got more and more beautiful as we climbed.

After ascending a pretty steep hill to enter the park (admission $1/ pedestrian or $5/ car), we stopped at the Magoo truck for some refreshments.

Things had already started to get steamy...

We hydrated with some cool pineapple slices and rested in the shade a few minutes before beginning the hike...

And then.... we were off!

The trail is definitely not stroll-inducing; it gains 560 feet in 0.8 miles and at times the terrain is uneven.

There are several stunning vistas that make good excuses to take a quick rest on the way up.

The payoff for this sweaty schelp is 100% worth it, though.

Our stroll back through Kapahulu and Kaimuki was... HOT. These birds were so hot that they couldn't be bothered flying.. .anywhere...

Neither Joe nor I had eaten much before our hike, so towards the end of our 7 mile trip (hike + commute), we were STARVING. We initially walked past this place, but were lured back by an inkling (and Yelp reviews) suggesting that this tiny hole-in-the wall shop was not to be overlooked...

Nickie Cafe was refreshingly cool with the aid of a fan (no A/C) and we were immediately greeted with a smile and brought some "water"- which tasted a lot more like iced tea to me, but I wasn't complaining. Delicious.

We've been familiarizing ourselves with Vietnamese cuisine, so we didn't need to look at the menu long.

We placed our orders and relaxed.

I was pleased to see the table stocked with the condiments of champions- chili pastes, soy sauce and Sriracha.

We had just enough time to cool down before our meals arrived to heat things up!

We did halvsies (as Joe and I usually do at new restaurants). First up- pho tai. Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup with a variety of mix ins and toppings.

Next up? Bahn mi- a traditional Vietnamese sandwich served on a baguette. We got the 'the Nickie'- a classic and simple take on this delicious dish.

We divvied up our Pho toppings (Thai basil, sprouts, lime) and got to work.

The bahn mi was absolutely divine. The char siu was perfectly cooked, the toppings were fresh and the baguette was the perfect combo of crunchy outside and soft, chewy inside. Joe and I both place THIS bahn mi in our top five sandwiches ON EARTH.

I added my greens and condiments to my pho and was in love. Even in the heat, I slurped down every last drop of the succulent boiling broth. There's nothing like a big, delicious bowl of soup. Comfort food crosses ALL cultural borders. We were EXTREMELY pleased with our experience at Nickie's Cafe, and I can't recommend it highly enough! If you find yourself in Honolulu for any period of time, definitely stop by!

After eating, we met Inga downstairs at her place for some poolside action. The pool was a little too cold, and the hot tub was a little too hot, but together they were quite refreshing.

We relaxed for a bit and may have napped on the lanai. :)

Later that evening, Joe, Matt, Inga and I visited the Side Street Inn for dinner.

We went with their classics- Pan Fried Island Porkchops and "Side Style" Fried Rice. So. Freaking. Yummy.

We finished the evening with a stroll in Waikiki to burn off some of our delicious dinner. :)

Hawaii Day 1: Honolulu, Waikiki

2012-01-19T17:38:00.000-08:00

We. are. in. heaven.

Looking out from the lanai where we slept, these are the views.

Matt and Inga's cat, Jingles, appreciates the scenery as much as I do, I think...

I was up with the sun, but this fellow was a bit jet-lagged.

Homemade iced coffee! This is one of the reasons we're friends...

Since all four of us had spent the previous day traveling, we were desperate for some sunlight and good food!

So we strolled to Waikiki for a breakfast of beastly proportions. Helloooooooooo Mac 24 7!

The Mac Daddy Pancake Challenge- three 14 inch pancakes and a pound of toppings. We selected the Elvis.

Excited AND skeptical...

Matt and Inga knew what we were in for...

Neither photos nor words can do the enormousness of this dish justice. It is, quite literally, the largest quantity of food I have ever seen on one plate..

We all took turns hacking the giant into four pieces...

Our individual portions were still mammoth. That, my friends, is a dinner plate.

Joe tagged out first.

Matt COMPLETELY finished his portion... Like a boss.

After breakfast, we happily waddled over to Waikiki Beach to burn some calories.

I cooled down with some iced coffee from Honolulu Coffee roasters.

The walk home along the canal was gorgeous.

Back at home, we were warmly greeted by the most beautiful cat on the planet.

Blogging on location! And what a location it is...

After resting at home for a bit, we strolled over to the Rainbow Drive-In.

Hawaiian plate lunches are their speciality. Holy yum. I got the mixed plate- ahi katsu, chicken and BBQ steak, with rice and macaroni salad. AWWWWW YEAH. I'll confess that I have away my mac salad because I have a strong aversion to mayonnaise, but everything else was DELISH!

We were notably full at this point, but dessert called, in the form of malasadas. Leonard's is famous for them.

Malasadas are warm, sugar covered puff pastries, served with or without fillings.

So habit-forming.

Day 1 in Hawaii- success! Stay tuned for more recaps! :)

Across the US (and the Pacific, too)...

2012-01-18T00:57:00.000-08:00

Breakfast at the airport!

We got to sleep in a bit, but last-minute packing meant we had to grab meals on the go... I got an egg sandwich that was... unremarkable.

The pigeons that chill out INSIDE JFK airport were very interested in my mediocre breakfast sandwich...

We got through security and to our gate without a hitch and settled into the first leg of our journey- JFK -> LAX. We flew over the Grand Canyon- the first time I've ever seen it! Even from thousands and thousands of feet up, it was stunning...

Pickings were slim for dinner at LAX, as we didn't really have time to leave our terminal. This sandwich/ salad combo was obscenely over-priced but better than the other fast-food alternatives...

I slept a little between LAX and HNL. We were thrilled to have landed a few minutes early, but ended up stranded IN the airplane for an hour because of a faulty jet-way. We were finally towed to another gate where we were able to deplane and Joe and I were reunited with our friends, Matt and Inga! After grabbing our luggage and getting lei'd, we hopped in a cab, which promptly got pulled over for speeding. Awesomesauce.

This view made all of our delays worth dealing with.

Honolulu at night, as seen from Matt & Inga's lanai.

REUNITED!

Our digs for the week- an open air bed with an incredible view. Heaven!

We spent today catching up, eating delicious food and playing around Waikiki. Look for updates in the AM!

Mahalo!

Food, Film Shoots and Packing

2012-01-17T16:54:00.000-08:00

When my hubs gets inspired, he can do magical things.

Like baking this chocolate chip banana bread that incorporated Greek yogurt, making it the most moist, rich and dense banana bread on the planet. HEAVEN.

Sometimes it amazes me how epicly delicious food can be hiding right under your nose- literally. Joe and I have lived in our current 'hood for going on 7 years, and we've walked past Jimmy's Famous Heros a TRILLION times, without ever batting an eye.

It's a pretty unassuming little place. Just a cooler, a counter and a chip-stand. I find that often the best food comes from simple setups.

Joe ordered mozzarella and proscuitto with tomatoes, oil, vinegar, salt, pepper and oregano.

Since I shared an initial with Kristen, who was making our sandwiches, I got the VIP treatment.

Sopressata, capicola, proscuitto, mozzarella, lettuce, tomato, onion, oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, oregano.

They don't mess around. These sandwiches are HUGE! As in, two meal-huge.

Saturday was fun and FREEZING. We were shooting I Am Schmuck in Long Beach, LI, on one of the windiest and most bitingly cold days of late.

I did my best to keep warm in the makeup tent...

Here I am, 100% creeped-out and ready to play the mildly frightening "Windy".

Most of my scene involves terrorizing this kid.

I had a blast working with Eric- he was such a good sport!

Our handsome writer/ director. I think he has a crush on me.

Though I hear he's married. ;)

Sunday was a stay-in-and-organize kinda day.

It was also an eat-all-the-produce-because-we're-going-away-for-a-week day. This smoothie in a bowl did the trick! Fresh and frozen fruit mixed with Greek yogurt, protein and a splash of milk! Topped with granola!

And then... PACKING TIME! I managed to narrow down my footwear for Hawaii to five pairs. Two dressy, one casual, one pair of sneakers and one pair of flip flops (plus the Chucks I wore on the plane). Not too shabby!

I'm a notorious over-packer, so I found extra space by stuffing my shoes full of things! Mostly socks...

I had to make room for my four swimsuits SOMEHOW! :)

Look for Hawaii updates soon! :)

Tomorrow I'll Be...

2012-01-15T10:56:00.000-08:00

IN HAWAII! With these two of my bestest friends (coincidentally two of the sexiest people on earth)!

Doing this:

Especially the last two. AWWWWWWWWWW YEAAAAAAAHHHH!

I'll be back later with a packing vlog!

Happy Sunday!

Honeymoon Day 6: Fortin San Juan De La Cruz (aka El Canuelo)

2012-01-15T09:26:00.000-08:00

We woke up on our first morning in Old San Juan ready to take on the world!

But first, we needed coffee...

So we took an early AM stroll through the streets of Old San Juan, searching high and low...

Asking friendly locals for advice...

And making new friends along the way!

We had one of the most delicious and overpriced mochas I've ever experienced EVER at Caficultura, which faces the Square in OSJ.

We arrived at the Fortin San Juan de la Cruz to discover that since it was a holiday weekend, admission fees were waived! Score!

The fort is, in a word, stunning.

And PERFECT for getting into mischief.

We spent a few hours exploring the fort on our own and cooled off afterwards with some froyo.

We shopped around a bit to work up an appetite.

We headed to Punto de Vista, located near the cruise ship piers in Old San Juan. Their lunch specials are delicious and so affordable!

I can count on one hand the number of alcoholic beverages I've consumed in the past three years. This was one of them, and it was divine. Mojitos hit the spot on steamy Puerto Rican afternoons...

Joe jammed out on the Baja Fish Tacos and Yuca Fries.

And I chowed down on the Filet of Mahi Mahi with Fruit Sauce, served with rice and (not pictured) beans. De-freaking-licious.

We headed back to our hotel to relax for a bit and then headed out for the evening.

There are cats EVERYWHERE in Old San Juan.

And despite our best efforts to explore local and unique coffee outlets, sometimes you just need your fix....

TIPS FROM DAY 6:

-When travelling on a holiday weekend, be sure to research what special events may be happening, as well as what services may NOT be available to you because of holiday hours.

-Get out and about as early as you can at least once- we were up with the sun and got to enjoy Old San Juan before most other people were awake- it was a real treat.

In case you missed them, here are my other Puerto Rico Recaps:
Day 1: Luquillo and Naguabo
Day 2: Hiking in El Yunque and Condado
Day 3: Caving Near Lares and Arecibo
Day 4: Fajardo and Vieques
Day 5: Old San Juan

Film Shoot Prep and Miss America Tribute!

2012-01-13T22:10:00.000-08:00

Happy Friday evening/ early Saturday AM! Oy- I really need to get to bed. Just wanted to share a quick vlog about my prep for tomorrow's day on set- I'm shooting a pilot called I Am Schmuck. Details forthcoming! :)

I probably won't get to post until LATE tomorrow evening, so I also wanted to share my predictions for the Miss America Pageant (9p EST tomorrow on ABC). As you may or may not know, I used to compete in the Miss America system.

To most people, a pageant is:

On Stage Question

Swimsuit

Evening Gowns

Talent

But I can tell you from firsthand experience that there is SO MUCH MORE that goes into this event than what you see onstage. These young women have worked tirelessly since they've been crowned (some of them for years working up to their state titles) promoting their platforms and making a positive impact in their communities.

During my time as Miss Brooklyn 2009 and Miss Greater NYC 2010, I:

Mentored young women.

Partnered with local businesses.

Worked with local politicians and dignitaries.

Supported community events.

Honored outstanding local citizens.

Volunteered at non-profits.

Supported local artists.

Raised money for great causes.

Took time to talk to everyone who would listen.

And made lifelong friends.

This photo was taken at my wedding. Each gorgeous women in this picture was a titleholder in the Miss America system.

Those are the kind of amazing opportunities the Miss America Organization makes possible. EACH of those women you see on TV tomorrow have done all of the above and more. They've impacted their communities, their states and our countries in a profound way, and they have very, very bright futures ahead of them!

My predictions for tomorrow's Top 15 are:

NY, OK, NH, GA, NC, TN, VA, WA, IA, SC, CA, MO, TX, DC, WI

Tune in tomorrow to see how close I come! I have a good feeling about Miss NY (not just because she's my homestate gal) and Miss OK ( I swear it's not just because she's an Irish step dancer like me...)

Do you watch the Miss America pageant? Do you know the difference between Miss America and Miss USA?

Honeymoon Recap: Day 5- Old San Juan

2012-01-13T17:16:00.000-08:00

One of my New Year's resolutions is to finish my honeymoon recaps before our one-year anniversary! :)

We awoke to another GORGEOUS day on our last morning in Naguabo at Casa Flamboyant.

A girl could get used to having breakfast with a view like this...

As we waited for breakfast, we sipped coffee and hot tea and made contributions to the traveler's journal we found in our room. It was so nice to read the experiences of the visitors before us and leave a note for our wonderful hostess, Shirley!

We did our best to soak in every last ounce of the absolutely stunning scenery.

We spent some quality time with the resident pups too- Soma is shown here- I don't know where Blackie was hiding!

Another perfect breakfast- chicken sausage, egg and potato scramble and multigrain toast. I wish I could take Shirley home with me! :)

On our way back to San Juan we swung by the Luquillo kioskos again for lunch and a quick swim.

I enjoyed some of this homemade hot sauce on our empanadas from kiosko 52.

The bathroom costs $0.50 if you're not a customer... In case you were curious...

This picture was taken immediately pre-meltdown ( I got a little overheated)... the frosty smoothie helped a bit!

We dropped off our rental car and promptly sniffed out the nearest cafe with wifi.

Iced coffee and internet connection... yes, I am addicted.

We arrived at the Gallery Inn to discover that we had been bumped up from the cheapest room in the hotel to the top floor Ocean Room- the nicest room in the house- at no extra charge! AMAZING!

The view from our private verandah.

The Gallery Inn is essentially the Puerto Rican Clue Mansion. I can best describe it as a well-lived in museum. It's truly unlike anything anywhere else ever. All the doors are unlocked (unless someone's occupying a room) and you're encouraged to explore.

Secret stairways!

Hidden piano rooms!

Open air passageways and dining rooms!

And then there's the birds.

Jan D'Esopo, the extraordinarily talented matriarch of the Gallery Inn and mastermind behind nearly all of it's gorgeous artwork, taught Joe the secret to keeping the birds in line.

Super soakers.

I made friends with the particularly sassy Campeche.

Joe tried, but Campeche seemed suspicious.

The canopy by the pool. I could lay here forever.

We headed out for a quick stroll before dinner and watched the sun set over the ocean.

Following TripAdvisor recommendations, we headed to Marmalade for our 'splurge dinner'. Aside from the fact that I'm a student and we're a young couple without a ton of money to spend, Joe and I generally prefer low-key budget travel, getting off the tourist track and eating where the locals eat, but we promised ourselves one fancy-pants dinner on our trip.

Marmalade did not disappoint. Literally EVERYTHING that we put in our mouths was perfection- the highlight being the White Bean Soup with Truffle Oil. Sweet. Baby. Dinosaur. Perfection.

TIPS FROM DAY 5:

-If you're on your honeymoon, TELL PEOPLE. It got us an incredible upgrade at no cost.

-Figure out what's important to you and prioritize. Like to spend big on fancy dinners? Keep your accommodations cheap. Like to stay at fancy hotels? Look for free attractions and activities to offset the cost.

In case you missed them, here are my other Puerto Rico Recaps:
Day 1: Luquillo and Naguabo
Day 2: Hiking in El Yunque and Condado
Day 3: Caving Near Lares and Arecibo
Day 4: Fajardo and Vieques

Challenge Accepted and a Progress Report!

2012-01-12T19:50:00.000-08:00

My Fitfluential family has been bouncing around a Handstand Challenge and this morning, I was tagged by my girl Heidi from Banana Buzz Bomb! I NEVER back down from a challenge. :)

I passed the sass along to Toni at Running, Loving, Living, Katelyn at Chef Katelyn and Hank at Business of Losing Weight. Check out my YouTube Channel to see their responses!

After practicing my headstands, I threw in some jumprope, kettlebell and resistance band fun. It was gross outside, but I worked up a nice sweat in my living room!

2.5 Week Tone-Up PROGRESS

I posted previously about overindulging over the holidays and challenging myself to shape up before visiting friends in Honolulu on the 16th. I'm doing pretty well! Check out my week 2 stats:

130lbs-(started at 133)

33-26-38

Working on getting my guns back...

Trying to find some oblique lines (a little? maybe? sort of?)...

And doing the "I'm going to Hawaii on Monday" happy dance!

Wahoo!

...And then my husband brought this home for dinner...

Ahhh... the benefits (and detriments) of having a husband working in the food truck business.... Korilla BBQ and a Corn Wafel from Wafels and Dinges. Sweet. Delicious. Perfection. When these trucks park next to each other, it's sort of like a food truck lunar eclipse. Visit both. Combine your finds. Let your taste buds rejoice.

Guess I'll be running a few extra miles tomorrow! :)

Veggie-Stuffed Acorn Squash

2012-01-11T19:16:00.000-08:00

-2 small acorn squash (appx 1.25 lbs each)
-3/4 cup cooked millet
-appx 6 cups raw spinach
-1/2 white or yellow onion, chopped
-1 tbsp peanut flour
-3 tbsp almond milk (or soy, or dairy, or whatever)
-1/4 cup lowfat greek yogurt
-1/2 cup texturized soy protein
-1 tbsp nutritional yeast
- sprinkle of cumin, curry powder and garlic powder
- 4 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
-1/4 cup shredded asiago

Make sure your squash are perfect. I usually kiss mine to find out.

Remind yourself that even though you're STARVING after your run, the squash will taste better when cooked. Remove from mouth.

Halve both squash and scoop out the seeds. Leave the squash flesh (ew. I hate the word flesh.) in tact.

Place two squash halves face down in a microwave safe dish with 1/2 inch of water, microwave on high for 10 mins. Repeat with other two squash halves.

After microwaving, scoop out most of the squash meat (that sounds weird too...), leaving some in the skins for sturdiness (the skins will be a bit floppy after the microwave).

Preheat oven to 350. While it's heating, brown onion in some olive oil in a pan on the stove. Add peanut flour, almond milk and spinach- cover and allow to wilt.

Don't be afraid of the TSP. It looks WIERD in the package, but it's the same stuff you find in veggie chili or some veggie burgers. Combine 1/2 cup TSP with 1 1/2 cups water, cover and heat in a saucepan until the water is absorbed. Add to spinach/onion mix.

Add cooked millet, Greek yogurt, nutritional yeast and seasonings to the spinach mix. Combine well and reduce heat for 3 minutes.

After spraying the bottom of a glass cooking dish, it's squash-stuffin' time!

Set your squash shells in the dish and divide the filling between them!

Shred some cheese! Sprinkle it over the squash and top with your breadcrumbs!

Have your hubbers (or someone equally useful) pop it in the oven for about 15 minutes.

Impromptu photo shots are the best way to pass the time while waiting for dinner.

The second the timer dings, pull these babies out!

Revel in their crunchy-topped savory deliciousness.

And if you wanna lick the shell, I won't tell...

Kettlebells Circuits and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2012-01-11T09:09:00.000-08:00

Yesterday morning I started off with some bran flakes and blueberries-simple, but tasty and filling.

After breakfast I squeezed in a quick kettlebell workout.

It was a short circuit- repeated 3x.

60 jumprope turns

10 double swings- 12k bell

10 right arm swings- 12k bell

10 left arm swings- 12k bell

10kb press right 10k

10kb press left 10k

I hopped in the shower and got to use one of my favorite new products:

The Brusher provides a nice, gentle exfoliation (a nice contrast from my usual obsession with St. Ives Apricot Scrub, which is awesome, but not an every day product) and the gel cleanser is gentle and refreshing!

I had a date planned for the afternoon with my trainer/ surrogate mom/ business manager Ellen Stein. We went and saw The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. I really enjoyed it, though I didn't read the book. I was especially impressed with the music by Trent Reznor (musical genius from Nine Inch Nails- I grew up on this stuff).

Also, Daniel Craig is my boyfriend.

If you're nice, I'll share.

Joe and I finished editing the rough draft of his book (WAHOO) and he whipped up some soup as a thank-you!

It's pretty anemic looking, but delicious, I swear! Tofu, onions, pinto beans, turnip greens and beets.

I'm a condiments-in-soup freak. This + a little avocado took this dish over the top! Mmm...

I had such a wonderful time hosting Fitblog Chats last night! We talked about community building and networking with other bloggers and I was so honored to be able to facilitate the conversation. I think we, as healthy living bloggers, can be such a valuable resource to our local communities and each other, and I'm so very, very grateful to be a part of such a supportive network of inspirational people. I hope everyone walked away with some ideas or new blog friends to network with.

I'm off to meet with a professor and then hit the gym! It's a running day, maybe with some upper body strength thrown in?

HOSTING FITBLOG CHATS TONIGHT!

2012-01-10T14:12:00.000-08:00

Join me tonight as I host Fitblog Chats and discuss Blogger Community Building- Online and In-Person! Fitblog chats are an absolute blast- always entertaining and inspirational! Stop by at 9p EST and say hi!

VS 2012 Swim Collection

2012-01-10T06:56:00.000-08:00

It's HEEERRRRREEEE!!!!!

I love looking through the new VS Swim collection each year- it gets me pumped for the pre-beach season and gets me excited to show off my hard work in the gym.

Here are the suits I'm drooling over for this season!

What suits are you dying to wear this summer? Linkage, please! :)

Travel Plans and an Ear-ache...

2012-01-09T16:25:00.000-08:00

Today and yesterday were pretty quiet, so I'll start you off with some exciting news- I'm going to Vietnam at the end of May! The hubs and I will be gone for two weeks, and we'll backpack from Ho Chi Mihn City to Hanoi and back! I'm literally dying with excitement- Vietnam is stunning and so. friggin. cheap. (airfare aside, and even that wasn't too bad- let's just say it's cheaper to fly to Vietnam than Hawaii most of the time!)

On my MUST visit list:

Ha Long Bay

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Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre- Hanoi

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Sapa

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And... a TON more! What am I missing? Have any of you ever been? Suggestions?

Needless to say, I'll be daydreaming about Vietnam for the next five months, but in the meantime, there's the HAWAII trip I'm taking on Monday (one of my BFFs lives in Honolulu, so we're crashing with her)!

And then, there's every day life, which is not necessarily as exciting, but is pretty wonderful, especially when food is involved. :)

Yesterday morning's smoothie put a smile on my face!

I'm LOVING Silk's Almond Milk! I'm a die-hard soy fan, but this works as a really fantastic low-cal smoothie base.

Just add a banana, some bloobs, protein, green powder, some flax and ice and...

BAM. Goooood morning.

As I previously mentioned, I attended an acting workshop yesterday with the Magis Theatre Company. It was a Guest Training, and we did some Michael Chekhov, Pilates, Alexander and other physical theatre exercises. It was really enjoyable!

Today was spent working on my residency application for the Blue Sky Project. I would LOVE to do a residency with them- their model is quite unique. They partner artists with 8-10 high school students and allow the groups to collaborate for 8 weeks on a project of the artists' choosing. It serves as an extension of one's own practice, but with the resource of having a handful of high school students to contribute to your work. It's not teaching, which will be different for me, but I think this platform will really serve a project I'm working on. Details forthcoming, but keep your fingers crossed- they only pick 5 artists for the summer!

I took a break for a quick 4 miles and since it was around 40F I decided to head outside instead of the 45 minute commute to my school to use the gym. I warmed up and my first mile was SOLID, but around 1.2 miles in I got severe aching pains in both of my ears. So. Weird. And painful- I actually stopped running, and almost stopped walking. It was incredibly overwhelming, but after walking for about 10 mins the pain went away. I took out my earbuds (which I listen to on incredibly low volume) and covered my ears with my Bondi Band (not a cold weather ear-warmer, just a sweat-wicker/ flyaway tamer) and ran the remaining 2.8 miles without incident. Has anyone had a similar experience? I'm so confused. I'm not sick, it wasn't that cold...

Joe and I enjoyed a simple but tasty breakfast-for-dinner; whole grain english muffin and a veggie scramble!

Fancy condiments make EVERYTHING more intriguing.

Speaking of that residency, I need to get back to my application!

I'll leave you with a little Einstein- this quote really resonates with me.

Sweat & Fuel- Sweet & Simple

2012-01-08T08:25:00.000-08:00

Hey Pals! I hope your weekend is going well!

Yesterday I met up with a classmate to go over scholarship material and summer job opportunities- it was nice to get my head back into the game!

I also hit up the college's gym for a 5.25 mile run. It felt great!

Dinner was some leftover millet topped with TJ's Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup. Holy. Yum.

Along with some fruit/ veggies in Trader Ming's Sesame Ginger Dressing!

I'm getting ready to head out for an acting workshop with the Magis Theatre Company. I'm really excited about the work they do! Stay tuned for a recipe later tonight!

What's on the docket for your Sunday?