Jan 27, 2012

The Friday Five

1. What I’m Reading: image

You think I’m joking but I’m not.

2. What I’m Listening to: Thanks to Carly, I can’t get enough of this song. I used to be irked by Jason Mraz, but his newer music is, simply put, good. As much as I like this song, it does make me want to eat prozac for dinner.

 

3. What I’m Watching: Oh, I gave up on t.v. again. I’m too busy.

4. What I’m Eating: Chicken & vegetables stir-fried in this:image

I love you Trader Joe’s.

5. What I’m Bookmarking: Vietnamese Shrimp & Quinoa Salad.

HAPPY WEEKEND!image

What are YOU reading, listening to, watching, eating, or bookmarking? GO!

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Labels: books, magazines, music, recipe, recipes, video, videos, yoga, youtube

Jan 26, 2012

7 Little Thoughts

1. It makes me chuckle that so many of you sent me Joy the Baker’s recipe for Chocolate Beet Cake. At least one person sent the link to my email, facebook page, or twitter. I’m glad you guys think of me when you see beets…I think. Either way, I feel the love.

2. February cannot get here fast enough. The first weekend I’m going to see Aziz Ansari at Theatre 99! Soooo excited. I might propose to him from the audience.

3. Two weeks after that, I’m taking a cooking class at Bacco! GOCharlestonDeals had an awesome deal for a 2-hour pasta making class. Have you signed up to receive their daily deals? You should!

4. The chalkboard wine glasses you have seen in previous posts can be purchased at Pier 1. They are only 3 dollars. That’s a steal for being able to drink out of personalized, stemless glasses. They’re great for the creative and the clumsy.

5. I think this is a perfectly acceptable flavor combination. And no, there is no child growing inside of me.

6.Apparently I am one letter away from being a Special Agent. SO CLOSE.IMAG1606

7. Enjoy another video of Boding’s and my superior Xbox dancing skills. Get ready, this one is so much worse. Yet more entertaining…

Jan 25, 2012

goPerformance Workout at ESAC

My gym recently converted the Kids Play Zone into a new fitness room. Move over kiddos, ESAC has added goPerformance to its Johnnie Dodds and Park West locations. Much like Crossfit, goPerformance entails “performance style training, with the ability to scale to all fitness levels, in order to sculpt lean, athletic bodies in the most time efficient manner.”

This week was open for free trial sessions with Todd Fox, an awesome personal trainer. I signed up for a class on both Monday and Wednesday knowing that I’d have a blast.

There are two types of classes: conditioning and private personal training. The conditioning classes are for 6-15 participants and last for 30 minutes. In Monday & Wednesday’s class, we completed 8 different activities for 45 seconds with a 15 second break before switching to the next. After each of the 3 circuits, there was a 2-minute break.DSC00152

1. Step Ups– These can be done with weights/kettle bells or without.

2. Row Machine – I love this thing. It’s like rowing a boat. At the gym. Out of water. Nice analogy…work with me…image

3. Ring Push Ups – This was my favorite part. Your friend Christina loooooooves push-ups. Seriously. Love. The rings make them harder and you work your core as well.

4. Ropes – See those ropes down there. We had to swing them up and down like a snake. This is way tougher than it looks. DSC00150

5. Wall Balls – In the same picture above, we took the medicine balls and threw them up at the “go” sign. We squatted, jumped, and threw the ball so it would bounce back at us. Ouchy. 

6.  Pull-Ups – This little one can only do assisted pull-ups using the giant rubber band. I LOVE doing them. But I think I love bouncing in the rubber band more.DSC00151

7. Mountain Climbers – Instead of your typical mountain climbers, we used these little pads on the floor that helped us sweep our feet back and forth. No, this doesn’t make it easier. It makes it harder. It was like dancing in push-up position.

(source)

8. Kettle Bell Squats – OUCH MY BEHIND. That’s pretty much what I said (in my head) during this part.DSC00154

In Wednesday’s class, we had a couple people who had already been on  Monday. To make our workout harder, Todd had us run on the track outside instead of taking 2 minute breaks. Because I can’t run right now, I stayed inside and did cartwheels and flips on the rings. Smile

After 30 minutes, we were all pretty tired. It’s a great workout because your heart right stays up and you’re using a ton of strength and moving in ways you don’t typically in the regular gym. If you’re an ESAC member, CHECK THIS OUT! Both days I left with a huge smile on my face because I had so much fun.

Jan 22, 2012

Happy Chinese New Year! 新年快乐

Look at those fancy symbols, you guys! That’s Chinese for Happy New Year. This is the year of the Dragon, so you Dragon babies should have a lucky 2012. Want to know  your Chinese zodiac sign? Take a gander at this chart.

My zodiac animal is the Rat. Lovely.

To celebrate, I hung out with my one and only Chinese friend, Boding. When I told him that I thought I might have another Chinese friend he told me, “Well go ahead and just unfriend them because I’m the only one that matters.” Boom.

Before our celebration, we started off Sunday with a matinee showing of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. When I first saw the preview a couple months ago, I cried, replayed it, and cried again. Wait, what? I cry like twice a year and a movie trailer was making me produce tears? No way. Needless to say, I was dying to see it.

I assumed that I’d become dehydrated from crying so much, but in reality, it wasn’t even that sad. Or that good. It wasn’t a bad film, but I think I set my expectations too high. I didn’t regret spending $7.50 to sit on my behind for 2 hours and 9 minutes though. Especially because I was quite comfortable wearing my snuggie in the theater. Boding was impressed with my “lack of dignity” as I walked back to the car like this. IMG_20120122_154216

For dinner we made, oh, you guessed it, Chinese food.

NY strip + bok choy + snow peas + red peppers + water chestnuts + carrots + onions stir-fried in a sesame ginger marinade. IMAG1598

That is one happy Chinese man.100_0492

Before cooking, we stopped at a nearby Chinese restaurant to purchase two fortune cookies. I always hope that cracking open my cookie will reveal one of my life’s burning questions, but it never happens. This fortune is 100% inaccurate.IMAG1601

I am an impatient mess. That didn’t stop me from eating the cookie though. It was one of those orange flavored fortune cookies. Have you ever had one of those? They actually don’t taste like crap like the regular ones.

For those of you who have been slacking on your New Year’s resolutions, you can just say you’ve been waiting for the Chinese New Year and start NOW! Winking smile

Jan 21, 2012

Currently…

It’s Saturday survey time thanks to Laura & Laura

Current book:
Um. I’m still on Chapter 3 of The Hunger Games. I have to read it by Tuesday for our Book Club meeting. They are going to kill me if I don’t finish…

Current playlist:
Ellie Goulding’s newest album

And Selena Gomez’s. DO NOT MAKE FUN OF ME.

Current food:

I haven’t found this new PopChips flavor yet, but I NEED TO NOW.

Color:
Green. Always.

Current favorite show(s):

I started watching Parks & Recreation again. I want to marry Aziz Ansari. He’s from SC!

Current needs:
I need my knee pain to go away. I need to foam roll.

Current triumphs:
I made it through my second Barre class at Pure Barre. I really love this studio and the type of workout. My butt, excuse me, “seat” loves it too.

Current #1 blessing:
Everything around me is a blessing! 

Current outfit:

  • Green & blue yoga tank
  • Black cropped yoga pants (I wear these very single day after work/at the gym.)
  • Grey Victoria’s Secret sparkly hoodie
  • Polka dots socks

imageCan I get any more comfortable right now?

Current excitement:
I’m excited about meeting friends at Bin 152 wine bar and then possibly dancing/breaking an ankle.

Current favorite quote or verse:


Current favorite app:
First and foremost, Twitter. Duh. But for a new app, I like Wine Free. I use it to keep track of wines that I try.

Current favorite product:
Honestly?

Dork.

HAPPY SATURDAY!

Jan 20, 2012

Factual Friday

Um, I love surveys. I’m sorry that this food blog sometimes turns into my diary but because I own it, I can do that. Yeaaaah.

I stole this survey from Katelyn who stole it from Janetha -- two awesome bloggers that you should check out.

1) What is one of your favorite ways to spend a Saturday?

  • Sleeping in
  • Working out in the morning
  • Making pancakes
  • Spending the day outside either at the beach or walking around downtown
  • Going to a wine tasting, catching a movie, or dinner w/ friends
  • Dancing at Trio!

2) List your top three favorite TV shows.

  • Golden Girls
  • The Nanny
  • Jeopardy

(No, I don’t really watch new TV shows.)

3) Would you rather be in pictures or take them?

  • I’d rather be in them, but I do love taking them too.

4) Why do you blog?

  • I love meeting new people through my blog, especially those who share the same passions as I do.
  • It’s like a giant online diary.
  • It helps me keep my focus on maintaining a healthy lifestyle. 

5) Share five websites that you visit regularly…

6) If you could have lunch with one person from your Twitter list, who would it be?

  • BETTY WHITE!!

7) List a few of your favorite snacks.

  • Hummus
  • Iced Oatmeal Raisin Luna Bar
  • Bananas
  • Pickles
  • Greek yogurt

8 ) Do you have a pet? If so, what kind?

  • No. No. No. I just have a really big purse.

9) Which three material possessions would you struggle to live without?

  • phone
  • laptop
  • camera

10) What’s your favorite drink?

11) Do you enjoy cooking?

  • Of course! But I enjoy eating more.

12) Do you have children?

  • My blog is my child.

13) What are your favorite hobbies?

  • Playing w/ friends
  • Baking
  • Blogging
  • Exercising
  • Reading
  • Beaaaachhhh

14) Would you consider yourself to be shy or outgoing?

  • Outgoing, 90% of the time

15) If you could change one thing about yourself, what would you change?

  • I think this question is dumb. Why would you want to be something you’re not? Embrace yourself.

16) Who is your favorite actor/actress?

  • Don’t have one.

17) What’s the coolest thing you’ve done this week?

18) Do you live near your family or far from them?

  • I have family in SC, NC, MA, and NJ.

19) List three of your talents.

  • I can write backwards.
  • I can hula hoop for a really long time. 
  • I bake awesome cookies.

20) What is your greatest attribute?

  • Charm

This week’s workouts:

S: Rest

M: Long run

T: Strength training (lower body), yoga

W: Pilates

T: Kickboxing, strength training (upper body)

F: Rest

S: Pure Barre class

HAPPY WEEKEND!!

Jan 18, 2012

What I’m Loving Wednesday

1. The responses to the 2012 Valentine’s Day Blogger Swap. So far, 34 of you have signed up, including 3 guys!  (Good ones, I promise.) I’m even more excited about all the new readers I’m hearing from. Please don’t be shy  --  comment more! SmileIt’s very appreciated.

2. New (to me) classes at ESAC.  Since my knee injury last week, I’ve been forced into low intensity workouts. This kills me a little inside, but has forced me into trying different classes. I went to another yoga class and actually enjoyed it for once. I still laugh when everyone says ohmmmmm though. I mean what is that!? I feel like everyone is competing to see who can go the longest. I also went to a different teacher’s pilates class and loved it. Tracy @ ESAC is hilarious and offers a challenging class.

I also found a good article on Fit Sugar on how to keep knee pain away. Perfect timing. My best friend:

3. As if I needed another magazine subscription, I received my first issue of Prevention. This smaller-sized magazine is packed with information on health, nutrition, fitness, and more. I really like it. My first issue contained a fun recipe for Parsnip Beet Sauce With Ravioli. DESTINY.

4. This Kashi bar is delicious. They weren't kidding when they named it a Crunchy Bar. kashi

Speaking of bars, the Luna Peanut Honey Pretzel has been added to my top Luna Bars. If only it had chocolate was an ingredient…

5. I tried this hat on as a joke. A week later I went back to Target and bought it. $3 to look like a nut? Sure, why not. At least my brain won’t freeze in NYC next month.IMAG1471-1

TELL ME WHAT YOU LOVE!

You can say me, I won’t be mad. Winking smile