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A Dessert Triple Play

January 20, 2010 by

Hello everyone!

I just came back from a fabulous dinner with my friend Prachi! Prachi is a Washington, DC, local so she is very in the know when it comes to restaurants. During our conversations, she had mentioned a local hotspot called Matchbox, so tonight, Matchbox it was! Matchbox is a DC favorite that is a mix between bistro and Italian cuisine. Naturally, dinner started with little bit of vino…

Then it was time for some appetizer action. Because I don’t eat beef or seafood, there was only one option left for an appetizer… fried mozzarella with tomato and basil – aka a fried caprese salad!

But I was not disappointed AT ALL with my choice. This was fantastic – but of course, it was fried, so how could it NOT be good, right?

For our actual dinner – we split the Q special pizza with grilled chicken, mozzarella, red peppers, and mushrooms…

Pretty good but I stopped at two pieces because it had a little too much cheese for me. Plus, I wanted to save room for this baby…

What could be better than one dessert? How about THREE desserts! I really didn’t want to get this huge monstrosity of a dessert, but Prachi made me ;-). Apparently, she does not eat enough dessert at home and wanted to make up for it tonight! He he! The trio included a banana chocolate chip bread pudding…

This was much lighter than bread puddings I’ve had in the past and had a great flavor. Next up, the molten chocolate cake…

At one point in time, I considered myself a molten chocolate cake expert – tasting expert that is. So, I had high hopes for this cake. I was disappointed – the best thing about this was the vanilla gelato on top. Nuff said. Finally, the cinnamon doughnuts…

As most of you know, I am not a huge doughnut fan, but these little pastries reminded me of beignets, complete with kahlua creme dipping sauce – lovely and calorie-free I’m sure. Just to ease your curious minds, we did NOT eat all of the desserts, we both took a few bites of each and then called it quits. And believe me, that took some willpower. 

OK, I have a date with the hotel treadmill in the AM, then it’s off to a 7 hour meeting for me! Have a great night everyone.

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Washington, DC: Congress, Coffee, and Cupcakes

January 20, 2010 by

Hey all!

I’m blogging from Washington, DC! Before landing, I enjoyed my go-to airport breakfast nourishment….

This was actually a combination of breakfast and lunch. The  yogurt cup is actually a pretty healthy choice as far as airport food goes. 

Upon arriving at the DC hotel, I was overwhelmed at how many “suits” were in the hotel lobby. I actually felt quite out of place in my jeans, so I hustled up to my room without looking at anyone. But then, I decided to venture off for a little 30-minute walk to find my next cupcake destination…Red Velvet Cupcakery…

Don’t let the plain jane box fool you. Because when you opened it, there were these two lovelies inside…

My signature cupcake, the Red Velvet, and the Lemon Coconut cupcake. Hmm…so yummy! And, I would know because I ate both of them while sitting in my hotel room working. That’s what happens when I don’t eat a real lunch. Plus, on the way back from the cupcake shop, I stopped off to pick up a skim mocha…

This, unfortunately was NOT very good. It had a funky taste so I drank about 1/3 of it and thew the rest out. Blah! But hey, I didn’t have to pay for it!

Now, I’m off to meet my friend Prachi for dinner! I’ll be back later to fill you in on our dinner escapades!

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Pretty in Pink Cara Cara Oranges

January 19, 2010 by

Hey out there,

Fitbloggin Info: If anyone is going to Fitbloggin, you may want to book your room at the Marriott ASAP. I just booked mine tonight and was told they had no more rooms left under the designated block. She finally “push it through” and gave me the conference rate. It looks like there are about 75 people signed up so far – at least there are 75 people with Web sites. Can’t wait!

As some of you know, a couple days ago I tried my first ever pink orange. I was at a loss for what kind of orange would be pink (kind of an oxymoron) but thanks to one reader, I now know where these pinkies come from. As quoted from the Sunkist Web site:

Cara Cara oranges, a type of navel grown in California’s San Joaquin Valley, are available January through April. Their outward appearance is similar to other navels, but their interior is a distinctive pinkish red and has an exceptionally sweet flavor with a tangy cranberry-like zing. Cara Caras are a rich source of Vitamins A and C, fiber and Lycopene. A perfect snack served as wedges, they’re also a colorful addition to beverages or squeezed into a vinaigrette salad dressing.

It just so happens that I had another pink orange today, and sure enough, when I looked on the sticker, it said Cara Cara!

Scott started teaching his night class again, so I was on my own for dinner tonight (well, actually with two kids in tow). So, it was a sandwich for me…

I put a few slices of lean ham and reduced-fat salami on a piece of double-fiber Brownberry bread, plus a little Swiss cheese for good measure. Apparently, when Mr. C saw the cheese, he had to know where cheese came from. I replied, “from milk that comes from cows.” He was satisfied with that answer. But when I added, “or milk from sheep,” he said, “but sheep don’t drink milk”. Not entirely true because sheep do drink milk, but it’s still funny, especially when that is my only entertainment for the night.

After dinner, I enjoyed one of the last pieces of the Trader Joe’s apple bread…

I am sorry to see it go so quickly, but luckily gingerbread is next.

2010 Trip #2: Washington, DC

As you’ll recall, two weeks ago I headed to Phoenix/Scottsdale for my first work-related trip of the year. Tomorrow, I leave for the second – to Washington, DC. My bags are packed, I’m ready to go…or so the old song goes. I am heading out a little earlier in the day to avoid the rush in the evening. Also, I really don’t like getting into a new city in the dark. I usually feel a little uneasy taking a taxi or public trans at night, particularly when I’m by myself. Fortunately, I am meeting an friend for dinner. I haven’t seen her in a year so it will be fun to catch up.

Off to bed now, but stay tuned for Bloggin from the Capitol!

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7 Reservations in 7 Days

January 16, 2010 by

Evening everyone! Hope you’re Saturday was fun. My day was pretty lazy. I did not end up going to yoga this morning – blah!. After running 6 days this week, plus adding weights, lunges/squats, and an office yoga session, I was pretty tired this morning. But, I did have a fantastic breakfast…

This is my second day of oats in a bowl – although today it was in a ramekin = paired with Tazo Awake tea…

Check out my new tea/coffee cup from Anthropologie! It has my initial, of course, which I absolutely love, and it looks so French. Plus, it was only $6! I could have spelled out my whole name for that price, but I really did not need 8 more cups.

Lunch wound up being a sandwich again, although this time I actually slowed down enough to enjoy it…

Much of the day was spent lounging but also doing a little vacation planning. We’re heading out the Disney World in a few weeks and we’re anxiously planning/making all of our dining reservations ahead of time. I’ve actually been making reservations for the last 3 weeks, so today when I called the dining hotline, the customer service rep told me I had over 20 reservations made under my name. Yikes! I better cancel some of those. And so, I spent over an hour trying to reconcile the reservations, deciding which ones to keep and which ones to give up. As of now, we have reservations at:

  1. Le Cellier (Epcot)
  2. Boma (Animal Kingdom Lodge)
  3. 1900 Park Fare (Grand Floridian)
  4. Crystal Palace (Magic Kingdom)
  5. Chef Mickey’s (Contemporary)
  6. Whispering Canyon (Wilderness Lodge)
  7. Wolfgang Puck Cafe (Downtown Disney)

I seriously can NOT believe we will be eating at all of these restaurants – 7 top restaurant reservations in 7 days! We will definitely be making up for our Restaurant Diet!

And, except for Boma, all of these restaurants will be NEW for me – and that’s saying a lot considering I used to work for Disney. If it isn’t obvious by the reservations, we are doing the Disney Dining plan – for the first time. I’m really not sure how much money we are saving by doing this, if we’re even saving any at all. But, since we go to Disney once a year, we thought we’d give it a try.

Anyway, dinner was a brand new creation – a recipe/serving suggestion taken from the February issue of Real Simple magazine…

The magazine featured 10 ways on how to doctor up plain cheese ravioli. ALL of the serving suggestions sounded delicious, which prompted me to try one tonight. I started with Trader Joe’s mini cheese ravioli..

Which I cooked according to the directions. Then I added a mixture of cream and Trader Joe’s pesto…

I mixed the sauce and noodles together then put that into a glass baking pan. It was topped off with parmesan cheese and baked for about 20 minutes, until browned on top.

This was a great dish to make on the fly, although I’m not sure how healthy it was. I’m eager to try more of the serving suggestions the article suggested.

OK, I’m starting to fall asleep. Take care everyone and chat with you all tomorrow.

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Dreaming of Palm Trees

January 11, 2010 by

Hey all! Is anyone else out there cold to the bone! After a taste of warmer weather in Phoenix (and I say that cautiously because it really wasn’t that warm there) it was hard to come back to gloomy, cloudy, and cold Chicago. But I hear it’s supposed to get better this week – 40 degrees on Wednesday – yeah! You know you live in the North when you consider 40 degrees a warming trend.

I am sooo looking forward to Chicago’s BIG THAW! That’s when I start to run outside on a consistent basis. The treadmill does a nice job keeping me conditioned over the winter months, but there’s nothing like running outdoors. The next time will probably be when we head to Disney World next month – yes I DO run on my vacations! And, speaking of Florida…

Scottsdale palm tree

To prepare for my upcoming trip, I’ve started to add two days of lower body strength exercises – lunges, squats, etc. and upper body exercises to my weekly routine. I’m always surprised at how toned I look after a few weeks of weight training. I really does do the body good! In addition, I’ve slowly been adding to my cardio each week – 5 minutes here, higher intensity there, intervals, etc. Now, if I could just find time to sleep 😉

Next week, I’ll be in Washington for a couple days for a meeting (trip #2 out of 6). I’ll be staying in the Penn Quarter area and am looking for a good place to eat…

Capitol Hill: http://www.flickr.com/photos/86338841@N00/3311016810

I’ve been to Washington, DC, nearly a dozen times, but usually don’t have the time to venture off to non-hotel restaurants. But, in keeping with my New Year’s goals, I am determined to do something fun on my business trips – like walk around the city a bit and eat at a nice restaurant. If you have any suggestions for DC restaurants, let me know! 

You’ll have to excuse my randomness. After working over the weekend, I’m exhausted today! OK, I’m off to study for a little before bed. See you all tomorrow!

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Dinner for Two = $142

January 10, 2010 by

Last night, after my work-related event was finished, a colleague and I ventured off to downtown Scottsdale for a bite to eat. My colleague had been to Scottsdale several times before and had been raving about a restaurant there. Given that she is a foodie and somewhat of a wine snob, I was pretty sure the restaurant would be a good one – and I was NOT disappointed.

Cowboy Ciao Scottsdale

We ate at Cowboy Ciao, a very eclectic restaurant, with a mix of Southwest meets LA meets NY kind of menu. Plus, they had a HUGE wine menu, probably 3x the size of the food menu. It was easily the largest wine menu I’ve ever seen -and I’ve seen quite a few on business trips.

My colleague wasted no time devouring all of the listed wines and decided on a French white wine. I can’t tell you the name but I can tell you that it was an aged wine – 10 years old – and about $45 a bottle! Yikes – I was glad I was not buying.

1.9.10 Stetson Salad

We both ordered the restaurant’s signature salad – the Stetson Salad, which is a mix of all sorts of goodies. I can’t remember all of the ingredients, but I know there were corn nibbles, couscous, tomatoes, and chicken thrown in there. The mix of flavors was outstanding! And, because I opted for chicken instead of salmon, this salad could have easily been my meal.

But oh no, it didn’t stop there. Next, we ordered our entrees…

1.9.10 butternut squash and bacon quesadilla

By this time, I was feeling pretty full, so I wanted to keep my entree on the lighter side. I had the butternut squash and bacon quesadilla. OMG – bacon and butternut squash – come ON! Why didn’t I think of that sooner! This quesadilla was fantastic! I only wish that I wasn’t so full when I ordered this. I ended up eating two pieces and leaving the rest.

As I mentioned last night, a piece of red velvet birthday cake was the grand finale of the meal.

1.9.10 red velvet birthday cake

I know, I know, I’ve already said I was full. I should have thrown in my napkin after the entree. But, when our waiter said those magic words – Red Velvet – all reasoning went out the window.

If you are ever in Phoenix or Scottsdale, I highly recommend this restaurant. It really is a restaurant for foodies, wine lovers, and anyone looking for something fun and different. However, it is NOT cheap. Our bill came to $142 with tip – again, so glad someone else was buying!

I was so incredibly full after the meal that I had to walk around the hotel for 40 minutes when we got back. I’m so glad I did or else that food would have been laying in my stomach like a big lump all night.

Alright, I’m back in the office tomorrow so must head to bed.

Next trip – Wash, DC, in two weeks!

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Chocolate Beginnings and Endings

January 9, 2010 by

I am officially on the first trip of 6 or seven trips that I have planned for the next 5 months. I have already eaten more food in two days than I normally do in about 4!! And yes, I am truthful when I say that my day began with chocolate and ended with chocolate. I really have to start pacing myself or I’m going to gain 10 pounds by May.

To give you an example of my less than ideal food selections, breakfast was a carb-loading buffet…

1.9.10 Scottsdale breakfast buffet

And so, my day started with a chocolate muffin pictured in the center. Yes, there was a fruit options, but the chocolate muffin seemed to be calling my name. 

My day ended with a piece of red velvet chocolate birthday cake…

1.9.10 red velvet birthday cake

And if you think that’s rich, you should see the rest of the food I had in between!! But you’ll have to wait for those details tomorrow. I’m tired and must leave for the airport at 5:45 Am.

Have a great night!

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From Snow to Sun in 3 Hours

January 8, 2010 by

Hello everyone!

Well, I’m here in sunny Scottsdale! I guess it’s not really sunny right now but it was definitely sunny when I landed at the Phoenix airport earlier today. Anything is better than the 20 degrees and 8 inches of snow I left in Chicago! It’s amazing that in just 3 hours, I went from SNOW to complete SUN – and 70 degree weather.

I’m here in Arizona for the first of 5 meetings that I will be attending in the next 5 months (all in different locations). I’m so busy that I will most likely NOT get to enjoy the gorgeous weather 🙁 But, I did manage to snag one of these babies from the pool bar…

1.8.10 banana mango smoothie

As you can tell, I didn’t waste any time sucking down this banana mango smoothie. It tasted soooo good but I’m sure it was loaded with calories from all of the sugar. Oh well, I just off set the calories by having something very healthy at lunch…

1.8.10 grilled chicken salad

A fantastic dinner salad with hearts of palm and grilled chicken – OMG – it tasted soo good. That is where my healthy eating stopped for the day. I won’t get into details on dinner/snacks, but let’s just say that it was a two dessert kind of a night! 

I wasn’t able to fit my running shoes or workout clothes in my VERY small carry on (good thing I ran before I left this morning!), but I’m hoping to get up early tomorrow and walk around the resort for a bit before my meeting. Oh yeah, there’s a Starbucks just up the road – a perfect walking destination! And, actually buying a Starbucks wouldn’t even break my restaurant diet rule because my company is buying – woo hoo! I can see a tall skinny mocha in my very near future….

Night all 😉

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Green Tea Living

January 7, 2010 by

Hey there!

Today was our first session of beginner yoga at work. The class, which was a complimentary session, was held in our small auditorium onsite. I have been so excited for so long about this class that it pains to me to say…the class was extremely underwhelming. It was so basic that I felt like I didn’t receive any benefit other than a break from work. Granted, some of the 10 women who attend were complete yoga novices, but it still left me disappointed. However, I have committed myself to 4 more weeks (or sessions) of the class. I really hope it gets better or I will be totally bummed.

When I came home from work, my day got a little better when I saw that a new book had arrived in the mail…Green Tea Living 2

Green Tea Living is a Japan-inspired guide to eco-friendly health, habits, and happiness. Although it focuses much of the book on the healing (and other) properties of green tea, it also offers insight into how we can live greener lives, similar to how they live in Japan. The book is super cute and is a quick read – I read or scanned most of the book in just an hour. It is also easy to navigate with specific chapters dedicated to eco-friendly beauty, eating, cleaning, healing, and much more. It even has references to the practice of yoga which was nice surprise.

This book totally inspires me to drink green tea…

Yogi Green Tea

But it also made me think about how wasteful people can be, including myself. That’s one thing I really want to improve on this year is cutting down on unnecessary waste – reusing shopping bags, recycling water bottles and cans, and trying to fix things around the house before buying something new. Holly, you’d be so proud of my new outlook on green living! 

Gotta finish packing for my trip to Phoenix tomorrow. Hope you’re staying warm and dry wherever you are!

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Calm Before the Storm

January 6, 2010 by

Like most of the Eastern half of the United States, Chicago is in the middle of a deep arctic freeze – or at least that’s what it feels like! Good thing I ordered my new coat from JCrew  – yeah! Now all I need is a warm set of gloves and I’ll be set for the rest of the winter.

Because we are all trying to warm up in our house, soup sounded perfect for tonight’s dinner…

1.6.10 Chicken soup 3

Seriously, chicken noodle soup is like the edible version of a big fuzzy sweater or a huge bear hug – warm and cozy I tell ya!

Around midnight tonight, Chicago is supposed to start getting snow. Not just any snow but SNOW! From midnight until Friday morning we are supposed to get anywhere between 6 and 12 inches of snow. I know, you probably think that Chicagoans are used to snow. And, for the most part, we are. But when snow falls that hard, that fast, it can really cause trouble on the roads – whether you’re used to driving in the snow or not.

For the most part, I don’t mind the snow – when I don’t have to leave my house and venture into it. But when I know that I’m supposed to go to work the next day, I get quite anxious before the storm hits. I spend all day listening to and reading the weather reports. Then I practically have an anxiety attack thinking about how long it’s going to take me to get to and from work (usually 2-3 hours each way in bad snow). 

So to calm myself down this evening, I chilled out with my new tres chic calendar…

1.6.10 French Women for All Seasons Calendar 3

The 2010 engagement calendar/planner is actually based on the popular book, French Women For All Seasons, by Mireille Guiliano. She also is the author of the fabulous book, French Women Don’t Get Fat, which I adore! The planner has large calendar pages interspersed with recipes from Guiliano’s books as well as French language lessons, and other surprises. Plus, it has colorful, French-themed illustrations – how cute is that?

And yes, those are more French macarons pictured above – do you see a theme here?? 🙂

I am supposed to leave on Friday morning for my Phoenix trip. With the winter storm headed Chicago’s way, who knows if I’ll be able to get out. I hope I do because I could really use some warmer weather right about now!

Ciao babes!

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