Jenna Lyons & Locanda Verde

Happy Friday!

I took today off of work and have been enjoying every minute - particularly the sleeping until 10 part :)

This week, I went out for a friend's birthday at Locanda Verde. It is a gorgeous, very cool restaurant in Tribeca. The menu was amazing - we shared just about everything: 2 crostinis and 4 antipasti dishes. For my entree, I ordered the sea scallops (my fave!).

We started our meal with a bottle of Prosecco. Right after clinking our glasses, one of my friends noticed that Jenna Lyons (creative director / prez of J Crew) was in the restaurant. Such a cool celeb sighting. I wish I was brave enough to introduce myself! Gotta love New York :)

Check out what we ordered:

Sheep’s Milk Ricotta with sea salt and herbs - this was insane

complimentary foccacia bread for the table with pesto & tomato - soo good

blue crab crostini w/ jalapeno & tomato and the grilled octapus

Roasted Sea Scallops with spring peas, almond gazpacho and pancetta mostarda 

I love restaurants in Tribeca because they're usually simple, clean and have more space than places in my neighborhood.

  

yes, i took a picture of the tap in the bathroom

If you're in the area and are feeling fancy, go!

This weekend, my aunt and uncle are visiting me from Toronto. I'm very excited to see them!

Since I will definitely be skipping the gym this weekend, I plan on taking a total body conditioning class later today. These classes kick my butt - I have a tough time doing strength training and will do more squats than I have all week BUT I can't deny the benefits of dropping it low! Here in the city, its about to thunderstorm. I hope it lightens up before I have to walk to the gym!

Have a good weekend!

Birthdays & Sushi

Hi!

Happy almost Friday (thank god)! 

The weather in New York was so perfect this week so sitting at my desk was extra challenging. Luckily today I was able to get out and walk along the Hudson River at lunchtime. This week I HARDLY did any cardio. My workouts this week:

• Monday - mat based Pilates and a 30 minute walk
• Tuesday - intense Vinyasa flow yoga
• Wed - just a leisurely walk to BF's apartment from the office: about 30 minutes
• Tonight - Total body conditioning at NYSC. This was the first TBC class I've ever taken that had a cardio aspect to it! I did burpees for the first time in a looong time
• Tomorrow - planning to do spin at lunch!

This weekend is my BF's bday and I couldn't be more excited. He has decided to have a birthday boozy brunch on Saturday. He's just the best and I am the luckiest girl to have spent the majority of my time in the city with him. I love that he wants to do something so fun to celebrate.

I'm still not sure what to get him for a gift. Any ideas? 

I've promised to cook him some type of chicken as part of his gift and I'm super nervous (for those of you who don't know, I do not eat meat except for fish). I would love any ideas for that as well! Last time I cooked him chicken, I used lemon, rosemary and garlic. Apparently it was good so here's hoping for a successful meal!

Speaking of successful meals, let's talk sushi. There is a place near my apartment called Hanabi. My neighborhood has a ZILLION sushi places and they're all awesome. 

Hanabi is a bit different - the sushi is not spectacular, but its pretty darn good and reasonably priced for the Upper East Side.  I find myself getting the same thing every time I go! I order: 

- 'Sweet 16 Roll' - tempura shrimp, avocado, cucumber, carrot, topped with spicy lobster

- Spicy Salmon - my go to

- Steamed shrimp shumai - these little guys are so yummy. They're about the size of a quarter. 

Check out their menu - http://www.menupages.com/restaurants/hanabi/

  

Looks good right? I might have to get some this weekend.

Other than BF's bday I'm not sure what I'm going to do. If the weather is nice, I will probably go to the public pool near my apartment to cool off.

Let me know if you have any bday gift or meal ideas!

Hope you have a great weekend.

I got the job!

Thank you so much for all of the supporting messages on my Calm-fidence. post. Your encouragement definitely helped, the interview with my new VP went great and I got the promotion!! Woohoo :) Such a relief! I felt like a crazy person on Monday and Tuesday because I was just waiting to hear whether or not I got this awesome new job! So happy....

To celebrate BF took me out for $25 all you can eat / drink tacos and margaritas at Nolita House, a VERY cute restaurant on Houston St. Google it, I insist.

The tacos were really good! They came 3 at a time (see below: i got so excited and ate 1 of them before remembering to take a pic!).

The margaritas were perfect, strong and not too sweet. Just how I like them! So obviously I had to have 5 of them - such a headache when I woke up this morning. Choices Caitlin, choices.

mmmmm

On my walk home, I noticed this gem:

Night everyone! Again, thanks to the lovely ladies who left me encouraging comments!! I really appreciate it!

Restaurant Week!

This weekend I would love to take BF for a special night on the town.

Restaurant week is amazing - you can try out some of NYC's most expensive / exciting / eccentric restaurants for a flat rate.

$25 per person for lunch
$35 for dinner.

Crazy, right?

Check out the site, I'd love suggestions on where I should go this weekend.I am looking for a place that has a nice vegetarian / pescatarian option for me and something meaty for him :)


http://www.nycgo.com/restaurantweek

Thanks!

Restaurant Review: Flowers Cafe

Hi Everyone!

I hope you’re having a nice week so far. It has been rainy and humid here in New York. Today the temperature was 65 degrees (or about 15 for all of you Canadians out there!). I’m not complaining – I prefer winter to stay away as long as possible.

Today I’d like to share a very special spot that BF and I found. It is located at Essex & Grand St, and is a great find for anyone who is looking to have a homey, healthy and adorable lunch. The food is affordable, fresh and overall worth checking out if you’re in the area. We have gone here twice now, both times I have left as happy as a little kid on a field trip.

When we went, I had a soup + half wrap combo featuring their homemade lentil soup (delish) and a half boardwalk wrap. BF made his own sandwich with turkey, he seemed pretty happy. They also have an extensive tea collection & the staff is very friendly! For such a small space (there are only a few tables) quite a few people come in and out picking up salads, bagels, coffee and ice cream. Overall, this made place made me feel like I was over at a friends place for lunch in high school (in the 70s) & their mom made me something special. I can't wait to go back.

Check out their menu in NyMag (funky item names) - http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/flowers-cafe/menus/main.html

The Boardwalk avocado, red onion, diced carrots, tomato, lettuce, & hummus or mayo. cold vegetables on toasted bread.

Bread Choices Include Our Fresh Daily 9 Inch Hero Breads: French, Semolina, Or Seven Grain, Wraps, Marble Rye, Whole Wheat, White.

Combo pick 2: including 1/2 of any sandwich, 1/2 groovy salad or cup of soup - $6.95 (amazing deal!)

cute!

a whole vegetarian section (vegan options too!)

amazing Mighty Leaf tea, I had tropical green tea. Anyone know where i can get this

fresh lentil soup

my boardwalk - amazing!

BF's turkey. He said it was yummy :)

My 1st American Thanksgiving!

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend and that you had a few days off to relax with loved ones!

This past Thursday, I gathered at BF’s house with 11 other Canadians to celebrate Thanksgiving.

mmm jello shots, sriacha & hummus - class for days :)

Each of us made something different & we had TONS of food! I made a blueberry pie and baked maple sweet potatoes with butternut squash. Everything was super yummy! Here are some pics to give you an idea of what we were working with.

my plate - stuffing, sweet potatoes & mashed potatoes.

one of the boys' plates

BF's masterpiece - I didn't have any , but the others enjoyed!

my 2nd pie ever - blueberry

Recipes -

Sweet potatoes: I used a package of precut fresh sweet potatoes from Trader Joes &  added a package of fresh chopped butternut squash too. I added a lot of brown sugar and axed the coconut and pecans. This was even better on the 2^nd day.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/maple-glazed-sweet-potatoes/

Blueberry pie:  I ended up using a few too many blueberries & it didn’t really hold together under the crust. It tasted pretty great on top of some ice cream though!

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/blueberry-pie/detail.aspx

all done! sweet potatoes in the background!

 On Wednesday night, I went to Beauty & Essex for a girlfriend’s birthday. They had delicious food, a beautiful space and incredible cocktails (which were also incredibly strong teehee). This place was a little pricey, but it turned out to be a perfect girls night out spot. In the ladies room, there is a bar where they give you free champagne. Not much else better than that!

http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/beauty-essex/

How was your Thanksgiving? 

I’m off to clean my apartment as I have some guests coming into town! This will count as my workout (haha).

My idea of fast food

Vanessa’s Dumplings is one of my favorite places to go in New York.

I insist that I get to go once every 2 weeks – otherwise, I go through dumpling withdrawal.

Why should you go here?

Crazy cheap.
Tasty.
Filling.

It is always mad busy = great sign. It is extremely affordable. For 2 people, you can get a ton of food for under $10. They make the dumplings, soups, buns and pancake sandwiches right in front of you in a open kitchen (very exciting / fun / entertaining).

If you’re in the city, here are some tips on how to survive this crazy-loud yet lovable spot:

1) Look at the menu outside & decide what you want before going in. Get to the counter & order quickly. You may need to shout.
2) Have money ready, pay and hang on to your receipt.
3) Shuffle down to the counter and watch in awe as the dumpling ladies move methodically while cooking.

4) Listen carefully for your receipt number & hand your receipt to a dumpling lady when you hear it.
5) Get it to go. Ask for extra hot sauce.

6) Go home & enjoy over a movie.

My favorite thing on the menu – boiled veggie dumplings. (Extra hot sauce please). These are filled with mushroom, little pieces of tofu, hoisin sauce, carrot, onions and scallions. You can get these guys in soup  or on a plate.

hot & sour soup w/ veggie dumplings - under $5. unbelievable enjoyment - priceless

in soup

Veggie bun!!! (photo from flickr)

BF's pork buns (teehee)

 I almost always have to get a veggie bun while I’m there. These things are only a $1.50.

If you go, you should probably get one too…. And a hot & sour soup!

http://www.yelp.com/biz/vanessas-dumpling-house-new-york

I hope you’re having a good week. This is a short work week for me – unfortunately it is going sloooooooowly. I just want it to be EOD Wednesday!

Have you had dumplings before? What did you think?

Brunch at Yuca Bar

There are very few things this New Yorker loves as much as Sunday brunch. - Carrie Bradshaw



Table for 2 please



Crab cake eggs benny with lots of cado



mmmmm



BF's steak & eggs

sangria please

http://www.yucabarnyc.com/

I hope you had a nice weekend!

Morning, sunshine.

This morning I did something I hadn’t done in a while: woke up early & went to the gym before work. I did a cardio boxing class at my local UES New York Sport Club and man oh man did it kick my butt.

I am not a morning person.

If people were meant to pop out of bed, then we would all sleep in toasters (i don't know where this is from but i like it) My body was so confused and angry while I was doing suicide sprints at 6:30am. My thighs didn’t understand why they were being forced to do jump squats instead staying cozy in bed, my arms didn’t remember how to do a push up... BUT After class was over, I felt energized and excited to start my day and starting thinking, hmmm maybe working out in the morning isn’t quite so bad?!

 I need to make a change in my schedule because I often end up staying late at work and don’t get to the gym as regularly as I need to. I’m feeling tired, I miss my usual cheery self and overall I feel zoned out. Think space cadet. I need to work out to get back to normal (normal for me). A big benefit of getting workouts out of the way in the morning that the best parties are never at breakfast time. Committing to this will give me the freedom of being social after work or making dinner with BF without feeling disappointed with my laziness. Do you work out in the morning?

 

For lunch today I tried something new – something really, really great. It’s a restaurant in Soho called Souen.

Description from nnymag.com - Japanese-based macrobiotic theory believes healthy, wholesome eating is therapeutic. Meat, dairy, and eggs, and even certain vegetables, are prohibited. It's not a versatile cuisine, but all those dark green vegetables, soy, beans, grains, and fish on the menu should leave you feeling fantastic.

http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/souen02/

Here is what I had. All of this cost about $15 dollars :

Seaweed Salad - hijiki, wakame, red and green seaweed. With Sesame Vinaigrette.  – I added avocado for an extra $3.50. When I opened this from my takeout bag, I thought “wow, I didn’t know that there were so many types of pretty colored seaweed. Seaweed I can eat!”

Today’s Pureed Vegetable (GF) cold or hot – This was pureed broccoli. Really flavorful yet, pure tasting. Miso based.

I chose this place because I wanted to stick to my new Tuesday health kick where I apparently work out in the morning and eat healthy things like seaweed.

If you’re in New York go, just go. Your body will thank you.

That’s it for now. 

Tomorrow my team at work is having a Thanksgiving turkey & I’m in charge of apple pie. This means I will be attempting to bake my first pie ever – scary! I’m envisioning it exploding all over my tiny gas oven. Any tips for my pie baking success?

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yesterday was my birthday! BF took me out for an amazing dinner at Grotto in the Lower East Side (http://nymag.com/listings/restaurant/grotto/ )

The food was incredible. We had a cheese plate (SO GOOD) and bruschetta to start, 2 bottles of red wine (smashed lol), I had a really good seafood salad as my entrée and then we split a piece of birthday cake 

I’m so lucky!

Every bday I like to make a few goals for the coming year and reflect on the time that has passed since my last birthday.

What have I accomplished over the past year:

·         Made friends in New York

·         Grew a wonderful relationship with BF

·         Did well at work

·         Explored the USA a bit

·         Had fun!

What would I change about the past year:

·         My new life here in New York has caused me to lose the closeness that I once had with my friends at home. I consider them part of my family and still think about them daily BUT the connection has weakened.

·         I wish I didn’t spend so much money

·         I thought I would have moved further in my career

What will I accomplish during the next year:

·         Restore my friendships in Canada to what they once were by making an effort to communicate regularly

·         I will get a promotion at work

·         Work hard and eat healthily so that I can become comfortable (maybe even proud) of the way I look. This means I will stop the unhealthy measures I have been taking that are harmful.

·         Go to yoga every  week to conquer my anxiety and by lower back pain

·         Make new friends

·         Have even more fun

·         TRAVEL

What do I look forward to the most over the next year:

·         Enjoy my last chance to be in my early 20s (25 next year ahh)

·         Creating new memories

·         Spending time with BF

·         Traveling Europe

·         Enjoying work / making money / working towards being  baller (shot caller)

Having my birthday party at Sunburnt Cow tomorrow. I can't wait :)

 Have a great weekend :)