Weekend Sunshine_1.20.14

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Whew... this weekend FLEW! (do I say that every Monday??) Maybe it felt even faster because everyone around me had the day off today. I... did not. But, I made the most of it. Traffic was super light and I went to the gym this morning and got after some serious intervals and pushed the sled (does that thing ever get easy?... woof)

Friday kicked off with a lotttt of traffic... admittedly, I was rather cranky, but, had an instant mood change once I ordered this:

This weekend was a lot of fun. Ella (my 7 year old niece) came to stay with me in the city. She's just the best kid in the world... so fun, sweet, thankful, friendly, outgoing, and easy to please. We kicked off the day picking out the fixings for sundaes with Rob and then took an uberx to the aquarium (she really likes uberx).

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We met up with Uncle Brett and navigated the whole aquarium. Ella loved it! I think we all agreed that the giant sea turtles were our favorite. The penguins and seal show were a close second though.

After dinner, we introduced her to the North End. Dinner at Pellinos and her first Mike's Pastry whoopie pie! She lit up like a Christmas tree as soon as she stepped inside... it was awesome. :)

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{For those that don't know... I'm a HUGE Pats fan... I'm the commissioner in my fantasy league sooooo.... I'm not going to talk about Sunday afternoon... Ok?}

Since Rob had the day off today... I decided to treat the end of day like a vacation day. Poured myself a small glass of vino and made this healthy salad for us... this thing is jam packed with antioxidants and protein. Simple to make, too.

  • Steak
  • Baby spinach
  • Apples
  • Roasted chickpeas
  • Goat Cheese
  • Pomegranates
  • Avocados
  • Cranberries
  • Almonds
  • Dressing: 2-3 parts extra virgin o/o, 1 part red wine vinegar,  tbs of honey mustard, tbs of honey, 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp salt, pepper to taste - mix & dress
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Hope you all had a great weekend! Stay warm out there... looking like another wacky weather week all over the country!

xo

Weekend reWind_1.13.14

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It's been a while since I've done a Weekly reWind post! The series is coming back!

It was SO NICE to get some relief from the cold this weekend.  Polar Vortexes make me want to hibernate in my condo, cover myself in blankets, and eat spaghetti. Not exactly a recipe for healthy living. This weekend felt like Spring. Rob and I went to Back Bay to do some shopping and get lunch... it was exactly what we needed after a few weekends of cold 'stay indoors' weather.

Thursday night kicked off with a healthy and satisfying meal of sole with parsley butter, smashed sweet potatoes, roasted potatoes and broiled asparagus. Yum! (Message me for deets)

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Friday night, Rachael and I met up at Post 390 to catch up on some major girl time/bff talk. Martinis and a jar of almond joy cookies served as dessert. Seriously? So good. (Also, realized that I had just missed bumping into my favorite blogger, Grace Atwood... bummer! We basically had the same photo uploaded on instagram... sigh, next time)

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On Saturday, time was well spent at Apple. I got my first MacBook, a 30th birthday gift from my family members and me to me. Ta Da! Bring on more posts!

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This week's motivation is simply stated and doesn't need much explanation. I find that this advice, is really all that is ever needed. I hope you all have a great week! xo

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No Excuses, Boston!

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So, we know that HERCULES HERCULES has taken over the midwest and northeast, leaving us in blankets of snow and bitterly cold temperatures. I know it's easy to sit back and get really lazy on days like today, but, it's important to still keep up with an exercise routine. First and foremost, your health, duh. Keep your lungs and your most important muscle (your heart) strong. Next, studies prove that exercise helps significantly reduce the effects of seasonal depression. And finally, be fit all year long... there's no need to panic in April when bikini season is a month away. Be prepared now!

So, I have some REALLY GOOD NEWS for my friends in Boston, especially runners. For the 5th consecutive year, New Balance has renewed its partnership with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) and pledged to remove the snow from a 17+ mile path along the Charles River, spanning from the Museum of Science area in Cambridge to the Galen Street Bridge in Watertown. Following DCR’s normal priorities, the snow removal will be performed by the DCR within 24 hours of the completion of each storm. Be careful though, since the path runs along the river, their use of salt and sand will be limited.

 In addition to that, they will have 6 Saturday morning events where they will showcase new products, put up inspirational banners, and have giveaways! 

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Next, so I know... it might be too cold to run right now and your gym might be closed during snow emergency. What to do? Living room workouts. You don't even need weights or a mat. Try something like this:

- 20 Jumping Jacks

- 20 Squat Thrusts

- 20 Squats

- 20 Sit Ups

- 20 Lunges

- 20 Mountain Climbers

- 20 Squats again

- 1 minute plank hold

REPEAT

Or, if you have some free weights... check out this Living Room Workout I posted over a year ago:

Living Room Lift 

Last but not least, go outside and play in the snow. Help your neighbors shovel (bend at the knees, people).  Put your boots on and walk to the store. Just get moving and be careful! Below is me during Nemo last year. Janet and I borrowed snow shoes from some of her friends.

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Have a great weekend! Stay warm, my friends! xo