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Rant! Bullying

2 Aug

“sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”

I am not going to lie. I wouldn’t be opposed to a little plastic surgery…my schnoz is on the large size and a brow lift would really brighten up my face…however, I can’t see myself ever going through with it.

Today, I came across the story, about a 14 year old girl, who because of bullying, got plastic surgery to change her appearance.

I couldn’t believe it! I am appalled. Yes, I was fortunate to mostly only have been made fun by my older brother [that's what brothers are for...right?], but I still can’t imagine having plastic surgery to alter my appearance before I was even an adult! Okay, yes the plastic surgery is questionable, but I think the real issue of this story is the fact that bullying was the catalyst. This poor girl shouldn’t be the one to change, the kids bullying her should! Teasing, name calling, threats, etc because of the way you look, your sexual preferences, your hobbies/interests; it all makes me sick. How did kids become so cruel? Don’t get me wrong, I am sure I made mistakes growing up and I am not proud of them, but I can’t imagine causing someone else to feel so badly about themselves, that they would change their appearance. This is just one case of how destructive bullying is, not to mention the many kids that take their lives because of the pain caused by others. I am so frustrated I can’t stand it! Humanity shouldn’t allowit. How do we teach our youth (and ourselves) to be accepting and kind?

Because I Can

29 Jul

We often do things in life because we have to, not because we want to [that's what I would tell Share-Bear when she would tell me to do my chores etc.]

Do you ever do things just because you can? I’m not talking in the pompous way, like “making it rain in da club cuz you got money in the bank”. But doing little things, like taking the stairs, because there may come a day when you physically cannot walk up/down the stairs.

I think about things like that often. I do try to take the stairs as much as possible, and I enjoy walking around NYC, as I dread the day when that may not be a possibility.

The other day I was at a happy hour fundraiser for Big Brothers/Big Sisters. Dan and I were Bigs when we lived in Minneapolis, so I’ve been trying to get involved with the organization out here. Since the HH was after work, I had to forego my yoga class for the evening. I was down in the Flatiron area, so I figured I’d just hit up the gym when I got home. However, I got seriously distracted by Eataly, and couldn’t resist the urge to grab my favorite pistachio gelato.

With one cosmo down and a scoop of scrumptious gelato in hand, I decided to walk home. It was a lovely evening, not too hot/muggy, and I was 70 blocks and a few avenues away from my apartment. Why not walk home? I am an able body. Very capable of a brisk summer stroll.

So I did it because I can. It took me just about 1hour 30mins, which is the same length of the yoga class I missed that night. I figured a 90min walk was a decent dash of exercise and a great way to enjoy a summer night in the city.

I challenge you to do more things because you can.  

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Sing Me a Song

24 Jul

The other night, my co-workers and I headed out for a little going away celebration. One of our team members is going to Business School, so a proper fair well was due.

We started with a group dinner [mainly chips with guac and salsa], which also happened to include drinks…

We were definitely having a great time, and weren’t ready for the night to end. So, to keep the spirits high and the entertainment at its best, we headed to Duets for some karaoke.

My direct manager is a pretty big rock star when it comes to karaoke, she’s known at a few places around her apartment in hell’s kitchen. Until now, I hadn’t heard her sing, so I was stoked.

I had never done karaoke myself, so this was going to be a fun/new experience.

Duets is a place where your group gets it’s own room, so you don’t have to sing in front of randies. There’s a big screen with the music video and words to help you out. It also just so happens, that you can order drinks to your room to give you that extra bit of courage :)

It was so fun! I didn’t think I was going to have as much fun as I did! Obviously, I’m not a crowd pleaser when it comes to signing, but it is tons of fun to belt out all your favorite tunes. [my favorites of the night: Call Me Maybe and Oops, I did it again]

I can’t wait to do this again. Hopefully I can twist Dan’s arm into giving it a try.

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The Sweetest Thing

23 Jul

“a blue-eyed boy, meets a brown-eyed girl”

Our only summer wedding this year was over this past weekend, and boy was it a good one. We got to go back to Minneapolis, see some friends and celebrate the marriage of Carolina and Kirk. They truly are the sweetest couple ever. Absolutely adorable. Carolina couldn’t stop smiling as she walked down the aisle, in fact I don’t think I saw her all day/night with out a smile on her face!

It was not only a lovely event, but a fun one as well! Everyone had fun on the dance floor, however, this little guy stole the show! He could really bust a move!

wait for it…

Dancing the night away is always one of my favorite parts of a wedding.

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You’ve Got a Friend In Me

17 Jul

Maybe I’ll start blogging again on a more regular basis…maybe. I’m not making any promises. While I fantasize about being a healthy lifestyle blogger, I’m currently stuck in my Marketing/Sales career. Things could be worse.

My friend Kyle posted a link on facebook today to the following article: Friends of a Certain Age – Why Is It Hard to Make Friends Over 30?

While I haven’t hit 30 yet, I still found myself relating to the rhetoric. Dan and I moved to NYC after having been out of college for 2 years [3 for him]. Luckily for us, a few of our friends from high school/college have made their way out to the Big Apple as well. Having them here is great, and we love getting to spend time with them. However, we really haven’t made many “new” friends. Sure, we have our close “work” friends, but outside of work, activities with them have been limited thus far. It’s not like we can head out and pick up friends at a bar.

We each have alumni groups we could get involved in and volunteering is another awesome way to meet people. But are these options merely was to fill up our social calendar – or do you think it is possible [through these outlets or others] to find new close friends?

I must say, I have meet some pretty interesting people and enjoyed the time spent with them, but nothing much has evolved after the first “dates” [using date loosely here – think social settings with intertwined groups of friends]. Maybe it’s me, and if it is, oh well…their loss. I’m not desperate here, just looking for friendship. As a girl that spent 3 years living in a sorority house, life can seem a little friendless when 75 girls aren’t gushing about their current fraternity crush or persuading you to go out with them on weeknights.

It’s a life adjustment, I get it. I just get bummed sometimes when my closest friends aren’t here to continue enjoying life with me in the same city. [cough, NYC is an awesome city...you all could move here :) , cough]

Talk amongst yourselves, I’ll give you a topic…Friends. How have your friendships evolved over the years? Do most of your friends live close to you?

Napa Valley Food: The Restaurant at the Meadowood

16 Jul

It was our last night in Napa, and we had spent the day at a private wine tasting with one of the head sommeliers at The Meadowood Resort followed by a couples massage. Pretty much the best thing ever. Little did I know, the night was about to become one of the best nights of my life.

That evening’s surprise dinner location was back at The Restaurant at The Meadowood, the other 3 Michelin star restaurant in Napa (the other being the very well known French Laundry).

We arrived and started the night off with a toast which began our 12 course menu-less adventure in the freshest farm-to-table cuisine I’ve had to date.

[after dining, we were presented a menu of each course's main ingredients, which is what is listed below]

A few amuse bouche to start.

“Veggies and Dip” – garden fresh veggies with a light dipping accompaniment. So fresh!

Whipped yogurt black sesame pickled plum shiso. The most amazing yogurt I’ve ever tasted. Creamy consistency and not the least bit chalky. I dream of eating this everyday.

Wild and cultivated radishes goat cheese pumpernickel. This was a very interesting dish. The radishes had a very earthy flavor. Not my favorite, but very unique. The presentation was perfect – like pulling radishes from the dirt.

Tuna venison kohlrabi sorrels caviar. Tuna…Caviar…there really isn’t a reason not to love this.

Geoduck clam lardo noodle. Soft and full of flavor. Added bonus, the fun of biting these long noodles off the chilled chopsticks.

Coal roasted sturgeon onions. Never had sturgeon before, but wouldn’t complain if I had to eat this dish everyday of my life. I might also be evolving into an onion snob…these added the perfect hint of sweet.

Mangalista pork oyster mustard turnips. I’m not a pork eater, but I still enjoyed this course. The meat was firm, yet light.

Beef in madrone. My personal favorite, and Dan’s as well. Lets go ahead and add mushrooms to the list of ingredients I am now snobby about. Everything about this dish was perfect. The morel mushrooms were just as meaty and tender as the beef. Mouthwatering…

Now for the desserts.

Explorateur cherry leaf shaved baguette. Light and crisp with subtle sweetness.

Citrus snowball verbena. Imagine Italian ice for adults. Refreshing and light; simply melting in your mouth.

Dark chocolate beet violet. The beet was an interesting addition to the sweetness of the chocolate and vanilla ice cream.

Forest mignardise. Bite sized sweets to end the night.

At least, so I thought it was the end of the night…To Be Continued….

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1 Year

7 Apr
  • High: Our NYC Anniversary
  • Low: Nada – I’m counting my blessings, not my problems this week!

Has it been a year? It has! It certainly doesn’t feel like it’s been that long, although, I feel like I’ve come a long way. Life has changed in many ways in the past year. I can’t even begin to list my highlights. However, I will say, my happiness is at an all time high since moving out here to NYC.

To honor this milestone, Dan and I celebrated, the best way we know how…with Food!

Our first night in NYC we spent savoring the tasting menu at Gramercy Tavern, so it was a no-brainer to carry on the tradition and go back. This time we kept it simple and dined in the Tavern.

Schramsburg to kick things off [Schramsburg is my favorite champagne sparkling wine. It’s highly regarded – and even served in the White House!]

Baked Clams and Oysters to tickle our pallets

Followed by Snakehead fish for him

Curried Sea Bass with spaghetti squash for me.

I could have eaten two servings of this. The curry sauce was smooth and creamy and blended perfectly with the flake of the fish and stringiness of the squash. So delicious!

A little espresso to complete the meal and then it was off to find some dessert.

While waiting for a table at Rain’s Law Room, we grabbed “dessert” at Stand 4 – a burger/shake place we’ve wanted to try. No gelato shake for me since Lent was still cramp’n my sweet tooth. French Fries for dessert it was!

His/Hers

It was the perfect celebratory evening. I am very excited to see what this next NYC year brings us.

Talk amongst yourselves, I’ll give you a topic…Your city. How long have you lived in your current location? Is it a permanent spot, or a stepping stone to somewhere else? 

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Give It Up

31 Mar
  • High: Spring Break! Well, not really, Dan and I just took the day off on Friday to enjoy a little R&R in the city.
  • Low: I didn’t win. As you’ve probably found out already, I didn’t win the Mega Millions. [shocker, right?] I thought I had it for sure with the 1 ticked I bought. I thought beginners luck was on my side. I’ll get it next time.

For the past 7 years, I give up chocolate, cookies, cadies, sweets and desserts durring Lent [minus last year, I only made it halfway through because I couldn’t contain myself once we moved to NYC, temptation was too high] I don’t do so for religious reason; I just like personal challenges. Trust me, doing this I a HUGE challenge for me. Typically I probably eat one of the above-mentioned “contraband” items everyday. Grabbing a handful of chocolate chips after dinner is a common practice.  I’ve been doing well with no slip ups. Staying strong – which is not easy to do in baked good paradise.

I only have a week left, and I think it’s starting to get to me. The other night I dreamt about fudge. How pathetic, right? I barely ever eat fudge. I can’t even remember the last time I had any. Obviously my subconscious has a craving…

So I plan on dedicating about a day to only eat the forbidden fruits once the grueling 40days is over. The proper term would be a binge. Yes, I am planning on binge eating chocolate, cookies, candy, sweets and desserts. Terribly unhealthy of me, I know, however, I don’t care. Also, in reality, I probably won’t make it through more than three indulgences before tiring out of the whole concept. It’s just fun to plan out my options…it’s like planning what you’d do if you win the lottery, except with food. [wow, I’m sounding more pathetic with each sentence].

Here’s how the day could go:

Breakfast – Chocolate and salted caramel oatmeal from Little Brown

Midmorning snack – Peanut butter M&Ms. How many, who knows!

Lunch – Magnolia’s banana pudding and a Levain cookie

Afternoon snack – Buchon Bakery pistachio macaroon

Dinner – Two Little Red Hens red velvet cupcake and GROM pistachio gelato

Dessert – [everyday deserves dessert] ShakeShack Concrete

My blood sugar just rose typing that all out. If this day were to take place, I’m pretty sure I’d go into a diabetic coma. But, ohh how tasty would that all be?!

Talk amongst yourselves, I’ll give you a topic…Lent. Did you give anything up that you’re dying to get back in just a week? Any suggestions for my binge menu?

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RAW 12: Lime-Curry Rubbed Hanger Steak

27 Mar

Grilled Lime-[Curry]-Rubbed Hanger Steak with Fresh Melon-Cucumber Chutney

I typically figure out what I want to make for my RAW Challenge and then make it and force Dan to try it. This time around, I let him pick. His pick…Hanger Steak. We both are hefty steak lovers, but had never had a hanger cut before, so we figured now was the time to give it a try.

I finally broke down and bought cumin and coriander, it’s been a long time coming

First was the “chutney”. I would call it more of a salsa.

Thank goodness for my food processor. Probably one of my favorite kitchen tools.

It was a little bland [might not have put enough onion in it] so I threw on a few shakes of cayenne pepper. I think it really needed some avocado, and then it could have been a perfect party pleaser.

This is the part where you marinade the meat in the lime-CURRY rub…however, I forgot to add the curry…fail.

Grill Sear it up! This is where Dan comes into play. He handles the meat.

All together…not the best picture, but you get the point, right?

Verdict: Pretty good – however, I forgot the curry in the marinade for the steak, so it wasn’t as zesty as I think it should have been. Bummed about that

Level: Easy-Medium. The only tricky thing was  making sure not to overcook the steaks

Make Again: Well, it’s not that this dinner blew my mind, but I think I want to try it again WITH the curry seasoning. I would also maybe add avocado to the chutney to creamy it up a bit. And if you’re not a red meat eater, I bet you could do tis whole recipe with chicken instead of steak.

Ingredients

For chutney:

2 cups chopped firm-ripe honeydew melon (10 ounces)

1/3 seedless cucumber, peeled and chopped (about 3/4 cup)

1/2 cup chopped red onion

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 to 2 teaspoons minced fresh jalapeño including seeds

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

For steak:

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon curry powder

2 pounds (1-inch-thick) hanger steak or chuck blade steaks

Directions

Make chutney: 
Stir together honeydew, cucumber, onion, lime juice, cilantro, jalapeño, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sprinkle with spices and let chutney stand while grilling steak.

Grill steak: 
Prepare a gas grill for direct-heat cooking over medium heat. [No grill here in NYC, so we went with the pan sear technique in a hot cast iron pan.]

Stir together lime juice, oil, curry powder, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Coat steak with curry mixture.

Oil grill rack, then grill steak, covered, turning once, 9 minutes total for medium-rare. Let rest on a cutting board 5 minutes, then slice thinly across the grain. Serve steak with chutney.

 

 

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If I had it My Way

24 Mar
  • High: The temperature! It’s been quite pleasant this past week with a few days in the 70s. Loving it!
  • Low: Not celebrating National Puppy Day…no puppy for me :(

I had a little carry over vacation to use, so I took a half day this past Friday. I got home, went for a run through Central Park, and headed down to Union Square to enjoy this.

[Duane Reade only had French Vogue, so I settled for InStyle to flip through while sipping my decafe soy latte]

It was reminiscent of my unemployed days when we first moved here. People seem to think that life is super fun when you don’t have to work. I’m not going to completely argue that point, however, I feel there needs to be some balance work a little, play a little.

If I had it my way, I would have a part-time career, and it would be totally normal, acceptable and feasible [feasible meaning I would get paid the same amount as a full time career]

If I had it my way, I would drink green juice every morning

And eat street food for most lunches

If I had it my way, I would always have time to workout to my fullest potential 6 days a week

If I had it my way, I would have one of these already

If I had it my way, I could go crazy refreshing my wardrobe every season.

If I had it my way, every dinner would be this amazing,

and dessert wouldn’t have any calories.

If I had it my way, I’d always be tan,

and my friends would live slightly closer to NYC.

If I had it my way, I would be a better blogger, [dare I say notable]

and a straight up healthy lifestyle guru.

Dessert and street food clash a bit with the last one, but If I had it my way, I could do/be it all.

I could go on forever, and maybe I’ll continue another day, flowing through more shallow fantasies and possibly more meaningful opinions.

Talk amongst yourselves, I’ll give you a topic…If you had it your way. Not the Burger King kind of have it your way, but my kind of have it your way. What way would you have it?

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