Guac Off: Lemon vs. Lime

Have you ever found yourself in a debate with friends over the superior citrus with which to flavor your guacamole? 

No? 

Well, you and your friends are clearly not avocado aficionados. 

To settle the debate, we had a Mexican potluck the day after I returned from my crazy long work trip. Jaime (team lemon) and Rebecca (team lime) whipped up their ideal guacs while the rest of us assembled the accouterments. I was very happy with my decision to bring mango to add to the tacos. 

We had a blind vote, during which even Jaime voted for the lime guacamole expertly mashed and made by Rebecca. 

The lemon, though not the victor, had it's own unique, light taste that we all agreed would be delicious smeared on some fish. 

A week or so later, we were shocked to hear that there are people who claim you shouldn't add ANY citrus to your guacamole, because it masks the taste of the avocado! You can read more about this blasphemy here. 

So what are you? Team lime? Team lemon? Team citrus-free? 

To finish our festive dinner our very own donut master Melissa made MARGARITA DONUTS. There was legit TEQUILA and lime zest in the ICING! 

They were phenomenal and it was so wonderful to be reunited with the gang before heading out of the city for yet another week of work travel. 

Read More

Back to Tampa, Back to Chicago

DAY TWELVE - June 11
CHI --> Tampa 

Over the course of our travels I earned a reputation for being highly irritable and cranky on travel days. True, we only got about 4 hours of sleep each night before flying - but I don't think it justified my permanent scowl. Everything pissed me off. The lines, the check-in process, the overweight baggage fees. And towards the end, I realized that the crankiness may have had something to do with the fact that travel days were the only days where I wasn't starting the morning with a workout - meaning I was starting my day without any endorphins. 

Morning exercise people, it's magic, I swear! 

When we got back "home" to our hotel in Tampa, we all set out for some lunch at "our" diner down the street. The diner owner was from Long Island, go figure! There were more sweet potato fries with maple dipping sauce, don't you worry.

That night, a group of us went out and split a bunch of appetizers at a place called Taps, where the guys could watch the NBA Final. 

The beer selection was enormous (with a name like Taps, that might seem pretty obvious), and I was so excited to try Wells Banana Bread Beer! It was quite delicious. 

I didn't do a very good job documenting the appetizers that we all split, so I'll just write about what I can remember. 

There was some bruschetta. 

There was some specialty popcorn with asiago cheese and truffle oil that I took one whiff of and immediately wanted no part of.

Lettuce wraps. 

Fish tacos. 

Bean dip trio. 

Tuna Crudo (I think raw tuna in some form may have been a part of every single dinner this entire trip - we kind of like it). 

What I do remember clearly was the waiter coming over and making a comment about how quickly we had "destroyed" the food. 

Rude sir. We haven't eaten in days!! Er...

I also clearly remember the dessert, in typical Lauren fashion. 

Belgian Waffles with vanilla ice cream, Nutella and whipped cream. I don't think it's possible to mess that up. 

But what I have slowly been coming to appreciate is bread pudding, and Taps' was pretty damn good! Maybe that's because it was apricot flavored and came with caramel drizzle and vanilla ice cream and sliced almonds. 

Taps also made an attempt at one of my other favorite dessert delicacies - donuts. 

Tried, and fell very, very flat. Their vanilla and red velvet donuts had absolutely no flavor, and their chocolate ones just tasted bland. They were dry and disappointing. That's what she said? 

DAY THIRTEEN - June 12 

This was our one true "day off" and I was sure to take advantage of it! 

Despite not really feeling so hot about running, there was a little coffee shop/breakfast place that I was dying to try - and running is my preferred method of transportation. 

So I was up and out and running to Buddy Brew! I may have passed it and had to backtrack and run way more than planned, but I'm glad I didn't give up because this place was absolutely adorable. 

I would love to open a cute, artsy little shop like this some day. 

(Any place that specializes in breakfast foods is automatically on my good side. And a teal color scheme? YAS)

Living  in NYC, I would never had thought that my favorite avocado toast would be found in Tampa. But dear lord, this was amazing. 

WHY MUST IT BE IN FLORIDA?!

At Buddy Brew, their avocado toast comes with chili and lime, and there was definitely sea salt on it as well. 

I customized mine to include an olive oil poached egg because EVERYTHING is better with an egg on top. Duh. I wanted everything on the menu, but I was more than happy with my choice.

I also got a delicious cold brew coffee before running back to my hotel with a full and slightly queasy stomach. Worth it. 

As soon as I got back, I changed in about 2 seconds flat and met a few coworkers in the lobby to head out for some stand up paddle boarding. 

When we got to the dock, a man informed us that there was no stand-up paddle boarding despite the sign. "Maybe today's their grand opening, but I haven't seen no stand up paddle boarding here." Thanks for your sarcasm, dude. 

So SUP didn't happen. But kayaking did! The guy who got us all ready to go out told us if we paddled in one direction we would come to a lighthouse (he also told us not to worry about the "1 hour" limit). When we got to the lighthouse, we were super disappointed. 

(In reality, this lighthouse was probably 10 feet tall)

I love kayaking, because it's active but it's also relaxing. 

When we got back to the dock, we got some cocktails before walking back and seeing SO MANY PRECIOUS DOLPHINS! Then we chilled at the pool for a little bit. Then, it was off for a manicure (that set me back $25 unknowingly - but lasted a good long while!) 

That night, we got dinner in the hotel restaurant that I wasn't a huge fan of, but c'est la vie. 

DAY FOURTEEN - June 13 

Game day! 

DAY FIFTEEN - June 14 

Tampa --> CHI 

Probably my least amount of sleep the night before a travel day. 

When we got to the hotel we couldn't check into our rooms yet, so we went out in search of brunch. I was dying to go to Little Goat (which everyone the entire trip referred to as "Goat Burger") but when we got there, the wait was super long (I have great taste, what can I say?)

But it was OK because we ended up eating at The Allis inside the lobby of the Soho House Hotel that was totalllllly my kinda place. Super trendy looking and the menu? One of each PUHLEASE?

Sadly, decisions had to be made. 

The first decision was easy. 

Bloody Mary. Boom. Definitely a let down. But I moved on. 

Americano. Yum. 

Did I dare try a new avocado toast after just discovering close to perfection at Buddy Brew?

Indeed, I did. 

Allis' avo toast was good, but not Buddy Brew. You can just tell by looking at it. Cubed avocado instead of slices. A poached egg with the yolk just a little too well done. 

But they made up for it with their super grain bowl with quinoa and goji berries. Flax seeds, blueberries, shredded coconut. It was heavenly. 

The meal, paired with the setting made for a great brunch experience. 

A bunch of people ordered the "Mean Sandwich" which came with egg, bacon, taleggio cheese, cheddar cheese, aioli, avocado and jalapeno. They were even asking the waitress for the aioli recipe and considered ordering seconds. 

I'm glad we were at Allis on a week day, because their breakfast menu is more extensive than their weekend brunch menu. I could have easily ordered anything on this menu. If you're in Chicago you should definitely check it out (Banana, almond butter and flax seeds on multigrain anyone?) 

After brunch, I STILL couldn't get into a room, so I left my bags with the front desk and wandered over to Marshall's, which was dangerously close to the hotel. Woops, ended up buying a few things that weren't necessary, but they were CUTE. 

Then, why not stop for a donut after a giant brunch? Tina had told me about a place called Stan's that had - wait for it - a Biscoff Banana stuffed donut. 

It was sickeningly sweet, with lots layers and textures inside, and distinct Biscoff and banana tastes. It was very fitting that Tina alerted me to this specific donut, because she's the one who introduced me to Biscoff in the first place by making me try THIS sorcery - fudge made with just Biscoff spread and vanilla icing. It was then I realized that Biscoff cookies are the ones they serve on Delta flights and everything clicked and I was like oh shit yeah wow I've loved this stuff forever. It's crack. And I don't mind being addicted. 

I ate it when I got back to the hotel and finally got a room. Immediately after eating it, I passed out in a sugar coma for a few hours, exhausted from yet another endorphin-less travel day. 

When I woke up, it was the moment I had been waiting for - to be reunited with my long lest BFF who used to live in the city and work with me. 

Tina and I headed to a cute bar with an outdoor area and met up with Staci. We proceeded to talk and laugh as if we had never been separated - the best kind of friendship there is. 

Saying goodbye so quickly sucked, but I'LL SEE YA IN NYC SOON, RIGHT STACI?! 

At this point in the night, coworkers will still putting together a plan for dinner, but I didn't have the patience so I stopped at Whole Foods, loaded up on the salad bar, and enjoyed it from the comfort of my hotel room. 

DAY SIXTEEN - June 15 

Woke up like, "WHOAH WE MIGHT BE GOING HOME TOMORROW!" 

As such, I thought it was appropriate to wrap up the trip eating like the fat kids that we love to be while on the road. A dozen donuts from Glazed and Infused was in order, yes? Oh yes. 

I walked over and picked out a few drool-worthy sounded ones. 

Unfortunately, none of these really blew me out of the water. In fact, I can't recall one thing about them, specifically. I know there was a peanut butter and jelly one, a Cajeta fried ice cream one, a bacon maple one, and a red velvet one. 

(Why can't I be as photogenic as donuts are?)

That night before the game started, we had to evacuate our trailer because of a tornado watch! Good think we had these ponchos to protect us!

Jokes. My poncho blew off of my completely and I looked like a drowned rat. With very wet feet. 

(Dress I got on my trip to Marshall's!)

By the end of the night, a dynasty created when the Chicago Blackhawks hoisted the Stanley Cup yet again! It was really awesome to be there for my first Stanley Cup presentation! 

And that brought my longest-work-trip-ever to a close!

Thanks for reading along!

Spoiler Alert: I left on another work trip 4 days later. Coming up next! 

Read More

Chi-Town

Want to read about days 1-5? Here you go.

DAY SIX - June 5
I spent the morning at the arena working, with a quick break for a team picture and some playing in the fountain. We had been wanting to do this since the moment we saw it, and it was just as fun as we hoped it would be. 

Then, it was time to go abut 30 minutes away to see my grandma and two aunts who I haven't seen in way too long. My grandma had a stroke over a year ago, and she's living in Florida in an assisted living home instead of 20 minutes down the road from my house on Long Island. It makes me really sad to think about her there, and to think that my mom and I can't see her whenever we want. Getting older sucks, especially when you realize that the time you have left with the people you love is running out. 

For a few days, I wasn't very hopeful that my aunt was going to be able to convince my gran to make the journey to Tampa, but I was so so relieved when I got the call that she would be coming. We went across the street to dinner it was just so nice being with everyone. Of course, it's hard to see Gran frail and not able to do things she used to do, but she was in good spirits, enjoyed her meal, and I just kept chattering away and showing her pictures of things I've been up to. 

(Me with the Mackey ladies!)

(This picture makes me smile every time I see it, which is why it's my lock screen on my phone) 

We got back to my cousins apartment which we were stealing for the night and when I mentioned that I might leave that night because I hard work in the morning, Gran got all teary and I couldn't bear to leave. We sat around talking some more and then Aunt Suzanne and I went for a walk to see the sunset. 

(It was gorgeous) 

Unfortunately, when I got back, Gran was all tucked into bed even though it was only about 8 o'clock. I crawled into bed with her and held her hand and talked until she dozed off. Laying there with her, it was really hard not to completely lose it and start crying. I was feeling so many things, but, most importantly, I was incredibly grateful for the day and my time with her. 

Saying goodbye the next morning was hard, and we both cried. But again, I am so so thankful that my aunts got Gran to come and that I got to spend time with everyone. 

DAY SEVEN - June 6 

Another GAME DAY! Game day means a few things. 1) Sleeping in a little later 2) Arena food all day 3) Wearing cute outfits and taking pictures 4) Late late nights. 

(This was our GAME 1 team picture)

Since I was a little bit of an emotional wreck after saying goodbye to my grandma, I reallllllly wanted to go for a run. Unfortunately, my IT band had been really bothering me, so running more than 2 miles wasn't really an option. I ran a little ways on the path our hotel was situated on, and when I found a huge staircase, I decided that would be a good way to relax. Yes, you heard that right. I did a bunch of stairs broken up with push-ups and crunches and I felt totally in my element since there were other people around doing the same thing, using the area like a gym. NP_Tampa? 

Next, it was a solid 14 hours at the arena.

(I must say - Amalie Arena in Tampa Bay was AWESOME! They had this entire outdoor viewing area with a bar and DJ. The inside of the arena was beautiful too - and all right on the water! Definitely a little different than Nassau Coliseum). 

I'm lucky that my coworkers are awesome and 14 hours FLYS by. Okay, maybe not exactly...but we DO manage to make it fun. 

(TA-DAAAAA) 

DAY 8 - June 7 

TBL --> CHI

Travel days are exhausting. And the days that I feel absolutely zero guilt in skipping the gym. 

I don't even know why they are so killer. Maybe because we were up and out at about 4:30 a.m. after going to bed at 2 a.m. So really, we would nap instead of sleep. All I can say is THANK GOD I'm able to sleep on airplanes. 

Sam and Kim had traveled ahead to Chicago for a day, so when Kim and I landed we headed to the arena to get our bearings and to set up in the trailer. Home sweet home in City 2.

That night, I was exhausted. I didn't want to be anti-social and skip dinner, especially because it's always somewhere amazing, but I just couldn't rally. Especially when I flipped on the TV and realized it was the TONY AWARDS! That sealed the deal - Seamless and laying in bed watching musicals was the clear choice. 

I ordered delivery from Fig and Olive and DAMN was it delicious. Would it have been better sitting down and eating in the restaurant? Probably. But I still thoroughly enjoyed my crostinis and entree. 

The three crostinis that I picked were:
Shrimp, Avocado, Cilantro, TomatoGoat Cheese, Caramelized Onion, ChivePea, Asparagus, Ricotta Lemon Thyme

They were all very tasty, though the bread could have been a little crispier. 

For an entree, I ordered the Fig & Olive Tajine which came with Moroccan spiced chicken served with fig, olive, apricot, carrot, zucchini, cipollini onion, tomato, toasted almond, couscous with cilantro and harissa with arbequina olive oil.

This hit the spot. I loved that they packaged the couscous separately so it didn't get completely drowned in the broth that the chicken and vegetables were in. The meat was incredibly tender and there were dried apricots that made me really happy. 

Overall, very happy with my decision to stay in. And even happier with my decision to be a diva and order Seamless to the hotel lobby instead of ordering room service. 

DAY NINE - June 8 

I started the morning with a run to the bean, purely so I could get this shot: 

As I ran (slowly, and again, only about 2 miles before I was in pain) I also passed these lions who were in the Playoff Hockey spirit! 

This was only my second time being in Chicago, and each time I got I regret not exploring it more. It's such a pretty city from the few areas I've seen!

This was a game day, and an 8 o'clock start, which mean a very late night. Luckily, I was in charge of ordering 5th Meal aka: Giordano's deep dish pizza. 

Now, you can say all you want that deep dish isn't "real" pizza - you can pull a John Stewart and claim that "it's not a pizza...it's a casserole!" But whatever it is, when I ate it for the first time in Chicago last winter, I fell in love. And simultaneously wished I had never tried it. Because it's one of those things that I just cannot stop eating. 

Eating to the point of feeling sick is something that, clearly, is not good for you. 

But place Giordano's pizza in front of me, and I'm Miley - I cannot be tamed. The crust is legit pie crust. Think, buttery, and made up of crispy, crunchy layers. And the amount of cheese inside - ungodly. No calorie count can deter me (but in case you're wondering - a deep dish cheese slice from Giordano's comes in at 500 calories). 

However, in additional to deep dish, I ordered some "thin crust" pies from Giordano's as well. And here, I agree with John Stewart on Chicago's blatant disregard for pizza. 

WHY WOULD YOU EVER SLICE A PIZZA LIKE THIS? 

No like seriously, I think it's just the city of Chicago being incredibly stubborn. No one wants that floppy, soggy middle piece that's one mouthful. What is this? Can someone please explain?

It's one of those things that makes me irrationally angry. I got visibly agitated when this pizza arrived. Similar to when people pronounce "Reese's" as "Ree-sees Pee-sees." Pieces is a word. Reese's rhymes with it. Come on people. (I once called Reese's to confirm the pronunciation and their Corporate Communication department gave me some BS, go-to response about how their customers are welcome to pronounce it however they want. When I asked how the person on the line pronounced it, she confirmed my thoughts.)

The best is when people pronounces Reese's Cup correctly and then as soon as they see a bag of Reese's Pieces it becomes "Ree-sees Pee-sees."

I really can't. 

Okay, moving on. 

DAY TEN - June 9 

Day at the office. 

What does a day at the office look like? 

What is that, you ask? 

It's a chocolate munchkin cut in half and filled with PB, Banana and Nutella. 

Patent pending. 

Dinner that night was at Shaw's - seafood on seafood on seafood. Literally, we started with this raw platter with layers of fresh, fishy fabulousness. 

This baby had Maine lobster tails, oysters, blue crab fingers, shrimp cocktail and Alaskan red king crab bites. Lately, I'm realllllly diggin' crab! 

Also, major props to Shaw's for having close to one of my favorite drinks - their "Elderflower" cocktail had Gin, St. Germain, lime and lemon juice. All it was missing was a splash of grapefruit! 

Think that monstrous shellfish platter was our only appetizer? Think again. We also got some delicious sushi. 

I loved that their sushi rolls were A) pretty and B) had different flavor combinations that standard sushi. I lot of people loved the Spicy Shrimp, Salmon and lemon roll that had spicy shrimp, cucumber and avocado, salmon and lemon! 

For an entree, I ordered the Surf & Surf. Yes, I am a seafood lover for sure. 

The Surf & Surf at Shaw's comes with steamed Alaskan red king crab legs and an 8 oz. Maine lobster tail. I was truly in my glory. And shockingly, loving the crab even more than the lobster! 

Our table also split some sides - including Lobster Mac and Cheese and hash browns with onions. 

As usual, we demanded that there be room for dessert. The sweet-tooth crew split the peach and blueberry cobbler (yum!) the creme brulle (pretty bland), and the raspberry pie (delicious). 

DAY ELEVEN - June 10 

The day I had been waiting for! Waking up at 4:45 a.m. to run 4 miles to the 6:00 a.m. NP_CHI workout with Tina! 

We headed out and got to watch a beautiful sunrise. It's amazing to me how one minute you're in the middle of the city and the next you're at the beach! I know NY is along the water too, but Chicago was just different!

As Tina and I ran, we got more and more concerned with the fact that our blue dot on Google maps didn't seem to be getting any closer to the workout. 

Turns out, we were definitely further than anticipated - more like 6 or 7 miles. We walked/ran and to our delight, when we arrived late, it actually started at 6:30 - not 6:00 - we were right on time! 

(Most awesome tagging I've ever seen!) 

The Chicago tribe leaders had planned an entire hockey-themed workout that was AWESOME! Everyone was super friendly (obviously) and I loved that it was a small, fairly new tribe so everyone was still getting to know each other. The workout was legit - wheelbarrow racing while passing a ball back and forth really does a number on your abs! 

(NP_NHL)

It was the most I had run since Brooklyn, and it didn't feel great. But it DID feel great to cross another NP off the list. NYC, DC, SF, CHI! 

We took an Uber back to the hotel (Thanks, Patrick!) and I took a nap before getting ready for a long day at the arena - another game day! 

I made a friend outside our trailer!

To be continued...

Read More

First Stop, Tampa!

On Sunday May 31 I set out for my first real "life on the road" work trip. 

For the most part, I really like travelling for work, and I know I'm incredibly lucky that I get to do it. 17 days was a long time though, I will say! And eating at really nice restaurants for breakfast lunch and dinner sounds really awesome, and it is, until you feel gross. 

"Just choose something healthy on the menu and don't eat too much!" you may be thinking. That's what I thought every morning when I woke up too.  Trust me, it's not as easy as it sounds. 

I guess now is a good time to mention that I couldn't really run at this point (and spoiler alert: I still can't). My IT band was killing me ever since the Brooklyn Half and I knew I needed to take it easy if I was going to start training for the Suffolk County Marathon in July (spoiler alert: That's definitely not happening anymore). I am however proud to say I exercised almost every day that we were on the road - whether it was abs and arms, the elliptical, or going for a 2 mile jog (maybe I shouldn't be proud of that but we were right on a pretty river trail!) 

DAY ONE - May 31
JFK --> Tampa
First things first, of course, was lunch. I started out healthy - ordering this delicious summer salad with spinach, strawberries, blueberries, grilled chicken, etc. 

Oh yeah, and a side of sweet potatoes with a maple syrup dipping sauce. 

The hotel in Tampa was right on the water and I had a balcony! There was a running path all the way from our hotel to the Amalie Arena (about 3 miles there and back). 

After we unpacked we headed to Target to stock up on snacks for the crew trailers. Oh dear, so many snacks. Please, take a look at what would be my temptations for almost 3 weeks. Constantly there. Peanut Butter.  Nutella. Reese's. Poptarts.  Gummy vitamins? 

(Biggest temptation? FROSTED ANIMAL CRACKERS)

At one point, one of my coworkers put a sign listing how many calories were in each type of chocolate in the candy bowl. Yikes. Wish I could say it stopped me... 

When we were done with that, we dropped it all off at the arena to our trailers (yes, we work out of trailers - glamorous~!) It was HOT and HUMID like WHOAH. 

Then, we headed back to the hotel to work on our laptops for a little while and watched this thunderstorm roll in. Working for a little while turned into working for a lot and realizing crap it's 9 p.m. we should eat dinner.  So we headed down the hotel lobby restaurant and grabbed something quick. 

I ordered this salad with grilled salmon, sliced apple, celery and avocado ranch dressing.

DAY TWO - June 1
Work day in the trailers. 

Look what they delivered at lunch time! Dear lord. 

Dinner Monday night was at a tapas restaurant in the hoppin' Tampa neighborhood of Ybor City.  Columbia Restaurant is Florida's oldest restaurant. We walked in and were blown away by how large it was! 

We ate lots and lots of tapas and drank lots and lots of sangria and THEN we all ordered entrees. 

I ordered the Pompano en Papillot - Boneless fillet of Pompano with seafood stuffing of shrimp, crabmeat, artichoke, butter and white wine, wrapped in parchment paper and baked. Served with yellow rice.

I also needed a side salad BECAUSE it's famous and they prepare it table-side. 

USA Today named it "One of the 10 Great Places to Make a Meal out of a Salad." That spoke to me. Because a salad CAN BE A MEAL. 

When this salad came out, it made me really nostalgic, because it was served in the same dish that my favorite salad of all-time is served in.  It's from an Italian restaurant near my house on Long Island and I love it because it comes with cheese and salami and a delicious BEAN SALAD. I'm sorry, I need to cool it on the caps. 

(This is really not a pretty picture, I apologize) 

DAY THREE - June 2
Another work day at the arena. 

Dinner was perhaps the most over the top dinner I've ever experienced. Like their website says, it truly was a "unique culinary experience." 

To start, when we boarded the free shuttle van at the hotel to go to dinner, the bell-hop informed one of my coworkers that he wouldn't be allowed in wearing shorts, and should change into pants - unless he wanted to go to Bern's "pants room" to rent a pair. 

When we walked in, we were blown away by how massive the restaurant was and how fancy it was inside - in an old fashioned kind of way. 

Next, we sat down and were informed that after dinner, there is a separate "dessert room" - the waiter asked if we would like to make a reservation for the dessert room after our meal - to which will all emphatically answered yes. 

The menu was ridiculously extensive. You could tell this place was a legit steakhouse because of the way they listed their steaks - by thickness and weight and categorized by each cut. They even had an entire chart for you to figure out how you like your steak cooked! 

But this place didn't just have steak - they had EVERYTHING. 

And guess what each entree comes served with? I don't think you're ready for this. I really don't think you. We had to check with the waiter to make sure we were reading it correctly. 
French Onion Soup
Salad
Baked Potato
Onion Rings
Vegetable Tasting 

Mind. Blown.

That all seemed incredibly overwhelming to me - plus I knew there was a DESSERT ROOM to follow. 

So after PLENTY of shared appetizers, I ordered a Bern's Steakhouse Cobb Salad and a Lobster Surf Roll.

Perhaps my favorite part was the side I insisted on ordering for the table - CARROT FRIES! Be still my heart. 

The Cobb Salad was delicious as well and loaded with lots of different things - crispy onion straws as you can see, asparagus, eggs, AVOCADO, mushrooms, tomatoes, black olives, onion, and their homemade dressing.  

The Lobster Surf Roll wasn't my favorite thing ever, but it was very different, which I could appreciate. It was served with Coconut lime ponzu and mango tobiko.

Once we were sufficiently full - it was time to head to the Harry Waugh dessert room. Bern's is like a maze - one our way to the dessert room, we passed the ginormous kitchen (which you can go on a tour of if you want your meal to last 5 hours instead of the 4 it took us!) 

We were led to our own little cask enclosed booth/room. Casks are wood that have something to do with where they store alcohol or something...I could research it, but there's a lot of catching up to do and if you really care you can Google it yo'self! 

The point is, we were in our own cozy little room where we noticed there was a phone with buttons that let us control what type of music played in the room. 

Then the waitress informed us that if we picked up the phone, Kenny the house piano player would take requests and we could have it play into the room. Well, of course everyone wanted to make a request after that. It kept us quite entertained. Thanks Kenny! 

Looking back, I wish I had ordered the Macadamia Nut Sundae, or "The Best Sundae in the world." Because I tried a bite of my coworkers, and let me tell you, it really was the best. 

I ordered the Banana Cheese Pie but I must say, I prefer my dad's made with instant pudding mix. 

A bunch of us also split the Brown Sugar which came with 3 different desserts ~moderation~. The Chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake, cookies & cream ice cream sandwich, and warm brown sugar blondie. 

Mhm. 

Yeah. 

DAY FOUR - June 3
Game Day! 

Look at how cute the catering desserts were in Tampa! 

And look at the concoctions I make myself to try to not eat chocolate... 

(Banana + Peanut Butter + Raisins + Coconut Flax Granola)

DAY FIVE - June 4
When we got back to the hotel after a day of work, we were greeted by this beautiful sunset! 

(I love Long Island sunsets more than anything, but I gotta say - this one was a winner!) 

Eventually, we headed out to dinner at a restaurant I had found online that looked right up my alley. Farm to table. With a wall in the restaurant that grows kale! It was called Boca and it was definitely my favorite meal. 

For a drink, I got something delicious with tequila (at least I think, it's usually a safe bet that that's what I ordered!)  

For appetizers, we all split:
Yellow Fin Tuna Tartare
Brie & Apple Flatbread
Sweet Potato Gnocchi 

Dear Sweet Potato Gnocchi,
You came served with earthy Oyster mushrooms, fresh butternut squash, crisp broccolini and rich sage cream and micro parmesan.  You changed my life.
Love,
Lauren

(SOFTY PILLOWY BALLS OF SWEET POTATO) 

For dinner, I really wanted the House Kale Salad with pear and sunflower seeds, but they were out of Kale so I just told them to make a tasty salad and THEY SUCCEEDED. 

I also took a picture of other people's meals because they were so bright and pretty. 

(The were the special of the night. Holy cow.) 

(Yellow fin tuna with kimchi fried rice, coconut broth, baby bok choy and a sweet soy reduction) 

Want to guess if we ordered dessert?

We did. 

We got the BEET CAKE which was like carrot cake but made with beets! It was pretty tasty, except for the beet puree on the side that looked like sweet raspberry sauce but actually just tasted like dirt. I like beets, and I get offended when people say they taste like dirt, but the sauce really did taste like dirt so OKAY FINE maybe sometimes beets taste a little earthy. 

We also got the seasonal fruit cobbler which was SO SWEET. For normal humans it probably would have been too much, but for someone with a sweet tooth like mine, it was delicious. 

So do you want to hear a funny story?

My mom recently visited family in Florida and while she was there, she texted me from brunch and said, "Lauren, I'm at this really cute place with lots of vegetables and lettuce growing on the wall and also huge Bloody Mary's. You would love it her!" My mom knows me really well. Because turns out, it was the same restaurant! Too funny. 

(You're right Mom, I like plants growing on walls! And fresh ingredients! And brightly colored food! And restaurants that are vintage chic and in old gas stations!) 

To be continued...

Read More