SoulCyclin' with Infatuation Nation

This morning, I took the plunge and attended my first SoulCycle class.

I’m not sure why it felt like a big deal, but it did.  I’ve been taking spin classes for over 2 years now, and everyone knows about SoulCycle. There are the SoulCycle faithfuls, who pour money into classes and apparel and talk about the “pack” mentality as if it’s a life-changing experience. There are SoulCycle wannabes, who wish they could afford the steep price tag for classes on a normal basis, but settle for taking a ride on a special occasion or far less frequently than they’d like. There are those in the fitness world who downright reject SoulCycle and its practices, citing poor form and more attention on a spectacle than actually getting in a quality workout. Then there are those that are intimidated by SoulCyle because of the fancy lingo and the “skinny bitches” (I hate that term) that pack SoulCycle studios across Manhattan. It’s kind of crazy how divisive SoulCylce can be in the fitness community. A quick Google search brings up articles with headlines like, “Joining the Cult of SoulCyle” and “I’d Rather Sell My Soul Than SoulCycle.” Then there is me. Who is still trying to decide where I belong on this spectrum.

So let me tell you about my experience.

I follow this amazing food blog online and on Instagram. They’re called The Infatuation and I trust them a whole heck of a lot when it comes to advice on restaurants in this fine city. When I went to Chelsea Market and had no internet, I was freaking out that I couldn’t look-up which taco they recommend at Los Taco No. 1 (thank god it eventually loaded and I got to experience the glory of the carne asada corn taco). 

(Thanks for the pro tip, Infatuation!)

Why do I trust them so much? I’m not sure. But it could have something to do with their writing style, which makes me laugh out loud when I read their reviews. I mean, they have literally written the line, “Calexico’s Lower East Side location is basically the grown up version of your favorite fast food joint, only here you can pollute your body with margaritas instead of Baja Blast.” They just make the most relatable references.  You know these guys are just like you. And you feel like you can depend on them.

So when they partnered with SoulCycle and announced that they would be offering free classes for their followers- I JUMPED for joy. The first time I tried registering, I got a sad email saying that all the bikes had been filled. But fortunately, they’re offering a bunch of different classes! And the second time I emailed them, success! I ran around the house my family was renting for vacation in excitement that no one quite understood. I’m going to get to try SoulCycle for FREE with other people who love food as much as me! 

(SUCCESS!)

I dragged myself out of bed at 5:45 a.m. on Friday, walked the 2483902 miles (really .7) to the 6 train, rode the 6 train for a half hour to Bleecker Street, walked 234280 miles (really .9) to the West Village SoulCycle studio and walked up to the door.

(An early, but beautiful morning!)

You walk in and BAM lockers. I’m used to a gym where the locker area is completely separate, so that was a little weird. The two women working at the desk were like superheroes getting the huge lines of people checked-in quickly. They were somehow simultaneously helping like 7 people. I was told to find my name on the list and initial it, but I wasn’t on the list. My stomach sunk when I was told that I was on the waitlist. What?! I got a confirmation email, which is why I had traveled an hour before work to make the class! I needed my endorphins gosh darnit! The woman told me to hang tight and assured me I would get a bike. So I got my complimentary smartwater (hooray!) and shoes and put my stuff in their high-tech lockers (you program it yourself, so you don’t actually need to bring a big bulky lock with you).

As promised, they started calling people from the waitlist and told me to go downstairs to bike 10. I get down to the studio and someone’s on bike 10. Luckily, one of the great staff ran upstairs and came back and told me to take 18. Then, she helped me get set up on my bike. Yes, I’ve taken many many spin classes but when it’s a new type of bike I like to have them help me out. That, and this is only my second time clipping in with spin shoes, and I’m pretty terrible at it.

I didn’t love the seats on the SoulCycle bikes, but throughout the ride they got more bearable. My handlebars felt pretty low, but SoulCycle really focuses on your core, and the lower the handlebars, the more of a core workout you’ll get. So that was OK with me- because abs.

The actual studio was a lot like most studios- dark with lots of bikes. There were three candles lit at the front of the room. Some inspiring quotes on the wall. Standard. 

(Eh, not sure about this stuff)

Our instructor (I can’t believe I forgot to make a mental note of her name) was energetic but not completely over the top like I’ve heard some SoulCycle instructors can be.

Things I liked:
-Although I realize there is some debate on its effect on form- I do like spin classes that feature sections on arms, abs, etc. In this class, our instructor had us do pushups, tricep pushups, oblique turns, crunches, and a song using the small 2 lb. weights stored in the back of each bike. We did some bicep curls, shoulder presses, tricep extensions, etc.

-I am a fan of the famous SoulCycle “tap it back” where you go from third position, to tapping your butt back onto the saddle, back to third. Kind of like jumps. It got me into the music and engaged my core. And again- abs. I want them.

-The lighting in the room is awesome. Much like Cyc’s studio- the light system is attached to the instructor’s little DJ station and the different settings can really have an effect on how you feel during each song.

-You cannot deny that you feel pampered at this place. Upon checking in, I got a piece of gum. I went to shower afterwards- and the bathrooms are fully stocked with razors, shaving cream, moisturizer, face scrub, etc.

Things I didn’t like:
-The instructor barely focused on resistance at all. I feel like in all of these trendy spin studios, everyone is flopping around their saddle, pedaling 189234 miles per hour. I’m all for light resistance and sprints being used in a class- but I like it to feel intentional. 30 second interval sprints after a long 8 minute hill makes sense in my head. But I feel like the rides designed at SoulCycle and studios like it, don’t think in the same way that other instructors I’ve had think. I like the instructor to explain to me how the resistance should feel- whether they refer to how heavy it is based on a scale of 1-10 or through description.

-For some reason, I feel like I just cannot mimic the way that people in these types of classes spin to the music. They look like their dancing, while I look like I’m riding a bike. Who is right?

-Before the last song of the class, the instructor had some inspiring speech about getting through this hill together and coming out stronger. Then she blew out the candles and dimmed the lights. It felt a little forced to me. I’ve had a similar experience at Cyc, where they shut off all the lights for the last song- but I feel like the intention there was to just let yourself go, give it all you had for the last song. I liked that mindset a lot better. No offense, but no, these people around me really aren’t helping me push through this last stretch. MY quads are doin’ the damn work.

-There is only one shower in the whole place? Luckily, I skimped on stretching (I know, I really shouldn’t be doing that..) and was only second in line for the shower. But there were at least 5 girls waiting after me.

-Had I been paying for this, I would not have liked the $35 price tag.

-I’m still getting used to clipping in and it’s still not the most comfortable thing in the world for me.

Bottom Line:
I still don’t feel like I fully belong in classes like this, despite having the utmost confidence in my athleticism and over-all fitness. I kind of like that. It’s different, and it’s challenging, and I leave sweaty. SoulCycle really highlights the reason I fell in love with spin classes in the first place- the dark room with the loud music, losing myself in endorphin-fueled cardio. The addition of weighted songs and crunches is overall a big plus for me. That being said, I am not completely head over heels for SoulCycle in the way that most people are. I can take it or leave it, and be just as content at a New York Sports Club spin class that focuses on form and hills and interval training. Yes, the lights and the sound system and the fancy bathrooms are nice every once in a while at studios like SoulCyle. But I will continue to go only when I have a chance to go for free or as some sort of special.

Next, I really would love to try Flywheel because I feel like the monitoring system is going to get me HOOKED.

In the meantime, back to Tuesday morning rides with Victoria at NYSC :)

(NYSC works for me!)

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True Life: I Love Margaritas

So, looking through my pictures to remind myself what I still need to blog about, I came to a realization.

I drink a lot of margaritas.  Which is no surprise considering I have an entire section of my bucket list dedicated to them. So instead of individually reviewing each one in a separate post, I’m just going to write one big tequila-lovin’ entry about the many margs I’ve sipped this summer.

A recent discovery is Calico Jack’s Cantina in Murray Hill.  Every day, they have $3 margaritas (on the rocks or frozen) until 6 p.m. And the best part? If you order a drink- you can ask for chips and salsa and they’ll give them to you for free! 

(Delicious margaritas and FREE chips and salsa? Game on.)

Other best part? They use ROSE’S LIME JUICE – which is of course, the key ingredient to any quality margarita.  I’ve already been there three times in three weeks, so it’s safe to say they have my full support.  Plus, their playlist is usually killer AND Lady Gaga bartended there back in the day.  Rumor has it they have beer pong sometimes too.  So pretty much, I may end up becoming a regular.

While I have only positive things to say about the margaritas at Calico Jack’s, I was disappointed by the pitcher at Mexican Radio.  I had heard great things about this place, but at $50 a pop- so not worth it.  I was also excited to try the stuffed plantains there, and while they tasted good, they were nothing to write home about.  Sorry Mexican Radio, I won’t be back. 

(Unimpressive food and drink)

But somewhere I WILL go back to over and over again, is Blockheads and MotherBurger (they’re owned by the same people, along with Benny’s Burritos) for their Mexican Bulldogs.  Usually, I’m against frozen margaritas.  But these frozen margaritas are lethal and cheaper than ordering one on the rocks.  Add a floating shot of tequila and a Coronita? Your night is sure to be fun. And at $9 for bulldogs and $4 for frozen classic flavor margaritas, the price is certainly right.  

Although I don’t usually expect much from the food at these types of places, on my last visit I ordered the Vegetable Mother Bowl (salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, carrots, red onion and chick peas topped with a veggie burger) at MotherBurger and it was surprisingly delicious! 

(Eat all the chickpeassssssss)

(Fun night = guaranteed if you're drinking MotherBurger/Blockheads Mexican Bulldogs!)

The margaritas at El Rio Grande are some other level shit.  While they aren’t the absolutely tastiest margarita I’ve ever had, they more than make up for it with their potency.  I am ashamed to admit that after just half of an El Rio Grande Margarita (served in the classiest of plastic cups), I was all, “Whoah, time for some chips and salsa.”  Luckily, El Rio Grande is another one of those fabulous bars bestowing their patrons with complimentary chips and salsa.  And with drinks this lethal, it’s a damn good thing! El Rio Grande has a plethora of fun flavor choices- from lychee to prickly pear and everything in between. They’ll do any flavor either frozen or on the rocks (but since it’s the same price, I’ll judge you if you don’t get yours on the rocks).  They only downside to this place is the steep price ($12 per margarita) and lack of happy hour specials.  But the fact that you can be outside on their patio combined with the fact that you realistically only need one or two for a more than sufficient buzz, makes it totally worth it.  

(I’m convinced they use roofies or grain alcohol in these margaritas.  It’s what gives them their fluorescent glow!)

(Margaritas taste better outside. Proven fact.)

Though I drink a margarita pretty much anywhere I go, none will every compare to a margarita homemade by my dad.  Mitch’s margs = everything.  His secret? Rose’s Lime Juice and Grand Marnier.  Trust me.  Or trust Mitch. 

My parents went to a party recently where the centerpiece was a GIANT martini glass.  Because my sister’s 21^st birthday was coming up, and because my parents are awesome, they brought it home and my dad proceeded to make the world’s most epic margarita.  Truly.  Look!

(Bigger than my face!) 

(Like mother, like daughters! We love our tequila!)

Sadly, I can’t have Mitch’s margs every day.  So I will let you all know my favorite margarita in NYC (though I’ll never stop searching).  Bamboleo’s on Bleecker Street, a tiny, unassuming Mexican restaurant with a grand total of about 5 bar stools, serves $5 margaritas from 4 – 7 p.m. every night and they are GREAT! 

You don’t go there to meet other people, since it’s usually pretty empty, but if you want a solid margarita, get your booty to Bamboleo’s.  I own one of their t-shirts.  The bartender recognized my voice on the phone when I called to make a reservation on my birthday. Pro tip: like them on Facebook for a free tequila show.  You’re welcome. 

(The only place to start my birthday celebration!)

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Restaurant Review: Mesa Grill Las Vegas

I’m really lucky, and get to go on a lot of fun trips for work.  At the beginning of this summer, I got to eat and drink for a couple days and nights in Vegas, baby! Somehow, I didn’t leave with a stomach the size of Caesar’s Palace.

The first night I was in Vegas I got to meet up with a friend from graduate school who was in town for a work trip as well.  We thought it was so funny that after months of trying to meet up for brunch or dinner- this is where we were finally able to make plans together! She knows I love food, so she was kind enough to let me take the lead on choosing a restaurant.

(Finally reunited, on the other side of the country!)

I was so overwhelmed with choices.  There are seemingly endless dining possibilities on the strip. Although I had eaten at Mesa Grill in New York many years ago, I couldn’t really remember it, I love margaritas, the menu looked delicious, and Bobby Flay is usually pretty good in my book (I had also just been to Bar Americain with my parents in New York, so I thought it would be a good comparison!) Mesa Grill in Caesar's Palace it was.

(Winner, winner!)

Of course, I started with a margarita.  It wasn’t a standout, but it was a pretty solid marg. 

(You needed this picture, right?)

I had read a lot online about Mesa Grill’s blue and yellow corn muffins (QU Bobcat colors!) and was super excited for them after the corn bread at Bar Americain.  After eating them though, I think I liked the corn bread at Bar American better than these muffins! There was some other delicious bread in that basket though and I am guilty of doing a little carbo-loading pre-dinner.

(Go bobcats!)

For an appetizer, I ordered the tiger shrimp and roasted corn tamale with cilantro sauce. Oh boy was this good.  Anything with corn is a go-to for me when it comes to Bobby Flay (the corn cake my dad had at Bar Americain convinced me of that). This tamale was delicious.  I’m not a tamale expert- in fact, this may be the only tamale I have ever eaten…but it made me a fan of tamales!

For an entrée, CORNmeal crusted chile relleno.  Stuffed peppers are kind of an obsession of mine.  My dad makes a mean traditional stuffed Italian pepper, I make a mean quinoa black bean stuffed pepper, and I’m in love with the stuffed pepper from V-Note that I ate earlier this year.  That being said, Mesa Grill’s chile relleno stuffed with roasted eggplant, manchego cheese, sweet red pepper sauce and balsamic vinegar held its own! It was a little overly cheesy for me (I know, I know- there’s no such thing as too much cheese) but the cornmeal crust added an interested touch to the dish and I was certainly digging the eggplant.

(Presentation points, big in my book!)

While I was a fatty and ordered an appetizer and entrée and devoured every last bite, my friend ordered the chicken and black bean quesadillas, barely touched them, and I helped her ensure they were finished.  They were a pretty basic quesadilla.

Overall, I really enjoyed this meal.  My mom’s complaint after eating at Mesa Grill in NYC was that everything was too spicy- and our waiter did say that the menu items in Vegas had to be taken down a notch for that reason.  So I am happy to say that my mouth wasn’t on fire after my meal.

I also liked that this menu had TONS of things I would love to try- so I may be back for more one day!

(Goodnight, Las Vegas)

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Restaurant Review: Sacred Chow

I had yet another Groupon for a vegan restaurant that I got to use for a meal in the Village (I miss it there oh so much!) Sacred Chow specializes in “organic, vegan, Kosher and ethically produced foods).

It’s nothing fancy inside, just a cute little place with a few tables and one waitress working. 

The menu has a bunch of different options, from tapas, to sides, to paninis, salads, soups, etc. As someone who likes to try a lot of different things, I was instantly drawn to their 3 tapas for $19 deal (though I’m not sure how much of a “deal” this really is).

I had read a lot about their “nama gori” which is made in-house.  Nama gori was apparently invented when a Japanese tofu maker accidently dropped his tofu in the snow walking home one night.  The next morning, he went out and found it frozen. After thawing it out, the consistency had changed, and he was a fan! Instead of the typical texture of tofu, nama gori, tofu that’s been frozen and defrosted, is chewy. 

Despite doing my research on nama gori, I didn’t end up trying it on my trip to Sacred Chow.  Instead, I chose the following 3 tapas: 

1. Green Tapas- simple broccoli, collard greens and kale topped with their homemade Dijon sauce. 

Looking back- I’m not really sure why I was lame enough to choose this as one of my options. It was literally greens.  Clearly, I was trying too hard to be healthy that night.

2. Roasted Black Olive Seitan- Filleted & soaked in a rosemary marinade, then slow-roasted in a cornmeal spice blend until crunchy, chewy and tender.  Topped with steamed collards and a Dijon drizzle.

The waitress had highly recommended this tapas, and so I gave it a chance. Further proof that seitan is not my favorite (one day I’ll accept this and stop ordering it). Just like the description said, it was certainly chewy, which is what I don’t love about it. It wasn’t very crispy though.  But it was full of olive taste (a little overly salty, but that’s to be expected with olive-based dishes) and the Dijon sauce was good (I am a full-on honey mustard lover).

3. Root Vegetable Latkes with a date butter

This was also recommended and boy am I glad it was.  Basically, crispy, crunchy, incredible root vegetable waffles with a sweet date butter that was to die for.  My friend also loved these, but I was a brat and barely shared.  While the other two tapas were a bit of a letdown, these came out of nowhere to become one of my favorite things I’ve eaten recently.  Clearly, I had been trying to be healthy that night (I mean, I ordered broccoli and kale when I could have ordered smoky home fries). So part of me was like “Ah crapppp” when these golden, fried waffles came out on my plate. But as soon as I took a bite, the “Ah crappp” turned into, “Screw it, these are phenomenal!”

(These are my three tapas. See those things that look like waffles on the left? Yeah, they're root vegetable latkes and they are AMAZING!)

My friend and I also split a single tapas- the Indonesian tempeh,  because as much as seitan doesn’t impress me, I always loooove me some tempeh! This was served with warm kimchi and Russian dressing and was like a delicious Reuben salad! Thumbs up!

(The lighting here wasn't ideal for food pictures...sorry!)

As an entree, my friend ordered the soy meatball panini, which came on toasted ciabatta with smoky home fries.  The bread was crispy and delicious, but overall, it was just a pretty standard sandwich with some potatoes.

Overall, I think that Sacred Chow is a little on the pricey side for what you get. That being said, I would make a return trip to actually try their nama gori and to eat more of those root vegetable latkes.  I want alllll the root vegetable latkes.  And date butter.  Dates are a fruit, so it’s healthy, right? 

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Restaurant Review: Blossom on Carmine

Before I jetted off to eat like a fatty in Las Vegas and Philadelphia, I had a few Groupon’s at healthy places that I needed to try before they expired.  The first was Blossomon Carmine- which made me really nostalgic since it was basically across the street from my old apartment on Bleecker St. that I miss so much!

Blossom on Carmine is super cute inside, and I am kicking myself for not knowing it existed when I lived so nearby! Not that I could have afforded to eat there on a regular basis.  Those were the days of $1 beers and pizza.  (Ok, if we’re being honest, my wallet says it’s still the days of $1 beers and pizza.  My taste is what begs to differ).

Blossom on Carmine is owned by the same people behind Blossom in Chelsea, Café Blossom on the Upper West Side (reopening in September) and V-Note on the Upper East Side (which I have already reviewed on this blog).

I was excited to try this place after an exception experience at V-Note. Like V-Note, Blossom on Carmine is a vegan restaurant- a lifestyle that I’ve been giving some serious thought to! If I could have Blossom provide my 3 meals a day, I would have made the switch already! The website described Blossom on Carmine as having “delicious, varied small plates meant to be shared and enjoyed with wine and cocktails.”

Luckily, my friend and I are pretty great at agreeing on what to order, and I love shared plates. We started with the eggplant lasagna small plate and the housemade marinara and daiya mozzarella created pretty convincing lasagna! The sauce was a little thin and soupy for me, but it made up for it with a solid taste.

(Eggplant Lasagna)

Next up for the small plates was the gnocchi. This was killer! This roasted pumpkin and sweet potato gnocchi, sautéed kale, golden beets and a sage cashew cream had me ready to say goodbye to dairy forever.  The gnocchi, besides combining potato and sweet potato which is always yum, was perfectly crispy on the outside with a fluffy middle. 

(YUM sweet potato and pumpkin gnocchi!)

A great thing about Blossom on Carmine is that they change their menu with the seasons, to ensure they’re using veggies that are in season! Currently, the menu features a green pea gnocchi with sautéed leeks and pea shoots, fennel, truffle butter and a cashew cream. Since I’m not a huge fan of truffles or fennel, I’m so happy I got to experience the heavenly pumpkin and sweet potato gnocchi.  I mean, it came with beets and kale too.  What more could I have asked for? 

For our large plate, we had a little more difficulty choosing.  Eventually, we settled for the picatta- pan seared seitan cutlets, lemon/white wine/caper sauce, truffle mashed potato and sautéed kale.  The more I eat at vegetarian and vegan restaurants, the more I’m coming to realize that I’m not the biggest fan of seitan’s consistency.  It’s a little slimy, or something? That took away from this dish for me, but the taste was pretty delish, and I always love mashed potatoes (and luckily they weren’t truffle-y at all). 

(Ok, this doesn't look very appetizing)

As a side, we went with our go-to…brussels sprouts! We’ve sampled a lotttt of brussels sprouts, and Blossom on Carmine’s, served with garlic and shallots, were just OK. 

(Sproutz)

At the end of the day, as a non-vegan (at least for now), I wouldn’t come back here without a Groupon.  It’s pricy for the amount of food you get, and I was only really impressed with one of the dishes (that gnocchi was damn good!) Usually, I wholeheartedly support the notion that vegan and vegetarian food is just as good as any other food.  But in this case, the seitan picatta had me missing chicken just the tiniest bit.

That’s not to say that the flavors here weren’t excellent. And if you’re vegan, I would definitely check it out.  But so far, V-Note still gets my vote (hey, that rhymes)!

  (*Also, take this review with a grain of salt- I ate here a pretty significant time ago, and am only writing the review now!) 

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Restaurant Review: David Burke Fishtail

I have been reading menus and reviews non-stop in an effort to make the most out of this summer’s NYC Restaurant Week and so far have had 3 stellar experiences.

My fist trip was to a late lunch at David Burke’s Fishtail on the Upper East Side with two friends, because let’s be real, the more people you go with, the more items on the menu you can try!

(Three people = three apps!)

I had heard a lot about David Burke’s restaurants, and any place that specializes in seafood is right up my alley.  David Burke has a ton of restaurants in New York City, including David Burke Kitchen and Burke in the Box (located in Bloomingdale's). He’s also got restaurants in
Chicago and Foxwoods Casino.

With 3.5 stars on Yelp and 4 on OpenTable, and a menu that had me going back and forth on what I was going to order, I was really excited for this place. We got there and I instantly loved it.  It’s one of those New York City restaurants where you walk in and you feel like you’re someone for eating there.  That sounds ridiculous, and snobby, but whatever.  For me, food tastes better in an airy, well decorated, bright, fancy atmosphere.

As far as service was concerned, our waiter spilled an entire glass of sangria on my friend, mispronounced gazpacho, and generally seemed uneducated about the menu.  But he was really hot, so we were able to forgive him pretty easily.

We got three different appetizers. I ordered the lobster scramble and oh my word, it was such a huge serving! Typically, restaurant week servings are pretty tiny, but not this! I legitimately could have eaten this as my meal and been satisfied.

(Lobster scramble)

The lobster scramble was FULL of lobster that actually tasted like lobster, along with lots of fresh veggies, a tomato fondue sauce that was creamy and delicious, and a brioche toast that was phenomenal for soaking up my friends’ gazpacho.

I really want to come back here for brunch just to get the lobster scramble again.

Fishtail, from what I gather, kind of has a thing for lobster.  Every Sunday they offer a $40 prix fixe brunch called Lobster Louie, with all lobster-based dishes.

So naturally, one of my friends went with the other lobster appetizer and ordered the lobster dumplings.  The presentation was awesome, with the little claws sticking out so you could eat your dumpling like a little lobster lollipop.  I only had a small bite, but these weren’t anything spectacular to me.  They were a solid little lobster dumpling though.

(My dumps, my dumps, my lovely lobster dumps)


Unfortunately, they were out of the other appetizer we wanted to try, the pastrami spiced smoked salmon with horseradish crème fraiche, mustard oil and watercress pancake.  So my other friend went with the other seafood option and got the gazpacho with crab salad, avocado and cilantro.  It was verrrrrry tasty, and that’s coming from someone who in general, isn’t a fan of her soup being cold.

(Gazpacho!)

While the appetizer selection was a little stressful, there was really only one entrée that anyone was interested in, and that was the grilled salmon.  One of my friends decided it would be silly to get three of the same thing though, so he ordered the steamed black bass that had a $7 supplementary charge.

The salmon dish was right up my alley and had so many of my favorite things! Red quinoa tabbouleh, hummus, giant grilled artichokes (which was probably my favorite part of the meal) and za’atar spiced naan. The za’atar spiced naan were actually just pita chips, if we’re being real.  And the salmon was a little undercooked/slimy, but overall, the dish was awesome. And the presentation was spot on, which always adds to the experience!

(MMMMMMMM!!!!)

My friends black bass looked beautiful on the plate, and tasted delicious too.  It was much more flavorful than the salmon, though I liked everything that came with the salmon better.  The black bass was served with green onion miso, chili, grapefruit and cucumber slaw, grilled spring onions and lotus chips (crunchy, salty and delicious).

(Presentation adds so much!)


At this point I was stuffed (again, lobster scramble = huge portion!) But I have the world’s biggest sweet tooth, so it was inevitable so I would stuff myself to an uncomfortable level by eating every last bit of David Burke’s incredible desserts. I had read online all about the cheesecake lollipop tree, which is meant for two people, so we ordered that first and foremost.

It came with 9 different cheesecake lollipops! 3 each! So sweet, so delicious, so rich, so fattening, so great. And I’m not even a big fan of cheesecake! The most interesting part of this dessert was the bubblegum whipped cream that it was served with. I don’t like bubblegum, and I don’t really understand where the idea of bubblegum whipped cream with chocolatey cheesecake pops came from, but it was certainly unique and tasted EXACTLY like bubblegum.

*My friend said if you eat dark chocolate with bubblegum the bubblegum disappears in your mouth- just in case you’d like to try it out.

(Awesome desserts!)

Shockingly, I passed on the peanut butter and jelly mousse bar because I had read that it wasn’t very peanut buttery or jelly-y for that matter.  Instead, we went with the salted caramel and roasted peach parfait and oh dear lord am I glad we did.  It was incredible. There was a little pot of salted caramel to pour over the parfait that was pretty much like crack.  And the ginger oat crumble on top? Also crack.

I was a huge fan of everything I tried here.  The atmosphere, the presentation and the food all were spot on, in my opinion.  And for the price, it was an absolutely steal.

If you visit David Burke Fishtail, which I recommend you do, make sure you take some of their peanut brittle on the way out! If you’re like me and like things that are almost sickeningly sweet, you’ll be a BIG fan.

Bravo Fishtail, you set the bar high for the rest of my Restaurant Week!

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Nike Training Club

A friend inviting me to go to the Nike store for Nike Training Club gave me the extra push to get my butt there for the first time.  I had heard about it through social media, and was pretty excited because a) it’s a boot camp type class, which I love b) it’s outdoors and on a ROOF and c) it’s completely free!

I got to the Nike store and the front was set up with a bag check and you could even opt to take the class in a pair of Nike’s to try them out! Which I did, of course.

As it got closer to the time class was supposed to start, they took us up in the elevator to the roof.

Then, the waiting began.  6:30 came and went and it didn’t seem like things were about to start anytime soon.  Punctuality and schedules are kind of important in my book, so this didn’t sit well with me. 

Eventually, the instructor, arrived, looking like a perfect, Nike model. We spread out to warm up and I started to realize just how crowded this rooftop had gotten.  75 people? We pretty much did not have sufficient space for the jumping jacks we were supposed to be doing.

After the warm up, she split us into groups. Which took forever. She then tried explaining all the stations to 75 people.  Which took forever. And was highly unsuccessful. I probably knew what she said to do at only about half the stations. After a lot of standing around and being confused, it was time to start.

I took the class awhile ago, so I’m going to do my best to remember the stations. We stayed doing each one for about a minute or two before rotating.

• There was a little ramp on the side of the roof, which we lunged up and side stepped down. Good in theory, but it was super cramped with people going up and down at the same time.
• Jump squats. Ouch. Got my heart rate up, got my legs burning, got lots of reps in = successful station.
• Step ups on a bench. Our group decided to do a little leg lift action at the top of the step up for an extra challenge.  Thumbs up crew.
• Incline pushups against the bench. Again, felt the burn!
• Partner chest press weird things that I was highly incapable of doing but I’m pretty sure were the reason I was super sore the next day, so I guess they were alright?
•  Speed skater jumps – I’m a fan
• Russian twists – also a fan.

Then we took a break and by a break I mean it was time for a challenge- first partners to 20 burpees – pushup, high five each other, pushup, high five each other, jump up. Killer. We kept high fiving the wrong hands. We settled on regular burpees because we’re cheaters.

Then we went through the stations again with some modifications- backward lunges, decline pushups, sit ups, etc. The final challenge was 100 mountain climbers and then we took a sweaty group picture and were done!

Had NTC not been so crowded and a slightly better organized, I would certainly be there every week.  It’s a great way to meet like-minded fitness fanatics and it’s a well-designed circuit workout, if you’re able to do it continuously without having to stop all the time to listen for directions or wait for 75 people to get themselves situated.

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Restaurant Review: Vegetarian's Paradise II

Vegetarian Chinese comfort food. That’s how I would describe Vegetarian’s Paradise 2, where I went with my roommate and his boyfriend to use a Groupon that I had bought. I had read a lot about their “chicken” fingers and so we all split an order of them. I hadn’t had fried food like that in a while, so they were delicious, but eventually gave me a horrible stomach ache.  The texture was a little strange, but that’s understandable since they weren’t actually chicken.

For dinner, I ordered two entrees and brought half of each home with me. I had the stuffed zucchini and one of the chicken dishes that came with a bunch of different vegetables and brown rice. 

(Stuffed zuchinni)

("Heavenly Chicken with Mixed Vegetables" wasn't that heavenly)

Overall, nothing here really impressed me. It didn’t taste healthy or fresh and the sauces were all super fake tasting. I did like my roommates orange chicken, but again, it was doused in sugary sauce. I'm really surprised by it's high ratings on Yelp.

If you couldn’t tell, I wasn’t a huge fan, and I doubt I would ever take another trip here. It’s a strange little restaurant too- pretty dingy and cheap looking inside. Sorry Vegetarian’s Paradise 2, you didn’t do it for me. 

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bRUNch

Ask any New Yorker how they feel about brunch, and they will tell you that it is sacred.  I loved brunch before, but now, I have a new obsession: bRUNch.

Myself and two friends from JackRabbit had an amazing morning last month when we woke up, met at the store, ran 7 miles over the bridge to Brooklyn, and had a lovely brunch at the cutest little restaurant on Bedford Ave. Then we took the train back together!

I’m seriously considering starting a bRUNch club…destination runs to fabulous brunches in all the boroughs. Who is in? 

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Summer is Gov Ball, Yankee Stadium & BBQ

So I obviously run and eat and workout. But sometimes I do other things. I mean, after all, I do live in the greatest city in the world and there is no lack of new experiences to be had. 

Over a month ago now (I'm really behind on this whole blogging thing), I had a fabulous reunion weekend with my friend Morgan, who goes to med school in Kansas City. A friend from work had been given two VIP passes to this year’s Governor’s Ball that he let Morgan and I use on the first night of the festival. 

I'm not really a huge music festival kinda gal, but it was such a fun night! After work we went back to my apartment, had some drinks, and walked over the footbridge to Randall’s Island. It was so strange seeing it all set up with stages and people everywhere, since I’m used to running around it early in the morning and only seeing little kids playing soccer…not full of half-naked intoxicated and high 20-somethings. 

(Thank you, stranger, for capturing this great action shot!)

We headed over to one of the stages where my friend knew the band playing and it was awesome because we could go in the separate VIP area that was less packed and closer to the stage. We also had our own bathroom trailers and bars which was clutch. Without that, I probably would have been miserable. As it was, by the end of the night I just kept saying, “How do people live here for 3 days essentially?” My head was pounding and I definitely had a second-hand high. 

(Hooray for VIP!)

We drank some stackable wine and a Redd’s (mmm), wandered, chatted with drunk 18 year olds, caught Outkast, and stumbled into Fairway at 11:50 right before it closed to grab some dinner. 

(I like my beer to taste like apples)

(We shook it like a Polaroid picture) 

It was a really fun night, especially because Morgan and I hadn’t hung out in so long! I would have liked to try some of the food trucks there, because they have an impressive list, but maybe next year. 

(Tacos make everything better)

We woke up the next morning and I forced Morgan on the group run…proud to say she made it the 11 miles to Yankee Stadium and back!

Next, we ambitiously got our butts to Brooklyn for Smorgasburg. I’ve been trying to try something new every time, except then I went and couldn’t say no to Chickpea and Olive. That beet slider is just too damn delicious to deny. So to make myself feel at least a little better, I didn’t get the same slider- I went with the Polka this time! And again, it was heavenly. 

Seriously, you all need to eat one of these beet patties, I don’t care if you’re not a vegetarian! Don’t wanna hear it. Of course, my friend and I finished our day with, what else, a Goodwich from The Good Batch. World’s best ice cream sandwich. Bar none. And I’ve had some phenomenal ice cream sandwiches!

At this point, Morgan was questioning how I normally run a long run Saturday morning and then have a day full of activities- she was ready for a nap and I was bringing her to a barbeque, sorry Morgan!

My friend from college had a bunch of friends over for a barbeque at his sister’s apartment in the Upper West Side and when I got there, I was so excited because LOOK! SHE HAS A LITTLE BACKYARD! GRASS! 

(Grass angels > Snow angels)

I was so excited. It was great seeing everyone, playing beer pong in the middle of the city, barbequing…it was just fabulous. Such a fun weekend! 

(That's truly the sight of summer!)

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