Anyone who knows me knows I've never really been athletically-inclined. I like going to the gym and have taken up rowing in the summers over the last several years, but nothing really hard-core. I leave that to BJ. But, after hearing about the Couch to 5K program on the interwebs and from some friends, I thought, gee, I could maybe do this! The C25K program is exactly as it sounds - a program designed to get a total novice from running very small amounts to running a 5K in about 9 weeks. There are many podcasts, websites, and apps available to help a newbie get started.
I started this program while I was home on maternity leave last fall. I got about 5 weeks in and then went back to work and pretty much stopped exercising for many many moons as our family adjusted to new routines. This past summer, I picked it back up again, hoping to finally get to the end. I am happy to say that I can now run 30 minutes without stopping. I'm not fast, definitely won't win any races, but I will finish!
A major factor in my being able to get through the program has been the Chubby Jones Podcast. Chubby Jones, who is really Mia Jones, is a blogger and music/tv critic who has recorded a podcast for anyone who wants to run the C25K with her. She chooses the music for you, normally mash-ups and independent artists she won't get in trouble for using, and she tells you when to walk, when to run, and gives all kinds of encouragement including giving yourself a pat on the butt and drinking margaritas as rewards. You also occasionally hear about her 2 French bulldogs. Mia is hilarious and it has been really great having her in my ear as I've been jogging. So, a big thank you to Miss Chubby Jones!!!
If you are interested in starting this program, I highly recommend checking her out!
Tuesday, October 04, 2011
Bobby's Burger Palace
August 27 was a momentous day around here. First, we got hit with a hurricane, which almost never happens in the DC area. Second, BJ and I attended not one, but 2 weddings while said hurricane was occurring. And third, we checked out the newest celebrity chef restaurant, Bobby Flay's Bobby's Burger Palace. We love Bobby Flay. I didn't used to be a fan, but he's grown on me and now he's one of our favorites. We appreciate that he doesn't take himself too seriously AND that her recently appeared on the final season of Entourage.
We had some time to kill between weddings, so we used it wisely and went to check our Mr. Flay's newest franchise. It is located on K Street, which we shuffled along in the pouring rain and gusting winds to get to the front door. Here is what greets you when you go in:
We knew from looking at the website ahead of time that the specialty is the Crunch Burger, which just means adding potato chips on top. You can "crunchify" any of the other burgers. We ordered one regular cheese burger crunchified and one Dallas burger also with the crunch. We also got fries and a coconut shake. The restaurant itself is pretty neat looking, with a curvy bar area and then normal table, everything a loud yellow and orange. Being that it was the middle of a natural disaster, the place was fairly empty and we didn't wait long for our food.
My burger was pretty good. I think I'd give it about a 7/10. It was cooked more well-done that I like (even though you can choose how it is cooked when you order) but the flavor was good. The potato chips on top didn't add anything in my opinion. BJ felt the same about his burger. We did enjoy the fries a lot and the milkshake was fantastic - lots of real coconut flavor and pieces of coconut. All in all, a solid experience, but there are a couple of other places in the area we'd go to first if making a choice. We're not often in the K St. area, so I'm not sure when we'll be back, but I'd recommend it to anyone who works near there and needs a quick lunch.
We had some time to kill between weddings, so we used it wisely and went to check our Mr. Flay's newest franchise. It is located on K Street, which we shuffled along in the pouring rain and gusting winds to get to the front door. Here is what greets you when you go in:
We knew from looking at the website ahead of time that the specialty is the Crunch Burger, which just means adding potato chips on top. You can "crunchify" any of the other burgers. We ordered one regular cheese burger crunchified and one Dallas burger also with the crunch. We also got fries and a coconut shake. The restaurant itself is pretty neat looking, with a curvy bar area and then normal table, everything a loud yellow and orange. Being that it was the middle of a natural disaster, the place was fairly empty and we didn't wait long for our food.
My burger was pretty good. I think I'd give it about a 7/10. It was cooked more well-done that I like (even though you can choose how it is cooked when you order) but the flavor was good. The potato chips on top didn't add anything in my opinion. BJ felt the same about his burger. We did enjoy the fries a lot and the milkshake was fantastic - lots of real coconut flavor and pieces of coconut. All in all, a solid experience, but there are a couple of other places in the area we'd go to first if making a choice. We're not often in the K St. area, so I'm not sure when we'll be back, but I'd recommend it to anyone who works near there and needs a quick lunch.
Friday, September 02, 2011
Date Night in DC
BJ and I had an opportunity to have a mid-week date night this past Wednesday, thanks to Goldstar for cheap tickets, an unused giftcard, and willing grandparents for babysitting. We purchased heavily discounted theatre tickets to see Oklahoma! and made a reservation at a place we'd been dying to try - America Eats Tavern. This is the José Andrés pop-up restaurant in the old Cafe Atlantico space. We've been a José fan for a long time and thought the combination of food and history was intriguing.
We tried:
- fried chicken with blueberry ketchup: great crust, but under-seasoned chicken. The ketchup was good though.
- vermicelli prepared like pudding: an old-fashioned mac and cheese. Very delicate cheese flavor. I could've eaten a whole plate of this. The sauteed mushrooms on the side were amazing.
- crab cakes w/ pickled watermelon salad: BJ said they were the best crab cakes he's ever had. The salad was nice as well, a good combination of flavors.
- bbq shortrib with succotash: this normally comes with cole slaw but I asked for a substitution. The succotash was delish, very creamy and fresh tasting. I really wanted to like the short rib, it had such good reviews, but it was incredibly salty and spicy. Maybe the chef was having an off day. It was cooked beautifully though.
- Kentucky burgoo: a stew of lamb, rabbit and squab BJ liked it, was glad he ordered it, but wouldn't get it again. He did say he'd eat rabbit again though.
- strawberry shortcake: a light shortcake and fresh berries, some even filled with strawberry gel. Good, but not outstanding.
- pineapple upside-down cake: this was awesome. A light cake willed with warm pineapple sauce and fresh whipped cream. Smooth and sweet.
So, maybe 3.5 stars out of 5. We liked it and the overall experience was good.
Oklahoma! at Arena Stage was fanastic. The cast was amazingly talented and they really brought out the humor in the script. Definitely worth staying out too late on a school night!
We tried:
- fried chicken with blueberry ketchup: great crust, but under-seasoned chicken. The ketchup was good though.
- vermicelli prepared like pudding: an old-fashioned mac and cheese. Very delicate cheese flavor. I could've eaten a whole plate of this. The sauteed mushrooms on the side were amazing.
- crab cakes w/ pickled watermelon salad: BJ said they were the best crab cakes he's ever had. The salad was nice as well, a good combination of flavors.
- bbq shortrib with succotash: this normally comes with cole slaw but I asked for a substitution. The succotash was delish, very creamy and fresh tasting. I really wanted to like the short rib, it had such good reviews, but it was incredibly salty and spicy. Maybe the chef was having an off day. It was cooked beautifully though.
- Kentucky burgoo: a stew of lamb, rabbit and squab BJ liked it, was glad he ordered it, but wouldn't get it again. He did say he'd eat rabbit again though.
- strawberry shortcake: a light shortcake and fresh berries, some even filled with strawberry gel. Good, but not outstanding.
- pineapple upside-down cake: this was awesome. A light cake willed with warm pineapple sauce and fresh whipped cream. Smooth and sweet.
So, maybe 3.5 stars out of 5. We liked it and the overall experience was good.
Oklahoma! at Arena Stage was fanastic. The cast was amazingly talented and they really brought out the humor in the script. Definitely worth staying out too late on a school night!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Truckeroo!
Last Friday I finally made it to Truckeroo, which is a monthly food truck gathering with live music, adult beverages and other promotions. Some friends and I packed up the kiddos (their first ride on the metro!) and ventured downtown to check it out. It is just across the street from the Navy Yard metro station, near Nats Park. About 20 trucks were lines up around the edges of the parking lot, tables and umbellas down the middle, and the stage at the far end.
I had scoped out who was coming beforehand and realized that most of the trucks were the well-established ones with large followings a.k.a I'd already tried them.
Thankfully, there was one I'd been looking forward to and I grabbed my lunch from them - Eat Stix. The special menu for Truckeroo includes Italian sausage, shrimp, and some sweet and spicy beef. I got the beef, which was grilled and skewered, as well as a skewer of pineapple and grapes to share with The Luce. The beef was cooked well and a nice portion for me at lunchtime, but I was sad that the fruit wasn't grilled as well. My friend got the sausage and enjoyed it. My other complaint was that they were pricey - $8 for my 2 "stix." $6 max was what it was worth. I'd check them out again though. It is a nice, healthier option in the world of grease and fried stuff.
I also partook from 2 of my favorites, Pleasant Pops (cantaloupe & watermelon and sweet tea!) and Curbside Cupcakes (a delicious Almond Joy).
If you haven't tried foodtrucks, this is a great event. For me, who has a strange obsession with food from motor vehicles, it wasn't anything special. But, it was fun to go with friends and introduce them. Next time I want multiple trucks in one place, I'll just hit up a Farragut Friday!
I had scoped out who was coming beforehand and realized that most of the trucks were the well-established ones with large followings a.k.a I'd already tried them.
Thankfully, there was one I'd been looking forward to and I grabbed my lunch from them - Eat Stix. The special menu for Truckeroo includes Italian sausage, shrimp, and some sweet and spicy beef. I got the beef, which was grilled and skewered, as well as a skewer of pineapple and grapes to share with The Luce. The beef was cooked well and a nice portion for me at lunchtime, but I was sad that the fruit wasn't grilled as well. My friend got the sausage and enjoyed it. My other complaint was that they were pricey - $8 for my 2 "stix." $6 max was what it was worth. I'd check them out again though. It is a nice, healthier option in the world of grease and fried stuff.
I also partook from 2 of my favorites, Pleasant Pops (cantaloupe & watermelon and sweet tea!) and Curbside Cupcakes (a delicious Almond Joy).
If you haven't tried foodtrucks, this is a great event. For me, who has a strange obsession with food from motor vehicles, it wasn't anything special. But, it was fun to go with friends and introduce them. Next time I want multiple trucks in one place, I'll just hit up a Farragut Friday!
2 awesome parks for kids
A summer at home with a one year old means trying to find new, fun things to do every day. The Luce is very active and enjoys having space to run around and explore, so luckily Fairfax County has a couple of ideal places for her.
1. Clemyjontri Park - this is a 2 acre playground for kids of all abilities. It is truly the Disney World of playgrounds. The walkways are designed like a track with lanes and stop signs. There are swings for physically challenged kids, ride-on cars and airplanes, jungle gyms, seesaws, a zipline, etc. You name it, they have it. There is also a lovely carousel, which we rode, and plenty of family-friendly bathrooms and picnic tables. On a weekday morning, it wasn't crowded but I imagine on a weekend it gets packed. There is a nice-sized parking lot and they even have an overflow lot down the road. It is a little far from our house, so we've only been once, but it was a great time.
2. Our Special Harbor Spray Park - this has totally made our summer. It is a zero-depth water park for the little ones. They have all kids of fountains, water tables, buckets that fill and dump on you, and plenty of covered space for adults who want to stay dry. There are several family bathrooms and outside the park is a large pavilion (first-come, first-serve) and a huge green area and "treehouse" in the woods. The Luce loooooooves it. Perhaps the best part is that is is close to home and is is FREE. We like to get there when it opens at 11 am and then pack a picnic lunch for on the grass. Perfect way to cool off and have fun.
1. Clemyjontri Park - this is a 2 acre playground for kids of all abilities. It is truly the Disney World of playgrounds. The walkways are designed like a track with lanes and stop signs. There are swings for physically challenged kids, ride-on cars and airplanes, jungle gyms, seesaws, a zipline, etc. You name it, they have it. There is also a lovely carousel, which we rode, and plenty of family-friendly bathrooms and picnic tables. On a weekday morning, it wasn't crowded but I imagine on a weekend it gets packed. There is a nice-sized parking lot and they even have an overflow lot down the road. It is a little far from our house, so we've only been once, but it was a great time.
photo courtesy of fairfaxparkfoundation.org
photo courtesy of novamommy.com
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