Wednesdays

Wednesdays are just so...eh.

Right smack in the middle. By Wednesday, you're knee deep in it. Nothing particularly exciting happens on Wednesdays either. Growing up, Wednesday was church. Now, it's just the middle of the week.

Prophetic, aren't I?

Can You Say Rip Off?

Hilton Hotel charges 59 CENTS PER MINUTE for using the computer in the business center!

Damn!

Unbecoming?

I'm afraid that my blog is becoming a records of my comings and goings. Sometimes there's nothing more to post or simply no time to most more. With my laptop on the fritz, I've got no choice. I just eek out a few words here and there when I have a few moments at the desktop or when I'm in a hotel business center.

That being said, I'm leaving this morning and will return late Thursday night. I'll be working from homne on Friday and Monday is Labor Day! Whoo Hoo! A bonafide day off!

Here's what I DON'T want to do for Labor Day weekend ... TRAVEL! I want to stay home!

In other news, I saw "Superbad" and "The Nannie Diaries" this weekend. I have to say that I enjoyed "Superbad" more than the other movie. "TND" was just ok, but I do adore Scarlett Johannson. She has a wonderful talent for looking and acting much younger or older.

I'll have business center access tonight and tomorrow, so hopefully I can come up with more stuff for y'all!

Ha ha ha ha

What is it about a baby laughing that is just so darn funny?

Finally...

I'm home. After being home for 36 of the past 336 hours...That's a day and a half of the past two weeks, I'm finally home. For less than 48 hours. I'll leave again pn Monday for the week.

I'll post more later.

Monday...Blech.

I'm off to Baltimore today. I had a nice day in DC yesterday. I visited the Dupont Circle Farmer's Market yesterday morning. It was wonderful! So much lovely produce that I wanted to buy, but, alas, I could not as I had nowhere to store such loveliness.

Peaches were everywhere. Tomatoes of every shape, size and color. Fresh cheese, yogurt and eggs. Flowers galore. And bread...delicious, tasty, homemade breads and pastries. I may have had a pain au chocolat. And I did, it was manifique.

Then I went to the National Gallery of Art and then I walked to Chinatown for a quick browse around.

That's all.

Yep.

I am tiring of "yep" as a repsonse. From service staff, retail associates, co-workers, everyone. I noticed it for the first time in New York last week when we were dining at a very nice restaurant and the servce continually responded to our requests or our "thank yous" with "Yep." Argh! How unprofessional and unthtinking.


I've been taking note of it for the past week and it's everywhere. The gentleman who checked me out of the hotel this morning when I said, "Thank you." Responded with, "Yep." The bellman, "Yep." The counterservce at the place I grabbed an empanada last night, "Yep."



My question is this, "Is that response a pain in the arse?"



"Yep."

Hot in the City

I had a night alone in DC last night. It wasn't really that hot. Actually, it was lovely out. TOo bad my date couldn't be with me. I ate Malayasian food for dinner and then went to see Knocked Up. Because, apparently, I'm the only cool kid who hasn't seen it yet. It was really funny. I quite enjoyed it.

I was home and in bad by 11 p.m. and got a great night's sleep. I have to work today for about four or five hours and I'll be on my own again tonight. Maybe another movie...we'll see.

She's HERE!

Delaney Rae was born at 11:08 a.m. weighing in at a whopping 9 lbs 10.8 oz, 20 3/4 inches long.

Mom, Dad and big sis, Ashli are all doing well.

Congratulations!!

TGIF

It's Friday, but actually my week is beginning today. I'm glad I got a good night's sleep, but I still don't feel like getting in the car and working today and all weekend.

The last I heard from Sonja & Matt was that they were at the hospital and she was being monitored and her contractions for four minutes apart. I might be any auntie already!

Nope...

no baby yet.

It's Happening....

I think.

Sonja was supposed to get a call between 6 a.m. and noon (AZ time) today to schedule her induction for today. As of 1:30 p.m. today, she hadn't recevied a call from the hospital. When she called to follow up, it was pretty much confirmed that she's not getting induced today. She called her OB to find out the next steps and they told her to go to the hospital for her regular tests, i.e., non-stress, etc. that she's been doing for the past week.

However...it appears that she's starting to have contractions, so this baby may be coming without any additional help from the outside world. Exciting!

Unbelievable!

Can you believe it? My computer is dead...again! That's the second time in about three months. I'm sending it in to our IS department today. The earliest I can have it back will be on Wednesday when I get to North Carolina for our meetings.

I could just spit.

Crash Into Me

It was a busy 4 days in NYC. After my great Saturday, the rest of the trip was more work, less play.

Sunday we did go to dinner at Balthazar and on Monday night to Remi. And...that pretty much sums is up.

Tonight we have tickets to see Dave Matthews.

Tomorrow I leave for Washington, DC; Baltimore and Durham, NC. I'll be home on Friday the 24th.

I suck, I didn't go to the gym today, but I did go when I was in NY.

So Long, Farewell...

I'm sad at the thought of leaving New York today. I fell asleep last night dreaming about moving here and trying to give it a go.

It would be hard, I know. And I can't say for sure that I would want to stay here forever. Part of me really wants to give it a try. Part of me thinks that it could go very, very bady. I need to do more research before I do anything else.

First, with finding out if Patrick's certification is recognized in the state of NY.

Anyway...I'm packing, leaving my things at the bell desk and heading to the Javitz Center for another day of the NYIGF.

My feet hurt and I'm tired of people asking dumb questions. People are lazy.

I am all over the place this morning, huh?

Back to VA tonight...

I heart NY

Oh My Goodness! Yesterday was a great day!

I arrived early, was checking into my hotel and on the street on my way to explore by 10 a.m. yesterday. I'm staying in midtown, which isn't my fave neighborhood, but I didn't have a choice. So, I figured I'd take advantage of what was close by.

First I went to the MoMa. I saw the Richard Serra sculpture exhibit, which was pretty cool! Yesterday was the last day of the exhibit, so I was happy to got to see it.

I also saw this painting.

















And this painting.














On my way from MoMA, I had lunch here. It's famous. Really, it is. And it was darn tasty!

I walked down 7th Ave to my show, Les Miserables. Oh! It was so good! I cried like a baby during the show. The music was wonderful and I was just five rowns from the stages -- screaming seats, I tell ya!

I ran back to the hotel to freshen up and met my friend, Kelly, in the hotel lobby. We grabbed a cab to the West Village for a quick drink before meeting our other friend, Consetta. We had a lovely glass of wine at Bruxelles on Greenwhich Ave. and Bank Street. Then we walked down to meet Consetta at a restaurant that she recommended, Gusto. Oh my delicious, delectable day!

Such a cute little place. We started with pomegranate and champagne cocktails. How can you go wrong with that. After visiting we ordered the fried artichoke hearts and lobster risotto for an appetizer. That risotto was very good, not perfect, but very good. Artichokes were wonderful with a squeeze of lemon and sea salt!

We shared a broiled branzino and a plate of malfatti for dinner. Let me just tell you that the malfatti will make you a fattie! I've never had anything like it. It was one of the best things I've ever tasted. A spinach and ricotta dumpling with brown butter and sage. Oh! Oh! Oh!

I can't say enough.

Dessert was a chocolate and pignoli tart and a ricotta cornmeal cheesecake with dried figs.

And did I mention the two more bottles of wine that we also consumed?

Do you think I'll get busted for putting the over $300 meal on my expense account? hehe

Whew! Really...check out the menu for Gusto here.

I went to the gym this morning, I needed it after last night. Now, I'm off to the Javitz for the trade show.

I'll most more tonight before dinner at Balthazar.

AND...I'm off!

Packing

I'm getting ready for my trip tomorrow and I probably won't have time to post until I settle into my hotel after my matinee.

It's tough packing for NY, because I need at least two outfits a day. One for work and one for going out each evening. It's tough, but I'll muddle through it.

I had a little run in with cheese and crackers at about 10 tonight. They begged to be eaten, and were very tasty. I don't feel super guilty considering I got alot of cardio in today.

Today
Calories: 2055 (a tad high...but, see below)
Cardio: 63 minutes on the treadmill for 4 miles!
Strength: none

24 Hours in My Life

Wow! I had no idea exactly how boring this little project would be. This last 24 hours has been very uneventful!

10:00 a.m. Still in pajamas working on a report that is due on Friday.

10:06 a.m. Have donned my gym shoes and clothes included industrial strength sports bra with 12 hook & eye closures.

10:23 a.m. Haven't left the house yet, marinated chicken breasts for dinner.

11:00 a.m. Standing at the elliptical machine at the YMCA.

12:10 p.m. Watching a very pregnanat lady runn 6.2 MPH on a treadmill. So sad that I can't run that fast and I hope she doesn't have her baby at the Y.

12:29 p.m. Home from the gym. Load the dishwasher and make a tuna sandwich for lunch.

1:08 p.m. Working. Sending emails regarding holiday orders, forecasting for holidays.

2:16 p.m. Still working, re: Back to School promotions.

3:29 p.m. Checking my gmail account, this is not work related.

4:17 p.m. On the phone with co-worker.

4:49 p.m. Still on phone with said co-worker.

4:59 p.m. Finally off phonw with co-worker.

5:32 p.m. Talking to my friend Sonja about her baby that is due on August 10th that doesn't want to come out!

6:41 p.m. Begin making dinner of chicken breasts that have been marinating, coconut basamatic rice and broccoli for me, green beans for Patrick. (He doesn't like broccoli -- what? is he five?)

7:04 p.m. Sit down to eat dinner.

9:00 p.m. Holy smokes! How did it get to be 9 p.m.?

9:30 p.m. Gmail chatting with my mom and my friend, Brian.

10:02 p.m. Start watching the movie Rory O'Shea Was Here.

10:24 p.m. Make myself a cup of decaf Earl Gray with milk and a slice of peanut butter toast.

11:09 p.m. Express the need to go to bed.

11:17 p.m. Still watching movie.

11:42 p.m. Cry at the end of the movie.

12:02 a.m. Go to bed.

12:14 a.m. Listening to cats running around the house chasing each other and their toy mice.

12:44 a.m. Look at clock, yep, it's 12:44 a.m. and I'm still awake.

5:58 a.m. Awake and playing with the cats.

6:04 a.m. Sit down and turn on computer and begin to check work emails.

6:32 a.m. Make breakfast for Patrick.

6:45 a.m. Patrick leaves for the hospital.

7:11 a.m. VPN is down, can't send email. Must log on to webmail. Hate webmail.

7:12 a.m. Emailing the boss, saving it in my outbox.

7:35 a.m. Make a smoothie for breakfast.

7:45 a.m. Buy ticket for Les Miserables for tomorrow.

8:22 a.m. Still working. Organizing things for my trip, plane itinery, car service, hotel confirmations, etc.

9:17 a.m. Checking voice mail and returns calls to clients.

9:18 a.m. Considering going to the gym or take a nap.

9:20 a.m. Do neither and work on my weekly recap.

10:15 a.m. It's been 24 hours and once again, I'm still in my pajamas. Nice.


Yesterday
Calories: 1139 (oops, not enough)
Cardio: 60 minutes on the elliptical and treadmill plus the walk to/from the Y
Strength: 50 sit ups

In the Museum?!

Now, how in the world did a picture of Patrick and me at Ernest's Orleans Restaurant end up in this museum?





Ha! Nah, I made here!

I borrowed this idea from Choconet! Thanks Choco!!

On the Road Again

I am not motivated to work! Starting on Saturday, I'll be travling for 15 days with only one day at home! Whoa! That's alot of hotel rooms, miles to drive, flying and time away from home and Patrick and the baby cats. I'm a little sad and a little excited because there will be some good opportunities for my career.

I'm very nervous about how my new "lifestyle" will fit into this travel schedule. I have a 7:45 flight on Saturday morning and I get to NYC at 9:45. I have to drop off my bags at the hotel and head to the theatre district for a 2 p.m. show. I don't think I can get to the gym before I leave. Wait, the gym doesn't even open until 7 a.m., so that won't work. I will have to get in my workout after the show, before I meet my friend Concetta for dinner. Yes, that will work.

Then on Sunday through Tuesday, I have to be at the trade show at 9 a.m., I'll hit the gym in the hotel before hand. Wednesday and Thursday mornings I'll be at home and go to the gym. Friday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday I'll be in DC and can get in my workouts in the Hilton gym. Tuesday morning I'll be in Baltimore and can get my workout in there. Wednesday through Friday I'll be in Durham, NC and hope to get my workouts in there before our morning meetings each day.

Yikes, I don't want this to turn into a goofy exercise/diet blog, but it's what's going on right now. I swear, I feel like it's work and it takes so much planning that I feel like it's an extra job, ya know?

I really want to do a "slow month" where we don't buy anything except essentials. You know, eat everything that's in the pantry/fridge/freezer and only buy produce and milk. Don't buy any clothes, sundries, etc. We have enough toilet paper for ages! But Patrick will never agree to it. That man is in the grocery store every 2 days, I swear. He loves to consume. Don't get me wrong, I love to too, but not nearly like he does.

So, I think I can at least do it on my end. For the entire month of August, buy nothing. No clothes, gadgets, toiletries, books (ACK!), nothing. We'll see how I do. So far this month, nothing, so it's a good start.


Yesterday
Calories: 1449
Cardio: 37 minutes on the treadmill plus the walk to/from the Y
Strength: Yes plus 50 sit ups

Hump Day

Happy Wednesday!

I do not feel like traveling today. I'd rather just stay home, but I'm off to Charlottesville for the night. I'll be back late tomorrow night.

Then, on Saturday morning, I'm headed to NYC. Read what I'll be doing when I'm there.

Oh, and for anyone who's interested, here's the Couch to 5K program. Today is my second day "running". I think I may have talked my brother into doing this with me. Patrick has no interst.

It's 7:52 and I'm procrastinating getting off to the gym. Then I have to come home, shower, get ready, finish packing and drive to C'ville. I'm so not in the mood.

Yesterday
Calories: 1501
Cardio: 53 Minutes plus the walk to/from the Y and to/from the movie theatre
Strength: Yes

Here Chicky, Chicky!

I made a GREAT chicken salad sandwich today. I would've taken a picture, but I was so hungry, I ate it before I could snap a picture.

I don't really measure, so I'm estimating here.
I used leftover shredded chicken 3 oz
1/2 teaspoon of adobo sauce from chipotle peppers
2 teaspoons of mayo
chopped Fuji apple
chopped celery
chopped pickles -- I used Wickles, which I LOVE!
About 1 tablespoon of pickle juice

I've fallen in love with Nature's Own Double Fiber Wheat Bread. It's got 5 grams of fiber in one slice and only 50 calories! That's alot of fiber, folks. So, I toasted that up and made my sandwich.

It was great and only about 280 calories. I had a handful of Baked Lay's and baby carrots for my filling lunch.

This will be a keeper!

I'm putting it out there that I'm going to do the "Couch to 5K" program. It's a two month running program that will get you to run 5K in just 8 weeks. What the hell? I know? It's crazy, but I'm going to give it a try.

Here are my goals:
To eat between 1200-1550 calories a day
To exercise six days a week -- even when I'm traveling
To strength train three days a week
To feel comfortable naked!!!! (Ok, at least not be mortified!)
To make better food choices
To understand MODERATION
To not eat my emotions
To drink 12 glasses of water a day
To only have 1-2 alcohoic drinks a week
To get over my "entitlement" to eat
To allow myself to eat things I enjoy in moderation
To get back on program if I should stray
To stay positive
To lose 3 lbs by September 1
To lose 8 lbs by October 1
To lose 14 lbs by November 1

Yesterday
Calories Dammit, 2043, I had a little run in with a kit kat bar
Minutes of cardio 53
Strength training: yes

I've said it before, and I'll say it again...I'm going back to the gym.

AND...getting back on a healthy eating program.

This is a constant struggle for me and for lots of women out there. Genetically, I'm not blessed with a slim, svelte physique or high metabolism. And I love food. Love it. Love to cook it, eat, share it, research it, create it, read about it. You name it and I love it.

Exercise, well I hate it as much as I love everything about food. But, I'm headed there right now. I'll update later on my progress today.

One day at a time, right?

Edited to add: I walked/ran for 20 minutes, 5 minute warm up and 5 minute cool down. I also rode the stationary bike for 20 minutes. Good start!

MMMmmmm...Bacony Goodness

Bacon is so delicious. Really, think about it. When do you add bacon to a dish and not love it?

Bacon on a burger? Love it.
Bacon on a chix sandwich? Delish.
Bacon wrapped shrimp or scallops? Decadent.
Bacon wrapped filet mignon? Remember when that was standard?
Bacon bits? Even the fake bacon is good.

You cannot go wrong with bacon. Bacon makes everything better.

And so, I introduce to you...Mo's Bacon Bar from Vosges Haut Chocolate. 41% cacoa milk chocolate with applewood smoked bacon and alderwood smoked salt. It works! It's odd, but it's great!

I bought six different flavors:
Naga with sweet Indian curry and coconut flacks
Red Fire with ancho and chipotle chiles and cinnamon
Black Pearl with wasabi, ginger and black sesame
Barcelona with hickory smoked almonds and grey sea salt
Creole with espresso, cocoa nibs and New Orleans chicory

I'll report my findings.

THIS...

Is why the laundry hasn't been folded yet today.

Stacked

No, not me. Enchiladas!

I've had absolutely no luck with Mexican food here on the East Coast and I'm not happy about it. Leanne told me that she made stacked chicken enchiladas last week or so, and that got me thinking about enchiladas. And stacked enchiladas are so much easier than rolled. Stacked, or New Mexico, enchiladas are exactly that. Tortilla flat on the plate, filling and a tortilla on top. Easy!

So, here's what I did.

1 chili from a can of chilpotle peppers in adobo sauce (these suckers are hot!)
8 oz of tomato sauce
cumin
salt & pepper to taste

Poached chicken, shredded (you could use rotisserie chix to make this faster)
Toss the chicken in the chili/adobo sauce and keep warm

Salsa verde (I used the Whole Foods brand fire roasted green salsa -- and it was GOOD)

Heat the salsa in a skillet
Put a corn tortilla (I used blue corn) in the hot salsa just to coat and become pliable.

Then begin to build...
Tortilla, chicken mix, a little shredded monterrey jack and cojita cheese, tortilla, chicken, cheese, etc.
A good bit of cheese on the top and throw it under the broiler for 30 seconds to melt the cheese on top.
Garnish with diced red bell pepper.

This is so flipping easy and tasty. Really, it's not "Mexican" food, but it's the best Mexican food I've had in months.

Both Patrick and I were so impressed with my enchiladas. They were delicious and satisfing. Oh my! I think I'll be having it for breakfast in the morning. I wish I'd taken a picture.

I have to go to bed soon so I can have my enchiladas for breakfast. True New Mexico style would be with a fried egg on top!

I Love NY

I'll be in NYC for a trade show at the Javitz Center August 11 through 14. Well, the show is through the 16th, but I'm ditching on the 14th because I have concert tickets for Dave Matthews on the 15th.

I'm planning my trip as if if were a vacation, which is to say that I'm planning every meal very carefully. There is actually some sub-par food in NYC and I want NO part of that. I also don't want any part of the super touristy crowd, too sceney or the B&T crowd. So, I must plan carefully.

I'm arriving on Saturday and have no work that day. I'm hitting my hotel in Midtown to drop off my luggage and I'm off to lunch/brunch. Here are my options:

Leela Lounge for Indian
Marseille for French
Trattoria Trecolori for Italian, but if we go for Italian on Saturday night, I'll probably nix this option
Manchanko Tei for noodles, which will be a great option if I'm running short on time because...

I'm going to the theatre for a 2 p.m. show. I'm still deciding what I'm going to see, but I'm buying a discount ticket, so I'm limited to:

Hairspray
Les Miserables -- it's back on Broadway for a revival after closing in 2004 and Lea Solonga is Fatine, she played Eponine on Broadway during its orginial run. Can't believe I've never seen this.
Other options are Frost/Nixon which is closing on the 19th, so this would be the time to see it. And Frank Langella won the Tony for Best Actor.

I'm really torn between Les Mis and Frost/Nixon.

For dinner on Saturday, I'm meeting my friend Concetta who lives in the West Village. We're either going to Gusto for Italian or L'orange Bleue for French/Med. I think that I'm leaving towards L'orange Bleue.

Finally, I'll have to work on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday until 6 p.m. I have an 8 p.m. flight on Tuesday, so no dinner for my on Tuesday night. I'll grab something at LGA while waiting for my flight.

On Sunday night we have reservations at Balthazar in Soho at 8 p.m. I love this place and Concetta has never been here, so it'll be nice to take a NYer to one of my fave restaurants in NY.

On Monday night we have reservations at Stanton Social in the Lower East Side at 8:30. The is a newish place that does small plates, but not Spanish tapas or Greek mezzes. The menu looks interesting.

Oh my goodness, I'm so exciting and hungry!

Thank you for smoking

Somehow, this just doesn't add up for me...


















And, yes, I stay in very fancy hotels like Hampton Inns.

Oh my goodness...

The Internet is an amazing thing, I tell ya. Somehow, really, I can't figure out the path, I ran across the blog of and old coworker and friend last night.

It was the most shocking thing every to see Kacey's picture on a blog. And I thought, "Now, that girl looks just like Kacey." Can you believe that it IS HER! Isn't she cute?!

We knew each other in Phoenix, now she's in Chicago and I'm in Virginia. Weird, huh?

I haven't gotten to talk/email with her yet, but I'm looking forward to catching up with her!