Eat NYC

One of the best things about living in New York City is undeniably the food. The food here is so good. It's SO good. So unlike food I've had anywhere else. Seriously, the possibilities are endless, and the convenience is ridiculous. I honestly don't know how I'll ever live in a city where my quick and easy (and usually vegan!) lunch options are so limitless (Hale and Heart, Chop't, Pret, Organic Avenue - I'm looking at you).

Not that's lunch. Let's move on to dinner where the true magic happens (well, and brunch, too, but that's a whole 'nother post...). After a bit of hiatus, I'm re-embarked on my mission to taste as much good food as the city has to offer. In the last couple of months, I've been lucky to dine at:

• Birreria (lovely spot, delicious beer, but I wasn't crazy about the eats - I mean, how many fried mushrooms can one gal eat?) 
• En Brasserie (very interesting and unique menu; cool space)
• Luke's Lobster (best lobster rolls I've had yet and DEF. the best deal)
• Cédric (fantastic French bistro - I can't wait to go back)
• Peacefood Cafe (seriously I could eat their dumplings every. single. day. and the fact that they're vegan is just plain ridiculous and ahmazing)
• Café Cluny (adorable adorable adorable - I'm going back for brunch this weekend)
• Todd English Food Hall at the Plaza (my new favorite space)

And coming up in the next few weeks?

• Scarpetta (probably my favorite Italian restaurant in the city - I've been once with a dear amie who has since moved to DC and am going back tomorrow night avec une autre dear amie who's visiting from Austin)
• Candle 79 (stellar, albeit pricey, vegan restaurant; going avec Lauren - yay!)
• Salinas (I have high hopes, especially since this one's in the 'hood)

And last, but certainly not least... 

• Gramercy Tavern (a splurge for sure, but I've been dying to try it since moving to the city!)

I'm also taking a pie-making class at Havens Kitchen in a few weeks, which is beyond exciting because I've always wanted to learn how to make pie AND Havens Kitchen sounds like just my cup of tea (and is also in the 'hood).

P.S. I realize this is an absurd amount of eating out that I'm doing, and no, it's not my norm (nor will it be because there's only so much 3x weekly visits to the gym can do to counteract the ridiculous, buttery rich foods at this restaurants, and that's if I actually make it to the gym 3x a week which... yeah.). I have no doubt in my mind all this indulgence will end by the end of August, and then it'll be back to cooking simple, easy meals like Trader Joe's cappellini and roasted brussels sprouts. (And hopefully by then it won't be 150 degrees in my apartment, and turning on the stove/oven won't be the worst idea ever. Because right now? It is.)

 

Life Lately (In Pictures)

*homemade cranberry sauce*sweet potato casserole a la Oh She Glows*

*wild mushroom stuffing*roasted brussels sprouts*

 *my go-to breakfast in Cali*

*admittedly, I did have some fries, but they were tres mediocre*

*merci, Nordstrom in San Jose*

*taking this pic to my hair appt on Sunday*

Day 3: Eating My Feelings

As far as I'm concerned, there's no such think as non-emotional eating. As someone who loves food, entertaining, cooking, and sharing meals with loved ones, eating is pure joy for me.  Unfortunately, over the last 6 months, I've been doing more of the negative emotional eating.  Ya know... eating my feelings?  Yeah, it happens a lot.  Stressful days mean all night bitchfests with my roomie and almost always involve greasy takeout and bottles of wine.  Unsurprisingly, it's been a tough habit to break.

Today was crazy.  Busy and frustrating on its own , but naturally, it was also that time of the month so I was uber crampy and cranky.  I couldn't get to the gym at lunch, and I was way too tired/hungry to go after work, so I came straight home and to the fridge.  Normally I would run downstairs and order myself some delicious brick oven margherita pizza after having walked down the block to get a bottle of our favorite Malbec (the conveniences I enjoy living in NYC are delightful, but dangerous), but since I'm currently vegan and avoiding alcohol, such a scenario was not an option.  So I made one of my favorite snacks instead, and I'm pleasantly satisfied - avocado toast!  It's nothing new, and everyone has their own version.  Some prefer to add hot sauce or olive oil and cracked pepper, but I prefer the simplicity of just butter and salt.

Carolyn's Vegan Avocado Toast

- 2 slices of sprouted whole grain bread (I get Sprouted Bakehouse's 7 Grain from WF, and it's delish!)
- 1 ripe avocado
- sea salt
- Earth Balance

Toast the bread.  Mash the avocado.  Spread Earth Balance on toasted bread (this is KEY and enhances the taste factor tenfold - if you don't have Earth Balance, use salted butter) and cover with lots of mashed avocado.  Sprinkle with sea salt.  Enjoy!  It's absurdly simple and delectable.

Things I'm Loving: Trader Joe's Edition

First and foremost...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY INCREDIBLE/TALENTED/GENIUS/BEAUTIFUL/INSPIRING SISTER (also known as "Ma Soeur")!!!

If you're one of the unlucky who does not have a Trader Joe's in your area, then I apologize in advance.  Because it's pretty much one of the best things that's happened to me since moving to New York.  If you do have one in your area, then read on!  I discover something new at TJ's almost every week so I hope you find something new and delicious here. 

[NOTE: Not all these things are particularly healthy.  I focus on the packaged goods b/c that's what is Trader Joe's-specific, not because I think processed food is good for you!)

Jalapeno-Cilantro Hummus

I know it sounds weird, but it's creamy, spicy deliciousness and goes perfectly with pita, crackers, crudite, and your fingers.  I LOVE this stuff.

Wintry Blend

Only the best winter coffee blend ever.  Unfortunately it's seasonal, so your TJ's may have already stopped carrying it.  But DO NOT FEAR, it will be back!  I do not exaggerate when I say I've been drinking this stuff for the last 2-3 months every. single. morning.  Also?  I may or may not be hoarding them in our pantry.  (There are currently 6 canisters left.  I'm getting nervous.)  My favorite?  Mixing it with TJ's special Gingerbread blend.  HOLIDAY JAVA GOODNESS!

Mini Mint Ice Cream Mouthfuls
 
Little bites of heaven!  Seriously, they are minty, chocolatey goodness and end up not being that awful calorically b/c of its small size.  (Of course that's assuming that you don't eat 3 at a time.)

Organic Shells and White Cheddar

I know I know... it's boxed macaroni and cheese.  But unlike the blue box, this stuff is organic and every ingredient in the ingredient list is readable and recognizable.  I don't eat this stuff a lot, but I try to always keep a box on my shelf for emergency meals (like the other night).  I always add broccoli (frozen works great), LOTS of black peppers and a little parmigiano reggiano.  I try not to eat the entire box in one sitting.

Vegetable Masala Burgers

 

 

I've already waxed poetic about these.  Bottom line?  Get them.  I know 2 people in my NYC life who bought them after reading my blog, and they are huge fans.

Frozen Organic Brown Rice

It's much cheaper than the Whole Foods version.  It's organic (there's also a non-organic version that's a tiny bit cheaper, but come on...).  It's fast, easy, and tasty, and I always have a box in my freezer.  (I cannot say the same for the organic frozen jasmine rice - it doesn't taste like jasmine rice at all.  It tastes like very mediocre white rice.)


Barbara's Peanut Butter Puffins

These aren't TJ's brand, but they sell them at mine, and they are most definitely cheaper there than any other grocery store in the city.  I used to be a cereal-a-holic.  You know, the kind who eats multiple bowls a day, and not the one serving bullshit kind of bowl (I mean, 3/4 cup is NOT a serving), but like the really big bowl with lots of milk kind.  Because of these tendencies, I tend to not buy it.  But I bought a box the other day and have really been enjoying it as a light breakfast or snack.  The puffins are individually sized so perfectly that I only need one for a good bite, and that's how I eat.  One puffin in a spoonful of milk per bite.  Delicious.

Other things I buy regularly that are way cheaper than they are at Whole Foods:

• fruits and veggies (I hate how TJ's packages some of their produce b/c the packaging is so wasteful and excessive, BUT, I like how cheap the organic options are)
• organic peanut butter
• organic raw honey (comes in a jar and is as raw as it gets)
• maple syrup
• organic olive oil
• salt, pepper and spices (limited selection, but CHEAP)
• Almond Breeze
• greek yogurt w/ honey (my store carries the TJ brand and Fage - the TJ brand is way cheaper and just as good!)
• frozen veggies of every variety
• frozen fruit (for smooooothies)
• nuts & dried fruit (actually I don't buy these much b/c I don't eat them that often, but this is a great place to get them - huge selection, well-priced)
• ground flax (they have a version with dried blueberries - it's delicious)
• pita bread, sliced bread, pizza dough (the dough is fresh, comes in a big mound, and is 99 CENTS, y'all...)
• pasta sauce (my sister and roomie adore the Organic Vodka Sauce)
• fresh ravioli (found in the refrigerated section - I like the portobello mushroom one, but am eager to try the others)

I'm sure there are plenty more things I could add, but I think that will suffice for now.  Seriously, I do 99% of my grocery shopping at Trader Joe's and then go to Whole Foods to supplement.  My grocery bills have literally been cut in half since my TJ's opened.  Me and TJ?  We are in the middle of a mah-jor love affair, and I hope it never ends...

Hungry Girl

First, thank you guys so much for all your sweet compliments on my legs!  I have a love/hate relationship with them (as most gals probably do).  I love that they are muscular and toned... I hate how big my calves are (trying on tall boots = tres depressing)... I love that my thighs get smaller when I run... I hate that my calves stay the same.  But my former trainer in Austin, Deb (miss you!!),  told me to be proud of my strong legs so I'm gonna!  Moving on...  Hungry Girl!

 No, I'm not referring to myself (although I'm often quite hungry).  I'm talking about the Hungry Girl - Lisa Lillien.  Hungry Girl began as a website that features low calorie/low fat/low point recipes, new food finds, and shocking discoveries, like how many calories are in a slice of The Cheesecake Factory's carrot cake (1560 calories, 84 grams of fat).  Since my college days, she has blown up and now has 5 published books, and in January 2011, she will have her own cooking show on the Cooking Channel!  (You can see a preview of the show here.)

 I have conflicted feelings about Hungry Girl.  On the one hand, I'm thrilled that she's succeeding and is showing people how to make "healthier" food, exposing just how awful most restaurant food is, etc.  But, I have major issues with whether her recipes actually contain "healthy" food.  For example, many of her food finds are questionable (100-calorie packs and such) and many of her recipes contain ingredients like Splenda.  Yuck yuck and yuck.  Then again, sometimes she actually creates recipes that contain real foods (like this Baked Ziti swap).

It's crazy to think I used to eat all that processed crap... ew.  I was so obsessed with being on a "diet" that I lived off diet soda (at one point, I used to have 4 different kinds in the fridge), 100-calorie packs, fat free hot dogs (EW), Skinny Cow sandwiches, and low calorie bread.  (And in high school, I ate at McDonald's, Wendy's, and Taco Bell almost daily.  GUH-ROSS!!)  These days, I feel uber guilty anytime I eat anything processed.  But... there is a time and place for everything.  I still drink soda from time to time (I have a deep love for Mexican coke and Trader Joe's Vintage Root Beer - both made with real sugar, not high fructose corn syrup), and, I can't believe I'm admitting this, but sometimes I drink Coke Zero.  I know I KNOW it's awful for you, but sometimes I just don't want all the calories.

So I'm not totally the best eater, but I try my best.  Places like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods definitely make things easier (I can typically read all the ingredients in their products!).  What about you?  What are your (processed) guilty pleasures?  (In addition to soda, I also love oreos.  Mmm...)

Extreme Interval

In my effort to get fit, I decided that I need to put my gym membership to better use than just using the boring treadmills. Luckily, my badass gym offers oodles of classes! Fluidity (planning to do another post on this one), Pilates, and Just Dance are some of my faves, but tonight, tonight I tried Extreme Interval knowing I would hate it.

And I did.

Just kidding... I didn't hate it.  But it was exactly what I was afraid of, meaning it kicked my bum!  Multiple times!!  It's basically 45 minutes of nonstop hardcore cardio and strength training (as in cardio-strength training-cardio-strength training).  We did all kinds of nonfun things like mountain climbers and loads of push-ups and so much jumping and sprinting in place that I wanted to kill the instructor.  The class, however, made me realize a few things:

1. My legs are not as strong as I thought.
2. My arms are stronger than I thought (that's not saying much).
3. My abs... well, they're not as strong as either of the above.
4. I need to go to this class every week.

On another (food-related) note, in an effort to eat better, I've been paying significant attention to the nutritional breakdown of the foods I eat.  I was SHOCKED to learn that my beloved green smoothie has a MUCH higher calorie count than I expected.  Then I was shocked to learn how many calories and fat are in my beloved Earth Balance.  Apparently, I was equating vegan with "low in calories," and well, that just ain't the case.  I'm still processing this information (and hating it).

So... Fit for Fall is still goin' strong!!!  How are you gals doing?

Fit for Fall: Le Weekend

First things first, here's another pic from my trip! This was snapped after we hiked to a lake (the name of which completely escapes me now... something "Falls"). Ma Soeur and I were relaxing by the water on this awesome giant log/bench. J'adore hiking! At this point in the trip, I had no option but to braid my hair because it was a giant frizzy mess!


Beginning my detox with a weekend was probably not the best idea, but luckily most of my friends were otherwise engaged this weekend so I laid low pretty easily. Also? It took me awhile to recover from my day 'o traveling and just being out of the city in general. The thing is, there's no easy way to acclimate here... you're just thrown into the mix, especially when you live on one of the busiest streets in Chelsea. So I kind of sorta didn't leave the house on Friday. Yup, that's right. After a VERY late Thursday night, I slept in and spent the rest of the day hanging out at home, not doing much. BUT, I did eat vegan! And on Saturday, I redeemed myself a bit by hitting the gym. Did a little cardio on the elliptical and then hit a 70-minute Fluidity class (SO. FRIGGIN. HARD.).

Also, I stopped by Trader Joe's on the way home from the gym and picked up some much-needed essentials: loads of fresh produce (broccoli, grapes, carrots, celery), hummus, tomatoes and whole wheat pasta (made spaghetti tonight), tortillas, and multigrain bread. So far, eating vegan hasn't been too tough (no grilled cheese cravings yet!), but I did want a coffee the size of my head this morning (and okay, I could go for a cupcake right now). I think the hardest part for me is going to be when I'm forced to eat out and the working out... I'm not so good at the working out. I need your help and motivation tricks!!!

As for Sunday, I met some friends for brunch/lunch at a place that luckily had a veggie burger, and confession time: I had an iced coffee. Definitely not decaf. Eek! But I bought decaf coffee to fix that craving. I'm sure it's not much better than the real thing, but I can't help it, j'adore my coffee! Oh and another confession: I had a small brownie. You see, I went ALL day sans eating (bad bad bad idea) and was ravenous by the time I finally got home and was SO hungry whilst waiting for my pasta water to boil, sooo I broke down and ate a small brownie that one of my roommates had made. Oops.

Umm other than that, weekend went great! Only a few days vegan, and my clothes are already feeling better (seriously!). Love.

How's it been going for y'all? It's only been a few days but weekends are the hardest! I'm excited for the upcoming week. I've got lofty goals of running, pilates, and yoga. We shall see!

Fit for Fall

Hello, ladies!!! I'm back to blogging from my very petite pink palace in NYC, and surprisingly, I'm not terribly unhappy to be. You see, before I left for California, I was convinced that returning to the city would be torture. After a week of sunny days, mountain views, lovely Lola, nicer people and Ma Soeur's insanely gorgeous home, I feared that the thoughts of sharing a bathroom, a tiny and consistently dirty kitchen, uneven stairs, miserable people and humidity would make me very unwilling to return. While I was definitely sad to leave, I had a wonderful vacation and felt ready to get back to my real life. California is wonderful, and it is likely in my future, but not now. Right now, I'm a New York City gal.

Now, with that being said, another reason I was excited to return to the city is because before I left for Cali, I decided I would embark on a 7-day detox when my vacay was over. You see, my body has not been functioning at its prime, and I know exactly why. My eating habits have been... disastrous. After months of vegan eating, I went on a completely dairy-fueled nonvegan BINGE after moving here. Grilled cheese dominated my life, which is no surprise that not only did I regain the weight I lost when vegan, but my body also rebelled. I'm just not feeling so hot. Weird sleep schedules, total lack of energy, and difficulty working out... yuck. I miss how I used to feel. That's not to say that I'm going to be 100% vegan for ever - I just don't think that's sustainable for me in a city where none of my friends are vegan (let alone vegetarian). However, I do intend to find a balance between vegan and non-vegan, and this detox is just a jumpstart.

For the next 7 days, I will be eating a 100% vegan diet. In addition to that, I will be abstaining from all alcohol (not easy when my weekends have typically been filled with boozey late dancey nights), all caffeine (bye bye, coffee) and most refined sugars. To be honest, I think the sugar part is going to be the hardest. No more dark chocolate after dinner? Le sad. But I think I need it. In addition to my diet, I plan to do lots of moving! Running, yoga, spinning, Fluidity, and pilates are all in my near future. After this 7-day detox, I'm not sure what's going to happen. We'll see how this week goes. To find inspiration as to what the heck I'm going to eat, I'm returning to my fave vegan blogs (like the Voracious Vegan) and to my vegan blog, Vegan Tomato. (Right now, I'm sipping a shake made with chocolate hemp powder, soy milk, and ice and eating a bean & rice burrito.)

I know several of you fab gals mentioned on Twitter that you too wanted to get back to healthy eating. I urge you to join me on this detox or to create some version of your own. Whatever you do, I think we should join together, blog about how we're doing, what we're doing, how we're getting more movement into our lives, and how we're feeling. I'm calling this group effort Fit for Fall. Please comment on this post if you want to join me! My biggest incentive besides feeling good? I want to be able to wear my fave fall clothes and not feel uncomfortable and wonder if I "look fat" every 5 seconds. What're your incentives to get Fit for Fall?

I'm going to end this post with a pic from my time in Cali. This was taken on Thursday night where I indulged in the worst of the worst: Chili's. Chili's is all kinds of unhealthy and tres un-gourmet. But I've always had a soft spot for their chips & salsa & ranch (AND for their french fries). That being said, I want what I ate that night to be the exact opposite of what I intend to eat in my future. LET'S GO!

Reclaiming My Health

Well, the impossible has happened. I have gained weight whilst living in NYC (something I thought to be impossible b/c hello, you walk everywhere here!) When I first moved, I was eating some of the richest foods around and drinking like a fish and yet still found myself getting lighter and leaner. Pourquoi? Because I was also walking everywhere, all day, every day. Now? I'm eating (somewhat) healthier, cooking more, and yet my pants are getting tighter and tighter. Now, my ravenous appetite is partially to blame (it's been a little ridic for the past couple of weeks - ask my sister, she'll tell ya!), but it's also a combination of a lot of other things, including but not limited to...

- not walking every where (except maybe to Trader Joe's to get more food)
- TJ's vintage root beer (helloooo liquid satan!)
- spending an entire day inside (b/c hello, it's raining!), laying in bed avec laptop and in front of TV
- staying up uber late and snacking into the wee hours of the morning
- eating crap

Well this morning I woke up and felt like... crap. And after a quick glance in the mirror and a step on the scale, I knew my diet needed a major makeover. Now, I'm not going to pull a Carolyn circa 2002-2005 (aka go on a fad diet), I'm just going to do a little tweaking so that I feel better. Eating more fruits and vegetables, laying off the morning croissants, nixing soda (I'll miss you, vintage root beer...), and walking my arse off in addition to running at the gym.

So today, after a morning spent at the Ace Hotel Lounge, sipping insanely good coffee and doing some work, I begrudgingly walked in the rain to the gym and nearly died. Afterwards I headed to TJ's (a reward I'll only allow myself if I visit the gym first) where I picked up asparagus, spinach, watermelon, grapes, mushrooms, celery, carrots, hummus, and COMPLETELY ignored the siren songs of the root beer - woo hoo!

And then I came home and made myself what is quickly becoming my favorite weekday dinner: polenta. Oh polenta... how I love thee. A close sister to grits, polenta is incredibly versatile, filling, and healthy. It's very quick-cooking (huge plus when you're hungry!) and can be topped with just about anything. Here's how I do it:

{Image credit: lemonpi}

Carolyn's Easy Peasy Polenta

Make 1-2 servings (2 if you're moi) of polenta following package directions (takes mere minutes). Like pasta, you'll want to salt the water when it's boiling and right before you add the polenta.

After it's thickened, stir in some butter (I use Earth Balance) and LOTS of freshly ground black pepper. (You can also add cheese! Cheese and polenta go together like bread and butta.) Pour into ginormous bowl.

Top with whatever tickles your fancy: sauteed mushrooms, roasted asparagus, steamed broccolini, garlicky spinach, tomato sauce, caramelized onions... the possibilities are endless. Need some protein? Throw on a fried egg! Feeling more indulgent? Add another slab of butter and sprinkle with parmiggiano! (It only makes it more delicious.) Have nothing in the fridge? Then just eat with a little butter, salt and peppa. It's still delicious! If you're feeling really adventurous, you can pour it into a baking pan, wait for it to cool, cut it into squares, and then fry it. Top with marinara and cheese and hello yummy!

What I love about this meal is that it's quick, comforting, and all fits in one bowl. Also? It's cheap! Seriously, if you've never tried polenta before, I highly suggest you pick up a bag today. It's kind of rocking my world right now.

Leftovers

In my opinion, the best cooks know how to cook from the heart, not the head. They improvise, they don't insist on strictly following a recipe, they trust their judgment, and they utilize leftovers! My Mom is this kind of cook, but I have never been so good at this. I've always followed recipes and allowed the leftover ingredients to go bad in the fridge. But after reading The Art of Eating In and seeing how good Cathy was at not letting a single thing go to waste, I've been attempting my own version of this uber efficient and cost-friendly style of cooking. And I'm uber pleased to say that it's gone rather well!

There's really no secret to it besides using your imagination a little bit (and not being a picky eater). Leftover mushrooms from a dinner of sauteed mushrooms and polenta and leftover feta from a homemade pesto/feta/artichoke pizza both became great ingredients from a mushroom/feta/asparagus omelet (using Greenmarket eggs leftover from dinner party spanish tortilla!). Leftover asparagus from omelet made a great and simple side to my leftover spanish tortilla from dinner party, and today, leftover baguette from dinner party became an integral part of a super yummy salad of heirloom tomato/marinated mozzarella/fried bread all drizzled in olive oil and balsamic vinegar with a sprinkle of freshly ground salt and peppa. (Below is pic of salad sans balsamic.)

Cooking this is not only fun, but makes me feel good about not letting things go to waste. Since I'm pinching my pennies today, it's tres important that I use every bit of groceries I buy. Also, I am proud to announce that I haven't ordered in since that awful time I was in bed with a cold and wanted yummy sides. WOO HOO! My tummy and wallet are MUCH happier.

What've you been cookin' lately?

P.S. I'm reading I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti and am loving it so far. Book review coming soon!

P.P.S. Did I mention that Ma Soeur is coming back to NYC for work tomorrow?? We are staying at the posh Hotel Indigo (home to a fabulous rooftop bar) and tentative plans include visiting the Barneys Warehouse Sale and a hip dinner in Williamsburg. Yay!

Vegan Tomato

{my grocery basket from the other night: organic strawberries, organic avocados, organic kale, frozen mango, almond milk, amy's frozen nondairy bean & rice burritos}

I've been putting off writing this post for quite some time. Partly because I'm afraid of what you will think, partly because it's a subject that's difficult for me to think about, partly because I'm not even sure what I want to say. But it needs to be put out there because I need some help! So here it is...

Since moving to New York, I have fallen off the vegan bandwagon big time. At first it was because I was going to all sorts of dinners and brunches with new people, and I did not want to limit our choices to vegan eateries nor did I want to be difficult. Now, I know what many vegans will say - just because you want to eat vegan doesn't mean you're being difficult. That may be true, but it is inconvenient for the majority of people (esp. the people that I seem to know), and I didn't want to be causing any of that either. The other reason? I like nonvegan food. I like cheese and eggs and butter... I do. Also? It's really hard to even find a vegetarian option on many NYC menus, so yes, I've eaten shrimp and calamari. (But no, I have not, however, eaten chicken, beef, pork, lamb, etc.)

I am not proud of this. I feel like a complete and total failure of a vegan, and yet every time I say, "OK! This is it! Tomorrow I'm being vegan again!" it's never the last time. Scarily, that's the same thing I used to say when I tried fad diet after fad diet... that's not a good thing.

Do I still strongly believe all the things I believed before? Oui. Am I a hypocrite? Weak? A failure? LAME? Oui. I'll own up to all of that. I will be the first to say that I let my desire for goat cheese get in the way of how I feel about animal treatment. I let my overwhelming lust for margherita pizza cloud my absolute knowledge that dairy cows are treated like absolute shit. Like I said, I'm not proud of this.

That being said (you know that was coming, didn't ya?), I know that in the near future, there will be situations where it will be near impossible for me to eat vegan. Or, let's be honest, I'll be at a fab restaurant with friends, and I don't WANT to ask the chef to prepare me something on the side or I don't want to be resigned to eating a garden salad. I want to enjoy life! And it's not that I couldn't when I was strictly vegan, but dining out became a completely different experience. If I could have all vegan friends, I would, but to be honest, I don't have a single real-life vegetarian, let alone vegan, friend in my life.

So, I don't know... I don't know what I'm going to do. I know it doesn't have to be one extreme or another, but I am a very all-or-nothing type of person so this weird wishy washy medium is difficult for moi. Also, I have no doubt whatsoever that I will lose some blog readers and twitter followers who began to read/follow when I was doing the vegan thing, and that's fine, I understand that. I also know that many of you (including those who follow a vegan diet) will be supportive and tell me not to beat myself up. I am genuinely curious as to what you think, whether you have or are experiencing the same conflicting emotions, and what is to be done about it. I feel... like a fraud.

Days 22 & 23... Oh, the Food.

The food in this city is, without question, phenomenal. You can pretty much whatever kind of food whenever you want it and probably delivered to your door within 20 minutes. For this reason and the fact that Manhattan kitchens tend to be the size of a coat closet, many people spend their entire NY lives sans cooking. I thought I could hang with this mentality, and admittedly the novelty of ordering all kinds of delicious food off seamlessweb and having it arrive within minutes to my 3rd floor walkup was delightful. But after four weeks? I'm sick of it. I WANT HOME COOKED FOOD.

I want simple food, not-so-greasy food, not so overpriced food... I just want normal home cooked food. For the first time since my very first day here (remember the shower incident?), I miss my Austin apartment and its kitchen. And my ginormous fridge and pantry all to myself. And my granite island - OH the island! I miss being able to whip up all kinds of fun goodness. And? I miss my garbage disposal (yup no garbage disposals here in NYC...).

Alas, although my kitchen here isn't the size of my old one, it's still fairly big by NY standards. The problem is that I share it with 3 other girls (2 of whom do not cook and survive on lean cuisine... *shudders*). The fridge is always full of booze, takeout containers, and ridiculous, half-filled bottles of water (these girls? SO NOT GREEN, but that's a WHOLE 'nother post) so it's not like I can stock it with all my organic yumminess. So, I have to cook and eat simply. No elaborate recipes for me, no not anytime soon. Right now I have to stick with the basics and be happy with that.

So tonight I cooked for the first time since I've been here (like truly cooked, not just heated up a frozen Amy's burrito). I made a simple but delicious tomato sauce (think tomato basil meets arrabbiatta meets a whole lotta garlic) with whole spaghetti. It was delicious. I didn't even make any sides to go along with it, just had a big bowl of perfectly al dente pasta, and it was heavenly.

Also? I'm returning the Vitamix and just ordered a waring pro blender off Amazon for about 10% of the price. I know that a Vitamix will be in my future, but for right now, it's just too big and too much. (Also? I'm afraid someone here will break it.) I thought I could live off green smoothies from Terri, but they are SO not as good as mine and SO not cheap either. So I'll meet in the middle and make smoothies in my $50 blender that probably aren't as velvety smooth as my Vitamix smoothies, but they'll just have to do. :)

Days 15-16... Food & Design

I've always had a big appetite (I blame my parents b/c I definitely get it from them, although I did not get my mother's naturally petite figure), but since I've been in the City, my appetite has been insatiable. I am constantly hungry because I am constantly on the go, walking here and there, running up and down the 3 flights of stairs to my apartment multiple times a day. On top of that, I've actually exercised twice this week (which is a rarity), so I'm even hungrier than normal! Luckily, the food here is fantastic and plentiful and EVERYONE delivers! It's crazy! It's amazing! It's seriously dangerous!! I LOVE IT.

Today I worked up my appetite running around town looking for a birthday present and then heading to Home Depot to get my paint and paint supplies (tres exciting!). Tomorrow is the big day! My goal is to wake up early and get started ASAP so that the paint will hopefully dry and not stink by the time I fall into bed. Design is on my mind once again, and I find myself dreaming up wild ideas of what to do in this petite room of mine. When you're only working with one room, you've got to give it all you've got, and that's what I plan to do! Stay tuned. :)

Day 6... A Basic Human Right

I love you all for commiserating with me over my shower woes. The good news is that the cleaning ladies came today, and my shower is now sparkling! (Well... as sparkling as it can get here.) I bought a drain cover (to catch the hair) and informed my roomie of my goal to keep the drain clear... I hope she got the hint.



After marveling at the cleanliness of the bathroom, I decided to take a morning stroll over to Chelsea Market since it was closed last night. The Anthropologie at Chelsea Market is PHENOMENAL. Seriously, one of the best Anthropologie's I've ever seen. Gorgeous layout, multiple floors... I felt like I was in a museum. And? Despite the beauty surrounding me, I didn't purchase a single thing. Which leads me to my next point...

This is a city of consumerism, for sure. Besides the multitude of beautiful shops, there's the food... oh the food. The amount of money I've spent on food since I've gotten to the city (not even one whole week) is astounding, and well, I am nervous. Because, you see, I am (or I'm supposed to be) on a strict budget here, and I've already blown the food bit. And it's hard because I've never had to pay that much attention to the money I spend on food. No, I don't go out for $200 dinners frequently (or EVER if I'm paying), but I don't hesitate to drop $40 here for dinner or $5 there for an iced coffee. Food is a basic human right! It's not like buying shoes or makeup, right? Wrong. I've got to get my food spending in control, but I'm just not sure how. Right now I'm scheduling meeting after meeting with friends of friends and other contacts, and they all revolve around food. That's not always going to be the norm, but what am I supposed to do now? I need to meet people! Not just for social reasons, but to make professional connections as well.

Tonight, for example, I met up with a friend of a friend at The Smith in the East Village for a late dinner. Although this dinner was fairly cheap (I didn't get a drink, and I ordered an appetizer salad and a side dish) at $18, it's still $18, ya know? But the time spent with her was priceless, and let's be honest, you have to multitask in this city. People have little time as it is so if it's not over brunch or dinner or drinks, it's not happening. And although cooking saves money, it still ain't cheap. Groceries here are expensive, AND my roomies don't cook which means there's no cookware. (So far my "cooking" has consisted of making green smoothies and heating Amy's frozen burritos.)

This is what I signed up for - living in a city that 2-3x more expensive at probably 40% the salary (and I don't even have a salary yet!). This is all part of the journey, the adventure, the struggle, but just thinking about my lack of spending money is un peu depressing. Sigh. Despite all that, I'm still in love with the city. I just need to learn how to live in it without spending a fortune.

Day 2... Le Pooped

It's funny that I ever thought running errands in Austin could be exhausting. Because here? It's like... way way way worse. And the crazy thing is, I don't even notice how tired I am until I'm done. And I feel this physical exhaustion that I haven't felt in far too long (b/c, well, i haven't worked out in months). Oh and the bottom of my feet are... not cute. BUT STILL! The fact that I CAN walk to so many places is still amazing to me. I do wish it weren't so darn hot and humid here already, but c'est la vie. It looks like Febreeze and multiple showers will be a new norm for moi, at least for the summer. Thank God I have an A/C in my room! (A window unit - OH YEAH!)

I started my second day in the city with a lazy and late breakfast at Blue Dog Cafe and from there ran to Bed Bath and Beyond (again) and the drugstore. Came home and immediately hopped in the shower and realized the drain was not functioning at its highest capacity. Gross. Got out as quickly as possible and spent the next couple hours with the A/C on full blast, slowly getting ready for my afternoon meeting. (Oh and waited for the UPS guy who delivered my Vitamix - holla!) Walked to meeting and arrived sweaty, but the meeting nonetheless went well. Walked home and cursed my stupid decision not to bring flats. Came home, changed, and immediately went out to Whole Foods, which is, like many other fun spots, mere minutes away from my apartment. Got smoothie ingredients and a bar of dark chocolate w/ almonds and cherries (YUM). Came home, whipped up smoothie, chatted w/ Roomie #2 (there are 3!), and proceeded to majorly veg out on my sad, sad bed with no blanket and only one pillow.

As I laid in bed, watching the latest episodes of The City and The Hills, I wondered what other NYC-ers were doing. Does anyone here have a night at home? I have this perception that everyone is constantly out and about, for every meal, every evening, every weekend. (I have no idea how they afford that btw. My bfast was NOT cheap.) I have no firm plans for tomorrow either, but I plan to do some job hunting work and then take a very long (and inevitably sweaty) walk around the city.

As for le weekend, I have plans for a vegan brunch at The Organic Grill in the East Village and hitting up the Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn on Saturday, all avec a new friend who sounds super fun (we haven't actually met yet). More brunch plans for Sunday and then getting down to business on Monday. I have to treat this job hunt like, well, a job or else I'll get lost walking the streets of Manhattan. Here's to being productive!

Also? I plan to take interesting pictures and all that so that these daily ramblings won't be so word-y. Love you!!!!!!

Weekend Recap

This weekend, I...

- Built 2 more Billy Bookcases for my living room and now, for the first time, I have more space than books! You know what that means... MORE BOOKS!!



- Had the most amazing brunch at South Congress Cafe with dear L who was in town visiting: crab cakes "benedict", carrot cake french toast (basically just carrot cake), and white wine sangrias infused with delicious watermelon juice




- Got my first "cake shake" at The Holy Cacao (red velvet + vanilla ice cream = pinkish shake). Laura got a frozen hot chocolate (although it wasn't very frozen). Cake was gooooood, but a little too liquid-y for me. Must try another time!





This week is a short one for me as I leave for Vancouver on Thursday. BUT there are some exciting things happening on Hang On Little Tomato this week as well so stay tuned!! Getting pampered on Tuesday with a much-needed pedicure and cut & color. Yay!

Hope y'all had a wonderful, relaxing and divine weekend. :)

Bonjour, Weekend!

I know I've been slacking a bit lately on zee blog front, but it's because I got (surprisingly) slammed at work. I'm really happy about it though because I'm hoping to make up some of my hours. (I never thought I'd ever be happy about working on the weekend! Bonjour, adulthood!)

Speaking of le weekend, I'm so glad it's here!! Here's a sneak peek at what I'll be doing:

- driving to Dallas for my Papa's bithday (today!)

- having breakfast and seeing Julie & Julia w/ this pretty lady (yay for blogger meet-ups!)

- having Afternoon Tea w/ my London ladies (i ADORE afternoon tea - it's one of the things i miss most about living in Londy)

- working and snuggling with Miss Lola

- eating lots of delicious (and hopefully vegetarian) Korean food

- working on my planner pad, reading, journaling, attempting to draw, etc.

What does your weekend look like?

Oh and next week I'll tell you about how I got mistaken for a high school student... le sigh.

Le Menu

I'm trying to plan my week's meals in advance on Sunday so that I don't end up spending a mini fortune on unhealthy take-out. Here are my dinner plans for this week:

Monday - Spicy corn on the cob, spinach sauteed with garlic, brown rice & seasoned black beans

Tuesday - Whole wheat cappellini avec fresh tomatoes, basil, olive oil & parmigiano reggiano, steamed asparagus

Wednesday - Korean ramen + Momma's kimchi, leftover asparagus

Thursday - Nachos! Made these last night and they were DELISH. Blue tortilla chips, shredded cheddar, shredded jalapeno jack, refried black beans, sliced jalapeno, and corn salsa. Served with guacamole and sour cream. (Especially delicious with a bottle of Mexican coke!)

Friday - Je ne sais pas!

This week is abnormal for me in that I don't have any dinner engagements. Normally I have something or another going on, but since last week was particularly crazy (stuff every night after work), I made it a point to clear out this week. I need some down time, yo.

What are y'all eating this week? Anything particularly scrumptious??

FOOD, INC.

Last Friday I took myself on an Artist Date to see the much acclaimed Food, Inc., a documentary that basically informs us of what the heck we are eating. I wasn't particularly interested in watching the film for informational purposes (I've read a couple of Michael Pollan books and took a Food Safety class in law school), but to see if the film would/could appeal to the general public. It has occurred to me that an alarming number of bright, well-educated people don't want to know where their food comes from. Many of my friends said they were "too scared" to see Food, Inc. because they "like food too much." Um, HELLO, I like food, too! I LOVE food, actually. And loving food is even more incentive to go see this film.

As I predicted, I already knew 90% of what the film told me. I already know the horrors of the beef, poultry and dairy industries, and I know that 99% of the products in the supermarket are derived from corn. I know about the little boy Kevin who died from E. Coli (although seeing his mother talk about it was tres difficult), and I know that 5 giant multi-national corporations control the U.S. food industry. I also know that the government agencies that are supposed to protect us (USDA, FDA, etc.) are corrupt and that their leaders are paid (whether directly or indirectly) by these food giants to regulate in their favor.

Even though I knew all of this and had seen much more graphic images before (Food, Inc. is NOT graphic btw), the film hit me really, really hard. I kid you not when I say that I spent most of the movie crying, out of sadness and pain, anger and sheer frustration. My reasons for cutting out meat in the past were mostly dietary and also a little because I didn't agree with how our country produces its meat. But I never thought it was fundamentally wrong to kill and eat animals. For some reason, Food, Inc. made me see things differently.

Every time I saw a suffering chicken, cow, or pig, I thought of Lola. Maybe that's silly or overly dramatic, but really, how is it any different? Animals are animals, and just because we've chosen to domesticate some more than others does not mean each animal doesn't experience the same pain. Can you imagine seeing your beloved dog or cat or whatever pet in the kind of pain you see those chickens and pigs and cows in? It would kill you. And it pretty much killed me, and every excuse I had for sneaking a little bacon here or there into my mostly meat-free diet fell by the wayside. How can I eat meat knowing it was raised/treated/slaughtered that way?

After watching Food, Inc., I learned of the documentary Earthlings. Um, wow, if you can't handle animal cruelty, then don't even watch the preview because it has haunted me for days. I can't imagine seeing the entire movie, i just don't think I could sit through it, but wow, what an impact it must have on those who do see it. It actually made me want to go vegan, and believe me when I say, I've never wanted to go vegan in my entire life.

This post is not intended to be preach-y (and I'm sorry if it has been), and there really is only one message I have here: Go see films like Food, Inc. You have a right to know where your food comes from. And really, you should want to know. Ignorance is not bliss. As for moi, I'm not sure where I go from here. Cutting meat? Easy peasy. It's GONE. But what about my whole seafood thing? And what about veganism? Can I, in good conscience, be a vegetarian but still eat the by-products of the meat industry? I mean, I love me some goat cheese, I really do. What about leather? Can I give up my beloved Chloe bag, my many many shoes?? Augh, I don't know. I just don't know.

Beachy Keen

Good morning, mes amies! TGIF, no? This week has felt super long (and fairly unproductive) for moi so i welcome this weekend with open arms. My weekend has recently opened up (dear friend can't make it down due to car troubles), so the possibilities are endless (and the To Do's numerous). I'm also a little out of it ce matin. Last night i came home in a sparkling wine-induced haze and proceeded to pass out around 8:30 p.m. (makeup, clothes and all). Then i woke up at 4:30 to go to the bathroom and realized that my apartment had no power. After calling the City of Austin (decidedly UNhelpful), i had to leave a msg for our 24-hour maintenance guy who apparently had only been home for a couple of hours since dealing with an A/C emergency. Feeling sorry for him (he's been uber nice to moi), i decided to investigate the problem myself and let him go back to sleep. He told me where the braker (sp?) boxes were, and i flipped my switch back ON. Voila! POWER! Yay. My A/C ran full blast for the rest of the morning.

Back 2 my sparkling wine-induced haze. Yesterday post-work i met up with my darling friend C whom i haven't seen in ages for drinks & tapas at Fino - an Austin gem i had only visited once before. Away from the hustle & bustle (and lack of parking) of downtown Austin, Fino provides a chic alternative to my normal happy hour hotspots, and WOW, their happy hour rocks! Half-off sparkling wine and delish tapas for only $2-3 per pop - yum. C and i are fairly new friends and met through my former trainer/friend Deb (who has since moved 2 Zurich - i miss you, D!!). We sat at Fino for hours and hours, sipping bubbly, munching on yummy bbq pork sliders (exception 2 no meat), marconas almonds (delish), and fried goat cheese, and chatting about everything under the sun. Don't you love those kinds of friend dates? LOVE. We made pool plans for next weekend (she's off to her parents' lakehouse this wknd - jealous!), and i already can't wait!

Speaking of pools and lakes, i have been DYING to get near some water! This is not the norm for moi, as i've never grown up doing water activities or hitting up the beach. My parents just aren't water people (they're golf people, in case you're wondering - BORING). And when i do go on vacation, i prefer visiting major cities (NYC, San Fran, Paris, London, Rome, etc.) over going to a beach resort in Hawaii or Mexico. I always wanted to do/walk/see rather than lay around and sip cocktails. That, my friends, has changed completely since starting a full-time job. I ache for beach time. I crave it. I dream of beaches and giant pools (swimming in the ocean kind of freaks me out) and luscious tans and poolside service. Funjet.com is offering some stellar 3-4 night deals to Mexico from Austin, and i am dying to take advantage. Anyone with me??