Green Street Smoked Meats

Last week, a group of friends and I decided to get together and grab food/drinks after work. There are a lot of new, interesting and delicious places that are popping up everywhere, but the West Loop seems to keep hitting it right on the mark. If you are unfamiliar with the West Loop of Chicago, it is directly west of the loop (shocker) and is home to some of the best food/restaurants in the city: Au Cheval (known for their incredible bacon cheeseburger), Girl & The Goat/ Little Goat (Stephanie Izard’s famed dish – pig face), Avec (bacon-wrapped dates), The Publican (Serrano Ham and Beer), RM Champagne Salon, Nellcote, The Aviary, … just to name a few 😉

We all decided that we wanted something low-key, but with awesome food and drinks, so Green Street Smoked Meats it was.  I had not yet been to GSSM, but as an avid lover of all things barbecue I was on board.

The first cool thing about this place is that the entrance is in an alley.  An alley that has been transformed into an outdoor eating mecca with communal picnic tables and twinkle lights galore.  When you enter, you are immediately greeted by a bearded staff member who explains the order of events – get in line and pick out your meat/sides, then go to the bar to order your drinks.

(blurry – I was so excited! … but you get the idea)

The smell inside the building was intoxicating and seeing the giant smokers with chefs pulling out delicious, succulent meats almost made me go weak at the knees – how could I decide what to order?!

Since we went right after work, the line went by fast and before I knew it I had decided on pork ribs with a side of potato salad and house made spicy pickles. – I’m literally drooling right now just thinking about it.

We passed by the bar to grab some margaritas and beers and headed outside to snag a table.

Fist of all, the sides were AWESOME.  I could have eaten two containers of the pickles which were not super spicy, but had a good kick from the spice/vinegar combination.  The potato salad was light, not overly dressed with heavy mayo and the potatoes themselves were perfectly cooked – love red-skinned potatoes.

The ribs, oh those ribs.  Do you see that rub?! They were phenomenal.  Juicy and succulent, you bet I took off all that meat straight down to the bone.

I had little bites of other dishes that were around me as well – smoked brisket, broccoli salad, frito pie (oh, yes).  Everything was phenomenal and BONUS under $20!

We took our time eating through our plates, going back up to the bar for a second round and enjoying the beautiful weather.  I’m fairly certain we could have sat there all night if it wasn’t for that dog at home we needed to take care of at home…

If you are ever in Chicago and are looking for a fun place to grab food/drinks, I highly recommend making your way over to the West Loop.   Stroll around, take it all in and wander over to Green Street Smoked Meats for some amazing smoked meats and strong drinks in a causal setting.  You won’t regret it!

Good Eats – The Radler & The Dawson

These past two days have been stupendous in terms of my eating. My exercising, wellllll… not so much.

Tuesday night a couple of coworkers and I went out to The Radler in Logan Square to enjoy some delicious German beer and shared plates. The decor of The Radler is my favorite part about the place. It’s large with German Hall style seating, a massive bar area that sits in front of three giant handmade wooden clocks and a mural that was restored from the 1800’s.

 

“The mural was uncovered during demolition and was an advertisement for Bohemian Export Beer. The beer was brewed by West Side Brewing Co. and was only on the market for 10 years, from 1881-1890. The brewery was founded by German immigrant Conrad Seipp. During the time it was open, the West Side Brewery was one of the largest producers in the U.S.A. The brewery also produced about eight other beers as well as the Bohemian. The mural was also painted by Thomas Cusak Company. The company painted many of the advertising murals around Chicago during that time frame. It was also one of the last murals that they painted at street level, soon after Thomas decided to paint on higher elevations to make them more easily seen.”

There are touches of old and new with modern paintings on the wall and bike sculptures from a local Chicago artist.

We sat down, took a look at the menu and decided we just wanted to split a bunch of dishes to get the most out of the meal. Side note: dining with people who are so easy going and not bit picky over checks or food are my favorite kind of people to dine with.

To start, we ordered the Sourdough Spring Pea Pancakes with shaved vegetables and the German Onion Pie.

Both were delicious, but the onion pie really stole the show. It was creamy like a quiche with a perfectly flaky crush and a bacon vinaigrette – perfecto.

As our mains, we split two types of house-made sausage: the Jagdwurst and the Boarwurst and the roasted rabbit.

The sausages were good and had two very distinct flavors, one was made with pork while the other had boar in it.

We took our time nibbling our way through dinner and ordering multiple rounds of beer and radlers. If you don’t know what a Radler is, it’s a mixture between German beer and usually homemade fruit juice soda. So crisp and refreshing and not too sweet!

My second stellar dining experience was last night when I met my dad after work at The Dawson in River West. The Dawson is another huge dining venue with a fabulous outdoor patio complete with wood burning fires and cushioned seating.

We started our night outside at the bar and ordered a round of Chardonnay and the Shishito Peppers as an appetizer.

If you have not had these peppers before, 1 in 5 of then are hot which makes it all the more fun to gobble them down 🙂

Right as we finished our first glass of wine the heavens opened up and it started POURING… Oh and thundering and lightening. The staff did a great job of breaking down the bar quickly and transferring all of us indoors.

Once inside, we both decided we were ready for something more substantial, and split the Steamed Mussels with chorizo in a tomato broth and the Crispy Soft Shell Crab. Both delicious and light – the perfect meal!

The key to dining out at great places and not getting fat is of course portion control and lots of exercise. While I was able to squeeze in some strength training, the wine really got to my running! It’s a good thing I have soccer tonight and a race on Saturday. All about the balance!  Bon appetit, my friends!

Ceres’ Table

I’m back-tracking a little bit from yesterday’s post…

This past Friday, Brian and I decided to go on an impromptu date night at a new local restaurant called Ceres’ Table that features “Regionally Inspired” Italian cuisine.  The restaurant used to be located just north of us in Ravenswood, but the owners decided to snag the open lot where Frog N’ Snail used to reside due to heavier foot traffic and a larger and more sound-proof dining space.

After reading a bunch of great reviews, I knew it had to go on my must-try list.

When I walk into an Italian restaurant there are two things I want to see: 1. a wood burning oven and 2. a warm rustic atmosphere.  Ceres’ Table fit the bill.

The hostess immediately sat us down at a table for two which featured over-sized love seats and gorgeous wood tables.  The menu while impressive, but not overwhelming like many Italian restaurants can be.  I like when chefs know what they make best, offer a small variety of seasonal dishes and deliver on them consistently.

To start, Brian and I ordered a round of drinks – beer for him and a gin cocktail for me.

As we perused the menu, we could not help but stare at all of the delicious looking dishes that were coming out of the kitchen.  We were STARVING and wanted to order so many different things, but limited ourselves to just 3 dishes to share:

The funghi (mushroom) pizza

The charred octopus

And the spaghetti nero with cuttlefish

Everything was divine.  The pizza was perfectly crisp on the bottom with fresh vibrant ingredients on top and the perfect amount of melted cheese.  We had no problem finishing that off.

The charred octopus was light and tender and the spaghetti nero was fabulous.  Fresh homemade pasta at it’s finest.

Our waitress was wonderful in that she let us take our time to nibble our way through or meal and didn’t make us feel as if we were being rushed.  When she brought out the dessert menu it only took us five seconds to proclaim that we were really in the mood for a more liquid type dessert 😉  Brian ordered a local homemade grappa, while I ordered a cool and crisp glass of rose as my finale.

Our dining experience at Ceres Table was phenomenal and we will definitely be going back to try more of their signature cocktails and homemade pastas.

Happy hump day peeps!

Chicago Food/Drink Hot Spots

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!

BAHHH.  I wish I was a millionaire for the sole reason that I want to frequent all of these restaurants every night of the week – without getting fat.  In honor of the spring/summer season approaching, here is my HOT SPOT list for Chicago restaurants/bars.  This may need to be a reoccurring post as my taste changes all the time and there are always new and exciting restaurants coming out each week!

I apologize in advance if this post makes your crave sushi, pizza, and slushies at 8:00 a.m. in the morning.

Chicago Restaurants I’m loving lately…

1. Kai Zan

I was first introduced to this amazing sushi place by one of my coworkers who lives in the area.  After my first bite of their famous ‘angry crab’, I was hooked.  Now, I stalk their Instagram feed daily to see what their newest creations are and when they have open tables available.

Note: Double the points – this place is BYOB.

2. Coalfire Pizza

There is something about coal burning ovens that really speaks to me… oh yah and pizza!  This Neapolitan style pizza place has my hands-down favorite margherita pizza in all of Chicago.  It’s something about their thin crispy crust and unique toppings that really make me go weak in the knees.

3. Pastoral

This little artisan wine, cheese and bread shop is just a couple blocks away from my apartment.  I can’t help but stop in every time I pass by and pick up some good stinky cheese and a fresh loaf of bread.  Heaven.

4. Kinmont

She had me at first oyster.  Have I mentioned that oysters are at the top of my list for favorite foods.  The collaborators behind Nellcote and Old Town Social have done it again – great addition to the Chicago restaurant scene.

 

Chicago Restaurants that really speak to me in the summer

1. Piccolo Sogno

You’ve heard me say this before, but Piccolo Sogno is my FAVORITE restaurant of all time.  Especially in the summer.  When you sit on their patio you completely forget your are in a busy city with your first bite of their parpadelle with spiced wild boar ragu.

It should be noted that I am referring to it’s original location on Halsted and Grand Ave.

2. Fish Bar

Another great restaurant that is just minutes from my apartment.  Their patio is in the perfect location for people watching and for dog mingling 🙂

3. Three Aces

Although I have only been to Three Aces once, it is on my list of go-to places for the summer.  Their patio is amazing with a great view of the Sears Tower ( not the Wills Tower, okay!).

4. Parson’s Chicken & Fish

Negroni Slushie.  Outdoor Patio.  Fried Chicken.  Enough said.

 

Chicago Restaurants I NEED to try (speak up if you want to go with me!)

1. Honey Butter Fried Chicken

2. The Radler

3. Cicchetti

4. Fat Rice

 

I need a cocktail… STAT.

1. Billy Sunday

2. The Berkshire Room

3. Chicago Distilling Company

4. Sportsman’s Club

 

You know who to call/text/email if you need a dinner date 😉  Have a fabulous weekend.

Meal Planning vs. Whole Foods

Yesterday was a great Monday (which doesn’t happy a lot, right?)!  It was announced at work that I would be receiving a promotion, my coworkers brought in Glazed and Infused donuts and I scored free Cubs tickets from my super generous co workers for tonight’s game vs. the Pirates.  I wish every week could start out as well as yesterday did!

Since work started off so well, the day flew by.  On my lunch break, I had the chance to spend some time outside and stop by a local Starbucks for a mid-day treat.  Instead of bringing it right back to the office, I took some time to plan out my meals for the week.

Meal Plan:

Monday: Chicken, sweet potato fries and salad

Tuesday: Balsamic salmon, quinoa and asparagus

Wednesday: Turkey tacos

Thursday: Out to dinner – fundraising event

Friday: Shrimp fra diavolo

Saturday: Chopped salads

Sunday: Take out/wing it

Lately I have been super disappointed in the produce that has been at my local Trader Joe’s.  I have been reading lots of bloggers posts on meal planning and was surprised to see that some of them were able to score just as much produce/goods for the week at Whole Foods as they were if they would have shopped at Trader Joe’s.  Could this be?  I had to try it myself.  With the plan above, here was my list for the week:

Produce:

• Lettuce (Organic)
• Tomatoes (Organic)
• Cucumber (Organic)
• Bell Peppers (Organic)
• Asparagus
• Avocado (2)
• Sweet Potatoes (2) (Organic)
• Lemons (2)
• Limes (2)
• Jalapenos (4)
• Bananas

Meat:

• Eggs (Organic)
• Chicken (Organic)
• Ground Turkey (Organic)

Frozen

• Shrimp

Dairy

• Greek yogurt (Organic)
• Cheddar Cheese

Canned

• Tomato Paste (Organic)
• Crushed Tomatoes (Organic)
• Diced Tomatoes (Organic)

Bread

• Qunioa Pasta
• Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Grand Total: $81.44

Not too shabby!! I have easily spent that much if not more at Trader Joe’s.  I was really happy with my loot and glad I took the time to plan the week ahead so that I will have enough for dinners and leftovers for lunch.  So what was the secret?  Staying on the ‘parameter’ of the grocery store allowed me to steer clear of overpriced processed foods that I just did not need!

Last nights dinner – BIG WIN.

After I got home from the grocery store, I spent a lot of time on my yoga mat stretching.  Sunday after my run, I used my Zensah compression sleeves to help aid my recovery and I swear they work wonders.  According to their website, here are the benefits that come with compression:

 

(Yes, my left foot is bigger than my right foot)

Enhanced blood circulation as a result of improved venous return.
The deoxygenated blood goes back to the heart faster, which in turn helps to improve blood flow of oxygen rich blood back to the body.

Faster recovery following strenuous exercise and improved performance by aiding in the removal of blood lactate.
Reducing blood lactate concentration during maximal exercise bouts, allows for an increased lactic threshold. Studies have shown that athletes with a high lactate threshold perform better.

Enhanced warm-up via increases in skin temperature.

Reduced muscle oscillation/vibration upon ground contact, providing stability to the muscle help prevent microtrauma to the muscles, making for a faster and easier recovery.

Reduced effects of delayed onset muscle soreness in the days following strenuous exercise through alleviating swelling and inflammation.

Increased muscle support, which increases performance through improved muscle efficiency.

Improved leg power and vertical jump through enhanced proprioception.

Although I do not use my compression sleeves after every workout, I do try and make a point to use them after or during my long runs – ESPECIALLY when I am increasing mileage gradually.  It may be a mental thing as well, but I just FEEL better when I slip them on after my shower – the same kind of comfort you get after taking an ice bath.  PLUS, they come in a variety of fun colors which I am a huge fan of.

Do you use compression garments? 

Of possible interest:

Lunch al Desko: Upgrade Your Midday Meal

Hilton Head Recap: Food

It’s no secret that I have a weird obsession with all things food related – I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that most bloggers do.  However, this past week at Hilton Head was awesome in part because I didn’t have to worry about cooking for myself for seven whole days.  Plus, my mom and dad made most of the reservations which meant I was in a total state of RELAXATION. Here is the recap of the week and my recommendations for some dinner/lunch hot spots.

Saturday: Uhhhh we got in at midnight sooooo I had a few bites of mom’s leftover sushi and then hit the hay.

Sunday: Skull Creek Boathouse

Skull Creek Boathouse is a great family-friendly restaurant on the island that is perfect for al fresco dining and an amazing view of the sunset.  This restaurant is one of the more popular ones on the island and there is always SUCH a long wait.  I’m not sure how it happened, but we were lucky enough to snag a tall-boy table by the bar outside without having to put our name on the waiting list.  Noteworthy – don’t wait for resos – grab a seat at the bar – it is always a good time.

For the table we ended up splitting an order of the hushpuppies which were so delicious.  For my main course, I opted for the peel n’ eat local shrimp – for obvious reasons.  It’s funny, on the menu they had peel n’ eat shrimp and then shrimp that were already peeled for like $5 more… are people that afraid of peeling shrimp.  C’mon.

Monday: Low Country Boil – The only meal I cooked all week!

This is an awesome recipe I will have to share with you later, but it was super simple.  I basically threw some fresh jumbo shrimp, corn, turkey kielbasa (for us heart healthy folk) and red potatoes in a pot of boiling water with old bay and lemons.

It was super yum and you best believe we ate the whole damn thing.

Tuesday: The Black Marlin

Another really popular restaurant on the island, however, we did not go out until 8:00 p.m. so we beat all of the family rush 😉  The Black Marlin has a really awesome patio that overlooks the bay.  My mom and I weren’t super hungry, so we just ended up ordering a bunch of appetizers: Sushi Nachos (oh, yes), Crab Cakes and my favorite… fresh oysters.

To die for.  Right from the Skull Creek Bay.

Wednesday: Sunset Grill

This restaurant is not as well known so… shhhhhh.  Don’t ruin it! 😉  It’s tucked away behind a trailer park on top of a laundry store.  Despite it’s appearances, it is THE BEST restaurant i’ve been to on the island.  The atmosphere is small and intimate with just enough glamour to make it feel like a special occasion.  PLUS, it has the best view of a sunset on the island (hence the name).

As an appetizer, Brian and I split the wild mushroom pizzette.

So fresh and delicious.

My main course, however, stole the show.

Seared Scallops with a vegetable rice succotash.  Ohhhhh Myyyyyyy Loooorrrddd.  The best meal of the week.

To top it off as my “dessert” I ordered a 1664 Blanc which is a beer that I drank all the time when I studied abroad in Paris, France.

Thursday: Dinner made by Dad.

Fresh peel n’ eat shrimp as an appetizer.

Local trout, salad and wild rice as the main course.

I’ve been raised by excellent cooks in the family, it’s not wonder my obsession with food has gotten so out of hand 😉

Friday: The last supper – Harold’s Diner  – plus copious amounts of mimosas!

For lunch, Brian and I biked to our favorite local diner that has the BEST grouper sandwich – with a side of attitude!

We order grouper sandwiches from this diner every time we are on the island and they never disappoint.  They also have phenomenal looking burgers, cheesesteaks and breakfast food galore.  Seriously, THIS is what diner food is all about.  Fresh, local and unforgettable.

As you can see, the daily activity was much needed in order to ‘balance’ out my daily eats.  The food on the island is so fresh and delicious, if you don’t like seafood… we probably can’t be friends.  KIDDING… or am I?

Welp, that’s it folks.  My Hilton Head Recap is complete which means vacation is officially over. 😦  Until we meet again.

HHI Life

Good Morning from Hilton Head Island!

Hilton Head Island is a special place that my family and I have been coming to for the past 10 years.  My parents bought a time share through the Marriott Surf Watch, so they get to spend up to three weeks here per year.  How lucky are they?  This year, they were kind enough to exclusively ask Brian and I along for the ride in March.  The reason I say exclusively is because their condo has three bedrooms – two bedrooms of which each have two queen sized beds and the master bedroom has a king.  If you are bad at math, that is five beds – enough for 10 people to stay!

This week off couldn’t have come at a better time.  I have been swamped/stressed at work and the Chicago winter has been so so brutal.  A little fun in the sun is all I needed.

Getting here on Saturday night was rather eventful.  Our first plane was delayed by over an hour, which caused us to have to SPRINT through the Charlotte Airport in order to make our connecting flight to Savannah.

Nevertheless, we made it 🙂  The funniest part about Saturday night was my mom and dad picked us up at the airport at 11:45 p.m. and the FIRST thing they said to us was: WE NEED TO PICK UP BEER.

uhhhhh, okay.  No contest – but, why?

“They do not sell alcohol on Sunday’s here.”

SAY WHAT?  We raced to the nearest WALMART – made it with five minutes to spare before midnight, only to find out that they stop selling liquor at 11:44 p.m.  😦

It wasn’t a deal breaker as there is a beachside bar at our resort which makes all the delicious island drinks your heart desires, but how was I supposed to get my Sunday mimosa time on?  😉

I have to say – I was quite surprised how many people were in that Walmart at midnight – what are people stocking up for so late?

Sunday morning, my dad did make up for the lack of mimosa as he remembered to bring my favorite Chicago coffee on our trip. I love you Intelligentsia.

We took full advantage of the sun and warm weather and spent the entire day at the beach.

 

With the occasional pit stop at the beach bar for blueberry mojitos.

There were SO Many dogs at the beach it made us miss Bailey so so much, but she is having fun with the other Lindsay and Brian whom I am sure are spoiling her to death.

Sunday evening, we all headed out to one of our favorite restaurants with a great view of the evening sunset.

Skull Creek Boathouse

The sunset was truly spectacular.

We spent the rest of the evening drinking white wine, eating fresh local peel and eat shrimp and enjoying our surroundings.

To all my fellow Chicagoans.  Hang in there.  Spring is coming.

This is how I fuel

Defeat.

It’s something that no one likes to deal with, but it’s something everyone has to accept.  Whether you grew up an athlete, mathlete, or was in band, you probably have experienced the feeling of defeat once in your life.

Tonight was the final round of indoor soccer playoffs.  We had a game at 8:35 p.m. that was against the fourth place team – we were ranked second.  It was a good, intense game, but we did defeat them.

Immediately after our first game, at 9:35 p.m. we played in the championship game.  Is this fair?  No.  Were we tired?  We had some energy left.  Did we win?  No.  Did we leave pissed and grumpy – nope – we were the last ones out on that field and had a great time hanging out in the aftermath.

Although it would have been really awesome to have customized sweatshirts that read ‘Champions’ on the back, it was a seriously awesome season.  Also, we really did play our best games.  Surprisingly, I was not as tired as I thought I would… and you want to know why?  Okay, I’ll tell you!  I consumed some pretty rockin fuel the past two days!

You knew this was coming, right?

Wednesday night after work, I headed to the gym to complete this awesome tempo/row workout:

I feel like a lot of people I know are too afraid or just don’t know how to use the row machine, but it is such a great piece of equipment to incorporate into your weekly routine.  Here’s the thing you guys, if you don’t know how to use a machine – ASK THE TRAINERS AT YOUR GYM.  You don’t have to pay them personal training fees or anything, they will be happy to show you how to do it properly.  Trust me.

After the gym I B-lined to one of my best friend Katie’s house to devour some delicious sushi.

It seems like everytime we hang out we order sushi and I love it because Brian hates it and I never order it!  Delicious fuel #1 – check!

Yesterday on my lunch break, my good work friend Priscilla and I headed out to Siena Tavern for lunch to treat ourselves in honor of our 3 year work anniversary.  Crazy how time flies.

We order the MUST order appetizer: Coccoli

Crispy light and airy dough, stracchino cheese, prosciutto di parma – all drizzed with truffled honey and pesto.  Uhhh yum.  The flavor combination is incredible, if you go here and don’t order this you are an idiot.

For our main meals we split the Kale Chicken Cesar Salad which was light and delicious with so many great textures, plus the Pappardelle with Bolognese Sauce.

Nom nom nom.

This is a little heavier that I typically do for lunch, but I knew that there was a 99% chance I would be playing back-to-back soccer games, so I was okay with it 😉

To top off the night with wonderful fuel, Brian and I created some bomb-ass open faced sandwiches for dinner:

Toasted whole wheat sourdough, pesto, arugula, tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, avocado and… a fried egg.

🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

Needless to say, I was ready for the game.

Have you been doing a good job fueling your body?

Rest Days & Meal Plans

Happy Monday, friends!

This past weekend was relaxing and eventful all in one.

Friday, right after work, Brian, BAILEY and I headed out to the suburbs for our monthly Supper Club dinner.  This month’s theme was: ‘Small Plates, Big Pours.’

Our friends Cassie and Kevin did an awesome job hosting and providing plates after plates after plates of delicious food.

And wine!

Some of my favorites were the mini chicken and fish tacos:

How adorable are the little clothes pins that are holding them all together?

I also enjoyed the caprese skewers, fresh fruit plate, chimichurri beef bites and meatball sliders (I obviously was not a very good Catholic on Friday).

Some of you may be wondering, where was Bailey?  Well, Kevin and our friend Lauren are allergic to dogs, so we found an awesome dog friendly hotel 8 minutes from their apartment.  We stayed at the Crowne Plaza in Lombard/Downers Grove and it was such a great stay.  First of all, as a dog owner, I find it really difficult to find nice dog friendly hotels and I honestly could not believe how friendly everyone was when we walked right into the reception area.

The hotel had an indoor pool, fitness center and a restaurant that was attached – not that we needed to eat while we were there!

Bailey had no problem making herself at home.

I don’t really understand why more hotels do not have ‘dog friendly’ levels or suites, but alas that is a different topic for another post.

Saturday was a REALLY REALLY lazy day.  We basically just snuggled up on the couch and watched movies/played with Bailey.  The only productive thing we did was take care of a friends dog at night while they were out of town.

Late night walks in the city are the best.

Sunday was much more productive!  I spent the majority of the morning cleaning up the house – I’m talking a deep clean of the kitchen and major dusting of the dining room.  I plan on finishing up the second half of the apartment today or tomorrow.

Around 3:00 p.m., Brian and I decided to take full advantage of the gorgeous weather and hit the town!  I stopped by a few places and got some necessities for our upcoming Hilton Head Island trip:

New Sandals – Check

Maxi Dresses Galore – Check

I also bought a new pair of running shoes!

Welcome to the Mizuno family 🙂

After some shopping, we realized how hungry we were and checked out Woodie’s Flat in Old Town.  It was our first time going there, but we knew it would be a hit once we saw a sign for $3 mimosas, $5 bloody mary’s and $3 fireball shots/. #winning

We split an order of the grilled buffalo wings while I opted for the Southwest Chicken Salad as my main entree.

The salad was HUGE and so so delicious.

As you may have noticed by now, my weekend did not include any running.  I mentioned last week that my knee was hurting me a little and I that was no joke.  I’m not really sure what happened or how it occurred, but it definitely felt like some kind of pull or strain.  I decided not to mess with it and took a much needed three days of rest, but full of lots and lots of stretching.  I am happy to say that I woke up this morning pain-free and am eager to go on a LIGHT jog OUTSIDE this afternoon 🙂

Most important rule: Listen to your body

And yes, I said outside!  It’s 50 degrees here in Chicago, which will be followed by 1 to 2 inches of snow on Wednesday.  GROAN.

Meal and Fitness Plans for the Week:

Monday: 3 Mile Jog + Strength; Turkey Tacos and Salad

Tuesday: 35 minute tempo + Quads Circuit; Grilled Salmon and Haricot Verts

Wednesday: Soccer Playoffs!; Toasted Open Faced Egg Sandwiches

Thursday: 4 Mile Run; Garbage Salads

Friday: Rest; Dinner at my parents – Shrimp!

Saturday: Punk the Monk 5k Trail Run; St. Patty’s Day Celebration in Chicago – Wing it!

Sunday: Yoga; Spaghetti Squash Bake

I love having the time to plan out my week!

Party in Plymouth

Guys, I just had a really good weekend and i’m really pissed that it is already Monday.

This past weekend, Brian and I were invited to the wedding of one of Brian’s good friend, Chris.  The wedding was held at The Inn at St. John in Plymouth, Michigan – a suburb of Detroit.  We took Friday off of work so we could take our time traveling and it was an absolutely gorgeous day to do so!

The hotel was only a 4 hour drive from Chicago, so when we arrived we had plenty of time to relax and explore the area.

First off, let me just say that our room and stay at The Inn at St. John was fabulous and we had THE most comfortable bed I have ever slept on.

My life will never be the same.

After we settled into our room, we met up with a few friends to explore the downtown area of Plymouth.  First up, was a visit to Liberty Street Brewing Company for a couple delicious craft beers.  The brewery itself was small, but the space where people could lounge was huge – two stories!

Downtown Plymouth was very cute and full of little shops and restaurants.  We got hungry pretty fast, so all we had to do was venture next door to Hermanns Olde Town Grill for some good pub grub to fill our bellies.  The place was packed and featured an AHMAZING playlist of 90’s hits – It was basically a recipe for a good time.

We didn’t make Friday a late night considering the wedding festivities were the next day and also because I had a 5 mile training run scheduled.

The gym at the hotel was rather small considering how many rooms there were – two treadmills, one stationary bike, one elliptical and a handful of free weights.  Since my plan was to complete the run, I obviously needed to get on the dreadmill – I mean treadmill.  But alas, they were both already taken.  I was surprisingly not very tired considering my 7 am wake up call, so I hopped on the bike for 20 minutes until one of the treadmills opened up.  The run itself was pretty good – wasn’t the easiest but wasn’t too hard.  One of the best parts about going to the gym is people watching – am I right?  At this gym, the people watching was at a minimum so I found myself having to entertain my brain a little bit more.

After my run was done and I spent a good amount of time stretching, I took full advantage of the room service offering for breakfast.

Boom.  Poached eggs, fresh fruit and multi grain toast… plus an ENTIRE pot of coffee 🙂  It was such a simple breakfast, but really hit the spot after a good sweat session.

The rest of the day consisted of more townie adventures and a visit to the hotel hot tub.

I’m personally the type of vacationer who just likes to go with the flow and relax.  I’m not a ‘need to do this’ or ‘need to see that’ kind of person.  In fact, we could have spent the entire weekend in the hotel and I still would have had an amazing time.

Around 3:00 p.m., we started to get ready for the wedding!

It was an absolutely gorgeous evening full of delicious food and fun people to party with.

I haven’t been to a wedding I did not have fun at, but this one definitely made the top of the list!

Question of the day: What kind of vacationer are you?