I Survived the Jcrew Warehouse Sale 2012

This tale might be slightly exaggerated.

I heard about the Jcrew Warehouse sale last week on RichmondBargains.com. I knew it would be madness. And when one of my BFF’s/running partner, Emily C asked me if I wanted to go… I knew I’d be a part of said madness.

We took off in Emily’s batmobile Honda and approached the building with caution. We stepped out of the vehicle wearing our uniform of thin clothes and slip-off shoes to be able to discreetly try clothes on… since you’re not supposed to (um, lame rule!). We did some push ups to warm our arms up knowing that we’d be digging through mountains of clothing. Once we were adequately warmed up, we stepped through the doors like we were explorers about to claim their new land.

Only… the “land” that we were about to “claim” was already claimed by about 150 women raging through the hundreds of boxes of loot like a bunch of barbaric lunatics. We knew we’d fit right in.

We were each handed a plastic bag that could easily hold a few miniature horses as well as a printed out price chart. Then we began digging. There were rows and rows of boxes on top of plastic rectangular tables jammed with apparel.

It was messy. Nothing organized. Everything thrown. Everywhere. But… we managed to find a few GREAT gems to put in our oversized swag-bag.

For a teensy bit over $50, I bought:

This work dress. ($20)

This sleeveless blouse. (Still trying to figure out a way to cinch it in a bit more since it’s a litte loose). Love the color. ($8)

This sleeveless denim extra long shirt. All it needed was a thick belt and skinny jeans. Viola! ($15)

This bikini. OMG I can’t believe I did a kini pic and posted it… it was kind of scary, haha. Anyways. I think this color will look really great when I have a tan. The bottoms are a little big/thicker banded than what I normally get, but still oober cute. ($3/piece)

All while this insanity occurred… the men’s area had about 6 guys sorting quietly and peacefully. In fact, I witnessed stacks of clothing in their section that were still folded.

We claimed. We dug. We plundered.

This and That Thursday!

So I have a bunch of updates for you, so please pardon the randomness of this post!

First up – RUNNING! Last Friday I ran 12 miles (longest run yet) by myself! My time was 2 hours and 12 minutes. I felt great about the accomplishment! However, Saturday I noticed the top of my left foot was not feeling too hot (the ligament that bends my big toe). Then Saturday I had to work 10 hours on the busiest night of the year at the steakhouse – was on my feet hustling the entire time. Sunday I also had to work, luckily, it was a slow night and less running around was required. Finally Monday I could rest my foot! The discomfort went down considerably. Although my foot is not in “pain,” I can tell that there is still some discomfort going on with my foot. So this week I’m crossing training!

I went to the gym yesterday for the first time in several weeks (I run outside). It was SO BORING! I never thought I’d prefer running outside in all types of weather over the comfort of the gym! Anyways, I tried out the elliptical and the bike to see what worked best for my foot. I found the bike was more comfortable (this surprised me because pre-running-Dana ONLY did the elliptical) and it felt more like running to me. It was a very light workout. My foot doesn’t feel any worse or any better from cross training. So I’m taking that as a green light for biking my miles in this week. I am hoping to be able to run next week…

The other curveball to my training – I’ve been under the weather since Tuesday. Yuck! My energy level has been quite low and I’ve been coughing and such. But I’m fighting back with devouring Ricolas all day, having the humidifier going, and Colby by my side for moral support.

I also fell short of eating healthy last night when I chose one of my favorite foods for dinner…

My darling boyfriend prepared my spaghettios just the way I like them. Still in the can, unheated. Delicious! Don’t judge.

On a completely different note (hey, I warned you this was going to be a random post!)… my friend Zeneda sent me this recipe because she knows I love trying out quinoa (pronounced “keen-wah”) recipes. I hadn’t had much luck with finding a quinoa recipe that I liked that was sweeter in taste/included fruit… but since it had been a while since I had tried a new one, so I decided to give it a shot! I ended up changing a few of the ingredients…

Here’s what I used (measurements stayed the same, unless specified on here):
Almond milk (instead of regular milk)
OJ (instead of apple juice)
NO raisons
Small handfull Craisins
One single serving container of fage (instead of yogurt)
10 Finely chopped almonds
Quinoa
A dash or two Cinnamon
3/4 slices of Frozen Peaches that I thawed out in the microwave
Sprinkling of Blueberry flaxseed (it was in the pantry)

Boil the milk and OJ. Cook the quinoa in it. Add the cinnamin. Add the craisins to plump them up for a few. Stack quinoa first, then fage, then peaches, then almond/flax crumbles. As you can see.. I’m a very technical chef. Side note -I sure wish there was a font for sarcasm!

When I was finished making it – it looked like a fancy schmancy parfait!

It tasted… well.. ok… ish. I guess the grainy nature of the quinoa in conjunction with the sweetness of the peaches tasted a little odd. Overall, I think I just prefer quinoa to be served with veggies and meat.

If I were to try this kind of recipe again… I’d proportion it differently so that it was 50% fruit (next time I’d try blueberries since they have such a strong flavor), 30% quinoa, 20% yogurt (I’d go with vanilla yogurt to add some sweetness)… But at least it looked good!

I just finished reading The Kite Runner – I can’t wait to do a review!

Happy Thursday! My question to you – Have any of you ever dealt with a setback during training for a race? If so, what did you do to cross train? And how did you bounce back?

A healthy spin

As I mentioned in a previous post, one of my new years resolutions is to eat healthier between now and the marathon (March 18). So far I’ve been doing ok… I’ve managed to not drink any of the diet pepsi in the fridge, refrained from buying Gushers at the store all while still enjoying a little bit of junk food in carrrreful moderation.

In addition to researching yummy looking healthy recipes, I’ve also been trying to think of ways to make some of my go-to recipes more healthy. Today I found a great one! Chris and I eat these tacos all the time. They are so good… so good, that I literally can’t control myself and end up devouring 5 tacos instead of a satisfying 3.

The healthy spin-off version of this recipe ended up being…

drum roll please

Ah ha!!!
To put the taco filling in a red pepper!

Chris really enjoys cooking and does 90% of the cooking when we are together… which is fine with me! He put the hollowed out pepper in the oven with the black beans at 350 degrees for about 15-20 minutes (just long enough to soften the pepper a tiny bit).

It was delicious! But was it as amazing as the original fried tortilla version? Not quite. But I also didn’t have to wear loose sweatpants to be comfortable while eating the healthy version. Next time we Chris makes these I’ll probably request two (but would have probably finished 1.5 and ate the last .5 for a snack later).

Have any of you re-created any go-to recipes to make them healthier?

Mmm Mmm Good

As most of you know, I am obsessed with food. I’m a self-declared “foodie” or “food enthusiast.” Whatever phrase or word that means I’m passionate about great tasting food – that’s ME. I like eating it. Looking at it. Smelling it. Reading recipes. Experiencing it.

Now. If only I could cook.

About a year ago I actually thought about going to culinary school… but I realized that as much as I enjoy the many different facets of food, the actual act of cooking didn’t entice me quite so much. But through that decision making process I learned that I am passionate about trying new foods and sharing great food-finds with others.

With that said, Chris (the bf) and I ate at one of my favorite restaurants a few blocks away from my house in Carytown – Ginger Thai. I’ve eaten there several times and I’ve always been thrilled with the food and friendly service.

I ordered my favorite – Thai Cashew with Tofu (Mushrooms, onions, red bell peppers and cashew nuts in a brown sauce). The vegetables are so fresh and the brown sauce is heavenly! The cashews provided a nice texture and an additional flavor. The tofu acts as a sponge sucking up all of the yummy flavors. And I’m a pretty big wimp when it comes to spiciness, so I ordered mine “mild,” and it was perfect.

Here’s a picture of what I devoured!

What isn’t pictured – the order of steamed dumpings Chris and I inhaled as an appetizer. It comes with this thick sweet brown dipping sauce. The sauce was so good I ordered more of just the sauce just to coat the cantaloupe sized ball of rice that I consumed.

Happy 2012!

I’m very excited about this year! Here are some of my goals and plans:

*Run my first marathon (and do so without injuries during training or the race itself).
*Eat healthy Jan 1 through my marathon (except: Vday and my Bday of course)… this means less dessert, less late night snacking… and :::gasp::: less wine. Le sigh.
*Start a GREAT job. (Not to be confused with a “good job.”)
*Paint more.
*Learn to draw/paint faces.
*Continue this blog and maybe find a clearer direction to take it in.
*Start a book club.
*Take gun shooting lessons.

There’s something really satisfying about writing down your goals and then crossing them off as you achieve them. I’m so pumped for what 2012 may bring! I’m feeling a wave of positivity already! I wish everyone a safe and fun New Years Celebration!

A Few Highlights Off My Loot List

Like every year, I made out like a bandit this Christmas!

One of my favorite gifts was JetBlue money from my parents – I LOVE taking adventures and I LOVE JetBlue (I mean, they offer endless cups of Dunkin Donuts coffee!!!).

I got this North Face jacket that is 800 Down… it is SO comfy and warm! I love that the sleeves are long enough for my gangly arms! Another thing that is awesome about this jacket is that it is SO LIGHT. I can’t stand feeling smothered and constricted – the lightness and great fit of this jacket makes it feel like you’re hardly wearing a jacket it at all!

This next gift I was a tiny bit skeptical about since skincare products are often all hype. But I’ve always been big on taking care of my skin and since I’ve been left a little disappointed in the results of my past few regiments, I decided that the gift of the “Clarisonic Mia Sonic Skin Cleansing System,” was worth a shot (my mom had kindly offered to take it back if it wasn’t something I was wanting to use).

I’ve used this product twice now and I can already feel and see a HUGE improvement on the smoothness of my skin. Before using Mia, my skin wasn’t bad, but the texture was not as smooth and soft as I wanted it to be. But now I’m totally hooked and so thankful that I got this gift! It’s gentle enough for my insanely sensitive skin to use once or twice a day. Mia REALLY cleans your skin and gets the grime/makeup that inevitably builds on your face during the day which consequently allows your other beloved skincare products to work the way they should. LOVE!

Also, check out the Smashbox Photo Op Palette my Aunt Jill got me! This is PERFECT for traveling since it has a huge variety and it folds up! Can’t wait to use so many of these!

Needless to say, I’m very grateful and thankful for the generosity of my friends and family. Whether they gave me a great gift or simply wished me a nice holiday, they certainly made this Christmas merry.

Happy Holidays!

Catching up with friends

This past Tuesday I got together with former basketball teammates (but life long friends) Megan K. and Susannah S. over at Bonefish Grill that newly opened in Short Pump. Bonefish was good; they seem to still be working out some minor kinks, but no big deal. And if you like martinis – try the grapefruit one! It is one of the best martinis I’ve had to date! Anyways, the three of us get together every 4 months or so. I love that we are pick-up-where-you-left-off type of friends. It was so fun! We all seem to have such exciting plans on the horizon, I’m thrilled for all of us. Although I don’t get to see them nearly as often as I’d like to, I still consider them to be some of my dearest friends. I would do anything for them.

This week I also got together with one of my besties, Lauren (aka LT). She moved to Florida and it had been over a year since I had seen her last. I went to her parents annual Xmas party (which was fabulous, as always). Then later in the week we went and had lunch at The Water Grill in Carytown. The food was fantastic. To start off, I ordered an arugula salad (figs, local melon, prosciutto, goat cheese, balsamic honey drizzle)… it was huge, but I of course found a way to eat every bite. For my entree I ordered the bagel with locks and capers with homemade chips. SO good.

It’s always comical going out to eat with LT since we basically have opposite palettes – rarely can we find an appetizer to share, haha. Our conversations were hysterical and at one point there might have been a part of a crab leg that flew down someones shirt… haha! Never a dull moment with that girl!

Last night, I ran seven miles with Emily C. It POURED rain, it was dark and we did some mud-skating… but it was a blast! It may not have been our fastest run, but we had a good time chatting nonstop about old times and talking about the exciting things that lie ahead of us.

Another reason I love this time of year: I get to see some of my best friends.

10

That is the number of miles I ran on Saturday with TNT (mostly with Coach Wayne and Lauren H.). Yes, of course there was some walking splattered throughout. It was by far the most difficult run not just physically, but mentally as well.

But here is what I learned:
*I must have a cup of coffee before all runs. I’m just not the same person without my cuppa cawfee.
*I must eat something I know will hold me over through an entire run. Normally I have a high fiber English Muffin with PB… the fiber helps me stay fuller longer. The day I did 10 miles I had PB on a slice of wheat toast… I was STARVING by mile 6. Lesson learned.
*This stuff is DISGUSTING. I tried to muscle down the Vanilla-Orange flavored Gu down after 55 minutes… it was downright faul. I’ve had better tasting chemo. So it looks like I’ll be sticking to the gummy version of this stuff.
*When your body and mind is ridiculously exhausted… EVERYTHING is funny. It’s so weird because although you are cracking up, you also want to cry because you are so tired, haha. I’m pretty sure Lauren H. and I were deliriously goofy miles 7-10.
*Having a sense of humor is absolutely critical in this sport. While this was a really challenging run and there might have been a few explicits used while tackling some hills… I feel like I spent the majority of the ten miles laughing my head off at the stories the team and I shared. I had no idea that running was such a social sport!

It might have been ugly, but we finished our ten miles. And I’m pumped to do it again, only this time I’ll be better prepared and have every intention in beating my time!

Brains over beauty

I just read a really good article in the Huffington Post by Lisa Bloom here. It basically talks about the importance of recognizing and commending females (young and old!) on their accomplishments, not their looks.

It both disgusts and scares me that we’ve become a society of putting a stronger emphasis on “pretty” instead of smart. Wake up, people.

Here’s an excerpt from the article I found both daunting and on-point.

This week ABC News reported that nearly half of all three- to six-year-old girls worry about being fat. In my book, Think: Straight Talk for Women to Stay Smart in a Dumbed-Down World, I reveal that 15 to 18 percent of girls under 12 now wear mascara, eyeliner and lipstick regularly; eating disorders are up and self-esteem is down; and 25 percent of young American women would rather win America’s Next Top Model than the Nobel Peace Prize. Even bright, successful college women say they’d rather be hot than smart. A Miami mom just died from cosmetic surgery, leaving behind two teenagers. This keeps happening, and it breaks my heart.

Teaching girls that their appearance is the first thing you notice tells them that looks are more important than anything. It sets them up for dieting at age 5 and foundation at age 11 and boob jobs at 17 and Botox at 23. As our cultural imperative for girls to be hot 24/7 has become the new normal, American women have become increasingly unhappy. What’s missing? A life of meaning, a life of ideas and reading books and being valued for our thoughts and accomplishments.

I had another one of those “thank God for my parents” moments after reading this article. They of course gave me compliments when I went the extra mile to dress schnazzy for whatever occasion, and later on in my life when I did a little modeling… but the majority of the positive reinforcement I received had to do with my grades, good deeds, being creative and overall accomplishments.

Don’t get me wrong, I went through my teenage years phases of putting too much emphasis on things that are not important. And now that I think of it, that was also when I was the most insecure.

But now that I’m old (haha) and wise(er), I am THRILLED to understand that in the end it really doesn’t matter what you look like since we are ALL (yes, you too, Kim Kardashian) going to end up old, wrinkly and droopy. So it is best to put your energy into something that will last a lifetime – brain power! So bring on the books, the art, the imagination, the travel, the interaction! Let those things be your focus and what you talk about.

I hope you enjoyed my nerdy rant.