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http://withessenceofcurry.com/2017/04/24/weekend-recap
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Havana, Cuba
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Source: Havana, Cuba
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Friday Favorites
Currently:
Eating: A bowl of popcorn and half of a chocolate donut (while cranking out a deck for work, in the 12th hour)
Drinking: Chai Roobios to wind down at night, but my day time love affair is homebrewed coffee (in my Owl mug) and a long glug of 1% or soymilk with cocoa powder.
Wearing: Dresses. Everyday. Long sleeves and tights to make the wind bearable.
Crafting: A T-shirt quilt, but this time for me 🙂
Listening: The Book of Mormon Broadway Musical Soundtrack. Hello!
Working Out: End of the workday Tone it Up workouts with my co-worker and long runs with friends on Saturdays.
Anticipating: Visiting one of my very best friends in L.A. this weekend. Hi, Lindsay!
What are you currently anticipating?
Cheers!
~Michelle
Week in Review
“Snap your fingers, do your step, you can do it all by yourself”
*Snap* and just like that, it’s Monday!
Lil John may be referring to getting down on the dance floor, but I’m using his song as motivation to get my step on and out the door to work.
This past weekend marks the beginning of the new year (because, let’s be real, Jan 1-3 is still Holidaze recovery). My friends and I got it together early this week to plan our first “long” run Saturday morning and post-run brunching.
At the crack of 10AM we met at the waterfront and cranked out 3 foggy miles. We walked to BraveHorse Tavern to join our non-running friends. We ordered our traditional Saturday brunches omelets, French toasts, Bloody Marys, and an Irish coffee.
Week 1! Run 1!
My afternoon was spent at home reading, Netflixing, baking, and a nap. At 8pm I couldn’t ignore my activity tracker any longer to “take some steps” I walked to Menchies and picked up frozen yogurt, probably not what my fitness tracker meant when it buzzed to make me move.
Sunday I met my Tone It Up Seattle girls for a lap around Greenlake. I then bolted back to downtown to enter to win The Book of Mormon tickets with my friend,. 2nd time is the charm! WE WON! Front row $25 tickets.
We laughed until we cried. We can’t pick a favorite part of the show, everything is hilarious. Brother Price singing, “Mostly me,” Brother Arnold consistently making up new names for the village’s daughter, “Turn it off” Pure gold. Go see it! Listen to the soundtrack!
My only advice, is, if you’re easily offended, stay far far away from this show.
Workout Recap:
Monday: I’ve actually forgotten….
Tuesday: TIU Arms
Wednesday: TIU Total Body
Thursday: TIU cardio/ Total Body
Friday: Leg
Saturday 3 mile run + walk to and from the waterfront
Sunday: 2.85 miles + walking downtown
Update on New Year Goals:
Car: No improvement, but has not declined.
Desk: Moderately clean, has not declined.
Cheers!
Michelle
New Year and New Goals
I’m a huge advocate for setting a new year resolution. If you asked me last year what my goals were I would pull out my planner, flip to page four, move three sticky notes, and show you the nine goals I set out to achieve.
Below these goals were step by step process’ to move the goals from a vision to an achievement. Using my Passion Planner as a guide, I created a SMART plan, something teachers often only imagine their students to do in the future. Do I get a gold star in life??
S- specific
M- measurable
A- attainable
R-relevant
T-timebound
Looking at the definition of “SMART”, my goals were within the guidelines, but I had TOO MANY aspirations in one go! PROBLEM!
Read 12 books
Workout 5 times a week
Take 2 classes…etc
Yes, all of these are achievable, but it takes time to form a habit or to replace an old with a new.
In light of the new year and creating new goals/habits I am only looking to tweak to things.
- Keep my desk clean.
- Thou shall not leave clothing on desk.
- Thou shall leave only work or personal “work” (bills/books/notebooks) on desk
- Thou shall tidy desk 1-2 times per week (Sundays)
- Clean out my car trunk/backseat
- Thou shall leave only 1 jacket, 1 water bottle, and one tin of almonds in the car at all times.
- Thou shall inspect car once during the last week of every month.
Studies show that a clean desk improves productivity, but studies show that a messy desk allows the “creative juices to flow.” Nobel prize winners “cultivate” that messy desks aid to their work. I’m looking for the happy balance.
In addition, to those to lifestyle changes I have a few other items on my list I’d like to pursue, but it has often been said to keep your true goals to yourself.
Watch this TED Talk about keeping personal goals to yourself.
Cheers!
Happy New Year!
~Michelle
Sasquatchin’
Music, camping, food, and friends.
Workouts this week after an 8 day hiatus.
Wed: spin and chest/tri
Thurs: 3 mi. And leg day
Fri: back and biceps +20 min walk
Sat: ?? Tabata class? Long 5 miles?
Sunday; Birthday party event: tag
Life lately
- Brunching
-
- Tennis
-
- training (talk)
- Fancy cocktails
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- Attempts to read a book (my goal is to read 12 this year)
- Popcorn
- Morning runs and barre
Things I’m loving and wish I had more time for:
- Skyping with friends
- Yoga
- Slow mornings with half-caff cawfee
- Warm Sunday morning walks (which will happen when it’s once again sunny!)
- The ability to sleep-in
Last Weekend
PHEW! What a weekend! It was more of a sprint than a marathon.
Friday
Friday kicked off to a good start with a cookie exchange hosted in my apartment. At the party’s peak we had 23 people milling about our tiny kitchen/living room. The kitchen and living room are essentially the same room, and leaves few other places for the guests to congregate. Throughout the night we consumed 9 bottles of wine and sampled 15 varying cookie types.
I set up a “blind wine tasting” and near the end of the night revealed to my friends which bottle was “Top Shelf,” “Mid-shelf, and “Two Buck Chuck” ($39, $27, $4)
Everyone was able to guess #2 as the Trader Joe’s label, we all decided the wine was less complex than the other two wines. Surprisingly, a majority of the group (including myself) preferred the Gen 5 Zinfandel “midshelf” wine. Second cheapest wine for the win!
Recently, my boyfriend and his roommate showed me the “Second Cheapest Wine” video. The results from the night (which we found hilarious) validates all future decisions to buy wine that is one step up from the bottom.
We moved the party from my apartment to a few nearby bars, a handful of guys and girls stayed out to close down the bars. It was a late Friday!
SATURDAY
I caught an afternoon train to Portland to meet-up with one of my longest and best friend’s and our other good friend! After a cup late night tea we walked downstairs for an OUTSTANDING late late dinner at Life of Pie. We split an amazing goat cheese and caramelized onion woodfire pizza, honey lemon vinaigrette kale/arugula salad, and fresh sausage pasta.
As a past kale hater, my opinion has forever changed because of this salad. Sprinkled with salty parm and crushed breadcrumbs, the lemon/honey dressing cuts the usual bitter kale taste. The flavors leave the diner forking another bite whilst still chewing the first. I would have been perfectly content eating only that salad.
The pizza at the Life of Pie is equally as amazing as the kale salad (can you tell I love that salad?) The crust is thin yet still soft and chewy, it is the perfect vehicle for the cheese and toppings. The goat cheese pizza we enjoyed was delicious, I eagerly ate two forgetting that we still had pasta on the way!
The pasta is the favorite dish of my friend. The noodles and sauce are fresh and light with pork sausage bites hidden in the noodles. I found myself digging through the pasta just for bites of the sausage, for me, the sausage bites were the highlight!
Next time you find yourself in Portland, head North, check out this cute establishment!
The Life of Pie is located in north Portland, near the Legacy Emaunual Hospital and Mississippi Ave.
SUNDAY
The next morning (well, afternoon) we headed out for brunch. It took 3 attempts to find a brunch place with less than a 70 min wait, but that’s what happens when it’s sunny Sunday in the PNW. We settled on Radar on Mississippi Ave.
After much debate we decided to get varying items so we could share 1/3 of our food with each other. After a small snafu (in our favor) we received our steaming plates of food. Herbed french toast with maple syrup, poached eggs (x2), bangers, potato cakes, and beef hash with roasted yukon potatoes. We also acquired a bowl of fresh granola and yogurt on accident when the the waitress mistakenly heard “granola” instead of “poached eggs.” All was quickly corrected and we kept the granola (compliments of the house).
I’ll just tell you our brunch at Radar was delicious! We would go back for brunch again or try dinner! I’ll try and keep this post from reaching novel status, sorry y’all!
With happy and full bellies we wandered around Mississippi Ave. for a couple hours before I boarded my train. One notable: I found and bought a cute mug and box of White Chocolate Mocha tea from Stash Tea Co. and enjoyed a cup with a splash of milk on my evening train back to Seattle.
And, with that, it’s a wrap!
- Where have you recently eaten a great brunch?
With Essence of Curry 