“Training” Recap

Hmmmm, it’s hard to write a recap, considering that I’m not really training for anything. Maybe, I need to say that I’m training to lose some freaking weight. 

Honestly, last week was a bit of a haze. I believe that I did four runs, including NYRR’s Run as One 4M race. I guess that my “training” runs last week were not that memorable.

Oh wait, I lie. 

Last week, I had to attend a conference at the Education Testing Service (ETS) in Princeton, New Jersey. You know, the company that administers the SAT, the GRE, AP exams, etc. Quiet as it’s kept, I did not really get that much out of the conference. One morning, I decided to skip the breakfast session and do a three mile run on ETS’ campus. Since there really is not anything out there, the run was quite pleasant. I mean, it was kind of weird running and breathing clean air and not hearing a whole bunch of city noises. The campus even had a couple of trails that I wondered off on. I wish that I had got up earlier in the morning (or skipped the second session) so I could explore the trails a little more. Oh, this reminds me that I need to send my travel receipts for my reimbursement. 

Seriously, where is EVERYTHING?

Kind of funny, but sad story.

I spent pretty much $30 bucks on cigarettes. Cigarette prices in NJ are substantially cheaper than in NYC. Rather than buying a pack in NYC, I figure that I would “save” 8-9 bucks and buy a pack in Jersey. Unfortunately, there were some train delays, and I was running late for the conference. No biggie, I’ll just buy a pack in the conference center or someplace nearby. Get to ETS’ campus, attend the morning and afternoon sessions, ask the front desk clerk where I can buy smokes (assuming there was a gas station nearby). She tells me that I would have to drive into town to buy cigarettes. Yeah, I don’t have a car (I took an Uber from the train station). Basically, I had to request an Uber to drive me into town ($9.50), buy the cigarettes ($7), then take another Uber back to the damn conference center (surge pricing, $13). Yup, $29.50 for smokes. Another annoying thing. Since I was in town, I decided to get sushi for lunch. Mainly because there was a Chinese & Japanese restaurant across the street from the 7/11 where I bought my cigarettes. Goddamnit, the waiter tells me that the restaurant doesn’t serve sushi on Tuesdays because the sushi guy doesn’t work on Tuesdays. You mean to tell me that the sushi guy cannot teach anyone how to make a freaking tuna roll?!!! Well, my Kung Pao Chicken wasn’t that bad. Actually, I may get sushi on the way home. 

Kung Pao Chicken

Also, my damn fortune cookie did not come with a fortune. 

Ha! randomly searching for these pictures in iPhoto, I came across my some notes from one of the sessions. I don’t know if my handwriting has gotten worse or stayed the same since undergrad. As long as I can read it, right?

The first line says “Mitigating Sigma Panel”

The second line says “Blacks may view tests as a reflection of negative stereotypes.”

Wow! I went off on a HUGE tangent.

During one of my crosstraining workouts, I really did not feel like listening to music so I decided to listen to a podcast from the Marathon Training Academy. I randomly selected the podcast about “Finding the Joy in Running”. This episode was right up my alley because I have been pretty nonchalant about running. Running the Run as One 4M race kind of changed that sentiment. The episode provided some reasons why one may fall out of “love” with running and tips to overcome this feeling. 

• Systems vs Goals: One will not see the results of maintaining a system compared to completing a goal. For example, directly seeing the results of cleaning a room over keeping it constantly clean. 
• Run fun races. Actually, I have never been too much of a fan of themed races (e.g. costume races). It takes me too much work just to get my regular running clothes together and make it to the start of a race on time. You mean, I gotta put together a costume?! No gracias. Well, I could be down for a race that involves beer. 
• Join a running group. I’ve completed the first step (back in Jan.), now I just have to run with the running groups.
• Switch up the types of runs/race (e.g. road races vs trail races). 
• Hire a coach. Nope, I’m too cheap. 
• Sign up for a destination race – maybe a full or half-marathon somewhere in Europe, probably Espana. 

There were a few more things, but the ones listed are the ones that I remember. Maybe I will listen to the podcast again during my bike ride to the gym home. 

Happy running (or whatever), y’all. 

Advertisements

Food Pic of the Week

Brought to you by Bait and Hook ( *** ). For our Sunday Funday, the husband and I hit up this spot, which is in the E. Village. I’ve passed this place plenty of times, but it always was super pack and loud as hell. Folks know that I love seafood. Also, the restaurant has happy hour EVERYDAMNDAY!!!! The happy hour includes $5-6 well drinks/beer and various food items like $1 oysters, $3 fish tacos, and some other stuff. 

Half dozen oysters – my fav

Kung Pao Calamari

Normally, I do not like too many adaptations to calamari, but this dish was amazing. I wish that we ordered two. 

Happy Good Friday, y’all

Food Pic of the Week

Still trying to get back into my blogging groove. 

Tomino Taberna Gallega

192 Grand Street, NY, NY 

Actually, I do not have any food pics for this week so I guess that I will go back to last week. The bf husband and I hit up Tomino Taberna Gallega for some northern Spanish bites. Honestly, this place can do no wrong in my book. The food (according to the husband and his crew of Spaniards) is pretty authentic and reasonably priced. Plus, they have a wonderful happy hour and make delicious gin cocktails. It’s funny that everyone says how popular gin is in Spain but I could not find a decent gin cocktail the two times that I visited. Oh, I remember. They do not really do gin n soda over there; it’s all about gin and tonic. Try ordering agua con gas (soda water) over there, and they’ll look at you like you have 10 heads. 

It’s not a Spanish excursion without a Spanish tortilla. BTW, I love the runny egg tortillas. 

Although this was a gin and tonic, the tonic water was not super sweet and not taste like musty water. 

I wanted to post a pic of the cod empanadas with an AMAZING carrot puree, but WordPress is being picky. With my mind constantly in the gutter, I love messing with the pronunciation of the Spanish word for carrot. It’s zanahoria, but I screw with the husband by saying zanaHORIA with extra emphasis on the (w)horia . . . even though you are not supposed to pronounce the “h” or hache in Spanish. 

Random recommendation: If you are visiting this place, try to commute from West to East. Going East to West, you will hit a couple of smelly fish markets on the way. The few times that I’ve been here, I had to wait a couple of minutes for my appetite to return. 

Food Pic of the Week

Although I am not a fan of Valentine’s Day . . . AT ALL. 

The Bu made a delicious chocolate cheesecake dessert. Now, I kind of want another slice. 

 

Have a kick-ass weekend. 

Random Thursday

A little randomness for you.

1. When a blind person has a seeing eye dog, is he/she expected to pick up the poop? If so, how does he/she know where the poop is?

2. This could be ignorance on my part. But, why do some people cc themselves (with the same email address) on emails?

3. Why does this Baskins and Robbins lock up the ice cream during the store’s operating hours? People be hijacking ice cream and ice cream cakes like that in NYC?

4. Do you have a favorite treadmill that you must use at the gym?

4a. I found the perfect place to run hill intervals. 

5. I’m off to DC. I hope my SmartTrip still has some cash on it. You know that you gotta have money for your exit fare. 

6. Speaking of DC, I wonder how much are cigarettes?

7. Speaking of DC (again): Which running route will I follow for my half marathon training runs this week?

8. Netflix recommended this documentary, which I found interesting until the 12-minute mark. Let’s say it together. CORRELATION DOES NOT DEMONSTRATE CAUSATION. A lot of the claims mentioned in the document were more or less like saying 100% of cancer patients have drunk water, so water is the main cause of cancer. Also, half of the medical/dental experts looked crazy as hell. 

Have a great Thursday of fun randomness. 

Food Pic of the Week

Cantina Taqueria and Tequila Bar

Yesterday, I accidentally fasted for 21 hours instead of my normal 16 hours, but I did not really notice until I left the office at 8:30 pm.

After work, I dropped by Cantina. This is the first restaurant the BF and I visited after moving into our apt.

Although I had not eaten for 21 hrs, I was not super hungry, I only wanted an adult beverage, to be perfectly honest. I decided to go with the nacho appetizer with chorizo (for an extra 3 bucks) and a frozen beverage. Overall, the nachos were a delicious gooey mess, and the amount of guacamole was quite generous. I was expecting a little, struggling side container of guac. I was a little disappointed that the cheese was a velveeta esque cheese because I was expecting REAL cheese from a Mexicanish restaurant.

How can you drink a frozen drink during a polar vortex? Ummmm, I’m not drinking it outside … duh.

At first, I was disappointed with the size of the beverage for the price of $14, but the Rum Punch definitely packed a punch (no pun).

Random:

I was bitching to the BF about the loudness of 90% of the restaurants/bars in this area of Harlem. He brought up a good point. The bars are super loud to keep talking to a minimum, making you drink more. That could be true. Yesterday’s visit to Cantina was an example of this logic. I really wanted to buy another drink but I was getting annoyed that the person sitting next to me couldn’t hear me. Oh well, I guess that I saved another $14.  Hey, that is almost the cost of a pack of cigarettes in NYC. Since I’m approaching 40, I typically leave after one drink in loud ass restaurant/bars. An exception – when I’m at a club/lounge-type of place because I’m expecting it to be loud as hell. (Not so) quiet as it’s kept, I’m usually the loudest motherfucker in a place.

Food Pic of the Week – Ethiopian

This week the BF and I decided to explore Harlem even though we have been living here for a little more than a year. Normally, I like checking out many different new places in an area and line up a few regular spots. But for some reason, I found my local watering bar within two weeks of moving to the neighborhood, and that’s my main go to. Unfortunately, the restaurant/bar will be undergoing “renovations” for the next couple of month. Many times, “renovations” mean the owner is striping the place so he/she can sell it. But we’ll see. 

We decided on Ethiopian food and visited, Abyssinia Ethiopian Restaurant – 135th and Fredrick Douglas Blvd. I was very pleased with the food.

A nice platter for two. 

Of course one cannot forget a nice (actually, I do not know if it was a nice bottle) of wine. 

Yeah, we tore that shit up, and there was so much leftover food. This is the first time that my hunger was fully satisfied with Ethiopian food. 

I’m a little mad with the server because I specifically asked her to pack the chicken bone in the doggie bag. I was going to make a stew. 😉