I had a great weekend.  What a weekend should be.  It was full of fun, full of relaxtion, and even a little bit productive.

We had our friend Leigh Anne over for dinner on Friday night.  We made this delicious lasagna and sat around our kitchen chatting.  Cooking for people is one of my absolute favorite things and since moving we really haven’t entertained much.  So, it was great to host again.

Mike and I had each had a nice Saturday morning apart.

On Saturday night, we went to the Caps game with our friends Emily and Zach.

Emily got tickets from work and invited us to join them.  The seats were amazing–6 rows from the ice.  I said to Mike “if we could have that type of seat all the time, I’d be down to go all the time.” The game went into a shootout, so that was pretty cool. For all those who are wondering, the Devils won.

Before the game we had dinner at Zaytinya. We had plenty of time before the game so we were able to relax, take our time, order a couple rounds of food and drink. The food was delicious.  My favorites were the seasonal mushrooms and the scallops. After about 4 carafes of the Pom Fili (white wine, vodka, and pomegranate), we were feeling pretty good, having a good time.

It was exactly what a Saturday night should be: out on the town with good friends, good food, good drink, and lots of laughs.  Thanks guys!

Like I said, we had our fill of Pom Fili, and I was definitely feeling it on Sunday morning.  I wasn’t sick or anything but didn’t feel like doing much. We walked to get bagels and then came back and relaxed.  I read and took a nap.  We had a productive trip to Target and came back and relaxed.  While Mike watched football, I read and took a nap.

I capped off a great weekend with an awesome workout.  Body Combat is one of my absolute favorite gym classes.  I went every Sunday morning I could in the months leading up to our wedding, then took a gym hiatus, and when we moved my new gym didn’t have a class that fit in with my schedule. But they’ve added a Sunday 5pm class and that’s where I was last night.  I have so much fun in Body Combat.  The music gets your adrenaline pumping, the moves work your entire body, and the martial arts focus makes me feel strong–like no one can mess with me.  No joke, I find myself smiling ear to ear and laughing during the class. [It’s fine, you can roll your eyes at me just like I did at the kid in college that said that math proofs were “cute.”] Anyway, I was so glad to be back and had a lot of fun.

While I was at the gym, Mike went to the grocery store and he made us a delicious dinner when we got home. We ate Rachel Ray’s Chicken Parm Meatballs in front of the TV while watching How I Met Your Mother. I cleaned up while Mike hung up some pictures in our bathroom–we now have one room in our apartment complete!

I headed to bed to read and after reading for a bit realized I was tired yet so I went to cuddle on the couch with Mike.  A great end to a great weekend!

So tell me:

How was your weekend?  What did you do?

After a fun-filled first day in Chicago, Mike was off to his conference on Saturday and I was off to explore the city.

I headed to Argo Tea for breakfast and some writing. I had a delicious tea, Fruit Sangria.  It was so fruity and fragrant and flavorful.  For breakfast I had an acai-banana parfait with granola on top.  I was a bit alarmed at first because it had 500 calories, just surprised I guess because it was fruit, yogurt, and granola.  The employee assured me that they were good calories and would give me energy.  I knew she was right and that they were the kind of calories I needed after my day of eating. Pretty sure the pumpkin french toast and sausage I had the day before was significantly more than 500 calories. The parfait was light and delicious. I sat and reminisced and wrote about our first day in Chicago.

Then it was off to yoga.  I was inspired by Clare to try a yoga class while traveling and a quick google search led me to Yoga Now.  I really enjoyed the Vinyasa (Level 1-2) class with Ljubi (pronounced Lou-bee).  It was quite warm in the studio so I got a good sweat going and definitely worked and stretched.  I was so glad I went. Ljubi encouraged us to drink a lot of water after class, which I was sure to do!

After class I wanted to explore Lincoln Park. I tried to take the subway but I was having trouble buying a subway card so I just decided to forget it and figure something else out.  I started walking back toward Michigan Avenue and stumbled upon the visitor center.  I asked what the best way to get to Lincoln Park is and was told that the bus would take me straight there and picked up about a block away. I took the 151 bus from the Magnificent Mile to Lincoln Park.  I love taking the bus.  I think it’s an inexpensive way to see a city.  And this bus when right up Michigan Avenue along Lake Michigan.  How cool to see the water from the city bus.

After I hopped off the bus, I was just meandering a bit.  The man at the visitor center suggested a restaurant that claims to have invented the salad bar.  But I was hoping to find a small local cafe where I could relax and have a nice sandwich for lunch, write a little bit, feel like a local so I decided to keep wandering.

I saw this salon, Lincoln Park Waxing, and decided to go in for an eyebrow and lip wax.  I’d been meaning to get one for a while and figured, why not?

Though I walked in without an appointment, Maria was able to take me right back.  She was wonderful.  She was gentle and thorough and I felt very relaxed in her care.  I laid back on the table and was completely in the moment, my body completely relaxed on the table. I remember thinking, wow, I’m more relaxed here than I was in my yoga class. I wasn’t thinking about where I’d go next or what the rest of the day would hold.  I was just there.  Still.  Don’t you love when that happens? I find it’s so rare.

Then I was off in search of a cafe and sandwich.  I looked at a few menus, found one place that looked good but said on the sign “no public restrooms” and I had to go so that wasn’t going to work.  I kept looking, telling myself, the place you’re looking for is so close.  And then I found Noble Tree, a coffeehouse selling “serious pie.” I figured, I’ll check this place out and see what they have.

This was exactly the type of place I was looking for.  It reminded me of my favorite coffee shop from college called Cosmic Cup. They had coffee, and bagels, quiche, and this amazing looking pie. After much debate between chocolate pie, pear/apple/cranberry pie, quiche, and a bagel, (I’m sure I drove the barista crazy), I decided on the pear/apply/cranberry pie and a chai.

The perfect lunch.  I sat at the table in front of the window (in the collage above it’s the picture on the left), looked out the window, and wrote a bit.

Then I struck up conversation with a woman and her son sitting at the table behind me.  The son was having the chocolate pie, so I had to ask how it was.  I considered taking a slice to go, but restrained myself.  (You’ll see how that played out later.)  Anyway, the woman and her son were from New Zealand and living in Chicago for a year while she studied our health care system at the University of Chicago.  When I asked the son how he was finding the schools here, he said that the New Zealand system is very flexible so he’s been able to continue his studies here through mail and email.  How cool is that?

After I finished my pie and chai, I walked over to the Lincoln Park Conservatory.

I don’t think you can see it very clearly, but the green plant in the photo above is called sweat plant.  I thought that was funny.  I loved the colors of the other ones.

Next, I made my way to the Lincoln Park Zoo.  Though I didn’t stay very long. I went into the Sea Lion House, didn’t see any sea lions, and then saw the lions.  So cool to see them so up-close. And then I was kind of tired and didn’t feel like searching for more animals.  I wanted to get back to the hotel for some down-time before Mike finished at the conference.  And I wanted to get some shopping in.

I hopped back on the 151 and got off at the end of the Magnificent Mile.  I made my way down the Magnificent Mile, stopping in a few stores along the way: Louis Vuitton, North Face, Filene’s Basement, and Banana Republic. I bought Mike two ties in Filene’s Basement but that was it. I did try on some coats in North Face (note to self, it’s getting chilly, buy one this week).

I stopped back at Argo Tea for a quick sandwich. I wasn’t super hungry but didn’t want to get into the hunger-danger-zone and the crankiness that comes with it.  You know, looking out for my husband. How I made it through the entire day on that morning parfait, chai, and pie without being super hungry or super tired is beyond me. Though I think that parfait filled me up and gave me the energy to keep going all day.  Nice!

I got back to the room for with time to spare for a quick rejuvenating nap!

Then it was off to dinner!

_______________

I had hoped to post about the rest of the trip at 4 o’clock today but I don’t think that’s going to happen.  Maybe after tutoring tonight, but I make no promises.

In the meantime, tell me:

What was the last city you visited?  What did you do while you were there?

Wow, it’s November!  Where has 2011 gone?

October was great and I’m looking forward to an even better November.  It’s going to be great for a few reasons: 1) we have no weekend plans this month (aside from Thanksgiving weekend) so we’ll be able to enjoy some quality time in DC and 2) we’re going home for Thanksgiving so we’ll get to see family and friends we love and miss so much.

November is also my birthday month so this month I will give myself

• 3 workouts per week
• 1 fruit and 1 vegetable per day
• 2 fifteen minute walks per day (if it’s sunny)
• 1 yoga class per week
• 20 minutes to write every day
• time to try 6 new recipes.

Get it…October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month…Ta-Ta…no? Ok.

October started out a bit rocky because I was stressed with the class I was taking and realized that this is actually the time of yeah that seasonal affective disorder kicks in for me. So I tried to spend October eating one vegetable per day and one fruit per day (yes, I realize that it shouldn’t be that challenging) and getting back into a regular gym routine. Though I didn’t list them like I did in September and August, those were my goals. Simple, easy, but could make a world of difference in how I’m feeling day to day.

But overall October was a fun month for me:

I had a weekend to myself and booked a personal trainer. Then Mike and I caught up with a night away in Virginia.

My family came to visit and I went to the National Zoo for the first time!

Mike went away for work again and I had a busy but fun/social weekend. Then Mike came back and we caught up.

Last weekend was another friend-filled weekend with a visit from a college friend and a bachelorette party.

And this past weekend I went along on Mike’s work trip to Chicago! (more to come on that soon!)

Wow, when I go back and think about all the great things that happened this month, I remember how much fun I had this month. The wonderful things this month was filled with.  It’s easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day grind and recall the mental challenges I’ve been facing, the sleepy mornings, lack of motivation, and boredom. I’m so glad I went back through the highlights of the month.  Because to be honest, this post only skims the surface and the things that made me smile this month.

So tell me:

How was your October?  What made you smile this month?

We’re off to Chicago after work today! Honestly, I can’t believe this trip is here. Chicago has been on the top of the list of cities we want to visit for a while now so when Mike was scheduled to travel there for a conference, I knew I had to tag along for the ride.  Though it’s been on the calendar for a little bit, we haven’t made many plans for the trip.

Usually when we travel (I mean, the few times we’ve traveled together before), we do tons of research, have a list of things we want to do, and a pretty set itinerary. We’re super planners. Not this time. I’m not sure why that is, I guess we’ve just been busy the last couple months and the trip has felt so far off.  Could also be that Mike doesn’t have much free time so our options for planning activities was limited.  That said, I have to figure out what I’m going to do while Mike’s working from 10-6:30 on Saturday. I’m thinking I’ll go to a yoga class, do some shopping, grab some lunch at a small coffee shop/cafe and blog, and explore Lincoln Park.

Tomorrow we’re planning to go on an architecture boat tour and have dinner at Gino’s East.  I’m also pretty excited to have a Chicago-style hot dog. I’m sure we’ll go to Millenium Park and do some exploring.

To be honest, until last night, I hadn’t done much research on the city, didn’t even know where we were staying. To be even more honest, I don’t even know what flight we’re on.  I know it leaves at 8 out of Reagan National.  What is with me? I’m an independent woman that likes to be in control and if not in control at least very aware of the plan.  But nope, I feel like I’m just along for the ride.

A similar thing happened with our honeymoon.  After we booked our honeymoon through the most amazing Living Social deal ever, Mike made all of our travel arrangements. I knew when we were leaving, that we were flying out of Philly International, and that we had multiple flights, but I didn’t know any of the other details about our travel.  I literally was just like “I’ll just follow my husband.” What??  I recognized that this was totally unlike me but you know what, it kind of felt good to just follow him. It was less stressful and it showed him and me that I do really trust him and I don’t need to micromanage.

So tonight, I will head to the airport after work, look for my husband, and let him get me on the right flight. In the meantime, I’m hoping the gate we’re at has Five Guys or Chipotle.

I love a Saturday morning when…

I’m done my workout before 9am,

I come home to warm blueberry muffins,

we can sit and read the paper over coffee and breakfast,

my laundry is clean.

I love a Saturday morning when I have a friend–filled weekend ahead of me.

finish this sentence:

I love a Saturday morning when…

Have a good Saturday!

I felt like a little kid yesterday. Remember when there was “nothing to do” and you’d whine “i’m bored,” stretching bored out into two syllables?  Yeah, that’s how I felt yesterday.  I think it’s one thing to be bored as a kid and a completely different thing to be bored as an adult.  How can you be bored as an adult? You’re in control of your life, you can go find something to do. But I couldn’t think of something that would make me not bored. I think this is part of seasonal affective disorder, which actually hasn’t been that bad for me in recent weeks so that’s good.  But it’s 6:33 am and I already feel bored today.  Ugh, I hate this.

Though I’m bored, it doesn’t mean that I haven’t been thinking about things to share with you all.  I actually have a bunch of things I want to share.  Here are a few of them:

coupons

On Saturday morning I sat down at the kitchen table with some breakfast and the newspaper.  I started with Washington Post Magazine and an interesting restaurant review but before long found myself pulling out the coupon section and getting a pair of scissors. I cut between 8-10 coupons for things like paper towels and things I can’t remember right now. I enjoy clipping coupons.  There’s something relaxing about it. But I think I like clipping them more than I like using them:  I totally forgot to take them to the store with me on Tuesday.  And that’s how it always goes.  I cut a bunch and then forget to use them.

Do you use coupons? What’s your thought on couponing? I think coupons are great, who doesn’t want to save money.  I do wish that I could find more coupons for things I actually buy regularly like fresh fruits and vegetables, meats, Arnold Bread, etc., instead of processed foods.

Oh and is it coo-pon or cue-pon?

security questions

When it comes to security questions, I choose questions whose answers are fact: what city were you born in, what was your high school mascot, mother’s maiden name, maternal grandmother’s name, etc. I never choose questions like “what is your favorite movie” or “what is your favorite icecream flavor” whose answers may vary and I’m left sitting at the computer wondering “what would I have written for that?” Apparently, this might not be the best strategy.

I signed us up for Mint.com this weekend and asked Mike for the passwords to our joint credit card. Each time you log in, the site asks one of three security questions so he gave me the answers to those too. When I looked at the answers, they were one of either a) in code, b) not true–at least not yet, or c) variable. I thought his answers were really funny but he said he read somewhere that the answers to these questions don’t have to be true, just something you remember.  That if someone really wanted access to your banking info, they could find out the answers to fact-based questions.  Hmm, I thought.  This definitely makes sense. After all these are called security questions, there for added security.

what types of security questions do you choose? when it asks the name of your childhood best friend, do you type her real name or the name of your favorite Babysitter’s Club character?