Did you make sand art when you were a kid? I saw this man in Columbus Circle yesterday… it looks like his design is going to get pretty big!
On the weekends, you could always find me working on some kind of craft. I loved making things! I still do, actually, but have a little trouble with the follow-through… I have about five incomplete knitting and sewing projects tucked away around the house.
Yesterday I tried to experiment with Jessica’s chia cream in my oatmeal yesterday. It didn’t quite work out, but it was still mighty tasty!
- 1/2 oats cooked in 1/2 cup water
- 1 banana
- 1 chopped fig
- Maranatha almond butter
- chia cream (chia seeds, almond milk, stevia, cinnamon, garam masala)
After finishing my book (I’m going to have to move on to something a lot lighter after this), I met Anna for lunch on the Upper West Side. I haven’t seen Anna since the Healthy Living Summit last year, but meeting her and her sister Meg (one of my running inspirations) was a highlight of that trip.
We decided to eat at SoomSoom Vegetarian Bar, which I’ve been curious about for some time.
Like Maoz, it’s a build-your-own falafel joint.
You can bet I loaded up on almost every one of those toppings.
My bowl ended up weighing at least a good 2 lbs! We took the party to Central Park to chow and chat.
The warm pita and hummus were quite good, but I probably only ate about 1/3 of each. I’d fully intended on taking the rest home, but ended up making a soggy mess of the leftovers.
After Anna and I parted ways, I headed on over to The Lite Choice. To be honest, I was quite full and didn’t really need a dessert, but I’m so used to going when I’m near one of the shops that it pulled me like a magnet! I’d used up all 10 punches on my customer loyalty card and was excited for my free cup. The card grants you a free medium cup, so I thought that buy getting a small cup of almond butter I’d be able to add a topping. No dice 
I got a few things done when I got home, then hauled it to the gym. It was over 90 degrees outside and the thought of running on the hot pavement was enough to make me wilt! I checked out Janetha’s blog (my first time) before I went, and copied down the routine for her 20 minute HIIT elliptical workout. I used the cross ramp instead, but followed her plan.
I can honestly say it was the most fun I’ve had working out in a long time. I love running and it’s a great release for me, but lately it’s been something I’ve had to rally myself to do. This was short and sweet, and because I had to keep changing the settings on the machine, I didn’t get bored at all! I could have kept going, but I had places to go and people to see. Instead, I did five arm machines and ab work and called it a day.
Grabbed an apple before leaving…
… to meet Megan and Leslie for Wednesday Night Happy Hour! Doesn’t that have a lovely ring to it?
We tried to go to a bar on the roof but the one we’d found was closed for a private party. Instead, we high-tailed it to Pazze Notte at 55th and 6th faster than Megan could say “2-for-1 martinis.” They have to bring both of the martinis at the same time, we each ordered a different flavor and mixed and matched. I ended up with a dirty martini and a chocolate martini (good, but a little too rich for a cocktail) and great conversation.
I had to stop at the grocery store on the way home so I’d have something to eat for dinner, and threw almost all of my new ingredients into one giant FEED ME salad.
- spinach
- mixed sprouts
- grape tomatoes
- mushrooms
- feta
- shrimp
- balsamic/olive oil/mustard/sea salt/pepper vinaigrette
Followed shortly thereafter by a dessert plate (dates, prune, apricot, chocolate hazelnut butter and cherry dark chocolate)…
… followed by more dried fruit + Cinnamon Raisin Swirl peanut butter and an entire disc of The Secret Diary of A Call Girl. Blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-a-a-a…
my favorite were the street artists in europe who made copies of famous famous works, but in chalk! couldn’t get enough of them.
also, what up HIIT! isn’t it a good workout?
OH i love craft days!! We used to have wine & craft night in college…I came up with some realllly random stuff
i went to the lite choice on w. 72nd st last night and got the almond butter – it was life changing! thanks for the tip
i’ll text you when i’m on my way to sofia’s get together tonight!
I didn’t make sand art, but that photo reminds me of the Cleveland Museum of Art Chalk Festival that I used to participate in every year when I was younger
Ooooh, that SoomSoom stuff looks pretty good.
P.S. – still envious of the “too good to be sold in the U.S.” mini G&B bar…
i was all about little crafty projects growing up. i used to have these sand art kits where you would make something with layers in a glass bottle. now that i think about it, there may have been some sticky contact paper with sand art on it too – my mom must have loved that cleanup…
i’d have to agree that wednesday happy hour does have a nice ring to it. thursday does too. see you tonighttttt!
lol…I always sing that song when I’m hungover
I would go CRAZY in that falafel restaurant– yum!!!
Wow. That all looks amazing. That’s one thing I do miss in Italy—giant salad-type things. Not that I’m suffering, of course!
Love Janetha and LOVE HIIT. Just did mine this morning. I’m pretty sure that veggie bar is my house.
HIIT is a great workout! I’ve nevewr tried it on the elliptical, but I do the treadmill version and it definitely prevents treadmill boredom.
Nice that you and Anna got to meet up! She’s awesome.
I LOVE the Secret Diary of a Call Girl!
I also really need to try a Falafel, never had one.
SoomSoom sounds and looks amazing! I wanna go….
We were quite the crafty family growing up but never did sand art…flower pressing though, ha.
hey there! glad you gave that workout a shot. nice to know it is just as exciting on a different piece of equipment. your blog is so cute~ i love the background. also, i am eying that pita bread and hummus. that guy’s art is amazing! hope your day is going great!
Sand art! This was such a fun thing as a child. Heck even now I would love to do it again. We used sand in our wedding instead of the Unity Candle and even that was fun!
What a fun night. You always make weeknights look like such a blast!
TWO bloggie dates in one day! that’s awesome girl
the happy hour sounds great haha i would have totally been crawling home after one martini let alone two!
hmmm i’ve gotta check out this build your own falafal bowl place! i’ve heard such good things about maoz but have never been. oh i have so much to learn haha
WOW how cool is that sand art?! I thought it was chalk! I loved both when I was a kid. Sidewalk chalk, nothing better in the summer!!
Also I love your dessert plates they are too cute. And 2 for 1 martinis?! Good call
Ive never seen Secret DIary….. but my bestie is obsessed with it, maybe I should give it a try.
I love “build your own” type of places!
Ya know, I have never even HAD a falafel! And I went to TLC choice yesterday too
PB is my fave!
http://www.firednfabulous.blogspot.com/
Build your own falafel sounds great! I def. wanna visit that place. I know what you mean about Lite Choice. There are 2 right by work so I’ve been there the last 2 days after lunch just because it’s addicting!
i need to travel out ur way! i love that place with the bowls of green already in it.. all u have to do is pick ur fav toppings!! thats so amazing.. u truly have such great cafes/eateries near you!!
chia cream sounds delicious.. that whole bowl looks YUMMY!
btw i love street sidewalk art. theres a guy in town who makes those 3-D drawings with chalk.. the last one was a 3-D swimming pool that literally looked like it was under the ground.. i thought i would fall in.. lol.. but then when u tilt ur head u see that its flat. amazing!
Love the sand art. One thing that makes me miss living in a city. No sand artists on the sidewalks in the ‘burbs.
I loved our park picnic! Good food and good company. So glad we got to get together and gossip I MEAN chat about life.
I got froyo too- went to 16 Handles with my cousin for the first time. OMG. So good. I also hit up Levain this afternoon and absolutely housed a chocolate chip walnut cookie. I didn’t even make it back to the apartment, I just scarfed it on the subway and got chocolate all over me. Classy. It was HOT and delicious. The Lite Choice is def on my list next time I’m back in the city!
HOW did i miss that place!!!
I remember doing sand-art when I was little! We used to pour sand into glass bottles in different layers… but then I would always end up shaking it up on accident and getting so upset. Hahah!
Whoa! That salad looks like my dream. With a good falafel all I need is hummus! Looks like you made a good choice. haha
That sand art looks like some of the string paintings from Mexico–very psychedelic. Beautiful.
I find craft making so relaxing, I need to do more of it!
Wow, that falafel concoction looks amazing! So cool that you got to meet up with Anna–I had fun getting to know her last year at last year’s HLS too:)
Somehow I totally missed that street art. I wonder if the rain last night washed it away. I have to try that frozen treat!