Moving can be tough, but Mark and I have started settling into our new internet home, Lenses & Limes. I’ve noticed a few of my most precious BV readers have not stopped by for a visit. So here is a gentle reminder to update your RSS feeds, Google reader, etc. so we can continue to connect, share and enjoy.
RSS: http://www.lensesandlimes.com/?feed=rss2
Email: Click the “email updates” link on the Lenses & Limes homepage.
See you there!
IT’S SPRING TRAINING SEASON!
The cold and blistery days of NY-winter seem to be fading away, which means I no longer have any excuse to leave in the a.m. and head out for a run. For awhile there, I was certain if I stepped out into the 20 degree weather before 7 a.m., my fingers, toes and nose would surely fall off.
It’s a good thing the sun is starting to shine again, because I have a lot of work to do. I’m running in the NJ Marathon Festival at the Shore on May 1st. I ran my very first half marathon at this race last year and it was incredible. You can’t beat running along crashing waves and the ocean breeze. My time was about 2:20, which I was pretty damn proud of considering my training was sub-par.
This time, I want to shave those last 20 minutes off of my time and be much more prepared. I’m working on creating a training schedule based on this one from Hal Higdon and this from Runner’s World, which I’ll share with all of you shortly.
Yesterday, I mentioned that I was moving over to Lenses & Limes, a new blog written by me and Mark. Mark wanted to formally introduce himself and give his perspective of our new adventure.
Head over here to read more.
In January, I mentioned that there were a few changes going on “behind the scenes.” One of those changes has finally come to fruition – Lenses & Limes. Mark and I realized our blogs could be a lot better and lot more fun if we joined forces, which is exactly what we’ve done! I proudly present to you, Lenses & Limes.
It might not seem like the biggest deal, but when you’ve been blogging for a while, there is definitely an attachment formed between you and your blog and also a fear that your readers will jump ship if you change ways. But Lenses & Limes will be like Bohemian Vegan 2.0 – providing much more fun content, perspective and personal snapshots. I hope you guys will stick with me and make the transition to Lenses & Limes.
Over the next few months, I will be moving my old posts and odds and ends over to the new blog, so it’s a work in progress. I’ll be posting the L&L posts over here as well for the time being. If you want to know what Lenses & Limes is going to be all about, check out our very first post!
Be sure to update your RSS feeds/email subscriptions so you can receive the latest and greatest.
Stay tuned! xoxox
After a run in Prospect Park (it was nearly 60 degrees!), we spent the rest of our Saturday movie-watching and Indian food eating. Scott Pilgrim way better than Love & Other Drugs by the way. We should have stuck with the original plan to watch The Notebook. 
I would love to pretend that I’ve always been a health saint; that I’ve never participated in drunk-dancing my way through Cabo, taking one too many shots at a frat party or eating half of a Domino’s thin crust pineapple pizza while sitting on the floor. But that would be a lie. I managed to cross off all three of those things on my bucket list during my four years at college (oops!).
Another lesson learned? How to chug.
ASU. Circa 2008
Unlike shots and mis-adventures in Mexico, chugging is actually something I’ve come to embrace. Except Nowadays, I’ve traded Coors light for the lightest beverage of them all, water.
image via treehugger.com
You’ve heard it before – you need to get your 8 glasses of water a day (at least) for optimum hydration, energy and to keep your bod happy. But what I have found is, the best way to jump-start hours of day-drinking, is to start chugging in the A.M. before you have put anything else in your body. In the past, when I started my day with food or coffee first, not only did I feel more lethargic, but I drank less water during the day.
True – all of our bodies respond differently, but if you’re feeling dehydrated or sluggish in the morning, I highly recommend the rise and shine chug method. If that sounds completely boring to you, add lemon to your water for extra zing. Beer Water funnel optional.
Like most mornings, I had every intention of getting up and going to the gym. But my body had other plans for me. I haven’t been getting the best of sleep these last few days, so I didn’t mind hanging out in bed for a little longer. I actually had a nice, calm morning. I slowly drank my coffee and savored every bite of my walnutty-oatmeal.
Isn’t it interesting that walnuts look a little like the human brain? Ironic, since walnuts are packed with omega-3′s that help keep the brain fluid and flexible, leading to improved brain function. Walnuts also contain manganese, copper, iron, phosphorous, magnesium, and calcium. I think a lot of people, especially women, tend to fear nuts like walnuts due to their seemingly high calorie and fat content. But walnuts are not the same as deep-fried funnel cake! They contain healthy fats and, in terms of calories, a little goes a long way. I don’t recommend you eat a whole bag in one serving, but do not fear the nuts!
I for one have been feeling a little foggy lately and I knew it was time to put my Trader Joe’s walnuts to good use.
Now you see it:
Now you don’t:
How was everyone’s weekend? I keep saying over & over again that February has been a crazy month. I guess it’s just difficult fitting in a month’s worth of activities in only 28 days.
This weekend was particularly nice, but ended on a somewhat sour note. I didn’t feel rushed or frazzled and I think I accomplished almost everything I wanted to. Almost.
Here’s a recap of things I loved:
- Reading Health and Shape Magazine cover to cover
- Going to bed by 10:30pm on Friday
- Catching up on Glee and suddenly becoming interested in Justin Bieber songs
- HUGE Pancakes for Brunch @ Char. No 4, washed down with a sparkling mimosa
- Eating leftover huge pancakes from Char. No 4
- My Saturday night run
- Checking out a new gym
- Feeling the sun on my face
- Solo late lunch at Financier
- Impromptu visit to The Body Shop
- Oscars.
And things that were pretty sucky:
- Getting my hair colored & cut. So, I decided on a whim to check out a new hair salon in Manhattan called Kropps & Bobbers. I’m not typically judgmental, but I was already feeling iffy about the salon based on their name, but I had a great deal through Lifebooker that I could not lose. Not to mention, they were highly reviewed on Yelp. You can’t judge a book by its cover right? It’s been quite a while since I have gone to a salon for a cut and color and, trust me, it was time. I had an earlyish appt on Saturday for a color and a noon appointment on Sunday for a cut. So far, so good.
On Saturday, after what seemed like a very, very long time, my color was finished. The lighting in the salon was a little dim, but my highlights looked great. Just the blonde I wanted, no complaints. Flash forward to post-brunch. I wanted to get a closer look at my fresh do, so I went to the bathroom and turned on all the lights. To my horror, my hair looked a little like this:
Mixed with this:
How a professional hair stylist could not have seen this is beyond comprehension! Nonetheless, I called the salon immediately and got a little Jersey on them.
The stylist told me to come back a little earlier on Sunday and he would fix it. His excuse had something to do with the color he used. Fine. I had to go back for a haircut anyway. Long story short, it was a repeat performance. The cut was great and, in the dim light, my hair looked fine. Not so fine when I stepped into my bathroom light. In fact, dare I say it’s worse? I called the salon and gave them a piece of my mind, err hair, and they told me to come back again. Are you kidding? I hope I never have to step foot in place again unless it’s to get my money back. (If you want to see my review on Yelp, it’s here.)
Monday is going to be interesting. Hope I can find a hat.
This time last year, I was a certified gym rat. You couldn’t pull me out of the gym. But tonight I just became fed up. It’s one thing to exercise and quite another to be a slave to the gym. I won’t reveal which gym I go to, but let me tell you this: after waiting for a treadmill and fighting for a spot on the weight room floor, I finally found an exercise machine not being used or hovered over. And then, it was broken. Gyms in NYC aren’t the cheapest. With my corporate discount, I’m still paying more than 70 bucks a month. For what? Despite all the frustration, I’m still a little torn. Do I bail? I spend more time exercising in my apartment anyway. Do I join a more reasonably priced gym even if it is less convenient? What do you guys think? Are you for or against the gym?
One thing I do know – every once in a while you need some chocolate chips in your oats. I love working out in the morning, but don’t always enjoy eating right away, so I like to pack oats and extras in tupperware that I can easily make into oatmeal at my office.
Today’s example…Choco Chip Oatmeal Supreme.
In the bowl: oats, vegan choco chips, stevia, a pinch of salt, a dash of cinnamon.
Just add hot water & a splash of soy milk…
Morning delight!
