Teach Me Something Thursday, Volume Thirteen.

The thirteenth installment of TMST is a veg-friendly spin on one of my favorite foods - tacos! Allie, from the awesome blog, Beauty + the Feast, shows us how to make these meatless treats with nuts. Yes, you read that right. These tacos can be made vegan or vegetarian, its up to you. Print out the recipe card to see what you'll need for the "meat" + head to the store to snag all of the usual suspects [tortillas, favorite cheese blend, veggies, etc.]. Enjoy!

Hi, short girl, long island. readers! I'm Allie and I blog over at Beauty and the Feast (you should come on by and say hello)! Today I am here to teach you all how to make "nutty tacos," a great and healthy vegetarian taco alternative. Full of protein, these tacos will surprise the biggest meat eater... I promise!

Don't forget to head over to Beauty + the Feast for more fantastic recipes + other treats!

Bobby Flay + America's Best Home Cook.

Something you might not know: my guilty pleasure is watching Food Network. This is often where I get ideas for my kitchen creations. Well, this week, Food Network contacted me, looking for some of my New York readers to participate in the new show, starring Bobby Flay! If you are a fan of the Flay, I suggest you apply sooner rather than later. Here is the casting information. If any of you are chosen, let me know - I'll try + sneak on set with you to get the scoop + blog about it!

If you'd like additional information, visit bobbysbesthomecookcasting.com

Birthday Adventuring: Greenport.

This afternoon, Erich and I ventured out to Greenport, which is located on the North Fork of Long Island. It usually takes over an hour to get out there, but since we were stuck behind a construction vehicle on a single lane road, it tacked on an extra thirty minutes on to our drive. We didn't mind, though. The windows were down and the pre-autumn air swirled around us, as we talked and listened to music. Scenery heading out east is spectacular as well. Vineyards, farm stands, windmills and beautiful homes kept our attention as we make the trek out east.

When we got into town, I suggested we snag a late lunch at BBQ Bill's. They have indoor and outdoor seating, and since the weather was absolutely gorgeous today, we opted for the outdoor seating. I have been dying to try a brew from Greenport Harbor Brewing Company, so I ordered their Harbor Pale, which was delicious. The brewery is within walking distance from the restaurant, but we just wanted to lay low and enjoy some time together. We had fun sneaking random pictures of each other and Erich said he would help me take some photos for our adventure, so I could blog about it. I totally forgot to take a picture of my food, but Erich captured his before digging in. He joked that I was missing my obligatory food shot. Honestly, I was too busy talking and enjoying the time with him, that I completely forgot to snap a shot. I chose the pulled pork sandwich with macaroni and cheese, while Erich opted for the pulled chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries. The mac and cheese was bland (one of the few foods I am super picky about), but I added some pulled pork to it, which definitely made it taste better.

After lunch, we walked around Greenport for a bit longer, then decided to head back home. Our allergies/sinuses started acting up again, plus we needed to make a pit stop at my cousin's house for his fourth birthday. 

It got darker earlier than usual, so I snapped a couple shots while we drove westward. Next trip, I really want to head to Modern Snack Bar in Aquebogue. I have always been intrigued by the quaint building and the eye-catching sign. I just read reviews, and it seems like a solid dining choice. 

By the time we got to my cousin's house, we had just missed the piñata, and saw the birthday boy in tears! He was upset that the piñata was smashed, so his dad promised to piece it back together, so he could keep it on his dresser. I gave him his card, to try and help ease his worries. The card definitely helped take his mind off the piñata, and soon, we were ready to sing happy birthday. Even though my head was pounding and my eyes were burning (awesome week to get sick, huh?), I was really happy to see my family. One little showed me how she could do cartwheels, another told us that he was going to kindergarten soon, and littlest princess wouldn't let me put her down, covering me in cookie crumbs. The rest of the peanuts ran around, sippy cups or cookies in tow. They are seriously the cutest. Earlier that day, LYSA held a pep rally in memory of Dominic, to retire his football number and to announce they would give out a scholarship for the next three years, until Dom would have graduated. Tonight, I could see the sadness in everyone's eyes at the party. He's been gone three months; its so weird to celebrate milestones without him. Whenever I get sad about Dom being gone, I let the waterworks flow, then think about what Dom would want me to do. If he were here, he would give me a hug (probably a cookie, too), flash that wonderful smile of his, and tell me not to worry, that everything will be okay. He would want me to smile and enjoy life. So that's what I'm doing. 

Coconut Butter + Chocolate = Candy!

Last week, I got lots of fun stuff in the mail. Postcards and letters from pen pals, fancy postcards to send to said pen pals, and a boatload of nut butters from Artisana. I have purchased their cashew butter and Cacao Bliss in the past and loved it, but had not tried many of their other products. They graciously sent me over lots of goodies to try.

Now, I have had ample time to try all of the nut butters they sent me. I picked up a slew of apples and bananas to snack on at work. Between phone calls, I would squeeze a bit on my fruit and take a bite. Super convenient and not messy whatsoever. I really liked their almond butter, and really dug the macadamia butter - it has teeny tiny bits of macadamia nuts in it, which made the texture awesome. I didn't dislike the pecan or walnut butters, but they weren't my favorite of the bunch. I've never really been a fan of either nut, which probably has to do with this. When I was younger, we would have mixed nuts in a wooden bowl on the table. The pecans and walnuts were always my least favorite. Apparently, not much has changed over the years. So, if you like walnuts and pecans, I have a feeling you will like the pecan and walnut butter. 

I used the coconut oil as a moisturizer on my arms and legs after my shower, and it worked wonders. No, this isn't the first time I've done this. If you haven't tried this, I suggest you do (unless you're allergic, then stay away). Next trip I take, I will definitely grab a few of these packets for travel - I wouldn't dare take my jar of coconut oil with me. With my luck, I wouldn't close the jar completely, and it would be a disaster, to say the least. I ate the Cacao Bliss straight out of the package, because its just that delicious. 

 Now, I needed to do something awesome with the coconut butter. I was craving candy when I was mixing the jar, so I decided to chop up little bits of chocolate, mix it with the coconut butter, then freeze it for about then minutes. This took all of fifteen minutes to do, including mixing the settled coconut butter. 

Chocolate Coconut Butter Candies

3 ounces Artisana coconut butter, mixed thoroughly

1/4 ounce chocolate of your choice, roughly chopped (I used Raaka's Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt)

Ice cube mold (or a candy mold, whatever floats your boat)

Step one: mix your coconut butter - make sure its not separated. Like natural peanut butter, this will also have naturally occurring separation of oil and solids.

Step two: chop your chocolate. I chose this chocolate because I figured the sea salt would be a nice touch to the sweetness, and I was so right. Its not strong, but it adds a nice depth to the flavors. You can use whatever chocolate you have on hand. I'm sure it will be delicious any way you make it!

 Step three: put a few bits of chocolate into the bottom of your mold. Scoop a bit of coconut butter into your ice cube tray or candy mold. Make sure to tap the tray or mold lightly (I stress lightly, because you don't want to make a mess - can you tell I've been down this road before?), so remove air bubbles. Place a few pieces of chocolate on the coconut butter. Finish filling the mold with coconut butter, and sprinkle a bit more chocolate on the top. You don't have to put a lot of chocolate, unless you want to. I just put a pinch each time, because I wanted to incorporate it, without mixing it in with a spoon.

Step four: place your tray/mold in the freezer for about ten minutes. Remove and toss in the fridge until you're ready to pop the candies out. I left mine in for about thirty minutes, then transferred them into a wooden bowl. They've been in there for a couple days, and they still taste delicious. I used one of my awesome dinosaur ice cube trays to make these fun, but as I mentioned before, use whatever you have lying around.

My first experience with coconut butter was yummy. If any of you have ways to use your coconut butter in the kitchen, let me know! I'd love to experiment with the rest of the jar!

Instagramification.

 I seriously love getting mail. Last week, I got a TON of goodies. Postcards from pen pals, new postcards to mail out to my friends, samples from Artisana, and samples from LA Fresh. Last month, I did a write-up on LA Fresh's beauty on the go, and they sent me more fun stuff to check out. This time, there is stuff for the guys, so I'm making Erich test some of these out for me!

 Now that I have a desk job, I need to pack snacks to eat healthy and not be tempted by lunch specials at the local restaurants (I have fallen victim lately). Each day, I have been testing a different Artisana nut butter, to be able to write the review. I don't mind getting healthy products to review. It actually helps keep me on track, believe it or not!

 I love driving around with Erich, especially with the windows down in the summer. The other day, I forgot to bring a hair tie with me, so my hair was all over the place. I snapped a picture, to show the mayhem. After seeing how out of control my hair can get if I forget a hair tie, I'm pretty sure that I won't be buying a convertible. Too much of a hair hassle, ha!

I tried out a new photo app, called Pic/Photo Collage. It was free, so I figured I didn't have anything to lose, expect some of my precious time. I tested it out with a few photos from an outfit I wore to a family affair this afternoon. It was really nice seeing this part of my family - I don't see them often, due to varying schedules and distance. Hopefully I will be able to see them before summer comes to an end.

Evening Sandwich Adventuring.

For the last week, my friend Jess has been trying to coordinate plans with me. We finally aligned our schedules and had a late lunch today. Seeing as our money trees slowed down on production lately, we wanted to get something that would be filling, but not wallet-draining. I have often heard friends of mine speak of the amazing sandwiches made at The Portly Villager, which is a local pub, located in Sayville. We decided to try it out. After all, you really can't go wrong with a sandwich.

Upon entering The Portly (this is what the locals refer to the pub as), we realized we were the only females in the room. Heck, we were the only people under the age of forty in the room. Not that we minded this, or that they minded us. The men were at the bar, eating and drinking, watching the Olympics and conversing. Nothing rowdy, no one being belligerent, people just spending time together. The gentleman tending bar told us to have a seat wherever we liked. Once we pulled up a chair, he asked us if we had been before. Jess had come for a drink one night, but never ordered food. He presented us with a menu, a card, and a pencil. This was going to be fun.

 The specials menu lists thirty specialty sandwiches The Portly offers. This is all they have, but they do it well. On certain days, they offer soup or chili. They were serving gazpacho, but we decided to skip it and go for the sandwiches. Now, for the card. What you do is check off which number sandwich you'd like. If there is something else you want, have no fear. The card has a create your own sandwich checklist. Best part of this? Every sandwich is $10, no matter what you order. This also includes your tax, which I think is much easier, especially when tipping. I think its a pain for waitstaff to receive a tip that requires them to carry change in their pocket. As if they don't have enough to carry around.

Jess and I decided to split our sandwiches, so we could try a couple different options. We chose the Portly Cheese Steak and the Southwest Panini. After we handed in our cards, we were given a basket of popcorn. Not bad, huh?

 Within fifteen minutes, our sandwiches came out in these nice baskets. The cook knew we were sharing our treats, so he split them up for us. The sandwiches came with chips, homemade coleslaw, and a pickle. Perfect sandwich pairings. Our sandwiches were insanely delicious. I can't say I have a favorite, seeing as they are both so different. Since E was working, I ordered him a Cuban panini to go. I knew later on that night, I'd sneak a bite of his to see how it was. I did, and it was heavenly.

I didn't have a beer, seeing as I don't like drinking and driving (my father instilled fear in me at a very young age regarding this), but I was thrilled to see the pub boasting half a dozen Blue Point Brewing Company selections on tap. This is what I love about my area - local businesses are always working together and carrying each others products. I can't name one local place I frequent that doesn't offer something created by another local business.

I couldn't eat all of my food, so I brought home something to nibble on for a late dinner. I also grabbed a card to go, so I could show Erich what they offer. Sandwiches are served til 10pm Saturday - Thursday, and til 11pm on Friday. This is perfect for nights when we want a late snack, or when I'm too lazy to cook before work - I can call a sandwich in the night before. I'm really looking forward to visiting The Portly Villager again, next time, I'm creating my own masterpiece!

Instagramification.

I'm not one for carrying around a camera, so I rely on my trusty iPhone to do the job. Here are some bits + pieces from the last week that put a smile on my face.

My business cards from moo.com arrived! They are super fun + I love how they are customizable. The folks at moo.com gave me a 10% discount to pass along to my pals, so if you want to snag a set, click here (the discount is in the link).

Erich + I went to La Tavola in Sayville for a nice, romantic lunch. We were the only people dining outdoors, so it was nice to have that privacy - its rare that we have peace + quiet. I tried my very first lobster roll (the cold variety). I was so stuffed from the yummy appetizers, that I took the entire sandwich home + ate it for dinner. Super delicious + it didn't break the bank. Gotta love lunch specials!

I laid outside for the first time this summer, for all of about twenty minutes. I'm not looking to get burnt to a crisp, but I definitely needed a bit of sunshine.

Music flashback: I jammed to M.I.A's Paper Planes, reminiscing of my summers spent at Brock's on Tuesday nights for wings + Blue Point Blueberry Ales with my old pals.

I was gifted a plethora of fresh cherries and peaches this week. I shared the wealth, because there was no way we would be able to eat this all on our own!

I am obsessed with Burger King's iced coffee. I get them to make it half mocha, half vanilla. It tastes like a delicious chocolate milk with a hint of coffee flavor. The caffeine gives a nice swift kick, which is always a plus.

If you have never watched The Annoying Orange, I highly suggest you watch a few clips on YouTube. Erich + I lazed around in bed for a bit today, watching fun stuff on YouTube. Some of the skits are cheesy, but a lot of them are pretty hilarious. He had never seen these before - he had only heard the game that I have on my iPhone. Now he understood the odd voice that would yell "knife!" from my speakers.

Adventures in American Cheese.

I love cheese. If I could survive on coffee, cheese, crusty bread and cured meats (with the occasional ice cream treat, obviously), and not become the size of a house, that would make my life complete. On Thursday, an extreme cheese monster was created, and there is no turning back for me now. I had plans that evening with my friend, Deidra, and I wanted to pick up a small assortment of goodies to enjoy with wine. Because thats how we roll, of course. Whenever I am driving through West Sayville, I always pass American Cheese, and say to myself that I needed to stop in sometime. Unless I write it on a to-do list or in my planner, its probably not happening. The other day, after having lunch with Erich, I told him I was going there.

So I did. No to-do list required this time. I was a little Midge on a mission. A mission for cheese.

I walked into American Cheese and was greeted by the owner, Erin Nicosia. I told her what I was looking to get, price-wise. After asking me what I did and didn't like (anything but bleu - only on salads, at least for now), she provided me with a few samples, and explained the cheeses to me. I didn't walk in planning to write about my quest for cheese, but it was a great experience, and I was surrounded by so much deliciousness. I knew I had to blog about it - it would be a crime if I didn't! This post is going to be picture-heavy, but you need to see American Cheese it all its glory.

 I asked Erin what made her decide to open a cheese shop (I informed her that I was a blogger, so that she wasn't creeped out by a plethora of questions from a random stranger). When she was attending college in Northern California, she had fallen in love with a local cheese shop. Erin made the decision that once she retired, she wanted to open up a cheese shop in her hometown. The dream of cheese happened sooner than she had originally anticipated (we are around the same age), and American Cheese opened two years ago.

While I was snapping pictures, a woman had come in and asked for a good cheddar cheese. In my head, I was thinking, they're all good if they're in here, and Erin's response was that they were all good, but it depends on what you prefer. A sweeter cheese? Something sharper? American Cheese has a cheese for everyone. Unless you're vegan. Then, my friend, you are out of luck. As the name of the shop informs patrons, all of the cheeses sold here are created in the United States, and are from various locations throughout the country. Erin also stocks local favorites, such as Miss Amy's Preserves.

 We chatted some more and realized we have a mutual friend in common - Niko Krommydas. I should have known, Niko knows everyone. He actually wrote a few pieces mentioning American Cheese for Long Island Pulse - yes, the same place I intern. Once I chose the rest of my goodies to go with my two boxes of cheese (delicious crostini Erin prepares, Olli Calabrese Spicy Salame, and Partners Olive Oil and Herb Crackers), I was on my way. The boxes Erin created were enough for 2-3 people to share. She also put in a generous amount of dried fruit and almonds to enjoy with the cheese.

The cheeses below are Midnight Moon aged Gouda, Bella Balsamic Parmesan (soaked in balsamic vinegar, yum), and Flagship Reserve Cheddar. They were absolutely delicious. I even swung by today to snag a couple snack-sized lunch boxes to take to work with me. I already know what I want to try next time I visit - Erin's custom cheese blend, with fig and local honey.

If you are in the Sayville area, or are just passing through, I would definitely take a detour to American Cheese. This is the perfect snack to bring out to the vineyards, or over to one of the many craft breweries on Long Island. While you're surfing the 'net, make sure to check out American Cheese on Facebook and Twitter.

Here, There, and Everywhere.

Recently, I have been MIA on the blog. Things have been pretty hectic over here, but in a good way. I finally snagged a part-time job, which means I will have income rolling in. Its not what I thought I would be doing, but its close to home and its money. One school starts up I have to find a month-long student teaching placement. The hours will collide, so I don't know how that will pan out. I'm really not concerned at the moment, because I need to figure out what the academic deal is on the first day of class. Speaking of class, I started summer classes: part deux. Same professor, less classes, but much longer hours. I love the professor and the course, and my classmates are great - definitely makes a five-hour classes bearable. Next week is the final week, but due to the holiday vacation, I will be in class 25 hours next week. Not to mention I still have to go to work, put in some hours at my internship, plus do required schoolwork. I can't wait until the weekend is here, and this weekend isn't even over already!


Lets see, what else is new in my neck of the woods. Oh, I colored my hair again. I decided that before I head back to the classroom, my mane needed some fun colors. My friend Christina redid my highlights, then added some pink, purple, and teal. The teal (which was a mixture of a green and blue hair dye) wound up spreading all over my head, so its a unique shade at the moment, but it looks pretty cool. She plans on adding more pink into it, so she can enter a color contest this summer. 

Lazing around on July 4.

I keep forgetting to post about this, but I met Tony Lucca! He played a free show at Tanger Outlets in Deer Park at the end of June (told you I was behind on posts). I wound up running the merch table and met some really nice local fans of his, which I will see at the NYC show in November - the show is during the week of my 30th birthday, so if you dig his music you should definitely join me! Like I mentioned in a previous post, Lucca sounds phenomenal during live performances, and now I got to experience it in the flesh. It was pretty hot out, but that didn't affect him or his bandmates. Vocals were on pitch, guitars were in tune, and the audience loved it. Seeing as the venue did little to no promotion for the event, there was a decent turnout. Had they actually promoted it, even if it were just a week prior to the show, the turnout would have been at least double. I took my photographer, Avalon, with me. This was her first show, and she was a bit nervous. I told her to just go for it, and I think she did pretty well, seeing as this was new territory for her. Sometimes you need to be thrown into the water in order to learn how to swim. While slinging merch, a lot of folks came up to me and said they had never heard of Tony Lucca before, but they really enjoyed his music. Every single person who said that to me bought at least one CD, which was awesome. 

Soundcheck.

 I didn't speak to Lucca until after the show, but he's a really nice guy. His bandmates, Steve and Mic, are pretty awesome as well. Definitely folks you could sit down and bullshit with over a cold beer or three. Too bad there wasn't time to catch another interview over a game of darts. Maybe next time. 

Me and Tony after the Tanger show.

One of my best friends since childhood came for a quick visit on Friday. Sean came to New York on business, but caught a flight to Long Island so we could hang for the earlier part of the day. We feasted on bagel egg sandwiches at Corey Beach, lunched with my friends The Rachel's (they are both named Rachel and they are best friends, its awesome) at C'est Cheese, and Sean had his first taste of Ralph's Famous Italian Ices. It was a fun-filled afternoon, and I was sad to see him go. Hopefully I will be able to see him after he gets back from London - he will be at the Olympics this year!

C'est Cheese in Port Jefferson = insanely delicious!

I wish I could write more, but I have an overabundance of schoolwork to complete before class tomorrow. I had planned on getting some done during the week, but I decided that enjoying myself was a bit more important. Sometimes you just need to live a little. When it comes to academics, I perform best under pressure anyway, so getting everything done in one day is a challenge I enjoy. I hope you all enjoyed your weekend and have a great week! 

Teeccino - the Greatest Thing Since... Real Coffee.

A few months back, I was flipping through the channels and stumbled upon Dr. Oz. I've watched him on and off for years, and I adore him. He's so nice and his smile and positive attitude are contagious! At the moment I began watching, he was telling a viewer about an alternative to coffee. I was curious, because decaf coffee freaks me out. Why? I'll explain.

Did you know that most coffee companies, including your beloved Starbucks, use a chemical process to remove the caffeine? There is an alternative Swiss water process which can be utilized, but its pricier and more time consuming (fun fact I learned: when you use the Swiss water process to remove caffeine, it produces green coffee extract, which Starbucks is now using in their new line of Refreshers). So, needless to say, I avoid decaf coffee like the plague.

Now, the coffee alternative Dr. Oz shared is called Teeccino. Its a caffeine-free herbal coffee. Herbal coffee? Hmmm... I was skeptical, and went to the website to read ingredients. All natural ingredients, mostly organic (some are 75%, some are 100% - depends on the product), and fancy flavors. I wanted to give Teeccino a spin! I inquired about the products, and Teeccino said they would send a few samples over to me. Awesome. Well, when the package arrived, it much bigger than I had expected. 

They sent me Teeccino in two forms - tea bags + ground for all-purpose coffee pots. Since I haven't had a chance to get through all of the Teeccino yet (cutting caffeine back has been a grueling process, but I'm doing it, slowly but surely), but I got to sample the tea bags, so I can give some feedback on those thus far. The four tea bags I received were Chocolate, French Roast, Hazelnut and Vanilla Nut. If you have a nut allergy, do not, I repeat, do not drink the ones with the nuts. As I always say, read the package beforehand.

So, the first flavor of Teeccino that I tried was the Chocolate. I was surprised at how much it actually smelled like chocolate. When I sipped it black, it wasn't bad, but working for Starbucks for ten years gave me a serious coffee tasting palate. I knew that I would enjoy this with some sort of creamer. I used  bit of a sweetened cashew creamer, and it was delicious. I tried the French Roast, which was better than regular french roast coffee. I hate French Roast in coffee form, but could drink this. Again, tasted better with a sweetened milk product.


I finally put my finger on what Teeccino tastes like - flavored pods for my Keurig (which hasn't been used in about a year now)! They flavor is enhanced by adding a drop of sweetener and creamer. Or, a sweetened creamer, which I prefer - all natural, of course. My favorites were the Hazelnut and Vanilla Nut. I am actually enjoying a cup of the Vanilla Nut right now. We are out of my regular creamer, so I used a splash of Erich's favorite - Horizon Organic Lowfat Chocolate Milk. I must admit, it tastes amazing. I try to avoid dairy, but it was only a tablespoon, nothing crazy. Definitely enhanced the flavors and added some body to the beverage.


So, what is the consensus of this coffee snob? Teeccino is the way to go, when it comes to the realm of decaffeinated beverages. My favorite is the Vanilla Nut, but if you have nut allergies, steer clear. You can snag Teeccino at your local Whole Foods, or you can order straight from their site. They are running a special on their Sampler Pack, exclusively through Facebook. If you "like" Teeccino, you can order the Sampler Pack for $10.99, including shipping, through the provided link. Like them here and click on Special Offers tab. Trust me, its worth it - even if you keep it in the house for guests who prefer decaffeinated brews.


Next month I will be reviewing the ground flavors of Teeccino I received. I plan on testing out some iced coffee, along with some sweet treats. Are there any sweet treats you would like to see me make with Teeccino? Suggestions are welcomed!

First 5K = Complete!

On Saturday morning, I woke up a bit after 4a, to head over to my mom's house to get ready for our first 5k. I wanted to make sure I had some caffeine, food and water in me before I ran, so thats why I had a 4a wake up call. We left at 6, and made it to the Bronx Zoo a little after 7. Parking was a breeze, and we milled around outside the start line at the morning festivities. There was face painting, breakfast, and a bunch of participants just hanging out. 

 While we waited for Erich (he drove separately, because he didn't need to be there super early), we got our faces painted. The lady used neon colors, just like my sneakers, so I matched. She went all out, and I definitely stood out. When I saw Erich, I waved to get his attention. He didn't even recognize me!

Me + my mom, shortly before the 5K.

Crazy neon feline makeup!

Me + lover boy!

 I was super nervous about running, so instead of doing the regular 5K, I participated in the Family Run/Walk 5K, because you were able to run at your own pace. I figured that it would be less stressful, because I wouldn't be the last one crossing the line. In reality, I should have done the regular 5K. There were so many people with strollers! I had to sprint past them all in the beginning, which was not the brightest idea, because it threw my pace off for the rest of the race. Something else that surprised me? The hills! Not that show with LC and Heidi, but terrain that I've never tried running on before. They weren't gigantic, but they were big enough to make my legs hurt. I had to stop a few times to rest my legs and regulate my breathing, which I was alright with. At one point, I was jogging behind this girl who just STOPPED running out of nowhere and came to a complete standstill to show her friend something, so I had to think fast and jet from behind her. Thankfully I didn't get in anyone else's path, because that could have been disastrous. I finished the race in 36 minutes, which isn't horrible, but its not fantastic, either. It was a learning experience, for sure. Don't start off too quickly and don't run when strollers are present, ha!

Crossing the finish line.

After the run was over we hung out for a little bit, then headed home. I showered and took a nap, then headed out for girls night with Liz and Irene. Liz and I said months ago that we were going to pig out the night after the race, and we did! We headed over to KB's Burger Shack for our feast. We split bacon cheeseburger skins and I ordered a breakfast burger (a burger topped with bacon, cheese and an egg) with Texas fries, which had cheese and jalapeños. I only ate my fries and 1/4 of my burger, because I was stuffed. I brought the rest home for the boy.

Sharing bacon cheeseburger skins - sharing is caring!

Beyond delicious. 

Fancy pants artwork on our paper tablecloth.

After I got home from dinner, I realized we were out of kitty litter, so we ran up to the grocery store. While I was there, I checked to see if they had Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Therapy, because I had been craving it for a week. Finally, I found it! I had some when I came home, then passed out. I slept for ten hours, and woke up feeling refreshed. 

Best ice cream I've had in ages - worth every calorie!

Now that my first 5K is out of the way, I am looking forward to my next one. My friend, Tara, mentioned a lock 5K this June, which I want to run in. Plus,  The Color Run in August. Once I can manage a time under 30 minutes, I will start training for a 10K!