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My favorite things! April Edition

Apr15
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It doesn’t really feel like Spring…

so, just because Oprah and I are basically the SAME thing, I give you THIS: the new edition of my favorite stuff, where you discover new things you might like  or tell me you’ve been using that old trick for 5 years, and quickly unsubscribe from the blog. 

In no particular order:

stink free sports detergent

wow. seriously. there’s some gear I am careful with. Like my 2014 (neon orange) Boston jacket (because I RUINED my 2010 boston jacket, ha). I love this detergent! Try it (also check that site as they have other amazing things!).

What I love more than this detergent? The mini version of this detergent!! I travel super light I usually bring 1 pair of shorts, 1 bra, etc, so I just leave my clothes on the sink with this for a bit, and voila, ready for the next run!!! Won’t travel without it! WHY RISK IT, right?

fitletic double pouch

fitletic double pouch belt review product review running gear running belt this thing is my house. I have SO many belts (I’ve literally haven’t touched the other ones in years!) but this one is my favorite. Because it has TWO pockets! one is always pre-loaded with my keys, a tissue, some cash, sometimes a gel, whatever! The big one is for my iphone (currently a 6).

I usually add honey sticks in there and what not. I like that the phone is separate as I was always worried, when you take your phone quickly, that all the other crap (keys!!) would fall out! That’s not a problem here! You know we take stuff out without stopping the run!!! I’ve had it for over 2 years and it’s still in top shape. I just did a get new one because my dad sorta “claimed” my old one when he saw it…! check it out here.

I am so comfortable with it that I’ve run many races with it, including the Boston Mary.

runinkspired running tattoos

umm. yes. motivation? check. fun on the road? check. badass look? check. Temporary??? YES! easy to put on, what else do you need to know??? They are awesome. They are here. I got a bunch and been using them when it’s hot out. Love them!

sweatstyle

Designer fitness apparel hand picked just for you. I stole this text from the website because how I could I say it better? Basically you create your own profile, pick what sort of sports you do, what you like (patterns, colors, etc), what sort of stuff you need more or less of (tops, bottoms, accessories, etc.) and then… you get a lovely package with things they select for you (and a return envelope to return what you don’t want to keep). Just like Stitch Fix for sports!

I like this sort of stuff because, let’s be realistic, we’d all be buying the same exact crap into eternity. It’s like when an ex (years years ago) gave me a light tan max mara cute little bag… ugh, TAN? YUK. Does he not know me at all? Every purse I own is neon!!! Anyway, because it WASN’T just like everything else I had, I ended up using it a LOT. I still have it actually. My point is that, because WE didn’t pick it, it might actually fill some hole in our wardrobe.

So, in my first shipment I got TWO things I NEVER would have bought, or really, even bother to look at a store. And I am obsessed with them!!!!! Worn them SO much already in two weeks! I even wore the tights in my race this past weekend! The top has three things I’d usually HATE: white/kangaroo pocket/mesh fabric!!! And, I LOVE IT. The tights… omg, they’re so soft and comfy… For anyone who’s ever tried to buy a present you know I am IMPOSSIBLE (my bday was two weeks ago, I returned most of it!) so this is a miracle.

under armour anything studio lux shoes

It’s not a secret that I am obsessed with all the UA gear. Want me to tell you again? Their infrared shirts have changed the way I approach winter now! but this is my obsession of the month!!! these shoes are SO COOL, and LIGHT, and COMFY, and BENDY. It’s a go.

I included some vacation pictures so you can see how I wear them with ANYTHING. It’s shocking I haven’t worn them to bed yet.

I also got a bunch more stuff from Under Armour in the last months. These blue tights are amazing (besides cool), super thin and soft. I wore them once and then to the NYC Half (that’s how much I trusted them!). Ps: they have a side pocket that fits my iphone 6, with a little hole for the headset!

The shell storm jacket, OH, obsessed, best top layer ever. And the shoes, those are the new record-equipped Gemini 2 that connect via bluetooth to a phone and track your mileage. Even when you run without your phone. I still have two Geminis (1) that I love and these feel quite similar, but it’s fun to think about going out without a gps watch!!!!

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Questions? Anything you discovered this month that you love and couldn’t live without???? Share!

Me vs ALL FOOD

Oct14

Ray Bradbury is never wrong:

“I hate a Roman named Status Quo!” He said to me. “Stuff your eyes with wonder,” he said, “live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds.  See the world.  It’s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories.  Ask no guarantees, ask for no security, there never was such an animal.  And if there where it would be related to the great sloth which hangs upside down in a tree all day every day, sleeping its life away.  To hell with that,” he said, ” shake the tree and knock the great sloth down on his ass.”

Seize the Day. The Week. The Race.

For the next two days I am going to seize as much food as possible.

There’s a half empty jar of Nutella on my desk now. I am starting at the top of my pyramid (pyramid explanation is here).

 

In tomorrow’s episode: a condensed milk can. Or two. Plus everything else.

…the Bachelorette…

May26

What do you know? Every-single-time I go to this supermarket, it’s like I’m in an episode of The Bachelorette! I am really not sure what’s going on there, it’s just surreal, there’s not one time that I have been there that I wasn’t hit on. But it’s two blocks from my apartment, and the closest place where I can find some brands I like…

And it’s a tiny place too, not one of those mega markets, but I think because the space is so limited it invites people to get close and make small talk. I have 4 supermarkets within a 3 block radio. This never happens in the other ones!

I understand my basket contents could be screaming “look at me!”, but still… The guy behind me in the line for the register looked like his head was going to explode… Here’s the receipt:

And in case you can’t see it…
Skippy Reduced Fat Super Chunk PB
Nutella Hazelnut Spread 13oz
Nutella Hazelnut Spread 13oz
Nutella Hazelnut Spread 13oz
Bulgur Cracked Wheat
Bulgur Cracked Wheat
Quinoa

Is this even normal? Do people meet up while grocery shopping? Does what you’re shopping for make a difference? What if I needed TP (…Toilet paper, not trainig partner this time!…) or anything less glamorous?? What would be the regular supermarket pickup lines?

My “Grainy” Research

Apr2

My diet is something… something! You’ve seen too many pictures of me hugging burgers, cupcakes, and donuts. But, I don’t really eat like that all the time. And of course there’s a few rules. For example, I earn a donut every 5 miles, but if I am running that day, then there’s no rules!

It always ends up going back to me eating whatever/whenever I feel like.

I REALLY enjoy food. I love food. I think about food constantly. I daydream about food. And I am fortunate that I can (mostly) eat whatever I like. Luckily, I don’t crave sugar all the time. Some days I crave red meat. But on the days when I am not craving something, which is always very specific (and usually has “Shake Shack” or “caramel” in the name), I eat really healthy. Disappointed? Sorry, it’s true though. I said healthy, I didn’t say how much of it…

With a 100% Italian family, you’d think my staple is pasta. It’s not. I’d been totally spoiled with my nonna’s hand-rolled fusilli (ah, she rolled each one of them!) with home-made tomato sauce, and since then, all the other pasta in the world is tasteless to me. I do have whole wheat spaghetti once in a while but I’ve been in love with the the grains-as-pasta/rice replacement for a while. I’ve moved past the brown rice onto ingesting crazy amounts of Quinoa and Buckwheat in the last year (buckwheat is great for breakfast too!). I LOVE LOVE LOVE red Quinoa. It’s the best thing there is in the world. And it’s also ridiculously delicious.

So, last month, when RW had an article about this and listed the best grains, I brought the list (April issue, “Edible remedies”, page 37) with me on my grocery shopping. I only found wheat berries and bulgur (this is the brand) on my first try. Bulgur is ridiculously rich in fiber, and cooks super fast, like Quinoa (15 mins!). It’s also very light and fluffy, almost airy. Wheat Berries are dense, heavy, sweet, and crunchy (more similar to buckwheat, though not as smoky). And though I liked it too, it takes FOREVER to cook. So, it might be just a weekend thing, I think it was over one hour before it was ready to go (that’s what she said!!!!!). Over an hour is really not cool. Not cool, wheat berries. I still like you though.

I have 4 supermarkets within a 4-block radio. I am hitting the next one soon for more list items, but with a headset and sunglasses because every-single-time I go to C-Town on 1st Ave men seem to think it’s a good opportunity to chat me up. EVERY-SINGLE-TIME!!!  I should probably put some really weird stuff in my basket to get some alone time with my list.