Whitney Lately Vol. 2

Admiring lately:IMG_8663

Lower Manhattan

This is from a recent Uber ride from Brooklyn to MSG to eat gluten free pizza and have have macaroons from the bus station. This view will be a part of my daily life.  It’s always been in me.

Crushing lately:

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Tone It Up Bikini Series 

“Crushing” might be a little strong but I’m officially on the last day of the TIU Bikini Series.  I gotta say, it’s 8 weeks, but those weeks really did fly by.  There’s an app that has free daily moves every day.  Each day is dedicated to a certain body part you’re working.  You swipe through the moves and then the last screen is this one.  A little encouragement is always welcome.

Seriously check it out.  I’m a TIU girl now for the long run.

Sipping lately:

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Knoebel’s Cookie Nook

All the iced coffee  

I’m loving my coffee cold even more so than usual.  It just tastes sooo good to me this time of year.  Who am I kidding?  It tastes good any time of the year but in winter my hands start to freeze if I don’t get hot drinks.  But then again, that’s what I have gloves for.

Researching lately:

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Summer Events

On July 18 I am going to an event for the Almost 30 podcast  in NYC and I cannot wait.  I took the day off  and the next day just because I’ll get back late on a “school night.”  Even though the event only starts at 6:30 pm, I’m planning on taking some time in the city before it starts.  Right now, my schedule is wide open.  I’m a planner but I’m working on being more flexible with my schedule.  It’s actually way tougher than I thought it would be when I started to work on this trait a few months ago.  I actually feel stress when I have something “fun” planned but I don’t have an entire, completed, highly-detailed itinerary in my possession.  Anyway…I am slowly getting there and am allowing myself to enjoy some true free time.  So, for this day trip I had to at least have some things in mind.  As we speak I have a few options:

  • Catch a matinee show on Broadway (This most def. revolves around finding a good price.)
    • Currently cruising this site right here for tips and tricks – Last Minute Broadway Tickets
    • I’m dying to see Anastasia and Dear Evan Hansen (amazing music that I only know because of my Greatest Showman Pandora station)
  • Find a new cafe and people watch while I enjoy a great coffee and pastry
  • Eat at a top chef restaurant for lunch and take my time enjoying the meal
  • FINAAAALLLY go to a Soul Cycle class
    • I so want to do this eventually but my main reason for most likely striking this one from the docket is that I won’t look super cute for the Almost 30 shindig a few hours later
  • Possibly find a semi-affordable hotel for the night so I can leisurely enjoy myself without rushing home at 9pm

Watching Lately:

Imposters TV show on Bravo: ratings (cancel or season 2?)
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Imposters

This was just recommended to me by a friend and I’m hooked.  A Bravo show that follows a team of con artists and the jilted marks who are trying to catch them.  I”m currently catching up on the first season on Netflix and will probably finish it in a few days.

Tonight I’m heading to see Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and can’t wait.  I haven’t looked at a single review because I want to just go enjoy Chris Pratt, Jeff Goldblum, and some Velociraptors.

 

Whitney Victoria4 Comments

Food In Review

First off, let me just say I’m pretty happy the Eagles finally did it again. I heard fireworks and people hooting and hollering in the neighborhood! But….. that doesn’t mean I watched any of it. I was refreshing the score a tad obsessively near the end though…Wait, I lie!  I watched this Chris Pratt commercial…twice, and I’m not apologizing.  He makes me happy.  Just following my bliss…hah.

It’s not news that I’m obsessed with grocery shopping.  The food, the endless new products, the coffee bars, , the mini carts with cupholders to carry the coffee I just bought…The only thing I don’t love is the freezing temperature that somehow is not just in the frozen aisles.  Another recent trip to Whole Foods was as delightful to be expected.

Also unsurprisingly, I love trying new healthy products and want to share whatever I learn.  As much fun as it is to do some testing, it’s not great fun to spend my hard-earned money on something I don’t like and end up ditching.  Thus, I’m a nerd who reads food reviews.  Here are some of my own!  Most of my new purchases are snacks.  You know snacks are the best.

Ripple Half and Half

I’m usually into black coffee but lately I’ve been wanting just little bit of milk to smooth it out.  If I ever add something to my coffee, I prefer real half and half for the richness it adds without the sweetness.  There are a lot non-dairy creamers out there and I am underwhelmed by most of them.  I recently discovered Califia Farms line and enjoy it but I’m not settled enough to stop trying new ones.  I’ve seen Ripple milk for awhile but never saw the half and half until this weekend.  Pleased to say it’s great for a creamy touch with only 1 gram of sugar per tablespoon and clean, pea protein.

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Verdict: Great as a non-dairy sub for half and half. Not so great if you’re into sugary creamers.

Whole Foods Americano 

IMG_7474Wow, I can’t believe I waited this long to get an Americano from the WF coffee bar.  It was delicious just straight up, no cream. I’m still finishing it up cold because I’m weird and drink coffee any way I can get it.

Verdict: Bold.  Yes, please.  Trading it in for the Costa Rican blend I usually go for.

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I love salt.  I used to be a cracker addict.  I could finish half a box of Cheez-Its in one sitting.  The problem with that is it’s all chemicals, gluten, and artificial dyes. These rice snaps are not low sodium but they are gluten-free, crispy, and richly flavorful.  The first word that comes to mind when I try to describe the taste is umami. According to Urban Dictionary, it’s definition is the pretentious way of saying the 5th human taste (salty, sweet, bitter, sour, and savory, aka “umami”) Sorry, I watch a lot of Top Chef…

Verdict: Satisfying as lunch topped with tuna and good with hummus or avocado as a snack.

Hail Merry Sea Salt Caramel Bites

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I am doing a gluten detox for at least three months to get it out of my system and I really wanted something cake-like yesterday.  It’s not that easy to find, even at a Whole Foods.  No, this wasn’t the heavenly WF carrot cake that I was craving but these little, refrigerated cookies were good.  Butttt, these were an impulse buy, fueled by hunger so I didn’t realize they were coconut macaroons.  I was hoping for more of a crumbly/pastry-type cookie.

Verdict: I’d buy them again if I’m looking for a coconut taste and texture.  The sweet caramel flavor was nice and I only needed one to feel like I had dessert.

P.S. This Cookie Dough Is Good Ror You

It’s edible, protein-packed, chickpea-based cookie dough.  Um, duh.  And, it’s in a nice little container for 190 calories.  This is nice because I’ll admit I’ve bought those terrible, break-off pre-made cookie dough packs and popped them like candy…like you haven’t.  I’m glad this is one serving.  No need to have an endless supply of dough in my fridge.

PEANUT BUTTER COOKIE DOUGH

Verdict: Peanut Butter Cookie Dough flavor was pretty amazing. If I didn’t know it was chickpeas, I don’t think I would have guessed it was conventional cookie dough.

Anyone buy any random new foods lately?  Obviously, I’m always open to suggestions!

~Whitney Victoria Eating well is a form of self respect - AZENDA.com

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Whitney Victoria2 Comments

On Tour

Good morning!

It was quite the busy weekend.  My mom and I finished up the Best Kept Secrets Tour on Saturday.  In that pouring, cold, rain.  Lots of puddles and umbrellas and soggy shopping bags.  It made it more adventurous!

So.  The Tour.  My mom first heard about it maybe 2 years ago from a friend.  It’s a lot of word-of-mouth news about this!  Which, to me, makes it even more fun. Stores and small businesses in one county (we did Berks) all are included as a tour stop.  You purchase a tour bag from certain shops.  They are all marked with signs.  The bags are filled with a tour booklet and some kind of flyer/business card/trinket from every store.  I think it’s exciting even just searching through my bag when I get it!  There’s usually free samples, pens, and tons of coupons.  The Tour book is pretty informative.  You know the dates of the tour – this is when the shops cater to us on the tour-and all the shop hours.  There is a map and distance of each stop to the next stop.  Even suggested routes are included.

We usually make a day of it two or three times throughout the tour because it’s much easier to start at one store in the morning and keep driving around and hit a bunch at one time.  We’ve run into super friendly workers and always get treats and things for visiting their stores.  Almost every stop has special discounts for “tour goers” through the dates.  It is run twice a year but this is my favorite because all these unique little shops have coupons so it’s even more affordable for Christmas gifts!

I guess I should mention that the entire point is get shoppers in to small businesses that most people don’t realize are right in their backyard.  We’ve discovered so many places through this and most are spots we’ve driven by for years!  I stole this from the website to explain all the types on the tour because they say it best!

“home, garden & gift stores housed in historic homes, restored barns, warehouses and even a hardware store, an alpaca farm where you can interact with the animals, art & artisan galleries, tucked away nurseries & garden centers, a pretzel bakery, gourmet foods & sweet shops with yummy treats for sampling, clothing, jewelry & accessories boutiques, amazing handmade crafts, a local favorite restaurant & a brand new cafe, furniture, antiques, vintage, upcycled & consignment shops, a gorgeous winery on an historic site, a few specialty shops and more!!”

It’s just a fun time driving around (but not that far) and feeling like we’re on a scavenger hunt.

I forgot to mention the best part!  Each place you go to has a ticket for you to fill out that gets entered in a drawing for a present or gift card.  I won the West Reading prize last year and won $600 worth of gift certificates!  My mom also won a jewelry prize! We’re lucky.  I’m sure our prizes are in the works already.

I bought this plaid wool hat I”m wearing from Killarney, Ireland from my favorite new shop we found, Evelyn and Harriets!  They have items from all over the world and only sell things that are unique and not found many other places.  Ornaments from Egypt, hand-made greetings cards from Germany, children’s toys that do not have any kind of electronics or batteries!  It’s very cool.

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While we were hitting some stores this week we stopped for seafood.  I had delicious sushi…that I ate with a knife and fork because I didn’t feel like dropping 10x the amount of rice on my lap than I did already!  It was great.  There was an amazing drizzle on top that I can’t remember!img_6404.jpgThis.  This is why I brave the crowds and go to Wal-Mart occasionally.  $3 turkey hair clips are a must-buy.  img_6402.jpgAnd…tiny bragging but the official Hello Dolly Broadway instagram used my picture!  I was pretty excited about that.  I’m famous! hah!fullsizeoutput_1ff1I went thrift shopping for the first time in months and hit a pocket of excellence.  Including the above pictured Free People dress.  My haul also includes a sequin skirt, and a fabulous vintage sweater that I’m sure one of the Golden Girls wore.  (Newsflash: That means I love it.)img_6475.jpg

I was sent some coffee shots to try and they really are decent.  I can’t believe their natural energy drinks!  That never happens. I’m not a big energy drink gal but this was fun to drink. I could see adding it to a cup of coffee…wait, does that defeat the purpose? IMG_6477

 Have a wonderful, peaceful but joyful holiday week!  I’ll be prepping my pecan pies, muffins, and this Black Friday plans.

Anyone else heading out on Friday?  I can’t wait!

~Whitney Victoria

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Meal With a View

Continuing my recap of Connecticut, I thought I’d focus on some amazing food we experienced. The first night we were there, we were craving lobster rolls.  I googled it so see who was serving them in close proximity to our hotel since I wasn’t up for a long car ride after the drive up there.  I found Sunset Grille.  It was about 6 miles from where we were staying and they had a waterfront view!  We lucked out and it was literally the last day of the season that the restaurant was open!  It was nothing special as far as decor goes, but the ambiance was there with the yachts, sea breeze, and delicious food.

IMG_5756IMG_5746IMG_5814IMG_5762IMG_5731They had two kinds of lobster rolls. One was warm with butter, and the other was cold with mayo and herbs. Both were amazing.  We got one of each and then split them!  I couldn’t decide my favorite.  The french fries were also seriously great.  I didn’t leave one on the plate.img_5852.jpg

Up close and personal. IMG_5832IMG_5751IMG_5817IMG_5878We found a beach down the road that was free to walk on since it was October.  It was so windy but really fun to just walk around and look out at the water. IMG_5805IMG_5904The next day was New Haven. The little shop was called Maison Mathis and had a great vibe.IMG_5972 This was an impromptu stop for coffee and I got a wonderful brown butter chocolate chip cookie. I wish I took a picture to commemorate it and would like to make my own batch.  img_5942.jpgI’m a tad OCD about researching things so I did my homework and knew about most of the cafes within 5 miles of the Yale campus. We hit Claire’s Corner Copia for a late lunch.  Isn’t that such a cute name?  They specialize in vegan and gluten-free food and have been open since 1975! I had some Asian noodles and veggies.  It was so filling and satisfying after a day of walking around the city.  But, it also tasted light and healthy.  After not having real homemade bread for, basically years, this little loaf was breathtaking.  I was obsessed with it, ate every crumb, and want some more.  I had some unsweetened blueberry iced tea that was little tart.  I actually added stevia and I hardly ever need to do that.  IMG_6046IMG_6047Our third day was for traveling home.  I found a cute, organic spot for brunch called Baldanza in New Canaan.  I have to say, my brioche french toast was probably the best french toast I’ve ever had.  Uncured bacon and fair-trade coffee were musts.  I loved the diverse but clean choices there.  Next time I’m in town, I’ll be back. IMG_6002IMG_5815img_5726.jpg

My mom had the gluten-free egg sandwich and also said it was the best ever!  Mmmmm.IMG_5924

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I think my biggest smiles are when I’m posing with food.  I’m not ashamed one bit.

~Whitney Victoria

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Grocery Love

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My name is Whitney and I’m addicted to grocery stores.  One of my favorite things to do is walk around the grocery store.  Well, I discovered my new fave place.  I went to Connecticut with my mom, on a whim.  I picked a town that was local to a few areas I wanted to hit.  Norwalk fit the bill.  There wasn’t all that much to do there as far as “tourist” attractions go, but I did find Stew Leonard’s on several lists all over the internet.

As much as I like a good food store, I still was a little confused why it made TripAdvisor’s “Things To Do in Norwalk.”  And, then we walked inside.  There was time to kill our first day in town so we thought it was something to check out, even if we just ended up with a snack for later.

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Of course we took pics in a grocery store!  It was totally swarmed with shoppers the first time we went so we actually ended up there our last morning to leisurely walk the aisles.

The floral section was beautiful!  They had fresh lavender which is not all that common to find. IMG_5610img_5612.jpgWe need to talk about the rainbow, unicorn bagels.  I thought they were legend and only existed in a big, fancy city bagelry.  Isn’t that bagel bin a beauty?img_5977.jpgIMG_6018It was even prettier inside!  I’m 100% sure the bagel was amazing and would have been despite it looking like Play-Doh.  Light, fluffy, airy.  Mmmm.IMG_6027Some macarons made their way home with us.  The chocolate one was fudge and creamy.img_6003.jpgDark potato chips are a weakness.  These did not disappoint. IMG_5773The first thing that’s around the corner when you walk in, is the coffee and juice bar!  That made me happy from the first step inside.  IMG_5931I went for a mix of 1/4 hazelnut, 3/4 iced Columbian.  Very excellent.IMG_5864Just a girl among her coffee bean barrels.IMG_5971I’m obsessed with lobster rolls and order them whenever possible.  I LOVE that Connecticut has them to-go!  Seriously, one of my favorite goods and I’ll take them any way I can get them. IMG_5744Since Stew Leonard’s is a “dairy store,” they even had part of the assembly line in the store to watch!  IMG_5812

A sad, unphotographed item was edible cookie dough.  It was a massive chunk that I bought for dessert.  It’s long gone.  There was an ice cream counter attached to the store and they actually serve and ice cream cone with one scoop cookie dough, one scoop ice cream!

There were lots of samples too, which is always good in my eyes.  I had an apple cider doughnut hole and some great sugared pizelle pieces.

I’m a Fuji apple gal but Honeycrisp are my mom’s favorites and they are a pretty close second for me.  Stew’s even had Honeyscrisp apple cider!

img_5996.jpgimg_5826-e1508456178598.jpgAnyone else LOVE grocery stores, food, and shopping for treats?

~Whitney Victoria

Whitney Victoria5 Comments