I had a great time walking around Reading Terminal Market this weekend. Here are some of the many photos I took while exploring!
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Weekend in Philly
When I was first invited to be a facilitator for a sorority training over the weekend in Philly I was excited. Not only was I thrilled about the prospect of a weekend away from DC, I also would have the chance to see sorority friends and family as the training was a partnership between my sorority and my dad's fraternity. Even better - he would be facilitating as well!
We agreed to arrive in Philly early so we had some time to explore and hang out. I left work early on Friday and took the train from DC to Philly. The ride was uneventful and I arrived on time. My dad flew into the airport and once he checked into our hotel, met me at the train station where we made our way to dinner.
Not only had Alex recommended the restaurant The Continental to me, but also Fred from her recent trip to the city. We had a great experience that surpassed our expectations!
My dad and I started off with cocktails. Can you guess whose is whose?
I had the Perfect Pear: Grey Goose la Poire, Thatcher's organic cucumber liqueur, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, lemon, and soda; my dad got a Cosmo.
We started with a Greek salad sans onion and dressing which was delicious.
My dad wanted his entree's picture taken, which he polished off completely: Seared Tuna with Mushroom Risotto
And I had the Rad Na Thai Chicken with rice noodles, served on a bed of romaine lettuce. This bowl was huge (mixing bowl size) and I left stuffed but felt like I hadn't made a dent in the dish. I loved how the crisp romaine contrasted with the hot chicken and noodles. The dish packed some heat as well which made it taste even better!
After dinner my dad had to tame his sweet tooth with some ice cream from Scoop deVille across the street. I was too full to get anything but his ice cream looked tasty. The only thing we didn't like was that as soon as the clock struck 10pm and the shop was then closed, the staff practically kicked us out of the shop declaring they had places to be. Rude.
The next morning we woke up, had breakfast at the hotel, and made our way to Reading Terminal Market. We loved everything we saw and took our time meandering up and down every aisle, checking out what each vendor had to offer.
We left the market and made our way to Philly's dedicated gluten free bakery, Sweet Freedom. All of their goodies looked delicious yet upon a sample, I knew I wouldn't be able to enjoy anything as coconut and I do not get along.
My dad picked up a few things to bring back with him though and I was happy to visit the bakery. It reminded me a lot of Babycakes in NYC - they are gluten, dairy, egg, soy, and corn free!
We grabbed lunch at the market (Dad had pastrami, I had chicken and okra soup from Beck's Cajun Cafe which was gluten free and delicious. Their staff were really patient and accommodating as well.
We headed back to the hotel afterward as my dad had an afternoon of meetings. I spent some quality time in the fitness center and did 4.35 miles in an hour plus some stretching.
The rest of the weekend was consumed by the all-day training and preparation. Sadly I don't have picture from it but it was a success. I love having the opportunity to interact with our undergrads!
I made it back to DC safely last night and loved that I got to spend the weekend with my dad, friends, and doing things that I love to do!
Do you like to travel with your family? Explore new cities? Do your travels often revolve around food like mine do? :)
We agreed to arrive in Philly early so we had some time to explore and hang out. I left work early on Friday and took the train from DC to Philly. The ride was uneventful and I arrived on time. My dad flew into the airport and once he checked into our hotel, met me at the train station where we made our way to dinner.
Not only had Alex recommended the restaurant The Continental to me, but also Fred from her recent trip to the city. We had a great experience that surpassed our expectations!
My dad and I started off with cocktails. Can you guess whose is whose?
I had the Perfect Pear: Grey Goose la Poire, Thatcher's organic cucumber liqueur, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, lemon, and soda; my dad got a Cosmo.
We started with a Greek salad sans onion and dressing which was delicious.
My dad wanted his entree's picture taken, which he polished off completely: Seared Tuna with Mushroom Risotto
And I had the Rad Na Thai Chicken with rice noodles, served on a bed of romaine lettuce. This bowl was huge (mixing bowl size) and I left stuffed but felt like I hadn't made a dent in the dish. I loved how the crisp romaine contrasted with the hot chicken and noodles. The dish packed some heat as well which made it taste even better!
After dinner my dad had to tame his sweet tooth with some ice cream from Scoop deVille across the street. I was too full to get anything but his ice cream looked tasty. The only thing we didn't like was that as soon as the clock struck 10pm and the shop was then closed, the staff practically kicked us out of the shop declaring they had places to be. Rude.
The next morning we woke up, had breakfast at the hotel, and made our way to Reading Terminal Market. We loved everything we saw and took our time meandering up and down every aisle, checking out what each vendor had to offer.
We left the market and made our way to Philly's dedicated gluten free bakery, Sweet Freedom. All of their goodies looked delicious yet upon a sample, I knew I wouldn't be able to enjoy anything as coconut and I do not get along.
My dad picked up a few things to bring back with him though and I was happy to visit the bakery. It reminded me a lot of Babycakes in NYC - they are gluten, dairy, egg, soy, and corn free!
We grabbed lunch at the market (Dad had pastrami, I had chicken and okra soup from Beck's Cajun Cafe which was gluten free and delicious. Their staff were really patient and accommodating as well.
We headed back to the hotel afterward as my dad had an afternoon of meetings. I spent some quality time in the fitness center and did 4.35 miles in an hour plus some stretching.
The rest of the weekend was consumed by the all-day training and preparation. Sadly I don't have picture from it but it was a success. I love having the opportunity to interact with our undergrads!
I made it back to DC safely last night and loved that I got to spend the weekend with my dad, friends, and doing things that I love to do!
Do you like to travel with your family? Explore new cities? Do your travels often revolve around food like mine do? :)
Monday, September 6, 2010
Texas, Texas Yeehaw!
That is a University of Texas cheer, not how we really speak down here in Dallas ;)
I woke up this morning at home after a day of travel and kicking off the 2nd half of my weekend with family and some fun.
Before going to bed I whipped up a batch of overnight hot cereal but had to make some substitutions given what was in the pantry and fridge before our big Whole Foods adventure later this afternoon. In the mix:
Rewinding back to Saturday night, I snacked on my last peach and a baby Asian pear while watching Texas beat Rice. It was not our best win but it was a W none the less.
To finish project Empty the Fridge I mixed my last serving of Cuban black beans with some frozen and defrosted broccoli, spinach, and bell pepper. Plus a corn tortilla that I baked into chips.
I went out Saturday nigh to celebrate a friend's birthday but made it home at a reasonable hour to prepare for my day of travel.
Yesterday I woke up about an hour before my alarm was set to go off. Instead of wasting time around my apartment I got my butt out the door for a quick 2 mile walk / run to loosen my legs up from Saturday's 6.25 miler and before I sat all day on airplanes. The weather was perfect and I even felt a bit of a chill at first - there was 0 humidity which was great but I'm still not ready for fall.
I had an egg sandwich for breakfast with 2 egg whites, some spinach, and hot sauce and red pepper spread on 2 slices of Udi's whole grain bread.
Enter some more chores, a Super Shuttle ride and airport stuff and I was ready for lunch a few hours later. After finding success in August, I decided to revisit the restaurant where you can create your own salad. I had one made with romaine, broccoli, carrots, sun-dried tomatoes, and banana peppers plus a small pinch of parmesan. The woman was confused as to why I didn't want a mound of cheese on top of my salad but I was completely happy with my 3 little pieces.
I also picked up a Mango all fruit smoothie for the plane.
Enter an uneventful (those are the best kind) plane ride and 3 financial accounting-induced cat naps and I made it to St. Louis with one short plane ride to go. I picked up some 'local' all natural Wisconsin string cheese to eat with an Asian pear and the last of some Gorilla Munch cereal.
I finally arrived in Dallas a few hours later and headed to dinner with the family. We picked a place called Fireside Pies which I was at first reluctant to visit. They had GF crust but the last time I ate GF pizza out it ended very badly.
Our experience at Fireside Pies was nothing short of amazing. Both the manager and our server were informed of my dad and I eating gluten free and were extremely accommodating. They answered every question we had, were patient with modifications and clarifications regarding ingredients, and everything arrived hot and perfectly as we had ordered it. This meal was top-notch based on our wait staff experience alone!
My dad and I shared a chopped salad, sans prosciutto and dressing on the side which I dominated a good 2/3 of. We also shared the Texas Beef Sausage pizza on GF crust. My 2 slices were sans cheese. I had 1.5. Delicious - the sausage was hands down the best part.
From there my family had a hankering for self-serve fro yo and who am I to say no ;) My grandparents also met us as they were eager to see their granddaughter :) I was pretty full so I just got a drop of tangerine / orange sorbet with a few berries on top.
We got home and played rummicube and then called it a night. Today we are doing a few of the following:
I woke up this morning at home after a day of travel and kicking off the 2nd half of my weekend with family and some fun.
Before going to bed I whipped up a batch of overnight hot cereal but had to make some substitutions given what was in the pantry and fridge before our big Whole Foods adventure later this afternoon. In the mix:
- 1/4c Bob's Red Mill Mighty Tasty GF Hot cereal
- 3/4c water
- 2 spoonfuls of Greek yogurt (stirred in after cooking hot cereal)
- 1/2T chia seeds
- 1/4t vanilla rice protein powder (didn't love it but gave it a shot)
- 1/3c fresh blueberries
- 1t homemade fig jam
- 1/2T almond butter
Rewinding back to Saturday night, I snacked on my last peach and a baby Asian pear while watching Texas beat Rice. It was not our best win but it was a W none the less.
To finish project Empty the Fridge I mixed my last serving of Cuban black beans with some frozen and defrosted broccoli, spinach, and bell pepper. Plus a corn tortilla that I baked into chips.
I went out Saturday nigh to celebrate a friend's birthday but made it home at a reasonable hour to prepare for my day of travel.
Yesterday I woke up about an hour before my alarm was set to go off. Instead of wasting time around my apartment I got my butt out the door for a quick 2 mile walk / run to loosen my legs up from Saturday's 6.25 miler and before I sat all day on airplanes. The weather was perfect and I even felt a bit of a chill at first - there was 0 humidity which was great but I'm still not ready for fall.
I had an egg sandwich for breakfast with 2 egg whites, some spinach, and hot sauce and red pepper spread on 2 slices of Udi's whole grain bread.
Enter some more chores, a Super Shuttle ride and airport stuff and I was ready for lunch a few hours later. After finding success in August, I decided to revisit the restaurant where you can create your own salad. I had one made with romaine, broccoli, carrots, sun-dried tomatoes, and banana peppers plus a small pinch of parmesan. The woman was confused as to why I didn't want a mound of cheese on top of my salad but I was completely happy with my 3 little pieces.
I also picked up a Mango all fruit smoothie for the plane.
Enter an uneventful (those are the best kind) plane ride and 3 financial accounting-induced cat naps and I made it to St. Louis with one short plane ride to go. I picked up some 'local' all natural Wisconsin string cheese to eat with an Asian pear and the last of some Gorilla Munch cereal.
I finally arrived in Dallas a few hours later and headed to dinner with the family. We picked a place called Fireside Pies which I was at first reluctant to visit. They had GF crust but the last time I ate GF pizza out it ended very badly.
Our experience at Fireside Pies was nothing short of amazing. Both the manager and our server were informed of my dad and I eating gluten free and were extremely accommodating. They answered every question we had, were patient with modifications and clarifications regarding ingredients, and everything arrived hot and perfectly as we had ordered it. This meal was top-notch based on our wait staff experience alone!
My dad and I shared a chopped salad, sans prosciutto and dressing on the side which I dominated a good 2/3 of. We also shared the Texas Beef Sausage pizza on GF crust. My 2 slices were sans cheese. I had 1.5. Delicious - the sausage was hands down the best part.
From there my family had a hankering for self-serve fro yo and who am I to say no ;) My grandparents also met us as they were eager to see their granddaughter :) I was pretty full so I just got a drop of tangerine / orange sorbet with a few berries on top.
We got home and played rummicube and then called it a night. Today we are doing a few of the following:
- visiting a new gluten free bakery that opened up
- 6 mile walk around White Rock Lake
- Whole Foods!! And yes, I really do have an unhealthy obsession
- Labor Day shopping
- grilling out at home
Monday, August 9, 2010
Weekend in Miami
On Thursday evening I headed south for a long weekend in Miami, FL. The family fun revolved around my dad's fraternity convention. He is the National President of his fraternity and runs the conference so we made it a little vacation and enjoyed seeing him and all of our fraternity friends. My dad was also elected to a 3rd term as President and it was nice we were able to be there to support him.
I arrived late on Thursday night and caught up with my brother for a while as we unpacked. I slept in on Friday morning and enjoyed a small breakfast before venturing to the grocery store. There's nothing shabby about eating on a patio over looking one of the best golf courses in Miami - the Doral's Blue Monster.
I had a rice cake with crunchy natural PB and a bit of mango and berries and then explored our room. We had a great set up because we did a lot of entertaining of national board members and convention delegates in our room. My brother and I shared a room and then my parents had a room (same set up, king size bed) and a living area. Every room had a balcony overlooking the golf course which was great people and weather watching!
My mom and I headed to Publix, my favorite Floridian grocery store, for some supplies for the weekend and then headed over to see my dad and other folks. Our haul included Food Should Taste Goods, Chobani yogurts, fresh fruit, hummus, and cereal to snack on throughout the weekend.
The afternoon was sunny (the weather was less than ideal because of Tropical Storm Collin) and spent poolside B-) Gotta love it.
Friday evening during a rainstorm I worked out. 10 minutes on the bike, 20 minutes of weights, 6 minute on the elliptical (!!) to cool down.
Friday night was the opening dinner and hanging out. I had coleslaw with cabbage, raisins, pineapple, broccoli, and chili (which was over a baked potato that I didn't eat).
Saturday morning I was up and at 'em to get in a workout before my pool day. I did a hot 3 mile walk on the jogging trail that circled the Blue Monster. My breakfasts were Chobani yogurt, fruit, and honey rice Puffins. Simple, filling, gluten free, and delicious. I split mine up to end with the yogurt so I wasn't exercising with dairy in my stomach and I was glad I had done so.
After my snack I ended up back in the gym to work out with my mom. I did another 2.5 miles on the bike plus abs and kettle bell exercises. Holy crap - when Bob and Jillian make Biggest Loser contestants do kettle bell moves I knew they were good. I had no idea just how great they were though - before I left the gym I was feeling my quads, hamstrings, abs, and back. I have a new torturous love :)
We lunched with some of the other women who came to the convention in a restaurant on the property. I got a simple Tex-Mex salad with black beans, veggies, no cheese or tortilla strips and balsamic on the side.
We got another afternoon poolside, with sunshine on and off. When the storms finally arrived we called it a day and my mom, brother, and I hung out. We snacked on some fresh fruit, Food Should Taste Goods, and hummus. I've shared my obsession with those I love most!
On Saturday night we all attended the big banquet dinner. It was wonderful to see so many of our friends and hang out. They also honored a staff member, Bill, who has been involved with the fraternity for 55 years! My dad has been involved for about 30 so it's crazy to think about the legacy that exists. As a Greek enthusiast, I was very inspired and touched by the way they honored Bill.
Dinner was a simple salad and then skirt steak with mashed potatoes, asparagus, and black bean puree. They brought a chimichurri sauce which I had on the side. I ate maybe a fifth of the steak (it wasn't great), my veggies and puree. The potatoes tasted a bit off. That's conference food for ya though. At least it was all gluten free! It seems like my camera ate the picture of my martini... It was good though!
Yesterday was my rest day and originally was supposed to be all-day-by-the-pool day. The weather had other plans in mind though. In between storms in the morning I finished the last of the magazines I brought with me, did some GMAT studying (yes, I schlepped my 5lb book with me on vacation), and hung out with some friends before lunch.
The rain stopped in the afternoon and our group spent the time swimming, hanging out, and relaxing. This ended up being a computer-free weekend and I only checked Facebook and Twitter sporadically. That was a huge vacation for a technology fiend and my eyes and brain appreciated the break!
We ate at a place called the Ale House for dinner. It reminded me of a Road House type place with your typical American fare like Chili's or something. To say I was not impressed was an understatement. Our waiter was not very attentive, ignoring half of our party at first. When we reminded him we were all together he simply said "I know" while walking away again. I got the "Key Lime" summer salad which had black beans, corn, and veggies. It was iceberg lettuce, black beans and corn, not so many other veggies, and just pretty blah and unimpressive.
The restaurant was also so cold that we all were shivering the whole time. When we asked if they could make it slightly warmer inside, we were told that they like to keep the servers comfortable and we shouldn't complain. Customer service much?
We hung out, packed, and attempted to get to bed at a reasonable hour as we all had early morning flights today.
It was a whirlwind trip but a much needed and deserved one. I had a great time with my family and friends and enjoyed getting out of DC for a few days. I'm not used to such a lack of travel over the summer ;-)
I'm going to enjoy the rest of my day off, prepare for my week, and maybe take advantage of the DC sunshine that seemed to be lacking for part of the weekend.
I love vacation.
I arrived late on Thursday night and caught up with my brother for a while as we unpacked. I slept in on Friday morning and enjoyed a small breakfast before venturing to the grocery store. There's nothing shabby about eating on a patio over looking one of the best golf courses in Miami - the Doral's Blue Monster.
I had a rice cake with crunchy natural PB and a bit of mango and berries and then explored our room. We had a great set up because we did a lot of entertaining of national board members and convention delegates in our room. My brother and I shared a room and then my parents had a room (same set up, king size bed) and a living area. Every room had a balcony overlooking the golf course which was great people and weather watching!
My mom and I headed to Publix, my favorite Floridian grocery store, for some supplies for the weekend and then headed over to see my dad and other folks. Our haul included Food Should Taste Goods, Chobani yogurts, fresh fruit, hummus, and cereal to snack on throughout the weekend.
The afternoon was sunny (the weather was less than ideal because of Tropical Storm Collin) and spent poolside B-) Gotta love it.
Friday evening during a rainstorm I worked out. 10 minutes on the bike, 20 minutes of weights, 6 minute on the elliptical (!!) to cool down.
Friday night was the opening dinner and hanging out. I had coleslaw with cabbage, raisins, pineapple, broccoli, and chili (which was over a baked potato that I didn't eat).
Saturday morning I was up and at 'em to get in a workout before my pool day. I did a hot 3 mile walk on the jogging trail that circled the Blue Monster. My breakfasts were Chobani yogurt, fruit, and honey rice Puffins. Simple, filling, gluten free, and delicious. I split mine up to end with the yogurt so I wasn't exercising with dairy in my stomach and I was glad I had done so.
After my snack I ended up back in the gym to work out with my mom. I did another 2.5 miles on the bike plus abs and kettle bell exercises. Holy crap - when Bob and Jillian make Biggest Loser contestants do kettle bell moves I knew they were good. I had no idea just how great they were though - before I left the gym I was feeling my quads, hamstrings, abs, and back. I have a new torturous love :)
We lunched with some of the other women who came to the convention in a restaurant on the property. I got a simple Tex-Mex salad with black beans, veggies, no cheese or tortilla strips and balsamic on the side.
We got another afternoon poolside, with sunshine on and off. When the storms finally arrived we called it a day and my mom, brother, and I hung out. We snacked on some fresh fruit, Food Should Taste Goods, and hummus. I've shared my obsession with those I love most!
On Saturday night we all attended the big banquet dinner. It was wonderful to see so many of our friends and hang out. They also honored a staff member, Bill, who has been involved with the fraternity for 55 years! My dad has been involved for about 30 so it's crazy to think about the legacy that exists. As a Greek enthusiast, I was very inspired and touched by the way they honored Bill.
Dinner was a simple salad and then skirt steak with mashed potatoes, asparagus, and black bean puree. They brought a chimichurri sauce which I had on the side. I ate maybe a fifth of the steak (it wasn't great), my veggies and puree. The potatoes tasted a bit off. That's conference food for ya though. At least it was all gluten free! It seems like my camera ate the picture of my martini... It was good though!
Yesterday was my rest day and originally was supposed to be all-day-by-the-pool day. The weather had other plans in mind though. In between storms in the morning I finished the last of the magazines I brought with me, did some GMAT studying (yes, I schlepped my 5lb book with me on vacation), and hung out with some friends before lunch.
The rain stopped in the afternoon and our group spent the time swimming, hanging out, and relaxing. This ended up being a computer-free weekend and I only checked Facebook and Twitter sporadically. That was a huge vacation for a technology fiend and my eyes and brain appreciated the break!
We ate at a place called the Ale House for dinner. It reminded me of a Road House type place with your typical American fare like Chili's or something. To say I was not impressed was an understatement. Our waiter was not very attentive, ignoring half of our party at first. When we reminded him we were all together he simply said "I know" while walking away again. I got the "Key Lime" summer salad which had black beans, corn, and veggies. It was iceberg lettuce, black beans and corn, not so many other veggies, and just pretty blah and unimpressive.
The restaurant was also so cold that we all were shivering the whole time. When we asked if they could make it slightly warmer inside, we were told that they like to keep the servers comfortable and we shouldn't complain. Customer service much?
We hung out, packed, and attempted to get to bed at a reasonable hour as we all had early morning flights today.
It was a whirlwind trip but a much needed and deserved one. I had a great time with my family and friends and enjoyed getting out of DC for a few days. I'm not used to such a lack of travel over the summer ;-)
I'm going to enjoy the rest of my day off, prepare for my week, and maybe take advantage of the DC sunshine that seemed to be lacking for part of the weekend.
I love vacation.
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