MIXED medal

For a glorious 6 weeks I experienced something I hadn’t in a long time: an imperfection-less complexion. I won’t say flawless, but it was the closest I’ve come in a while. My cystic breakouts subsided. But this week, they returned. (I first wrote about making peace with acne a year ago. read that story first here)

Have you ever had such a week that you don’t even realize what day it is? That was this week. My nails are often an indicator of how much of a disaster I feel like. The more chipped they are, the worse I am. This week it’s not my nails. Instead, it’s my apartment. And that never happens.  My yoga mat is out. My clothing from London still isn’t put away (though at least the suitcase was unpacked and put back in the closet). There are four pairs of shoes near my front door, 2 of which are sneakers and one of the sneakers is the pair that never made it to the pavement tonight. Like puppies, they are just waiting there to be taken for their nightly walk. I knew today was doomed when it was 3pm and I realized I hadn’t had lunch yet, or when on a call someone said “well, at least it’s Wednesday” and that ACTUALLY surprised me because I thought it was Tuesday. 

The emotional effects of bad skin can seriously break a person down. I’m trying to push through knowing that, like in the past and like my scars, it will fade. This time, because I’m pretty sure I know the culprit: BEER. 

I know the image going through your head - like a beer guzzling girl. The fact is, I didn’t have my first “beer” until about 3 years ago when I entered the world of endurance sports. It was a right of passage to have a cool local-brewed Kona beer at the finish line of the Lavaman triathlon. Red wine just didn’t seem to have the same allure when hanging at a sports bar or a pool on a cool summer day. I never played beer pong, ever, until this past summer at a beach house surrounded by a bunch of kids (cousins) in college.Handstands and headstands may populate my instagram. But I have never done a kegstand. 

The only funnel I’ve ever used is to cipher my cosmetics into travel sized bottles. 

I digress (I often do). You get the point. 

I came to this conclusion quite easily: my boyfriend traveled and I didn’t see him for about a week and a half.  On weekends, hanging with my boyfriend over brunch and sports and bars and Korean food, a pint would often make its way into the picture. Pacifico, Cass, Sam Adams Seasonal, Crisp, or any other craft of its kind. But god no, it would never be Coors, Bud, Mich, Natty or any of those “mass” beers. It needed to be artisanal, like my cheese and my fragrance collection. 

Also, I enjoyed not being “that girl” that ordered wine at a dive bar. I could order a beer with ease and be that “cool girl” at the bar instead. 

Something happened in these three years though - the breakouts I experienced seemed to last a lot longer. They hurt, and they left marks and bad texture. Acne medicine (topical, oral) helped, but didn’t kill it entirely. 

Then my boyfriend traveled for a week and a half. And the weekend before, when we were together, I by-chance only drank wine. So it had been two weeks without beer. And in two weeks my skin dramatically changed. 

When he arrived back and we spent a weekend together, I skipped the beer and stuck with wine. Even at the dive bar. My skin glowed. 

I have been consuming at least 5 soy lattes/week for 4 weeks. Despite the “hormone” altering rumors of soy, my skin glowed. 

A week went by - it was “that time” (sorry boys reading this) and even then my skin glowed, whatever hormonal breakouts occured were cleared immediately and without trace. 

I traveled to London - ate all the tea sandwiches, biscuits and scones I wanted (aka GLUTEN) - my skin continued to glow despite the air travel, lack of sleep, and semi-poor diet compared to my usual veggie-based one. 

I arrived to DC this past Thursday. On Sunday we went for Korean food and I SKIPPED the usual Cass beer and ONLY drank Soju thinking I was doing my skin a favor. By Sunday night, I had a cystic painful pimple. I knew it was back. By Monday morning I had 2 more on my cheek. They are the kind that get dark if you even think about touching them. No amount of Renee Rouleau Cystic Acne Spot Treatment worked (it’s usually my secret weapon). It’s now Wednesday evening and they haven’t gone away. So I did my research - soju is made with barley. 

Get this: so are most beers. 

Grain Bowl of the week was the easiest thing I’ve ever made after pouring milk in a bowl for cereal. Because basically this was the same concept.

Yesterday kicked off the week with a double workout in the books and some food shopping (though I actually skipped dinner due to exhaustion). I started with a 7am Soul cycle class  (#tapitback on Monday!) and ended with Tri Strength at 8pm (push ups with claps, Romanian deadlifts, you get the point). I just don’t feel like Soul Cycle brings the results anymore, so I had to go to my tri strength class. I picked up some veggies on the way home that I figured I’d cook tonight (Tuesday).

Well Tuesday turned into an absolute shitshow with back to back meetings, a lunch in between and a manicure appointment at 630 (with all my training I’ve neglected my nails in favor of my glutes and when you work in beauty, that’s not acceptable).

I had a 4mile run on deck today, per my Half Marathon training plan. I knew I had vegetables in the fridge to make. And I also knew the forecast was calling for snow at 9pm (and it was already 7:30). WHAT TO DO! Skip the run and enjoy cooking dinner? Run and just have a smoothie? No. I had to do both.And it went something like this:

8pm - walk through the door

8:15pm - outfit change into running gear

8:20pm - pull out the slow cooker and the cutting board. Chop 1 zucchini, 1 red bell pepper, 1 parsnip, 1 garlic clove, 1 small piece of ginger.

8:30pm - throw it all in the slow cooker, add fresh peas. In a small bowl mix together 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tea spoon sriracha. Pour on top of veggies with a 1/4 cup water and mix.

8:35pm - Cover slow cooker, turn to ‘high.’ Remove face makeup with Albolene makeup remover (this is THE BEST and protects my skin from the cold / wind). Headband, gloves, Garmin watch, earbuds, sneakers.

8:45pm - GO TIME

9:25pm - Home! Quick 5 minute stretch.  Stir the veggies.

9:30pm - In a small saucepan, bring to boil 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup bulgar wheat. Reduce to medium and cover.

9:35pm - Shower. Uncover bulgar wheat so all water is absorbed. Get comfortable.

9:40pm - Slice avocado. In a bowl add the bulgar wheat, spoonfuls of veggies, top with avo and drizzle with sriracha.

9:45pm  BEAT THE CLOCK & ENJOY!

The goal tonight was to eat before 10. I hate eating after 9pm, but I couldn’t skip dinner again tonight. Not with the running ahead of me this week. But this was a super healthy dish - and, if you cut the honey out, is vegan-friendly. 

Now, I’ll eat some an entire bunch of grapes and enjoy my mani, which is courtesy of NYC’s Ten Over Ten Nail Salon using Dolce&Gabbana Nail Lacquer in ‘Bon Bon’ (our newest shade for spring). 

Today marks 4 years of being a Manhattanite. I swapped my Staten Island zip code for an Upper East Side one in pursuit of an easier commute. What I got was so much more .

Tears, laughs, parties, happiness, politicizing, art, sadness, dinners, learnings, brunches, fund raising, Christmases, epiphanies, growth. 

I’ve helped my parents move countless times over the past 10 years. I’ve helped friends move. I’ve moved myself several times. But there was something about deconstructing this one - something slightly more emotional and apologetic. Like I was abandoning it. After all, I contemplated leaving so many times in the past but in the end always had a change of heart. It was just easier to stay. 

This year, I decided to uproot. I was moving into something not necessarily “better” but just different. A new energy, a change. 

But still I felt as if part of me was staying behind, too. Not continuing the journey. And it’s sad to reflect on that. To think that maybe you really did leave a piece of you behind. That maybe you’re not carrying your ‘whole’ self. But I try to look at it as making room for a new part of ‘self’ to grow, to allow untapped underlying pieces to flourish. 

Bowl of the week was completely vegan tonight (I’ve been eating a lot of eggs so laid off topping the bowl with one). This makes 2 portions.

1 bunch Lacinto kale (can use regular kale), ends chopped off and leaves chopped into large leafy pieces 5 leaves basil 2 baby bok choy 1/3 cup dry wheat berries Pea shoots Arugula Ginger (about half a piece, I peeled the skin, discarded and the continued to peel layers and sliced them crosswise to get little pieces) 2 garlic cloves chopped Chili paste (or sriracha) red pepper flakes, salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 450 (this step can be skipped and all the veggies can cook in a pan for sake of time. I like my veggies extra crispy / with texture hence the roasting)

Toast wheat berries for about a minute in pan Add 1 cups of water, bring to boil and then allow to simmer 30 mins.

While wheat berries cook, sautée ginger and garlic to crispiness in about 2 TBSP coconut oil Add the bok choy, a tiny bit of water, cover to steam and reduce heat for 10 minutes.

Add kale, stir, wilt slightly and put mixture on a cookie or roasting sheet. Place in oven and set timer for 20 minutes (checking 10 mins in to ensure it isn’t burning)

Toast sesame seeds and leave on side. Stir wheat berries. Add water if needed. If fully cooked, rinse and drain.

Remove veggies from oven. Mix half the veggies with half wheat berries in a bowl. Surround the mixture with arugula. Top with a handful of pea shoots, toasted sesame seeds and basil leaves. Drizzle chili paste around the arugula.

Enjoy, and save the rest for tomorrow’s lunch or dinner - to reheat, save the veggie/wheat berries separately in one container and reheat in oven or microwave. Follow remaining steps with arugula, sesame seeds etc.

Every once in a while my strength training instructor likes to mix it up, which is good for my overall emotional and mental well-being because it breaks down my OCD where I always need to know a routine. 

Tonight he threw in a Hindu push up, which as a yogi I thought sounded so lovely, a nice peaceful counter to the otherwise impossible and usual military style pushups. 

The name could not be more misleading. My arms, while jacked right now, are fatigued thanks to this workout which were incorporated into the 2nd part (arms). Let’s be clear - there is nothing Hindu or peaceful about this push up. There is no namaste, or time for child’s pose. I propose a renaming. Full workout below! (Default weight for my dumbbells was 7.5. Sure, yes, baby arms! But my goal is more reps, less weight to build the lean/strength conditioning I need for triathlon training)

WARM UP - 90 seconds of each activity 

speed skaters, into speed skaters touching the floor, into speed skaters touching the floor and back leg lifted (90 seconds of each activity)

broad jumps, shuffle back, into broad jumps with burpees, shuffle back, into tuck jumps + broad jump + burpee, shuffle back (90 seconds of each activity)

mountain climbers, into twists, into kick throughs

LEGS - 90 seconds each; repeat x 3

Squat side lifts with dumbbells 

Plie Squats sumo style, with dumbells raised above head OR on shoulders

Backward lunges with dumbbells

UPPER BODY - 3 sets of 8-6-4-2s (waterfalls; you start with 8 of each, then 6, then 4, and 2; rest, begin again for 2nd set)

Start with hindu push ups 

Standing bent over triceps extensions 

Standing triceps extension over the head 

Alternating narrow and wide curls

CORE - 120 seconds; 3 sets

Diamond crunches, then HOLD for 15 seconds

V ups with twist, then HOLD for 15 seconds

Side plank, pulsate then HOLD for 15 seconds

High plank, alternating/lifting leg and opposite arm for balance

Sometimes you just need a cookie. For breakfast. In bed.

24 HOURS IN PHILADELPHIA

I’ve never been to Philly. Tae and I have been talking about a mini trip for a while, especially since it’s a good half way point for the both of us (if you’re just tuning in, we are a “dual-city” couple. I like to use that term instead of “long distance” given our relative ties to both NYC & DC).

Since Tae (as well as every male on the planet right now) loves NBA point guard Steph Curry and thus the Golden State Warriors, I snagged two tickets to the 76ers game for this weekend and we met up Friday night a night in the city of brotherly love. (Which by the way I think this phrase could not be farther from the truth given our several run-ins with super salty Philadelphians but will chalk it up to their frustration with last week’s snowstorm). Here’s a rundown of our 24 hours.

Hotel: the Loews on Market Street -Hotel cleanliness gets an A+, the staff was so accommodating (that cookie was one of two went up with a note from the woman who checked me in upon learning it was my first time in Philly and that we were in town for the game)

Drinks: Bank & Bourbon -While waiting for my love to arrive I set up shop in the hotel lobby to finish some work, I ordered a glass of wine for me and a beer for him. Service was attentive and quick and the vibe was nice for a solo traveler. Super extensive bourbon list (as expected by the name)

Dinner: Serpico South Street -This was EVERYTHING and warrants a specific post. As Tae knows the chef who opened the restaurant, Pete Serpico, it was a recommendation close to his heart and did not disappoint. We sat at the chefs counter to see all the action and salivated over every dish that came out. We ordered 5 dishes ranging from small to entree sized, and they generously sent out one of the specials and a dessert for us to try, too (and thank god for that - because otherwise we wouldn’t have tried the perfection that is FRIED BECHAMEL which accompanied “pete’s mom’s Mac & cheese”)

Manicure: Lacquer Lounge Queen Village -I had no time this week for a manicure and I found a Dolce&Gabbana nail lacquer in my drawer at work that was the perfect mustard yellow for the Golden State game. I researched some local nail spots and found Lacquer Lounge which has two locations and was an Allure Beat of Beauty recommendation last year for best nail salon. Aside from Essie and CND they also carry Smith&Cult and a ton of great hair products)

Brunch: Green Eggs Cafe -We met a friend of Tae’s for brunch along with his wife. This was a bustling spot with a pretty robust menu, offering both lunch and breakfast into the afternoon. I went with the vegetarian Eggs Benedict. The “poached” eggs could have been fluffier, but the tasty veggies and rosemary home fries more than made up for it.

Sports: Wells Fargo Center (home of the 76ers/Flyers) -Well this is self explanatory. We had great seats on the club level at center court. The club level is great because there’s a private bathroom, bar and waitress service so you don’t need to leave.

I had it on my list to visit the Philadelphia Museum of Art and we were going to run the waterfront alongside the Delaware river, but will need to reserve that for the next trip. Instead I’ll be running a solo 7 miles tomorrow as Tae heads off on an international business trip. 7 weeks until the NYC Half Marathon!

HI I am so sorry for not seeing this sooner!!  You should definitely go to a doctor and an allergist. I am about to post my next followup to what happened to me on new year’s eve - basically what I have is called food consumption running induced anaphylaxis and it’s very rare. Specifically for my case, it’s because I ate shrimp within 2 hours of running. I am not allergic to shrimp when I eat it regularly. But this experience happened to me twice in one week, and both times included my eating shrimp and then running after (about 2 - 3 hours later). All of the research I’ve done explains that this can happen with any food that triggers allergy symptoms, even if you’re not allergic, because something happens in the chemical process of your gut during running that could be changing how the food and or allergen is being digested and broken down. Are you eating before you run? If so try to think back to what you’ve been consuming and whether it might be having an effect on you. I am not a doctor or medical expert, so you should definitely talk about this to a doctor. Either way I would love to know your progress. 

Fact: I love avocado (most do). I consume  on average, at least 3 -4 week, throwing it into breakfast, smoothies, atop salads and in rice bowls. When I don’t eat avocado I see a difference in my nails and hair. I also love it as a nutrient-dense recovery food for my workouts given its high content of potassium and anti-inflammatory perks thanks to high levels of flavonoids, caratenoids, and omega-3 fatty acids.  And, as if I need to drill this home any more than it has been: it’s a HEALTHY fat! Sure it’s got a lot of it.. Based on a 2000 calorie diet, the recommended daily intake of fat is approximately 65 grams. One medium sized avocado contains about 23 grams of fat. In the last 12 hours I’ve consumed about 3/4 of an avo and I’ll probably consume the remaining 1/4 in the next 12, bringing me to a whopping 30% of my fat intake from just one fruit fruit. (When Michael Moore produces a documentary on avocado and its effect on obesity in the nation, let me know.) Using half of one for a Thai-inspired chicken soup-esque dish last night (post-run) and a quarter this morning for breakfast (post-yoga), these were too pretty (and quick) not to post. Recipes below!

Dinner: Thai Inspired Chicken & Veggie Soup

2 chicken breasts

1 pepper (I used orange, for color), chopped

1 small bunch of broccolini, ends trimmed and chopped

Shitake Mushrooms (about 8-10, stems discarded, tops thickly sliced)

4 stalks lemongrass, tops discarded, outer layers removed

1 small container of basil (about 15 leaves used)

Pea Shoots - about a half cup

1 medium avocado

Bulgar Wheat (1/4 cup dried)

Garlic (3-4 cloves, chopped)

Lime (1 lime)

Cooking Liquid (chicken broth or coconut milk)

Olive Oil

Salt, pepper, chili flakes

Rinse the chicken and make a marinade. Chop half of your garlic and 2 of the lemongrass stalks into chunky pieces; add about 10 basil leaves and about 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a food processer or nutribullet. Zest half of the lime. Add a tiny bit of water (2 tablespoons or so) to get the liquid texture needed to process but not dilute the taste (MODIFICATION: you can use coconut milk here! I unfortunately didn’t have any on hand but it would have been a great variation). Blend. (If you don’t have a nutribullet you can just mince everything and mix it with oil and water/coconut milk). Cover the two chicken breasts in the marinade and let sit and come to room temperature while you prep, chop and sautee your veggies.

Heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil to heat in a frying pan; add the remaining chopped garlic and 2 stalks of lemongrass to the oil. Leave the lemongrass whole so you can easily remove it at the end. When the garlic starts to turn golden, add your chopped peppers. Keep the heat on low-medium so as not to overheat and smoke the pan. Once the peppers appear to soften, add your broccolini and shitake mushrooms. Add a tiny bit more oil if need be as you want the veggies to be coated and not burned. 

When the mushrooms appear to be softening, you will create your “soupy” stock using bouillon or coconut milk (I used chicken bouillon packet sprinkled over the veggies, with about a cup of water). Bring to a simmer. 

Heat a deep, larger pan on medium heat - placing the chicken breasts and drizzling any leftover marinade to create a nice sear. Add fresh ground pepper and some kosher salt and chili flakes. Cook about 2 - 3 minutes on each side (you want them to brown) and then add the veggie stock and soup you’ve created into the chicken. Cover and let simmer for about 10 - 12 minutes on low-medium heat. 

Using the same small frying pan that your veggies were in, place a 1/4 cup bulgar wheat with 3/4 cup water, cover and bring to a simmer (about 10 minutes or until water is absorbed). 

Check the chicken to ensure it’s cooked (you can use a kitchen thermometer or just cut into it, a cardinal sin of cooking but since it’s in the liquid and i shredded the chicken, I wasn’t too concerned). If it’s cooked, slowly shred with two forks to your desired size (I had larger shredded pieces). 

Divide the bulgar wheat among two bowls and add your stew (more veggies and chicken than broth, though). Slice a half avocado. Top each stew with evenly with a handful of peashoots, basil leaves. and the sliced avocado. Sprinkle with chili flakes, and enjoy!

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In the morning, use your leftover avocado (why waste?!) on Rye crackers; top with two sunny side up eggs, salt and pepper. Avocado all damn day. 

Special note: how beautiful are these eggs? I discovered them recently. The brand is Carol’s Eggs and they are from a special breed of South American Araucana hens. They have a beautiful deep yellow color and such a rich flavor. If you are an egg-thusiast, you will not be disappointed. Breakfast game, changed. 

Gearing up for the NYC Half Marathon in less than 2 months! You can bet you’ll be seeing a lot of avo pop up in my meals. I would love to know how others are using it more creatively. Though I never will, my boyfriend might be tiring of my infinite variations of egg-sriracha-and-avocado toast 

Happy new year! While I was running 4 miles on New Year's Eve in Central Park, my pets were having a wild time in DC. In hindsight this is probably what I should have been doing.

The NYRR Midnight Run was Tae's 9th qualifying race for the 2016 New York City Marathon via the NYRR 9+1 program. For me this turned out to be more like 15+1 since I had my 9 runs completed some time ago in November and T decided late in the game that he wanted to qualify, too (more on that in another post). 

The gun goes off at 11:59pm. There are fireworks and a DJ. There are people in costume. This is not a race. It's a fun run - things I needed to keep reminding myself because I was getting worked up with impatience trying to navigate the backup during the first mile. I couldn’t wait to relax and enjoy post-race! And then as soon as I crossed the finish line I ended up in the medical tent. 

Delusions of champagne toasts in Central Park quickly faded out of view as I begged for Benadryl, scratching my body so bad I looked like I had track marks all over and gazing back apologetically at my boyfriend from behind the barricades at the medical tent. 

My tongue swelled up. Teeny bumps and hives formed all over my body. "Maybe you're just over heating?"

Or maybe I was experiencing exercised-induced anaphylaxis. 

"What the...? Allergic to running?" Yes, my reaction too. Go figure the one year I decide not to party is the year I end up in a medic's care with a stethoscope monitoring my breathing until 2am on New Year's Day. 

Few things are better than mussing up a bunch of leaves to get the right 📸.

Up early this morning for Asphlt Green tri club training. Tuesday morning runs are strength runs. (FYI The work out went something like this:50mx8/100mx4/ 2 100m x 2/ 4 Laps around soccer field w/ 90s rests/2 continuos laps around soccer field & REPEAT BACKWARDS)

Basically they were endless sprints up and down a soccer field which my coach called “ladders” but I have another word for them.

Now my breakfast will go something like this 🍎🍐🍇🍊🍳🍳🍞☕️🍩

HAPPY FALL!