New York City Archives - Page 11 of 12 - My Healthy, Happier Life

Yesterday’s adventures were unbelievable and intense! When we woke up, after eight hours of sleep, Bo asked if I’d consider doing a long bike ride instead of a long run since he’s training for his first triathlon! I was apprehensive at first but as soon as I saw the glorious weather and had some motivation from Theodora who was also embarking on a long ride, I said of course!

After breakfast we headed up town to Pedal Pushers bike shop. The staff at Pedal Pushers were super friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful! We went in there ready to rent road bikes for the day including clips and the whole nine yards. Unbeknownst to me, clips are scary shit! After getting the requisite lecture about the dangers of biking in New York City and how much cab drivers hate bikers, I was more than a little fearful. Bo on the other hand was ready for clips and excited for the adventure. For once, I listened to my gut and brain and opted to get a bike with cages instead of clips.

This is the smile of girl who is excited to bike for the day with cages instead of clips! Cages allowed me to easily start and stop cycling on the busy city streets.

Our route wasn’t planned very clearly, instead we just went wherever we felt. We started with a loop in Central Park before exiting in Harlem and heading towards Riverside Park.

After an adventurous hike and ride through Riverside Park we headed up towards the George Washington bridge.The views of the river and New Jersey were amazing!

After reaching the bridge we took a water break and then headed down the Hudson River parkway back towards Manhattan.

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Fleet week and the tourists made riding on the Hudson River Parkway less than desirable but I had one thing on my mind, a cold smoothie!

Thirty miles later we were exhausted but excited for many more long rides in New York. Now we just have to find a better path next time!

We also learned a few things from yesterday’s ride:

If you want to get serious about riding, experiencing a road bike is very important. But, you need to be confident of your abilities before embarking on a long ride in a congested area. Bo felt more confident and therefore chose to go with cages but I on the other hand, just wanted to become comfortable with a road bike versus dealing with clips too.
Be sure to wear the proper attire! Having padded bike shorts on made the ride far more enjoyable for both us and I was still sore at the end! They don’t cure everything but they definitely help!
Carry plenty of water and fuel because YOU will sweat and you will work your body. I’ve always figured that riding a bike was easier than running but there were points yesterday, when I was keeping a 16 mph pace on an incline and was amazed how tough it was. I loved it and was happy I had my Camelbak for easy water access.
If you’re cycling with someone else, have a plan because it’s tough to stay within speaking distance of each other. We started the ride without a plan and quickly got separated which made for a stressful situation. Even though we had our phones, it is IMPOSSIBLE to ride a road bike and talk at the same time on the streets of Manhattan.

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Happy Monday friends!

As promised, I want to share the rest of our celebratory weekend with you. After a relaxing and productive Saturday, the rest of the weekend was filled with two delicious meals, lots of dancing, and an unhealthy amount of alcohol. :) I mean, living in New York City is all about moderation, right?

Our cab ride quickly took us to the night’s dinner location, Valbella. We chose Val Bella on a whim, Saturday afternoon, after Lavo refused to expand our reservation from 4 people to 5 to accommodate our friend Michael. Luckily, Zagat and Open Table came to our rescue and suggested this when we searched for restaurants in the Meat Packing district so we’d be close to the evening’s next stop.

Upon arriving, the service was the first thing which stood out. They quickly escorted us over to meet our friend Michael who was already at the bar, waiting for the birthday girl with a rose and chocolate. Proof, that chivalry still lives strong!

The restaurant’s spiral staircase in the middle of the curved bar really adds to the atmosphere. The restaurant had a great deal of style ranging from the hardwood and white walls to the simple arches.

Luckily, we received a wonderful table on the side wall of the restaurant, positioned perfectly in the center which allowed for wonderful people watching.

Throughout our experience, the service is what stood out more than anything. They happily charged Meg’s phone in the coat check when she noticed it was dead, they made her feel like a princess the entire dinner, and they even provided a used Pellegrino bottle to serve as a vase during our meal for Meg’s yellow rose.

The restaurant was the place for birthday celebrations Saturday night as there were four people who celebrated while we were there. This is our table neighbor, smiling with his birthday soufle and the birthday girl!

How do I begin to describe the wonderful food we enjoyed. Each dish was better than the last and luckily we were a friendly group, everyone open to sharing bites of our dishes.

Our stand out dishes of the evening included a mix of specials and regular menu items.

An appetizer special that night, a rare mozzarella, flown in from Italy 2 times per week, served with arugula, roasted artichoke, and prosciutto.

Medaglioni Di Aragosta Con Brie baked brie cheese crusted with spanish almonds, topped with lobster medallions and served in a grand marnier sauce

The best dish of the night, hands down, was a scallop dish with a delicious pistachio reduction.

The boys enjoyed their special filet, a rare bone in filet grilled to perfection!

Last but not least, what birthday celebration would be complete without a candle and a wish.

Luckily, the rest of our evening included dancing the delicious calories away at Marquee! We saw a special on Gilt last week, and new it was a perfect way to celebrate the birthday.

$210 special for VIP Bottle Service at Marquee including table for four people, 1 bottle of vodka with mixers, and hours of dancing.

Even better, they let our fifth person, the birthday girl, in free! We spent four hours dancing the night away in the packed club, enjoying more than one vodka cocktail, and catching up on all the newest club fashions, dance moves, and music. I had so much fun, that I actually frowned and said I wish we didn’t have to leave when they turned the lights on at 4am.

Such a wonderful way to ring in the big birthday with the best sister-in-law a girl could ever have!

Question: What is your favorite way to celebrate a birthday? Intimate dinner? Party with friends? Club?

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Living in New York has it’s highs and lows. It is definitely a high stress environment that can get the best of you if you let it. But, it’s also an amazing city with lots of fun events and activities. In fact, one of my goals for this year has been to take advantage of as many activities as possible, including weeknight events. This time last year I rarely left the office before 8pm and went straight home, exhausted from the day.

This year, I’m working more efficiently while at work and I’m practicing a healthy work life balance. I left work at 6:15 in order to meet Theodora, Grace, and Meg, Bo’s little sister, for a special event at Florence Gould Hall.

More than 300 women and men came together to hear Tory Burch talk about her time in the industry as part of the French Institute’s Fashion Talks.

I honestly have a girl crush after tonight’s event. Tory was poised, family focused, inspiring, and is very self aware.

(Thanks Theodora for this crystal clear picture!)

While the event only lasted 45 minutes, her insights and comments have left me thinking far longer. Here are a few of the highlights from tonight:

Tory had no fashion background in college
She has built her brand from the ground up in 7 short years
Her mother, Reva, was the original inspiration behind her lifestyle brand
Her goal was to answer an unmet need for quality fashion at an affordable price
“If you find something you’re passionate about, that’s a great thing.”
“I get to be a business person but also be creative”
Her original 5 year plan was to have 5 strong stores. She had 45 by the end of the 5 years and will have 60 by the end of this year.
Her flagship store opened during Fashion Week in 2004 and sold $100,000 during the first day alone.
She attributes her success to her time management skills
They look at the web as their largest store and know this is where they make their first impression to the consumers.
This September, Tory Burch will have it’s first fashion show. Up until September 2011, they’ve always had presentations due to cost constraints.
She was a tomboy growing up in Philadelphia suburbs, but her first fashion memory is her YSL prom dress and her parents’ impeccable style.
She chose her logo from a list of 250 options a design firm provided her after she requested they build a logo around her initial, T.
She is very focused on her family of three sons, three daughter in laws, and her husband. (See video here where she addresses phones during dinner.) Tory Burch at Fashion Talks

She understands the importance of social media; and has even used Twitter to pitch product ideas to loyal consumers. Their first great success from Twitter was the Tory Travel Socks.
Her #1 fashion necessity which every woman should own is a classic trench to “cover it all up.” I’m not sure why she’d want to cover her gorgeous clothes but it doesn’t stop me from lusting over her Quincy trench!

Question: What would you ask Tory Burch if you had the opportunity?

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An Intense Bike Tour of Manhattan

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Ain’t No Party Like a Diamond Party: Part 2

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An Evening with Tory Burch

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