Friday Favorites – August 2015 Edition

Happy Friday gang!

Do you guys have anything fun planned for the weekend? Bo and I get the keys to our new apartment tomorrow which means the moving fun begins. The movers don’t arrive until next Friday but this weekend we are going to start moving things from our temporary house to Brooklyn, finalize paint colors and start assembling some of our new furniture! If you want to follow the behind the scenes fun, follow me on Snapchat (healthyhappier). I am going to try and take some pictures and video of the apartment this weekend so I can share our before and after progress.

Grab your afternoon iced coffee or evening glass of wine, and enjoy this week’s edition of Friday Favorites, including recipes, articles, posts and other things that caught my eye this week.

My love of Fhitting Room is still going strong after taking my fifth class last night. Bo and I are averaging one class per week and EVERY single class is different and leaves my body in a new level of exhaustion. I continue to love that there are two instructors for every class, ensuring that everyone keeps proper form and pushes themselves until the very last second. If you’re in NYC or visiting, check out their intro 2 for 1 offer for new customers!

In my new role, I’m spending more time with external customers which means I need some new business attire. Never one to ignore a good sale, I ordered this skirt 30% off! I can’t wait to pair it with a classic white button down, chunky gold necklace and these leopard heels!

jcrew skirt

After Kristine professed her love of Nola Bars on Instagram, I knew I had to try them for myself. These gluten free, soy free and syrup free bars are the perfect afternoon snack without any artificial, hard to pronounce ingredients. I’m not the only one in our household who loves the bars. Bo texted me as soon as he bit into his first bar and said, “Oh my gosh these are the best bars!”

Nola Bar

It’s no secret that increasing my protein intake over the past year has led to me feeling stronger, more energized and eventually weight loss. Amanda’s round-up of 97 high protein breakfast ideas is definitely a post to pin for future reference!

I ordered these candles during the Nordstrom Anniversary sale and could not be more obsessed. In fact, I love them so much that I’ve almost burned through my favorite, Pink Citron.

Did you guys see the Sesame Street news yesterday? I still can’t decide how I feel about this move to HBO. Even more concerning than the move to HBO, is the fact that as a child I thought they made a new episode each day! Was anyone else shocked to read how few episodes they film each season?

sesame

I finally downloaded Snapseed after reading this awesome blog post about how to take better Instagram photos. I can tell it’ll take some time for me to figure out the best way to use it but so far I love the effects and improvements it’s brought to my past few images!

Last but not least, I can’t give a big enough high five and shout out to our interior decorator extraordinaire, Ashley Manfred. Not only is she helping make our new apartment feel like a home, but she is doing it on a budget! She has scoured sites like One Tree Lane to find rugs, linens, and more on sale. Having someone who is an expert help create a new vibe in our home is an investment we are so glad we made. Her help made choosing paint colors and investment pieces like a new bed a BREEZE and almost eliminated domestic arguments.

Okay kids, it’s time to peace out! I’ll see you guys again tomorrow for a check-in after our long run and possibly, a few pictures from our new place.

What are you loving?

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored and instead is a list of the things of my favorite things this week. As normal, it includes lots of beauty and fashion items which means there are a few affiliate links via ShopStyle. It takes time and money to maintain a blog so I thank you for the support and few cents that come from clicking through the links!

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A 3-Course Meal for $12.50

Since moving back to NYC, Bo and I have done a better than expected job avoiding the Seamless trap. Seamless is the food delivery service of choice for many New Yorkers, and while convenient, it isn’t exactly cheap nor healthy. Don’t get me wrong, there are, of course, some healthy and inexpensive options on Seamless, but often Bo and I tend to over-order which causes us to waste money on food we don’t need.

So far, it seems like Wednesday nights are when we find ourselves yearning for Seamless or another easy option. Our Wednesday runs tend to be a bit longer which means we don’t get home until 8 pm. We’ve made our way through our weekend produce haul, and we’ve eaten our way through leftovers.

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That’s where the crew at Kitchensurfing, a brand new NYC start-up can come to the rescue! Their goal is to bring healthy, delicious, chef-prepared meals into the comfort of your home. Imagine opening the door to a chef, complete with their ingredients and tools, and then sitting down to dinner just 30 minutes later.

Chef

Last night we had the pleasure of experiencing Kitchensurfing first hand, and it’s safe to say this is a game changer. This service, offered Monday through Friday, is the perfect option when you just haven’t had time to shop for ingredients and don’t have the energy to cook.  For $25 per person, a private chef will prepare, cook and serve you fresh three-course meal and clean up the kitchen in just 30 minutes. Keep in mind that this means that you get to enjoy three courses for $25; a good deal in New York City.

Each day there are four menu options including a gluten free, nut free, vegetarian and healthy options.  They are posted on the website a week in advance so people can choose their favorite dishes before ordering.  Today’s menu options include Cuban-style skirt steak, miso-marinated chicken, salmon en papillote, and handmade pappardelle. Don’t each of those sound delicious? Even better, you can read the user reviews associated with each menu choice to help ensure you choose one that you’ll love!

Kitchen surfing

Last night Bo and I were able to relax on the couch and catch up while our personal chef whipped up dinner in the kitchen. Our menu included lamb meatballs with garlic tzatziki and Mediterranean couscous. It was such a nice change and delight to have someone do everything for us from preparation to cleanup. The aromas coming from the kitchen were a sign that the meal was going to be just as delicious as we’d hoped.


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We couldn’t stop raving about the meal to each other and our friends. Just minutes after finishing our meal we both were texting friends, telling them how wonderful the service was and that they needed to try it one night. This would also be a great option if you wanted to have friends over for a small dinner party but didn’t have time to worry about the details.

Since I consider each of my readers friends, I want you to experience Kitchensurfing for yourself! You can get $25 of your first meal by using the code healthyhappier. This means that you and your friend or significant other can enjoy a three-course meal together for only $25 or $12.50 per person. That’s unheard of in New York City!

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Wordless Weekend: Vermont Weekend Away

Sometimes you don’t realize how much you need a weekend away, just the two of you. Vermont was the perfect destination for fresh air, lazy evenings, sunset musings, long rides, and reading.

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