College Reunion Weekend Begins

As I discussed in my earlier post, today begins our annual college reunion weekend. Since graduation, at least one of my six close sorority sisters has celebrated a marriage. This year it’s Alison’s turn! Tomorrow she and Brad are getting married in Gainesville tomorrow. Before the celebration could begin I had to make it down to Atlanta.

Lunch

I say this often, but when I’m traveling I can never thank Au Bon Pain enough for their mere existence. This is a blessing everytime I fly out of LaGuardia. Today’s lunch was a cup of fresh, delicious grapes and a Greek salad. It was filling and hit the spot. I was actually surprised at the amount of chicken on the salad and it’s staying power.

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I ran into a high school friend who was also on the same flight so we were able to pass time quickly by catching up and laughing about our surroundings and adventure as we were both flying Spirit Airlines for the first time today.

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Now that I have safely completed my travel on Spirit Airlines here are my thoughts.

  1.  

    The service was VERY friendly.

  2. You get what you pay for. The fare was over $100 cheaper than any other airline when I booked it.
  3. Keep in mind that with this cheap fare comes some changes. There are no headphones, radio stations, free Biscoff cookies, or even free drinks. Purchase snacks ahead of time!
  4. Pay the $10-$20 for an upgrade. This provides you with a first class style space and comfort experience. Instead of being 3 across a row we were only 2 across.
  5. Would I fly Spirit again? Yes, if I am going a short distance or there is a significant value difference I would fly them again.

After a quick flight down to Atlanta, by way of Myrtle Beach, I was greeted by this friendly sign.

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Delta really does know how to welcome folks to Atlanta!

I quickly looked for MARTA signs as I was taking this up to Lenox to meet Meghan due to Atlanta traffic. Success!

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Forty five quick minutes later I was reunited with this pretty lady!

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Some things never change. Meghan, Meghan’s husband Ryan, and I have spent the entire night talking, laughing, and catching up. Since my stomach was growling and my lunch had long since worn off, I was elated when Ryan suggested Taqueria del Sol. Be still my heart! With three convenient locations in Atlanta and one in Athens, this is basically a delicious, fresh, fast food Mexican restaurant that also has a knack for margaritas. Their menu is simple in options but divinely

 

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complex based on ingredients. Everything is creative and puts a new spin on your basic mexican. Per Ryan and Meghan’s suggestions, I went with two soft tacos tonight along with our chips and salsa appetizer.

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The trio of salsas featured a regular, smoky chipolte, and tomatillo. I could live on fresh tortilla chips, salsa, and Corona Light.

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Messy and delicious! I chose the Memphis and Carnita. The Memphis, the top picture, features chopped smoked pork with a spicy cole slaw and tequila bbq sauce. I loved the bbq flavors. The Carnita, was more traditional in its pork, salsa, and cilantro exploding inside.

This was the perfect casual dinner for an evening of catching up after a long week. Thanks Ryan and Meghan for being great hosts! Now it’s off to bed so I can attempt a hilly 6 or 7 miler around the Lenox area tomorrow morning. I hope it stays cool!

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Good Mood Day

 

Some days are just wonderful from the beginning! Maybe 7 amazing hours of sleep had something to do with it!

I took today off from working out since my hamstrings were still quite sore after my two PT sessions this week and I’d run 3 days in a row. This was one of the first times I haven’t felt guilty about not working out on a week day. Normally I work out Monday through Friday and take one weekend day off. I want to ensure that I don’t burn out during marathon training.

Today’s good mood started when I got dressed for work. I tried on a pair of linen pants on a whim hoping that they would finally fit again. I hadn’t worn them since our honeymoon but even then they were a little tight. Success! They were actually loose! I loved my outfit today and couldn’t stop smiling! I apologize for the rough 7am picture.

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Before heading to the office, I stopped in at Weight Watchers for my weekly weigh-in. I was down 1.0 lb! This means that I’ve had a constant decrease for four weeks in a row! I’m really enjoying this regular accountability and I’ve made some new friends in the process. Hi Mary! The morning receptionist and the crowd is hilarious. Every week there has been a different conversation taking place while I step on the scale. This morning was a Whole Foods vs Trader Joes conversation. Who is your favorite? Why? As of now I’m a Whole Foods loyalist since their lines are more manageable than the horrible Union Square Trader Joe lines. But, I’m hoping to check out the new Trader Joes on Sunday.

Breakfast

Breakfast this morning was delicious and refreshing! This bowl was a great find at Target when Leslie and I went there during my DC trip. It was only $0.99 but is my “work” bowl since it’s dishwasher safe and stands out. 

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1/2 c Fage 0%

1/2 c blueberries

2 Tbsp Flaxseed

1 Weight Watchers Vanilla Almond oatmeal

Lunch

Lunch today was unfortunately not pictured due to a dead camera battery. But, Chop’t has updated their menu and it now features delicious heirloom tomatoes! YUM!

Dinner

Bo and I enjoyed a date night together since we’ll be in different cities this weekend. We’ve passed Japonaise almost daily since we moved to Gramercy. Blog Pictures 2010 640

Tonight we decided to give it a try due to it’s outdoor seating and fun atmosphere. Blog Pictures 2010 642 

In addition, it allowed for a compromise between two people craving totally opposite foods. I wanted fish while Bo wanted barbeque or at least meat.

Overall, the service was terrific and the food was delicious.

We shared two appetizers, “The Rock” and “Tuna Tuna Roll”.

Blog Pictures 2010 645 The rock was thinly sliced marinated new york strip steak which we were able to cook on a hot rock. The rock stayed hot for 5 minutes which meant we prepared this first. The meat was DELICIOUS and perfectly seasoned! I only had two pieces as I was more excited for the special roll!

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The tuna tuna roll featured salmon inside with sliced tuna on top surrounded by an avocado wasabi tobiko foam. This was very fresh though I wish they used less rice. I only ate the rice from two pieces but enjoyed the fish from four in total. The wasabi tobiko foam was an interesting touch.

Their Grilled Hamachi answered my fish craving while also delighting my love of mushrooms. This was perfectly cooked hamachi served with a wild mushroom broth. The portion was perfect for sharing as it was on the larger side.

Blog Pictures 2010 646 Bo’s meal was HUGE! The Japanese Ribs definitely tested his hunger and in the end the ribs one. These were perfectly tender and almost fell off the bone. The seasoning was a perfect hickory miso blend. Unfortunately, the vegetables left something to be desired and were therefore pretty much untouched. They were bland and dripping in a mayonnaise like sauce. Blog Pictures 2010 647

If you’re looking for a great Japanese fusion restaurant near Union Square, I recommend Japonaise. It is reasonably priced for the portions and quality. My only suggestion would be to bear in mind all portions are quite large. We left wishing we’d split an appetizer as we couldn’t finish the appetizers or our meals.

 

Have a great night and happy early Friday! Don’t forget to enter my Vega Good Giveaway which ends tonight!

Deal Alert: One of our favorite house hold kitchen appliances is on RueLaLa this week for just $49!

If you’re not a member then click here to join!

Deal alert!! One of our favorite

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Vega Good Giveaway

As promised, I am hosting a Vega Good giveaway!

 

Last week, I had the great opportunity to learn about this product and other Vega products directly from Brendan Brazier, vegan pro triathalete and author of Thrive.

Whole Food Health Optimizer is made from natural plant-based whole foods.  In addition, the great flavor is high in fiber, protein, and essential fatty acids. It really is an all-in-one natural plant based formula that is a perfect way to boost any smoothie, oatmeal, or even an afternoon coffee or tea.

I want to let one of my readers try this great product first hand. I will choose a winner Friday evening.

Want to win?

1. Click here to enter your email address and Healthy, Happier Bear as your referral! Please leave a comment letting me know you did that.

2. Tweet or link back to this giveaway and ensure you feature @healthyhappier. Feel free to use this: “@healthyhappier is having a Vega good giveaway! http://alturl.com/ric9n

Good luck!

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