All this energy callin' me

Things have been a little crazy around these parts for a few weeks. Between getting engaged, running a relay, exercising, trying to eat right, and do all the other little things life throws at you, my brain is currently fried.

The icing on the cake:
I'm moving.

To Cleveland.

Yep, since Ross and I are getting married we figured we should probably live in the same city. I drew the short straw on this one, but I think it'll work out just fine.

While I am really excited about this next step in life, I'm also completely terrified. Telling work that I am leaving, finding a place to live, moving away from family and friends, it's all very overwhelming. I'm taking it as it comes, which is really hard for me. I'm a planner by nature, I like lists, I like organization (even if you can't tell by the mess in my bedroom), I like knowing what is coming next. The only thing I know for sure is that on April 19th I start work in a new office. 

I typically live my life in tomorrow's not today's. I always look ahead to the future and I am currently struggling with that concept. Last week I told my work that I am leaving, giving them exactly three weeks notice. It was honestly one of that hardest things I have ever done. It's my first real job and my company is small, I like to think of us as a family. We are all really close, and while sometimes work stresses me out, I really do like where I work. Obviously if I were staying in Pittsburgh, I would be keeping my job, but since I don't have much of a choice, I have to leave. I am leaving my company of 4 to work for a company of 350. I have NO IDEA what to expect, I've never worked in a company that large before. 

This weekend I am going up to Cleveland to look for a place to live. Ross and I have been saving like crazy to buy a house so that is the option that we are going to explore first. I'm like a little kid on Christmas, I have dreamed of owning my own home for so long I can't believe it might actually happen. Hopefully we can find something we like, but if not I think we'll look into renting for a little bit. My goal is to buy a house before the end of summer, we'll see if that is going to happen. Yikes.

Speaking of this weekend, I am going to be crazy busy. I was planning on packing all weekend, but as usual life has gotten in the way. Tomorrow I have off (yay!!) so I am running errands and packing some of my clothing. For the time being we will be living with Ross' parents so I don't have to move anything substantial just yet. Also, next weekend is the big annual fundraiser for the foundation that my boss is the president of and this year I'm on the planning committee. There isn't a tremendous amount of work to be done, but I still have to do some work this weekend. Plus house hunting, plus Easter. At some point I might get some sleep. Oh, and my friends and I are finally going to see the Hunger Games tomorrow night, I think excited is an understatement.

Sorry for the rambling, this post is as scattered as my current state of mind. Also sorry for the lack of pictures, this post is the epitome of stream of consciousness. Since I can't leave this completely picture-less, here's a picture of my cat sleeping in the sink. Enjoy.

Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon Relay Recap

This past weekend my friend Sarah and I ventured down to DC to run the Rock 'n' Roll half marathon relay. We signed up for this race months ago and were excited about it until the morning of the race. Since we've been running races together, we've done just that, run together. Even though we don't talk when we run together, the feeling that I don't want to fail her keeps me moving. I honestly didn't know how I was going to fair without her by my side.

Fast forward a few day before. The Rock 'n' Roll series for this race made it really hard for us to get our packets in time. They didn't have any race day packet pick up and we had to get into DC by 8 pm on Friday. That was going to be hard considering we couldn't leave until mid-afternoon. Luckily we have the best friends in the entire world and our friend offered (well perhaps with some coaxing and bribery) to pick up our packets on Thursday. Success!

Yes, this post is going to be light on the pictures as I really don't have any of the race itself. On race morning we got up at the crack of dawn and made our way to the Metro. Since we were getting on the Orange line near the beginning we didn't have to worry about crowds. At Metro Center I switched to the Red line to make my way to the relay transition area at Dupont Circle. The relay consisted of two parts. Sarah ran the first part (6.1) miles from RFK stadium to Dupont Circle and I ran the second part (7 miles) back to RFK. My half was filled with lots of sun and rolling hills.

My legs felt fantastic for all 7 miles, but I slowed to a brisk walk from mile 11.5 to 12 because I was starting to overheat. I have a really hard time staying hydrated during races as drinking too much water disagrees with my stomach. At mile 8 Safeway was handing out bottles of water so I grabbed one and ran with that. It helped a little. By mile 12 I started to run again and ran all the way to the last hill before the finish. Part of the way up the hill I had to stop because I started to feel lightheaded, ugh. When I saw my friends a little before the finish it gave me that little extra push to finish it out! I did it, I finished 7 miles and ran more than I ever have before.

I grabbed my metal (the relay variety), a bottle of water, and a yogurt and met up with my friends. Before we went back to shower we stopped at Ben's Chili Bowl. I haven't been there since I became a vegetarian but was pleasantly surprised there was a veggie chili and veggie dog. By the time we switched trains several times, I was dehydrated and woozy. Once we got in the restaurant I made a bee-line for the restroom. I felt like I was either going to throw up or pass out. I filled up my water bottle and drank as quickly as I could and within seconds felt a million times better. I started sweating again and gained a pretty good appetite. I was relieved that I didn't pass out, that would have been horrible.

 
After Ben's we went back to Jessie's house to shower and change and then caught the metro back downtown. Ellie had never had the pleasure of sightseeing in DC before, and I really love the Mall, so we walked around for a few hours. This time I brought my camera and snagged some pretty shots!

I love this one!

I really love DC, I've been there several times and enjoyed the millions of things there are to do in the area. Thanks to Rock 'n' Roll for a pretty well organized race. I think I'll attempt it again next year, assuming I can get my overheating in control. 46 days until the Pittsburgh Half Marathon. Double yikes!

Engagement Dinner: Part II

Yeah, nevermind that this post should have been up almost month ago, but better late than never, right?
I've been super busy and keeping a mental notes of all of the blog posts I've been wanting to write. This particular one has been floating around on my iPhone for a bit now.

First thing is first: The Ring!

I like classic things so it's no surprise that when Ross and I first started talking about getting engaged I expressed a desire for an antique ring. The ring is actually an aquamarine, not a diamond. I think it's the prettiest thing I've ever seen. If you're interested in vintage jewelry, Ross bought the ring at Marlene Harris in Pittsburgh (she ships, too!).


Ok, now onto the dinner. As an engagement celebration Ross' family took us out to dinner at one of our favorite Cleveland restaurants: Amp 150. I have an immense love of the tasting menu, and because of the occasion, everyone agreed on the 6 course (holy food, Batman!).

Course 1:

Velvet Mushroom Bisque. It's no secret here at SA that I don't like mushrooms. Except for my mushroom risotto. This soup was really great! Slightly mushroomy but nice and creamy. It wasn't something I would have ordered, but I was glad I got it!

Course 2:

Greens with local brie, candied walnuts, dried fruit, and a vanilla bean vinaigrette. The vanilla bean vinaigrette was really good! It was a unique flavor that mixed well with the creaminess of the cheese. I also love candied nuts, so that helped too!

Course 3:

Pasta al Ceppo. I don't have a picture of this, but I've had it here before. Basically, it's a homemade pasta with eggplant confit and pine nuts. Complexly, it's so much more. It's sweet and tangy, soft and al dente. It's pasta perfection.

Course 4:

Seared tuna over black right and a spicy aoli sauce, sans tuna. The downside to the new structure of the tasting menu is that everyone at the table now gets the same thing. It used to be a different dish per person, but now we all had to be the same. Because I also don't eat fish, I got the rice and aoli without the tuna. I thought the rice was crazy salty, but according to everyone else the saltiness was cut by the seared tuna. This dish was really pretty, but oversalted. Bummer.

Course 5:

For this course the chef did prepare something different for most people. Out of the 6 of us, three ate anything, one ate fish and chicken, Ross only eats fish, and I eat no meat at all. The chef did a great job with this challenge and made me SUPER happy by presenting me with my favorite dish of all time. Yes, all time.

 The roasted cauliflower with goat cheese, pine nuts, and beet vinaigrette is AH-MAZING! It's tangy, creamy, and sweet. It's so delicious, I could eat it everyday. I also got broccoli with chile paste and braised brussles sprouts with a cider vinegar. Yum yum!

Course 6:

Dessert. Brownie Trio. Milk Chocolate Panna Cotta. Chocolate covered Cheesecake. I never thought I liked panna cotta, but I have found that I really love it. So much so that I traded with Ross' dad for his as well. Healthy, eh.


Many many many thanks to Chef Jarrett for the great food (and the extra helping of cauliflower), it was a memorable meal! Can't wait to go back!

The Million Dollar Question

Sorry for the unintended hiatus but some pretty exciting things have been happening in the Skinny Architect household. Are you ready for this? Are you sure? You may want to sit down.

I'M ENGAGED!!!

Yes, it's really real! After almost 6 years together Ross and I are finally getting married! It's crazy to think about because although I always knew it would happen eventurally, it's kind of surreal that it IS happening!

This all happened two weeks ago and since then I've been so crazy busy. It's funny because even the days that I have no definitive plans turn out to be insane. If you want to read the proposal story, here goes:


The Proposal:
I cannot be surprised. There, I said it. I try not to figure things out on purpose, but I always do. What can I say, I'm perceptive. For the last few years I've joked with Ross that if he wanted to surprise me that I'd have to accidentally plan my own proposal. It didn't quite happen like that, but close.
Since this winter has been less than wintery, the temperatures have been ideal for walking. Ross was in town that weekend and at breakfast (mmmm...Square Cafe) he asked what I wanted to do that day and I asked if he wanted to go for a walk on the trails. He eagerly agreed (clue #1) and we went back home and bummed around for a while. We made dinner reservations for Verde that evening to make up for Valentines Day getting snowed out and then we headed out for our walk.

We decided to take the trails up to the Frick Mansion, which is incredibly beautiful, and managed to count a record number of other people on the trails. So many people running and walking their dogs. I love having such an awesome city park so close to my house, it adds an extra sense of community. That being said, when we got to the top of the hill he started talking about the wedding we had seen the last time we were there. Apparently it is common to get married in the park near the mansion, and I can see why, it's incredible! (clue #2). We walked a bit more back into the park and he kept looking around. Once he saw that the coast was clear he turned to me, got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Of course I said yes!! It might also be the record for the fastest proposal ever, but that's okay, it was perfect. He handed me a box with the most beautiful ring I've ever seen inside and we went straight home to tell pretty much everyone we knew.

Dinner:

After seeing a review for Verde on Claire's blog, I knew I had to try it. Since it's relatively close to my house, Ross and I thought it would be a great place to grab a bit. Little did I know it would turn into an engagement celebration. Once we got there we still had to wait a bit for our table to be ready I started playing with my new phone and tweeted our arrival.

We were quickly seated and ordered freshly made guacamole right away! Ross also ordered a Mexican Coke (made with real sugar). We were pleased to find that it tasted just like the Coke we had in Italy because there was less sugar and no corn syrup. Sidenote: Conad brand Italian Diet "Coke" is the absolute best!!!

I love Mexican, but Ross LOVES Mexican. If Mexican food were a person I think he'd marry it. Seriously.
That being said, he did tell me that he judges all Mexican restaurants by the quality of their Chile Rellenos, so naturally, that's what he ordered. I ordered the Tacos de Camote which were sweet potato and chickpea tacos with Mexican Tzatziki, which turned out to be awesome! Sweet potatoes are an acquired taste for me so I feel like it's a personal triumph that I actually order them voluntarily now. Also, the tzatziki was really delicious, I just wish there was a little more on them! The tacos came with a side of rice and beans. Now, I think it's pretty apparent that I love black beans so I was really happy to see them, but the rice may have been the BEST Mexican rice I've ever had. Ever. The flavor was so so so good!

By the time we were done with our feast, in which Ross declared this one of his favorite Mexican restaurants ever (the Chille Rellenos were a hit!), we were too stuffed to think about dessert, but apparently the restaurant felt otherwise. The owner had seen my tweet about our engagement and sent us over a piece of chocolate cake. *Swoon* I always have room for chocolate cake. It was less cakey and more ganache like, which I loved. Dare I declare this be best chocolate cake I've ever had in a restaurant. Yes, I think so.

So after receiving the prettiest ring I've ever seen, we ate the best cake we've ever had and celebrated well into the night. It was the epitome of the perfect day and I can't wait to spend many more with Ross. Thanks to all of our family and friends who have made our engagement so special, we're looking forward to sharing our happiness with you in the coming years!

Food Review: Alexia Brand

A few weeks ago the awesome folks at Alexia asked me if I would like to try some of their products for free. I think it's because I eat their products all. the. time. I can honestly say that this is my favorite food brand out there. Everything thing I have ever tried of theirs I have completely fallen in love with.

I requested to try three products that I haven't tried before:

Sweet Potato Tater Tots

Focaccia Bread

Waffle Cut Parmesan Lemon Fries

Now, I must admit, the lemon fries have yet to hit store shelves, which is probably why they came in an unmarked bag. Or they are as addictive as crack. Either/or.

Anywhoo, I haven't tried the tater tots yet, but I LOVE tater tots! When I was in college there was a restaurant that served actual cafeteria style tater tots, they were the best! I have plans this week to make them, I'll let you know how they are, but I'm guessing they're awesome!

The Focaccia bread was really really good! I love bread, maybe more than tater tots, and I find that frozen bread is like my own little portion control system. It was the perfect amount of cheesy, so soft and pillowy. Mmmmm....

The Parmesan Lemon Fries were the bomb. Yes, the bomb. Perfectly flavored, not overly lemony, crispy and delicious. Yum! I had those tonight with a side of brussels sprouts and a black bean burger. Dinner perfection. Since french fries are my biggest downfall, I love that Alexia fries are lower in fat and calories (meaning I get to eat even more!).

 Now here is the fun part! Now through March you can vote on Alexia's Facebook Page for the Reinvent a Classic campaign. 22 food bloggers submitted recipes for a new french fry flavor and it's been narrowed down to 4! It's up to you to go and vote for the one you would most like to see in stores.The Parmesan Lemon fries were previously part of this challenge and won back in November!!

Also, if you check out the Alexia brand website, you can score a pretty sweet $1 off coupon for any Alexia product, like the Parmesan Lemon Waffle Fries!

I'll be back later with a review of the other two products. Sorry for my blogging absence, I have a big project due at work this week and between the flu and that, well, things have been crazy!

WIAW: Italian Night

Thanks again Jenn for putting together this fabulous shindig!




[Breakfast]

 So I downloaded the Instagram App on my iPod, this is going to be dangerous!

Cheerios with one very large strawberry and skim milk. Delicious, and vintage!


[Lunch]

Tofu Mango Salad from the Green Mango. My absolute favorite salad in the whole wide world. Bold statement, delicious salad.

Cucumbers, red onion, tomatoes, mango, and crispy tofu all in a light vinaigrette. *Drool*


[Dinner]

Dinner tonight was a bit of a jumble, which usually turns out to be the best kind. I've had a bag of (my beloved) Alexia brand Italian Saute that seemed to be burning a whole in my freezer along with a batch of "Italian sausage" pasta sauce. I threw the saute in a skillet and followed the directions. I was a bit disappointed with the lack of leafy greens so I added a handful of spinach. The taste was definite right there, another Alexia product FTW!

After it was done I added some whole wheat pasta and topped it with sauce. It was really amazing! I think I'll have the leftovers tonight for dinner!

I tend to be pretty reliant on jarred pasta sauce, although I do occasionally use my family recipe. When I use jarred sauce I always add extra veggies. It's a good, low maintenance, way to get in some extras!


[Snacks]

Almost the last of the Honeybells, only 3 more until next year! Oh no!

I've been trying to pack in the fruits and veggies lately to not only ward of hunger but also because I feel like I am lacking in the vitamins department. I fully believe that we get enough of our daily vitamins by eating a balanced diet and that's what I'm working for!

Super Eats

Superbowl Sunday is a big deal for Ross and I, it's the perfect reason for party food! We had been planning the spread for a while now, a few classics and some new additions. After going for my long run (6.2 miles, a new record) plus setting a new 5k PR (unofficial of course), I more or less gave myself a bit of a free pass on the food situation. The next time I will really get the opportunity to eat these delicious party foods will probably be at the start of next football season.

The Spread:

What's on the table:

Dog Food - Yes, the name sounds crude, but this meaty mix makes it's appearance at every party that we can get it at. I can't take the credit myself, it's a family recipe of Ross' high school friend Babs (real name: Mark). He brings it to every event that he comes to, and honestly, it wouldn't be the same without it. Its a mixture of Velveeta, ground beef, sausage, and I think, salsa. People get angry if they don't see it on the table. Dipper of choice: Mini Weenies or Doritos

Bacon Wrapped Scallops - We class it up in this joint. Also, I cannot take credit for these either, Ross' uncle brought them, but they were a big hit. They were small enough to pop one in while classy enough to forget you were at a superbowl party.

Spicy Nuts - Also a concoction of Ross' uncle, these spicy mixed nuts were awesome. The perfect mix of smoky, spicy, and salty. If anyone wants the recipe, I'm sure I could get it for you.

Mini Weenies / Veggie Corndogs - Mini Weenies have been a staple of the Ross Superbowl Party since before I was in the picture. Easy enough, Lil' Smokies wrapped in Crescent Rolls. They are tasty, but not the healthiest of options. I also made some Morningstar Farms Mini Veggie Corndogs for myself and anyone else who wanted them. People seemed indifferent, but hey, more for me. Dip of choice: Stadium Mustard

Veggies and Dip - Thanks to Ross' family friends, these ended up being a big hit! To be honest, I should have hit up that platter more often. Live and learn. Dipper of choice: veggies

Jalapeno Popper Dip - I saw this a few weeks ago on the Macheesmo blog and was instantly intrigued. I love jalapeno poppers and this dip tasted just like one! It was a huge hit, everyone loved it. I think I also may have eaten most of it... Dipper of choice: multi-grain chips

I made a few minor tweaks to the recipe - I used more jalapenos, low fat cream cheese, low fat mayo (I only used 1/2 cup) and romano cheese in the topping. It turned out great!


Spinach Dip - This one is my own and it's a good one. It might be the easiest thing I've ever made, but I must recommend making it a few hours ahead to make sure all of the ingredients are well combined. True story - it's vegetarian despite the beefy onion soup. Apparently chemicals make up the beef taste. Awesomely disgusting, huh? But I promise it tastes awesome! Dipper of choice: pumpernickel bread

2 packages of frozen spinach - defrosted and water removed
1-1/2 pints sour cream (I used a big container of fat free with a small of reguar)
1 package Knorrs Vegetable Soup Mix
1 packet Lipton Beefy Onion

Mix all ingredients together, serve cold.

Bean Dip - A college roommate of mine made this once and it was delicious. It's low fat (although not what I would consider healthy). Dipper of choice: celery or tortilla chips

Layer in a pie plate from bottom to top:

1 8oz package of light cream cheese
1 small can of diced green chiles
1 15oz can 99% fat free refried black beans
1 cup 2% Mexican Cheese Blend

Bake at 350 degrees for about 20 or so minutes or until heated through and bubbly.


So there you have it, this years Superbowl Superspread. I'll miss you, football season. Until next year! Oh, and the draft is in April, yay!! Until next time, friends, until next time.

Well, until tomorrow, because it's WIAW!