Author Archives: Katherine Swanson

I finally meet a cookie I don’t like

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So there is this awesome farmer’s market near my work where there is a mix of made to order food AND veggies and fruits. Plus, its next to the Coffee Bean. Score! I got a ton or arugula for 95 cents and a thing of raspberries. I cannot wait to make oatmeal tomorrow. So anyways, I hit Coffee Bean and got some veggies and then I bought these cookies for $1. Um, not my favorite. I actually only had one of these thin cookies. They were pretty flavorless and also very chewy, but chewy like a store bought cookie. Well, we can’t win them all. There were some great roasted nuts. Next time I will get those for sure!

After work I had happy hour and then went on a run. I made sure I stretched my hip out before starting my run. I did pigeon, butterfly and a few other yoga poses. I stopped my run a little early because I could feel my hip. After I stretched again. I feel ok now but we will see tomorrow. Yoga will be a must do this weekend. I also made this delicious pasta. Basic homemade tomato sauce with roasted broccoli and eggplant. I also added some of the arugula. Yum.

and crap. I’m hungry again. Why am I such a beast today? Night!

Into the Groove?

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Today I went on my first long run (4.1 miles) in 4 weeks. The last time I ran this run was May 8th- I think. I probably could have waited an extra day due to my heinous sun burn, but today is National Running Day and I was antsy to run to work off the “checking my grades” anxiety. I started slow and felt good but when I got to the “Hilgard Hills” I stopped for a little bit and walked in place because I had a major cramp in my side. Does anyone know a trick to stop a cramp other than stopping and breathing deeply? Then I resumed running and was doing OK until the very end when I had to stop at a stop light. When I started running again my left hip was really sore. Argh! More yoga, more stretching? I think so! I did a bunch of hip openers after I got home (while simultaneously checking my twitter feed, Katherine FTW!) Hopefully I won’t feel too bad tomorrow AM. I’m off to sleep.

andddd because I took too many picture in Chicago, here is my little retriever buddy, Wally…

Couch Potato Workout

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Today was a crazy day for me between work starting and still adjusting back to LA. Finishing running errands at 7 pm plus a painful back sunburn deterred me from going on a run, although I am planning on going tomorrow. Instead I made a delicious dinner and decided to watch Glee and get my workout in during my commercial breaks. Working out during the Glee commercial breaks works for me because the show is upbeat and makes me want to jump around. Here is how it broke down:

9:08 – 9:12

  • Down dog shifting to plank position x3 (long deep breaths in each plank and down dog- applies to all down dogs)
  • Dolphin pose to plank x3
  • One leg plank to down dog, both sides x3 each side

9:17-9:22

  • 20 squat and bicep curls w/ overhead arm lifts using 5 lb weights in each arm
  • 20  squats with extending back arm lifts with weights
  • 20 weighted “wing” lifts

9:27-9:31

  • 30 weighted squats
  • 20 couch dips
  • 30 bicep curls

9:37-9:41

  • 1.5 min plank with a break in dolphin pose for last 1/2 min
  • 20 couch dips
  • water, feed the cat

9:49 – 9:53

  • 4 slow sun salutations

This was a pretty good workout for 21 min using items just around my house! Of course I would love to go on a great run but tonight it just wasn’t in the cards and I’m happy that I was able to come up with a workable alternative. The couch dips especially kicked my ass (and legs and arms)! I also used core workouts (plank, and plank to down dog variations) that didn’t make my lay on my back because it is uncomfortable because of the burn.

Afterward I celebrated with a small palm full of chocolate chips. Now I’m watching the new Jillian Michael’s show which is intense! Beyond her simply yelling at this family to workout, she’s having this family (from Wilmington, MA!) talk about their infant that died. Jillian is crazy intense but hey, she gets the job done right? Off to bed!

Left Coast goes Lake Coast!

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After Boston I flew directly to Chicago to spend a few days with my parents and brother before I started to work. I love O’Hare airport! So well laid out and you can’t walk 500 feet without running into a Starbucks.

I had a pretty chill time in Chicago. I was able to run 2 of 5 days that I was home which was great. I also had a great recovery treat, a Green Monster! My family looked at me like I was insane but this is an awesome post run snack.

You can tell I’m home because the counter is significantly nicer! Add spinach, almond milk, and Greek yogurt in the blender and mix! It was so refreshing after a hot run. I also snacked on other things while home.

Like wonderful Starbucks ice teas! I used to have two a day while in high school. The people still recognize me at that Starbucks! I am now a Coffee Bean devote but when in Chicago, Starbucks is where its at.

I arrived home two days ago. I have to say that I am pretty exhausted. I am in that place where things have been crazy and I just want to chill. I had a great Memorial Day going to the beach (getting a bad sunburn), and seeing Sex and the City 2. But today was my first day of work and I am so tired. I haven’t worked out in several days now. I am going to eat dinner and do weights. Unfortunately my sun burn is right where my running shorts are and I don’t want to aggravate the burn but I am dying to get back into routine! This is the first night alone in my apartment in almost 3 weeks so hopefully I am getting back to normal. I want to be back on the running wagon, back on the yoga wagon, and back on the well portioned healthy eating wagon. Hopefully I’m getting there.

The Flour Day

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The last day that I was in Boston all I ate was Flour! I started early with Carolyn. We went to the Fort Point Flour which is bigger than the South End Flour and caters to a more commuter crowd so we had no issue getting seats.

TREATS!!!

I had a quiche with side salad for breakfast.It was literally the most light and delicious quiche I’ve ever had. It melted in my mouth and was probably the best ever!

Clearly I hated it...

Then we split this delicious raspberry bar…

Later I went to the South End Flour to pick up sticky buns for my family and a treat for the flight (roast beef sandwich and a brownie, which I only ate maybe half of). I also picked up some chocolate chip macaroons for the next day. While at that Flour location I had a half sandwich which was turkey with cranberries. It was an awesome day, this Flour day. I was very sad to leave Boston and all my great friends. I still love Boston and I want to get back soon.

JP Licks

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No offense LA, but I like my ice cream to be real. Not that I don’t have a place in my heart for Yogurtland and Pinkberry, but sometimes you just want REAL ice cream. My favorite place in Boston for real ice cream is JP Licks. There are a number of locations in Boston. Carolyn and I went to JP Lick, Harvard Square between happy hours.

I always order the same thing at JP Licks. I know its lame, but why should I mess with perfection? I always get oatmeal cookie with chocolate chips. The oatmeal cookie has oatmeal which I love but also has a slight cinnamon aftertaste which makes it even more delicious. The chocolate chips make me feel like I’m eating an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie (my favorite cookie!) It should be noted that this is a low fat hard yogurt so I suppose it isn’t really ice cream but its more like ice cream than tart yogurt!

YUM! This is for real my favorite ever! I could have it everyday all day. OK, maybe not all day but its soooo good. I need to have this more than once a year.

Carolyn didn’t love her selection so she went back for oatmeal cookie also, and it was much more satisfactory.

Wish I could have it all the time. More proof that I have to combine Boston and LA into one super city!

Triple the Happy Hour

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Lucky for me, Carolyn in a believer in multiple happy hours. First we enjoyed “two buck chuck” pinot grigio while watching this women:

Love barefoot!

After we took our party to Gredel’s Den in Harvard Square. I love Grendel’s because they have awesome happy hour food specials and wonderful drinks, which aren’t that expensive.

As mentioned above, Grendel’s has a superior drink list at low prices. I had a French 75, which I’ve had there before. It consists of gin, lemon, simple syrup and a champagne float! I love an added champagne float!

So light and refreshing! I also was eying a cocktail with lillet but I was glad I opted for the “75”. Its an all time favorite. Carolyn and I decided to split two options on the menu. First we wanted the panini because it contained prosciutto. This was clearly a no brainer because we love our prosciutto. The we split the Santa Fe salad and we added shrimp. Grendel’s has such awesome specials, it was only $1 to add shrimp!!

This was my portion. The panini also had sausage and the salad had cheese and a great dressing (which we obviously got on the side). It was a great deal and the food was only $8 total!!!

Once we completed our drinks we moved on from second happy hour…

And later went to Shay’s in Harvard Square for third happy hour! Shays is a great wine and beer bar. The patio was packed but there wasn’t anyone inside. We sat down and ordered the Hob Nob pinot noir. It was very good. Later I had a glass of the Stump Jump Shiraz. Both were good and the bar was perfect. No frills but good service and not too crowded and not too deserted. A great place to stop in for a glass of wine.

The Hob Nob.

three cheers for happy hour!

Then we headed back to Allston on the bus to Carolyn’s house. I love a Carolyn happy hour and I love it more when it involves three pit stops!