Thanksgiving Recap

 Thanksgivukah came and went and now, it’s is back to the grind for many of us.  Obviously the holiday season is focused on food and while we may indulge a bit more than we are used to, I really don’t like this stigma that we must SWEAT IT OUT the next day or the day of to justify eating the food. We are lucky enough to have this food available to us and we are lucky enough to spend time with loved ones. I am not suggesting that you should be sorry for those who don’t have family or an abundance of food at this time, but I am trying to get the point across to simply enjoy and not get all caught up in the hoopla of how many calories you put on your plate, or that piece of sweet potato pie smothered in marshmallows (insane by the way!)

My holiday started with a car ride to NYC bright and early on Wednesday morning. My family had the joy of bringing along my good friend too! We were en route by 7:30am and had ZERO traffic which was so lucky!

 

 When we finally arrived in NYC (way earlier than previously planned) we decided to explore a bit and went straight to Brooklyn to find some food. 

I reached out via Twitter and also texted a few friends who knew the area way more than I did. Julie suggested Bare Burger which is a chain but offers a large menu with burgers, salads, sandwiches, sides–all organic and locally grown ingredients. It was perfect for us because we were sure there would be something for everyone!

I ordered the Mexican salad plus grilled chicken

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It was served with romaine, roasted red peppers, grilled chicken, tomatoes, flax/kale red pepper chips and grilled bread. The dressing was fig infused balsamic vinegar. Can you say DELICIOUS!? Oh and that was not it at all.

We also split an order of turkey sliders on crusty brioche bread. It was served simple with lettuce. Nothing extra was necessary on these sliders. The meat was mouthwatering fantastic. Best lunch I have had in a LONG time. Sorry, Sweetgreen.

No trip to Brooklyn is complete without a visit to an Authentic Lebanese bakery where they were selling Sufganiyot which is a traditional Jewish donut that is served on Hannukah. My family got 1 jelly and 1 Boston Creme. HEAVEN.

We took a ride back to Union Square where my family was staying (after saying bye to my friend and dropping her off at her destination!) We relaxed for a bit and then made our way to Chelsea for dinner. My mom made reservations at this amazing restaurant, Fig and Olive in the meatpacking district. I know there are a few more located in various parts of Manhattan.

We started the meal with a trio of crostini (well shall I say this was AFTER our bread and house infused trio of olive oils that were complimentary to the table)  The three that we chose: 

1. Eggplant, fig, tomato, basil

2. Avocado, Shrimp, tomato

3. Mushroom, artichoke, scallion, ricotta

 

My mom and I also got an order of the Tuna crudo which was served with cucumber, chive, cilantro, lemon sesame dressing and picual olive oil which is a  Spanish oil, has a medium body, smooth texture, and sweet, buttery taste,

 

 

My dad ordered the fig and olive salad:  Fig, apple, manchego, gorgonzola dolce, tomato, walnut, olive, romaine, mixed, scallion, fig balsamic – Arbequina Olive Oil (slightly spicy, sweet notes)

For my main dish, I went with the Riveria salmon:  Seared salmon, grilled asparagus, braised endive, cauliflower purée, basil infused oil 

 Clearly, this restaurant is known for their house infused olive oils and vinegars and not one thing about this restaurant disappointed. I am tempted to say it is one of my new favorites in NYC. The staff was amazing, the ambiance was incredible , classy but cozy and beautiful and the food was outstanding. The high quality ingredients make a HUGE difference in these dishes. HIghly recommended by ME! 🙂

The next day we got THANKSGIVING READY! This is me and my mom before heading out to NJ to spend the holiday with family. 

As we were walking to our car I couldn’t help but notice the insane amount of bikes they had available to ride! This makes the hubways in Boston look measly! Everything is bigger in NYC, I guess! The city was wild especially because of the Macy’s Day Parade but we enjoyed and took in all of the energy. My mom LOVES the city during this time of year so there was no problem walking around!

We were greeted with appetizers right away. Food food food. Bring it on! My brothers wifes family’s house is where we went. 

Me and the big bro!

My wonderful family I am so thankful for!

My goofy family

My brother and his wife made some awesome potato latkes in celebration of Hannukah! I couldn’t have too many of them since they were made with onions and I have to stay away from onions unfortunately for digestion reasons BUT I did try them and they were fantastic! 

  

Mashed potatoes, stuffing, stuffed mushrooms, turkey

 

Monkey bread, shredded carrots, green beans with pine nuts, asparagus with parmesan, Greek orzo salad. The homemade cranberry sauce was on the table!

My plate! I had some unpictured sweet potato. I was bummed because I don’t eat pork and the stuffing had sausage in it but oh well! My mom is making another Thanksgiving in December and I will SURELY be having that stuffing!  The food was awesome and the company was even better! I was quite satisfied!

 And so was the pup!

Kai (My brother and wife’s dog) has grown SO much since last year! (the above picture was taken last Thanksgiving!)

The next morning my day started out with an awesome homemade breakfast. There was a gym right next door to where I was staying so I took advantage while my parents took a LONG walk through the city.

I made 1/3C oats in water and added 1T flaxseed meal, 1T coconut flour and 1T brown rice protein (Sun Warrior brand) I did bring some food with me since we were staying in a condo with a full kitchen. I knew we would be making breakfast every morning so I brought some goodies to jack up my oatmeal! We picked up some fresh berries from the market nearby which were ginormous! This breakfast was perfect fuel for a workout that I had planned!  

When I travel, I ALWAYS pack my sneaks and a few tanks and capris for workouts. I never know if I am going to be able to but I do try to fit it in if I can! I actually enjoy exercising in a new atmosphere with new people and new sights to see. I also never have a strict lifting or workout plan. I use what I can. This trip, I had the luxury of having access to a gym for free, but when I travel this is not always the case. I always come prepared with a few bodyweight workouts that I keep from Cathy Savage Fitness These workouts are high intensity and short in duration and perfect for On the go! You can even complete them in your hotel room! I went into the studio at the gym and got it done! I started with 10 minutes on the stepmill, completed the workout and ended with a 1/2 mile run as fast as I can!  Heres just one example of an awesome bodyweight workout!

If you are looking for body weight workouts, you NEED to follow me on PINTEREST Also…check out the links below!

• Bodyweight Workouts
• Bust through your cardio craziness
• Chisel Me Down Sprint Routine
• Hotel Gym Workout
• Bodyweight circuits
• Lower body bodyweight workout
• Bodyweight strength circuit

After my workout, I came back, showered and we bundled up to make our way to the Union Sq. market! This is an outdoor market right in Union Sq and is PACKED with food, trinkets, clothing, jewelry, art, home decor…you name it–its there! I wish we had more of this in Boston! I love supporting local artists, chefs and designers, not to mention this was SO NYC! I loved it! I walked away with this sweet tank top!  I already wore it to Yoga today!

From Union Sq, we walked to Chelsea and found The Grey Dog. I have eaten at this cute little place before and I was so excited to go back! The decor is funky, rustic, hipster and chill, but the people are lively, friendly and the menu is HUGE! You walk in and get right in line to order at the counter. We then found a wooden table surrounded by funky art and waited for our meal

 

My mom and I split the veggie flatbread which had spinach roasted red peppers, avocado, artichokes and we added chicken to it. We also split the Grey Dog Salad which came with pea sprouts, chickpeas and goddess dressing. The grilled bread was insane! My dad went with the Greek salad served with a HUGE scoop of hummus (his fav!) We left, bellies satisfied and ready to walk back to the condo!

Thanksgiving was awesome. Hannukah was awesome. Being with my family and friends was fantastic and I would give this year’s holiday a 10/10. Did I mention we had ZERO traffic? I would say thats good luck right there! Now that it is December, the craziness of the season continues! Gingerbread fills that void of pumpkin. Peppermint comes into full effect and being the season of giving–give gifts to yourself. Don’t forget. Smile. Take a personal day. Buy yourself something nice. You deserve it!