Atlanta - Day 5

Ufff. That is what I have to say about the humidity today. The H and I both went for a run (separately) this morning "before it got too hot." Yeah... it was still hot. He did his 2mi around 8am, and I left for my 6mi at 8:30... which I quickly shortened to 5mi, and then out of desperation, I finally made a deal with myself that if I was over 4mi by the time I got back to the hotel, I'd do a few laps around the parking lot to make it 4.5 and call it good. And that is just what happened. Whew! I refueled with coffee and a green monster, just like the other day.

Then we went to the zoo! This was our second visit to Zoo Atlanta. Back in September 2008, we braved the 92* heat and humidity with our 10-week-old (duh). I'm drafting a "then and now" post with some pics from both trips--in the same exhibits--so you can see how we've all changed!

He was not a fan of the petting zoo, until The H showed him how he could brush a goat. He loves brushing things--his hair, my hair, the dog. Why should a goat be any different? :)

Of course the elephants were a big hit. He loves making his (very wet) elephant sound, which he is in the middle of in the photo above.

The lion was asleep, but we still said hi!

After the zoo and naptime, I went to Trader Joe's for some snacks while my boys hit the pool. I came back with a treasure trove of goodness--blackberries, strawberries, more spinach, eggs, half and half. gluten free pasta, chicken burgers, bell peppers, graham crackers, dark chocolate almonds, beets--and whipped up a quick dinner.

We had gluten-free rice pasta with marinara sauce, roasted garlic chicken sausage, and a vegetable medley, with a glass of red wine. This all came from our first TJ's run last Tuesday.

For my post-dinner munchies, I enjoyed a plate of juicy blackberries, cinnamon graham crackers (made with whole wheat and evaporated cane juice!), and of course some decaf.

These crackers are thick and crunchy, just sweet enough, and made with not-terrible ingredients. Sure beats the ones from the grocery store that I have been avoiding for the past year! Too bad they're not gluten free, or then they'd be perfection itself. (Sorry, H!)

Since I thought all day that today was Sunday, I was extra excited to remember that *tomorrow* is Sunday, so we have another full day of relaxing and exploring ahead of us before jumping into crazy busy-ness again on Monday. Happy mid-weekend to you all!

Atlanta - Day 4

Ah, Friday. The sigh of relief at the end of a busy week! And yes, despite being able to relax poolside with my fellas and a charming inflatable turtle, it *has* been busy! Being away from home--with or without a toddler--and still trying to maintain work and routine and sanity isn't always easy.

Today's breakfast was steel-cut oats with chopped pecans and maple syrup, and a chocolate protein shake. I would have liked raisins in my oats, but I forgot to ask The H to bring me some from the breakfast buffet.

The little guy and I munched some dried cherries for snack time, but that's it--we'd been shopping (is "Lost in Translation" worth the $4 I paid for it at TJMaxx? I took a chance...) and then I had to pick up The H and a coworker, who were very nearly caught in the rain. We shared a bowl of Trader Joe's microwaveable rice noodles for lunch, though they were extremely salty and he didn't care much for his portion. He chose instead to eat a hardboiled egg and a squeezable applesauce. I rounded out my afternoon nosh with a small blueberry-and-cream yogurt, also courtesy of Trader Joe's.

Given the piddly portion of my lunch, I was quite ravenous by the time the little guy woke up from his nap at 3pm and fairly devoured some organic cheese sandwich crackers, a piece of turkey, and a Trio granola fruit/nut bar with a cup of coffee.

For dinner, we headed towards Cumberland Mall for Ted's Montana Grill, one of our favorite stops if there's one in the area. The service and food are consistently good. Tonight the little guy and I shared roasted chicken, a baked sweet potato, and green beens. He also snagged some of The H's fries, ate a bowl full of half-sours, and a third of the tomato-onion salad we all shared. In addition, he polished off his cup of milk and some dinner roll. This kid can *eat.*

We spent the evening at a bookstore, browsing and playing. Whoever thought to put a Thomas the Tank Engine train table in the childrens' section should be given a raise. Brilliant! Tomorrow we're heading for the zoo. I hope it's not too hot!

Toddler Travel: An Introduction

This is the first in a series of not-necessarily-food-related posts (note the new "Toddler Travel" tag on the right) that is designed to help fellow parents travel with their little ones. Our son has been flying with us since he was 2 months old. Throughout the past (almost) two years, we've amassed some tips and tricks that have made our trips smoother and more enjoyable. If you have any specific questions, please leave them in the comments section and I will address them to the best of my ability.

First flight! September 2008

Since the little guy has always been younger than two when we've flown, he's never yet needed his own seat. That is about to change, as his birthday is at the end of the month! We have not had a problem with him as a lap child, despite him being a wiggly, curious infant/toddler each time we've flown. Don't underestimate your child's ability to sit still (or at least in one general location) in a new environment! There is lots to look at and explore in an airplane.

Do be sure to let the airline know--as far in advance as possible, and again at the gate before boarding--that you have a lap child with you. You will need to be seated in a row that has an extra oxygen mask, so your seat assignment might be different than what is originally printed on your ticket.

Once in awhile you might get lucky and be on a flight that isn't full, freeing up an extra seat that your little one can have to him/herself for awhile. This has worked especially well for The H and me, since we can trade off who is entertaining the little guy and who is resting/reading.

That's all for my intro post--if you're not going to be traveling with small fry anytime soon, feel free to gloss over the "Toddler Travel" posts--I'll include the heading with each new one--but please refer your friends/family in case the info might be helpful to someone else.

Eating out: The Cooks' House

The Cooks' House is a hole-in-the-wall local joint in Traverse City, one that I've been hoping to try since we first saw it. The awning says right on it, "local and sustainable." I love it already!

There's a story behind it, which was printed in the Detroit Free Press recently, but I forget what it is and the article is in my car... in Michigan. ;) The chefs/owner(s?) made sure to greet us and ask how everything was. They were quick yet thorough in answering our questions.

After being seated, we were served bread plates (a multigrain and an Asiago slice for everyone except The H) that came with butter and pig belly--the white piped stuff on the left of the plate. Flavorless, in case you were wondering.

We all had water to drink. I thought the bottle was funny...

My first choice was the spinach and fiddlehead salad with roasted beets. Delicious! The H said the fiddleheads tasted like fresh green beans. It was my first experience with them.

My mom started with the asparagus soup... no cream base here, no roux--just asparagus (and shiitake mushrooms). It tasted SO FRESH.

The H had a white bean-red wine soup that was literally, like Mom's choice, made of just those items. Incredibly simple, yet so very creamy and satisfying. I forget what my dad had... pasta of some sort with smoked rabbit and roasted vegetables, I think. It was good. :)

My entree was a risotto. Small-portioned, but rich.

The H and my dad both had the salad with roasted pork shoulder... I thought I had a pic of it, but oh well.

We all ended the evening with mounds of flourless (really!) chocolate cakes topped with homemade whipped cream and grated nutmeg. If I'd run the full marathon a few hours earlier, I'd have eaten two.

This restaurant is a little out of our price range (roughly $60 for the two of us) for an everyday dinner, but since it's 3 hours out of town anyway, it's not like we'll go there all the time. I can see us returning for another celebratory dinner, perhaps in a different season (we *do* have a fall anniversary...) to experience a new seasonal menu.

Overall, eating at The Cooks' House was a pleasant and relaxing way to spend the evening. Our outdoor table, privy to the gentle breeze and beautiful sunset as well as the lightly busy street, enhanced the experience.

Chicken apple sausage salad

The little guy and I have been busy this week! I went for my run first thing this morning, after a light first breakfast of sprouted grain toast, peanut butter, and fresh strawberries.

After my hard-and-fast 4 miles on the treadmill (Atlanta, I'm not a fan of your hills!) I refueled with a green monster (skim milk, chocolate whey protein, peanut butter, spinach, half of a banana) and coffee.

There is a park within walking distance, so we slathered up in sunscreen and spent the morning there swinging, climbing, sliding, and digging. After lunch in our room (turkey, strawberries, cheese, and rice-pasta macaroni--The H ate with us) we took his new inflatable turtle friend to the pool for his inaugural dip.

Success!

Dinner was quick and light, perfect for a sunny summer evening when we've spent all day playing.

Tonight's chicken apple sausage salad, which I've mentioned before, was made of the following:

Spring mix

Baby spinach

Granny Smith apple

Strawberries

Goat cheese

Chopped pecans

Pear-Gorgonzola vinaigrette

Sweet apple chicken sausage

Once everything was cooked, chopped, and mixed, we packed it up and walked to the picnic area at our hotel for a truly summery experience.

The little guy ate sausage, strawberries, apples, and cheese. He's not a big fan of leafy veggies yet, unless they're in a smoothie.

After a quick exploration to find the (very nearby!) gluten-free bakery I read about online, we stopped at the dollar store for a few odds and ends, then jetted back to the hotel for bed. Long day!

Half marathon race report

I ran my second half marathon on Saturday, May 29th. For the non-runners reading this, that's 13.1 miles. I smoked my previous time by almost 20 minutes and finished in 1:56:09! The end.

Short, sweet, and to the point--not my kind of blog entry. Haha! See photos and captions below for a more Kate-like experience.

My tried-and-true pre-race fuel: a peanut butter cup flurry. Makes me run like the wind! (No joke--I was aiming for a 2hr10min finish, and came cruising in at 1 hour, 56 minutes, and 9 seconds. That's an average of 8:51 per mile.)

I've used this not-so-clean method of carb loading all throughout my training. It got me through my 25K (15.5 miles) in 2 hours and 26 minutes. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Race day! All dressed up and nowhere to go... oh wait, not true. I have a finish line to get to, 13.1 miles away!

Forgive the under-eye circles. The time on the clock started with a 4 and the night before was a restless one. Would I be able to maintain my pace? Would I meet the expectations everyone else had for me? Eek! So much to think about! No wonder I was distracted for literally the entire race. My mind was ALL over the place, which actually made the distance pass quickly. Thoughts were random and feet were flying!

I did eat my usual pre-run breakfast of toast and peanut butter (I brought my own!) with honey and a banana. Again...why mess with a good thing? Nothing new on race day!

I'm in there... waaaay in the back, all tiny and stuff. The H took this as I was nearing the final stretch before the finish chute.

Finished! And looking gooood. :D This is me and my awesome runnin' mom. It was also her second half marathon.

Why yes, I would like to sit down.

And yes, I smiled like that all day--it was RACE day!--except for the time I yelled at The H when he was being all nice and supportive and encouraging and trying to help me kick at the end. I was hurting, what can I say?

After the race, I took a short nap before The H and I went to our two favorite wineries and out to dinner with my parents. Dinner will be a separate post--we splurged at a local, sustainable restaurant I'd been hoping to try for quite some time. It did not disappoint! Stay tuned.

Hello, Atlanta!

Did you see that? Atlanta. Yes indeed, the machines are on the move again. 12 days this time, like our trip to DC/Alexandria.

The area we're in is quite familiar to us; this is the third time the little guy and I have been to this hotel with The H. It is, like the one in Alexandria, a full-kitchen, extended-stay hotel. I didn't bring as much food with us this time--no protein powder or steel oats--because I didn't want to stress over how many portions to measure and all that. I just added those things to our "buy when we get there" shopping list.

This week we are fortunate enough to be near a Trader Joe's, which I adore. We decided to pick up our groceries there instead of Publix or another grocery store. Here's what we got, for just about $100 (12 days, 3 people).

Milk

Chocolate protein powder

Half and half

Yogurt cups

Cottage cheese

Chicken apple sausage

Roasted garlic chicken sausage

Marinara sauce

Brown rice pasta

Cabernet Sauvignon

Spinach

Spring mix

Frozen "Brittany Blend" veggies

Pear-Gorgonzola vinaigrette

Crunchy peanut butter

Sprouted grain bread

Wheat free waffles

Applesauce-carrot squeezies

One dozen jumbo eggs

Frozen edamame

1 lb fresh strawberries

Mild cheddar

Turkey lunchmeat

Steel cut oats

Chopped pecans

Goat cheese

Rice noodle bowls

Mac 'n' cheese--regular and rice pasta

Cheese sandwich crackers

What do I plan to make with all this? You'll just have to wait and see... I do have a mini meal plan in mind, and we'll supplement with eating out and the buffet that the hotel sets out Monday through Thursday evenings. And I've just learned that there's a Five Guys nearby, so rest assured that I will be keeping up with my running as well--The H is sure to request that diet-buster sometime in the next two weeks!