Category: Five on Friday

Four on Friday {10.28.16}

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Good morning! How has your week been? Unlike last week, I feel like mine has flown by. Today’s post is only four on Friday, but a few are long so that’ll make up for it 😉

  • South Boston Sweat Crawl– My sister sent me the link to this event that Social Boston Sports is coordinating and it sounds amazing! There are 3 workouts/studios to try: Handle Bar, Radiant Yoga and Everybody Fights and you do each workout for 30 minutes before going to Barlow’s for the after party. I can’t go because I have a massage appointment, but I wish I could because I think it will be a blast.

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  • Extended Seaport Sweat- By popular demand, Seaport Sweat has been extended through the end of December, but with a slightly different schedule. I won’t be teaching my Monday kickboxing, but I will be leading a 5K on Wednesdays at 6pm (which will likely include some bootcamp pieces to break up the run) and I’ll be teaching a boxing bootcamp/fighters conditioning class on Thursdays at 5:30pm. We realize it’s getting chilly, but I promise that once we get moving you’ll warm right up! I’m excited for this next adventure because I’ve never done anything like this… that, and it means I get to buy some new cold weather workout gear. Does anyone have any “must have” cold weather pieces I need to check out?

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  • Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Turkey Chili– I dug out this recipe that I found AGES ago over on Fitnessista which was perfect for the cold rainy night we had last night. I prepped it on Wednesday night so it was able to go right in the crockpot all day yesterday. I’ll tell ya, coming home to a hot batch of chili after a longgg day (10 hour work day, teaching and lots of traffic) was the absolute best! I added turkey, but I think it would be fine with just beans and sweet potato- up to you!

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  • Brooklyn/NYC weekend- Last weekend, RM and I took the train to NYC for the weekend. His sister was having an engagement party in Brooklyn so we opted to rent an Air BNB in Brooklyn for the weekend, which was amazing! We were right in the heart of Williamsburg in a really funky loft apartment. Although it was raining when we first arrived, it ended up clearing out and being a pretty decent weekend weather-wise which was nice because we were able to walk around.

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I ended up going shopping and scored this awesome romper and a great pair of shoes- everything I brought with me felt so not NYCish so it was fun to shop for something new.

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We went into Manhattan for dinner with RM’s sister and fiance at Minetta Tavern, where we had a fantastic (and ridiculously expensive) burger. We loved the restaurant vibe! Before dinner we had a drink at The Quarter since we couldn’t get into Employees Only due to big crowds. Saturday we slept in, I blogged and then went for a quick run while RM made breakfast. Coming home to this after a run was amazing!

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The rest of the day was spent walking around, enjoying lunch at The Meatball Shop, getting coffee’s, getting a pedicure (for me) and relaxing before we went to the engagement party at DOC Wine Bar, which was just a few blocks from our Air BNB. The wine was flowing, we were fed course after course of the most delicious food and ended up dancing the night away. It was SO much fun! We finished out the weekend with brunch at Cherche Midi in SOHO, which was wonderful.

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All in all, it was such a great weekend- can’t wait for their wedding!

This weekend we have virtually no plans, which is such a great feeling! I’ll be teaching tomorrow if anyone wants to come 🙂

Questions for you: How has your weekend? What do you wear for cold weather workouts? Have you ever been to Brooklyn? What’s on the agenda for this weekend?

 

Five on Friday {10.21.16}

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Good morning and TGIF! Was it just me or did this week feel extra long? Between having no motivation to do anything (literally), not sleeping well and managing life with a new kitten who needs LOTS of attention, I feel like this week dragged on. But! RM and I are heading to NYC via train today for the weekend to celebrate his sister’s engagement, which is very exciting. The dinner is actually in Brooklyn so we opted to rent and Air BNB in Brooklyn so I’m looking forward to checking that out! For now, though, let’s talk shop about what’s been going on.

  • RM’s new adventure- Shortly after we got back from Italy, RM gave his notice at work. This was a longgg time coming and I couldn’t be more proud of him for finally taking a chance on himself and choosing happiness over job security. I’ll have more details to share soon, and I hope you’ll check out his website once it’s up and running! If you’re finding yourself in a similar position where you’re unhappy at your job or in your career and you have a passion you want to pursue, there are always ways to make it happen. And, like I said to him, even if it doesn’t work out (which it will!), at least he can say he tried and won’t have a big “what if” hanging over his head!

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  • Jessi’s bridal bath- The weekend leading up to our honeymoon was spent up in NH celebrating my best friend Jessi’s bridal bath, which was a joint bachelorette party & shower. Her family has a house on a lake so we had a great time laughing, hanging out, boating, lounging, drinking and eating. I always love events that bring all of my SMC girls together! Can’t wait for their big day in December 🙂

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  • Crockpot Pork Tenderloin- I know it hasn’t felt like fall this week, but last week I made a delicious- and SUPER easy- crockpot meal. You know how there are always those little cooking videos flying around Facebook? Normally I just watch or scroll past, but this one caught my eye so I tried it out: Slow Cooker Hasselback Apple Pork Loin. Even though it got a little dry (I made it on a Sunday but we didn’t eat it until Monday), it was really flavorful and I loved that the ingredient list was short. I highly suggest this if you’re looking for a new meal to try!
  • OAKtoberfest 5K- Last weekend I ran the annual OAKtoberfest 5K put on by the Oak Square YMCA that I teach at. I have been running this race for YEARS, and I always enjoy it. It’s a relatively small race so it’s not crowded, plus you get the hills over with right away! Last year I ran a big PR and even placed 3rd for my age group. This year I went into it with zero expectations because I haven’t really been doing a ton of running, but I ended up running a nearly 1 minute PR race! 22:32 was my official time, which is crazy fast for me. I didn’t place, but I didn’t care- it was just fun to run the race with some of my gym friends!

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  • Meet Francesca: I’m sure you’ve all seen by now, but last weekend RM and I brought a new little kitten into our family/home. Francesca is 8 weeks old, under 2 pounds, a total fluff ball and a little firecracker. She was so scared when we first brought her home, but soon enough she opened up and has been a blast ever since. She’s super playful and always wants to be where we/I are/am, which is absolutely adorable. We got her from the Salem Animal shelter and they were wonderful to work with throughout the adoption process. My sister is going to stay with her this weekend so she doesn’t get lonely!

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And that does it for me- hoping to get some blogging done while we are on the train since I have lots of posts I want to write. I hope whatever you have going on this weekend, you have a wonderful time!

Questions for you: Have you ever chosen happiness over security? Do you have any pets? What’s a great fall recipe I should try? Have you run any races lately?

Five on Friday {10.7.16}

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Test, test. Is this thing on?! If you can hear me…. WE’RE BACK!!!! After the most wonderfully amazing honeymoon, we are back in the States and back to the grind. I have SO MUCH to recap/share with you from the trip, but it’ll have to wait until next week 😉 For now, enjoy some tidbits below!

  • New Balance Breast Cancer Awareness Month Event- Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of attending a really wonderful New Balance event at their new flagship store in Brighton. New Balance has a strong partnership with Susan G. Komen and has helped to not only raise a lot of money, but also raise a ton of breast cancer awareness. This year, Komen has a new brand platform called “more than pink”, which puts a big focus on the scientific progress and research that will greatly reduce breast cancer deaths in years to come. New Balance is supporting this by hosting various fitness events and having speakers share their stores about breast cancer battles, awareness and more. We heard from Mike and Kara Selsman, a husband and wife duo both battling breast cancer as well as Lindsay McGloughlin, an Honorary Team New Balance member and breast cancer survivor. All of their stories were so emotional, but also so inspiring. What I loved is that even through all they’ve been through, they continue to fight, spread awareness and stay active through various forms of movement. Before the speeches, we had a chance to either go on a fun run or do a bootcamp. I opted for the bootcamp which was really fun! I also got a chance to try out the new sneakers that NB graciously gifted me. They are part of their “Lace up for a cure” line in which NB gives back 5% of the sale price to Susan G. Komen. Thank you, New Balance, for hosting a fantastic event and working so hard to spread awareness.

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  • The Resolution by PMC Event– Registration is now open for the second annual Resolution by PMC ride, again to be hosted at Everybody Fights on January 27 & 28. I was part of the event last year and am so looking forward to being a part of it again this year. The PMC will be hosting a launch party on Thursday, October 6, at Back Bay Social Club to celebrate the event’s inaugural year in 2016 and kick-off registration for 2017 – which will be sure to raise the fundraising bar even further. Tickets for the celebration are available for purchase here for $15.

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  • Kitten Shopping- While we were in Positano, we fell in love with a little stray kitten. We wanted to take her home, but logistically it didn’t work out so now we are on a mission to get one of our own- wish us luck!

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  • Embracing Fall- After a seemingly very longggg summer, which was extended by our two weeks in Italy with AMAZING weather, I am really excited for fall weather. I’m ready to put away my bathing suits, towels, sunscreen, etc. and wear jeans, boots, thin sweaters, etc. I’m also ready for fall food: roast chicken (made that this week!), chili, pumpkin everything and more 😉
  • OAKtoberfest 5K– I’m on the fence about signing up for this race again this year. Last year I ran it and got a crazy PR and came in 3rd for my age group, but this year I haven’t been doing nearly as much running so I may go into it with more of a fun mentality. I love races and know this course so I think I’ll end up doing it- anyone else interested in running with me?!

And that does it for me! I’m so excited to have a free weekend to catch up on life. I have so many blog posts I want to write, the house needs to be clean, I want to do some baking and I just want to relax. September was crazy busy, so I’m looking forward to taking time this weekend to breathe a bit. Oh, but if you want to sweat with me, I’ll be at the Oak Square YMCA tomorrow morning at 10am for Kickboxing!

Whatever you do this weekend, I hope it’s a good one!

Questions for you: How have YOU been?! I’ve missed you!! How was your week? Any good workouts to share? What about fall recipes? What’s your favorite thing about fall? Have you run any races lately?

Five on Friday {9.16.16}

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Hi there! I cannot believe it’s already Friday! And today kickstarts a very long vacation for me, starting tonight with my best friend’s bachelorette weekend in NH and then Sunday with us leaving for our honeymoon. With everything that’s been going on the past few weeks, including working long hours, teaching extra classes, shopping/packing/planning/preparing for our honeymoon, etc., I am MORE than ready to escape for a bit of R&R with my favorite guy.

Since I’m running short on time, let’s get right to the post!

  • Cycle & Sweat Fitness Event for ALS One at Derby Street– This Sunday, there is an awesome event happening at the Derby Street shops in Hingham benefiting ALS ONE.  Cycle & Sweat Fitness will feature nine fitness classes over the course of three hours, held every hour, on the hour, from 9am through 12pm in front of Whole Foods and lululemon at the Derby Street Shoppes. Class choices include spinning with Rev’d Cycling, based in Dedham, yoga with lululemon and ivivva, and cardio boot camp with Mobile Fitness. The first 100 people to register via Eventbrite will receive Cycle & Sweat tanks and swag bags. Classes are $15 each.
  • Sunset Bootcamp Class at ZINC Apartments– This is a FREE fitness event happening on Tuesday, September 20th from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. The class will take place on ZINC’s stunning outdoor terrace as the sun sets over Cambridge. The event is free to attend, but space is limited. Please register here. Additional details are here:
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  • Best Dressed– On Wednesday, my friend Lauren hosted an event at Best Dressed in Charlestown. Have you heard of that store? It’s a store version of Rent the Runway, which is so awesome. You can go in, try stuff on and rent what you like for whatever event you have coming up. They had a huge selection, as well as jewelry to rent or buy. More to come on this later, but I had to share a bit about it now because I think it’s a genious idea for a store!!

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  • Travel Reads- I picked up 2 new books to bring on our trip. Have you guys read these (Easter Rising & All Souls)? Apparently they’re about a guy growing up in Southie, so I’m excited to read them!

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  • Honeymoon! Our honeymoon is finally almost here! On Sunday we leave for a 16 day vacation throughout the Amalfi Coast. I’ve gotten so many recommendations from friends who have recently gone (thanks, ladies!!), but if anyone else has any “must do/try/eat” recommendations, feel free to leave a comment on this post. We just booked a couple of excursions, so everything is starting to feel more real. B2B will be very quiet while I’m gone, as I’ve decided to not have any guest posts. I couldn’t add another thing to my plate the past few weeks, but don’t worry- I’ll have lots to share when we get back. I’ll also be keeping my other social media channels active, so feel free to follow along there (burpeestobubbly).

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. I’ll talk to you in a few weeks!

Five on Friday {9.9.16}

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Hi, friends! Happy freaking Friday 🙂 I hope you’ve all had a good week- mine started out roughhhh, but turned around a bit by the end of it. We leave for Italy in 9 days and work is absolutely crazy right now so I’m just trying to get through what I can so I can start my vacation without the stress of worrying about what I didn’t finish.

But, let’s talk about more fun things, shall we?

  • Moscow Mules- We received some beautiful monogrammed copper mugs for our wedding (thanks, Jean!), so last weekend we decided to put them to good use by whipping up some Moscow Mules. Neither of us had had one before, but we both enjoyed them! It was a really fun cocktail hour enjoyed on our back patio.

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  • Eating out vs. eating in- Most of the time, RM and I try to eat in the majority of the time. We shop on the weekends for the week, prep a bunch of food to have handy (I bring my lunch every day, too), but last week we kind of went on a eating out bender. Thursday we went to Buff’s (hadn’t been in SO long), Friday we went to Hopsters (again, hadn’t been in SO long) and Saturday we went to The Local in West Newton, because, well #saturdaydatenight. This is very unlike us to go so many days in a row eating out (unless we are on vacation), and while everything was delicious, we decided to eat IN on Saturday night. RM grilled up some veggie and shrimp skewers and I made a nice big salad. There’s something to be said about making your own meals- it felt really good to eat a nice meal like this!

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  • Love Grown Cereal- Confession: I LOVE cereal. I always have, but over the years I’ve tried to clean up my cereal choices (and I’ve gone from eating it daily to just a few times a week- baby steps). Most of the time I have Erewhon & Uncle Sam brands because they have such few ingredients, but they had a sample of Love Grown Power O’s at Whole Foods last weekend and I knew I had to try it out. They’re made out of different legumes, so they are wheat & corn free- something you don’t see often with cereal!

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  • Teaching- I’ve been loading up on classes leading up to our vacation since I know I’ll be going so long without teaching while we are away. While it can be tiresome (yesterday I did 6am and 5:30pm… and 9 hours of work in between), it’s really so rewarding. I love coming up with new workouts and playlists and helping people feel good and feel strong. I’m teaching tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday… and then I’m off for a longggg time, so catch me while you can!

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  • Biking- I can’t thank RM enough for suggesting that we get bikes. We have been having SO MUCH FUN with them. One day last week I rode it all around town to run errands and then Friday night I took it to meet my sister for a drink (RM rode with me which was nice) and then Sunday RM and I covered nearly 25 miles of biking. We rode all the way into the city, brought the bikes on the T to Eastie (RM had to check on one of the units in a building he owns) and then back to Watertown. Midway home, we stopped at Naco Taco in Central Square for a snack and a beer. I used to run by that place weekly and would always be so jealous of everyone there enjoying drinks and food outside so it was nice to get to check it out. We both highly suggest it if you want good tacos and guac- everything was fantastic, and reasonably priced. Oh, and the good part about biking places for drinks is it limits me to just one, since I don’t trust myself operating the bike after any more 😉 #lightweight

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I guess that does it! We have lots to get done this weekend in preparation for our honeymoon, so it’ll be a busy one! There is a Vegetarian Food Truck & Craft Beer Festival at the Arsenal Mall tomorrow which we might try to get to. It starts at 11am and is $10-$45 and guests can enjoy more than 30 craft beers and lots of vegetarian dishes. Sounds pretty cool!

I hope you have a great weekend with whatever you have planned 🙂

Questions for you: What was a good part of your week? What do you have planned this weekend? Do you prefer to bike, walk or drive places? Do you prefer to cook/eat in or eat out? What’s a guilty pleasure of yours?