Tag: book club

Friday Shares

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Hey there! I was looking through my phone and realized there were some (mostly random) things that I wanted to share with you in case you’re interested.

  • Homemade sausage night – a few weekends ago, RM and I headed over to our friends’ new house in Westwood to make sausage. Sounds random, but it was SO fun! On top of making our own sausage, we made homemade sauce, pasta and even the salad dressing was homemade. We had 2 Kitchen Aid mixers running pretty much non-stop – good thing the vino was flowing well 😉 It was such a fun dinner, especially knowing that we made almost everything we ate. Thanks for having us over, Jessi and Chuck! can’t wait to do it again!

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  • Cooking Light Mac n Cheese – Last weekend, it was a gross, rainy Saturday and RM and I didn’t feel like going out to dinner since we had gone out the night before. After much debate on what to cook/eat, I remembered this delicious mac n cheese recipe from years ago (2011, to be exact). Luckily, I still had the magazine and with a quick trip to the store, was able to whip it up. We added in our homemade garlic, Parmesan and parsley sausage and it made for SUCH a good dinner! We also used Jovial’s brown rice pasta and you honestly couldn’t tell it wasn’t the “real deal”. We enjoyed leftovers for a few days – definitely recommend this dish next time you’re craving comfort food!

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  • Apple Crisp – we went apple picking last weekend and I couldn’t WAIT to make apple crisp. I quickly googled a few variations and ended up making this gluten free one, which came out incredible! Seriously so tasty, especially served with Talenti’s Vanilla Bean gelato (our absolute favorite brand).

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  • Revere Pre & Post Workout – A few weeks ago, I was contacted by someone from Revere, the startup providing plant-based powder formulas derived only from natural, whole foods to help users maximize the results they get from their exercise routines, to see if I’d be interested in trying out their products. I had recently seen a bunch of other fitness professionals sharing things about this product, but, as with any “supplement”, I was skeptical. That is, until I read more about the product and ingredient list. Normally these types of products come laden with ingredients we can’t pronounce, but not Revere! I plan on doing a bigger recap later, but wanted to share a quick bit now. I’ve been using them for a few weeks and totally love them, mostly because the ingredient list is SO clean, but also because they just mix with water (and they give you an awesome bottle to mix it in!).  Besides vitamins, the only other ingredients are things like sweet potato, beetroot, green tea, pomegranate and a little sugar, but nothing artificial! If you’re interested in learning more in the meantime, check out their page where you can find all the info. Also,if you like what you see, I will have a discount code for you soon!

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  • Seaport Sweat – This is just a reminder that Seaport Sweat is continuing through the END of October!! Though it’s getting dark MUCH earlier these days, there are plenty of lights that give it such a nice ambiance 😉

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  • Lululemon Treats – Speaking of Seaport Sweat, a group of the new Seaport Lulu employees came to my class on Monday and surprised me with this amazing top! I’m seriously so excited because it’s the perfect top to workout in the cooler, but not yet cold, temps. Plus, it’s super cute. Thanks, ladies!!

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  • Since We Fell – this is our new book club book and so far, I’m absolutely obsessed and cannot put it down. Has anyone read it?

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  • DC Weekend – Next weekend, RM and I are heading to DC for a little 3 night getaway. We rented an amazing little Airbnb apartment that looks to be in the heart of restaurants and sites, but otherwise have no plans. Anyone have any restaurant or sightseeing suggestions?

And that does it for me! I hope all of you have a great weekend – it’s supposed to be another warm one 🙂

Questions for you: Have you done any fall baking recently? How about any fall activities? What are you reading these days? Have you tried Revere products? Do you use any protein powders or anything before or after a workout? 

 

5 on Friday {Catching Up! 9.1.17}

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Hi there! Can you believe it’s SEPTEMBER?! Honestly, where did the summer go?! While we didn’t do a lot of the things we normally do in the summer like lots of weekends on the Cape and trips up to Maine, as I look back, we had a really fun summer! We spent weekends in the city which was a nice change of pace, we went away for our anniversary, we went to a wedding in Maine, I ran the Falmouth Road Race, we did a TON of biking, we grilled a lot, I taught outside a lot… all in all, pretty awesome!

Today I wanted to catch up on some things of possible interest – enjoy!

1.Health Warrior Products – Did you know that I am a Health Warrior Ambassador?! It’s pretty cool, because I love their products! I’ve shared some sneak peeks in my Instagram stories, but wanted to share a little more here. So far, we have been enjoying the Pumpkin Seed Super Food bars and the Chia Mango bars – both are super tasty and full of great ingredients! If you’re interested in trying some, be sure to go to healthwarrior.com and use the code burpeestobubbly30 for 30% off your purchase! This code expires on September 30th, so make sure to order soon!

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2. Chin-ups – Have you ever wanted to learn how to do an unassisted chin-up? My girl Athena is hosting a FREE challenge called “Over The Bar Chin-Up Challenge” that is going to help you get there! She’s also asked other fitness professionals to give tips and advice and/or why we love them, so be sure to check it out to see what I had to say! You can get more information and sign up here.

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3.Favorite Summer Cocktail – If you’ve been following me on social media, then I’m sure you’ve seen lots of posts with an orange looking drink in it. If you don’t know what it is, it’s called an Aperol Spritz and I’m totally obsessed with them! I was first introduced to them in Italy and ever since I drink them anytime I can. We even bought Aperol at home to make them! They are the most refreshing drink for summer days or nights, but be careful- they are SUPER easy to drink 😉 If you want to make them on your own, all you need is Aperol, Prosecco and club soda, although we don’t use club soda anymore and it’s fine without. It’s 3 parts Prosecco, 2 parts Aperol and 1 part club soda and garnish with an orange. You can thank me later 😉

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4. Books I’ve read – I just finished reading The Noticer, by Andy Andrews, which was a really awesome read. It’s all about perspective and how a simple change in perspective can shift your entire outlook on that situation and/or your life. It has stories/examples that I think can be applicable to so many people – definitely worth a read! I am now in the midst of reading The Commonwealth by Ann Patchett, which is about 2 families and how their lives are intertwined. It’s a super easy and quick read, and the author grabs you from the start so you don’t want to put it down!

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5. Seaport Sweat Extended! Seaport Sweat has been extended throughout the end of October, which is so great!! The crowds have been incredible the summer, so if you haven’t gotten to a class yet, grab a friend or coworker and get there – you won’t regret it! There are so many classes to choose from AND there’s the best DJ in town, the best views and a super fun area. More info and links to sign up for classes is here.

That does it for me today! I hope all of you have a really great long weekend! We are kicking ours off with going to see Lady Gaga at Fenway tonight and I’m SO excited. It’s not that I’m a totally crazy fan of hers, but I assume she puts on a hell of a show and I’ve always wanted to go to a concert at Fenway so I’m looking forward to it. Otherwise, we don’t have much planned besides some car shopping and relaxing 🙂

Questions for you: What have you been up to? Loving any products you want to share? Read any good books? Done any fun traveling? 

Friday Things

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Hey there! Happy Friday! This week has flown by- can you believe it’s already mid-March? And St. Patrick’s Day, at that! Is anyone doing anything to celebrate? I don’t think I am, but I’m OK with that- I’ve had plenty of years where I’ve had St. Patty’s day celebrations so a quiet one this year doesn’t bother me.

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve popped in with a Friday post! And, to be honest, I’m not sure if I’ll continue with my “Five on Friday” series. It’s been fun, but these days I feel as though I’m struggling to find 5 share-worthy things with you, so what’s the point in that? Instead, I’d rather just share things of interest and relevance when they occur- sound good?

  • As Close to Us As Breathing- This was another book club book for one of my book clubs and I really enjoyed it! It was about a Jewish family in the mid 1900’s and it was interesting to see just how different things where back then and how badly different ethnic groups did not get along. It’s also interesting to see the family dynamic of the main character’s family.

  • Share your stuff!- After class last Saturday, two people tagged me in their after-class meal pictures and it was so fun to see how they refuel. I always re-post in my Instagram stories, so if you want to be included, be sure to tag me!

  • Snow Day Baking- While we were home together on Tuesday, RM and I both felt like cookies. We didn’t have the traditional cookie ingredients in the house so I googled “Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies” and this recipe popped up first. Luckily I had all of the ingredients so I whipped them up and we were both so happy with how they came out! They’re definitely “healthy” cookies, but they satisfied our cookie craving, too!

  • Sweat, Shop, Snack at New Balance– Don’t forget, in 2 weeks I’m hosting a fitness event at the New Balance flagship store in Brighton. At 6:30 we will start a cardio kickboxing class and then after that you’ll have a chance to shop around (with a 20% discount) and snack on Larabars, sip on Purity Organics and more. Grab a girlfriend (or boyfriend!) and get your spot now– you don’t want to miss this!

I think that does it for me! I’ll be at the Y tomorrow morning for kickboxing if anyone wants to join in on the fun 🙂 10am!

Questions for you: Have you read any good books lately? Have you done any good baking lately? What are your plans for this weekend? 

Five on Friday {3.3.17}

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Good morning and Happy Friday! As this post goes up, we will be in the air heading to Jackson Hole for a little ski/snowboard getaway vacation! If you’ve ever been, we’d love to hear your suggestions on must see/must do- leave them in the comments!

As always, it was a busy week leading up to this trip- between teaching, working out, working, blogging, packing, etc.- the beginning of the week flew by! Here are some of my favorite things to share as of late:

  • EverybodyFights FIDI– EBF FIDI is officially OPEN! It opened last Thursday and I had the pleasure of teaching on opening day since my normal class is on Thursdays anyway. The energy was amazing, the crowds were good and people were ready to fight! The location is much smaller than the Seaport, but it’s still got all the swagger that Seaport has so you’ll feel right at home! The class schedule and instructors are topnotch so you definitely need to get there and check it out! Catch me on Thursdays at 6:20pm for BAGSxBEATS- one of my favorite classes to teach! Between the playlist, the combos and energy in the room- you’ll be sweating, laughing and maybe even dancing- JOIN ME!
  • Eataly- Last weekend my mom took the train to Boston and my sister and I had a fun time doing the touristy thing with her. We started in Faneuil Hall and then went over to the Back Bay. We had lunch at Met (very good!) and then walked over to the Pru to experience Eataly. In short, it was absolutely amazing! RM and I had done a walk through, but didn’t have a chance to really experience it so I was excited to do that with my mom and sister. We enjoyed my favorite Aperol Spritz and then walked around to see what they had to offer. We all left with bags full of goodies! I want to go back during the week when it might not be as busy so I can really get a chance to enjoy everything about it. If you haven’t been yet- GO! you won’t be disappointed!

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  • Sweat, Shop, Snack Workout Event- On March 29th I am hosting a very exciting- and very fun- event at the New Balance Flagship store in Brighton! It will start with a kickboxing bootcamp at 6:30, with DJ Sprino as the LIVE DJ! After class, you’ll have a chance to shop with 20% off the store, enjoy drinks from Purity Organics, bars from Larabar and more! This is a great “girls night out” event, so grab a friend and sign up– you don’t want to miss it!

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  • The Wonder- by Emma Donoghue– This was the most recent book club book and I wanted to share it with you guys because I really loved it! It’s a story that takes place in Ireland and is about a girl who supposedly hasn’t eaten for months, yet is healthy. It causes quite the stir in the small town and then in bigger cities in Ireland so they bring in 2 nurses to ‘watch’ her to see if she truly isn’t eating. One of the nurses is from England and is convinced this girl is sneaking food, but it’s interesting to see how the story progresses because by the end, she’s fighting to save the young girl’s life.

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  • Must Read Article: The 1 Secret To Leading A Fulfilling Life– RM sent me this the other day and it really helped to put things into perspective. These days it seems like we are all too pre-occupied with being the best, having the most followers, rising through the ranks the quickest, being the “go to” person, etc. And while all of these things seemingly make you happy, this study tells us that those are just surface layer feelings and that the real thing for feeling happy and fulfilled in life is love. One of my favorite excerpts is:

“The clearest message that we get from this 75-year study is this: Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period.”

Not how much is in your 401(k). Not how many conferences you spoke at–or keynoted. Not how many blog posts you wrote or how many followers you had or how many tech companies you worked for or how much power you wielded there or how much you vested at each.

No, the biggest predictor of your happiness and fulfillment overall in life is, basically, love.

I’ll be the first to admit that I, unfortunately, get caught up in all the small things, the comparison trap, the need to be better and better, but at the end of the day, those aren’t the things that really matter the most- having love and being loved- whether romantically, by family or friends- is what gets to the root of true happiness. Just something to think about!

 And on that, I’m out! I hope you have a fantastic weekend!

Questions for you: Have you been to Eataly yet? Do you have any good books that you’ve read lately? I’m in 2 book clubs so I’m always looking for suggestions! 

Five (but really only four) on Friday {12.9.16}

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Hey there & Happy Friday! I hope all of you are staying nice and warm today- it’s supposed to be quite the cold snap- brrr! I’m WFH today which worked out very nicely 😉 Speaking of work, the other day I was having a conversation with some coworkers in the kitchen and it hit me that Christmas is NEXT WEEKEND- how did that sneak up so fast?! I have a few gifts left to get this weekend for Christmas and for RM’s birthday (next Friday) so I feel mostly prepared on that front, but it’s still feels crazy that it’s so soon. Speaking of Christmas, let’s get into the Five on Friday’s for the week!

  • Christmas spirit- I’ve been having so much fun getting into the Christmas spirit this season. It started off with the Seaport tree lighting and continued on with getting our Christmas tree and decorating the apartment. I LOVEEEE having all of the lights and decorations up, and I must say, our tree is pretty darn perfect this year 🙂

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  • Beating the Holiday Hustle- My friend Athena is leading a really great “challenge” throughout the month of December, all about helping us “Beat the holiday hustle”. There’s no denying that the holidays, while so fun and wonderful, also bring about extra stress, commitments and general “hustle & bustle”, right? What I love about this challenge is how it urging us to look at ways to BEAT the holiday hustle. I was really proud of myself on Wednesday for beating the holiday hustle when I chose to skip out on an event I RSVP’d to, I didn’t do laundry or clean or anything else on my “should do” list, and instead I poured myself some wine, listened to Christmas music, wrapped presents, made a nice dinner and watched a sappy Hallmark Christmas movie. With everything I’ve had on my schedule lately, I feel like it allows very little time for nights like that, so I was especially appreciative of my decision to forgo my “plans” and instead refill my energy cup by slowing down and doing things that make me happy.

  • Warby Parker’s new line- I was recently inspired by Warby Parker to take a look at their new stylish sunglasses line, and in turn, I ended up signing up for their free at-home glasses try on program. I will share more about those later once I’ve had time to check them all out, but in the meantime I wanted to share some details and photos from their new line! I’m always jealous of people who are able to have multiple pairs of sunglesses- as a glasses wearer, that’s just not really a feasible option for me financially since prescription sunglasses can be really expensive. What I love about Warby Parker is that the glasses- both regular and sunglasses- are unique in their design-each pair I’ve seen has some little extra piece of detail that makes it stand out. I especially love the rose color and shape of the ones in the pictures below. If you’re in the need of new glasses or sunglasses and want to try something new, I suggest you check out Warby Parker’s Home Try-On program and pick out 5 styles to try at home for free!

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  • Air BNB– It’s so crazy that the first East Boston apartment that I rented- and where I met RM- is officially on Air BNB. RM had an interior decorator/shopper help with getting it ready to be rented- I think it came out amazing! If you know of anyone looking for an affordable, spacious, clean apartment to rent that’s close to the airport and just a short walk to the T (which gets you into downton Boston in just 2 stops!), please let me know or check it out on Air BNB for yourself! We are hoping this becomes a successful adventure, so any support from all you wonderful readers is so greatly appreciated 🙂

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And that does it for me today! I’m hosting my work book club tonight and I can’t wait to have the girls over. I’m making a nice roast chicken meal, which is perfect for a cold day like today! Tomorrow I’m going to the 9:30 bags & strength class at EBF (if anyone wants to join!!) and then finishing up my shopping. I hope whatever you do, you have a wonderful, “beat the holiday hustle” type of weekend!

Questions for you: What’s been up with you?! I feel so disconnected since I haven’t been blogging! What do you have going on this weekend? Have you finished your Christmas shopping yet? Did you decorate?