Memorial Day is upon us, people....

And with that, the promise of sunnier days, barbecues, long days at the pool, the NJ shore, and all of the magical splendor that summer has to offer.  But you know, there is always the other side of the coin....with that warm weather comes the last day of school, and 3 days later, the inevitable "I'm bored" 5867 times a day, the non-stop harassment for the snack bar and the latest (crack) sugar snack, the ice cream man, camps, activities, etc. Summer is a comin', better hold onto your patience AND your pockets.  We're going to need some back up here, luckily, I got you covered.

What's to drink.... 

The first time I tried this wine was over a boozy brunch at the Jockey Hollow Mansion, in Morristown, NJ.  I was convinced it was fancy-pants wine since I was surrounded by pillars and a shit load of marble. Note to self, and you, sometimes a $15 glass of wine comes from a $10.99 bottle.  Enter Hugel, this French wine from Alsace holds it's own whether you're drinking in a historical mansion or a cozy 3 bedroom split in New Providence.  And it's the only bottle of wine you'll be able to afford after budgeting out all your summer expenses. Check it out, your palate and bank account will thank me later. 

Gentil Hugel 2014- Alsace, France

What's to eat....

I haven't felt like cooking lately.  I get into these cooking slumps once in a while. You know, when the thought of preparing a whole meal makes you want to stick your (big) head in the oven. I don't want to traumatize my kids any more than I already have, so luckily I have a few fall-back, go-to recipes to keep me from ordering take out 3 nights a week.  Head, wallet, waist, and kids all saved. 

Chicken Pizza

Working on my fitness....

Memorial Day.  Bathing suits.  Lots of skin exposed.  Can we not have a fucking panic attack over this, guys (ladies). The whole swimsuit ready thing, what a crock of shit. Who's the asshole that came up with this idea? Do we really need ANOTHER thing to have to be ready for? I'll tell you what, at any given time I have to be prepared for a variety of looming crises. We ALL have shit going on, so can we not add this to the list? Here's what we're gonna do.... Slap some sunscreen on that ass (and your face, and all over your body, really), throw on a bathing suit, and sashay that ass into the pool, onto the beach, into the god damn grocery store, if you're feeling it (that may be against the law, actually). You get the idea, though. You're beautiful, baby.  Don't forget that.  

Wishing you ALL of the Good Stuff.

XO
Tara


P.S. Memorial Day, 15 years ago, was when I was first introduced to LBI. It was love at first sight. Thank you, TJK.

It's been one of those weeks....

So let's just get to it.  

What's to drink....

Picture a beautiful, warm, sunny, spring day (NJ peeps, this is a lesson in imagery, you gotta dig deep).  You're sitting out on the deck and the kids aren't mauling each other (more digging deep) and the new bat house you had installed in one of your trees (this is a true story) is doing it's job and you are in a mosquito-less, quiet, relaxed, serene state of momentary bliss.  The only thing you're missing.....a glass of this stuff.  It's light and crisp and has just the right amount of tartness to it.  It actually smells tropical and floral but it's not too sweet. Perfect for your little slice of heaven on the deck.  It also works equally as well when the kids are beating the ever-living shit out of each other, and it's 47 degrees and pouring.  Trust me, I should know. It's $15 well spent. 

Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand

What's to eat....

I love finding a new food hack and this one gives you a lot of bang for your buck. With only zucchini and a bit of (light) cheese as the ingredients you can go to town on this stuff and not feel the least bit guilty...and it is really, really delish. These are a go-to side dish when I'm looking to keep things on the low-carb side.  Don't knock the zucchini noodles until you try them. 

Working on my fitness....

As previously mentioned, this past week hasn't gone exactly as planned, and has basically given me the big fat middle finger on multiple occasions. This is going to happen from time to time. My preference would be to crawl into my bed and have someone come wake me up next week when the weather is better and the universe has shifted back to it's normal state of affairs.  But alas, I have responsibilities, including keeping small humans alive.  So, I'm doing my best. I've gotten to the gym when I can, maybe they haven't been the BEST workouts but I've always felt better when I was done with them.  A couple years ago, I would have berated myself if I missed a workout or two, which then made a shitty week that much worse. Why do we do that to ourselves?  I don't know about you, but I don't have time for that shit anymore. I TRY to remember a few things....first, don't let perfect be the enemy of good. Sometimes pretty good is good enough, sometimes it has to be. Secondly, tough weeks will come, but if we can manage to meet them with a little understanding and self-compassion it helps....a lot.  Lastly, when the bad weeks show up, sometimes you (I) will eat 757 dove dark chocolate promises in said week, and that's OK, too. There's always zucchini noodles to balance that shit out. I hope you've had a good week and you've gotten all the (good) stuff done that you wanted to achieve, but if you didn't, know that you're not alone, and next week is RIGHT around the corner.  We got this.

Wishing you ALL of the Good Stuff.

XO
Tara 

P.S.  My brunch girls.  What a gift it is to be together after all these years.  Love you all!

Oh hey, I'm back....

I have to say I was so surprised, grateful, elated, giddy, even, at all of the positive feedback I got from people who read last week's blog.  Even the people who stopped reading after the booze section (I know you're out there and I don't blame you) had some really nice things to say.  I am grateful.  So even if this one shits the bed I'll always have last week's. Thanks guys, seriously.
I hope you guys get a chance to try out some stuff that I write about.  Let me know if you do, I'd love to hear your thoughts....unless they are mean.  If they are mean thoughts maybe keep it to yourself, or if it's so bad you have to say something about it, then maybe tell a friend.  Yes, that works.  

What's to drink....

I really resent the fact that some people think there must be something "special" to be celebrating to drink champagne, or in this case, sparkling wine. We are ALIVE, people.  That alone is reason to celebrate and to get down on some bubbly.  I, myself, am a self-admitted-lover-of-all-things-carbonated. There's something fantastic about a little fizz and this stuff is no exception to that rule. It's dry and light with notes of pear, apple, and stone fruit (IDK what that is).  So, the great thing about champagne or sparkling wine is it's pretty much perfect for ANY occasion. Celebrating a holiday, perfect, POP.  Sitting out on the deck with friends, perfect, POP.  It's Tuesday night and you've managed to make it through the day without killing yourself or your children, PERFECT, POP.  This stuff is about $20 a bottle so it's not cheap but I promise you it's worth it.  Cheers!

Mumm Napa Sparkling Wine from Cali

What's to eat....

When I cook, I tend to cook fairly "healthy" meals.  I don't follow any particular diet style, I left the paleo community a long time ago, I still love you guys, I just really love cheese, too.  It took me a long time to find balance and I still struggle with it on the regular.  Does anyone have it down to a perfect science AND still enjoy their lives? The weekends, vacations, parties, a random Wednesday night play date.  The shit is a for-real struggle.  Especially because I can be an all-or-nothing kinda girl, so I have to practice being mindful. Sometimes I'm good at it, sometimes I fail miserably. You know what I'm talking about. It's the "diet starts Monday, fuck this shit, fuck-it-all-itis".  You feel me? So this recipe I'm sharing is one that is not only yummy but pretty macro/diet/health friendly. I like to use pork tenderloin because it's a lean protein source but a nice break from chicken. For my people who don't eat pork (shout out to my friend, Maureen for not eating "smart" animals) you can absolutely do this with chicken. Make sure to marinade it for at least 24 hours, if not longer. It will be worth the wait.  If you get antsy waiting, you could always open a bottle of bubbly.  See how I fit that in there?

  

Working on my fitness....

Let's take a trip on the road to EMPOWERMENT.....it's taken me a long time to get to know this place and sometimes I still get lost along the way.  Again, I'm only human, but I wasn't familiar with this word, or how it felt, growing up as an overweight kid.  I wasn't familiar with it when I lost a bunch of weight when I was 20. It's honestly something I've only become familiar with in the last few years. Maybe I'm late to the game but I'm glad I got here.  Some time in the last 5 years my mindset shifted from a place I call "you're not good enough" (a sad, crappy, albeit common place, especially for women) to a place of "you got this shit".  For me, the road that led me to feeling empowered began at being introduced to a barbell (and some amazing people) at Crossfit 908 in Berkeley Heights, NJ.  Oh man, how intimidated (scared shitless, actually) I (and my good friend, Dr. Z) were at first, but once I got to be a little more comfortable with this huge piece of iron, I found that I REALLY liked moving it around.  Learning how to deadlift and back squat made me feel strong and I got a sense of accomplishment from learning the movements and gradually increasing the weight I was moving. My self-worth was no longer totally defined by a number on a bathroom scale and by the things I COULDN'T do but more by the things I COULD do.   I felt like a fire was lit and I haven't looked back since. And while I don't train with the good peeps of 908 anymore, I take with me to the gym, every day, the GOOD STUFF I learned while I was there.  It used to be the coaches (and the members) at the gym saying "you got this, you can do this, Tkal" (as they so lovingly still call me), to now, present day, and me saying that same thing "you got this, you can do this" to myself, AND really believing it. The moral of the story, I hope you feel empowered, too.  Life is short, so I hope that whatever it is you choose to do (in the gym or out) is something you love, something that supports your goals, and most importantly something that makes you FEEL GOOD (AKA "you got this shit"). I move the weights, they move me.  So, I ask, my friends, what moves you? I'd love to know. Whatever it is, you got this, you can do this.  

Wishing you ALL of the GOOD STUFF. 

XO

Tara

P.S. Love you Grams.  

Where to start......

This little project of mine is the result of having so much to say about so many things and basically not having enough people to listen.  Don't get me wrong, I have some seriously awesome friends and family but I feel like there is so much GOOD STUFF out there to share that my head just might explode if I don't get it all out. Also, even my closest friends and family get sick of hearing my voice. So if my novice attempt helps one person to find a new wine they love, or find a new recipe, or to get out and try something new in the gym or anywhere for that matter then my life is basically made.  I can die happy.  Hopefully at some point, before I drop dead, someone other than myself starts reading this thing...A girl can hope. 

Next line of business, I feel like I need to put a disclaimer in here.  I'm no lawyer but just to save face in case someone actually reads this and takes my advice to heart I'd like to let you know I am not a professional chef, I am not a sommelier (I can't even spell that shit), if you happen to stumble upon this blog and read about food or drink it will not be in fancy terms and wording.  If I like something I'll write about it.  If you hate it, you can go ahead and hate it but don't go shooting the messenger.  I'll shoot back;)  I am not a fitness professional (yet).  That's in the works but I do know a lot about strength training and fitness.  I can't wait to learn more.  I've been lucky to have some amazing coaches so if I say something that you don't like, let me know and I'll give you their names so you can go after them personally. They will love that.  I am not a professional photographer, I'm just a girl with an iphone.  My grammar can be total shit city.  But I write like I speak so if nothing else, it's totally authentic.   I think most legal disclaimers should just say "don't be stupid". Doesn't that cover everything?


Now, to the most important line of business.  

What's to drink....

La Crema Pinot Gris 2014

I will always try and give credit where credit is deserved and this credit goes to not only the fine people at La Crema in Monterey, California but to my good friend (and neighbor and fellow wine lover and all around amazing human), Kate O. of New Providence, New Jersey, for buying this bottle of wine and making me try it.  She didn't actually "make me" try it. I don't exactly need someone to twist my arm to try new food or drink but you get the idea.  Oh, and not this "actual" bottle, this is the 2nd or 3rd one I've bought.  As you can clearly see, half of the bottle is missing, as will be with most of the wine I write about. Some may be empty (full disclosure, people). If I like it, I'll drink it and here's my proof.  And when I say drink it, I mean I drink it. Not like a sissy tasting and spit it out kinda thing, what a waste.  Anyway, back to this wine. At about a $15.99 price point it's a really lovely dry white (told you no fancy wine talk).  The description on the bottle mentions citrus and white peach.  I like both of those things, so hence I like this wine.  Try it if you like those things, too. Please don't spit it out, though.  I'd like to do away with that whole thing.  What's the worst case scenario?  Everybody gets a little drunk.  That doesn't sound so bad, not so bad at all. Cheers.

Next important line of biz.

What's to eat.....

I have been crushing hard on Gina Homolka over on http://www.skinnytaste.com/ . I really like her philosophy on food, she makes food that supports a healthy lifestyle and it tastes delicious.  An added bonus is she lists all the nutritional information (hi macros) and weight watchers points for the WW warriors out there. Who is better than her?  I told you I have been crushing.  So here is one I've made a bunch of times already.  

This recipe is basically a home run for busy peeps.  You don't have to cook a thing and it tastes like it came out of a legit Mexican restaurant.  I add the corn tortillas to make it a little more filling so you have to adjust macros accordingly. If you like shrimp and avocado please do yourself a favor and make this now.  If you're allergic to shellfish (I love you, Tal) then don't make and eat this.  I am a Registered Nurse but I will not be able to help you with that.  Please refer to legal disclaimer above under the "don't be stupid" section.  But seriously, if no allergy to shellfish, get on it.  Thank me later.  

http://www.skinnytaste.com/?s=zesty+lime+&submit=%EF%80%82

Moving onto movement because life can't be all about eating and drinking (wha-wha-whaaaaaa).

Working on my fitness....

At any given time I have a few fitness related goals that drive the way I train in the gym.  I am really lucky and grateful to say I have a super solid knowledge base about strength training from my amazing coaches at Crossfit 908 (you know who you are), from my time with my online trainer, Mike Vacanti, and from spending countless hours in the gym just trying to get stronger and learn more. There is so much information out there, many times it is confusing and conflicting.  What I know is, it all works, just some of it works better than others. For me, my goals around fitness related stuff usually look like this

1.  I don't want to feel like throwing myself off my roof when I put a bathing suit on. (The fancy term for this is aesthetic goals) 

2.  I want to enjoy what I am doing.

3.  I want to see improvement in either body composition or performance (both, preferably).  

So, I want to feel good, feel confident, feel strong, and have fun doing it.  

So, my movement of the week and what I'm currently trying to master is... 

The Chin Up.....

God, what a daunting task it seems like to pull yourself over a bar but man does it feel good to finally get over it.   Honestly, this skill has taken me YEARS to accomplish and when I don't do them for a couple months I can barely squeak out 1 or 2.  So these are high on my priority list right now.  I am trying to do them 2 times per week.  I want to get to 10 of them.  It may take me to 2020 but that's ok because these suckers are a straight up bad ass movement.

What really worked for me to go from literally being stuck in a hanging position from the bar (am I moving at all, even a little, a friggin' inch???) to actually pulling myself up and over the bar was a couple different training methods. 

1.  Reverse Pyramid Training (with or without bands) - The first set is the heaviest (and hardest) set and subsequent sets are lighter with more reps.  This means the first set of chin ups with  (or without) a band will be with the LEAST amount of assistance.  So when I first started out I would use the smallest band I could use to get 5-6 chins ups.  I would rest for 2-3 minutes (cuz these are really hard, man) and then use a thicker band but go for AT LEAST one more rep than my last set.  Then go to a thicker band again and go for yet another rep than the previous set.  

2.  Negatives (with or without bands) - Starting at the top position of a chin up with your chest even with the bar slowly lower yourself to the bottom position.  I started lowering myself over 5 seconds and worked myself up to 10 seconds.  I find these to be incredibly challenging and cannot do very many of them before I start to fail BUT they work.

3.  Consistency -  You know what I mean.  I know this.  But just in case, do it then rest, then do it again, rest and repeat.  

Sometimes you gotta use the playground to get shit done.  Video cred to my friend, Sharon (AKA Yoda, because she is all knowing), who got me to run 2 miles after taking this, which is basically a fucking miracle AND a post for another day.  

I think that's enough for today.  If you've read this far, thanks so much.  I mean it. I am honored to have you here. I hope you come back but if not, here's wishing you a life FULL of ALL the GOOD STUFF.

XO

Tara 


P.S. Happy Birthday Mams.  I love you, so very much.