Happy Sunday! I hope everyone has enjoyed a wonderful weekend thus far. New Yorkers have been celebrating the sunshine in full force! Yesterday over 10,000 runners and walkers were able to enjoy the seasonable and sunny weather while raising over $400,000 for Haiti through the NYRR Run for Haiti! WOW! But before that, it’s time for a quick rewind back to Thursday.
Before meeting my girlfriend for dinner at Candle Cafe, I was on a mission to find a new gym bag. My large, akward, floral Vera Bradley bag just wasn’t cutting it anymore as an everyday gym bag. While the size afforded me room to carry TOO much, it wasn’t suitable for carrying to work events and other social outings. I discovered this the hard way Wednesday evening when I almost knocked over someone’s wine at a networking event due to it’s size. I also received one too many stares lugging that bad boy around. I realized that the UES Lululemon (66th and 3rd) store was conveniently located between work and Candle Cafe. What luck? š Upon entering the UES location I was in LOVE! It was huge and the perfect pick me up after a long day due to the colorful displays, friendly staff, and rocking music. I saw a couple of great bags in the window but wanted to make sure I picked the best one for my needs. The staff quickly helped me see the differences between each bag (inside dividers, removable bag or not, large enough for work clothes and gym clothes or not, color selection, price, etc) until I found the perfect one! I also picked up an I LOVE RUNNING Sigg bottle to replace my daily water bottle. It’s bright pink and that alone makes me smile and want to drink more water. š I also found out that in NYC, each Lululemon location has a different focus. The one near Lincoln Center is Dance focused, the UES (66th and 3rd Avenue)is running focused, etc. This made total sense as this one is near the park and has a Spring/Summer running club! In fact, the running club kicks off on Wednesday, March 3rd at 8pm with an info session led by the running coach, Michele Solomon. Then, on March 10th at 6:45pm the outside runs begin! I’m excited about this as the location is close enough to work that I should be able to make both these events! Anyone want to join? If so, RSVP to runeast66thnyc@lululemon.com by March 3rd!
After the shopping was complete, I headed down 3rd a few blocks to Candle Cafe. Knowing that Bo was out of town on business gave me the perfect excuse to meet my girlfriend Liz for dinner at Candle. I hadn’t enjoyed Candle’s vegetarian goodness in over a year and was therefore very excited! This cozy location is located on 3rd avenue between 74th and 75th. Upon entering, each patron can quickly see what their goal and mantra is:
Candle Cafe is dedicated to bettering the health of the individual and the planet by serving food fresh from farm to tableā¢. Our organic vegan cuisine is rooted in sustainability, eco-friendly practices, local farming, and compassion for animals.There is a small juice bar near the front that doubles as a wine and beer bar during the evening hours. Luckily this area wasn’t too crowded while Liz and I waited for our table. Unfortunately, they don’t accept reservations for a party of 2 so there is normally a short wait involved. We didn’t mind however as there was room for us to stand out of the cold and we were able to watch all the amazing food pass and catch up. Once we were seated we quickly ordered an appetizer and wine since we were both starving. The seitan chimichurri which included herb marinated seitan skewers was amazing. The texture was perfect and the flavor was right on with a bit of subtle sweetness due to the citrus. Ordering dinner was far more challenging as everything sounded wonderful and neither Liz nor I like to make the dinner decision first. Normally we wait to see what everyone else orders and then chooses something last minute. But, we finally decided on the tuscan lasagna and paradise casserole. The tuscan lasagna was exactly what I was craving and better than any lasagna i’d had in ages. The seitan ragout tasted 
just like a flavorful meat combination and I quickly forgot this was a vegitarian entree. My only complaint was the chunkiness and texture of the tapioca cheese. It didn’t melt like normal cheese does in lasagna and therefore mostly got pushed to the side. Liz’s paradise casserole was MASSIVE and a feat to even enjoy half as it was filled with delicious sweet potatoes, black beans, and millet over greens. I especially enjoyed the flavor combination of all three paired together in a bit. We both thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at Candle Cafe and would return often. The service was friendly and quick while the food delighted each and everyone of our cravings. The wine option was an added bonus as I had forgotten this option and assumed they only had a juice bar. In addition, the prices are very reasonable for a weeknight meal. I can guarantee that if Bo and I end up moving to the UES this April that i’ll be ordering takeout frequently from Candle Cafe. I highly recommend this for a casual meal on a weeknight or weekend! If your plan is to enjoy it with a larger group, call ahead for reservations!
