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Calliope Restaurant: The Perfect Date Night

After running 20 miles and enjoying Sweaty Saturday with my favorite ladies at Uplift Studios, I was more than ready for a relaxing Saturday night.

Before meeting our friends Scott and Maya for a double date, Bo and I met Meg and Spencer, dear friends of our who were in town from Atlanta for the Food and Wine Festival. It was wonderful catching up over a Post Pumpkin Ale at The Old Towne Bar in Chelsea.

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We ended up downtown 30 minutes early for our dinner reservations so instead of hanging out at the crowded restaurant bar, we popped in Wine Bar, a small, intimate wine bar that Melissa and Frank introduced us to last year.

We were able to sit at the bar and talk to the sommelier about their wines this season. We fell in love with their Tempranillo, La Planta Ribera del Duero. Low in acidity, the earthy fruit forward flavor of the wine was perfect for the cool evening.

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Our next stop of the evening was Calliope, a small French bistro in the East Village. A recent addition to the East Village, Calliope is the newest addition from the chefs of Waverly Inn and at Prune, husband and wife team Eric Korsh and Ginevra Iverson. Two weeks ago Bo saw the New York Times review of this restaurant pop up on his Bloomberg terminal at work and after reading the first paragraph, quickly called to make reservations for our first available Saturday. Bo’s favorite genre of food is classic French fare the review alone left both our mouths watering.

The French bistro scene in New York has been a stagnant one over the past few years and we were both happy to see a menu fresh with French classics but lacking the stale regulars like steak frites. Everything on the menu looked divine but we stuck primarily to dishes featured in the Yelp reviews we read and the NY Times article.

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From left: toasted French bread, Calliope’s famous boiled eggs with mayonnaise, octopus salad with potatoes and celery, and halibut in mussel broth atop romesco toast.

If you’re looking new restaurant that Is perfect for large groups or small groups, intimate dinners, or a casual solo lunch Calliope is the perfect choice. They have one large 20 person table in the center of the restaurant, which last night was filled with a birthday party, a small bar for casual drinks and dinner, surrounded by small bistro tables along an open air wall. 

If you’re a NYC local, what is your favorite restaurant these days? If you’re not in NYC, what is your favorite genre of food?

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20 Perfect Miles

If I could run the marathon next Sunday I’d be a really happy girl. After today’s 20 miler I have the confidence and training that makes me so excited for November 4th. The past 24 hours have been pretty perfect!

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Yesterday I had my first client meeting in my new role and it just reaffirmed how excited I am for the challenge. Sure it’s not going to be all roses but it’s going to be challenging and e-commerce amazes me. It is so interesting and changing so quickly! I had the chance to rock my new JCrew School Boy blazer which I bought during their 25% off sale!

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After work I headed to Eataly to pick up the ingredients for our pre-long run dinner, linguini with clams. An evening cooking and relaxing together is the perfect way for Bo and I to finish a long week. 

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We were both in bed by 10pm in preparation for this morning’s long run. I had 20 miles on the schedule while Bo was striving for 22 to give him the confidence he wanted for his first marathon. Earlier in the week I sent an email to a few of my favorite runners who share my pace to see if anyone would want to join me for 20 miles bright and early Saturday morning. Luckily, Leticia, Kristin, Meghan, and Marcial (my co-worker) were all game!

I mapped out a 20 mile course which would start near Union Square for those people coming from Queens and Brooklyn while also including hills in the last 6 miles in order to best replicate the actual marathon. You can see the actual course by clicking here.

We met at 7am and left from Union Square ready for a great run. From the very first mile everything just felt right. The weather was nice and brisk, the conversation was steady, our legs felt light and strong, everyone had fuel, and the scenery was beautiful.

We only stopped a twice before reaching the park, once for a quick 30 second stretch and next to refill our water bottles.  The entire time we were keeping around a 10:55-11:10 pace, just clicking away the miles. Crossing town was a pain but by the time we reached the park we had another friendly face join the group as Tracy, a blog reader visiting from out of town, ran with us for the last 9 miles!

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We enjoyed one loop of the resevoir before conquering the west rolling hills in the park and then Harlem Hill. This was a perfect way to push our legs and body, just like we’ll be challenged in the marathon during the second half. It wasn’t easy and I actually took Harlem Hill too fast, hitting a 10:20 pace which left me on empty for the last mile. But, overall this 20 miler which was blessed with negative splits for the second half, was pretty amazing. I learned that I have to carry more fuel, especially for the last 8 miles and that with a positive outlook and inspirational friends, 20 miles can feel like a piece of cake. I think you can tell from our faces that this run rocked!

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Kristin and I toasted our successful 20 miler with our first Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte of the season! I had mine made with skim milk and just 2 pumps of syrup. Kristin was right! This was a delicious way to celebrate taper time!

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Did you run this weekend? Are you preparing for a Fall marathon? How’s it going?

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Low Fat Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chips

It’s definitely Fall in New York City. The temperatures have reached the mid 40’s and I can’t resist running through Central Park at least 3 evenings a week just to take in the Fall foliage, cool breeze, crisp air, and enthusiasm and inspiration I gain from the busy running path. Everywhere I turn there are pumpkins for sale, warm and spicy scented candles, deep Fall colored clothing, and tall boots. Beyond everything else, my favorite part of Fall is pumpkin itself. Whether carved, painted, roasted, thrown in a delicious smoothie, or in a baked good I find that it is versatile, rich and delicious!

Last week I was inspired to use my second can of pumpkin for baked bread. My friends in the office love my baked goods and request them, especially during stressful weeks. After searching for an hour on the internet for healthier pumpkin bread recipes I came across this awesome recipe. I thought about just making the recipe but then went to the pantry only to find that we didn’t have enough all purpose flour or chocolate chips. Therefore, I took her recipe and altered it, using what I had on hand. Brace yourself because this bread is pretty damn epic! The best part of this recipe other than the taste is that it takes only 2 bowls and 3 steps! I hope you enjoy this as much as my co-workers have this week!

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Low Fat Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chips, serves 12

Ingredients:

Preparation

  • Preheat oven to 350*
  • Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk, ensuring that you don’t over mix.
  • In a medium bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda. Add flour mixture to pumpkin mixture, stirring just until moist. Stir in chocolate and peanut butter chips.
  • Spoon batter into a loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake for 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Nutrition Facts
  12 Servings

Amount Per Serving
  Calories 145.1
  Total Fat 1.6 g
     Saturated Fat 1.0 g
     Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g
     Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
  Cholesterol 0.0 mg
  Sodium 260.3 mg
  Potassium 59.6 mg
  Total Carbohydrate 31.4 g
     Dietary Fiber 1.6 g
     Sugars 20.5 g
  Protein 2.7 g
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