Seattle Adventures Day 1

It’s official. I don’t think we’ve been this relaxed, as a couple, in over a year! Our first day in Seattle was fabulous!

We were both up at 7:00 with Ryan and Amy as they headed out to work, doing our best to acclimate to the new time zone and take advantage of the day. They live in the adorable Queen Anne neighborhood so there are literally four coffee shops within a block of their house. We headed down to Macrina Bakery for a loaf of bread and a cup of java around 7:30. Macrina is a local coffee shop and bakery that Ryan and Amy introduced me to last time.

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I love this quote that they had on their wall chalkboard, greeting customers as they entered the shop.

They even make their own vanilla sugar! Just one dash was enough to sweeten my double latte perfectly!

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Bright eyed and bushy tailed after our coffee, Bo and I made breakfast and relaxed with the newspaper for most of the morning.

Fresh Washington peaches, tomatoes, turkey bacon, Macrina bread, and some eggs was the perfect breakfast to fuel our day’s activities.

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Around 11 we headed over to Lake Union for an 8 mile run. Like I said on Monday, this week is all about running on tired legs and increasing my mid-week mileage. This is definitely a change versus previous training seasons which I hope will really make a difference come November. In year’s prior, my midweek runs were never more than five or six miles. This was due in part to my mentality. I didn’t think I could do it, I was only a morning runner and logging that many before work on a weekly basis didn’t seem fun and I didn’t understand the rationale. Now that I understand the rationale behind longer midweek runs it has made making time for them far easier. This week I’m definitely spoiled since I am on vacation mode. There is a pretty clear path around much of Lake Union and then where there isn’t a path there is clear signage that directs you along the coastline and over the bridges.

We only stopped once for pictures which is why all these are in the same area. The Gasworks area provided great views of the Seattle skyline which explains why there were so many people enjoying the weather in the park. IMG_4289

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However, our favorite part of the run was earlier in our route when we passed the house boat developments. Literally there was one dock connecting a “development” of 20 to 30 different boats. They were so unique and amazing to look in the windows as we ran along the coast.

After our run we came back to shower before heading downtown for a progressive lunch in Pike Place Market! We were both starving since it was already 2:30 when we arrived downtown so our first priority was food! 

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Since we were in Seattle together just 2 years ago, we had fond memories of a couple stands. I was craving seafood and therefore headed straight to Jack’s Fish Spot. Instead of going with their popular fish and chips or fried oysters, I tried their lump Dungeness crab cocktail. It was delicious and a large enough portion to take me from hangry pants to happy!

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Next stop was Piroshky Piroshky, a famous Russian bakery that opened in the market 20 years ago. Our food tour two years ago introduced us to this place and I think Bo has been dreaming about it ever since. A piroshky is a hand held meal normally in the form of a stuffed bun or pie shape, filled with meat and vegetables. Bo enjoyed a beef and onion piroshky which didn’t disappoint. Steaming hot, the flaky pastry outside melted in your mouth! Of course I had to enjoy a bite, just to make sure it was safe.

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As we headed through the market, enjoying the sights and sounds, a fruit vendor convinced me that Washington peaches could live up to my Georgia expectations. I worried that these huge peaches wouldn’t have a strong flavor but boy was I wrong. This was the best peach I’ve ever had. Sorry Georgia but I definitely am cheating on you this week.

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We spent the rest of our afternoon enjoying the views and just hanging out park side until Ryan and Amy came downtown to meet us for some dinner grocery shopping.

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Such a wonderful and relaxing Seattle day!

Your turn! What’s your favorite fruit? Mine is definitely peaches!

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Five Miles Along Lake Michigan

If you’re new to my blog, then I guess I should let you know that running in a new city is one of my favorite things to do when I travel, whether with Bo, friends, or work. It’s a great way to appreciate the city from a different vantage point and feel like a local.

This week’s work trip was no exception and therefore I was looking forward to my five miler in Chicago as soon as I landed! The weather was supposed to be pretty perfect for August, a cool 70 degrees at daybreak, and super sunny.

Tuesday night, upon checking in at our hotel, I chatted with the front desk to verify my planned route that I’d put together on Map My Run. I highly having locals review your route if you’re in a new city to ensure that it is safe. 

Due to this planning, I was able to wakeup and head out quickly Wednesday morning for five miles along Lake Michigan before my breakfast work meeting. The sight that greeted me as I exited the hotel was breathtaking.

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I took the pedestrian tunnel under the highway over to the Chicago Lakefront Trail along the lake and Navy Pier area.  This path is a runner’s paradise as it is 18 miles long (hear that NYC?!) , paved, and includes amenities such as bathrooms, frequent water fountains, storage lockers, and restaurants.

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As soon as I exited on the other side I was greeted with the beachfront and a scene of swimmers heading into the lake for their morning run along with throngs of runners and bikers. It was inspiring to see so many other people out this early, enjoying the wonderful weather.

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I put in my headphones and just started running along the water, enjoying the scenery and my legs’ unexpected freshness and energy.

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I even saw a runner carrying a large American flag around mile 2.

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I turned around when I saw 2.5 miles pop up on my Garmin, right along a beach area where there were people doing boot camps, taking yoga, enjoying sand personal training sessions, and swimming in the water. While I love running in Central Park, this area of Chicago is pretty amazing and offers so many different fitness options.

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How great would Sun & Moon Beach Yoga be for a Thursday happy hour option after a long day of work?

A kind woman offered to snap a picture of me as she noticed me taking pictures at my turnaround point. A NYC runner enjoying a great Chicago run!

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My views running back towards the hotel were even better as I had the sand and lake to my left and the skyline in front of me.

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Five miles done bright and early before a long day of meetings! I especially loved the negatives splits during this progression run including my last mile at 9:36! Have I mentioned how ready I am for cooler, Fall weather in New York City? My marathon training will be forever thankful if it comes earlier versus later.

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What is your favorite running city?

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A Chicago Evening: Bliss and Fresh Air Dining

Greetings from Chicago!

Today has been exactly what I needed after yesterday’s rough afternoon. I went home last night and relaxed with Meg and Bo, enjoying a home cooked meal and a glass of wine with a side of Sex and the City. This morning I craved a workout in a big way. I wanted an intense sweat session. Luckily for me, Akin William’s Cardio Kickboxing class was on the schedule at my Equinox which meant that Meg and I punched out our feelings for 45 minutes while dripping sweat. WHAT A WORKOUT! It was a great way to loosen up my body after yesterday’s kettle bell personal training session and Monday’s run.

My manager and I were both upgraded on our flight to Chicago thanks in part to the flight’s lack of business travelers and all our travel this year. It was complete bliss to enjoy a meal and comfortable seats on our quick flight. I was thoroughly impressed with the chicken salad and level of service. If only I could always fly first. *sigh*

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When we landed our team had some much needed downtime to catch up on emails, rest our feet, and prepare for the next few days. Thanks to a discount and a stress knot deep in my shoulders, I indulged on a 30 minute massage at Bliss Spa. While it was definitely an indulgence, I stood up from the table feeling light and refreshed. This Bliss Spa was so much nicer than the ones I’ve visited in New York City. It felt like a luxurious experience, from the service to the overall spa. I wish I could have lounged around for longer but I literally only had 30 minutes before our meeting.

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Check out the gorgeous views from their lounge area. I can’t wait to run by the lake tomorrow morning and enjoy the cool morning temperatures and scenery! I really do love running in new cities. It is the perfect way to wake up after a long day of travel, it leaves me energized, allows me to see things I wouldn’t normally have time to see on a quick business trip, and gives me that dose of Vitamin D my body craves!

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The rest of my evening was spent enjoying dinner with my team and our local colleague. Our wish to dine outside was granted by Rosebud Steakhouse which led to a relaxed dinner under the evening dusk. Fresh air dining is one of my favorite aspects of summer. Now if only we had a lovely porch and grill in New York City. 

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Knowing that tomorrow night’s dinner is at another local steakhouse, I opted for a seafood based meal. The waiter highly recommended their fresh, never frozen, tuna as soon as I asked for his advice. I took it to heart and went with tuna for both my appetizer and entrée. My co-worker and I shared the tuna and avocado appetizer, which was the perfect portion to share while not being too rich. It seemed like a perfect summer appetizer.

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My entrée, which wasn’t quite as delicious as the appetizer, was a Japanese inspired tuna dish, served rare and accompanied by seaweed salad and ginger. But, when dining at a steakhouse in Chicago, one can’t be too picky about the tuna I suppose. Was it perfectly rare? Nope. Was it filling, a healthier option than most things on the steakhouse menu and left me satiated? You bet!

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Now, if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to chill out with some gentle yoga stretches compliment of the DVD I brought with me on the trip and my delicious NEST candle which I bought on sale at Bliss this afternoon.

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For those of you who enjoyed yesterday’s travel post, next week will include another installation which features my favorite hotel room necessities when traveling.

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