ashleyd /

Sensebowl: Fast, Fresh, Sensible

Every now and then, the angels listen. Tonight was one of those nights when luck was on my side.

IMG_1247After a long day of work  and miserable weather, following a lovely three day weekend, all I could think about on the treadmill tonight was what I was making for dinner. I knew I wanted something healthy, but my stomach was already growling and I was only half way through my workout, including some grueling TABATA intervals.

As I ascended the stairs from the Equinox locker room to the lobby, the faint aroma of Asian food engulfed me. There, in front of me, like a mirage, stood two tables and four employees serving up heaping bowls of Asian fare, FREE for Equinox members.

IMG_1252Tonight, JK, the owner and employees of Sensebowl, a new restaurant in midtown New York City, treated members to a taste of their bowl meals. Sensebowl opened their first location on November 29th, hoping to bring affordable, fast, and fresh Asian cuisine to hurried New Yorkers. Their head chef, Beena Yu, studied at the Culinary Institute of America and has experience at Jean Georges and Bouley. The flavor combinations on the folded menu are reflective of her commitment to bold flavors which stand apart from other fast food Asian restaurants. IMG_1267

Even tonight, on the two folding tables, the fresh flavors were overwhelming. It’s rare you see a setup like this, displaying multiple bins of fresh vegetables and a full rice and noodle setup.

IMG_1262 IMG_1251 IMG_1261 Their bowls or meals, are built through five steps:

  1. Base: 1 included, (Choose between white and brown Asian rice or white or buckwheat noodles)
  2. Protein 1 included (Choose between slow cooked beef, baked chicken breast, slow cooked chicken thigh, spicy pork loin, herb shrimp, or steamed tofu)
  3. Toppings: 3 included (Choose from baby bok choy, baby corn, broccoli, carrots, and more)
  4. Sauce/Dressing/or Broth: 1 included (Choose from one of 4 sauces or 3 different broths)
  5. Seasoning: 1 included (Toasted Seaweed, Sesame Seeds, or Furikake)

Tonight, I chose the following for my bowl of delicious goodness: brown rice, baked chicken breast, broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, Kim chi, and bean sprouts, sensebowl Signature Sauce, and furikake seasoning.   IMG_1264IMG_1270 IMG_1265IMG_1266

This meal was incredible! It followed the perfect ratio of protein, carbohydrates, and vegetables. The unique flavor combination and crunch left my senses satisfied and my stomach satiated. I will definitely be taking advantage of my free bowl coupon I received tonight.

Have you ever tried a restaurant like Sensebowl? Interested in finding out more? Head over to their website for the full menu and more information or follow them on Twitter!

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ashleyd /

30/60/90 Equinox Workout Review

can feel it, 2011 is going to be a great year!

I was still a bit groggy this morning as our friends, Mike and Liz, who just got engaged over the holiday came over for dinner and drinks last night. I was the lame wife who went to bed at midnight due to exhaustion. Oh well, I had a hot morning workout date!

This morning I met Ali and Sara again for a wonderful workout class. As you may recall, we enjoyed a Saturday triple threat Equinox session before the holiday together. Since then, we’ve been talking about trying more classes together. Per Sara’s recommendation, we tried the infamous 30/60/90 this morning.

I knew it was going to be a sweat session after reading the description alone.

30/60/90:  Created by Kristi Molinaro. A high intensity interval training workout consisting of cardio, strength training,plyometrics and static holds designed to get you into the best shape of your life. Very challenging but modifiable for all levels.

30 60 90 (1)

When we heard this morning’s class was only going to be 45 minutes, followed by 10 minutes of abs, we were disappointed as we were hoping for an hour session. By the end of the class, we couldn’t imagine doing the workouts one minute longer. This morning’s class revolved around the step, body bar, and our own body weight.

Kristi Molinaro's 30/60/90®

This class is very effective due to the interval training. It is designed to rev up the metabolism similar to high-intensity interval training such as HIIT. I will warn you, there is no programmed break during the class and it is not for beginners. However, the teachers do give some adjustments that students can do if their muscles are weary. For example. by the last set, I wanted to throw the body bar out the window and put it on the floor so I could ensure correct form for the last few sumo squats jumps. An interview with the 30/60/90 creator can be seenhere which also features some of the exercises.

I loved everything about 30/60/90 today: great music, no complicated choreography, helpful instructor, great company, and the class was surprisingly not full!

Breakfast

After our workout, Ali and I headed into Fish’s Eddy as I needed a new work breakfast bowl. The shop is always so fun and bright! I took the bowl for a test ride this morning. I love the fun, bright color and can’t wait to use it at work.

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Fage 2%

1/4 cup Homemade Cinnamon Granola

1 banana, sliced

I have to shower and get ready because we’re off to see Promises, Promises! Bo’s parents gave us tickets for my birthday and I’m so excited to see the final show this afternoon.

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ashleyd /

Happiest When I’m Busiest

 

It’s a good thing I’m happiest when I’m busiest because the last few days have been a bit of a whirlwind! We’re heading into our “busy season” at work which means lots of customer presentations, long nights, and travel. But, I love what I’m doing so no complaints! In order to balance out the work, I’ve been packing my days with lots of fun activities!

Lauren and I have done yoga two times this week at Equinox! We’ve decided that it makes sense to focus on evening workout classes near our office which we can do together. It really helps to have a friend motivate you to leave the office.

Tuesday night we enjoyed Vinyasa Yoga with Samantha Debicki. The class melted the stress away while stretching out our tight tired muscles. My favorite part was when she asked for suggestions and requests. One participant asked for hip openers which was a welcome stretch for my tired legs.

Tonight we returned to Tracy’s Power Vinyasa Yoga class which we’ve missed over the last three months. We went to this weekly during the winter but let our schedules get the best of us during the summer. I love this class because you leave feeling 10 pounds lighter due to the stress release but your muscles are crying and she pushes you to the next level.

Like usual, runners lunge or ardha mandalasana was the best stretch for my tight hips and legs.

What is your favorite yoga pose for tired legs or tight hips?

Bo and I enjoyed our first US Open experience last night!  We followed the crowds out to the Billy Jean King Tennis center last night after work.

 IMG_4990  It was an absolutely gorgeous night! The air was a cool and crisp 70 degrees! IMG_4992IMG_4991

But the wind had no mercy and was chilling the crowd’s bones all night long. People were buying sweatshirts and long sleeve t-shirts right and left just to stay warm!

Bo and I warmed our souls with a Heineken Light from the Heineken Lounge as soon as we arrived! The entire place was green!

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Sometimes a cold, crisp beer just hits the spot!

Next on the agenda was dinner. I tweeted quickly trying to figure the best option. Fried foods and hot dogs were everywhere but none of it sounded very good. Meanwhile, Bo had his eyes set on a foot long.Eck!

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Eventually I settled on fried shrimp as everyone was raving about their flavor!

But, within two minutes, I saw exactly what I wanted.

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Oh well, too bad I wasted $7 on my first dinner which was immediately abandoned before I even tried a bite.

The Stonyfield Cafe had salads, sandwiches, soups, and even organic beers! It was hard to make a decision but I finally went with their salad combo. It was absolutely delicious and filled with the perfect amount of bleu cheese and chicken. Bo was even surprised by its flavor and freshness.

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Once we’d finished our dinners we quickly headed into the stadium just in time to see the end of the women’s match before Federer took the court!

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Our seats were in the promenade level which meant we enjoyed a bird’s eye view. We still enjoyed it and don’t regret buying the cheap tickets through my alumni club versus paying more than $200 for quarterfinal tickets.

Do you enjoy tennis? Who are you rooting for in this year’s US Open?

I’m off to bed so I can get some much needed rest before tomorrow morning’s 17 mile run! YIKES! I’m so nervous I could vomit. But, I’m just telling myself that slow and steady wins the race. My goal is to keep around a 10:45 pace and follow a flat course. I’ll head out before 5am since I need to be at work by 9am. Hopefully this mean’s I’ll enjoy some wonderful sunrise views along the Hudson River.

In order to get pumped up, I downloaded a few new songs tonight thanks to Jes and Nicole’s great suggestions!

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