Long Run #4 and The Hurricane Club

I think Theodora says it best in her post today, but she’s right, I really do love the internet. Most of my friends in New York City were originally met through the blog or a blogger meet up. In two weeks, Bo and I are spending three days in Vermont for a long weekend with 15 other friends, 9 of whom we originally met through the blog.  It really is an amazing way to make connections which can sometime evolve into deeper friendships.

This morning I spent an hour catching up with these lovely ladies (Theodora and Emily) while completing the first half of long run #4. Central Park’s path was still a bit slushy and the hills were tedious, but the company made it all worth it, including the early start which was even more difficult due to last night’s spontaneous plans.

After a long week of stress, Bo surprised me with a dinner date last night. He took the initiative, found a restaurant, and made reservations for the two of us which was the sweetest gesture. I’m so glad I was able to get excited about the evening. At first, I told my friends at work that it wasn’t the best idea since the restaurant he chose is known for their drinks which wasn’t a perfect match due to my early morning running date. Luckily, my friends quickly knocked some sense into me and we enjoyed a wonderful dinner at the Hurricane Club.

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The restaurant’s decor immediately transports you to the South Pacific upon entering through a huge wooden door. Through palm frawns, contrasting wood, and beautiful floral arrangements, the space quickly made us forget the cold New York City weather outside. We arrived a few minutes before our reservation which gave us time to enjoy their bar area. In fact, I think the bar is their waiting area as they directed everyone in the same direction upon arriving.

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Unfortunately the bar area was too crowded to snap a picture of our cocktails but Bo enjoyed a dark and stormy while I sipped on a Corona Light. It was the perfect way to toast a Friday night. I want to return to the Hurricane Club just to enjoy some of their liquor based drinks as each of them looked amazing!  Just check out the drink menu below. While it looks like something you’d find in a Florida tourist trap, it features everything from drinks served in hallowed coconuts, adult Jell-o shots, and tropical beers.

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By the time we were seated we were both famished but happy to be in the main dining room versus a bar area two top. The main dining room was decorated with mirrors, tropical flowers, and dark leather, reminiscent of something you’d see on a cruise ship.

The menu was absolutely gorgeous and every item sounded more delicious than the last.

We had read in reviews that Chef Koketsu wants to allow New Yorkers to enjoy his take on Polynesian cuisine and the menu reflected that perfectly. Each pupu (appetizer in Hawaiian), wrap, salad, and entree took the Polynesian theme on a fresh trip, bringing back a delicious bite of textures and flavors.

We chose quickly, due to our hunger levels. Luckily, in our haste, we chose well!

We ordered 1 item from the pupu platter section, Peking Duck sandwiches for Bo. They were rich, crisp warm sandwiches. I chose the flowering shrimp wraps from the summer wrap section and was thoroughly impressed.  These could have easily come out looking and tasting like a P.F Chang wrap but instead they were deconstructed and the shrimp, or prawns, were huge and fresh!

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We shared our main course, the 20 oz miso glazed lobster tail. I was shocked when they set it in front of us due to the sheer size. Cooked shell-on and then finished with a sweet mizo glaze, it looked delicious. Needless to say, a few bites later we were thankful we took our waiter’s advice when we ordered. This was cooked perfectly and some of the best lobster I’ve ever enjoyed! 

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Next time you’re looking for a place to escape the hustle of New York City, grab a group of friends and enjoy a fun dinner at The Hurricane Club. Warning, if you go any later than 9pm you want to dress for the occasion. When we entered at 8pm my jeans and sweater were perfectly acceptable attire. When we left the bar and lounge were definitely a scene!

The Hurricane Club

Location: 360 Park Avenue South (Flatiron District)

Price Range: Most main dishes under $40 (large portions)

 

Last but not least, congratulations #34:

liane Says:
28. January 2011 at 11:56 AM e

I love Jo Malone I have a few different of her fragrances and I mix and match and layer them!

Please email me your mailing address (healthyhappierbear at gmail dot com) and I will send your new DDF Revolve 400x your way!

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With a Little Help From My Friends: NYRR Fitness Mind Body Spirit 4 Miler

This morning when my alarm went off this morning at 8:15 I was more than a little disoriented.  Why did I set an alarm for a Saturday morning after Friday’s 17 mile long run and a fun Friday night filled with Fashion Night Out festivities and dinner with my in-laws at Park Avenue Autumn?

Oh yes, I was running the NYRR Fitness Mind Body Spirit 4 miler with Rebecca. My eyes were heavy, the cold bed was screaming my name, and Bo’s late night had resulted in a less than stellar rest. But then I saw the bright sun and blue sky through my small bedroom window. The fall temperatures have graced NYC for at least this weekend and that alone is reason to run!

I quickly assesed my pain, threw on my running clothes, and texted Rebecca since we were trying to head uptown together. Fail. After a few unanswered calls and texts I assumed her festivities meant a late night and decided to head uptown on my own. I thought of today’s run as a way to loosen up my tight muscles, similar to last week’s 5k.

Central Park was alive with with women of all shapes and sizes gearing up for the race.

Gorgeous Central Park morning

I quickly checked in, grabbed my swag bag, and took advantage of the porta potty suprlus.

Why is it that NYRR has SO many bathrooms for small races and never enough for large races? I really hope the marathon has plenty! 🙂

After using the bathroom my muscles were starting to scream and the realization that I was about to run 4 miles after yesterday’s long run set in. Just as I headed towards the start I saw a familiar face, Sara! Sara had a NYC blog previously and we’ve connected during a few different blogger events and MANY google chat conversations. However, it’s been ages since we’ve seen each other. She had left a sweet comment on my post yesterday letting me know it provided her needed inspiration for her solo 17  mile run. Luckily, we decided that I’d accompany her for miles 11-15 via the race. I was excited to have a friend and catch up with her!

We lined up in the corrals ready for a fun race. The race didn’t sell out so the crowds weren’t horrible which was a refreshing change.

At 10am the race started and we actually crossed the starting line at 10:01!  We both started our Garmins but comitted to having fun and keeping a steady pace versus trying to race. Her legs were hurting after her 10 miles and my IT band wasn’t very happy.

We had a blast! We talked about her upcoming wedding, living in NYC, our finance men, and marathon training while heading through the winding Central Park path. The course was different than most as it didn’t loop back until 102nd street. This meant we had a few added hills.

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 We even ran into Melissa who was running this as one of her NYRR 9+1 qualifiers!

I was surprised how strong our pace was considering the elements. My 4 mile PR is a 9:54 and until the final mile we were keeping a 9:45 pace. Unfortunately, the last mile was when we both started hurting and decided to take it easy versus straining ourselves since Sara had two more miles after the race and I was about to rack up 21 miles in 24 hours which is definitely a record.  We made the final curve together and ran through at 39:48, under 40:00 which was my personal goal. We were both pleased as we’d never stopped to walk, conquered a few tough hills, and kept a steady conversation. More importantly, we’d helped each other get through our runs. Sometimes, we need help from our friends to finish a tough run, long or short.

Do you enjoy running or working out with friends?

Sara took off to finish her two miles before an afternoon of wedding planning while I meandered through the park aimlessly reflecting on the past two days of running and checking out the Fitness Magazine area. I was disappointed by the booths but managed to find a familiar smile!

I love seeing familiar faces in NYC! It makes it seem like a smaller city! I haven’t seen Karla since BlogHer!

@karla522 Loved the Garnier wipes!! Ill buy them soom! :)

I was happy to be done but I don’t think this smile is going anywhere soon!

 

I still can’t get over that in a 24 hour period my legs carried me 22 miles!! (I ended up running a mile home after the race before giving in and getting a cab..what was I thinking??)

Sweaty happiness!

I’m celebrating this mileage with college football, a cold beer, and relaxing until tomorrow’s yoga session! 🙂

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Marathon Training Begins

I hope you all had a wonderful Monday and a smooth return after the weekend. In case you missed it, I had a BLAST this weekend with some of my best college friends.

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College Reunion Weekend Begins

Holy Hills

Four Girls, Two Husbands, and a Truck

Workout

I started my training plan off with a great, sweaty run outside! This morning’s run was fast and fun! In fact, it’s the fastest run I’ve had in over a year.

4.2 miles

9.23 pace

My path was a straight shot up Lexington Avenue which meant that it was a gradual hill through the Murray Hill area but otherwise flat.

Today kicked off my training for the 2010 NYC ING Marathon on November 7th. In case you’re a new reader, I gained automatic entry for this year’s marathon by completing the NYRR’s 9+1 option. This means that during the 2009 year I ran 9 qualifying races ranging in distance from 1 mile to half marathon and I volunteered during one race.

Thanks to Bobbi I have a great training plan that will help me with my three marathon goals:

1) Safely complete my 1st marathon

2) Finish in under 5 hours

3) Not burn out on running and remain injury free during the training

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This morning’s breakfast was a delicious repeat of last week’s juicy bowl of goodness.

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Nectarine, Flax Seeds, Fage 0%, and Weight Watchers vanilla oats. Yum!

Today is starting off on a good note and I can only hope it continues! I’m looking forward to my 2nd Bar Method SoHo class tonight with an old friend from Philadelphia who recently moved to the NYC area.

Have a great day!!

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