ashleyd /

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*

IMG_4117

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.

IMG_4127IMG_4129IMG_4134

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!

IMG_4128

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. 

IMG_4145

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.

IMG_4146

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!

IMG_4147

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.

IMG_4153

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.

Share Button
Follow:
ashleyd /

Five Favorites for Air Travel

During August and September I’ll travel 6 of the 8 weeks, many of which will be via plane. All this travel has taught me a great deal over the past year. Today I want to share my five favorite items to make any flight just a little bit smoother. Regardless of whether you travel once a year or once a week, hopefully you’ll enjoy these items. In addition to these items, I highly recommend you check out 3 Fl Oz if you’re a beauty junkie who wants to find your favorite products in airport security approved sizes!

Travel Favorites

1.The Lululemon Scuba Hoodie has been a travel companion of mine for the past two years, keeping me warm on many a cold flight.  I love the cozy factor while still looking partially put together due to it’s sleek lines. The deep pockets are perfect for holding lip gloss and your ticket while you’re running through the airport.

2. Ole Henriksen Ultimate Lift Eye Gel is the perfect thing to use as soon as you sit down on the flight in order to ensure you land looking rested, even if you couldn’t get a minute’s sleep on your six hour cross country flight. It reduces puffiness that is common post flight and the cool formula leaves your skin and gentle eye area feeling refreshed.

3. Emergen-C Spending time in airports and airplanes is the perfect way to pick up the latest cold or flu strain. In addition to staying active during travel I mix one packet with water daily and enjoy each morning to give my body an extra burst of Vitamin C. I think of it as my immune system’s punching Gatorade during the fight against germs!

4. I love the new, sleek design of my Kindle, a present to myself earlier this year. It fits easily in my carry-on and allows me to enjoy hours of reading without the weight of books or the clunk of the older versions. The battery on the new one seems to last for hours, which makes traveling without a power cord an easy space saving decision.

5. The Eddy Camelbak water bottle is a great way to save money while also making it easy to stay hydrated during travel. At .75 liters, this no-leak bottle can fit easily into your seat pocket, making it less necessary to use that annoying stewardess call button during a flight. I fill mine up in the airport in between flights and then ask the flight attendant to fill it up during flight instead of the small cup they’d normally provide. An added bonus is that you won’t risk spilling all over your seatmates or computer during turbulence!

Enjoy, because traveling is easier and more enjoyable when you have the right gear!

What am I missing?

Share Button
Follow:
ashleyd /

Healthy Living Summit 2012 Day #1

Wow, it has been a whirlwind week on the blog! Last time we chatted I had just returned from my West Coast business trip and now I’m in Boston attending my 3rd Healthy Living Summit! It’s so great to be reunited with some of my blogging buddies and meet so many new faces this year in Boston! There are so many new faces this year that I feel like I barely know anyone. I actually love that feeling as it makes for a very different experience!

Yesterday I took the Bolt Bus from New York to Boston with Theodora and Tina. I can’t say enough great things about Bolt Bus when you consider what you get for your money. The ticket was only $18 and the trip took just over 4 hours, thanks to our bus drivers way too long Arby’s break. But, considering that most buses have wi-fi, power plugs, and comfortable seats it is a great value when Amtrak isn’t in the price range.

IMG_4037IMG_4036

I had a green smoothie with Almond Breeze, spinach, apple, berries, and GNC Egg White Protein Powder before leaving and then snacked on almonds, cheese stick and apple on the bus while goofing around and catching up with Tina and Theodora. I finished this month’s Runner’s World and the last book in the Fifty Shades of Grey series on the bus.

IMG_4038IMG_4040

When we arrived in Boston with were beyond hungry so upon arriving at the hotel our first order of business was food.

IMG_4042IMG_4045

Luckily the hotel coffee shop had a wide array of pre-packaged food options including some hearty salads. Tina and I both chose the sun-dried tomato, grilled chicken, avocados dressing, and croutons. Even though I only had a few minutes to house the salad it was delicious! (picture via Tina)

IMG_0271 (750x563)

I only had a few minutes to eat the salad because Anne and I were heading out to join Gretchen and Holli’s Photo Walk to Fenway Park.

IMG_0872

While it was definitely far further than the advertised 2 miles round trip, it was a blast getting to meet some new bloggers (hi Min and Holly) while seeing some of the sites around our hotel including Boston University, Fenway Park and The Charles River.

Boston Walking Tour

By the time we made our way back to the hotel room it was time to get spruced up for dinner and the HLS Cocktail party! Getting ready in a room of four girls is always so much fun! It was a makeup and dance party for sure, with Gretchen doing each our eyes in ways we never could! (pic via Tina)

IMG_0285 (750x563)

Due to tight timing, we decided to stick to the hotel’s restaurant,  for dinner which exceeding my expectations! Due to this morning’s long run Theodora and I both stuck to pasta and pretzel rolls!

IMG_0874IMG_0876

Last but not least, it was time to get our party on at the HLS Cocktail Party which Elizabeth helped put together! I loved the outdoor tent setup and as always, the photo booth!

IMG_0877

IMG_0315 (563x750)

Yeah we’re total goobers as you can tell from these pictures. But, we are having a blast so that’s all that matters!

If you’re at HLS I hope you’ll come say hi! If not, what is your favorite photo booth prop?

Share Button
Follow: