Great Salad Days

DAY 9
of the 30-Day Blog Challenge

At my new job, I've noticed that everyone seems to eat healthy—which is not unusual in a city where one could buy fresh strawberries, cherries, and blueberries on the street while walking home; and where delis have salad and sandwich bars that cater to the most discerning lunch crowd (low fat here, soy there).

My seatmate (who was actually my boss at another job) shies away from dairy with the exception of ice cream and cheese every now and then. My new boss packs her own organic salad for lunch (an excellent reminder to start organizing and planning my meals to bring to work), and another coworker has the physique of a longtime runner (or regular gym-goer).

It's actually easy here in New York to get fit and fab. Not counting the daily commute wherein one rushes for the trains and constantly watches out for traffic lights when crossing the street, it's hardly ever a challenge to get moving out here. Come winter time, one would rather be huffing and puffing rather than stay sedentary, frozen. As for fitness opportunities other than walking or running, do a quick Google search of "yoga in mid-town Manhattan" and watch multiple balloons come up on the map.

The only challenge probably is cashflow—organic food tends to be pricier—but then again, exercise is free, and buying fresh produce, going to the supermarket, and making one's own meals is still far less expensive than takeout.

Food Stall Foodie

DAY 8
of the 30-Day Blog Challenge

Like tacos, Halal food isn't exactly photogenic. But, trust me: it's good.

I love how in Manhattan you could be having breakfast at a quaint cafe, and by afternoon you're enjoying a five-dollar late lunch on a street as buses and cars whiz by.

I was pesco-vegetarian during the whole time I'd lived here before this second move. So, I totally missed out on New York street food, only discovering (vegetarian-friendly) falafel late in the game and around the same time I was leaving the city.

Since I've moved back again and have long reintroduced chicken in my diet, I've gone to a handful Halal food stalls: the one across the Diamond District on Sixth Avenue; the post-work dinner haunts near the Hilton midtown; the one on Third Avenue near the Rodale office. And, my favorite one so far was the one in Chelsea, the cart on 18th St. beside Bed Bath and Beyond. I ordered my usual half chicken and half falafel over yellow rice, lettuce, drizzled in yummy garlic sauce with hot sauce on the side. And, this particular one came with a side of chickpeas in some thickened brown sauce (a first among all the stalls I've tried); it was good.

Tip: The servings are pretty large, so save the rest for another meal by transferring leftovers in a sturdy plastic container that you can refrigerate without spilling. Note that the sauces and spices may cause said dish to spoil rapidly. If it starts smelling funkier than it's supposed to, DO NOT EAT.

Library Hours

DAY 7
of the 30-Day Blog Challenge

As a freelancer I'd recently taken to getting work done in one of the libraries midtown. And now that I've just started working full-time in an office again, the library remains a resource for me to get up to speed on the work and blogging that I still do whether or not my weekdays are occupied. (Oh, I can't wait to talk about recent developments in my NY job "exploration"; things have taken an AMAZING turn! Hint: It's like being beauty editor again!)

Anyway, I have to thank my friend John Reyes (shameless plug: If you need a PR associate for your company, he has an unbeatable work ethic!) for showing me this particular library. You see, the one where they shot the Spider-Man movie is more like a museum. And, after experiencing a little bit of rudeness a few years back (I forget the details, something about having some takeout food in my purse), I never set foot inside again. Only to find out a few weeks ago that about two blocks away, is a friendlier, cozier Mid-Manhattan Library featuring six floors of working and reading space. The fourth floor has complimentary Wi-fi and a laptop charging station; along with rows and rows of computers one could use for free.

Americans are truly lucky to have this public resource available to them up to seven days a week, thanks to a few branches that are open even on Sundays. The Mid-Manhattan branch in particular, has even extended its library hours by opening earlier in the morning and closing later in the evening (up to 11pm!) on certain days, on top of already being open seven days a week. To quote from their tagline, "You can never have too much Library!"

Walk this way. One of almost a hundred libraries in New York.

Point of View

DAY 6
of the 30-Day Blog Challenge

One word: amazing.

I'd recently been invited to a dinner party hosted by one of my good friends and her boyfriend, and was greeted by this spectacular view upon entering the apartment along the water's edge in Brooklyn. I'd barely made it through the niceties with the hosts and owner of the lease because my gaze immediately wandered off to the horizon, totally in awe. The furniture and decor were also very streamlined and tasteful. And, that kitchen! Sigh, which only reminds me, I need to get back to writing about food and actually cooking AND baking. My poor All My Sugar blog!

Anyway, photos. (I know, I know—my latest posts have been short, and more...picturesque! But, hope you're enjoying the 30-Day Blog Challenge.)

Lounge in style.

Hosts Mark and Pat in that lovely open kitchen.
(Mark holds regular eat-in parties where guests take turns cooking each night.)

"From another point of view..."

Matching the decor in one of my favorite Kate T. dresses.

A cute and cuddly cat named Moneypenny.

Dear friends, Nicole and Kat.

There was food, lots of it—pasta, bread, chicken barbecue...

For The Weekend

DAY 5
of the 30-Day Blog Challenge

What a week! Well, it's Friday and I'm turning in early for the night. But, before I do, let me mark today's blogging checklist and leave you with a thought from yesterday:

"I never ever want to lose this sense of wonder. I always want to be impressed by the littlest things."

Call it a resolution, or even a simple realization—a reminder to always be thankful.