What I’m Loving Wednesday 10.17.12

1. Dabo Swinney was outside the cafeteria at Blackbaud. I grabbed his bicep.

Just kidding, that’s a cardboard cutout. But I did grab his bicep.

2. Boding knows me too well. In the past 24 hours I have burned myself  3 times on a hot pan/the oven, ran smack dab into a bush, and shut my foot in the car door. I need to slow down.

3. This drink I had at The Macintosh last weekend. The Mex-ital Fizz: Campari, orange juice, elderflower, habanero, prosecco, Espolon rinse. Those bartenders are fantastic but should know by now that I am too clumsy for a martini glass.

4. While looking for decorations in Homegoods, I came across a display of Jewish goodies. Seriously, why was all this on sale?

I regret not buying um, all of it. My favorite part was their version of Candy Land – Kosherland. HA!

5. My breakfast for the past few days has been: 2 Van’s waffles topped with pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and maple syrup. Try this!

6. Amanda is my most Emoji-savvy friend. Look at her skills!

7. Some things never change.

I can’t stop laughing at that. 25 years later and I’m still posing. Will I be doing this with my cane at 80? You bet.

XO

Happy Chinese New Year! 新年快乐

Look at those fancy symbols, you guys! That’s Chinese for Happy New Year. This is the year of the Dragon, so you Dragon babies should have a lucky 2012. Want to know  your Chinese zodiac sign? Take a gander at this chart.

My zodiac animal is the Rat. Lovely.

To celebrate, I hung out with my one and only Chinese friend, Boding. When I told him that I thought I might have another Chinese friend he told me, “Well go ahead and just unfriend them because I’m the only one that matters.” Boom.

Before our celebration, we started off Sunday with a matinee showing of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. When I first saw the preview a couple months ago, I cried, replayed it, and cried again. Wait, what? I cry like twice a year and a movie trailer was making me produce tears? No way. Needless to say, I was dying to see it.

I assumed that I’d become dehydrated from crying so much, but in reality, it wasn’t even that sad. Or that good. It wasn’t a bad film, but I think I set my expectations too high. I didn’t regret spending $7.50 to sit on my behind for 2 hours and 9 minutes though. Especially because I was quite comfortable wearing my snuggie in the theater. Boding was impressed with my “lack of dignity” as I walked back to the car like this.

For dinner we made, oh, you guessed it, Chinese food.

NY strip + bok choy + snow peas + red peppers + water chestnuts + carrots + onions stir-fried in a sesame ginger marinade.

That is one happy Chinese man.

Before cooking, we stopped at a nearby Chinese restaurant to purchase two fortune cookies. I always hope that cracking open my cookie will reveal one of my life’s burning questions, but it never happens. This fortune is 100% inaccurate.

I am an impatient mess. That didn’t stop me from eating the cookie though. It was one of those orange flavored fortune cookies. Have you ever had one of those? They actually don’t taste like crap like the regular ones.

For those of you who have been slacking on your New Year’s resolutions, you can just say you’ve been waiting for the Chinese New Year and start NOW!

Southwest Meatloaf and Half Marathon Plans

Don’t be scared when you see a meatloaf recipe. Chances are, it’s not like the meatloaf you shuddered at in the cafeteria line. There are so many variations to this classic dish that you’d be surprised to find a modern-day recipe that’s anything like what those hairnet-donning women were serving you in grade school. Did you just shudder? I did.

Southwest Meatloaf

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. angus ground beef, 96/4 extra lean
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 4 oz. can fire-roasted diced green chiles
• 1/4 cup skim milk
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ground pepper
• 1 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 350*. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mixing lightly. Add meat mixture to a greased loaf pan and press down to smooth top. Crumble goat cheese atop loaf. Bake for 55 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 165*. Let rest for 20 minutes until slicing. Makes 4 servings.

Black Bean Salsa

Ingredients:

• 1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes with green chilies, drained
• 1 15.5 oz. can of no salt added black beans, drained
• 1 clove of garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
• juice of 1/2 a lime
• chopped cilantro, if desired

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, mixing well. Serve along with meatloaf.

Hot damn, that did not photograph well. But let me tell you, it was delicious! If you make this, be sure to let it rest before slicing or else you will make a huge mess. I wonder who did that? Hmmmm.

…

In my very first post of the year, I mentioned that 2012 is the year I complete a half marathon. My grandfather immediately suggested that he and I run the Clemson Easter Bunny Run in April. Racing around Clemson in bunny ears? Sure! The course starts at the South Carolina Botanical gardens and goes around the University with views of Lake Hartwell and the surrounding community.

With that said, I looked up some training courses and found a 12-week schedule. This meant I had to start, like, today. I took one look at the schedule and found it extremely boring. Instead of following the schedule, I set out to run in the gorgeous 70 degree weather to see what I could handle.

10 miles later it was dark and I had to stop. Apparently I can run almost a half without training. Who knew?

It may not have been my smartest move to run that far, but as I do run on a regular basis, my body wasn’t going to go in complete shock, right? Or maybe I am just Superwoman.

Needless to say, when I got home, I wanted to eat everything in sight. I refueled with coconut water, almonds, walnuts, cranberries, Greek yogurt, and a big bowl of vegetables. Honest to goodness, I don’t even know what I’m doing, so if you have any tips, let me know. Just please don’t tell me that I’m going to break my body or something because that will make me sad.

I know I have to be smart, so I will follow the rest of the “schedule”, but the competitive side of me took over during that 10-mile run. I couldn’t help it.

Tips on running your first half marathon – give them to me! Seriously, tell me everything you know. Write me a book in the comment section, send me an email, sing me a song. Goooooooooo!

Weekend Highlights: Pumpkin Beer, Clemson Wins, The Bagel Shop

The highlights…

Friday: Exhausted from this week’s workouts, I jumped on the opportunity to take Body Flow for the first time. Body Flow = Yoga, Tai Chi, and Pilates. Body Flow is supposed leave you feeling “centered and calm.” I don’t know that I’ve ever felt “centered and calm.” It was a nice stretch and and all, but mostly I just left feeling ready to party.

So I did. Boding and I picked up 2 types of beer From Trader Joe’s and met my roommate and her boyfriend back at home. They had just bought a case of Coor’s Light and Jenna suggested we play Circle of Death. What are we, 21? Mentally, I think so.

This was one of the beers we picked up. It was so…um, pumpkiny. Weird. Not a fan.

Circle of Death left us knowing a little too much about each other, as per usual.

Saturday: I met Mariah at Midtown to watch the second half of the Clemson game. Those tigers are undefeated this season! After their 59-39 win against the Tar Heels, they’re now ranked at #5!

They’re kind of making me want to be a tiger (tigress?) for Halloween…

After the game, I met a friend for lunch at The Bagel Shop. This tiny little shop is located downtown on George Street, right outside CofC’s campus, my alma mater. Had it been there when I was in college, I would have made it part of my dining ritual. Along with the expected bagels and breakfast sandwiches, they also have paninis, wraps, salads, and baked goods. If you’re thirsty, stop in at the coffee bar or grab a cup of organic tea. Even better are the heart healthy options like oatmeal, yogurt, and fruit cups.

While I would have loved to grab an everything bagel (my fave!), it was 3 p.m., so my friend and I opted to try two items from the lunch menu.

I have an everlasting love affair with basil, so when I saw the Turkey Panini on the menu, I knew I had to try that.

Turkey Panini: Sliced turkey, pepper jack cheese, and sliced green apple with basil pesto aioli on focaccia

This was my second sandwich this week that had apple slices on it. Lovers of the sweet and salty combo will appreciate this sandwich –- although the green apple is tart, it delicately balances out the spiciness of the pepper jack cheese.

Our second choice had one of my other favorite sandwich elements: avocado!

Grilled shrimp, avocado, mixed greens, tomato and sautéed onions and red peppers with cilantro-lime aioli in a tomato wrap

Obviously, this was requested sans onions. I was impressed with the large chunks of fresh avocado but a little overwhelmed by the amount of tomatoes. I guess it’s never a bad thing to get your daily requirements of lycopene though.

Both items were served with super crunchy pita chips and a pickle spear for around just $8 each. Considering how good lunch was, I’m convinced I’ll have to go back for breakfast. The Bagel Shop claims to serve traditional New York style bagels – dense, chewy, and doughy interior with a crisp exterior. Guess I’ll have to return to find out for sure…or maybe I just want to go back for the blueberry cream cheese.

CofC students and downtown residents: I know you’re reading…you’re soooo close. Go!

The rest of the weekend…to be continued…

Halloween costume ideas: lady tiger or devil? I’ve never been either. The previous few years I’ve been a Greek goddess, a bunny, a nun, and a cop. Any other ideas are welcomed.

Paninis or wraps? Favorite type of bagel?

What I’m Loving Wednesday Version 8.0

Geez, how many versions can I do? This could get to WILW Version 8 billion.

1. College football starts Saturday!!! Where is everyone watching the games?

2. Speaking of football, the first game I’m (probably) going to is the Clemson vs. Auburn game on September 17th. I’ll be wearing orange to stay neutral. I just bought three dresses online in preparation. Hopefully at least one will fit.

3. In other fashion news, my new blog friend Sierra @ Posh Meets Pavement sent me a picture of her “bracelet brigade.”

How cute is she? Sierra went to UNC, got married here in Charleston, and now lives in Cape Town, South Africa. Check out her blog!

4. In food news, Ashton sent me this picture message a couple days ago:

“You can now get your favorite ketchup packs at Harris Teeter. I am purchasing them because any true ketchup lover needs them.” Smart lady!

5. This Hello Kitty duct tape I found at Target. Of course I immediately sent a pic to Katie. But seriously, what can I do with this? It’s too cute not to use.

6. I’m still incapable of typing on my phone – touch screens are tricky!! However, I’ve been so amused with my typos. My new favorite? Instead of typing Christina Orso, I type Christina Oreo. YUM!

7. I was telling my coworker that I wanted to read this book that was mentioned in church on Sunday. He goes to the same church and knew exactly which book I was talking about. When I walked into work this morning, he had left his copy on my desk! :)

8. Tonight I get to hang out with Sarah!! I’m heading to her house after work so we can cook dinner and drink wine!

XO!!

Grammy’s Back! Softball, Football, and Perfectly Frank’s

Grammy’s back for Spring! We all greatly anticipate her arrival because each visit she gets a little bit kookier. As soon as I picked her up from the airport, she was already complaining about her age. She told me, “Oh my gosh, Christina, I’ve really begun screwing up the English language! I actually have to think really hard to spell things now!” Haha.

I took a risk and parked in a handicapped spot so she wouldn’t have to walk far. Luckily I didn’t get caught and she’s only handicapped in the grammar department.

Off we went to meet the rest of the family at my cousin Gabrielle’s softball game. We arrived just in time to watch her team win.

All the purple and orange reminded me of Clemson.

Here is our softball player/model. So cute!

After the game, we all went to Perfectly Frank’s for dinner. Perfectly Frank’s is a unique restaurant in downtown Summerville that features loaded hot dogs, fresh tacos, sandwiches, salads, and more. They have over 25 different types of hot dogs with some very interesting toppings.

Uncle Johnny ordered two interesting hot dogs. Here is the “Frankie J” with grilled ham, bacon, onions, fresh pineapple, and a creamy kickin' hot sauce.

He also had a hot dog that was essentially a reuben, with pastrami, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian dressing.

Grammy had the “Aretha Franklin” with pulled pork, BBQ sauce, slaw and fried onions.

Gabrielle had a hot dog topped with chili and mustard. I think I spy some French Fries in there.

Kelly and I split two orders of tacos: shrimp tacos with cabbage, fresh fruit salsa and watermelon aioli……and jerk chicken tacos. The shrimp tacos were much better. We also split a basket of sweet potato fries. Sooooooo good.

The inside of Perfectly Frank’s is bright and cheery with unique paintings all over the walls. I think they’re also Clemson fans.

Last Fall I asked Gabrielle if she wanted to be a Clemson fan or a Gamecocks fan. She replied, “Oh, definitely Clemson! I love the kitty paw.” Kitty!! Bahahha.

I didn’t have the heart to tell her he’s a tiger.

Clemson Sucks But Our Cookies Don’t

Friday night Amanda and I did some baking for the Clemson v. Carolina game. Using a simple sugar cookie recipe and some adorable cutters, we made football-themed cookies. We made footballs, helmets, “cheer thingies” (loudspeakers) and SC state shapes.I made a huge batch of frosting and then dyed them the appropriate team colors: garnet and black for USC and purple and orange for Clemson.While the cookies baked and cooled, we drank some red wine and listened to Christmas music on Pandora. Have you started listening to Holiday music? I know we’re not the only ones out there. Baking and decorating took 3 hours! Although some of the cookies look like they were made by drunk people, we had lots of fun getting cracked out on the sugary frosting and making a huge mess.The next morning we decided that exercising was essential. We walked the entire bridge + some, totaling a little over 5 miles.
We were really proud of our cookies and they were a huge hit at the party.
The Clemson cookies disappeared before the Carolina cookies. This either means they were delicious or people were trying to get rid of them.  Clemson started playing like doo doo and my attention turned from the game to some decoys I found in Cord’s living room. Do you like how I’m not only making out with a duck but I have antlers in this picture? Sunday morning was spent lazily watching tv until Tyler came back from Clemson demanding that we go for a run. He’s a feisty one! We ran up and down the Battery – the same route we’ll be running in our Reindeer Run 5k this Saturday.

After our run Tyler claimed that because his “life revolves around meal times” that we needed to discuss dinner options. Is he my twin or what? We settled on takeout from Tasty Thai. Unfortunately it was not so tasty. I was determined to try something other than my typical Pad Thai which was what Tyler ordered. My choice: Bleh. Boring. No flavor. Thanks for the massive amount of noodles with 5 vegetables, Tasty Thai. You are so generous.

Here’s to clean eating all week long with lots of exercise. Thanksgiving detox is a must!!