You are here: Home / 2009 / Archives for June 2009

A Restaurant Diet Reprieve

June 30, 2009 By Leave a Comment

What a jam-packed morning! I’ve already run 4 miles, went to yoga, and the grocery store – all before 10:30 AM! I love being on vacation!

Now, onto my post for the day. As many of you know, it has now been two weeks since my husband and I put ourselves on a restaurant diet – opting to not spend any money on dining out. But yesterday – on the first day of my staycation, we decided to use a gift card and treat ourselves to lunch. 

Let me tell you, we were so excited about going out to eat and really excited that we could do it without going off of our restaurant diet. We contemplated several outings and several different choices of restaurants. We decided to head to the Lincoln Park Zoo in downtown Chicago for a touristy vacation activity. But, before the zoo, was the main event (at least in our minds it was) – going out to lunch!  

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

When deciding on where we would lunch near the zoo, we contemplated between Mon Ami Gabi – a very nice French restaurant, or RJ Grunts, a Chicago icon known for its sandwiches and salad bar. We’ve been to both restaurants several times before and have had great experiences at both. We decided on RJ Grunts (I was so looking forward to their yummy french fries), the original Lettuce Entertain You Restaurant – as the sign says on the door.

RJ Grunts in Lincoln Park, Chicago, IL

RJ Grunts in Lincoln Park, Chicago, IL

Boy, did we make the wrong choice. The restaurant was so incredibly crowded on a Monday during lunch that we waited for 30 minutes for a table in a high traffic area. Next, it took us another 10 minutes for a server to even acknowledge us. And, come to find out when I finally ordered my sandwich, the server told me they no longer serve french fries but homemade chips! At this point, my husband and I were very disappointed and I even contemplated leaving. But, we stuck it out in hopes that the food would make up for our initial experience. 

My husband and I decided to split a “Mr Chicken” sandwich – similar to a beef sandwich with au jus sauce, but with chicken, peppers, and cheese. My husband also ordered a big bowl of chili to subsidize our split. When our sandwich arrived, the staff had pre-split our meal which I thought was a nice gesture.

Mr. Chicken Sandwich - my split

Mr. Chicken Sandwich - my split

The meal, including the homemade chips, looked tempting, although after one bite I concluded that the sandwich was really nothing special – another disappointment. Much to our delight, the chips were quite good, some crunchy, some soft like french fries, although you wouldn’t find me dipping then in ketchup anytime soon. 

The highlight of the meal was actually the dessert, one of RJ’s famous chocolate malts and that my friend was worth every penny of $4.50 we deducted from the gift card.

Overall, our first dining out experience after a two week restaurant hiatus was a little lackluster – leaving us feeling very unsatisfied and a bit hungry. It could have been the food, it could have been the atmosphere, or it could simply be that we are becoming even bigger food snobs. Or maybe, just maybe, our restaurant diet is helping us see that dining out isn’t all it’s made out to be. 

Check please!

Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: , , , ,

10 Ideas for a Great Staycation

June 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Good morning friends! It is a gorgeous morning today – so much cooler than it has been for the last week which makes for great running.

I am on vacation this week – woo hoo! But, contrary to what many of you might guess, I’m not headed to Paris or even sunny Florida, I’m staying put. Yes, this will be my first-ever, true Staycation!

Palm trees and paradise

Palm trees and paradise: you will be sorely missed.

A few months ago, when I was deciding what to do for my summer holiday, I came across a story about how the British have embraced the concept of staycations. A recent poll in Britain showed that 60 percent of Britons, or 37 million people, are planning to stay home for vacation this year. That’s double the amount of staycationers as last year.

Taking staycation simply means opting to stay in your own country or even your own home, rather than venturing abroad or out-of-town.  Although it’s not as exotic as I like, a staycation was much more friendly on my budget this year than my typical vacations. I’ve also been traveling quite a bit this year for work, so the urge to travel really hasn’t been that strong lately. At one point, I was actually adverse to traveling – or at least getting on a plane – gasp! I’m even a little glad that I won’t have to worry about paying luggage fees, sitting in the airport for hours because of delays, or waiting in long lines anywhere. Although I will miss the palm trees.

MY STAYCATION HEAVEN

If you like pina coladas...

Pina Colada - On my staycation list!

When contemplating what to do on my staycation, I decided to jot down all of the things I like doing on real vacations:

  • Relaxing by the pool or at the beach
  • Listening to live beach-type music (a la Jimmy Buffet)
  • Exploring historical or cultural sites
  • Going out to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (ie. eating vacation food)
  • Perusing eclectic shops
  • Walking around outside at night
  • Getting a massage or having my nails done
  • Wearing vacation clothes – like sundresses, etc.
  • Taking a drive or walk by the water
  • Enjoying many frozen drinks with little umbrellas
  • Getting up late and taking a nap whenever I want to

Unless I’m traveling to Europe, my vacations usually center around sun, fun, and relaxation. So, nearly all of my vacations have included the activities mentioned above. Although I will have company in town for part of the week, my goal is to try to do a few of these activities in my area or right at home.

10 GREAT STAYCATION IDEAS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Staycation idea: Pack a picnic and head to the zoo or botanical garden.

Staycation idea: Pack a picnic and head to the zoo or botanical garden.

If you’re planning on taking a staycation this year, here are a few ideas on how to have a real vacation without venturing too far from home:

  1. Explore your city or a nearby city as a tourist
  2. Get a spa treatment – or indulge in a whole spa day!
  3. Attend a local ethnic festival
  4. Have a picnic at a local botanical garden or zoo
  5. Stay out late and sleep late
  6. Invite friends over for a fancy cocktail party under the stars
  7. Attend an outdoor concert or listen to live music
  8. See an off-broadway play or Shakespeare in the Park
  9. Enjoy dinner at a restaurant similar to one you would have eaten at if you were on vacation – ie. Missed out on Paris? Go to a French restaurant? Couldn’t afford Aruba? Try a Caribbean or beach-themed restaurant.
  10. Read a book (that you’ve been wanting to read for months but just didn’t have the time) from start to finish.

Interested in more culture and romance on your vacation? Here are 12 ideas for a European staycation!

Happy Staycation Everyone!

Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

A Not So English Garden

June 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment

A Garden is the Best Alternative Therapy — Germaine Greer

My husband and I have several very large gardens on our property – inherited from the previous owner who just happened to have a very green thumb. So, at some point every summer, I get the urge to garden – and that time is now.

Although I am far from having even a light green thumb, I do appreciate a well-kept garden. I especially love and admire the large fancy gardens and love to explore them whenever I have the opportunity. For instance, whenever I’m in England, I make it a point to view the large gardens at Hampton Court and the smaller gardens around the city and in the country. They are gorgeous!

THE ICONIC ENGLISH GARDEN

An English garden...

An English garden...


The English are amazing gardeners and they have amazing gardens! Gardening is even considered by many to be the nation’s most common pastime. From topiaries to fountains to hedge mazes and the legendary garden gnome, so much thought and care seem to go into the English garden. In the country, especially on the large estates, gardens are destinations for tourists and locals alike. I just don’t know how they do it and especially how they find the time to do it. 

WHAT’S IN A TRUE ENGLISH GARDEN?

Topiary - a necessity for a true English garden

Topiary - a necessity for a true English garden


But what is the quintessential English Garden? According to ICONS: A Portrait of England, the English garden has been influenced by many other cultures so it is a mix of international, historic, cultural, social, and individual influences. 

Whether a pretty cottage garden resplendent with rose bushes, honey suckle, sweet pea and primroses, or a grand country sprawl refined with its perfectly manicured lawn, the English garden in all its many forms has been an iconic part of English culture for centuries and continues to move with the times, growing and transforming yet all the while remaining one of England’s most coveted and celebrated icons. – ICONS: A Portrait of England

For those outside of the gardening world, the English may be considered borderline obsessive about gardening. I see it as taking great pride in your personal piece of Mother Nature, no matter how big or small that piece might be. 

GARDEN DREAMS

So here I am, thinking how my garden no where near resembles a true English garden. Yet, I have always wanted an English garden – from the time I was a little girl and saw the film The Secret Garden. I wanted the big, beautifully shaped hedges, the dramatically colorful flowers, an unusual topiary, and of course, a garden gnome.  

Let me clarify something  - I don’t absolutely love to garden but I want my garden to look like I love gardening. However, gardening has become almost a necessity when you have so many to keep up with and can’t afford to have someone else do it for you. Just yesterday I walked around the whole property for the first time since the big thaw and nearly had an anxiety attack seeing how the weeds had overtaken my flowers and how my overgrown hedges had very little of their intended shape.

GETTING DIRTY

My not-so-English garden...

My not-so-English garden...


This morning, I was up at 5:30 AM (just a habit) and out the door – rake, bucket, and gardening tools in hand. I weeded – yes weeded – for an hour and a half – until it was time for yoga. And let me tell you, after fighting with tough weeds for that long, I really needed to relax and center myself.

I went back into the garden this afternoon to tackle more weeds and other trimming issues, but finally admitted to myself that if Rome was not built in a day then Jennifer’s garden was not going to magically transform into an English garden in a day. 

But, nonetheless, I will keep pulling away at the weeds and hacking away at my hedges until they resemble my idea of a peaceful and inspiring setting. 

Then again, maybe I’ll just get the garden gnome and call it a day.

Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: , , , , ,

New Secrets of the Mediterranean Diet

June 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Bonjour everyone!  Sorry I’m so late posting today. It’s been a VERY busy morning. I first want to say farewell to the King of Pop Michael Jackson – you were an icon to generations and will be missed by millions. And, just as ABBA said, Thank you for the music!

My morning run was not the greatest today. After only 5 hours of sleep, I even debated not running. I should have listened to reason.

This morning I was really in the mood for peanut butter, so I made a toasted whole grain English muffin spread with 1 tablespoon PB and a little raspberry jam – delish! And, because of the recent news about the Mediterranean diet, I also decided to start my day with a big bowl of fresh fruit – complete with cantaloupe and blueberries- juicy!

Fruit - A Mediterranean superfood.

My yummy fruit medley.

What? You haven’t heard the news about the Mediterranean diet? 

WHAT THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET IS NOT

Before I get to the news, first let me point out that the Mediterranean diet is not a real diet, as in to go on a diet. It is rather meant to describe the foods that people in the Mediterranean eat on a regular basis.

9 MAIN COMPONENTS OF THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET

For all practical purposes, the standard Mediterranean diet includes the following:

  1. Moderate alcohol intake
  2. Limited red meat
  3. Fish and seafood
  4. Olive oil
  5. Vegetables
  6. Fruits
  7. Nuts
  8. Cereals
  9. Limited dairy

Now that that’s clear, here’s the latest – A brand new study in the British Medical Journal once again found that the main components of the Mediterranean diet can have significant health benefits. I know, I know, scientists have noted the many health benefits of the Mediterranean diet before, but this is new news. And plus, I can never really get enough news about this diet – I find it so fascinating.

Legumes are one of the Mediterranean superfoods.

Legumes are one of the Mediterranean superfoods.

EAT THIS, NOT THAT

This time, researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Athens found that within the Mediterranean diet, some of the foods may provide more benefits than the others.

Over the course of about 8 1/2 years, researchers 23,000 Greek men and women compared the health of the participants as they followed a Mediterranean diet. Here’s what they found…

In regards to overall health benefits, the lowest performers were…

  • High intake of fish
  • High intake of cereals
  • Low intake of dairy

While the superstars or the highest performers were...

  • Moderate consumption of alcohol (mostly in the form of wine)
  • Low consumption of meat
  • High consumption of veggies, fruit, nuts, olive oil, and legumes

A GRAIN OF SALT….

Please note that this is not the end-all, be-all study. The researchers did point out that the results of the study are not universal, meaning they may not find the same results in other populations, or even within the same population. In fact, experts independent of the study point out that the Harvard study leaves out a very important feature of the Mediterranean diet – what the diet does not include, such as foods that contain high amounts of sugar and preservatives.

So, as you can see, that is why I started my day with a big bowl of fruit – and the peanut butter didn’t hurt either!

If you’re feeling a bit saucy today, take a gander at these yummy Mediterranean inspired menus and recipes courtesy of The Food Network Canada.

Ta for now – I’m off to the market to pick up a few of my Mediterranean favorites!

Filed Under: Diet & Fitness Tagged With: , , , , ,

European Dining in Your Own Home

June 25, 2009 By 2 Comments

It’s been 10 days and my husband and I have not given in to the temptations of dining out. But let me tell you – this restaurant diet is tough! Not only have we sacrificed our day-to-day treats but we’ve even turned down or cancelled lunch/dinner dates with friends – or at least post-poned them until after July 14.

But I guess it’s not all bad. We’re rediscovering the joys of cooking and trying to prepare each meal with a European flair -whether it’s by adding new ingredients, dining al fresco, or having an ethnic-inspired dish. 

There are still many things that I miss about going out to eat – the convenience, the fact that I don’t have to clean up after, and the setting of being somewhere other than my dining room.

But last night, my husband proved that we can have a European dining experience right in our own home. 

After working a very long day at the office, I was surprised with an already-made dinner waiting for me when I arrived home. But, not only was dinner already made, my husband had cleaned the house and set a very simple but romantic table setting. Take a peak:

A very simple but romantic tablescape for dinner

A very simple but romantic tablescape for dinner

Notice the red rose? He cut it fresh from our garden – what a nice touch! And yes, that is French citron pressé (fresh-squeezed lemonade) on the table.

As some of you know, my husband really enjoys food – it makes him happy to eat. And, like the French, he loves to try new dishes with off-the-cuff recipes as well as eating in courses.  So, in true French and Italian style, we started our wonderful meal with a bread and cheese course and a little olive oil for dipping. – yum! A few hours prior to dinner, he had stopped at the local bakery and picked up freshly-baked 12-grain bread. He paired this with fresh-sliced Swiss and white cheddar cheese.

Freshly-baked whole grain bread

Freshly-baked whole grain bread

Next, we dined on hot-off-the-grill chicken salad with my husband’s homemade Sesame Asian dressing (he makes all of his sauces and dressing homemade!).The salad was filled with red-leaf lettuce an tons of raw veggies like peppers, carrots, and cucumbers.

Grilled chicken salad with homemade Asian dressing

Grilled chicken salad with homemade Asian dressing

The Asian dressing was a great mix of flavors and really enhanced the taste of the veggies in the salad.

Scott’s Sesame Asian Dressing and Marinade (the recipe according to the man himself)

  • 2 tablespoons Sesame Oil (This can be reduced and add more olive oil)  - Trader Joe’s has a decent priced good sesame oil. 
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil.
  • A good shake or two of garlic powder (maybe a 1/2 teaspoon)
  • A good shake or two of onion powder (maybe 1/4 teaspoon or less)
  • A good shake or two of dried basil (1/2 teaspoon)
  • A good shake or two of white pepper (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon)
  • A couple of twists of the sea salt hand grinder (1/4 teaspoon)
  • A good shake or two of dried cilantro (1/4 teaspoon)
  • A good shake or two of ground ginger (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon)
Vigorously whisk or shake ingredients together until well mixed.
Use 2 to 4 tablespoons for your salad dressing, and use the rest as a marinade for grilled chicken or beef. A twist of orange or pineapple can be added for sweetness.
As you will notice, he makes up many of his recipes by adding a little bit of this and a little bit of that and they always manage to turn out so tasty -well, almost always. 

We topped off the dinner with freshly made Ghirardelli chocolate brownies – still warm from the oven!

That’s right, after 7 years, my husband remains a romantic at heart. But I still had to clean up the dishes.

Filed Under: Lifestyle Tagged With: , , , ,