Define "quick"....

This post will be super-quick! I had my first day of my last semester of classes today (God help me) and have tons to do. I figured I'd post a little run down- also known as "Ashley is emptying her camera to prepare for her cruise this weekend!"

Does anyone else think the cost of education is ridiculous these days? My textbooks for one class alone came to $250. And that's just Spanish! Geesh.


I tried the Starbucks Vivanno in Banana Chocolate- sub soy. It was okay. It tastes like a bland protein/cocoa smoothie I'd make at home. Just okay. It did keep me full.


YUM! I found this great frozen yogurt place called Caliyogurt in South Tampa. They feature three kinds of frozen yogurt: plain, green tea and mango. They have more fresh fruit toppings than candies!


Last Friday I told you all about the dinner I was making for David. For the best sauce, spinach, sliced shrooms, fake ground beef and garlic- simmer, add in jarred sauce and a big splat of low-fat ricotta, stir in pepper, basil, garlic salt. So good! We ate it with spinach fettucine and grilled eggplant.


This is my friend Rob and I at Coldstone Creamery. I realized I take way more pictures of food than people, so we took a picture (thanks, David!)

This stuff from Coldstone is GROSS! The guy behind the counter warned I wouldn't like the sample. He was right. I wanted to gag. I guess this NrGize product is Coldstone's attempt at "healthy". Don't go for it, people- for your tastebuds sake!


This past weekend was stuffed with family events and food. I love seeing most of my family within two days- but it was exhausting! Here David and me at Nana and Grandpa's for breakfast. <3
David's adorable family celebrates a few birthdays at a time with a big Italian celebration. Every year they include me, too (see my name at the bottom of the white cake??). It was a wonderful time.

The end!

BEER:OMMEGANG CHOCOLATE INDULGENCE

Come in today and grab some Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence ($13.99/750mL). Unless you don't like chocolate, but I find that hard to believe.

cheers!

dave

How do YOU burn it off?

Walk Score

I've mentioned Walk Score before, but I want to put it out there again for new readers. Walk Score is a great free tool that takes an address and calculates how "walkable" the address is based on how close it is to grocery stores, parks, entertainment, bars, libraries, etc. It's incredibly accurate, too.

When I was looking for an apartment, one of my top concerns was having a home that I could leave my car behind for an entire day and still get around. So I entered every possible place into this site to see if it was a place I'd like to consider. My old house had a score of 13.. the one I got has a 77!

Just remember that a "walkable" area doesn't mean a safe one. I made that mistake a few times when looking at possible apartments!!

BEER: NEW ARRIVALS 08/22/08

NEW RELEASES THIS WEEK

1. AVERY "ALE TO THE CHIEF" (8.75% Imperial Pale with sweet pineapple notes)-$8.99+tx

2. AVERY "THE KAISER" (10.03% Imperial Oktoberfest Lager-$8.99+tx

3. AVERY "THE BEAST"(16% Imperial Grand Cru made w/blackstrap molasses)-$9.99+tx

COMING SOON

OMMEGANG "CHOCOLATE INDULGENCE-Expected on Tuesday 08/26

Rockstar

Wooohooo! It's Friday!

This is making me happy.

Tonight David's coming over after work. I'm cooking spinach fettuccine with homemade tomato-ricotta sauce (does it count as homemade if I mix a jar of sauce with a tub of ricotta? I hope so!) with TONS of veggies! Then we're off to meet my good friend Rob (from Texas!) at Coldstones! I've been trying to be a good girl lately, so I think I'm going to get a Sinless Sans Fat Sweet Cream with fresh Blackberries! YUM!

And for Erica, I took my first cycling class at my new gym last night! Man, it was tough! The class was 1 hour long, but I had to stick to an easy level to keep from falling off my bike! Next time I definitely need to work harder- I'm not sore at all today!

Whether you're lounging around the house or partying like a Rockstar, have a great weekend everyone!

Color!

***I found this stuck in my Drafts from back in March. It was yummy, so I figured I'd still publish it. Enjoy!***

Here's to my attempt at posting a recipe :)

I have been inspired my the wonderful Dani Spies.

When I saw the bright purple color of the Red (even though it is purple..) Cabbage, I just couldn't resist!

I have a tendency to never follow recipes. It's my little form of rebellion and hope for some creativity! Take a look at Dani's recipe, though. hers has ingredients I totally didn't think of adding (I was in a rush, okay!).

Anyway, what I did:

Ashley's Purple Red Cabbage

head of red cabbage, sliced thin
apple, chopped
(you should add onions and cheese)
walnuts

Add cabbage, apples and a bit of EVOO and balsamic vinegar to pan. Stir. Let cook. Stir. Add walnuts. Stir. Add a tad bit of sugar (it really brought all of the ingredients together.. :)

And viola! You have a beautiful, colorful and healthy dish.

Mine looked a lot prettier. I only remember to take a picture when the leftovers (I know! Can you believe I didn't eat it ALL!?) had been sitting in the fridge. Mmmm.

Druggie!

All my life I've thought of anything claiming to change my weight/metabolism was bad for my body. Even the all-natural options. I haven't considered them once. My mom has taken them and got short-term, temporary results, but I try to keep any kind of pills out of my body as much as possible.

So when the personal trainer at my gym recommended a weight loss supplement, I was confused. She said it will promote greater weight loss without causing any side effects on your body. It doesn't contain any caffeine and won't "speed up" anything. "If it's this good," I thought, "then why isn't everyone taking it?"

The product she mentioned was APEX Fat Burn 1 . She then quietly told me to just use milk thistle because it does the same thing.

Basically, what milk thistle does is clean out the liver- and the liver influences the processing of fat and metabolism. So a healthy liver= uninterrupted weight loss.

I couldn't find much evidence backing up the relation between milk thistle/healthy liver and weight loss. Tons of research did talk about milk thistle cleaning out the liver, so maybe we're just supposed to make that connection ourselves.

I did find this source which says the following: "The liver is the major fat burning organ in the body and regulates fat metabolism by a complicated set of biochemical pathways. The liver can also pump excessive fat out of the body through the bile into the small intestines. If the diet is high in fiber, this unwanted fat will be carried out of the body via the bowel actions. Thus the liver is a remarkable machine for keeping weight under control, being both a fat burning organ and a fat pumping organ."

I thought "what the heck" and bought it. I found this- 200 caplets for $13. I wouldn't buy a "product" put out by a company, but this is different. It's not that different from taking Vitamin C, right?

Help me out here people. Tell me your stories, curiousities, rumors, etc. MizFit, I know you'll especially have something to add here!

As for my two tablets daily with a meal, I'll keep you posted. I started last night.

**Check out milk thistle if you're allergic to anything else. Also, pregnant women and new moms shouldn't take it. Make sure to do your homework!

More Movie Reviews

Step Brothers.
THE BEST. This is the funniest movie, hands down. I want to see it again tomorrow. And every day after that. No other words necessary. See it. Seriously, come to Florida and I will see it with you.

Tropic Thunder.
Since I love comedies, I was really looking forward to this one. It stunk. It was baaaaadddd. I laughed maybe 3 times- and those 3 times were kind of forced. I spent most of the time thinking of how I could run home and post about how disastrous this film was to spare you all the waste of time. Ugh.

On the Kitty Market

David recently settled into his new apartment last weekend and was ready to get a new cat. (I swear he's like the freaking Cat Whisperer!)

We are all about adopting pets. With adoption we save the life of an animal while avoiding possibly cruel breeding systems. (I know most breeders aren't "cruel"- my Buster and Sabrina are from breeders.) Also, pet adoptions are cheaper- and the pets are usually examined and up-to-date on their shots. More information on adopting pets here here and here.

After playing with many kittens, David came across a 6-year-old female who had been left by her owners just the day before. She was terrified of all the noise and her lonely cage but she was a little bunch of love the moment we started to pet her.

She had such a sweet demeanor and we realized that she had less of a chance of being adopted compared to th playful kittens in the next cage. So we took her home.
She looks (and was) slightly terrified here. Now she's much better. The two of them are in love! We call her Kitty... or Cat if she's been a bad girl. We're so creative.

While David was playing with the different cats I fell in love with a special puppy. This puppy is 18-months-old and has a paralyzed bottom-half from birth. He's doing well... but still without a home. I wish I was able to take him home. He was the sweetest and most lovable puppy there.

The Dress

Earlier this week I was at a film shoot for a great politician when his gorgeous, slightly intimidating wife walked on set in a beautiful red dress. Since we previously shared a moment where her over-the-top question left me looking like an idiot, I approached her with what was sure to redeem me.

me: "I love your dress. It's J. Crew, right?" (insert smug face here)

her: "No. Actually, it's Dolce and Gabbana."

ha.

More to come from this trip soon!

BEER: NEW RELEASES

I just got in a few very interesting, limited edition beers I thought you all might want to know about.



1. MIKKELLER BLACK-17.5% Russian Imperial Stout-$18.99+tx *Limited Quantities*



2. MIKKELLER "IT'S ALIVE!"-Flemish Wild Ale-$16.99+tx *Limited Quantities*



3. MIKKELLER MONK'S BREW- Dark Belgian Ale-$16.99+tx *Limited Quantities*



4. JOPEN KOYT-Gruit-style ale-$15.99+tx



5. DE PROEF FLEMISH PRIMITIVE #'s 3,4, and 6-$15.99+tx



We also have STONE VERTICAL EPIC 08/08/08 for $6.99 a bottle. It is also available for purchase by the case.



Cheers!



dave

Six.

Thanks to Love of Oats and Meals from the Girl in the LBD for tagging me to share six things about myself! (Make sure to check out their blogs- they are super healthy, fun people!)

Here are 6 things you might not have known about me:

1. I swish. Pudding, smoothies, juice, yogurt... I swish it in my mouth before I'll swallow. My family hates the sound!

2. I love dogs. Really, I love all animals, but I absolutely love dogs. Not all people understand the bond you can have with a dog.

3. I still wear my retainer two or three times a week :)

4. I had my first kiss on a New Years Eve. I was 17. It was as unromantic as you can get. (Wait, I don't stick my tongue straight out!?) Poor guy.

5. A few years ago my family was driving from dinner to an ice cream shop. On the drive over, my grandmother applied her lip liner in the back seat. I guess she couldn't see which piece of makeup she grabbed because it was dark, but her lips were lined in dark blue when she entered the shop!

Nana, Mom, me. <3

6. My heart breaks for homeless people. I detest the scammers (the ones wearing a tacky suit with a "Please help poor children" bucket. Yeah, sure.), but I really feel for the genuine people. Usually I will stop to have lunch with them and hear their story. If not, I carry granola bars in my car to pass out to them.

When i was younger my mom stopped to talk to a lady wandering the streets. We learned "Jeanine" had mental issues and lost her home years ago. She couldn't afford any clothes... including a bra and needed orthopedic shoes. We got Jeanine hooked up with an ALF. She came to all family functions.

That's it! Since I am super-late on this one, I tag whoever will share a bit about themselves!

NEW BEER RELEASE! HITACHINO XH

We have just recieved a small shipment of Hitachino Nest XH, an ale aged in Shochu barrels. This beer is very hard to come by, and so sales will be limited to one bottle per customer per visit at $6.99+tax.

HOPS
Chinook, Styrian Goldings

MALTS
Pale, Caramel, Munich, Chocolate

ORIGINAL GRAVITY
1079

ALCOHOL BY VOLUME
7.00%

STYLE
Strong Belgian brown ale matured in distilled sake barrels for three months


CHEERS!

-Dave

I promise

...to be a more consistent blogger.

photo

It seems I either have plenty of time and nothing to say or no time at all and tons to talk about!!! (We're in the no time phase right now!)

I finally joined a new gym in my area. I left the YMCA last month when I moved into my apartment. I've really been missing my strength training and group fitness classes.

I thought I was a YMCA fan, but now I'm ashamed to say I've been anywhere other than Lifestyles!

-classes up the ying yang
-cardio.. gosh, 3x the amount of the Y
-Strength!! Three sections! The two sections with machines include 4
different brands. You use your favorite!
-Flat screen TVs with full cable in front of cardio machines (I go just to catch the cable!)
-TVs EVERYWHERE!
-Awesome friendly personal trainers- just about all of them have at
least a BA in fitness
-Personal dressing rooms
-SAUNAS in the mens and women's bathrooms!!!!
-3 free personal training sessions
-(This is awesome!!)*** This little booth (there are a few of them in
the facility) that takes your weight, body fat percentage and other
stats and keeps track of the numbers (you swipe your card so it knows
who you are). You can them log online and view all of your progress! Here you can also set goals and sign up for classes.
-Complete unlimited access to ANY other Lifestyles.

Tomorrow I am going to a 6 a.m. spinning class because 1. if I don't start classes now, I'll put it off forever and 2. that's the only time I can do it! 6 a.m. is really early, but I can do it!

I park in a parking garage and work out next to Brooks Brothers, Ann Taylor and Anthropologie. Seriously, could this get any better?! I am loving living in South Tampa!

______________________________________

Motivation/Intimidation:

South Tampa is this really cool, trendy area right next to the city. Most of the people in this area are wealthy. Yesterday I parked between a Bentley and a Porsche when running into Publix. Also, these people are gorgeous. They go grocery shopping in outfits straight from Glamour. Just about everyone is a size 4. I swear. I know these people work for their shape because the streets are constantly flooded with runners and the gyms are plentiful. To give you an even better idea of what I'm talking about, the Tampa Bay Bucs Cheerleaders rehearse at my new gym.

While having people at their very best all around me all the time is often quite encouraging (go for that extra 10 minutes on the stair climber!), it is also quite intimidating. Usually I'm all about the "I think it's cool if I don't look just like everyone else" attitude... but sometimes I want to be an insecure girl. But really, what better motivation is there than standing next to women with these bodies on the gym room floor?

______________________________________

I'm not completely "back" yet. I weigh 5 pounds more than I am comfortable with and 13 pounds more than my goal. Too much jiggle in my wiggle.

But I am back in the exercise swing- I love this. Exercise is such a stress-reliever and mood-booster... and I'm addicted! (Cheesy, I know!) The eating is beyond bad. My increase in exercise has shot my appetite up. There was a binge. I have made very unhealthy choices. Bad, bad, bad.

But tomorrow (seriously- in 2 hours), I am starting new. David is going to hold me accountable and I'm doing 9 days of clean food. Tomorrow I might be grouchy because of this, but I will feel so much better in a few days. I'll report back!!