Houston Restaurant Weeks

We all know I run so I can eat! Right? If we're being honest, I'm not one to pass up a nice, doughy cookie (or any cookie for that matter), and I do enjoy a good, hearty meal after a nice long run. That's the reward. You might notice that the title of this post is plural. As in Houston Restaurant Weeks! That is because Houston actually dedicates an entire month to the gloriousness that is Restaurant Week.

If you want to read more about it, the list of restaurants, etc... click here.

It began in 2003,to benefit the Houston Food Bank. A portion of each meal (and there are over 100 restaurants on the list), goes to the Food Bank. This year, it will run August 1 - September 1! The roomie and I have already had a discussion about which restaurants we want to try.

I've been to Hugo's- and love it, so we will for sure be going there. I've been wanting to try Indika's brunch for awhile, because I've heard it's fantastic, so that is for sure on the list as well. I am a sucker for some good, Indian food, and this menu sounds delish: spinach cake chaat, crab samosas, a grilled naan and cheese (I'm for sure getting this)?!?! The Melting Pot is an oldie, but always a goodie, so we will be heading there as well.

I also want to take the time to try some restaurants I'm not familiar with as well!

Speaking of brunching, I have tomorrow off, so I'm taking Andy to brunch here!
(and as if I needed any prompting after looking over the menu):

• Houston Chronicle review here
•  Houston Press review here
• Eater.com review here

Kristen, Andy, Kira

and meeting up with Kiana and Tatum before their baby boy arrives!!!!!I'm hoping that will help take my mind off of this. 

Kristen, Kiana, Kira

Training for the week so far:

Sunday: 5k at race pace, hill runs
Monday: 2 miles, 30 seconds faster than race pace
Tuesday: Yoga
Wednesday: 3 miles, race pace

I'm in Love

Okay, so I'm in love. And not just the lowercase type of love. I'm talking the L.O.V.E. kind. I've been debating this purchase for awhile. Wasn't sure if it would be overkill. I finally bit the bullet this weekend- actually, Aaron prompted me- because they were just so perfect. Here are my new favorite pair of running shorts:

(Excuse the crotch shot). I had never seen them in pink, and when I did- love at first sight. Trust me. I'm all about rewarding yourself for good effort, and new running clothes (okay, okay, and sometimes also a cookie) are the perfect way to do that. I mean, running in 100+ degree heat and lord-knows how high humidity deserves something- right? Aaron might have gotten a pair also (not pink) and we might have both worn them for our Sunday workout. might.

So, if you need a pair of your own- mine came from Fleet Feet Houston.

Tyler's also has them. Actually, they have lots of colors.

And wait, I just got so excited, because I might need a pair of these:

Tyler's

These:

Tyler's

or These:

Tyler's

On another note, I did some Yoga yesterday for my workout with a new teacher, and I do feel thoroughly stretched out today. Since I am not the greatest stretcher on my own, the once-a-week yoga sessions have really been helping my muscles stay fairly loose, which is a big win for me!

Weekend Wrap-Up

I'm coming off of working 12 days in a row. Looking forward to getting a lot of things accomplished at work this week in just four days, because I'm taking a 4-day weekend! I'll be doing this- I wish I were kidding, but I'm not, and I'm kind of secretly excited nervous about it:

 

I have two concerns about flyboarding. One- attire. I'm pretty sure it's hard to be cute when you are strapped into an Ironman-like contraption. I've had swimsuit issues before- and I certainly don't wish to flash all of Lake Belton. That being said, I'll be putting some thought into my outfit for this experience. My second concern could actually go one of two ways. The first, being because I'm a lot smaller than Aaron, surely, I could propel myself higher into the air. But what if I start propelling myself too high???? I'm up at night worrying about this, guys! Or second, what if this is like my "learning to water-ski" disaster, and I spend most of my time body slamming myself onto the water, as opposed to vertical? But I guess, YOLO?

There should be some interesting stories for sure, but let's be honest- the strangest things always manage to happen to me. Let's just hope I manage to maintain balance and that I don't happen to propel myself too high! I will provide an update next week!

Back on track. This weekend called for some catching up and some R&R (yeah right). I had these glorious plans in my head of sitting down and catching up on some reading, doing a little baking and finding the perfect pair of white jeans.... 

As we all know... none of that happened. I needed new brakes and an oil change, Sawyer needed a bath, I needed to catch up on several loads of laundry, needed to get a long run in, wanted to buy my friend a gift before she takes the Bar, did some grocery shopping and had date night. I actually took a half day on Friday, but didn't end up leaving my office until about 2 p.m. 

So what do you get someone about to take the Bar? Well, Tiff's Treats and some Kendra Scott bling, of course. Andy has been a very very close friend since my sophomore year at Baylor, so of course we had to spoil her. I put myself into my friend's shoes. If I were about to take one of the most important tests of my life, I would want to look cute? Right? So Kendra Scott was the obvious choice. I also needed to have them fix the back of my earrings, and they went ahead and just gave me a new pair. Props to some great customer service. 

We picked these because they were a neutral.

I also thought she might want a study snack, so Tiff's Treats it was. I might also have accidentally gotten a Tiffwich for myself and Aaron to split. Oopsies.

I'm not sorry that I might have purchased this by mistake.

And this happened Saturday night- what happens when you cross one of my favorite beers, with one of my favorite adult beverages? This: 

+

 = An Abita Rita

Thank you, BB's! So for now, Happy Monday, I'll be back tomorrow re: my quest to find the perfect pair of white jeans, and some details on our Bachelorette finale watch party and probably some more on my anxiety regarding the aforementioned flyboarding extravaganza.

A Recipe

So, I wanted to share this recipe with you. I was looking for something festive to do for the Fourth of July a few weeks ago. I knew we would be out by the pool, so it needed to be something I could transport easily, as well as something that would withstand the Texas heat.

Now, as I mentioned before, I'm no chef, but I can bake. Pinterest didn't fail me, and I stumbled across the recipe for a galette on the Smitten Kitchen and knew I had to give it a try. What initially drew me to the recipe was the fact that there was not a ton of added sugar. The natural sugar in the fruit speaks for itself, and there is very little sugar added to the dough. (I'm not waging a war against sugar, I just try not to include too much in my diet, because there is a noticeable difference when I run. I would rather eat less sugar and not have to suffer through a workout!)

Go see the recipe here. I added greek yogurt to the dough, instead of the ricotta, and it gave it a nice, light flavor. Don't leave out the lemon zest, as it was also the perfect complement to the dough. I opted for a blueberry/peach galette.

The dough made one large and two smaller, individual galettes. While mine didn't exactly form the shape of a star..... I probably could have formed the dough a bit better if I had more time- I was on a mission to get the pool :)

Baby Blueberry Galette. Side note: please look at the super cute parchment paper! Not exactly a star... but you get the idea- right?

Large peach/blueberry galette. Not exactly the star shape I was going for, but I think it could have been easily fixed had I taken a few extra moments to form the dough. Still tasty.

These reminded me of a turnover- delish! While summer fruits are still in season, I have a plan to try a plum galette and probably even a peach galette.

Three Things for the Week Ahead

Let me preface this with two things.

First- Happy Monday Tuesday!!!!
Second - today begins yesterday began the first day of working 12-straight days. Just a forewarning. It's officially conference week in the workplace- go team!

1. Workouts

Last week was a mix of (hot) running, yoga and some biking. No use in overstating the obvious, but it is getting hot hot hot here in Houston! It's the humidity that makes running outside fairly difficult this time of year. And by difficult I mean- I feel like I'm sucking in moisture every time I breathe. :) Fun times. Mix the humidity with a chance of rain-showers every day- and you have a recipe for a running disaster. Prime example- Aaron and I got caught in the rain less than halfway through our long run last weekend. It actually felt refreshing.With a five-mile run last weekend, a five-mile run this weekend, some shorter runs, a yoga and a bike session- the muscles are feeling pretty special these days.

No matter how tired I am at the end of a workday, I always look forward to my evening runs. It gives Aaron and I a chance to talk about our days, and it allows any worries or stresses or to-do's that haven't been check off of my list- a chance to be forgotten.

My tip:  Even on a day when I reallllly don't feel like going, and the excuses not to go - far outweigh my desire to go.... I try to get out there for just 10 minutes. If I can last ten minutes, and I still am not feeling it, I'll head back home. But, more often than not- if I'm out there for ten minutes, I can push myself to go another ten or twenty!

2. A Recipe

Mondays at the Kira and Krob house have been pizza nights lately. I mean, not only are Mondays the kickstart to the week ahead, but it's also the Bachelorette. So, let's be honest, by the time we both get home from work, walk the dogs and workout, we still have to find time to eat dinner and watch the Bachelorette. I am no chef, but I have an imagination shall we say. It's the execution part of the meal where I tend to get a bit lost. But who can mess pizza up? It's quick and easy and the perfect meal for a busy Monday. Depending what you put on top of it- you aren't breaking the calorie bank either.

Last night's pizza was delish!

The Recipe:

• One pizza crust
• Pizza sauce
• Mozzarella cheese
• Mushrooms (I used baby bellas- my fave!)
• Sundried tomatoes 
• A handful of spinach
• A sprinkle of blue cheese 

And yep- that was all made up. If I can make it up, so can you. Trust me.

3. A Baby Shower

Krob, Kiana and myself

This weekend we also celebrated baby Jackson's upcoming arrival. I am so excited to meet him in person, and eventually hold him (after his head stops wobbling)! I am so excited for Kiana and Tatum- Jackson is lucky to have such fun, loving parents! He will for sure be a BAYLOR baby.

In place of a card, we were asked to bring one of our favorite childhood books- and write our thoughts in the cover. I was such a reader when I was little. I loved all kinds of books. I had an idea of which popular book other guests might bring, so I wanted to give him an oldie, but a goodie. So, I went with Corduroy (and bonus- he's a bear!):

    

Hope your week is off to a fantastic start!

Yes, Please!

Vicky's now has Baylor apparel! My heart is happy. Check it out here. I think I will need one of these:

Get it HERE.

 and one of these crewnecks for sure:

Get this one HERE.

New Obsession

It's no secret that I don't have a green thumb. So, I decided to try my luck with mint. Because it's a weed. And I do have luck with growing weeds. I mean- you can google mint, and come up with hundreds of articles about easy it is to grow mint. Well, folks- I managed to kill my first mint plant (it does need to be watered every now and then). Oops. So, it's not fail-safe. Since I'm not one to give up, I decided to give it a second chance.  And with just a bit of TLC, I have managed to grow my mint into the above picture. A co-worker of mine even felt sorry that I killed off my first mint plant, so she bought be another one. Now, I have more mint than I know what to do with.

This is no gardening post- because why would you want advice from a mint-killer? I really just wanted to share with you my new fave obsession:

My mint and lemon combo

Making my own flavored water! I am typically a plain water drinker. Water and coffee (oh yeah, and wine) are my liquids of choice. Anything else can really throw off my running game. Since its summer, I've been flavoring my own water with whatever I can get my hands on. My two favorite combos have been mint and lemon and mint and strawberry. I've also done peppermint and cucumber and mint. The possibilities are endless, and it is especially refreshing during this hot summer. Flavor away and enjoy!

5 Things I've Learned About Cycling

In yesterday's post I mentioned I have a new little L.O.V.E. (and sometimes hate) affair going on with my bike! I got my bike a little over a year ago. Aaron has been an avid bike rider for quite some time and figured I would enjoy incorporating it into my routine as well. Here are five things I've learned about cycling since I first got my bike.

  1. The type of bike you get matters:

We went to Bike Barn here in Houston, where they are so not snobby about being riders. True story, I had some initial concerns that the long-time bike riders would be able to pick the newbie out of the bunch right away. The staff there was incredibly helpful and recommended a Hybrid. Aaron has several Specialized bikes, so that was the brand that we went with. A hybrid bike is a mix between a mountain and a road bike. Its tires are more durable than a road bike, but the bike itself it lighter than a mountain bike. Annnd.... bonus- because colors matter- it came in pink and black, so it was the obvious choice! It has proven to be the perfect bike for me- we ride on a mix of road and trails (that can sometimes include gravel, grass and other non-smooth surfaces). I have never had an issue with my tires popping, and it has been a great starter bike! If we were riding strictly on the road all the time, I would probs go for road bike, but since we do a mix- the hybrid works for me!

2. My Favorite Way to See New (and rediscover familiar) Places

Ummm... hello. Who would have thought I would be having a love affair with a bike? Well, it turns out it is up there on my list for my favorite new way to see new places and see familiar places from a different vantage point. One of mine and Aaron's favorite things to do is to load up the bikes on the bike rack and go ride somewhere new. This past Easter, we road out to Anahuac, Texas (gator country). They have a beautiful wildlife refuge, where they host thousands of gators in their natural habitat. So naturally, we rode our bikes right on through and we got to see them up close and personal!We saw things we never would have seen in the car.

There we are....and there are the gators!

When we were in Belton for Memorial Day Weekend, we went on a ride through the Hill Country, which was just as lovely. I got to see some cows (which was most def a highlight), and was able to get a great workout in on those hills! I've also seen some less desirable creatures (snakes- ahhh!!!), but we will just leave that out this story.

Had to wear my Texas jersey!

It's just a really great way to appreciate the beautiful world we live in!

3. Great for Cross Training

I didn't really have any initial expectations when I got my bike. I thought it would be fun for sure. What I didn't expect, is what a great form of exercise it would be. My poor muscles didn't even know they were overworked with all the running, until I got my bike and started using different ones. My quads, glutes and calves and done after a long bike ride. I can run 13 miles, but nothing makes me more tired than getting on my bike for 20+. The exhaustion I feel after a good, long ride is a great indication of a great workout. I've worked it into my marathon routine and have seen some definite improvements in my running as a direct result of riding.

4. You Can Hate Your Bike Sometimes (if you are also a runner)

I always dread my run the day after a bike ride. I talked about that love-hate relationship earlier. My legs are so fatigued the day after my ride, I spend about half my run- trying to loosen up my tight muscles, and the other half- fighting for endurance. However, this is proof(!!!) that getting on that bike is good for you! It is also low-impact, so it helps give those joints a bit of a break.

5.  Hanger and Bike Riding

I have never been more hungry in my life than after riding my bike. I can run a half-marathon and not be as hungry as I am after a 20-mile ride. It doesn't just make me hungry- bike riding turns me into the "get-me-some-food-now-before-I-die" type of hungry (Hanger is real). So, basically what I am trying to say here- I always fully appreciate a post-ride meal (guilt-free). I suppose you can say I might be one of those who exercises so she can eat? 

Post-ride sno-cone! The first one of the season!

And, as if you needed more reasons to consider jumping on that bike- here are seven more. 

Current Reads

I'm currently reading this book:

My mom sent it to me awhile back, and I'm just now getting around to picking it up. I will wait to see the movie until after I've read the book. From what I've read so far, it should be a quick and easy read!

From what I understand, it's a love story about a young woman with cancer, who falls in love with a cancer survivor. I'll let you know what I think once I've read the whole thing!

Bucket List

So, it's official. I will be running the full Chevron Houston Marathon come January 2015. I am terrified, worried I won't finish and harboring some serious self-doubt very excited! In all seriousness, this is something I never thought would end up on my bucket list, but it snuck its way on there over the past couple of years. I have a had a specific time I've been chasing for a half-marathon PR, which I wanted to achieve before I considered doing a full. This year, when the lottery came around for Houston, I decided to just go with it. Go big, or go home, right? We all have things we sit around thinking we might want to do- sometimes we just have to do them. I mean, I'm not getting any younger! Aaron will be running the full with me, which I am very thankful for. He has done many full marathons, as well as an ultra-marathon, so his expertise will come in handy.

We are making a conscious effort to incorporate some strength training and yoga into our routine, as well as some long bike rides (speaking of bikes- I L.O.V.E. my bike and I'll tell you why in a later post). We also have several friends who will be running their very first half-marathon this time around, as well as some friends who will be doing the full!  My goal is to be prepared-mentally and physically, so I can run my best race possible. Please send prayers our way!

I'll leave you with this Buzzfeed article.  Numbers 5, 6 and 27 are my faves!

Happy Monday,

Kira