#25 - Remember NOLA

It feels like going home.

That's the only way I can describe how I feel about NOLA, every time I return I am head over heels for the city.

Over St. Patty's Day weekend I had the opportunity to make a quick trip down to New Orleans to visit my little sister and catch some cabbage.

Here's some of my favorite things from the trip:

Loyola University New Orleans
My alma mater, an amazing Jesuit institution on St. Charles, right next door to Tulane and across from Audubon Park.







The Daiquiri Shop
Many, many memories I have of this little shop at the corner of St. Charles & Carrollton. Parking is tough, but it's essential for a warm evening and prepping for parties!

ACME Oyster House
I had never been here until this trip (I guess that shows how UN-tourist I am) - good, but you can get Louisiana oysters anywhere & everywhere. A dozen on the half shell with 2-3 Abita Strawberries, and this one one happy girl! Jacquie had a fried po-boy and cup of gumbo combo which looked delicious!


Cafe Du Monde
Yes, it's mandatory. I can't begin to explain how delicious the beignets are, always hot & always amazing. This time I opted for the hot cafe au lait (usually go for the iced), and I have to say it was better hot. YUM. Restraint is key here.

Magazine Street

Dirty Coast - great tees, you can see them on "Treme" once in a while - collectable for sure.
http://dirtycoast.com/home.php











The Creole Creamery
Fun addition to the Prytania shops, this ice cream parlor was delicious!
WOW, I can't remember what flavor I had, but check out their site.
http://www.creolecreamery.com/

Prytania Theatre
Fun theatre with loads of history - the only single screen theatre in Louisiana and the OLDEST operating theatre in New Orleans.
Jacquie & I lucked out with "Alice in Wonderland 3D" - fun!
http://www.theprytania.com/

Rue de la Course
Coffee here is a must - two locations, one on Magazine & one on Carollton, both draw college students & locals for their amazing iced au lait.


To sum up my adoration, Ken Ringle of the Washington Post summed it up best after Katrina with his commentary "Star Crossed Times for the Crescent City".

For those of us lucky enough to have come of age in New Orleans -- even more than for the tourist who falls for her instantly -- the decadent majesty of the city is like a forbidden love. You want desperately to explain the depths of your enchantment, but you know in your heart that others will acknowledge it merely as an easy infatuation or a passing fling. You know they will never awaken at night drunk on the coffee-and-banana fragrance of her docks or the beery sweat of her pre-dawn streets or the humid hum of her streetcar summers. How could they ever understand the depth of your passion?

How could they understand your love for a city in which life itself is an art form and the poorest, least privileged inhabitant a knowledgeable artist?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/30/AR2005083001809.html

Sunny Day

Wow. After a full weekend of rain, it's a beautiful day.

I love spring days in Cincinnati. The hills are covered in blooming trees and the air smells like honeysuckle driving down Columbia Parkway.

We didn't have that much of an exciting weekend.

Aagan Indian with my mom & dad then Costco and a trip to Jeffersonville outlets on Saturday followed by a full day of cleaning Sunday.

Made some delicious food for the week though!

Moroccan Chicken


http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/moroccan_chicken_with_lemon_and_olives/

Salmon Salad - we're hooked on this healthy lunch!
- 1 large can salmon, take out the bones
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 3 tablespoons (or to taste) Greek Yogurt Plain

Daal, Saag, and Radish Achar - our Nepali fix for the week!

It's so nice to take the time on Sundays to do this & have options for meals throughout the week - I think it helps us to keep track of what we are eating & stay stress free from having to plan on a Wednesday night.

Enjoy.

Lazy...that's part of being 30.

Wow.

I'm really lazy and not very proud of my resolution at this point.

Here's a run-down.

#1 - "achieve a healthy body, mind, soul"
I don't think I've amped it up enough in regards to BODY but have a plan of attack to lose the 20 pounds I have tacked on during the last year of traveling for business.

#21 - Spin
I took an intro class last week and loved it...it kicked my ass BUT I wasn't sore the next day which means that I'm possibly getting into shape...slow & steady, right?

I loved it...it's nice to have an instructor and to be challenged. She told us that it typically takes about 3 classes to realize how much you like spinning because it's pretty tough the first 3 times. So class #2 is tomorrow AM and I'm actually excited about it!

I think I need to DETOX! I'm starting today on a DETOX for 30 days.

Did you read Gweneth's latest musings on Detox?
http://goop.com/newsletter/42/en/

It seems pretty natural just really challenging in terms of your withdrawals from the sugars and artificial ingredients you consume daily.

Here's my plan...
Detox - April 30 - May 30
- no alcohol ONLY water (that means no juice either)
- no white carbs (bread, cookies, sugars)
- no artifical sugars...1 piece of dark chocolate / week
- no red meat
- YES to veggies, fruits
- YES to fish


I need to be positive - consistent and committed to this goal and avoiding negative.

Bikini Season is almost here! Goal is to be down 10 pounds by our beach vacation at the end of June.

I think it's important to reward yourself in little ways for your accomplishments - even the small things really encourage me.

So, as I reach 5 pound losses (5, 10, 15, 20) - these are my reward ideas:

5 Pounds! End of May
Origins Salt Scrub - one of my most favorite body treatments, it smells incredible and is ultra moisturizing, perfect for sloughing off those winter scales!



http://www.origins.com/templates/products/sp_nonshaded.tmpl?ngextredir=1&CATEGORY_ID=CATEGORY6708&PRODUCT_ID=PROD3

10 Pounds! End of June
Birkenstock Gizeh Sandals in Black Patent
I've been in love with these for a year now and I think it's time to break down! I think they'll go with a ton of summer outfits and are super comfy but not too "birkenstock-ish".


http://www.birkenstockusa.com/products/women/sandals/gizeh/black-patent-birko-flor/4366/

I'll have to brainstorm the next 2!
15 Pounds! October - before our Nepal trip
20 Pounds! December

Have a good weekend!

Welcoming 30...Hello!

It’s official, I’m 30.

I’ve been thinking more and more about my resolutions and how it’s really going to be a great year.

Next week we leave for a week in Hawaii – starting on Oahu and making our way to Kauai and needless to say I can’t wait.

From the beginning of January up to today, I’ve found it becoming easier to stick to my #1 goal of a healthy mind, body & soul. By simply eliminating sugars, alcohol, red meat (especially ground beef), and cheese I’ve already lost some weight, have been sleeping better as well as feeling better. Hopefully that will help me out even more when we get to the beach in a week.

My Nepali hasn’t progressed much however within the past weeks, something I hope to amend very quickly. We’ve begun planning a trip to Nepal in the fall, with most of our time focused on visiting Prashant’s family in Jammu, Kashmir.

More to come tomorrow, I wanted to give you a head’s up that I’m still alive!

Over the past 2 weeks, I’ve been crazy with being back to week so my apologies for the slow posts!

Resolution #1

Resolution 1

Healthy Mind, Body, Soul

Approaching 30 in 24 days and woke up thinking about this next post!

Healthy Mind
We all know that our minds grow slower as we age as we tend to stop challenging our brain as we settle into routine. My thinking in regards to keeping a healthy mind over the year is to challenge myself to learn more. See my resolution #11 - read to learn vs. read for fun. Other than this, I'm also learning Nepali (#2). Outside of these 2 separate resolutions I believe that holding challenging conversations about challenging topics I can also keep my mind active. Ironically, my husband came across this article today:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/03/education/edlife/03adult-t.html

Healthy Body
I've always heard people say that once they turned 30 their metabolism really started to shut down. Quite honestly, I found myself apprehensive about this claim! I haven't noticed this within my own body yet but have been traveling quite extensively since the summer so I have put on a few unwanted pounds. On the other hand, I've always been an athletic person & have truly enjoyed being active whether in the gym or on the trail.

Add to this resolution the following factors:
* January in Ohio (bleary, grey, bleak, shall I continue?)
* Holiday Eating (cranberry cheesecake, pork belly not once but twice, etc.)
* Hawaii Trip in February (bikini + beach + handsome husband = panic)

Therefore I'm going to kick start my routine with the following (which I started yesterday):
- NO Alcohol
- NO Red Meat
- NO Cheese
- NO Refined Sweets

Why did I choose this approach?
Alcohol - I tend to drink too much, meaning 1 beer or glass of wine daily. I'd really like to stop and get a grip on my body before drinking again. My hope is that once I get to Hawaii I'll be able to drink in moderation (1 glass of wine weekly) and continue that habit. So far, I've managed 2 days in a row! Success!

Red Meat - A few months ago I read a major article in the New York Times regarding E Coli and ground beef. Being raised in the country (read, no neighbors & no cable = the country) and passing cows contently grazing in fields and spending their days in grassy fields did not prepare me for the harsh reality of the meat industry.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/health/04meat.html

Knowing what I know now, I'm content to avoid red meat for the remainder of my life unless I know where it comes from. For example, there is a farm near my family's house which raises cattle and sells to Laura's Lean Beef.
http://www.laurasleanbeef.com/

If you are interested in continuing with your intake, please think about eating it responsibly!

Cheese - I love it a little too much. That's all there is to say about that. I dream of cheese platters.

Refined Sugars - it's artificial and unnecessary.

Studies consistently show that individuals lose more weight by diet alone vs. exercise alone. It's tough out there, trying to decipher all of the tips for weight loss! For example, see how you fare:
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/files/best-tips/weightloss-quiz.html

But wait! It's not just about dieting - there are challenges to choosing weights vs. cardio!
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/cardio-vs-strength-training-workouts


To avoid maximum confusion, I'm stepping it up and doing both.

Healthy Soul
As a born and raised Jesuit educated Catholic you would assume that my faith would be the cornerstone of this resolution - but it's not. Over the years I've assumed more of a philosophy towards life and have shied away from organized religion. It's not that I have a problem with the Catholic Church, it's that I have a problem with organized religion period. My husband was raised as a Hindu but attended a Catholic boarding school for 15 years and has also followed Buddhism - I appreciate this more unique approach to faith - one that is a combination, according to personal preferences whether that be towards a philosophical view or one guided by institutional teachings.

I am hoping to attend church other than for holidays as well as gain a better understanding of other faiths such as Hinduism & Buddhism that are more based in a philosophy.

What for you dear reader? Let me know if you've had any luck with the above resolutions or challenges.

the resolutions

The Story:
Honestly, I've never been one for New Year's Resolutions. I've never needed to stop smoking, lose weight (I'm a lucky one), or spend more time with my family.

http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/New_Years_Resolutions.shtml

This definitely did not start out as a New Year's Resolution challenge. Rather, I've thought of starting a blog for a while but after several failed attempts (blogging about a project, blogging about New Orleans recovery) I wondered what would succeed.

At the same time, I was starting to realize that my 30th year would be one that I didn't want to fade into memory. Thus 30 Resolutions.

I have made 30 resolutions or goals for the year that I hope to achieve or at least try throughout 2010. Of course there are 30 and only 12 months in the year, therefore I'll need to tackle 2 monthly with some being on-going goals.

The List:

1. Achieve a healthy body, mind, soul
2. Backpack
3. Learn Nepali
4. Have my birth chart read
5. Send more cards
6. Watch a movie I've always wanted to see
7. Take a walk in the rain
8. Take a canoe trip
9. Pick apples at an orchard
10. Go ice skating
11. Read to learn vs. read for fun
12. Host a cocktail party
13. Bake holiday cookies
14. Pick strawberries and make jam
15. Volunteer
16. Go to a college football game
17. Get in touch with my "creativity"
18. Carve pumpkins
19. Take a road trip
20. Try the downward dog
21. Spin
22. Document my family history
23. Pack a picnic
24. Do something daring & dangerous
25. Remember NOLA
26. Spend more time with friends
27. See an Opera
28. Be more loving towards those I love
29. Keep memories safe
30. Throw a New Year's Eve party


After all, the year goes by more quickly than we imagine...

One year in 40 seconds from Eirik Solheim on Vimeo.

Wish me luck, I'm feeling pretty positive now but hope that once my birthday comes and the real challenge begins that I'll be up for it. I won't turn 30 until 1/26 but until then will be checking in and keeping up with my 1st and 2nd resolutions, the only year-long, true "Resolutions"- 1- Achieve a healthy body, mind, soul and 2- Learn Nepali.

For anyone who has made their own resolutions, let me know! What have you challenged yourself with?