A LOVEly Weekend
What a fantastic weekend! PhillyBoy and I are big travelers and are often away on the weekends, so it was really nice to spend some time in Philadelphia for once!
Our weekend:
Friday I picked PB up from work around 7 and we headed straight to Cherry Hill to swim at our new gym!! I really like swimming. I forgot how good it feels to be in the water. After swimming I got a cup of sub-par soup from Panera and brought it to Cheeburger Cheeburger, where PB ate a ONE LB burger! He is “in training” for a boys’ trip to eat really big burgers in a month. Interesting.
Saturday afternoon PB and I ran with the K portion of our KGH6 running group. There was tons of ice on Kelly Drive but we managed 6 miles. Ever since the DisneyWorld Half Marathon PB and I have both been having knee pain in our right knees, probably due to IT issues. We are both foam-rolling and stretching like crazy, but the pain keeps coming back after runs.
After our little 6 miler we made sure to fuel properly…. with PB’s homemade pizza! He finally made his famous dough again, and I made a 1/2 batch of half whole wheat pizza dough. I love indulging in good pizza, but I have been trying to clean up my diet a bit more. The solution? Half whole wheat dough with sauce and very little cheese. I still enjoy the pizza, but I get to save a few calories by using less cheese. Of course, that point becomes invalid when you eat 1,000 pieces of pizza, but the effort was there. We also made a fabulous salad with 4 types of lettuce, shredded carrots, dried cranberries, avocado, tomato, cucumber, a few croutons, and a lemon olive oil dressing.
Cupid visited early in this house, and PB took me to dinner and a movie! We haven’t had a proper date in a long time, and it was so nice to spend some time out with him. We went to Fork in Philadelphia, which was amazing!! I have heard a lot of good things about Fork, and everyone was right. The service was great, the decor simply beautiful, and the food presentation and taste stellar. We were seated right.next to other couples, so the photos weren’t fantastic. I felt quite awkward whipping out my camera in this nice restaurant.
Dinner at Fork:
Cocktail!!! This was extremely strong, and I only managed about 1/5 of it.
A baby lettuce salad with roasted pears. The pear flavor was intense and fabulous.
PB had the pork chop with whole grain mustard and roasted brussels sprouts with house smoked bacon. The brussels sprouts were almost the best I have ever tasted.
I had a lobster and sea scallop dish served with a butternut ravioli and toasted pumpkin seeds.
Dessert was fabulous. We ordered the warm pineapple-hazelnut financier served with vanilla bean gelato and caramel sauce. It was extremely decadent and reminded me of a Middle Eastern dessert my aunt makes. It was the perfect way to end our meal.
Post dinner surprise? The movies!! We went to see Valentine’s Day, which was cute and just what I expected. I didn’t have high expectations… hence I loved it.
I love being out and about with my husband, but I love doing every day things. Today was all about every day things. PB and I bummed around all morning doing things around the house (ok, I’ll be honest, we sat on the couch and watched TV after doing 1 chore). We both had delicious breakfasts, too!
PB had a KathEats inspired Smoothie In A Bowl (or SIAB). I blended vanilla Oikos yogurt, 1/2 banana, one scoop of peanut butter and a few ice cubes in my trusty blender and then topped it with some fresh raspberries and two Weetabix biscuits. It was delicious!
I was craving oatmeal and made myself a bowl, but for some reason this bowl didn’t fill me up… for the first time ever. Usually I can barely finish the bowl. This had 1/4 cup old fashioned oats made with water and cinnamon, 1/2 banana, a dash of sweetened shredded coconut, and one measured tablespoon of peanut butter.
We finally got ourselves together and went SWIMMING again! If we had a pool in our building I swear I would swim every single day. I love it so much! I never have any pain, and I always feel great after a good swim. Of course I couldn’t leave it at that, though. I slipped outside the gym and bruised my bum. They hadn’t salted the sidewalks. Ridiculous!
After a bunch of errands we finally headed home for dinner, and I surprised PB with one of his favorite meals: TOFU PAD THAI! Served in one of the fun Zak bowls we were given in New York.
I had a HUGE salad with lots of vegetables and about 1 oz of grilled chicken. Over the last couple of years I have eaten less and less poultry and beef, and I find that often now I have to disguise the flavor of it in order to eat it. I wonder if I should just give up? Maybe.
I need to learn how to make my own pad thai sauce, because right now I use a sauce from a jar and mix it with every Asian inspired sauce I have in the house (as in soy sauce, sesame seed oil, rice vinegar, etc. A little bit of everything). That wasn’t from Cupid though, that was really just PB’s dinner. If anyone has a go to pad thai recipe, please send it my way!
Cupid made a heart colored dessert! I made a simple strawberry sauce with 1.5 cups strawberries + 3 tablespoons sugar over low heat until it became syrupy and melty. I split an individual size NY style cheesecake (1/2 for each of us) and paired it with some strawberry sauce and mixed berries. Every single bite was delicious.
It was a decadent weekend full of love, and I am so thankful to have the life I do. I am happy, and I find something to smile about in every day… PB has a lot to do with that! I am a lucky woman!!!!
And a funny little side note… PB went to work in the blizzard last week, but since his usual method of transportation was down for the day, he walked. He had to wear his snow pants, snowboarding boots (he doesn’t have snow boots) and GOGGLES! It was hilarious to see how wet his jacket and pants were from the walk in the snow. Insanity!
Need something else to read on your day off work (that I don’t have off)?
The Spotted Pig
Kelly’s Cake Off for a Cause
Video: Kelly’s Cake Off
New York!
A Late Chelsea Market Lunch
PB’s blog
Don’t forget to vote daily for our MOD SQUAD cake! For every vote, Electrolux will donate $1 to OCRF, Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. Thank you!
**I received several Ask Me Anything questions several weeks ago about what I eat in a day. Tomorrow I will begin a several day food diary to give a more accurate view of what it is I do eat. Be sure to check back often for my updates!
Hope yor knees get better! Nice weekend! I made my PB pancakes. Going out today, our day off. Shopping at Whole Foods and more.
What a great weekend 🙂 Love that ya’ll got to spend SO much time together. Valentine’s day looks like an adorable movie. Great eats too- I’d love to try your strawberry sauce and PB’s SIAB. Nice job on the workouts- I haven’t been swimming in ages but grew up doing swim team. It is SUCH fabulous exercise. Hope you have a good week. Going to vote for your cake again now
I knew you’d love Fork! It’s probably my fave in Philly. You have to go for brunch too!
“Of course, that point becomes invalid when you eat 1000 pieces of pizza, but the effort was there.”
Hahaha this killed me! So true, I can totally relate.
It sounds like the perfect weekend! I love relaxed weekends where you do simple things, but they seem extra special because of the company you’re with. Happy Valentine’s to you and your hubby!
p.s. Where did you find that little spoon that’s in your oatmeal?
aww heart-shaped bowl! sweet 😀
Mike has started to swim recently, and I have been meaning to join him. I was a swimming in high school and got a wee burnt out, but I think 5 years is long enough time. Time to get back in the water for me!
I’m glad you and PB had a wonderful weekend together. Looks like it was a blast. 🙂
What a lovely weekend! You two seem really really happy!
Seems like you´ve had an amazing V-day!
Your eats looked AH-MAZING 😉
It´s so cute to see you and your husband having so much fun together 🙂
Brazilian Kisses,
Gabriela
Yum! Your dinner looked delicious!!
What a great Valentine’s meal…gorgeous pictures, especially of the dessert. And the last picture of your hubby? Especially funny. I can’t believe he had to venture out in a blizzard! We can barely handle driving in the rain here in LA!
Wow this really made me miss my boyfriend!! I love date nights!! Everything looked amazing…all the food, YUM! Glad to hear you have been enjoying swimming, I used to love it, but honestly cannot remember the last time I went swimming. Sorry to hear about your knees hurting, have you heard of MSM cream? You can rub it onto your knee. It is all natural and helps with joint pain.
A “1000” pieces of pizza! I’ve been there more time that I care to admit. 😀
I wish I liked swimming. My husband loves it and I want to like it for him but the problem is I’m half cat….not catty…just cat like. I really don’t like getting wet. However, when I was pregnant I loved it. Hmmmm….uh…not. 😉
Hi, your blog looks great. You have a skill presenting food. I want to eat everything.
I am worried about your knee pain – do you think you should rest and ice for awhile? Do you think the pain is giving you a message you should listen to? Swim more, run less for awhile?
Take care,
Elle
bodywindow.com
Elle- Thank you for your comment. I notice that when I foam roll or stretch the pain goes away. I am focusing on strengthening my core, hip flexors, and leg muscles so that the pain will not come back. The pain is caused by IT band issues, which I am working on correcting. Thank you!
P.S. I look forward to your IT band foam rolling video!
Sounds like the perfect weekend!