Fueling Up Before and After a Nine-Mile Run

Because a concrete goal seems to boost motivation, Todd and I signed up for the Staten Island Half Marathon in October of this year. To prepare, we’ve slowly been increasing our mileage, and now I can run five to seven miles at a decent (11- to 12-minute mile) pace without getting too exhausted. Each week we’re trying to dedicate time to at least one long run, and yesterday we tackled our farthest—and hardest—distance yet: nine miles. And because I try to eat mindfully, I wanted to make sure I gave my body the proper fuel that it needed, before and after the run.

Apartment Photo Update

As some of you know and as others have seen, we’re finally done with major apartment renovations and updates! Several weeks of painting, building, organizing, rearranging, and cleaning have paid off: the apartment really does feel like home now. I just wanted to quickly share a few pictures with you so you can see how it turned out. It doesn’t quite look the way I originally planned when browsing through Ikea earlier this year, but I’m so happy with how it has turned out. Please share your thoughts—and if anyone knows how to clean a wood laminate floor, I’d appreciate the advice!

Restaurant Review: Scarpetta

When in doubt about which restaurant to select for my fiancé’s birthday dinner, I went with the simplest strategy; I chose the one he’d seemed most enthusiastic about trying during the past few months: Scarpetta, located in New York City’s West Village. Opened in 2008 by celebrity chef Scott Conant, it received a three-star review from the New York Times and New York Magazine, which lauded the restaurant for being “fresh and forward-thinking.” Though Conant has since moved on to other projects, Scarpetta continues to receive praise for its homemade pasta and tasty Italian fare. In fact, Todd exclaimed after our meal, “That was the best birthday dinner I’ve ever had.”