Me gusta viajar: Puerto Rico

Hola Amigos!

I went to Puerto Rico for the first time with 3 of my girlfriends from high school, it was so beautiful and we had such great weather. We loved waking up to breathtaking views. As part of our morning routine, we sat together on the hotel room balcony amongst the palm trees and rainforest hillside while we sipped lattes and ate freshly picked fruit and afterward we laid out on the beach under giant umbrellas as we basked in the sun and cooled down in the turquoise wave filled waters.

We paired our relaxation with a bit of adventure as well; with kayaking at Bioluminescent Bay under the stars in Vieques, Puerto Rico. This unique bay contains up to 720,000 single-celled bioluminescent dinoflagellates per gallon of water. These half-plant, half-animal organisms emit a flash of bluish light when agitated at night. The high concentration of these creatures (Pyrodimium bahamense) can create enough light to read a book from.

After all that work and calories burned we stopped at a beachside cafe and enjoyed freshly caught, deep fried Chillo (Red Snapper) with tostones/ platenos (fried plaintain chips) dipped in ketchup- mayo (that’s what they call it, and that's what it is- A combination of equal portions of ketchup and mayonnaise.) My all time favorite was four wheeling in El Yunque Rainforest- a bit dangerous but exciting to say the least. We were able to take a bumpy ride through the mountainous hills and go swimming in a fresh river surrounded by bamboo and clay rocks, it was so refreshing and peaceful. Interestingly enough, we rode right by Daddy Yankees house, if you are unsure he is a Puerto Rican reggaetone recording artist. When we made it to the bottom of the forest- thanks to our amazing drivers’ recommendation, we enjoyed a delicious and authentic Puerto Rican lunch at Hacienda Carabali (Carabali Ranch/ Farm).

We shopped in Old San Juan on PR's Constitution Day which is similar to our Independence Day. We watched on as locals celebrated by flying kites, eating snow cones and enjoying the picturesque seaside. Brightly painted row homes, museums, churches, historic sites, blue cobble stone streets and open air cafe's make this a must see for tourists. Once again the food was and has been amazing, I was adventurous and tried a different food at every meal, whether it was Camarones (shrimp), Churascco (Skirt steak), Mahi- mahi, Mofongo (Mashed plantains), Pollo (chicken) and liked every minute of it. That same afternoon, we toured the Bacardi factory & Museum, which happens to be the world's largest rum distillery and as the tours concluded had a few delicious cocktails, I personally suggest Bacardi Dragon Berry with orange juice and a splash of pomegranate or cranberry juice. We went back to the hotel and ended the night with a dramatic fireworks display put on by the hotel.

 Puerto Rico was a culinarian delight, similar to Spanish, Cuban and Mexican cuisine; it is a unique tasty blend of Spanish, African, and American influences. In addition to my daring “try a new thing at every place” motto we found an incredible little food heaven. The Luquillo kiosks (or kioskos) is your best bet for Puerto Rican street food. This food paradise can be compared to a strip mall of souvenir shacks and restaurant shanty’s, along the beach in Luquillo. Don’t let the looks of the place detour you, the food is authentic and fantastic! They have about 50 kioskos which are very different and range in style, taste and price. You can get local fried snacks like pastelillos and empanadillas or even a traditional lunch or dinner for a lot less money than the hotels.  While in Puerto Rico we visited the following kioskos, #2 – La Parilla– Puerto Rican / Caribbean fusion and #9 – Congas by the Sea –Puerto Rican cuisine. Try any and all, I promise you will not be disappointed.

On our last day, our entertaining chauffer took us out for a night on the town. First he brought us to a beachside kiosk for a snack of grilled barbeque chicken skewers and plantains.  This snackable feast wouldn’t be complete without beer, and Puerto Rico has its own local brew. Medalla Light looks and tastes like Amstel Light, and it’s the perfect accompaniment on a hot day. Later that night, he brought us dancing a few different places. First we started off at a hip- hop club, Club response and we danced for what seemed to have been hours, followed by a cool down at an afterhours club in Isla Verde, Carolina named The Vibe Club- wouldn’t recommend it for people not from the area but we had fun. If you’re interested in the Club scene try a tourist favorite- probably a safer choice, Club Brava, “A popular haunt for tourists, locals, guest DJs, and even the occasional celebrity, Brava justly gets packed to bursting point on weekends. With a crowd that's energetic, scantily clad, and generally representative of the cities pretty people, you'll be happy you came to mingle, jiggle, and lounge at Brava.”

It was a late night, but well worth it. The next morning we flew out and headed back home. I can speak for all of us when I say we had an unforgettable time. The week of leisure, exploration, and culinary adventure will go down in history. Puerto Rico is extremely diverse with a lot to do, in just 7 seven we only traveled around the north east section of the island, so for us there would be plenty of reason to return. Being a US territory also helps with ease of travel, etc.

The culture there is so different, I guess what you expect of island life, much more laid back and at first it was tough to adjust (being from MA, I think I was born with a lack of patience) however I quickly settled in to the island pace and actually enjoyed no being in a rush with objectives and deadlines, etc. Puerto Ricans are extremely diverse in culture and race. In my opinion they are colorful, loud, fun & energetic, and they like to dance, eat, drink and be merry amongst friends and family. It's my kind of place to vacation, and with that description makes me wonder if I am part Puerto Rican (maybe in attitude) and gives me understanding to why I enjoyed myself so much.  Imagine a beachside haven with Salsa music and that’s Puerto Rico. I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn more about the Spanish language and Puerto Rican life.

 I have never taken a 2 week in a row vacation and I must admit I loved it! I dream of being a full time vacationer. But turns out there are no positions available that meet my salary requirements and being a "vacationer" is a very competitive job- who doesn't want to do that full time? In reality at least I get a few weeks a year to make some of my traveling dreams come true.

Until my next adventure, Adios!

To destination wedding or to not destination wedding- that is the question...

Now that the engagement excited has quited my mind has been in overdrive thinking of ideas for our wedding. Naturally after spending 3 years employed at the best catering company in Attleboro, MA & Newport, RI my expectations for a wedding are pretty high. However not being part of the Vanderbilt, Astor, Oelrichs, and Kennedy family has posed some financial realities and as a result I have adjusted my ideas to fit our humbling budget in other words, as my mother always says " I have wine taste, with beer money". So with that beer money I will at least have a keg, thank you very much. Luckily I am very resourceful and creative so will try to squeeze as much value into ideas as possible.

At first the ideas were running through my head like crazy and it was so exciting to join The Knot and view the million and five ideas other brides had considered, watch Say Yes to the Dress on TLC like I could even afford the Klienfields experience of dresses starting at $3,000 dollars, and critique the show 4 Weddings like it would be a simple task to execute any of those weddings, but a girl can dream! I get energized at thinking, I could do that for half the price! A true DIY-er at heart and head. Exept one small detail with out the budget, we are now talking more work, sweat equity of coordination, details, decisions, decisions, decisions- AHHH!

Slowly the excitement of planning turned into a feeling of being overwhelmed at all of the decisions that would need to be made in order to pull this thing off successfully- within our budget. Just to give you perspective, I was never one of those girls who had dreamed of my wedding dress when I was 5, or had all of my bridesmaids picked out since 13, or knew exactly what my Finance would wear- even before I had the Fiance. I never got caught up in the Cinderella like hype, and the closest I have come to thinking through this stuff was working at the catering company. However it was always looked at objectively, like I love that creative idea, not I love that creative idea..for my wedding. So all of this wedding stuff  is newly thought out and I am already exhausted after only a few weeks.
When I worked for the catering company, I had been invited to a Co-workers destination wedding in Jamaica and it was wonderful! Simple, refreshing, and fun. Come to think of it, that's all I really want. Fun, family, friends and the ability to do some traditional things such as, pick out my dress with my friends, make invitations, favors, etc. all preferably without having to take out a small loan. That is when the idea of a destination wedding for our wedding popped into my head, with that option I can still do the few things I really want without all of the decisions and cost.

Destination weddings have many perks:
- Simplify planning details
- Beautiful location in a vacation like setting
- Plenty of things to do and see
- Reduce the guest list
- Keep costs of wedding low
- Guests do not have to buy you gifts

Destination weddings have some drawbacks:
- Less customization in planning (not too bad if you don't mind simple)
- Flight & Accommodation costs for guests
- Reduce guest list, some key people may not be able to come

It's a tough decision, because although it would be less expensive on Mark and I- we are talking under $6,000 for a wedding and honeymoon versus a local wedding for a minimum of $10,000 which does not include a honeymoon which most likely would be a few grand more- The math and choice seem easy. One major downside is that our guests would have to fork over money to pay for the trip, and that is assuming they will be available to travel as many have children and may have prior engagements.

Our parents were not thrilled about the idea at first but I think it is growing on them, I guess it is still somewhat nontraditional so it may take a while and I really hope they are on board because what is a wedding without your parents. After thinking through the idea, Mark & I decided that a Destination Wedding would be a fabulous way to go on vacation with our friends and family while having the opportunity to be married in such an amazing and beautiful place. A few of our closest friends have wanted to go on a trip in a few years anyhow, to celebrate our 30th birthdays and other celebrations they have had throughout the year. With proper planning, we figured we would have the wedding no earlier than a year and a half from now to allow time for people (and ourselves) to save money, gather the necessary paperwork and make arraignments for dogs and babies :) If guests are unable to attend the destination we completely understand, and will most likely have a casual backyard reception either before or after the wedding so we can all celebrate together.

Stay tuned for the location and additional details...

We are engaged!!!

Sorry gentlemen- ladies! 5 wonderful years together and Mark & I will soon be off the market! (Well technically we are already off the market, but you get my drift it is even MORE official now).

It was just like any other day, It was April 28th, a typical Thursday after work when Mark proposed and I had absolutely no idea, well no idea he chose that day to propose. Thanks to my soon to be mother-in law Joan, who a few weeks prior to the engagement accidentally gave me her camera to figure out a function- instead showing me top secret photos of the engagement ring in which I played completely cool and did not led on to the fact I saw them. The tiny snafu gave me some insight that I was going to be engaged rather shortly, and I had assumed knowing Mark and his traditional style that he would have selected May 12th, our 5 year anniversary which was only a few weeks from the viewing of the photo's to pop the question. You know what they say about assumptions.

Mark had injured himself, a torn maniscus, while playing softball and was out of work for a few weeks with plenty of time on his hands and one morning had asked me what I would like for dinner the following night, now not to brag but I really have myself a wonderful man who happens to be a pretty decent cook and does sweet things like this for me often so I was the least bit suspicious and appreciatively selected something out of a cooking magazine, I chose Asian stir fried beef with snow peas and carrots in a light gingery sauce served over steamed white rice- Had I known it was my engagement dinner I may have gone with lobster :)

It is the night of the "engagement", I get home from work, probably looking like a hot mess- to a clean house, fresh smelling boyfriend, and a delicious dinner waiting on the table next to a vase filled with the most beautiful burnt orange- pink roses- my favorite! As I finish enjoying my dinner, as if it were a normal night after work Mark goes into the other room and says he has a surprise for me- I automatically think something sweet of course and he brings out a table spread of chocolate fondue, right down to strawberries, marshmallows, bananas and angel food cake, he sure knows what makes me happy. As I am stuffing my face with dessert, he goes into the other room- I seriously thought he was going to the bathroom, like I said it was a normal after work night, but instead as I turn, there he was on one knee with a smile ear-to-ear with the most precious solitaire diamond ring that I have ever seen in my life and asked me to be his wife.

Funny thing is after I said yes (the title of the bolg post gives it away) he spills the beans and tells me he has had the ring since January and in a moment of excitement I blurt out "I know!!" which was followed by "what you knew!!" and I rambled to try and get myself out of that one and mumble "well, I mean, ya know, umm, I'm just so excited! He laughed and then said, "you saw the picture that night my mother was over here didn't you?", "Yes", I replied. Can't start our engagement off by lying.

He later tells me that he couldn't keep it from me any longer and that trying to hide it was becoming way to challenging. It was perfect, unexpected, simple and meaningful. I am looking forward to our journey together and will keep you all posted on Wedding plans.

Foodphoric: Confessions of a cultural food fusionist

food: Culturally uniting deliciousness

eu·phor ic: A feeling of great happiness or well-being

Gastronomy…Gastro what? The first time I heard of someone studying Gastronomy I thought he wanted to be a “stomach” doctor or surgeon. Turns out, gastronomy is the study of the relationship between food & culture and the study of good eats. If you think about it , food is really one of the few things all people have in common, and can be used as a way to connect and unite human beings.


As a child I was surrounded by cultural diversity.  Reflecting back, I have really come to appreciate having been exposed to cultural differences and similarities so early as it has been such an influential pillar of my personal development. Growing up a blond haired, blue eyed all American girl during the 90's, being raised by a step father who was African American and mother who was a mix of of Portuguese and Irish decent was not always been easy to explain or have traditional people understand, but it has experienced me in foods of the world, racism,  discrimination, respect and the acceptance of and passion for equality.


Kenny, who I refer to as my "old" step father (my mother has since remarried Warren, my "new" step father) played a huge role in my Culinary and cultural foundation. I can remember as far back as being 8 years old in the kitchen helping him make sweet potato pie, sweet & savory grits, fried chicken, corn meal crusted sea bass, collard greens and of course assisting with our weekly Sunday breakfast. I even learned about an all time southern favorite, chitlins or chitterlings-  I called them chicklings, yuckie! never did try them. In addition to cooking, I also have to credit him with nurturing the little bit of rhythm I was blessed with and making me a halfway decent dancer (some positive stereo types are cool!).

My maternal family was raised in Southeastern Massachusetts, in the same area that celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse grew up in which is not surprisingly known as Little Portugal. They always cooked American as well as traditional Portuguese dishes like our family favorites including rice pudding, kale soup, Malasada or Portugese Sweet Bread, Shrimp Mozambique, Soupage, Linguica with little necks, etc.

Every year as a child, I looked forward to attending the "festas" aka festivals in the area where we could dance and enjoy Portuguese traditions and culture- Till this day, I faithfully attend the annual local festivals  and enjoy my Caciola sandwich.

FYI: These companies make delicious Portuguese  sausage:

http://www.gasparssausage.com/ourproducts.html

http://www.yelp.com/biz/michaels-provision-co-fall-river

My paternal family are from Rhode Island and have roots traced back to England and Sweden and throughout my growing up produced foods to reflect that European heritage. Of course we had our American favorites mmm chocolate disgust (chocolate parfait) but the cuisine was well rounded culturally to include lox and bagels, olive stuffed celery, boiled dinner of ham, cabbage, carrots and potatoes, gingerbread & butter cookies as well as others.

Looking back through my non- traditional upbringing, It is no surprise that I am interested in Gastronomy- I am a living Gastronomist with a degree from the University of Life.

Get out there enjoy culture!!

JWU's 1st Annual Cupcake Wars!

Johnson & Wales University Involvement Board hosted an event based off of the TV show “Cupcake Wars” on the Food Network – JWU’S FIRST ANNUAL CUPCAKE WARS! This competition was open to all Baking/Pastry and Culinary Arts majors and the first place team won a $200 gift card. 

COMPETITION CRITERIA

• Teams will be made of 4 students each
• Round One:
• Teams will be given the task of decorating 12 cupcakes.  Chocolate, vanilla and red velvet cupcakes will be provided. Ingredients for icing and decorations will provided, and teams will be responsible for decorating.  
• Judges will meet and select two teams to continue on to round two based on the cupcakes decorated and application information.
• Round Two:
• Finalist teams (2) will have the task of:
• Coming up with a design/decorating concept to present a 100 cupcake display with the University Involvement Board theme for the UIB Launch Party
• Purchasing ingredients for 100 cup cakes (cake and frosting) additional decorations, supplies for a display, and any other materials they need with the $250 provided by UIB.
• Teams will have a classroom in the Cuisinart Center to bake and decorate 100 cup cakes. They will then have to transport and set up a display for the UIB Launch Party beginning at 6:00 pm.
• Judging panel as well as student votes, will judge displays and select the final winner to be announced at the Party.
• PRIZES:
• Winning team will receive a $200 Visa Gift Card ($100 for 2^nd place team) along with the opportunity for their work to be showcased for the entire school to see, and will have their work showcased in the Campus Herald.

Let the Competition begin...

 Meet the Competitors

Meet the Judges

Work it!!




The teams were judged on the following:

• How well the cupcakes represented the JWU SPIRIT
• How well they worked as a  team
• How well they used the supplies given to them
• Overall presentation

and then there were 3...

The Winners of ROUND 1 are...drum roll....



ROUND 2 Cupcakes

 THE official WINNERS: TEAM 3

Congratulations!!!!

Part 4: Snowshoeing

4) Fun ways to stay active during the Winter Season, Snowshoeing

If you like hiking, I can almost guarantee you will enjoy snowshoeing. It is is easy to learn, and in appropriate conditions is a relatively safe and inexpensive recreational activity. Just about anyone of any age or fitness level can snowshoe- if you can walk and have decent stability, you can snowshoe. They are essential for getting around in areas of deep and frequent snowfall, and are necessary for hikers and runners who want to continue their hobby in wintertime.

When purchasing or renting equipment you want to make sure you select the approprite size to support your weight and the proper length ski poles based on your height. I would also recomend bringing a backpack and dressing in layers so you can easily add or remove clothing based on enviromental and weather conditions. It is also not a bad idea to bring along water and snacks depending on the length of you trail.

Have a blast, stay fit and enjoy the beauty of nature...

And the winners of The Holiday Weight Loss Competition are...

With a season of food filled holidays and the new year behind us (and with it resolutions), as you know we decided to start our own biggest loser at the end of Novemeber in which we recruited 15 optimistic friends, family and co-workers to join a Holiday weight loss challenge.

The details of the program follow:
       *One time $25 registration fee which “MUST” be paid during your first weigh in.
       *Must be able to weigh in before or preferably on Sunday, November 28th
       *Starts Monday November 29th- January 29th (approx 8 weeks)
       *Based on percent of body weight loss
       * Prize: 1st ($250), 2nd ($100) & 3rd place ($25)

As we wrap up the 2 month competition, I would like to thank all of the participants in joining our effort to increase motivation and overall fitness in our lives. I am sure we would all agree that the past couple months were very grueling as we we up against many holiday parties, desserts, everyday life stressors, etc. that challenged our mission.

I would have to give all of us a round of applause for trying, we all succeeded in making small changes to acheive these goals and I hope this challenge encourages all of us to keep up the hard work!

With all that said, I would like to announce the winners of the Holiday Weight Loss challenge:

                      1st place: Jen Hubley- 9.18%/ 18#'s lost (

                      2nd place: Kristin Pearson- 6.08%/ 12#'s lost

                      3rd place: Venus Wheeler- 2.09%/ 7#'s lost

Well done, and congratulations to the WINNERS!!

Part 3: Sledding

3) Fun ways to stay active during the Winter Season, Sledding

WHO: Fearless Friends
WHAT: Sledding...maybe midnight style.
WHEN: Snowy days, in this case snowy nights or preferably the day after snowfall.
WHERE: Raynham Middle School/ Poor Farm Hills
WHY: Why the heck not

A few years ago in 2008 we had gone "midnight sledding" when I lived in an apartment building which I  appropriately refereed to as The Frat House because I was the only girl in a house of of 3 guys and on any given day that number would escalate and could easily turn into a football team within a matter of moments. I love having a house now, but I really miss that place- not the neighborhood, the trash that the boys forgot to put out, an occasional boxing match in the basement or the sweat sock smell that wafted from their apartments into the halls, but I miss the guys. I miss the weekend cookouts, beer pong, judging Oliver's rib off competitions, the shooting range with Paul, watching the entertaining neighbors across the street, the weekly orders from B&F Pizza (I swear we sustained their business for the 2 1/2 years while we lived there), walking to Dragon lady and just hanging out because it was Tuesday. There was always something to do and always someone around. For an update,The boys have matured a bit since then and the official Bachelor pad is cleaner and smells better than I ever could have imagined. Luckily we still get together occasionally for events and I see them often in the summer once they start playing softball.

I digress, back to the Winter of 2008. One weekend afternoon Mark and I had purchased some inflatable tubes at Benny's knowing we didn't have any plans for the night, pumped them up and then waited for sunset. Our frat friends and a few extras piled into about 3 vehicles like clown cars complete with a trailing truck which was fully equipped with sleds and tubes and we were on our way.

We learned our lesson on "When" to go sledding that night and what conditions were most favorable. You see, during that adventure Mark was so excited to be sledding that before he even had a chance to go down once, he suddenly had a case of amnesia and thought he was 12 years old again by perfoming a running start, diving cannonball onto the air inflated tube, all the while forgetting that he was a grown man who just happens to be 6'2, and 250 lbs. The tube instantly burst, and sent a popping sound along with roaring laughter echoing into the darkness.

At that point, we were determined to have a good time and were not going to let a little incident like that bring down the mood. After a few single runs, we decided to go down in pairs and first up was Me and Kerri. As we picked up momentum and headed down the super steep, ice slicked hill of blackness we were whipped around which forced us to face up the hill as we proceeded down the hill with fierce like speed. You would think that with two of us on the tube that it would have slowed us down which would have allowed us to stop with plenty of room between the end of our run and the pavement, and so did we. Unfortunately, turns out Physics is not our strong point. Fortunately, most of the way down we managed to reverse our direction to face forward but we were only about 10 feet from pavement and decided last minute to bail and tumble onto each other and the ice rather than onto the parking lot.

Just when you may be thinking that I could possibly be exaggerating and wondering if it could have been that intense ask Kerri, She ended up with a black eye, puffy lip and multiple bruises and scrapes on her face and neck. I was fortunate and only had a few cuts and minor bruises, but nothing comparable. Her face was so messed up that she had to call into work the next day because she was to embarrassed to say it happened while sledding and it looked like she got a bad case of botox or collagen injections.

Lesson learned: do NOT go sledding in pairs after dark on a small one person tube if it has rained after snowfall because it creates a thin sheet of glass-like ice on the surface of the snow which can and will pierce your body and face.

A few sledding tips:

      1. Buy durable snow tubes that can support your weight, and perhaps that of another adult (Just in case)
      2. Make sure there is plenty of lighting and clearance for safety purposes
      3. Check the snow to make certain it is snow and not ice

Our most recent sledding experience last week went much smoother, this time we bought XL durable snow tubes, no one got injured and the moon provided enough light and we were able to see everything. Another plus was that typically the place has about 30-40 people including wild kids running rampant but on late nights that are 3 degrees we were the only ones crazy enough to be out and it was perfect. The night can be summed up with a persuasive quote by Kat, "We are re-living our youth, we only have a few more years where we can actually do this kind of thing". She is right, we need to live it up while we are young.

Go for it, Makes you feel alive!!

Part 2: Roller Skating

2) Fun ways to stay active during the Winter Season, Roller Skating
     *400- 600 Calories burned per hour

Talk about reminiscing the past! Roller Skating was something I did every weekend, sometimes twice a weekend. During middle school (1995- 1998) it was the thing to do in my neighborhood and my friends Nikki and Rose and I loved it more than the mall, more than anything and looked forward to it each weekend. One time our parents wouldn't bring us so we walked over 3 miles during a winter storm to get there, that's what I call dedication.

As I approached my 27th birthday and was thinking of something fun to do in celebration, I thought why not rally up the crew and go roller skating for old time sake. To top that idea we decided to dress up in 90's clothing to make it even more exciting. My friends are so fun and are always looking for ways to spice things up- what good sports!

After we confirmed the 90's idea, I wasn't really sure what to wear. In my mind I think I had an 80's look imagined, tight pants with scrunched socks and mile high hair, but after doing some research on 90's celebrities I got a reality check into that era..What an ugly style. The decade had quite a range of fashion throughout the 10 years, from grunge (think Nirvana), goth (Marilyn Manson) to baggy bright colored clothes (TLC) and then floral prints, vests, plaid, etc (90210).

 I had planned to go to Savers thrift store to find something special when I got a phone call from Lauri, turns out her mother and sister had a whole boat load of 90's style clothing in the basement and it was free reign. I really love Lauri's enthusiasm, its amazing as well as contagious. She was so excited and even texted me with a picture of her in a suit that had belonged to her sister during that period, this outfit was god awful ugly...it was perfect! Red, black and white stripes with gold pendent accents, 2 inch thick shoulder pads, and a "topsy tail"  pony tail to Authenticate the look.  Hello Corporate America 1996!

I headed over to Lauri's and we sifted through stone wash jeans, turtle necks, body suits, genie pants until we found the perfect outfits for the 90's skate party.

I had called the Skateland's management team to warn them that we were having a decent size group and that we would be dressed up, they really supported the idea and even allowed us to bring some Cd's with 90's music (thanks Luke and Jay!!) for the DJ to play. When we all showed up at the rink and put the skates on it was like we had stepped back in time, the decor was updated but close enough to what I remembered to make me smile. Sondra's birthday is the same week as mine so I bought us some sparkly birthday crowns, as if the 90's attire wasn't enough.

We all represented a different style and it was not even planned that way. Kathryn really out did her self and dressed up as Kelly from Saved by the Bell, I swear she was her twin making sure to capturing every detail down to the felt neck choker with the heart charm and sholderless striped shirt. Jen dressed up eclectically, grunge and minimal effort kinda look with an army coat and multiple layers (surprisingly, she made it look prettgood). Mark dressed up like Kris Kross and wore a backwards jersey and baggy jeans with gold chains, Venus was fabulous in her clueless inspired get up and even the kiddo's had on embroidered sweaters with scrunchies and bright colors- so cute!

I really recommend going roller skating with friends or family, it is so fun and great exercise, it gets you moving and out of the house during those cold dreary winter days. Whether your an old pro like me ;) or brand new to the sport like Miss Bella, give it a try!!

If anyone has any stories about skating, mention them below in the comment section, I would love to hear about them.

Until next time,
Kristin

Part 1: Ice Skating, Fun ways to stay active during the Winter Season

In an attempt to take 1 of the top 3 prizes for the biggest loser competition this coming Sunday 1/30, my friends and I  have come up with some fun ways to stay active and healthy during the Winter Season:

1) Fun ways to stay active during the Winter Season, Ice Skating
    *471- 572 Calories burned per hour*

Let me start by mentioning that I have not gone ice skating since my 22nd birthday in downtown Providence, RI (for the record I am a ripe 27 years young at the moment) and prior to that probably when I was about 10 years old. Although it may seem intimidating to try, it was just like riding a bike and really easy to get accustomed to- I suggest you all give it a try.

One of my dearest friends Venus had called me at about 10:30 A.M. a few Saturday's back asking if Mark and I wanted to join her family for an afternoon of skating, of course I was interested, so I worked some persuasion techniques on the man friend and met her there at 11:00. The local rink was just how I had remembered from my youth and it even had the same smell and set up after all these years. I love nostalgia!

We arrived first, picked out our skates, laced up and jumped on in! Mark was like an old pro filled with confidence and grace, I on the other hand approached this adventure with a some caution and decided to ease in by gliding along the wall for a test run. By the time Venus's family had arrived I was much more comfortable and even attempted a few spins and twirls..nothing Olympic status, that award would have to go to Venus's dad, Bob aka Tatay. Talk about fearless! Turns out he had played hockey in his younger years and didn't want to waste any time "warming back up". His courageous technique caused him to fall pretty hard a few times, but he always came back up laughing with a determined smile. It was was quite humorous for all of us especially his spectator wife Ida, and it helped with convincing his 5 years old granddaughter Malaya that it really didn't hurt that bad if you fell.

It was a great morning spent with friends and family, I promise give it a try and you will not be disappointed.

* Calories burned depends on weight and light or moderate level of exercise

Try out the Ice Skating calculator:

http://www.self.com/calculatorsprograms/calculators/caloriesburned/ice_skating/result?weightPounds=180&duration=120&activity=&met=5.5&submit=submit

Biggest Loser or Biggest Winner?

I MUST become the biggest winner by being the biggest loser.

Over the past few months I have been succesful in becoming more active which included bouts of enthusiasm and effort towards the ultimate goal of losing 30 pounds, which included rallying up my friends and going on bi-weekly hikes, bike rides, yoga classes, etc. I even signed up for a 5K Turkey trot which due to lack of preparation turned out being a very humbling experience with very little trotting- There is always next year!

Even though my efforts were great, I wasn't making much progress on my weight loss battle since the last time I wrote, so I decided back on December 1st, 2010 to organize a "Biggest Loser" type competition for friends, family, and co-workers and surprizingly the response was fantastic, we had over 15 people sign up. Turns out many people are fighting the battle of the buldge and with fabulous food filled holidays around the corner we are in no shape for war. I am hoping commitment to weight loss in front of 14 others would aid in this journey to skinny.

I'm not going to lie the first few weeks were rough! It was during that time I noticed how poorly I had been eating considering only a few days passed of going baked good free and it felt like a lifetime. On the exercise front I must say I am proud of myself for the changes I have made, this is the most consistent I have been since I was at my goal weight 2 years ago and I am spending less time a s a couch potato and it makes me happier and more producticve. I joined the gym and have been really enjoying the aerobics classes that make it so much easier to stick with.

So far I am down about 7.5 lbs. not the best but certainly not the worst. We will find out if this theory of commitment holds true when the competition ends January 31st, I promise to check in when the competition ends and see how I measure up.