Good Friday ended up being Great Friday for me! 
I ran, I baked, I shopped, I ate, I drank, I socialized— what a day! It’s one of the best days that I’ve had in awhile and I have SO MUCH to say about it! I have a feeling this is going to be a loooonng post! Hope you’re ready! 😉
11:30 am: Mission Accomplished!
I ran 9 miles in a row without stopping for the first time ever yesterday! I felt so proud of myself! And I finished 9 miles in almost the same time as I ran 8 miles! I ran 8 miles in 1:22 (9:25 pace) and 9 miles in 1:23 (9:17 pace)! Crazy, right?
It was the perfect day for running: warm, sunny, and breezy. The beautiful weather put me in a “happy place” for running and my 9 mile run didn’t even seem that hard! I’ve heard that running is mostly mental, but never really believed it until yesterday. I started my run with a 9 mile goal in mind and pushed myself to do. It also helped breaking-up the long run into smaller goals.
For example:
- My first goal was to run 3 miles (no problem)
- My second goal was to run 1.5 miles to the half way point in my run (easy)
- At the half way point, I only needed to run 4.5 miles home
- Once I got past 6 miles, it was a countdown to the end: 3 miles, 2 miles, 1 mile, which wasn’t overwhelming at all.
Breaking my long run into shorter runs kept it interesting and pushed me to keep up my pace until I completed each section. I still can’t believe that I ran 9 miles… with zero pain in my hips! 😀 10 miles next!
12:30 pm: Melt-In-Your-Mouth Strawberry Muffins
After my run, I was planning to refuel with a snack that included yogurt and strawberries, but when I opened the yogurt, I found this yummy-sounding recipe for Strawberry Muffins from Stonyfield under the lid and my plans changed. I didn’t have all of the ingredients on hand to follow this recipe exactly, so I made a few substitutions:
- 1/2 cup wheat bran for 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup liquid egg whites for 2 eggs
- 1 tbsp canola oil for 1/4 cup of melted butter
My muffins came out sweet, soft, and very much “melt-in-your-month!” 😀 These muffins would be perfect for a springtime brunch!
2:00 – 5:00 pm: Shop ‘Till You Drop
Mal and I spent a good portion of yesterday afternoon shopping downtown. I wasn’t planning to do a big shopping, but I’m so glad that I did! I got some great deals from Banana Republic (40% off shoes) and I finally broke down and bought some quality bras from Intimacy. My Target bras were just not cutting it anymore, and I learned that I was wearing completely the wrong size! My experience at Intimacy was absolutely outstanding and I highly recommend this store if you have trouble finding your size.
5:30 pm: Al Fresco Dining
I was famished after shopping all afternoon, so Mal and I popped into Sonsie to grab a bite to eat and a drink. We scored a table at the front of the restaurant where the doors opened right onto the street. Mal and I people-watched while we relaxed.
I enjoyed a wonderful glass of Côtes du Rhône.
Mal and I shared a brick oven pizza from the Sonsie’s cafe menu: MUSHROOM with caramelized onion, mozzarella, and brie cheese. It was delicious and totally hit the spot!
I was so hungry, Mal let me have an extra piece of the pizza! 😉
Mal and I love Sonsie! 😀
7:00 pm: Cocktails with Friends
After a leisurely meal at Sonsie, Mal and I walked over to Eastern Standard to meet up with a few of our friends for Friday evening cocktails.
Eastern Standard is such a great place and it’s strange that I haven’t wrote about it on the blog yet! Eastern Standard’s cocktail menu is easily the best part about this restaurant– it is quite expansive with very unique recipe combinations. It is also a beautiful place to drink, socialize, and relax.
We sat outside and enjoyed our cocktails al fresco.
 |
 |
Hooray for heat lamps! I wouldn’t have survived outside without them!
It took me a good 10 minutes and about 5 questions before I decided which cocktail to get. They all sounded so interesting!
I ended up picking the “Flying Dutchman” in honor of my college’s mascot! 😀 The Flying Dutchman is made with citrus- and spice-infused Batavia Arrack, St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram, crème de cacao, pineapple juice, and Elemakule Tiki Bitters. The flavor was so complex and vibrant– the nutmeg and pineapple were easily the strongest flavors.
Our waiter, who we renamed “Super Waiter” because of his very attentive service, brought our group a round of complimentary cocktails, which were made with apple brandy, sherry, grapefruit juice, and bitters. I tried a sip of mine, but I wasn’t a fan. I generally don’t like “brown” liquors, but everyone else at our table liked this cocktail quite a lot and my drink didn’t go to waste!
My second drink of the evening was recommended by “Super Waiter:” Mot Chaud. This drink included house-infused vegetable vodka, fresh lime juice, Luxardo Maraschino liquor, cayenne simple syrup, cucumber, celery bitters, and salt. It was light and refreshing with a kick of spiciness at the end. I loved it!!
All in all, it was a GREAT Friday! Hope you enjoyed reading about it!
Ok, it’s brunch time! See ya later, guys!
