Good morning! 😎
I just got back from a glorious 3-mile run in the hotel gym. You might think I’m weird when I say this, but I love exercising when I am on vacation. There’s just something about a new place/new city/new surroundings that motivates and inspires me to get moving– even a hotel gym. 😉
So, I bet you’re wondering what my secret trip to Philly is all about. Well, I was invited by the folks of New Harvest to attend a complimentary weekend focused on Omega-3 and heart-healthy vegetarian alternatives. New Harvest is a totally new source of EPA Omega-3 that is a true vegetarian alternative to fish oil with no lead, mercury, or PCBs that can appear in fish. My blogger buddies and I will be the first to get an in-depth look at New Harvest. Sounds pretty interesting, right?
The New Harvest Weekend kicked-off with a cocktail party, where we got to meet the New Harvest people and the other bloggers invited to the event.
I started my evening with a dirty martini. I’m working/on vacation, right? 😉 (I love my job!!!)
With a drink in hand, I went off to mingle!
There are so many great bloggers on this trip, including Tanya and Monica! These two ladies have been my “internet” friends for ages now, so it was awesome to finally meet them in person.
After the cocktail hour, we headed to dinner at Square 1682. We actually had our own private room. Fancy.
During dinner, I drank a couple of glasses of wine, but I made sure to pace myself with plenty of water. I must have left the table 2-3 times to use the restroom over the course of the evening! I really didn’t want to feel hungover in the morning.
We started the meal with a bunch of family-style appetizers for the table:
Roasted Vegetables with baba ghanoush, tabbouleh and olives with grilled artisan country bread
Bloggers in action! 😉
I think this was the Noodle-Less Vegetarian Lasagna. I can’t remember!? We also ordered an Artisanal Cheese Plate with nuts, fruit, and bread, but I guess my camera ate the photo. Of course, I dominated the cheese.
Chilled Shellfish Platter with stone crab claws, alaskan king crab legs, oysters and poached shrimp with chipotle aioli, salsa verde, sesame mignonette
This dish was intense! It had crab legs sticking out everywhere!!!
Lemon Scented Hummus with herb and garlic naan bread
More wine!
For my entree, I ordered the Beets, Endive and Frisée Salad with house made duck prosciutto, poached egg, and cranberry vinaigrette. Mmm! It was exactly what I wanted after eating a million appetizers!
I didn’t think I wanted dessert until I took a peak at the dessert menu. Holy temptation!
I ended up ordering the Apple Cider Fritters with Madagascar vanilla bean ice cream and apple cider caramel, which was a fabulous choice. I practically licked my plate clean! 😉
Dinner and drinks were the perfect way to start the weekend. I loved meeting everyone, and I’m looking forward to learning more about New Harvest later today.
Off to breakfast!
Disclaimer: New Harvest provided me with a free trip to Philadelphia to learn more about their product, but the views I express on my blog are totally honest and all my own.
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29 Comments
That’s such a fun trip and all the food looks amazing! Enjoy the rest of your trip and Philly. 🙂
I’m positively drooling over those apple cider fritters. So often the appetizers and dessert are the yummiest sounding options- I totally understand getting a salad to save room for the other two! Looks like a lovely evening, enjoy your day in the city!!
Hmmm so many great options! I would be freaked out by those crab legs though. It’s great to be able to eat something different when dining out.
What a great trip! And those eats look amazing, especially that salad – I’m loving the savory/sweet/green combo of flavors!
I totally agree about the workout thing. I went on vaca to Switzerland with my family and I had a blast going for early morning runs and just taking in the beautiful new sights.
Have a great rest of your trip 🙂
Wow what a great restaurant! Having your own private room must have been fab, you could all snap away to your hearts content!
I would love to go to a blogger meet-up….I am really thinking of organising one in the uk soon.
And congrats on your 3 mile run, I’m really glad you are loving running after you time away from it.
I don’t think it’s weird that you like to exercise on vacation. When I’m in a new place I mysteriously seem more energetic and running seems easier than it does in my boring old apartment back home 😀
Is Leslie from And Her Little Dog Too with you? Great Philly food blogger. 🙂
I was wondering what you guys were actually doing there..
Those fritters… oh WOW!!!
I love the cool plates with the floorplan design! It’s so artsy! You could say you ate the ___ in the “living room” or “balcony” hehe ^__^
Looks like your having a fantastic time!!
That dessert does look amazing. All of the food does!
So much fun! I’m jealous of all those fancy cameras, too. 😉
Vegetarian noodle less lasagna, dang, that sounds GREAT! Oh, and exercising on vacation, I totally get that.
That all looks so awesome! It must be great to go to dinner with fellow bloggers, so you’re not the only one photographing your food 😛
You have such an amazing job…
Cheese plate and seafood platter…. Just as well I’ve eaten a block of chocolate and a creme brulee this evening (time difference!), otherwise I might cry. 😀 Love your holiday recaps!
I haven’t heard ofr New Harvest before. I’m looking forward to get the full review 🙂
I like going for runs when I’m on vacation. It’s a great way to see sights and get to know the area.
You definetely get invited to some great events! Have fun!
All of you ladies have fabulous cameras! a must-have for a food blogger 😉
I know what you mean about exercising on vacation, it’s the best feeling. Those are some yummy appetizers.
It looks like a great night! Seafood platter – mmmm. Honestly. And dessert! Amaaaaazing. 😀 Apple fritters sound soo good right now.
Wei-Wei
working out on vacation is definitely more interesting . . . there’s so much to look at!
All of the food looks fantastic! What a fun time.
I am loving reading everyone’s perspectives of this same trip!
Looks great and so funny to see so many people taking food blogging pictures. Vacations/work in Philly is so fun.
Those crab legs are really intense! I would actually probably be afraid to eat that dish haha.
Looks like a super fun event!
Those plates were AWESOME!!!
how cool! i’ve never heard of new harvest but they know how to throw a party.
one day tina, i would love to have your blogging adventures…till now I’ll live through you. 😉
What a fabulous event! 🙂
Jenn