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Happy last Friday of 2016! Out with the old and in with the new. . . though to be honest, the biggest new we are facing in 2017 has me sick. I am trying to be positive, but I have a feeling things will get worse before they get better.

2016 seemed to be a rough year for a lot of people, but aside from celebrity deaths and the election outcome, it was mostly a good one. It started out with a project that had dragged me along for months cutting me loose with no warning (to save money) even though they knew it was coming, but I more than made up for it with new opportunities throughout the year.

I was inspired by Molly to write my own blog post on 2016 goals (rather than resolutions), and since the year is almost over, I am finally facing the music and seeing how I did. Did you make any resolutions or set any goals for 2017 yet?

Read my 2016 travel highlights (always a favorite post to write) here!

1) Run six races in 2016.

Mission accomplished! In addition to the Chicago Marathon, I ran a local little race on One Boston Day, the BAA 5k, the Milton 10k, Lazy Lobster 5 miler, Cambridge Half Marathon, and the Halfway to Dot Day 5k. I beat my goal! I actually signed up for a few other races that I didn’t run due to injuries as well.

Chicago Marathon finish

2) Secure a new wine industry client.

This is currently in progress, and while details aren’t final, I am hopeful that 2017 will bring some exciting new clients that I will love working with.

 

3) Visit two new places.

Done! In February we found paradise a direct JetBlue flight away in Luquillo, Puerto Rico. We loved it so much that it might become our go-to getaway, though I still REALLY want to go to Panama.

Luquillo, Puerto Rico  

We also finally visited Asheville, North Carolina with a quick side trip to Lake Lure. This is definitely an area we will visit again.

Lake Lure

4) Send more cards.

Fail. We didn’t even get holiday cards out this year.

5) Take an honest look at my diet and exercise.

I looked at it. I even started the year with healthy eating at home. And then somehow it became the year of takeout and snacking and going out for apps and cocktails way.too.much. These behaviors are definitely something we need to reign in in 2017 for the sake of our health and bank account.

6) Better organize my work day, make plans, and stick to them.

Fail. I repeatedly miss things I want to do to stay at my desk a little longer, cram in calls when they can wait, and am generally available and connected 24/7. I even got a call on Christmas Day! I need a digital detox in the worst way.

7) Get paid by the scamming plumber and close that chapter of our lives.

Our next court appointment is in February. It’s pretty amazing what scam artists can get away with.

8) Move more.

Working from home makes this difficult, but I DID run a bunch of races and go on a bunch of hikes this year. I also spent every possible moment swimming in the ocean. Treading deep water actually became a pretty big cross training exercise! I was always super sore the next day. Still, on a day-to-day basis, I sit SO MUCH that it makes me sore and saps m energy. I have been building in jumping jacks while the water boils for my tea, but I need to do some serious sweating to make up for my sedentary lifestyle.

swimming in New England

I am still working on my 2017 goals. . . more to come!

Tags: exercise, fitness, goals, health, lifestyle, resolutions, Travel

This giveaway has ended. Thank you to Bestowed for offering me and one lucky reader a Bestowed box. The winner is Danielle T. Danielle, please email me at traveleatlove (@) gmail.com with your contact information. Thanks to all who entered!

Discover healthy foods you love, with a monthly delivery of samples from Bestowed. This month, I received a Bestowed review box, and since my focus on my health has really tanked with my busy work schedule, the timing was perfect.

Bestowed Box

The smart little orange box arrived in the mail, and I couldn’t wait to open it and see what was inside. I think that’s one of the most fun parts of Bestowed; it’s a nice little surprise.

My box contained a Zico coconut water, packets of Roots superfood powder, a Bakery on Main coconut cashew Truebar, GimMe seaweed cheddar cheese roasted seaweed crumbles, an Herban Essentials mini pack of aromatherapy towelettes, a packet of Artisana Organic Superfoods acai berry nut butter,  and a coupon for Dr. Praeger’s veggie burgers

Bestowed Box Bestowed Box Bestowed Box In addition to being a fun surprise, the Bestowed box is a great way to kickstart healthy eating and reintroduce nutrition and natural products back into ones life. I am a huge fan of Zico coconut water, Dr. Praeger’s products, and Artisana (huge fan) already, but I was thrilled to revisit them. I had never tried the acai berry nut butter, and it was amazing. Amazing. I want to fill my desk drawer with little packets of these nut butters for healthy and filling snacks.

I also really loved the Truebar; it was coconutty and delicious, a little dessert a little nutrition bar, all good. The Roots powder was pleasantly surprising. The blueberry really did taste like blueberry, and I felt a little boost in my energy when drinking it in the afternoon. I used to be a devotee to superfood drinks, and I definitely think I need to get back into that. My body deserves it, and my mind needs it.

I tried the seaweed snack, and while I liked it better than most dried seaweed, I will be honest and admit I wasn’t crazy about it. Nothing wrong with the product; I just don’t love seaweed unless it is in sushi! These crumbles might be good mixed up in a salad, especially with cucumber and shrimp, to emulate sushi. In fact, I might try making that this weekend!

Overall, I really loved the selection in the Bestowed box, and I am definitely thinking about joining so that I can try a selection of products every month.

Bestowed is offering me a one month membership for a lucky Travel, Wine, and Dine reader AND offering all of you a discount on a subscription. Just use the code 5OFFBSTOWED01 at checkout.

To enter the giveaway, leave a comment letting me know why you would like to win, and be sure to follow Bestowed on Twitter and like them on Facebook.

I will choose a winner on Wednesday. Good luck!

Tags: Food, giveaway, health, healthy

When March rolls around, it seems like Boston’s event season starts to kick into full force. The December holidays usually bring work holiday parties, friend and family visits, and lots of travel here and there, at least for us. January and February are the post-holiday lull, and then March arrives. The weather is supposed to be better, there’s more daylight, and the invitations to charity events in Boston start to roll in. One of my favorite events that happens every March is Spoonful of Ginger, a benefit for Joslin Diabetes Center’s Asian American Diabetes Initiative. Held at the Museum of Fine Arts, Spoonful of Ginger features chefs from around the Boston area serving up bites of Asian-inspired deliciousness.
image

As you can imagine, the event space is gorgeous. I just adore visiting the MFA and could wander its halls for hours. Another thing I love about this event is that people get pretty dressed up. Who doesn’t love donning a dress and heels on a Monday night? I work in a pretty casual agency, and I am starting to make it my mission to dress up more often.

tuna tartare

Daisy and I made short work of our tasting, visiting the tables that were the least crowded first, and making our way to the others as the crowds dissipated. There were so many delicious bites, and I was full in no time. I could have easily parked myself at the Lotus Blossom table, where we feasted on mini lobster tacos and tuna tartare with truffle on crispy taro root, which is apparently beneficial to patients with diabetes.

Basho

Basho’s sushi boats were a hit with the crowds, and they reminded me that it’s been way too long since my last Basho sushi fix.

lobster bisque

I made my way back to Shojo’s table twice; Nick Lee’s  lobster bisque with truffle foam was warm, velvety, and perfect for the chilly gray March day.

 

Bao Boston

Crowds flocked to the Bao table for bao and the good energy the chef was putting forth. Looks like Bao will be a hit in Boston!

Empire Restaurant

Other favorites included these rolls from Empire. I’ll fully admit that I have a bit of thing against Empire because of their awful television commercial. I can’t stand when restaurants have commercials; it makes me not want to visit them. This sushi was out of this world though; I had at least two and longingly looked at the table each time I passed. We definitely ate well at Spoonful of Ginger; it was fun being able to taste food from many restaurants I have never even heard of. I clearly need to get out and about more often and to try some of the  lesser-known (to me) restaurants we encountered at this event.

dancers

To top it all off, Spoonful of Ginger offers some great music and entertainment, education about diabetes in Asian communities, and recognition of honorees each year. This year we heard from Ming Tsai, who shared that Boston celebrity chef Jasper White (also in attendance) is is hero for changing his own lifestyle when being diagnosed with diabetes. It all definitely made me think about my own eating habits and was a good reminder to cherish and take care of my health.

Do you have a favorite charity event? Do you think it’s weird that I avoid restaurants that have TV commercials? 🙂

Tags: Boston, events, Food, fundraising, health, MFA, musums, Spoonful of Ginger, wine

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