Urban Backpacker Travels: PARIS

I arrived in Paris at 6AM on Saturday morning!  Although exhausted and groggy, I was able to navigate the train/subway systems and found my way to the apartment we rented through AirBnB.  Our host and his fiancé took me out for breakfast, coffee and a baguette, at a nearby cafe. They were so kind and gave me tips on what to do before my friends arrived that afternoon.   

After breakfast, I set off on foot to see the city.  I was pretty out of it, so after a little wandering, I made my way back to the apartment for a quick nap.  

I awoke a new person to greet my two friends, Kate and Katie, and we set off: first stop, the grocery store and bakery for wine and a baguette, which we enjoyed in the sun under the Eiffel Tower.

  We then proceeded to walk along the river and made our way to Champs Eylsees to see all the high end stores and then to the Arc de Triomphe. 

After a short trip back to the apartment to freshen up, we ventured to a different area of the city for dinner at Bistro de Henri.  We were nestled in a small corner table, and promptly set up with house wine.  Although we did not order escargot, duck, or any of the other typical specialities, the food and atmosphere did not dissapoint.  After dinner, we decided to find a cafe to sit at for another glass of wine and people watching.  Almost all of the cafés in Paris have outdoor seating, with chairs facing the street, perfect for sitting and drinking and people watching.  The area we were in was quite happening, with a band and people dancing in the street. It was the perfect way to spent our first night in the city. 

Sunday I woke up early and decided to go for a run.  Many people run along the river, so that's what I did, making my way all the way to the Louvre for an early morning, crowd free visit. Talk about destination run!

Back and showered, we headed out for the day.  We decided to head to Rue Mouffetard to check out the area and the open air market.  We got breakfast - the most amazing figs and a delicious sweet baguette with figs and macadamia nuts.  I'm not a huge bread person, but this baguette was unreal. So fresh, crunchy on the outside and super soft and airy on the inside.  Plus a huge amount of flavor from the lightly toasted nuts and gooey figs.

After eating, we made our way to Luxemborg Gardens.  The weather was perfect, and the gardens were so beautiful! We soaked it all in for a while.  Definitely a place I would love to spend an afternoon reading. 

We then hopped on the subway to see some art.  On the first Sunday of every month there are a ton of galleries and museums that are free.  We took advantage of this and went to the Musee L'Orangerie (impressionist art) and the Centre Pompidou (modern art).  So much amazing art, so little time!

After we had our share of art, we decided to check out a vegetarian restaurant near Notre Dame.  On the way there we saw the famous lock bridge (or so we thought, until later when we saw many other lock filled bridges...and questioned if the first one we saw was the famous lock bridge, or an imposter).

We had dinner at Le Grenier de Notre Dame.  It was such a cute place, decorated with lots of green and plants.  I went with the macrobiotic plate - miso soup, brown rice, steamed tofu, black beans, and veggies.  We also had wine (we loved the rose in Paris!) and dessert. Overall, good food, but nothing great. 

After dinner, we went back to Notre Dame to take a few pictures.  We then proceeded to drink a bit too much rose before calling it a night.  An incredibly long, but incredibly amazing day.

Monday! Our last full day in Paris.  The ladies really wanted to go all the way up the Eiffel Tower, so we grabbed a baguette (me) and croissants (them) and began our journey.  Three lines and two elevators later, we made it.  The views were stunning, to say the least.

Next on our list: the Sacre Couer.  This beautiful basilica sits atop a hill in the Montmartre area of Paris, providing more gorgeous views of the city.  The basilica itself was incredibly breathtaking- white stone with gorgeous stained glass windows.

We wandered around the neighborhood a little while longer, making our way back down the hill toward the river.   On the way, we found ourselves at Un Monde Vegan - a vegan grocery store!  Boy did I have a field day.  I ended up with some Vegusto herbed cheese (um, yum!), Wheaty veg salami, and an assortment of raw chocolates.   I'm so happy I got a chance to stop here!

For our final night in Paris, we decided to take some wine, the goodies from the vegan store, and some other snacks for a picnic under the Eiffel Tower before we set off on a boat cruise down the river.  What a perfect end to the trip!

Tuesday morning we woke up early to get in one (or two) more baked treats before hopping on the train.  AU REVOIR PARIS!  I hope to be back again soon.

Super Simple Summer Quinoa Salad

Quinoa has been my go-to protein this summer.  It's light, yet filling, and adaptable to whatever flavor mood you are in.  I love it plain, mixed into giant salads, but last night I was looking for something a little different that would please the whole family, and so this super simple recipe was created.  Full of fresh flavors, this is perfect for a quick summer dinner or side dish.  Even my mom was a fan.

Super Simple Summer Quinoa Salad - Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free

Ingredients:
2 cups dry quinoa
5-6 small tomatoes (like Roma)
Handful of fresh basil, chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Prepare quinoa according to instructions on package. Tip:  Don't forget to RINSE your quinoa.  This is really important as quinoa has a natural coating which is not so pleasant tasting if not rinsed off.

While quinoa is cooking, chop tomatoes into bite-sized pieces and add to your serving bowl.  Add in chopped basil and lemon juice.  Note:  Adding the hot quinoa to the tomatoes allows them to soften a bit, which my family loved.  No big deal if you already have cooked quinoa that is cooled, but you may not achieve the same result.

Once quinoa is done, add to serving bowl (over the tomatoes) and mix.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with more fresh basil (if desired).  Enjoy!


I can see this recipe also being delicious served over fresh greens, such as arugula or baby kale.  It would also be lovely to add in other grilled veggies (such as portabello mushrooms and squash). 

Urban Backpacker Travels: San Antonio

Howdy!  I had my very first Texas trip this past week - San Antonio.  I wasn't sure what to expect, and to be honest I was kind of burnt out from traveling, but I ended up having a great experience.  Here are some of my highlights:

Eat:

One Lucky Duck San Antonio - One Lucky Duck is one of my favorite NYC spots, so I was happily surprised to see they had an outpost in San Antonio.  Why San Antonio?  One Lucky Duck's owner's brother lives in SA and thought the city could use a raw, vegan joint.  I think he was right - I chatted with the employees and they said that the place was doing well, especially considering it is the only raw, vegan restaurant in town.  The food offerings are more limited than the NYC location, and everything is pre-made (i.e. no customized or made to order salads), however everything was still tasty!  I tried the Spicy Thai Lettuce Wraps, the Caesar Salad, and the (new!) raw brownie.  The lettuce wraps were my favorite - sweet mango and crunchy raw veggies paired with a spicy dipping sauce.  The Caesar was good, but not as hearty of a salad as those I have had previously at the One Lucky Duck in NYC.  The brownie was different from your typical "raw" dessert - it was dehydrated so instead of tasting like a Larabar, it had a crunchy exterior and tasted baked.  I'm definitely a fan!

Caesar Salad

Spicy Thai Lettuce Wraps

Water + Raw Brownie = Better travel snacks

Juice Central - I stumbled upon this spot during my morning run on Tuesday, and boy am I glad I did.  Delicious, fresh juices for a reasonable price?  I'm all in.  I tried a few of the juices: Energize (jicama, pineapple, and pear), Sweet Green (kale, cucumber, apple, pear, lemon), Metabolism Booster (chard, spinach, cucumber, mint, pineapple, lime), and the Spicy Green (kale, spinach, apple, orange, lemon, jalapeno).  The Spicy Green was definitely my favorite!  Sweet and tart from the green apple with a slight hit of spice from the jalapeno, this was a perfect morning wake up for my body!  My team also had lunch here one day, which was a super great deal - $10 for a juice or smoothie and a salad. I definitely recommend this spot for anyone looking for a super delicious and affordable juice.

Demolished green juice post-run

Senior Veggie - A new vegan restaurant in Southtown, Senior Veggie was a hit with my whole team (vegetarians and meat-eaters alike!).  Hearty portions of yummy vegan food left us all satisfied, but not sleepy, as is often the case when eating out for lunch. I had the Southwestern Cobb Salad plus a side of their jackfruit carnitas - ridiculously good.

Suzanne and her beautiful salad

My epic salad

Rosarios - We went to this San Antonio favorite for dinner one evening.  While not particularly vegan-friendly, our waiter was incredibly accommodating and worked with the kitchen to get me a margarita sans simple syrup (so good), cucumber slices for our guacamole and salsa, and veggie fajitas. Unfortunately, I found out after consuming a good portion of the guacamole that it contained dairy.  Eeek.  While this was disappointing, overall the meal was good and the service above average.

Margarita - sans simple syrup!

Cucumber "chips" and guacamole

Do:

The Alamo  - A must-see if you are in San Antonio due to its history.  I was a little underwhelmed (I guess I expected it to be bigger), but it was nice to walk through.  Plus side is that it is free and open until 7PM.

Exploring the Alamo

Riverwalk- We stayed right on San Antonio's Riverwalk, essentially a boardwalk filled with shops and restaurants along the river. A great place to walk through, or to have drinks and dinner.

Southtown Yoga Loft - I had a lovely experience at Cassandra's Strong Flow class at Southtown Yoga Loft.  My only regret is that I didn't make it here until my last night in SA!  A beautiful space, a powerful and fun practice, and a friendly group of individuals - if I'm ever back in SA, you bet I'll be here again!  Bonus:  they sell cute yoga clothes and tasty juices from Crave.

Southtown Yoga Loft

Post-yoga juice from CRAVE

Stay:

As usual, this trip was for work so I did not get to pick the hotel but I'll put in my two cents anyways.  The Marriot Rivercenter is located minutes from the Alamo and, as I mentioned previously, right on the San Antonio Riverwalk.  My room was clean and comfortable.  The gym was average sized- a special touch I liked was the eucalyptus scented towels. There was both an indoor and outdoor pool, a great way to beat the Texas heat.  As had been my experience with most Marriot properties, the staff was incredibly helpful and nice (one employee working in the concierge lounge even offered to take me as his guest to his gym for a yoga class when he saw me carrying around my mat).  

For such a short trip, I felt like I did get to experience quite a bit of the city.  While I'm not sure when I will be in San Antonio again, I'm excited to explore Texas more (Dallas this time) in a few weeks.  Next stop - Kittery Point, Maine for a week of relaxation with the fam.

Hasta luego!

JOYA Restaurant Review

Ever since our epic backpacking adventure to Thailand last year, Ariel and I are always on the look out for great Thai food.  Shortly after moving to Brooklyn, we found a local spot which quickly became our go-to.  However, this past weekend we decided to venture a little further and check out JOYA in Cobble Hill, and boy am I glad we did.  Delicious, cheap, and full of veggie options, JOYA is definitely our new favorite Thai spot.  We've already been back and I expect there will be many a takeout order in the near future.

To start, we've ordered the Papaya Salad and Summer Rolls (with tofu instead of shrimp).  Both were good, but nothing too spectacular.

Mountain of papaya salad

For main dishes, our hands down favorite has been the Spicy Noodles (vegetarian version).  Wide noodles loaded pan-fried with vegetables, this dish perfectly balances both spicy and sweet, something I personally love about good Thai food. Just thinking about it makes me hungry...

Spicy Noodle mess

We have also tried both the green and red curries.  Both were good, but the red curry definitely had better flavor.  I appreciated that both curry dishes had tons of different veggies that were perfectly cooked - not raw, but also not overdone.  Also, JOYA does offer brown rice... you just have to ask for it!

Blurry green curry

We haven't tried the Mango Sticky rice, but that will change soon. =)

As far as the atmosphere, JOYA is a happening spot.  It's been crowded each time we have gone, the bar filled with folks enjoying a cocktail while waiting for a table.  I will note that the inside is pretty loud - the crowd plus the music may be overpowering for some.  For those who prefer a quieter vibe, try to get a seat out back.  While it may be a little harder to see your food (if its dark, as it was both times I visited as you can see from my pictures above), it will be much easier to enjoy conversation with your dining mates.

I will note:  JOYA, like many NYC establishments, is CASH ONLY.  Sigh.  While it won't keep me from coming back, it is a little disappointing that so many places in NYC still don't accept plastic.

Do you like Thai food?  If so, do you stick with one tried-and-true restaurant or are you always checking out new places?

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

The ice cream maker finally made an appearance this past weekend.  We had a few friends over to test out the new grill, so I thought this was the perfect time to whip up a batch of something cool and sweet.  I was torn over what flavor to make, but as soon as I suggested mint chocolate chip, we were set on it.  This recipe was a huge hit - the  mint was so refreshing and cooling, a perfect end to a hot summer day!  I used no more than 1/4 cup of agave, but taste as you go and add the sweetener of your house to your liking. 

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream - Vegan, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free

-2 cans coconut milk (I used 1 can full fat and 1 can light)

- 1/4 cup agave or other liquid sweetener (honey, maple syrup, etc)

- 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves

- pinch of salt

- 1/2 cup chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

Combine all ingredients except chocolate chips in your high speed blender or food processor and blend/process until well combined.  

Add to your ice cream maker and follow the manufacturer's instructions.  When ice cream is almost done, mix in the chocolate chips.  Scoop into bowls and enjoy!

My finished product got eaten up too quickly to photograph, but I did get this shot mid-churn - look at the lovely freshness the mint leaves give this! Yum!

Urban Backpacker Travels: Wanderlust Stratton 2014

Hello and happy Wednesday!  Two more travel adventure posts, but then I'll be back to recipes I promise!

Two weekends ago I traveled to Stratton Mountain, Vermont for Wanderlust - a yoga festival, or as the founders put it "an adventure of the mind, body, and soul."  It truly was an incredible experience in so many ways.

So what exactly happens at a yoga festival?  I was a Wanderlust virgin, so I really had no idea what to expect from the weekend.  I actually considered dropping out last minute because I was super stressed at work and had to be in Chicago the following week.  Boy am I glad I didn't!  While it was a bit of a hassle to get to Stratton Mountain (subway > Amtrak > taxi > rental car),  once we made it there, we never wanted to leave.  My friend Kelly and I made the trek from NYC and met up with four of my girlfriends from my yoga studio in DC.  Kelly and I arrived around 10PM on Friday night, parked the car, checked in, and immediately joined the massive dance party that was happening in the main tent (coined "The Greatest Place on Earth").  There was live music and local beers, hula hoop-ers and electric body paint.  It was awesome.  We danced for a few hours, but headed back to our motel before too late because we were all signed up for an 8AM class the next morning.

Note on the motel:  We had originally planned to camp out, but when some of the girls arrived, the campsite was very wet.  It was also much colder than we had expected, so they found a cheap motel about 20 minutes away.  This was a little bit of a pain since we had to drive to the Stratton resort in the morning and home to the hotel at night.  Next year (yes, there will be a next year), we plan to get our acts together early and score one of the cheaper hotels on the mountain.

After only a few hours of sleep, we awoke to a beautiful but chilly Vermont day.  We piled into our car and headed back to Stratton.  The day went something like this:  8AM yoga class, 10AM yoga class, quick break to grab some lunch and sit in the sunshine, 2PM hike, 4PM yoga + dancing + meditation, more sitting in the sunshine and perusing the various vendors, wine and vegan pizza and deep conversations as the sun set, another epic concert + dance party until too late.  Sunday was pretty similar, except people started leaving early in the afternoon as it was the last day of the festival.

So what made this experience so great? First, there was the amazing yoga.  The classes were all taught by some of the top teachers, so not only were you physically challenged, but they also made you go deep into some of the other limbs of yoga (breathe, meditation, etc).  Then, all the other activities offered - an adventure race, hikes, runs, lectures, henna, massages... the list goes on.  Also, the food was first class - from smoothies to sushi to pizza to dumplings, there was a little something for everyone and it was all super delicious.   Oh and did I mention the live music yet?  Not only at night, but also during a lot of the yoga.  While all these things were great, the most incredible part of this weekend was the people.  Everyone was so happy and positive and open and you could really feel this energy. 

Sunday afternoon came way too soon.  It was not even a question as to whether we would be going back next year - we all agreed that we would be back, and this time for the full 4 days of the festival.

This is what we arrived to Friday night.

Hang out area

Hiking up the mountain

  

And riding down on the ski lift

Amazing local food

  

The Greatest Place on Earth

   

The group

Until next year...

Urban Backpacker Travels: Orlando

I spent two weeks in Orlando over the past month so this post will summarize the highlights of both trips.  Keep in mind that both trips were for work, which didn't leave time for too much exploring, but I there are a few things I have to share!

Lodging:  Both weeks I stayed at the Hilton Lake Buena Vista, which is just a short walk from Downtown Disney.  While the hotel itself is not the nicest or fanciest, the staff were amazing.  Since this was a work trip, all of our breakfasts and lunches were served buffet style, which is always difficult to navigate as someone with specific dietary needs.  The servers both weeks were especially attentive and worked with the chef to have special meals ready for me.  There was a bit of a mishap the second week - a mango went missing from my room (still unclear what happened).  Word of this traveled to the hotel management and the next time I returned to my room there were 8 beautiful mangoes waiting for me.  Needless to say I was a happy camper.

Eats: Like I mentioned, most meals were provided so I don't have much to report on the food front.  I did spend 2 weeks in Orlando last year, so instead I will share some of the spots I found then.

- Sweet Tomatoes - Huge salad bar + baked sweet potatoes + fresh bread + dessert.  Really what more could you ask for?  Great choice if you want something quick and fresh that will please everyone.

Salad bar forever

Sweet Tomatoes - Pretty much my dream dinner.

 - Babycakes Bakery - Vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, and refined sugar free baked goods.  Seriously so good.  I was really disappointed to hear that they closed their storefront in Downtown Disney this summer (although their products can be found at some Disney locations).  Good thing they are based in NYC which means I can still get my fill of their uber yummy baked goods.

- Ethos Vegan Kitchen - Located in Winter Park, this is a vegan restaurant that all can enjoy.  I went for brunch and got the tofu scramble, which was really tasty.  I would love to go back to try their regular fare.

Parks: We only went to the parks one evening very briefly, so I can't provide much insight as to eating vegan while visiting Disney.  That being said, I have read that Disney is much better than Universal in catering to food allergies and specific dietary needs.  From my limited experience, this held true - the folks at Harry Potter World (Universal) wouldn't serve me butterbeer without the dairy topping even when I said I had an allergy.  Sad, but I still enjoyed the rides and a normal beer!

Special guest at Harry Potter World

Look out for the Muggles!

Butterbeer on draft + scary boar head

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My key to staying vegan while traveling?  Be prepared, but also be flexible.  Pack snacks - I always travel with trail mix and fresh fruit.  Do your research and find a grocery store, natural foods store, or some local veg-friendly options, but don't get all upset if plans take you elsewhere.  While it's nice to try local fare, sometimes it more important to see the sights, or spend time with family or friends (who may not be too keen on trying the tiny raw foods joint 15 miles away).

See this post for more tips on keeping up your healthy lifestyle while on the go.

I hope you all are enjoying these travel recaps.  I'm back in NYC for a few weeks, so I will get back to posting recipes and adventures from the Big Apple!