#stephaniessnippets

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What I Eat In a Day

as a nutritionist and self-proclaimed foodie, I care a lot about what I eat and I like to eat good food–food that tastes good and food that is good for you. I figured I’d give you a peek into a day of my meals. this is not typical, since I don’t have a typical day of eating or a typical diet. I eat what makes me feel good. and I am by no means “perfect.” (I eat the crap like the rest of us–it really really really is all about moderation!)

^^for breakfast, I started with these 2-ingredient (really 4) pancakes after a morning walk and barre class. I’d never made these before and I wanted something sweet this morning. I mashed up one banana and mixed it with 2 whisked eggs. I added a dash of cinnamon and some flax seeds and cooked ‘em like regular pancakes! they were a little messier than I anticipated but they tasted great!! I topped them with berries and maple syrup (the real stuff)!

^^later on, I snacked on some of these dried pineapples from Trader Joe's which are basically like candy--you need to try them! I also had this tiny, baby avocado! I just topped it with salt and pepper, red pepper flakes, and a squirt of lemon. that’s my favorite way to have an avocado. what’s yours? 

^^a little while later I ate some of this pickled cauliflower from Trader Joe's. it’s a favorite of mine! I also had about a half of a cucumber with hummus. 

^^later on I had this yummy cracker from Trader Joe's (are you seeing a theme here...) topped with almond butter, agave, and some cinnamon. 

^^for dinner, we tried sole for the first time. I can't get into what the preparation looked like, since I didn't make it, but it was a fried sole, with broccoli and cauliflower, and mushroom risotto. I don't have a picture (cause who has time for photos of dessert!?), but my boyfriend and I had churros from Trader Joe's later on at night. they're really good and easy to heat up--I'd recommend them as a delicious treat! 

as you can tell, I tend to eat throughout the whole day. what can I say? I'm a grazer. sporadic, small meals like this is not how I’m always eating, since it doesn’t really align with my lifestyle every single day, but when I can, this is how I like to eat so that I’m never feeling hungry! 

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Podcasts I'm Listening To Now

in a previous post about commuting, I mention that I listen to podcasts. I know I'm always interested to know what people love listening to and loving, so I figured I'd share some of my favorites! 

for the most part, I like to listen to "talk-radio" podcasts and most of them are ladies chatting about similar trials and tribulations that I can relate to. I love the Lady Lovin' gals-- they chat about all things girly from relationships, to astrology, to the things you should be asking your gynecologist. Lo Bosworth, made famous by Laguna Beach, and her pals Greta Titelman, a comedienne, and Jilly Hendrix, a DJ and writer share their stories and differing opinions on all these topics and more. when you want something light, this is a good bet! 

if you're looking for something with maybe a little more substance, where the ladies will talk about some deeper issues in their own lives and others, look to Ladies Who Lunch. these two YouTubers, Ingrid Nilsen and Cat Valdes, have spent episodes close to tears talking about sexuality and loneliness, but throw in time talking about friends with benefits and online dating. together, the two are a dream for listeners, getting very different viewpoints and opinions, bound to be relatable in some way or another. 

another podcast that I adore is Girlboss Radio. Sophia Amoruso, founder of Nasty Gal and author of Girlboss, interviews a new #Girlboss each week and listens to their story about how they got to where they are. she's had people from all different backgrounds, forming their own paths, to lend inspiration to the young entrepreneur. she starts each episode with some banter between herself and her best friend, Liz Carey and they go through listeners' #GirlbossMoment of the week. this one's a weekly dose of inspiration to add a little pep to your step. 

Lena Dunham did a small stint in the podcast world with Women of the Hour, interviewing many different influential women in her life and ours. there are only a few episodes, but if you haven't listened, I suggest it. 

if you're looking for some laughs, look no further than Not Too Deep with Grace Helbig. if you're at all in-tune with the YouTube world, then you've heard of or seen Grace. she's the funniest of the funny and really makes me chuckle when talking to her guests on the show--many of whom are also fellow YouTubers. she keeps it light, asking funny and ridiculous questions that will keep you laughing out loud. 

so that's what I'm listening to when I'm on the train, or in the shower, or pretty much anywhere else! I'm always listening to something, but sometimes I really want to listen and not just fade into a daze with music on in the background, and that's when I tune into one of these stations. if you have any other podcast suggestions, I'd love to hear them! and I'd love to listen together so we can chat about them!

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5 Tips for a Commuter

I’ve been a commuter for the last year during my first year of graduate school at NYU. my commute takes about an hour and a half to 2 hours, depending on time of day and if i get lucky and catch an express train (which is the greatest win in a commuter’s life)! this is kind of geared towards students, or at least from my point of view as a student, but it can definitely apply to any commuter going by train or bus! anyhow, here are my 5 tips for commuting!

1. Sleep. if you can, take advantage of the time to take a little cat-nap. but don’t forget to set an alarm in case you’re not traveling to the last stop! 

2. Download work. if a nap isn’t in the cards for you, and you want to get some work done, be sure to download your work to your device ahead of time. for me, I have a lot of readings to do, so I tend to use my time getting those done. I’ll download my work to my laptop that way, since I won’t have wifi on the train, I can still be productive.  

3. Plan for the worst. if you can, take an earlier train than you may need to. you never know what may happen and it can land you getting to your destination later than expected. I’ve had some interesting situations happen which were definitely a bit anxiety-inducing, so do yourself a favor and either take that earlier trip, or make sure you have a plan b, just in case. 

4. Be flexible. in a similar vein as the last, it’s important to not only be flexible when it comes to the public transit schedules and delays, but also for yourself. if you’re commuting to a city, where there are endless possibilities of things to do and see, make time and be flexible. you may like the idea of catching that early express train, but if you’re missing out on making memories, it’s not worth it. spend time where you are for whatever reason it may be. for me, NYU has a million opportunities on campus, and being in the West Village is an exciting place to be; I’ve made friends at school who I try and make time for and also friends that live and work nearby. I make it a point to get in earlier or stay later when I’m able. 

5. Plug in those headphones. I’ve listened to podcasts for a few years, since commuting to an internship during my time in Boston, so I’ve definitely accumulated my favorites and have tuned into new ones over the years. get into the podcast world! there are thousands and they touch on every topic imaginable. if you’re not into podcasts, make sure your iTunes is up to date or I’d say, invest in a Spotify Premium account, so you can listen on the go!

ultimately, I kind of enjoy commuting--of course I’m fortunate to not be doing this every single day--and I use it as kind of “me-time.” when you have no other choice but to just be there and let the trains go where they may, it can be a nice time to just relax. 

ps. that’s my favorite seat in the house. and how much does that view look like a painting!? 

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A Weekend Away | Chicago, IL

my family took a very quick trip to Chicago for the weekend. it was so lovely to all be together (though sharing a hotel room with the whole gang was quite the test of patience) and to enjoy each other’s company. funny how as you grow up your family becomes your best friends, and friends who you can actually stand to be around (at least that’s the case for me. and I hope it is for you, too--it’s a good feeling). 

the reason for the trip was because my brother, Joe, just celebrated his 21st birthday on Memorial Day. and Joe’s a big ‘ole Cubs fan. like a big Cubs fan. it started over 10 years ago, when we went to Chicago for the first time. he went to Wrigley and was mesmerized by the ballpark and the team. and I can see why. after experiencing it for my first time, it was this sort of magical experience. it’s a very similar feeling to being at Fenway, considering they’re the 2 oldest ballparks in the country. 

^^we flew in on Friday, getting into the city by 11! I quickly changed at the hotel and then we were off to Wrigleyville to catch the 1pm game. we took the subway (do they call it a subway in Chicago? still not sure.) to Wrigleyville, which made things very easy and cheap. we then visited a souvenir shop (I needed a ball cap before the game, obviously) and grabbed a beer at Sluggers. Joe and my Dad insisted that we walk around the park before going in, to get the feel of the whole place. it was seriously so cool.^^ 

^^we made it into the park for the game, grabbed Chicago style hotdogs, some beers and made ourselves comfortable. the weather was picture-perfect; could not have asked for anything better. we watched the Cubs win after scoring 4/5 runs in the bottom of the 8th--it was really exciting! (this photo above isn’t from our actual seats. my Dad and I took a walk to the upper level to get the shot!)^^

afterwards we headed back towards our hotel and ate at a pub right down the street. after an early morning, the traveling, and the beers in the hot sun, I was pretty exhausted. when we got back to our hotel around 7pm, I passed right out and slept straight through until the morning. (my body needed it. little did i know then, i’d come home with a bit of a cold--i’ve had a headache for 3 days straight now....what’d you do to me Chi-town??)

^^the next day, after breakfast, we walked across the river to Millennium Park to see the famous Bean. it turned into a gray day by that point, but it still didn’t dampen our spirits. the boys had tickets to the Cubs game for Saturday, too, so my Mom and I decided to hop on a city tour bus. we figured since it was raining, it’d be our best option to see a majority of the city. it was great! we lucked out with very little rain for most of the time and only sat in the cold wind for maybe a 1/2 hour of the tour. it turned out to be much longer than anticipated, but it was okay with us: we had no plans!^^ 

we hopped off the bus at Navy Pier and had a little happy hour at Margaritaville where we watched the end of the Cubs game. the Cubs won again after a great comeback! as the bartender said, “it’s really an exciting time to be a Cubs fan in Chicago.” it really, really was. 

^^the sun started to peak out by the end of the day, so after freshening up at the hotel, the 4 of us walked a couple of blocks to get dinner at a BBQ place we heard about while we were on the bus tour. we ate lots of food, drank some great Goose Island Green Line (which before the trip I had no idea was from Chicago), and chatted a bunch with our waitress from Boston. from there we walked back to Navy Pier and just meandered for a while before going back to the hotel.^^ 

the next morning was just breakfast and some roaming before heading to the airport for our flight home. it was a great weekend, one that I want to do again and again. I’d love to spend some more time in Chicago, too. I guess I’ll always have a reason to visit: to see my Cubs win ;) 

[stephaniessnippets]

A Weekend Away | Nashville, TN

last weekend, my boyfriend and i spent the weekend away in Nashville. it was an amazing trip. a great chance for us to be together in our own space. the first of many times we’ll share exploring new places together. it was a happy, fun-filled weekend. i’m so happy we decided to go, regardless of the opinions of the sceptics. i’m here to report, the weekend didn’t ruin us, just made things even better. but where to next? 

^^we decided to get an Airbnb, rather than stay in a hotel, because the idea of being outside of the strip in East Nashville sounded like a good one. we loved our “garden guesthouse!” the owners were a young couple eager to help us settle-in and give us recommendations. we were even greeted with a couple of beers in the fridge! cheers to the weekend!^^

^^we came to the city with no real plan. we had booked a few things in advance that we knew we wanted to do and that we needed tickets for, but for the most part we just did whatever we felt like doing. after dinner in East Nashville and having a couple drinks at home, we decided to head to Music Row, the main strip of bars in the city. we had heard a lot about a number of rooftop bars on the strip so had to hit one up to get started. we began at Acme, which was right at the beginning of the strip and had great views down the strip and towards the Cumberland River. it was a great start to the night. we ended up roaming the street and walking in and out of honky tonks, every single one with live music inside. we stayed at Robert’s for a bit and chatted with a couple who were also from New York and obviously had them snap a photo for us.^^

^^on Saturday morning we walked to a brunch spot right in East Nashville. (just an aside: i’d highly recommend staying in East Nashville or at least visiting. there’s just so many neighborhood restaurants and it’s a little bit more hipster than honky tonk, if you will.) we really lucked out with the weather while we were there. 80 degrees and sunny all weekend--so being able to be outside sans jacket was amazing. after brunch (featuring biscuits and grits, obviously) we roamed the area, made our way to go-karting, (where i really struggled and realized that will probably be my first and last time ever doing that), Uber-ed to the strip, grabbed some Nashville hot chicken and got back to the house to get ready for a night at the Grand Ole Opry.^^

^^we knew we had to go to the Opry (or at least, i knew and went ahead and got the tickets and basically forced him to go. but lo and behold, he actually really enjoyed it!) to really experience the Nashville music. there were about 9 or 10 artists performing on Saturday night and they each sang 2 songs and were blocked off in half-hour segments, each with a new host (another performer). it was something we’d never experienced and it was a lot of fun! we heard some great tunes and loved to be able to just sit there and revel in the fact that we were living life in that moment, together.^^ 

^^i had made reservations for a nice brunch for Sunday morning at Le Sel. mostly because of the photos i’d seen of these pink velvet couches all over the blogging world. it was like living in a dream. we had a delicious brunch and then walked over to Vanderbilt and walked around for a bit before heading to the Pedal Tavern. (in fact, we were almost late and very close to missing our Pedal Tavern reservation because we had both thought we booked for 2 p.m. when in fact we had to be at the Pedal Tavern starting point at 12:55. i happened to check my email confirmation from March when we bought the tickets while on line for the bathroom at a Starbucks, which was at 12:47 so we had a bit of husting to do.)^^

^^the Pedal Tavern was a super fun experience! you bring your own drinks on the bike and then just pedal through the city and get drunk. we made two stops at bars that have drink specials for Pedal Tavern cyclers, so seriously it was quite the Sunday Funday. it was a great experience and so fun to meet all of these fine folks from all over the country (actually not really--we were all from New York, Philly, or Chicago!).^^

^^after pedaling, we decided to stay on the strip and just enjoy our last night there. we made it an early night, since we had started the party early in the day, but it was great. we ended the night on the rooftop and in the photobooth at Tootsies and then grabbed some BBQ across the street. 

we had an amazing first weekend trip away and i’m so glad we did our Nashville date. p.s. this whole weekend was inspired by Master of None when Dev and Rachel went on their Nashville date. that’s what sparked the idea and interest. and we did it.^^

(well, it’s been a while since typing on this old blog space. normally i’d probably talk about how busy life is and how i feel bad (mostly to myself) for not recording more memories here, but this time, i’m not doing that. i record my memories in other spaces, too. i’ll post here when i want to and when i can. hope you enjoyed this snippet.)

[stephaniessnippets]

Apple Picking | Orchards of Conklin

this was a day that i desperately needed. by the end of the day i felt re-energized and so happy and full of light and love.

life has been crazy lately! i’ve started graduate school, which means a lot of work and reading to do, a lot of time on trains during the commute, and meeting lots of new people. it’s all great things, but it’s a lot all at once to be honest! but that’s a discussion for another post.

^^today, a couple of my friends from college came over for a day of apple picking and catching up! we went to the Orchards of Conklin in Pomona where they had four different types of apples that were ripe! i was pretty surprised since it’s still pretty early in the season!^^

^^after the Orchards we drove down the street to the farm stand where we saw that giant pumpkin! likeeeee how did that happen!!!? we also grabbed some apple cider and of course, some delicious homemade cider donuts, and sat outside in the beautiful weather to enjoy.^^

^^afterwards, we went to the Art Cafe--basically the best restaurant in all of the county! i introduced them to the ever-so famous rice bowls and we had some really awesome gal-chat time.^^

love these ladies and all they bring to my life. feeling happy and grateful tonight!

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guys! i’ve been on a hiatus because i’ve started grad school, but look for new posts veryyyyy soon! while you’re at it: Follow my blog with Bloglovin

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A Weekend Down South | Charlotte, NC

a couple of weeks ago, my Mom and I (along with my Aunt and cousin) took a trip down south to Charlotte, NC to visit another one of my aunts for a girls’ weekend. these two women are my mom’s best friends. our families have grown up together. 

i have been to North Carolina one other time when i was just a few years old (again with these same aunts and uncles) when we went to Duck, NC. i don’t remember much of anything and now all the memories i do have, come from pictures and stories i hear about being the only child at the time. i was excited to travel down to NC because i’ve heard wonderful things about Charlotte (and i was excited to see my aunt and uncle’s home!). 

just a little disclaimer: I’m having trouble with my Photos app and allowing me to upload pictures online. i’ve contacted Apple and it was working, until now when i tried to upload these. these are just a few of the ones that i could upload without editing/rotating a picture. just saying, the food in NC was amazing and we had amazing meals. unfortunately, i didn’t take out my camera at our meals too often and if i did, those are some of the photos that aren’t making it onto this post. ughhhhh -_-

^^when we first arrived we got the grand tour of the city of Charlotte. it is so tiny and so clean, it was really quite pleasant, though there wasn’t much to see. after grabbing lunch, we headed back to my aunt and uncle’s house. who live on a golf course!^^

^^for dinner, we went back into Charlotte to a restaurant called Carpe Diem. i had to take a picture with the sign, because that font and phrase looks quite similar to that which i have tattooed on my body!^^

^^on Saturday, we decided to take a 2-hour drive north to Asheville, NC to visit the Biltmore. my aunt who lives in Charlotte had never been, so we figured it would be a great thing for the five of us to do. 

if you don’t know, the Biltmore is the largest privately owned home in the U.S. (part of the Vanderbilt’s fortune) and it is now open to the public as a place to tour. not only was the building amazing, but the miles of grounds at the Estate were incredible. the views were gorgeous with mountains and fields of sunflowers as you can see. 

of course we had to take a selfie (Aunt Patty, Kate, Aunt Joann, Mom, and me)!

we grabbed lunch at a great restaurant on the grounds and also helped ourself to a free wine tasting that was included with our admission. the wine wasn’t even half bad! 

i’m sad we didn’t have a chance to explore Asheville, since i’ve heard it’s a beautiful place, a kind of “hippy” town, with great food. next trip, i guess!^^

 ^^we got back to the house around 7, to find my uncle had set up a little happy hour spread. we had a few drinks and then went out to dinner at a true Southern barbecue joint. it was delicious and much needed after a long day of sitting in a car. one really cool thing about NC was the beer selection. there were a TON of craft beers from the area. most restaurant menus included beers that were only made in the state. every brew i tried was amazing! (especially that cucumber beer that we grabbed at the Biltmore!) 

also, how adorable is their dog, Flynn!!? i wanted to take him home with me!^^