White Rose System (Roselle) taylor ham
Diners

White Rose System (Roselle)

Hollie

White Rose System (Roselle):

Recently I was in Roselle and wanted to stop at the famous White Rose System. The White Rose System is a legendary old school metallic diner.  I’ve gone to a few older diners recently and it’s like you step into a time machine.

As I mentioned last week with the White Rose Diner, many old diners in New Jersey have the name white in them; in fact, there are about 20 old diners in New Jersey that have the name.  According to Munchmobile, when diners were first starting, “white” meant cleanliness and wholesomeness

White Rose System (Roselle)

White Rose System (Roselle) Atmosphere: A
You cannot get an older diner than the White Rose System. It’s a shiny, square, metallic diner, located in the hill. The inside is bar seating only. The White Rose System fits about 20 people and everyone sits on a stool.

White Rose System (Roselle) inside

White Rose System (Roselle): Coffee: B
The coffee at the White Rose System is no-frills only. I got a small cup that held about 8 ounces. It was good and it tasted like perfect diner coffee.

White Rose System (Roselle) coffee

White Rose System (Roselle) Food: A
The White Rose System menu is on the backboard and it’s small with no frills. You aren’t going to find healthy but you will find their famous Taylor Ham Rolls. I knew I wanted a Taylor Ham Roll with cheese, ketchup, egg, and tomato.

White Rose System (Roselle) taylor ham

I don’t typically order Taylor Hams (or Pork Rolls) so it was fun to try something different. It was a great breakfast sandwich and it was exactly what I pictured an old school diner to have.

White Rose System (Roselle) taylor ham

White Rose System (Roselle) Service: B
You aren’t getting a waitress or hostess at the White Rose System.  The manager takes your order and brings it out to you a few minutes later.  After ordering my Taylor Ham, it was ready within 2 minutes.

White Rose System (Roselle) Cost: $
For my sandwich and coffee, the cost was $5.80! That might be one of the cheapest diner meals I’ve ever had.

Overall Thoughts/Would I Come Back to White Rose System (Roselle)?
I enjoyed the White Rose System and the old school atmosphere. It was the stereotypical old school New Jersey Diner. If you’re ever in Roselle, I highly recommend it.

Atmosphere: A
Coffee: B
Food: A
Service: B
Cost: $3-8 
Overall: B

You can see all 280 diner reviews here.

Questions for you:
What is the cheapest restaurant meal you’ve had?
Have you eaten at a cash-only spot? 

 

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Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) pork chop
Diners

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy)

Hollie

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy)

Recently Jess and I met up at Perth Amboy to catch up and eat the Superior Diner.  The Superior Diner is known as one of the better diners in the area, so we decided to stop.

We arrived around dinner time and it wasn’t too crowded.

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) Atmosphere: B
The Superior Diner is an older, cobblestone building. It’s not a big, shiny, metallic building, but it stands out along the road.

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) inside

The inside of the Superior Diner has plenty of booths, tables, and a full-length bar.

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) Coffee: A
The Superior Diner coffee was brewed hot and fresh and the waitress refilled it often. Plus, she gave both Jess and I plenty of whipped cream.  We couldn’t have asked for better coffee.

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) coffee

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) Food: A
The Superior Diner menu is huge and there are plenty of breakfast, lunch, and dinner specials. In fact, the Superior Diner menu has the most specials of any diner I’ve been to in a while. I didn’t know what I wanted but then saw the pork chop special and ultimately decided that’s what I wanted. I’ve ordered diner specials a lot lately because they are cheaper and with more food!

Anyway, the pork chop special came with soup, salad, and the meal.

For my soup, I chose the lima bean soup. It was a red base with a little kick to it. I’ve never had lima bean soup and it was great.

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) lima bean soup

The salad was typical of a diner salad with nothing unique or unusual about it.

The pork chops were delicious and were cooked well.  They weren’t overcooked and were tender and juicy — one of the better diner pork chops I’ve had recently.Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) pork chop

For my sides, I chose beets and they were good as well. Nothing unique or unusual, but they tasted good.

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) beets

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) Service: B
Our waitress at the Superior Diner was friendly and our food came out fast. She was one of the better waitresses I’ve had recently. There was another waitress who was holding loud conversations and it made it hard to hear anything. At one point, she was yelling something about her cats.

Superior Diner (Perth Amboy) Cost:
For my pork chop special and coffee, the cost was $20.

Overall Thoughts/Would I Come Back to the Superior Diner (Perth Amboy)?
I liked the Superior Diner and it’s a stereotypical New Jersey Diner. It’s a great stop if you’re heading down the shore and I would go back.

Atmosphere:  B
Coffee: A
Food: A
Service: B
Cost: $12-20
Overall: A

You can see all 279 Diner Reviews here.

Questions for you:
Are you a pork chop fan?
What is your favorite type of soup?

 

Diadora Mythos Blushield Hip 5 Shoe Review
Gear Review, Running

Diadora Mythos Blushield Hip 5 Shoe Review

Hollie

Diadora Mythos Blushield Hip 5 Shoe Review

Diadora is a newer brand in the running world. Diadora is an Italian brand, with its headquarters in Philadelphia.

Diadora is best known for both lifestyle, tennis, and soccer shoes, but the quality of any Diadora running shoe is every bit as good as other brands.  I’ve reviewed a couple of Diadora shoes, including the Diadora Mythos Elite TRX and Diadora Fly Shoe Review.

Diadora Mythos Blushield Hip 5 Shoe Review

Diadora Mythos Blushield Hip 5 Quick Facts:

Weight: 9 oz

Heel to Toe Drop: 10 mm

Diadora Mythos Blushield Hip 5 Fit:

The Diadora Mythos Blushield Hip 5 has a two-tone engineered air mesh upper.  It’s made of nylon and also has transparent transfer.  One thing I appreciate is how the upper of the Diadora Mythos Blushield Hip 5 is made with iridescent details to make it more visible at night. Many of Diadora models now have that feature.

Diadora Mythos Blushield Hip 5 Shoe Review

As a brand, Diadora has a slightly wider last than many other brands. I typically wear between a 10-11 wide. I find the Diadora Mythos Blushield Hip 5 size 10.5 to be great.

Diadora Mythos Blushield Hip 5 Shoe Review

Diadora Mythos Blushield Hip 5 Ride:

Diadora is like a giant, soft, marshmallow under your foot. I appreciate all of the cushion and how my foot just sinks in.  Not just with the Diadora Mythos Blushield Hip 5, but all of the shoes are soft.

Diadora uses “BlueShield technology” in their shoes. Each brand uses a different type of technology they deem the best. For example, Asics uses gel, adidas uses boost, etc.

What is Blushield Technology?

Blushield is soft and durable. Diadora Blushield combines reactivity and cushioning.

The morpho base is carved following the shape of the foot.  This allows the foot to maintain its natural anatomy when rolling through the gait cycle.

Together with the Blushield cushioning and Morpho base, Diadora Mythos Blushield Hip 5 minimizes imbalances in the foot. This is helpful if your feet are doing slightly different things and don’t want to overcorrect one problem. For instance, if one foot pronates.

The sole of the Diadora Mythos Blushield Hip 5 uses “Duratec 5000”.  Duratec 5000 is a durable compound in the heel area that helps with traction and durability.  I’ve found the Diadora Mythos Blushield Hip 5 to be great for miserable weather days. We haven’t had too many icy days this winter, but I appreciate the traction when we do.

I’ve done a few different runs in the Diadora Mythos Blushield Blushield Hip 5 and have found it to be best for easy and recovery days. My favorite days to use it are either recovery run days, easy runs on the treadmill or treadmill days. Much like the Hoka Bondi 6, I appreciate how my foot sinks into the shoe and my body doesn’t feel as banged up.

Diadora Mythos Blushield Hip 5 Shoe Review

Diadora Mythos Blushield Hip 5 Conclusion:

I like the Diadora Mythos Blushield Blushield Hip 5 and I find it makes a great recovery shoe, if not one of my favorite of the year. I appreciate how soft and cushioned it is. If you are looking for an easy run shoe, the Diadora Mythos Blushield Blushield Hip 5 is a great option.

Finally, The Diadora Mythos Blushield Hip 5 is exclusively available in run specialty. If you are local, RunningCo. of Haddonfield, Philly Runner, North Wales Running Company, and Runners High carry the Diadora Mythos Mythos Blushield Hip 5.

Current Rotation:

Easy/Daily Runs: Mizuno Rider Waveknit 3, New Balance 1080 v10, Diadora Mythos Blushield Blushield Hip 5, Hoka Bondi 6, Asics Cumulus 21

Speed Work: New Balance FuelCell Rebel, Reebok Float Ride Run fast Pro, Nike Pegasus Turbo 2

Long Runs: Brooks Ricochet 2 Shoe Review, New Balance FuelCell Rebel, Altra Escalante 2.0, Hoka Cavu 2

Races: New Balance Fuelcell 5280, Nike Next%,  Reebok Run fast Pro 

You Can See All Current Shoe Reviews Here.

Finally, have you subscribed to the LOLZletter? It’s a free newsletter that comes out each Monday. In the newsletter, I share running industry trends and things relevant to the sport.

Questions for you:

Have you tried Diadora before?

What is your current favorite shoe? 

Naked nutrition collagen
Food

Naked Nutrition Collagen

Hollie

Naked Nutrition Collagen

Recently, I’ve been experimenting with different types of collagen.  I’ve written a dozen posts about the uses and benefits of collagen, but it’s been a few months.

Naked nutrition collagen

What is Collagen?

Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body.  It’s a major component of connective tissues in muscles, ligaments, tendons, and skin.  Consuming collagen will provide benefits, whether you are an athlete or not.

For runners, collagen can help bone and joint health, plus it can aid in workout recovery.

For nonrunners, collagen also helps skin and healthy hair and nails. I notice the difference of both my hair and skin when I consume collagen.

Naked nutrition collagen
My cay appreciates Naked nutrition collagen too 😉

Why Take a Collagen Supplement?

It’s hard to get hydrolyzed collagen from food sources. You can do it by drinking bone broth every day, but taking a collagen supplement like Naked Collagen is going to make it easier to get the appropriate amount. Like whey protein powder, Naked Nutrition Collagen can help rebuild muscles post-workout.

So What is Naked Nutrition?

As the brand suggests, Naked Nutrition doesn’t contain any extra “stuff.” It’s flavorless and tasteless and so far the most tasteless collagen I’ve found to date. Naked Nutrition Collagen is highly soluble and tasteless.

The Naked Nutrition Collagen only has 35 calories per serving because it contains no extra filler. Just hydrolyzed collagen.  Personally, I’ve been using it in coffee, tea, or hot cocoa.  During the warmer months, I’ll probably add it so cold drinks and smoothies. You can add Naked Nutrition Collagen Peptide Powder in almost anything because you don’t taste it.

Naked nutrition collagen

So What Does Naked Nutrition Collagen Contain (or not contain)?

  • One Ingredient: Collagen Peptides
  • Collagen Contains 9 out of 18 Essential Amino Acids
  • Hydrolyzed Collagen Comes From Pasture-Raised and Grass-Fed Bovine Hides
  • No Artificial Sweeteners, Flavors, or Colors
  • 9 Grams of Protein and 0.6 Grams of BCAA’s Per Serving**
  • GMO-Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free, and Gluten-Free
  • Growth Hormone Free, no rBGH or rBs

Naked nutrition collagen

Finally, have you subscribed to the LOLZletter? It’s a free newsletter that comes out each Monday. In the newsletter, I share running industry trends and things relevant to the sport. 

Questions for you:

Have you tried Naked Nutrition Collagen?

Do you take a Collagen Peptide Supplement? 

 

Pocomoke River State Park
hiking

Hiking Pocomoke River State Park

Hollie

Pocomoke River State Park (Pocomoke, MD)

On my many drives from New Jersey to Virginia, I’ve seen Pocomoke River State Park near Pocomoke City and Snow Hill in Worcester County. I’ve always wanted to stop at Pocomoke River State Park, but for whatever reason, weather, timing, it just didn’t work out.

Pocomoke River State Park

A couple of weeks ago, my legs were feeling restless, so I decided to stop.  I was not disappointed!

Pocomoke River State Park

Pocomoke River State Park is located right off Route 113, just before connecting with Route 13. There are plenty of hiking trails.  Plus, if you are looking for camping, they have an electric hookup, camp store, picnic area, nature center, bathhouse, dumping station, swimming pool and even large boat launch. There are several areas to camp, including Shad Landing and Milburn Landing Areas

Pocomoke River State Park
Pocomoke River

I went to Shad Landing which is on the south side of the Pocomoke River near Route 113. I didn’t realize there was a whole separate section called Milburn Landing.  It’s 25 minute drive between the two sections of Pocomoke River State Park.  I can see how they host an 50k ultra race at Pocomoke River State Park.

Pocomoke River State Park
Catch the vulture?

Located within the 15,000 wooded acres of Pocomoke State Forest has about 15,000 wooded acres. Pocomoke River State Park is famous for its loblolly pine and for its cypress swamps. The Pocomoke River originates in the Great Cypress Swamp in Delaware and flows south 45 miles to the Chesapeake Bay. Cypress Swamp and upland is home to plenty of plant and animal life, including otters and bald eagles, and over 50 species of fish.

Pocomoke River State Park
Might need this…

Even though it was a beautiful 60 degrees in January, the seasonal things were obviously closed.

Pocomoke River State Park

I didn’t plan to stop at Pocomoke River State Park, so I didn’t have any ideas of trails. Several trails hike through the Great Cypress Swamp in Delaware and Maryland. Plus, you can hike by the Chesapeake Bay as well as areas of the Pocomoke River.

Pocomoke River State Park
My favorite photo of Pocomoke River State Park. You can see the rainbow reflecting off the water

Here are a few photos from the stop.  I was only at Pocomoke River State Park for an hour, but it was a great stop to get out and stretch my legs. I find I’ve struggled to sit still on the 6-hour drive.

Pocomoke River State Park me selfie

You can see all the hikes here.

Questions for you:

Have you ever been to Pocomoke River State Park?

Do you sit still well in car rides?