A few weeks ago, I was driving through Albany, New York. While driving through, we were hungry so a quick google search led us to the Gateway Diner.
Atmosphere: B
The outside of the Gateway Diner has lots of lights. It resembles a space ship or disco club.
The inside looks like it could be updated and it honestly seems like it’s right out of the 90s. It wasn’t bad; it just needed an update. It’s an unusual combination from the outside to the inside. Disco club outside and very 1990s inside.
Coffee: C
The coffee was luke warm at best. The whipped cream stayed intact on top of the beverage and didn’t melt. I like hot coffee. One of the biggest ways for me to dislike coffee is if it’s not hot. Coffee is made to be either hot or cold.
Service: C
The hostess took our drink orders and then forgot to bring them back. After asking the waitress for coffee twice, she brought the coffee out. Most of the staff was very nice, just forgetful. We also went extended periods without seeing anyone, which was surprising because there weren’t many parties in the diner. Throughout our entire meal, there was never more than three parties in the Gateway Diner.
Food: B
The Gateway Diner has several options but surprisingly, not a lot of breakfast options. I decided to order the sirloin off the specials menu. It was a thin steak that came with three sides. I chose a soup, french fries, and beets.
I ordered the cream of corn chowder. I’m not sure if I have ever had cream of corn chowder before then. There was plenty of corn plus it was hot. I wish my coffee had been that hot.
The steak was tough, but the broth made it good. I hate to say the steak relied on the broth but I think without it, I would be dousing my meal with ketchup. The beets were great. I enjoyed the French fries as well. They were crispy and not overly greasy.
Overall my meal was pretty typical of a diner. It wasn’t a fancy 5-star restaurant but it was a good meal.
Price: $
For my entree and coffee, the cost was $15 which was a great deal for the amount of food I received. It wasn’t the freshest, but there was a lot of food.
Summary/Would I come back?
I liked the Gateway Diner, and it was a good meal. The service was slow as well as lukewarm coffee but it was inexpensive, and there was plenty of food. If I’m in the area again, I will go back.
Atmosphere: B Coffee: C Service: C Food: B Cost: $10-15 Overall: B Questions for you: Do you like beets? What temperature do you like your coffee?
When I wrote my last post about food, I had no idea how the post would be perceived. Since I no longer write much about food, you never know how readers might respond. Everyone needs to eat, and food and nutrition are an important part of running and working out.
I thought it would be interesting to showcase some of my favorite foods and meal staples. I’m not great at cooking, and I don’t shop at a lot of specialty stores. Most of my shopping comes from the three closest grocery stores to me: Wegmans, Shoprite and Whole Foods.
I shop at Wegmans and Shoprite for most of my groceries and Whole Foods for fish, steak, and some produce.
When someone asks your favorite food, I feel like it’s a weird question. You can’t compare items like steak to donuts, both are delicious but it’s hard to compare. I have a lot of favorite foods. I like sugary treats, but I also like a big juicy steak too.
Favorite breakfast item:
Breakfast is easy for me. I have a waffle with peanut butter. I’ve been doing this for years, and it’s always worked for me. I eat a waffle every morning, whether I’m running, racing or just resting. I’ve never had a stomach issue. I use Bisquick and just add water. I also use flour, egg, baking powder and milk if I don’t have the mix. I can usually run between 1-2 hours after eating. I don’t like to run on an empty stomach. I generally eat within 20 minutes of waking up, relax and then go for a run 1-2 hours later.
Artsy waffle for you
Lunch:
Lunch depends on if I’m at home or if I’m at work. Most people know I work at a local running store. It’s hard to predict a day in a retail store and no two days are the same. I can’t plan to bring a big meal because I might not have time to eat it. I could have plenty of time, or I could be snacking the entire day. I’ve become used to it, though, and I honestly don’t mind either way.
I usually pack easy to eat sandwiches or bars so that if we get slammed, I can still eat. It’s not like I can tell a customer “Go away I’ve got to get my lunch on”. I’ve been looking for an easy “bar” recipe if anyone has any.
Some quick and easy staples. Sometimes quick and easy means I order down the road from work:
Power bars are one of my favorites, especially the cookie doughFrench toast bagels from Panera make their appearance oftenQuick and easy saladsI crave soup in the winter. My two favorite kinds of soup are split pea and lentilI recently got a takeout pita bread sandwich which has become one of my favorite lunch buys. It has pesto, chicken, and melted feta
Dinner:
I’ve said this more times than I can remember, but I am a very simple dinner person. I like meat, potato and vegetable. I rotate through all of them, but both my husband and I aren’t fancy cooks. Our meals tend to take between 15-30 minutes to cook. Luckily my husband is the same way. He cooks the meat, and I prepare everything else.
Some of our favorite meats:
steak
salmon or any pink fish (we aren’t fans of too many white fish)
chicken
Squid (yes, one of my favorite, if not favorite meats is squid)
Steak and kale (I love T-bone steaks because they are so fatty, anyone else?)Another T-boneSea Bass and Squid from the other night
The usual suspects
We frequently cook some vegetable or have a salad. My current favorite vegetables are eggplant and squash, but it varies.
Vegetables of (current) choice:
eggplant and squash
asparagus
Eggplant sauteed in oil and garlic is the easiest and most delicious vegetable
Then, of course, there is the grain/potato portion of dinner. Current favorites include
Pasta or rice (because it takes 5 minutes!) I went through a phase with pasta where I didn’t eat it much and always chose other items over it. Now I can’t get enough.
Sweet or normal potatoes
Bread from Panera. If you recall, my husband won a year supply of Panera bread from a race last year, and we use it to buy a loaf. Panera bread goes well with everything in my life.
Pasta with spinach and cheese
As you can see, my husband and I are simple eaters. We don’t spend hours creating perfect food dishes. Spending a few hours is some people’s hobby, but we know we like fast, simple and easy food! We save fancy eating for going out.
Questions for you:
Do you prefer cooking simple food or fancier recipes?
A lot of people question how I eat enough to withstand 100 mile weeks. It couldn’t be possible to ever gain weight while running 100 mile weeks and you couldn’t possibly eat enough to withstand that activity…ect.
First and foremost, I only ran 100 mile week. I didn’t run 52 but rather just 1. That was my peak week and most of my other weeks were between 60-80. Most not all. As much as I want to credit myself to running multiple 100 mile weeks, I know I would just get injured running several in a row. (or more then 1).
I’ve rambled about this a few times but blogging nutrition and real life nutrition is not the same thing. I feel bad for certified dieticians and nutritionists that also blog. They get mixed in with other bloggers whose research involves personal research and study which is not the same as being certified. Point blank: it’s not. I’ve taken plenty of nutrition classes but don’t know nearly enough as someone who has studied and has their undergraduate, masters, or even PhD. I can tell you what has worked for me but that is no way telling what will work for you or that is right or wrong.
The majority of healthy living blogs focus on getting enough vegetables, fiber and more vegetables into their diet. If I ate half the amount of vegetables that some people do, I would be able to run 1 mile…maybe 2 with deciding it was time to go home.
When you run high mileage and exercise you must learn that you have to eat a lot of foods that aren’t high in fiber. You must eat food that is still healthy but you can’t eat 3000 calories worth of broccoli. You also can’t eat 3000 calories worth of ice cream. Both will result in you not feeling great for a run.
A typical day for me looks something like this right now:
Breakfast: 400-500 calories
Coffee+cream (100-200 calories…my vice).
Some of my breakfast choices lately have been: Bagel and peanut butter, egg sandwich, eggs and toast, waffle with Greek yogurt or peanut butter.
A standard waffle with peanut butter and yogurt has been my go to before races right now and I think I’ll stay to that before the marathon (as well as a bagel with peanut butter while waiting around beforehand). My standard race day nutrition used to be a bagel with peanut butter and yogurt but I had stomach cramps a few races back and it was enough to change my mind.
Raspberry pancakes make me happyBagel+peanut butter+yogurt also make me happy
French toast bagels are my favorite (panera or wegmans FYI)
Run
Lunch (within an hour of running) 500-800 calories
I’ve been having a lot egg sandwiches lately. Eggs, avocado and cheddar cheese on a bagel. I really just have whatever is in the fridge. It could be a sandwich, soup or salad. I don’t have a standard post run meal or lunch. I normally just like to eat what is in the fridge.
Sometimes I’ll go to the gym in between, sometimes I won’t. (now that I’m tapering, I don’t).
egg and ham sandwichlentil soup (this cold has got me craving it)Soup with parm cheese so goodRandom salad I attempted to make restaurant worthy…they never are as to why I try and eat salads at restaurants more.
Snack: 200-300 calories
I consume a lot of yogurtNo really…’Baked apples are good (especially in the cold)I also eat bars on the go…snickers marathon bars are really good
I normally have a snack sometime in the middle of the day. I’ve been enjoying apples and peanut butter lately but that is only because apples have been so cheap at stores. I also have left overs if they are in the fridge.
Dinner: 800-1200
As if anything else is planned, my dinner is the least planned and changes daily. I am such a meat and potatoes kind of person. I’ll have a serving of meat (steak and fish being my favorite), some sort of vegetables (cooked kale, brussel sprouts and spaghetti squash are my current favorites) and some sort of grain. I’ve been better about eating a carbohydrate such as bread or race. I’m actually not a big pasta fan (I don’t like the consistency) so I tend to eat more rice and bread.
steak and potatoesham and potatoes (and apples)Sweet Potato+Salmon+mushrooms (I’m so different)
I normally like to make a smoothie at night with a cup of milk and protein powder. I have a big sweet tooth so often times I’ll just have ice cream. I don’t really schedule a treat at night but if I’m craving something I’ll have something. Whatever I’m craving I generally have at night. I go to bed around 9-10 personally.
ice creamice cream, cherries and whip creamProtein shakehot cocoa and whip cream
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I know this is very vague but it’s how I eat. I don’t worry or stress about food or getting my vegetables daily. As much as I say I want to meal plan, I don’t. If I eat too many vegetables then I don’t feel good running. I don’t know how people eat so many vegetables (honestly). I do strive to get vegetables but not overboard. I try and get enough protein, carbohydrates and fat but I don’t track it and it doesn’t ruin my day. I found the less I stress about food the easier it is. I’ve never had a problem getting enough food and have never lost weight during a training cycle.
I will say I’m hoping to do a carbohydrate deplete and then carb load during my final week of taper.
Questions for you:
What does a typical day for you look like?
Do you plan your food weekly or eat when you are hungry?
Today I leave again to go back to the East Coast. I know it has shocked a lot of people (including myself) that I am moving so quickly (a month and a half of being in Texas). I truly had a great time here even though it was for such a short time. The military lifestyle is truly unpredictable and I knew that there was a chance I’d be moving back to the East coast relatively soon after moving here. Not a month and a half, but relatively soon (I was thinking more like 5-6 months later). I also knew there was a chance I was staying out here for four years or moving elsewhere. My heart right now is on the East Coast and as I said a while back, NJ will be a great fit for me.
I learned more in this month of being in Texas about myself then several of the semesters in college.
You can’t sweat the small stuff. Look at the bigger picture and while you might not be 100%satisfied right now…you will be. Don’t worry about it. For me, not having a job was and still is frustrating. I know I will have a job that I love again soon.
You can’t schedule every life event. I tried to do that and it failed. My move dates, plan dates, where I would move changed 6 times over the course of the month. I hate not being able to give people direct answers of when I can hang out or if I can make stops to see them, yet right now I don’t have those answers. Believe me it’s as obnoxious for me as probably you. I wrote about being a planner like it was my job a while back and right now I’m spontaneous like it’s my job.
Celebrate no routine. This may be the only time for a while I have no routine. Embrace it.
Living with someone else…you must learn to adapt and change. This could be the hardest for me and throughout the month. With Tim not getting back until around 6-7, that is when we would generally eat dinner. Maybe he wants to do something else. I could have planned something all day and it doesn’t work out. You have to learn to compromise.
Despite all this moving I am 100% happier than I have ever been in my life. There will never be a point in my life with zero stress but this is coming pretty close. I am 100% happy with my 2013, despite 4 moves and despite that I’m heading into another 1700 mile drive.
Prey for Lorraine and I.
Some random pictures and highlights from my (brief) Texas adventures:
My first photo of TexasI did win this growler at a half marathon and it goes down for best race prize everMeeting and hanging out with Stephanie with so much fun. I will truly miss you!The night we found out we were Jersey boundTim’s graduation and his parents, sister and baby coming to visit.Living 2 miles from MexicoMedium rare steak all the time. I will miss cheap steak in Texas.Sun rises and sun sets are to die for here.
So that’s it in a nutshell. I’m happy, I’m moving and I can’t wait to start another new chapter of my life. One of the shorter chapters of my autobiography I guess I’ll title it Chapter 23.5…Texas. Straight and to the point. I’m 23 this about my half birthday and I spent some time in Texas.
I feel like after a week of deep posts I owe you a light hearted fun post. In case you missed any of my posts this week and don’t feel like looking at the side hand bar…
Just kidding but that would be great blogging technique right? I will tell you what I’ve been up to just for good measure.
First I’ve spent a solid 10-20 hours (seems like a good estimate) applying for jobs in NJ and PA. I am trying not to stress myself out but job searching is hard work and stressful. Right now I am thinking, am I good enough? Why would a company want to hire me? Then I realize I spent four years in college working my butt off. Then I spent another year working and loving my job so yes I am a good candidate. As alluring as full time blogging is I don’t have the grammar and spelling skills nor do I have the interest to full time blog forever. (I mean full time blogging and running pays the bills right? (Well, no not for me).
I’ve also been running…a lot. One of my favorite loops around town goes straight to the boarder of Mexico. I finally remembered to bring my camera and in more proper blogging technique I stopped and took some photos. I would have live tweeted them while running, but I think I would have gotten hit by a car or attacked by a Rottweiler or pitbull.
Mexico boarder
This week is going to be a powerhouse running week (peak week 1) for me and will hopefully be around 90 miles. Knock on wood I’ve been recovering well and doing what I need to be doing. It also helps that my only jobs right now are to apply for jobs, eat, sleep and run.
Climbing the Fence to Mexico…
As far as my nutrition front (lolz):
I tried quail for the first time this week too. I always see these pesky birds while running but when they are cooked it’s like the chef just chopped off the heads and cook them up. It’s a little intimidating to eat but it was really good. It really just reminded me of chicken.
This quail is alive.A quail (and steak) on my plate.
Since it’s not real life until I show you a picture of a dessert I’ve consumed…I ate this fried ice cream. It was delicious as anything fried is..as I’m sure 95% of comments will be about how delicious fried ice cream is.
This is fried ice cream.
My only plans this weekend are to pack the house and prepare for leaving Texas next week. I’ll probably post more concrete plans once I know of them but the Russian Roulette of my life is ever changing and once I post a blog topic…it will probably change.
I know my blog is often associated with waffles, pancakes but occasionally….well the majority of meals I like to eat other food too. This can serve as a life update post too because those have been few and far between. I’ve been working and going out to eat the majority of time catching up with friends. It’s somewhat expensive, yes, but I’ve accepted August will not be the month for me to be frugal and since I saved up enough working both jobs and I won’t have the luxury of seeing a lot of people once I move for a while…Not to say I’m going crazy and spending my entire savings account but I’m panicking when I spend more money then usual.
I apologize if some have already appeared on instagram and you feel you feel like you are seeing déjà vu.
This is long overdo but there is another Oiselle athlete in my area Mollie is simply incredible. I’m not sure anything I could say could give her a proper introduction but she is gorgeous, down to earth, 16 minute 5ker and actually also expecting very soon! Anyways, I’ve gone out with her a couple of times and people like her make me wish I wasn’t leaving the area right now.
Not to mention eating with Ashleigh. Ashleigh is one of my good friends that I’m always so glad to be able to hang out with her.
I ended up ordering the steak salad which was quite good. It had all my credentials after all…steak and crumbly blue cheese.
In the midst of work, I was able to eat lunch with Stella. We went to the Yorgo’s Bageldashery in Norfolk.
Although I’m not vegan, they had a lot of great vegan choices. (Literally half their menu was vegan). I opted for a bagel with salmon on it which was awesome. It still doesn’t beat the Baglary in my college down. Those were the best.
So that is just a few of my friend adventures in the last week or so. Outside of a normal 40 hour work week, I’ve been packing like a mad woman and enjoying my last few weeks with my parents and family.
So anyways, in San Antonio we ended staying directly on the Riverwalk. If you have never been there, it’s a nice stretch of River where you walk…go figure. (Isn’t it nice when things are exactly what they appear to be?) It’s a few miles long and had restaurants, bars, stores…everything for your tourist encounters. It’s a lot of fun and something that is on the San Antonio big tourist list.
To the untrained eye this just looks like a picture of us being tourists but really it is us on top of the bridge where Selena was filmed.
The first thing I wanted after checking into our hotel was Mexican food. More like guacamole. We stopped at the first restaurant we saw called the Maria Mia.
The singing mariachi band swarmed us before we could even order and sang. I dubbed them my vacation boyfriends.
Maria Mara asked if we wanted guacamole with our chips…what a silly question. I basically ate this entire thing. I have never been to a restaurant where so many staff asked how we were doing. I almost couldn’t choke down my food because every minute someone else was asking.
Anyways back to my salad. If this was how my vacation was going to go…well I didn’t mind one bit. I love taco salads, nothing beats the moment when you are like done with my salad…now I got a taco to eat.
I had a few taco salads on my vacation (by a few I mean 4).
bonus round
We also went to a restaurant called Texas de Brazil. This is a chain restaurant and it has probably become my favorite restaurant of all time. It isn’t cheap (roughly 50 dollars per person) but it is 100% worth it. You have unlimited salad bar with everything from goat cheese, asparagus, smoked salmon, couscous…really everything.
This was 1 of about 10 rounds.
Then they bring you all different types of meats whenever you want. There are literally waiters that go around the restaurant and their only job is to serve the various types of meats: steak, pork, filet mignon, lamb. You can choose pieces cooked anywhere from medium rare to well done (but it seems like a sin in Texas to get anything not medium rare…I like that anyways). I left barely waddling out and all I wanted to do after was sleep. So I did.
Medium rare prime rib perfection
If you are anywhere near one a Texas de Brazil, I highly recommend it. Not only because you the food is amazing, but because it is just a really cool and interesting experience. Just to give you an idea, there was a lady on tight ropes doing flips and stuff behind glass…while we were eating. I should have taken a photo but I was too busy eating.
