Running on Christmas?

Every year I always have great intentions of taking Christmas off but for some reason..

I always end up running. 

Whether it's succumbing to an addiction or attempting to mask the guilt I feel after over-eating, my Christmas Day run has always been a great run. 

2 years ago, I ran 6 mi in the dark. Last year, I ran 8 mi in my neighborhood after I consumed enough roast beef & mashed potatoes to fill two full-grown adults. This year, I ran 4 mi to a delightful mix of Christmas songs. (And yes, I do love country Christmas music) For some reason on Christmas Day I feel unstoppable. Like I can run forever. Perhaps it is a Christmas miracle. Often during the Christmas season, we get caught up in the stresses & obligations of the holidays and forget to relax. Once Christmas arrives, we can finally breathe (and run!). 

Now it's time to start brainstorming New Years resolutions! I'm starting off 2014 with the longest run of my life: 10.5 mi. Wish me luck :)

Here's to an amazing year!!

Mary

Christmas meal

Desserts always kill me...especially cheesecake (my favorite)

Tamales & Turbo Kickboxing

Determined to escape from the Netflix slump holding me hostage for the past 24 hours, I decided to try a Turbo Kick class at the local YMCA.  I have taken Zumba classes there before, a few step classes even, but this would be my first cardio kickboxing experience at the Y.  I was informed that it would be different than your average cardio kickboxing class.  Modern dance music would integrate dance moves into the kicks and punches.  Sounded interesting.  Even dragged my mom into it...

Midway through the burpees and jumping jacks and a move called "grabbing the firehose" (??), I looked over to my mom.  She obviously wasn't having as much fun as me but granted she was doing the whole workout at her age and with her knees.  The workout class was strenuous yet it also conformed to those who could only withstand less impact.  The kicks and punches provided with important stress relief.  Meredith, the instructor, made a joke that actually made a lot of sense: think of the last guy who treated you badly and you'll be given the strength to pack some power in your punch. Watch out boys.

Afterwards, I grabbed a quick 4 mile run outside on my favorite trail in Indianapolis, the Monon Trail.  Running on it still reminds me of high school long-distance track workouts, running with my best friends who consistently pushed the pace even on easy days.  Funny how it still seems like yesterday although it's been almost a couple years..

After the fairly long workout, my mom coerced me into trying a new tamale restaurant in Indianapolis although we had already eaten tamales earlier this past week.

Upon walking into the Tamaleria Lupitas Tamale Shop, we were met with the delicious and savory smells of the tamales.  The lady at the counter was very friendly and helpful as we navigated the menu to decide what to order.  Although I am fairly proficient in Spanish, it was convenient that they also offered a menu in English.  My mom and I sampled three different variations of tamales.  The first was a bean and cheese tamale, the second a spinach and cheese tamale, and the third was a chicken tamale with red sauce.  All three tasted delectable and authentic.  We finished our meal by splitting a sweeter tamale with pineapple.  The pineapple tamale included brown sugar and coconut (or at least we thought it tasted like it did..)  Probably the most unique tamale that I have ever tasted and I was not disappointed with my decision to try it.

Overall, the Tamaleria Lupitas Tamale Shop is a very friendly, casual place to grab authentic tamales in Indianapolis. I definitely look forward to returning and hopefully this time they will not be sold out of choco flan!

Mary

Authentic, delicious tamales

Don't Lose Hope, Try a Burger

Hope, Arkansas: the hometown of Bill Clinton, Mike Huckabee and Tailgaters Burger Company. Take a guess at which one of the three is my favorite...

Discovered this restaurant from complimentary Yelp reviews and am super glad I did! The decor inside is rustic and local, the perfect atmosphere for a great burger. It was also decorated for Christmas which was a nice touch. Sat on a booth that had previously been a bed of a pickup truck. Very quaint!

The food was delicious. I had an avocado burger which was well-cooked with fresh avocado slices and other traditional burger toppings. My dad tried the mushroom & Swiss burger and was equally as impressed. Mom had the Gorgonzola burger and let me sample a bite. The flavor from the Gorgonzola was strong but not overwhelming. Very well done. 

The chocolate shake was the perfect thickness and contained the desired ratio of chocolate syrup to whip cream. Very filling. 

Overall, Tailgaters Burger Company is a must-visit if you are ever in Hope, AR. Friendly service, great burgers and an awesome atmosphere. The visitor center is also just across the road so afterwards you can go check out what else this small town has to offer!

Mary

Avocado burger with Fried Pickles

Gorgonzola burger

Chocolate milkshake

Swiss & mushroom burger

9th Street Grill

I had never heard of Mount Vernon, Illinois until we stopped for lunch on our way to Texas. Thanks to Yelp, we decided to try 9th Street Grill. It had received great reviews and was not a McDonalds so I was thrilled. 

The decor inside was super quaint. The walls were decorated with paintings of local artists, very interesting and colorful. It was nice to see a local restaurant supporting local arts. 

Our waitress brought us out a loaf of bread to start and it was honestly the best bread I've ever had at a restaurant. It was soft, warm and zesty from the poppyseed topping. Tip- don't fill up on the bread because the food is equally as amazing!!

I ordered the Daisy, a plain Bison burger with regular toppings. My dad opted for the Hamilton, a Bison burger with Swiss cheese & mushrooms. Mom had the quiche of the day, broccoli and cheese, with a mixed greens salad. We were all thrilled. My burger was cooked to perfection and the sauces were amazing.  The bun was soft and meshed well with the leanness of the patty. The potato wedges on the side were crisp and flavorful. All three of us were super content and full after the meal. My mom raved about the quiche. 

We wanted to try the Two Sisters peppermint cheesecake for dessert but unfortunately were too full from the food. Make sure you plan ahead if you want dessert. It looked scrumptious. 

Definitely a must-visit if you are ever in Mount Vernon or are passing through. 

Mary

Daisy' Plain Bison burger

The Hamilton: Bison burger with Swiss & mushrooms

Broccoli & cheese quiche with mixed greens salad

Rendezvous Ribs

My cousin Gabi getting married in Texas meant one thing: 14 hour family road trip. Needless to say, I was not excited. 

My attitude changed, however, when I found out that we were stopping halfway in Memphis, Tennessee. Home of the Blues, Elvis and my personal favorite, ribs. I was thrilled to finally experience the famous dry ribs of Charlie Vergos's Rendevouz restaurant. Home of the most famous ribs since Adam. 

My mouth was watering as we walked down the alley leading to the restaurant off of Union Street. We were seated in close proximity to a showcase of pictures of famous restaurant visitors. There he was, my childhood idol Peyton Manning, smiling behind a plate of ribs. It was meant to be. 

The waiter brought the ribs out and our table immediately went silent. And if you know my family at all, you know that's a pretty big deal. We ordered two large orders of their famous ribs between my brother, dad and I. My mom opted for the chopped chicken sandwich. 

The dry rub seasoning is all it's cooked up to be. It's fantastic and unlike any other dry rub that I have ever tasted. So delicious you can eat the whole rack without sauce. The baked beans are phenomenal, sweet and savory. The coleslaw definitely has a kick- be warned. My mom was in tears but could not stop eating it. She said it was that good. 

If you are ever in Memphis, you have to stop by Rendevouz. It's a Tennessee staple. So glad I listened to all of my friends that recommended this place. Definitely made this road trip a little more enjoyable. And I believe I saw an advertisement mentioning their ribs can be FedExed... Hehe. 

Mary

Large order of the famous Rendevouz ribs with baked beans & coleslaw

Forget the Treadmill

If you wait for perfect conditions, you'll never get anything done.

It was with this notion that I trudged out on my long run this morning in the cold, snowy Indiana weather with my best friend Meghan. We came equipped with warm layers (Me- 5, Her- 2), positive attitudes (for the most part...) and SnowTrax. I purchased these highly-useful rubber-spike attachments last year in a feeble attempt to steer clear of the treadmill. They were perfect for the layer of snow & ice covering the beautiful Monon Trail. 

We started off and despite a few wardrobe malfunctions on Meghan's part (the SnowTrax didn't like her shoes, how she runs or a combination of the two), we were having a great time. We passed a few dog-walkers and two guys running that appeared to be college students. After they passed, I turned to Meghan and asked whether she thought they were college athletes or just running for fun. She turned to me, gave me a look and said, "If they were running for fun, do you really think they'd be out here in this?"  Touché. 

Although I agree with her for the most part, I think that braving the elements is fun in a slightly-twisted kind of way. Sure you begin to doubt your exercise decisions as you are skidding around on half-melted snow but at the end of the day, how many other people can say that they ran outside in the snow? It takes a certain kind of perseverance and determination to forgo the comfort of the indoor treadmill and adventure out into the world at your body's expense. You miss out on scenic snow-covered paths, streets lined with houses decorated with lights & the nature that even the visual-images on the newer treadmills cannot mass reproduce. So the next time you are thinking about opting for the regularity of the insulated treadmill, live a little and go run outside. We are only on this beautiful Earth for a little while and we might as well soak in as much sunshine, fresh air & nature as we can. You'll thank me for it. 

Mary

True friends hold you to exercising no matter the conditions.

The Star of Chicago ⭐️

During the Christmas season, we celebrate the journey of three wise men following the great Star of Bethlehem.  Likewise, my friend Matt and I went adventuring last Monday to Wicker Park in search of the Star of Chicago: Big Star.

I had been to Big Star once before in the summertime when the patio wasn't filled with frostbite and Christmas trees for sale.  The lights strung around the restaurant now brought a holiday cheer.  This was Matt's first visit and I knew he wouldn't be disappointed.  We were there in celebration, to ward away the traditional case of Monday blues.

My first visit, I split the chips & guac appetizer with a friend.  The avocado was fresh and there was the perfect amount of Serrano pepper included to make it zesty and flavorful.  The grilled pineapple in the taco al pastor was delicious.  Even the thought of combining pork, pineapple and onions in a single taco still makes my mouth water.  I concluded my meal with the walking taco, an item that I was a little unsure about at first.  Walking tacos reminded me of high school basketball games, mystery meat thrown in a bag of Fritos with unusually bright yellow cheese sauce.  The walking taco, however, was in a whole different league than any of the walking tacos I had ever had before.  Big Star's walking taco is the Lebron James of walking tacos.  The toppings were flavorful and fresh, the chili sauce with the perfect amount of spice and kick. 

This time, Matt and I sat at the bar and evaluated their famous margaritas. I opted for the Big Star margarita while he tried the classic version. Both were very strong but delightfully combined the lunazul blanco with natural citrus flavors. All in all, the margaritas were a delectable and refreshing way to conclude Moday. They definitely took a bite out of the cold on the journey back to Hyde Park!

Looking forward to going again and sharing the joy of Big Star with all my friends and family. 

Mary

Big Star's famous taco sign

Big Star Margarita