NYC/The Katie Show

Good morning!  This past Thursday my mom, sister and I went to New York for a mother-daughter day trip.  You see, in an attempt to find the perfect Christmas gift for them {which was unsuccessful}, I decided a mini getaway was a great solution and I wrapped up a certificate that told them that they were going to NYC for the day to see The Katie Show.  A friend of mine {Mike} works for ABC and was able to get us tickets for the show and we couldn't have been more excited to spend the day together.  

Outside the ABC studio....

As we were making our way around the block to the audience entrance, a large, black SUV pulled over to the curb and out jumped Katie herself!  It was a surprise to us...

Our tickets were considered VIP, which meant that we had definite access into the show on that day.  Plus, we were seated first in the studio.  This was the holding room where everyone waited until being called to the set.  

So excited to see Katie!

My sister and I prior to the show...

Unfortunately I wasn't able to take any pictures during the show, so I don't have any photos of Katie.  But as for her guests, Vanna White was on set, as well as the Food Network's Sandra Lee.  A few giveaways were given including Vanna's yarn {which I loved since I crochet} and a copy of Sandra Lee's new cookbook.   

After the show, we had lunch at a restaurant right around the corner called The Smith.  It came highly recommended...especially the fried green beans with ranch.  For my entree, I decided to splurge a bit with the chicken pot pie.  It was absolutely delicious!
    

We had a great day...despite the cold and windy temperatures.  I'm glad I wore my puffy winter jacket complete with a hood to keep me warm.  

As for running, I had a few good days on the roads.  Friday was a nine mile day at 8:00/mile pace.  Saturday was an easy rest day of three miles and Sunday I covered six miles in 7:45 pace.  

Yesterday Fred and I visited a few more of the wineries on the wine trail...more about that tomorrow!  Enjoy your day!

Preparing a Meal for a Local Shelter

This past Friday night I had the opportunity prepare a meal for a local shelter with a few of my friends from school.  This wasn't the first time our grade level {kids and all} collected food and money for the residents of Safe Harbor of Easton, a transitional/emergency center for single men and women who are homeless.  Safe Harbor also has a drop-in service that helps low-income people regain the confidence needed to maintain the tasks of normal, daily life.  

Last year was the first time that our team collected food and prepared a meal for Safe Harbor.  You can check out that post here. 

First, our students and their families were asked to send in the food we needed for the meal.  On the menu that night was fettuccine alfredo with chicken and broccoli, as well as garlic bread and salad.  We also collected cans of coffee, sugar and gift cards to the local grocery store.  The shelter keeps a constant flow of coffee on for people all day long, especially in the colder months so they are always in need of these items.  We were also told that grocery store gift cards are given to people who venture out on their own as a way for them to stock the refrigerator in their new place.  

As a whole...here are a few stats taken from our collection:

• 45 jars of alfredo sauce
• 34 boxes of pasta
• 21 pounds of coffee
• 30 pounds of sugar
• $165 in Giant gift cards
• $142 in cash/coins   

My team was ready to go...

Once we got there, it was straight to work and the residents began to filter in as we cooked.  Some inquired about what was for dinner and most were pleasantly surprised with pasta and white sauce.  We learned that most meals for them are pasta with red sauce in a variety of forms...spaghetti with meatballs, baked ziti, etc.   

There was one significant change from last year....the use of hair nets!  We got a kick out of how ridiculous we looked wearing them, but it was all in good fun.  

The final product...fettuccine alfredo with broccoli and chicken served on trays that reminded me of my elementary school days.  

 
In addition to the meal, we purchased two cakes from the bakery, one chocolate and one vanilla.  Note that the one had an incorrect spelling of "Safe Harbor" on the top.  Although not our fault, this spelling error was quickly pointed out to us by some residents who joked that it sounded like we were from Boston. 

 
Overall, I'd say it was a successful night.  The residents couldn't have been more thankful for our meal and contributions and I couldn't have left feeling better about how we helped our community.  We've decided that this excursion will be a yearly event for the fourth grade team and I am already looking forward to next year.  

 

V-day Review and a Wine Weekend

Hi everyone!  Sorry I've been a bit MIA for the past few days but here I am, ready to share my weekend adventures.  First things first, here's a glimpse at what my Valentine's Day looked like...cupcakes from two local bakeries, flowers from my husband and a student, cookies that served as table favors at my family's special meal, and a snapshot taken of my daughter and I at her school party.  

This past weekend was also filled with some running, a trip to a winery and a whole bunch of relaxing.  Fred and I found ourselves with no children on Saturday, so we decided to take advantage of the situation by heading out of town.  We live in an area where there are quite a few vineyards nestled together in what is called the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail.  Last spring I posted about some of our trips during their March Madness event...you can catch them here and here.  Because one winery in particular is far off the beaten path, we jumped in the car and headed north to Galen Glen for a visit.

Galen Glen was hosting a Valentine's event where they paired their Barrel 29 port with a chocolate peanut butter tart.  Holy moly, it was excellent...both the wine and the dessert!  Barrel 29 has to be one of my favorite port varieties and in my opinion...chocolate and PB is the best flavor combination going.  

Once we finished tasting, we left with a few bottles...some red and some white.  After the visit to the winery, my husband suggested another stop on our journey, the Yuengling Brewery, for a tour.  We weren't too far from Pottsville, PA, the home of Yuengling beer, so we headed that way.  Neither of us have ever been to the brewery itself, but we did go to college with one of the Yuengling daughters.  Plus, their Lager is Fred's favorite beer so it just felt right that we made a visit while we had the time.  

While it sounded like a good idea in the moment, we should have checked to see if they were open for business.  Apparently, the brewery is only open for tours during the months of April through December.  Fail on our part.  :(

However, we were able to turn our trip to Pottsville into a good situation by stopping at this little pub for a drink and some snacks.  Check out the cool {old} mural on the side of the building...

As for food, we split fried pickles with a spicy petal sauce and stuffed peppers with prosciutto and feta cheese.  

After a few other stops, we met our friends {Sib and Jolene} at the Riverwalck Pub for some burgers and beers to wrap up the evening.    

Sunday I woke up to frigid temperatures and windy conditions as I dressed for a longer run with the girls from Moravian.  Luck was on our side because I truly think we ran at the best part of the day.  As Sunday progressed it got windier and colder, so we were lucky and we covered almost nine miles in 70 minutes.  Afterwards, we headed down to the gym for some hurdle mobility drills and plank exercises...75 seconds per side.  Phew...!      

Yep...that's ice on their shins!  :)

Monday was a day off from school to honor Presidents' Day and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute.  An extra day off gives me time to make meals for the week, catch up on laundry and relax just a little bit more.  Plus, I was able to get in five miles before I started my day.  Gotta love holiday breaks!  Have a wonderful Tuesday...